A/N: Geez Louise, a good number of you assassinated the Assassin. That's tough luck for me, ey.

No matter.

I appreciate the honesty and acknowledge that I made this choice and Imma stand by it. Sorry some of you (okay, actually, a good number of you) weren't impressed. It's done now though, so, dunno what to tell ya.

I could explain my reasoning to you, but then I'd have to write a whole essay on the time that I got so out of my depth after marrying my family that I freaked the eff out and totally checked out for like a year. I was an angry, sad, petty, detached Assassin.

But... that's okay. If you've never experienced that, I'm glad for you. It wasn't at all fun.

I think, throughout this whole thing I've been trying to show that Miranda isn't perfect at all and that despite her progress, she's not infallible either. I thought I was totally chill and then I turned into this monster that I didn't know how to handle so... I guess I was channelling. And maybe I misstepped here with Miranda and maybe you just haven't read the bits to come but I hope it works out. I don't wanna be the a-hole that makes you follow a story for six years and ends it badly.

Also. Yes, Sam is turning 4, not 5. Thank you to Poppinswannabe and a few others for pointing that out. I do warn y'all all the time that I hate specifics - this is why. FYI I have gone back and changed it.

Maybe I'll just post all three chapters today and be done with it?

Let me know what you reckon.

See disclaimer, Chapter 1.

-0-

Andy woke up with Sam wrapped tightly around her. She didn't want to get up and face the day, she wasn't interested in feeling anything. They were due to go away on Monday and that was less than 36 hours away. She wasn't sure what had happened in Miranda's brain to turn it all upside down but she couldn't really fathom a way out of it.

Cassidy poked her head in and waved.

"What do I do?"

"Whatever you want to sweetheart," Andy sighed. "I'm not going to tell you how to feel or what to do. I can't. I don't," she sighed, running her hand through Sam's riotous curls. "I don't know what to do here honey. I'm as lost as I could be."

"We're still going away?"

"Yeah, even if your Mom doesn't want to come, we'll go," she smiled.

"But," Cassidy's face fell.

"I'm not saying I don't want her to come, actually the opposite, but I'm not going to," she winced. "Protect you guys from her anymore. She's on her own. And that might seem harsh but," she shook her head and kissed Sam's. "I'm very angry right now, so maybe I should just be quiet."

"You don't have to be Mama," Cass whispered, coming in and snuggling against her side. "I've been Mom's kid for a long time, you know."

"Yeah but I'm the adult here," Andy chuckled sadly. "And it's really fair for you to listen to me complain about how angry I am with your Mom."

"Is Cara coming with us?"

"I thought she was, but now I don't know. I have no idea whether your Mom asked her to, or not."

"Want me to call her?"

"Yes please," Andy smiled. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Love you Mama."

"Mama?"

"Hello my little monkey!" Andy said bravely as Sam woke. "How's my big five-year-old boy doing this morning?"

"Is M'anda home?"

"She is!" Andy said with a smile, trying not to let him see how she was feeling as well. "Shall we go and find her?"

"No," he said, his lip wobbling. "Don't wanna."

"Okay," she nodded. "Well, you tell me when you're ready, okay? I love you little wildman. We're going to have so much fun on the beach!"

"We go swimmin'?" He perked right up.

"Yep! In the ocean! With the waves and the fishies!"

"I get ready -"

And he was down and emptying his drawers, crawling underneath his bed to get his favourite baseball.

She let him, until a figure darkened the door and she watched as Miranda watched Samuel.

"Happy birthday, little darling," she smiled.

Sam, in a move that broke Andy's heart, stood up and stared at her. She watched in slow motion as Sam took one step towards her, then turned around and wrapped his arms around her instead.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, Miranda was gone.

"Hey," Caroline said, frowning. "Okay?"

"Um," Andy decided against involving everyone. "Yeah, just feeling clingy."

"No wonder," she said sadly. "Cassidy called Cara. She said that Mom did tell her, but she doesn't know the details. She has a girlfriend though, did you know that?"

Andy grinned, seeing the wonder in her eyes.

"I totally didn't! Tell Cass to tell Cara to invite her. We won't need Cara all the time, that way she can have a holiday too. I'll call and add another ticket."

"Thanks Mama."

Andy heard Sam's tummy rumble and she carried him downstairs, getting his favourite spaghetti and toast ready with one hand seeing as he refused to let go of her neck.

He ate about three bites and burst into tears. She cradled him and nibbled on the toast a little, sighing into his hair.

-0-

They existed in a holding pattern. Miranda came out of their room for meals and coffee and made all the right noises when she did, but the kids knew something was up and she'd so far refused to even look at Andy.

Their flight was due to leave at midday on Monday which meant everyone had to be ready well before 9 to beat the traffic. The boys were easy and Andy managed to get them by the door with their bags, locked with keys only she had. She'd already had to repack Sam's back after he'd emptied it to check that his baseball was in it, only to find it in his carry-on. Thankfully, Caroline was self-sufficient and Cassidy helped Olivia as well. When she went back up the stairs to get her own bags, she stared at the woman curled up on the wing-back chair in the corner.

"Why aren't you ready?"

"I understood my presence was not welcome."

"You -" Andy couldn't breathe. "What?"

"You made it quite clear that my presence was not welcome on this trip. You spoke your mind. I am not willing to subject myself to that again."

"You're pouting?" Andy gaped. "You? Seriously?"

"I most certainly am not!"

"You are! You've made no attempt to apologise to him, or to Cassidy for that matter. You've made zero effort to talk to about anything and now you're going to turn into a five-year-old. That's really mature, Miranda. Really."

"Andréa -"

"No, no no, it's fine. You sit here and feel sorry for yourself, on your own. I'm taking our children on holiday, like we as their parents, promised them. If you love any of us at all, you'll join us. I love you," she met the woman's eyes. "I love you. I just don't understand you right now. I thought you were with us but, I just don't know anymore Miranda. I don't know why this sudden change and I don't know what to tell you to make you snap out of it. I don't want to lose you to this," she shrugged. "Monster that seems to have taken hold of you."

She dropped to her knees in front of Miranda, taking her hands and waiting until those icy blue eyes met her.

"Please. Please fight for your family, my love. For our family. For us. We have such plans, you and I. Such plans for our babies. I don't want to lose that, but I cannot carry us all forever. I love you -" she realised Miranda wasn't going to budge and stood kissing her head gently. "And I hope to see you on the beach as soon as possible."

The kids evidently had assumed that Miranda was coming with them but when Andy pulled the door closed behind them, their faces fell.

"Everyone belted?" Roy asked carefully.

Andy checked them, cupping Nick's cheek and tweaking Olivia's nose.

"Yes thank you Roy," she said quietly, watching the front door. "You can go."

She whispered the final part, in the hope that he didn't hear. To his credit, he waited for another minute before pulling into traffic. Cara and her girlfriend Mel were meeting then at the airport and right before they turned the corner into the main road, Andy was still hoping that she'd see Miranda running down the steps, her bag in hand.

Alas, there was no movement at the house and Andy's heart broke. She was more than terrified that she'd just lost the love of her life. She was more than terrified that Miranda was going to pull away completely again like she had been before Olivia and Nick and Sam had joined them. She let Olivia snuggle under her arm and peered out of the window. She thought back to those first tentative moments. A whole slew of memories played through her mind like a film she didn't want to see.

She wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all and she wanted to shake Miranda until she saw sense but instead, she kissed Olivia's head and held Sam's hand until they got to the airport.

Cara and Mel were waiting and wrangling the children to the gate was much easier with 2 extra pairs of hands than it was the last time she did this.

After a little argument at the desk, they had their tickets and they were ready to go.

Andy hadn't realised but the same hope that burned in her seemed to be burning in everyone else as well. Once the doors were locked and the plane started taxying, Caroline burst into tears.

"I thought she'd come!"

"I know baby," Andy muttered as they took off. "I thought so too."