What is that? Miranda struggled out of the darkness that held her; concentrating on the gentle beep beep beep… it was a rather rhythmic sound. I think… is that… Suddenly there was movement on the bed and a smack that stopped the beeping, then a warm arm wrapped around her and a sleepy voice mumbled, "Too early to get up."

Miranda melted into the embrace and shivered at the warm breath so close to her ear. "Let me up, Andrea, I must go to work."

"No." Andy began to wake up and held the woman tighter against her. "You don't have to be in until nine."

"Andrea," Miranda couldn't help herself from lowering her voice as their bodies fit together and Andy's breathy voice whispered in her ear, the young woman now fully awake.

"You're mine, Miranda. Runway can't have you…" Nibbling on the ear so close to her lips, Andy growled low in her throat. "Not until I say they can."

Chuckling, Miranda shifted, turning under the arm that held her, to face her young captor. "Is that so?" She smiled. "So, I am to be hostage then…"

"Yes." Andy nodded slowly.

Miranda ran her tongue over her teeth, contemplating the situation she'd found herself in. "Is there nothing I can do, to secure my release?"

"Possibly." Andy began to trace her fingertips lightly around Miranda's face.

"Mmmm…" Miranda smiled at the game and the touch. "Is it money you want?"

Andy scoffed, her fingers hesitating over the pulse point on Miranda's neck, before moving lower. "Money doesn't interest me."

"No money, okay… jewels?" Blue eyes twinkled. "I have diamonds."

"Useless," Andy answered absently as she worked the buttons on Miranda's pajamas and reached inside.

Gasping, Miranda nodded. "It is to be sexual favors then…"

"Now there's an idea." Andy nodded and lowered her hand. She smiled as the smooth skin she found led to a pebble of flesh that just begged to be touched and more. She lowered her head to comply. "Yes, yes, I like that idea very much."

Inhaling deeply as Andrea's tongue and mouth began their assault, Miranda threaded her fingers through sleep mussed dark hair and nodded. "Yes," Her eyes closed at the sensations Andrea was causing within her and she barely managed to whisper, "Oh, God, Yes…"

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Dorothy sat straight up in bed, then groaned and grabbed her head as she fell back down on the pillow. "Oh," she spoke quietly to herself. "How do people ever drink again after they've had their first hangover?" Of course this wasn't a 'real' hangover, just a bit of a headache, but it was bad enough for her to vow, once again, she wouldn't drink more than one alcoholic drink per evening.

She moved very slowly to the bathroom and looked through the cabinet. Sighing in relief, she grabbed the small bottle of aspirin and downed three of them with a Dixie cup full of water. Only then did she glance at the clock. Almost five am. She nodded to herself. Well at least that is right. She normally got up at this time, partially to have some time for herself, partially because it was habit during the school year to be up and ready in case she was called for a substitute job. Her stomach turned, and she thought a cup of tea might settle it a bit. She doubted anyone else in the house would be up at this time, so she didn't bother to change out of her nightgown, but she tried to be quiet as she made her way down the back stairs to the kitchen, so as not to wake anyone.

Dorothy rummaged around in the kitchen for a few moments before she realized there was someone else in the room with her. Turning, she blinked at the new arrival. "Oh, Good morning." She felt rather self-conscious in her night gown.

Miranda's lips twitched, glad she'd taken the time to do her hair, makeup and get dressed properly. "Good morning." She kept her expression blank. "You were looking for something?"

"Oh!" Dorothy exhaled softly. "Teabags?"

"Mmmm…" Miranda chuckled. "Hate the stuff." She let out a resigned sigh. "But, Andrea drinks it from time to time." Crossing the room, Miranda opened a small drawer. "She usually keeps a variety."

"Thank you." Dorothy picked one of the less exotic flavors and closed the drawer.

Miranda opened a cabinet door and pulled a tea cup from the shelf and then moved to the center island food prep area, pointing to a slender faucet set next to the standard one. "This, is hot water, not quite boiling, but very close." She filled the cup with steaming water from the tap. "It's hot enough to serve most purposes other than cooking. It does actually cook thin noodles, if you wait long enough."

Dorothy dunked the teabag into the water and then realized what Miranda had said. "Thin noodles? You mean the Ramen kind? You eat Ramen noodles??"

Blinking at the question, Miranda nodded. "On occasion. Is that so odd?"

"Well… yeah, I would never have thought you'd eat something so…." Dorothy watched the water in her cup begin to turn brown. Miranda supplied some choices.

"Carb loaded? Common?"

"No," Dorothy blushed slightly. "Cheap."

Miranda chuckled. "I have not always had money. I've eaten plenty of 'cheap' meals in my life, and I will eat plenty more."

"I was also… surprised, to find you awake at this hour," Dorothy confessed. "I had assumed that…"

"I was a woman of leisure, waking when the mood strikes?" Miranda nodded at the slight blush again crossing Dorothy's cheeks. She'd found Dorothy's surprise in regards to the ramen noodles amusing, this assumption however caused the burn of anger begin within her. She decided it would be best for her to leave the situation before it escalated. "I'm up because I didn't finish my work last night. I must finish before I go into the office this morning. So, if you will excuse me." There were no more smiles for her guest, and she politely but gruffly left the kitchen. "Enjoy your tea." Miranda walked back to the small sitting area they had all shared the night before and resumed her examination of the Book.

Dorothy vaguely recalled Andy telling them something about Miranda not taking vacations, or time off. Having been here, seeing the woman work so hard, staying up late, getting up early, Dorothy was beginning to understand that Miranda wasn't just a rich woman playing with Andy's affection. She's a hard-working woman just like Andy said. Maybe she actually does care for Andy…

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Andy rolled over, automatically reaching for Miranda, but all her hand encountered was cold sheets. Running her fingers through her hair, Andy glared at the clock. Nearly five thirty. A mighty yawn, a stretch and a grumble about how she liked waking up the first time so much better than this one, Andy was up, heading to the bathroom. A quick shower and an early run would be great, maybe there wouldn't be too many reporters out there at this time of morning.

Decked out in a new running suit and her hair slightly damp, Andy descended the stairs and smiled when she spotted Miranda's white hair over the back of the chair in the sitting area. She watched the head moving as the editor scanned the pages quickly and Andy thought, She always reminds me of some exotic bird when she does that.

Not bothering to quiet her steps, Andy walked down the hall and grinned as Miranda looked up at her. "Good Morning, Boss."

"Oh, so I'm the Boss now?" Miranda chuckled as the brunette leaned down for a quick peck on the lips. Makeup had been applied and as always Andrea was careful not to smudge it. "Good Morning, Andrea." Miranda gestured absently toward the kitchen, as she resumed her perusal of the Book, "Your mother is awake. She's been watching me for the past forty minutes."

Andy now looked past the woman she'd focused on as soon as she'd stepped off the staircase and sighed as she saw the woman in question staring at them. "Okay, I'll distract her." Reaching down, she lightly brushed a lock of white hair out of Miranda's eye. "You ready for breakfast?"

"Yes." Miranda nodded and looked up with almost pleading blue eyes. "And some coffee would be wonderful."

Dark eyes went as wide as they possibly could. "You haven't had any coffee yet this morning??" Andy grinned at the irritation in Miranda's expression and nodded. That would be a no. She winked at the seated woman. "I'll go get it started."

Andy walked into the kitchen quickly. "Good mornin', Ma." She didn't stop to hug the woman though and went directly to the cabinet concealing the coffee grounds. She replaced the old filter in the coffee maker and began scooping the brown gold into the coffee maker's ground holder drawer.

"Aren't you using too much?" Dorothy asked as she watched the process.

Glancing at her mother, Andy continued to scoop the fragrant mixture into the filter. "No." When she determined the correct amount had been added, she locked the filter holder in place and flicked the switch on the machine.

"Don't you have to add water?" Dorothy didn't make coffee often, but she had always had to add water.

"No." Andy gestured to the machine in question. "It's plumbed in, the water is always there."

"Ah…" Dorothy mumbled. "Of course."

Andy narrowed her eyes at the slightly snide mumble and then shook her head, letting her response dissipate before it was spoken. Instead she asked. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Okay," Dorothy slid off the stool she was perched on. "What do you want?"

Laughing, Andy led her mother to a chair at the table. "I want you, to sit right here and talk to me while I make breakfast."

Dorothy began to protest, then sighed and asked. "What are we having?"

"Omelets." Andy wondered, "What do you like in yours?"

"Pretty much anything, I guess." She didn't eat omelets that often. "What are my choices?"

Laughing, Andy crossed to the fridge and opened it wide enough for her mother to see. "Pretty much anything." Andy smiled. "But I'll save you the trouble and just make you my favorite."

"Sounds good already." Dorothy watched as her daughter, her baby, moved gracefully around the kitchen. This wasn't the gawky girl she remembered, this was, she hated to admit, this was a confident, competent woman fixing breakfast for a guest in her home. Suddenly that was what Dorothy felt like, a guest, not a relative, certainly not a mother, how could she be a mother to this…woman? This woman I barely even know. "Andy?" Dorothy asked quietly. "Would you…tell me about yourself? Your life?" Tears sprang to her eyes as a bright smile appeared on the woman-that-was-her-daughter's face.

"I'd be happy to, Ma." Andy tilted her head and bargained, "As long as you tell me about yours."

Dorothy took a deep breath and nodded. "Deal."

Andy smiled and continued preparing breakfast as she spoke. "Okay, where do I start…." The coffee machine dinged to indicate it was finished with its task and Andy held up a finger. "Oh, just a second." She quickly grabbed a mug and poured it three-quarters full, filled the rest with skim milk and took it out of the kitchen.

No longer able to see the sitting area, Dorothy heard murmured voices and waited for Andy's return. It didn't take long.

"So… you know most of the stuff when I was working for Miranda, so I'll start after that. I got the job at The Mirror…." Andy talked on as she prepared the omelets. Dorothy sat at the table, sipping her tea, listening.

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tbc