Chapter Ten
Aladdin could feel his heart beating along his back as a trickle of blood seeped through the back of his shirt.
"Wh- what do you want?" he gasped.
"You know perfectly well what I want, boy!" Jafar hissed, tightening his grip on Aladdin's collar. "Where is the lamp?"
"What lamp, sir?" The combination of ignorance and humility usually worked, it convinced his perpetrator that he was as stupid as an insect and far less worthy of squishing.
Apparently Jafar was unconvinced.
"Oh, that lamp." Aladdin took a gulp of air. "I gave it to you already, remember?"
"It does not work, you idiot!"
"Maybe it's a dud?"
"It is not a—" Jafar stopped and squinted at a shadowy shape by Aladdin's feet. Aladdin's heart sunk as he looked down at it. The Genie must have followed him when he had transported Aladdin and Jasmine back here.
"Well, well, well." He released Aladdin's shirt and let him fall onto the sidewalk as he bent down to pick up the lamp. A frightening, almost possessed gleam came into Jafar's cold, dark eyes as he held the precious object. "Get up, boy," he demanded, roughly prodding Aladdin with his foot. "I believe you have something to tell your little princess."
"Jasmine?" Jafar called up the staircase as he yanked Aladdin into the foyer.
"Go home, Jafar, I'm trying to sleep," came her voice from upstairs. Jafar frowned and then turned to the lamp, rubbing it vigorously.
"Hey, Al, I was just about to—hold up. You're not Al…" the Genie mused, and performed one of his random character pops. "The part of Aladdin will now be played by a dark, sinister man—"
"Oh, shut up, you great blue lout. I am your master now, and for my first wish, I command you to make me the most powerful man in the world."
"Well, that's a pretty hefty order, I—"
"Don't do it, Genie!" Aladdin shouted.
"No use, little buddy," said the Genie mournfully. "I've got a new master now." He squeezed his eyes shut and there was a flash of light. Jafar stared at his hands, wriggling his fingers wonderingly. He gave a sharp gesture, and Jasmine floated down to the foyer, still in her pajamas, sleepy-eyed and scraggly-haired.
"What on earth…" she said, looking sleepily around the room. "Alan! Why are you here—you're bleeding!" She began to rush towards Aladdin but was met with a magical barrier that flung her onto a nearby chair.
"Funny you should mention that," Jafar sneered, turning to Aladdin. "So that's what you're going by these days- Alan? Or should I say…" He snapped his fingers and Aladdin appeared in the clothes he had worn the day he had first met Jasmine. "…Aladdin?"
"Aladdin?" A confused look flickered across Jasmine's face, and Aladdin could see it all fall into place in her head. "But you, I—"
"Dear me, have I spoiled your little secret, boy?" Jafar chuckled. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to tell the truth?"
"Jasmine, I can explain, trust me—"
"Why, so you can come up with more lies to tell me? I don't think so."
"I don't think so either, Aladdin." Jafar twirled a glowing strand of magic around his index finger. There was another explosion of light and then overwhelming darkness greeted Aladdin.
When Aladdin came to, he found himself in a room he didn't recognize. It was simply and elegantly furnished- he must still be at Jasmine's. He blinked groggily, trying in vain to ignore the pounding in his head, and squinted to read the flashing red numbers of the clock. 2:17, it read. Aladdin sat up n the floor, trying to figure out what had happened. It had to still be Friday night, (or rather, Saturday morning), and a quick check of his own watch confirmed that.
But how had he gotten up here? That was the big question. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think through the drum beat in his head. There had been a flash, of course, and then a sort of… hurtling sensation. HE stood up, pacing and trying to piece it together. He had to have gotten upstairs somehow, because this was definitely an upstairs room. Perhaps that had caused it. And then, since he couldn't do anything gracefully, he must have hit his head on—well, on something. Didn't really want to know what.
Anyways, Aladdin berated himself. Who cares how you got up here, just get the hell out of here, he thought. Shaking some dust and half of a Fun Size Snickers wrapper out of his hair (apparently the Sultanas' home wasn't quite as immaculate as he'd assumed); he moved toward the door and gently tried the knob. It was locked, of course. He slumped against the door and shoved his hands into his pockets. If this were the old days, he'd have no problem; he used to carry tons of things for this kind of situation. Why had he jumped back into this without thinking about the details? But maybe… he dug vigorously through the layers of junk in his pocket, all the way to that weird point where he could actually feel the lining, until hit fingers lit upon a familiar slender packet. He pulled it out and rubbed it with his thumb, watching as three slim lock picks slid in and out. So he had a way out- which was exactly the same way he'd gotten in, going back to everything he'd tried to give up.
It's not for me; he tried to convince his stubborn conscience. It's for Jasmine.
So why did it feel so wrong?
Well, he couldn't back out now, both of them were too far into his mistake. Aladdin took a deep, shaky breath and selected a pick. He knelt down beside the door, laid a hand on the cold knob, and gingerly prodded the pick into the lock. The gears scraped and clicked, and finally Aladdin could hear the door unlock.
A/N: And finally!! Thank you all for putting up with my prolonged absences, I know how much it sucks to wait for updates. But it's here now! I can't believe this fic is almost done! Hopefuly Chapter 11 will be up sooner than this was… but then, I say that every time, don't I? Oh well. Props to Mara for the Fun Size Snickers and to all of you for your loverly reviews.