AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hmmm. I did my best to capture Jafar's character here; I actually had to watch Aladdin again just to make sure I did it right. I hope his evil!ness is captured here...

DISCLAIMER: Again, all characters related to Aladdin belong to D!sney; Faatina and Hana are MIINE. And yes, I know that Iago went with Aladdin's father, but that is going to be explained later. It's not that important right now.


II

Faatina gazed at Iago blankly for a moment, and then shook her head, her eyes darting to the man lying comatose on her bed. 'Wait. You mean…this is Jafar. The Jafar. The Jafar that tried to kill my parents not once, but twice. The evil sorcerer who's the protagonist in a few of the stories that Genie used to tell me when I was little. That Jafar?'

'Yes!' The parrot exclaimed. 'He was dead when I destroyed his lamp and now…well. What exactly did you do?' He asked, his gaze sharpening.

'Um…' Faatina glanced up at Hana, who looked as though she were going to faint at any moment. 'Nothing, really…all I did was read this thing out loud…'

'In other words, you performed magic,' Iago rolled his eyes. 'I knew it. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone,' he said hurriedly as the princess shot him a venomous look. 'No. When your parents realize he's here…well. You can blame it on me if you want. They can't behead a parrot for reading something out of boredom.'

'Oh no! My parents!' Faatina jumped up from where she sat on the edge of the bed. 'What do I tell them? What will I do when they find out that he's alive? He'll kill them! I've got to do something…' Her brow furrowed in thought. 'We've still got time…he's unconscious…'

Hana slowly walked over to the chair in front of the princess's vanity and sat down, fear overcoming her. Oh, she had heard the stories that the Genie had told them. She had heard what this sorcerer was capable of. And she was not at all comfortable having him in the same room as them, unconscious or no.

'Iago! I've got it. Go to his lair, make sure no one sees you, and you should find a scroll written in our language on a table. Find a spell for protection against sorcery. Since I used magic to bring him back to life, I'm going to use magic to protect myself and my family against him,' the princess told the parrot, who nodded, and flew off.

Silence fell in the room as the two girls simply stared at the still body on the bed. Jafar's breathing was starting to get steadier, which meant that his body was gaining strength. After all, Faatina thought wryly, I did bring him back from the Afterlife…and that would take a lot out of anyone. Not knowing what else to do, she decided to take a good look at the man who had once tried to kill her father and rule over the city that she was destined to control. He seemed to be very tall and thin, his skin was tan like her own, and there were dark lines under his eyes, with a small moustache and twisted beard which adorned his chin. He looked almost completely harmless laying there, his eyes closed, his steady breathing barely audible over the distant bustle of the city.

'M'lady…' Hana began, cautiously. 'Perhaps we should turn him into the guards. We don't know if this magic will even work…what if he can counter it?'

Faatina shook her head. 'No. I'm not going to turn him into the guards only for him to die again. I brought him back, so he's my responsibility. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt any of my loved ones, you can be sure about that.'

Fire. The fire is growing hotter, and the torment is relentless. I don't know how much longer I can last here in Allah's hell without screaming. But I know if I scream, the pain will be even greater, and Allah's satisfaction is hardly worth that. No. I will not scream. I refuse to scream.

Constant torment. Never-ending. Eternal. Oh, Allah. How long will I stay here for what I've done? Was it that blasphemous, was it that terrible? I don't know.

I can feel my will breaking. I can feel that wall that I have put up to keep myself strong begin to crumble. My resistance is growing thin, and I can feel a terrible scream, a great cry, beginning to rise in my throat as the flames get hotter, the pain even more unbearable. I can feel it coming, the horrid scream that will let all know that I am damned, that I feel the flames of hell tearing at my soul.

But the scream never leaves my lips. The fire fades, and I am being pulled away from their heat. I can feel a cool breeze, and I am moving fast towards…towards what? Where am I going?

I stop. I am lying on something cool. Oh, at last. The coldness of a stone floor…its cold texture fills my limbs with relief. Everything is dark and I am too weak to move. I don't know where I am. All is dark.

Jafar let out a small groan. He wasn't on a cold floor anymore, he was on something soft and smooth. It was warmer, but the warmth didn't give him any pain. A slight breeze was in the air, and he lay there, relishing it. He didn't want to move, but the sound of a sudden movement made him open his eyes slowly.

Two women. One was sitting in a chair, staring at him, terrified, her hands clutching onto her white robes in terror, her hair falling to her shoulders. Another stood next to the girl, her bangs messy, her hair pulled back with great care, which nevertheless fell past her shoulders to her waist, and the outfit she wore was so familiar…

'He's awake,' the girl with the long hair stated. The other nodded, looking as though she might pass out.

Jafar blinked, and pushed himself up to a sitting position, and looked down at himself. He was wearing his old robes, and he could feel the hat upon his head. The material on his body felt good after being trapped in the fire of hell for so long. He looked around the room slowly, and felt recognition hit him like a slap across the face. This was princess Jasmine's room. Everything was as it was before, except some things were there that weren't before. A new carpet on the floor, some weapons on the walls.

'…It's about time you woke up. I almost thought you were gone for good.' The girl with the long hair approached him, her arms folded.

'Who are you?' he asked, his voice hoarse from not being used in so long, his eyes narrowing.

'I am Princess Faatina, and you are, well, in my bedroom,' she said matter-of-factly. She gestured to the other girl still sitting in the chair. 'This is my handmaiden Hana, and…well, that parrot over there…I'm sure you know him.'

Jafar whirled around to see Iago, his traitorous companion, perched on the bed, smiling sheepishly. Suddenly, a flood of rage and resentment filled him, seeming to come out of nowhere. 'Iago…you traitor!' He growled, and reached out to strangle the now terrified bird.

Iago took off flying, landing on the princess's shoulder. Jafar stood shakily, and grabbed the bird from her shoulder before she could do anything, his teeth gritted, ready to squeeze every breath of life from his body…but his hands would not tighten their grip. He stood there for a few moments, trying to will his hands to crush the bird, but he only remained standing still, his eyes glaring in hatred, holding a terrified Iago in his hands.

'Let him go, Jafar,' the princess said sternly, prying his hands off of Iago, who flew back to the girl's shoulder. 'You can't harm anyone that I love, I made sure of that.'

'What!' He glared at the girl who stood calmly in front of him, her arms folded across her chest.

'Do you honestly think that after accidentally bringing the enemy of my family to life I was going to let you run around killing my mother, my father, my grandfather, and myself? No way. I used magic to bring you back, and so I used magic to make sure you didn't harm anyone.' She pointed to his neck. 'See that lead amulet right there? You can't take it off, and as long as that is on you, you cannot hurt me or my family.'

Jafar glanced down. Sure enough, there was a blood red amulet encased in black lead around his neck. His dark eyes returned to the princess. 'What exactly is going on here?' He asked, his voice slowly returning to its usual old charm.

'Well, like I told you before, I am Princess Faatina, daughter of Jasmine and Aladdin, granddaughter of the Sultan,' she began. 'My father's been trying to get me to marry all these suitors that come around, and I don't like them. So, my handmaiden and I discovered your hidden lair, I found a spell for finding a decent husband, and…well.' She stepped forward, and poked him in the chest. 'You were the result. I most definitely wasn't expecting that.'

Jafar took a step backward, his eyes widening. The daughter of his sworn enemy had cast a spell from his lair to find a husband, and she brought him back to life? It was almost as if Allah had planned this from the start, that he should be indebted to his enemy's daughter for rescuing him from hell. What a cruel joke this is, he thought, turning from both of the girls. Aladdin and Jasmine…so they did get married after all. The Sultan is still alive, Allah knows why; you would think the idiot would have gotten himself killed already. The fruit of your enemy's passions is the very one who rescued you from Allah's torment…and because she was summoning a husband for herself, no doubt. How do I know that she won't turn me over to the guards the first chance she gets? She obviously knows what she's doing if she already took the precaution to make sure I do not harm anyone.

He turned to the young girl, his eyes narrowing. 'How can I trust you? You are, after all, the daughter of my sworn enemy. I can't trust you just as you can't trust me,' he stated.

'Well,' she shrugged. 'I brought you back to life. You're my responsibility. I recited an incantation to summon a suitor, and whether it was coincidence or not, you're the result. I think I should be responsible for you. Perhaps I'll allow you to court me, but seeing as how my parents would object, I doubt it will happen. So, instead, you will be my sorcerer. Just as you gave advice to my grandfather, you will do the same for me. The only difference this time is that I know what you're capable of.' She smirked.

He gazed down at her scrutingly. 'Seeing as that you are, after all, a member of the royal family and I seem to be at a disadvantage,' he gestured to the amulet, 'I have no choice but to do as you ask.'

A bright smile crossed her face and she clapped her hands together. 'Great! Now, we just have to figure out what to tell my parents…'

A sudden knock on the door caused Hana to give out a little cry of terror. 'M'lady, if we're found out…the consequences will be most horrible! What will we do?' She asked, looking as though she were on the brink of tears.

The knocking continued, and Faatina looked around the room quickly. 'Come here,' she said to Jafar, grabbing one of his arms and dragging him over to her changing screen. 'Hide behind that,' she muttered, shoving him behind it. 'Don't make a sound, don't even move.'

Jafar stood behind the screen, and watched the princess' shadowy outline approach the door. She opened it slowly, but not all the way, and he couldn't tell who was on the other end of the door. He could barely believe what was going on. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, and he felt as if he had no control. I hate having no control, he thought. But then…I can still use my knowledge. I can still play things into my hands.

Faatina had opened the door to come face-to-face with her father, Aladdin. 'Oh, hi, father! What's going on?' she asked.

'Just wanted to check on you,' Aladdin said, his eyes scanning the room. 'What are you up to?'

'Oh, nothing really…' She said, determined to not let her father enter the room. 'Hana isn't feeling very well, so I've just been helping her to feel better.'

'Oh! Well, I hope she gets better,' he said, his brow furrowing in worry.

Several moments passed as the princess and her father conversed with one another. Jafar, who was still hiding behind the screen used every ounce of self control to keep himself from leaving his hiding place and finishing what he should have done ages ago…the rage and hatred started to consume him when he heard Aladdin speak, just as it did when he first saw Iago.

After what seemed like ages, Aladdin told Faatina that if she needed anything, all she need do was ask, and then left. Faatina closed the door behind him with a sigh of relief. She had thought he would have demanded to know why she wasn't allowing him inside, and then once she did, he would have noticed Jafar's shadow, and then…Thank Allah nothing happened, she thought.

Jafar emerged from behind the screen, his mind churning, his brow furrowed in thought. If only I didn't have this amulet…I would have been able to kill him right then and there. But I cannot, because this little royal brat has put a spell on me…wait a moment. Comprehension seemed to strike him like a lightning bolt, and a twisted smile formed on his lips. There is a way…I may not be able to kill Aladdin, but I can still cause him pain. Oh yes. Pain beyond all reason, the same torment which I had to endure; for there is nothing more tortuous for a parent than seeing their daughter falling desperately in love with their enemy, being more than willing to become his. Yes, it is all coming together now.

Faatina paced the room. 'Right now may not be the best time to show you to my parents…they're going to find out that you're back eventually, and I'd rather be there when it happens so that way they won't be able to get you killed or anything. We're going to have to wait till tomorrow morning. You're going to have to stay in my room, obviously, because there is no way I'm going to let you go out there. Not when there're guards wandering around. Do you understand?' She asked the sorcerer.

'Of course, princess,' He inclined his head as a sign of respect. 'The thought never crossed my mind. It would be very foolish of me to walk straight into the arms of death when I have only just escaped it. All with your help of course,' Jafar took her hand in his and kissed it, his dark eyes boring into her own as a cunning smile appeared on his lips.

Faatina could feel a strange heat rise in her cheeks as she stared steadily back into his eyes, and a very peculiar sensation seemed to fill her stomach. A strange laugh left her lips as she took her hand away from his, and she turned her back on him. Oh Allah, what was that? She thought, regaining her composure as quickly as she could. She had never felt such a thing before, and it had gripped her so suddenly…

'M'lady.' Hana's voice broke through the princess's thoughts. 'May I speak with you for a moment?'

'S-sure,' Faatina stammered, and walked over to her friend, who was still sitting in the chair, her arms still clutching her white robe close around her. 'What is it?' she asked, her voice lowering so the sorcerer could not hear them.

'M'lady, I do not trust him,' Hana whispered. 'He was the enemy of your parents, and thus is the enemy of all of Agrabah. You shouldn't be making him your ally. It would be very unwise to do so.'

'Stop being so paranoid, Hana,' Faatina whispered back. 'I have him under control. Besides…maybe he'll make things around here more interesting, more fun.'

'Please, Faatina, listen to me…I have a terrible feeling about this. You performed magic, something that is blasphemous in itself, and as a result, a most evil man has been brought back from the dead! You do not know what you are doing…' Hana pleaded with her friend.

'Hana, listen to me. I can't save a man from the Afterlife and then just let him die again, can I?. Everyone deserves a second chance, even him. Just trust me on this, okay?' Faatina gave her friend a quick hug and then straightened up, turning back to the older man. 'So…um…welcome back to Agrabah, Jafar. I'm sure things must be different for you.'

He smiled. 'Yes…they are. This was your mother's old room. It has changed a bit, I see,' he commented, striding over to a nearby wall on which hung a sword. 'You seem to have a fondness for weapons, princess.'

'Yes…my father taught me how to wield a dagger when I was young, and when I got a bit older he had the guards teach me how to really wield some weapons. I still practice quite a bit, and have even become better than some of the guards themselves.'

'Quite an accomplishment.'

'I guess…I keep these weapons around just in case any assassins come to call,' Faatina said, reaching up to touch the handle of the sword tenderly. 'This one's my favorite; I have never lost a sparring match while wielding this.' The princess turned from the sword, to glance over to the tall man. 'This was the sword that my father used to fight you, in fact.'

'Then it only makes sense that you should wield it,' he replied. However, princess, this time, the snake will be the one who strikes at the prey, not the other way around, he thought, a cunning smile appearing on his face once more.

Aladdin entered the gardens, a disconcerted look on his face. The gardens were always kept in the best shape, and the royal family would often come there to sit and think about life and what concerns they may have. This is where he found Jasmine, sitting by the fountain, her long dark hair flowing past her shoulders, the lavender outfit that she was wearing shining brightly in the sunlight. Rajah, the tiger who seemed to be the guardian of all the women in the household, was curled up beside the princess with her head in Jasmine's lap.

Aladdin cleared his throat, and the princess looked up at him, her face breaking into a wide smile. 'I was wondering when you'd find me.'

'I was speaking with your father about the whole suitor problem,' he told her, sitting beside her and scratching Rajah's head affectionately.

'Oh.' Jasmine's smile fell. 'I see.'

'I went to talk to Faatina, but Hana is not feeling very well, so I thought it best to discuss it with her tomorrow, before Prince Muhammed arrives.'

'We can't push her,' Jasmine replied. 'I remember what it was like being her age. All of those suitors…it gets tiring after awhile. Most princes are very egotistical and aren't very interesting. Take it from me, we don't want to rush her. If we do, she might do something drastic like running away. I did that when I was her age. I just didn't want to marry someone I didn't love. And love takes time.'

'Hey,' her husband nudged her playfully, 'if you hadn't run away, we never would have met. Then you'd probably have married that horrible Jafar.'

Jasmine grinned. 'But I didn't, because one brave, smart street-rat stopped him from destroying our future.' She leaned over and kissed him gently. 'I know you're worried, but we just need to let things take their course.'

Aladdin sighed. 'You're right. I just need to lighten up. Who knows, perhaps this prince Muhammed just might be the one to win her over.'

Jafar watched the people of Agrabah carry on their everyday activities with disdain. None of them could even imagine the pain that he had to endure, none of them could possibly know what it was that Allah had in store for them. They were too simple to understand.

Standing on the balcony, he could still hear the hushed voices of the princess and her handmaiden. Even the princess cannot imagine how terrible the pain of the fire is, he thought, but he was not surprised. One of royalty barely knew any pain, for they had all that they could possibly want; money, love, and power. Oh, the power. He had it for awhile, yes, but he was only able to relish in it for half a day, and then made the terrible mistake of being tricked by that horrid Aladdin, and was enslaved as a genie.

He wouldn't fail this time. This time, things would be different. This time, I will succeed. Jafar idly twisted his beard with his finger. Oh, he saw the look in Faatina's eyes and the flush in her cheeks when he kissed her hand. Everything was beginning to fall into place, and he would eventually make her his. The key word being eventually, of course. He wasn't going to rush into this. He had to take his time, wait until she warmed up to him, confided in him, let things take its course, and then…he could begin to court her in secret. The princes would continue to come, and she would reject them, because her heart would already belong to another. And then she will tell her parents…and the look on their faces, the anguish in their eyes when they see her throw her arms around me and tell them that I am the one she chooses…oh, no revenge could be sweeter.

The sound of flapping wings caused Jafar to snap out of his reverie, and he turned to see Iago perched on the edge of the balcony, quite a distance from him; undoubtedly worried that he would try to strangle him again. 'She didn't mean to bring you back,' the parrot muttered. 'It was all a mistake. You were supposed to be dead for good. No one was supposed to see you again, and the only time anyone would utter your name would be when the Genie told her stories when she was younger.'

'I see.' Jafar's tone was cold and emotionless. He had saved Iago from an abusive owner and chose him as his familiar, giving him the gift of human tongue and intelligence, only to be betrayed at the very end, by the only one that he had been able to trust. The anger was greater than the pain, but the pain was still there. He wouldn't admit it, of course. 'So I was merely going to remain a memory.'

'Yes. Although…whatever it is you're planning, don't tell me. Don't tell anyone. I have been around these good chumps for far too long to be able to just sit and watch injustice happen now,' the parrot continued. 'If you want to succeed, keep it to yourself. But…to tell you the truth…I wouldn't mind being your familiar again.'

The sorcerer gave a scoffing laugh. 'Oh, I am quite sure your services will be most useful to me now that you have gained a conscience,' he said with sarcasm. 'No, I will do just fine on my own, thank you.'

Words dissipated between the two comrades as they both gazed out on the city before them. The parrot's feathers rustled slightly in the breeze, and he began to shift uncomfortably. There had been many times when he missed being around Jafar, using their clever minds to concoct ways to gain power and…well, Iago did it solely for the treasure, Jafar did it for the power. He missed those days at times, but all in all he had become quite comfortable with being accepted into the royal family. But now that his old master had returned…he felt torn. He wanted desperately to make things right between them, but knew that it could never be so. Still, so long as he did not know precisely what it was the sorcerer was up to, he would be more than willing to help him.

'Iago…how long have you known the princess?' Jafar asked suddenly.

'You mean Faatina?' Iago looked over at the sorcerer, who nodded. 'Well, I've known her for her whole life. She was pretty annoying as a little kid, but now she's great. I help her think of creative ways to reject suitors,' he said proudly.

'I see…' Jafar muttered. 'Perhaps…you just may be able to help me after all.'

'What?' The parrot asked nervously.

'Not yet…but you will prove useful eventually.' A cruel smile formed on the tall man's lips.