Miranda checked her watch again and resisted the impulse to phone Andrea and issue the same instructions as she had earlier about the flight home. It was 11pm, and she had left the benefit an hour previously in order to be ready for the journey back to New York. She knew everything was on schedule, and that Andy was one of the only people she could rely on to make the plans run smoothly; if she was honest with herself, the only reason that she wanted to call was to hear Andrea's voice. She looked at herself in the mirror, and surprised herself with the tenderness she found in her eyes as she thought of Andrea. Her thoughts turned to the interaction she had witnessed between Andrea and Christian, and her features hardened; she was glad she had mastered the ability to hide hurt behind many layers. She vividly remembered everything Andrea had whispered to her the previous night, all the warm, breathless, affectionate murmurings that had, along with the passion, made her melt. She wondered how much of that had also been shared with Christian. Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. She made her way to the elevator, and to the waiting car outside, bracing herself for the journey home, thankful that at least she wouldn't have to endure the car journey with Andrea.
They had been travelling for only ten minutes when Nigel brought up the subject that Andy had fervently hoped he had forgotten about.
"You know, Six, it strikes me that you can't very efficiently assist our charming boss with all her understated demands if you are travelling in separate vehicles at separate times."
Andy rolled her eyes.
"Nigel, this is Miranda. Unpredictable is her middle name. And everyone needs their own space, I've been around all week and stuck on the same flight, a short break in the car isn't too much of a puzzle is it. Besides, if I'm at the airport earlier it just makes it easier to get everything ready so we can leave as soon as she gets here."
Nigel held up his hands in mock surrender.
"Okay okay. Geez, a girl can't even ask a question anymore. However...still doesn't explain my earlier role as temporary assistant, hmm?"
He linked his fingers and rested his chin on them, staring at Andy until she threw her hands up in exasperation.
"For God's sake, Nigel! You've known her far longer than I have, I can't even fathom why she needs her coffee steaming hot when it burns if you even attempt to drink it then, let alone get into her head and explain the reasoning behind every quirk in her behaviour! If I could do that, Nigel, I would be rich!" Not to mention a whole lot less stressed right now.
Nigel barely concealed a smirk.
"Andy, honey, you've learnt so much since you've been here, but hiding your feelings is not one of them. I know exactly what Miranda is like, and I know that she is unpredictable, sometimes for no other reason than to be unpredictable, but whatever mood Miranda is in, she is always the one that stays still whilst everyone runs around her. She does not, ever, go out of her way for anyone or anything. Which is why, honey, I know that there is something more going on because earlier before the benefit she went completely out of her way to make sure she avoided you at all costs. And I know that this goes deeper than just pure unpredictability because if she really wanted to make you feel uncomfortable, she would haul you into her lair and only let you loose when you were a quivering wreck. She didn't want to be near you, and that's why I'm enquiring. First I was after gossip, admittedly, but Andy...well...you're coming across as an emotional wreck, and I thought you might like to get it off your chest before other people notice, or you completely freak out...or something."
The protest she had been forming died on her lips at the penetrating look Nigel directed at her. She sighed deeply.
"Okay. Nigel...don't freak, okay." She took a deep breath, trying to resist the impulse to turn into a hysterical schoolgirl. "So last night, there...there was lots of alcohol, and we...Miranda and I...we...talked, a lot, then...well..."
Nigel's eyes widened dramatically before he held his head in his hands. "Andy, please please please tell me you are not telling me what I think you're trying to tell me?"
Andy shrugged her shoulders. "There was a...thing."
Nigel groaned.
"Jesus Andy. You and Miranda?"
Andy nodded, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Me and Miranda. And now...now it's all just...it's all weird."
She gave him a brief overview of the night, telling him about Miranda's impending divorce but skimming over the more intimate details, and emphasising the amount of scotch consumed. She told him about the interaction on the balcony earlier on in the evening, including the interruption by Christian. By the time she finished, the car was pulling up outside the airport. Conscious of the other staff who were meeting outside, Nigel pulled Andy close for a quick hug.
"We'll talk tomorrow. But Andy, that Dior dress you wore tonight? It's vintage, designed for Miranda over twenty years ago. It's only been worn once, even though there have been many people who could have carried it well. She chose it herself. For you." He gave her a pointed look and a quick squeeze before they left the car. Andy was trying to latch on to the small flicker of...hope, perhaps, that skirted the edges of her stomach, but mostly, talking through everything, and Nigel's response, had just left her more confused.
Andy breathed a sigh of relief that everything had, so far, gone to plan. Now, with all the staff onboard, the entire luggage loaded and the minimal cabin crew ready on the private jet, all they were waiting on was Miranda. Andy's stomach somersaulted at the thought of seeing Miranda again, and as if summonsed by the very though, Miranda appeared in the doorway of the plane. She held Andy's gaze for a few seconds before she made her way to her own designated area. Andy followed, knowing her boss would probably request another run through of tomorrow's schedule. She hoped, however, for a glimpse of the woman she had barely had time to acknowledge the last couple of days, but she didn't expect miracles.
As soon as she boarded the plane, Miranda unconsciously sought out Andrea. She found her assistant's gaze and worked hard at suppressing a gasp at the intensity of it. It seemed like minutes before she made herself look away and make her way to the front. She knew, without having to check, that Andy would follow; it was almost as natural to her assistants as learning to walk, she imagined; wherever Miranda goes, one follows. But she also realised that she was completely aware of Andy's presence in a way that hadn't existed before. She made herself comfortable, forcing herself to act normally and not acknowledge Andy in the slightest. When she sat down, she pulled out her phone and began to reel off a list of instructions. As Andy had expected, she had already taken care of most of the list, so she took the time to merely look at Miranda. Before she realised, the pilot was announcing take off, and she realised she didn't have time to make it back to the staff section and leave Miranda in peace. Miranda flicked her eyes in her direction, putting all her effort into the disinterested glance.
"A sitting position is required before you can use the seatbelt, Andrea, or do you plan to be the cause of a delay?"
Andy hurriedly sat down, not thinking to grab any other seat but the one closest to Miranda. As the silence extended, and the pilot announced turbulence, Andy realised her seating mistake. She couldn't very well move to a seat farther away now, but it would be a while before she could slope away to join Nigel. She hastily suppressed a sigh and made herself comfortable in her seat, trying her very hardest not to stare at Miranda. Paranoia set aside for the moment, Andy could swear Miranda kept looking at her, too.
They had been up in the air for what seemed like hours, but when Andy checked, it had only been ten minutes. The seatbelt light, no matter how much she stared at it, refused to switch off. She turned her head to check Miranda, and almost squeaked when they caught each other's eyes. She saw Miranda's eyes widen, and in the moment before she knew Miranda would look away, she said the first thing that entered her head.
"Purple."
Miranda looked confused. "Purple?"
Andy nodded, the conversation almost a mimic of the earlier balcony scene.
"I've always been torn between blue and purple. After this week I'm in love with midnight blue, though I'll never be able to see it without thinking of you. So my favourite colour is purple. In case you were wondering."
Miranda abandoned the pretence of checking her phone.
"Please, bore someone else with the details of your life." Even Miranda realised that her voice lacked the usual cutting edge to it.
"Miranda I..."
Miranda sighed.
"For goodness sake, Andrea, if you do insist on carrying on, can you at least spare me the indignity of shouting across the plane." She shifted slightly in her double seat, the only indication she would give for Andy to sit next to her. Andy hesitantly undid her seatbelt and slid next to Miranda.
The silence was uncomfortable. Andy, unsure of what to say now, fidgeted slightly, accidentally brushing her leg against Miranda's. Miranda gasped, and Andy's eyes flew up to meet Miranda's. Miranda searched the deep brown eyes and shook her head slightly.
"What do you want, Andrea?"
Andy, not being able to find the words, unsure herself of what she wanted to say, gingerly reached out and loosely linked her fingers with Miranda. She held her breath, but Miranda didn't pull away.
"What you want, Andrea, I cannot give you. You don't know me. You think that because of this, we will get back to New York and everything will be different; I will somehow have had some sort of epiphany and turn into one of the nicest people you could wish to work for. Nothing will change, Andrea; it can't. I am your boss; you are my assistant, until you inevitably mess up or find your ideal career saving the world. I will not treat you any differently."
They spent the remainder of the flight in silence. Miranda tried to concentrate on her phone but tucked it away after realising she had been staring an hour and hadn't pressed a single button. She was desperate to talk to Andrea, but she wouldn't let herself. She couldn't get hurt again. Andrea would leave, eventually. Everyone did. And if she didn't...well then her own track record wasn't without its casualties. She didn't want to hurt Andrea.
Andy had closed her eyes, but couldn't rest because her brain was travelling a mile a minute. She wanted to question Miranda, to confirm that they both felt the same way. Perhaps if Andy worked elsewhere then...she shook her head. She had said she wouldn't leave. Miranda wouldn't be able to see past that.
Neither woman really noticed that for the duration of the flight, even when Andy nodded off, their hands were linked by their little fingers.
Miranda appeared shocked when the pilot announced their imminent landing. She studied their hands then Andy's sleepy face. Andy felt the shift in the atmosphere and pulled herself out of her half-awake dreams. She immediately became aware of her fingers entwined with Miranda's and looked at the other woman with gentle surprise.
"Hey," she smiled softly.
Miranda sucked in her cheek and turned away from those intense eyes to look out the window, not trusting herself to speak to Andy. She couldn't help but gently brush Andrea's fingers as she extracted herself from the tenuous link.
"I want Demarchelier on the phone before 9am tomorrow; that Valentino collection is still utterly disastrous I mean the biggest most important week of the year and they produce Bargain Bin chic? I think not. We need fresh...ideas." Miranda said softly, trying to force her voice to remain steady. There was so much more she wanted to say to Andrea, but...it was just better this way.
Andy visibly wilted as she fished around for her notepad.
"Yes Miranda." she mumbled. After a minute of Andy waiting expectantly, Miranda snapped.
"Well? Has the plane not stopped? Does your incompetence demand a stint longer than necessary immobile on this tarmac?"
Andy smiled sadly and got to her feet. She was two rows back when she heard Miranda softly calling her name. She braced herself before nearly tripping over herself to get back to Miranda.
"Yes Miranda?"
Miranda sighed softly. It was folly, what she was about to say. She half hoped that Andrea wouldn't hear her call her name, then smirked as she contemplated this. Her assistants wouldn't get past the first day if they didn't learn to develop supersonic hearing. She closed her eyes, and didn't turn to face Andy; she already knew her assistant's attention was completely on her.
"Eva Cassidy's Fields of Gold never fails to produce a melancholy state. Although I have been known to shed a tear at an exceptional performance of Nessun Dorma."
Andy looked thoroughly confused and frantically searched her brain for some request by Miranda that she had somehow overlooked. She couldn't suppress her affectionate smile when she realised Miranda's reference to their conversation the previous night.
Miranda finally turned and couldn't help the slight, soft rising to the corners of her mouth at the beautiful look on Andrea's face. She allowed the connection for a moment before expertly placing her professional mask firmly into place.
"That's all."
As she walked away, Andy hoped not.
A/N: So...after two years on and off I've FINALLY finished this story! I wouldn't like to post things until they're finished, or at least nearly done (I find it really disappointing to get into a story only to find it's not complete and there are no updates forthcoming...I'm greedy like that :)!) so it's been a long, tortuously pleasurable journey haha! Please let me know what you think. I've read over it so many times that I think I could recite it in my sleep, but no one's perfect so my sincere apologies for any glaringly obvious mistakes! Squeakuel? Hmm...don't know, whaddya think? ;)
Thank you, drinks all round methinks! xx