A/N: I'm here at Starbucks again so it's time for another update. Thank you all for messaging me, or commenting to wish me a warm welcome back :) It's good to be back.

As always many thanks to Spin for making this so pretty and making sure that you can read it! And thanks to my love for making me write. A lot of what I'm posting is in direct correlation to illestviking saying "go and write!"

If any of you need some sort of timeline, this is Monday night - apparently.

-0-

It was harder than Andy thought to eke out some time with Miranda, some peace and quiet to discuss an issue that had been plaguing her mind. She finally got the opportunity to do so in the dark hours of Monday evening, after sleepy children had been put to bed and The Book had been postponed until the following morning.. She was laying in Miranda's arms, despite usually waking up in the opposite position, listening to the woman breathing quietly.

"We need to talk. Properly I mean, about me moving in here," Andy said quietly.

"No we don't," Miranda said in her usual Miranda way. "We have discussed it already."

"You mean you ordered me to?"

There was a pause while Miranda went very still until she pulled Andy back so she could look at her properly.

"Did I really?"

"You did," Andy smiled, letting her know that it was already forgiven. "But that is why I would like to discuss it with you now."

"You're right," Miranda said, sitting up against the bedhead. "I'm all ears, darling."

Andy grumbled a little at the change in position, but sat up as well, wrapping her arms around her knees in an effort to feel a little more comfortable.

"Okay. I know you want me to move in, but have you really thought about that?" she asked, looking for an answer in Miranda's eyes. "Have you thought of how that will work?"

"Well," Miranda shrugged. "I assume you'll pack up your things and move them here, where you can live with us."

"My things?" Andy prompted. "So, my books and my knick-knacks, my vintage collection of Barbie dolls -" She held up her hands as Miranda's mouth opened in horror. "It's a joke, just a joke. I don't have any Barbie dolls. But think; I'll need an office, especially if you do want me to work in Features?"

"Want you to?" Miranda said with a frown. "You already have the position!"

"Well, okay, but what are your thoughts on my being here? Do I get my things, or shall I pretend they don't exist?" Andy closed her hand and grabbed Miranda's hand as it started to move off her thigh. "Sorry, I'm sorry. I'm just -" She sighed again. "I'm uncomfortable."

"I," Miranda paused. "Will you think less of me if I say that I haven't thought of those things?" she frowned. "When I was, I mean, my husbands all kept to one room. I mean God, Stephen only joined me in my own room when we used to -"

"STOP!" Andy nearly yelled. "Stop, I don't need to think about that."

"Well I," Miranda turned to look at her properly. "We need to think about this. We might even need to consider some building works. Stephen didn't need an office in the house, he used to do most of his work at a small table in his room."

"Okay," Andy nodded. "Do you have thoughts on that?"

"I admit, I have been thinking about it, more so in relation to the children, but yes. I do have thoughts," Miranda said, making Andy smile. "But before I say, what is it you need from the house?"

"Space for me, I guess. I'm not stupid. My things are a bit battered, I mean, not furniture. Most of that will go to Goodwill, but other things -"

"Andréa, I may be a snob, but I also know how you operate. Your desk is covered with knick-knacks. In a way, I am quite surprised that my," she grinned, "our house isn't as well, at least just yet."

"It's hardly my house," Andy muttered.

"But that is the point, darling. If you are to move in -" she shook her head. "When you move in, this house will be yours, as it will be Olivia's and Nicholas' and Samuel's."

"Why are we so different to the others?" Andy whispered.

"Because I love you," Miranda said simply. "I love you and the children and I love my house. I don't want to move, even with our family filling the gaps to the brim. Because I want this to work Andréa. I'm done being something I'm not."

Andy looked at her, really looked and smiled at the somewhat vulnerable expression Miranda had on her face. She didn't really need to look, she'd heard the sentiment in Miranda's voice, but it helped, seeing it there. It made it real. It made it deeper somehow.

"I'll need an office," she said, cupping Miranda's cheek but holding off on kissing her. "It doesn't have to be big, but I have - as you said - knick-knacks I've picked up along the way. My books, well I suppose they can," she swallowed at how permanent she sounded, "go in the library? We'll have to work that out when we get there."

"That s all?" Miranda asked, chewing on her glasses while she made notes on her tablet.

"I guess space in the closet?"

"You already have space," Miranda sniffed. "You are being so strange about unpacking your bag that you haven't had a chance to see it yet."

"It's a habit," Andy muttered. "Admittedly a bad one I suppose."

Miranda looked at her expectantly so Andy sighed deeply.

"An unpacked bag means I'm staying."

Miranda looked at her and opened her arms. Andy fell into them, snuggling up to her woman with a contentment she had never felt so keenly.

"I think that we talk to the boys," Miranda said quietly. Andy nuzzled Miranda's chest, enjoying the vibrations of her voice on her ear. "We should split their rooms. Perhaps put a door in there, should they wish to. Also, my office is next to Olivia's room. We could always share? Or split it I suppose? I hardly even use it anyway."

"I'm messy, I eat over my keyboard," Andy chuckled. "I type loudly and I like to listen to music while I'm working."

"Ah," Miranda said with a smirk. "Perhaps we shall not share then!"

They lay in silence, the small lamp the only illumination.

"Hmm," Miranda hummed.

"What?" Andy asked. "What have you thought?"

"We expand the den into the library - we need more sitting room anyway. We make the old library smaller and turn a small portion of it into your office, or mine - if you'd prefer to be up here instead?"

"Isn't that a big job?" Andy asked.

"It's not a small one," Miranda mused. "But it's better than moving a bathroom or something like that. All we are doing is knocking down a few walls and adding a few others really."

"So the den would become the library?"

"It would yes, but it would also be bigger in a way. Perhaps big enough for two seating areas. You said yourself that you have your books. Perhaps we could split off a portion of the room with some low shelving. And add shelving to the den portion of the room as well." Her eyebrow crept up her forehead. "Attached to the wall so your little monkey will not hurt himself."

"My little monkey?" Andy chuckled. "Why is he my little monkey?"

"It's obviously your fault," Miranda grinned, a teasing lilt in her voice.

"Whatever," Andy grinned, kissing a patch of bare skin. "I love watching your brain work, its beautiful."

"Well, I would still like to sketch it out, so we can see a visual of it. Perhaps tomorrow evening though, I do not want to move right now."

"What about money?" Andy asked quietly.

"What about it?"

"If," she shrugged. "When I stop paying my lease, what am I paying for here?"

"Well," Miranda said, looking perplexed. "I have enough money to cope with all the running costs of the house, even with seven of us living here. Honestly, I'd just as well prefer you to keep it."

"No way! I can pay my own way! I don't want to be seen as a freeloader!"

"Who would see?" Miranda challenged her.

"I don't know," Andy conceded. "But I'd feel awkward."

"Darling, I have a fantastic finance manager. He makes me more money every single day, more so when I sleep. Please believe me when I say that I don't want any of your money."

"Well, then I guess you'll have to always make sure that we never fight over it. You can't say that I can't contribute to something and then use it against me later. I know you, when you're angry, and frustrated, you fight to maim."

"I never use money in fights Andréa, because it simply has never been an issue for me."

"Look, I feel, I'd feel much better if we could set up a joint account or something and I can put a percentage in?"

"I had planned on adding you to my current accounts anyway."

"I don't want your money Miranda," Andy rolled her eyes.

Miranda looked down at Andy and brushed back her hair.

"This is a big deal for you isn't it?"

"Yeah," Andy whispered.

"Darling, even if we placed a percentage of our earnings into this account - well, I'm not being amusing, but I don't pay you nearly as well as Elias Clarke pays me."

"I know that," Andy scoffed. "But at least I'd be doing something."

"Alright," Miranda shrugged. "If that's what you need, then that's what we will do - although I'd prefer to use my existing accounts. And I will be adding you to them as well; I shall give you a credit card and you will use it when you need to. There is no arguing there Andréa."

"Fine," Andy smiled.

"Good, I shall have Bartholomew make the necessary arrangements."

"Your financial guy is called Bartholomew?" Andy giggled. "That is awesome."

Miranda smiled and Andy knew the woman could feel her tension easing.

"Is that all we need to discuss?" Miranda asked. "I will not be speaking to him until tomorrow of course, but unless there's anything more pressing -"

"Just one more thing," Andy said, her fingers already running through Miranda's hair. "Are you going to be checking my copy before I give it in?"

"Like homework?" Miranda mused. "God no. Camilla can deal with that, even though I know your work will be acceptable."

"Okay," Andy smiled.

"Now can I kiss you?" Miranda asked, as if she'd been denied for frivolous reasons.

"Heck yes," Andy grinned, pulling Miranda's down. "Lay it on me, Priestly."