A/N: new chapter. Sorry about getting it out late. Things have been hectic. H-E-C-T-I-C! Just in case you didn't get it the first time. Lol. Well school was taking it's toll, but now I'm on break for two weeks, so hopefully in between having fun with my friends and doing other various things, I'll be able to write for you guys! Thank you for you undying patience. I know it takes me a while to update but at least I don't update like every five months… or every year. Some authors are known to do that and it drives me insane! But here ya go. Please enjoy and then REVIEW. Please guys. Review for me?

Disclaimer: Don't own.

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Escape Velocity

Chapter Three

TaintedMunkeyz

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Its like I can't wake up, its like I cant get up
its like I cant remember who I used to be
am I running from you or am I running from me?

- Trust Company; Running

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The dark bedroom was silent.

Along with the rest of the house.

Kagome was lying in her bed, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling, or at least in the general direction since it was pitch black in her bedroom. But she wanted it that way since she was in what she liked to call "thinking mode".

The covers on her bed weren't made and her body was sprawled out comfortably between the sheets and on the pillows. She had music playing softly in the background and sighed as she came upon the topic that had presented itself just recently.

Running away.

Of course, most would consider even thinking about it cowardly and unheard of, but she needed to get out. She needed to get away. She'd been her stepfather's maid and slave for far too long.

Sure he provided for her and "took care" of her. But he also did horrible things. He treated her like she didn't matter, and it was even worse when he wasn't sober. Once he'd thought she was one of his whores…

She shivered at that thought and closed her eyes. Yeah. Running away and getting as far as possible from the man she called "father" was probably the right thing to do. And he'd probably get horribly pissed off and go on a rampage, but she was doing this for her. She just hoped that her decision wasn't so stupid as to get Sango's family involved. That would be the one thing she couldn't handle. And she hoped that he wouldn't follow her or come and find her. She almost freaked out at all the possible things he'd do to her after her found her.

But she wouldn't let that happen.

Couldn't let that happen. Because if she did, her life would be ruined. She sighed again as she let sleep lightly overtake her. She could think about all the consequences later.

X.x.X

…60… 70… 80… 90… 100… 110… 120… …160… 170… 180… 190… 200…

...200 dollars saved up for running away. She could get the rest later on.

Kagome tied a rubber band around the wad of money before sticking it in her bag and then opening her drawers and taking out clothes. She was going to pack lightly. But she didn't know if that was the right thing to do. What if she needed more? Money wasn't exactly growing on trees. And she didn't even know where she'd be living.

She shook her head and packed more clothes, just in case. Of course she could always come back and get more clothes when she knew her stepfather was away. She nodded to herself as she zipped up the semi-heavy gym bag. That's what she would do.

Kagome looked at the clock on her wall and realized that if she didn't want to be skinned alive she better get out of there as fast as she could. She took her house key off of her dresser and stuffed it into her jeans pocket, before throwing the gym bag over her shoulder. Leaving her room was the hard part. She'd miss sleeping in a bed that was as comfy as hell. But that didn't matter. She needed to get out.

She walked past the kitchen in a hurry. She didn't even bother leaving a note for where she'd "be". Who cared? He'd just search anyway.

"Bye house." She whispered before stepping out the back door and locking it. Then she set off on a journey with no real destination.

About half an hour later she came to the more urban part of the city. With more nightclubs, apartments, food huts and such, rather than huge business buildings and a little further out, the neighborhoods.

At the moment, she was walking down a street that was particularly pretty crowded for this time of day. She was pushed with the throng of the crowd, not caring since she didn't have a destination anyway.

But she stopped when she got to a rather interesting looking apartment building. It didn't look cheap, but it did at the same time. Something about it just drew her too it though. She pushed open the heavy glass door and left the noisy bustling pedestrians outside to their own affairs. As soon as she stepped in, she was greeted with a front hall with stairs leading downwards (towards the basement she assumed) and then upwards towards all the rooms above. On the right side of the hall there was a door that had a plaque with 'manager' written on it in gold letters. She looked around, before heading in that direction and reaching for the doorknob. But as soon as she was about to grab it, the door swung open and out stepped a short little old man. Kagome jumped back surprised. He couldn't have been taller than her hips.

"Uh…hi?" she questioned uncertainly. The incredibly short balding man looked up through his spectacles and blinked before a wide grin lit up his face.

"Oh hello there! You wouldn't happen to be Kikyo would you? Mr. Takashi said to send you right up as soon as you arrived. And I see you've brought your bags. Would you like assistance with those, Ms. Sakeda?" Kagome blinked a few times.

"Uh… huh?" she asked intelligently.

"Oh. Excuse my poor manners! I'm Mr. Myoga, or at least that's what everyone in this blasted apartment building calls me. I'm the manager." He stuck out his hand. Kagome shook it, still in shock. Apparently she looked like someone else?

"Nice to meet you." She said slowly.

"So how long will you be staying with Mr. Takashi? I heard you're just in for a few days before flying to the United States for your new modeling job." Kagome opened and closed her mouth like a fish. Modeling job?

Then it suddenly hit Kagome like a ton of bricks. This guy thought she was someone else, staying with whoever this Mr. Takashi guy was, and was taking her to the room that she'd be staying in. Sure it was wrong to fool an old senile man, but she could stay here at least for a little and get her bearings straight before setting off and finding another place to live.

"Oh, yes that's right. Model, model, model! It's the story of my life." She smiled a big fake ass smile and handed over her heavy bag. The old guy could barely lift it from the floor, so after rolling her eyes, she took it from him and smiled wider. "Please, show me the way."

"Yes, yes, of course." He grabbed a key from his pocket and led her up the never-ending stairway that seemed to tweak just a few of his bones. After stopping a few times for breath (on his part) they made it up to the third floor and to the right door. "Here we are. Room 305. Think you can remember that?" he chuckled at whatever joke he seemed to find funny and pushed open the apartment door. Kagome smiled at what she saw.

She liked.

"Well this is it. Inuyasha said he'd be home around about 8:00 so that gives you a little over four hours to relax. I hope you enjoy your stay, and here is your house key for the next few days." He set the keys on the table, and then left her to her own devices. Kagome sighed happily.

First, she'd take a nap…

X.x.X

When she woke up it was dark outside.

Or at least 7:00…

She probably didn't have a lot of time before the guy came home. And then what would she say? 'Oh I posed as this Kikyo person whom I've never even met so that I could get into your apartment and sleep and eat until you came back because I was running away from home, for the simple fact that my stepfather beats me.'

Not likely.

But she decided that she'd just worry about right now at the moment and when he came home either hide, or come up with some plausible story. And hopefully the stranger would be a nice one.

She shrugged. Whatever. She got up off the bed she was laying on and ran a hand through her hair and stretched her tired muscles. She'd probably be tired tomorrow from her long hike. Which just royally sucked because she couldn't be tired during school. It wasn't possible. She wouldn't survive. But at least she didn't have soccer practice for a while. That would thoroughly kill her.

She slinked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, not surprised to see only food a man would eat. So maybe she could bribe him into staying here if she acted as his personal chef. It was worth a try.

She safely decided on cereal and sat down at the table after finding the necessities. She was on about her 5th bite of cereal when she realized that she felt at home here. It felt right to not be yelled at. Kagome wanted to find a place like this. As soon as she finished high school this year. And settled down; maybe even got into a college that she really wanted to go to.

She shrugged and picked up her bowl of cereal heading towards the living room to check it out. The apartment in itself wasn't much, but she wasn't complaining. It was a true bachelor's pad. The entertainment in front of the sofa, loveseat and recliner chair (all matching plush and black) was a huge flat screen TV, a DVD-VHS-MP3 system and a Playstation2. He had two racks of CDs situated on the floor and there were tons. She scanned them briefly, deciding that he had a great taste in music. She took another bite of cereal as she stood up and walked over to the fireplace. On top of the mantle there were pictures of what she assumed to be his family. Except for one picture. It was of a girl that pretty much looked just like her. Only if Kagome could say so herself she was livelier looking. It was the guy who owned the apartment and her mirror image cuddling at a picnic. The girl's smile was so fake it was disgusting. Why would he put up a picture of that?

She shook her head and finished her cereal walking out of the living room and rinsing out her bowl. She decided to hand wash everything she used and put them back in their proper place – it was the least she could do.

Kagome wiped her hands on a dishtowel, then hung it back up before pulling her cell phone out of her pocket and dialing Sango's number. She waiting patiently for the line to pick up as she strolled into the living room and sat on the couch.

"Hello?"

"Sango!"

"Kagome! How's it going? Where are you? Are you okay?" Kagome laughed then sighed.

"Yes mommy dearest,"

"I resent that." Sango muttered.

"Anyway," Kagome carried on. "I'm okay. I'm at this guys apartment-"

"Oh my god! What are you doing there! Did he kidnap you?"

"Sango… seriously. Use your head." She laughed. "No… this story will seem a little weird considering, but I walked into the apartment lobby thing and I was about to enter the manager's office when this short bald guy comes strolling out and says 'oh you must be Kikyo, Mr. Takashi said to send you up when you arrived.' So I pretended to be Kikyo and now I'm here."

"Yeah okay. So my only question is, how the hell are you going to get him to stay there? Kagome that's breaking and entering!"

"The only part of that statement that's true is the entering. Mr. Myoga let me in thank-you-very-much."

"Right, and what is it exactly that you're going to say when he confronts you about living in his house without his knowing."

"Please forgive a beaten runaway?"

"Kagome!"

"I'm kidding. Calm yourself. I'll think of something. But I have to go. I just wanted to talk to you and let you know that I'm fine. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. But call if you don't come to school!"

"I will. Love you, bye." Kagome flipped her cell phone closed and started when she heard the front door unlock.

She wouldn't be prepared for what was about to hit her next…

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A/N: omg. I'm sorry about the shortness and the cliffy. Really. But it just goes with my chapter plans and I didn't want to mess them up so I'm ending it here. I'm sorry. I also have a lot on my mind. I've wanted to write but I've been through a tragedy and I need to be there for my best friend. So please forgive me. And then review! Please guys. Even just an, 'I like it' would be nice.

TaintedMunkeyz