A/N: Okay, time to put Toshiro's plan into action! This oughta be interesting to write…Wow, this might just be the shortest author's note I've ever written. Except now it's not, 'cause I just keeping mumbling on and on and on….see? I did it again! Eh, I need to learn to shut up…Oh, by the way, I asked my mom and my computer's name is Jeremy, not Josh!

Stalkers, Love, and Air Hockey

Chapter 4

Momo had to keep up the break-up façade for a week. During that time Toshiro pulled some strings and got in contact with the necessary people. In fact the Hinamori family were gathered in the living room watching TV when a commercial came on advertising it. Momo gulped; now was the time to put on her best acting skills.

"That Hitsugaya boy is so disgusting! Trying to sell himself off to a strange woman…I bet that competition will be rigged for him to get the girl with the biggest set of b-!" Dave snarled at the TV. He didn't get to finish his perverted sentence because Lily clamped a hand over his mouth. Etsuko looked at Momo and cocked her head, obviously wondering what they were talking about. Momo shook her head at her innocent sister, reminding her to be quiet.

"I agree dear. Only a desperate person would enter that, and even then she'd probably only do it for the money." Lily removed her hand and glared at the screen. Momo's lip quivered with anger and disbelief.

'How can they say that about Shiro-chan?' Momo thought, suddenly feeling sad.

"Um, mom, dad?" Momo cleared her voice and tried to speak louder, but found her voice wouldn't budge an octave. Lily and Dave turned to stare at their daughter, almost fearing what she would say.

"I-I would really like to enter that competition." Momo's voice squeaked, and her parents were silent for a full minute. They suddenly burst out laughing.

"Oh, that's a good one dear!" Lily laughed, pretending to wipe a tear from her eye.

"No, I really want to!" Momo protested, annoyed at the laughter.

"Really want to what?" Dave asked, chortling and slapping his knee.

"I want to enter that competition." Momo covered her ears as her parents came to a realization and burst out into a loud roar.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! THAT DIRTBAG ISN'T COMING WTHING A HUNDRED FEET OF YOU!" Lily shouted, putting her hands on her hips. Dave was a little more concerned with the subject rather then the prize.

"AIR HOCKEY? I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THIS BULL. I DON'T WANT MY DAUGHTER WASTING AWAY HER TIME PLAYING THAT GOD FORSAKEN SPORT WHEN SHE COULD BE STUDYING TO GET INTO COLLEGE!" A dribble of spit appeared in the corner of his mouth, and Etsuko actually got up and ran upstairs out of fright. Lily turned to argue with Dave about getting his priorities straight, because clearly Momo wanted to go crawling back to that toad was more important then her sudden urge to play a dangerous sport.

The parents fought back and forth, their voices rising to the point where the house's foundation shook. Momo stared at her parents, and she felt her shoulders shaking with fear, anger, and determination.

"JUST SHUT UP!" Momo screamed over the roar of her parents. They both yelped in surprise; Momo never was one to act that way.

"I will NOT sit here and listen to you talking about Shiro-chan like that! Nor will I let YOU stop me from playing the sport I LOVE! I am going to play in that tournament, and I DON"T care whether you approve or not!" Momo put emphasis on a few select words, and stood up. With a twang of guilt Momo saw how hurt and shocked her parents were.

'I have to do this….or else Asami will kill them! I just hope they can forgive me…' Momo thought sadly as she turned and marched up the stairs. Etsuko stood in the doorway of her sister's room, her childish features dead serious.

"Momo…" The young girl moved aside so Momo could walk past. The older girl opened her closet and pulled out an ebony duffel bag, and began putting things in it like clothes, hair and tooth brushes, money, and other things needed for travel. When everything was packed, Momo noted her parents still hadn't come up.

'They're probably still down there, wondering what they did to deserve a cruel daughter like me…' Momo hung her head for a minute before remembering Etsuko. The two sisters embraced each other and Momo whispered quietly in her ear.

"Etsuko, I'm so sorry to have to leave. But it's the only way I can protect you and mommy and daddy." Momo stroked her sister's hair.

"Can't I come with you? I want to learn to play air hockey and help save us!" Etsuko tried to put together an argument, but sounds of their parents coming back to life could be heard downstairs.

"No Etsuko. Stay here and protect everyone. I want you to be brave, and to be a better Hinamori then I am!" Momo pecked a kiss on Etsuko's forehead and grabbed the black duffel bag.

"Goodbye Momo!" Etsuko cried, tears sliding down the young girl's cheeks. She watched her sister's fleeing back and choked back a sob. Momo ran down the stairs with a strange feeling that she'd never be here to do it again.

"And just where do you think you're going young lady?" Dave hollered from his spot in the living room.

"Momo don't do this! Don't do this to mommy!" Lily wailed, her arms outstretched. Momo wanted nothing more then to be Etsuko's age, where there were no worries and she could go running back to mommy whenever something was wrong. But those days were long since over.

"I'll call you when I can." Momo said before running out the door. In her hurry she didn't even bother to shut it. It surprised Momo that nobody chased after her, but she didn't get a chance to look back. Momo ran and ran and ran. She ran until her chest felt like it was on fire, and even then she kept up a quick pace.

She was to meet Toshiro at their tree house, and with the distance she was covering Momo made it there in no time at all. Her white haired boyfriend was leaning against the tree with his eyes closed. Momo could tell he still had yet to get a good night's sleep.

"Shiro-chan!" Momo whispered before running and pulling the said boy into a tight hug.

"Your parents didn't take it well, huh?" He asked, not needing an answer. The Hinamori girl held back her tears and nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Well, that was to be expected. Let's go; Ryan is waiting for us." Toshiro took her hand and they walked somewhat hurriedly through the tiny cluster of forest that separated them from the school. When they were out of the trees, Momo saw Ryan's fancy black SUV parked nearby. They climbed in the back seat, and Ryan was off.

"Let's hurry Ryan; our car doesn't exactly blend in down here and I'm sure Momo's parents are willing to do anything to get my throat slit." Toshiro sighed at his blond haired servant.

"Sure thing Master! And how are you, Momo?" Ryan seemed fairly cheerful, despite the emotions emitting from the passengers.

'Oh how I love a good adventure!' Ryan thought joyfully as he looked in the rear view mirror.

"All things considered, I suppose I'm alright." Momo replied, giving him a small smile.

"That's the ticket. And I'm sure you'll feel better when we're on the plane back to Florida. Especially since you'll be with Master Toshiro. You know, he was talking about you in his sleep the last few nights." Ryan winked at a suddenly giggly Momo and a red faced Toshiro.

"Ryan I'm going to kill you!" Toshiro hissed, his hand curling into a fist.

"Aw, Toshiro, don't be mad! I think that's sweet!" Momo giggled before pecking the white haired boy on the cheek. He calmed down then, though his shoulders were slumped in a way that told Ryan he was still in trouble.

They drove to the airport, and after Ryan arranged everything Momo found herself sitting next to Toshiro in the first class section of the plane. Ryan was a few rows back, relaxing with a pair of headphones and an adult drink. Momo had the window seat, and she looked out over the fluffy white ocean that lay before them.

'It looks like you could just walk across them…' Momo thought contently as she watched the thick layer of clouds swirl around them. Toshiro was using this time to catch a few Z's, leaving Momo to fend for herself in means of entertainment.

She liked watching the clouds and, from time to time, Toshiro. For the next two hours they flew, and by the time they landed in Miami, Florida, Momo was stiff and sore.

"Wake up Toshiro! We're here!" Momo gently shook his shoulders until a blue green eye opened up.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm up." He yawned before joining the crowd of people exiting the plane. Once they were reunited with Ryan and got through security, they found their luggage. Ryan led the way to the parking lot, where he had left his car before flying up to Pennsylvania. Momo was surprised to see it was identical to the black SUV back home, only this sports utility vehicle was a shiny dark blue.

Momo looked around and saw it didn't stand out among the other fancy cars nearby. They climbed in the back seat again, and Ryan expertly wove around the heavy traffic. It was hot, and though she was in a tee shirt Momo was also wearing jeans, and she felt like the heat would suffocate her.

Despite the grueling temperature, Momo was enjoying herself in the sunshine state. She had never been to Florida before, and was looking forward to seeing Toshiro's house and meeting his servants.

But when Ryan pulled up in front of what Toshiro announced as his house, Momo felt her jaw drop open. Toshiro chuckled as the car parked in front of a building that would have put the White House to shame.

A/N: Well, there you have it, another dramatic chapter. I've been writing a lot of drama lately, or so it seems. Hmm, I'll just have to fix that by adding in some fluff, now won't I? Drop of a lovely review before you leave!