For Love and Runway (3/?)
Title: For Love and Runway
Rating: NC-17
Author: obviously me
Pairing: Miranda/Andrea (they just have to overcome a few obstacles first)
Summary: Things are changing at RUNWAY as Irv is fired and a new CEO steps in. The battle lines are drawn as both Andrea and the new head of Elias Clarke vie for Miranda’s affection.
A/N: This is not beta’d all mistakes are mine
A/N2: Andrea did not leave in Paris.
Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters from The Devil Wears Prada, sadly do not belong to me. If they did I can promise that this would probably be a book, and Miranda and Andrea would have ended up together the first time around. Or for that matter no recognizable characters from Adaptation belong to me.
Part 1: http://merylandrebafan.livejournal.com/28453.html
Part 2: http://merylandrebafan.livejournal.com/29016.html
Ch. 3
Andy entered Miranda’s office with the book in hand and the folder that contained the information on Susan Orlean that she wanted. Miranda reached out her hand and accepted the book from Andy.
“Have a seat Andrea” Miranda said motioning towards the love seat. Andy sat down on one end and Miranda took the other end. “Do you have the information on Susan?” Miranda asked and Andy nodded her head and handed Miranda the folder. “As I have told you, I haven’t found anything extraordinary that you would really be interested in yet. However I’m looking into things because something isn’t adding up right Miranda.” Andy said. Miranda took the folder and looked through it. Her eyebrows rising higher when she got towards the end. When she was through she looked up at Andy and titled her head in question. “As I said some things don’t add up. She was working at the New Yorker, she said to be a very talented writer, and she was in line for a major promotion and then she just up and quit, saying she wanted to move on to something better. When in reality there should have been no better for her. That promotion she was in line for was too major. It’s the equivalent of her taking Irv’s position at Elias Clarke, which , granted is still a publishing agency, but why would she move here?” Andy finished and Miranda nodded her head.
“You’re right Andrea there is indeed something off about that. You said you had sources you were contacting to try and find information?” Miranda asked and Andy nodded her head. “Good then I want you to inform me when you manage to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle, now about the flower incident that occurred today” Miranda said and looked at Andy. “It was nothing Miranda.” Andy said. “Andrea the flowers I am deathly allergic to show up in my office, and you dispose of them quickly and have sinus medication on hand for me to take to get everything under control. Then to further improve my increasingly dark mood you go out and buy me new flowers. However they are not just any flowers they are my favorite flowers. Causing my mood to improve and several incompetent employees to keep their jobs today” Miranda said. Andy smiled. “I just wanted to help.” “So you saw my tattoo and knew they were my favorite flowers.” Miranda said, and almost, appeared to be smiling. “Yes, I saw it on your calf, as I said when you reached for the seating chart. I assumed you air brush over it on the days your legs will be showing, I have not told anyone, and as I said I won’t.”
Miranda inhaled through her nose. “It’s now or never” she thought to herself as she looked into Andy’s eyes.
“Andrea, the reason I brought today’s incident up is because I have noticed that you do all you can and more to please me. You have for awhile, and in Paris you showed true loyalty by trying to warn me and standing by my side through everything. Your devotion has not gone unnoticed by me. I realize that you care for me, no matter how hard it was to believe at first.” Miranda said and smiled, a real smile.
Andy’s knees got weak and she tried desperately to calm her breathing. “Is she saying what I have been praying, hoping she would say for weeks, no months. Don’t deny it Sachs you have wanted her since the day she hired you. Okay enough focus. Is she blushing? God that shad of pink becomes her. Focus. Damn”
Indeed Miranda Priestly was blushing. Everything one Andrea Sachs was thinking was written clearly all over her face and Miranda saw it as plain as the nose on her face. Miranda sat staring into her deep brown eyes, wondering if it was possible to drown in them. Miranda cleared her throat and brought them both back to the present.
“Andrea, I am touched by what you have done for me.” Miranda said Andy stared at her and came to a decision, If it was too much far too soon than to hell with it, she had to kiss Miranda Priestly. Andy leaned forward, closing the distance between herself and Miranda. Miranda began to lean in as well and just as their lips were about to meet Miranda’s cell phone began to ring and they jerked apart as if they had both been burned.
Miranda got up and retrieved her cell phone from off her desk and answered it. “Miranda Priestly”
“Oh Hi Miranda, I hope this isn’t a bad time. It’s Susan.”
Miranda frowned. “No this isn’t a bad time, what do you want?”
“I was just wondering if you got my flowers.”
“Yes, I most defiantly got those horrible things.” Miranda said coldly
“I’m sorry Miranda was there something wrong with the order?”
“Yes, you sent me freesias, what kind of imbecile sends me freesias?” Miranda growled and realized that Andrea was still sitting on the couch.
“What do you mean Miranda, I asked your assistant what your favorite flower was and she told me freesias.” Susan said confused.
“Andrea told you that I liked freesias?” Miranda said bristling. She looked at Andrea again and saw that the girl had gone pale.
“Yes she did.” Susan said
“I am allergic to freesias, I cannot tolerate them.” Miranda growled.
“I apologize for not checking with anyone else Miranda, please let me make it up to you. Do you have any lunch plans tomorrow, it will be a chance for us to get to know one another better, and discuss some of the concerns you have.”
“No I do not have lunch plans that will be fine.”
“Great, Good night Miranda.” Susan said and hung up.
Miranda turned and glared at Andy. “The reason the freesias were sent was because you told her they were my favorites?” Miranda asked looking at Andy who just nodded and hung her head. “Of all the incompetent things that could have been done this is the worst. You told her so knowing that I abhor freesias. That is not the professional way to act Andrea. I thought you were above such things. Apparently I was wrong, you disappoint me. This was beyond childish and I have no idea what you intended to accomplish with this little feat of yours. That’s all” Miranda said her voice dangerously low and final. Andy nodded her head and got up and left Miranda’s townhouse as the tears began to spill down her cheeks.
8:00 a.m. RUNWAY
Andy paced her office. Miranda wasn’t coming in until a little later and she was trying desperately to figure out what she was going to say to Miranda when she got there. “Miranda, I’m deeply sorry about yesterday, but I did it because I care for you, and not in just a professional way. I have fallen in love with you and….No. no. no. no. that’s not right I can’t say that to her.” Andy said still pacing. “Miranda what I did yesterday was unprofessional, and I apologize for that. I did it because I care for you and I can’t bare to see anyone else with you… Oh God I can’t say that I am so fucked.” Andy ran her hands nervously through her hair. In truth all she could do was her job. All she could do was wait until she saw Miranda and got the chance to explain. “I just hope I can actually say it in a way that doesn’t make me sound like an idiot when I get the chance to.”
As it turned out Andy hadn’t had the chance to explain things to Miranda all day. As soon as Miranda walked into the office she immediately threw her coat and bag on Andy’s desk and walked into her office spewing orders. Andy’s head hung, Miranda hadn’t tossed her coat and bag on her desk in weeks. She dutifully hung them up and rushed out to do Miranda’s bidding. “Oh, and Andrea on your way back I expect my Starbucks to be here, and I expect it to be the proper temperature this time.” Miranda said and tossed her latte into the trash. “yes Miranda” Andy said quietly and hurried out of the building to pick up skirts, scarves, three different movies for the twins, Polaroid’s and Miranda’s Starbucks. “
12:00 p.m. RUNWAY
Andy was just stumbling through the office doors when she saw Susan Orlean escorting Miranda out of her inner office. Miranda didn’t even give Andy a glance as she passed her. She just walked on by and Andy began to fume. “For god sakes Andrea, I have to pee, what took you so long? Man the phones.” Emily said and got up and headed for the bathrooms. Andy hung the skirts and scarves on their proper racks. Then she walked into Miranda’s office and put the Polaroid’s and the movies on Miranda’s desk and walked out. She had seen the look on Susan’s face. Susan was defiantly interested in Miranda, more so than Andy had thought, and after her flower incident was figured out Susan really had the upper hand in everything. Andy sat down at her desk as the phone rang “Miranda Priestly”s office “ “Jeez six, you sound awful. I was just calling to see if you had the Polaroid’s from the shoot yet. What happened?” You know what never mind give me ten minutes and I’ll be there.
Ten minutes later Nigel walked into the office and took one look at Andy and turned to Emily. “Emily can you handle the phones? I’ve got some manual labor I need six to help with.” Nigel asked and Emily nodded her head and gave Andy a ‘better you than me’ look. “come on” Nigel said and he led Andy back to his office.
“All right kid spill it, what happened?” Nigel asked and Andy sniffled. “We were discussing some things at the townhouse last night. Nigel we were getting close and then the phone rang and it was Susan and she asked about the flowers so of course Miranda found out and then the warm moment Miranda and I shared was over because she told me what a disappointment I was and then she told me to leave and she had sent me on errands all day, and treated me way worse than she usually does at the office. Then when I got back she was on her way to lunch with Susan and just the way Susan was looking at her. Oh Nigel what chance do I have with Miranda now?” Andy said and began crying in earnest. “Six calm down. Miranda’s gets her guard up easily and you know this. She is oblivious to Susan’s attraction right now so she didn’t even think to ask for an explanation. You can’t give up. I’ve seen the way you look at her. She keeps you in her back pocket. When the time comes you will know what to do and Susan won’t know what hit her. Now go and dry your tears, fix your makeup and get back to work.”Nigel said. “Thanks Nigel.” Andy said and left. She felt better, but she was still worried about what would be happening during lunch with Miranda and Susan.
~*~
Miranda and Susan’s lunch had been eventful. Miranda felt she had many things in common with this woman and enjoyed her company. They had talked about business, and how they got their starts. They had also discussed the future of RUNWAY and Miranda was very pleased with her ideas. On their way back to Elias Clarke in Miranda’s town car Susan said “I know that you are going through a divorce right now Miranda, and I just want you to know that I understand what you are going through.” She said and Miranda turned to look at her. “You see Miranda, I divorced my husband a few years ago because he didn’t understand my passion for my work. We just grew further apart the more successful I became.” Susan said. “May I ask you a question Susan?” Miranda asked. “Of course” Susan said and smiled. “Why did you leave The New Yorker? The promotion they were going to give you is basically the equivalent to what you are doing here.” Susan hesitated for a minute and the said “I left because they didn’t like the change s I wanted to make to help better the magazine. So I decided I would go somewhere where I could put my talent to better use.” Miranda nodded her head in understanding.
Susan noticed that the Elias Clarke building was just around the corner. “I want to thank you for the lovely lunch. I have a meeting to go to with the editor of TEEN SCENE. I hope that we can have dinner some time.” Susan said and scooted closer to Miranda. “You are the most amazing woman I have ever met.” Susan said and leaned in and kissed Miranda gently. Miranda was momentarily stunned but she soon kissed her back allowing Susan’s tongue into her mouth. Miranda sighed, but in the back of her mind she was thinking two different things “thank god the privacy screen is up” and “I care for Susan, but I love Andrea. Oh god this is so wrong” Yet Miranda didn’t allow their lips to part until Roy had gotten out of the car to open the door for them. Miranda patted down her hair and fixed her lipstick quickly. Then she exited the car feeling confused, and guilty, and then more confused that she was feeling guilty…..TBC
REVIEWS?!?!?!?!