Charlie's POV

I ran down the hall and dove into my room. I slammed the door behind me, pressing my back against it. I hung my head, putting both palms over it. What had I just done?

Suddenly, the door behind me began to move. It was gentle at first, and then it moved with the force of a two-ton tractor! I slid across the floor, propelled by the door. Koon stepped in; he looked around before looking straight at me with a glare.

"You asshole!" I blinked a few times before shaking my head.

"You don't understand… you can't judge."

"I saw what you did! Trust me, I can judge…even if I can't…I will, because that's what I do." His tone was sharp, but calm at the same time.

For a moment, there was no noise, save my heavy breathing, and his. Then I sneezed, and his frown deepened.

"You hurt him, Charlie." I hated this…Koon and I had been getting along… I mean, really getting along for the first time in weeks! And now, well…we weren't getting along, to say the least.

"I…I - I didn't mean to!" His eyes narrowed; there was no cute little tilting of his head in this conversation.

"You can't tell me you didn't fucking mean to hurt him! You beat him up, Charlie!" He was raising his voice, and I motioned with my hands for him to keep it down. He grunted and walked over to where I was. I shrunk back in fear; I didn't know what the giant was capable of. For all I knew, he could have had rippling, bulging muscles under that uniform.

"You think I'm going to hurt you?" He seemed slightly amused.

"N-No…" I relaxed a bit, still keeping my guard up. I still didn't know whether or not he would try to hurt me. He seemed pretty angry. I swallowed, still looking up at him, as if to beg for mercy.

"Get up." I obliged quickly, without protest. "I'm giving you one chance…just this one chance… explain yourself." I blinked at him. What did he expect me to say? Gathering everything, digging deep into the past and everything Adam and I had been through.

"Well, it's a long story."

"I have a long time." I looked at him, and he sat down on the edge of my bed. I had no idea where Guy was, or when he'd be home…I just hoped we'd have time to 'talk'. I nodded, clearing my throat and gathering my thoughts.

"Well, back when we were originally the Ducks, Adam and I were close friends…his dad beat him, and my step-dad beat me. One time, Adam's dad beat him so bad that he was hospitalized for weeks. After that, I started standing up to my step-dad, but that made him more angry, and he beat me harder…So I turned him in…That's really the end of that part…So much has happened since then, but that's all that's really important here." He seemed thoughtful, and I considered confiding in him.

It was a war. On one side was my instinct to shut him out, everyone I'd ever confided in, save Adam, had hurt me…used it against me. On the other side, the stronger side, was the need to get everything out into the open…the need to stop bottling everything up inside me. The mortal side won over

"It's…it's like there's years of pain, imprinted in my mind… Wh-when I get in a situation, where I have lots of anger, and I don't know how to handle it, I lash out. I…I loose control. I need help, Koon…I know it's not supposed to happen like that, no matter how many people tell me that it's fine, that I just need to use their little 'anger management' tricks, it doesn't help… there's no helping me. I'm way beyond help. I don't even recognize myself when I get like that. The angrier I get at myself, the more physical I get. It scares me…" He looked at the ground, then tentatively met my gaze.

"Charlie, I had no idea…There is help for you. It's just a matter of getting it." He seemed nearly stunned to silence, and I wasn't very surprised. I'd just confided in him, more than I'd ever told anyone, even Adam… Adam just wasn't the ideal person to talk to…I mean, we'd been through so much, that I almost found it hard to talk to him.

"I…I'm going to…I see that I need to, now…" My eyes started to fill with tears. Koon nodded.

"Has this happened before…I mean, you seem pretty calm." My eyes widened slightly - I hadn't expected him to start asking questions.

"Uh…yeah, it has…a few times." I avoided his gaze, as he shook his head, looking towards the ground.

"God, Charlie… and why does he keep coming back to you?" The question was more directed to himself than me, but I answered it anyway.

"Well, I keep going back to him. He…he keeps taking me back. Love's a funny thing…But, I…I don't know what I'd ever do if he didn't take me back. I would self-destruct. I'd go mad! I'd be angry at myself, and I'd go take it out on some one else, and if there was no one else around to take it out on, I'd probably take it out on myself… maybe even commit suicide." He leaned forward, concerned.

"He loves you…I can tell it, just…I can tell it." I snorted, and he shook his head, sighing.

"Well, enough about me…what about you? You're a good-looking guy…why don't you have a pretty girl on your arm? Boy, even." He avoided my gaze and his cheeks began to tint a slight pink.

"I…I'm waiting for the right person." I raised my eyebrows.

"Person?" He didn't specify whether he meant a woman, or a man…

"Person." He confirmed, still avoiding my gaze.

So, he was in the middle? No, maybe I was just assuming things…jumping to conclusions and all. But I couldn't help but wonder…

He looked at me, solemnity etched in his features.

"You need to go talk to him, Charlie." I swallowed, hanging my head.

"I can't."

"You have to… If you don't, there's some one else who'll move in to comfort him. We both know who, and neither one of us want that…" He frowned. "So get back in there and talk to 'im!" He half-smiled.

I smiled back at him, getting up to leave. As an afterthought, I turned back around and hugged him…he'd helped me more than he'd ever know.

"Thank you…for everything." He smiled and mouthed the word 'Go!' and I turned, running back to Adam's room to talk to him.

That's when the sick realization came, that I had no idea what I was going to say…