Killer Heels and Prada

Chapter 30

  Nigel was in hysterics. "A GIRL!" he screeched and hugged Miranda. Miranda rolled her eyes and giggled. "Nigel is screeching like a teenage girl in my ear really necessary?" Miranda asked and Nigel laughed. "Darling you know me, I'm already thinking about all of the baby PRADA outfits I can get." Miranda laughed. "I'm sure you are Nigel." Miranda said as the twins bounced into the room. "We came up with a list of names!" Cassidy said and Miranda smirked. "Have you now?" she said raising an eyebrow at her daughters. James came into the living room behind them and he nodded his head. "Yes they have and they have already given me a copy and insisted that you and I go over it immediately." James said and Miranda quirked her eyebrow at the two redheads. "James and I will look through the list however, that does not mean we will pick one of the names you girls find suitable." Miranda said and the twins started to protest but Miranda said "Didn't I give both of you instructions to set the dinner table?" the twins scurried from the room and Miranda chuckled. "Are you sure you want another one of them running around James?" Miranda said with love in her voice and James walked over to her and kissed her forehead. "Most defiantly, especially if they look just like you." James said. "Yeah, because that's all the world needs, another Miranda Priestly running around and scaring the shit out of everybody. Isn't one enough? In fact one might even be too much." Nigel said in a playful whining voice and Miranda glared. "Watch it Nigel or I will have James throw you out of the house before you've had any dinner and you will be forced to eat takeout tonight." Miranda said and walked out of the room just in time to hear Nigel say "We must all do our best to please the Queen during this time in her life otherwise it's off with our heads!" Miranda rolled her eyes and did her best not to laugh at the ridiculous comment.

The following day Miranda was at RUNWAY and James was at his new company hiring his security personnel personally. However Miranda was in a horrible mood. M kept calling her and Miranda refused the call every time. She wasn't ready to talk to her yet, even with the apology M had given before she left. Miranda knew what she wanted to talk to her about and she told Nigel as much when he came up from MEN'S RUNWAY to see if she wanted to have lunch. "She keeps calling, I know what she wants." Miranda said and Nigel looked at her curiously. "As you well know word travels fast and the entire world is now aware I'm having a girl. She wants to talk to me about the baby, I just don't know if I'm ready for that Nigel. Not after what she did." Miranda said and Nigel nodded. After everything Miranda had been through he could understand why Miranda was not the most forgiving person. "The next time she calls don't ignore it, you and I both know she will continue to call. Put her through and tell her you need more time to deal with everything and that you will call her when you are ready and then hang up." Nigel said and Miranda nodded, then she got up from her desk and they headed down to the car to go have lunch.

As they walked to the waiting car reporters yelled questions, asking what some of the possible baby names were. "Rookies." Miranda thought. The only ones who ever actually yelled questions at her were the newbie's, everyone else knew she wouldn't answer. The cameras flashed and Miranda and Nigel held their heads high and ignored them completely. Unaware that two of the photographers were not press, and fully unaware that they had run off to a waiting car around the corner as soon as Miranda's car had driven off.

Downtown Manhattan

"We are positive it's her. It's Miranda Priestly" A man with a heavy Russian accent said. "Good, apprehend her as soon as possible. She is the key to the release of our boss." A feminine Russian voice replied and the call was ended as a car sped off in the direction Miranda's car had headed only moments before.

Miranda and Nigel sat at their table eating peacefully. Miranda frowned down at her lunch and Nigel struggled not to burst out laughing. "Not what you're craving is it?" he asked. Miranda glared at him. "You know the answer to that question." Miranda said quietly and Nigel smirked. "It's a shame that it would almost cause a scandal if you were caught eating a McDonald's Big Mac wouldn't it?" Nigel said and then to further add to Miranda's growling stomach he said "followed by Brownie Fudge ice cream. You know the ice cream does sound wonderful, so cold and rich on the tongue." Nigel looked at Miranda who was glaring at him with such intensity that Nigel's smile was erased from his features. "Nigel Kipling, let us not forget that while you are indeed an Editor and Chief now, I am still the far more powerful one because I have been around longer, one scathing remark about the latest issue of MEN'S RUNWAY from me and you will be replaces, whether or not I originally recommended you for the job." Miranda said and Nigel's eyes widened then he saw the corner of Miranda's mouth just barely tipped up and he relaxed. "Message received your royal bitch; do not comment on food a pregnant woman's cravings especially when she can't have what she is craving. Especially when said pregnant woman is Miranda Priestly." Nigel said seriously, but with a hint of amusement in his voice. Miranda smirked. "yes, well I think that it's time you and I head back Elias Clarke don't you?" Miranda said and Nigel agreed and they paid their bill and headed out, Miranda phoning Roy telling him they were ready to leave.

Miranda's phone began to ring and she looked down to see M's number. Miranda looked over at Nigel who nodded his head. Miranda answered the phone. "What?" Miranda said in her RUNWAY voice. "Miranda, I'm so glad you finally picked up the phone..." M said but Miranda cut her off. "M I already know what you want to say. I however am not ready to talk about this, I'm not ready to forgive you yet, James and I are not ready, not after what you did to keep us apart like that. I will call you when I'm ready to talk, until then please refrain from calling me, that's all" Miranda said. "No Miranda please that's not what I'm...." But it was too late Miranda had hung the phone up and Roy had just pulled up to the curb. Nigel opened the door for Miranda and she slipped inside. Then Nigel went around quickly to the other side and got in.

Miranda noticed an odd scent in the air, whatever it was made her nauseous. The privacy screen was up and Miranda found that unusual. "Roy whatever new cologne it is you are trying out, trash it. I never want to smell this hideous odor again." Miranda ordered as the car sped away from the curb and Miranda and Nigel both realized they were not headed in the direction of RUNWAY. Suddenly the privacy screen lowered and Miranda gasped. Then man driving the car was not Roy. He was a tall stout man with dark hair and a scar on the right side of his face. "Well looks like I picked up and extra passenger not matter." The man said suddenly another man appeared, he resembled the man driving strongly, minus the scar. Miranda realized they must be brothers. The other man raised a gun and pointed it at Nigel and spoke 'If you do anything stupid like try and call for help, I will shoot him, then I won't kill you, you bitch but I will hit you hard enough in your stomach that you lose that precious child you are carrying." He said. Miranda began to silently panic. She nodded her head and the man grinned. "Very good." He said.

Miranda recognized their accent as Russian and wondered what the Russians could possibly want with her. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Simple really, your fiancé is the reason our boss is currently locked up. You are the key to his release, not to mention the fact that our sources have told us that you are also M's niece. I'm surprised she kept you a secret for so long." Nigel reached over and took Miranda's hand when he noticed the tension in her shoulders. The guy hit him on the side of the head with the gun and Nigel slumped over passed out. Miranda wanted to say something, but knew she shouldn't. Instead she got as far away from the man with the gun as she could and wrapped her arms protectively over her stomach. The guy grinned "You know, pregnancy suits you, you are glowing. Your pictures don't do you justice sweetheart. You are gorgeous." He said and Miranda felt a wave of nausea course through her body. The man who was driving said "Now none of that, you know we are not allowed to do anything like that to her unless instructed." The man with the gun looked disappointed but nodded his head in agreement.

Miranda felt herself slightly relax that she at least wouldn't have to worry about that at the moment. Miranda rubbed her stomach gently and thought "it's ok Catherine, I won't let them hurt us, your Daddy won't let them hurt us. James darling hurry, please." And then she realized without meaning to she had decided on a name from the list Caroline and Cassidy had given her. "Yes, Catherine is a perfect name, oh God please let us get out of this safely." Miranda thought and fought to keep herself composed. Her hands still over her swollen stomach protectively, and she glanced over at Nigel praying for him to wake up soon...