A/N: Apologies for forgetting to do this this morning. I was still reeling from what happened on Last Tango in Halifax (if you haven't check it out - it's wicked awesome). So Author's note.

Hi! So it's been a long time since you last saw me. I've been NaNoWriMo-ing, I finished, a day early, and completed my novel in the process. Now I have to go back to the beginning and start reading/editing. Fun. Wish me luck.

This carries on from the last chapter, hopefully you won't all come after me with pitch forks. It really was the plan for the beginning ;)

As always thanks to my lovely beta, who managed to do this, despite the exhausting Christmas retail fun she currently is enjoying.

Don't forget to log in when you review so I can say Hi. I love saying Hi.

Also I now have tumblr. I shall see if I can post my url on my profile page, otherwise, just look for me by name - theliteraryassassin.

Hi!

-0-

Andy led Miranda back to camp after a short but sweet nap, wrapped up in each other's arms and breathing in the same air. She could feel the tension building once more in Miranda's body as they neared the others, and she gently smoothed her thumb over those sensitive wrists in a desperate attempt to keep her calm. It would be better for everyone if Miranda's alter-ego didn't make an appearance, and she desperately didn't want their last hours together with their friends, their family, tainted by that personality Miranda had managed to put behind her.

"Good evening ladies," Doug winked at them as they rejoined the other.

Andy chuckled, and she could see Miranda's blush in the waning sunlight. It made sense for Doug to be the one making light of the situation.

"Mommy!"

Cassidy ran up to them and wrapped her arms around them both, snuggling into Miranda's stomach. "Can we sit together?"

"Sure munchkin," Andy said gently, running her hand over Cassidy's head.

Their first stop was at Caroline's side, where she was dozing peacefully. Roy explained that he'd given her another painkiller, and Miranda nodded. It was about all they were going to get out of her tonight if Andy wasn't mistaken, but it wasn't just her - everyone was subdued. Andy knew it was the only way though, and as she told Miranda, she was prepared to do whatever she could to get Caroline the help she needed.

"What are we having for dinner then?" Andy asked, patting her tummy and accepting Cassidy on her knee as she leant back on a log and wrapped her arm around Miranda's shoulders. She was tense, but she snuggled into Andy's body, gripping her hand with all she had. Andy couldn't blame her, the fear was threatening to overtake her as well, but she kept up her mantra - anything for you, anything for our family.

"Well, while you were," Roy grinned, "occupied, I went out and had a good look around, and grabbed us some take out."

Andy laughed, making Cassidy giggle.

"That's great, what are we having then? Dunkin' Donuts? Arby's?"

"I thought more along the lines of chargrilled quail. I think that comes under the McDonald's menu doesn't it?" he chuckled, crouching by the fire and pointing to a few little carcasses resting on a stone in the flames.

"Wow, yeah I reckon it does," Andy said, very impressed.

"Emily fainted when she saw the blood," Cassidy giggled as Emily growled 'traitor'. "It was funny; she kind of just went bleh."

Andy laughed, stroking Miranda's ribs with her thumb.

"You hungry love?" she asked quietly.

"No."

Andy frowned, kissing Miranda's temple.

"You can't do this," Andy whispered, as Cassidy was entertained by something Nigel was saying - no doubt on purpose after he had watched them for a time. "You can't let yourself go to waste because I won't be there. I need you to promise to be strong. I need you to look after yourself and Cassidy. You need to be okay, because when I get back we're going to have that talk, remember? The one where I agree to marry you and have your babies?"

Miranda snorted, but nodded.

"I just -" She shook her head.

"I know," Andy said gently, nudging Miranda's chin up with her shoulder so she could kiss her properly. "But I need to know you're going to be alright."

"I will be," Miranda said, looking as if she finally understood. Andy smiled and nodded, turning back to the discussion at hand.

-0-

The next morning Miranda woke to Andréa's soft breathing against her neck, Caroline's body resting comfortably under her arm and Cassidy's hand gripping her side. She looked over her shoulder carefully, finding Andréa and Cassidy curled up together, both of them gripping the other and herself at the same time. She smiled at the scene, wanting to burn it into her memory. A noise disturbed her musings, however, and she looked down to find her eldest baby watching her.

"Hello sweetheart," she whispered, tracing Caroline's features with her finger, despite knowing them by heart.

"Hi Mom," she said quietly. "Andy's taking me today, isn't she?"

"I -" Miranda frowned. "Yes."

"We'll be okay," Caroline whispered back, playing with Miranda's fingers like she used to do as a child. "She'll take care of me, and then bring me home. I trust her, don't you?"

"I do baby, but there are people out there that don't play by our rules, people who are not as reputable as we are."

"Andy'll make sure we're okay," Caroline said with a wince. "I feel funny."

"It's the tablets baby," Miranda muttered, kissing her face over and over again.

Ordinarily, Caroline would have pushed her away, or told her to stop, but between the impending separation and the painkillers, she was remarkable placid meaning Miranda could continue.

Miranda felt Andréa's hand tighten around her stomach and knew her lover was awake.

"Good morning," she said, rolling slightly so she could kiss her deeply, ignoring Caroline's giggles.

"Hey sweetness," Andréa said, reaching over and tapping Caroline's nose. "You seem happier."

"I feel funny," Caroline said with a twitching nose. "Like I have pins and needles everywhere."

"You're high baby," Andréa laughed, ignoring Miranda's scandalous snort.

"My children don't get 'high'; she is merely medicated."

It was Andréa's turn to giggle as she greeted Cassidy.

"Hey sis," she said, crawling around to lie next to her older sister, being careful of her arm.

"Hey," Caroline replied, resting her head on Cassidy's shoulder and making Miranda's resolve crumble a little.

"Breathe," Andréa whispered in her ear.

"I can't do this," Miranda said behind her hand.

"Yes you can!" Andréa insisted. "You're the strongest woman I know. You can do this."

Miranda didn't say anything, but she didn't feel much like the woman Andréa insisted she was. She felt broken, horrified at the thought of losing both of them, potentially forever.

"Guys?"

Miranda looked up to see an apologetic looking Nigel.

"I'm sorry, but Roy says we need to get going if we want to make it to the border."

Miranda's stomach rolled and she had to press a hand to it to stop herself from vomiting. Andréa left her embrace and disappeared behind her, and for a moment she was left, clutching her two children.

She looked down at her two babies, so similar, and yet so different. She and Caroline had always been more alike, and Cassidy was so, well, like Andréa. It wasn't that they had never got along, and they didn't fight nearly as much as she and Caroline did before the plane crash, but she wasn't sure how to get to Cassidy. She had understood Caroline's need for space, her steely exterior - it was her own after all, reflected back at her - but Cassidy was so free, so happy-go-lucky, that she didn't think she could take care of Cassidy without Andréa beside her to temper her fickle moods. Before Andréa, Caroline had smoothed the way for her, but now she would be on her own, and the thought terrified her.

"Miranda?"

She looked up to find a changed Andréa, holding a small pack on her shoulders.

"It's time."

She nodded on autopilot as Cassidy started crying a little. She could hear Caroline talking to her, but she couldn't; she couldn't bring herself to say anything at all. She felt her walls go up in an attempt to stop herself from breaking in front of all these people, no matter who they were, as Andréa wrapped her up in her long arms.

"I'm coming back to have that talk with you," she whispered, kissing her neck. Miranda gripped her shirt in her hands, feeling her whole body shaking as she struggled to keep it together. There were so many things she wanted to say, so much she wanted to do, but she stood there, holding her lover tight as if she was going to disappear, knowing that was exactly what she was going to do.

"Mom?"

She stepped back, refusing to look in Andréa's eyes as she looked down at her twins, curled up together. "I love you Mom," Caroline said with tears in her eyes, looking far too grown up for her own good. Miranda nodded, trying to smile as she felt treacherous tears rolling down her face.

"Come here munchkin," Andréa said, pulling Cassidy from Caroline's side and holding her close as she sobbed.

It was the longest goodbye she'd ever faced, watching Andréa hugging everyone in turn, whispering in their ears and smiling despite the awful feeling that had descended upon the camp.

"We'll be at the border in three days," Roy told her. "We'll wait one day, but we have to go over if we get an opportunity."

"I know," Andréa said, so maturely. "We'll try and be there; otherwise, we'll meet you at my parents' house. Will you take my pack? There's some letters and things for my parents and all my photos and stuff."

"Sure Andy," he said, patting her shoulder.

"I'll take her," Doug said as she went back to the twins who had curled up together again.

Cassidy cried as Doug picked her up, pulling her away so that Caroline could be moved. Miranda watched like she was having an out of body experience, until she realised that half of her whole world was walking away.

"WAIT!"

She ran to them, ignoring everyone and everything as she wrapped her arms around Andréa and Caroline together, sobbing into Caroline's hair and feeling her little hand stroking her cheek, wiping away the stream of tears.

"We'll be back Mom," Caroline said with a grim smile. "Andy will bring me back."

"I promised Miranda," Andréa said gently, pressing their lips together one final time. "I love you."

And with that they disappeared into the forest.

-0-

The three days walk to the border was horrific. The only things she could think of were Andréa and Caroline, and even Cassidy couldn't alleviate the pain in her heart. She'd become so clingy that on occasion Miranda found herself huffing at the constant hand holding and snuggling whenever they stopped for a rest, or settled down for the night. She felt awful that she couldn't reciprocate, or even ease it for her youngest. It wasn't that she thought Caroline her favourite child. She loved both of them equally, but she just had no idea how Cassidy worked. Not really.

"We'll make camp here," Roy said as they stumbled into a clearing. "I'll scout ahead and see what I can find and then we'll hang about here for a while," he glanced at her, "but on the second day we're leaving."

Miranda sniffed, not deigning to look at him and his insipid instructions. They would be waiting for Andréa, come hell or high water. She was not leaving without her.

She didn't help with the campsite. Cassidy did, though she kept running back to her, holding her hand for a while and kissing her cheek. She watched everyone roll out their bedrolls like the well-oiled machine they had become; however, she wouldn't be sleeping tonight. She would wait for Andréa to arrive. And then they would go over the border and find their way through to Andréa's parents' house, and live there happily ever after, like some ridiculous fairy tale.

"Miranda?"

Emily stood before her, offering her a cup of water, something they'd had to ration out as they walked further. She wanted to sniff and wave her hands at her former first assistant but she also knew water would help her stay awake. She flatly refused to thank her though. She merely took it, drained the mug in two swallows and passed it back, returning her gaze immediately to the dirt.

It grew dark and yet she still didn't look up, not even when Cassidy brought her some cold quail. She took it, remembering her promise to be strong for Andréa, and chewed it mechanically, but she didn't taste it, she didn't even think about it, simply swallowed and let Cassidy go back to doing whatever she was doing before.

When Roy returned, she listened half-heartedly as he explained where everything was, and how they would avoid border control when the time came. The plan was to split up and she was surprised to hear that Claire would be going with Nigel, while Doug would take Serena and Emily. That meant she was with Roy and Cassidy, and Andréa and Caroline too of course.

"We'd best get some shut eye," Roy declared shortly after he had told them all he could about how to get through and where to meet.

She accepted Cassidy on her knee, wrapping her arms around her baby automatically and rocking her gently as she sat on the log, her eyes staring constantly at the spot where they had entered the clearing, wishing with every bone in her body that Andréa would come walking through there, with a happy Caroline by her side.

-0-

By the afternoon of the second day, Miranda was distraught. Andréa had yet to make an appearance and she could feel the shaking in her hands return. Everyone was rolling up their beds but she still hadn't bothered unrolling hers. She had sat on the same log for two days, getting up when her backside became numb, or when she had to relieve herself, but had not moved otherwise since they had arrived.

"Alright. Strip your packs down to essentials only or anything you can't replace over the border. You're all in clean clothes, so take one other outfit only, along with the essentials and your keepsakes. Make sure you're wearing your pack on your front so it doesn't snag on any of the brush and make sure your passports and money are on your body, rather than in your bags. If nothing else survives, they have to."

She didn't watch them, but she could hear the others rustling about with their things, and dropping miscellaneous items on the ground.

Roy came over to place his big hand on her shoulder.

"Are you going to do it, or shall I?"

She looked up then, wishing she hadn't when she saw the compassion in his eyes.

"I will do it once Andréa returns," she sniffed haughtily.

"Miranda, we're leaving tonight. You need to slim your pack down."

"I am not leaving without her."

"I'll do it Mommy," Cassidy said, pulling Miranda's pack from beside her and taking it over to Emily.

She glared at Roy until he held up his hands in surrender and returned to the group. Cassidy and Emily could do whatever they wanted with her pack. She was not moving an inch.

Night fell and she heard a few of them talking quietly before someone touched her arm. She looked up, a little surprised to see Nigel standing by her side.

"We're leaving now," he whispered, as if she would somehow feel betrayed by his actions. He could do what he damn well pleased, she was still not going. "I just, good luck Miranda," he said, bending a little and kissing her cheek properly, like he'd done only once before when her first marriage had broken down, back when her twins were born. He had started to move away before her senses kicked in and she grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently.

He smiled and she nodded back, waiting for the rest of them who she knew would come and see her now.

"We'll see you on the other side Miranda," Serena said with a nod, for both her and Emily.

"Even if she doesn't come today, she'll be back for you Miranda, I know it," Doug said, leaning over and hugging her, so like Andréa would have done.

Before long they had all gone, leaving Roy, Cassidy and herself in the silent clearing.

"Cassidy?" Roy said, before saying something else that Miranda didn't catch.

She ignored them, staring back at the trees, feeling desperation setting in and the shaking in her hands starting again. She was so tired, so sick of waiting; she just needed Andréa by her side now, soothing her fears and telling her it would be alright.

"Miranda? I'm sorry -"

For the first time in forty eight hours she almost spoke, turning just in time to see him step forward and grab her around the middle.

She flew into a rage as he hefted her up on his hip, ignoring her clawing and writhing and fighting. She wasn't leaving, she refused to.

"We're going Miranda, you heard her," he said, leaning out of the way of her dangerous hands. "She told me to take care of you, and that's what I'm doing."

She fought and fought until she collapsed in his arms, resigning herself to her fate.

She sobbed.

-0-

Roy helped her walk, Cassidy a step in front of them carrying a dim torch and leading the way with Roy's gentle direction. They rested for a while in view of the ominous tower that seemed to have eyes everywhere.

"We go low and quick," he instructed, looking worriedly at Miranda, who just nodded tiredly. "If we get caught, don't resist. The others have instructions to bail any of us out should we not meet at the station in time. We left all the weapons at the campsite, but double check you don't have any on you as well."

Miranda nodded again, all fight gone from her and feeling weary to her bones as Cassidy wrapped her arms around her neck, leaning into her no doubt feeling the same fear that Miranda felt at the thought of going up against armed guards.

Roy looked her in the eyes, making sure she was with them, before leading them onwards. Miranda adjusted the bandage around her middle, housing her money, cards and passport. Cassidy's had been put on by Roy, so she wasn't worried about that.

It was the most nerve-wracking thing she'd ever done, though it went without a hitch. It seemed as though they'd caught the tower at a shift change, and they managed to slip past it with no problem. The only issue was the huge grizzly bear they nearly stumbled upon. Roy grabbed Cassidy and led the away, quite a way off course before trying to get them back to where they needed to go. They walked and walked through the night, finally stumbling into civilisation right where Roy had planned.

"We've got to find the train station," he said quietly.

She nodded, looking around half-heartedly, but feeling the two nights of no sleep catching up with her. The street lights hurt her eyes, and she had Cassidy wrapped around her stomach, making it difficult to walk down the deserted street. They finally found it, walking past it twice before realising what they were missing and heaved a collective sigh as they walked through the doors.

"Roy!"

Miranda had to look away as Claire raced up to them and embraced her husband. She felt glad, but she couldn't deal with their happiness. Emily and Serena appeared a little later with Doug and they all trudged into the public washrooms to fix their appearance before too many people saw them and guessed what had happened.

"I'm all dirty, Mommy," Cassidy laughed, watching the stained water running down the sink as she washed her face.

She made a noise of agreement, seeing the water in her own sink was a similar colour. She hadn't dared to look in the mirror yet, at least until she'd washed her face and run her fingers through her hair, realising for the first time, somewhat strangely, that it was much longer than it used to be.

"I look like shit," Emily said disgustedly as she looked at her reflection.

"Em!" Serena hissed, glancing at Cassidy, who giggled at the bad language. "You look fine," Serena said quietly, helping Emily pull her hair back into a band.

"Your hair's long Mommy," Cassidy said, looking up from beside her. "Are you going to grow it like mine?" she asked, smiling hopefully.

"We'll see," she croaked, trying to work out what to do with the much longer lock of hair at the front of her forehead that just wouldn't sit still.

"Here Mommy, you can use my barrette."

She took it without a word and clipped it back, looking critically at her reflection for a minute.

"It looks nice long," Serena said quietly. "You should leave it."

Miranda nodded, and watched as Serena braided Cassidy's very long hair and tied it off with another band she'd managed to save. They rejoined the men outside, somewhat startled to see Nigel's perfectly shaven chin and Doug's trimmed goatee.

"Andy'd get a kick out of this," he chuckled, smoothing his hand over the small beard. "It's a wonder I can grow facial hair at all."

On another day she might have laughed, but today she didn't, leaving it to the others.

"I've had a look around, it looks like we can purchase tickets at that machine there, but it doesn't say anything about American dollars."

"Use this," Miranda said, pulling her European credit card out of the little pouch she wore, under her clothes of course. "There should be money on it, regardless of whatever has happened to the stock market."

"There goes my 401K," Nigel muttered, making Miranda snort. She'd make sure everyone was comfortable, and make sure that Andréa's parents knew she would give whatever she had so that they could stay. She could only imagine what would happen if they were turned away.

"I picked up a few newspapers," Roy said, looking a little stunned. "We've been travelling for three and half months."

Miranda gaped. They had missed the girls' birthdays and Nigel's too, if she wasn't mistaken. The other's she had no idea, but she refused to hold any sort of celebration, or even think of one before Andréa and Caroline were back in her arms.

They piled on the train, foregoing food, long used to feeling hungry, and feeling that travelling to their destination was far more important than filling their tummies. There weren't many people on the platform, and they snagged a carriage to themselves, sitting down with a sigh.

"They'll be alright Mommy," Cassidy said suddenly, crawling onto her knee. It seemed that she was back to calling her Mommy, but Miranda couldn't bring herself to care. She simply pulled her baby closer, kissed her hair and prayed with every fibre in her body that she was right.

The weather became colder as they went further North. Miranda could see signs of winter approaching as they came to the stop Roy said was theirs. She gripped Cassidy's hand tightly as they all alighted from the train and stood on the deserted platform awkwardly.

"I guess we'll have to explore a bit, and walk if we need to," Roy said, rubbing his arms against the cold.

In another lifetime Miranda would have demanded that they find some sort of transport, but she didn't have the energy or the inclination. She let them deal with it as she stood, almost welcoming the cold, feeling its pinch on her skin, welcoming the pain.

"You folks look like you could use some charity."

The group spun around, finding a man rugged up sitting on a tractor, pulling a trailer of hay. He was weather-beaten, like aged leather, but had a kind face.

"We're on our way to the Mountain Lodge," Roy said carefully. "Friends of ours own it, Mr and Mrs Sachs?"

"Oh, you'll be the party they've been expecting. Bernie's a friend. Hop in and I'll drop you there on my way home. Gotta get this back to the barn. The winter is fierce here, and the roads are closed most of the season, so have to do it now, else my stock won't get fed."

Roy helped them all into the trailer and Miranda lay back in the hay, wondering how Andréa would have enjoyed a hay bale ride.

"This is fun," Cassidy said with a giggle, sporting rosy cheeks from the cold and hay sticking in her hair.

The man was as good as his word, and dropped them at the gate. As they trudged down the road, Miranda could see them all in various stages of exhaustion. None of them could possibly feel as bad as she did. As the door flew open, her heart nearly broke at the thought of making it here without her two girls.

"ANDY!"

A woman who could only be Andréa's mother came running out, searching their faces for her baby, like Miranda would have done, had her daughter foolishly gone back for the people she loved, rather than saving herself.

"Mrs Sachs, I'm Roy, and this is Miranda Priestly," he said gently. "Maybe we can all go inside, and I'll explain."

The woman nodded, leading them into the house, which was just as Miranda had imagined it in her dreams. It seemed that while Andréa's mother looked similar, the woman who had stolen Miranda's heart actually took after her grandmother more. The smile, the eyes, the hair, everything about this woman reminded Miranda about her lover and she had to close her eyes after a time as Roy recounted the bare bones of what they had been through.

The woman's name was Flo, and she took an immediate liking to Cassidy, smothering her with love and affection, just as Andréa had. Bernie, Andréa's grandfather, was similar but more stoic in his affection. Unlike before the last three months, when Miranda vetted only the most trustworthy people, she found herself letting Andréa's grandparents dote on Cassidy, without feeling the need to find out their history, their secrets. She trusted them.

When Serena nearly fell off her chair, half asleep, Andréa's mother Helen declared that they'd talk later and ushered them all upstairs like a mother hen.

She opened door after door, letting them all choose their own room, leaving Miranda following behind with Cassidy, until Helen opened up the last door.

"I saved this one for you and your daughter, Cassidy is it?" she asked gently. "I obviously had anticipated Andy and your other daughter to be here as well, but when they get back it will be plenty big enough for all of you."

"Caroline," Miranda croaked, "my other daughter's name is Caroline."

Helen nodded sadly and Miranda nearly wept as she spied a double bed and a set of bunk beds in an adjoining room. She couldn't thank the woman, but she seemed to understand, squeezing Miranda's bicep gently and leaving them to it, closing the door behind them.

The first thing Miranda did was shower, leaving Cassidy to explore the room. She could have quite happily stayed under the water for hours, but she knew that Cassidy still had to get cleaned up, and the others as well. She stayed in the bathroom at Cassidy's behest, and stood waiting with a towel, wrapping the girl up and hugging her close, properly, for the first time since the girls had left.

They both crawled into the double bed and with tears pouring down her face; Miranda kissed her remaining child and fell asleep, Andréa and Caroline's names on her lips.