Disclaimer - I don't own The Devil wears Prada movie, novel or characters. I am just borrowing them for a lil' bit :-D.

Widdle Holly is my own creation :-D.

Also . . . - Gotta say a big, huge like totally massive thanks to dragonwine for agreeing to be my beta and helping me. Sooooooo . . . . Thank you Thank you Thank you:-D.

Also . . . Also again – LOL – I have to say my darling Annalisa has been my number 1 support, so thank you baby I love you loads and thanks for pushing me to have a go at writing . . . love you xxxx

Reviews are always very much appreciated please take no offense of I don't reply straight away :-D

Chapter 14

Nigel strides into the journalism department expecting to see Andrea sitting at her desk typing away furiously on her Mac. He was taken aback when he saw a certain two and a half year old girl sitting in her seat instead. She looks up at him with smiling eyes and squeals, "NILE!" He smiles as she stands up on the chair and reaches up for him to pick her up.

He bends down slightly and picks her up. "Hello sweetheart. Are you doing mommy's job now?" Holly smiles shyly and lays her head on his shoulder.

"What? You can't be shy with me. I don't believe that," he says smiling as she looks up at him again. She gives another shy smile before promptly sticking her thumb into her mouth.

He was just about to ask Andrea's colleague in the neighboring cubicle where she was when he heard a voice from behind him saying, "Holly stop sucking your thumb please." Andy moves around them to sit at her desk.

"Hey Nile." Andy smirks up at him while sorting through the stack of paper she had just collected from the printer.

"Is that what I'm going to be known as now? It's your daughter that can't pronounce the 'g' in my name."

"Sorry Nile," she replies quickly.

He raises an eyebrow. "Well I came over to invite my two favorite ladies to lunch in my office. And so that you can tell me the more detailed version of what happened Friday morning," he explains moving his head slightly. Holly had discovered his glasses again.

"Well I would love to but I am swamped at the moment. I need to get this piece done for Miranda." Even speaking her name tugged at her heart strings. "And besides there isn't anything to tell. I said something, she'll break my heart. I just gotta be prepared," she admits with a sad smile.

'No she won't,' he thinks privately. "Well, how about I come over to you tonight so we can talk in safer surroundings then." Nigel wonders if their public setting was responsible for his friend being so closed up. Usually Andy was much more open with her emotions.

"Can't do that either. It's that charity dinner tonight."

"I know but we can sneak out early. You know Miranda won't stay there for very long, as long as you get her quotes it'll be fine."

She sighs heavily. He was really trying his best. "Ok. But I need you to do me a favor."

"Lay it on me, Six."

"Would you mind watching Holly for me for half an hour? I just need to get this one piece out of the way, then I won't need to stay late after work," she asks, her doe eyes pleading.

"Yeah sure that's fine. How come this little princess is here today anyway?" Nigel caught Holly's wandering hands as she continuously attempts to get to his designer glasses.

"Lily gets her results today." Andy couldn't mask the worry in her tone.

Nigel nods, a sad smile gracing his face. "Right". They were all worried about what the result might bring. Although Nigel was more worried about Emily's reaction if the results were critical.

Nigel playfully tweaks Holly's cute nose. "So are you coming to lunch with Uncle Nigel?" Holly just nods. "Ok, give mommy a kiss," he says, maneuvering so that Holly could lean over to give her mother a kiss.

"Mwah – have fun princess I'll see you in a little while, mommy just has to do some work." Andy says while tucking Holly's fringe behind her ear. She received a gentle nod in reply.

"We'll see you in a bit," Nigel pipes up and starts to walk away.

"OK bye," Andrea says, " and call m-"

"If she has a fit? Yeah I know quit worrying, Six," he says knowing that that would never happen. Andrea just rolled her eyes and went back to work.

When they arrive at Nigel office he spends the first fifteen minutes making sure Holly was fed. After that he was drawing shapes on a piece of paper and asking Holly to identify and repeat them. She was just about to identify a square when Emily burst in the office with unshed tears in her eyes.

"Where's Andrea? She's not at her desk," she asks quickly, not noticing Holly through her apparent anxiousness.

Nigel's head snaps up. "I don't know is everything ok? Is Lily ok?" He asks, getting up and setting Holly on the floor in the process.

Emily proceeds to let the tears fall. "It was just a cyst they are arranging a date for it to be removed but she's all clear," she answers, her voice cracking at the last part. She was visibly relieved that her girlfriend was free from cancer.

"Oh thank god for that, come here honey." Nigel walks over with open arms, temporarily leaving Holly to her own devices.

While Nigel was comforting Emily, Andrea arrived to pick up Holly. She saw them hugging and immediately assumed the worst. She covers her face with her hands and let out a sob. Nigel releases Emily briefly and sees that Andrea has misunderstood.

"No Six, it's happy tears. She's all clear it's just a cyst," he quickly explains, beckoning her over with his free arm.

"Oh thank God!" Andy hugs Emily who was still trying to calm down slightly from the emotional news.

They had been chatting quietly for a few minutes when Andrea suddenly realizes that things were a bit too quiet. Then she notices the office door was wide open.

"Nigel where's Holly?"

Both him and Emily looked up. "She is just behind my desk" he says, walking over."Hol-" He looks back up his face suddenly white.

"HOLLY?!" Andrea shouts quickly rushing to the door. "Oh my God where is she?" she desperately looks to Emily and Nigel.

"I didn't even realize she was in here," Emily says.

"Yeah we were doing lunch. Right quick split up," Nigel says, rushing out of his office with Emily in tow. He took hold of Andrea's hand and says, "We'll find her." His tone was serious, assured, and no-nonsense as he hurried off to look for the child in question.

"Oh my God what if she's had a fit? She could have got into the lift, she could be anywhere in this goddamn building," Andy says as her voice rises in panic.

"We'll find her," Emily repeated as she takes off in the opposite direction of Nigel.

"Oh my God, HOLLY?" Andrea practically shouts, racing down the maze of hallways.

Meanwhile . . .

"This won't do. It's ridiculous that I employ all of you with all of the extensive skills that you have, only to find that when you come into work you don't use them," Miranda says, in a tone that could melt every iceberg in the world while various designers surround her with clothes to place on the mannequin.

"How about the yellow belt?"

"No it must be red I can't keep repea-"

"Red" a small voice from behind her perks up.

Miranda spun around to find the most beautiful little girl staring up at her.

She smiles and bends down so she was eye level with the toddler. "Hello Holly. That's all," she says. At the last part she heard everyone shuffle out of the room rapidly.

Holly smiles also and looks around as everyone files out of the room and then proceeds to follow in suit.

"No bobbsey, you stay here sweetheart." Miranda lightly takes hold of the little girl's arm.

"So where's mommy sweetheart?" Miranda asks.

"Nile," Holly responds in a quiet voice. Not quite sure of who this new person was.

"Nile? Who's, oh Nigel? Do you mean Nigel?"

Holly just nods slowly.

"Nigel. Right then we better ring her up and let her know you're safe shouldn't we hmm?" She stands up, extending her hand. Holly just looks at the extended hand and then back up to Miranda.

"OK then." Miranda bends down slightly to pick up Holly then proceeds to walk over to her desk. Holly starts to panic and squirm out of her hold.

"It's ok sweetheart, I'm mommy's friend. I'm Miranda have you heard mommy say anything about me?" she says, trying calm her down to prevent a tantrum.

"Miranna" she got in reply.

Miranda gives her a smile and picks up the phone to call Andrea.

After two rings Andrea picks up the phone and answers, "Have you found her?" in a state of total panic, obviously expecting to hear Nigel or Emily's voice on the other end of the line.

"No, she found me. She's in my office. That's all," Miranda replies and places the phone down.

She sits down on the chair and repositions Holly so she was sitting comfortably in her lap.

"Mommy will be here soon bobbsey," she says reassuringly.

Miranda reaches over to her left hand and pulls a stray piece of tape that was stuck to her hand. At this Holly then reaches for the tape. Miranda looks down and realizes what she was after and hands the tape over. Holly places the tape back onto the back of Miranda's hand and rips it off.

"Ow!" Miranda shakes her hand dramatically and then places it on the desk again.

Holly looks up in amusement after hearing Miranda and places the tape on there again and rips it off once more.

"Sheesh ouch." Miranda repeats, shaking her hand again. Holly giggles at this and sets out to repeat the action over and over laughing whenever Miranda would shake her hand playfully. Eventually even Miranda starts to laugh.

The Editor eventually hears frantic footsteps pounding towards her office and then hears them stumble to a halt.

Still chuckling the fashion icon asks, "Don't you find it fascinating, Andrea, when children find the simplest of things absolutely hilarious?"

Andrea just stares in shock at the sight of Miranda doing something so silly as to entertain her child. She wishes she could take a picture. No actually, she wished she could have the right to take a picture.

She sighs wistfully. 'Get over it, Sachs.'

"Huh, yeah it is," Andy answers quietly, memories of Friday morning rushing back to her. 'Oh my God just let me go. Please don't say anything in front of Holly and break my heart another time, just not now for God sake not now' she pleads silently.

Upon hearing her mother's voice Holly jumps down off of Miranda's lap and runs over to her mother. "Mommy cuddle!" she says as soon as she reached her destination. Holly reaches up opening and closing her little hands asking to be picked up.

"Of course princess. Are you ok sweetheart?" Andy asks in concern as she scoops her up into her arms. She receives a small nod in response.

"Ok honey, but please don't run off like that again, ok? You gave mommy a scare. Always stay with people you know sweetheart." She says softly to her pride and joy. Holly just snuggles in closer to her mother's shoulder and says, "Miranna" and points towards the woman in question who had since moved from behind her desk and was walking towards them.

Smiling at Holly and leaning forward slightly Miranda wiggles her fingers playfully in front of her face making Holly giggle. "She can't quite get the 'D' yet, but there's plenty of time for her to learn it properly. Why is this little beauty in the office today anyway? I didn't receive the memo saying that Elias-Clarke was finally accepting my idea that in order to hire competent staff we would need to hire a much younger age group."

Andrea smiles at the last comment. "Well Auntie Lily had a very important doctor appointment today and Auntie Emily decided to come into work to take her mind off of it. So Holly had to come in with me as I had to prepare some notes for tonight."

"Nothing serious I hope?" Miranda asks.

"Ah um yeah it was actually. Uh they found a lump on Lily's breast."

"Oh goodness well at least the doctors found it."

"Yeah Doctor Emily was very thorough in finding it," Andrea replies with a knowing smirk.

"Ho- Oh . . .I see" A knowing smile lifts the corners of the Editor's beautiful mouth. "I did notice that it was odd that Emily would suddenly fly into work. It was most annoying I wasn't able to crush her spirit in the slightest." Andrea laughed at that.

"You and your daughter have the most wonderful smiles Andrea, and as much as I would love to watch them all day I unfortunately have work that must be done for tonight's dinner. I assume I will see you then" she says, moving away slightly.

"Um yes I'll be there." Andrea nods and readjusts her hold on Holly as she prepares to leave. 'She likes my smile?'

"Good. Emily...," she calls.

A second later Emily came rushing into the office. "Yes Miranda?" she asks, pen and pad ready.

"I need you to take Holly home, she simply can't be here causing so much trouble. I just had to cancel a meeting with the design team because she came wandering in. This isn't a nursery. Take her home and stay there until Andrea arrives home and I will expect to see you at the dinner at 6:45 sharp. That's all," she says and waves her hand looking completely stern.

Emily's eyes lit up at the thought of being able to go home to Lily earlier than expected. "Yes of course Miranda. Come princess, say good bye to mummy," she says quickly taking Holly from Andrea grasp.

Andrea was about to step in and ask Miranda who the hell she thought she was when she saw Miranda give her a wink and a small smirk when Emily turns to gather Holly from her arms. Andrea finds herself giving a small smile back.

"Bye mommy!"

"Bye bye sweetheart, take care of Auntie Emily ok?"

Holly nods. "Good girl," Andrea says.

Emily quickly starts to walk out of the door with Holly in her arms. "Bye Miranna!" Holly turns around in Emily's arms and waves.

"Goodbye Holly," Miranda says.

"Call me if she-" Emily just turns around and looks at her. "You know what for once I won't say it." Andy says, realizing her friends did know to call if Holly had a seizure.

Emily just gave a wave and walks off.

Andrea turns back to face Miranda to find her smiling at her. She starts to smile back uncontrollably. "What?"

"Oh no..nothing." Miranda looks down at her desk which had suddenly become very interesting as she tries to control her facial expression.

"What? What is it?" Andrea walks further into the office until she was at Miranda's glass desk and within arm's reach.

Miranda looks up at her and says with a shy smile and amused eyes, "I just find it quite adorable when you worry." This knocks Andrea completely out of sync, so much so that she could only stand there open mouthed and in shock at Miranda's surprising statement. Miranda looks down at her desk and picks up a piece of folded paper before handing it toward Andrea. "You didn't give me a chance to respond to your gift on Friday." An elegant hand gives the paper to Andrea before the Editor walks over to the window.

Andrea takes the piece of paper and watches her walk over to gaze quietly out of the window. She carefully unfolds the paper that was torn down one side and opens it. On it was Miranda's smooth handwriting:

I prefer lined for my journals, but thank you for these gifts which I will always treasure.

And you didn't give me a chance to say it, but I care too.

Andrea snaps her head up at the last sentence to see Miranda staring out of the window admiring the New York skyline, with her jaw clearly clenched in anticipation of the response to come.

"Yo--You You..." she coughs. "You care about me?" she asks in a disbelieving tone.

Miranda turns her head and simply states, "Of course." as though Andrea should have known it all along.

"I uh, um, huh" she looks back and shrugs her shoulders with a goofy grin. "Great that's great, um just, ah great."

Miranda raises an eyebrow with an answering smile of her own. "You're not happy then."

Andrea giggles slightly, nerves heightened from what she has been through all day. "I, um may I just say to your assistant that you're not to be disturbed for fifteen minutes?"

Miranda blinks at this. 'What an odd request we both just admi- Oh my God she is going to kiss me! . . . Again . . . Properly? Oh God.'

"Yes of course," she says before turning back to face the window. She hears Andrea retreat to the outer office and quickly took advantage to look at her reflection in the window and shakes her hair, quickly combing through the silver locks with her fingers. She hears that Andrea has ceased talking to her assistant and stands calmly facing the window as though she hadn't moved at all in the few seconds Andrea had been away. She hears the door being closed slowly and light footsteps coming toward her. Her heart starts beating out of her chest and she slowly turns around.

Andrea comes to a stop just in front of where Miranda was standing. "Can I hold your hand?" she asks nervously. Miranda responds by taking hold of hers gently and moving her thumb over the skin just below her wrist. Andrea hums quietly and stares at the hand caressing her own and then turns it over so that they could entwine their fingers.

"So we both care about each other?" she continues on smiling and looking back up to Miranda's face, focusing on her intense blue eyes. A small nod was the only response she receives.

She ventures just a little bit closer and whispers, "And it's the type of feeling where you might kiss the other person to demonstrate, how much you care," she stated rather than asks.

Miranda swallows and slowly draws out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and nods again.

Andrea nods and gave a nervous smile and said, "Ok."

She places her free hand on Miranda's slender hip and looks into her eyes for approval. Miranda stands there breathing deeply, lips slightly parted, begging to be kissed.

Andrea intended to lean in and slowly give Miranda light kisses on her lips, promises of what was to come. But after two years of waiting, that plan flew directly out of the very window Miranda was in front of. When she did lean in so did Miranda, they both met midway and the reaction was instantly electric for the both of them.

It was just a simple brush of their lips in the first instance, their noses lightly brushing against each other. Andrea slowly untangles her hand from Miranda's and brings it up slowly to brush the back of her fingers across Miranda's cheek. At this Miranda releases a breathless sigh and brings her hand up to Andrea's head to draw her in closer as she parts her lips, allowing Andrea to kiss her more thoroughly. When she felt Andrea's tongue touching hers she allows a small whimper to escape. As soon as Andrea heard this she answers with a moan of her own. The kiss was slow, passionate and filled with need. Their tongues continue to slowly massage each other's until oxygen was needed. When they pull apart they lean their foreheads against each other's and breathe heavily for a few passionate moments.

Miranda was the first to speak, an act that she would regret in five minutes time.

"If I'd have known it would be this simple I would have done that a long time ago." She chuckles and pulls away slightly so she could see Andrea's face.

"Ha. So would I," Andrea says smiling. Miranda smiles back and they continue to stare tenderly at each other for a few more seconds. "God I've wanted this for so long," Andrea whispers in wonder.

"Me too."

"Really? How long?" Andrea asks surprised again for the second time that day. But Miranda just shook her head, No.

"Why not? Tell me how long?" She tries again smiling as Miranda kept moving her head away to avoid Andrea's gaze.

Andrea takes a chance and tickles her ribs. "Tell me. Pleeease?" Luckily Miranda responds in the way it was intended and was fighting to hold back a giggle. Andrea continues this for a few more seconds when Miranda barks out a short, sharp laugh.

"Stop it and I'll tell you. I don't laugh in the office, people will think I'm getting soft," she scolds with an uncharacteristic and huge smile on her face.

As soon as she says that Andrea remembers something that Emily had said to her when she was in the hospital after Stephen had beaten her up. At the time it was the most confusing statement ever . . .

"Miranda never laughs at work Andrea, she never genuinely laughs at work . . ."

. . . but now everything began to add up. Andrea suddenly remembers part of Miranda's rant the other night . . .

"He literally threw me into the bedroom, closed the door and then proceeded to punch me in the stomach. Jesus, the pain was such a shock to my system, if I'd have known what was coming I would have been able to prepare myself. Or get me and the girls into a hotel, or stay at their father's. Or better yet just keep my mouth shut and never admit that I love someone else."

"I made you laugh in the office." Andrea stares at her. Miranda just looks back slightly confused. "It was when I was still your assistant, I said something about a designer's piece and it made you laugh . . . in the office."

Miranda just smiles and nods. "Yes. Yes you did," she replies softly.

"And that's how long you've liked me for isn't it?"

"Well yes. Why is this so important?" Miranda was getting more confused with this conversation, which she had a horrible feeling about. A minute ago they were kissing and flirting but now it has suddenly jumped to this.

"You were writing in your journal then," Andrea says, her chocolate eyes beginning to tear up. Miranda starts to speak but Andrea continues, cutting her off. "You wrote you were in love with someone." Miranda's face begins to drop, she clocks onto what Andrea was getting at. And in all honesty, if the roles were reversed then she would feel exactly what she was sure Andrea was feeling right now. Guilt. Sorrow. Pain all because of the realization that . . .

"I'm the reason he beat you!" Andrea whispers as a tear falls down her cheek.

Silence was the only response. Miranda just looks down.

"I've gotta get back" she says, walking away swiftly.

"Andrea please! Don't let him ruin us," Miranda pleads, desperately. She quickly catches up and grasps her arm.

Andrea just looks at her sadly and places her hand on Miranda's cheek. She shakes her head and sniffles. "I just need some space baby . . . please," she says quietly.

Miranda just nods and let her go.

TBC.