Tangled Ribbons 11/?
Title: Tangled Ribbons
Rating: R
Pairing: Miranda/Andy
Summary: A bad day, a tempermental fairy, and Miranda Priestly mean big changes for Andy
A/N: Ugh it's too hot to sleep. So I wrote this instead. I'm excited to read all the comments via my new iphone. Please enjoy
Seeing most of the contents of Miranda’s desk on the floor, Nigel stopped abruptly and in any other situation it would’ve been comical to see the people behind him crash into each other as they tried to deal with the sudden halt in their leader’s momentum.
“What is going on?” both Miranda and Nigel demanded in unison.
Miranda pursed her lips and glared and Nigel easily caved.
“I just got a call from the printers. They never received the final mock up last night. They say we have twelve hours before they get behind schedule.”
“Well what are you doing here then, gawping at me?” Miranda snapped, “Go find the Book!”
Nigel and his entourage fled faster then they arrived. Miranda turned back to Andy, pinching the bridge of her nose in equal parts frustration and relief. “Andrea, will you please tell me what is going on? I don’t have time for you histrionics right now.”
Andrea peeped over the arm of the couch from where she had dived during Nigel’s untimely interruption and stared at Miranda with wide brown eyes, giving her the same adorable look she did when a kitten. She mumbled something into the white leather.
Miranda sighed impatiently, “Well stand up girl. I cannot understand a word you are saying.”
Andy’s wide brown glaze narrowed defiantly and she rose to her feet, hands resting lightly on her hips, refusing to cower anymore.
“Andy!”
The startled gasp and clatter of hangered clothing hitting the ground made both women whirl towards the door.
“Emily!” they said in unison. Miranda was pure ice while Andy was more of an embarrassed shout as she struggled to cover herself.
Emily was so surprised to see her former colleague standing naked in her venerable boss’s office that she broke her golden rule, “What is she doing here?!”
Miranda recovered faster. “Andrea thought that by stripping for me she might get a photo shoot of her own. As if losing a few pounds could vault her onto the high standard pages of Runway,” she said with contempt dripping from her voice.
Andy’s face drained of all color, not out of embarrassment, but anger. Giving up all semblance of modesty she stalked over to Emily, pulling of the slightly rumpled clothes in quick jerky movements. Wincing as she shoved her feet into size seven heels, she turned back to Miranda. With as much sarcasm as possible she said, “You’re right Miranda. I don’t know what I was thinking. Don’t bother blackballing me, you’ll never hear from me again.” She stormed out of the office, oblivious to Emily’s wide-eyed surprise and Miranda’s look of intense hurt.
She was almost to the bank of elevators when a voice called out from behind, “Six! What are you doing back here?” Nigel fell into place beside her and sneezed, “And why do you smell like cats?”
“Hi Nigel,” Andy ground out, mashing the down button, “You might want to check with Thomas in Make-Up about the missing Book. He’s still sore about Miranda’s last chewing out.” She stepped into the elevator, “Bye Nigel,” she gave a wave as the doors closed in his face.
Once out of the skyscraper and out on the street, Andy stormed down the sidewalk, moving fluidly through the New York traffic, not paying attention to where she was going. She only knew that she had to get as far away from Miranda as possible. It was always one step forward and two steps back with that woman.
A block down she made a sharp right onto 5th Ave. and kept powering down the street until the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot made her realize she was at the edge of Central Park. Suddenly a wave of fear hit her. An hour is usually how long she lasted in human form. While this was the first time in over three weeks she had been a human at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the hour deadline was fast approaching. What if she turned back into a kitten in the middle of the city? She could be hit by a taxi or skinned by a druggie wandering the park. The trees bordering the park entrance loomed ominously and the overcast sky adding to the chilling feeling that swept up and down Andy’s spine.
“There’s no need to be afraid dearie,” and kindly voice came from right behind her.
If Andy had still been a cat, all her fur would have been standing on end. As it was, she leapt in the air and spun around, hands clasped to her mouth to stifle a shriek.
It was the old woman from the subway. The same old woman who turned her into a kitten and left her on Miranda’s doorstep.
“You!”
“Yes, me,” the cat lady cheerfully agreed. “Come sit down with me, Honey.” She shuffled over to a bench and sat down, patting the wood next to her invitingly.
Andy found herself automatically moving to comply. She was bursting with questions but couldn’t seem to find her voice.
The elderly woman gave her a once over and nodded in a satisfactory way. “You turned out better than I had hoped. And look!” she chucked happily, “Your time is almost up. I must be getting lazy in my old age. The spell is started to fade already. Or has she confessed her undying love for you yet? That’s the problem with love, it always gets in the way of perfectly good spells. Oh well, true love is the ultimate goal. We fairies can’t help that. I really wasn’t expecting it in this case, the two of you were just both so terribly lonely. I couldn’t help myself. And then you gave me the perfect excuse!”
Andy felt like she was getting the story in puzzle pieces and she was trying her best to fit them together. A light breeze tickled her nose and she sneezed. It was déjà vu struggling to get untangled from the clothes she had been wearing seconds before. Heavily wrinkled hands helped to dig the kitten out.
“I can see how she fell in love you with, you are just too cute for words.” The old woman tapped Andy on the nose with delight. “Now I see no need for you to wander the streets when you have a perfectly good home waiting for you. So I’ll take you back there.”
Andy was surprised to find out that fairies took taxis just like the rest of New York City. She wanted to protest, to say it’s unfair to spring a life of a cat on anyone, no matter how lonely they are. But somehow she couldn’t bring herself to regret the past couple of weeks living with Miranda. Andy realized if she had come to terms with being a kitten just to be closer to the reputable Ice Queen, then she really must be head of heels for her. The callous words came with the whole package.
“Remember, dearie, only two more days,” the old woman deposited Andy on the Priestly’s doorstep.
Andy meowed and scratched on the door with all her might but it was apparent no one was home. Soon her meows died down to rather pitiful bleats and by the time Miranda’s heels came clacking up the concrete steps just after eleven, Andy was too exhausted to move.
Soft hands gently scoped her up and she was vaguely aware of being laid on her usual pillow. Soon after, the bed dipped on the edge of her conscious and Andy snuggled into the new source of warmth before falling into a deeper sleep.