A/N: Good evening. I forgot my wonderful beta had finished this the other week. I was trying to spread them out for you, but obviously in order to do that you have to remember you're doing it! In the meantime I'm going to go and hide in a hole until the third episode of Last Tango in Halifax airs and I get over the feels from the spoilers and the feels about Person of Interest.

Have a wonderful day and I shall just go back to rocking back and forth in a dark corner. Send some love to my beta. Especially considering I might make her watch Last Tango before I do so that I don't lost my mind!

-0-

The movers were lounging against their truck smoking when Andy finally rolled up. Channelling Miranda's fiercest mood, she slid out of the car with a little help from Roy and immediately went to work.

Once the men were working, probably harder than they ever had in their lives, Andy took a moment to walk through the house. There were photos everywhere, and Andy drew the comparison between those and the ones in the townhouse. The guest areas at the townhouse had a few professional shots of the girls and even fewer of Miranda but this house breathed children from the first step. Three tiny sets of boots and coats were hanging on little hooks on the wall and Andy immediately spotted the requested red coat of Olivia's. She grabbed them and handed them to Roy, who had been sequestered to help her for the afternoon. Finding the children's rooms with little problem, she smiled at the brightly painted doors, wondering how long it would be before the kids asked Miranda for the same. She giggled as she peered into the boys room, astounded at just how much stuff they had.

"Oh boy," she groaned, looking at the toys.

"Whoa," Roy chuckled. "Hope your woman doesn't mind clutter," he quipped darkly.

"You and I both know; she's going to flip."

Shrugging, Andy got to work, smiling thankfully when Roy joined, explaining that Miranda had told him explicitly not to return unless he had Andy with him. She rifled through the clothes, deciding just to bag them all for the kids to go through with them. She could only imagine the fallout if there were favourite shirts hidden in the copious Target and Walmart labels. No doubt Miranda would try her best to get rid of most of them, but they were little kids; they would need a few play outfits.

"Andy what do you want to do about these toys?" Roy asked, looking so different with his crisp white shirt sleeves rolled up, his jacket and cap hanging on the end of Olivia's old bed.

"I don't know," she said exasperatedly. "There's so many and Miranda, or the kids for that matter might not want all of them. I guess we bag them all. Miranda," she paused, thinking of how likely that would be, "I will have to go through it with them."

"Okay," Roy said, getting to work, placing all the toys into as many bags as would fit. "These aren't all going to fit in the car. I'll talk to the movers and get them to drop them at the house before they take the rest."

"Thanks Roy," she called, concentrating on her tasks. She was elbow deep in blue shirts - apparently Nicholas' favourite colour - when her phone rang.

"Andréa, I need twelve skirts from Calvin and the brooch I looked at last week when you return. Make sure it's before 14:00."

She couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. It was a little while before she could pull herself together and by that time Miranda had definitely hung up on her. She didn't mind, she'd been a little rude, but as she dialled back, she shook her head as the line clicked but Miranda didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry I laughed, but you're not here," she said with a smile on her face. "I won't be back at two. I'll be lucky if I get out of here before five."

"Unacceptable, I have a run-through at four. Delegate Andréa."

Miranda hung up again and Andy just shook her head. Maybe Roy was right; she was a brave woman. Only a crazy person would fall so completely in love with a mercurial, maniacal woman who took a daily power trip. But she had, and she didn't really care what anyone said. She loved Miranda, she'd just have to learn to live with it.

"Okay I've got most of the little ones things downstairs. They're calling a smaller truck over so they don't have to go twice as far."

"Thanks Roy," Andy groaned."I owe you big time. Next time we do drinks, you'll have to come along."

"I'm not quite up to Runway snuff Andy," he joked, but Andy heard the kernel of fear in his voice.

"Nonsense. You've driven Miranda for longer than anyone, save Nigel, has ever worked for her. You'll fit right in. Emily usually spends ten minutes bemoaning her, but then we rejoice at having lived to tell the tale."

He chuckled and pretended to tip his hat.

"You're the boss, Andy."

"Whatever," she groaned, rolling her eyes when the phone rang again.

Without looking at the display, Andy answered, launching straight into all the reasons she wouldn't be back by two to pick up twelve skirts.

"Um, that's great Andy, but it's Cara," the woman said. "I, I put it off for as long as I could in case I could head it off, but -" There was a particularly loud scream in the background. "Sam won't settle. I'm not sure whether he had a nightmare, or what, but he's crying and won't stop and it's just upsetting the others."

"No problem Cara, we're pretty much done here. I'll be there asap."

Andy hung up without thinking about saying goodbye and went to update Roy on the situation. They sorted out everything that needed to be discussed with the movers, instructing them just to bag everything in the three children's rooms and taking it to the townhouse. She would sort through it later.

The traffic was mercifully light and they were on the freeway before she had a chance to ring Miranda and update her.

"Are you back yet?"

"No," Andy said. "Cara just called. Sam is inconsolable. I'm on my way there now." Andy contemplated saying that she had told her so, but realised her life was worth more than an offhanded comment while the editor was stressed.

"Out, everyone out!" Miranda instructed, and Andy mentally went through the list of appointments she had today to see who she'd just turfed out. She gulped loudly when she realised it was Derek Lam's team. They'd flown in specially for the meeting and now Miranda had thrown them out in favour of killing Andy over the phone. "I miss you."

"What?" Andy said, before she could stop herself. "What did you say?"

"I miss seeing you at your desk. I keep thinking you've left and you're not coming back. I am completely unaccustomed to feeling like this and it is interfering with my day."

"I'm sorry," Andy said, wondering what on earth she could say to that. "I told you though, I'm not leaving you Miranda. To have this chance with you is something I could never dream of. I want this, I want this family that we're building together. I'm not going anywhere. Next month I won't be at that desk at all."

"I know, believe me I know. I trust you Andréa, more than anyone else I've ever been with. I don't think I ever really trusted them, not with my children, nor my home, nor my heart. I have given you everything Andréa."

"And I will guard them with my last breath," she replied quietly, a little overwhelmed at how vehement Miranda sounded.

"I know you will," Miranda soothed, apparently recognising the tightness in Andy's voice. "Soothe Samuel, don't bother coming back here. I will be home as early as I can, after the run-through if they are at all competent today. Did you get everything done at the house?"

"No, but Roy and I sorted most of it; they're bringing everything to the townhouse to be sorted at a later date."

"Oh," Miranda grumbled.

"It had to be this way, I don't know what shirt Sam considered lucky, or which pair of pyjamas Nick can't live without."

"Hmm, just make sure it goes in the basement; somewhere I don't have to see it," Miranda said, sounding tired. "Did you know that Cassidy once wore the same pair of yellow shorts for three weeks. She refused to take them off, even to be washed - she bathed in them Andréa."

She laughed, loudly, as she imagined a small Cassidy pouting, and Miranda being powerless to say no to her.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure that no item of clothing can be worn more than three times in a week."

"Three!"

"I'm going to go," Andy giggled, glancing out of the window. "We're nearly here and I don't want to give you an aneurysm."

"Hmm," Miranda muttered. "If it is that I cannot make it home in time for dinner, don't wait for me. The children need to be fed at an appropriate time."

"Don't worry, I'll give you a call before we sit down, if you're on your way we'll wait for you."

"Thank you darling," Miranda whispered. "I had also better go, Derek's team is looking decidedly ill."

"They've just been thrown out of a meeting with Miranda Priestly, I'm not surprised."

"They'll be fine when I offer them their twelve page spread."

"I imagine so. I'll see you later," Andy said, wondering if Miranda would remember their conversation from before the trip to the museum.

"And I will talk to you soon, my darling."

Andy beamed, hanging up the phone and leaning back in the leather seat, totally awestruck by the overwhelming feeling of love that she had for that woman, and the children that they were coming to share.

-0-

She raced up the steps and had barely taken her coat off before Nicholas ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her legs.

"Hey sweetheart, is Sam upset?"

He nodded, and she picked him up, carrying him to where the sound was coming from.

"Hi there little monkey. What's up bud?"

As soon as Sam saw the familiar face, he threw himself into Andy's arms and gripped her shoulders tightly. She winced a little and urged Nick to go to Cara while Sam hiccupped into her neck.

"There now little man, it's okay."

He wasn't making any discernible words as he cried, so Andy just held him and rubbed his back.

"It's alright monkey," she said, coaxing his face out of her shoulder. "What's got you so upset?"

"You're gone," he moaned piteously.

Andy had to try very hard not to smile as the sentiment that Miranda had previous issued was mirrored in Sam's sob. It was such a different feeling to have people that wanted her around.

"Well, I'm here now. And I told you that Cara was here, and that she gives the best hugs."

He shrugged but sighed tiredly as he lay his head back down on her shoulder. Having barely had time to drop her bag, Cara helped her shuck her coat and she sat down on the sofa, rearranging Sam's little legs around her torso and accepting Nick under one arm.

"Did you boys have fun before you went down for your naps?" she asked, leaning down to press a kiss to Nick's head.

Sam didn't answer, but Nick gave a half-nod, prompting Andy to push him just a little harder.

"Did you make those cookies?"

Nick smiled and held up three fingers. She tried desperately not to react, but she pulled him closer, kissing his hair as she clarified his answer.

"You ate three?" she said, looking at him suspiciously. "Did you save any for me?"

Before she could blink, Nick had slipped from the sofa and run out of the room. Andy wanted to follow him to ask what was wrong, but Sam was heavier than he looked and she was basically stuck on the sofa. She sat thinking about what could have caused Nick to run away like that, when she was interrupted by Olivia's giggle. Nick scurried in after Olivia, followed by Cara who just missed nabbing him, before he smiled sweetly, passing Andy a rather mangled cookie. The sprinkles had fallen off, no doubt on the stairs behind him, and the few chocolate chips in it had melted to his hand, which he then wiped on his pants. Andy bit her lip in an effort to stop herself from laughing and accepted the cookie, making a big show of nibbling on it and proclaiming it delicious.

"That was awesome guys," she said, waving off Cara, but accepting the cloth she'd brought. "Have we had a snack yet?" Cara shook her head and Andy decided that a nice little afternoon snack was on the cards. "How about we all go downstairs and have a little snack before the girls come home?"

"Will they be home soon?" Olivia asked.

"Very soon Princess," Andy answered, glancing at the clock. "You see that clock? When the long hand reaches the bottom and the little one is pointed to the four, do you know which that is?" Olivia nodded, making Andy smile. "Well, when the clock looks like that, they should walk straight through that door."

Once settled into the kitchen, the promise of cookies and milk prompted Sam to perk up a little and he ate one cookie, a PB&J and a glass of milk, mirroring the other two. Nicholas hummed in delight as he ate his sandwich and Andy made a mental note. It would be good to know which foods he adored for times of crisis.

Olivia chatted away to Andy about all that she'd helped Cara with, and what they'd played with. Andy in turn told them about what she'd brought home with her and promised that when they'd finished their snack, and the girls had finished theirs when they were home they could start going through their things in the sitting room.

Cara muttered that she would go and sort it out before they started, knowing how much Miranda would want to come home to it all done. Andy shrugged. Things had changed, and that meant some of her more ridiculous demands would have to bend. She would have to put up with a little mess now and again if she wanted a more stable future.

It's just that Andy wasn't looking forward to having to tell her that.