A/N: please be aware that I'm getting some inspiration from another Mission Impossible book. Sorry if the things don't match up!

This was the first day that the IMF and CIA agents met up. They were in a room, looking for clues. That's when Ethan Hunt asked Courtney Jenkins some questions.

"So... how long have you and Agent Walker worked together?" Hunt asked, looking at the female assassin.

"Two years." Jenkins replied, looking back at him. "We're also roommates, if you're wondering."

"How did you first meet each other?"

"Well, it was just a fight that I had with some guy."

"What happened? Who was the guy?"

"Can we not talk about that?"

He pushed her against a wall, gun to her arm.

"Don't fire." She mumbled.

Ethan pressed the gun against her skin.

August Walker walked into the room. He looked in Courtney's direction just as Ethan fired the gun. He ran towards the female spy and held her close.

"Don't hurt her like that!" Walker frowned. "If she doesn't want to talk about something, you can't shoot her and force her to say something. She could've died!"

Ethan nodded and put the gun away. Walker grabbed a first aid kit and bandaged Courtney's wound. Jenkins looked at Walker and sighed.

"It's m-my f-fault." She mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear and shaking at the same time. "I-I s-shouldn't have t-told him."

"Shhh... you're fine, right?" He asked. "How much pain are you in?"

"7.5"

August glared at Ethan, concerned about Courtney's arm.

Ethan sighed, looking down and said. "I was just curious. Sorry."

A woman walked into the room. She quickly glanced at Courtney before looking at Ethan.

"What happened to her?" She asked. She had a British accent, just like Benji.

"It's a long story, Ilsa." Ethan sighed.

Ilsa Faust was no ordinary woman. She was an assassin working for The Syndicate but joined the IMF some time after Ethan and his team met her. She used to work as a spy in MI6. She went rogue and joined The Syndicate. Ethan found her and, some while later, she joined his team.

She was a very strong woman. Jenkins knew this. Jenkins worked with her once. That was before she left the MI6, for good, and before August Walker found her. She had to admit, Ilsa looked like the woman who you would fall in love with straight away. But she wasn't a lesbian. She was straight, just like Ilsa. But that's another story!

Jenkins looked at Faust. She looked the same as usual.

"Do I know you?" Ilsa asked, looking at Courtney.

Courtney shrugged and looked back at August who was still bandaging the wound.

"Is something wrong, Courts?" He muttered, only for her to hear.

"I'm fine." She smiled slightly, whispering for him to hear.

"Talk to me later, alright?"

She nodded and placed her head on his chest, closing her eyes and getting comfortable.

Ethan was starting to feel terrible about what he did to Courtney. What he thinking? He had injured Jenkins. Walker was mad at him. Courtney didn't look at him that much. The only time she looked at him was when she asked him a question. Ilsa and Benji were with him the most. Luther would speak to him through headpieces and Walkie-Talkies.

August, on the other hand, didn't need to communicate with Courtney through headpieces or Walkie-Talkies. He was able to communicate with her with expressions and words. Expressions and words; why couldn't Ethan do that? Was he too shy or something? It was yet another question he couldn't answer. He hoped Julia was alright without him. He was able to explain what he needed to do. This is what happened:

That morning, Ethan woke up to Julia's body next to his. She was already awake. Julia smiled, looking at Ethan with the same look she always gave him. He quickly got out of bed and quickly walked to the bathroom, doing his usual routine. He walked out of the room, looking for his white blouse and black trousers. That's when Julia wrapped her arms around his stomach.

"Julia, I can't do this. I have to go." He sighed sadly, turning around and holding her close.

"Just promise me one thing..."

"Go ahead."

"Don't hurt yourself!"

"I won't, darling, I won't."

Then he left, not even saying goodbye.

He felt stupid, now that he thought of it. Very stupid indeed. He hoped that Julia would still love him, even though they saw each other for a few hours. But, there's one thing that had changed. It wasn't going to be the same Julia x Ethan love story ever again.