Staying out of pity??

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Have you ever stayed in a relationship out of pity? I did once, a long time ago, before I met my hubby. The guy worked at the gas station near my house which I went into a few times a day for coffee, sodas, and smokes. I was fresh out of another relationship which had lasted a few months, and one of the girls at the gas station told me this guy wanted my number. I gave it to her to give to him, even though I didn't know him well. Anyways, he called and we planned a date. I didn't really have any sort of attraction to him at first, and I wasn't really gung ho to go on this date, but my mother told me "You're not marrying the guy, it's just a date. Do it for something to do." So I did. The date went well, and he and I continued to see each other and talk on the phone. We hadn't been seeing each other long, possibly only a week, when this one night we were on the phone with each other and my mom came in asking me to go buy her some cigarettes. I told her I couldn't afford to, that all the money I had left was gas money to get to and from work. I was lying to her, I got really sick of spending my money on food and smokes for her. Anyways, he overheard all this. The next morning when I got in my car to go to work there was 2 packs of cigarettes, a rose, $20 and a note from him. I don't remember all of what it said, but I do remember it saying "I can't let my girl go hungry" Well that totally freaked me out! I didn't like him that much to begin with, and now suddenly he considers me his girl?? After I got out of work I stopped at his gas station and told him I wanted to talk to him after he got out of work. I wouldn't tell him why. Then I went home to pick up my son before heading out again. When I left I drove past the gas station and saw him sitting outside. He looked like he was in tears, obviously extremely depressed. I assumed it was over me, he obviously could sense I wanted to break up. So, when I did talk to him that night, against my better judgement, I decided not to break up with him! Biggest mistake I ever made! We went on to have a relationship that lasted almost a year and a half. He drank and smoked way too much, partied too often, cheated on me constantly, put me down when he was around his friends, yet stupidly I stayed with him. But.. if it wasn't for the horrible way he treated me, I never would have ended up with my husband, who's the total opposite of that jerk! I needed to be treated badly in order to appreciate someone like my husband! Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to break up with someone, but didn't because you felt too bad for them?