In general terms, if you have an agent of SHIELD in front of you, comfortably seated on your shabby kitchen bench, doing a frenzied review of every little illegal thing you have done in your life is absolutely normal. Right? They would probably turn out to be absurd, bizarre little things that wouldn't required the presence of the main spy organization of the country at all. And even then, a regular person would be nervous as hell.

Now imagine that you have every possible piece of information about a couple of supernatural creatures that are not supposed to exist… and one of the men in black seated right in front of you.

Guess in which of both scenarios I was in.

"Miss Swan, the project about young people's potential may not have been true, but I do have a proposal for you that I can assure it doesn't merit you being this nervous".

Sure, cause last proposal someone made me went great.

Was this what Alice had seen? Then, why wasn't Edward here? What if something has happened to them? My heart began to beat wildly.

"SHIELD…" I started in a doubtful tone, trying to hold the panic back. I cleared my throat to continue: "you are spies. Why would state espionage have a proposal for me? And how is that shouldn't be a reason for me to get upset?"

Coulson smiled sympathetically.

"Nor did I lie to Chief Swan when I told him SHIELD gets adapted to the circumstances. We are much more than state espionage. If you're willing to listen to me, you can see for yourself."

Before I could say anything, he added:

"If your concern is due to the Cullen family, you can relax, Miss Swan. We've known of the existence of their kind for many years now, and we have reached a... diplomatic agreement, if you prefer, with those who claim to lead their world".

I was very grateful to have finished chewing seconds before Agent Coulson ended his sentence, otherwise, the counter would be full of food debris from how wide my mouth opened when I heard it.

Did the state always know about vampires? And did they have an agreement with the Volturi? How come neither Edward nor Carlisle mentioned it? They knew it? I had to talk to Edward urgently.

But first I had to deal with the friendly agent who was talking about it as casually as if was telling me about the weather.

"I would love to stay here and try to understand what you are talking about Agent Coulson, but I have a commitment and I'm running late."

His white teeth appeared through the frank smile he gave me.

"We both know you don't, Miss Swan. Anyways, it would be rude of me to stay in a place where I am not welcome.

I sighed in relief.

"So I'll try to explain everything quickly and be rude for the least amount of time possible," he finished with a half smile.

I rolled my eyes.

"It's because of this diplomatic agreement I already mentioned that we have relevant information about certain abilities that you possess."

I blinked slowly, analyzing the sentence. I nodded.

"Go on".

"SHIELD takes care, primarily I could say, of the security of the country. And in order to be able to do it, we must have all the tools that are availables" he paused, perhaps searching for the words. He leaned his elbows on the small table to shorten the distance a bit and looked into my eyes with infinite seriousness "the Cullens are not the only different species that exists out there, and definitely none of them is half as harmless; If we could decipher the workings of your mind and create a device that can replicate it, we would be counting on an extraordinary level of protection and, therefore, an unprecedented reinforcement in national security".

I wasn't strong enough to contain the awkward laugh that escaped my lips. I covered my mouth quickly, aware of the inappropriateness of my reaction.

Coulson nodded as he looked away. He didn't look offended at all and seemed to be waiting patiently for me to finish laughing, as if he was used to it.

"Sorry ... I can't believe it ... I, protagonist of the advance ... in national security…" I said with a laugh as I tried to calm myself down. I took one deep breath. Two deep deep breaths. I shook my head, still wanting to laugh, but concentrating a bit more on the absurd conversation I'd somehow been involved in.

"Sorry" I cleared my throat "I really need a new expression. 'It has taken me by surprise'' doesn't seem to cover it".

"Completely understandable"

"Agent Coulson, specifically: what is the proposal?"

There was no longer amusement in my voice. The agent sighed and clasped his hands on the table.

"Is a series of investigations on the functioning of your brain. Exposure to different stimuli to evaluate and measure the responses that your mind emits. Nothing invasive. There are no needles".

He added the latter as if he knew me. I smiled with gratitude until I became suspicious about how he had that information. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

How many surreal experiences have taken place in my short life?

If vampires and werewolves existed, didn't it also make sense that there is a national organization made up of spies that experiments with weirdos?

God. That question gets a new category every six months.

"Should I move out from Forks? What would the… logistics of all this be like?"

Coulson smiled as he shook his head.

"You have accepted your destiny that easily, Miss Swan?"

I smiled in response.

"My file did not include that information?" I bogged him. He smiled but didn't add anything. Suddenly Edward watching me sleep became the least of my privacy grievances.

"You should move immediately to New York, we have the corresponding equipment there. Everything that I am not able to explain to you right now will be delivered to you in writing, with the advice of our and / or your lawyers, in a document that will detail the procedures. You would live in an apartment owned by SHIELD, free of rent and with a monthly payment of common arrangement. Any inconvenience to your stay at the Forks Institute and your graduation will be our responsibility, saving you from any trouble. We know that the lack of the knowledge that the school can offer you in these few months will not substantially modify your intellectual performance" he ended with a wink.

I blushed at the accidental compliment.

I was silent, staring at the plate with the intact fruit.

"What does 'immediately' mean?"

"Today"

I remained silent.

"You know the excuse we made for Chief Swan, but the logistics are the same and I communicated it to him this morning. He seemed surprised but nothing inaccessible for us" he said resolutely.

My mind was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

"When do you need an answer?"

"We leave tonight"

I sighed heavily, staring blankly at the wall behind the agent.

"I'll let you think about it", he said when he didn't get an answer.

"Thank you", I answered in a low voice. I stood up to escort him out. He took his briefcase and left the papers he had presented to Charlie.

"Too much information and a few huge decisions to make. I understand it perfectly. I hope you can think it over, because we need you Miss Swan", he concluded solemnly.

I nodded and watched him drive away in his black car.

I closed the door and could only collapse against it. I had barely touched the ground when I felt a soft knock on the door.

I stood up to greet Alice, who only had to hug me for the tears to start to fall down my face.

"Did you know?" I asked her after a long time in silence. She had made me some tea and we were sitting in the armchair where a long time ago everything had started in some way. The juxtaposition of the memory caused the sting of emptiness in my chest.

"I saw it early today. You know how it is when decisions are made by people outside our daily lives" she said, complaining.

"Is it all true?"

"Yes. I don't see any bad intentions. Not from Coulson at least. I was surprised by the information of the Volturi, I must accept it. But Carlisle wasn't, so I guess that's the confirmation we needed".

I sighed heavily.

I wanted to cry. And laugh. And sleep. And waking up in the safety of Edward's arms, remembering some crazy dream about spies that felt too real.

Thinking of Edward made my stomach hurt with guilt.

"I suppose you also saw what happened early this morning"

"Of course", she said in her singing voice, without any emotion.

"How is he?" I whispered.

"He's definitely been worse", she said in a tone that bordered on fun, "don't worry Bella. He'll be fine. After all, he knows that you are right. And that you may be confused. Do not worry about it".

"Then why didn't he come?" I asked in a broken voice.

"Because if he was the one who came, you wouldn't go to New York," said Alice with a sad smile, and for the first time I paid special attention to her face. Her golden eyes looked strange, as if they were tired. Her beautiful features were dull,mired in a painful resignation. "And you have to" she finished, this time with a firm voice, absolutely sure of her statement.

My limbs were numb from the cold, my stomach churning with nerves, and my chest clenched with guilt. I couldn't think of anything other than Edward. In the things he had said, in his face torn by pain, in our premature goodbye. Each memory made it harder to breathe.

"Ready?" Agent Coulson asked, sitting in front of me when the jet closed its doors for take off.

"Not even close"

He smiled familiarly before signaling the pilot to take off.

"The best ones never are," I heard him mutter just as the jet took flight.