Chapter 13 : " Hands to Heaven" by Breathe

Jasmine went to change behind her partition and got ready for bed. She sat on her vanity and took out the bands from her hair. She took out the necklace that Aladdin gave her. Jasmine smiled and reminisced the wonderful evening that she had with him. " Husband and wife." she said to herself. She went to her sheer curtains and closed them. Something from the corner of her eye moved quickly. Jasmine shook her head and figured that it was a figment of her imagination. She blew out her lamp wick on her nightstand. Suddenly Rajah let out a warning growl and he was looking out towards the balcony.
" Rajah!" Jasmine called out. " There's no one there." Her eyes wandered to her curtains and there was a shadow of a man next to it. Her heart jumped at the sight of it. But, automatically she knew who he was. Rajah got up , charged at him, and Jasmine stopped him in his tracks.
" It's the Midnight Vigilante" She said to her tiger. " Don't worry, I know him.'
The Midnight Vigilante removed his head piece to reveal himself. Jasmine ran to him with such joy but Rajah beat her to him. Rajah pounced on him licking his face and purred like a housecat.
Aladdin moved his powerful paws and body away from him. " Lay off the T-bone steaks. Will ya?"
Jasmine wrapped her limbs around Aladdin and he gave her a passionate kiss. " I can't believe you risked yourself to be here. Are you sure no one saw you? My love."
" Nothing can stop me from being with my wife." Aladdin responded.
Jasmine peered over the balcony, " How did you get up here? It's so high up!"
Aladdin showed Jasmine the grapple gun that Cassim invented.
Jasmine stood in the moonlight. Aladdin could see the moonlight shine reflected off her hair. Her eyes gleamed of hope, happiness, and love. Looking at her, makes it so difficult to leave in the morning. Deep inside he wanted to stay and Jasmine wanted him to stay too.

Hands to Heaven by Breathe

As I watch you move across the moonlit room
There's so much tenderness in your loving
Tomorrow I must leave, the dawn knows no reprieve
God, give me strength when I am leaving

So raise your hands to heaven and pray
That we'll be together someday
Tonight, I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight, you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness

As we move to embrace, tears run down your face
I whisper words of love, so softly
I can't believe this pain, it's driving me insane
Without your touch, life will be lonely

So raise your hands to heaven and pray
That we'll be back together someday
Tonight, I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight, you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness

Morning has come another day
I must pack by bags and say "goodbye. Goodbye"

Tonight, I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight, you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness.

Aladdin slowly opened his eyes and saw Jasmine was by his side. He could see through the cracks of the curtain that the orange glow was peeping on the east horizon. Aladdin kissed his wife's shoulders and gave her an Eskimo kiss. Jasmine nestled close to him.
" Jasmine, I have to go." Aladdin spoke softly.
" No don't go. It's still dark outside. The morning dove is not awake yet to greet us." Her voice crackled and scratched. Seconds later the morning dove started to sing. Aladdin sat up and Jasmine wrapped her arms around him. " Just give me a memorable embrace until we meet again." She noticed a scar on his left arm, " How did you get that? I've ever that before."
" It's when I left to find my dad. I was challenge by one of my dad's forty thieves.
" Awe, Poor thing." said Jasmine as she kissed his scar.
" He hit me here." Aladdin pointed to his neck. Jasmine kissed his neck. " And here." Aladdin pointed to his cheek and Jasmine kissed his cheek. " And here." He pointed to his lips. He smiled mischievous and Jasmine kissed on the lips. Aladdin laid her back into bed. He parted from her lips, " I have to go."
" Okay, let me have one last look of you." said Jasmine. Aladdin let out a boyish smirk and gazed down at her. His messy morning hair was all over the place. Jasmine caressed his face and she could feel his stubble growing out.
" I love you." said Aladdin. He quickly got dressed and Jasmine followed him out towards her balcony. He hook the grapple gun to the edge of the balcony. Aladdin gave his wife one last kiss and flew down. Jasmine watched him below as he quickly ran to the bushed and climbed the high palace walls.

Not far, Tahir al Darda was watching his victim climb out of the palace balcony through his spyglass. " Hmmm… What connection does the Princess have with The Midnight Vigilante?"

Jasmine had just finished her morning bath and walked out of the royal bathroom. She paused for a second and noticed something odd in the atmosphere. Suddenly she heard her father yell, " Guards! Guards! Guards!" Jasmine quickly ran to the throne room where her father's cries come from. There she saw ten heavy armored men and standing in front of them was their leader. He looked like a Roman soldier with a mixture of Egyptian armory. The royal guards came in and surrounded the sultan for protection. Genie heard the Sultan's cries and quickly came to his aid. Genie quickly duplicated multiples of palace guards and overpowered the man count to the opposing side.
" Leave this place or We'll throw you out." The Sultan commanded.
" We're not leaving until we get what we want." said the leader.
" What do you want?" asked the Sultan.
" The Midnight Vigilante." The leader answered.
" I have no idea what you're talking about."
" But your daughter does."
The Sultan noticed his daughter standing by the corridor, " Jasmine? What's the meaning of this?"
" I have no idea what you're talking about." responded Jasmine.
" Yes, you do pretty princess. I saw The Midnight Vigilante climb out of your balcony." said The leader.
" He was looking for answers about a prisoner that was arrested."
" Why couldn't he ask the Sultan or the Captain of the Guard. Why you? A question that he needed to ask that last for five hours?"
What's he doing there for five hours Jasmine?" asked the Sultan.
" Were you spying on me?" Jasmine questioned. " That's invading my privacy! You have no right! Mister whatever you are -"
" Tahir- Al -Darda." He interrupted so quickly. " Just tell me where the Midnight Vigilante is at and nobody gets hurt. That's including you Princess."
" I don't know where you can find him. He can't be caught." said Jasmine.
" Yes, you do. Princess. You see Sultan? Your whore of a daughter is the only connection I have to the Midnight Vigilante."
" I am the Sultan of Agrabah and you have no respect for this country by talking to my daughter that way. Apologize right now for such a mockery! "
" How can a Sultan govern his country if he doesn't know what's going on with his family? Ask your daughter."
" Jasmine? Do you know what's the meaning of this?"
Jasmine needed to think of something quick. She hated the fact that she had to lie to her father. Especially when her father is standing in front of him. Jasmine and her father had always had an honest relationship. They would tell each other everything. But if this is the only way to protect her husband then she has to. " He was asking questions about the prisoners that were arrested in the dungeon."
" The Midnight Vigilante talks? A little hard to believe." said Tahir
" No, he didn't talk. We communicated by writing notes to each other. I also helped him access to the profiles of the prisoners in the library. The Vigilante believe that some of the citizens of Agrabah were falsely imprisoned."
" And it took him five hours?" said Tahir
" There was a lot of reading to do." responded Jasmine.
" I don't believe you."
" Nothing happened."
" Well whatever my daughter says it's true then I believe her." The Sultan spoke full of pride.
Jasmine felt hers ear and neck heat up. Her father is caught in her web of lies.
" Lies! Lies! Lies! You treacherous snake! I saw what I saw! "
" Are saying that my daughter is a liar?" The sultan angrily protested.
" All I'm going to say that there are pieces to the puzzle that don't fit." said Tahir. " I want the Midnight Vigilante here. Bring him to me and I'm holding you as hostage." Tahir immediately grabbed Jasmine by the arm and held her as hostage " Give me what I ask for and I shall give her back to you. If you try anything else then I will slit her throat."
" Jasmine!" cried the Sultan.
Jasmine had no fear and knew that the Midnight Vigilante will come after her. " Don't worry Father. Just do what Tahir asks."
Tahir and his men took Jasmine out of the palace. The Sultan watched in horror as his daughter was being taken away.
" Where am I going to find this guy?" The Sultan asks Genie.
" Don't worry your highness. Tahir won't kill Jasmine. He needs her as bait. " responded Genie.
" What are we going to do?"
" I have an idea. " Genie turned himself into a undercover cop with a big trench coat. " Genie is my name but disguise is my cover name."

Tahir threw Jasmine into a burlap bag and went to an abandon building near the outskirts of town. The princess didn't show any struggle to get free. When they arrived, Tahir tied Jasmine to a chair binding her arms and legs with a rope.
The princess sat quietly which made Tahir questioned her behavior. " You're quiet. A little too quiet. As if you were suspecting someone to come rescue you. "
" I'm a princess that has been kidnapped and a damsel in this distress. The hero in this town will come rescue me." said Jasmine as she rolled her eyes and spoke in a monotone voice.
" You have been in this situation before haven't you ?" asks Tahir.
" Yes, I know how this is going to end. I'm going to be rescued and the Midnight Vigilante will……kick…..your……butt ! And I will too!"
Tahir and his men laughed hysterically, " The tiny little princess will show me a lesson!" He acted to be like Jasmine. " Hello, I'm the princess and I will kick your butt!"
Without warning, Jasmine used her bounded legs and kick Tahir in the croutch. Tahir held himself in pain. He pulled out his sword out, " Why you little! " He screamed in anger. Jasmine was full of fear and closed her eyes. Hoping that Aladdin will show up soon and stopped him.
One of Tahir's men stopped him, " Boss, we need her. What's the use of her if she's dead?"
" You're right. I need a bigger fish to catch." said Tahir. He put back his sword in it's sheath. " All we need to do is sit and wait for the Vigilante to come."

Aladdin had just arrived at his home in Bastailan. All through out the ride home, Jasmine flooded his mind. The day when he gets to show his face in Agrabah again. He misses Abu's mischief, the Sultan's advice, Genie's funny antics, and the new life that he'll share with his wife. They'll get married again and this time the world will know. He put away his horse at the stables. Aladdin walked to the entrance of his front door. Lexie, Cassim and Iago was there to meet.
" Hey, guys. What's going on ?" he asked.
" Aladdin, I had an awful premonition. Jasmine is in trouble. " answered Lexie.
" What?"
" Tahir has her. He using her as leverage to get to you. You have to turn around and go back to Agrabah."
" Not now. There's too many witnesses in broad daylight. We have to wait til it gets dark."
" This is it. Son. After this, you'll get your redemption and you can be with the woman you'll love." said Cassim.
" This is not my redemption it's yours as well. It will make us all heroes. I wouldn't have done this without you guys."
" Stop it kid. You're going to make me cry. It ruins my reputation." says Iago.
Lexie laughs, " What reputation?"
" The wanted bird on the run kind."
" Okay, guys. We have to plan this out and we need all the help we can get. Tonight. We'll get rid of Tahir once and for all."