Sadly for them they day they got "outed", only a few hours into the year 2007 was also the day that Miranda would call the "worst day of my life (so far)".
The day had started pretty well Miranda thought, they'd been watching the New Year's celebrations on the television, shared a kiss when the clock struck twelve, went to bed at around half one after sharing a bottle of wine, made reverently passionate love until even later in the night. Andy had decided to get up at around ten after Miranda had awoken to the warm feeling of a body wrapped around her; she had been told by her younger girlfriend to stay in bed whilst the journalist went to the local deli to get them some breakfast and coffee. After a chaste kiss she was out the front door.
Only to be hit by a drink driver only a block from home; their bagels and coffee strewn on the roadside. Miranda had heard the sirens as the ambulance screeched by. She also heard her cell phone ringing a few minutes later, anxiously she answered the call.
"Hello, is this Miriam?"
"Pardon?"
"Is this Miriam Princhek, we believe you are close to an "Andrea Sachs" you're the most contacted number on her cell phone." She was shaking, not only because the man on the other line clearly had no idea who either of them were both in pronouncing Andrea's name incorrectly (ignoring the emphasis on the A at the end) but also was using Miranda's birth name. The name Andy had put as Miranda's contact once they had started dating.
"Yes, yes that's me. Is Andrea okay?"
"She's been involved in a hit and run, she's said she was on her way back to see you when the incident occurred and has been asking for you since we arrived. We're on the way to Bellevue now."
She could hear Andrea in the background, she sounded in pain but otherwise coherent, she could hear her name being mentioned over and over again. "If you could be there as soon as you can, one of us will wait for you. Oh and if you know anyone named Miranda that would be most helpful, she keeps asking for both you and a woman named Miranda and we're confused as to who is who."
"I'll try my best. I can be there in twenty minutes, thank you for informing me."
Thus ensued the mad panic that was getting from the townhouse to the hospital in as little time as possible. She was in Andrea's sweat pants and university hoodie and tee; she took a cab for the first time in forever and had no make-up on. Her famous silver hair was limp against her forehead and she looked like she hadn't washed in days. The driver, rather kindly, ignored all this to take her to the hospital in a far quicker time than she had expected due to the traffic and she tipped him as such.
Once she had scrambled into the hospital, tears already flowing in gusto she found herself face to face with a very tall athletic looking man who was clearly searching for somebody. Their eyes locked.
"Miriam?" He pointed at her and she simply nodded…. Then she noticed the widening of his eyes. "You're Miranda…. Miranda Priestly." Again she nodded, feeling the pinking of her cheeks as she blushed.
"I had hoped I wouldn't be recognised."
"Sadly you're talking to a man with two teenage daughters. I'll try to keep it quiet but I'm fairly certain I won't be the only one to recognise you. I'll take you to her, follow me."
She found Andrea in a side room; she looked so small and fragile on the bed strapped to some monitors. As she approached she noticed the Doctor in the room.
"Hi, you must be Miriam. Come in, don't look so scared she's okay she's just fallen asleep due to the pain killers we've put her on but as you might be able to tell-." He gestured to her left leg, which is in a cast. "She's going to need to be on crutches for a while. She's cracked some of her ribs as well. However, she's doing fine and should be able to leave here tomorrow. Are you family?"
"Yes, we're family. Can I stay here?"
"Yes, we're just going to keep her in observation until she wakes up and then you can take her home."
Then began the long wait for Andrea to wake up and open her beautiful brown eyes. After three hours of sitting in the chair next to her stroking her hand the eyes Miranda had feared for a moment would never open again started to blink. They blinked some more before finally focusing on the blue eyes staring right back at her.
"Hey…" Was the first whisper that emerged from those lips.
"Good afternoon love."
"So…I got hit by a car."
"Yeah, you made me panic there love." She grips the hand she was holding hostage harder when she noticed the tears developing around those eyes she so loved.
"I'm so sorry Miranda. I'm sorry I ruined the day."
"No. No Darling, don't say that this isn't your fault at all. It's the idiot that hit you whose fault this is."
"I just wanted to spoil you on New Years'." Miranda starts stroking the chestnut hair in front of her.
"And you did Darling, you did."
It was then that she notices the flash of a camera coming from the corridor through the window in the door. They could hear the muffled shouts of "Priestly" from the other side as the Doctor they had seen before quietly came into the room.
"You're not who you said you were, are you? Ms Priestly?" He held back a smirk before commenting that Andy was free to be discharged and that they would do their best to minimise the impact of the journalists who had managed to scramble their way into the building. "I can't stop the ones who are within the corridor however we do currently have security within all entrances and exits to ensure your safety whilst leaving the premises." They nodded in understanding. "If you'd like to follow me I can lead you the safest way out. I've noticed that there appears to be a town car loitering about within the car park. Would it happen to belong to you?" Again there was nodding. "Okay, I'll tell security to notify the driver."
It was a mere two hours before the news broke and several gossip sites had photos of the two of them within the hospital, Miranda holding onto Andrea's hand whilst stroking her hair. Andrea being pushed in a wheelchair out of the hospital, Miranda following her in tow. Both looking tired, pained, relieved and most importantly in love.
And so started 2007, the year that was later deemed to be ruled by the "Ice Queen and her Princess". As predicted page 9 had a field day, although during the majority of the press interest Andy found that she was unable to really get around much and Miranda found herself seriously protective of her girlfriend. Hence there being very little in the way of photographs of the two lovers together. It was only once Andy's cast was off and the news had died down a little that the two were really photographed in the same picture. By then they'd become old news and although they did become occasional features of the gossip rags (mostly due to their cute dating arrangements) they found that they were far less interesting than originally deemed.
Except for one spat in an Italian restaurant over the toppings of a pizza. Though they never mentioned that incident again, surprisingly.
