Title: Avec L'amour, De Paris
Author: Haley
Pairing: Mirandy
Rating: PG- NC17 eventually

Summary: After walking away in Paris, Andrea keeps walking away. She finds a life away from everything she's ever known. Completely vanishing from the lives of those who once knew her...

Disclaimer: If you don't recognize a character... chances are I own them. :p I own NOTHING related to MTV nor the other ceremonies mentioned... I also do not own any of these songs.

A/N: This one is for you Jess! Hope you like it! :-)


Chapter 7:

Miranda was watching her, she could feel it. Andy entered the study and quickly made her way to the back corner resting her hip against the desk and her back on the wall. She breathed evenly and tried to calm the rapid thrumping of her heart. She felt hot and then cold, her brain was still trapped in a fog, her nerves were so chaotic she thought she might be sick. She still didn't know how Miranda was taking this, she tried her hardest not to look at said woman, fearing that she might break down. She felt Miranda's stare and slowly turned to face her avoiding looking at her at all cost.

"Is there something more you wish to say Andrea?" Miranda's voice slithered over her sending a chill down Andy's spine. She detected anger and something else unidentifiable in Miranda's voice and found it in her eyes as well.

Andy stared at her curiously and tilted her head to the side slightly, "What is it you want to know Miranda? Obviously something I said is bothering you or else you would have accepted or rejected what I told you and moved on from there. Ask me and I'll tell you. Otherwise we're going to be here staring at each other until you are sick of me and tell me to leave." she said softly turning her eyes away, unable to watch Miranda any longer.

The room was silent for awhile and she guessed it was because Miranda was debating with herself. Andy stood staring at the floor just a few feet in front of her not really seeing anything at all. She was lost in thought, trying to figure out if she should just go and let Miranda think about things a little longer, when Miranda's bitter filled, low, icy voice broke through her musings, "For three years I've silently wondered what it was that made you walk away... I answered calls from your friends asking where you were. I got an interesting call from your Nathanial asking me how I could steal you away from him only to throw you away. So I am curious, if you left your boyfriend for me, what could possibly cause you to walk away from me without thought or consideration of how that would inconvience me? What about our conversation that night caused this... breakdown you suffered? How could you walk away from your life without a second thought?"

Andy glared at Miranda and watched something flash in the woman's eyes. It was gone too fast before she could identify what it was and she was too livid to try to sort that out, "Don't." she stated firmly turning her body to face Miranda head on, "Do. Not. Tell. Me. I. Did. Not. Think. About. You. I did nothing but think about you for months... years. I fought hard to push you out of my thoughts every second of the day. The day I walked away from you Miranda, my heart broke. I had fallen for you somewhere along the way and I had no fucking clue until I walked away. I cried myself to sleep more nights than I care to admit because of thoughts of you... I couldn't sleep for just as many night because of dreams of you. I went away during fashion week every year because I couldn't bare to be in the same city as you and not be near you. I did everything in my power to move on with my life knowing that I meant nothing to you. Hating myself for something I could not control... I was a mess Miranda. It wasn't until I started singing and working with the kids that I managed to get something resembling a life back together. When I started acting... things fell together... I was finally myself and happy again. My sister was with me, I was doing something I love, I no longer had nagging friends, I no longer had to sleep with my phone attatched to my hand, I no longer had to answer to anyone about the hours I worked, I was free Miranda... free and happy... two things I'd lost here in NY. I had years of happiness, years of dreams, hopes, desires. None of them did I ever imagine actually coming true... and then my path brought me back to New York... and inadvertently back to you."

Andy felt the tears fall from her face to land on her chest and reached up to wipe them away. She wanted to run, get away from this woman, to get away from these conflicted feelings. She hated feeling like this and she knew it would get worse the longer she was in this city, in this house. "I'll go. I would love for the girls to still drop by if it's alright with you." Andy said turning to walk past Miranda.

It happened so fast she wasn't entirely sure what actually had happened. She was walking past Miranda and next thing she knows she's shoved into a wall with Miranda inches away from her, blue eyes flashing, "You do NOT get to walk away from me again, Andrea." she said her voice low and deadly.

"I... alright... I'm sorry Miranda." she said a bit breathlessly.

She felt Miranda release the hold she had placed on her arms successfully unpinning her from the wall. Andy lifted teary eyes up and she stared at the older woman silently begging her to just let her go. Moving slowly Andy pulled herself off the wall and moved to the opposite side of the room needing distance between herself and the older woman. She sighed closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. Her head was starting to hurt and she wasn't sure how much longer she could be in the same room with this woman surrounded by her intoxicating scent without pouncing.

Andy opened her eyes blinking rapidly, "I... I need to go." she said quietly looking at the door on the other side of the room. She looked at Miranda and smiled sadly shaking her head before the other woman could speak, "I still... want you Miranda, no matter how hard I fight it... I will probably always still want you. Do you know what it is like to crave something more than your next breath and to know it will never be yours?" she breathed out.

Miranda was staring at her silently and it was making her want to squirm, "I'm sorry this happened the way it has Miranda. I never meant to hurt you, I never wanted anything but to make you happy. It was all I ever wanted... and... I failed at doing that... I will however do whatever it takes to make that up to you, if it is within reason. I hope that someday we can be friends... and that someday you will forg-" her cell phone starting ringing interrupting her.

Looking at the caller id Andrea connected the call with an apologetic side glance to Miranda, "This had better be important if you know what's good for you." she snapped.

"Nykhol, um... hey it's... well its Jen...she uh...Jen broke her leg. We're trying to make our way to the hospital. She won't listen to anyone, she's irate and seriously pissing the EMTs off. You know how she is about hospitals." Jazz's soft voice came through the phone.

Andrea sighed, "Put her on the phone." she listened to the noise in the background and shook her head, "I swear that woman... Jen....I know sweetheart but you need to let the doctor look at it. If not you won't be performing with me during the next tour. I need you in top condition and that means listening to your doctor."

"Fine... only for you Nykhol. I'll talk to him." Jen said after a few minutes of silence and a defeated sigh.
Andy smiled and chuckled, "You'll thank me for it later Jenny. I'll call you later. Tell the gang we're rescheduling for 9am. Get some rest." she disconnected and looked at Miranda.

She silently watched the woman take her in as if she were seeing her for the first time. Andy moved to cross the room again but stopped at the sound of her voice, "Andrea.." Miranda cleared her throat and stood up straighter, "What you did was indeed unprofessional, yet that was only half of it. I will give thought to what you have shared with me today but I should tell you now that nothing will come of this affection you have developed for me. I will not deny you future camaraderie because that would disappoint my girls who seemed to have yet again taken to you." Miranda stated her voice soft and even, "You should go. The girls are free to join you for dinner tonight if they wish."

Andy stood there watching Miranda for a tense moment noting the anger and disgust in her eyes before she nodded slightly, turned, and walked away. She slipped into the bathroom and splashed water on her overheated face. Her lungs burned, she felt dizzy, and dark spots were forming in her vision. She had known that her love was unrequited but hearing it confirmed from Miranda's mouth caused such an intense pain she thought she would die from it. She heard Angelina's choking gasps and Caroline's worried voice asking if she was ok. She knew she was doing that to her sister and that knowledge gave her the strength she needed. Andy shut down her mind and focused on getting oxygen into her burning lungs. She leaned on the sink and stared at herself in the mirror silently lecturing herself. A few minutes later she walked out of the bathroom and smiled at Caroline and Cassidy happy that she could still have them in her life for a little while.

"Your mother said it's alright for you to come over for dinner if you still want to." She said slipping her sunglasses on the top of her head to hold her hair back before looking over to Angelina, "I want to get over to the hospital to check on Jen. Then I need to get to the gym, as well go over the routine before I have to figure out how to fill Jen's place." she told Angelina.

Andrea felt the air shift and moved across the room away from the area leading back where she'd just come from. Cassidy and Caroline moved to hug their mother when she appeared in the room. Andrea felt her sister touch her shoulder and moved away shooting her a pleading looking with her eyes. Angelina's nod was subtle and Andy felt a small relief. She watched the girls run up the stairs to change and then looked around the room avoiding all eye contact with any part of Miranda's person. She felt Angelina shift next to her and knew her sister could feel her discomfort. The front door opened and then closed.

Andy lifted her eyes and watched as a man with graying brown hair came into the room. The man looked familiar to her and she found herself trying to place him when Cassidy ran down the stairs. "Dad?" she said softly confusion etched on her face.

Andy stiffened slightly and looked the man over again before glancing quickly at Miranda.She watched the older woman smile, really and truly smile at her ex-husband, Jeremy. Tears filled her eyes as she watched them the entire time wishing Miranda would smile at her that way. Forcing her eyes away she quickly grabbed Angelina's hand and squeezed it. Angelina nodded and Andrea pulled her shades down over her eyes and zipped her hoodie up pulling the hood over her head.

"We're going to get going. Cassidy if you'd like to spend some time with your father, feel free to call when you girls are ready and we'll send the car." Angelina said guiding Andy forward. She heard a throat clear and looked up scanning the room behind the safe darkened shades before her eyes rested on Miranda. Andy stared at her from her position near the doorway keeping her face neutral.

Cassidy glanced at her and then smiled, "No Angelina, we'll come with you and Nykhol now. It's not our time with Dad." Cassidy raced up the stairs to get Caroline and Andrea moved to the foyer and waited for the girls. Angelina bit her lip and watched her closely while keeping an eye on the others in the room. When the girls appeared she sighed in relief and pulled out her phone. She hit the speed dial number and pressed it to her ear, "Ready." she stated and ended the call.

"Ms. Priestly it was a pleasure to meet you. I'll have your daughters driven home after dinner. Thank you for your hospitality." Andrea said with a smile that never reached her eyes. She took Cassidy's hand and headed out the door not waiting to hear if Miranda would respond.