A/N: How many times can an author say "that took a turn I wasn't expecting!" before it gets annoying? Anyone? Yeah, I got nothing. Writing this way is so exciting. I never know what we're going to get. Also, while I'm rolling I very well may post a chapter a day (my time) and then stop...cos we writers are most inconsistent sometimes. Well, I am!
See disclaimer Ch1
-0-
Andy Sachs decided that her single greatest pleasure was waking up with Miranda laying on her chest, breathing against her neck. It didn't happen often. Only when Miranda was truly exhausted, did she get cuddly. But Andy cherished those moments. As she took a deep breath, inhaling all of Miranda's scent - the scent that nobody else knew but their children - she sent thanks to whatever deity was listening for putting them together to enjoy this life together.
She trailed her fingers down Miranda's back. Over those shoulders that millions of people lusted over, but only she got to kiss. She watched, in the low light of morning, as the goosebumps appeared over the pristine skin she wanted to mark so badly. She'd been teased mercilessly by Nigel mostly, and a few other brave souls, about the lines on her back. But deep down, Andy was okay with it. She liked the ownership; the label on her lover's skin that broadcasted that Miranda was hers. It was a little primal and a touch embarrassing, but the heart wants what the heart wants. And she wanted her woman calling out her name.
She ran her cheek over Miranda's temple and ran her fingers down her spine, with purpose now. Miranda twitched a little, her thigh slipping between Andy's and she captured it with her own, trapping her lover right where she wanted her.
She gently lifted Miranda's thigh higher and slipped her hand between them, breathing out shakily as Miranda's centre brushed her fingers.
"Oh," she whispered, gently running her fingers over the bundle of nerves that she could feel beneath her fingers.
"Andréa," Miranda whispered in her ear.
"I love you," Andy whispered back, craning her neck to check whether Miranda was awake yet.
"Andréa?" Andy grinned, feeling Miranda getting wetter the more she explored.
"I have you."
"Andréa!"
The moment she knew Miranda was awake, she slid her finger inside, feeling Miranda's hands squeezing her shoulders as her head came up and their eyes met.
"I have you," Andy said again, leaning up for a kiss as she began loving her woman.
They made love to with barely a sound. Their breathing filled the silence of the house and Andy found her own body clenching in sympathy as Miranda pushed herself up on her hands and sank further onto Andy's hand.
"Please!" she whined. "Please!"
"Easy love."
"Andréa!"
She felt it right as Miranda did, that moment before the precipice. Miranda's breath caught and she threw her head back for just a second before her body exploded on top of Andy's and she lost control of her hips as they pushed into Andy's hand over and over.
Andy could feel the muscles in Miranda's thighs trembling but could do nothing but let Miranda take the lead. The angle was terrible and she couldn't help but smile as Miranda took her pleasure to the end, collapsing on top of her as she lost the strength to stay on her hands.
"Oh," Miranda whimpered. "Oh, darling."
"Good morning," Andy smiled, sliding her hand out before she cramped.
"Oh darling," Miranda panted, slipping her leg between them. "Darling."
"Are you alright?" Andy chuckled.
"So smug," Miranda huffed, her breath warm on Andy's throat.
"I do like to please," she replied, finally seeing Miranda's face as she regained enough strength to sit up and smile down at her.
"You are amazing and I love you."
"I love you," Andy smiled. "I was in two minds to wake you. It's early, but not too early."
"We're going to breakfast," Miranda smirked, her fingers tickling the hairs on the back of Andy's neck. "So we must be expedient."
"Expedient? With what?"
"Returned affections," she muttered, kissing Andy until they had to pull away panting. "Stay here," Miranda muttered, her body shimmering down until she was nestled between Andy's thighs.
"Oh god, Miranda," Andy whispered, her eyes widening as that nose nudged against her clit and took her breath away. "Fuck!"
"Shh," Miranda warned, her fingers making maddening patterns on the sensitive skin on Andy's thigh. "Please do not wake anyone, my love."
"Miranda," Andy whined. "I'm so ready. You're so sexy. When you come in my hands, you're so very very sexy."
Miranda's tongue wound its way inside and Andy was a goner. Her body was a slave to whatever Mrinada's tongue wanted her to do and she couldn't help but roll her hips as Miranda pleasured her so perfectly. In an embarrassingly short period, Andy's thighs tightened around Miranda's ears and her hand gripped the soft white hair, directing her to stay exactly where she was as she fell over the edge and into oblivion.
"Shit, you are so good at that," Andy panted as Miranda's messy hair appeared from under the sheets.
"If you are going to do something darling, you must make sure you are the best at it," Miranda chuckled, wiping her mouth and pressing a quick kiss to Andy's lips. "Shower with me? Before they wake up?"
"I would love to," Andy whispered, running her hands through Miranda's hair.
"I must look a fright," she chuckled, blushing a little under Andy's loving gaze.
"You look beautiful. Every moment of every day. With bed hair and sleep in your eyes. Food on your chin, lipstick on your teeth. Beautiful."
"Andréa," Miranda blushed deeper. "I will have to check my teeth obsessively today," she grinned. "I'll start the water."
"I'll be there in a moment."
She lay back thinking about how amazing her life was. The good definitely outweighed the less-good. They needed to find a way to slow down this crazy runaway train that was their life, but in the moments where the pace was not as obvious, it was perfect.
Miranda opened the door to the bathroom and Andy got up, locking it behind her in case the kids got up earlier than expected. She slipped inside the shower and wrapped her arms around Miranda's very naked, very glorious body and sighed.
"I love you."
"I love you," Miranda murmured, letting her head rest against Andy's shoulder. They held each other for a long while before Miranda spoke again. "We need to try and control this pace. It feels so out of control sometimes."
Andy laughed and kissed a path from Miranda's chin to her temple.
"It's like you can read my thoughts," she muttered. "I was just thinking before that while life is amazing, a slightly less fast-paced life would be even more amazing."
"I'm not sure how."
"We'll think of something," Andy chuckled, pushing Miranda up against the tiles, grinning as she hissed at the cold. "In the meantime, I can make time slow down for you right now."
Miranda opened her mouth, no doubt to complain at Andy's terrible jokes but only a moan escaped as Andy's tongue wound its way between her thighs.
-0-
"Mama?"
"Yes baby?" Andy said as she wiped Samuel's mouth to save the syrup from going everywhere.
"I go wi'v M'anda?"
"I," Andy glanced at Miranda, leaning down to talk to Olivia while she ate a smoothie bowl. "I don't know yet baby. We'll talk to her and see what she says, okay?"
"M'kay," he grinned, Nutella staining his teeth.
It was as serene as it could get in the busy restaurant. There were full tables all around and a wait time that was rather long for a weekday morning. Not that it had mattered to Miranda of course, she'd swanned in, and the staff had cleared a table. It was that easy. She wasn't with Miranda for the perks, but they certainly were nice.
"Hey Mom?" Cassidy asked as she scooped up the last of her pecan waffles. "Can we walk to school?"
Miranda's eyebrows went up and she looked across at Andy.
"Not today Cass," Andy smiled. "We've got the car here, remember?"
"Oh," she slumped in her chair and pouted a little.
"We can maybe see about walking another day?"
"Okay," she shrugged. "I've enjoyed spending this time with you Mom."
"I have enjoyed it too darling. I -" she paused, frowning a little and Andy knew she'd stopped herself from saying I promise. "We're going to take steps to try and make sure that life slows down a little. I know it's been frantic."
"It's okay, as long as you don't miss my class tonight?"
"Nothing could keep me away, my darling."
-0-
"Look, Mama, da snappers are back."
Andy had seen them, and now Miranda frowned as she saw them too.
"I wonder why?" Andy muttered. "Anything going on?"
"Not that I know of," Miranda said, her hand resting on Andy's thigh as they pulled into their garage. "I will call Melody."
Miranda did just that, sliding out of the car without another word and leaving Andy to get Sam. she unstrapped the little body and let him jump down, smiling as he saw Cara folding laundry in the kitchen.
"CAR-WA!"
"Hey little man," she greeted him happily. "Did you have a good morning?"
Andy left them chatting and went to find Miranda, who was pacing in her office, tension rolling off her in waves.
"Yes," she snapped. "Fine. Call Lesley, have her issue a-" she faltered. "I cannot believe this. That disgusting little bastard."
Andy's eyes bugged out and she stopped at the doorway.
"Yes. That's all."
Miranda hadn't seen her yet and Andy watched in horror as she picked up the vase of flowers and flung it at the nearest wall.
"HEY!"
Andy rushed forward and caught a collapsing Miranda, utterly sobbing in despair. Her heart was thumping faster than she'd ever felt it before as she gathered her love into her arms. She managed to get them onto the sofa and she rocked Miranda back and forth while she sobbed, her fingers gripping Andy's biceps to the point of pain.
"What's happened?" Andy whispered as Miranda calmed down.
She didn't answer, instead, passed Andy her phone, the front page of a newspaper pulled up on the screen. She looked at the screenshot of the latest headlines from the New York Times and her stomach rolled. Splashed across the cover was Irving Ravitz. His face covered with a jacket, but there was no escaping who it was. It was the headline that made her go cold and her arms tightened around Miranda.
Former CEO Arrested On Alleged Child Pornography Charges.
"I," Andy swallowed. "I can't -"
"I have to go in," Miranda whispered. "I have to -"
"You don't have to do shit. You," Andy swallowed hard. "That's -"
"If I find one single being in that building who even had an inkling about it, I will rip them apart with my bare hands. I will -"
"I know," Andy whispered, her eyes closing as she held her lover tightly. How differently their day had turned out. "I know."
-0-
When Andy picked the kids up, the older two were rather subdued and it was clear that they'd heard the news.
"Mama? Is it true? Is -"
"Not here baby," Andy smiled, cupping Caroline's cheek. "Later. When we're home. Cara's going to keep the kids quiet while we talk."
"Is Mom going to miss my class?"
"I -"
Andy's heart sank. It was more than likely that yes, Miranda would miss the class but she would give it some more time before she said so officially.
"I don't know yet love, this is," she sighed, blowing up her bangs. "This is a big deal."
"I know," Cassidy said, her face falling.
"I'll call her. We'll do our best."
"'Kay," Cassidy whispered.
"Livvy? Nicky?" Andy said, turning in the seat once they were all in. "There are some snappers at the house, so what do we say?"
"NO COMMENT!" Liv shouted, oblivious to the tension in the air.
Nick rolled his eyes and zipped his lips shut. Andy's eyes widened and, despite it all, smiled. That was new.
-0-
The phone rang once before Miranda's voice filled her head.
"I have waves of nausea rolling through me."
"I know," Andy whispered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I spoke with the girls."
"I," Miranda faltered. "I did not mean to leave that to you, I apologise."
"Don't," Andy murmured. "They'd already heard."
"Alexi has me doing the interviews with floors ten through fifteen. I've called the police on two people so far and I've only spoken to the people on fifteen."
"I'm so sorry."
"So am I," Miranda muttered. "Lesley is running interference, but it's hard not to feel utterly disgusting for even being remotely associated. How did we not know? How did we not realise Andréa? "
"Don't," Andy whispered, sitting on the arm of the chair in the hall. "Don't take this on. You didn't know, because people like that are very good at hiding. You wouldn't have had any idea, or you would have already dealt with it."
"What if he -"
"He didn't," Andy muttered, not wanting to hear the worry out loud. "Cos I asked them."
"Andréa -"
"I don't mean to add to your woes, and I know this is a massive deal. But," she sighed and said a little prayer. "You need to come and watch Cassidy's lesson."
"I cannot possibly. I don't have -"
"Miranda, baby?" Andy said, over the top of her. "I'm telling you. You need to do this. I, I think if you miss this, she might not forgive you for a very long time. And we're already stressed as it is. Please don't add to it."
"Andréa, I do not have time for your emotional blackmail. That's all."
The phone hung up and Andy's eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open and a searing bolt of white-hot anger shot through her. She called back, her heart thrumming in her chest and growled, audibly when the call went to voicemail. She missed the days when you could slam the receiver back on the telephone, but she could do one better. She dialled a different number, her foot tapping while she waited.
"Yo."
"I need you to come and pick me up. Right now."
"On my way."
She took the stairs two at a time.
"Cara?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm going out. I'll be back soon."
"Are," she frowned as she looked at her. "You okay Andy?"
"No," she growled, pulling on her jacket. "I am not okay."
Roy didn't even have time to get out of the car before she was running out of the door and into the backseat.
"Hey stranger," he said, before faltering at the look on her face. "Ah. Right. I'll get you there asap Andy."
"Thank you," she managed.
He pulled up in front of Elias Clarke, and again, didn't have a chance to even unbuckle his belt before she was stalking off into the building.
"Move," she growled as a crowd went to step into the elevator. Her face was terrifying enough that they all paused and stared wildly as the doors slid closed.
She tried to take a couple of deep breaths. She really did, but when the light pinged on for floor seventeen, she could only hear her heartbeat in her ears.
She marched past Melody, ignoring her warnings and flung open the door, glaring at the people sitting at the table.
"Get. Out," she hissed, only marginally surprised when they did.
She waited for a beat, slamming the door closed and rounded on her lover.
"If you ever do that to me again, you can book a hotel and stay there. INDEFINITELY. Don't you dare treat me like an employee. Don't you dare speak to me like that again. As usual, you do whatever the fuck you want. But if you EVER do that to me again, and you can fuck right off. I will take our children to Cassidy's Taekwondo lesson that she has been looking forward to for her whole life. ALONE."
She hadn't meant for her voice to get so loud, but Miranda hadn't moved and it only pissed her off further.
"If you want to ruin what we've built, you go right ahead. I'll carry it. Like I always do. You want to ruin your relationship with your kids? FINE. I'll pick up the fucking pieces afterwards, and soothe their broken hearts."
She watched a single tear roll down Miranda's alabaster cheek and all the anger evaporated away. She sighed, rubbing her forehead and, finally, met Miranda's eyes.
"He has ruined countless people's lives. He has," she swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "He has destroyed so much, Miranda. Please don't let him destroy us. Don't let him destroy our family too. Don't go back to that person. She was so unhappy and so lonely and I can't," she covered her mouth. "I don't want to do this without you."
"Andréa."
It was barely a whisper, but it pierced Andy's heart with such force, she took two strides and fell to her knees. Miranda let herself be pulled into her arms, and they fell to the ground. As gracefully as possible the managed to make it to the sofa, sitting on the floor, leaning on the arm. Andy sat, cradling Miranda as she sobbed into her neck, all the disgust and tension and horror she'd held so tightly being forced out of her. It was Miranda's flailing hands that caught her attention and she blinked as Miranda rushed out of her arms towards the bathroom, barely making it there before her body rebelled.
"Hey," Andy soothed as she threw up. "Hey, it's okay. It's going to be okay." She ran one corner of the towel under the water, and placed it against the back of Miranda's neck, rubbing her back in firm but gentle circles. "It's okay."
"None of this is okay. I treated you -"
"It is okay. It," Andy chuckled darkly. "It's nothing I haven't heard before."
"All the more reason to be disgusted in myself."
Andy didn't reply, instead, using the wet towel to wipe Miranda's face. She waited as Miranda brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth, before turning and leaning on the counter.
"Come 'ere," Andy said, moving into Miranda's space and sliding her hands around her thighs. She lifted her and sat her on the counter, ignoring her squeak of indignation, before stepping between her thighs and wrapping her arms around her.
"I love you."
"Don't make me cry again," Miranda whispered against her neck. Her legs crossed behind Andy's butt and they stayed that way until there was a gentle knock at the door.
Andy pulled back and looked at Miranda's tear-stained face.
"I'm coming home," Miranda said quietly. "I can't deal with this. Let them do an internal investigation with trained investigators. I do not know why Alexi is making us do it. We are not equipped."
"There she is," Andy smiled, kissing her gently. "He's new, and it's his position that is in the Newspapers. Call him, tell him, and we'll go home. There's still time."
"Thank you my darling, for reminding me of what matters most."
"You matter most," Andy whispered, running her nose alongside Miranda's.
"That's amusing," Miranda whispered. "I would have said that it was you that matters the most."