She sighed as the blood finally ceased drumming in her ears and the tension in her body bled away. If she had thought she would be here 5 years ago she – well she wouldn't have thought she would end up here. Here being the bathroom she shared with her ex-boss turned partner, who was currently downstairs waiting for her; as she finished her little act of debauchery.

It had seldom crossed her mind to inform Miranda just what her beloved girlfriend did on the frequent trips to the bathroom, and even more seldom were the questions put towards Andy.

She finished dressing her wounds and replaced the lid on the home made first aid kit. It was a twisted box, layer one to cause the harm, layer two to curb the damage. As she put it back in its subtle hiding place beneath the sink, she couldn't help but catch a glimpse of her reflection in the rusting in of the box. It was weird, she looked the same, but everything else felt different inside. The mash up of emotions spewing in her chest were too large to be contained inside, surely there must be a mark beside the ones she made herself, that would hint to the ache she felt. Surely it was tattooed on her forehead.

She left the bathroom, remembering to flush the toilet as she left, in order for those seldom questions to remain seldom.

She smiled as she saw the other woman, donned in silk two piece pajamas, on the setee waiting for her, the show paused at the start screen

"Ok?" she asked

"Yea" Andy smiled and sat down, leaning to wrap herself around the older woman as she finally relaxed. It was the final step of the ritual, it always ended with Miranda- just as it had all started with her.