Andy blocks his first lunge toward her, as she feels the air change around her and she is aware of Serena transforming beside her, cursing their attacks with growls and hissing.

Serena, transformed, is a gorgeous bronze dragon and she sets upon their attackers with teeth and claws, ripping her first victim's head off in a crunching tear. Roy comes in from behind, cleanly lopping off the head of one of them at the back with a well swung axe strike. Both disintegrating into dust.

Roy takes out a second and moves on to parrying against his third, who unlike the previous two has spun to face the attack from behind. Serena doesn't waste time chewing through another two.

Andy and the leader are exchanging blows. While she learns quickly, she has not yet built up the stamina required for a drawn-out assault, and she is flagging quickly against the Other, his attacks vicious and brutal, as the only other one not being assaulted by Roy and Sernea moves to back up his leader. Ugly Face manages to slip through Andy's weaking defences with a powerful uppercut that rocks her head backwards, blood flying from her split lip where she bites it as he connects, seeing stars.

Dropping to her knees, her vision swimming, she hears Emily roaring her daughter's name immediately followed by Ciri's shriek as she screams for her mother. "MAMA!"

Andy's world flashes white. She scrambles to get back on her feet, swaying heavily as her need to protect Ciri overwhelms her. Roy catches her before she falls again, his axe dropping at his feet.

"It's okay, Andy. I've got you. Ciri is fine. She saved us all." His deep baritone delivers the welcome news.

She blinks, and she sees the fuzzy outline of her daughter in Emily's arms once more, fighting to get to her mother. Ciri launches herself away from Emily towards Andy, who barely manages to catch her.

"Mama's okay, munchkin. I'm right here." Her words are somewhat slurry. Then, arms that Andy would recognise, even if her eyes were closed, replace Roy's around her; arms that feel like home and safety, coupled with the familiar scent of her mate and she sags against Miranda in relief. Somehow, she managed to make it until her Mate got here.

She hears Miranda telling her daughter to go back to Aunty Emily now, but Andy just lets it all wash over her. Ciri argues but eventually gives in in the face of her Dragon mother giving her a stern look, and Andy releases her grip on Ciri.

Miranda then leans her back against her arm and Andy blinks up at her fuzzied edged Life-Bond. "Oh, My Andrèa. What did they do to you?"

Miranda wipes her thumb gently across Andy's split and bleeding lip, cleaning it off as she heals the split, before gently cupping her jaw and working to heal the deeply-bruised flesh that is already starting to colour. She can do nothing for the concussion she believes Andrèa has, unfortunately. For all their healing abilities, it does not extend to the brain itself.

"S'ok." Andy slurs. "We beat 'em, and protected Ciri."

Nigel pops up beside her, taking in her bruised and battered jaw. "Damn doll. You really took a hit, didn't you?"

Miranda looks around, knowing she needs to lay Andrèa down and is unsure taking her home would be the wisest idea right now, so she does what she does best and takes charge. "Alright," She says. "Everyone back upstairs. I need to lay Andrèa down for a few hours. Emily, call Cara if you would. Someone needs to be with the girls." She gently slides her arms behind Andrèa's knees and lifts her up cradling her against her chest, watching her eyes flutter closed. Don't you dare fall asleep, Andrèa. "The door, please Roy."

He moves quickly to follow Miranda's directive, collecting his Labrys on the way. Miranda jerks her head at him, indicating he should also join them upstairs.

I'm okay, Miranda. I promise. Hard head. She breathes a quiet chuckle into Miranda's thoughts. Ow!

Yes, my darling. I believe you are concussed. Which is why you should not sleep.

Jus' resting my eyes.

Fine, but you keep talking to me the whole way up, alright?

Kay…

Miranda and Andy continue their telepathic conversation as they return to the Charleton's apartment and Miranda places her softly down on the couch as soon as they enter the main room, kneeling beside the prone brunette. "Sweetheart…" Miranda murmurs. "I need you to open your eyes for me."

Andy blinks, the light almost searing, and she closes them tightly once more. "...'Randa. Hurts."

"I know, my darling, but I need to see them. I need to know how bad it is. Please Andrèa, open your eyes for me."

Andy struggles to do so, blinking up at Miranda. The Editor knows immediately that it is at best, not good. One pupil instantly contracts against the light, the other remains almost fully dilated. She runs her hand over Andy's forehead. "Alright, you can close them again now darling." You're going to need to rest for a few days sweetheart. No screen time. I can't heal concussions.

Andy closes her eyes once more, sighing in relief. With a huge amount of effort, she digs into the pocket of her jeans, pulling out her phone and blindly moving it in Miranda's general direction. "Better call Greg. Don't think… Gonna make… Tomorrow's deadline."

Miranda places a gentle kiss against her lips. "I'll call Greg. I need you to stay awake and aware for me for a little while though. It is inadvisable to sleep while your pupil is dilated. As soon as it returns to normal we can give you something for the headache you will no doubt have. Then you can sleep, alright?"

"'Kay…" Andy whispers.

Miranda places another kiss against Andy's forehead before rising and moving away in the direction of the other three adults. Ciri is clinging to Emily's leg, her bottom lip trembling. She looks up at her mother, bottom lip trembling. "Mama otay?" She asks quietly.

Miranda immediately drops to one knee in front of her daughter, pushing Andrèa's phone into her pocket for now, and opens her arms for Ciri. The tot immediately releases Emily's leg and dashes into them. As Miranda's arms close around her she buries her head in Miranda's neck, tears falling almost immediately. "She's alright, angel. I promise." The Editor rubs her daughter's back, soothing her.

Andy, sensing her daughter's distress, is quickly trying to sit up. Nigel is by her side almost instantly, a gentle hand on her shoulder pressing her back down. "She's ok, doll. Miranda's got her. You need to rest."

Andy grunts her displeasure as she sinks back down. Miranda realising just how distraught her Mate and daughter are, stands up with Ciri in her arms and moves back to Andrèa, placing her daughter into Andrèa's side, closest to the back of the sofa and smiles softly as Andy's arm immediately moves to wrap around Cirilla.

Both of them take comfort in each other's presence, murmuring quietly to each other. It was just them for so long, keeping them apart while Andrèa is injured just seems futile. She knows her daughter understands not to be too rambunctious on Andrèa, understanding she is hurt and she will also take care of Miranda's worry that the brunette will fall asleep too soon, Andy far more focused on calming their daughter rather than her own pain. She leans down, brushing her lips across both their cheeks and returns to the other three gathered near the bench separating the kitchen from the living room.

Pulling Andrèa's phone out of her pocket, she waves it in their direction. "Give me a moment to speak to Andrèa's employer and then you can tell me everything."

They all nod in agreement, content to wait.

Miranda chooses to call Greg Hill's cell phone rather than the alternative listed landline, in case he was not in at The Mirror offices, despite it being a Sunday. He answers on the first ring.

"Andy?"

"Sorry to disappoint, Mr Hill, but I am not Andrèa."

"Ah. May I ask…"

"You may. Miranda Priestly, calling to inform you that Andrèa is unable to make her deadline for tomorrow evening and I wondered, perhaps, if you would be inclined to extend it a few days?"

"Ms Priestly… Miranda… may I call you Miranda?"

Miranda shrugs, unseen by the other Editor. "If you must. Most people do, among other… Somewhat colourful… Sobriquets."

"Right. Just tell me straight, is Andy ok?"

Knowing she can't give him the actual story, she settles on something close. "Andrèa fell over and smacked her pretty little head on the pavement while collecting our daughter from her Godmother's. She will be fine, but she has developed a rather nasty concussion that will not allow for any type of screen time for several days."

Greg chuckles quietly, relief coursing through him. "That's our Andy, somewhat klutzy, usually at the worst times. Alright, it was only a fluff filler piece anyway. Just tell her to get it to me when she can."

"Mmm… Indeed. Thank you for your time, Gregory. I shall let you return to whatever I took you from. Have a wonderful evening." Miranda hangs up before he has a chance to respond.

Turning to her companions, her brows furrowing as she looks directly at Emily and Serena. "Tell me, just how my Mate came to be in the middle of a street fight on a peaceful Sunday afternoon in front of your building and ended up injured. Leave nothing out."

She keeps her voice low and extremely cool, speaking in Dragon Tongue so as not to disturb her Mate.

Miranda, be nice. It's not their fault. It could have been so much worse if the girls hadn't walked me out.

Miranda turns to blink at Andrèa in surprise, before turning back to her friends. "Apparently the language translator has developed."

Nigel chuckles. "Well it's not like it was unexpected."

Miranda glares at him, which makes him laugh more.

They spend the next hour or so discussing the events prior, before Miranda forces a break in conversation to once more check on Andrèa. Discontent, she walks towards her partner. Their conversation has given her minimal answers other than obvious as to how Andrèa ended up hurt. They have no idea how the Others had located them. They do have some idea as to why, the leader being quite outspoken about it before attacking. She finds, in the aftermath of everything, she is quite proud of how her Life-Bond handled herself in the conflict, trying to make them talk first before having no other choice but to defend herself, giving Miranda and Nigel time to arrive.

Had Ciri not broken free from Emily, she has no doubt their arrival would have drastically turned the tables in their favour. She, once again, witnessed her daughter's ability as she descended towards the attack, prepared to kill all of the remaining Others.

As relieved as she is that Andrèa is safe, and mostly unharmed, she also discovers she is disappointed at being denied the chance to fight. She is a Dragon, and a warrior and having prepared to fight in defence of her Mate during her hasty flight across town, she is having a hard time settling the urge. She knows her Mate is also very much aware of her internal battle if her hooded, glittering eyes are anything to go by as Andrèa watches her approach, lying there snuggling their now sleeping daughter, even if she wasn't privy to her thoughts and emotions.

She tuts sub-vocally and Andrèa sends a smirk her way as Miranda kneels beside her again. "Close your eyes for a minute, sweetheart, and open them when I tell you."

Andy does as directed, opening them back up when Miranda asks. The Editor breathes out a sigh of relief as she sees both pupils are responding appropriately. "Very good. Crisis averted." She smiles at her partner. "How do you feel?"

Andy grunts. "Like death warmed up. You and Ciri are helping distract me from that, though." She winks.

Miranda rolls her eyes, smiling at Andy before requesting that Emily bring her some ibuprofen. Handing them over, she helps Andrèa lift up so she can take them with some water. After swallowing them down Andy snakes her free arm out and around Miranda, squeezing gently.

"Let's go home, Miranda. I'm okay, and I'm sure Em and Serena don't want us encroaching on their time after spending almost 24 hrs with our energetic daughter."

Miranda agrees, and stands up scooping up Cirilla and carrying her over to Roy. He just nods as he takes her from Miranda, a smile on his face as he realises just how much Miranda trusts him if she is handing him her child in the uncertain times they are currently in. His usually disillusioned, rather long, pointy ears perk up in joy, and she smiles back at him before returning to Andrèa to assist her up from the couch.

This time, they make it to the town car unaccosted, Roy driving them home as quickly as is reasonably safe. He makes his way out of the car and around to open the door for his passengers with more haste than usual, grinning broadly as Miranda climbs out, happy they have arrived safely. The Editor returns his smile thanking him, before turning to collect her sleeping child from Andrèa asking Roy to assist Andy.

The door opens as she approaches and Cara is there, waiting for them, as Andy climbs slowly out of the car, leaning on Roy. Once she is standing, she gives a gentle tug to his arm as she looks up at him. Tilting his ears towards her, he is surprised when she doesn't speak at first, simply pressing her lips against his cheek. "Thank you for today, Roy. You were a real lifesaver."

Roy shrugs bashfully. "Weren't nothin' Andy."

"It was, but I'm too headachey to argue with you right now." She eyes his ears momentarily having never seen them disillusioned. "Well, the Elf comment makes sense now."

Roy chuckles as he begins leading her towards the stairs. "Yes, as does the Fairy remark. Did you know you were Fae?"

Andy shakes her head and winces. "Uh… Not until last night. Something we need to look into along with a bunch of other things."

"Ah." Roy murmurs, noncommittally, guiding her up the stairs to a waiting Miranda who has passed Ciri into Cara's superlative care to be put to bed as she and the twins wait just inside the door, the latter pair anxious to see for themselves that their brunette mother is, indeed, fine.