The house was unnaturally quiet as Miranda stepped through the front door; the contrast to the raging storm outside making it eerie. It had taken an incredibly short time for Miranda to grow accustomed to and adore being greeted by an assortment of sounds when she arrived home; music, laughter, a trio of sweet voices.

Walking towards the kitchen Miranda strained her hearing. She did not expect any sign of the twins at this hour but to hear nothing of Andrea was peculiar. Though, if she was honest, she had expected it.

Andrea had called her repeatedly throughout the evening and Miranda had chosen not to return a single one. She was a coward. Having genuinely missed the first three whilst in a meeting, she was worried that upon speaking to her love she would be met with anger or, worse still, disappointment. She was sure that had it been an emergency Andrea would have called Emily and demanded to talk to her. However, now that she was facing silence, the fashion maven was beginning to worry.

Switching on the light to the kitchen, Miranda noted Andrea's laptop as she made her way across the room in search of coffee; decaff. At least she knew her girlfriend was home. All thoughts were interrupted as her eye caught something through the window. Outside, sitting on a bench in the midst of a down-pour, was Andrea.

Two steps into the garden Miranda noted that the water running down Andrea's face was not composed of rain alone. As she approached the bench the soaked brunette didn't move to acknowledge her presence in any way, and so she sat by her side in silence.

"You didn't answer my calls."

Miranda hated herself for ever using such an icy tone around the brunette; she had perfected it, terrifyingly so.

"Andrea-"

"Lily stopped by tonight. She was on a tear, wanted to let me know what she thought about me, us. She really let me have it and the girls got to see the whole show; she had a few choice words for them as well."

Miranda had known she was going to destroy that insufferable little witch before Andrea had even mentioned the twins, but that piece of information had signed her death warrant.

"Andrea, I'm so-"

"My best friend stood in our home and told me that I was disgusting and mentally unstable, and those were the kinder of her insults. She also made sure I was aware that, no matter how I tried, I would never be able to make you love me more than you love Runway…"

Andrea turned to look at her for the first time this evening, fury swimming in her eyes though the rest of her face was blank. Another trait she had learned from her lover.

"And then you didn't answer my calls!"

Miranda moved to place a calming hand on Andrea's knee that sent her bolting from the bench to stand facing away from her. It hurt more than the older woman would care to admit.

"I…I was in a meeting when you called to begin with. When I realised I had missed you I was afraid to call you back. I thought you would be upset with me. I'm sorry Andrea, I'm so-"

"Stop."

Miranda barely heard the softly spoken word over the pounding if the rain. They were both drenched to the skin now. Did Andrea really doubt her? Didn't she see that this was the difference? She would sit in the rain with her, stay in the rain for her. No one before her would have warranted this kind of affection, excluding her girls. She rose to stand behind Andrea, scared to try and touch her again.

"Don't apologise for something we both know isn't your fault Mira. Sometimes you're busy, I'm not angry with you."

The words calmed her, but the feeling of Andrea sinking back into her body soothed her. She wrapped her arms around a slender waist and felt delicate hands hold onto her arms.

"You're not? Because if that is the case darling I'm not ashamed to admit that I fear the day when I truly enrage you."

"I'm furious with Lily for what she said and I'm disappointed that I let her get under my skin, but I am not upset with you." Andrea spun in her arms and slipped her hands into dripping, white hair. "I love you."

"And I love you, with my whole heart."

The brunette nodded slightly before kissing her love and then rested her head on Miranda's chest, as she began to sway them gently.

"Could we stay like this just a little longer?"

Miranda chose not to respond and simply guided their swaying into a small circle so that they were simulating an informal waltz. This drew a contented sigh from Andrea.

Minutes moved blissfully by before Miranda interrupted the silence.

"Would you be terribly upset if I taught your 'friend' a lesson concerning her behaviour?"

Andrea pulled back to look into Miranda's eyes and lifted her eyebrow as if conveying her answer. The older woman decided she really must take note of how much of her behaviour was rubbing off on her young lover.

"Miranda, she made our girls cry." She said with resolve.

Miranda glided them back into their dance through the river of rain swirling around their feet while considering the woman in her arms and her readiness to burn a friend to defend their girls and decided that maybe Andrea adopting some of her traits wasn't so bad after all.