Chapter Fourteen- Coming to Terms with the Truth

The sun had begun to set after their escape from the audience chamber. Aladdin paced beneath the balcony that belonged to Jasmine. He berated himself for his actions and words. That was not smooth at all, but rather stupid, and he knew it.

"Real smooth there, your highness," Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You'll win her? Where in all of Agrabah did you think you were going with that? You sure as hell didn't win her that way."

"Don't you think I know that?" Aladdin glared at her.

"You're getting caught up in your own lies. You really think yourself to be this all powerful prince with a palace of his own, servants and valets to wait on him hand and foot. You're Aladdin, NOT Ali."

Aladdin ignored her, glancing over to Genie who sat back at his poker table, playing Go Fish with Carpet and Abu. Genie was winning.

"Kid, I know you want to impress her, but maybe it is time you tell her the truth. Pack this charade up. That's going to impress her, not something you don't really have." Genie watched Aladdin resume his pacing, wiggling his turban distractedly in his hands behind his back.

"Why are you both against me on thus, huh!?" The defense was rearing its head. "How could you tell someone you're a worthless street rat? She'll laugh at me, laugh at all this. And then I'll get thrown in jail because how do I explain you and magic?"

The pressure was consuming him. All Savannah wanted to do was embrace him and tell him it would be alright. She knew Aladdin to be a passionate human being, he had passions, and he dreamed, and wished. This was the first time seeing him act on one of his dreams. And it wasn't just to get the girl, but to better his life, as well.

She took slow strides, but gently placed her hand upon his arm, before circling her arm around his bicep. Savannah tugged her friend to her and hugged him for the first time in a while. She was worried it would be one of the last times, because she wouldn't be going to the palace with him. After this adventure was over, she would resume her role in the streets. As big as that palace was, there was no room for her.

"No one's against you," she assured him, looking up into those struggling eyes. So big and hopeful were those eyes. "I'm right by your side in this, but Aladdin, this is bigger than you. Are you really ready for this? Being with Jasmine means taking on responsibilities you've never even heard of before."

"Sav's right, Al. I'm all for the wishes, I'm a big blue wishing machine. But, maybe really think this through." Genie approached the duo.

Aladdin shrugged Savannah off of him. "Oh trust me, Genie, I have. I just need to be suave, cool, and confident. I'm a prince, after all."

Savannah shook her head. "You're far from a prince. Look, I've spent time with her. I know what she wants. She wants that boy from the marketplace, she-"

"And now is not the time for you to be spinning stories like you do in the marketplace," Aladdin snapped his interruption. "You didn't talk to her! You just want me to not see her because you're- you're jealous!"

Savannah's mouth was open; she was taken aback and stepped back from him to back up into Genie. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I know you're jealous of Jasmine. That's what all of this is about." Aladdin stared, fixed into Savannah's eyes. "Come on, Sav. You radiate it."

"You know what, Aladdin? I am jealous. I'm jealous of the fact she has your attention without even trying. I've been there for you since the beginning." She shook her head, feeling a lump well in her throat. "It hurts knowing at the end of this, it won't be me in your arms. It hurts knowing how much I love you-" The lump had ceased her flow of words, tears rolling hotly down her cheeks. All she had been suppressing inside was erupting and she forced herself to turn away from him and walk away a few feet.

The confession was more than Savannah had intended on revealing, more than she could handle. She said how much she cared about him, but never uttered love, real love. Her heart bore many secrets, although Genie knew each and every locked chamber the moment his magic reached her heart. She couldn't even recall when it happened, when she fell in love. Maybe it was the moment they embraced in his hovel, or the moment he embraced her to protect her. Unsure, Savannah just knew the feelings existed and it wasn't going to be that easy to let them go.

She should have, for the sake of her feelings. Aladdin loved Jasmine, not her. Although her thoughts battled her inwardly, her ardor was apparently stronger than that. Her hands trembled, despite balling them into fists to attempt to suppress her emotions. No chance.

"Oh kid," Genie embraced Savannah. In all his years of masters wishing and receiving, there was always something. "Magic always comes with a price," he murmured. "I know." That only caused Savannah to sob harder. Physical magic, metaphorical magic, it was all the same and the saying rang true. There was simply no way to come out unscathed.

Aladdin's eyes widened. It was one thing to know in the back of your mind how someone felt. Hell, he thought he felt it, as well. But, it was a whole other reality to hear it. He didn't expect this, even though he should have. He didn't know how women operated, or how their emotions were wired. He let out the breath he had been holding and watched Savannah's small form tremble in Genie's arms. Genie looked down at Aladdin and the wannabe prince felt the pang of guilt at his turning frown.

He rubbed the back of his neck and took precaution as he approached Savannah, taking over and collecting the young woman in his arms, waiting to see if she would fight him, but she didn't. This is where his wishes led him, to suffer, others to suffer for him.

"I never wanted to hurt you. You need to believe that, Savannah. After everything you and I have been through together. You're my best friend and all that I have left. I promise hurting you was never my intent. I'm sorry I can't make you dreams come true."

Savannah squeezed her eyes shut at that. That last line was too much, but the point hit home. She stared up at Aladdin, noticing his eyes were red and bubbling with apologies words couldn't begin to formulate. She understood and she knew.

"Please say something," Aladdin beckoned.

"Don't lie to her," Savannah stammered, voice choked and broken. "Please, don't make her love Ali. Let her love Aladdin."

Aladdin stared down at her. "But what about the-"

"The wish wasn't wasted. You said so yourself, right? You wanted her attention? Well, you've got it. Now, be the prince I know you are. The real prince. Let the wish be your guide."

Aladdin swallowed and looked at Genie before turning back to Savannah. He fixed the turban back to his head and mounted Carpet. "Savannah, I'm really sorry. But, thank you."

Savannah moved towards Carpet and sat upon her knees, feeling it wiggle and purr with life. It was almost unsettling. She stared into Aladdin's eyes before setting her hand over his heart. "You can thank me by being true to yourself. Stop lying, and be the prince I've always known you to be." She then leaned in and pressed her lips tenderly to his cheek. She dismounted Carpet and Aladdin gazed down at her as he rose towards Jasmine's balcony.

"That was a really selfless thing you did," Genie commented.

"He was meant to live out his dreams," Savannah replied.

"And you're not?" Genie asked.

Savannah laughed lightly, "My dreams were unattainable to me."

He paused a moment before looking away. "If I could, kid, I'd make them all come true." He then took his place by Al's side to check on his progress.

Savannah glanced up, seeing the fringe of Carpet flowing fluidly in the midnight sky. She stepped out a ways to gain a better look without being seen. However, Capet's tassel turned over a pot on the balcony's edge as Aladdin flew away with Jasmine, causing a crash near where Savannah stood. It did not take long for the palace guards to investigate and find the young woman standing there. With little choice, Savannah resumed the old techniques of escaping the guards, scaling the palace wall, only to fall right into the arms of Razoul. Her shoes had little to no grip against the smooth alabaster walls.

"I knew something was off about you, handmaiden." Razoul growled and tightened his hold on her. "Jafar will know what to do with you."

Aladdin did something for Jasmine that no other suitor could manage. He showed her the world, literally. He lit up as Jasmine spread her arms and took in the world as her own, embraced and became one with it. She glanced back at Ali and a grin swept her features, which caused Aladdin's heart to leap. He came up behind her and interlaced their fingers, taking in the moment of security that he had her. That was all he knew and he would hold onto every ounce he could of it.

When he took her hand, Jasmine felt a surge she hadn't felt since the boy in the marketplace. The way he spoke to her, the tone of his voice. There was no mistaking it. But, to save her sanity, she had to prove it. Jasmine had to prove that he was the boy she had grown attached to knowing, the boy she vied to see again. She had to make sense of this attachment, but love didn't always make sense, especially love at first sight.

Carpet took them to China, where they sat upon a roof top and watched a Chinese celebration with a dancing costumed dragon. Jasmine smiled, she was content and satisfied. She leaned against Ali and placed her head on his shoulder. "It's all so magical, isn't it?" She asked. "The stars, the moon, that carpet ride through the world."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Aladdin replied, sliding his arm around her to secure her to him. His dream was coming true, and he needed the physical proof that she was there with him. He gently squeezed her to his form.

"You're so unlike the other suitors. You're not as self-centered as I thought you were." That earned a chuckle from Aladdin. "In fact, I thought you were worse." Aladdin looked ahead to the distance with a subtle grin. "That was until you touched my hand like you did before we jumped."

"Yeah, I had to tou-"

Jasmine jerked the turban from him and glanced at him from his hair to his lips; she glared at him and demanded an explanation. "You are that boy from the marketplace, aren't you? And that girl in my bedroom, she's your friend, isn't she? Why did you lie to me?"

"Jasmine wait, you don't understand," Aladdin began, but then stopped himself.

"And just what wouldn't I understand?" Jasmine huffed.

Aladdin took a moment to process this. So, Savannah hadn't lied when she claimed to have spoken to Jasmine? Well, he owed her an apology when he returned. But, aside from the necessary apology, this was Aladdin's moment to be honest with her. Isn't that what his mother told him a long time ago? A solid marriage was built on trust and honesty? Didn't Savannah say Jasmine would love him for the prince he really was instead of who he pretended to be? All this time he fought the morality that told him to stop the charade. The guilt was eating him alive.

Aladdin took Jasmine's hands into his own and gazed into her eyes. "Jasmine, I'm sorry I lied to you." It was time to stop being selfish, even though he thought it was owed to him for once. "I, you're right. You're absolutely right. I'm the one from the marketplace." It was exactly what she wanted to hear and it was the truth.

Jasmine's eyes widened. All of her suspicions now confirmed. But, now what would she do? She had her answer. The boy from the marketplace was in front of her. In fact, she didn't lose him. Jafar had lied to her, "Ali" lied to her, and that girl from her bedroom lied to her. Actually, her blood was boiling ounce by ounce on the inside.

"Why did you lie to me!?" She demanded.

"I'm sorry I lied to you. You deserved a prince; you didn't belong with a penniless nobody." And that was the honest truth.

Jasmine's face softened, her hard lines fading and she removed her hand from his. Aladdin stiffened from the loss of contact from the princess, and then melted in this new touch as her hand rested on his cheek.

"I've challenged my father on marrying for love instead of picking a husband out of a regal line," Jasmine explained. "None of them, not one of the twenty-five made me feel the way I felt with you that day. I don't want to be a princess if that means giving up on love. I can't explain what's going on through me, but I don't want to lose you again the way I thought I did."

Aladdin held his breath once more, and then understood what he must do. "Then allow me to try to clarify it for you," Aladdin replied as he leaned in and captured Jasmine's lips. The woman was receptive and leaned into him. The two were finishing what they started in the marketplace, in Aladdin's hovel, even down to her not knowing his name. "And you're not losing me again," he whispered. His heart was lighter; he didn't have to hide under a facade any longer. He could be Aladdin and have Jasmine. He showed her a world she had never seen before, but he saw it when he looked into her eyes.

Jasmine smiled softly into it. "I don't even know your name," she laughed.

"Aladdin. But call me Al."