A/N: THANKS FOR THE TONS OF REVIEWS. I'M GLAD SOMEONE LIKES THIS. I'M ADDING AN ORIGINAL CHARACTER. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A FEW MORE COMING UP IN THE NEXT CHAPTERS.

IM NOT SURE ABOUT WRITING HER FAMILY'S PERSPECTIVE OF KAY LEAVING. I DON'T REALLY WANT TO. WE'LL SEE.

ANYWAY, ENJOY.

~*~

The humming of the bus's engine soothed her as Kay rested her head against the cool glass window. Somewhere in the back, someone was listening to some music.

She tried to make out the lyrics of the song as she stared out of the bus window at the towns that they passed by. Kay counted three so far. The cities came like bright lights blurred when driving too fast, catching only a glimpse of its vague outline.

She wondered what was there, what new challenges would be waiting if she decided to get off at one of the cities.

Finding it futile to wonder about things that didn't matter, she glanced at the watch of the girl sitting next to her. Five hours since she last left Harmony.

It seemed longer, Kay thought as she heaved a sigh and returned to staring at nothing in particular.

It had gotten dark outside, making it relatively difficult to make out anything.

Earlier, she had marveled if her family was searching for her already. She wondered if a police car labeled Harmony PD would catch up with them in the middle of the highway, stop the bus and demand that she step outside to be brought back to Harmony.

But no police car ever came. No one was looking.

Typical.

Kay hoped Tabitha found that note. She didn't want the old witch to worry. Despite Tabitha's unconventional behavior, Kay had come to consider her as family. She wondered if Tabitha would show the note to her family.

She wondered what the Bennetts would do then.

Probably nothing, she told herself.

The girl in the seat next to her stirred, blinking her eyes to focus in the dimness of the bus. "You look sad." She whispered.

Kay gave her a peculiar look, wondering what kind of person would right out say something like that. Maybe she's dreaming, Kay thought. But as she suspected, the blonde girl was wide awake. "Mind your own business."

"I'm Mackenna. You want a sandwich?" She asked; ignoring the fact that Kay had been rude to her.

Kay watched her cautiously, wondering why this girl was being so kind. Mackenna was all blonde hair and blue eyes which reminded Kay too much of Charity. The only difference was Charity had straight hair and this air of innocence about her. "Sure." Kay answered hesitantly.

The other girl handed her an extra price of sandwich. "Anybody waiting for you in New York?" She asked curiously.

Kay hesitated again. "No." She replied finally.

Mackenna nodded as she bit into her sandwich and chewed. "Same here."

"Why did you leave Harmony?" Kay asked curiously.

"I wasn't from Harmony. I just got a ride to there and then I took the bus. It made it harder for anyone to track me down." She answered, handing Kay an extra juice box. "Anyway, I left because I couldn't take my life anymore."

Kay nodded but she suspected there was more to her story. "I know the feeling." She stated, sighing sharply.

"What's your reason?"

She shrugged unsurely. "I just didn't want to be in Harmony anymore. I hated it, I wanted to kill myself."

Mackenna frowned. "Running is better than ending it all, in my opinion. What's your name again? I never caught it."

Kay forced a smile. "I never told you. It's Kay but I'm about to change that." She replied softly.

"Into what?"

"A different name." She answered.

"Kat." Mackenna offered and Kay deliberated on it. "It suits you."

"How?" She asked curiously.

"I don't know. You wanted a new name and Kat is the closest thing to it." Mackenna replied honestly as she put away the rest of her food. "You can call me Mac."

"Sounds like a guy name." She declared. Kay decided that talking to Mac was better that sitting in unbearable silence and thinking of her wretched family.

Mackenna shrugged, not at insulted. "I don't really care. Like you, I can change it anytime."

Kay nodded and the two girls fell into silence. Kay returned to staring at nothing in particular. She thought that Mac fell back asleep until the other girl spoke again.

"Are you scared?" She asked; her voice small and vulnerable.

Kay frowned again. "There's nothing to lose." She replied.

"There's a lot to lose." Mackenna declared.

"Not me."

The other girl sighed sharply. "Do you think we could stick together when we get to New York?"

Kay nodded. "Sure." She said softly. Why not, she thought. It was better than roaming in a dangerous city alone. With Mac along, Kay suspected that she had a better chance of surviving.

************************************************************************

Four Months Later New York City

"This sucks." Mackenna declared grumpily as she kicked off her three inch heels and took the bobby pins out of her hair.

"We can't quit." Kay or as she was now called, Kat, declared softly as she unzipped her tacky read dress that seemed to reflect light and slipped it off.

"We don't get paid enough." Mac grumbled.

"It's better than nothing." Kay replied as she grabbed a robe and slipped off her black fishnet pantyhose.

"The men don't tip well."

Kat frowned slightly. "We're not quitting from Kelley's." She said firmly.

"I'm not going to quit. Tomorrow I'll be onstage and doing rounds." Mac said firmly.

"No. Don't do it." Kat pleaded. "We've been through so much worse."

"I know but I can't take living like this." She said unhappily and they both looked around their one bedroom apartment. It was small, smaller than the kitchen at Kelley's. The apartment had a bathroom and a room that was divided into the kitchen, living room and bedroom. At first, they were forced to share the single bed or one of them would take the couch but eventually Kat managed to buy a cot and slept on it ever since.

"Mac, we starved for two months before we worked at Kelley's. We ate from dumpsters behind restaurants just to live but we never sold our bodies for money. Not even when we thought that we were going to die. Why now?" She asked softly.

"Because I see those girls stripping on stage or doing rounds and they make so much more than we do. They can afford better things. This we deserve." Mackenna replied firmly as she sat in front of Kat on the bed.

"You'll hate it. I know you will." Kat said pointedly.

"But in the end when I have a lot of money, I can tell myself that it was all worth it." She retorted angrily, her eyes filled with determination. "I won't go back to starving on the streets, Kat. If all we do is waitress at Kelley's and hope that men tip more or our salary to increase, then we're back to where we started."

"But-"

Mackenna sighed sharply. "I'm not asking you to do the same although I think you should but please don't hold this against me."

"I won't. I don't want to see you hurt." Kat explained wearily as she took her friend's hand and held it tightly. They were good friends and Kat was grateful that Mackenna had suggested that they stick together in New York.

She didn't know how she would have made it without the other girl. Misery definitely loved company.

"There's nothing to lose, remember?" Mac said, quoting Kat's own words.

"No. not at all." Kat replied although she wasn't quite convinced anymore.

They returned to Kelley's the next day, starting from seven at night to four in the morning. Kat wore the usual shiny red dress that was too low on top and too short in the bottom with black fishnet pantyhose and black three inch heels.

As always the place reeked of alcohol, cigarettes and sex.

She glanced over at Mac who was heading to the dressing room to grab one of the costumes for her number. Kat shuddered at the thought of her friend having to prance around naked and then later, head from one table to another, hoping that some man would take her and pay for casual sex.

It was humiliating and degrading.

"I think you should dance too Kat. You and Mac would make a team." Kelley, the owner suggested when he came up to her. "It makes great money. You girls could be called Double Trouble."

Kat frowned at him, wanting to vomit at the thought. "I'll pass." She said calmly, wondering if Kelley would fire her for refusing.

The man shrugged. "Your loss then." He quipped and Kat returned to serving her tables.

When Mac was called for her number and later when she did her rounds, Kat was surprised to find herself more comfortable with what her friend was doing.

It was unnerving still but somehow she had shielded herself from the harshness of the situation. Her heart had steeled itself hard to drive misery away. In the morning, when their shift ended, she was able to look Mac in the eye.

Somehow, it was a relief.

~*~

A/N: I KNOW THAT IT WAS SOMEWHAT SHORT BUT I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE TOO LONG. I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO GET AN IDEA. I'M STILL NOT SURE ABOUT KAY CHANGING HER NAME TO KAT. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

ANYWAY, TO EXPLAIN WHAT KELLEY'S IS. IT'S A BAR THAT HAS STRIPPERS, PROSTITUTES AND WAITRESSES. MAC AND KAY ARE WAITRESSES. JUST THAT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REVIEW. THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME.

THANKS FOR READING.