Hello everyone, here I bring you the translated version of Algo más. There are probably tons of mistakes for which I am deeply sorry. Despite that, I hope you can enjoy it.
Let me know if you have comments about it, I value all of your opinions and take notes of them so I can make this story better.
Marry me.
I repeated the words in my mind over and over so they could make sense. When they did, I tried to believe them.
"What?"
The question came out hostile, sharp. I tried one more time.
"I mean… what?"
I didn't try very well.
Edward smiled softly, a hint of shyness in his golden eyes.
"It's an idea I used to repress, but given your determination to become… what I am, I thought perhaps I could allow myself to dream with it."
He had taken me by surprise, sure, but what really had knocked me out was the fact that as soon as I had understood his request, a small, poisonous hint of doubt took place in my stomach. I couldn't blame Edward for that. That was all on me.
Thinking about the reason for my doubt opened a door that let frightening monsters out. Monsters that went straight to my chest, making it shake when the strings that used to hold the void in its place, collapsed all at once.
Suddenly my mind became a room full of very loud voices, some of them belonged to me, in the shape of words I have said over the past year, others voices came from memories of Edward and Jacob. Even Charlie's voice had a spot in there. I felt the contradictions corrupting my insides, coming out as tears accumulated in my eyes.
"Bella," Edward called me with panic in his voice.
"Do you think that's going to make up for something?" I whispered, seized by a fury that I didn't quite understand. He blinked in surprise, lost for the direction of my thoughts once again.
"I'm so sorry Bella, I didn't mean to hurt you. Ever" he swore. He approached, his hands extended to me, slowly, never taking his eyes off mine.
I forcefully breathed in, trying to compose myself enough to be able to let out some of the words that were stuck in my throat.
"I know" I whispered again, this time with my voice broken. "I just don't know what to expect anymore. You didn't seem very convinced with me being changed. Even after all that happened. And now I am supposed to believe that you want us to sign a paper that says that we will spend the rest of our lives together? Of what life are we talking about? Yours or mine? Is this part of some definition that I'm not aware of yet? Any hidden intentions that I will find out later?"
Anger grew inside me as I spoke, it ran through my veins, heating everything up in its path. It was hard to decide whether it was anger or tears, flowing freely from my eyes at this point, that blurred my vision. Either way, it wasn't an obstacle in my monologue.
"Let me get this straight. So you leave, in the worst possible way, abusing the knowledge of all my insecurities to get out with it. You vanished, taking your family with you, forbidding them to speak to me, leaving me in the dark only because suddenly, unilaterally, you decided that this was the best for both of us. Even at the expense of a very high personal cost, or so you say, you did it because you felt it was the right thing to do. You assumed you knew better, underestimating me on a whole new level."
The words left my lips frantically, seemingly held back for a long time, eager to whistle in freedom through the air.
I blinked several times, shaking my head to clear my vision.
Edward's face was the very portrait of suffering. His lips pressed into a fine line, his eyes sunken under a frown with wrinkles that looked like if they were bearing the weight of his pain. His attention fixed on the wet grass at his feet and took a deep, unnecessary breath before landing his gaze on me. The intensity of grief in them made the fury evaporate with violence, knocking the air out of me, forcing me to open my mouth in search of more oxygen.
I stretched my arms to gently cup his face.
"It was a very long day, like seven months long" I joked grimly. "Last thing I want to do is hurting you. I don't even know if it was your proposal that made me react like this, maybe I'm just now starting to process everything. And it 's just…"
"Too much," he completed with a hoarse voice.
"Edward, I'm sorry …"
"Don't do it. Don't say it", he cut me off abruptly. He sighed and tilted his face towards one of my hands, closing his eyes as he added his hand and caressed me gently. "You have nothing but the legitimate right to say all this and I could never forgive myself for the fact that you have to apologize for doing so."
"I don't want you to punish yourself like that, if I could avoid this I would."
He smiled almost in resignation.
"Of very few things I am so sure of, as of the sacrifices that you would be able to make for me. I love you, but I know that saying it, feeling it, won't make everything right. Say whatever you have to say and do whatever you have to do. You know that I will be by your side until you decide otherwise."
Tears left thick furrows on my cheeks as I rested my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. Edward wrapped his arms around me tightly, resting his head on mine.
"Let's go home", I said, still hugging him.
He kissed my forehead and took my hand to guide me through the woods, back to the car.
We didn't speak on our way back , he didn't really know what to say and I was being captive of the chaos in my mind.
When he parked the Volvo in its usual spot, his phone vibrated with the entry of a new text message. His brow filled with wrinkles.
"Alice?" I ventured in a low voice, fearful of the possible futures that the growing doubt within me might have thrown upon us.
"We gave her a lot of work today", he joked, taking weight off the matter "but I must go to avoid giving her a headache."
I barely smiled.
"See you tomorrow?" I asked fearfully. I could be not so sure of many things, but there was one thing I was a hundred percent positive about: there was no chance in hell that I didn't want him around.
"Of course", he said solemnly, probably well aware of my fears.
I approached him without thinking, needing his touch. He greeted me just as eagerly, bringing our lips together quickly. I ran a hand through his hair, lowering it to caress the back of his neck, while he ran his around my waist, anchoring it there, in the least uncomfortable way possible considering that the gearshift was between us. He deepened the kiss and I followed him without hesitation. His other hand rested on my chin as one of mine caressed his chest. The vibration of his phone with the entry of a new message from Alice forced him to end the kiss softly, reluctantly parting, as I struggled to breathe normally.
"It's okay, go" I encouraged him.
He kissed me one more time before getting out of the car to open my door.
"Good luck with Alice" I smiled at him.
"Get some sleep, okay?" He almost begged me, his eyes in consternation.
I nodded, unsure of how to proceed.
"I'll see you tomorrow", he promised. He kissed my forehead and I walked to the door, unsure whether to look back or not.
I didn't.
I woke up a few hours later, lost in the line between dream and reality. The memories flooded my closed eyelids, making me snap them open. I sat up on the bed, dizzy because of the quick movement. I looked at the time, it was midmorning, too late for me.
I got dressed and finished getting ready in the bathroom, anxious to go downstairs for breakfast, my stomach was burning, and I was yearning for ingesting a little glucose to give things a little more perspective.
Maybe it was asking too much of a bowl of cereal.
As I went downstairs I could hear Charlie talking to someone. That was awkward. Charlie wasn't usually home at this hour, much less with visitors.
I reached the bottom of the stairs and found Charlie sitting in the three-length chair with his back to me, talking animatedly to a middle-aged man in a black suit. Charlie's coffee table was littered with papers.
The man in question turned his gaze to me as soon as I entered the room.. He had kind light blue eyes.
Charlie turned to meet me.
"I was getting worried already" he said, noting the unusualness of my schedule. "There is someone you have to meet." added, standing up. The man did as he did, leaving the individual chair to approach me.
"Bella, this is Agent Coulson."
"Miss Swan, it's a pleasure to meet you" the stranger greeted with a kind voice, offering me his hand. I took it, insecure.
"Agent Coulson" I replied cordially.
Charlie, uncomfortable with introductions, spoke:
"Agent Coulson works in a state program that looks for outstanding students to do internships. They work with several universities of the country, financing research in their labs."
"What?" I asked, understanding less and less of what was happening in my life. Confusion didn't stop my cheeks from staining red when I heard the pride in Charlie's voice.
Coulson chuckled.
"We can sit down again so I can explain it better to you, Miss Swan."
I nodded and took the place where Charlie had sat, who sat next to me, while Agent Coulson started to talk again.
"SHIELD is a state division that fulfills different tasks, depending on the needs that arise. We are currently promoting a program for the young ones. Our goal is to form a varied team to assign them to different universities so they can participate in an internship somehow related to the abilities each one presents. We believe it is essential that the State has an active role in the creation of possibilities that can boost the potential of those who will shape the future of our nation."
Neither the clarity of the speech nor the calm in Coulson's voice served to ease my dizziness.
"Perhaps it would be better if Miss Swan could eat some food before discussing her future options", Coulson said in an almost fatherly tone, addressing Charlie.
"Definitely. You are very pale Bells" Charlie told me in a lower voice.
The kitchen phone rang in what sounded like a thunderous ring to me, and Charlie excused himself to answer it.
I did the same so I could go to the kitchen to make a decent breakfast. Agent Coulson nodded with a smile.
I could hear Charlie's conversation effortlessly. Perhaps his departure will help me calm down.
He walked over to me as I scooped out the toast, scratching the back of his neck in disagreement, a guilty gaze on his face.
"Bells, there is a problem at the station and I have to go assist some officers."
"Aha", I said as I cut fruit, watching the knife shake in my hands.
"Bella", Charlie said a little more seriously "as soon as that man in black appeared at the door with a pile of papers that I did not understand, I called an acquaintance in DC. He spoke wonders of Coulson and his project. He's a neat guy. And it's a great opportunity for you Bells. It could provide you with a scholarship to a large university, or a good job in the future."
"And I'd get away from Forks long enough for you to sleep peacefully", I said, unable to contain myself.
"That you continue being punished makes me sleep peacefully" he reminded me. I looked down and grabbed a toast. He sighed next to me.
"Just listen to him, okay? We will speak later. Call the station for anything."
"Yes, take care."
"Always", he smiled at me before leaving the kitchen and saying goodbye to the strange SHIELD agent sitting quietly in his living room.
I heard his footsteps despite the subtlety with which he carried them. He stood at the kitchen door, his hands clasped in front of him and showing off a gentle gaze.
SHIELD = SPIES was all the information I had. Maybe Charlie had never come across that information because he had never been in the depths of the internet looking for information on vampires, but I have.
I didn't have a quarter of the calm I was pretending to have, my hands kept shaking and I could feel the beads of sweat beading my forehead. I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders before speaking.
"Well, I hope that briefcase has room for something else other than shiny universities, cause it's going to take a lot more to make me believe that suddenly SHIELD is interested in the future of the nation's youth."
Agent Coulson's eyes sparkled with excitement and he grinned, as if he'd been waiting for it from the start.
"Now it is a pleasure tomeet you, Miss Swan."