Title: New Territory
Author: EllieWrites
Beta: Obviously no Beta! If someone wants to be mine (which will take a helluva lot of work) please please PM me! I'm new to all of this and have no DWP friends.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Devil Wears Prada or the characters but I have taken the liberty of borrowing them for this story. Please forgive any injustice I do to them as I have tried my best to stay true to them.
The things I do for these kids, Andy thought as she neared the townhouse very early on a Saturday morning, this first week of December. She sipped her coffee with one leather wrapped hand, carrying an identical one in the other. Upon reaching the bottom of the steps to Miranda's home, the door swung open and two red heads came bounding down towards her.
"Whoa guys slow down," Andy yelled trying to prevent the two coffees from spilling, as the girls hugged either side of her. Over the past few months Andy and the girls had grown closer, and once a month they tried to do something special together. She was the first assistant ever who had taken the time to get to know them, and they loved it.
This morning they were heading to Rock Center, trying to arrive early enough to beat the crowds. The girls occasionally liked to play tourist in their town, and this morning they would take a stroll around the tree, drink hot cider and eat fresh donuts at the farmer's market, followed by bit of skating. They were excited.
Miranda smiled at the scene in front of her, standing in her robe at the top of the steps in the door way. "Good morning Miranda," Andy said as the girls released their hold. Andy made her way up the steps to deliver the gift. "Coffee?" she asked as she handed over the doubled cupped scalding Starbucks to Miranda.
"It's Saturday Andrea. I do not recall ordering this," she said while attempting to maintain a straight face. She accepted the coffee and took a sip while Andy watched, and smiled as the woman in front of her exuded pleasure in her expression.
"C'mon Andy let's go," the girls whined, and with a quick "bye Miranda," and a wink from Andy, they were off. They were walking to the subway, as the girls insisted on a true Manhattan experience. With their mother or babysitters they never took the Subway. This in itself gave Andy the extra cool factor.
Hours later Miranda heard a distant, "mom, mom" screamed as loud footfalls made their way towards the kitchen. The girls were several steps ahead of Andy. She stayed behind to close the door, and pick up the coats and packages the girls dropped on their way into the town house. Miranda awaited them in the kitchen with the book in front of her. It was only eleven, and she was still working on her last coffee of the morning, homemade of course as the Starbucks was long gone.
As they entered Miranda stood to hug her babies, and listen to their tales of a wonderful morning. Cassidy placed a small paper bag in her hand containing a fresh donut from the farmer's market. "Just taste this mom, it's incredible. One bite," she insisted and Miranda surprisingly brought the treat to her mouth. "Mmmm, my darlings, what is Andrea doing to us?" She hummed in pleasure when the still warm sugary donut met her tongue. Cassidy smiled as she loved being able to convince her mom to indulge.
Andy walked into the room right at that moment, and smiled at the three women that she longed to call family. "I have something for you, Andrea." The girls looked on curiously. A Vanity Fair lay on the kitchen island, and Miranda slid it in Andrea's direction.
Ever since Miranda's decision to publish Andy in the November Issue, she had started to submit her work to several online and print publications. Two of her more recent submissions were published online, but nothing major had hit yet until Vanity Fair came along a few weeks earlier. They had shown interest in her piece on "Young Hollywood's Trend Setters," and made her an offer. Miranda had already turned it down, as Runway retained the right of first refusal on anything Andy wrote. It was a bit too fluffy for Runway, but apparently Vanity Fair had bitten.
Andy had managed to interview a few celebs at various different events during the fall season that added a personal touch to the article. She had not though expected anything to come of it so quickly, and she was caught off guard. She quickly took a seat on the stool, and after a moment's hesitation started flipping furiously through the magazine. A golden post it marked the page she sought.
"Go Andy!" Caroline blurted out as Andy sat in shock, seeing her name in print in the pages of a magazine she had followed religiously since arriving in New York. This was now twice in two months, that a major publication featured her writing. The girls grabbed the magazine from either side trying to get better look.
It had been incredible to be published in Runway, by Miranda, but this was a whole new level of achievement. Using her own connections, Andy had worked her way through the right channels to get her piece read and accepted. Miranda reached over putting her hand on top of Andrea's, a very significant gesture in front of the children. "I'm very proud of you," she said with a small nod meeting Andy's teary eyes.
Andy couldn't help herself. After a long pause silently asking Miranda permission that was granted, she lifted herself up off the stool, and pulled her still seated lover into a full body hug. The girls held their breath in shock, awaiting the wrath of the Dragon. Nobody ever touched their mother besides them.
But that was not what they saw at all. Their mother moved up into Andy's embrace, while maintaining her focus on her two girls. Noting the fire in Caroline's eyes, and wonder in Cassidy's, she closed her eyes for a moment and squeezed harder before reluctantly backing away, grabbing hold of Andy's hand as she did. It was time for a long overdue discussion among the four of them.
Andy's parents were thrilled when they heard the news of her latest accomplishment. Her mother Dorothy promptly ran out to purchase several copies of Vanity Fair, one of which sat next to the first issue of Runway to ever pass through the doors of the Sachs family home. They both now lay center stage on their living room coffee table.
Richard Sachs was still unhappy that his daughter worked at Runway. He had witnessed firsthand the torture his daughter withstood in the clutches of her maniacal boss. His last experience with his daughter in Manhattan was of course the infamous night of the Florida Hurricane. He had yet to return.
Andy spent more and more time trying to explain to her parents that it was in fact because of Miranda's tutelage that she was becoming a published journalist. Without the experience from working as her first assistant, and unlimited access to the elite New York Society, none of this would have been possible. Andy could never fully explain to anyone who hadn't worked for Miranda, just what type of mentality it took to survive let alone succeed at Runway. You had to learn quickly, adapt at a moment's notice, and be ready for anything that came at you. One moment of weakness and you risked being shoved out the door without having a chance to look back. Andy had gained a decade of real world and business experience in less than a year and a half. She was thriving in this crash course offered by Miranda, but sadly her parents were biased.
Regardless, at 9am Monday morning back at Runway, a package arrived for her overnighted by her parents from Ohio. Her mother sent Andy a box of chocolates from the local chocolate shop, owned by her Aunt. It was her idea of a joke as Andy had told her mother about the clackers at Runway, and how junk food was all but banned from the office. Andy laughed as she knew her mother's ulterior motives were in play.
Andy opened the box, popped a milk chocolate caramel in her mouth, and set it at the corner of her desk daring anyone to grab one only ten feet from La Priestly's glass cage. Throwing a look towards Kate the second assistant who stared at Andy in shock, she pushed the caramel into her cheek, and offered a quick smile and, "help yourself." Kate then glanced towards Miranda and put her head down with a "no thanks Andy," and continued about her work. Andy figured she'd call and thank her mother later.
Miranda's head peeked through the door just in time to watch Andy swallow. "Andrea, when you have finished your imitation of a horse in their feed bin, find Nigel. I'm moving the run-through up to 10am. Have Kate bring me a coffee when you return, preferably hot this time, unless it is suddently illegal to serve hot coffee in New York."
"Of course, Miranda" she answered, and left for Nigel's office after raising her eyebrows towards Kate making sure the girl knew to get it right. If she was to be Andy's ultimate replacement she would have to step up, and frankly she had been. Thankfully the girl was smart, and equally fearful and respectful of Andy. Everyone could tell that Miranda had a soft spot for her first assistant, and Kate was not ignorant by any means.
An hour after being summoned a flustered Jocelyn, Emily, and the rest of the team filtered in towards Miranda's office. They ran past Andy's desk on the way in all but ignoring her, obviously unprepared for the change in timing.
Ever since being published in Runway, Andy had earned a bit more respect from those around her. People had been impressed by the girl, whose survival they had initially made wagers on. Emily had not expected her to last a week, let alone a year and then some. Today though she was just the assistant, and they had jobs to do, or risk losing their heads.
Nigel threw a "congrats Six, well done you," grabbing a chocolate as he walked past. When he read Andy's Runway piece laying in bed with Doug the morning following the Gansevoort, he knew she was on her way. He had immediately texted Miranda, and they discussed that afternoon how Runway had to buy it. Miranda was almost relieved that Nigel agreed with her assessment. He handled the business aspect of making Andy the final offer. Andy was paid like any starting journalist, but was just happy to have the opportunity.
She and Miranda had discussed the implications of being published in Runway, talking to Human Resources, and future plans all on that Monday morning in October. Andy had fluttered with excitement upon learning that Miranda wanted her work to grace the pages of Runway. It was the ultimate compliment, and she could focus on nothing else for the rest of the day.
Now Andy had proven that she was a writer. She had used her own resources to get Vanity Fair. Her career choice was paying off. She thanked her stars once again for choosing Runway over Auto Universe.
Watching Miranda today made Andy think back about dinner with the girls at the townhouse the previous evening. It had gone rather well all things considering. The girls had mixed reactions to the news of the relationship. While they both liked Andy, they were shocked by the idea of the two women being a couple. Caroline was a particularly tough sell. She was extremely protective of her mother, and after watching her mom suffer through a bad relationship with Stephen she was fearful of anybody getting too close. They all left eventually.
Caroline also was confused by the fact that her mother suddenly fell for a woman who was half her age, and her employee. This would undoubtedly tarnish her mother's hard earned reputation, and Caroline knew how hard she had worked to create the image she maintained. Caroline expected the press to be brutal, as they always were towards their mother. At twelve Caroline could handle herself just fine with whatever people had to say about her, but she didn't want to watch her mother face the scrutiny once again. It was painful to watch.
Cassidy on the other hand was ready for Andy to move in about ten minutes after hearing the good news. She was already planning Christmas, and ski trips, and anything else she could think of. Stephen had been a terrible father figure, and with Andy, Cassidy was completely comfortable just being herself. Andy had tried not to favor Cassidy when she spent time with the girls, but somehow they just jived. They would laugh aloud, and make faces, while Caroline grimaced beside them. Simply put Caroline was a mini Miranda, and Cassidy was more like Andy, but Andy clearly liked both of them.
At 10:15 mid Run-Through Andy's thoughts were interrupted by a delivery man loudly announcing his arrival. He carried a giant bouquet of 24 long stemmed red roses for, "Andrea Sachs," he practically yelled at the two women. Kate cringed when she laid eyes on him, knowing that Miranda would blame Andy for any interruption to the run through. She was suddenly very worried for Andy, who noted the panic in Kate's eyes, and had a slight feeling of it herself.
"Uhh, I'll take those" Andy said trying to rush him behind her desk and out of the sightline of the run through team. Cutting off Jocelyn mid-sentence, Miranda's voice carried out of the office as she peered towards the delivery man. "Andrea, are we interrupting something? Do you mind if we continue, or is the run-through placing a burden on your sudden fame?" Andy muttered a "Sorry Miranda I'll take care of it," and she tipped the man all but shooing him from the office.
Andy realized there was still too much silence, and dared to peer into the office once again. Miranda was still staring at her, as was everyone else in the office. None of them dared continue, or speak. Everyone loved a good flaying, and maybe Miranda's assistant had pushed her luck a bit too far.
Miranda leaned back against her desk, took off her glasses to bite on them with her teeth, and asked "one of your many fans, Andrea" clearly waiting for Andy to react. Was she jealous?
"ummm, well uhhhh," Andy fidgeted a bit trying to open the card that accompanied the flowers. Emily attempted to stifle a laugh behind a folder, watching the scene unfold. As Andy read the card her face turned the color of the roses. It read, "To my Andrea, None will every compare. All my love…"
Andy looked up at Miranda to see her eyebrow raised. She had planned this. Miranda wanted to make sure that this day would be acknowledged by her staff, in whatever way she had to. She wanted to ensure that Andy was being recognized for her accomplishments. Andy gathered her thoughts and tried to find words, any words, to show she understood. She failed miserably, and upon seeing Andrea near tears the Editor rolled her eyes for her audience and spoke. "Jocelyn, what were you saying?" As Andy continued to look between the card and Miranda she was met with a quick wink before Miranda turned her attention to the dress in the Jocelyn's hands.
When Miranda sounded sufficiently distracted, Kate asked quietly, "are you okay, Andy?"
Andy arranged the vase front and center on her desk, and shrugged the girl off. "Yah, great, just an old friend who saw the magazine." At that she went back to work, just amazed at how things could change over the course of a year.