A/N: Hey, I might do two chapters today, I'm feeling bleh so I'm just rolling around feeling sorry for myself. I suppose I have to write more once I finished off these few chapters I've nearly finished. Onward, onward we go :)

For disclaimer, see Chapter 1.

-0-

"Andy!"

"Yo," she said, poking her head out of the door.

"Mom said are you gonna ride with her? If so you've got fifteen minutes to get your butt by the door."

"Cassidy Priestly, your mother does not say butt," Miranda blushed as Andy grinned at her. "Usually."

"I just heard you do it, Mom," Cassidy grinned. "I'm going. Love you both."

Andy was charmed and looked over at Miranda to gauge her response.

"Andréa, even though you have only been here for a very short time, you should already know that I have very little control over my wayward child." She looked at Andy pointedly. "So stop worrying."

Andy chuckled.

"I'll be two minutes."

Miranda nodded and Andy went back inside, pulling on her jacket and socks, bringing her moto-style boots with her.

"I did not mean for you to rush," Miranda chuckled as Andy sat on the stairs, lacing up her boots.

"I know, I got it."

Miranda watched as she pulled them tight, shrugging on her jacket.

"This look is acceptable," Miranda said quietly. "It's," she paused. "You."

"Thank you," Andy smiled. "I was a tad worried until I saw what you were wearing."

"I was instructed to wear jeans. I must," she made air quotes. "Look normal."

"Miranda Priestly isn't normal," Andy scoffed. "The little heathen."

"I understand her sentiment," Miranda said with a barely concealed smile. "Hence," she shrugged. "Jeans."

"Well, you rock them. I reckon casual Fridays will be a big hit."

"Andréa," Miranda said, slapping her shoulder.

"Aren't you supposed to like, not hit people?" Caroline asked, carrying a small case with her.

"It was warranted," Andy grinned, waving off Miranda's attempted apology. "You look cool?"

"I always look cool," Caroline sniffed.

"Spoken like a true Priestly," Andy grinned, nudging her gently.

"Are we ready?" Miranda asked.

Miranda brought the SUV round to the front of the house and Andy got into the back with Caroline. Their breakfast date the morning before had gone well and Andy could see more of Miranda in Caroline than she could in Cassidy. She'd smiled at the huff of frustration when the eggshell dropped in the batter and grinned at the glow in her face when her mother praised her efforts. It was so obvious once you got to know them.

"This is my folio," Caroline said quietly, disturbing her memories. "I already told Mom that I'm gonna show you first, then you can tell me what you think Mom will say."

"You don't have to show me," Andy said gently. "You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah," Caroline smiled. "But Mom said you were maybe the kindest person in New York, so I figured, you'd be honest and stuff."

"She did, did she," Andy grinned, watching the back of Miranda's neck go pink. "Well, I will tell you what I think about them, but I will always tell you why. Okay? I can separate not liking something from seeing skill and depth in it."

"'Kay," Caroline said, handing over the folio.

Andy looked through it, slowly and carefully. Andy had seen enough of Miranda's small drawings in the margins of note pages the know that Caroline had definitely inherited the skill from her. She was good.

She was very good.

Miranda pulled up at the grounds and got out without saying anything and Andy looked up for a moment, cataloguing where she was going, before focussing back on the folio.

"Caroline, I need you to hear me when I say this," she said gently. "These are amazing."

"What?" Caroline gaped at her.

"These are truly awesome. The depth you've captured using the negative spaces is amazing. The lines, the forms, are amazing. You have absolute, true talent and I think your Mom is going to love seeing this, even if she doesn't know anything about the subject."

"Really?"

"Really really," Andy grinned, looking up at her. "Truth talk. Really. I don't love this one," she turned to a page nearer the front. "But it's just cos that's not my scene," she shrugged. "There's a context I don't understand, but the fact remains that it's well-drawn and well nuanced. I think you have some serious talent. And I know nothing about art at all."

"You really reckon Mom will like it?"

"I really do," Andy grinned. "And it's given me a great idea for Wednesday. How about coming to hang out with me, your Mom's at a board meeting all afternoon so I'm free. Wanna come to Runway then go on an adventure?"

"Won't Cassidy be upset?"

"Do you think she will?"

"I dunno," Caroline said quietly. "She likes you."

"I like her too. But we do our things together. I'd like to get to know you a bit more. Cass is easy. I can take her to a ball game and she'll be happy. And she already knows that if she calls, I'll be there, no matter what. I figured it might be nice if you see that you get that too?"

"Did Mom tell you to do that?"

"No," Andy grinned. "She doesn't even know I've asked you yet."

"Can we get fast food?"

"If that's what you want," Andy grinned. "You got a hankering for a Big Mac Caroline?"

"I kinda wanted to go to Chick-Fil-A."

"Ooh," Andy winced. "I guess once would be okay."

"You don't like them?"

"They have a pretty terrible track record when it comes to giving money to people who do harm to others, but we can talk about that later. Let's go watch your sister's game so that we don't miss her scoring like Ronaldo, or whoever that guy is."

Caroline snorted a little indelicately and got out of the car, waiting while Andy did the same. She smiled bashfully as Andy put her arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks, Andy."

"You are most welcome, kiddo," Andy grinned, nudging Miranda as they stood beside her. She was practically vibrating with annoyance

"What's happening? Did they score? Is there blood?"

"Are you teasing me, Andréa Sachs?"

"I very well may be," Andy grinned, while Caroline laughed. "Just a little."

"No score as yet. That hooligan has just bumped into Cassidy quite hard and I tried to have her sent off, but it seems I was outvoted."

"Oh boy," Andy chuckled. "Have you ever seen a game of soccer Miranda?"

"Yes," she huffed. "Once."

"Oh dear," Andy grinned. "Did you think it was non-contact or -"

"Andréa," she said darkly.

"Shutting up now, Miranda," Andy laughed. "But do come and sit down so Cass can concentrate on the game, rather on keeping you from killing someone."

They watched, Andy occasionally cheering loudly and making Cassidy's face match her hair. At other times, Andy had to grab Miranda's arm to stop her from vaulting the fence and storming the pitch.

"Mom?" Cassidy said at half time. "I really need you to chill. It's embarrassing. Andy, can you -"

She didn't get a chance to instruct Andy on what she wanted as the whistle blew, but Andy did hang onto Miranda's sleeve for most of the rest of the game. At one point Cassidy was definitively fouled and Andy was on her feet yelling to the referee.

"And they say I'm the problem here."

Andy laughed and sat back down, properly chastised.

"To be fair, that was a card, for sure."

"Did you play Andy?" Caroline asked.

"My brother did. I was more a lacrosse kind of gal."

"Another terribly violent sport," Miranda huffed.

"I can't argue with that, There was plenty of blood in my final year."

"Why she insists on playing these games -"

"Think of it this way, sport is really good for getting into college. And," she grinned. "Keeping wayward children out of trouble."

"Thus, the only redeeming feature of this whole wretched experience."

Andy chuckled and they applauded both teams as the game finished up a draw.

"Urgh," Cassidy groaned as she got in the car. "That sucked."

"Nah," Andy said, nudging her. She was sitting in the back with Cassidy while Caroline was sitting at the front with Miranda. "You did well. They had a great goalie."

"She plays for the NYU junior team," Cassidy grimaced. "She shouldn't be allowed to play in the school league too."

"I agree," Andy frowned. "You'll get them next time."

"Hey Mom, can we get crepes?"

"If you like," she shrugged. "Though Cassidy, you must change and I am hardly dressed for an outing."

"Aw Mom, I just meant on the way home," Cassidy huffed. "Everyone else goes to McDonald's and we have to go home just so we look pretty."

"Cassidy," Miranda said dangerously. "Modify your tone."

"Andy -"

"Don't," Andy said gently, but firmly. "That's not okay. You talk to your Mom properly and don't bring me into it. I'm not for you or against your Mom and I'm not for your Mom and against you. That's not how this works kiddo."

Cassidy grumbled, and Andy met Miranda's eye in the mirror. There was a look of gratitude there, along with something else as well, she couldn't quite pick out.

"We will go for crepes," Miranda muttered. "But not because you were rude. Because I recognise that being my child has certain difficulties attached to it that I do not like any more than you do, Cassidy."

"Aw man," Cassidy said sadly. "I didn't mean to make you sad Mom, I just wanted crepes."

Miranda didn't reply and Cassidy looked beseechingly up at Andy.

"Maybe you ought to just ask nicely next time and if the answer is something you don't like, ask the follow-up question, rather than pout like a little kid."

"Fine," Cassidy huffed. "But being a little kid was way easier."

The tension evaporated as Miranda's laugh rang out through the car.

"Wait until you reach adulthood, my darling," Miranda sighed. "You'll remember this moment with fondness."

"What are you doing this weekend Andy? Mom said you have friends. Who are they? Will they come over? What do you do when Mom isn't ordering you about?"

"Whoa Cass, slow down a little, yeah?" Andy chuckled. "Firstly, your Mom doesn't order me about, secondly yes I do have some friends, though not as many as I did have. My friend Doug called me this week so maybe I'll go and hang out with him for a while if you want to get rid of me?"

"Cassidy has all the subtlety of a small water buffalo," Miranda glared as she parked the car. "She was not telling you you need to leave the house, Andréa. I think she was merely inquiring whether you would be her sidekick for the weekend."

"I don't want you to go," Cassidy said, looking horrified. "I just didn't want to get in trouble for hogging you."

"Cass?" Andy smiled as Miranda and Caroline got out of the car. "You wouldn't get in trouble and you should always ask me. If I'm busy, I'll tell you and if I am, I'll make sure we do something else okay?"

"I like hanging out with you. You get me."

"I think your Mom and your sister get you too if you'd let them," Andy smiled as she watched Miranda tuck Caroline's hair behind her ear. "More than you realise. You should maybe try doing something that they want to do. And listening when they talk."

"Should I have gone home and showered?"

"Probably," Andy grinned. "But it's too late now, so just do better next time. Let's go!"

By the time they got home an hour and a half later, Andy was beat. She smiled tiredly as Miranda offered to hang up her jacket and she chuckled as it went in the cupboard under the stairs along with everyone else's. Feeling a little overwhelmed at how much fun she'd had she hesitantly offered a hug to Miranda who took it graciously.

"Thank you for allowing me to be there today. I had fun."

"I did also," Miranda said as Andy stepped back.

"I'm going to get out of your hair for a while, so everyone can do their thing. I wondered if you wanted me to make dinner or something?"

"Sunday is typically a day for ordering in, but if you wish to cook, Andréa, you may," she looked at Andy shrewdly. "Are you alright?"

"Just," Andy shrugged. "I've not had a day that good in a long while. And I appreciate you letting me in on it."

"It was just soccer, Andréa," Miranda chuckled.

"It was more than that and you know it," Andy whispered. "Thank you for letting me into your family for a while."

"Well, you are most welcome. A little birdy tells me you have big plans for Wednesday?"

"She seemed to like the idea of an adventure and asked if we could sneak in some junk food?"

"Woebetide me to stop you both," Miranda chuckled.

"And," Andy said, remembering suddenly. "You need to see her folio. It's," she looked at Miranda. "You can draw. I've seen those little cartoons you draw when your meetings are boring. And the sketches you do when you're trying to explain something," Miranda blushed. "Caroline has undoubtedly inherited your talent."

"I did always like drawing," Miranda smiled. "I used to draw comic strips when I was a child," she chuckled. "I'd forgotten that."

"Maybe you should start again!"

"Perhaps I will," Miranda smiled. "Thank you, for your help with Cassidy, again."

"I remember that age and I remember coming off the pitch feeling like I was made of a hundred thousand bees."

Miranda pulled a face and laughed again.

"I've never heard it put like that, but you are correct, that is exactly how it is."

"Well," Andy smiled. "I'll be in the kitchen probably around 6? If I don't feel like cooking, I'll let you know. And if I do, I'll let you know."

"Alright," Miranda smiled gently. "Get some rest. You've had a busy weekend and we do not have a slow week."

"I'm on it," Andy winked.