The Devil Wears Prada: Science of Fashion Part 29
Title: Science of Fashion (29/?)
Author: vicar_dibley
Fandom: The Devil Wears Prada
Pairing: Andy/Miranda AU
Rating: NC 17
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from The Devil Wears Prada
Author's note: English isn't my first language, this hasn't been beta'd so forgive me. The mistakes (language wise and otherwise) are all mine. This is my first DWP fan fiction. Hope you like it:) Comments are welcome!
Summary: It’s an alternative universe, Andy is about 35 and Miranda is 50. In my story Andy is not cheery.
Science of Fashion
29
The week until the girls´ and Andrea´s return to New York seemed to drag on longer and longer after a very productive Monday. Only Jennifer´s visit Tuesday evening to go over the papers Jack had left for her brought a sliver of hope to an otherwise stressful and annoying week. Ms Prescott as it turned out specialized in this kind of crimes and business delinquency in general. Their meeting left Miranda with a positive outlook to overcome the crisis. Jennifer had agreed that they should monitor Carlyle´s activities carefully and gather as much information as possible before they handed it over to the authorities. Jack was more than happy to help in this regard and Jennifer would get in touch with her contacts at the FBI to find out more about the whole affair.
Thursday brought the pinnacle of unfortunate events. Irv Ravitz had called a meeting of the board to discuss Miranda´s firing of Nigel Kipling and the constant expenditure of her budget for Runway. She was kept away from her office for the better part of the day. Although, it had been a good opportunity to observe Jefferson Carlyle in action she was exhausted after another round with the vile little Irv Ravitz. Runway was the flagship of Elias-Clarke, it kept the other magazines afloat. She knew her worth to the company but it was tiresome nonetheless to remind them of the fact every so often, when she had better things to do. Publishing a magazine for example.
Miranda walked towards her office when she heard the animated chatter of familiar voices. Discarding the thought as a trick played by her need to see her children and her lover again, the editor stopped dead in her tracks when she rounded the last corner to find her twins and Andrea in lively discussion with Emily. Telling the redhead about their many adventures and wonderful time with their newly found family. Miranda stood there and observed her loved ones, their happy faces brought a sudden rush of warmth to her heart. The feeling was so overwhelming it nearly brought her to her knees. She felt a happiness bubble up in her chest which was so strong it made her eyes watery. When a single tear of joy at the sight escaped she hurriedly brushed it away right before Andrea turned around and their eyes met, acknowledging their mutual feelings with a slight nod and a smile.
Andy bent down and whispered something into the twins´ ears which caused them to turn around and with a gleeful shriek they rushed at their mother and nearly toppled her over with their exuberant hugs and kisses. Miranda hugged the girls tightly to her body, happy to have them back in her arms again. She kissed the tops of their heads and glanced at her lover, who watched the scene with a soft smile on her face. Andy knew without a doubt that it had been the right choice to cut their holidays a few days short and return to New York. She had promised the girls that they would return as soon as possible and her nonna had understood perfectly her need to be at Miranda´s side right now.
The twins blissfully unaware of their mother´s need to take her lover in her arms started to chatter animately about their time with Andy. The adults kept their eyes locked at each other, longing to feel each other´s arms again when Emily´s surprise took a pity on them.
“Come you rug rats”, Bridget announced next to Emily, “let´s get some milkshakes and tell Emily what you two have been up to.”
Only now did Miranda see that Andrea and her girls weren´t the only ones who got here earlier than expected.
“Hello, Bridget”, Miranda greeted her, chancing a glance at the happy face of her first assistant.
“Miranda”, the tall woman warmly replied. “We take them downstairs for their shakes. Give us a call when you want them to drive home.” With the twins in tow the two redheads left the office.
Standing insecurely rooted to her spot, a feeling Miranda hadn´t experienced for decades, she shyly greeted her lover.
“Hello.”
“Hi”, Andy smirked before she took the remaining steps to pull the older woman into her arms. Miranda flung her arms around the brunette´s neck and held on for dear life. Andy´s arms were pressed tightly against Miranda´s back, her face was buried in the older woman´s glorious silver hair, inhaling her unique scent and basking in the softness and warmth of her body. The editor hid her face in the crook of Andy´s shoulder nuzzling the soft skin of her neck. Finally drawing back her head Andy brushed Miranda´s stubborn lock from her face before she leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. Soon the kiss became deeper, more passionate before Miranda remembered where they were and ended it rather breathlessly.
“Why are you here”, the editor asked happily, “not that I mean to complain, mind you. I didn´t expect you until Friday.”
“Oh well”, Andy kept holding on to her lover, refusing to let go just yet, “the girls and I thought you might need us here.”
“How did you know?”
“We could hear it in your voice”, the brunette tried to explain the unexplainable, putting her warm palm against Miranda´s cheek, “you sounded odd. It´s nothing I can put my finger on, it was simply there in the sound of your voice, although you tried to hide it.”
Closing her eyes at the gentle touch Miranda didn´t know how she could have ever deserved someone as wonderful as Andrea. Before she felt her demeanour shutter completely she carefully extracted herself from Andrea´s arms and took her lover´s hand to lead her into her office where they took a seat next to each other on the couch.
Here they couldn´t be spied on from the outer office and Miranda leaned against Andrea´s body with the brunette´s arm securely around her shoulder.
“So tell me”, Andy encouraged her, “what is going on.”
Miranda sighed because she didn´t want to bore her lover with her business troubles but Andrea wouldn´t have asked if she didn´t want to know. And hadn´t she sent her lawyer because she cared for Miranda´s well-being in every way? The editor sat back up and told Andrea everything that has happened since her return, she even told her about her right-hand man´s dismissal. Leaving nothing out.
Andy listened attentively wondering what had brought Nigel´s firing, she couldn´t help but ask Miranda exactly that.
“He betrayed me in the most hurtful way a friend could. Nigel was my oldest friend and I trusted him implicitly but after what happened in Paris the trust was gone. He didn´t realize what had been at stake. I had big plans for him to reward him for the years of loyal friendship but he decided to let his need for revenge get the better of him.”
Understanding dawned on Andy´s face, as she remembered the brief encounters with the former art director.
“I am sorry, Miranda.” The brunette offered, knowing that despite the older woman´s cool explanations it had hurt her more deeply than she was ready to admit.
“So am I”, Miranda agreed softly, still feeling the sting of what Nigel had done.
“May I ask why you choose that specific place for him?”
“Ah”, the editor smirked, “a few years ago I met a delightful young man who had organised one of our events. He was from Hazelhurst, Mississippi. I believe his name was Emmett, he had style and warmth and he was one of those flamboyant gay men the world needs. But with him gone and the women´s magazine there in need of someone with an eye for colour and style I thought Nigel would be perfect.”
“Not to mention that he is going to be buried there for the rest of his life, at least as far as the publishing business is concerned”, Andy added sarcastically.
“Yes, well, and that”, the silver haired woman admitted.
While Miranda filled Andy in on what was going on with Jefferson Carlyle, Emily, Bridget and the girls were having fun at the cafeteria each with their shake in front of them and telling Emily about their adventures with Andy. Although, Emily did her best to be an attentive listener she still reeled from the shock of Bridget´s presence. She hadn´t expected the other woman to return with Andy. Hadn´t she said it would take at least another month to wrap everything up in London before she could come abroad to work here in New York? But now she was here, did it mean she was here for good? Emily really hoped so because she had clearly missed the other woman, she wanted to know where their relationship would be going if anywhere. She was ready to give it a try, Bridget was everything she had ever hoped for. The question was if the other woman felt the same, surely they could find out now. When her phone buzzed with a message from Miranda, telling her that Andy was ready to take the girls home they gathered their empty mugs and left to return to the office.
With the girls and the other two adults gone, work was concentrated on again in Miranda´s office. Serena and the editor were wrapping up a few details of the cover for the new issue while people from other departments were fidgeting nervously in Emily´s office for a run-through Miranda had ordered after Andy had left. The redhead smiled at the nervous glances and hushed voices of her colleagues. When would they ever learn to dot there “i”s and cross their “t”s before they presented Miranda another outrageous idea? Probably never but she had to admit Miranda liked to keep her employees on their toes if only for the sake to make them try harder and give their best for the success of the magazine. Emily was by no means a stupid woman, Miranda hadn´t confided in her about what was going on behind the scenes but she knew it had to be something big and serious. The editor had been tense and on the edge ever since their return from Britain. The visit from the lawyer the other day was another evidence that something was bothering her boss a great deal. Emily suspected that was the real reason for Andy´s early return, she was worried as well. Maybe tonight when she delivered the Book there would be time to offer Miranda her assistance in this matter. Being groomed as her successor meant she should take some of the responsibilities from her boss´s shoulder, shouldn´t it?
Roy delivered Caroline and Cassidy to the townhouse where his mother was already waiting to take care of them. Then he drove Andy and Bridget to the brunette´s apartment before she returned to Elias-Clark again. There wasn´t much to take care of for the two women because their was no laundry only to put their clean clothes back into the closet and Bridget to make herself at home in Andy´s guest room for the time being. Their respective plans for the evening were already laid out. Andy would pack a few things in a small bag before she headed to the townhouse to spent the night at Miranda´s while Bridget would cook dinner at her apartment for Emily. Before she left Andy wished her cousin luck hoping they would take the next step in their relationship.
Miranda couldn´t wait to get home that evening to spend it with her three favourite girls. Maria had prepared a delicious meal and the dinner was wonderfully relaxed and soothing after the stress and worries of the last few days. They tried their best but soon after dinner jet lag caught up with the girls and Miranda tucked them in before she retired to her own bedroom. For once she didn´t wait for the Book. Andrea was waiting for her in their bedroom, the Book could wait and so could Emily even though Miranda knew the redhead wanted to talk to her about the business dealing that were going on. It would have to wait another day. Tonight though she would reacquaint herself with her lover. She had been starving for the brunette´s touch, her smell, her taste.
The white haired beauty closed the door behind her and smiled when she saw Andrea lounging on top of the sheets watching every move she made. Miranda carefully and slowly got rid of her clothes and undergarments before she sank unto the bed into her lover´s waiting arms. They kissed and caressed lovingly and gentle, reacquainting and mapping each other´s body again. Miranda loved it that Andrea took her time, lavishing her with so much tenderness and love. Their lovemaking lasted until the early hours of the morning, exhausted they fell asleep entangled in each other´s arms, back where they belonged. For once in her life Miranda Priestly would be late for work, not caring one bit just for once.
Emily was sitting at her desk as early as ever with a dreamy smile on her face, when Roy informed her that they would be late this morning. Good for them, was the only thing she could think of, remembering her own wonderful evening with a certain redhead. Dinner the other night had been great, when she had arrived at Andy´s place Bridget had welcomed her with a long stemmed red rose and a shy kiss to her cheek. The journalist had served a delicious meal with a tasty glass of wine. Conversation flowed easily between them with an underlying tension, due to their mutual attraction. After dessert they had sat on the couch talking and laughing, their bodies seeking each other´s nearness and before she knew it they had been kissing. Emily still couldn´t believe how aggressive she had been. What had started tentatively and carefully soon had turned passionate. She had been the one setting the pace, she had pushed Bridget back into the cushions lying on top of her and kissing her when the journalist had stopped her with a hand on her chest. Emily could see the fear in those eyes, but also the need and desire. Emily understood that Bridget needed more time, she needed to feel safe and secure in Emily´s love before she could go any further. Right in that moment Emily had promised that they would take it a bit slower, they would build the trust before anything more physical would happen between them. It earned her another toe curling kiss from her lady before they said their goodnight. Yes, life was indeed very good again. It was even better when a beautiful bouquet of flowers arrived for her. The women of this clan certainly knew how to charm a woman.
When Miranda arrived at the office later that day the flowers on Emily´s desk were the first thing she detected besides her assistant´s dreamy smile. Another victim of the Sachs´ clans charms, the editor smiled secretly. Andrea had been more than charming this morning, her body still tingled pleasantly after all the wonderful things her lover had done to her. It was as if Andrea couldn´t get enough of her and if she was completely honest she couldn´t get enough of the other woman either. Never in her life had it been this way with a lover. She craved the brunette´s nearness, her touch, her kisses, everything about her. Maybe it was because she was truly head over heels in love with Andrea, maybe love did make a difference. Too bad business had to be taken care of right now, with a sigh Miranda proceeded into her office where she settled behind her desk to plunge into today´s agenda.
As the weeks went by and Miranda had let Emily in on what was going on concerning Runway and the whole of Elias-Clarke evidence was gathered meticulously by Jack and Jennifer to build their case with the FBI. It was only a question of time until the FBI was convinced that they had a solid case to get him and the people in the background convicted. It was in the late days of September when Andrea was already lecturing at University again and the girls were back in school that everything happened so fast that even Miranda was surprised by the events. Irv Ravitz had called for another board meeting to get them to agree to put the editor back in line for going against his orders of keeping the budget low. The whole meeting seemed to be endless and pointless, at least from Miranda´s point of view. Bad enough that she constantly had to keep two steps ahead of this little weasel she had to sit in the same room as Jefferson Carlyle. She could barely keep her contempt for this man from her face. Just as Irv was launching into another round of accusations against her the door to the board room flew open and five men in suits followed by a statuesque blonde woman entered the room. The men identified themselves as FBI agents asking Carlyle to stand up for he was under arrest for fraud, money laundering and organised crime.
“Lady and gentlemen”, the woman took over from the agents, “my name is Elizabeth Donnelly, I am from the DA´s office and I have a warrant for Mr Carlyle and I am asking you to leave all the papers on the desk where they are. Unfortunately Elias-Clarke is under our scrutiny as well because it seems that Mr Carlyle used your company for his fraudulent transactions. I ask you to wait outside until the FBI is ready to take your statements.”
“You can´t be serious”, Miranda felt her hackles rise. “I have a magazine to run and a deadline to fulfil.”
“I am sorry Mrs Priestly”, Donnelly acknowledged Miranda with a slight nod, “this must be very inconvenient for you. But I am sure the agents wouldn´t mind if you returned to your office where they can interview you later.”
“All right”, the editor huffed, she detected a certain mirth in the DA´s eyes, wondering what it was all about. With a last look at the vile man she turned on her heels and stormed out of the room, leaving an amused DA behind. Her beloved was right, Elizabeth thought with a grin, that woman was truly one of a kind.
TBC