Disclaimer: These characters belong to Lauren Weisberger and 20th Century Fox.  No infringement is intended or profit made from this work. I'm just borrowing them for a bit and I promise to put them back when I'm finished. Whether or not they'll ever be the same again is anybody's guess.

Chapter 13

A nurse woke Andy promptly at 6:00 am to take her vitals and check the surgical incision. Miranda and Doug stepped out of the room while she did. Miranda took the opportunity to organize another Starbucks run for everyone and Doug headed to the lobby for copies of the morning papers. When the nurse finally emerged from Andy’s room, Miranda went back in and pulled a chair up to her bedside.

“How are you feeling this morning?”

“Like I got run over by a truck. They’re bringing in a… a… what did she call it? A PCA pump. It will inject pain medication into my IV line and I can get an additional shot if I need it. I hope she hurries, this hurts a lot.”

“Do I need to call your physician?”

“No, just let them do their jobs. I can take it for a little while.” Andy fidgeted a little and then looked Miranda squarely in the eye. “I don’t really remember much of last night, but what bits and pieces I can recall make me think…did I behave like a…what did I say? Please tell me I didn’t embarrass you and humiliate myself.”

Miranda once again took Andréa’s hand in hers. “You neither embarrassed me nor humiliated yourself. You simply bypassed the emotional roadblocks typically found in the kind of discussion you and I planned to have and moved directly to the heart of the matter.”

Andy’s heart beat faster and her breath caught in her throat. “And how, exactly, did I do that?” she whispered.

“Like this…” Miranda’s lips brushed over hers so gently she wasn’t sure they had even touched, but a moment later their wonderful softness returned in a warm kiss Andy never wanted to end.

When she and Miranda finally broke apart she gazed back into the sparkling blue eyes next to her and murmured, “Then I wasn’t dreaming?”

“No, you weren’t dreaming,” was the soft reply.

“No regrets? No concerns?”

“No regrets. Many concerns. This will not be easy for either of us. But I truly believe it will be worth the effort.”

“The girls will need to…”

“The girls and I spoke last night before I came here. I have been informed that should you and I embark on a romantic relationship they would be ‘like totally cool’ with it. In fact, they think you need to move into our house when you’re discharged from the hospital so that we can look after you properly. I happen to agree with them.”

Andy’s grin was incandescent. “They’d be ‘totally cool’ with us together?”

“Yes. It would seem that I’m different when you’re around and our meals are much more fun. There were quiet comments about doing homework and spending time together and being like a real family. You are, apparently, the catalyst that will form this cohesive family unit.”

“That will last until the first time I have to be the bad guy and force them to do their homework or something else they don’t want to do. Then I’m certain I won’t be any kind of catalyst at all. But, are you really sure, Miranda? You really want to try to make a go of it…the four of us? Like a real family?”

“As I said, I don’t believe it will be easy, but I do believe it will be worth the effort.”

“Well, look at it this way; I come complete with Doug and Lily. Instant honorary aunt and uncle. That should count for something.”

Doug walked back into the room in time to hear the last comment. “I’m an uncle? When did that happen?”

“You just inherited twin ten-year-old nieces.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ve already been invited to some of their games this spring. Does this mean I get to cruise the sidelines and pick up all the single dads? And do I have bragging rights at the office?”

“Oh dear God…I don’t…” Whatever Andy had planned on saying was lost as one of Hughes’ men stepped inside the room with their Starbucks orders and asked if he should let the Richard Sachs into the room. Andy nearly choked on her coffee and informed him that her parents were to be admitted at any hour.

Andy’s mother flew to her bedside and hugged her hard, which caused Andy to gasp in pain and Miranda to stiffen in outrage at the thoughtlessness. Doug greeted Mr. Sachs warmly and after Andy had kissed her father, she introduced them to Miranda. They greeted her stiffly and Andy immediately gave up any hope that this would be an easy time.

Her father finally broke the awkward silence. “Your daughter, Ms. Priestly. Is she all right?”

“Caroline is still somewhat shaken but physically unharmed. It could have been…well, unthinkable. Fortunately, she had an insane lacrosse coach who took on a speeding van with an aluminum softball bat and saved her.” Miranda took Andy’s hand and squeezed it gently.

“Don’t forget about the $150,000 German battering ram and one slightly crazed St. Bernard,” added Andy, “It was a group effort.”

“Yes, but only you got hurt,” sniped Andy’s mother.

“That’s not true, Mom. The whole side of Roy’s face was turning purple from where he hit the door. If he hadn’t driven broadside into that van Caroline could be dead right now instead of asleep.”

“Yes, but you were shot. That monster could have killed you!”

“But he didn’t. Instead, we saved a ten-year-old from being kidnapped, or killed or, or…worse. Isn’t that what grownups are supposed to do? Protect kids? I know you’re worried about me, Mom, but just give it a rest. I’ll be fine.”

Doug realized that things could deteriorate into ugly very quickly and took action. Andy was in far better shape to deal with her overwrought and frightened mother’s anger than an exhausted Miranda was. “Miranda? Why don’t you and I go have breakfast with the girls? I promised them a complete update on Andy’s condition and you know they’ll want to grill both of us. It’s 6:45; will they be up yet?”

Realizing what Douglas was attempting, Miranda gratefully went along. “No, they won’t wake on their own much before 7:30. You’re right about them wanting a full report. Shall we go wake them?” Turning to Andy, she air kissed both of her cheeks and straightening back up said, “I’ll bring the girls by this afternoon. I’m not sure they will be able to restrain themselves much past lunchtime, so expect us around then. Can I bring you anything?”

Andy got a wicked gleam in her eye and a smartass grin on her face. “Lunch from Carnegie John’s. You know what I like.”

“Carnegie John’s?” Miranda’s eyes narrowed in apparent displeasure, but the twinkle in them belied her look.

“Yep. Roy knows where to find him.”

“Very well. We’ll see you around lunch time.” Doug leaned down and planted a kiss on Andy then walked to the closet and pulled out the garment bags. He and Miranda then bade Andy and her parents goodbye and walked out of the room. The security team split with two agents remaining to guard Andy and the rest escorting Miranda and Doug to the townhouse.

The drive home wasn’t long and their SUVs pulled to the curb as the first light of the day was breaking over the city. The press was still gathered across the street from Miranda’s home and the police were keeping them fairly well contained. Doug had just stepped out of the SUV and turned back to offer Miranda his hand when a series of loud pops sounded from across the street and screams broke out from the reporters gathered there.

“Gun! He’s got a gun!”

Without thinking, Doug dove back into the SUV pinning Miranda beneath him. “Stay down!” he rasped loudly. A minute later one of the security agents stuck his head into the back seat and told them it was safe to exit the vehicle.

Doug slid off Miranda and, apologizing profusely, helped her out of the vehicle. “I’m so sorry, Miranda. Did I hurt you?”

“Aside from being slightly rumpled I’m just fine, thank you, Douglas. Tell me, dear, do you always leap to protect the women around you or just the older women? Last night you took pepper spray for me and this morning you protect me from…whatever that was.”

Doug blushed to the roots of his hair. “I’d like to think I’d do it for any woman, but it’s a whole lot more natural with women I like. You know, we’ve got to be careful or people will talk.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Miranda laughed and swatted his arm. Turning to the agents she asked what happened.

“Looks like an unstable individual wanted suicide by cop. Unfortunately for him, the NYPD is well trained and they took him down rather than shoot him. His gun was a loaded with blanks. This wasn’t related to the kidnapping. He’s just a disturbed, sad person who was looking to end his life. There was no threat to your daughters here, ma’am. However, I want to get you inside the house. If you’ll come with me?”

Both Miranda and Doug turned around to see what was happening across the street. The uniformed officers were hauling a handcuffed man to his feet as he screamed and thrashed around. The media was in a frenzy shooting the events and screaming questions to anyone within earshot. At the urging of their guards, they hustled up the steps and into the house.

A moment later, they were hanging their coats in the hall closet and Miranda gestured him to follow her upstairs. They paused at the door to her bedroom as they heard young voices from within.

“Evidently they were more worried about Andréa than I thought,” she whispered, opening the door and stepping into the room.

“Mom!” chorused the twins, still in her bed but obviously awake and talking to Cara.

“Good morning, darlings. I brought you a surprise.”

“Andy! Is it Andy? Is she okay?” cried the girls.

“Nope, it’s not Andy…will I do?” asked Doug as he stuck his head around the door and walked toward them.

“Doug!” Both girls leapt up and threw themselves on him. With a muffled ‘oomph’ he collapsed on the bed under their onslaught but was holding his own in the resultant tickle fight until Patricia joined in and began vigorously licking his left cheek and ear.

“Uncle! Uncle! I give up!” Giggling, the girls rolled free of him and Patricia settled back down with Miranda’s firm hand on her collar.

“So how’s Andy? Did you talk with her? Is she okay? When’s she coming home? Is she going to stay with us until she’s better?”

“Girls, Douglas and I have been up all night. Why don’t we all go take showers and get dressed and we can talk all about Andréa over breakfast? How does that sound?”

Caroline was suspicious. “You’re not trying to hide anything from us? You’ll tell us everything about Andy?”

“I promise, Squirt. Andy would have my head if we didn’t. The first thing she said when they got her back in bed after the surgery was ‘How’s Caroline?’”

“But that means we’ll have to wait until you go all the way home and come back again before we learn anything! That will be, like hours! We can’t wait that long!”

“No it won’t. You mom graciously offered me one of your guest rooms until Andy’s released from the hospital so I won’t have to go way downtown to the Village and back all the time. So I’m getting cleaned up right here just like you guys.”

Caroline finally seemed satisfied. Rising to her knees, she shuffled across the bed to behind Doug and wrapped her arms around his neck. Instinct took over and he quickly grabbed her legs and stood, hauling a delighted Caroline piggyback.

“Wrap your legs around me and hang on, Squirt!” he grinned as he grabbed Cassidy and plopped her bare feet on his shoes. Hugging her against his front he lock-stepped them out of Miranda’s room and down the hall to their rooms; a smiling Cara and secretly thrilled Miranda trailing behind with Patricia. The sound of the twins’ laughter was like music wafting through the house.

At their doors, Doug noodged Cassidy forward and helped Caroline slip back to the floor. Looking sternly at them both he said, “All right, troops. Synchronize your watches. I make it 0728 hours. We rendezvous in the mess hall at 0758 hours precisely for debriefing. Any questions? No? Then, dismissed!” He saluted them snappily and the girls dashed into their rooms to shower and dress.

“You’re very good with them, Douglas. They like you a great deal.”

“Well, I like them too. They’re great kids, Miranda. I’m gonna like this ‘uncle’ thing a lot. So, where’s my bunk, general?”

Laughing, Miranda showed him to a guest room at the far end of the hall then excused herself to clean up too.

* * * * *

When she walked into the kitchen at 7:55, Miranda was treated to the sight of a freshly showered and shaved Doug and the twins setting the table, much to the amusement of Cara, the agents, their cook and housekeeper. Doug kept deliberately moving flatware and plates around and when the girls caught him at it he claimed that setting the table was ‘women’s work’ and that no man ever knew how to do it right. Their outraged complaints only served to make the household staff, Cara and security agents in the room laugh harder. Miranda breathed an internal sigh of relief that Caroline and Cassidy seemed so relaxed.

Just as they sat down to Mrs. Wegmann’s special french toast (usually served only on weekends) Emily arrived and, to her surprise, an extra place was quickly set for her. Once everyone’s plates were full, Doug and Miranda began to relate their evening at the hospital. They wowed the twins with the ‘Battle of the Admitting Desk’, although it was never clear if it was Doug getting pepper-sprayed or Miranda cold-cocking the security guard with her handbag that made the biggest impression on them. They did their best to recount the meeting with the surgeons in as much detail as possible, with the adults explaining all they knew of the anatomy involved.

However, it wasn’t until they told about actually talking with Andy that the girls visibly relaxed. Both of the girls repeatedly interrupted with, ‘You’re sure she’s okay?’ and didn’t seem to tire of reassurances that she was, indeed, fine. Miranda’s promise of lunch at the hospital with Andy perked them up and when they discovered that they would be stopping at a street vendor for the food their eyes popped.

“For real? We get to eat real, live street cart food? Sweet! That is so cool!” Mrs. Wegmann just shook her head in dismay as everyone else in the room chuckled. When everyone had finished, Doug and the girls headed for the media room to watch some TV while Miranda and Emily moved into the office and began to work through the overnight news accounts of the kidnapping. An ecstatic phone call from Leslie around a quarter to nine confirmed that the coverage was unbelievably favorable and that they could use every bit of it.

The print media was overwhelmingly positive, led by the banner headline on Page Six of “MELTDOWN!”  The sub-header read ‘She’s NOT made of ice after all!’ and ‘Miranda Priestly embracing her daughters after yesterday’s foiled kidnapping attempt. It’s wonderful to see that she’s not the world’s only living heart donor and that her children DO mean the world to her.’ Underneath was a quarter-page photo from the park of Miranda on her knees hugging the girls tightly in her arms. The other newspapers showed shots of her smiling at Roy and gently touching his obviously injured face while he grinned back at her and another of the girls and her sitting on the bench with her arms around their shoulders.

Each of the shots showed a human and vulnerable side of Miranda that no one in the press corps could ever remember seeing. So they ran with it. As far and fast as they could. Miranda was being portrayed as a loving and worried mother and not a dragon lady. Reports were coming out on the news blogs about how she spent the night at the hospital with her daughter’s rescuer and that she had dealt bravely with the shooting incident outside her townhouse earlier. The cable news channels were running sound bites from all over the fashion world alongside the breathless coverage from reporters who had been on the scene earlier when the shots were fired. One still photo in particular was getting huge play on every station and blog. It showed the police dragging the shooter off in cuffs while Miranda gazed at the scene with a pitying look on her face. Leslie was over the moon with the coverage. After they hung up from the call, Miranda strolled down the hall to check on the girls.

Doug and the twins were channel surfing for something good to watch and Caroline was splitting her attention between the TV and her laptop. Suddenly she gasped and elbowed Doug in the side.

“Whoa! You guys; look at this!” But Doug and Cassidy sat frozen, staring at the TV. Miranda walked into the room as the cordless phone in her hand rang shrilly. It was Leslie again, only this time screaming.

“Miranda, WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?”