A/N: Sorta inspired by the first Mission out of MI-3. I loved the vibes from that scene. And Ethan in black tactical gear? Yes please. Anyways - enjoy? It's a bit all over the place! Apologies!

****

You'd been told how fast a Mission like this can go sideways.

In fact, you'd been trained.

Trained to identify and react to a situation such as this.

The confrontation had inevitably gone off the rails, no thanks to the negotiation skills of your Partner.

Wincing as the all too familiar shrill sounding barrage of bullets clang against the metal table you jump over, pulling it down with you, you can't help but sigh heavily, passing a look at the man beside you.

"Great job. Really great," You mutter, unholstering your sidearm pistol, a Beretta 92 FS, rather aggressively clicking off the safety. "Remind me to take the lead on negotiations next time, hm?"

The brunet just grins, shaking his head with a chuckle, his own sidearm at the ready.

"Let's just get to the exfil alive. How does that sound?"

"Sounds fine to me."

And with one last weapons check and a shared nod, the pair of you spring to your feet, dashing out from behind your cover, moving so synchronized, it's almost like you've done this thousands of times before.

Which, as you both round the corner in a sprint and you instinctively cover his flank, you mentally shrug, finger pulling the trigger, the bullet hitting its mark almost perfectly.

I guess we have done this quite a bit.

"Luther, we need that pick up!" You can barely hear your Partner yell into his earpiece, the shots and shouts all drowning out the sound.

The dark and dingy hallways seem to stretch forever, the lighting no longer present thanks to another one of the Agents on your team that was tasked to cover the exfil and capture images of the weapons dealer you almost had your hands on.

A sudden explosion rocks the already crumbling factory you're in, your footing slipping for a moment against the dusty cement floor, littered with various garbage.

"Where the hell did that come from?" You pant, regaining your balance in a hurry while the man in front of you comes to a halt, steadying you with an outstretched arm, his handgun still firmly grasped in the other.

"No idea," Comes the reply, a breathy murmur. "But let's make the most of it. C'mon."

Not even given a moment to say otherwise, your wrist is softly yet firmly grabbed as the pair of you take off sprinting down the hallways once more.

Though to your surprise, the clamor seems to have died down.

In fact...

"Ethan! Wait!" You yell in urgency, a panic rising in your tone.

Instantly, your Partner comes to a halt, turning to face you, his facial features bathed in sweat and dust, a blaze of determination yet confusion alight in his gaze.

Though the confusion quickly evaporates as many, heavy booted footsteps reach your ears - coming from the exact direction of your escape.

"Those bastards cut us off," Ethan grumbles, ushering you back the way you'd both just came from, a urgency in his actions you've only seen a few times before.

"Luther, we've been cut off! Just keep an eye on the North wall of this place, will ya?"

It's quiet enough this time for you to hear the other Agent's response, a rather bewildered one at that.

And the next thing you know, you find yourself running this time, Ethan at your side.

"How do we know there aren't guys still back this way, too?"

"We don't!"

Grimacing inwardly, you both skitter back around the corner you'd previously rounded, slipping through puddles.

The glass ceiling here was long broken, the relentless rain outside pouring in through the missing panels and cracks.

"There's nowhere to go, you filthy Americans!" A thickly accented voice rises above the clamor, a sudden flurry of darkly clad figures appearing from the shadows on every side.

You feel your entire body tense, your eyes seeking targets down the barrel of your pistol, your stance constantly switching to keep your Partner's back covered.

You can feel his back against yours, his own stance rigid and ready for whatever may come next.

"There is no use trying to flee," The older, larger man clad in a black business suit taunts, brandishing his own weapon between both of you, a wicked grin on his features.

Something nudges your bicep.

Then another.

Realization clicks as your own grin grows on your features.

"Well, we'll try anyway," Ethan smirks as your grip around your pistol tightens, your entire body ready to leap into action.

As another nudge meets your arm, you both split, darting opposite ways across the large room, bullets ricocheting against the metal beam you dash past making you hiss in aggravation.

"Ethan, we've got a problem down here - we've been spotted and they're hot on our heels!" Luther's tone filters through your earpiece as you slide across the watery, dirty floor, shards of glass nipping your pant legs.

"How many?" Your Partner inquires, sounding short of breath and beyond frustrated at this point.

"Too many to count!" Another voice chimes in, distant, staticky shots joining in.

"Ethan we-"

"Go! Get the hell out of here!" Comes the reply, a strict order that when it finally resonates within you, your heart sinks a bit.

How in the world are we gonna get out of this one?

Sucking in a breath, you dart out from behind your cover yet again, shock rippling through you upon laying eyes on the scope of the situation around you.

There are way too many of them.

All with automatic weapons.

"We're out numbered and out gunned, Ethan!" You state shakily through your earpiece, casting your gaze over to where he's crouched, quickly becoming pinned down.

"I know, I know!" He retorts, a slight desperation slipping into his tone. "On the count of three you run towards that window."

Swiveling your attention to the rest of the room before you, you frown, a massive window - surprisingly untouched by this firefight - sits, just waiting to be broken.

"But you're-"

"Out that window! You understand me?!"

Nodding mutely, you holster your pistol and ready your grappler.

"One..."

Time seems to to slow as your Partner's tone filters into your ear, the darkly clad figures almost to his side now.

"Two..."

They're practically on top of the table he's crouched behind now, his gaze meeting yours from across the room.

"Three!"

And instantly, you take off running, the men that had been closing in on you falling like dominos from behind you, their cries of agony enough proof of that.

You're almost to the window now, your boots splashing through puddles, your breathing beyond labored, every muscle in your body just crying out in exhaustion...

But you can't go yet.

Not without him.

"Ethan," You barely hear yourself murmur, a surge of adrenaline chorusing through you.

Without even realizing what you're doing, your feet carry you towards him, your tunneled vision focused solely on him.

So much so that you barely hear that the clamor had quickly subsided when you'd neared the window, only to be pierced once more by a single clear, crisp shot.

A shot that when it finally reaches your ears, pricks confusion to your muddled mind.

Though Ethan's wide eyed look of disbelief and shock is what makes it click.

Your body freezes to the spot, the grappler that had been in your grasp clattering to the ground as you follow it down, your hands clutching your abdomen.

Only for them to return to your quickly fading gaze a sickly crimson.

"Ethan..." You hear yourself murmur this time, falling onto your face, gaze not leaving your Partner, even if you're laying in whatever filth is on this floor.

"I'm sorry."

****

You awake with a jolt so intense, you could swear you hear yourself scream, the sound of the single shot ringing in your ears.

Eyes wincing against the light illuminating whatever room you're in, you quickly survey your surroundings.

Small kitchenette, a dining room table...

You sigh heavily, sitting back in the bed you're in, your gaze hazy as a figure quickly reaches your side, his features familiar.

"Hey, hey, hey," He coaxes, hastily taking a seat on the end of the bed, a hand reaching out to stroke your cheek, relief in his green gaze. "You're okay. You're okay, Y/N."

"E-Ethan," You breathe, recognition flooding your senses. "How did you-? Where are we?"

At this, the brunet in front of you chuckles softly, the sound of it calming your heightened senses slightly.

"How did we get out of there? I have no idea," He hums, shifting closer to you, something you can't quite make out glimmering in his gaze. "But one thing I do know is that you disobeyed my direct order."

"I was trying to save your life."

"Yeah? Well, look how well that worked," He grins teasingly, tone purely playful, though it lowers an octave as he continues. "I thought you were dead, Y/N."

A pang of guilt pulses through you and a tear slips down your cheek.

Though it doesn't get too far - a rough yet gentle thumb wiping it away.

"But yet here you are - alive."

"For now," You grumble, agony rippling through your entire being. "How bad is it? Be honest with me, Ethan."

At this, the Agent grimaces, his jaw clenching.

"It's not good, but I've seen worse."

"When's our pickup?"

"Tomorrow - sundown."

"Well," You chuckle half-heartedly, wincing slightly at the action. "What the heck are we gonna do 'till then?"

Ethan just smiles softly, the teasing back in his gaze.

"If the situation wasn't so dire, I could think of quite a few things to keep us occupied, but," He pauses, making his way to his feet and rounding the bed, slipping off his shirt before sliding under the covers, arms gently reaching for you.

"You've lost quite a bit of blood, so you need to rest, N/N."

His breath tickles your ear, that grin of his likely still not fading.

"You get some rest, too, Agent Hunt," You murmur with a smile, a familiarly handsome face appearing in front of yours in the blink of an eye, a false look of offense gracing his features.

"Did you just refer to me as Agent, Ms. L/N?"

All you can do is smirk as his lips capture yours in a tender kiss just long enough to convey what words cannot do justice.

"I thought we were past that," Ethan murmurs with a chuckle, falling back by your side and carefully pulling you close.

"We are. But when you give ridiculous orders to me like jumping out a window without you, it makes me question."

"I would've followed you!"

"Not if you'd been the one who'd been shot!"

Propping himself up on an elbow, you find yourself staring into that mesmerizing gaze of his yet again, even through your blurry vision.

"I'll follow you until the end, Y/N. Because after all, someone's got to have your back, right?"

You can't help but chuckle, a blush toying at your cheeks.

"And I'll always be behind you, the next time you decide to pull any of those crazy stunts of yours. Because one of these days, those are gonna go sideways, y'know."

"Like how today went?"

"Exactly how today went - no thanks to you."

Lips meet yours with a breathy chuckle, effectively finishing the petty debate rising.

"I love you."

You grin sleepily, finding his hand in yours, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I love you too, Ethan Hunt."