widdy26

Title: Driving Miranda – Chapter 32

Author: Widdy
Disclaimer: I don't own the Devil Wears Prada, or Miranda or Andy, unfortunately someone else does so I'm just borrowing them I will return them after I'm done.
Rating: PG-13

Feedback: Yes feel free to feed me.
Pairings:  Andy/Nate, Miranda/Stephen, Andrea/Miranda eventually.

Summary: While Roy is ill Miranda gets an interesting new driver.

Beta: Amelie (thank you so much for your help!!)

A/N: This chapter contains bad language, and deals with a violent encounter that may include triggers for some readers, and may be upsetting or cause offence to some readers. If this is you then please to not read. Thank you.

Chapter 32

Miranda descended the staircase as soon as she heard the tell tale click of the front door closing. She knew that the woman whom had haunted her thoughts all day stood mere meters away. Miranda could almost see her in her mind, holding open the door for her assistant, ready to drop her off at some random subway station, or did she perhaps take her home? Miranda shook her head slightly to dislodge the image.

As she stepped from the last step Miranda spotted the Book. Within seconds the Book was in her hand, along with her dry-cleaning and Miranda was retracting the steps she had just taken.

The house was quite, apart from the dull thud of her footsteps, several clicks and a gentle hum there was not another sound. It was a sound Miranda usually relished, but not this evening.

She had grown accustom to having the presence of another with her in the townhouse. If it wasn’t her darlings, it was Stephen. He had been drunk during the end of their time together, but he had been company, she hadn’t been alone.

Miranda picked up her glasses and placed then upon her face; she pulled upon the frame and moved them down her nose.

Miranda started to scan the pages of the book. Running her eye critically over each page, in her right hand sat a pen and under that was a pad of Post-it notes. Her pen moved furiously as she picked up on flaws and mistakes with the layout and composition. Next month’s issue still needed a lot of work, she had been forced to have Nigel schedule a reshoot, if the abominable compositions that where in front of her where anything to go Nigel would have to schedule a few more.

After half an hour, yellow pieces of paper with hand written notes stuck out at right angles from the front half of the book.

As she worked Miranda took a sip of the bourbon she had poured herself earlier and she allowed her mind to wander.

Miranda frowned as her mind drifted; inevitably back to the previous evening, and Andrea.

Miranda sighed and closed her eyes. She placed the pen upon the leather covered desk and then gently closed the Book. She just couldn’t concentrate.

Andrea.

Miranda could hardly believe how the younger woman had crawled under her skin.

Andrea, who had run from her. Andrea, whom she had ignored all day. Granted she had only seen her twice, but both times she had found it difficult, she had wished to question her, ask her about her flight. However she did not such thing. She had sat silently. Accepted her aid when offered, nodded when appropriate, and said one word. Her name. A simple acknowledgement all day.

Miranda drew in air slowly into her lungs and shook her head to dislodge the image of the beautiful gentle woman who had ensnared her. She allowed her body to rise from the chair; picking up her glass of bourbon and the dry cleaning as she went.

She couldn’t work anymore tonight.

Her day had been exhausting and what she needed was to sleep. However Miranda knew that it wouldn’t come easily. While exhausted, she was tense.

As she moved from the office and headed towards her bedroom Miranda’s mind slowly slipped back to Andrea. As it did, Miranda thoughts inevitably led her to her new ‘Emily’, Tiffany. The audacity of the girl was astounding. Miranda could not help that a part of her found Tiffany a refreshing change from the usual fear ridden assistants. Emily was one of the few that had stood the test of time. Tiffany, Miranda knew, would probably be another. The blonde had stood, back straight, her face impassive, as she had passed her judgment, and apart from a slight flicker in her eyes and she had said nothing. Miranda, despite her fury, had been impressed, as most shrank back in fear, quivering as her words lashed at their skin like physical blows.

When Nigel had arrived she had started to berate the blonde, for ten minutes straight. The words had just flowed from her with their usual chill. The misuse of company property, fraternisation, she had even threatened to fire her. She didn’t employ her, pay her, to be friends with her chauffer, and she certainly didn’t pay her to run around New York with her. She didn’t pay her to cavort with Nigel either and play dress up with other members of staff.

Nigel too had kept quiet, she had decided not to mention the dress that he had loaned to Andrea after the brunette had so graciously taken her home after Stephen had gotten drunk, but in that moment her mind had flashed back to the previous evening.

Miranda had seen herself reached out and gently running the pad of her thumb against Andrea’s still swollen lip.

She remembered how Andrea had blinked and had sat silently allowing the contact. She recalled the desire in her eyes and nervousness. Her shallow breathing.

Miranda’s mind had rolled and she had felt her chest mirroring the movement that it had begun last night. Her chest moved up and down rapidly as her mind uncontrollably moved backwards. Her memories flashing before her eyes.

In her mind’s eye she had seen Andrea’s face moving closer, she could almost feel the short sharp puffs of air that were escaping the memory of Andrea.

She had seen the shock and anticipation as she had surged the last of the distance that had separated them. She had almost felt the touch of Andrea’s lips.

She imagined that she had felt the tip of Andrea's tongue brush against her lips once more. Felt her mouth open slightly, felt Andrea’s fingers sinking into her hair.

She remembered the taste of Andrea perfectly, she recalled the feel of Andrea’s tongue as it had moved against her own, flicking and massaging. She recalled the desire that pooled in the pit of her stomach, it how she had felt weak as Andrea’s hand had tightened within her hair and pulled her closer. 

A small cough had drawn her mind back into present and Miranda had found herself telling Nigel to scrap the dress he had so graciously loaned to Andrea. She made sure to keep her tone low and to pour in her disappointment. She allowed her anger to dictate her words and she made sure to let Nigel know that if the shoot was ruined, he would pay, severely. She watched as his face had dropped.

 Miranda had seen that look before in Paris, and like that evening Nigel had hid it quickly.

She knew she was being malicious, but her anger had needed an outlet. It had been building steadily all day. First Cassidy’s petulance over her shoes, and Caroline’s desire to remain in New York, and not see her father. Then she had been called into meeting with Irv and the other editor-in-chief’s of Elias Clarke’s publications, she had been forced to try and restrict spending. Cost cutting were two words that had been thrown in her face all day. Then she had discovered the jaunt that Andrea and Tiffany had taken. It had been too much.

Miranda knew that she had over reacted, she had been irrational, and she had been impulsive in regards to Tiffany. She was loathed to admit it, but she knew that jealousy had played apart.

Andrea had run from her, rejected her.

Miranda had an inkling as to why she had fled. Still, it did not take the sting of another rejection from her heart. She couldn’t help the feelings of fury she had felt when she had discovered that Andrea had been all too willing to spend time with her blonde assistant.

She had heard several of the details as she had listened to her assistants argue. She had felt her heart stop and her eyes narrow as Emily had called Tiffany and Andrea love birds. The most informative however, was that Emily was apparently sleeping with the tall Brazilian woman, who worked in the art department. She didn’t think Emily had time for a private life; obviously she wasn’t working the redhead hard enough.

She had no illusions to the nature of the relationship that Andrea shared with Tiffany. It was born of mutual respect and like. She certainly understood why the blonde was drawn to Andrea, and to an extent she understood why Andrea was drawn to Tiffany, they were both similar in ways, and they were both her underlings. Still, even if she knew that they were just friends, she could not stop the feelings of jealousy she felt.

Miranda stepped into her bedroom and stopped. She placed the dry cleaning upon a chair and isolated one from the others. That one Miranda lay upon the bed and slowly unzipped the plastic sheath.

A flash of white and black filled her vision.  

Miranda ran her fingertips over the black and white silk. She could never look at this particular piece by Chanel without thinking of the brunette and what she had done to her.

The dress.

Her dress.

Miranda shook her head. No. Not her dress.

Andrea’s dress.

****

Andy felt fear seize her as she looked into the wild eyes of the man whom had grabbed her. “N...N...Nate? What...?”

Nate’s strong hands had a firm grip on her arms and Andy had swallowed back a cry when she had felt Nate slam her into the wall next to the shutters of a derelict shop.

“Shhhh.” Nate leaned in and Andy fought back tears as Nate’s breath washed over his face. Her heart sank as she smelt the alcohol he had been drinking as it clung to his breath.

“Nate...” cried Andy as she tried to reach Nate though his drunken haze.

Nate shook his head a twisted smile over took his face. “Andy, Andy, Andy.”

“Nate?”

Nate’s eyes were swirling, Andy could see that he was anything but sober. All she wanted to do was to break free and run for the safety of Lily and Kyle’s apartment. “You have been avoiding me Andy.”

“Nate... let me go.” Andy pleaded.

“I love you Andy.” Nate leaned forward; Andy moved her head to the side in disgust as she saw Nate’s mouth move closer to her own.

She heard a growl in Nate’s throat as his lips missed hers and impacted sloppily with her cheek.

“Nate, you shouldn’t be here, the police.” Andy felt a single tear roll down her face.

Andy whimpered as Nate’s fingers dug into her arms. “Why would you do that Andy?” Nate shook his head and his eyes drooped, “I didn’t mean it.”

Andy’s heart pounded within her ribcage, Nate was stronger than her. His grip was solid and she knew she couldn’t escape, she also knew if she said the wrong thing he would lose it, she had seen him lose it. She had been on the receiving end of his anger and his misjudgement.

She had been his punching bag once and while she still loved him, she had no desire to lie on the floor as he punched her again. She didn’t want to relive that heartbreak and pain.

Andy looked at Nate. His face was beautiful, he was everything she had ever wished for, and yet he was everything she had never wanted. He had fallen so far, and she had been dragged down with him. She had run. He had let her run from some feeling momentary guilt. He hadn’t stopped her as she had run from the apartment. He had called out to her, begged her to stop. But he hadn’t run after her.

 “You didn’t let me apologise.” Nate’s voice dropped, it seemed soothing but Andy knew she couldn’t trust that familiar tone, it was a ruse.

“I know you’re sorry Nate...”

“How can you know how sorry I am without listening to me?” Andy felt Nate shake her, his voice rising and she swallowed, hard.

Andy just knew that nothing she said would satisfy Nate, but she had to try to reach him, try to touch the man she had loved, part of him must still exist within this hollow drunken shell that stood before her.

“Nate.”

“Then you sent him around.” Nate’s tone flipped like coin. The soothing guilt shifted and became angry once more.

“I never...” Andy shook her head, she hadn’t sent Kyle, and surely Nate must know that. She would never do that, she didn’t believe in violence.

Nate’s hair brushed her cheek, and Andy could smell stale smoke mixed with stale beer. “You sent that fucking freak around to beat me.”

“I would never...” Andy tried once more to plead with Nate.

“Don’t. Lie. Andy.” Each word was punctuated by a sharp squeeze. Andy knew she would have bruises.

“I’m not.”

“Like you didn’t lie about cheating on me?”

“I never cheated on you Nate.”

“You’re fucking lying...” Andy closed her eyes as she felt one of Nate's hands release her arm, and waited for a blow to come.

“Hey!” An unfamiliar voice called out.

The pressure upon her arm that had released returned and Andy forced her eyes open. She watched as Nate’s head turned and she followed the movement with her own and found her eyes drawn to the site of a man moving closer.

“Hey!” The voice called out again, and Andy had never been so happy to hear the voice of another human being.

Nate growled, “Why don’t you fuck off?”

As the man drew closer and Andy could just make out his face. He was young, no more than nineteen years of age, his skin was dark and in the dim light Andy could just make out the beginnings of a goatee. The rest of his face was obscured by a Red Sox cap which was pulled down low upon his forehead. He was wearing dark jeans which were baggy and hanging at an odd angle from his hips, pristinely white sneakers encased his feet, and Andy could see that he was wearing a red t-shirt through the opening of the oversized fur lined parker he had on. Behind him there where two others, they both appeared to be smaller and younger than him but both were dressed similar.  

“He Lady, you ok?”

Andy looked up into the eyes of the young man who was standing a few feet away from her and Nate. His face was gentle and Andy could see it was filled with concern. Nate’s fingers tightened upon her upper arms. Andy winced. She watched the young man’s face darken as he detected her pain.

“I said, why don’t you fuck off?” Nate repeated.

The young man smiled and took another step forward, “Why don’t you let her go?”

“Look, this isn’t any of your business, so why don’t you just get the hell out of here?”

“Really, this here is my neighbourhood, so I say it’s my business.” the young man dug his hand into the pocket of his parker and pulled out a black cell phone. “Why don’t I call the cops? Then we will see whose business it is.”

Nate’s face twisted in fury. It was the right thing to say.

“This isn’t over Andy.” Andy felt the pressure upon her arms release. Nate took one look at her before he glared at the young man whom had saved her and then suddenly smiled.

“Remember what I just said Andy, this isn’t over.” Andy felt a tremor run through her body as she watched Nate turn and walk away.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah I’m... I’m ok, now.” Andy looked down at her feet; she had dropped her bag at some point.

“You sure?” the young man didn’t sound convinced.

“Yeah, thank you.”

“It’s nothing; you want me to call the cops?”

“No. I’m ok.” Andy tried to make the words believable, and she was sure she failed.

“You sure Lady? That jerk’s...” Andy watched as his face twisted with anger for some reason. She didn’t think the anger was for her.

“I’m ok.”

“Ok, you want me to walk with you, or call you a cab or something?”

“Hey Derex, she said she’s ok. Come on, mom’s...” The young man who Andy now knew was called Derex turned to look at other boys, who she presumed was his younger brothers, and told the slightly taller one to hush up.

Andy forced a smile onto her face. His voice while deep was still straining and dipped in tone every now and again. He was younger than she had initially thought, he couldn’t be older than sixteen, yet still he had stood up to Nate like a man twice his age. “No, thanks for the offer, but I don’t live far. You should get home too.”

“Yeah Derex, mom said...” Derex ignored the boys behind him and looked directly into Andy’s eyes.

“You sure?” Derex looked in the direction Nate had gone and frowned. He looked hesitant to leave her to walk on her own.

 “I’m good. Thank you.”

Eventually Derex nodded reluctantly and said ok, if that how she wanted it. Andy thanked him once again for his help. She didn’t want to think what Nate could have done for her, if the young man hadn’t stepped in. She smiled at Derex’s once more, a small sad smile upturned the corners of his full mouth in return before she turned away from her saviour and made her way towards Lilly’s and Kyle’s apartment.

Chapter 33