A/N: See Chapter 1 for disclaimers.

Chapter 3

As Andy came back to her desk Emily hissed, "Well it's about bloody time you came back! What did you do, take the visitor's tour while you were down there?" Emily still gave Andy shit even though things between them were much improved after Andy had given her the entire sample wardrobe from Paris. In addition, Andy's uncle was a pilot and after much finagling he had been able to gift Emily with two tickets to Paris for anytime that she wanted to use them. Andy knew there was no real malice in Emily's remark. The red head had come to depend on Andy's presence whether she would admit it or not because things always ran smoother when the brunette was around.

"So why did you have to pick up this bag?" Emily asked while hopping up to check out the new tote. Andy grabbed it at the same time which caused the contents to fall out onto her desk.

"Bloody hell Andy! Just how tore up does Miranda have you that you've got to carry that much relief with you to work?" Emily teased.

"Shut-up Ems!" Andrea warned in a hushed but deadly tone. Thank goodness Miranda wasn't in her office to witness the spill or to hear Emily's teasing. "Have you worn out your little Mini-Miranda already?" Emily was being relentless and laughing rather loudly.

"Stop saying Miranda's name you twit!" Good grief why wasn't the phone ringing, Andy thought.

"Please, stop denying it. You bought a white one for crying out loud. I didn't even know they came in white until I found yours." Emily was not shutting up.

A few weeks back Emily and Serena had come over for a girl's night and Emily had been snooping into Andy's things. Emily came running through the living room laughing hysterically while turning the vibrator on and off making obscene gestures with it. Andy was partially embarrassed, but due to the amount of alcohol that had been consumed they all found it rather comical. And that's also the night that a drunken confession of feelings for her boss spilled out. And that yes, Andy had specifically bought a Junior Rabbit in white because it reminded her of someone's hair; the color of a head she would prefer to have between her legs.

"Ugh! Shut-up Em! You should have never been snooping around in my bedroom." Andy said while pointing an accusatory finger at her red headed friend.

"Well, I'm glad that I did. It sure explained a lot after hearing your little Miranda confession. I mean, it's actually quite obvious the way you're always staring at her. Let's hope for your sake that she just thinks it's hero worship on your part. But then again, the looks she gives you makes me feel like I'm intruding on a private moment. And then there was this one time when..." but Emily didn't get to finish her sentence.

Wait! What? Why would Emily know about Andy's toy? And oh my god did she just say 'Mini-Miranda'?

The editor had been standing behind a rack of clothing that was to be used for a run through scheduled in forty-five minutes. She had just returned from a brief meeting with Irv and was about to head into her office when one of the belts hanging on the rack caught her attention. Pausing only for a moment to study the intricate pattern, she heard Emily harass Andrea for taking so long with Sarah. Getting ready to release some snide remark to reprimand Emily, she paused when she heard her own name being tossed about in the conversation. Obviously the two had no idea she was within ear-shot. At least Andrea was trying to get Emily to refrain from speaking. However, this little tit-for-tat between the two had been quite informative, so she found herself hoping Andrea would be unsuccessful in keeping Emily quiet. But then Emily began to bring up her observations about Miranda's own behavior. Fearful that the Brit may indeed be able to out her so easily, she flew out from behind the massive clothing rack.

"Emily. Starbucks. That's all." Miranda clipped off in rapid succession causing both assistants to jump apart. Once again the Marc Jacobs bag toppled over and spread out onto Andy's desk.

"Marc really needs to put a zipper on this damn tote!" Andy mumbled while internally Miranda said "Oh my god is that flavored?"

Emily scrambled towards the elevator while both Miranda and Andy's eyes went wide at the contents splayed before them. Before looking back up at each other Andy's face turned bright red and even though Miranda had years of schooling her features, she couldn't control the light pink flush that was covering her cheeks. Without a word, Miranda spun on her Prada heels and marched into her office.

Andy hurriedly tossed everything back in the black tote and shoved it under her desk. If she was embarrassed from the contents falling out everywhere then how in the hell was she going to write a review on these products? Maybe I can use a pseudonym because there is no way my first published article is going to be on this. Ugh. Damn Miranda! She's probably getting a real kick out of this. Naive mid-westerner goodie two shoes has to write an article bordering on smut. Fashionable dildos my ass. She would let me write an article that I wouldn't even want my own name attached to. I wonder why she is even doing this? Well, at least she was blushing too when that stupid bag fell over. But Andy would have to push her thoughts aside for now because it was already fifteen minutes until the run-through.

As Miranda strode into her office she was having her own internal war. Get a grip Miranda. No need to be embarrassed. It's just a bag of sex toys. Dildos- the name is so pedestrian. You know you're blushing like a fool because you're picturing her using them, screaming out your name. And she has a white one! Dear god. Damn Nigel and his idiotic idea!

Last week in Miranda's office:

"I know she has potential Nigel. I read those silly article submissions that she attached to her resume." Nigel gave a bemused glance at the editor because her words were more revealing than she realized.

"So basically you just told me that your little assistant has held some interest for you for some time now because why would you possibly have the need to read her writing samples? Honestly, they would hold no bearing on whether the girl could fetch your coffee or walk Patricia." Nigel said in an all-knowing manner.

Miranda glared at Nigel with an implication of 'shut-it'.

Exasperated she said, "I can not just give Andrea an article to write. It would scream of favoritism."

"Oh please. When have you ever cared about what anyone has thought?" Nigel asked.

Miranda didn't answer and instead just looked at her hands lying in her lap. And then the penny dropped for Nigel. "You really don't care about what anyone thinks, but you do care about what she thinks!" he brightened at the exclamation while Miranda rolled her eyes at him. "You are afraid that she will see it as you just giving her something instead of earning it. You could care less if anyone accused you of favoritism, but you don't want her to be subjected to it."

Once again Miranda did not answer and instead found a photo proof on her desk extremely interesting. Nigel swiped the photo out from under her nose and pointedly said, "You care about her Miranda. A lot. There's no shame in that. She cares about you too you know?"

At that, Miranda's head snapped up and met Nigel with a look that said 'You had better tread lightly' and 'Tell me what you know.'

It was common knowledge that he and Andy had become close. After Paris Andy had moved into Nigel's spare bedroom since Nate had left her high and dry, making it impossible for her to pay her rent. It actually relieved Miranda because at least now she knew Andrea was in a much nicer neighborhood living with Nigel. Andy had been hesitant at first to accept the room because she figured that trying to pay half of Nigel's rent had to be equivalent to all of the rent on her original apartment. But he assured her that he owned his own place so really if she felt like she needed to contribute, then she could just help with utility costs. What Andy didn't know was that the reason Nigel now owned his condo was because Miranda had bought it just so he wouldn't have to charge Andrea rent. That was the beginning of Nigel realizing just how much Miranda really did care for Andy. Besides, if that damn girl's night about a month ago held any weight then he knew Andy was just as smitten with the Dragon Lady. He just hoped that he never came across that white vibrator or ever heard Andy screaming the editor's name.

"Look, why don't you just offer her the next article that comes up?" he asked.

"Comes up?" she asked, trying to understand where he was going with this.

"Well, you know, kind of like when Hector became ill with food poisoning." he explained.

"Is there someone I need to poison Nigel?" Miranda asked.

Nigel gulped, "No. But I have an idea." and he proceeded to go over his plan.

Moments later Miranda groaned while shaking her head, "You can't be serious."

But Nigel was determined and pressed on, "Look at it this way. You will be giving her an opportunity to write and more than likely she will be so embarrassed by the content that she won't even want to put her real name on the byline. Thus, no one but you, me, and of course Sarah will really know who wrote it. You can't be accused of favoritism. If anything, she'll probably hate you in a way."

Miranda scowled at his choice of words but he threw up a hand and continued, "Don't worry, I won't let her hate you, hate you. I honestly don't think she can. Besides, if you two would ever stop dancing around each other then you could explain it all to her over breakfast in bed."

Still feeling somewhat unconvinced Miranda sighed, "I don't know Nigel."

He leaned forward, "C'mon. Take a chance on the smart, fat, girl."

"She's not fat." Miranda growled in a deep whisper causing Nigel to physically flinch backwards.

Back to the Present:

The rest of the workday went by quickly much to the relief of both women. Andy could have sworn that Miranda was purposely avoiding her because even the eye contact had practically become obsolete between the two of them. And when it was time for Andy to hand over Miranda's coat, the older woman waved her off and retrieved her own coat and bag. Feeling someone disappointed by the unexpected move, Andy chalked it up to Miranda's never ending mood swings. Hopefully the book would be finished early tonight and she could enter the townhome undetected before putting this bizarre day behind her.

Since Miranda had already left for the day, Andy had decided to wait in her boss's office for the book. She sat in the editor's chair and began impersonating her formidable boss. "Emily. Ahhndraya. Really must I call your name more than once? Where is my coffee? I am surrounded by incompetence. Why can't you minions learn that on the seventh day that God created Miranda Priestly and it was good, very good?"

"Six, what in the hell are you doing?" Nigel had appeared and caught the last of Andy's tirade.

Startled at being caught, Andy almost tipped out of the black leather chair.

"Sit back down Six, I need to tell you something." he said as he wiped his brow. He had promised Miranda he wouldn't let Andy be upset with her over this writing assignment and now he hoped he wasn't too late.

Andy sat back in almost disbelief after listening to Nigel's explanation. But before she could respond, Tobias brought in the book interrupting any words that Andy was going to say.

"Talk to her Six. Tonight, when you deliver the book. Let her know I spoke to you." Nigel said before walking out not letting Andy reply.