So the idea for this story came to me quite randomly (as usual :P), and I thought it was a good one. I hope you'll enjoy it cos I know I am enjoying writing it!

Here we go...

Escaping Gravity: Chapter 1

Shane Grey was in his black chauffer driven car. It was pouring with rain – a very typical late spring day in New York City. The streets were a sea of black umbrellas and yellow taxicabs. Right now he was on his way to the company firm where he and his two brothers worked and owned Grey & Grey Enterprises. After their band had given up touring five years earlier, Shane and his brothers had started a business designed to help other young musicians realise their dreams. Their arm was to help them become signed to a record label, either their own label, Connect Records, or another label.

The traffic was crawling along and as his car pulled up to yet another stoplight, Shane tried not to get impatient. He had an appointment with a promising new star scheduled in 15 minutes time. As the car stopped Shane glanced out the window. He was about to turn back to the papers he was going over when something caught his eye. Standing under the eaves of one of the buildings was a well dressed, but rather wet, young woman. She was looking out into the street, as if wondering when would be the best time to cross.

She would have been 21 at the most, Shane thought, looking at her. Well dressed young women were not exactly hard to come by, especially here in Manhattan, but there was something different about this girl. Clutched to her chest was a small white bundle. A baby, Shane realised as the stoplight turned green and the car started to accelerate. He looked back at her. She looked so flustered and there was a hint of something else on her face. Sadness perhaps?

"Stop!" Shane yelled suddenly, making a quick decision. The driver hurriedly stomped on the brake and pulled over, causing a flurry of angry toots from the surrounding cabs.

Shane wound down the window and leant out, calling to the girl. "Here! You need this more than I do," and he thrust an umbrella into her surprised hands.

Before the car sped off he caught a glimpse of a fleeting smile. "Thank you!" she called after the car. Shane smiled as he caught her words, before turning back to his work. Hopefully he would be able to finish reading through the papers before his appointment.

* * *

Mitchie Torres was standing on the side of the road, baby Elle held tightly in her arms. She had declined the offer of a ride to her mom's house from her neighbour, but now she was seriously regretting that decision. She hadn't been far from home before a rainstorm had hit hard. After taking shelter under the eaves, she was now contemplating the best time to step out into the road. If only she could get across the street then she would be able to walk under cover the rest of the way.

Mitchie glanced at her watch quickly, realising that she was already late for work. She stuck her head out again, but there were still too many cars to cross. Besides, she didn't want Elle to get any more wet than she already was. Another chest infection was not what the baby needed.

Suddenly a car stopped in front of her and a suit clad arm stuck out the window. There was a cheery voice and the flash of a grin before the window rolled up and the car was gone. Mitchie found herself with an umbrella in her hand. "Thank you," she called rather breathlessly after the car, putting it up quickly. As she did so she noticed the initials on the handle. SG.

Briefly wondering who the owner of the umbrella was, she quickly shifted Elle to the other arm and crossed the road. It didn't take long before the baby was left safely in mom's warm apartment and she was on her way to work. Mitchie sighed as she hailed a taxi. She would rather not leave Elle with her mom all day, but she didn't really have a choice. Working was the only way that she could afford her own apartment.

The taxi stopped then in front of an apartment building on the Upper East Side and Mitchie got out. She wrung the water out of her skirt and stepped up to the front door. "Morning Miss Torres," the doorman tipped his hat and opened the door for her. He glanced at her wet hair and clothes curiously.

"Morning Patrick. Miserable weather huh?" she said, coming inside and shaking droplets off her.

"Yes'm," Patrick agreed. Mitchie smiled at him before getting into the elevator and pressing the button for the top floor. She surveyed herself in the mirrored walls of the elevator carefully. She looked like something the cat had dragged in. She sighed and tried to smooth her hair down. It didn't help. Boy was Mrs van der Woodsen going to be mad. Not only was she late (and promptness was essential – only the fashionable could afford to be late), but also highest standards of dress were a requirement. She looked at herself again; her cream cashmere cardigan and blue skirt had once looked presentable.

The elevator dinged and Mitchie got out, unlocking the heavy wooden door before her. "Mademoiselle Mitchie!" a small voice cried and she felt a body hurtle itself into her arms.

Mitchie laughed, "Bonjour Peyton. Comment allez vous?"

"Bien, merci."

"Good," Mitchie said, switching back to English. "Where's mommy?"

"Looking for her shoe," Peyton giggled. "She's really mad."

"About me being late or about her shoe?"

"Both," Peyton giggled again and Mitchie looked at him suspiciously.

"Do you know where mommy's shoe is?"

"Yes."

"Show me." Mitchie set the giggling four-year-old down and he ran across the marbled foyer. Mitchie followed him quickly down the hall way and into the living room. This room never ceased to amaze her – it was practically as big as the whole apartment she lived in.

"There," Peyton said, still giggling. He pointed to the corner.

"Where?" Mitchie was confused.

"There!" the little boy grabbed Mitchie's hand and pulled her over to the large aquarium that stood in the corner.

"Ohhh," Mitchie sighed. Now she could see. Inside the aquarium, surrounded by a multitude of tropical fish, was one perfect size 6 Manolo Blahnik shoe. She turned to Peyton. "You need to go tell mommy."

"Okay."

A few seconds later Mrs van der Woodsen was back, the other shoe in her hand. Her face was livid. "Nanny how could you have let him do that?" Do you know how much those shoes cost? They're one of a kind."

She shook her finger in Mitchie's face. "That's coming straight out of your pay."

Mitchie flinched slightly and Peyton started to cry. Mrs van der Woodsen stopped her rant abruptly and looked down. "No, no, don't cry Peyton honey. Mommy's not mad at you." She patted his head and he put his arms up to be carried. She shook her head, "No honey, you'll make mommy's coat dirty." She patted him again as if he were some sort of small dog and frowned at Mitchie again. "See that he behaves." Then she flounced out and there was the sound of receding footsteps and then the front door slamming.

Mitchie picked Peyton up. "Come on. Let's go get some breakfast."

"Crepes?"

"I don't think I can make them honey. How about some toast?"

"But I want crepes," Peyton whined, beating his small hands against her chest.

Mitchie sighed. Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

A similar thought was in Shane Grey's mind that evening. He sat at his desk, phone pressed against his ear. "No Elizabeth," he said for at least the tenth time that day, "I don't care what Riley thinks. If she ever wants to get signed to a label then she's not allowed to – " There was an abrupt click on the other end of the line and then the dial tone. She had hung up – again.

Shane sighed. This had been an eternally long day.

"Mr Grey?" a cheerful voice called. He looked up to see Caitlyn Gellar, the intern who was dating his younger brother, standing at the doorway. She held a cup of coffee in her hands.

"Come in Caitlyn," he said, smiling faintly at her.

"Long day, huh?" she asked, setting the cup down in front of him. "I thought you might be able to use a bit of a pick-me-up."

Shane smiled warmly at her. "Thank you, that's very kind of you." He took a sip of the hot liquid.

Caitlyn sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "You know Mr Grey – "

"Shane, remember." She called him Shane outside of work, so there was no reason why she couldn't call him that at work also.

"Well Shane, I think you need a break. You've been working non-stop these past few months."

Shane nodded in agreement; that was true, he had been working a lot. "Well what do you suggest?"

Caitlyn laughed. "You know you really should let me set you up with a friend of mine. You'd be so perfect for each other. It's just what you need – a bit of relaxing."

Shane groaned. "All your friends are way too young for an old man like me Caitlyn."

Caitlyn laughed again. "Don't be silly. You can't be more than 25."

"26 actually."

"That's not that much of an age difference."

"Yeah, well maybe another time." Shane shook his head. All day he had been thinking about the girl who he had given his umbrella to this morning. He had only seen her for an instant, but her face was frozen in his mind – the way her pale face was framed with dark curls; the way her big eyes had looked at him. They were old eyes he realised. She had been through a lot in her young life. She was unforgettable. But she had a baby, he thought. Heck, she's probably married. Somehow though he doubted it. She couldn't have been more than about 20 or so.

"Shane?" Caitlyn was looking at him strangely. "You okay? You zoned out for a minute there."

Shane looked up quickly. "Oh right. What were you saying sorry?"

"Just that I think the report on the new record label we're looking at will be in by tomorrow morning."

"Oh okay, thank you." Shane waved his hand vaguely. "You can go home now. I've got some things to finish off before I leave."

"Well, don't stay too late." Caitlyn got up and grinned at him. He smiled back. He liked this girl; she was always so cheerful. "And remember, any time you want to take me up on my offer, let me know." She grinned impishly.

Shane laughed, "Sure." He waved her away and he could hear her laughing all the way down the hall.

He worked for another hour and the sun had set before he stood up and stretched. As he got up his stomach grumbled and he frowned slightly. Apart from the coffee that Caitlyn had brought him he didn't remember eating anything all day.

He locked his office and walked down the hall, switching the lights off as he went. Coat on and laptop bag under arm, he was ready to go. He hummed slightly as he took the stairs down, thinking about what he should have for dinner. As he went through the front door, he was so absorbed in some sort of internal conflict over whether he felt more like Indian or Thai that he didn't notice the girl walking along the sidewalk in front of his building until he had crashed into her.

"I'm so sorry," he said quickly, grabbing her arm to steady her.

"No worries, I shouldn't have been standing in the way," the girl murmured with her head down. She bent down to pick up her purse that she had dropped.

When she looked up again Shane had to stop his jaw from dropping.

It was the girl from this morning.

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