Poison
Summary: No one is just born as a psychopath. They become one-twisted by a manipulated life and the lies that surround them. Sometimes, they're really just better off dead.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek.
They thought they were kind.
Oh sure, they only twist him into a monster, betray him, kill his family, but don't worry, they were nice enough to let him live. But only as a popsickle of course, they don't want him to be a danger to society.
The audacity of those stupid little apes!
But then again, he really should have expected this. After all, history's always written by the winning side.
Three hundred years…
Three hundred years…
Three hundred years of the universe moving forward. Three hundred years of sleeping. Three hundred years of a frozen death.
But he should have known better. He should have known better than to trust Marcus. Not even three hundred years could change the snake-like characteristics of humans.
Not even being asleep for three hundred years could excuse his lapse of forethought. Not when his crew-his family was put in danger. He needed them. He so desperately needed them. After all those bloody, bloody wars, his family was his only light amongst the carnage. Oh, that sounded disgustingly sappy.
It still didn't change the fact that his family was what kept him sane.
Marcus may have the subtlety of a blunt axe, but what he lacked in skill he more than made up for with his cruelty and ruthlessness. The man wasn't even a worthy opponent of him and yet Marcus still managed to outmaneuver him.
For a year, he was forced to make weapons for Marcus. A year of Marcus threatening to kill his family. A year of being treated like dirt. A year of being forced to help create a war he wanted nothing to do with.
And of course, a year of planning to escape. Him and his family, free to explore space with better technology and no need for war. A beautiful dream. One that he worked for endlessly, running himself to the bone. Nothing but the best for him and his family.
Until Marcus discovered him. Right before he was almost able to escape. Just him, his family, and the universe. Right before he was almost free.
It made it so much crueler when he learned his family was dead. A burning poison that ate away at him, one that simultaneously killed and motivated him.
Since Marcus so desperately wanted a war, he gave him a war. A war that could destroy Starfleet trying to get to Marcus, until it eventually got him too. War never changed, and he was made for war. Starfleet probably couldn't even take one of him, much less the entire Klingon Empire, a raced devoted to war.
So he gave Starfleet a war. One that was really far too easy to start - they're like lambs going to the slaughter. He had hoped that the war would have given him some ease, some sort of relief to help numb the fact that his family was dead. But nothing came, and all he had was a pointless war.
Until he came along. Captain Kirk. The man never realized the hope he presented to Khan. Kirk never learned how he burned away the poison when he brought Khan's family back to him.
Kirk was actually a breath of fresh air to him. Kirk is merciful where most men aren't, strong enough to stand up for what he believes in, and selfless when it came to his loved ones. Kirk gives him a new hope - a hope that there were still good people out there, not just snakes like Marcus. And what Khan appreciates more than anything is how Kirk always tries to make the best situation out of whatever mess he may get into. Kirk is one of those rare people who tries to get everyone a happy ending.
And that hope betrays him.
Kirk proves to be the worst kind of bastard. After Khan did everything to help Kirk get through the Vengeance (lord, does he hate that name), even going on ahead to make sure nothing would surprise them and coming back for them, Kirk still stabs (okay, shoots) him in the back. Kirk had given Khan a hope, a hope he so desperately needed in his poisonous surroundings, and the man just rips it away uncaringly.
Kirk never felt the bitter poison rushing back through his veins after another betrayal. It made defeating them and killing Marcus so much easier. It was such a sweet poison.
So why wouldn't he have chosen to kill everyone? Screw finding a peaceful colony out in space, he and his family would never be safe when there were people like Marcus and Kirk out there. And there's no better time to attack than when the enemy is unprepared.
He shouldn't have been surprised when the Enterprise betrays him. He shouldn't have been so surprised as he watched every last person he cared about be blown to smithereens. He should have expected the poison, the numbing venom that filled him as his world collapsed around him. He was almost grateful for the poison, it kept him alive. He had nothing left to live for other than revenge.
And they should have known how deadly it would make him.
Pointy ears followed him and tried to kill him just because precious little Kirk was apparently dead. The idiot thought he was so justified because one measly friend was killed.
Pointy ears should watch all seventy-two members of his family die. See how much one friend hurts when faced with the massacre of everyone he ever cared about. To feel the poison of losing everything.
But of course, instead of killing him and ending the poisonous burn of being alive, they just kidnap him and use him like some lab rat to revitalize their precious little captain.
They think they are kind.
They only destroyed his hope, his dream, his family. They only used him and then were so offended when he fought back.
He saves them. They beat him and lock him up.
He informs them. They use him.
He helps them. They stun him and try to kill him.
They poisoned him-twisted him into this desperate, contorted crook of a man. They were the bitter venom that burned away his every virtue.
They only kept him alive to save one of their own. Even after they destroyed every. Last. One. Of his family. Even after they destroyed everything he held dear.
They think they are kind. They let him live. But he must be frozen, for he should never be allowed to hurt anyone ever again. He should never have the chance to wage war on anyone again. Even if they were allowed to destroy his world, he must never touch theirs.
To live a frozen existence-an existence where he's prey to the next Admiral Marcus, the next man to take advantage of his kindness? This wasn't kindness. He'd rather be dead.
Though next time, he won't allow that, they won't be able to control him. For they destroyed his kindness and then his family, his one weakness. The universe was no longer a beautiful place or held any redeeming qualities-he'd rather see it burn. To destroy their world the same way his was obliterated.
They thought they were kind. But they are wrong.
They are cruel.
He really was better off dead.
AN: Well, I hope you all enjoyed. And yes, before I get complaints, I know Spock watched his planet die, but Khan doesn't know that.