I'll Be Home for Christmas
Deanlu
Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sachs are the sole property of Lauren Weisberger, 20th Century Fox, and Aline Brosh McKenna. I am just borrowing them for a little fun fanfics. This is a new fanfics area. Please bear with me. I am feeling out the characters, but believe this was a good idea.
Andrea watched the passing scenery from the back of the cab as she lost herself in memories of the last forty-eight hours. God, she needed to feel Miranda's arms and listen to the twin's joyful voices. New York was so far removed from the war zone she just left. The city was wrapped in bright, gay colors beckoning its inhabitants to participate in the festivities of the holiday. She wasn't supposed to be here. Miranda expected her on the morning of New Year's Eve. She was supposed to be in Pakistan putting the finishing touches on an interview with the Prime Minister and his entourage. God, she remembered the argument with Miranda before she left. It had been a last minute order from the Mirror. An opening for an interview and then followed up by several smaller interviews to help the New York citizenry understand the political forces at work in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Andy had been personally requested as her in depth and careful researched reporting had caught the eye of one of the United Nations diplomats for Pakistan. Miranda didn't have a problem with the interview. No, she had a problem with the timing. Andy would be gone the week before, week of, and week after Christmas. Only to arrive on New Year's Eve. Even though they had been together now five years, this was a special Christmas. It was an anniversary of when Miranda had finally asked Andrea to marry her.
"I just do not understand why it cannot wait. I mean, it is not like he is going anywhere. Andrea, it is the holidays," the editor of Runway had raged. The twins had peaked over the bannister watching and listening. They had been ordered upstairs after dinner to complete their homework, but all that had come to a stop when the argument's volume had risen to echo into their rooms.
"Miranda, I can't just say no. I was personally requested. This is a major boon for my career. Please understand, it's only three weeks and then I will be back." Andrea had pleaded with her lover. She had known the minute Gary, her editor had told her to pack and it wasn't optional she was in for it with Miranda.
"I will call Gary and explain to him…" Miranda began as she paced back in forth in the kitchen.
"No! Miranda, when we became a couple we both agreed our jobs were extremely important. We would put each other first, but would understand when we had to put the job first for a while. I've always understood when you have had to leave. You also have understood the few times I have had to be absent. Please, understand now." Andrea came up behind Miranda. Her lover had gripped the edge of the counter with her back to Andrea attempting to ignore the young woman's voice. Andrea's arms slipped around Miranda's waist gently caressing her lover's abs even as she peppered soft kisses along her neck and shoulders. "I don't want to go either. I want to be here with you and the twins. I do not have a choice. Ask yourself Mira, if this were for Runway would you hesitate? Would you justify it to me?" Miranda's shoulders slumped forward in defeat. "I love you."
"Damn you Andrea. Damn you to hell." Miranda whispered suddenly turning in Andrea's arms. "You don't play fair. You don't…" Miranda's voice hitched for a moment. "Just promise me you will come back. Promise me to be safe." Miranda's words whispered across Andrea's lips.
"I promise." Andrea said softly back as her lips were seized by the editor. The twins. Andrea sighed; they had been the next obstacle.
"But you promised to take us ice skating in Rockefeller Square! Andy you promised! It's a tradition." Caroline whined.
"Andy, we have breakfast, open gifts, then we head out to ice skate at Rockefeller Square. You get us hot chocolate. Don't you love us?" Cassidy said softly. It was a low blow, but the girls loved Andy. They loved Andy loving their mother
"Whoa! I love you very much, very deeply. I have no choice. I have to go. We will do all those things after I get back. I…" Andy began.
"Don't! Don't promise anything you can't keep. You told us once you would never break your promises. You lied to us. You're just like mom!" screamed Caroline. "Just leave. Go!" Andy had risen looked over at Cassidy who was sullen and looked away. She had walked out of the room. Once in the hallway, she turned toward her and Miranda's bedroom. Just before opening the door, she stopped and leaned her head against it the cool wood. The twins hated her.
"They don't." Miranda's soft voice echoed down the hallway wrapping around Andrea's heart. "They don't hate you Andrea. They are scared. They are very bright children. Dalton teaches students about the geo-political problems in Asia. So they know where you're going and the trouble there. They are afraid of losing you Andrea…as I am." Miranda had moved slowly down the hallway until she was standing next to Andrea her hands gently caressing the woman's face.
"I'm not going to die Mira. I am just going for an interview." Andrea whispered even as she watched the wince from the words. "I am not leaving you." Andrea said pulling her lover into their room toward their bed. Their lovemaking that night had been frenzied and desperate with fear and the unknown. Andrea had seen Miranda off in the morning as well as the twins. She had hoped the nights rest would change the twin's behavior. It hadn't. She felt lost and sullen by the time Roy had picked her up an hour later and took her to the airport. Miranda had still been mad at her, but her loving texts and phone calls had never stopped.
Miranda: Be safe love. I am waiting.
Andrea: Don't worry.
Miranda: Too late.
Andrea had arrived and been on a whirl wind of interviews. She had been given access that most female reporters had never been given. Andrea's articles had shed light on a precarious balancing act of factions within the government all vying for the power to change the direction of their country. She had extra security arranged by the government, but also by Miranda the moment she had stepped off the plane.
Andrea: Umm, you didn't have to get the extra security. The government was providing complete coverage for me.
Miranda: You are my wife. Do you think I am going to let some backwater government who can't even protect its own members protect your life?
Andrea had gazed at the two men in black Marc Jacobs's suits. She sighed and knew this would be a long trip.
Andrea: All, right. I'll talk with you about this when I get back. I love you.
There had been several times her body guards had nixed going to certain locations or changed her schedule suddenly. While it was inconvenient, Andrea knew it was to keep her safe. She never expected the car bomb and chaos that came after.
"Good evening Ms. Sach's." said the warm welcoming voice of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. Andy maneuvered her phone so she could hear him clearly.
"Good Evening sir, I am looking forward to our interview tomorrow." Andy had stated.
"As am I Ms. Sachs, as am I. I am going to give you to my assistant. He will make sure all goes well," said Ashraf. There were a few moments of whispered comments from the other side of the phone and then the silken voice of Prime Minister Ashraf's assistant spoke.
"Ms. Sach's, this is Khalil. I have the interview set for three in the afternoon, followed by drinks and dinner in the evening. A car will pick you up at two," Khalil stated as several voices sounded harshly in the background.
"Yes, that is fine. I am looking forward to the interview Khalil. I will see you at three." The next scenes that ran through Andy's mind were of the car picking her up, arrival at the hotel. The interview had gone perfectly. She had found the prime minister to be charismatic, informed, and deeply concerned for his people. Ashraf had escorted her to dinner asking after her family. Andrea had worked the room talking with each group. The conversations had been interesting as Andrea had listened to the various groups discussing the current political situation. The people assembled had just been seated for dinner when there was a loud rumbling followed by a blast. Screams echoed around the room as debri from the ceiling and walls fell around her. Andrea watched as the Prime Minister was ushered out with security. She felt something heavy fall on her pinning her left arm. She then felt a hand and a voice.
"Ms. Sachs! Ms. Sachs we are here. Hang on." Andrea could hear what sounded like shooting and a second explosion. Her head hurt and blackness edged her vision. The next thing Andy knew she was being carried over some ones shoulder and then shoved into an ambulance. She had a mild concussion, bruised ribs, several cuts, and her left wrist was in a brace where the arm had been pinned. She had been rushed out of Pakistan after it was revealed that there had been several death threats against her. Now forty-eight hours later the cab was pulling up to the townhouse Miranda and she lived in. She'd had no chance to contact Miranda as her phone had been destroyed in the explosion. If Miranda had not planned for the extra security she would not have made it out alive.
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Andy said as she handed the cab driver the money for her fare home from the airport. He set her last bag on the sidewalk, tipped his hat and gave a gruff Merry Christmas. Andy watched him drive away taking a deep breath of cold New York air. She looked up and down the street for a moment noticing the subtle signs of Christmas in the windows of the brownstones before turning back to her and Miranda's townhome. She could see the Christmas tree reflecting its warm light from the front window. She hoped they weren't mad anymore. She hoped…running a hand over her eyes she steeled her resolve and carefully slung her bag over her shoulder. She picked up the other with her right hand and moved to the front door. She unlocked it slipping in with very little noise. For a moment she thought that no one was awake. The smell of roast beef lingered in the air from dinner even as the warmth counteracted the chill Andrea had felt. The soft, muffled sounds of the twins movement above caused Andy to look up toward the second floor. Just as she was about to head upstairs she heard movement in the kitchen. Andrea set her bags down and moved quietly down the hall.
"Mom, hurry up. How long does popcorn take?" Caroline yelled. Andrea could see Miranda roll her eye's in her head. No matter how many times she had told the girls not to yell in the house it hadn't worked they still yelled when impatience took them.
"Caroline, stop yelling. I will be right there." Miranda called back. Andrea noticed though the voice was subdued and choked as if it had been crying. Andrea came into the kitchen stopping at the doorway. Miranda had indeed been crying. She was holding her phone the bowl of popcorn finished and abandoned nearby on the counter. Her hands were shaking as she stared down the phone. Then she heard her lover whispering, "Damn it Andrea. Why haven't you responded to my texts? Where are you?"
"I'm right here." Andrea said softly startling the older woman. Miranda looked toward the doorway like she had seen a ghost. There stood Andrea a bandage over her right eye, a brace on her left arm, and exhaustion reflecting out of her brown orbs. "I'm right here." Andrea repeated even as Miranda now moved rushing into the other woman's arms. Miranda inhaled deeply her lovers scent her Andrea alive and home.
"Where…How…They said you were…Oh God, Andrea!" Andrea held onto Miranda even as words tumbled from her mouth.
"Shhh, I'm here. I'm okay." Andrea spoke softly even as Miranda clung to her. "I don't know what you were told, but I'm fine." Miranda at that moment hugged Andy more tightly around her ribs then she should have causing the young woman to hiss.
"What's wrong?" Miranda asked in concern even as she moved out of the young woman's arms. Andrea pulled her back into her arms.
"It's nothing. Just a little bumped and bruised. Nothing you and the girls can't make better." Andrea said. Just then the thunder of feet resounded and a red head came into view.
"MOM! What's taking so long…" the young girl stopped. Caroline's eyes widened in shock and joy then her screech resounded through the kitchen. "ANDY!" Suddenly, Andy was enveloped by Caroline's arms even as the thunder of another set of feet announced the arrival of Cassidy. Andrea felt tears sliding down her face as she was wrapped in the love of her family. The girls cleaved to Andy desperately as words escaped their lips…"sorry"…"You didn't lie"… "you're here Andy"…"Sorry."
"Shhh, it's okay. I forgive you. It's okay." Andrea said as she kissed each red head and gently disengaged her arm from around Cassidy. Andrea lifted Miranda's chin and kissed her softly on the lips.
"Merry Christmas love, I'm home." Andrea said softly. Miranda kissed Andrea gently thanking whoever had been watching over her wife. Outside the harsh cold world continued its mad push onward. Inside the love of a family warmed by the Christmas spirit, but even more recognizing how precious one life was and how much it shed light within the darkened world.
