Jasmine sat on the edge of the ship, looking out over the ship. Eric was on the upper deck, steering the ship, but no one else was around. It had been a couple hours since the last crew member had gone to bed. Eric had greeted her when she came out on the deck, but has since not paid her any attention.
Jasmine had tried to sleep, but she hasn't been able to get any sleep since her talk with Aladdin the night before. They would be in the Southern Isles soon and she didn't know what she would do once they arrived. Staying with Prince Proteus and letting him arrange for her passage back to Agrabah was the smartest choice; even if it wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to be with Aladdin, as foolish as that was.
Movement on the other end of the deck caught her eye. John stumbled down the stairs, clutching a bottle of rum. When he saw her, he staggered over to her. Jasmine could smell the alcohol on him as he approached her.
"Can't sleep, either?" he asked.
Jasmine shook her head. "I didn't realize anyone else was still awake."
John shrugged. "Haven't slept much."
Jasmine couldn't imagine what John was going through after witnessing his best friend's murder. Mainly because she's never had a best friend. She remembered watching Kida have Aladdin thrown overboard and the pain she felt when she thought he was dead. She wondered if losing your best friend felt the same as losing the person you love. "I'm sorry about Hercules."
John looked down at the half- empty bottle of rum in his hands, but didn't drink it. "Thank you. But, I don't want to talk about it. At least, not now."
"I understand."
John looked at her. "Do you?"
"I don't know exactly what you're going through, but yeah... I understand not wanting to talk about what's weighing on your heart."
John offered her the bottle. "This helps the weight not feel quite so heavy."
Jasmine accepted the bottle and took a long drink. It tasted wrong to her. Within a few seconds she began to feel nauseated. She doubled over, dropping the bottle. It shattered against the wood, spraying glass and rum between her and John.
"Jasmine, are you all right?"
Jasmine tried to tell him she wasn't feeling well, but the nausea dissipated almost as quickly as it came on. She straightened and John put his hand on her arm to steady her. "I... I'm fine. I don't know what came over me."
"Good. I don't have much time."
Jasmine stepped away from him. "What do you mean?"
"Jasmine, what do you know about Aladdin and Gaston?"
"I know Aladdin was Gaston's first mate when Gaston was the captain of The Huntress." Horror and panic filled Jasmine when her tongue betrayed her. Every single thing Aladdin had told her about him and Gaston poured out of her mouth like blood from a fresh wound and she could not stop it. John took in everything she said, but not once did he seem shocked. She was crying by the time she finished by telling John Aladdin planned to go to Corona and join Gaston.
"Did Aladdin know Gaston was planning on killing Meg- or Hercules?"
"I don't know." Jasmine wondered the same thing, but had never been able to bring herself to ask him, afraid of what his answer would be.
"It's not your fault, Jasmine," John reassured her. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away from him. "Jim overheard yours and Aladdin's conversation last night. I needed to find out everything I could about Aladdin and Gaston, but I knew I'd never get anything from Aladdin and you would die before being disloyal to him."
"What did you do to me?" Jasmine demanded.
"Back when Vanessa was sailing with us, she sold Kida a small bottle of truth serum. When I saw you down here, I took it from the hidden compartment in Meg's office and spiked the rum with it. Don't worry, it only lasts a couple minutes; it should wear off any second now. I didn't want to do this to you, Jasmine. I hate that I had to deceive and drug you in order to force you to betray Aladdin."
Go to hell... Jasmine froze. No sound came from her mouth.
John winced. "That's the side effect to the serum. You will not be able to speak for a couple days. A week, at most."
Jasmine punched John. Pain shot through her hand as it connected with his cheekbone, but she ignored it. She punched him again, this time making contact with his jaw. When she went to punch him a third time, he grabbed her wrist. He then seized her other wrist, as well.
"I'm so sorry, Jasmine," he whispered.
Jasmine might have believed the look in those blue eyes was genuinely one of pain and regret, if she hadn't just witnessed how cruel and heartless he really was.
"I don't expect you to ever forgive me," John continued. "I wouldn't if I were in your place. But, Aladdin's decision to join Gaston has put everyone's lives at stake. I didn't know what else to do."
Right then, the only life she cared about was Aladdin's. As far as she was concerned, The Damned truly were just that: damned.
"I promise I won't tell Meg." John let go of her, gave her one last look of fake remorse, then headed back up to his room.
Jasmine hurried down to the crew's sleeping quarters. She rummaged through her bag, nearly spilling its contents in her haste, until she found a small notepad and pencil. She crept over to Aladdin's cot and shook him. Aladdin woke with a jolt. She put her finger to her lips to keep him quiet, then motioned for him to follow her. Once back on the deck, Jasmine began to furiously scribble out a note explaining to him what happened with John.
"Jasmine, what is going on?"
She didn't reply. Couldn't reply. She finished her note. It was sloppy, but legible. At least, she hoped it was. She tore the paper off the pad and thrust it into Aladdin's hand. He furrowed his brow before looking down at it. As he read, his jaw clenched and his grip on the paper tightened.
He looked back up at her. "Tell me this isn't real. That it's some sick joke to get back at me."
I can't tell you anything, Jasmine mouthed, no sound coming out.
Aladdin swore. He ripped the note in pieces and dropped it into the water, presumably so no one on the ship would accidentally come across it. "He's going to tell Meg."
Jasmine wrote, He promised he wouldn't.
"Let's make sure he doesn't." He took her hand and led her up to John's room.
Aladdin barged into the room without knocking. John and Jim were sitting on the bed. John was instantly on his feet. Before anyone could say anything or react further, Aladdin tore across the room. He grabbed John by the front of his shirt and threw him against the wall. The impact knocked him unconscious.
Jim drew his knife and charged Aladdin. Aladdin grabbed his arm and used Jim's momentum against him. He twisted Jim's arm behind him and pinned it against his back. Jim grunted in pain. Aladdin pried Jim's knife from his hand.
John groaned as he woke up.
"Get the gun, Jasmine," Aladdin instructed, nodding towards the table near the door.
Jasmine hadn't noticed the gun until now. She hesitated; she had never touched a gun before.
"Now, Jasmine!"
Jasmine grabbed the gun and aimed it at John. John didn't move. He eyed Jasmine warily, before turning his attention to Aladdin.
"Let him go, Aladdin."
Aladdin swiped the knife across Jim's throat.
"NO!"
No! Jasmine tried to scream.
It took Jasmine and John a moment to realize Jim was still alive. There was a small, shallow cut on his neck, nothing more.
Aladdin let go of Jim and walked over to John. "Do you see how easily- and quickly- I could kill him? You made a promise to Jasmine. Make sure you don't break it. Jim's life depends on it."
