Disclaimer: Again, not mine. Never will be.
A/N: Sorry for the long time it's taken me to update – I did a lot of overtime this week, so been pretty busy.
A/N2: Ok, so this has very little Miranda/Andy interaction in it, but I'll make it up to you in the next chapter.
Andy Sachs was awoken from a fitful sleep by the blaring of her alarm clock and she rolled over and fumbled blindly in the darkness before turning off the offending machine. Rubbing her weary eyes in an attempt to wake herself up, memories of the previous night's events came flooding back, and Andy buried her head beneath the duvet wishing she could rewrite history and do certain things differently. Specifically, she would have explained herself properly to Miranda, and she defiantly would not have kissed Katrina. The need for comfort after Miranda's outburst had overwhelmed her and she had kissed Katrina in her vulnerable state, forgetting in that moment the implications and consequences of her actions. As soon as the kiss ended, Andy knew it had been a mistake. She could never return Katrina's feelings for her and guilt churned in her gut at the thought of using Katrina for her own selfishness.
"When did my life become so complicated" Andy groaned, her voice carrying across her empty apartment. Frankly, Andy could isolate that particular moment to the time she walked away from Miranda in Paris, and subsequently walked away from a career in journalism. If she had just stayed with Miranda in Paris, or better yet not attended the job interview at Elias-Clark then Andy wouldn't be in this predicament.
Peeking her head out from beneath the duvet, Andy sighed heavily before pulling them back and stepping out of her comfortable bed, making her way into the bathroom. Showering, but skipping her normal morning routine, Andy was ready quickly and made her way out of her apartment to meet Doug for their weekly breakfast get-together. Despite their arguments during her time at runway, Andy had remained friends with both Doug and Lily and they had grown closer over the years with Andy even becoming God-Mother to Lily's son. Andy knew she could trust them both with her problems and she promised to listen to Doug's advice when she told him her problems at breakfast.
Andy rode the subway downtown, and arriving ahead of schedule pushed her way through the early morning crowds and entered the Starbucks located across from her office building. Ordering a hazelnut latte she scanned the room, spotting Doug sitting at a table near the back and she made her way over. Andy greeted Doug with a huge smile and he rose from his seat to greet Andy with a hug and a kiss to her cheek.
"Hey, what's up? You look like hell" Doug laughed as they both took their seats and began sipping at their coffees.
"Don't ask" Andy groaned dropping her head in her hands.
"Don't ask?" Doug asked amused "Come on Andy it can't be that bad. Hang on, let me guess. You lost your credit card again?" Andy lifted her head out of her hands at this presumption and gave him a menacing glare.
"Ok, ok I'm sorry" Doug laughed and held his hands up in mock surrender.
"Ooo, I know Nate wants you to go to dinner with his new girlfriend which-
"Are you trying to make me jealous" Andy interrupted, "because it's not working. I was over Nate a long time ago. Besides, I met Lucy last month at that fundraiser Lilly threw and she seemed nice enough. Quite cute in fact". This elicited a small smile from Doug who knew of Andy's preferences.
"Well?"
"Well what?" Andy feigned ignorance, trying to stall for time.
"Look Andy. I've known you for a long time and I know when something is bothering you. You get this look in your eye, and you play nervously with the sleeves of your clothes. See you're doing it now" Doug smirked as Andy quickly pulled her hand away from the sleeve of her jacket and placed it in her lap.
"Do not" Andy retorted. A small smile appeared on her features when she realised she had been caught.
"Plus you don't sleep very well, hence why you look like hell this morning"
"I kissed Kat" came Andy's sudden response.
"Your assistant Kat?" asked Doug, and Andy nodded her head in the affirmative, not meeting Doug's gaze.
"As in a 'you're such a good friend Kat' kinda kiss?"
"No, certainly not in the friends sort of way."
"Wow, that's amazing Andy. Kat is totally hot, and I'd have totally asked her out if you hadn't beaten me to it."
"Doug!" Andy cried "You're gay!"
Both Doug and Andy burst into laughter, breaking the awkwardness of the situation and ultimately easing Andy's nerves.
"But I shouldn't have done it. Kissed Kat I mean" Andy turned serious once again.
"Why not Andy? She's gorgeous and besides you haven't dated anyone since Emily, and that was like a year ago."
"Eight months" Andy replied with a glare "and look how well that turned out. She was the female equivalent of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde"
Doug stirred some more sugar into his coffee and chuckled at Andy's literary reference.
"I shouldn't have kissed Kat because I like someone else." Andy confessed quickly. "I really like her, but I don't know if anything can come of it. She's marri- getting a divorce" Andy swiftly corrected herself "and things are complicated between us at the moment. More to the point she's one of my clients"
"Has anything happened between the two of you?" Doug enquired, reaching across the small table to grasp Andy's hand sensing her sadness.
"I thought something might happen" Andy smiled sadly. "But then we had a silly argument. Or rather she yelled and I listened." Andy tried to laugh butt tears welled behind her eyes, and she unsuccessfully tried to hold them back. Seeing this Doug rose from his chair and crouched down in front of Andy's, enveloping her into a hug.
"Hey, Andy I'm so sorry. Don't cry, it'll be ok."
"Will it?" Andy asked, the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks spilling onto Doug's shirt.
"Of course it will Andy. Your girl will come to her senses and realise you're a nifty catch." Andy laughed against Doug's shoulder, and pulled away from him slightly. Doug wiped away traces of her tears and kissed her affectionately on the forehead.
"Feeling any better?" Doug asked her uncertainly, giving Andy a small smile.
"A little, thanks" Andy replied smiling back at him. Doug nodded and returned to his seat, allowing Andy time to compose herself.
"I'm sorry I pushed you towards Kat before. I-"
Andy held up her hand effectively stopping Doug's apology. "Don't worry about it. You didn't know."
"So-" Dough started.
"What am I going to do about Kat? Andy finished for him. "Well, I was hoping you would help me with that part."
"Master of relationships at your service". Doug's saluted.
"Doesn't matter of course that my last boyfriend left me for the postman" Doug joked causing a genuine laugh to escape from Andy
"Well, if I were you" he continued suddenly turning serious "I'd sit her down and have a good long talk with her and just explain yourself. Explain your feelings for this other woman and try and let her down gently".
"God I hate doing this to her. She's so sweet and she likes me so much. This is going to break her heart."
"But it's better in the long run Andy. You need to stop leading her on and tell her the truth. My advice. Do it away from the office."
"Away from the office?" Andy asked confused.
"Well would you want to be dumped whilst at work? By your boss?"
"I see your point"
As 9am approached Andy grew more nervous about the prospect of seeing Katrina, and her anxiety enhanced when Doug announced he had to leave.
"What now?"
Doug laughed, putting his hand on Andy's shoulder. "You'll be fine Andy. Just ask her for a drink after work and let her down gently. It's the best way. Now I gotta go or I'm going to be late. We don't all have the advantage of being the boss you know" Andy laughed and pulled him into a hug.
"Good luck" he whispered in her ear before letting her go. Andy kissed his cheek as a thank you, and he left the shop, proud he had been able to help and comfort Andy.
Andy stayed a while longer before she ordered a coffee for herself and one for Katrina and made her way out onto the sidewalk. Cautiously crossing the street she made her way into the building that housed the Brooks-Redmond Law Firm and rode the elevator up to the fifteenth floor.
As the elevator doors opened Andy put on her professional façade that made her appear more confident than she actually was.
Walking along the corridor that led to her office Jason, one of her colleagues, fell into step beside her and handed her a manila folder.
"You're client opted to settle out of court. A courier sent over the paperwork thirty minutes ago" he pointed towards the folder he had just handed her.
"Bet that's taken a chunk out of your work load. Looked like a tough case to take to court. Not that you wouldn't have nailed it though" Jason backtracked blushing.
"I appreciate your confidence in my ability" Andy smiled "But as you said it was a tough one. Not something I was that confident in winning. Thanks anyway" They had arrived at Andy's office, and she waved goodbye to Jason and stepped into the outer-room of her office where Katrina's desk was situated.
"Morning Andy" Katrina's smile grew as she spotted Andy entering the room.
"Hey Kat" Andy relied nervously, placing the coffee she had bought for her on Katrina's desk. "I bought you this. A coffee that is. I thought I'd be useful. You do like frappuccino right, with extra cinnamon?"
Katrina got to her feet and came to stand in front of Andy.
"Whatever you bought me would be fine. But for future reference, I love frappuccino. Katrina leaned in to kiss her but Andy moved at the last second and Katrina caught Andy's cheek instead.
"We're at work" Andy explained as a frown crossed Katrina's features. The explanation seemed to appease Katrina as she suddenly smiled and went back to her desk and sat down.
"Your 4pm meeting with Greg Quinn has been cancelled. He wants to reschedule for next Monday instead 'coz he wants to go get his botox touched up"
"He told you that?" Andy asked incredulously recovering from Katrina's almost kiss.
"Well, not in so many words." Katrina relied "But have you seen his forehead. Not a wrinkle on them, so obviously surgery must be involved."
"Obviously" Andy relied with a smile, earning a laugh from Katrina. "Any more messages?"
"Oh yeah, a snooty English woman rang. Told me that Miranda couldn't make the time you allotted her but she would be arriving here at 11:30am."
Andy sighed but nodded her head to let Katrina know the meeting was ok with her. Truthfully, the meeting was anything but ok as she was dreading seeing Miranda again after last night, but Miranda was her client and she had to act professionally.
"Could I get you anything" Katrina asked interrupting her musings.
"No thanks Kat. I'm ok." Andy briefly closed her eyes before opening them and asking the question she didn't want to ask.
"But, erm. Do you want to go out for a drink tonight after work? With me?"
Katrina practically beamed, and her smile and the nod of her head let Andy know she accepted.
"I'd love to" Katrina answered. "This could be like our first date. Could we go to that bar over by the fire station? What's it called again?"
"The Hyacinth" Andy offered
"Yeah! That's the one. Want to go there. Drinks on me."
"Sure, whatever you want" Andy smiled at Katrina but her gut was churning and she felt nauseous. Katrina seemed so excited about the prospect of a date, when Andy's intentions of taking her there were to break up with her. Andy entered her office and closed the door behind her. Leaning against the door, Andy hid her face in her hands and wept.