UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Title: UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Mirada/Andy
Summary: AU - Miranda is as always Miranda and Andrea is still Andy, but with a few character/career adjustments for the story
Disclaimer: This is especially important as I'm sure I DO NOT own or have rights to The Devil Wears Prada or any of its characters. But they sure are fun to play with!
A/N: This is just something bobbing around in my head. I have the next 4 chapters of Cerulean written but can't get to them right now to post (not at home). So I thought, what the hell. I'll throw this up for now. Hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think
NOT Beta-ed. Just typing as it comes to me.
1
It's been three years since her life turned itself upside down. Her world had been changed without her permission. Her heart had been broken by the one person she least expected to be able to hurt her. In Paris, three years ago today, her now ex-husband had called to inform her he wanted a divorce, she allowed her second assistant to see her weak, see her broken, bewildered and ashamed that her children would again be disappoint by her. But that was not the worst of it. The next day she would step on the only friend and colleague she ever trusted, just to protect her own neck. And because of her actions, for the first time, Andrea did not take her call. She walked away. Walked away from the life and the world Miranda believed she was willing to share with the 'smart, fat girl'.
Miranda rattled the ice in her highball glass then tipped it to her lips, draining the last of the scotch, allowing her mind to bring back the memory. She closed her eyes seeing the image behind the closed lids. The image of Andrea Sachs. No longer the 'smart, fat girl'. No longer her former second assistant, the one that walked away. No, she was the one that shattered her heart. Unknown to both at the time, Andrea Sachs was what Miranda needed in her life all along and only after she left did she know what true heartbreak was.
After the show that day, after Miranda made her way back to her suite she let anger fill her. She let despair override the truth in her soul, she lashed out at the one who hurt her the most. Emily was called. Steps were taken. People were contacted. Andrea Sachs would NEVER work in publishing. Miranda would take away her dream, she would hurt her back.
Miranda snorted into a quiet room, empty except for her self and the shadows of past actions she now regretted. Three years. Three years and Andrea had not come back to her. She had not come begging for her job back, pleading for Miranda to save her. Asking for forgiveness that Miranda would now willingly give. Miranda sat in her leather chair, staring at the picture setting on the corner of her desk. A simple silver frame held the image of dreams. Andrea laughing at someone out of the shot. How her heart ached to be the one and only person to make Andrea laugh like that.
Miranda stood, wobbly, mind made up. It was time to get on with her life without what she could never have. It was time to make changes that she could control. Yes. That's what she would do. She would call her architect in the morning. She would remodel the townhouse.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Andy Sachs" she answered into the phone, not looking at the caller id.
"Andy, it's Audrey."
Andy stopped what she was doing to talk to the famous architect. "Hi Audrey. What can I do for you?"
"I need your help. I have a very, very difficult client who needs some work done. I was hoping I could hire you."
"Sure, give me a minute to look at my schedule, hang on a sec." Andy made her way back to her desk. "Okay, when are we looking at?"
"How's tomorrow?"
"What?!" Andy sat down. She loved working with Audrey. Her life had been turned around with the help of the woman, but really? "Audrey, I don't think I heard you correctly, it sounded like you wanted me to start tomorrow."
"I did. Look I know this is last minute, but the client is someone I know you can handle, actually, you're probably the only one to handle her."
Andy was getting that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, the one she hadn't felt in three years. "Audrey, who exactly is this client?"
The line was silent for a moment. Andy knew without Audrey needing to say it.
"NO." Andy stood and started pacing. How could Audrey ask this of her? She knew saying no to a job offered by Audrey Matlock could terribly damage her growing business, but some times you just had to put your foot down. Consequences be damned. Andy had found that out the hard way.
When Andy tossed her cell phone into the fountain three years ago and walked away from the only person she knew she would ever truly love with all her heart, she knew she was also walking away from the dream of ever becoming a journalist or writer. That was okay. Miranda could never know how she felt. She would never give her the chance to laugh at the 'smart, fat girl', for harboring what she knew the older woman would see as a common crush on ones' boss. Andy would have to change the direction of her life to stay away from the fashionista. Stay below her radar, keep her broken heart to herself.
Unknown to Miranda, Andy wasn't without other opportunities. She wasn't without other talents. Talents that she was sure would surprise and cause the editor to turn her aristocratic nose up at. Andy had worked her way through college as a construction worker. Her father had been a contractor, a good one, and taught her everything she knew. She could build a house from the ground up. So, when she made the decision to throw away her chance to write, her second love, the love to build, became her focus for a new career and direction for her life.
Andy had learned many things from Miranda. Most importantly was who you know. Knowing the right people got you into the right doors. It got you the chances you may not get otherwise. Such was the chance she was granted by Audrey Matlock. She was a well know New York architect. RUNWAY had done a piece on female architects and their contributions to the city. Audrey had designed the Museum of Women and the New York Aquarium. Getting work from her was exactly what Andy needed to get her new contracting business off the ground. After a year of working for her and showing her she had what it took to be a dominant female influence in a male dominated field, Audrey now kept her busy with all kinds of work and referrals. Andy had become Audrey's 'go to' girl for hard to handle clients and special needs jobs for her residential clients.
This, however, was a job Andy could never have seen coming.
"Andy I know this is a lot to ask of you."
"Audrey you know how much I love working with you, but this..."
"Please Andy. You know this woman. You know what she is like. You know how to deal with her. I don't have anyone else capable of doing the work that needs done or the ability to deal with her."
"Audrey, please don't ask this of me."
"I swear Andy, I wouldn't if you weren't my absolute last hope."
"You know she may not even allow me in the door. Let alone work on her beloved townhouse."
"Well, I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it."
The phone line was silent. Andy knew she couldn't say no to Audrey, she owed her. She also knew seeing Miranda would open up a whole lot of old wounds. But the chance to see those beautiful blue eyes and hear her soft icy voice was more than Andy could pass up.
"Alright." she sighed into the phone. "But if I get sent to the hospital because she throws me down the front steps, YOU are paying all of the medical bills."
Audrey heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you Andy. Thank you. I'll meet you tomorrow at the townhouse at 7am."
"Fine. I'll meet you there, and Audrey, you owe me...BIG!" Andy disconnected the phone to the sound of Audrey laughing.
Andy looked at the picture sitting on the edge of her desk. She picked it up and ran her finger gently across the image of Miranda's lips. "Ready or not." she spoke softly, "looks like it's time to pay the devil her due." Andy placed the frame back in it's spot and shook her head. She returned to what she was doing before Audrey called and tried not to think about what tomorrow would hold.