Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh

Chapter Eight

Dangerous Decisions

Katie, who was undergoing a strong sense of terror and bewilderment, watched on as her ex-husband advanced smoothly towards her, closing the door behind him. He had already pushed her back into the apartment building and she now found herself backed up only a few fateful feet away from this evil creature.

The darkside smirked menacingly, watching the confused yet frightened form before him. He typically didn't see this side to her and, as of right now, it brought him great pleasure...

"Hmmph, why hello there dear Katie. Surprised to see me, I see..." he stated mockingly, soon crossing his deeply tanned arms over his chest.

Katie just stood there stunned, mouth slightly agape. At first she couldn't even force herself to 'murmur' this mad killer's name, which she couldn't even understand herself. They were, or rather had been, loving spouses right?... but honestly, what was she even thinking?! Their little 'moments of romance' had taken place a very long time ago! At least fifteen years ago to be more precise! And then, out of nowhere, he randomly pops right up outside her front door?! Why would he start caring about her now?!

However, Katie refused to dwell on this 'regret' of hers! Even though she still held so much love for him deep down in her slightly bruised heart, she debated that she would 'not' be a pawn in this sickening little game of his! Well, whatever that game was...

The young woman, once driven back into the world of reality, gulped when the man before her let a cruel smirk form across his darkly tanned lips. Then at seeing his eyes narrow slightly afterwards, with an unsatisfied frown to go with it, she chose to finally speak.

"What the hell are you doing here?... you disgusting creature" Katie spat harshly, recovering her emotions and thoughts somewhat quickly by this point. She was a taken aback by her own choice of words to her ex-husband and this caused confusion to pull itself further up into her mind.

However, she just couldn't control the many levels of emotions that had scattered throughout her brain! Ever since this psychotic male had walked through her door, her mind had explored many mixed feelings! Young Katie didn't know what to think! First she was shocked, love struck, angered, torn, beaten, confused, and lost... back in the real universe however, Katie was unknowingly sending off to Marik a look of pure hate! Her eyes were narrowed, her body was tensed, yet her mind was nowhere to be found.

"What? Not happy to see me here, my dear Katie." he stated, obviously forcing himself to remain calm. He never really enjoyed the name calling for he just saw it as a sense of 'childish' behavior. What Marik did find amusing, however, was that he knew his 'crazy' ex-wife had been filled to the depths with anger and rage at the moment!... or at least that was what he assumed. The young woman seemed to be glaring at him as if he was some nasty looking snake! A snake that was getting ready to both attack and strangle her within just a few mere seconds! A creature that had to be destroyed...

The darkside smirked cruelly at this, burying himself into a sickening world deep within his mind. Maybe he shouldn't kill her now. Maybe he should bring her with him so that he could once again see her quiver, listen to her yell at him in fury, and watch her as she rots away slowly... right before his very eyes.

The young killer, on a sudden impulse, uncrossed his two arms, leaned against the back of the couch, and recrossed them. However, he still continued to watch his past lover through darkened eyes. The girl still stood there, glancing at him every so often and then looking slightly away from him. She seemed a little lost... Yes, this woman was indeed mad!

'Pff, she can't even keep her own thought processes straight! At least I know how to do that! Oh, wait!... that's because I only have one true train of thought! Hatred...' the evil stated, letting a cruel gleam shine within his dark violet eyes, 'I certainly can not believe she fell for me! Haha, what a foolish girl...'

However, to his dismay, memories of the past tore themselves through to his mind. He remembered the spellcasters who had placed him under this 'curse', he recalled the seperation through mind link between him and his hikari, and he could once again understand the pain he had felt within his heart that night! The torture that his new heart had given him... sadness and regret!

'Grrrrrrrr... I despise those pathetic beings!' he thought, leaning back up from the couch with his arms still crossed. The monster stood there with his dark eyes glaring furiously at the ground, the red veins within them becoming quite visible, and his powerful jaws were grinding together as if in some sort of death match.

However, the darkside's attention was soon seized by an extremely pissed off woman who was standing only a few feet away from him. Obviously, Katie had also been grinding her own, nearly purely white, teeth.

"Marik Lateef Ishtar! You bastard, listen to me for once! You waltz right in 'my' home, mock me, and then let your mind roam in space?!" Katie shouted, anger consuming every portion of her typically kind attitude. She went on to continue, slightly grateful that this madman was at least paying some attention to her outburst.

However Marik just merely frowned, his eyes darkening.

'I was not the only one traveling through space... and besides, she can NOT talk to me like that!' he thought, but soon was overcome with an extremely powerful instinct of his! Marik uncrossed his arms, somewhat violently, and then walked towards his past lover quickly. Young Katie was going to be taught a lesson and he wasn't going to be in the least bit gentle.

The young woman tensed, backing into the corner and shrinking down a little bit. Once again her courage had been banished and she had no understanding as to why. However, this gesture given was something common in the past. She had been used to this reaction when her father had come around to hit her but that was when she had done something extremely bad! Doing something in which she knew she shouldn't of done! Not just because of any simple reason.

Just then the darkside harshly grabbed her right arm and pulled her to him, placing her back against his chest and his left arm painfully around her neck.

"Don't ever talk to me like that again you worthless being!" he growled, tightening his grip on her slightly tanned neck.

Katie struggled to breathe, gasping out for air. This only caused Marik to place more pressure in that specific location, taking in great amusement towards his past wife.

"Marik!... please... stop..." Katie cried, begging the slightly older male to stop. However, much to her horror, he wouldn't! His older sister had even mentioned to Katie that, when the boy was younger, Marik took over eleven year old Malik's mind! This creature wouldn't listen to his father's nor Ishizu's crys for him to cease his actions! He just continued on with the ritual in which he himself came up with! The gruesome slicing and peeling of his father's back! (a/n: My gosh, that was a really sick way to kill him off in the manga)

"Oh, and by the way Katie... this is the reason as to 'what the hell I'm doing here'. I came here to tear you to shreds. Haha, aren't you glad I'm back?" he growled mockingly, attempting to seize his millennium rod from his back pocket with his free hand and keep his ex-wife as still as he could at the same time.

However, he was having just a little bit of trouble with that goal at the moment. Marik, much to his disapproval, had to keep bringing his hand back to hang on to her whilst she was jolting her body back and forth, attempting to escape from his grasp.

However, at that moment, young Terra Ishtar opened the apartment door to her home which caused the mad psycho to jolt his head in her direction. He unconsciously ended up loosening his grip on the shorter woman in front of him, but didn't let go.

Katie just then stopped her struggling and curiously glanced over to see where her ex-husband was looking.

Then, to her utter horror, she saw her child and Katie cried out in fear for her.

"Terra! No! Get out of here, please...!" she shouted, struggling once again in Marik's powerful arms. The darkside once again had to focus all of his attention back to the terrified woman. He couldn't have her get away! He wanted to have a much longer torture session with her!

At hearing her mother's somewhat distant cry, the young teenager shot her head towards her! However, she fearfully found the one man in which she never wanted to get a glimpse of again! The killer... a light blonded, egyptian man who was now suffocating her mother to death!

"The murderer..." Terra murmured through wide eyes, staring at the older man with fear.

Her mother was screaming, violently attempting to free herself from the psycho's grasp with terror filled eyes. However, Marik merely just kept the woman restrained in his grip and turned his head back over towards the younger being in the small apartment room, glaring evilly at her.

'What the fuck is this kid doing here?!... of all the places, why in Ra's name is she here?' Marik pondered furiously over the matter, 'Oh well, I guess I'll just tear her into shreds as well...' he thought, a cruel yet extremely heartless smirk forming smoothly across his somewhat shadowed face.

"How did you find me here?" Terra asked curiously with a tinge of horror in her voice.

However, this sort of 'conclusion' definitely interrupted the darkside's thoughts.

"You?!" Marik shouted whilst raising an eyebrow, shock taking over his train of thought, "Why in Ra's name would I be searching for you?!" he questioned again, staring at the young teen with both curiosity and anger.

Terra's mother stopped in her struggle and glanced between the two, confusion taking her emotions over. Terra knew him?! How...?

The young teen merely looked at the man, bravery coming back to her senses once again and she began running towards him quickly. She wanted him to let her mother go!... young Terra knew that he wouldn't just let her only parent escape simply, yet willingly. So, since that was most likely the case, she'd get her mother away from this killer by force! Besides, she enjoyed conflicts that involved kicking, punching, and pounding! They were quite amusing to her...

At seeing the girl run towards him, ready to pounce, Marik seized the golden rod from his back pocket and let go of Katie. He then swiftly, yet quickly, moved out of the teen's path, taking his free left hand and reaching out towards the young girl who was already in the air somewhat. He then grabbed her already raised wrists and pulled her back towards him harshly.

Terra, now facing an outraged psycho who was glaring furiously at her, cried out in pain for he tightened his grip on her wrists extremely hard!

"I will rip you to pieces you pathetic child!" he growled darkly, his eyes filled with hate.

The darkside, with his right hand, raised his dagger and with full force stabbed her harshly in her left arm. The poor teen cried out in pain and her father just merely laughed, pulling the object down her arm slowly to slice the skin.

Katie screamed out in horror, "Marik! Stop it please! Please don't kill her! She's your daughter for crying out loud!" she cried, tears falling quickly down her cheeks.

Her mind was all over the place right now and she was pulled down in overbearing sadness. Her head screamed for her to stop Marik herself but, nomatter how hard she begged, her body did not respond to her orders.

Just then though, she noticed that Marik had stopped in his little 'moment of torture'.

He stood there, dagger held in his right hand yet still in the young teen's arm. Marik appeared to be staring blankly at his daughter, though his mind was somewhere else completely.

Terra, however, was still crying out in pain! She wasn't even able to move herself from the spot right next to this mad killer! But she did happen to hear what her mother said...

"She's... my daughter?" the darkside stated slowly, trying to take in everything that just happened.

Katie just stared at him, causing the evil creature to look up at her. The young woman simply nodded in return, some faith beginning to shine deeply within her eyes. Maybe he woudn't kill her?... at least now anyways.

However, the cruel 'monster' before Katie and her daughter just merely looked towards the ground, pondering over this new piece of information. Strangely, his dark heart softened ever so slightly for the both of them again and he turned his attention back towards Terra who was now completely confused out of her mind!

"Marik... please don't kill her." Katie begged softly, fear once again overtaking her.

However Marik, with both of his hands, slowly took the golden dagger out of his daughter's right arm and the young girl winced in pain...

Unbeknownst to this young darkside, Terra was praying that once he let her go she and her mother would be able to high-tail it the heck out of there.

Even though it was her own father she was running from...

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0... end of chapter eight

Author's Note: Yes, I'm finally done with chapter eight! Personally, I am quite pleased with the way it turned out and such! lol

As a side note, I made Marik's middle name "lateef" because it's an Egyptian name and when I looked it up, it meant 'gentle'. I just pictured his mother (well, Malik's mother but you get the point) might of given him a name that meant something sweet... don't know the real way to pronounce this name though. I just took a shot at it and I kind of liked it.

Oh and this won't be a 'chase and run' fic either! I just needed a way to end this chapter with how his daughter thought at the moment. Or rather, I guess this is better explained as a cliffhanger :)

Anyways, please review! (begs that at least one of you does this! I already know there is a whole lot of people going through each and every chapter but a comment here and there would be nice)

Goodbye for now.