Dear readers,

Long time since I wrote to you all. Things are not been easy, but I did not want to leave things behind.

This fic will have one more chapter after this one and will be the end of the fic.

I do not have Beta so all the mistakes are mine, be aware of it and if you do want perfect English, here might not be the better place to be. When you lost the ability to write the way you did once, with easy words and clarity, the darkness almost blinds you as a person.

I do hope you are all well.

Please do take care, help your friends and family, be strong but kind to yourself and more than anything, be careful. This virus is destroying families, ending friendships, changing all our lives as we knew before. It is powerful and it is dangerous. Be aware and respect it.

Take care

x

RDana

Disclaimer:

I do not own DWP and its characters; they belong to Lauren Weisberger and 20th Century Fox. I only own some characters, some of them already had been created and others might be in the near future of this fanfic. This fic is for entertainment and fun and, I do not own any money with the fic...

4. How to control it?

Andrea keeps looking at the doctor, not sure if her brain has been able to keep all the new information. During the last 20 minutes she discovered not only that Miranda was/is fine and that was she the one in danger all the time and one full year of her life simply did not happen.

The memory of what occurred at the townhouse clear and crystalline, like water and it hurts. She looked straight to the doctor and the nurse. She needed to understand what it means to her life and the consequences. The new life that came to her is now full of emptiness.

Miranda, on the other hand, has been outside for a long time. How to deal with all these new feelings, destruction of what she once left behind for an unknown new life. A life with a new Andrea. She simply has no idea how to deal with it so, she decided to call Nigel. A short conversation, no further details only let him aware that his "Six" is now awake.

The next and last call were to her girls that became extremely glad that Andy, as they still insist calling her, was awake. The girls became although very upsetting with the news of the young woman lost one year of her life.

Doctor Francis opened the door, at the other side of the corridor Miranda tried her best not shown the conflicts of her emotions.

"Miranda, could you please follow me to my office before you speak to Andrea."

Every step to the not so far office was heavy. The information was not new, she had been reading about comma, memory loss for over the year. But read about something and the reality of this something are two different things, two different kind of feelings.

She did know she supposed to be listening to every single word, but her brain cannot deal with new information right now. The office suddenly became smaller and her heart is running miles per second, she is nauseous. The Ice Queen persona can do it, she told herself. No emotions, only precise and minimum dialogue. She is Miranda Priestly, she can do anything, always.

The only person able to break this facade is Andrea. Marching back to the room, leaving the doctor's office, she stopped again trying to recompose herself. Andrea was always able to read her at work and she does not want the girl to become nervous with her presence. Not here, not now. Andrea already needs to deal with a lot.

As she tried to open the door, her hands or lightly shaking and she did a heavy breath to try to find a calm she no longer has. As soon as she came to the room, her eyes lay on her former First Assistant, at the hospital bed, so fragile, so lonely.

"Andrea."

Andy had been looking to the window trying to make sense of her life. The nurse a long time gone to check other patients. Maggie said Miranda was going to return after speaking to Doctor Francis so when she hears the door, she did know that the older woman was back.

"Miranda."

The two of them stayed looking at each other for long seconds or short minutes, both dealing with their own feelings. Their time will happen one day, at the right moment, where the tender emotion, always hide in their professionalism, will emerge.

Brown eyes, trying hard to not let the tears out and, blue eyes, already not able to keep them, find each other. Andrea and Miranda suddenly realizing that their time, now, is not the same and worse, the reality of how they could deal with this new reality.

Miranda recompose herself and slowly and in silence, approach the bed. Andrea still crying. One of them, not sure whom, take each other hand and their fingers interlaced. They spent almost two hours like that, hand in hand, none of them with the courage to speak a single word.

Suddenly the door open with violence and Emily, Serena came in, following by Nigel. Flowers in hands, Andy's favourite chocolate, and a book. They did not forget anything.

Miranda quickly stands up and Andrea the heat of her presence. Something that made her safe and a believer of better days is possible.

"Six, I am so glad you finally decided to open your eyes!"

Andy smiled to Nigel but her eyes still trying to catch Miranda expression since Serena, now kissing her cheek, block the older woman.

"Querida, I am so glad to see you again."

Emily, that stands near Miranda, with the chocolates in hand. Miranda nodded to the others. They now realize that came in at the wrong moment. The atmosphere at the room dense.

Nigel decided to be the first to speak.

"Hello Miranda."

"Nigel." (pause) "Emily, Serena."

Andrea tried to move a little at the bed. All the other three people all of sudden looking to her. Miranda is the first one to have a say.

"Andrea, I will go back to the townhouse. The new one. I shall return later."

Nigel, Serena, and Emily looked at each other. Miranda explaining herself is still new to them. All do know the feelings from Andy to Miranda and, a maybe, just maybe, reciprocate from their boss.

Nigel in seconds sits at the bed, explaining all that has been happening. Serena at the other side of the bed, Emily in her lap. The last thing Andy remember, they are not that close…

Townhouse

Miranda arrived at her house, a place she still cannot call home. Roy had taken her from the hospital, stopping quickly at a small flower shop. During traveling, he only said one thing.

"Andy has been missed for so long…"

"Indeed."

The conversation finished like that. Roy, been working to Miranda for over 15 years, knows that she does not like small talk.

"Take the weekend off."

"Thank you."

The woman has feared this day for a long time. She wished she would be able to control her emotions about her younger employee better. Months of therapy did not prepare her for the new reality.

Andrea has been a gift in her life. Someone that could put feelings in her heart that she never had had. Someone that had changed all, without have the permission to do that.

Andrea, the girl, became someone essential to her life as the air she breathes to be alive. Someone with so much energy and warmth that easily melt her heart. Someone that made her want, for the first time in her adult life, be there for her. Be that person that could give all the love that was quietly kept inside her heart and soul.

She could be anywhere with Andrea, anywhere, without a judge, without a doubt. But now, now that they do have a new reality, so different from one year ago, how could she risk everything for something that might not even exist anymore?

During the three years that they have been working together, two years and 4 months after Paris, where Andrea almost left her behind, she was sure of her feelings was reciprocated. But now, how can she, the Ice Queen, be sure of "her Andrea" still do want to be that person that will love her forever and ever.

Miranda realized about the possibility of it only a few weeks before Andrea's accident. The attempt of murder. And with this Miranda had put her hope up. She had started to think about the best friend she ever wanted to have, the one that was going to be her equal, someone that would be going far away following her steps in life, side by side.

Andrea, the one that woke up today, for now, might be different. But Miranda had had the impression that might be somewhere there but… For now, a hot shower and some sleep will do.

As she leaves her things at the hall, not caring where they will be, she threw everything at the floor. She routed to her room, on the second floor at the house. In between her steps, a simple message to Nigel.

"I will not come back tonight. Stay with Andrea. That's all."