Disclaimer:

I don't own The Devil wears Prada movie, novel or characters. I am just borrowing them for a little bit.

Holly and Carla are my own creations.

Author's Notes:

I need to say thank you to a few people who have supported me in writing this.

Firstly to the love of my life – thank you for giving me the push to give writing another go.

Secondly to skeeter451 – thank you for all your help and advice. I appreciate so very much.

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

Facebook:

Feel free to add my facebook profile to see what stories I am writing and when they will be updated. Also I am open to any prompts regarding The Devil Wear's Prada and Harry Potter with any type of coupling and genre. I am looking to improve my writing abilities and style, so anything you can throw at me go for it. Obviously I won't be able to do every single one but any that really interests me, I will make sure to have a good go.

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Warning:

This fanfic describes scenes of domestic abuse in the beginning chapters, as well as brief flashbacks of abuse throughout the story, although this is not in every chapter.

Chapter 20

They stood staring at each other. Two pairs of eyes, two very different emotions.

One filled with complete hatred. The other showing a mix of jealousy, guilt and rage.

The silence was broken by Stephen barking out a sharp laugh and saying under his breath "That figures".

Andrea just continued looking at him, pure hatred coursing through her veins.

"Look, I don't want any trouble I just wanted to talk to Miranda," Stephen said looking at Andrea as he started to move up a step.

Andrea blocked his path and replied "No." She could smell the stench of cigarettes and alcohol on his clothing. Even without his treatment of Miranda in the past, there was no way she would let him near her and their children.

"No?"

"What are you? A fucking parrot? Yes, I said no" she replied with heavy attitude.

Stephen shook his head and continued to make a move up the step, "Whatever. Move"

Andrea placed her hands on his chest, slowly pushing him back down to the step below.

"I said no; you're not coming near my wife and kids."

Stephen stopped in disbelief when he heard this. He looked towards the house as if trying to get a glimpse of Miranda and then back to Andrea. ."Wife?"

"Yep" she responded without hesitation. She knew they would get married eventually; she had every faith in the idea. If he went to the press, so what? Who are they going to believe? A well respected Editor-in-Chief and her new family or the recovering alcoholic ex husband, who's got every reason to shit stir about the status of their relationship.

"Bullshit," he stated harshly.

"I think you'll find it fucking isn't," she said firmly.

"There's been nothing in the press about it? You guys aren't even known to the press yet," he proclaimed arrogantly.

"Yeah, well Miranda's ex was such an asshole that she wanted to keep things private between us," she answered, attitude dripping from every word.

"Look, I just want to apologise. Okay?" he said.

"You're not supposed to be anywhere near here. You have a restraining order. Go away, now"

"Or what? You'll call the police," he challenged.

"I'm calling the police anyway. But I'm not going back in my house until you are gone."

He crossed his arms, his attitude clearly saying he wasn't going anywhere.

Andrea stepped forward a step, eyes blazing and between clenched teeth and said, "Go away now."

Looking in her eyes, he said "I just want to say I'm sorry to Miranda"

"You keep saying that, but nothing you say is going to change my mind. What do you think is going to fucking happen anyway, huh? You think she's going to say that it's okay that you made her life hell for over a year? That it's okay that her children saw her getting beaten up? That it's fine that you were drinking her money? Is that what you think?" she asked him.

He looked down sheepish; guilty from her words.

"Oh my god," she whispered "You do don't you?"

He raised his eyes briefly only to look elsewhere.

"You think she would take you back, don't you Stephen?" she asked quietly, walking towards him causing him to step back down the final steps.

"Forgive you for everything and everything would be okay, right? Bet it was one hell of a shocker to see me answering the door." She walked forward again so she was face to face with him.

"And just think later on tonight, when your lying in your bed, alone." she said with mock sympathy. "I'll be lying in bed with Miranda"

As soon as Stephen heard this he lost control of his anger, and pushed Andrea up against the wall, with his left arm pushing against her chest and right hand ready to punch, he snapped his head round when he heard the door open.

"Mommy?" Holly called out.

The next voice that was heard was Miranda "Sweetheart, don't open the door while mommy is talking to her friend. OH MY GOD!" she exclaimed, putting herself between Holly; whilst Stephen and Andrea, were caught up, mid tussle.

"Holly, inside now," she said panicking.

"Why?"

"Princess, go inside, be good girl," Andrea called trying to calm her daughter while still struggling against Stephen's strength.

Miranda slammed the door after shooing Holly inside. Stephen was in shock after not seeing Miranda for so long and loosened his grip slightly. A move which Miranda took advantage of and shoved him away from Andrea.

He stumbled backwards down the stoop and Miranda followed, with Andrea catching her arm to pull her back.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You aren't supposed to be anywhere near us," she said icily.

"Us? US? I didn't realise you were us until that bitch answered the door"

"The bitch you're referring to is my wife you imbecile," Miranda responded passionately.

Upon hearing this, Andrea smirked and thought, 'Great minds think alike.' Snapping out of it, she leaned in and said to Miranda, "Sweetie calm down, go back inside, the kids might hear you."

At this, Miranda turned around and faced Andrea, "What was your excuse?" she hissed in her face, eyes fuelled with anger.

Seeing this, Stephen decided to jump in and say, "I would never do that," in an attempt to get into Miranda's good books and show Andrea up in the process.

"No, of course not Stephen, you just used my children against me in your sick mind games, and beat me in front of them. But I won't let you shout at us in front of my three children," Miranda snapped.

"Three?"

"Yes. I've more than moved on. I suggest you do the same. Now in the politest possible way, FUCK OFF." The last words were said through gritted teeth.

"Miranda, I've changed, I could treat you so much better than her," he said in an effort to convince her. Miranda just continued to look at him with pure doubt and hatred. He took a chance and stepped forward placing his hands on each of her biceps. "I've changed honey," he said tenderly while looking deeply into her eyes and slowly rubbing his strong hands up and down her arms with a gentle touch.

Andrea stood in shock watching this exchange. One, he had the nerve to touch Miranda and secondly Miranda was actually letting him and looking just as deeply into his eyes. She stood frozen, her heart thudding in her chest. She felt sick, but like watching a car crash, she couldn't turn away.

"Really?" Miranda questioned softly.

"Yes. I still love you, Miranda. I always will" he said softly and began to lean in to kiss her.

This was too much for Andrea and she started for the front door, with tears in her eyes and bile in her throat. When she got to the door, she heard Miranda respond.

"I don't love you, Stephen" she stated firmly, he pulled away in confusion "I never have and I never will."

Andrea let go of the breath she was holding, and turned just in time to see Stephen step back as Miranda was bringing her knee up between his legs.

Stephen hissed as he stumbled down the rest of the steps to the street below, keeled over in agony.

Miranda stood and watched emotionless. "Go away Stephen," she stated coldly and walked back into the town house, closing the door behind her, not bothering to wait for Andrea to follow.

Andrea, for her part, was still in shock at what she had just witnessed. Not so much the fact at Miranda kicking Stephen, but more of the fact that she honestly thought that Miranda was going to fall for the fake speech and kiss him.

Stephen started shouting obscenities towards her just as she was turning to go back into the house.

'Fuck this shit,' she thought and promptly turned around and walked down the steps to where Stephen was keeled over from the kick that Miranda had just delivered to his balls.

Stephen looked up and spat at her, where it landed on her stomach. She just smirked and punched him in the stomach and he received another blow between his legs.

"AAAAHHH YOU FUCKING BITCH I'M GONNA TELL THE POLICE YOU FUCKING SLUT"

She turned her head over her shoulder just before she was about to open the door and smirked whilst saying "Oh, I wouldn't expect anything less. Just a small question though, what are you going to say when the police when they ask why you were anywhere near us? Isn't that breaking your restraining order?" she tutted and continued. "Isn't that breaking the law?" She looked smug as she giggled and said "Why yes; Yes it is."

At this, Stephens face just dropped and a look of defeat came over his face.

"Andy," he said. She sighed and turned around giving a look of attitude and silently asking what?

"We fucked before you came in that night," he said with a self satisfied look as he smirked while he slowly got up.

She stiffened at this and replied, "So did I." Promptly turning around she opened the door and went into the house.

Stephen was left on the side walk in shock and knowing that he had been bested.