Frayed Edges

Kassidy: AU. When psychic Trowa is recruited to help the Sanc City Police Department with a murder trial, he's brought face to face with empath/telepath Quatre and his own insecurities.

Kandice: It will of course be 3x4x3 in the end. With 1xR... yes, I said Heero and Releena- but please don't leave!- 2xH (Please, please don't leave!) 5xM and 5xSP, with others.

Kassidy: The warnings are our normal. That pretty much encompasses all genres. Angst, sap, fluff, romance, a dab of humor. Yaoi and het. And more than likely over-abuse of supernatural/psychic/empathy themes. Rated M for gratuitous use of blood, violence, NCS, and lemony-limey things. And plus, Wufei's having an affair.

Kandice: Bad Wuffy! Bad boy!

Kassidy: Now for the disclaimer.

Kandice: Is this really necessary? Do you honestly think that if we owned Gundam Wing, we would be doing this?

Kassidy: It is necessary. And maybe they do think so.

Kandice: Oh, well then. The Mother of All Disclaimers: We own nothing but a couple hundred dust bunnies (you're welcome to sue us for them... but you have to dig them out from under the bed yourself!). If we did own Gundam Wing, then by The Final Victors episode... Dorothy would be dead. Duo would have slapped some sense into Relena- literally. Trowa and Quatre would have more screen time together (And maybe a kiss or two ^_^ ). Someone would ask why a bunch of kids are running the world. Someone (NOT Duo!) would crack a couple jokes about sibling rivalry in regards to Lena and Zechs. Someone would raise the IQ standards for Oz soldiers (ever noticed how stupid some of them are?). Someone would have asked why Quatre's wearing pink. Someone would have pointed out that everyone in this show repeats themselves. Someone would ask why EVERYONE is following Heero, a suicidal, homicidal, mentally unstable and emotionally starved little boy. Someone would have pointed out that Noin is the true stalker of the show and not Relena. And SOMEONE would have put a pink flamingo sticker on Shenlong!

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Chapter One

Unsolved

Duo Maxwell looked on with objective cobalt eyes at the scene before him. A lesser man would have lost his lunch, or at the least turned away. But Duo Maxwell was not a lesser man. He watched, an odd clenching in his gut, but he did not turn away. He owed the girl that much.

He did not know her. She was another nameless faceless whore to the people around him. Just another death in a city full of crime.

But to Duo, she was someone's daughter. She was someone's sister. She was someone's friend. Duo could see past the sterotypes of the torn remains of her leather miniskirt. Past the scuffed knee-high boots and fishnet stockings. Past what other's saw, and to the fifteen-or-so year old beneath it all.

He could see the blood and see the crime. But he couldn't see a reason for it.

"No ID, no identifying marks. No murder weapon that we can see."

Duo cut his eyes across at his partner. It was late at night, towards the end of their shift, and Heero's chocolate hair was wild, his Prussian blue eyes dark and shadowed. They'd been partners since their rookie year... and that was going on two years ago. Duo knew just about every nook and cranny of his partner and friend's mind. Heero was, inside, torn up over this. It was a horrible crime.

"What's the CSIs say?"

"To early to be sure, but there is evidence of rape, sodomy. Cause of death is probably strangulation."

"Sodomy?"

Heero Yuy responded with a curt nod.

"Poor girl was beaten half to death, too," a passing CSI put in, "Before she was strangled. And it looks like she put up one hell of a fight."

"We've gotta help her," Duo whispered, for Heero's ears alone.

He received another nod. That was their job. To speak for those who could no longer speak for themselves. It was a sad, depressing and hard job.

But someone had to do it.

*Five Years Later*

Duo Maxwell looked back over the files. He and Heero were both up for promotion to Lieutenant. They had seven years experience on the force under their belts, and an impressive track record to go along with it. But there was one mar on that record. Duo frowned at the case in question. To date, it was their only unsolved murder. Their only unresolved crime. Seven years and they still didn't even know the girl's name.

A shadow fell over him.

"Come to bed, dear."

He blinked up at the woman standing behind his chair. The lights were off, the only illumination from a desk lamp and the digital clock that read twelve thirteen. Her dark eyes twinkled in the dim light, her hair midnight dark. She placed her left hand over his, sitting on the desk, and Duo stared at the matching silver bands and the twinkling diamond of her engagement ring. Three years now that those two rings had resided upon her left hand, that it's mate resided upon his own. Three years of happiness.

But his work always bothered her. He devotion to it. She knew he loved her more than anything, but he knew she felt a little worried about his job. She wanted someone else to do this work, but she would never stop him doing what he wanted. It was a good system... but the stress was wearing on them.

"Come to bed. She'll still be there in the morning. You can't help anyone in this state, Duo. You need rest. Look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow."

He smiled weakly at her as he rose, then pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"You're right, Hils. Always were."

tbc....