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Part 11

Soon Andrea's photo shoot was over and the younger woman let out a relieved breath, but when she couldn't find Miranda a pang of anxiousness twisted through her. Her shoulders instantly slumped and she growled a frustrated breath before deciding to just go inside to her changing room to rid herself of this outfit.

Opening the door, she jolted back in surprise once she noticed that Miranda was in there waiting for her.

Miranda regarded Andy sternly as they stared each other down. "There you are; I was starting to wonder about you."

"I see you just made yourself at home," Andy said, still not moving from the door. "But I guess you're probably waiting for the clothes and jewelry," she mentioned, pulling the necklace off and handing it over to Miranda. "Where is Nige?"

Reluctantly, Miranda reached out and took the necklace from Andrea's fingers. "I was…" she was going to tell her that she wanted her to keep them, but at the last minute decided that wasn't going to be a good idea. "Oh never mind." She took a quick breath trying to ignore the memory of how those same fingers made her feel just hours before. "He and Serena are doing their jobs," she pointed out.

Andy dipped her head, her expression grave. "So you wanted to talk, let's talk."

Miranda tried to hide her frown, knowing deep down this would be the last time she would be in the same room with this woman. She exhaled sharply and surrendered to the inevitable, standing up and motioning her hand toward the small sofa in the room.

Leaning against the door, Andy finally pushed off of it and took a spot by the fashion editor. Finally, she raised her dark gaze to meet Miranda's eyes. "I'm glad you finally agreed to actually talk to me about this."

Miranda expression was detached. "About what?"

Andy sighed, and then rolled her eyes and continued, refusing to back off in the face of Miranda's pretense of denial. "How did I know that you'd do this? Just come off it, you know exactly what happened last night and don't try to pretend otherwise."

Miranda felt her jaw tighten and she just stared at Andrea for a moment, letting the other woman fret a little. "So are you actually going to talk or just sit there looking at me?"

She finally focused a glare at the younger woman. "Fine, I will, and I will remind you that this will not go any further, just like I told you in the car last night."

Andy raked her fingers through her dark hair. ""Oh my hell, really? God! Now you want to pretend that it didn't happen?" she huffed, and then jumped up off of the couch. "I can't believe you."

Miranda stood as well, her face still impassive. "Oh my pathetic silly little girl, what did you honestly expect?"

"I was there last night, and you were too. I expect you to at least acknowledge what it was."

Her glare hardened. "Fine," she snarled. "It was a fucking mistake and it never should have happened."

Andy winced at the harshness in Miranda's tone, and the fact that she was calling their night together a mistake. God she felt like a damn idiot. She should have known. But why in the hell did she even come here in the first place? Immediately the light bulb went on and now Andy was livid. "You b…." the younger woman began to yell, but closed it off and diffused herself quickly. "I won't allow myself to go there, or be like you," she went with instead, and it actually had a bigger punch to the editor's gut. She shook her head as tears formed in her eyes. "You came here to what… make sure I didn't mess up your stupid photo shoot, didn't you?" Andy vented, narrowing in sharply at the other woman. "I knew you could be cold, but this? This is…god this is low even for you."

Ignoring her own emotions and knowing what needed to be done Miranda went in for the kill. "I'll take that as a compliment. Let me remind you one last time, if you even breath a word about this to anyone, I'll destroy you. But I won't need to, because you know as well as I do the press will eat this up, and oops there goes your lovely career," she mocked. "Personally I love my job, and I won't let anyone, not even you, to get in the way of that."

"Nonetheless, Miranda, you can toss that shit all around all you want, but I was there and I know what I felt, what I feel, and well, I did work for you for almost a year so I can read you too," Andy threw out, and now there was a touch of bitterness in her voice. "Maybe you just get off on the pain, I don't know. But personally…." she added that jab. "I just think you are a scared, bitter old woman who would do anything to stay on top, even if that meant selling out her own happiness," Andy now sighed dejectedly.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Andrea," Miranda spat, and began gathering her bag.

"I sleep fine, and will continue to do so. I'm not sure about you, but then again you're Miranda Priestley and at this point in your life I'm pretty sure you're used to it."

Andy didn't rejoice when she saw the older woman flinch in response, hurt evident in her blue eyes. Andy's heart was breaking, so she wasn't going to give this woman the satisfaction of apologizing, especially not when Miranda was doing this to herself.

Miranda gave her one last look, and the look Andrea was getting made it hard for not to just give in and throw her arms around this woman and beg her, make her understand that she was wrong, that what they had was not a mistake. Then like the flipping a switch, the editor scowled before sliding her sunglasses on and sighing dramatically. "I guess all that is left to say is….."

But before Miranda could voice it, Andy beat her to it. "That's all," she said gruffly, crossing her arms.

Miranda's lips twisted in a satisfied smirk. "Hmmm," she shrugged and slipped through the door. The sharp clicks from her stilettos echoed across the floor, and it was the last thing Andy heard before she collapsed in a torrent of her own sobs.

…

It was a week later that Miranda was sitting at her desk on the top floor of the Elias-Clark building, looking through the photos from Andrea's photo shoot. Her chest pained at seeing this beautiful woman in every picture, the ones Nigel selected first and printed out larger and more specific to the magazine so Miranda could get a feel for what it would look like. She knew this was going to be hard, but there wasn't any frame of reference anywhere in her past to how excruciatingly agonizing it actually felt now. She didn't even dare to reach down and thumb through the rest of them, because she could feel her shaky vibrations even through her clenched fists.

Nigel hovered over her and eyed her curiously. "Well, you see, they are more than these two," he mentioned, and then cautiously reached over and spread all twelve photos of Andrea across Miranda's desk. "I think Annie did a wonderful job. These are radiant, dazzling, and she's a natural." He smiled down at them. "Who knew Six had it in her?"

Miranda finally found her voice. "Yes well, Annie is great at her job."

Nigel rolled his eyes. "She is….but come on admit it, Six is too."

Not paying attention, Miranda's trembling fingers skimmed over one particular photo of Andy, sliding over her face like she was tenderly caressing her. Nigel's mouth almost fell open at what he witnessed; he had never in all his time at Runway seen this woman do anything like that. He knew something had gone on between the two women, and he tried to get it out of Andy before he left. He had walked in on her crying, but she was stubborn and wouldn't give him anything. Knowing Miranda like he did, he guessed she this must have broken Andy's heart, and it was apparent that her own was breaking as well.

He inhaled a deep breath and placed a hand on his shoulder, dipping his head. "I must say Miranda, that …that photo, the very one you're caressing right now is one of my favorites as well."

Caught, Miranda quickly pulled her hand back. "Excuse me?"

"I don't know what happened down there, but I know that something did."

"Nigel, I'm warning you. Don't!" she hissed.

"Oh please," he breathed, moving around the desk so he was now on the other side and was staring at the pictures upside down. He pointed his finger at the photo Miranda was touching just seconds before. "See how this one is different than the rest… how her face is lit up… how it looks like she is on top of the world?" He waited a beat, and when Miranda still hadn't said a word, he forged on. "It's because that was the moment you showed up at the shoot, and she saw you there…." He trailed off and paused, and for the first time in many many years he noticed Miranda's eyes glossed over with unshed tears. He shook his head. "Miranda you did this; you put that spark in her eyes, and that genuine smile on her lips."

Miranda quickly tore her eyes away and stood from the desk. She eventually meandered over to the window, toying with her necklace as she looked out of it. "Why do you think I showed up? You and I both know that I didn't need to be there," she finally admitted softly.

Clarity slid across Nigel's forehead. "You didn't….tell me you didn't do this just to sell more copies of Runway."

Miranda swallowed, and it burned all the way down, and she hadn't touched alcohol in days. She inhaled a deep breath, ignoring the pain in her chest and turned her head just enough so she could eye her art director. "What difference does it make? Besides, you know it will increase circulation."

"My god Miranda, wow," he actually dared to voice, sympathy filling his eyes for Six.

"Oh don't give me that, I did what I had too. I always do, don't I?"

Now his lips pursed, and he gazed back down at the photos of Andrea. "What you had too, huh. How long are you going to keep telling yourself that? And don't give me that shit about that's what you do…. or she's just like anyone else. You and I both know the truth; she is so much more than that."

"Nigel," she growled, her voice lower as she glared at the man. "I am warning you, do NOT cross that line."

"I usually know that's when it is time to stop, but not this time. Miranda, I'm only gonna say this once, well only once today. You're a damn fool, and you didn't need be this ruthless, not to her."

Miranda wanted to fire him for saying that to her; seriously, did she need to remind him of his place? She began to fume as she narrowed in on him. "You have no right to say that." Her tone was hard, but she kept it level. "I am giving her a wonderful spread, she will look beautiful and it will sell a lot of copies, but the exposure will also boost her career," she pointed out righteously, her eyebrows rising. "You know I am right, and you also know deep down why I had to do what I did."

It took the art director a moment, and then a frown crossed his lips. "You did this for her…" his voice caught, and he took another few seconds to get himself together. "I get that; I suppose that I of all people understand it. But Miranda, did you ever tell her this? Or even give her a choice?"

Miranda barely shook her head and she turned back to her view out the window.

"Well, I already said it once today, so there is no need to say it again, because deep down I think you already know it." He gathered a deep breath, and turned to go. "Oh I'll leave those there for you to decide, but we both know which ones you like."

….

"ACTION!"

Andy slipped into her character and leaned back against the rugged wood that made up the interior of an old barn that was inside the studio set. "That was fun," she said with a lazy smile. Her hair had come slightly awry from her ponytail, and a few strands trailed wildly around her face.

The makeup team made Orlando look like he had just put in a whole day of manual labor. His shirt was off, and she did have to admit that he was a very fit man. He lifted an eyebrow. "Fun?" he husked. "You think mucking out an entire barn was fun?"

"After everything that we have been through, this was a nice change for once." She wiped the fake sweat off of her brow. "Besides, we work well together."

Orlando leaned on his pitchfork, offering her a crooked smile. "Maybe we could …I mean since it is hot….the lake would be a great place to cool off."

"Sam, I …I can't. Dr. Sutherlin is hosting a dinner tonight..." she began, with a regretful expression. "He asked me to be his date."

"A ... date?" Orlando blinked. "With that pig?" He sauntered closer, making Andy take a step back.

"I think it's time that I moved on." Her voice hitched right on cue, and tears filled her eyes knowing why it affected her this way. It had nothing to do with her character needing to be emotional for this scene, and everything to do with the very fact that she was trying to move on from certain someone as well.

Orlando moved in closer, and Andy could feel the heat coming off of his body. "Not him," he said. "Dr. Pig is not the man for you."

Andy felt his hands softly grasp her waist as he pulled her flush against him. "Pig?" she barely breathed, before Orlando captured her lips in a searing kiss."

"AND CUT!"

The director was at her side and giving her a smile. "That was great; now the bed scene." He looked to Orlando. "Let's get you guys changed and move into the bedroom."

As he gave out orders, Orlando noticed the uneasiness in Andy and laid a caring hand over hers. "It'll be okay, I promise."

"I know, I'm being just …." She faded off, making a noise in the back of her throat. "Let's just get this over with."

Orlando cringed. "Sheesh, I didn't think I was that bad."

Andy ran a hand over her face. "NO!" she voiced, shaking her head. "It's not you I swear, you've been great, I'm …" she stammered. "This will be …you know."

He now took her hand and softly squeezed it. "You'll be great." He bounced his brows. "No, we will be great, and I promise, this is the easy stuff."

Andy sighed. "I have to get naked," she said in a defeated breath.

"Hey they aren't going to show any nudity from you. Remember I have to show them my ass," Orlando said.

Andy giggled, and was so relieved to have such a gentlemen as her first co-star to be in an intimate scene with. "But you have such a nice ass," she commented flashing him a smile.

"Oh?" he leered.

She groaned, and tugged him with her as they went toward their dressing rooms. "Save it, I'm not after your hide."

Now he laughed. "Oh you think you are sooooooo tough."

"Don't you know it; I have this six-shooter to prove it. Also, a horse named Renegade."

"Uhhh….tell me you didn't go there?" Orlando snorted jokingly.

"Oh be quiet."

The intimate scene between the two went really well. In fact, Andy zoned out as she put her robe back on. The assistant was there and giving her praise. "That was wonderful, you did great."

Andy nodded, and the only reason she knew she did well was because the entire time she was acting out the scene, her mind replayed that stormy night back in New Mexico.