Lost, Left Behind and Found Again.

Thank you for reading and commenting on my story! It's very much appreciated. Here's chapter 20…

Chapter Twenty

Andy was pacing in her office. She was shaking lightly and mumbling to herself. God, she was nervous and scared. Oh so scared. She knew she had to tell Sophia and Ally because they deserved to know and Miranda and her deserved a shot at real happiness, but she was unsure of how Ally and Sophia would react and that made her nervous and scared. They meant so much to her. What if they didn't react well to the news? What if they were disgusted by it? Andy released her breath in a whoosh of air. Relax. She needed to relax. They weren't going to be disgusted and if they didn't have a good reaction… Well she would cross that bridge when she got there. Now, she had to man up and go tell them. She just had to channel her inner Miranda Priestly who was scared of no one. Andy knew Miranda would have been terrified telling her girls but Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Runway, was afraid of no one. 'Well, here we go,' Andy thought before she turned her doorknob and wandered in the house in search of Sophia and Ally.

"Sophia? Ally? Where are you guys?" Andy called out after she had gone to the living room, the kitchen, Ally's bedroom and the bathroom without finding them.

"Out here," Sophia yelled back. "We're admiring the pool which is finally finished."

"Okay, here I go. No turning back," Andy mumbled and walked towards the pool. When she got there she saw that their new pool really looked fantastic but then again with Sophia arranging everything what had she expected? Ally was sitting at the edge of the pool with her feet in the water being watched closely by Sophia who was sitting on a deck chair.

"Hi mommy," Ally greeted cheerfully. "We have a pool!"

"Hi, honey and I can see that. Careful you don't fall into it though," Andy warned while kissing Ally's cheek.

"I'm careful," she huffed.

"Of course you are," Sophia agreed. "But she's you're mother. She has to say that," Sophia whispered conspiratorially making Andy grin despite her nervousness.

"How was your day," Sophia asked frowning, picking up on Andy's nervousness.

"Not that great. Apparently Elizabeth was poisoned at the party last Friday," Andy answered knowing she was stalling, but needing the extra time to compose herself a little.

"Is she alright?" Sophia asked shocked.

"Yeah she is but she's probably going to have to stay in the hospital for a few days."

"And how are you?"

"Me? I'm fine! Why do you ask?" Andy squeaked.

"Well, you're squeaking and shaking a little. You just seem really nervous."

"Nervous? Why would I be nervous?"

"Yes, why would you? Is there something you want to tell me?" Sophia asked eyebrows raised.

"No, there's something I need to tell you both," Andy said and Ally's head shot up.

"Me too?" Ally asked half excited half confused.

"Yes, silly! You too," Andy answered with a smile as she picked the little girl up and swung her around.

"Mommy! Please stop!" Ally squealed giggling.

"Okay, I'll stop, but just because you asked so nicely," Andy said putting the girl down and poking her softly. "Now, I need to tell you something and if there's anything you don't understand you have to promise to ask me about it, okay?"

Ally nodded solemnly. "I will, mommy."

"Well euh, I don't really know how to tell you guys this but I got a date. Or I'm going on a date if you guys are okay with it," Andy started.

"Okay, I'm fine with it. You should know that! Since I was the one nagging you to date for the last couple of years," Sophia said puzzled that Andy was so nervous about this.

"What's a date?" Ally asked a little confused.

"Euh, when you like someone a lot and you agree on going somewhere or doing something together then that's a date," Andy explained a little awkward.

"So when Cassidy and Caroline come over then that's because we have a date?"

"Well sort of. That's more like a play-date when adults agree to go on a date together it's more romantic. Like in Up when Carl and Ellie went out to have a picnic together? That's a date."

"So you're going to have a picnic with someone?" Ally asked innocently.

"Euh no. I'm going to have dinner with someone. You can do different things when you go out on dates like having a picnic or going out to dinner."

"Okay," Ally said still not understanding the whole date-thing but it didn't sound like something she wouldn't want her mommy to do.

"Well, that wasn't all I wanted to tell you guys. I need to tell you who I'm dating because it's going to affect you guys too," Andy said getting really nervous.

"Oh Andy, I already know who it is… But you can tell Ally yourself," Sophia said smiling making Andy look at her with a shocked expression.

"So who is it?" Ally asked getting impatient. She wanted to go play a game or maybe talk her mommy into reading a book to her.

"Miranda, sweetheart, it's Miranda," Andy confessed making Sophia smile.

"And why wouldn't I like that? I like Miranda. She's nice and funny," Ally said frowning really not understanding why her mommy was making such a big deal out of this.

"Because she's Caroline and Cassidy's mom so that means that me dating Miranda could change your life a little," Andy said thinking about worst case scenarios where she and Miranda wouldn't even want to be in the same street let alone the same house or room.

"Well, I don't mind. Can I go play now? Or will you read to me? You promised remember?" Ally said giving her mother her best smile.

Andy chuckled hugging her little girl to her, careful of the broken wrist and said: "I'll come and read to you in a minute I have to talk to Sophia first, ´kay?"

Ally nodded and ran to her room to go and choose a book.

"You knew? How did you know?" Andy asked incredulously when Ally was gone.

"Oh Andy, there's no way I couldn't have known. I was there with you remember? When you were depressed because you didn't have anyone anymore? You weren't depressed because of that or it wasn't the main reason anyway. You were depressed because you thought you lost the love of your life, because you thought she didn't care," Sophia answered gently wiping away the tears that had escaped. "You were wrong though. You never lost her. I saw that when she saw you training for the first time, all those weeks ago."

Andy chuckled thinking back to that little stunt the twins had pulled on their mother.

"You're right and you know I would have never gotten here without you. I would have never gotten anywhere without you," Andy said hugging Sophia thanking God for the older woman.

"You would have pulled yourself together, Andy. You would have done that for your daughter. I'm sure of that."

"Alright," Andy said pulling back from the hug smiling. "Enough with the baring emotions before I turn into a crying puddle. I have to go read to that daughter of mine."

At a quarter to ten Miranda stood in front of Sophia's door. She knew she was early but she just couldn't wait any more. She was going crazy with the not knowing. She needed to know if they were going to be able to try this together or not. Because she knew if either Sophia or Allison had a problem with Andrea dating her that that was that. They couldn't go any further nor would she go any further. She refused to put Andrea in a position between her or the woman who was like a mother to her and if Ally protested then Miranda really didn't want to try. She breathed out a sigh before ringing the bell while trying to will the nervousness away. It wouldn't help her to be nervous nor would it help to be scared. She would have to do something very unlike her and concentrate on the positive like the fact that her twins had accepted her wanting to date Andrea. They had even foreseen it and had tried to help. She couldn't stop the grin that was threatening to break out. Really her girls seeing what she was trying so hard to hide and trying to help her become happy was the most precious thing anyone had ever done for her. They were her treasures and she would do anything for them just like they would for her.

Andy opened the door to a grinning Miranda and felt her spirits lift.

"What are you grinning about?" Andy asked smiling brightly which made the last of Miranda's fears and nerves disappear.

"My girls," Miranda said stepping into the house smiling a rare and bright smile. "Apparently they already knew that we liked each other and were trying to help us," she continued.

Andy looked at her in amazement for a second before chuckling.

"You have really amazing kids, Miranda. And you're going to have your hands full when they get older."

"I already have my hands full," Miranda countered grinning. "And how did it go here," Miranda asked getting a little nervous again.

Andy smiled. "Sophia already knew too. Apparently we're getting transparent and Ally didn't seem to get why it was such a big deal. She said she likes you because you're nice and funny so she doesn't mind us dating each other."

"Well, of course I am. Your daughter is a good judge of character you should listen to her and maybe you're getting transparent but I most certainly am not," she said in a mock haughty tone.

"I'll show you transparent," Andy answered referring to their oncoming date. "So, I guess this means I'm taking you out."

"It does."

"Are you free this Friday?"

"I could be," Miranda answered smiling a little not really believing that this was really happening to her.

"Okay then, I'll pick you up at seven."

"Wait a minute! Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," Andy said smiling brightly thinking of her plan.

"Andrea, I don't do surprises well. What am I supposed to wear?"

"Don't worry, Miranda. Just trust me, you'll love it! I promise. And you look good in anything so don't worry about that either."

Miranda sighed but nodded nonetheless. She trusted Andrea so she would try and exercise some patience which was definitely not something she was good at.

"Now, I don't want to be rude, but it's going to be an early day tomorrow and my boss is a slave driver so if you don't mind I would like to get some sleep," Andy said cheekily.

"Slave driver? I'll show you slave driver. Just you wait! Tomorrow you won't know what hit you," Miranda muttered following a chuckling Andy to the front door again.

"Good night Miranda, I'll see you in the morning," Andy said kissing Miranda softly on the lips.

"Good-good night," stuttered a stunned Miranda before turning and walking to her house.

Andy smiled, walked back inside and pulled out her phone. She had a date to arrange.

Back at the Priestly house Caroline's cell phone rang. She looked at the display curiously before answering it.

"I need your help," the voice on the other end said.

A/N: Their date is next!