All you have is your fire...
And the place you need to reach -
Don't you ever tame your demons
But always keep 'em on a leash

- Hozier, "Arsonist's Lullaby"

After Maria had left, and breakfast had been eaten, Miranda announced that she would be heading home that very morning.

"You're going back there?" Andy exclaimed, truly shocked. "Back to him? After what he's done he should be—"

"Don't be so naïve." Miranda snapped and Andy sat a little straighter. "You think this is the first time this has happened? You think I have time to cower and lick my wounds?" she demanded glowering. She sighed, exasperated. "Well. I shouldn't expect more from you. You're an idealist."

She said the word 'idealist' as though it were an insult. And maybe to Miranda, it was.

"Miranda—" Andy tried.

"Andrea please." She raised a hand to interrupt her. "There is nothing you can say to 'make this better'." She wasn't looking at Andy and there was a bitterness in the way her mouth was set.

"You're right." Andy conceded. "I can't say anything to help you."

She decided that actions were the only way to truly get through to this woman, in front of her. Andy could sense that she'd closed herself off from people, that she would always fear being hurt and instead attack first to prevent any such thing from happening. Like any animal that had been abused would, simply out of habit.

Andy placed a hand over Miranda's and she felt her flinch, but after a moment, she gripped Andy's hand like a vice. It hurt but Andy just smiled weakly. She want to show Miranda that she would never hurt her. She would always be gentle.

She moved so that she was standing behind Miranda, her chest pressed against her back. She wrapped her free arm around Miranda's waist, being very careful not to apply any kind of pressure that might hurt her ribs or shoulder. Andy felt Miranda take a shuddering breath. Miranda was still hold her hand although Andy moved their joined hands to rest on Miranda's shoulder.

Miranda let her head fall back so that it rested on Andy's collarbone. Andy pressed her cheek against Miranda's hair and shut her eyes.

And it was good, so good to feel her in her arms. Safer there than anywhere else. Andy felt an irrational urge to always keep her nearby and never let anyone else near enough to hurt her ever again, but she knew she was being childish and wishful. But here, holding her close, Andy felt a kind of liquid warmth in her bones. All the while a single thought filled her mind, repeating over and over again. 'You're safe with me.'

Andy didn't dare say it out loud. The moment was fragile and words would do nothing but cheapen it. She could only hope Miranda somehow sensed this fact.

Then a familiar whimper resounded from the baby monitor on the counter abruptly making Andy jump a bit. She chuckled nervously.

Miranda let go of her hand and Andy took her queue to let go of her as well.

Then they heard the sound of Camille hushing and murmuring to Eva, to try and calm her down. Andy turned the volume down on the monitor, at least until Eva stopped wailing quite so loudly. As she put the monitor down on the counter, she remembered thinking that it was odd that Ethan was so quiet, the day he'd— She bit her bottom lip and tried to prevent her eyes filling with tears but it was too late. The memory was there, burning in her mind.

It was her turn to look away from Miranda who had raised her eyebrows at Andy questioningly.

"It's nothing. I'm just being sentimental."

Miranda gave her a concerned glance, but didn't press. There wasn't an explanation due, or any expectation of Andy elaborating and Miranda somehow fixing things with words. They had that in common.

Andy forced back the tears that threatened to fall, and through sheer force of will prevented herself from crying. She dabbed at her eyes with a napkin and then composed herself. Eva was not Ethan. She knew and yet, she was still terrified of doing something wrong, of the past repeating itself.

"What are we Andrea?" Miranda asked, snapping her out of her memories. She was truly asking her, looking her in the eyes, expecting an answer. "What is this?" she murmured, gesturing between them.

Andy chuckled and it came out sounding harsh. "I don't know. I really don't. I'm not exactly working from a script here." She said wryly.

"Mmm." Miranda agreed, her own lips turning up into a sardonic smirk.

Andy, acting on instinct pressed a hand to Miranda's cheek, letting her thumb graze her cheekbone and said, "All I know, is that I care about you."

Miranda looked her dead in the eye then, judging her sincerity, and in return Andy let her sentiment become transparent. For a moment Miranda said nothing and Andy pulled her hand away, fearing the worst. Miranda watched her hand curiously, as it pulled away from her face.

"No one touches me, did you know that?" Miranda said, seemingly out of nowhere. Andy frowned, confused at the shift in the conversation. "When I'm at work, there is apparently this silent rule that 'no one touches Miranda'. Which, would suits me just fine if it didn't damage my image. In my earlier days in the fashion industry, I was considered dynamic, innovating. Now, I'm the 'Snow Queen,' or 'The Dragonlady'. They think I don't hear the whispers or the names, but I do." Miranda looked at Andy who was still curious about where she was going with this.

"But you— you don't even hesitate. You touch me as though I were just a woman, instead of someone to either fear or try to control. No one else does that. When you posed me that first session, I was amazed at your gall. I almost left the studio that first day, but something made me stay." Miranda paused and smiled, softly.

"What made you stay?" Andy asked, curious to know what exactly had made Miranda forgo her own comfort zone.

"You were gentle." Miranda said with a small dismissive shrug, as thought that explained everything. Andy understood what it was that she meant. Andy had been gentle, and Miranda had not felt threatened by her touch, despite the fact that her painting method was fairly invasive.

"You touched me like I was the art, instead of your painting." Miranda murmured and came closer to where Andy was standing. She put a hand on Andy's face and drew her in closer. Just before their lips touched, she whispered, "You made me feel…precious."

Andy closed the distance between them then and pressed her back against the counter, trying to remind herself to be careful of Miranda's ribs and shoulder.

Andy gripped Miranda's hips, gently, tugging her closer to her. She felt Miranda's mouth moving against her own and felt a flood of desire rush through her. She pulled back just long enough to murmur, "God, Miranda. You are precious to me."

She felt Miranda gasp quietly in her arms, more than she heard her. Andy kissed her again and Miranda moaned against her lips. Andy heard the door of the nursery shut and remembered that they were not alone. Even if it was just the nanny who saw them, it was an unnecessary risk she wasn't prepared to take.

She broke the kiss and Miranda swayed forward subconsciously, her lips still trembling for more.

Andy took her hand and without asking permission, led her to the bedroom.

She shut the door behind them and locked it behind them. Miranda had sat down on the bed, watching Andy cautiously. She walked over, slowly, trying to make her intentions clear with every move. When she was in front of Miranda she went to floor, sitting on her knees. She place her hands on Miranda's thighs and looked up at the woman, still flushed and breathless from their earlier kisses.

Andy let a question appear in her expression, lifting and eyebrow. Miranda bit her lip and nodded once. Andy noticed her swallowing hard. She was trusting Andy to be gentle. She was trusting her.

Andy tugged the pajama pants down and Miranda lifted herself to help her. Andy had forgotten that she hadn't given Miranda any underwear and was a little surprised to see that she wore none. Miranda was watching Andrea closely for her reaction.

Instead of saying anything Andy merely gave her a small smile before kissing the inside of her knee, coming closer and closer to her center. She felt Miranda tense when Andy pushed her legs apart a bit further. She ran her hands up and down her thighs, trying to reassure and calm her.

"Lie back." Andy murmured between kisses to her thighs. Miranda looked at her sharply, her anxieties clear in her eyes.

"Trust me. Let me show you how precious you are." Andy said, and sat up far enough to kiss her softly again. Miranda did as she was bid and Andy murmured, "That's right. There we go." She went back to kissing around the edges of Miranda's core and then pulled back long enough to whisper, "Tell me to stop and I'll stop. Do you understand?"

Miranda lifted her head enough to look at her and nod. Andy loved the flush in her cheeks, the way her mouth was slightly swollen from kissing, and the molten blue her eyes were flashing in her aroused state.

Andy leaned in and pressed the flat of her tongue between Miranda's sodden lips. Miranda arched and gasped, her hands clenching in the sheets.

Andy repeated the motion a few times, earning a whimper from the woman beneath her. Worried that Miranda would not appreciate being penetrated, she only used her tongue, and her fingers to spread her wider.

When Andy licked and sucked on the pert little nub at the apex of her lips, Miranda couldn't stop a moan from escaping her mouth. Miranda's hand came to tangle in Andy's hair and she found herself pressed even more firmly to Miranda's center.

She continued alternating between sucking and licking unhurriedly until Miranda whimpered, "Please! Oh God!"

"Please what?" Andy growled between licks.

"Let me come!" She gasped, writhing under Andy's mouth. Her thighs were trembling with tension.

"Since you asked so nicely." Andy sighed, as though she was put out. Miranda glared at her but Andy simply smirked and set back to her ministrations, only this time she pressed her tongue hard and fast against Miranda's clit until she felt her clench hard and cry out and tremble beneath her mouth. Andy didn't stop licking until Miranda pushed her head away weakly, gasping. 'Woops. Probably too sensitive.' Andy thought, wincing internally.

She sat back on her haunches, her knees aching and her heart pounding. She'd made Miranda come apart on her bed and from the looks of it, Miranda had enjoyed it immensely. She licked her lips before using the back of her hand to wipe the moisture away.

"Come here." Miranda murmured after a minute of having draped her arm over her eyes. Andy stood up slowly, heeding the protest of her knees. She lay down on the bed beside Miranda who promptly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and snuggled in closer. The affection was unexpected but very welcome.

"Thank you for that."

Andy looked at her bewildered. Why on earth would Miranda thank her for an orgasm?

"It was nothing." Andy murmured in acknowledgment.

Miranda shook her head stubbornly. "It meant something to me."

Understanding dawned on Andy's features. She had not been treated with any tenderness in a long time. She was thanking Andy for that, more than anything.

"One day, I hope you'll come to expect me to be generous, rather than feel that it's something so unusual that it deserves gratitude."

Miranda said nothing. Andy saw the tears fill her eyes before she could turn into the crook of Andy's neck and hide them. After another few minutes of enjoying the afterglow, Miranda pulled away and sat up gingerly.

"I have to go."

"Do you really have to?" Andy murmured, pained to see her leave the security of her apartment.

"I do. If I don't, he'll send people to look for me. And trust me when I say, you do not want that to happen." Miranda whispered, the shadow of bad memories, darkening her eyes. Andy sat up and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I'll drive you over then." She said, leaving no room for protest. She'd be damned if she had to let Miranda out of sight one minute earlier than absolutely necessary.

"We'll stop be the Runway offices to get you some clothes first, and then I'll drive you back to the townhouse."

"Yes, that would be ideal." Miranda replied. She stood up and pulled the pajama pants back on.

Andy had had Mark drive them and retrieve the clothes which Miranda changed into in the back seat with the privacy screened raised, without complaint. They'd left the privacy screen up for th rest of the trip.

Andy held Miranda's slightly smaller hand in hers, on the leather seat of the car. It was a small comfort, knowing that soon she would have to let go and leave Miranda at the mercies of that monstrous man.

Once the car pulled up in front of the town house, Andy gulped and her clenched Miranda's hand a little too hard in her own. Miranda pulled her hand away, casting a reproachful glance at Andy.

Despite the dark rings under her eyes, Miranda looked remarkably well for someone who had been— Andy's trail of thought was interrupted.

"I'll tell Emily to set up an appointment for some time later this week." Miranda murmured casually.

Andy gapped at her, unable to comprehend how she could sound so normal, as though nothing had changed. Then something clicked in her mind and Andy realised Miranda was asking to see her again and soon.

"Yes of course. Call me, if— if you need to." Andy's words came out stilted. The last place in the world she wanted Miranda to be was anywhere near Stephen, and that was exactly where she was headed.

"He'll be at work, for another hour of so." Miranda informed her blandly, as if reading her thoughts was something that came naturally to her.

Andy couldn't prevent the concern she felt from spreading over her features and Miranda scowled at her.

"Stop that." Miranda ordered brusquely. Andy flinched, shut her eyes and ground her teeth. When she opened her eyes, Andy noticed that Miranda's hands were clenched together in her lap, over the sable coat she wore.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, unsure of what else she could say. Miranda hmph'd at her, the sound bitter and terse. Then she turned to look at Andy, and their eyes met. Miranda's gaze told Andy that she was angry but resigned. There was no easy way to do this. They simply had to get it over with. Miranda reached for the car door handle, tugging the door open before Andy said, "Miranda! Wait—"

And to Andy's amazement Miranda did stop, and wait. Andy took her chance. She pushed herself forward on the seat and pressed her mouth to Miranda's unmoving lips. For a moment, Andy feared she'd over stepped her bounds but then Miranda's hand cupped her jaw and kissed her back, slowly, tenderly.

When they pulled apart, Miranda gave Andy a small, sad smile.

Then she exited the car without turning back. In moments she was up the steps and had rang the doorbell to be admitted by the nanny, and greeted by her daughters, returned from their sleepover. Andy caught a glimpse of the red haired twins before the front door shut behind Miranda, leaving Andy sitting in the car to stare at it, a sensation of dread sinking into her stomach.

Ordering the car to drive away, back home, had been difficult. Andy was keenly aware that Miranda was no longer safe, once again.

This had to stop. And it had to stop soon. She'd kill the bastard herself if she had to.

She resolved to call Henry and demand a progress report, no matter how unsatisfying it might be to hear of his slow pace. It would be better than feeling as though nothing was being done to put a stop to it.

- TBC-