Home Is a World Away

L.A.: Hello everyone! For those that are American, Happy Fourth of July! And if you're not, I still hope you have a wonderful day. Here's the last chapter of Can I Keep You? I decided to combine the last two chapters into one so it should be nice and long. Anyway, enjoy!

Carpet wasn't moving. He looked like any other ordinary rug. Limp and lifeless.

It scared Anna more than anything else. A tear slid down her cheek as she sniffled.

Mozenrath turned to look at her as if he had just remembered her. "Oh, that's right. You're still here." He motioned to the mamluk standing beside her. "Kill her."

The mamluk stumbled slightly as he lifted the sword above his head.

"But you promised," Anna said.

"I lied."

She closed her eyes as the sword came down.

The sound of metal on metal caused her to open them again a moment later.

The mamluk missed her head and instead had cut her chains.

"You idiot," Mozenrath yelled. "How could you miss?"

Anna didn't hesitate. She rushed toward the Deuxac. It was currently busy trying to put Carpet's magic onto its shell. However, the magic seemed to be resisting.

The creature shrieked when Anna appeared in front of it and snatched the magic away. She ran out of the room.

"Get her!" Mozenrath yelled moments later.

She didn't know where she was going. Heck, she didn't even know what she was doing. The mamluks didn't give her much time to think about it either. As she rounded a corner, she noticed a tapestry ripple. Looking behind it, she saw a small hole. Without thinking, she ducked inside.

She held her breath as the mamluks paused near her hiding spot. They grumbled to each other for a moment before moving on.

Sighing, Anna glanced down at the glowing sphere in her hands. She didn't know why she had taken it. Carpet was dead, right? Yet, she couldn't let Mozenrath and the Deuxac keep it.

The magic felt warm and reassuring in her hands. Almost as if it were alive. Stop fooling yourself, Anna thought. Besides, there are more important things to worry about.

"What are you doing in my hiding place?" a voice hissed.

Anna jumped slightly before using the magic sphere to investigate her hiding spot.

Xerxes was curled up at the opposite end glaring at her.

"None of your business," Anna said. "What are you doing here?" She paused. "You aren't hiding, are you?"

Xerxes flinched before saying. "I'm gonna call the mamluks on you."

"You can't," Anna said. "The Deuxac will come."

Xerxes flinched again.

Anna raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you're hiding from the Deuxac, aren't you?"

"Am not," Xerxes said.

"Then let's call it here," Anna said as she reached for the curtain.

"Wait," Xerxes drooped slightly. "Fine I'm scared. It's…wrong. It wears its kills on its back." Xerxes shivered. "It wants to kill me and master doesn't care." His eyes narrowed. "Mozenrath used to care. I used to be his pet. That thing took my place."

Anna wanted to leave, but not before she got rid of the Deuxac. After what it did to Carpet, she couldn't bare the thought of it taking magic from someone else. Anna's eyes lit up. "Then, why don't you help me?"

"Why would I help you?" Xerxes asked. "I don't like you."

"And you don't like the Deuxac," Anna said. "If you helped me get rid of it, we'd both benefit."

Xerxes frowned as he thought for a moment. "Okay."

"Great," Anna said. "How do we defeat it?"

"With sun," Xerxes said. "Deuxac feed on darkness. Can't stand sunlight. Makes them shrivel up and die."

"And how long till sunlight?" Anna asked.

"In a few hours," Xerxes said.

That's too long, Anna thought. "Is there a Plan B?"

Xerxes tapped his chin with his tail. "Could send it back. Master should have portal around just in case plan fails. I could open it."

"Then we'll do that." Anna snuck a glance from behind the tapestry. "The coast is clear. Let's go."

They walked quietly back to the chamber. Anna wondered if this could be a trap. After all, they hadn't run into Mozenrath or any mamluks. She didn't dwell on those thoughts for long though. What was important was getting rid of the Deuxac.

Xerxes kept glancing at the magical sphere in her hands; but, luckily, he didn't ask. Anna was glad. She didn't want to think about it.

They finally reached the chamber and, to Anna's surprise, it was empty… well, almost empty. Carpet still lay on the ground. Anna avoided looking at him as she held the sphere closer to her.

"Over here," Xerxes said as he floated beside the red curtain. "Move this."

"Fine," Anna reached out and moved the curtain.

A stone wall greeted them. It had a strange circular drawing with ruins written around it.

"What's that?" Anna asked.

"Spell for portal," Xerxes said. He floated toward a pillar with a book open on it. "Spell to activate it should be here." Xerxes grinned. "I activate it and bye bye Deuxac."

"Oh, really?" Mozenrath said as he entered the chamber. The Deuxac and several mamluks were behind him. "I guess this means you're a traitor, Xerxes."

"No, no, no," Xerxes said as he quickly slithered toward Mozenrath. "Set a trap, see. Got the girl."

"Coward," Anna murmured.

Mozenrath swatted Xerxes away with disgust. "You're a clever girl. I'll give you that. But it ends here. Now give me the carpet's magic."

"No," Anna said as she held the sphere protectively.

He sighed. "I did want to keep the magic pure." His gloved hand began to spark. "But I guess I'll just have to clean your blood off before I complete my spell."

Anna gulped as Mozenrath sent a hurling ball of electricity toward her.

A giant blue bat appeared in front of her. It hit the ball and sent it flying out through the roof. "It's outta here!" The bat said as it transformed into Genie.

"Genie?" Anna said in disbelief.

"I'm not the only one here," Genie said.

"Hey Mozenrath," Aladdin said as Abu and he charged through a couple of mamluks. "If you wanted us to come, all you had to do was ask."

"Why you…" Mozenrath said as he raised his gloved hand above his head.

A whip shot out and wrapped around his gloved wrist. With one swift motion, it brought Mozenrath to the ground.

"That was for hitting Rajah," Jasmine said as she retracted the whip. Iago snickered as he hovered beside her.

Anna jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around and saw Lizzie standing beside her. "You too?"

Lizzie shrugged. "I got tired of being left out."

Mozenrath growled as he got to his feet. "Deuxac," he yelled, "get the girl!"

The Deuxac charged toward Anna.

"Quick Genie," Anna said. "I need you to pretend to be the sun."

"What?" Genie said.

"Just do it."

Genie shrugged. With a slight whoosh, Genie transformed into a bright yellow cartoon sun. With a grin on his face he said, "rise and shine!"

The Deuxac howled as it tried to curl up into a ball. Lizzie and Anna took the opportunity to escape.

After a few seconds, the Deuxac realized it wasn't dying. It uncurled itself and with a growl, charged at Genie.

"Yikes," Genie said as he quickly dodged the Deuxac.

The creature had built up too much momentum. It kept going and slammed right into Mozenrath.

"You idiot," Mozenrath said as he slapped the creature away.

The Deuxac, stunned by the slight pain, turned on Mozenrath. It tried to clamp onto his gloved hand.

Mozenrath knew he was in trouble. With a growl of frustration, he muttered a spell before sending the Deuxac hurtling away from him.

The wall with the portal spell drawn on it began to glow. As the Deuxac flew by it, the portal glowed. It sucked the creature into it before reverting to normal.

Mozenrath panted as he looked around. His mamluks were defeated and the group was slowly turning their attention to him.

"This isn't over," Mozenrath said. He motioned to Xerxes. "Come Xerxes."

Xerxes appeared delighted as he hurried to his master. Once he reached him, Mozenrath through some powder to the ground. It exploded causing smoke to flood the room.

Everyone coughed as they waited for the smoke to clear. When it did, Mozenrath and Xerxes were gone.

The first thing Anna saw when the smoke cleared was Carpet's lifeless body.

"Are you okay?" Aladdin asked.

Anna shook her head as tears filled her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I tried to save him but…"

Everyone looked at Carpet in horror.

"Genie is there anything you can do?" Jasmine asked.

"Can't bring back the dead, remember?" Genie said as he hung his head.

"No way," Iago said. "He can't be…"

"Hey Anna," Lizzie said with a frown. "What do you have in your hands? You've been carrying it the entire time."

Anna looked down at the sphere. "This? It's Carpet's magic. I just couldn't let the Deuxac or Mozenrath keep it."

Everyone jumped when Genie started laughing.

"You scared me for a second," Genie said. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"What do you mean?" Anna asked.

"Inanimate objects such as Carpet need magic in order to live," Genie said. "So technically, his magic is his life."

"So, you're saying Carpet's still alive," Anna said, not even trying to conceal the hope in her voice.

Genie nodded.

She turned to Carpet again and held the magic sphere above his body. The sphere lifted from her hands and slipped back into Carpet's body.

Carpet glowed for a moment before reverting into his human form. His eyes snapped open. He sat up when he noticed his hand. "Huh, the spell must still be on."

"Wait a minute," Aladdin said. "When did Carpet become a human?"

Iago sighed. "It's a long story."

Carpet noticed Anna sitting next to him. He smiled at her. "Oh, hi Anna!"

"Hi?" Anna said as a tear slipped down her cheek. "That's all you have to say?" She hugged him tightly. "I thought you were dead."

Carpet patted her back. "It's okay. I knew you'd find a way to save me."

"You're such a dummy," Anna said. "You could have been killed."

"It would have been worth it," Carpet said as he pulled away from her. "As long as you were safe."

The wall with the portal drawing started glowing again.

"Oh no," Jasmine said. "Don't tell me it's coming back."

Everyone tensed as they waited.

A moment later, an image appeared within the portal. It was of a small familiar college town.

"It's home," Anna said.

"Finally," Lizzie said. "No offense to you guys, but I'm ready to get home."

"None taken," Jasmine said. "I'm just sad you have to go."

"But this is their only chance," Aladdin said. "Good luck."

Anna was slightly stunned as Aladdin, Jasmine, and Abu hugged her. Iago shook her hand and Genie nearly suffocated her with a hug. It was all happening so fast.

She was trying to grasp what was happening as she watched Genie try to hug Lizzie. Lizzie raised an eyebrow at him before surprising everyone by initiating the hug.

Finally it came to just Anna and Carpet. That was when it finally sunk in.

"Carpet, I…"

"It's okay," Carpet said with a sad smile. "I can't keep you here. You belong back there."

"I'll miss you," Anna said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Carpet reached up and brushed the tear away. "I'll find my way back to you. I promise."

She leaned into his hand.

Rays from the morning sun slipped through the hole in the roof.

As Carpet's finger stroked her cheek, she could feel his fingers turning back into a tassel.

"Bye," Anna whispered.

She turned away from Carpet and took Lizzie's hand. The girls looked at each other before taking a deep breath and stepping into the light.

Anna's eyes snapped open to the sound of her bedside alarm. She sat up as she stared blearily at the clock. Her eyes widened. The date on the clock was the same date they had left for Agrabah.

Was it all a dream? Anna thought as she stood up.

A commotion outside her room caught her interest. She reached the main area and saw Lizzie standing in the middle of the room, confused.

Hearing Anna, she turned to face her. "You won't believe the dream I had."

"I don't think it was a dream," Anna said as she pointed to Lizzie. "For one thing, we're still wearing our outfits."

2 Weeks Later...

Anna sighed as she flipped through the channels. The past two weeks had gone by in a blur. Even though she had been able to keep up with her classes, her mind was still in Agrabah.

Lizzie walked into the room and cut off the T.V.

"Hey," Anna said, "I was watching that."

"Get dressed," Lizzie said, "we're going out tonight."

It was a Wednesday. Lizzie never went out on weekdays.

"Am I that depressing?" Anna asked.

"Partly," Lizzie said, "and partly because Agrabah has made me want to live more."

"I don't know," Anna said.

"Do it," Lizzie said, "or I'll make you listen to my dissertation I'm writing."

"Okay, okay I'm going," Anna said.

The club was overcrowded. Anna barely could squeeze through the people. Luckily, she was able to find a chair off to the side to sit.

She really didn't want to be there and planned to leave after 30 minutes. She blinked when a hand appeared in her line of vision.

She looked up and her breath left her.

A boy stood before her. He looked like a modern day version of Carpet's human form.

Smiling he said, "care to dance?"

And maybe it was because of the uncanny resemblance, but she found herself saying yes.

As he led her to the dance floor, his hand felt familiar in hers. When they reached it, he took her in his arms as if they were in a ballroom not in a dingy college hangout. All of it was too much. "Carpet?" She whispered.

The boy smiled as he leaned toward her. "I told you I'd fine my way back to you." His eyes took on that innocent look again. "Now can I keep you?"

L.A.: That's the end. I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! Your support meant a lot. In other news, I was bored so I made a poll. You can vote on your favorite completed story of mine. I guess I should add this one as well. Anyway, check it out if you're bored. Finally, you know what to do. READ and REVIEW!