A/N: So, I'm really enjoying this story, and the way it's progressing… So it's easier to write than the other story I'm currently working on! But if you read Take Care, please know that I have not forgotten about it! Also- I am going for 40 reviews before I update.. So make that happen if you want a 6th chapter! But on the the story!

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"I need a crib, yes Emily one a baby would sleep in." Miranda rolled her eyes, many knew about Andrea and herself's relationship- they hadn't been hiding it, and in about two months they were going to a gala together to officially 'come out'. "And I need some tops with loose sleeves, size six, also some toys suitable for a 3 year old boy and some for a 10 month old girl- clothes for both. That's all." She smiled at the young boy curled into her side.

"Mira- you don't have to do that… We could have just swung by the apartment and grabbed some stuff."

"Stuff. Really Andrea?" She scoffed, "I like being able to do things for you and your children- is that okay with you?"

Andy giggled, "Yes my dragon, it's fine, put away the fangs." She stood and crossed the beautifully decorated living room to kiss her girlfriend's cheek.

"I'm just guarding you, my princess." Miranda smirked at the blush spreading across Andy's face.

"I have some PJs for both of the kids in the diaper bag, I'll be right back." She smiled at the baby playing on the floor and her son curled into Miranda's side.

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"Randa, are we gonna live here now?" Liam yawned, pulling his dinosaur jammies over his head.

"Well for awhile, yes. Your mommy is hurt, so I want to help her. Is that alright?" She laughed, helping him into his PJ pants.

"Yeah. Mommy talks about you a lot. She likes you! She told me you were the prettiest thing she'd ever seen!" He threw his hands up over his head. "I told her you were not a thing!"

Miranda grinned, "Oh my darling." She pulled the boy into her lap, "You are so sweet!" the editor placed a kiss on the boy's head. "You know, you're the first child who has ever been in this house."

"Really?" His eyes were wide, "Does that mean you don't like kids?"

"No, I just… Don't really understand them. Does that make sense?"

"Not really, but as long as you'll always be my Randa, I don't care." He yawned "Will you tell me a story Randa?"

"I will never leave you, any of you. And I'm sure I can think of one"

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"You're amazing with him." Andy smiled, holding tightly to her snoozing angel.

"Yes, well.." The older woman blushed, "You're amazing all of the time."

"Stop yourself!" She giggled, "When does Emily come, it's hard to hold her with a broken arm."

"Oh soon I'm sure. Guessing my staff isn't too idiotic it should be about half an hour."

Andy groaned, "I don't think I can even hold her that long. I think I'll lay her on the bed, I just need to surround her by pillows, and she should be fine."

After Cordelia was situated on the bed Andy flopped on the other side. "Mira, I know we have a lot to talk about… But I need to ahower, can I even shower? Is that even allowed?" She groaned and ran her good hand through her hair.

"Andrea, you sweet angel. Of course you can, we just need some plastic wrap. Also did you want m-my help?" She blushed

"Not exactly how I imagined the first time.." Andy laughed, "I don't want the first time to see me naked to be when I'm all bruised and broken Mira, I want to look good for you."

Miranda gave a small smile, pulling the woman off the bed. "Sometimes I wish we were both more reckless. It pains me that I still have not seen the treasure you hide under these clothes." She shook her head, "No matter what my darling, you are perfect to me. Always." She lifted Andy's chin with two fingers and placed a soft kiss to her lips. "Okay?"

Andy smiled, "Okay."

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It was over three hours ago when they finally had gotten everything settled. Andy had managed to shower on her own, not allowing Miranda to see her.

"Thank you for everything. You're the best thing I have ever known." Andy giggled as a wet strand of hair fell in front of her face as she bent to kiss her love.

"Mmm, that I doubt, but thank you for the complement my dear." She brushed the hair from her face and kissed the pink lips which had been tempting her for hours. "Should we talk now?"

Andy's face sank, "I suppose we probably should, I would really rather not." Andy smirked at Miranda's pursed lips, "But I know you won't accept that, so I might as well get on with it."

She laid on the bed, "Well, I grew up in Ohio, my mom was a painter, and my father was a lawyer, who knows what they had in common." She pulled the older woman next to her. "She was 16 when she had me, my father 19. They were stupid kids who weren't old enough to parent- So until I was 10, my grandma Josie watched me. She was nice, and not too old, only 45. But she made cookies every Friday and kissed me goodnight." Andy curled into the warm embrace of her girlfriend.

"I suppose I should clarify, my grandma just lived with us, so my parents were still there. My mom drank a lot, starting when I was about five I think. She hated the sound of my voice and told me often. Lots of people say I sound like her though, or at least when I sing." Andy sighed. "My dad became a lawyer when he was 30, so I was a little over 10, he was almost never home, my mother started dissapearing for days at a time, only to come back smelling of the streets and covered in bruises. My grandma only put up with it for me, I'm sure. But anyway, then when I was 11, my grandmother and my mother got into a huge fight, and my mother was drunk, she ended up tumbling down the stairs, bringing my grandmother with her." Andy's breath caught, she hadn't dared to think of these memories, let alone speak of them, in years.

Miranda's heart ached for the younger woman, she wanted to soothe her pain, but all she could do was kiss her head and hold her closer.

"Well, my mother survived, my gran was not so lucky. She bashed her head against the banister and bled out while my mother tried to sober up enough to make the call to 911. She ended up making me come out of my room, walk around my grandma on the stairs, get the phone and call. They ruled it an accident, and ordered my mom to 15 hours community service for endangerment." She buried her hand in Miranda's hair, "Well, my mother of course blamed me, so she hit me hard enough to leave a bruise. After that she must have assumed that it would easier to hit me if she didn't have to worry about sending me to school afterwards. So i started being homeschooled."

"When I was 16, I had found out my father had an entirely different family in a different state, I asked him to take me with him when he left. He did." Andrea gave a brief smile, "Her name was Claire, she was perfect, a great woman, mother, lover if what I heard was anything to go by. She had three children, Lucas was 20, Bailey was 12 and James was 3. She had James with my father, and he doted on him, the few times he was home. I didn't call her mom and she never called me her daughter. But I felt at home." She closed her eyes, a wishful smile covered her face.

"Lucas had a friend named Mike, and he was so very cool, rough and tumble type. He called me sugar and grabbed my ass when he came over." She laughed ruefully, "Did I mention he was 25? So he was older, and I was stupid… long story short I lost my virgintiy in a beat up buick by the river. I was pregnant by the time I was 18. I didn't want to be like my parents so I told my dad, told him I wanted to have the baby and give it up for adoption, he sent me back to live with my mother. She ended up smacking me around so hard… I miscarried from stress and shock. Claire had been so kind it was quite a shock as I am sure you can imagine." Andy curled tighter to the woman, letting out a shaky breath.

"So, I lost the baby, dropped out of high school and worked at a diner- which is such a horrible cliche. I kept talking to Mike, he told me how he'd take me away from it all someday. That day was a few weeks after my 18th birthday, a few days after I killed my mother."

Miranda gasped, this whole time thoughts had been bouncing around in her mind, questions begging to get out, but she knew Andrea needed to get it all out, or else she would clam up.

"It was ruled self defense, she had come at with me with a broken bottle, calling me a whore and all else, she ended up laying on the floor with a knife in her chest, I know it's fucked up Mira, but I had never felt so free, when she hit the ground, I felt like I was finally allowed to breathe, like I was allowed to be a person." She gave a bitter laugh, "But anyway, Mike came back to me, swept me off my feet and asked me to marry him, I said no, I was too young and my heart was still broken. So we lived together for about 6 years, then I found out I was pregnant with Liam. I went through that pregnancy with no issues. Mike was perfect- well not really, he still went out and partied with his buddies. He was high 90% of the time, but it was better than being absent." She let out a shaky sigh. "He bolted after I had given birth, I knew I wanted to write, so I left. Came to New York, got a job. Cordelia was not planned, seeing Mike wasn't planned, getting raped by him and 4 other men in a subway wasn't planned." A small sob escaped her lips, "It happened, and he held a knife to my throat, told me it was my fault his life was shit. If I hadn't had my son, we could have lived happily ever after. I cried for months after that. I'm still not sure who is the father of Cordelia, I'd rather not to be honest with you." She squeezed her eyes together, "But then I met you… And the rest is history."

Miranda wasn't sure what to do, this girl- no woman, in her arms had just thrown her entire life story onto her lap, it was just as broken and painful as her own. This wasn't something the older woman was used to, she had no idea what to say. "Andrea…"

"This is why I never told you, why I couldn't say I love you for the longest time, why it took so me forever to introduce you to my kids... why we've never made love." She sniffed. "It's okay if you want me to go… I get that I am really messed up…"

"No." Miranda spoke forcefully, "I already told you- I do not want you to go. Ever. My darling girl, I am sorry you had to go through this, without anyone, I wish I could been there for you. My lord, you're so strong. So smart, and so perfect. You do not have to hide or apologize. I love you, not despite of your past, but you are who you are because of it. And I wouldn't have my princess without all of the horrors. I wish… God I wish I could have protected you sooner- I hope you'll forgive me."

Andy kissed Miranda's soft neck and smiled, "Wha- I just don't know what to do without you. My beautiful dragon. I love you. Thank you- thank you for everything you do for me, all the love you give me, all the understanding. You're my true hero babe."

Miranda smiled lightly, "You're quite welcome. And as for your body… There is nothing that could ever ruin that for me." She skimmed her hand down Andy's side. "I can always squeeze your arse Andrea." Miranda purred into her ear, delighted at the goose bumps she left in her wake.

"Hmm, Maybe tomorrow, I would just like to sleep."

"Anything for you. And look, we have all day tomorrow to talk, and all next week." The editor grinned, biting softly on the warm neck exposed to her by Andy's bed dress. "Mmm, How I love you."

"Good, because you're stuck with me." The reporter smiled and curled tightly into the love of her life, she was going to be okay.