Only Hope {Ethan Hunt/OC}

* Until We Meet Again *

Laura met up with Ethan and Luther at a local bar the next day with smiles all around. Ethan had come out of the bar just as Laura sat down next to Luther who asked Ethan if he reached his family. Ethan simply nodded, relief settling on his face. 

"How they feelin'?" Luther inquired.

"About what?" 

Luther sighed and set down his briefcase, saying, "An apology from the justice department. VIP treatment, you know the whole nine yards." 

With a smile Ethan responded, "Well my mom was a little confused how the D.A. could mistake her and Uncle Donald for a couple of dope smugglers in the Florida Keys."

Luther chuckled in amusement while Laura shot Ethan a heartwarming smile. The African-American man held up his glass of beer saying cheers as the three clinked their glasses together. 

"To you Luther, to being off the disavowed list," Ethan announced. 

Luther raised the glass to his lips exclaiming, "Hey, I'm the flavor of the month!" 

Laura laughed before Luther told Ethan to go back with him to IMF. 

"I just don't know why I'd be doing it," Ethan answered, looking up above. "We gotta go catch our flight," he and Laura picked up their bags on the ground before Ethan asked Luther, "So how does it feel to be a solid citizen again?" 

"Man, I don't know," Luther admitted, "I'm gonna miss being disreputable." 

"Well Luther, if it makes you feel any better, I'll always think of you that way," Ethan said with a warm smile and a pat on the back. 

Laura hugged Luther good-bye as she and Ethan headed for the airport. On the plane, Ethan sat next to Laura who was reading a novel she found in a bookstore in Prague. He smiled as she flipped through the pages carefully. One of the flight attendants suddenly stopped by their row saying, "Excuse me, Mr. Hunt and Ms. Kaeser?" 

Laura and Ethan's attention was caught as the attendant held out a case full of movies, asking if they wanted to watch one. Ethan politely declined before the woman said, "Would you consider the cinema of the Caribbean? Aruba perhaps?" 

Laura's gaze went directly to Ethan who stared in disbelief at the woman. Laura, confused, said his name to clear up what was happening. He simply whispered to her, "They want us." 

Laura only stared before she began smiling slowly.