A/N: All mistakes are mine, and I'm sure there are plenty. Thank you Elliewrites for telling me to rearrange some things and I hope I came close to what you meant. I will always be grateful for the time you give me and my silly stories so xo to you.

I'm really bad in the kitchen, like I burn toast in the toaster. But I do know that cupcakes take longer to cool than what I've written, but work with me here.

Ch.4

Closing the door behind her, Miranda strode into the kitchen silently. Having the sight before her in comparison to her phone's screen made everything so much more real, and the older woman's heart melted completely.

Looking into three sets of surprised eyes, Miranda pretended to be just as shocked, as she did not want her girls to know that she had known in advance about their plotting.

"What in the world is going on?" Miranda flicked her hands around as if to emphasize her point. Not wanting to let them off the hook so easily, Miranda gave her best glare while running a colorful paper streamer through her fingers. One would have thought she had a polyester blend in her hand from the look of distaste she gave at the long piece of paper.

Andy had been successful at her job by reading Miranda's facial expressions and wanted to believe that the small glimmer she caught in Miranda's eye was pure delight, but Andy was so nervous that she wasn't sure if she could read anything in her boss's face at the moment.

Stepping in front of the twins with batter dripping down her spoon, Andy began to nervously speak, "Mir.." But Miranda threw her hand up effectively stopping anything that her assistant was about to say.

And then Andy heard the most beautiful sound she had ever heard when Miranda began to laugh. It was a full bodied laugh that had Miranda gripping her side. While Andy stood there in shock, the two redheads peaked out from behind her and watched their mom erupt into a laughter that the house had gone too long without.

"Mooom! You tricked us!"

"Yeah, you made us think you were mad!"

Both twins came out from behind Andy and held onto their mother from either side.

Still grinning, Miranda ran a hand through each of girls' hair stating, "I believe that it was only fair since the two of you made me think that not only had you all forgotten me today, but that you were also at your friend's. Does this Meghan even exist?" She finished her words by running her hand down the side of her children and tickling them both, preventing them from answering.

The gesture was so sweet that it almost made Andy feel as if she were intruding into a very private Priestly family moment. But she found that she could not tear her eyes away from her boss, nor stop the silly grin that had plastered itself onto her face.

The two wiggle worms managed to escape their mom's wrath and ran to the table to proudly retrieve the cards and presents that they had wrapped themselves. As the twins left, Miranda lifted her head to see Andrea staring at her. A silent moment passed between them and their eyes locked onto one another. Miranda was smirking, the twinkle in her eyes still apparent and Andy was grinning like a fool, soaking in this memory for all it was worth. But the momentary spell was broken as the twins ran back into the kitchen.

"Mom, look we made you cards!" Cassidy said waving hers proudly.

"And we have presents for you too!" Caroline stated as she held the packages carefully.

Miranda had meant to give her girls undivided attention, but it was then that the batter on Andy's spoon had reached her hand and the young woman snaked her tongue out to catch the droplets.

Caroline tugged onto her mom's sleeve effectively making Miranda's head snap back down to her daughters. "Uh, mom. Presents and cards and stuff."

Miranda could feel the heat coming off of her face and did not dare look over at Andrea. Had she taken the chance, she would have seen a blush to rival her own on the young brunette.

Miranda allowed herself to be tugged towards the kitchen bar by her children while they clambered up onto stools beside of her. Andy quickly washed her hands and then continued to work on the cupcakes by placing them into the oven while the twins fought over whose cards and presents would be opened first. Miranda opted for a compromise to open up Cassidy's card first, but then she would open up Caroline's present first to appease them.

"Oh, wait!" Cassidy stopped her mom from opening up her card. "Andy has a card too!"

"Oh yeah, and a present!" Caroline said as she bounded off of her stool and went back to the table to grab the items that Andy had brought.

"It's ok, you don't have to..." Andy had tried to stop her, not wanting to interfere with the girls' time with their mom, but the protest died on her lips as she saw the look of honest surprise on Miranda's face. Andy was internally pleased but then stared at a dirty mixing bowl as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Andy had only meant to help the girls with the surprise, and then it was her plan to leave after Miranda had gotten home so that her and the girls could spend the evening together. Even though she had been to games, recitals, and dinners, it did not mean that she would intrude on tonight's celebration.

Earlier, while Miranda had watched the activities from her cell phone, she had not noticed that Andrea had brought a gift. A tenderness spread through the editor as she saw the usually self assured Andrea teem with embarrassment. Plenty of people had sent Miranda gifts and cards, but never an assistant. And if Miranda were honest, none of her assistants had ever schemed with her children, cooked in her kitchen, or captured her heart.

Caroline skidded back into the kitchen and handed her mom the card and present that Andy had brought.

As Miranda opened the custom made card from Andy, she saw that the front of it had a blood red stiletto with the spike in the shape of a pitchfork. Miranda's famously raised eyebrow had Andy second guessing her choice of artwork.

On the inside it said: You may be known as The Devil in Prada, but to me you are just Miranda. Happy Birthday and may you continue to be celebrated.

Miranda briefly closed her eyes as she allowed the sentiment to resonate. She understood exactly what Andrea was saying.

Andy knew that many people gave Miranda obligatory congratulations or praises because of who she was as the Editor in Chief, the celebrity status, and the power that she held. Andy was trying to tell Miranda that she simply wanted her, the woman, the mom, to be recognized on her special day.

Miranda wanted to give Andrea so much more than a simple thank you, but she reigned herself in and flashed the young woman a genuine smile. She then proceeded to open up the present from her assistant but felt confused as she tore away the paper that revealed her daily planner.

"Andrea? I'm afraid I do not understand."

Andy smiled sheepishly as she explained, "This is just a replica of your daily planner. I wasn't able to retrieve your actual planner because it's always on you, but go ahead and turn this one to next week."

Miranda opened the book and where in her original planner she had late meetings and appointments for Runway, she now saw dinners and activities scheduled with her daughters.

Andy piped up, "I'll have to change your real planner tomorrow when we get to the office. I mean if it's ok? I just thought that…"

Andrea had given her the gift of time. A lump formed in her throat as she could only imagine the work that had been involved for Andrea to have pulled off arranging an entire week around. "It's perfect. I… thank you." she managed to finally get out flummoxed at the priceless gift.

"And look mom, we get to go see Wicked!" Cassidy said as she pointed to the tickets that had been paper-clipped to the page.

Miranda pursed her lips and Andy felt a sudden wave a panic. Wasn't that the play that the girls had been wanting to see? Wasn't that the play that even Miranda had mentioned not two weeks ago about wanting to take the girls to but couldn't find the time lately? It had cost her more favors than she wanted to think about at the moment, but she had been able to get them and now she was worried.

"Andrea, there are only three tickets here." Miranda said in that soft, yet superior tone.

"Yeah, where's your ticket?" Caroline asked.

"Don't you want to go?" Cassidy added.

"Um, well, I, uh?" Andy was clearly confused that they had all just assumed she would be joining them for a family night out. "Of course I want to go. I just didn't want to intrude." She quickly answered Cassidy.

"Andrea will be there. Don't worry bobseys, I will make a phone call to ensure her presence." Miranda stated as if obtaining sold-out tickets were as easy as ordering a pizza.

Andy immediately began to wonder what else of herself she'd have to offer up in order to get that fourth ticket but Miranda saw the wheels turning in her assistant's head, "Really Andrea, I will personally see to it that you will join us. Besides, it appears I have some extra time coming up, so surely I can squeeze in a phone call." Miranda winked and Andy's knees gave out at the adorableness in the gesture.

"Are you ok?" Caroline asked as Andy righted herself.

Trying to cover up her embarrassment Andy quickly replied, "Um, yeah. you know how these heels are sometimes."

"But you took your shoes off didn't you?" Caroline quizzed.

"Open mine now!" Cassidy exclaimed saving Andy from completely dying on the spot while Miranda seemed confused as to what had just happened.

Miranda was all smiles as she continued to open her cards from the girls. It wouldn't be long now before they would be too old to continue to hand make their cards so she held them close to her, already mentally displaying them on her bookshelf in the study.

"Here mom." Caroline said as she slid the large gift-wrapped box to her mother.

Miranda smiled and began pulling away the layers upon layers of tape and paper. Inside was a Starbuck's Verismo coffee machine complete with coffee.

"See, this way you can have your first cup at home and Andy doesn't have to freak out every morning. Especially if she accidentally sleeps late or misses the train at the subway." Caroline concluded.

Andy coughed and her eyes widened as Miranda listened to her child's simplistic logic. Miranda did not even try to hide her smirk towards her assistant while the brunette turned beet red.

She hugged Caroline as she said, "It is very thoughtful of you, and I am sure that Andrea appreciates it as well."

"Now me," said Cassidy as she handed a much smaller package to her mother.

Miranda peeled the paper away and gasped as she saw a snow globe with a fountain encased. But it was no ordinary fountain, it was a model of the one at the Place de la Concorde.

"Look, mom it's Paris! You're always mumbling about Paris." Cassidy exclaimed happily completely oblivious to her mom's momentarily stunned expression.

However, Caroline had caught her mom's look so she asked, "Don't you like it? We heard you say one night in your study that the fountain there was important to you. I know we shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but we needed ideas for your birthday so…"

This time it was Miranda's turn for her eyes to almost fall out onto the floor at her daughters' words. Blinking rapidly and looking anywhere but at Andrea, she answered her girls, "Yes, of course bobseys! It's beautiful Cassidy." Then as she raised her head from looking at her daughter, Miranda's eyes found Andrea as she said, "I love it."

What she had initially believed to be a very lonely day, was quickly becoming one of the happiest she had had in a long time.

The buzzer for the oven went off and startled everyone momentarily, breaking the invisible tension that had seemed to build around both Miranda and Andy.

"They're carrot cake mom!" Caroline said as she jumped down from her stool to watch Andy pull the cupcakes out to cool.

"Cassidy helped with the measuring," Andy said and winked at the child, "And Caroline helped with the mixing," she finished as she hip-bumped Caroline lightly.

"Mummy is extremely proud of you both. You have made me so very happy this evening." She hugged both of her daughters fiercely, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek.

Cassidy picked up one of the cupcakes and claimed that they were now cool enough to frost so everyone pitched in to ice their own treat. Caroline produced a single candle from the kitchen drawer and Andy lit it atop of Miranda's cupcake.

"We have to sing Happy Birthday!" Cassidy said and started them in song.

"Make a wish!" the girls said.

Miranda looked at the sight before her: her children were laughing, her assistant was standing before her smiling. Everyone was happy. She closed her eyes and thought of the wonderment that was filling her kitchen. What would it feel like to have this type of joy in her life every day? Well, it's only a birthday wish right? Miranda made her private wish and blew out the candle.

She hugged her girls tightly, "Thank you so much for making me so very happy this evening. I love you two very much. Now, I am going to go change and I need for you girls to pick out a movie while Andrea orders all of us dinner."

"We had to do things a little bit backwards tonight didn't we mom?"

"Well, to give you girls credit, you did believe I would be eating at the benefit."

"That's right. Why did you leave the benefit tonight? Why didn't Uncle Nigel…oops." Cassidy realized what she had said.

Miranda waved her off and smiled at her daughter, "It's quite alright bobsey. I had decided that Nigel should go on his own is all. As Andrea pointed out with her gift, I spend way too much time with Runway affairs. Now you two run along and I will be back down shortly."

Andy wasn't sure she bought the excuse that Miranda had given her daughters, but she definitely would not ask how the older woman had decided to not attend one of the biggest events of the year. And it was odd that Nigel had not called her to give them a heads up, but she would have to call him later and ask.

Right now all that Andy cared about was that Miranda was happy and that she had just been invited to dinner and a movie with the Priestly family. She would give anything for this closeness to be a nightly ritual, but she would not allow her heart to get her hopes up. Andy would simply be happy with the time and the familial insight she had been granted thus far.

Miranda went upstairs to change out of her benefit gown and left the girls to pick out a movie while Andy ordered food from that restaurant that she liked.

As Miranda changed into her version of comfortable, black pinstripe pants and a white v-neck blouse, she began to think over what had transpired this evening a flew floors below her. Things undoubtedly always ran smoother at work with Andrea, and having her assistant in her personal life was no different. The lines of professionalism had long been blurred between them since Paris, but they had never been overstepped entirely.

At work there had never been another to ride in elevators, to ask her questions, to place her coat and bag upon her instead of simply handing it to her. And despite Caroline's worry earlier, she would never say anything to Andrea if her coffee had not arrived exactly on time. No, now she would just find a way to blame Emily or even the Starbuck's barista.

At home, Andrea's presence had trickled over as if there were no separation to begin with. One morning the young woman had mentioned she came from divorced parents and instead of being insulted, Miranda read that for the invitation that it was, allowing Andrea's experience into her daughters' lives. The time Andrea spent with her children was gradual at first, Miranda making up reasons to have the young woman there. The guise of having your assistant at a soccer game to discuss scarves only lasted for so long before the pad and pen were put away. And what assistant was truly needed to help pick out outfits for their recitals? She was the Editor in Chief of Runway; she had made her living by picking out outfits. There of course was never any spoken agreement about such things, they just merely were accepted between the two of them.

Was the sense of duty so completely ingrained in Andrea that she would do anything for her boss's family, or could have what she had overheard earlier via the surveillance been true? There would only be one way to find out and that was to have a serious talk with her assistant. They would have dinner and watch a movie with the girls, but then it would be time to sit down and talk. Miranda just hoped that their discussion would not change anything, but then again, what if it changed everything?

Forfeiting her shoes, she made her way downstairs harnessing in the hope that she lived on to carry her through the rest of the evening.

The food had been cleared, the movie was over, and Miranda looked over at the profile of Andrea. She could just simply tell her assistant good night and nothing would ever need to be said. They could continue to let things just be, nothing in this friendship or relationship, or whatever it was, would have to be disturbed.

But Miranda did not get to her position in life by sitting idly by or allowing fear to rule her. She girded her loins and took the first step, " Bobseys, I need for the two of you to go upstairs and get ready for bed so that I may speak to Andrea. I will be up later to fully tuck you in."

Seeing the worried expressions on her children's face, she quickly clarified, "I promise that no one is in trouble. Now you two scoot while I talk to Andrea for a moment. And I do mean for you two to scoot and to not just linger upon the stairs."

The girls gave their mom a hug, told her happy birthday one more time, and then went over to Andy.

"Thanks for helping us today," they said as they all but crawled into her lap.

Andy squeezed them fiercely and kissed each of them on the top of their heads, "You're welcome kiddos, anytime. Night night you two."

Miranda witnessed the tender scene and sat on her hands to keep from joining in.

"Good night Andy!" and the twins bounded up the stairs sounding like a herd of elephants despite their mother's protest to slow down.

Miranda turned to her assistant and she could tell that the young woman was nervous.

The girl is probably wondering what impossible task I will throw at her next.