Title: I'm Still Standing Here

Author: Avel

Summary: Duo befriends a new transfer student who has just escaped an abusive relationship. Sex, drugs, pain, and love, Duo's life will never be the same.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, nor do I make a profit from these works.

Parings: 1x3, 6x2

Before you read: I want to thank everyone who reviewed, comments will be at the bottom of the A/N.

When Duo entered the room, he found Trowa sitting on the bed, back turned to him. "We'll go tomorrow, Saturdays more fun anyway", Trowa said softly. Duo walked over to the bed and sat down next to his friend, laying his head on Trowa's shoulder before speaking.

"He's gone."

"He's never gone…he never will be."

"He hurt you."

"…."

"Tro?"

"I deserved it."

Fire burned throughout Duo as he growled venomously.

"You didn't deserve that, no one deserves to be raped and beaten! I can't believe you would say that, how could you have deserved that!"

Duo almost choked on a sob, but managed to suppress it. Watching as Trowa turned towards him, tears glittering in the darkened room, frustration and self-hatred glowed in his eyes, a mixture of pain and sorrow crossed his face.

"You don't understand! He made it clear that I was supposed to be at home by six, that I wasn't allowed to question him, that I couldn't go anywhere without him! I tried, but I was late, I was always late! I tried to please him, I tried!" Trowa sobbed as the overwhelming sense of helplessness and pain overpowered him. He wiped at his eyes trying to brush off the tears, as he let out a sigh of frustration. He swallowed back a lump, the pain in his chest hurt so badly; but the humiliation hurt worse. How did he ever end up like this? Why did he have to be so weak?

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this." He spoke in an unsteady voice.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, he's a sick person…how did he get into the building?."

"He probably asked one of the neighbors, they're elderly and polite…he's actually very gentlemanly when he wants to be, Wufei that is. Did Heero tell you much, or…"

"You don't have to tell me anything, Heero did mention that Wufei was…I want you to know that you can talk to me if you want too. I know that telling you this won't solve anything, but I want you to know I'm here for you."

"It's just so hard…knowing that I could have left him, but for some reason I just couldn't, you saw him – he won't go away. I tried leaving him before, but he lost his temper and….he hurt me. He broke four of my ribs and broke my left arm at the joint. I was afraid of him. He started drinking and everything went down hill from there. Wufei has always been a naturally angry person, however I just chose to ignore the first signs. We met when I first moved to L1 and I know this sounds stupid, but he offered me a place to crash with reasonable rent, so I took him up on it. A week later we started dating, he seemed too good to be true; he was nice and fun to be around, at first."

Trowa paused as he remembered how Wufei had practically changed overnight. How Wufei had started making excuses for Trowa to stay home, cutting him off from social interaction outside their apartment. Unfortunately, Wufei turned violent when Trowa tried to break off their relationship. Wufei set the rules, Trowa could not leave the apartment without his permission, talk back, wear certain clothes, call anyone, or talk to neighbors. He was only allowed to get groceries, but at a timed limit. He was given a 45 minute time period, from 5:15-6:00 pm, he was beaten if he was late. Wufei even restricted how much Trowa could eat. In a weakened state Trowa was easier to control, and to torment both emotionally and physically.

"One day I just couldn't take it, I had to get out of there, away from him. I got up and headed to the bathroom in the hall, opened up the cabinet under the sink and grabbed the spare clothes I had stashed while he was at work and put them on then flushed the toilet. I went downstairs and started to go through his wallet when he caught me. I remember him starting asking me what I was doing, and when I didn't answer he started advancing on me, yelling at me. I had a gut feeling that he was going to kill me, and it honestly scared me. He began beating me, however I fought back. He took a knife from counter and managed to stab me twice in the side and once in the leg. I don't know how I pulled it off but I used the kitchen table as a blockade as I did a half flip over the chair and ran out the door."

"I knew the neighbors would hear the noise, so I played off it. I started screaming "Fire!" trying to get the neighbors out as I took the stairs to the bottom; it managed to delay him until I reached outside the apartment. I was beginning to feel nauseous and sick, but I kept telling myself that if I didn't stop he'd kill me. I was loosing a lot of blood, because my hand was completely drenched in blood from my side. It burned and sent shock waves to my nerves, but as I ran into an alleyway I remember the pain started to cease and I was getting incredibly cold. My entire body was shaking, I didn't realize it at the time, but I was going into shock."

"I don't know when I sat down, but the next thing I knew; I was propped up against the wall behind a garbage can. I guess I realized that I was dying, because I started thinking of Catherine and I guess I felt so lost and scared that I started crying. I tried to stop, but the harder I tried the worse it got. I wanted to scream but I didn't know where Wufei was and I didn't know where I was for that matter. It took me a while to notice that I was losing consciousness, and when I did I started to panic. I know it was weak of me, I was a pathetic mess…I still am."

"I remember thinking that I didn't want to be alone, I didn't want to be alone. It was then I heard someone walking, I heard the thin layer of snow on the sidewalk crunch with each step. I tried to be as quiet as I could, but I was shivering, my teeth chattering loudly. While I tried to take as much air as I possibly could through my mouth. I had been crying so much I couldn't breathe properly. The walking stopped and I remember thinking that it was Wufei, that he had followed me; that somehow he had found me. My stress level reached a breaking point and I let out a chocked sob of defeat."

"Whoever it was started walking towards me and I tried half desperately to move away, my eyes were shut so tightly that I was seeing flashes of red against the blackness. When the person finally spoke, I remember feeling so pitiful – I think I laughed. If I didn't I felt like it. Here I was about to die of blood loss and hypothermia and I thought that seeing thins stranger instead of Wufei was the funniest thing in the fucking world."

Trowa looked at Duo who had been staring at Trowa's wrist, a large scar was evident on his wrist across two of the major connecting veins. Trowa smiled lightly, amused by Duo's reaction.

"That stranger happened to be Heero."

Duo looked up to Trowa's face, eyes locking on to one another.

"I love him. He just doesn't know it." Trowa said softly, but before Duo could disagree, he continued on.

"No, he knows that I'm attached to him, that I enjoy being with him, that I care for him, but he doesn't know I love him. He thinks I don't trust him, and maybe I don't show it physically, but mentally I'm his. Not in a possessive aspect, mind you. Wufei thinks I'm 'his', but I'm not. Believe me, if I thought or saw anything in him that was even remotely close to Wufei, I'd leave him. But I don't see that, and its not just because I'm love struck that I think this. He just doesn't realize that I don't think that I can let him go. I don't want to lose him, if he left me; I don't think I'd survive. That's why I did it."

Trowa nodded to his wrist, watching Duo frown slightly, not quite understanding.

"I can't imagine him leaving me, and I don't like that feeling. I don't want to get too involved because I could never live without him. When I realized this I knew that I'd be the first one to leave. I wouldn't let him get the chance. But it didn't work out that way. A couple days after we moved in Heero caught me in the bathroom; he had come home early. I don't think I've ever seen him that scared before, sure he was probably frightened when he found me in the alleyway, but this time he knew me."

"I know he likes me, but I really think that he just needed someone to care about, he had just recently broke up with his former boyfriend. I don't want to be a replacement, or some toy until he's ready to get back on his feet. You know? I just…I don't know what I want from him, maybe I do­—I do. I know it in my heart, except my brain hasn't caught on to it yet. Pretty boring story isn't it?"

Trowa smiled softly, before stifling a yawn as he looked at his watch it was only 12:25 am, but the emotional rollercoaster he had just experienced; left him feeling a bit exhausted both physically and mentally.

Duo winked at him, before a grin spread across his face.

"That's just an excuse for me to go get Heero isn't it!" Duo chuckled, lightening the mood.

"Well I can't very well ask you to give me a good night kiss" Trowa laughed sarcastically.

"What! I'm offended," Duo brought his hand to his heart in a mock wounded pose, "I'll have you know I'm a pretty damn good, good night kisser!" Duo said as he got up from the bed.

"Duo? We're still going to be friends, right…I mean if you're disgusted, you can just say so—" He was cut off by a light smack on the head.

"No, we've just become mortal evil enemies, and I plan on taking Heero away with me." Duo said a sarcastically, though he held a serious look.

"You're my best friend Tro, nothings going to change that, so stop worrying. You're tired, get some rest and I'll be in the TV room—you two better not snore or I'll have complaints for both of you in the morning!"

He started to leave the room but as his hand turned the doorknob, Trowa interrupted him.

"Thanks, for everything."

A/N: I actually had to split this one up too; Part 4 is getting pretty screwed up so I opted to change it, but not right now. I actually have most of part 4 done, but it just doesn't flow right. I'm okay with this part; I got a bit of Trowa's personality out. As you can now tell, he's a very in depth character – not shallow or wimpy. I hope he came across well; sometimes what I really want portrayed doesn't get across. Ahh! I went on my email and saw 7 reviews! I'm so happy, you guys are so awesome. Since this is my first fic, well aside from 'A Time and Place', these are my very first reviews! I hope you guys don't abandon this fic; I know it's been pretty boring so far, but we're getting somewhere! I don't know where yet, but be assured we are. I'm a little 'iffy' bout the sex scene that's coming up – I don't think its going to be on here so I guess for this version it'll remain un noted. When we get to that I'll either issue a warning that its on my website, or if its on this site and you should just skip it. I don't want to break any rules…that'd suck. Hope you enjoy! Reviews are much appreciated. x.

-Late

Comments: All 7Reviews!

ZaKai: You are my very first reviewer…ever! If only we all could get cash that easily -Thnx!

Solo's Ghost: Actually it surprised me that I used Wufei, I was originally planning on one of my original characters, but found myself intrigued with this idea, really one of 'em had to be the bastard, lol.

ZmajGoddess: Well from the looks of it this ain't going to a be a lil' fic, hope you keep reading!

Devil1: And may it get even more interesting. x.

ZaKai (again): I think I messed up my style in both part 3 and 4, you be the judge – I think its because I'm not used to a lot of dialogue from different characters, All of my other fics that I've been doing all have a more dominant 1st person dialect.

Hkokuryuha: I'm trying, and from the looks of it I'll be continuing for a long time…

Clingy: I'm a very selfish person, I was so thrilled that I got 6 reviews that I almost skipped yours. Luckily I checked my email right when I finished Part 3. Well I was contemplating that question Q or no Q? That's yet to be decided— o wait it already is. Laughs evilly Well you're just going to have to find out now won't you. Speaking of homework I just completely ignored the loads of math I had planned for today – I'm screwed.