Destined
by barnaby317

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 February 13, 2009

The day before Valentine’s Day.

My Dearest Andrea...

'No', Miranda thinks to herself, 'that is not personal enough.'

My Dear Andrea...

'Nearly the same thing' she thinks again.

My Darling Andrea...

'Too personal. We are not in a relationship, Priestly, you don't want to scare her off before you even have her.'

Settling on the formal yet not-so-personal address she wrote...

~~'Andrea,

Today, on this of all days, I must tell you a secret.

Today is the day before what is known as a fools day. Valentine's Day. Oh how commercialised it all is. Red roses, candy hearts, sappy love poetry. You and I both know that I am not the sort of person who partakes in those stupid little traditions. Though today I feel as though there is something missing from my life.

I feel that the stupid little traditions are missing from my life. I believe I would like to have the red roses, the candy hearts and the sappy love poems, I also believe I would like it all to come from you.

I must tell you that the day you left me in Paris was one of the most difficult days I have experienced. I did not know what had become of you, I had hoped that you were alright and not lying in a curb on some random Parisian street. Nigel told me the next day that he had received a note from you saying that you had left. Was I to take that note as your notice?

I thought about you in the days following my return to New York. I wondered how long it would take you to return to New York with no money or plane ticket. You made a foolish decision to leave me in Paris, you should have waited. I wonder if you thought about me during your little fit of conscience. Did you think about how humiliated I would be in front of them, all of that press?

None of that matters now. The point is, Andrea, I have thought about you constantly and I am tired of just thinking about you. I seem to be unable to do anything but. I think about you and wonder what you're doing when I should be editing a layout.'~~

Turning away from the letter to collect her thoughts better, Miranda looked upon the darkened New York skyline. It had been almost 3 years since Andrea had left her in Paris and as she said in the letter, she thought about Andrea constantly.

Turning back to face her desk, she glared at the new Assistant. Her name was Veronica or Monica or something equally hideous. Emily had remained faithful, unlike the one who shall remain nameless; oh alright, Andrea. Miranda had considered promoting Emily but wouldn't do so until Emily could find a suitable Andrea... assistant to take over as first assistant. In the previous three years Emily had yet to do that one simple task.

Glancing at the letter she began to write again.

~~'The entire point of this letter had escaped my knowledge until the very recent past. For a little while I thought I was just missing the competence that you brought to my office while in my employ. I then began to think that it was YOU that I missed but then I came to the realisation. I do not just simply miss you. I am in love with you.

I do not say those words lightly. And I WAS NOT in love with you, I WILL NOT be in love with you, I AM in love with you and I believe I have been since slightly before Paris. Andrea you must know this because I cannot continue to live this lie that has become my life these past three years.

I also believe you need to know that I have no intention of sending you this letter, or of telling you how I feel.

Miranda.'~~

She placed the letter within the envelope she had already written Andrea's name and the address of the New York Mirror on and sat it under the stack of newspapers to be recycled the next morning by Emily. In any case it would be well gone by the time she arrived the next day.

~~DWP~~

Emily always came in early even on Saturday mornings. She was never late, well besides that one time when she over slept and then had to pick up those scarves and then got hit by... No she wouldn't think about that.

Like every morning she came in and arranged the schedule. Waited for the delivery of magazines and newspapers that would go on Miranda's desk then spread them, Miranda had assigned that task to her after Monica, yes that was really her name, got it wrong. Having caught Miranda on a rare good day though, Monica hadn't been fired.

Checking the schedule one more time, she rose from behind her desk and went to collect the newspapers and magazines from the day before. Picking them up she took them out to her desk and began putting them into the recycling bin. As she picked up the second to last newspaper she saw the white envelope and without looking at it threw it into the mail pile.

"Morning Emily" the delivery lady greeted.

"Thanks Jules. Anything good in the papers today?"

"Not really. See you tomorrow."

And so Emily continued on with her day.

~~DWP~~

Four days later Andy was looking through her mail that was piled on her desk. She had been away for the last few days in Boston visiting Nate and hadn't been to work since Thursday of the previous week. Filtering through the junk mail that was really not supposed to be delivered to the Mirror but was for some reason still being delivered anyway she found the only envelope that didn't come from a junk mail service.

Opening the letter she recognised the handwriting immediately. As she read the letter she couldn't believe what she was reading and so had to re-read it a couple more times. She had become so immersed in reading it again when her editor, Greg, yelled out.

"Sachs!"

"Yeah?"

"Got a story for you." He handed her a piece of paper. "Take a photographer, preferably Jonas"

"Yeah sure." She answered already with her mind back on the letter. Miranda's intentions were clear in the end of the letter but she poured her heart out first and for Miranda Priestly to do that, well lets just say it'd be a miracle.

By the end of the day she had nearly turned herself mad with thinking about it. Obviously Miranda had had no intentions of sending the letter so why did she? It was obvious that Miranda thought she had serious feelings for Andy. So many questions were running through Andy's mind that she was finding it hard to bring any order to the chaos in her mind.

Should she reply? What should she do? Should she give in and send the roses, the candy hearts and the poems? How did she feel about Miranda?

She was torn.

~~DWP~~

Miranda was sitting at her desk when Monica brought in a vase with a single bright red rose sitting in a sea of blue pebbles and water. "What is this?"

"A red rose?"

"Why is it here Melania?"

"It was just delivered. By a florist." Monica said.

"Put it there." Miranda pointed to the low table by the door.

"Oh and Melissa. Do not interrupt me again. That's all."

As soon as the girl had practically sprinted out of her office, Miranda rose and moved toward the table. Sitting in the vase next to the rose was a plastic stand holding, not a card but a full sized letter envelope. Whoever had purchased the rose had written her a letter. She plucked the letter from the stand and opened it. Inside was a missive she ha not expected receiving.

~~'Miranda.

Though I know you had no intention of sending that letter, I still somehow received it.

You see, sitting on my desk amongst a pile of other mail lay a stark white envelope, sent to here to the Mirror. I recognised your handwriting as soon as I opened the letter and was very surprised by what I read.

How could you love me? I was nothing more than an assistant to you, a slave if you will. You don't even know the real me. All you saw was the "yes Miranda" girl, the girl that was at your beck and call every hour of every day. Did you know I missed my grandmothers funeral because I was scared that you wouldn't let me go to it or that I wouldn't be your assistant anymore because I let you go to voicemail.

Did you know that while working for you I had the opportunity to further my journalism career but turned it down because I actually liked working for you. I knew that it was either you or that and I also knew that I wouldn't be able to do both. I chose you.

So I have only one question Miranda, why me?

I sent you this rose not as a sign that I love you too, because I don't, but because I felt that sending you this letter alone wouldn't be enough to deter you from, well, deciding differently and trying to act upon your feelings.

I feel nothing for you besides disappointment. I was disappointed in the way you treated Nigel, I was disappointed in the way you handled it but most of all I was disappointed in myself because I really couldn't believe that I had started to become a person that I don't want to see in the mirror everyday.

I AM sorry for the way I left in Paris, I should have been an adult about it and actually gave my two weeks and give Emily a chance to find a suitable replacement but I didn't. I can't take it back I know and my apology isn't really all that sufficient but I do apologise.

Please don't try to contact me again,

Andrea.'~~

Miranda walked back to her desk, letter clutched within her grasp, and tried to sit as gracefully in her chair as she could. Turning her back to the door so as not to give away her secret, she let the single tear drop fall on to the letter.

~~DWP~~

As Andy let herself into her apartment she felt emotionally exhausted. She hadn't meant to say what she did in the letter to Miranda, it had just somehow flowed. The only thing in the letter that she actually meant was her apology for leaving in Paris.

When she sat down at her desk, as soon as she got back from chasing down that story, she wrote. She was pretty sure that Miranda would never talk to her again after she read that letter.

Once she had started writing Andy couldn't deny the hurt that she was feeling. The dream she had once had was within her reach and she couldn't accept the reality. Her only hope against getting hurt, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to walk away once Miranda had decided to throw her away, thus ending in her heart being broken; was to say those things to keep Miranda away.

What she hadn't revealed in the letter was that she did love Miranda, in fact she loved her so much that now her heart was breaking worse than she thought it would when Miranda dumped her.

Part of the reason she left in Paris when she did was because she'd realised something, she realised while putting on her eye mascara that night she met with Christian that she was in love with Miranda. So she'd gotten plastered and slept with Christian. That was of course when she'd discovered the plot to de-throne Miranda.

That was also the day that she knew that her feelings would never be returned.

Falling onto her bed Andy, work clothes and all, fell into a fitful sleep.

~~DWP~~

"Emily"

Emily had learnt over the last few weeks that when Miranda called for her, she meant her. Not the new second assistant but her.

Monica had been fired. The day after she took that single rose into Miranda's office, Miranda had gone on the war path, that was two weeks ago. Monica had been the fourth Runway employee to go that day and many more have since followed. Miranda had gone through four more second assistants in those two weeks.

"Yes Miranda?"

"Tell Jocelyn to put that run through together, she has one hour. I want to see it now. Get my steak ordered, make the new one get it, and my Starbucks. Tell her that if my coffee's cold then she better not bother coming back." She looked at her computer screen. "That's all."

'God' Emily thought. 'Here we go again.'

Emily was getting very tired of having to hire a new assistant nearly five times a week. It was only Monday for Christ's sake, how many new assistants would she have to hire this week?

"Emily"

She'd already sent the new girl out for Miranda's lunch and coffee, what more did Miranda want?

"Call the new girl, tell her that she's fired. I have a lunch with Irv that obviously you forgot."

Emily's favourite saying sprung into her mind at that point, 'I love my job, I love my job' she repeated it over until she had finally clamed down.

Miranda had always had a way of testing her assistants, which was exactly what she'd done with Andrea, but she had never gone to this extent. Usually she waited for them to fail before firing them, now she didn't wait at all. Miranda had certainly been a bull lately, especially since she received that rose.

~~DWP~~

Andy hadn't faired much better in the two weeks since she sent that letter to Miranda. It was now the first week of March and Andy didn't feel the cheer that came with the start of spring. Spending most of her days in bed, or at work didn't help either. She was unhappy and couldn't bring herself to even try to be happy.

Nate had tried calling her but each time she blew him off with the excuse that she wasn't feeling well. She and Nate had managed to salvage a friendship from their failed relationship and that worked fine for them.

Frankly Andy was miserable. She couldn't know that she'd hurt Miranda but all she knew was that she hurt. The only way that she could rectify this was to make things right with Miranda. This ball was completely within her court. She had to be the one to admit that she'd lied.

But how would she do it? How, now after that last letter, would she convince Miranda that she'd lied, that she really did love her and just didn't want to get hurt. Would it be as simple as sending another letter this time maybe with a different gift, especially after roses became a symbol of bad things to come. No, the chance that Miranda would recognise her handwriting and throw the letter away was too great.

She could chance turning up to the Elias-Clark building and being thrown out of the huge glass window on the 18th floor of Miranda's office. She could show up uninvited to the townhouse, though she had no idea how she'd get inside. There were so many things she could do but she didn't know which one would work. Opening up her laptop she decided she could at least check her emails.

That was when the idea hit her.

Create an anonymous email address and send Miranda an email.

~~'To: mpriestly@usrunway.com

From: iluvdragonlady@hotmail.com

Subject: DO NOT DELETE!!!!!

My dearest Miranda,

I cannot tell you how very sorry I am.

I cannot express the deep sorrow I have.

Words cannot say how deeply hurt I feel.

Words cannot describe the anguish inside.

I am sorry, for the words that I said.

I am sorry, for the way I told you those things.

Words that I should have said.

Words I need to say.

I'm not sorry for the way I feel.

I'm not sorry for my love for you.

I truly am sorry Miranda.'~~

Without adding a signature or her initials Andy hit send.

And when Miranda opened her email account first thing the next morning that is what was waiting for her.

~~DWP~~

For most of the day the email sat read but not replied to. Miranda was still at her desk at ten that night working on her 'Letter from the Editor' piece and she wasn't getting anywhere. It wasn't until she heard voices in the outer area that she realised what the time was.

Finally giving up on trying to write the letter tonight she opened up her emails and checked them one last time. Seeing the email there from "iluvdragonlady", letting her curiosity take over she sent back a reply

'Who are you?'

"Emily"

Emily came in immediately expecting to be fired. You know it's gotten pretty bad when you're expecting to be fired. She knew that Miranda hadn't gone home and that something had been bothering her all day.

"Yes Miranda?"

Miranda didn't answer but held out her hand, obviously wanting the Book. Emily passed it over and waited. When the expected 'that's all' didn't come she turned to leave the inner sanctum of the dragon. "Emily"

Emily turned back to face Miranda. "Yes?"

"Get me all of... never mind. That's all"

Emily walked out. Miranda was almost going to ask Emily to get her Andrea's contact information when she stopped herself. No, Andrea was the one to hurt her, asked her not to contact her again and therefore Miranda would do no such thing.

Shutting down her laptop, she gathered the book and slid the few other documents she was taking home into the book. Walking to the door she said softly, seeing that Emily was almost asleep at her desk, she had to admit that her behaviour had been horrendous lately and firing a second assistant every few days was taking it's toll on her first. "Emily, tomorrow is Saturday. I don't plan on coming in over the weekend and I will try not to call you unless absolutely necessary, catch up on your sleep."

The last thing she heard as she walked to the elevator was Emily murmur a thank you.

~~DWP~~

When she got to work Monday morning Miranda found herself actually anticipating the email she hoped would be awaiting for her.

Sure enough as the program checked the emails automatically she saw one, no two, pop up from 'iluvdragonlady'.

The first one read: 'If you look hard enough you'll know who I am. Re-read the first email.'

And the second: 'By the way. I love you'.

So Miranda did, she re-read the very first email. 'I am sorry, for the words that I said. I am sorry, for the way I told you those things.' Was the part of the poem that jumped out at her and she knew immediately who 'iluvdragonlady' was.

"Emily"

"Yes Miranda?" Emily came into the office looking more relaxed and rested than she had Friday night.

"You look more alert today. Get me all of Andrea's personal contact information."

"Andrea Sachs?"

Miranda rolled her eyes at her first assistant, "do I know another Andrea? Yes of course." Miranda put her glasses back on and looked at her computer screen "that's all." Clicking on the reply button she sent back a quick nonchalant response.

'I don't know what you're talking about. That's all.'

But by the end of the day she was regretting her hasty reply. Hoping that Andrea wouldn't have had the time to check the email. As she slipped into the car one whole hour earlier than normal she ordered Roy to go to Andrea's address.

In the meantime sitting in her apartment Andy had just read the email that Miranda had sent back. Sitting back on the couch Andy sighed deeply. So Miranda was hurt, she'd hurt Miranda so much that Miranda now chose to ignore her.

Andy got so wrapped up in her thoughts that when the buzzer on the intercom sounded she jumped. "Andrea let me in."

No, Andy thought to herself, Miranda is not here, you are imagining things. But another buzz sounded and the voice belonging to the woman she thought hated her called to her again.

"Andrea I will not wait all night. If you are simply not home I will try again but if you are, you have five seconds to let me in."

Andy jumped off the couch within seconds of hearing that and buzzed the Editor in.

~~DWP~~

Walking down the hall to the right door Miranda wondered if she was doing the right thing. If she were to do this, what would the press say about them? How would the girls react? Damn them! She was going to grab the accidental chance at happiness and she was going to be happy. The girls would deal with it and the press could go to hell. She wanted Andrea and she wasn't letting her walk away again.

The door to Andrea's apartment was slightly ajar so she let herself in. "Andrea?" Closing the door behind her she stood in the tiny living area.

"I'll be out in a minute." Andy said while she tried to make herself look more presentable.

Glancing around the small space she now stood in, Miranda noticed the laptop that sat open. Moving over to the couch and leaning on the back of it she read the email that she'd sent back. '... That's all.' It only proved to Miranda that Andrea was in fact the sender of the emails she had received. "I'm sure you look fine Andrea."

"Says she who told me I have no sense of fashion."

"Yes well. You certainly proved me wrong Andrea."

With her back to the bathroom Miranda didn't see Andrea come out. "Well by the way you looked me up and down that day you saw me in that outfit I'd say I absolutely did."

Miranda turned around sharply at the sound of Andy's voice. "Yes well, you seem to have reverted back to the 'old' Andrea quite nicely." She commented looking Andy up and down.

Andy was wearing her comfortable jeans and her favourite blue, no, she corrected herself, cerulean sweater.

"Okay. I have but one question, which you still haven't answered Miranda. Why me?"

"I don't know." Came the honest answer. "They sat that the heart will love who it will and I believe that. I don't know why I developed feelings for you but I do know that I couldn't keep denying those feelings as I had been doing for three years." Miranda cast her eyes downward almost as if she were shy. "I need to know right now, Andrea, if you really do feel something for me."

Andy stepped closer to Miranda and lifted her chin up with the pad of her index finger. "I could give you the long winded explanation or I could just convince you but if you'd prefer I bore you to death" she removed her finger "I'll give the explanation."

"I need to know, one way or another. I will not risk the amount of hurt this could cause me if you decide that you aren't in love with me a month or so down the road." Miranda paused. "This is why I never intended to send the letter. Andrea you have the greatest potential to destroy me and unless what you feel for me is real then that is exactly what'll happen." She sighed deeply "I am not known to act this human and the only other person who has seen me this human is my first husband, the twins' father."

Andy sighed. "I'm glad that I'm that privileged. How do you want me to convince you that I'm sincere? Tell me. I've dreamt that you would return my feelings but I never thought that you actually would. When I got that letter I got scared. The letter I sent back was my 'save myself from heartache' moment. You've always had a great potential to hurt me too, the only thing you don't know is that you actually have. I didn't want to get hurt again but by sending that reply I actually hurt myself more."

"When have I hurt you?" Miranda asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

"You hurt me. Maybe not in regards to my feelings for you but you still hurt me."

Miranda's voice rose slightly higher than normal. "When Andrea?"

"Paris. Do you know how many times I've thought about that day? The day that you told me that I had done to Emily what you did to Nigel."

"Do you know the number of times I have thought of that day too? I saw you walking away and when you didn't answer my calls I thought you were laying dead in the curb of a Parisian street. I think that if this was a contest on who hurt who the most Andrea I would win. By walking away that day you hurt me, though I hadn't quite figured out what my feelings for you were or what they meant but I still didn't want you to walk away. That hurt."

"Okay so you win. Tell me how to convince you now that my feelings are genuine. I don't know how to convince you otherwise." Andrea sounded rather desperate, Miranda thought.

What Miranda whispered next came as a surprise to both of them. "Kiss me."

And so Andy did. Right on Miranda's bright red lips. The first kiss was a tentative kiss, both giving the other a chance to pull away if the had to. The second kiss was more passionate and they were sure that it was what they both wanted.

"Miranda stop." Andy pulled back.

"What is it? Andrea?"

"I don't want to do this now. We will be continuing this but I think now is not the time. You don't trust me enough and frankly I don't trust myself either."

"Why? Why don't you trust yourself?"

"I notice you didn't disagree with the you not trusting me part. I don't trust myself because while my feelings are real and strong, I'm still scared. I know I have hurt you, you've hurt me but saying sorry isn't enough."

"I suppose you're right Andrea. A trust has to be built between us again. I believe I should leave."

"I guess you should or you could stay and we could talk. We could work at building that trust a bit faster." Andy moved back into the circle of Miranda's arms.

"The twins are at home. I must go home to be with them, perhaps you could come to the townhouse at 9:30, before Emily delivers the book."

"You haven't let the new second assistant do it?"

"I don't have one at the moment. Emily could not hire a competent one." Miranda kissed the top of her head. "You were the last assistant to last more than a week."

Andy leant in to plant another kiss on Miranda's lips. "Hmm why doesn't that surprise me? Especially after what I read in that letter."

"It shouldn't surprise you. You were a very competent assistant before you walked away in Paris. Now, I really must go." She checked her watch. "I will see you in one and a half hours, do not be late Andrea."

"Yes Miranda."

"Do not get cheeky Andrea. I will see you soon." Miranda said quietly as she leant in for one final kiss.

~~DWP~~

At 9:15 Miranda had started clock watching. She hoped that Andrea hadn't 'chickened out', she hated that phrase. Now that Andrea had told her how she felt she knew that she couldn't let this go. She WAS going to make it work between them. Andrea would not be allowed to walk away from her again.

It was going to be worth the effort, she would accept this relationship. Hell she wanted this relationship and that meant this time it would be different. She will make sure to be at restaurant on time when she had a date with Andrea, unlike with Stephen, she will romance the girl. She hated that term as well but it was true, she will send Andrea gifts to show that she cared.

She will tell the girls when THEY were ready for the girls to know. They will participate in family activities together, she and the girls would make sure that Andrea was part of their family, of that she was sure.

Perhaps she should pass the idea over the girls first, she still had time. "Caroline?" She called, Cassidy had gone upstairs to her bedroom to do her homework, Caroline was sitting in the den across the hall.

She heard footsteps get closer signalling the arrival of the younger twin. "Yeah mom?"

"Get your sister and come back here, I want to ask you both something." A few moments later the girls were sitting on the couch opposite her chair. "I am tentatively beginning a relationship with someone."

"Okay, does that mean another Stephen?"

"No. This person is someone you've met and it certainly isn't a male. How would you feel about me dating a woman?" Miranda asked quietly.

Cassidy shrugged. "I think it's pretty cool actually."

Caroline agreed. "This way if it's a woman you wont rush off and get married."

"Caroline," Miranda sighed "is that what you believe happened with Stephen?"

"We know that's what happened" Cassidy interjected before Caroline. "You were so worried about us having a father around that you went ahead and married a bonehead that didn't care about us. You didn't ask us how we felt before you started dating Stephen, you definitely didn't ask us how we felt before you got married."

"Do not call Stephen that..." Miranda tried but was cut off by Caroline.

"Why? It's true. All that he cared about was the fact that he was your husband. He never cared about us and he just ignored us half the time."

Unbeknownst to the family chatting in the study, Andy had been let in by the cook who happened to be leaving for the night as she'd raised her hand to knock on the door. She had heard everything that the twins had said. It was after Caroline had said the last piece that she felt the need to speak up.

"Hey Caroline, I'm not like that." The girls and Miranda all turned to see Andy leaning casually against the door frame. "I don't care about your mom's fame or money, just her. As for the two of you, I want to have the chance to get to know you better."

"Andrea." Miranda said in both a warning and a greeting.

"No Miranda, we're going to do this now. They need to know that I'm not here just for you, if this is going to work between you and me then they have to be included." She pushed off from the door frame and knelt in front of the girls. "I care a lot about your mom and I want to care a lot about you. Will you give me the chance to get to know you?"

The twins were impressed. Andy could tell them apart. She was the only one of Miranda's assistants that had ever been able to.

Caroline and Cassidy looked at each other, communicating silently whether to accept this or not. Finally it was Cassidy that gave a slight nod. "Yeah okay. We're kinda sorry we almost got you fired though."

"Only 'kinda'." Andy giggled. "Do you guys know the amount of stress I put up with the day after that stunt? I nearly quit that day and if it weren't for a friend of a friend then I would have been fired anyway so I was going to get in before she,..." she pointed over her shoulder at Miranda "...had a chance to fire me."

"Girls" Miranda chimed in "time for bed."

In other words, the girls translated, she needed to speak to Andy alone.

As they walked out of the study Caroline asked Cassidy "do you really think this time it'll be different?"

"Yeah. Andy's a lot better than Stephen ever was."

~~DWP~~

This conversation between the girls was over heard by Andy and Miranda. Miranda was the first to speak. "Will it be different Andrea?" Andy rose from her position in front of the couch and knelt in front of Miranda.

"I hope. It will take a little while until we get to know each other a little better but once we do I think it will be different. I said it before, Miranda, that if this is going to work between us then they need to be included. I wasn't just saying that for their benefit, I really meant it. I don't expect to have a relationship with you while your daughters sit at home. They're a big part of the package that comes with Miranda Priestly, just like the late nights at the office thing, it's kind of a two for one deal, you can't have one without the other. And oh God I babbling."

"Yes you are but it is endearing." Miranda grinned, an honest to God grin.

"So now they know. You didn't waste any time in telling them." Andy sighed deeply.

"I did not want them to think I did this without their consent, which apparently was a real concern. I didn't know they felt that way." She added wistfully.

"How could you have? Did they ever say anything?"

"No but..."

"No buts. They saw that you were trying to be happy and didn't want to ruin that happiness." Andy tried to explain.

"This is not why I wanted you to come over, I no longer wish to talk about the past, the future is what I need to worry about. Andrea, once we begin this relationship properly you are not to leave me again."

"Understood. I have one condition of my own. You aren't allowed to make any comments about my weight gain since I left. I'm back at my original weight and size and you'll have to take it." Andy said a little defensive, truth was she already felt self-conscious about it just being in Miranda's presence again.

"Done. I didn't really find you fat to begin with but to work in fashion at your size is unheard of."

"Then I think we've settled it. No more leaving on my part and no more weight comments on your part." Andy leant up to seal the deal with a kiss that was readily accepted.

"Andrea" Miranda whispered before leaning in for another kiss. Through the kiss Miranda could feel Andy fidgeting around. "What are you doing?" She asked breathing slightly more laboured than normal.

"My knees are getting sore." Andy laughed. "You try kneeling on the floor while locked in an intense kiss with your hot girlfriend."

"I am, I'm just not kneeling." Miranda said seriously. 'Is it too early to tell her?'

"Tell me what?" Andy asked slightly confused.

"What?" Miranda asked even more confused, surely Andrea couldn't read her mind.

"You said 'is it too early to tell her?', tell me what?"

"That... never mind, it is too early." Miranda said turning slightly away from Andy.

"No, hey, another stipulation. Complete honesty! Tell me." Andrea insisted.

"No Andrea, about this I cannot be honest. It really is too early to tell you this particular thing."

"Okay, but chances are I know what you're going to say anyway. You were going to tell me you love me, right?" Miranda just looked at her with a blank expression. "I'll take that as a yes. I can't honestly say it and mean it yet but I do care for you."

Miranda bent down to kiss Andy again. "That is more than I hoped for."

"Any more talking we need to do?" Miranda gave a slight shake to her head. "Good then I vote we move to the couch, my knees are really starting to hurt." Andy laughed again.

Miranda wordlessly stood and sat on the couch, raising an eyebrow at Andrea she silently beckoned her to join her. Before sitting down though, Andy's lips found Miranda's again. Miranda moaned into the kiss which resulted in Andy moaning in reply.

Deepening the kiss Miranda pushed Andy to lay against the arm of the couch and moved to lay over her. The kiss seemed to last a life time, Andy thought, though she knew it was only a few minutes since they'd moved to the couch. When Andy felt Miranda's tongue poke out to touch her bottom lip she opened her mouth in permission for Miranda to invade her mouth in a most delicious way.

Andy's hands came up to the back of Miranda's head, quite happy wanting nothing more than what was already happening. She certainly was happy just kissing Miranda pretty sure that at any moment she would pass out from the pleasure that kissing the woman of her dreams was causing.

Miranda however wasn't having an easy time controlling herself. Her hands had started wandering and it was getting quite hard not to start ripping Andrea's shirt right from her body. She really wanted to control herself for another few days at least. They, as a couple, weren't quite ready to go that far.

"Oh, Miranda" Andy sighed when the kiss broke.

"Hmm?" Miranda, who had moved to kissing Andy's jaw line, murmured.

"I think I love you. I don't think I need to work my way to the feeling, I am feeling it." Andy babbled, she was way too far gone to make any sense.

"I don't think you me..."

Andy cut her off. "No I think I do and it's not because of what you're doing to me. I think I really have felt this way all along, I just didn't know it."

"I will take your word for it Andrea." Miranda moved back to Andy's lips to give her a quick but passionate kiss. She broke this kiss and lowered her mouth to Andy's ear to whisper "I love you, more than you will ever know."

~~DWP~~

Just under 1 year later.

February 14, 2010

"Miranda, don't tease."

"Andrea, you will remember who is in control or I will stop."

Andrea groaned "okay you win but whatever you do, don't stop."

Miranda quite happily returned to her place between Andy's thighs. Licking Andrea's slit just slow enough to drive her lover crazy. Bringing her tongue up to Andrea's clit she stroked it lovingly. This was her favourite way to drive Andrea wild, to draw her name in long moans from Andrea's lips; it was also the easiest way to bring Andrea to an earth shattering climax.

She had discovered many things about Andrea in the past twelve months, one of the being able to tell when Andrea was past the point of teasing. This was one of those times, no matter how much she wanted to draw this out.

When Andrea screamed out her climax Miranda was thanking any and all deities that the girls were with their father. Once Andrea had reached the point beyond teasing it never took long for her to climax. Stretching out her body, Miranda slinked back up her younger lovers body.

She had said twelve months ago that she wanted the silly little traditions that came with Valentine's Day, and this year Andrea had 'spoiled' her. Sending her a brilliant blue orchid with a purple center and a heartfelt letter, she had a sneaking suspicion that since their Valentine's Days together had started one year ago with a letter then they would continue that silly little tradition. Andrea had also sent her a box of very expensive chocolates that she had shared with the younger woman upon arriving home earlier. She had yet to ask Andrea to move in, though the girl spent nearly every night at the townhouse, but Miranda still considered it THEIR home.

The girls had even started expecting Andy and when she wasn't there they asked after her every time. It had gotten so bad one night that she had just told the girls to call Andrea and stop bothering her with their useless chatter, they had been so shocked by the way their mother had spoken to them that they just walked into the den and sat, they didn't even turn on the television and certainly didn't call Andy. The night after when Andy came over they bailed her up in the den before Miranda knew she was there and told her what had happened.

"Why don't you just move in? It's not like you need your apartment." Cassidy had said.

"Yeah, you spend almost every night here so why bother paying for a place you rarely use." Caroline had added.

Her response had been "it's up to your mom to ask, if and when she decides to ask it will be when she's ready. I wont push her into anything."

And she hadn't. Miranda had yet to ask her and if she didn't soon the girls were going to take action. They had their own little scheme to get their mom to give in. They were going to get Andy in the house permanently.

But what the girls and Andrea didn’t know was that Miranda was planning on it. She had planned a surprise that she was sure would put her out of Andrea’s favour for a few days but it was going to be worth it.

She had instructed Emily to go to Andrea’s apartment and pack up Andrea’s clothes then bring them back to the townhouse and arrange them in her closet. It was to be after dinner that she would reveal the surprise but that wasn’t to be when Andrea had other ideas after dinner.

“Put on your robe Andrea.”

Andy scoffed. “Can’t I at least enjoy the after glow a little longer?” She asked while doing as Miranda had asked.

“I have a surprise that I believe you will both like and not approve of.”

And Andy didn’t approve but she let Miranda know that she wasn’t angry at least. “I think it’s great but I would have liked to be the one to pack. The idea of Emily going through my unmentionables, though they certainly have improved in the last year, actually scares me.”

“That is why she was only allowed to pack up your clothes and not your entire apartment. I know what you keep in your bedside drawer Andrea.”

Andy turned sharply to look at the older woman. “How do you know that?”

“I admit to nothing that will incriminate me.”

Andy poked her playfully in her side. “You were snooping weren’t you Miranda.”

“Possibly.”

“You were, you rat.”

“I was not snooping. I was looking at my cell phone on the side table and the drawer happened to be slightly ajar.”

“You were snooping, admit it. I never leave that drawer open, even slightly.” Andy poked her again.

“No.” Miranda tried to change the topic “I love you Andrea.”

“Nice topic change and I love you too but just so we’re clear, I get to pack up my apartment.”

“Acceptable. We can start this coming weekend.”

“Good. I’m going back to bed, coming?”

“Not yet but I hope to be.” Miranda quipped.

“God I love you Miranda.”

“And I love you Andrea, more than you may ever know.”

~~DWP~~