Chapter Nine, oh chapter nine... The long awaited reunion between Aladdin and Savannah. Some may cheer, some may hiss, let me know in your reviews! I'm probably carrying on with this reunion, things will ease up in a bit. I didn't want to prattle on as filler, but I'm doing my best.


Chapter Nine- Reunions can be Deadly

The metallic smell of blood was potent, her face contorted. Eyelids fluttering, she slowly opened them to the openness of the sky, where the stars twinkled overhead. From the head down, she moved each limb slowly, the creaks of pain sending messages to her brain, which woke her up even further. But there was that heaviness that still applied pressure to her ribs and she groaned gently, causing groans to the person on top of her. After the initial fall, she had what seemed to momentarily slip out of consciousness. She tilted her head downward to see that familiar full head of raven hair.

"A-Aladdin?" She feared to test the name on her tongue and bit her bottom lip; the squeak in her voice, the uncertainty caused him to groan himself as he picked his head up. Everything was a blur but he slowly raised himself, just enough to look down at the person he had fallen on. If this person were to attack him, he was not prepared to fight back.

He closed his eyes, and then slowly, cautiously opened them to meet the familiar eyes he had missed for so long. He froze in fear of this being a nasty illusion. Perhaps he had died and he was meeting her again in the afterlife, but the sound of her anxious breathing, it brought him back into focus. No, he hadn't died. This really was Savannah.

Savannah knew the crash would have the thieves running to see the commotion, but allowed her to suspend in the moment. It was one thing to listen to him outside of the hovel they shared, but completely another to see him again. She reached up, her hand meeting his cheek, feeling the grit from the debris between his skin and hers, but neglected the bits of rubble. There was no issue focusing now, Savannah was alert and the only thing she was sure of was now that he was here, she would have a hard time letting him go back to Jasmine.

Aladdin swallowed hard and indulged himself in the touch of the one he thought he had lost. He was overcome with joy and emotion, he felt the lump well up in his throat, but unlike her, he had pride in a man to not cry in front of a woman. Perhaps he would break down the wall just once and felt them bubble up in his eyes, watching her lips curl into a smile to catch the stray tears.

"They have you here prisoner, too?" Aladdin choked, everything coming into formation. These thieves took everything from him. First his father, and now Savannah? The leader of this group was going to get just what was coming to him if it was the last thing he accomplished, even if tonight he took his last breath, at least he would take this criminal down with him.

"Prisoner?" Savannah perked a brow just as the thieves rolled in, just as she anticipated. The thundering chorus of feet pounded against the pavement as they piled into the doorway to find this man on top of their acquaintance, the men staring unsure of how to handle this. She was, technically, in Cassim's protection and that did make her partially a thief. Until she learned to be a swords-woman, hold her own and steal under the name of the thieves that was.

"What is all this?" Sa'luk demanded as he pushed through the blundering males that stood with their swords drawn at both Aladdin and Savannah. "You're going to pay for that, you little harlot."

"And you're just so creative with your names," she muttered sarcastically and shook her head, finally attempting to sit up. Aladdin brandished his weapon, the crested dagger of his fathers. He couldn't take on swords with this dagger, but he had an idea if things got out of hand.

Savannah felt the blood rushing, but forced herself up, leaning on Aladdin for support. Her eyes never left Sa'luk's, unable to trust what he would do if she took her eyes off of him. In her cut hand, she still held the sword and transferred it over to the uninjured hand.

"So, you're working with the trespasser. I knew you were a problem the moment I laid eyes on you. You sneaky little wench. I'll-"

"Alright, that's enough," Cassim's voice reverberated against the den's walls. "Clear out this instant. What is all of this mess?"

Aladdin assumed that was the leader of the thieves and straightened himself, ready to take this excuse for a man on, save his father and Savannah and head back to Agrabah before long. Cassim entered the room and froze as he stared at the trespasser, Savannah, Sa'luk and back. "Aha, so, we have a trespasser on our hands," Cassim chuckled.

"I don't see what's so funny," Aladdin sneered.

"My boy, lower your weapon. Unfortunately, we cannot let you out of this den alive. The security of my men is at stake, you see. I don't know how you found us, nor do I care. I only wonder how we'll take care of you from here." His eyes moved behind him to Savannah. In normal circumstances, he would take it as this man looking to take her hostage, but she looked a little too comfortable and decided to confront her.

"Young lady, have you anything to do with him being here?"

"Leave Savannah out of this."

"My boy, you try my patience. Savannah, answer my question."

Babkak and Omar heard that tone in Cassim's voice. A trespasser had stumbled onto their property, something that hadn't happened in a long time. The question was what Cassim was going to do to the individual. The chuckling meant he was like a lion playing with his prey before the killing. As much as Cassim didn't believe in killing, he couldn't have this person alive to snitch them out.

The duo weaved through the men, through chinks in arms and sides, Omar took notice of Savannah behind this individual. The closer the men came to seeing the full picture, the passed the occasional glance to one another as the male came further into view. Babkak glanced up, lips thin and pressed together.

"Shit," he hissed between clenched teeth.

Omar swallowed and his eyes widened, feeling his pulse quickening. There stood their abandoned friend, with their new friend and neither looking too happy. Omar's eyes met with Savannah's, whose eyes upturned to Aladdin. He saw her flushed face and shook his head. The tone in Cassim's voice challenged not just Aladdin, but all of them.

"Wait! Wait!" Omar piped up, squeezing through a few bulkier members and into the developed circle. "Wait!" He stared at Cassim before this could proceed any further and sentences made. "We know him!"

"Omar?" Aladdin's mouth gaped. Omar grinned weakly, before turning back to Cassim.

"You all know this trespasser!?" Cassim was furious. Had he been duped by all three teenagers? "I'll have you all punished for treason against the Forty Thieves!"

"And I'll have you punished for kidnapping my father," Aladdin retorted, although Savannah came from behind and directed the tip of her sword to Cassim. Her heart pounded, taking the stand she never thought she would. This man had saved her and nursed her back to a better state of health, but she could not risk Aladdin's life. Love made you do irrational things, and sometimes the bravest things imaginable.

"I can't let you hurt him, Cassim."

It was in her tone, in his eyes alone that the pieces began to fall into place. From that midnight conversation they held a few months prior, to the man she loved. The friend Babkak and Omar left behind, the son he had lost. He could not believe what blind rage and mistrust could do. Having been duped before, Cassim attempted to keep a cool exterior. Savannah lowered the sword and watched Cassim as his face fell, as did Sa'luk's.

"My son?" Cassim stared at Aladdin, who granted the other a skeptical look.

The men glanced at one another, confused as to what was transpiring. One moment they were anticipating bloodshed, the next, it was a family reunion? Many of them left their families and didn't look back. Why should their leader by any different from them? Sa'luk glanced at each and every one of them, shaking his head. For a moment, he thought Cassim was going to resume to his former ways, but once he softened up, he supposed that was the end of the former Cassim.

Aladdin returned the stare at Cassim, expressionless. Savannah looked down; unable to look at the realization that father was seeing son again for the first time in almost ten years. She had her suspicions, especially in Cassim's treatment towards anyone who held care for Aladdin. He treated them like his own, and Savannah couldn't bring herself to allow him to strike his blood. He was a leader and he left, but he still cared, no matter how much he tried to not acknowledge. Father and son shared the same heart.

Aladdin looked like a conflicted soul, uncertain of whether to believe. It wasn't until this man made the first move that Aladdin stiffened as Cassim embraced him. Aladdin pushed him away, shaking his head fervently.

"Any father wouldn't leave his son."

"I had my reasons."

"For what? For this!?"

"I left for you and your mother!"

Silence rang in the den, leaving the three teenagers, along with the remainder of the thieves to merely watch the scene unravel. Two men faced one another, each equally upset and emotional with the other, frustration lingered thick like sap. Cassim embraced his son once more and clutched him tightly. He could understand why his son felt the way he did, of course he was angry. But, he had grown so much. He took such a strong resemblance to him, but those eyes, they were definitely his mother's eyes. Aladdin had many questions, and they would sit down, and he would answer them all.

Savannah stepped back into Omar, who held her in place, taking the sword from her and watched everything unravel. If the room could, it would spin in transition, Cassim went from threatening stranger to a father. This was one of the one wishes Aladdin would have wanted granted. He was happy that it finally came true. A young boy only wants his father, he and Babkak could relate. Their fathers had either passed or disappeared, like Aladdin's.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the men did not understand family ties, and Sa'luk grunted with irritation. "Cassim, I get this is your boy, but he is also a trespasser. He is no exception to the rule."

Savannah shot him a glare, but bit her tongue to avoid saying something she would later regret. Omar tightened his hand on her shoulder, feeling her tense up against him. Cassim peeked an eye up at Sa'luk, having wandered into the pleasures of having his son in his arms to face the other men he called family. The men, many of them looked displeased, some disgusted even. Savannah shook her head as he cleared his throat and slowly pulled away from his son.

"So, you're not a prisoner?"

Cassim allowed a hearty laugh. "Prisoner? No, no, I'm their leader, and as such, as my son, I'm sure you found me to become part of my band of men, yes?"

Savannah's face fell, this was all an act to save face in front of the other men. She shook her head.

"In order to become part of the group, you must pass the initiation test!" One of the men bellowed from the back. "Make him take the test!"

"What's the initiation test?" Aladdin inquired.

"Oh, just, kill one of the men," Sa'luk replied. "And I'll be your tester." And so he grinned, knowing very well this would be the breaking point for Cassim, to kill his only son and then Sa'luk would have the key to taking over the band of men.

"He'll kill him," Savannah gasped. "Omar, Babkak, Sa'luk will kill Aladdin..." She didn't want to doubt him, but she knew Sa'luk played dirty.

"Honey, there ain't nothin' we can do about this one. Rules are rules." Babkak's lips thinned. For Sa'luk to simply volunteer like that, he would maim Aladdin and play with him before ending him.

"To hell with the rules!"

Savannah stumbled over to Cassim to attempt to stop this from occurring, but Sa'luk and Aladdin had already headed outside to begin the test. Aladdin had accepted the challenge, unable to back down. This was his family, Savannah included. He glanced back to see the fear in her eyes and knew he had to squelch that look. That look he never wanted to see on her face again. Omar signaled him for luck, which Aladdin acknowledged and nodded.

The waves crashed against the rocks, the cliff jagged and ready for fresh blood. Aladdin swallowed, but he never once backed down to a fight. His father left for the sake of him and his mother, when he was through with this fight, he would find out why. If anything, this fight would prove to his father that he was no one to take lightly, as he assumed he did.

Sa'luk advanced on Aladdin, who evaded the attack. Omar tossed Aladdin the sword as he parried it from Sa'luk's freshly sharpened claws.