a/n: This is my first foray into the MI fandom. It's a moody little snippet that I just - wanted to write, after seeing the movie again recently. I'm sure you'll recognized the scenes...from MI:III. Hope you like it. :)

Disclaimer: The characters and universe of Mission Impossible all belong to their respective owners. No infringement is intended and no profit is made.

I have to leave town for a few days...

It is late afternoon when Julia hears the sound of the door opening. Setting down her book, the pretty brunette heads to the front of the house, anxious to see her fiancé.

Ethan has been away on business for two days. And for those long two days – she found herself checking the clock frequently, mentally calculating how long it would be before he said he would return.

She knows it's silly – he's attending a transportation conference. Julia imagines long, sterile conversations about the intricate beauty of city traffic patterns and the requirements needed for maximizing travel efficiency for the daily commuter. She knows the only thing Ethan is at risk for is boredom.

Regardless, a worry has tickled the back of her mind since he left; some intuition that he's not okay. That, God forbid - he might not come back.

Why?

But the days finally passed and here is the sound of his return. The front lock turning… the door opening. The solid tread of his boot as he steps into the foyer. Her worries forgotten, she pads through the house, smiling as she turns the corner and glimpses him standing there with his black canvas travel duffle.

Her relief shows in the gentle joy in her voice and face. "Hey."

He doesn't quite look at her, responding automatically. "Hey…" When his voice trails off, he still hasn't raised his eyes to hers.

Julia falters, slowing as her smile fades. She feels her heart stutter in her chest. Something is horribly wrong; Ethan looks lost.

Haunted.

Her voice is soft, worried. "How'd it go?"

He blinks at the question and its then that it seems to register that she's standing there in front of him. "I'm sorry…fine. I'm sorry..." He smiles and forces a small laugh, shaking his head. "I-I'm just tired."

If the answer doesn't quite ring true, Julia ignores it, just happy to have him home again. Relieved and smiling, Julia steps in to hug him. She can feel him turn his face into her hair as the duffle drops to the floor. His arms go around her as Julia tangles her fingers in his hair. She can smell fresh shampoo and his cologne. She feels the breath sigh out of him; there is an undercurrent of pain there. It sets off alarm bells in her mind and Julia knows then that he's not fine. But he doesn't say anything more.

She wants to let the worry go and almost does, relaxing into his embrace. She can feel his strength and as always she is a little surprised by it. It should be odd that she always feels so safe around him; you would think a traffic analyst wouldn't inspire that kind of security. She never questioned the feeling though, it was just there….a constant from the moment she'd met him.

Tonight it feels different, though.

She tries again to let the last whisper of concern slip away but she notes the tension in his body…the way his arms tighten on her waist, almost as if he were afraid to let go. That terrible dread from the last few days comes rushing back. It scares her.

She tells him to leave the bag there. She pulls his hand, leading him away from the door. They make an early dinner together and relax over some wine. The evening passes quietly and they go to bed, reacquainting themselves with the feel of each other's skin. They take comfort in each other's scents, warmth…and in the morning, Julia cannot see the shadow in his eyes anymore.

Two days later things have nearly returned to normal. Ethan seems distracted and not quite himself, but he is as caring and thoughtful as always. The week begins and work carries them in two directions.

Julia quells her worries that Ethan may be questioning their engagement; her family has already planted the seed of concern at how quickly she and the handsome man were engaged - and how short a time she's known him. But his attitude towards her hasn't changed; she reasons that he'll tell her what's bothering him when he's ready.

That evening, Julia is reviewing the chart of the patient in room 213 with Dr. Jameson when she glances up and sees Ethan in the hallway. He waves, smiling. Gesturing to him, she finishes her conversation and moments later, she is also smiling as they head to their private little corner on the roof.

Over the past few months, the two of them have spent many evenings talking on this rooftop. Ethan often brought her dinner when she worked the 3-11 shift; she hated the cold austerity of the cafeteria, especially when they had first begun dating.

It was funny, but it was Ethan who'd brought her up to the rooftop, even though she was the one who'd been working at the hospital for three years. It would never have occurred to her.

It's not the prettiest spot, but it was secluded and in her mind it was theirs. The evening traffic below them provided a backdrop as he pulled her into a quick kiss.

Her anticipation of a nice visit dies a quick death; there is something behind his eyes tonight. Immediately she is on guard. It is an uncomfortable feeling; although they have only been together for a short time, trust has never been an issue.

Taking a quick breath, he says, "I have to go away again….on business." Nodding shortly, he continues, "Two days." He says it almost cavalierly, as if it's nothing. But his eyes tell a different story.

She echoes him, her thoughts whirling, as a warning bell rings in her mind. "Two days."

"Yeah." The tone as he says it is almost challenging and Julia doesn't understand. Though sometimes moody, Ethan has never given her a reason to question anything he's told her. But things aren't adding up. Underneath his confident expression Julia can somehow sense that he is on the verge of shattering. Coupled with the undercurrent of the emotion he has been struggling to hide from her for the past couple of days, even without the warning signs he was giving off….having another business trip so soon after the last would raise red flags with anyone.

Quietly, Julia exhales a protest, "Ethan, what's going on?" She almost breathes the next few words, trying to make sense of her thoughts. "I keep thinking you just need time…to tell me whatever it is. But nothing in my mind makes sense." Her gaze seeks his. "What's wrong …What are you not telling me?"

Her fiancé looks down and away from her, his hair falling into his face. She sees him struggle; she knows instinctively that he is searching for something to tell her that she will believe. A lie. He is thinking about lying to her. Her minds shrieks, grasping for what could possibly be so bad…what is it that he can't tell her? He won't meet her gaze.

When he finally looks up at her, the bravado is gone and his eyes are tortured. His teeth worry fiercely at his lower lip and Julia can feel his pain like a kick to the stomach. Her breath stops while she waits for him to continue. "I… need-I need to ask you for something…it's the…most." His voice breaks and he stops, shaking his head. He reaches up, almost touching her. "I need you to trust me."

It steals the breath from her. "Of course I trust you." On some level she knows that he won't tell her what is hurting him so much, but she can't help asking. "Am I ever going to be able to understand what this is?"

At the question Ethan makes a sound of protest. Shaking his head again, his teeth catch his lower lip; it hurts Julia to see the unfamiliar gesture. "I need you to trust me." Julia can hear tears in his voice; sees the glimmer of them, brimming unshed.

How many people are asked that? Julia didn't know. Especially when the trust was obviously for something big. Something … scary. But hearing his voice and looking into his eyes, she knew her answer.

"Yes. I trust you."

A tension in him breaks and he exhales. Relief brightens his expression and he smiles for the first time. That more than anything tells her how serious this is. Desperately, she says, "Tell me it's real." That stops him. His eyes search hers. Now it's her turn – Julia feels her voice break and tears spill over. "I mean us." Her voice drops to a whisper. "Tell me it's real."

Those blue eyes of his widen in surprise and one side of his mouth turns up. She feels the warmth of his palm on her cheek as he turns her face up to his. "Follow me."

..

This late at night, the chapel is deserted. Their wedding is simple and sweet and the chaplain's warm voice somehow manages to soothe Julia's nerves. She wore her scrubs and Ethan his jeans and leather jacket. Two delighted coworkers serve as witnesses and everyone in the room smiles when they pull out their wedding bands à la gift shop … a sunflower ring for her, a panda bear for him.

Julia's tears are forgotten. They laugh and kiss and there are no shadows in Ethan's eyes.

Her husband left that evening and her life is never the same.

But through all of the chaos and aftermath of everything that followed, Julia always remembers that night. It was wonderful and perfect and real.

Yet another a/n: In case the scenes aren't familiar, the first is after Ethan returns home after losing his trainee, Lindsey. The second, before he leaves to take on Davian and things are looking of course, pretty grim. And of course, yay, the good guys win! But that's another story. ;)

Thanks so much for reading! Reviews are always appreciated.