Soccer, Secrets, and Love

On the job

Current day

Ashley pov

3 years ago today I got a call that changed my life forever. The director of the FBI called me but I assumed it would be the normal call of him checking in on me since my parents death. Director Marshall was best friends with my dad so he took on a father role after my dads passing. This call was different than the other calls though I could tell by his voice he had an offer. After graduating from college with a degree in criminal justice I ended up becoming a Denver police officer. Director Marshall asked me to come to Washington to talk about an offer. To my surprise he wanted me to become a secret agent and follow in my father's footsteps. After talking it out with my best friend Mal I decided to go for it. Which brings us to the current day of me running down the streets of Paris trying to apprehend my suspect.

I was tailing my suspect waiting for them to pick up the dead drop so I could catch them red handed. Unfortunately I was spotted from a distance and my suspect took off running. I'm chasing them down the street and maneuvering through people just hoping I don't have to start open fire to catch him. All of a sudden I hear shots coming from behind me I turn around and notice he had an accomplice coming after me. At this point I realize it would be a good time to radio my partner Adam Torres. "Hey Torres I need back up right away, I'm hunting down my suspect but his accomplice is firing at me...running past the Eiffel Tower now." A couple seconds later Torres responds "copy that Hunt I'll take the accomplice out make sure you catch our guy with the flash drive that information can't get out."

I chase the suspect into an abandoned warehouse and we get into a shootout once inside. I'm currently hiding behind a stack of old pipes while trying to find where the fire is coming from. All of a sudden I feel my phone start buzzing but I just ignore it. Once I realize whoever it is won't stop calling I answer it on my ear piece. "Uhhh hello?" "Hey Ash I've called you like 12 times I have great news!" "Oh yeah Mal sorry I was uh taking a nap what's up" as I say that a bullet grazes my left arm but I keep down so Mal isn't suspicious and so the suspect doesn't know I've been hit. "Well it so happens that I got a call up for the World Cup this summer and I was so excited I wanted to celebrate with you tonight" " well Mal I'm kinda on a job right now, but I'll be back hopefully tomorrow and we can celebrate sound good? Yeah great ok bye Mal love you" "but what about..." is all she got out before I ended the call. I come out from behind where I'm hiding and see the suspect making a run I aim my gun and shoot him perfectly in the knee making him fall the ground in pain.

As I walk up to my suspect he's writhing in pain and cussing me out. I handcuff him just as Torres as coming in with backup. "I'll take that from you" I say as I'm reaching into his pocket to grab the flash drive. Torres you take him to the van and I'll call the director. "Hey Marshall we got the guy with his accomplice" "And what about the flash drive agent Hunt?" "I have that too safely in my pocket ready to be brought back" "Great job Hunt...I didn't want to tell you before the mission but I'm hoping this flash drive has information on the attack that killed your parents." "Oh I uh didn't realize that sir probably for the better I didn't know." "Just didn't want you to do anything for revenge Hunt..your plane will be there in 2 hours your 2 week vacation starts as soon as you touch down in Washington" "Thanks sir, see you when I get back." Well I certainly wasn't expecting the flash drive to contain information on my parents death, as I stare at the thing I contemplate opening it myself but I know better than to put my job on the line like that.

"Hey Torres plane will be here in 2 hours to take us home." "Sounds great Hunt I can't wait to be home after this trip from hell." I realize my arm is still bleeding from being grazed with the bullet so I head over to the medics on scene. Once they clean out the wound and wrap it up I decide I should probably call Mal back and explain why I abruptly hung up. Mal knows about my job and although it terrifies her she understands why I wanted to do it, it's nice having someone to talk to about work at the end of the day. After 3 rings Mal finally picks up "Hey Mal I'm sorry for hanging up earlier, I was uh actually on a mission when you called" I immediately hear worry in my best friends voice when she speaks "I'm so sorry I didn't know but are you ok? You didn't get hurt because of me did you?" I contemplate telling her about my wound but I knew she would find out eventually. "Well Mal I did actually get.." but before I can finish she cuts me off a frantic mess freaking out but I butt back in "Mal let me finish...I got grazed by a bullet it's just a scrape up and I'm all wrapped up and taken care of it barely even hurt" Mal immediately relaxes after I tell her that "oh I'm glad to hear but I'm really sorry about calling so many times I was just so excited and had to tell you" I laugh at my friend and respond "no worries Mal I'm extremely happy for you but I have great news I'll be home late tonight so we can start celebrating first thing in the morning" a couple seconds later I hear Mal excitedly yell through the phone "YAYYYY IM SO HAPPY YOURE COMING HOME IVE MISSED YOU" "I know Mal I'll see you in the morning" "Sounds good ashy can't wait". After she hung up I can't help but smile at the nickname ashy. Only her and my parents called me that, as much as I miss my parents calling me that it gives me a sense of family feeling when Mal says it.

Once back at the hotel we were staying at while here I pack my luggage and lie down for a little bit while I wait to leave for our plane. As we walk out of the hotel to leave for our plane I see something that throws me through a loop and down a bad path of memory lane. I saw my ex girlfriend with the man she left me for it looks as if they're on their honeymoon. I was hoping they wouldn't see me but of course my ex spotted me. She approached me and started a conversation "Hey Ash long time no see, what are you doing here?" I never expected my ex would approach me and act as if the past never happened. I zone out for a minute and think about everything that happened between us trying to figure out where everything went wrong. She damaged me in a way I could never be repaired, I was controlled, manipulated, and lied to for years I haven't been able to date or trust since her I've been too afraid to open up to someone and allow myself to love again. I'm brought back to earth when Lucy my ex speaks again. "Uh Ash hello you gonna answer my question?" "Oh uh right yeah hey Lucy I was here for work but me and my associate are actually getting ready to head on out. You two on your honeymoon?" "Yes as a matter of fact we are my mom has little Ashton for the week so we can have some alone time. How about you Ash? Any special someone in your life?" "Ha you gotta be kidding me. No Lucy I haven't been able to trust or love since the love of my life so kindly cheated on me for who knows how long and shattered my heart." After saying that I start to walk away to get into the car before I hear "wait Ash I'm sorry I didn't mean to..." I cut her off after that shit. "No Lucy just stop I don't want to hear it. You didn't want to give me an explanation 7 years ago I certainly don't give a damn for one now. Goodbye Lucy." After that I get into the car and Torres gives me a sympathetic look. "Damn I need a drink after that".

I arrive home to my apartment I share Mal around 5 am after sleeping on the plane I'm wide awake. I walk into the apartment and see Mal passed out on the couch snuggled up with our pet pug Nico. I throw a blanket over them turn off the tv and head to my room to unpack my belongings. Around 6:30 am I decide to go out on a run and clear my head. After the information about the flash drive and running into my awful ex I just need to feel free for a little bit.

As I'm running down the streets of Washington I stop by FBI headquarters and drop off the flash drive. I can finally start my long over due vacation. I head out and continue my run, as I'm running my mind goes wild and starts replaying past events that have occurred in my life. I try shaking it but I just can't, the one event I never wanted to relive haunts me. This mission had a heavy impact on my life and permanently scared me it haunts my dreams and thoughts all the time, it changed who I am. A year ago I had a mission go south real quick because I was too busy daydreaming and I lost my partner. I just keep hearing the loud explosions over and over again and keep reimagining my partner lying there. But before the flashback can continue my body collides into someone else running. As I look down at the person I collided into before I could even get an apology out I forgot how to speak. My god this was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.