-1Author's note

Hi guys,

Well, it's the new year and a new little post. Miss Yilun asked when they all finally get together for a scene…hehehe.

Keep reviewing please, it really does help me to think of new ideas, and I love to be inspired by your questions.

Foreseeable Future, by Hikishi

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing does not belong to me. This displeases me but hey, what can I do? So please, save your breath and don't sue.

Pairings: ?

Warnings: Blood, Violence, Swearing (of course), Death (though not anyone important)

Genres: Angst, Drama, Action, Hurt/Comfort.

Foreseeable Future

Chapter Ten

Two Steps Back

Duo was to spend the day with Quatre trying to go over the events again in an attempt to gain more insight into the killer. Heero was in his office going over paperwork when Trowa and Treize wandered in.

"Barton, Khushrenada?" Wufei straightened up in his chair, eyeing them both in interest. His partner watched silently at the exchange. "What do you have for us?"

"Nothing much, again. This guy's way too meticulous. He leaves virtually no evidence."

"Nothing again?" Wufei growled in annoyance. "This guy's getting on my last nerve."

"Duo's not given anything more either. Winner came over him the other night to talk and he admitted that every time he tries to connect with the killer, he either gets white noise or pulled hard. He's scared to let go and try for something in case we get a repeat of the last time."

Wufei waved a hand impatiently.

"Wait, wait, wait. He knows he's psychic now? When the hell did this happen Yuy?"

Heero looked across at his partner. Chang seemed a little pissed off at the new development.

"We talked about it when you came over two days ago. I ordered in remember?"

"Yet somehow during the whole two hours I was there you failed to mention that Maxwell was suddenly remembering his visions."

"He doesn't remember them." Heero shot back peevishly. "Winner tapes them and we play them back."

Wufei frowned and his tone became grumpy.

"Don't know why he was in denial to begin with. And when did he become 'Duo'?"

"About the same time we found a dead body in his apartment!"

The words were indignant, and the long haired preventer narrowed his eyes at the tone. Heero knew what Wufei was implying, as agent Yuy had never gotten this close to a witness in an investigation before. He couldn't tell if he disapproved, or if it was simply the surprise of it all.

"About that body…" Treize interrupted smoothly, gaining their attention again.

"I thought you'd found nothing?"

Trowa held up a finger to pause them.

"Correction. Treize said we'd found nothing much."

"However, we did find something of interest."

Yuy leaned forward, curious, whilst Wufei hummed in a 'go ahead and tell me' fashion. Barton produced a file and tossed it onto Chang's desk.

"Take a look."

Heero ambled over to his partners desk to peruse the opened file in the Chinese man's hands.

"You found what in her stomach?"

Treize raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"We told you it would be interesting."

Heero blinked in surprise at the results and locked his gaze with Trowa.

"So why did she swallow a photo? More importantly, how did she swallow the photo?"

"How? In pieces." Was the succinct reply. "Why? I'm not entirely sure. I certainly don't think our killer forced her to eat it."

"The victim tried to give us a clue?"

Well I'm sure the murderer didn't want us to have this photo. Not only does it have a partial fingerprint that doesn't match the victim. It also has a date and time stamp in the back."

"The others didn't."

"Correction." Trieze said smugly. "They would have. If he didn't cut them off each one."

"We missed this." Wufei muttered in annoyance. "How did we miss this?" He asked his partner. Yuy looked to the other two for an answer.

"This, Chang, is why we're the CSIs and you're just a detective."

_____

Heero watched from his seat as Duo and Quatre wandered into the cafeteria together and joined the line, grabbing trays. He was pretty sure the psychic wasn't supposed to be in here amongst agents discussing their cases, but then, no one had said anything yet. He only hoped that the Commander didn't catch him in here. Une on his ass was the last thing he needed right now.

His eyes followed them through the line, Duo allowing the Profiler to carry his tray so his own hands were free to use the crutches.

The blond spotted them suddenly, and signalled to his friend, jerking his head over to the rather crowded table. As they closed in, recognition flashed in Duo's eyes at some of the occupants. Quatre set the food down and slid into a seat, blushing lightly and greeting the CSI. "Hi Trowa."

Heero watched as Duo frowned at the two investigators, trying to place them. For a psychic, the man had a terrible memory of people. Winner took the lead and introduced them again

"Duo, you remember Trowa, right? From the crime scene?" The young man nodded. "And this is his partner, Treize."

"Oh, right! Sorry." Duo smiled and rubbed the back of his head with one hand, offering the other to shake. "You're the one who helped me right?" He said to Trowa. "Thanks man, I was so out of it."

"No problem." Came the laid-back reply.

"You guys were at my apartment too, right?"

"Barton and Khushrenada are Forensics." Heero inserted. "It's their jobs to catalogue a scene."

"So you're the guys who deal with the dead bodies?" Duo shuddered a little and Treize laughed.

"Only on the scene itself. That's my job." A blonde woman sat with them spoke up, extending a finely manicured hand. "Dorothy Catalonia. I process the stiffs and find out what offed them."

It was Quatre's turn to shudder.

"Must you be so blunt?" He asked with a little scowl.

"What? It's not as if they have feelings Winner. They're corpses. Sometimes not even that."

"Eating here!" Wufei snapped. "Can we please not talk about dead bodies over lunch."

"Especially when it's spaghetti bolognaise." Heero muttered.

"Men." Dorothy huffed, smirking at Duo. "All I have to do is merely mention blood and entrails and they go green. No guts at all."

"Says the woman who talks to dead bodies." Treize shot back. "And I still don't understand why you wanted to be a coroner, of all things. I've seen how difficult it is for you to get a date."

"No one likes a girl that smells of formaldehyde." Quatre poked.

"I'm more afraid of what she has access to. Have you seen the bone saw? Looks like something out of a horror movie."

"Keep talking Khushrenada, and a severed head may just find it's way under your Christmas tree." She turned her attention to the profiler. "As for you Winner, the fact that I beat your ass at fencing every Saturday not enough?"#

"Quatre Winner, Prince of the fencing ring, getting schooled by a lady?" Zechs suddenly appeared behind Wufei's shoulder smiling as he and Treize moved aside for him to pull up a chair. "I'd pay good money to see that."

"She's no lady." The profiler warned.

"If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck…"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you, Zechs."

Merquise, true to normal form, didn't even notice the new addition to the table. He flipped his long blond hair and smiled winningly at Heero.

"How goes the case, Heero?"

"Slowly." He sighed in reply. "This guy's always one step ahead of us."

"I'm sure you'll get a break soon. Which reminds me, Relena asked after you again." He teased. "When are you next coming over for tea? I have a new car, we can drive out to the Dorlian estate and spend the night-"

"He can't!" Duo burst out with angrily and Heero spun in his seat to stare at the young psychic in surprise, as did the rest of the table's occupants. Zechs appeared unruffled by this.

"Why not?" He questioned with one finely arched eyebrow. "Who are you, anyway."

"Duo Maxwell."

"Nice to meet you." A hand was extended across the table. "I'm-"

"I know who you are." The witness snapped icily, refusing the hand and glaring at Zechs hatefully.

"Really? I don't believe I've met you before."

"Duo!" Quatre admonished before Heero could do it himself. "Don't be so rude."

The witness ignored Quatre completely.

"We haven't met, I just don't like you."

"And what you base this judgement on?"

Duo leaned back in his chair and folded his arms tightly across his chest.

"The fact that you're a slimy pervert that'll hit on anything with two legs." He growled.

"Maxwell!"

Heero couldn't believe what Duo had just said. What was with the sudden attitude? The others' jaws dropped at his words. Quatre was going red-faced in shame as he berated his friend once again.

"Duo, apologise this instant!"

"No." He said obstinately, getting to his feet and heading for the door, leaving his mostly untouched lunch on the table. "I'm not hungry anymore. Fuck this, I'm outta here."

Quatre called after him but was steadfastly ignored.

"I'm sorry Zechs, I don't know what's gotten into him, he's not usually like this."

"Don't apologise for him." Yuy snapped, harsher than he meant to. "He was being an ass and he knew it."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say he was jealous." Dorothy mused.

"Of what?" There's nothing for him to be jealous of!" He replied in frustration. He looked to Winner for confirmation but was shocked to see the blond refusing to meet his gaze. Quatre suddenly seemed be overly interested in his food, and picked at it silently with his fork.

Heero slumped back in his chair and groaned mentally. This was not what he or Duo needed right now.