Chapter Text
Andy hits the button a top the alarm clock the neon red light flashing six thirty as the British lit of Emily’s voice filtered through the phone. The brunette’s slowly waking brain wondering how the women managed to talk so much with out taking a moment to breath. Nate grumbles beside her and rolls over back to sleep the pillow held tightly over his head. The lucky bastard doesn’t have to get up till a much more reasonable eight am. Rolling out of bed Andy makes her way to the little bed in the corner of the room. The curly head of raven black hair peeked out from under light purple covers.
“Spider monkey time to wake up.” Andrea says softly as she shook her little girl up.
A little whine and a stretch of little limbs reach about the bed. Andy smiles widely as big brown eyes blinked owlishly back up at her. The one-year -old lifted her arms in the universal “pick me up” gesture. The brunette smiles and placed the toddler on her hip and made her way to the bathroom. After a quick shower and breakfast Andy drops her munchkin off at the provided daycare at Elise-Clark building. It still surprises her that they have a daycare, however considering the amount of assistant power it took to help run the powerhouse it was probably the least they could do.
Andy fixed her cream colored top and plaid shirt. It wasn't much or very high end but Andy figured it screamed ‘lowly assistant’. She’d been wearing what she had and been fine for the most part ignoring all the snickers and whispers from the clackers. Andy took a deep breath she would be just fine today… well she was fine for most of the morning then there was that dressing down Miranda had given her. She tried to find solace in the only person who was neutral to her. Nigel however wasn’t going to hold her hand and told her some hard truths about working at Runway and for Miranda. Andy knew he was right and thus beginning two hours of intense make over.
At the end of the day she feels great, amazing and sexy. The way she use to feel before Nate and pre-baby. She loves her kid though and still prefers comfy affordable clothing. However, as long as she works at Runway she would give it 100% for herself and her daughter. Time passed and Miranda is her own way give Andy a Miranda style approval. The brunette was on cloud nine her mood passing to her munchkin. Nate was pissed off at her about something or another claiming the job was making her a bad mother. Andy snorted what did he know about parenthood. They only ended up together because Andy had been grieving Mela’s father’s death and Nate was his best friend. One thing leads to another and they'd entered a relationship based on grief. Presently they were barley together in the present.
Time rushes on and her daughter starts eating more solids and Andy mourns the fact that it will be time to wean her little one off breast milk. On the bright side she’s finally been granted the privilege of dropping off the book for the first time. She's diligent as she tries to write down the directions Emily is rattling off. The whole horrid affair that follows she’ll blame on staying so late and worrying about her kid being with out so late at night with her because the daycare closes at 6pm. Roy is so helpful and understanding promising he won’t say a word about Andy's daughter.
He tells her he’ll wait while she drops off the book. She wants to protest that she didn’t want to impose but its late and her kids asleep in the back curled up with her teddy bear and Andy’s coat. The twins get the best of her and honestly she’s still fairly new to this ‘mom’ thing and her kid is years away from mischief making. The morning after catching Miranda fighting with her husband Stephen is hell. As the second assistant she’s up for it more so then ever because she knows everyone betting on her to fail and she be damn if that doesn’t fuel her fire.
Steak check.
Harry Potter script acquired.
Scolding Starbucks …well …scolding.
Miranda makes a noise and Andy fights the urge to pump her fist in the air cliché eighties movie style. Instead she settles on a small and ‘Do you need anything else Miranda’, boy does it fell like victory walking out of that office. Emily is staring at her with barley concealed awe. She could care less, she's found her rhythm and she’ll be damn if she doesn’t step up her game. The people of Runway soon know about the miracle worker second assistant. Nigel's more than ready to field request for Six. The girls unbreakable spirit and kind heart got to him. He likes her, not that he ever tell her so.
A week or so later Emily gets sick and Andy gets temporally promoted to first assistant. She kills it natural and her personal life suffers more for it. Andy doesn’t have time to think on it much she had her kid and a place to rest she content for a while. Then there’s the gala and missing Nate's birthday and missing tucking her baby girl into bed hurts her far more than Nate does.
Flashback
“Nate I’m sorry I tried to get away but I had to be there for Miranda.” She says.
Nate runs his hand to his curly hair frustrated and hurt.
“It’s always about Miranda I thought you were going to quit this job. We talked about it and you finding something else.” He says.
Andy bites her lip her eyes glossy has she hold back tears of frustration.
“How was Mela? Is she wake?” she asks changing the subject.
Nate’s eyes flash and he looks at her fully.
“No she tried to stay up for you but she got tried and I tucked her in. Lily and Doug were overjoyed to see her and joked about how only in ‘New York’ could you get away with having a one and half year old in a bar. You’d know all this if you had been there. Just be quite and try not to wake her up I’m going to bed” he says moving to the bed room.
End Flashback
Andy plops down on the couch feeling horrible as she remembers what Nigel told her back in June at a photo-shoot in Central Park.
“Where your life goes up in flames let me know that means it time for a promotion.”
She snorts humorlessly into the darkness of the living room. Kicking off her black Jimmy Cho’s and laying the dress across the couch she goes to bed in a t-shirt and La Perla black lace panties. A strange combo that the clackers would look down their noses at. Andy can’t bring herself to care as she kisses her little one on the forehead and climbs in bed. ‘Things. she thinks as she falls asleep, can’t get any worse’.