A Flawed Fragility: Chapter 17

[theladyholl]

Author: TheLadyHoll
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: Yes, they are mine. I own them. Come to me my pretties and dance, DANCE I SAY. Or, more truthfully, not...

Chapter 17: Reconciliation
Another TRIPLE length chapter because of all the lovely comments I've received. Seems like that's the only thing that works at getting my muse up and at'em! She is a shameless hussy it would appear...Hmm.

Anyway, please review and let me know if I satisfied my angst quota or resolved this for you. Rest assured there will still be plenty more drama with our favourite pair, but from now on most of it plays out with them together.

"No, no, no!" a decidedly British shriek rent the air of the Runway offices as Emily's phone buzzed with a new text from Miranda the same as the day before. "Won't be in. No calls. No email."

The redhead punched in the familiar number on the desk phone, so violently in fact that the second assistant actually rolled backwards slightly in her desk chair. She had only been there ten days, and to be perfectly honest she wasn't sure if she was more afraid the publishing icon herself or her first assistant…

The young girl sighed, audibly relieved as the shrill tones of the redhead signified the call had been answered, meaning she would be spared as the target for the woman's wrath.

"Andrea, really, this is going too far. Whatever you do in the bedroom is your and Miranda's business, and believe me I would like very much not to think about it at all, but when it affects Runway…There's a run-through do over Miranda requested scheduled in twenty minutes, not to mention three international conference calls and lunch with Mr. Ravitz and I have received no instruction as to how to proceed with any of them or how Miranda would like this handled so I need some answers and YOU are going to get them for me…Wait, why are you answering your phone anyway? God, if I answered my phone for anyone except Miranda in bed there would be an extremely aggravated Brazilian on my end, literally on my end."

"Em, what are you talking about?" Andy asked distractedly, not in the mood to pacify Emily's neuroticism as she usually did. "Is Miranda not at work?"

"No! Bollocks, Sachs, would you try to keep up? That was my bloody point in the first place. Wait, isn't she with…"

"Gotta go." Andy said quickly before ending the call and staring down at her phone.

Miranda never missed work. For God's sake, the woman had worked every day up to and on the day she gave birth to the twins. For a moment, Andy considered the possibility that Miranda might be upset about the events of the other night - God knows she herself felt like hammered shit and looked it too; cheeks still damp with tears and throat aching. Then her lips tightened. No, after what had transpired that night, it was patently clear she didn't rate high enough for that to be the case. Miranda hadn't even cancelled her evening when her last marriage had ended, nevertheless a secret relationship of two months. The only thing Miranda would deem important enough to consider missing work was…Oh God, her children.

Andy's mind raced through a thousand horrible possibilities in the second and a half it took for her body to catch up with her mind. Something must have happened with the girls. Andy tried dialing both twin's numbers, but they clicked over immediately to voicemail. Her next call was to Dalton, where a confused secretary had confirmed that yes; both Priestly children were at school today.

Andy breathed a momentary sigh of relief before her heart seized once more; the babies. Fuck, even if Miranda wasn't shattered from the events of the other night she had been so angry and worked up. Andy felt sick as she thought about what that must have done to Miranda's blood pressure, especially after what the doctor had warned them about at the last appointment regarding the risks of preeclampsia and Miranda's tendency towards hypertension.

It took nearly an hour to get back across the city during rush hour, and a $60 dollar cab fare that Andy really couldn't afford if she was truly going it alone from now on. But finally, the taxi pulled up outside the townhouse. Throwing three twenties at the cabbie, Andy threw open the door and pulled out her key, fumbling with the lock for a moment and pressing the wrong buttons on the keypad until it finally, finally clicked open without managing to trigger the alarm.

The house was quiet, the girls were at school, that much Andy knew, but that there were no staff present, no Cara or Carmen in the kitchen or the laundry room twisted Andy's stomach further as she searched the darkened, empty rooms for any sign of life.

The gnawing, twisting feeling in her stomach only grew worse as she made her way to the second floor and the master bedroom. It was locked, but after living at the townhouse for the last few months, Andy had become accustomed to the quirks of the older brownstone, and with a practiced jiggle of the handle and a quick turn to the left, the door to the master suite opened easily.

Huddled in a miserable looking heap in the middle of the bed, was Miranda. Andy blinked once and then again, but she was fairly sure the older woman was curled around her Northwestern hoodie, her face buried in the worn material so that she didn't see Andrea enter. Her cries were muted by the fabric; a low keening punctuated by intermittent dry sobs was all that could be heard.

Not believing her eyes at the scene in front of her, Andy froze, completely and honestly thrown by the depth of Miranda's anguish.

A choked gasp broke through Andy's frazzled mind as Miranda looked up to see Andrea standing where she thought she never would again.

"I'm sorry," Miranda choked out as new tears ran down her face and she lifted herself up on her arms before standing up from the bed. "Andrea, I am so so sorry, I - "

As Miranda took a step towards the distraught brunette, the room chose that moment to spin disconcertingly and she swayed and stumbled, losing her balance before pitching to the floor.

Although she was still reeling from the shock of Miranda claiming fault and apologizing without a prompt or ultimatum, Andy still instinctively moved forward to steady, and then failing that, catch Miranda as she saw her legs tremble and give out. But she wasn't quick enough to save them both from crashing to the floor. Pulling Miranda to her chest, Andy managed to turn mid-fall, landing awkwardly on her back with Miranda on top of her.

"Miranda?" Andy's voice shook as she opened her eyes to see the older woman's eyes squeezed shut as she sobbed into Andrea's chest and gripped her sweater tightly.

Andy started to turn over to place Miranda beside her on the carpet so she could make sure she was alright, but Miranda clung even tighter to her.

Terrified now that something was really wrong and Miranda was seriously hurt, Andy ran her hands lightly over the older woman's shoulders, arms and legs before placing a careful hand on the swell of Miranda's stomach beneath the thin silk of the robe.

The warmth of Andrea's hand could be felt immediately through the thin barrier of fabric, and helpless against herself, Miranda continued to jerk with sobs as she registered the worry in the younger woman's eyes and the way she touched her as though she were porcelain, gently examining her for any injury to herself or the babies.

Andy jumped as Miranda's hand flew out from her side to hold Andrea's where it rested over their children. The familiar sensation calmed her down enough to begin to breathe normally again and she closed her eyes for a moment, in equal parts catching her breath and relishing the feel of Andrea's hands on her once more, something she had accepted would never happen again and had pushed out of her mind, completely, knowing that contemplation of that one simple thing could and likely would push her over the edge.

Without realizing what she was doing, Andy began to move her hand in small circles where it rested over the babies. Relief suffused the older woman's features. Perhaps Andrea might forgive her after all if she was willing to touch her that way. But the bubble of hope in her chest was popped as Andy seemed to realize what she was doing and moved her hand away again as though she were a red hot poker.

"I'm sorry," Andy started to speak.

"No, no. I'm the one who's sorry," Miranda managed to squeak through a raw and swollen from crying throat.

Andy blushed again, looking away nervously, "that's not what I meant…"

"I know, I know, but dammit, I am. Andrea, please, I am so sorry. The despicable things that I said, were said out of anger at myself and my own helplessness in the situation. I know you love these babies, or you did, and I know you loved me and the girls…And I fucked it up. Again, I hurt the people whom I love the most out of my own stupid pride and anger." Miranda could feel herself getting worked up again, and she knew that she sounded like an idiot, fumbling her words and spilling them every which way as she tried to get Andrea to see that she had never wanted her to leave and just how sorry she was.

"And I'm sorry…My God, Andrea, I am so sorry. The thought of you leaving me, leaving our family…I, I" Miranda shook her head as new tears appeared at the mention of Andrea leaving.

"I can't, I can't…You are as much the mother of these twins as I am, and the girls as well. And I was too fucking stupid to look past my own…and you left, and I didn't…the girls, so scared…the babies…hurt, I didn't mean..." Miranda's words were incoherent now as they mixed with her sobs and Andy scooted forward on her knees, gathering the other woman in her arms as she fought uselessly against the sobs that rose in her own throat, realizing - perhaps the for the first time, the depth of Miranda's feelings for her.

"Never, I would never leave you baby…But I felt like I failed you, that I wasn't enough to protect you, and that I wasn't enough for you and the girls. That's what you said, Miranda."

"No, please no, I was wrong. Please, please come back, Andy."

"Shhh, oh baby, of course I will. Of course I will. Shh, don't cry sweetheart, I'm not leaving you. I'm not going anywhere. See? I always come back. Always."

Miranda shifted slightly, turning further into the younger woman's embrace and failing to stop the tears that kept coming as young, strong arms surrounded her and pulled her close so that her pounding head rested against the soothing beat of her heart.

"I'm sorry I failed you again, Miranda. I'm sorry I snapped."

"Believe me, Andrea; I know how I can push people away."

"But I promised you!" Andy's eyes were filling up now as she realized for the first time that she shared equal blame for the last forty-eight hours. "I promised you, ages ago that I wouldn't leave and again, I ran away. I left you, I left the girls. How am I any different than anyone else you've been with?"

"You came back." Miranda grabbed Andrea's hands, tugging them to her so that she would meet her eyes. "You came back. No one, none of them ever cared enough to come back before. And Andrea, you must know that I didn't mean the things I said last night. It's true that I know how to look after myself, but I treasure the fact that you're so watchful. God…I'm being ridiculous. I, I just feel so old and infirm. You're more like my nurse than anything else at the moment, like I'm some sort of doddering, fragile geriatric."

"Miranda, if I was sick and in pain, would you leave me alone and in bed and just send a nurse in? What if the nurse wasn't around and I needed a cold cloth, or my medication?"

"I just feel like an old, foolish woman. Foolish for thinking that I could carry these babies without issue and foolish to think that you would ever want to be tied down like this."

"Miranda, I believe we're both aware of just how much I like to be tied down. There's a growing number of knotted and ripped Hermes scarves in the closet that are a testament to that."

Miranda chuckled at that, wincing when it only increased the pounding in her head and turned her stomach. "It made me sick to my stomach to think you weren't coming back", she whispered, turning from Andrea's gaze again as she admitted her weakness. God, I thought the pain would never end."

"I know, I threw up in the rose bushes outside; and I didn't even think I'd be able to make it that far."

Miranda raised her head to meet Andrea's for a kiss, only to feel the blood rush from her face and the world to shimmer and shift behind her eyes.

Moving away slightly, Miranda closed her eyes, lifting a hand to her forehead lightly as she willed the world to stop spinning and her stomach to settle.

"Miranda, when was the last time you ate?" Andy questioned, her hand still providing a steadying warmth at the small of Miranda's back. She blushed slightly then, realizing she was fussing and patronizing the older woman just as she'd promised not to in their conversation only moments before.

"I," Miranda faltered slightly, "I don't remember."

At least she answered honestly, Andy thought before Miranda's voice broke through her thoughts once again.

"Just before we started to fight I had a salad."

"Jesus Christ, Miranda, that was two days ago. Are you telling me you haven't eaten anything since then?"

Still overwhelmed by Andrea's sudden reappearance, exhausted and utterly hormonal Miranda looked away to hide the tears that threatened to blur her vision. "I couldn't," she admitted honestly as she used the bench at the end of the bed as leverage to push herself up with. Her legs admittedly still felt a little shaky but she noticed how Andrea pulled back and let her stand on her own power instead of rushing to help her up. She wasn't sure how she felt about that despite her prior insistences.

"Yeah right, like you don't need me Priestly…" Andrea tried to lighten the tone, "Now, are we going to call in for lunch?"

"Ah, yes, and remind me, Andrea, on that topic we also need new phones for the house and for the girls."

Andrea quirked an eyebrow upwards before looking over Miranda's shoulder, her eyes finding the sharp indent in the wall and to the plastic pieces and shattered screens on the floor. Rather than finding the humour in the situation as she first had at Miranda's admission, Andy felt her chest tighten painfully as she realized how broken and angry Miranda must have been. God, what a mess she'd made. Looking again at the phones on the carpet, Andy's stomach dropped.

"The girls? What do they think happened?"

Miranda swallowed, trying to focus on what the brunette was saying; something about the girls? But the simple act of standing and speaking after two days of crying jags meant that all her energy was being focused on quelling the rising feeling of nausea and blinking away the vertigo as her body registered the lack of food and proper sleep and swayed violently towards Andrea.

"Whoa! Alright, okay, first things first, let's get some food into you,"

"Andrea, we're not finished."

"No," a cool hand cupped the pale cheek. "We're not, and we never will be. But I will continue to worry and to fuss over you, Miranda, and I'll try to tone it down but I can't promise any more than that. You and Caroline and Cassidy, and the beautiful babies you're growing in this belly are everything to me, so you better get used to me bossing you around."

Miranda sighed, a rueful smile returning some of the light to her tear-swollen face. "Yes, Andrea."

"That's my girl." Before Miranda could say anything else, she felt the soft brush of lips at her forehead as Andy moved into the bathroom to start running hot water for a bath and disappearing downstairs to make lunch.

She returned a few minutes later, a smoothie in hand which she held out for Miranda to take as she settled herself on the edge of the tub.

"Andrea, I don't need you - " Miranda started to speak, her gaze directed downwards, towards the swell of her abdomen that crested the bathwater and on which her fingers traced careful designs. But Andy's sharp intake of breath caught her attention and she reached out instantly, splashing the other woman as her hands left the water to grab Andrea's before she could run.

"No! Let me finish!" Miranda squeezed the hands clasped in her own as she tried to find the right words. "What I meant to say is I don't need you as a caretaker or a nurse or as an assistant, Andrea. I don't need you to run my baths and fetch me things and carry and cater to my every whim." She broke off suddenly, her gaze veiled once again as she abruptly changed the topic, a new thought causing her to shiver despite the warm temperature of the bath.

"Were you going to run, Andrea?"

Pulling her hands from Miranda's, Andy rested her elbows on her knees, leaning her head forward to run her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"No, never mind. I'm not sure I'm ready or willing to hear the answer."

The doorbell sounded from downstairs and Miranda let her head fall back to rest against the indent in the marble of the bathtub once Andrea had left the room, letting out a shaky sigh as she struggled with the difficult emotions swirling around in her mind.

Andy returned, pushing the door open with her foot as she brought in a tray which she set down on the duvet in front of Miranda, who had gotten out of the bath to find that Andrea had set out a clean set of clothes and changed the sheets which she had climbed under gratefully.

Miranda suppressed a small sob as she registered what was on the tray in front of her. While she was finishing in the bath, Andrea must have called out for food, because in front of her sat a hamburger which the young woman had garnished with relish and slices of pineapple; beside that sat a Belgian waffle covered in peanut butter which Andrea had spread in the shape of a smiley face. Blueberries on top had been placed in the shape of a heart. Miranda smiled, not a little sadly. "I love you too, darling."

"I want to be different," Andy pressed on, desperate to show Miranda that she was strong enough not to run or leave again. "I want this time to be different."

"The fact that I am sitting in bed at 10 am on a week day, eating a hamburger covered in pineapple in front of you should tell you, as much as it tells me, that this time is different."

"Such a poet," Andy teased, her eyes sparkling even as she caught the glare Miranda sent her way as she tried to scowl as she chewed.

Her stomach suddenly in knots, Miranda put down the remainder of her sandwich and wiped her mouth daintily with a napkin as she tried to formulate her next sentence.

"You asked about the girls. They know, that you left at least. They don't know why although they rightfully accused me of 'ruining everything like I always do.'

"Miranda, I'm sorry -" Andrea began.

"I know. I know you are , Andrea. But as much as I want, need you in my life, I need to know that it is not going to hurt my daughters. As I said, I don't need a caretaker…I need an equal, a partner, a wife and a mother to my children. For the last two days, I'm ashamed to say that it's as though they lost two parents."

"Miranda, hold on. Are you proposing?" Andy's mind reeled and refused to settle as she contemplated the possibility that the woman in front of her had in fact lost her mind.

"No. Not now, not yet. But if I were to ask, when the divorce is final and the trial is over and I have regained some semblance of a waistline…"

"Yes. I would say yes, Miranda" Andy laughed joyfully, leaning forward to kiss Miranda and wrinkling her nose slightly at the odd taste of Miranda's craving combinations.

Miranda's cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright as she pulled back from the kiss, but her features sobered slightly as she once more reached for Andrea's hand, needing the comfort of her touch.

"I will only ask this once, Andrea; and I want you to give me an honest answer, no matter what you might think my reaction may be…" she held up her free hand, gently ghosting her fingers against the younger woman's lips to keep her from interrupting. "I didn't plan on asking you like this, I'm sure that much is obvious. But I need to know, if you are doing this because you don't want to lose me; because I assure you Andrea, even if you were to say no, I wouldn't send you away. This needs to be a choice you make for you, not for myself or for the girls or the babies or for financial or employment security. You need to decide this is what you want for yourself."

"Hey. Even if we were, or are both doing this because we don't want to lose the other, I think that's a pretty good reason, Miranda. And let's face it; nothing in our relationship so far has been pretty or perfect. But all that doesn't matter, okay? Listen to me; YOU are my perfect, Miranda. You're not perfect, but you are MY perfect. I love you so damn much, Miranda, and I hate that I haven't shown you that, that you still think I would leave you and the girls and I know I've given you reason to doubt that. Hopefully by the time these babies come into the world, I'll have proven myself to you and I'll be worthy of your proposal. Every card I have is on the table right now, Miranda I swear; we can go to a counselor or whatever you want. But I'm in. 100%."

To her credit, Miranda didn't react as Andy had expected her to at the mention of a therapist or some third party intrusion into their private affairs. Instead she simply dipped her head to one side, indicating that she would think about it. As she tilted her head though, a deep yawn caught her by surprise and the adrenaline of the conversation faded to leave her greyed and shattered, her anxiety abated enough for the moment to let her consider trying for the sleep that had evaded her in Andrea's absence.

The brunette looked shyly on, wanting badly to wrap the older woman in her arms, feeling the physical ache of their emptiness as she stayed seated at the edge of the bed, mulling over what they had lost in the days they had been apart.

"By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me." A slightly muffled voice could be heard from the nest of cushions. Andy crawled into bed next to her and almost instantly fell asleep, not knowing that even as she slept, a smile had pasted itself to her face even in unconsciousness.

The slam of the front door woke them hours later as the girls arrived home from school. Seeing Andrea's bag dropped haphazardly on the floor of the hall, the girls ran up to their mother's bedroom, anxious to see if the young woman really had returned.

Andy was sitting on top of the bedcovers, working on her laptop, which she moved from her crossed legs when she saw the two redheads peeking around the door.

"Hi guys," she offered lamely, a wistful smile twisting her lips.

Cassidy looked from the brunette to her mother in the bed and blue eyes filled with tears as she spoke. "Are you back, Andy?"

"Yes, baby, I'm back…"

Cassidy instantly burst into tears and ran at Andy, burying her face in the young woman's stomach as she clung to her for dear life.

Caroline's gaze, which at first had mirrored her sister's, turned cold and Andy bit back a shiver as she was stared down by a miniature Miranda, pursed lips and all.

"Are you really Andy? Or are you just going to leave again?"

"Caroline," Miranda reprimanded her daughter wearily, seeing so much of herself in the small face.

"Caroline…" Andy began, untangling herself from Cassidy's arms.

"No! You promised, Andy! You said you weren't going anywhere. You lied and I hate you! I hate you!" Horrified as she felt herself begin to cry, Caroline turned and ran from the room.

Miranda wasn't feeling well when she woke, the highly charged atmosphere of their earlier emotional conversation having clearly drained her and sapped her of any extra energy. She knew she would have to speak with Caroline later, but for now she let Andrea go after her oldest child. Instead she lifted the covers for Cassidy to cuddle in next to her and held her youngest baby close as Andrea went after Caroline.

Andy pushed open the door to find the small girl face down on top of the bed, shoulders shaking as she tried to muffle her sobs with her pillow. Andy moved closer, but when she reached out to touch the girl's back, Caroline flinched away and Andy cursed herself again for being so cowardly as to leave without thinking the extent her actions would have on the whole household. It was the first time she'd ever felt important and she was realizing that while rewarding and a validation of her worth and her place in the girls' lives, it was a terrifying responsibility.

Caroline sat up, bouncing off the bed in her speed to move away from the brunette sitting on the bedspread until she was backed up against her dresser, staring accusingly at the woman who had hurt her family so badly.

"You said you were going to be the babies' mom. We-we thought you were going to be our mom too. Moms don't leave their kids, Andy. You left! You left us! Y-you didn't even say goodbye and no one told us what was happening and mom kept crying and wouldn't come out of her room, and" the little girl broke off now, deep sobs tearing at her chest until she couldn't catch her breath.

"Oh baby, c'mere." Andy opened her arms to receive the sobbing redhead who plowed into her, small arms tightening around her neck as Andy lifted her and moved back to sit on the bed.

"I'm sorry Car, I screwed up. Your mom and I were fighting and I was so angry, I thought she didn't love me anymore. I'm so sorry baby."

"You can't leave, Andy. You can't ever leave!"

Rubbing soothing circles on the girl's back until her breathing evened out again, Andy pressed her lips to the soft curls at the crown of her head and continued rocking back and forth, crooning nonsense words of comfort as she felt the small shoulders shake with sobs.

"I'm not goin' anywhere, munchkin. I can't," she tipped the small, sad face up to meet her gaze. And you wanna know why?"

At the small nod against her shoulder she continued. "Because you three have my heart; and now I know that I'm always going to come back to you. You and Cass and your mom, and the new babies are everything. When I thought I wouldn't see you again it was like I forgot how to live. But I promise you what I promised your mama, and that's that no matter what happens, no matter who yells or who leaves, because it's okay and it's normal for adults to fight sometimes, no matter what I will always come back to you baby girl."

"You can't listen to mom, Andy, she doesn't mean it when she tells you to get out."

"Yeah, she meant it with daddy and with Stephen, but you're different." Another small, high voice sounded from the doorway and Andy looked up to see Cassidy rubbing her eyes, still hiccupping slightly from her earlier tears.

Andy made to move from the single bed, but Caroline's legs locked around her even tighter so that she clung to Andy like a koala. At that moment it didn't matter that she was almost eleven years old, Andy rocked her baby in her arms until she felt safe enough to unfist the handfuls of Andy's shirt she held tightly in her fists. "I'm so sorry sweetheart. Oh honey, it's okay. Mama's got you." Cassidy climbed up beside Andy and curled into her free side, snuggling in under her arm as the brunette moved to press her lips to the second head that now rested against her chest.

"I want to be your mom more than anything, guys, I swear, and I am so sorry I left without saying goodbye. But I want you to know the first thing I did when I heard your mom wasn't at work was call your school and make sure you guys were okay."

"Y-you did?" Caroline finally lifted her face from Andy's shoulder, sniffling slightly.

"Yes! My God, I was so scared something had happened to you, and then to your mom once I knew you two were safe, I rushed right over here."

"So why did you leave, Andy?"

Looking down at the small, sad faces Andy's heart broke a little further as she took in all the damage she and Miranda's fighting had caused so that the two little girls had suffered. They asked such a simple question, but one for which she had no straight or simple answer.

"A lot of reasons, Caro, none of them good enough to give you an answer though."

"Was it mom? Did she make you go away?"

"No," Andy insisted firmly, making sure they both met her eyes. "I'm not going to tell you guys what we fought about, because that's adult stuff between your mother and I and we both said things we didn't mean. But it was my decision to leave, no matter what your mother said, okay?"

"D'you still love her?"

"Of course. I never stopped, even when I was so angry, I never stopped for a single second." Shifting Caroline to one hip awkwardly, Andy held out her hand for Cassidy to take.

"What do you say we all go back to your mom and have a movie night?" Andy offered, wanting her family close and knowing Miranda would feel the same. "Maybe she'll even let us have popcorn in bed."

The tearstained face brightened slightly as Cassidy took her hand and Andy felt a nod from the dampness of her shoulder.

Caroline reluctantly let go of Andy and slid down so she was standing by herself again, but neither girl let go of the young woman's hand as they walked back to the master bedroom.

Miranda was resting with closed eyes that opened once the trio came back into the room.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"Yes Bobbsey, I'm just very tired."

"D'you want us to go?"

"No, I want my babies with me, all of them."

"What about me?" Andy smiled sheepishly, still standing in the doorway.

"Always."

The girls looked at each other for a long moment, not saying anything. Andy turned to Miranda for an explanation of what was happening and Miranda patted her hand as she turned back to her daughters. "Darlings, what is it?"

"We don't ever want Andy to leave again, so we thought of a solution."

"We think you should get married so you don't forget again."

"Forget what, darling?"

"That you love each other. You should get married so you never forget!"

Both women started to laugh helplessly. "Lady, these are definitely your kids," Andy wiped her eyes, resting her head on Miranda's shoulder as she caught her breath.

Miranda was still chuckling wryly as she eyed the pair in front of her, both of whom looked highly affronted at the older women's reaction to their plan.

"What's so funny?"

"Yeah, you said you loved each other."

"And Andy said she was never going to go away again, so why are you laughing?"

"Right now isn't the right time, with the trial and the babies coming and everything that's happening with the press and Stephen," Andy took control of the conversation. "But after everything has calmed down and everyone is here and healthy, you can be sure I'm going to ask your mama to marry me."

"What if she wants to ask you?" Cassidy piped up.

"Mmm, she kind of already has," Andy tilted her head to one side, looking utterly charmed as she smiled down at the woman in question.

"What?"

"Really?"

Now it was Miranda's turn to speak as she too dried her eyes, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the young woman with whom she was so determined to spend the rest of her life.

"Really girls, have you ever known me to stall or question my decisions?"

Curling up again, in a nest or 'fort' as the girls dubbed the dubiously constructed pile of pillows, the family of four settled in to watch 'The Parent Trap'. Both older women smiled sadly to themselves as they realized the girls choice of movie included two red-headed twins helping their parents to realize they loved each other. Halfway through the movie though, Andy felt the body lying against her grow very still before pushing the covers off of her legs and torso.

"Miranda?" Andy murmured, her lips still pressed against the skin of Miranda's shoulder she had been kissing as they'd watched the movie. "What's the matter?" She reached a hand over to smooth over her belly, concerned but not panicking as she watched the older woman's expression.

"You're not in labour are you?" Caroline asked in a dubious tone as Cassidy eyed the swell as though a scene from 'Alien' was about to play out.

"No," Miranda reassured her oldest as Andy snorted with laughter. "But I think your siblings are very happy to have your mama home," Miranda rubbed her hand over the lower curve of her belly and reached out for the girls' hands.

Now Miranda moved her other hand and brought Andy's to rest against a different spot on her belly. A moment later Andrea felt a tiny ripple beneath her fingertips and she realized she was feeling the babies' first real movements and kicks.

"Oh my God," she breathed. "Is that?"

Miranda nodded, smiling widely. "The first time," she confirmed before turning to her daughters. "Can you feel them Bobbseys?"

Both girls nodded, giggling, and both women were relieved to see the fear from before had faded away.

"Wow, they're strong!" Cassidy stared down at Miranda's belly as though she expected the outline of a foot to appear.

"That they are, and hopefully they'll grow much much stronger before it's time to meet them."

"Does it hurt?"

"It can later on. Right now it simply feels like a gentle nudge or flutter, but once they're bigger it can be very uncomfortable. I know your father was convinced you two were destined to be football champions or quartersides, or whatever they're called." Miranda waved a dismissive hand as she recalled the long-ago conversation, turning a sharp eye on Andrea as she guffawed at the editor's bungled sports reference.

"I love you guys so much. I can't believe I almost missed this." Andy's eyes welled up once more at the thought of what she had almost missed out on because of a stupid fight. Miranda reached out to run her fingers through brown locks, scratching the woman's scalp lightly as the brunette rested her head on Miranda's stomach, turning to press her lips to the swell, leading Miranda's thoughts to revolve around how much she had missed the feel of Andrea's hands and lips on her body. It was a constant craving.

"But you didn't, and we're here and we're fine," Miranda murmured, letting her own head fall back against the pillows she had propped up behind her as Andrea's lips travelled upwards, ghosting over her torso up onto her neck once the girls' attention had been diverted once more by the movie.

In case you've forgotten because of the MASSIVE size of this chapter, here is your reminder to drop me a line & tell me what you thought! xo - TLH