Well, here's my latest story! it's not quite done yet, but i only have like a chapter and a half to go, soooo...

but i'm really liking this fic :D get ready for some major angstyness

Almost Lost

Chapter 1

Bad News

"Maxwell, I need you in my office," said Une's voice through the comm. link of the phone on Duo's desk.

Pressing the button on the phone, Duo replied lazily, "Yes ma'am..."

He stood and stretched before making his way out of the office that he and Heero shared.

Heero, however, was currently away on some solo mission. Duo didn't know much about it, other than that his lover wasn't due back for at least another few days to a week. When Heero had been given the mission, Duo had insisted on going with him, but Une had refused. "This is a solo mission. Agent Yuy is more than capable of handling this on his own," she had said. Duo had argued, as it was in his nature to be stubborn, but Une hadn't given in. So, when the day for Heero to get shipped out had come, Duo had made his lover swear to return safely and to ditch his mission if it got too dangerous.

Heero promised and then kissed Duo lovingly before turning and walking over to the jet that would be taking him to the drop-zone of his mission. And that was the last Duo had seen of Heero.

Duo snapped out of his musings as he entered Une's office. He walked up to her desk, grinning his trademark smile. "What's up? Got a mission for me?" he asked cheerily, hoping he'd have a chance to get out of his boring office for a few days.

Une looked sullen, her face emotionless, "In a way, yes," she said. "Please, Duo, sit down."

Duo did as he was told, but not without a look of slight suspicion. Une never called him by his given name, not unless she had really bad news...

"Agent Yuy has been reported KIA," she stated emotionlessly.

"K-killed...?" gaped Duo, his eyes wide; his hands tightly clutched the arms of his chair.

"I'm afraid so. He went missing several days ago, only a day or so before he was due to contact us as part of his mission. And by now it's safe to assume that he has—"

Duo cut her off, not believing what was being said. "Heero... Heero can't have died. He just... no..!" he nearly doubled over in his chair, gasping, clutching his chest as despair took over. He was on the verge of a breakdown.

"I'm sorry Duo, but it's too late now..."

"You're lying!" denied Duo, his eyes shut tight. "I don't believe you!"

"I'm telling the truth, Duo. I wouldn't lie about another agent's death. And I wouldn't tell you unless I knew it to be true."

Heero didn't die! It was impossible! He had promised that he wouldn't... he had promised to return safely... and coming back in a body bag wasn't coming back safely.

Duo felt hot tears began to stream from his eyes. He couldn't handle the thought of Heero being dead... he just couldn't. "No... It can't be true..." he whispered.

With a frown, Une quickly called Sally over the phone's comm. link. She then hurriedly went over to try to calm Duo herself. She knew that something like this was going to happen—that's why she didn't tell him at first when Heero went missing—but she felt that it was her duty to let Duo know about Heero's demise.

Duo took no notice of her hands on his shoulders, shaking him, trying to calm him down. "Maxwell, get a hold of yourself! This is no time for a nervous breakdown!" ordered Une, trying to keep her voice hard.

But Duo didn't hear her. He was completely consumed by denial and depression.

Sally arrived a moment later, saw what was going on, and quickly sedated Duo before he got any worse. "What's going on?" she asked as Une called for someone to help carry Duo to the small medical wing.

The commander of Preventers frowned, "I just informed him of... Agent Yuy's demise..." she said, her voice only somewhat downcast.

"Oh god... how terrible! Are you sure it's true?" gasped Sally as another agent arrived to help her lift up Duo's unconscious body.

"I'm as sure as I can be with what information I have. The tracking device in Yuy's data transmitter was completely destroyed nearly a week ago..."

"All I can say is that I hope Duo can pull through, that he's strong enough to handle this," Sally said as she held one of Duo's arms over her shoulder.

"I hope so too... Oh, and let me know when he wakes up?"

"Yes ma'am."

. . .

Duo awoke to a headache, a hard cot and a bright room.

He tried to reach up to rub his head, but found that he was restrained by Preventers-issue cuffs. "What the—" he grumbled as he pulled on the restraints.

But then everything came back to him and he remembered the fact that Heero was dead. And they must've knocked him out when he had that breakdown earlier... Tears began to stream from his eyes again as images of Heero, lying dead somewhere, his body battered and broken, flashed across his vision.

"Duo...?" he turned his head to see Sally sitting at her desk. So not only was he chained to a cot, but it was the one in Sally's office...

Duo then stared back up at the ceiling, trying to fight the utter despair that had taken hold in his chest.

"Duo's awake now," he heard Sally say.

Then a reply from the phone, "Thank you. I'll be right over," said Une.

Duo pulled on the restraints as Sally walked up to him. "Take these damned things off, I need to go kill myself," he heard himself blurt, his voice shaky. He didn't care that he was still crying...

"That's exactly why they're there," she stated seriously.

Duo scoffed angrily, feeling hate rise up in his chest, smothering the depression. They wouldn't even let him commit suicide and join Heero on the other side...

A few moments later, Une appeared in the doorway of Sally's office.

"Maxwell," she said, walking over to the cot where Duo lay.

"What," he spat. He welcomed the angered feelings, knowing it would spare him from his sorrow... for now.

"I have a mission for you," she stated bluntly.

Sally turned to face Une in shock, "What? You can't send him on a mission in his condition! He's suicidal!"

"That's exactly why. Maxwell, I am assigning you the rest of Yuy's mission. I need you to at least try. After that... you're free to take away your own life. I won't stop you if you manage to complete the mission," said Une, her tone even and very serious.

Duo was speechless.

"Come with me to my office so we can discus the mission parameters. You'll be shipped out tonight."

Duo growled, "Well get these damned cuffs off me and I will..."

poor poor duo... well, it's fun to mess with him XD please tell me what you guys thought... reviews make me happy.

okay, so i'll update the next chapter tomorrow morning (heero and i are going to quatre's house XD) but ya, i'll finish this as soon as i can, and get workin on htat idea that i came up with last night!

-Shinigami out.