A/N 1: Read disclaimers from Chapter 1 before proceeding.

A/N 2: Un-betaed, so all mistakes are mine and I'm warning you there are a lots of them coz I'm too lazy to proof-read!

A/N 3: Thank you for commenting, I love you ALL. Keep 'em coming, it helps me write better. Thanks!

"My heart might be bruised, but it will recover and become capable of seeing beauty of life once more. It's happened before, it will happen again, I'm sure."

-Paulo Coelho, The Zahir

23rd July 2009

9: 45 p.m.

Outside the Townhouse

She hasn't seen the face of this place since that fateful night, it's been over a year and yet not much has changed. Except the dynamics of the Priestly-Sachs household.

'Mommy, are you sure this is where she lives?' Chris tugs at Andy's hand and looks up at his mother's face, his crystal blue eyes shining with excitement.

Boy, is she sure.

'Umm, yeah I'm sure baby. Like I told you on the way, we were friends once but we lost touch, I've been here before! Come on.'

She's determined about this, she will apologize and thank Miranda inspite of whatever Miranda might have to say about it. Man up Andy, it's gonna be a long night.

She secures the pendant firmly in her left hand and rings the bell.

Miranda has long given up looking for the pendant and has instead taken to drowning her piteous self in a glass of whiskey. She is flabbergasted when she hears the door-bell ring and for her moment she thinks it's the whiskey clouding her senses, but then she hears it again. The distinct ring.

She can't deal with anyone now, not today, especially if it's one of those scumbags from work who seem to think she's interested in them.

She gets up and sways for a moment before steadying herself and walking towards the door. She won't open the door if it's an Eric or Adam or who so ever else.

But when she looks through the peephole she thinks it's the whiskey again.

Andrea is standing on the other side. Andrea is standing on the other side. Andrea is standing on the other side.

Not tonight. She turns back and presses herself against the door suppressing a soul shattering sob, the door-bell rings again, signalling her back to reality.

She draws in a deep breath and gets ready for a long night.

She is standing at the other side of the door staring blankly at them.

Barefoot, in that grey robe, with those red rimmed eyes. Paris all over again.

Andy's resolution almost breaks and she wants to gather Miranda in her arms and whisper sweet nothings and caress her silky hair and run smooth circles on her soft ivory skin. Stop, stop, stop—she tells the voice inside her head!

It's Chris who breaks the awkward silence 'Hey! Can we come in? Mommy said it was too late but I wanted to come anyway! I knew you wouldn't mind.'

Miranda tears her eyes away from Andy and looks down at the little boy, smiles and then nods as she gets out of the way to let them in.

Chris gets in first and looks around, Andy hesitates and then walks in and is instantly drawn towards the familiar scent of the house. It still smells the same- wisteria, hints of gardenia and lilies, cinnamon and something unique- fruity and earthy which Andy always pegged down to Miranda's own scent.

Miranda silently tugs near Andy's neck to take her coat-like in the past- her hands touch the nape of her neck and both women almost jump at the touch.

Andy quickly shrugs it off and moves away, and Miranda turns instantly to put it inside the hall closet.

The townhouse looks exactly as Andy remembers it, every detail. Untouched.

They walk towards the drawing room and Andy takes her favourite bay window seat. Chris runs and joins his mother and looks out of the window fascinated by the empty streets with its streetlights.

Miranda settles on the sofa opposite them.

Awkward silence again. Chris looks between both women and scrunches up his eyebrows and jumps up and down before Andy gives him the death glare, he settles.

'Oh how awful of me-'

'We came to say-'

A moment of silence.

'Can I get you'll something?' Miranda says standing up.

'Umm..just water.' Andy croaks.

'Ice-cream!' Chris yells excitedly.

'Chris! Behave! No ice cream, it's too late for that!'

'But Mommy you promised! Remember!' Chris pleads.

'Yes, I remember sweet-heart! I distinctly remember your mother promising you ice-cream on the way to the hospital.' Miranda smirks glancing at Andy and then bends down in front of Chris to tuck a wispy strand of brown hair away from his face.

'I'll get you ice cream. It's only fair. I hope you're not going to school tomorrow, your wound needs to heal a bit more.' She isn't asking but stating to Andrea that her son won't go to school tomorrow. Typical Miranda.

'Choco-chip?' she asks and rubs a thumb against his cheek. She can't seem to stop herself with this boy, Miranda realizes, she wants to hug him, kiss him, spoil him, love him-be a mother to him.

'Yaayyyy! That's my favourite!' Chris sings and all but hurls himself into Miranda and envelops her in a hug.

And then, then Miranda forgets everything. The feeling of this little boy in her arms is very different from when Caroline and Cassidy hug her-they smell of strawberry and mint and joy but this is different- he smells like baby powder and milk and Christopher- her-their Christopher and Miranda can't breathe anymore. It's too much. She wants to cling onto him forever but also thrust him away at the same time. Too many emotions, too much grief. She begins to shiver involuntarily and is afraid she might start crying again, so she violently detaches herself from him and almost runs towards the kitchen.

'Woah Mom, did I do something wrong to Snow Fairy?'

'No sweetheart, I think she was in a hurry to get you the ice-cream!' Andy's heart breaks for the umpteenth time seeing Miranda this way. She can't see Miranda like this. Not this broken.

She might have moved on with her life but she still loves Miranda as much as she did a year back and she will continue to love her this way for her whole life. Their fight seems like a decade away and the memory of it is vague, she wants to hold on to the other innumerable happy memories. She wants to see Miranda happy again, and Andy realizes she is ready to do anything for that. Again. Even after last March.

Miranda Priestly likes to think she has enough self-control but tonight she seems to be failing on every account—she isn't crying per se, except the tears don't seem to stop as she prepares a bowl of ice-cream and a glass of Perrier on a tray.

She feels completely unhinged. She hasn't let herself think about the events from the past year, she hasn't analysed her feelings, she hasn't made an attempt to make herself truly happy again, but this boy makes him do all those things and she wants to hate him, throw him away and yet finds herself smiling as she adds an extra choco-chip serving to his bowl.

She wipes her eyes and makes her way to the drawing room and serves a very silent Andy and Chris.

'Did I make you cry Snow Fairy?' Chris says through a mouth full of ice-cream and Andy almost chokes on her water. He looks truly unhappy.

Miranda smiles, 'Silly boy! No, never! Now don't talk with food in your mouth.'

Chris grins.

Miranda wonders why they're here—perhaps Andrea wants to apologize for what she said. High time she did. And would she forgive her? She has already forgiven Andrea, after all she knows how astute her 'Andy' can be with words. She wants to ask about the locket too, but doesn't find the courage.

'Umm, we came to return something of yours!' Andy says as if reading Miranda's mind and walks over to where Miranda is sitting. Before she even knows what she is doing she unclasps the hook on the chain and puts it around Miranda's neck, 'I'm sorry for what I said earlier.' she whispers. Miranda trembles and then looks up. Their eyes meet for a moment and the emotions swirling in them are enough to annihilate the world. They look away immediately.

Andy stumbles back and returns to her seat while Miranda looks as white as a sheet of paper. Her hand instinctively reaches for the locket and she caresses the pendant with her fingers absentmindedly and stares at Andrea.

Then she manages a faint 'Thanks!'

'Does your name start with A?' Chris asks curiously.

'No dearest, my name is Miranda.'

'Miranda?' then a pause 'can I call you Snow Fairy still?' he looks pointedly at Miranda expecting a favourable answer.

'I suppose. It's your wish Christopher.'

Chris smiles, 'Why do you wear an 'A' then?'

Andy chokes on the water again, kids and their questions, 'Chris, you don't ask so many questions.'

'It's okay. I wear it because this is very precious to someone I knew—know. It's the most special gift I've ever got. Do you have one like that?'

'Umm, it's my crayon set at the moment. Do you know there are 25o of them in it! Mommy got it for me specially!' and then he saunters around the room with the air of someone who owns the world's greatest crayon set.

Miranda and Andy both laugh through unshed tears.

'Hey, Snow Fairy, are those your daughters?' he points to picture on the mantle of the fire-place. It's a picture of Miranda and the twins on the beach outside their Hamptons house. Andy's photography of course. Miranda had been 2 months pregnant by then and was already glowing. It had been a warm day with the sun gleaming off their faces, but their smiles had been more brilliant than the sun's light. It was one of Andy's favourite photographs, it had been her idea to put it in the living room because that's where she ventured first when she came back home every evening, and the photo was what she liked to look at first.

She is amazed it's still at its original place.

'Yes, they are. Caroline and Cassidy, they're thirteen. You did see them tonight?'

'Yep! Wheree arrrrreee they?'

'Asleep, unlike you Mister. Naughty boy.' She dares to ruffle his hair, 'And tell me, how old are you young man?'

He holds up five fingers and looks proud 'Five, but my teachers say I'm more like seven, because I can recite the 9 times table and draw the water cycle and I know all about our 206 bones. I take drawing classes too; I will show you all my drawings when you come to our home!'

Miranda who till now was in awe of the boy's smartness is now completely in shock as the little boy nonchalantly invites her to his home.

'Mom, when can Snow Fairy come to our place?' Chris says as he leaves his place next to Andy and goes to join Miranda on the sofa.

Both women look stumped.

'Caroline and Cassidy can come too! I'll show them the drawings too!' he shirks and moves even closer to Miranda now.

''Uh, uh, yes Miranda. Chris and I wanted to thank you for today. We would like if you and the girls can over for lunch this Sunday. Please?' Andy's tone is the sincerest of sincere.

'No.' Miranda's tone is equally sincere.

Andy's heart drops to her feet and she can feel tears prick at her eyes; Chris looks up at Miranda through a hooded gaze, clearly dejected.

'I can't make it for lunch on Sunday, I have a prior engagement. However, Sunday evening we are free, if that's okay with you'll?' Miranda looks from Chris to Andy, both of whom are already smiling with all of their 32 teeth.

'Yeah! I mean yes, umm, Sunday evening is absolutely great!' Andy beams.

Chris jumps up and hugs Miranda and then kisses her nose. Just like that. Like mother, like son.

Miranda beams too and for a moment everything in the world feels perfect again but the feeling is fleeting and she realizes she can't get used to this happiness. It's not for her, she isn't worthy of it.

'Umm, it's pretty late, we should get going. I'm sorry for having arrived un-announced, but umm, we had to, I mean, umm, we should leave!' she gets up and gestures at Chris to do the same.

They make their way quietly towards the door and Miranda again helps Andy with her coat. Sparks fly again. Both ignore it again, painfully.

'I'm sorry I didn't wake the girls, they have school tomorrow. They'll be infuriated about missing this.' Miranda smirks.

'Well, we always have Sunday. I'm sure they can more than make up. Goodnight, Miranda.'

'Goodnight Snow Fairy!'

'How will you go? Let me drop you both home, it's very late!' Miranda states.

'Oh no no, Miranda, we'll take a cab. You've already had a long day and then I'm sure you have an early start tomorrow. Don't worry, we'll manage.'

'If you're sure. Text me when you reach home. Number's still the same.' Miranda assumes Andrea still has her number, which of course she does, it still reads 'Cutiepie'—Miranda abhorred it publicly but adored it personally.

'Yes, we will. I will.'

'Goodnight Andrea. Goodnight Christopher.'

'G'nite Snow Fairy.' he says sleepily

Miranda watches them walk into the empty street and they hail a cab. The cool midnight air hits her face and she shivers momentarily-it evokes long forgotten feelings in her-hope, happiness and mirth. She smiles, then laughs and is truly surprised by the sound of it. No, she can't get used to this.

'Reached home. Chris is already asleep. Sorry and Thank you. Sincerely. Looking forward to Sunday. Sleep well.' Andrea's text reads.

'Yes. See you soon. Keep him safe. Goodnight.' Miranda replies.

Yes, Miranda is looking forward to Sunday too, she'll get to see Andrea again and the boy who is quickly claiming a place in her apparently stone cold heart.

She knows this will hurt even more when they go away this time. Leave her again. But she's already fallen into the trap and there is no way out, turns out she doesn't want one either.

Hope, my God, she lives on hope.

Thanks for reading!