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Track 1: The Sparrows and The Nightingales

Zombie

Track 1: The Sparrows and the Nightingales

Author's apology: Hello readers... Allow me to start off by saying I'm soooo sorry! I really wanted to have Beautiful Morning with You and Pistola's next chapter up before my move back south (Sounds funny right? I'm moving back home because living with my sister was a bad idea...) And I am have a hard (stale bread hard) time with the next chapter of Beautiful morning with you. Hey hey hey!! You wanted the drinking game and I'm trying to give it to you!! It's just so hard to keep it going without it turning bat-shit.

Now for some so-so news, I've got like three new stories lined up for posting... Although I'm going to put them off until I have a good chunk of them done. No worries. .

Am I going to start? No, not yet. I'd like to take this time to blame my new zombie-phobia for this fic and you'll notice the zombie drops in my other fics every once in a while. It's driving me crazy because logic tells me there's no way on God's green earth that there would be a zombie outbreak but it always teeters in the back of my mind... I think I need medical help. :D (I'd like to see them try and get that straightjacket on me...

Anyway with out further adieu...

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For Kagome to say she was pleased with her lot in life, she'd have to be lying to herself. She hated her two-bit job waiting tables, her two-bit apartment (that was conveniently located above her employment facility), and, all-in-all, her life, but she'd fallen on hard times and that was no one's fault but her own. She'd made some bad choices and there was only one thing to do during times like these: Grin, bear it, and wait for the rainbows and sunshine to return to her life. Even though it was taking a lot longer than she had anticipated.

She flopped down onto her fluffy bed with a sigh. Really, who gave college students credit cards anyway? She turned over in hopes that her thoughts of self-pity would be left behind her. Oh well, she might as well enjoy her day off. Being a full-time student and having a full-time job could really take a lot out of a girl. She hoped she could get up in time to go down to the "family room" to have "game night" with the rest of the "family". She gave a little laugh as an after thought. Shippou, a little boy who lived down the hall with his mother (though it seemed more like he lived with her than his mother, with all the sleepovers he would have with her) had stated off-handedly a couple of months prior that they resembled a "big family" with all the together time and arguments they had. ("They", meaning the people living in the residential quarters of the restaurant.)

Because sleep had eluded her, she got up and headed toward the family room to get a snack. But her new mission did not deter her thoughts from sorting out her situation for her.

As it turned out the restaurant had previously been a small hotel; that was until Toutousai had bought it and turned it into a flourishing establishment. When a friend's son had suggested that he keep the rooms above the restaurant for college students who needed an extra place to stay, Toutousai was particularly partial to the idea. It tied into a deep rooted paranoia he had that if there was a huge tidal-wave or an earthquake or (god-forbid) an attack by werewolves and everyone in the world died and he could save a handful of people and repopulate the human race.

He was crazy like that...

But that didn't stop him from being a generous old man. He encouraged everyone to spend time together and create a camaraderie (for the impending apocalypse) that served to create a bond between the residents.

The building, itself was huge and sturdy; compliments of the 1930's and newly acquired renovations that made it all the more sturdy; a monstrosity of re-enforced brick, titanium window covers, and huge medieval doors that served its purpose of keeping people in or out. The restaurant stood on the first three stories of the building. It was the essence of elegance. The rich flocked to it to be part of the crowd.

(Kagome had even personally met several stars, senators, and corporate CEOs. It was really quite exciting.)

The fourth, fifth, and sixth floors were residential. On the first of the residential floors, four apartments had been combined to allow the inhabitants to have their family time watching TV or having snacks with friends. And the next two floors were fixed to be like a huge green house and acted as a courtyard and garden. He also had his own water towers. That was correct. He had two water towers!! TWO! Complemented by a self owned underground aquifer. Kagome thought it was a waste of money but the rich tended to do that...

It was a well known place, elegant, beautiful, classy, and a fortress beyond compare; a castle of security.

Toutousai allowed Kagome to stay for free as long as she maintained the garden. Which added to her stressful life, (After all the damned greenhouse was almost as big a one floor,) but she wasn't complaining (Sango helped her. She was under the same contract as Kagome.) After all, he was paying her generously for working as a waitress downstairs.

Sure it was great to stay but she felt like she was taking advantage of the poor old man, even though she had a feeling that InuYasha, best-friend extraordinaire, had something to do with it. While Toutousai was a great man, she doubted he'd be so generous to her... unless he was flirting with her, but she doubted it. He'd just gotten re-married to a nice young girl named Momo; a nice girl, if not a little on the frightened side. Kagome certainly hoped she was wrong in this instance.

X

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X

"Hey Kagome!" her silver haired best friend called to her. She stopped dead in her tracks to turn and let him catch up to her. When he did he held out a DVD to her.

"Thanks. Although I had already given up the hope that I'd ever see this DVD at my house ever again-"

"I need a favor from you."

Kagome had seen that coming a mile away but commented anyway. "AH-HA! I knew it! The only time you ever return my things is when you want something from me! I should charge interest while I'm at it!!" He looked at her pleadingly: a pitiful look he always gave her but she never could quite work up the 'no' that would build in the back of her throat and make him leaver her alone. She was incapable of ever tell him no...well to most things. She sighed. "Sure, what is it?"

"Can you take my shift?" he asked. "Before you change your mind, some family business came up and I have to take care of it."

She frowned. There was no way he could be lying. InuYasha came from a rich family so it wasn't so far-fetched to think that something important came up and he had to help out. And he did work downstairs to get close to her cousin, to whom he had an of-and-on relationship with (much like clockwork), and he always worked the same shifts as her. And she did have a shift today. So everything added up and it wasn't like she could say no. After all she already said she would. She suppressed a growl. "Alright."

He smiled. "Thanks Kagome! You are an angel!!" She turned away to avoid the brightness in his aura and the growing darkness in her eyes as she was sorely tempted to kick him right in the baby-maker...

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You owe me big time," she said. "What happened anyway?"

He sighed. "My brother. He's coming to discuss my father's re-written will. Personally I don't give to shakes about what he has to say. My dad's not even dead yet and he's already trying to divide up the company and the assets and stuff. I don't know. It just kind of bothers me..."

Kagome pursed her lips in thought. It was a know fact that his father had been in a coma for nearly eight months. She felt a little awkward bringing it up. "I don't think I've met your brother..."

"Be grateful! He's an asshole," he said gruffly.

Kagome scratched her head, frustrated. "And he's going to be staying with you?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, I never said I wanted him to stay with me, but you know how Toutousai is. Besides, Toutousai is his godfather. I'm obliged to."

Kagome shook her head and said. "When's your shift?"

"Three Thirty. Tell Kikyo I'm sorry and that I'll talk to her later."

"Are you gonna make it to family time?"

He bit his lip. "I should be back by then but I wouldn't hold my breath...Who knows what that asshole has in store for me."

"Keep your chin up, loser." She looked around the corridor and then said, "Well then, I'll talk to you later. I have to go and get ready for your shift."

"Can't you see I'm trying to prolong my life?"

"Find someone else to help you procrastinate," she said as she walked away.

"Do you think Kikyo wants to help me procrastinate?" he said to her back, but Kagome was already in the elevator shooting him the finger.

X

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Kagome leaned against the bar and sighed. It had been a particularly busy day for a Tuesday night and she was cursing InuYasha with every fiber of her being for tricking her into this. He probably didn't even have a brother!

She scowled. The only thing she wanted to know was how he was able to foresee this happening!!

"Need a drink?" Sango, another resident and best friend asked leaning over her side to get a look at her.

Kagome smiled at her and gave a nod. "That would be great."

Sango turned to get a glass.

"Are you even supposed to be working today, Sango?"

She snorted but before she could give a reply. A girl with red hair and the other girl working the bar said, "No, Kouga asked to switch shifts. He didn't want to have to deal with the dog-turd on top of having to stand behind the bar with me. Oh and you weren't going to be working today..."

Kagome tilted her head in question. "What? Do you molest him while you two are back here?"

Ayame gave a devious smile. "Only when I can." She turned to Sango and asked, "Do you want me to help you wash the glasses?" Sango gave a nod and turned to Kagome.

"Don't worry Sango. I got tricked into coming down for this shift and taking InuYasha's shift."

She gave a laugh. "Yeah but I wanted to take this shift. I want to get my brother to come and visit me and I have to save money to fly him over."

Kagome draped herself sadly on the bar. "Traitor..." She sighed. "Boys suck."

Sango nodded in agreement. "I know. You want to go lesbian with me?"

Kagome laughed. "No, I'll pass."

"Whatever."

"Holy crap!" Ayame exclaimed.

Sango turned to her. "Hey Ayame, Lesbianism isn't all that bad...You should judge a person by who they lov-"

"No, retard!"

"Oh! I think she wants to, Sango."

"No dip-shits! Look!" She pointed to the TV's above them. The both looked up to see an MTV newsbreak about Britany Spears flashing her Noche.

"Personally, I'm not surprised." Sango said while drying a glass.

Ayame gave a snort before pointing to a TV with CNN on. "There, morons!"

The newscast was about an epidemic that had been sweeping the Midwest.

"Hey turn it up," Kagome said. Her interest peaked.

"-in an attempt to keep the disease contained, the entire mid-west will be, as of tomorrow, quarantined. This epidemic has already caused the death of over 1700 people recorded, hundreds of others have contracted it. We urge everyone to stay safe. Back to you, Bob."

"Quarantined? Isn't that a bit much? I mean what about the Ports? Airports? Business? They can't do that! We have the largest airport in the united states! They can't just close it down. What the hell? They're just going to box us up and hope that we don't all die?"

Kagome didn't answer. Something wasn't right about this...

X

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"Your apartment is adequate," The older of the two brothers stated off-handedly. "Where will you be staying?"

InuYasha tried to will his eye not to twitch but failed miserably. When his brother, Sesshoumaru, walked out of the terminal, he was not expecting his brother's entire entourage would be joining him.

He brought his daughter, Rin (which InuYasha had no idea he had), his butler, Jaken, and his attorney, Miroku. Sure, his apartment was big, but it wasn't big enough to fit all of them and himself.

He forced a smile and looked at the primed and proper bastard in front of him. "I'll find something."

"I did not realize that you were capable of keeping anything clean. I commend you."

InuYasha's eyes narrowed. "Thanks." Ha! Little did the bastard know that he had Kikyo and Sango come in the day before to help him out, so there, HA! Take that asshole! "Are you hungry?"

Rin perked and looked at her father.

"Shouldn't we speak to Toutousai first?"

InuYasha looked at Rin who looked wholly crestfallen. "Well, it's Friday and it's going to be a b-" Sesshoumaru threw him a menacing look. "bother to find him, not to mention that it's almost closing time, he'll be all over the place."

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to rub his temples, If InuYasha wanted to go down to the restaurant so badly, he should have just said so. "Fine. Rin, call Miroku."

She smiled and with a nod was up and bouncing out of the room.

InuYasha smiled as she left.

X

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Kikyo stomped up to next to Kagome and gave an angry wail.

The other three girls turned to her. "Something the matter?" Sango asked.

"InuYasha came in to have dinner."

Kagome flipped. "That bastard! He lied to me!!"

"What?" Kikyo asked, really her cousin could be so weird sometimes.

Kagome looked around a little self-conscious. "Oh I'm sorry, was he with anyone?"

Kikyo frowned. "Are you going to let me finish my story or not?"

Kagome looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry. Continue..." The older of the two cousins rolled her eyes and sighed before continuing. "Anyway, he walked in with and introduced me to his brother-"

Sango hmmed. "So he wasn't lying..."

"Hey! Are you all going to interrupt me every five seconds or can I continue without all of the disruptions?"

"No, no. Please, continue."

She huffed. "So, he doesn't say anything and just sort of stares at me like I'm the lowest thing on the planet, Make-me-feel-like-shit-much? So, I seat them and he goes off about a wine list and I can't understand a word he said. I couldn't keep up. I asked him to repeat himself and he looked at me like I was some sort of invalid and said, 'just bring me the red one.'"

"Ah-ha...so you're mad?" Ayame asked after returning from serving a man at the bar.

"Wouldn't you be?"

"Regardless, what are you going to do?" Sango asked setting the drinks in front of her.

"Well, I have a plan..." She turned to Kagome. "Can you take it to them? Please? I'm not ready to go back over there yet."

Kagome really didn't want to, but what could she do? Kikyo placed the drinks on the cart for her while Kagome said, "I want half your tip if you get one."

As it was a known fact that InuYasha either gave a really good tip or nothing at all.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"I kid you not; half your tip or nothing at all."

Kikyo glanced at the table then back to Kagome and bit her lip. "Fine! Alright! Just go!!"

"Yeah!" Kagome looked down at the cart and asked, "Why are there so many drinks?"

X

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"I'd really appreciate it if the both of you would hold your bickering until after dinner." Miroku couldn't quite understand why all the brothers wanted to do was fight. Whatever their problems were, they couldn't be that bad...He shrugged mentally. Why was he even mauling it over so much? It wasn't like he was going to get paid for solving their family problems. He sighed. Not like he was some sort of family councilor...He was just a lowly lawyer. He looked up when a drink with a little umbrella was placed in front of him. She wasn't their waiter...which meant InuYasha wasn't seeing her and she wasn't off-limits! Hurray!

"Hello Miss. My name is Miroku. Has anyone ever told you, you have the most beautiful eyes?"

Kagome looked over to InuYasha who shrugged at her. "No sir, but thank you." She gave a forced smile before moving on. "Can I get you anything else?" she asked.

Miroku jumped on the offer. "Would you please bear my child?"

Kagome bit her bottom lip to hide her disgust. "No thank you, sir."

Sesshoumaru gave her a glance and a slight "hn", but nothing more. So much for the asshole of an older brother.

"Do you have any cherries?" a little voice piped.

Kagome turned to the little girl. "Yes we do, would you like me to bring you some?"

Rin nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yes, please."

Kagome smiled and before walking way said, "Then I'll be right back with that."

"Who was that? Do you know her?" Miroku asked.

InuYasha shrugged. "That's just Kagome."

"She's very polite." Rin stated. "And nice."

InuYasha grumbled, "You haven't seen her mad..."

Sesshoumaru said nothing but stared after her.

X

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Kagome walked back to the bar to see Toutousai starring at the TVs with Sango and Ayame. "What's going on?"

Ayame's mouth hung open with surprise as she pointed at the TV. Kagome turned to read a new headline: "Mid-west Riots?" She didn't know what to make of it. "What the hell is that? When did those start?"

"It says they started a couple of hours ago. The authorities are trying to stop them but nothing is working," Sango said.

Toutousai turned to them and said, "Right when we close, I want everything secured. Everything! Make sure everyone is in and everything is locked up. We'll need to work extra hard to secure the building." As an after thought he added, "We're going to be closed tomorrow." He walked away in a hurry and left the three girls to look at each other with confusion.

"What was that?"

"I don't know but we'd better do what he says. He's gone berserk and I do believe he could fire someone..."

"Is that all you two are worried about?! People are dying out there!!" Ayame yelled.

Sango, who had been raised as an army brat and went to military schools, was, perhaps, a little calloused to the situation. "Hey if they want to be out there killing each other, that's their business. I'm just trying to live my life. I'm not about to go down there to try and help them and end up getting myself killed."

Ayame frowned. Sango had a point. "So what are we going to do?"

"Do what Toutousai said and secure the building. If the riots move this was they'll try and get inside. We should be prepared."

Kagome still couldn't believe she was in this situation. What was the world coming to?

"Kagome! Sango! I need your help!" They turned to see InuYasha walked up.

"What do you want? We've just entered Deathcon5." Sango said.

"Well I was wondering if my friend and I could borrow one of your apartments while my brother is here." He asked sheepishly. He seemed to do a double-take and then added, "Wait, what?"

"There are riots go on all over the mid-west and a new disease that is supposed to be the new plague or something like that. We're supposed to be quarantined by tomorrow."

"What? They can't do that! We have the biggest airport in the entire United States! They can't do this to us!"

"Well I don't know but you'd better get ready to help us shut the place up...So set them up with a movie or something 'cause all the employees have to help." Sango said with a shrug. "Oh, and we need to make sure all the residents are in the building before everything is go."

InuYasha furrowed his eyebrows. "Well this is certainly unexpected..."

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Author's Apology: O.k Well I really wanted to get this out so... When I finish stuffing all my crap into the back of my Corolla I'll come back and finish the chapter. So yeah.. Sorry. Also this hasn't been re-read so there's gonna be a lot more mistakes than usual... go easy on me... And tell me if it's good so far, because I don't have anything past this chapter written and I really don't want to waste my time if no one likes it... . Oh well I've got to get what I need to get done, done cause I have no idea where I left my cell phone and all my clothes are everywhere and I need to make sure my mom got her ticket. SO Ta-Ta everyone!! Please review!! And remember your vote makes a difference!!

Sincerely,

The fluffy one

Author's extra notes: I came back to make it longer and correct a lot of the mistakes that were made... I know I didn't get them all but... I tried. No one can say I didn't try. Anyway I'm trying to have the story go along with what the Zombie Survival Guide says. (TeeHee! It cracks me up...) I hope you all like it. Please Rate and review!!

Reviews (from the first post)

A-Single-Spark

Thoughtfulillusion: Thank you so much!! And thanks for being my first (and only reviewer!! :D

Fanfiction.net

PerkyPup: :D Thank you. I was honestly thinking about trashing the whole idea but I'm glad people do like it. Thank you very much!!

Does It Matter 0: Thank you and sorry this couldn't be another update, but I did make it longer...

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