Summary: They never knew, but their fates had rested, just for a moment, on his whim. One thought, one tiny action, was intrinsic to their happiness. Could Bella and Edward have… Marcus, of all people, to thank for their lives? New Moon, Canon (?), MarcusPOV
OneShot:Intrinsic
by oh-hale-yeah
The sounds of a commotion reached me from the world beyond my mind, the trivial noise of voices beyond the doors of the hall. Closer, they were coming closer…
I let myself absorb the sound of footsteps for a moment - there, another useless thing I would never be able to forget. Another pointless, empty memory to crowd out the full ones of the past. Every second I emerge I'm dealt another triviality that I'm forced to hold forever in my mind. I don't want memories of these cold and empty years, not this dead man's existence, never this; my life ended the moment hers did. So why am I still here? To dwell in the past. I don't want any other memories, don't want to taint the life I've lost with what I have. I don't know how many years it's been; as few as I can make it. As many as I can let pass.
The doors flew open, the guard rippling as one entity around the figures coming in - but I was practiced at not seeing, not hearing, by now. I ignored the gathering, let myself think nothing of it.
But then there was silence, absolute silence, and that demanded my attention. Not even Aro spoke - now there was something. A voice-
Well, there was my attention latched. Wonderful.
I listened to his speech, eyes trailing across the stone slabs of the floor. I hadn't been able to gather enough enthusiasm to raise them, and had had no desire to either. But I listened. I couldn't help but listen; it was easier than actively ignoring, and so I followed that course. Simple. Yet perhaps that was not the most apathetic course, in the end. For I felt his words kindle something in me that I hadn't felt for a long time; interest. Mild, and fleeting, but there, and strong enough for me to bring my eyes to look at him at last.
Now let me explain something about my power. My eyes have sight like no other man. I see relationships, the bonds that tie one person to another, however weak or strong. However brief their meeting, I can see everything between them, every feeling or judgement a thread in the ethereal cord spanning the air. It's these cords that I can see, as real as the next thing, yet utterly intangible . He annoys him, she is confused by her… they appreciate him, more than he knows… she can't decide whether to pity or fear him, but no, it's only fear now, strands of grey weaving across the air to bind them. It's everywhere. Green for envy, blue for hope, pale yellow concern and black hate.
Love is a near blinding white.
And, as I watched, a kind of white aura seemed to spread out from the pathetic figure before me, reaching somewhere, straining for something… His mate? Impossible. I needed to have both people before me to see the bond between them. By the same reasoning, I couldn't see a bond to someone dead and gone. But then how was I seeing this, this eminence? Did his love for the girl affect his every relationship? That was something I hadn't come across before; Aro would be fascinated, no doubt. Or was it simply so strong that even in her absence I could still see it reaching for her? Plausible, perhaps; I had judged the boy as merely given to melodrama, but I hadn't considered it for long. Could it be genuine strength of emotion that drove him? I could only remember one love so strong, and the memory twisted like a knife, the one thing that stirred in my apathetic heart.
Didyme. My Didyme. When I lost her, I would have begged to die like this boy here, had I had anyone to go to. But it was then that Aro chose to do the cruellest thing he ever has to me. He promised me life. I cannot hate him for it anymore. After a few years I couldn't feel anything.
But even at first, my burning pain and love only strengthened by hopelessness, I could not see an aura on myself like this. My love could not reach her where she had gone.
It was then that it clicked. He had not empty grief, but love. And no love is returned from beyond the grave.
Miraculously, enough compassion was stirred in me to reach out and lightly touch a fingertip to Aro's bare palm. He seemed surprised, as was I, in a way. But I felt the echoes of what this Edward must be feeling in my long-empty heart, and if I could save him from it perhaps it was worth a few seconds of my time. No more than that.
But a few seconds was all it took to touch my fingertip to Aro's hand, letting him absorb my recent thoughts, and letting one new one bridge the contact between us.
Don't.
Then I slipped back once more into indifference, letting the world pass me by.
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A/N: Ok, so it's not great compared to my other stuff, but I really don't have much time for fanfiction atm... Maybe you need to read it through twice to quite get what I'm on about? It's not long :P I'm just trying to get my idea out there. So what do you think of my Marcus characterisation? My ideas about Edward and Bella? I will redraft if people think the idea is worth it. Thanks!