A/N: An update? On a Friday? Not long after the previous one? What on earth is going on. I'm just in a mood, okay? If in doubt, avoid stressors. So here I am. I think I've figured Irv out. I misspoke earlier. I think we might have more than 5 chapters left but not much more. Then I can get on with writing the other stuff that's languishing on my hard drive.

Anyway. Hope you all enjoy! Thank you to everyone who has left a review. Know that I read and love them all, even if I am incredibly slack and haven't replied yet. Also - someone asked what the book was that Andy gave Caroline - some of the Aussies, in particular, might have recognised it - It's Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody. One of my favourite series ever.

See chapter 1 for disclaimer.

-0-

A week after the 'animal issue' as she'd taken to calling it, Andy was sitting behind her desk, doing the budgets and trying to account for the excess printing costs without making a meal of it. It was going to be a palaver either way they sold it, so Andy decided that they'd just be upfront about it. Accounting seemed to prefer it like that. The good news was that the printing had been done on time and the issue had gone out on time and the projections were that they'd managed to marginally increase last month's totals.

That, in itself, was cause for celebration.

Their dinner hadn't been mentioned at all in the following days. It was both a relief for Andy but also a constant strain. Honestly, she'd been living in perpetual embarrassment for getting drunk. It had been so long since she'd had a night out. And then, she'd embarrassed Miranda like that.

She hit the spacebar particularly hard.

She was pathetic.

Other than that, things seemed to have returned to normal. Or, she shook her head, their new normal. They had to be twice as careful as they were already being about leaving things out and keeping paper copies. The budget report that Irv had tried to screw with had been an amusing litmus test of his patience, and owing to the safe break-in and the 'incident' Andy was sure that his patience was about to run out.

She just hoped that didn't mean that something big was coming that they could not just fix and get on with.

"Andréa?"

She looked up, surprised to see Miranda standing at her door, looking at her quizzically.

"Yes, Miranda?"

"Have," she paused. "Is there something wrong?"

"Um, no?" Andy frowned. "Why?"

She glanced at the closed door.

"You seem to be abusing your keyboard particularly hard today and," she shrugged nonchalantly. "You have not been your usual, obnoxiously chirpy self?"

"Obnoxiously chirpy," Andy chuckled. "Really?"

"It is an odd day that I do not get to see your annoyingly bright smile. I find myself," she paused again. "Missing it."

"I," Andy blushed. "Embarrassed you, at dinner, I mean."

"Embarrassed," Miranda mused. "I, no, Andréa. You did not."

"I got drunk."

"After a long day, with very little food and less sleep? I was not embarrassed, Andréa. You were," she chuckled. "Adorable."

"Adorable?"

"Yes," Miranda laughed. "Did you know you sigh a lot when you are drunk?"

"Urgh," she groaned, giving in and laughing a little as she got up. "Well. I am still sorry."

"Don't be," Miranda shrugged. "I had a lovely evening, leave it at that."

"Are," Andy bit her lip as she rounded her desk. "Are you sure?"

"I am," Miranda said quietly, in that voice she seemed to only use around Andy and the twins. "Make us coffee and join me?"

Andy nodded and did as she was told, settling into the chair across the desk afterwards. The first sip elicited a thankful hum which was echoed not two minutes later from Miranda.

"You have all the greatest ideas," she muttered, making Andy laugh. "Now, how is the editorial on our erstwhile CEO coming along?"

Andy snorted and didn't mean to, but the tiny upturned corners of Miranda's mouth made it worth it.

"Um, not going as well as I'd hoped although I've put feelers out for those people that I don't necessarily have much contact with. I roped Serena into helping. She's doing the rounds, as it were."

"Good. Keep on it. He's getting desperate," she muttered.

"I thought the same thing," Andy nodded. "I'll touch base with her today and see what she thinks."

"Good," Miranda nodded. "Good."

"Are," Andy glanced at the calendar and noticed a small pink block at the top of the day that she'd completely missed. "Ah. When did they go?"

"This morning," Miranda sighed, sitting back. "They slept in, which is why they did not come to see you beforehand."

"That's okay," Andy chuckled. "They'll be back."

"I have no doubt they will call you tonight," Miranda said gently. "Probably before they call me." She sighed. "Why do they keep giving him a chance. I have never understood it."

"He's their dad," Andy shrugged. "Despite everything that happened to me, even at my age, I'd probably give my Dad another chance."

"What did happen?"

"Oh, I complained about my life one too many times. Then I broke up with the guy they were convinced I was going to marry and have babies with. As far as they were concerned I was alone and destitute in the big, evil city. One step away from selling my body to the next bidder."

"That's melodramatic," Miranda chuckled. "Even if you had left I would have given you a reference."

"Really?"

Miranda just lifted an eyebrow and Andy bit her lip.

"Do you want children, Andrea?"

"I've never really had the urge, no," she chuckled. "I like kids, but I like handing them back better," she chuckled. "I figure at this point, I'd just share yours."

"You're welcome to them," she smiled. "You will miss your regular climbing session this weekend."

"Oh, that's true," she nodded. "I can't persuade you to join me?" The horror in Miranda's face made Andy giggle. "No, didn't think so. Never mind, it feels wrong going on my own, so, maybe," she paused. "Let me take you out for brunch or something? As an apology for dinner?"

"I do not need an apology," Miranda said gently.

"OK, so brunch?"

"Yes," Miranda nodded. "Now get back to work."

Andy laughed and went back to her desk, feeling lighter than she had in days.

-0-

"Miranda Priestly's office?"

"Andy? It's Serena. I need to," she paused. "Want to go for coffee? Somewhere," another pause. "Outside?"

Andy frowned, checking it really was Make-up on the phone and glanced at Miranda through the open door.

"Sure," she said slowly.

"It's about your extracurricular work."

"Oh," Andy exclaimed. "Yes. Absolutely."

"Ten minutes?"

"Lemme clear it, but yes. Meet you by the elevators."

Andy hung up and got her coat and bag, waiting at Miranda's door until she looked up.

"Serena has some information. I'm going out for coffee. Should I -"

"Yes. Leave the phones, I'll get them. Come back with something good, Andréa."

"I'll let you know."

She nodded and Andy fled the office and met Serena just as she pushed the button for the elevator.

"Hey Querida," she muttered as they stood waiting.

"You okay?"

"Angry," Serena growled.

Andy nodded and they got in the elevator together, neither speaking while they waited for the car to reach the lobby. They strode out of the building and finally, Andy felt they could talk.

"Do you want to go here, or 46th?"

"Let's not go here," she muttered. "It would be better if nobody overhears."

"Then I have a better idea," Andy nodded. She pulled out her phone and shot off a text and nodded towards the closest Starbucks. "Get what you want, then we'll go for a drive."

Her phone rang and she gave her order to Serena to get while she ducked outside to take the call.

"Yes?"

"Are you due anywhere in the next hour?"

"No, as you well know."

"I'm going to take Serena for a drive so we're not overheard. Want us to conference you in?"

"No," she muttered. "It's too risky that someone will walk in. Give me the cliff-notes later and we'll handle it. You don't think she -"

"No," Andy sighed. "She's angry, not hurt. Someone else I think, though I don't know how serious."

"There have been rumours for years," Miranda muttered. "And I have not done enough about it."

"Don't go putting the weight of this on your shoulders," Andy said, watching as Serena picked up the drinks. "This isn't your fault. You're fixing it."

"Not soon enough."

"It will be alright," Andy said gently.

"Hmm."

"I gotta go, see you later."

She hung up and took her coffee right as Roy pulled up across the road.

"We're going for a drive," she smiled.

"Perfect," Serena nodded.

They got into the car, said their hello's to Roy and waited as the privacy screen lifted. It wasn't that she didn't trust Roy. quite the contrary in fact, but this required a little delicacy and she decided Serena would probably appreciate that.

"Someone in make-up is being blackmailed."

"Come again?" she said, nearly dribbling her coffee.

"Someone in -"

"No," Andy said, waving her off. "Sorry. Turn of phrase. How, why?"

"She had an affair."

"Oh no," Andy whispered.

"With Mr Ravitz."

"Oh god," Andy winced. "Why?"

"He gave her things. She was single, young, eager to climb the ladder? I do not think she knew any better."

"So he used her."

"Yes," Serena said. "She admitted to making the odd make-up mistakes that have been happening. The missing palettes, the brushes being trimmed. The colours being wrong. He was instructing her to make things difficult and as much as she liked the presents and the," she made a face. "Other things. She could not do anything too serious seeing as she was not anybody important."

"That sounds like she called it off?"

"He did, three months ago."

"Ok."

"She thinks it is possible that his wife had found some texts. That's what she thought was going on anyway."

"And you said she was being," she frowned. "Blackmailed?"

"She received this," Serena said, passing Andy a picture. "A week after they stopped. And then one every week since then."

"Oh my god," Andy nearly shouted as she turned it over. "Could have warned me."

"Well," Serena chuckled. "The impact was better this way."

"Cruel," Andy winced. "Oh," she said with a frown. "I know her, I can't remember -"

"Mindy."

"That's the one," Andy nodded, wincing again at the photo.

"So, does she think it's Ravitz?"

"Oh," Serena muttered. "I hadn't considered that. We assumed it was someone who had accidentally found out."

"Are they demanding anything?"

"No?"

"Huh," Andy said, turning the photo face down and sitting back. "Blackmailers usually want something in return. This is more like a fear campaign."

"What do you mean?"

"Showing Mindy that they have these so she can see the consequences if it ever got out. Which makes more sense for it to be Irv than anyone else. A random guy in the security office would either want money or," she winced. "Her."

"I see the difference," Serena nodded. "But would he be so stupid?"

"He certainly isn't an extreme intellect. It would be just like him to have whoever he has in Security pull the tapes." She thought about it for a while and then made a face. "Oh," she whispered. "Oh no. I bet he has the tapes of it happening. And his Security guy probably does too."

"If it is him," Serena shuddered. "I mean, even if it isn't -"

"This is what we need," Andy nodded. "If I can find who he has in Security then I can get them to tell me everything and there's my witness."

"I sent her home, told her to lay low."

"She knows you told me?"

"Yes."

"I think Miranda may want to speak to her," Andy mused. "Does she have the other photos that were sent?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Good. I wonder if I can CSI the photo paper. It's not like these can be printed at CVS."

"Andy? How are you?"

Andy laughed.

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"Good," Serena nodded. "And Miranda?"

"Also fine," Andy smiled. "The twins have gone to their Dad's for a week and she's missing them but otherwise, all is well."

"You've done wonders, you know," Serena smiled gently. "You were everything that she needed."

"I'm just good at what I do."

"It's more than that," Serena smiled. "Even Emily thinks so."

Andy smiled.

"Emily was a great assistant, and it meant more to her to be at Runway than it's ever meant to me."

"Which is why it's worked," Serena nodded. "You were there for Miranda. Emily, as much as I love her, was there for Runway."

"Both are valid," Andy said, a little defensively.

"Oh," Serena said quickly. "Of course they were. That's what I mean. That's why it worked."

They fell silent as Andy felt the car pulling up to Runway again.

"I didn't mean anything by that," Serena said quietly.

"Oh, I know," Andy smiled. "I'm just thinking about what we have to do next."

"Well, whatever you have to do, you'll get it done. That's obvious," Serena nodded. "Thanks, Andy. Maybe you should come for drinks one Friday?"

"I'll try," Andy smiled. "Maybe once Irv's gone."

"Ok," Serena shrugged. "Take it easy."

She got out of the car, but Andy did not. She sat for a little while going through everything in her head until she noticed Roy had dropped the privacy screen and was now watching her in the mirror.

"You alright Andy?"

"Yeah," she chuckled. "About to put a world of hurt on someone."

"Well," he said sagely. "You be careful. And remember if you need help, my buddies and I are only a phone call away."

"I remember," she smiled. "Thanks, Roy."

"No problem."

She got out and strutted back into Runway, already considering when Miranda would have time to meet this woman and what the hell they were going to do with the information, now that they had it.

-0-

The conversation with Miranda had not gone down very well. Not only was she horrified that an affair between the CEO and one of her own Make-up staff had gone on under her nose, but that Mindy was stupid enough to do so in full view of the cameras, at work, was enough to make her growl audibly.

"Don't get angry with her," Andy said quietly. "She's young. She didn't know any better."

"She is not more than a year younger than you," Miranda said, suddenly pausing. She frowned and stopped pacing beside her desk and looked sideways at Andy. Not really knowing what was going through Miranda's head, Andy met her gaze and held it.

"Some of us have less sense than years," Andy smiled after a while.

"Exactly," Miranda said, shaking herself. "Exactly."

She sat back down behind her desk and yanked her glasses off, throwing them on the desk. In an incredibly rare show of exhaustion, she rubbed her eyes.

"Ah," Andy said, trying to bite back a smile. "Don't rub your eyes."

"Oh, shut up," Miranda chuckled. "So many rules."

Andy laughed and handed over the packet of makeup wipes she had on her at all times for such an occasion.

"You're sickening efficient."

"Thank you," Andy gloated.

"Keep talking," she said, getting up and going into the bathroom.

"We probably need to meet her on neutral territory," Andy called.

"What?" Miranda called.

"Neutral territory."

"Oh," Miranda growled, pulling open the door and jerking her head. "This is ridiculous. Get in here."

Andy grinned and joined Miranda in the bathroom, sitting on the uncomfortable chair in the corner of the room.

"Do you entertain here often?" she asked, looking around.

"I am trying to refrain from telling you to shut up again," Miranda smirked, wiping the rest of her makeup off.

"Hmm," Andy grinned. "How's that going again?"

Miranda glowered, her anger only negated by the tiny little hitch in her eyebrow.

"Shutting up now," Andy nodded. "Got it."

"I'm not angry at her," Miranda said, shaking a bottle of foundation. "I'm angry at the injustice of all of it. I'm angry that it happens. That a married man can exert his power over a woman who's paid pennies in comparison to him and then," she scoffed. "Blackmail her to keep her quiet. How dare he."

"We know he's an asshole," Andy sighed. "We just have to pin something on him hard enough that there's nowhere for it to go."

Miranda hummed as she started putting foundation on.

"Your skin is flawless," Andy said, realising suddenly what she'd said. "I mean," she scoffed, deciding that she'd already blurted out whatever it was that was on her mind. "I just mean," she said, shaking her head at herself. "That even though you wear makeup every day, your skin is great. Mine struggles."

"I'll get you some of the moisturiser I use," Miranda muttered. "It's the only thing I've ever found that's worked."

"Oh, no, I didn't -"

"Andréa," Miranda smiled. "I'll get you some."

"Thank you."

"You are welcome," Miranda grinned.

Andy knew she should really have left at that point. They could talk about anything else outside, but this side of Miranda was one of the few she had never seen. She watched in rapt attention as she smoothed a hint of blush under her cheekbones and added just a touch of eyeshadow. She was fascinated as Miranda took her surprisingly delicate eyelashes and smoothed mascara along them, teasing them into a length that Andy was used to.

"You look like you're studying an organism under a microscope," Miranda muttered, not taking her eyes off her task.

"It's fascinating watching you go through the whole process. I've seen bits and pieces but never the whole thing."

"Surely after all this time -"

"Really," Andy smiled. "Most of the time I have been there, someone else has done it for you."

"Well," Miranda said, stepping back and looking at herself. "It has taken many years to perfect."

"It is though," Andy smiled. "Perfect, I mean."

Miranda hummed and Andy took it as her cue to leave.

"I'll go and finish the reports and make sure accounting has them by end of day."

"Invite this Mindy to your place. Tonight, if possible. Send Roy if you need to."

"Sure," Andy nodded. "Would you," she swallowed. "I had planned on doing a small roast tonight. Would you," she shrugged. "Unless you have -"

"Andréa?" Miranda interrupted her. "I would like that."

"Good," Andy sighed. "I just thought seeing as the twins were gone -" She rolled her eyes at herself. "Sorry," she said genuinely.

Miranda waved her off and took one more look at herself.

"Good. Set it up. I will join you at five? The least I can do is," she swallowed. "Peel potatoes."

Andy laughed all the way back to her desk.