Here's the latest chapter. Hope everyone enjoys it.

Now for the legal BS: don't own, don't sue! If I did own them, poor Duo would be walking bow-legged all the time!

The Bitch is Back

Duo hurried down a dim, slightly disused hallway in the school. He had found it one day when he was trying to lose OJ and his buddies. The almost pristine floors told him that it hadn't been used like the normal ones. At the end he had discovered a hidden fallout shelter. The dust-filled room worked as a hiding spot when he wanted to skip class and the hall worked as a way to get away from his tormentors. But this time he wasn't hiding from bullies; no today he tried to avoid one Odin Bernett.

The dark-haired boy was new to the school and insisted on sticking to Duo's side like a leech. Everywhere he went, the other boy followed. They even had the exact same schedule! Heero carried a chip on his shoulder about his rival and the more they had to deal Odin, the quieter the cobalt-eyed boy became. It was driving Duo over a cliff. At first he had enjoyed having two great looking boys fighting over him, but Hee-chan's stoic personality made jealousy a very poor fit.

He had almost reached the end of the hall when a group stepped out. The clashing scents of perfume, hairspray and deodorant tickled his nose and he slowed down, coming to a stop where he could easily see the group. It was Relena and her cadre of mean girls. The whole troupe dressed in pastel colors for that day. Various shades of pink clashed with peach, lavender and seafoam. The queen bee stepped up and shoved her index finger into Duo's chest.

"Maxwell," she snarled.

"Relena," he drawled, stepping back out of finger range. "How can I help you?"

"I just thought you should know exactly what Heero thinks of you," she sweetly said. "He's just using you to quench a need that I can't right now. And when he's ready, we'll move in together, get married and leave your skanky ass behind." She clicked her tongue lightly. "Poor, poor Duo, such a worthless whore that no one could ever love him."

"Relena, why don't you go look in someone's ear or some place else exciting?" he answered, cocking one hip and crossing his arms across his chest. "Maybe pay attention to that poor, spavined creature you call a horse." He looked at the hovering crowd. "Do you know that every time she mounts her horse, it sighs? Almost like he's saying, 'do I really need to take this lard ass on me? She could use to lose a few pounds.' Or at least that's what it seems to me." Several of the girls giggled behind their hands. The laughter lasted until the blonde girl's hand flicked out and slapped her rival across the mouth.

Duo carefully wiped the blood off his face from the lip she split. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I don't want to see you again. If you come home, I'll tell my father that you attacked me and tried to rape me," she flashed him a triumphant smile. "And who do you think that my daddy will believe, hm? Me, his loving daughter or you, the former whore, leech?"

"Fuck off, you pig-faced, fat bitch!" he snarled, as he pushed past her. "You and Heero deserve each other." He headed further down the hall to his hidey hole, his eyes burning and the lump in his throat threatening to choke him.

Relena smiled as she watched the retreating back. "There, I put that user in his place. Now all I have to do is find Heero and get things back on track." She headed out of the hallway and back to the more populated areas of the school. She pulled up short as a figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Relena," Odin murmured, reaching out and grabbing her by the wrist. "I hope you don't intend trying to frame Duo for something he would never do. If you were, I'd have to stop you."

"Oh, really?" she sneered. "And how do you intend to do that? If you tried telling anyone, I could just say that you made it up and you're working with Maxwell. As a matter of fact, you both tried to rape me."

He smiled at her and pulled a small, silver and black box out of his pocket. He pressed a button and the whole conversation between her and Duo was played out, right to the slap on the braided boy's face. "I don't think it will be too difficult with this as evidence. And the first person I'll let listen to it will be one Heero Yuy. Then he'll really dump your ass for Duo. Although, I think Duo is a shade too good for that serious bastard." He took one menacing step forward. "You try to get Maxwell into trouble and I'll make you regret it, understand?" he growled, glaring down at her.

She shrieked her frustration and pushed past the arrogant, dark-haired boy. The other girls followed behind her, all but one. Hilde Schbeiker stood there giving him a wide-eyed look.

"Whatcha looking at, Sweet-thang?" he drawled.

"If Relena causes Duo trouble, I'll let Heero know. However, if she goes after you, you're on your own," she stated, tossing her hair and flouncing off.

"I've dealt with bitches before," he hollered after her. "And I'll deal with them again. I think I can handle it." He checked his pocket for the digital recorder that he used to tape Relena's rant and headed off in the direction he saw Duo disappear. Solo would kill him if anything happened to his precious nephew.

The long-haired boy had a serious crush on Yuy and there's no telling where he ran to. He followed the dimly lighted hall until it ended in a steel door. The heavy doors were cracked, slightly and he carefully opened them. The sound of soft sobbing drew him like a moth to a candle flame.

In the furthest corner from the entry, Odin found a crying Duo. He didn't say anything, just slipped down beside him, gathered him into his arms and held him as he cried himself out. When his breath started coming in shaky sobs, the older boy let him go.

"Better," Odin murmured, stroking the chestnut bangs away from the creamy, vellum skin. Brilliant amethyst eyes looked up at him, crystalline tears making them shine like the precious stones they were. Damn, if only the braided boy was a few years older.

"Whataya want from me," Duo croaked his, voice raw from crying.

"Nothing," he answered. "I was sent by your uncle to see how you were getting along."

Duo gave him a wary look and drew farther from him. "What uncle? My father was an only child and mom had a brother who had been a missionary, but he was killed in some third world country when I was 'bout nine."

"That's what Owen told you, but it's a lie."

"Why the fuck should I believe that?"

"Because your old man was a self-centered egomaniac, who thinks the world revolves around him and his needs. Believe me, when Solo gets his hands on that bastard there won't be enough left of him to bury." He gave Duo a vulpine smile. "Or at least the body will never be found." He stood up and held out a hand to the younger boy. "C'mon, let's go meet your uncle. He's itching to get to know you again."

Solo paced back and forth, wearing a hole in the carpet of the ramshackle house they'd bought when coming to Winnerton. He hated the fact that he couldn't be the one getting to know Duo. He did remember quite a bit about his sister's little demon.

One of the few times that he had visited the family, the small figure had tackled him in his excitement. Only after they had sat down for dinner did Solo realize that his wallet was missing. When he looked down the table, he could see his small nephew playing with it. Angeline had been mortified, but he had laughed it off. The boy had a natural talent for picking pockets. He had also noticed something that worried him: Owen's treatment of both his sister and her child. That coupled with the barely hidden bruises on her wrists and arms worried him. He offered an escape route, but she refused him. Her place was with her husband and children.

"Dammit!" he swore, pulling his keys out of his pocket and heading for the door.

"Where the hell do you think you're goin'?" Odel drawled, standing with his arms akimbo.

"I'm goin' to that school and drag my nephew out before that bastard who killed my sister does the same to him."

"What, you don't trust Odin?"

"It's not that, it's just…." The sound of two sets of feet on the front porch drew his attention to the front door. He motioned to Odel and they flanked the door, hands on pistols, ready to take out anyone who tried to enter. Three soft knocks warned him who stood in front of the portal.

"Dude," came an unfamiliar voice. "I thought this was your place."

"It is, however I live with my brother and your uncle," Odin said just before he opened the door. "And they tend to be a little jumpy. It's better to knock first and avoid the hassle than to try and put someone back together. We ain't the Red Cross. C'mon, Duo let's go in and meet your uncle"

"Oh," Duo responded.

The door swung open and Solo stood face to face with the cheerful boy he remembered. He hadn't changed much, just gotten taller and his features were more angular and less childish. He cursed under his breath; he hated the bastard that had declared him dead and robbed him of his sister's last days and his nephew's life.

He rocked back as a fist caught him in the jaw. Duo stood before him, his amethyst eyes blazing. Tears filled those beautiful orbs and the boy's face was the color of freshly fallen snow. "You sonofabitch," Duo growled.

"Duo," Solo breathed, reaching out and gathering the boy into his arms. Both men began to sob quietly.