What Could Have Been by Cassim fan
Summary: It's a lot like 'What Might Have Been.' It starts of the Vanishing Isle.
Rating: PG-13
Categories: Aladdin
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: Cassim's Adventures and Quests.
Published: 01/23/07
Updated: 03/10/07
Index
Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Aladdin and Carina jumped down from the building. Aladdin knocked Sa'luk to the ground.
"It took me years to find my father!"
He glanced back at Cassim for a moment.
"I'm not losing him again."
He knocked Sa'luk out and untied Cassim. Carina hugged him.
"You came to help me?"
"How could we do anything else?"
Cassim smiled.
"Now lets find that treasure of yours."
Cassim led them into a large room. Floating high up above was a giant golden hand!
"The Hand of Midas is on that."
Suddenly the Vanishing Isle shook harder than before.
"What's going on?"
"I think Genie got a little carried away."
"No! It's the Vanishing Isle. The trutle is diving! We have to climb higher!"
They climbed to where they were just a few feet above the hand. They saw the Hand of Midas on the statue in the middle.
Aladdin leaped off the giant statue they were on and hit the hand. It tipped because of his weight!
Cassim and Carina held their breath.
Aladdin pulled himself onto the hand.
"See? It pays to have a junior partner!"
"Be careful! Don't touch the golden hand!"
Aladdin pulled the Hand of Midas from the statue.
"Heads up!"
He tossed the Hand of Midas to Cassim. Cassim, knowing what would happen if he caught it with his hands, used his cape to catch it. His cape turned to gold!
Cassim held up the Hand of Midas and laughed. He turned the room to gold.
Water began pouring in through the windows!
"Time to go, Aladdin!"
Before Aladdin could jumped back Sa'luk jumped down from a ledge and knocked him down!
"Nobody's going anywhere. Give the Hand of Midas to me, Cassim, or you son dies!"
"No!"
"Sa'luk, your battle is with me!"
"Don't worry, Dad. I can take him alone."
"But you're not alone. Not anymore." Cassim said quietly.
He made up his mind.
"You want the Hand of Midas, Sa'luk? Take it!"
He threw the Hand of Midas towards Sa'luk! Sa'luk caught it.
"The Hand of Midas is mine, and also the life of your brat."
The Hand of Midas began to glow! Sa'luk turned to gold!
Cassim, Carina, and Aladdin climbed to the highest point of the Vanishing Isle. Aladdin took the Hand of Midas from his sash, unwrapped it, and handed it to his father.
"After all these years you finally have your treasure."
"This thing? No. This wretched thing almost cost me the ultimate treasure."
Cassim put his hand of Aladdin's shoulder.
"It's you, both of you."
Carina and Aladdin hugged him. He hugged them back, careful to keep the Hand of Midas away from Aladdin's body.
"You are my ultimate treasure."
He pulled back.
"I'm sorry it took me this long to realize it. The Hand of Midas can take its curse to the bottom of the sea!"
Cassim hurled it into the ocean. They go on Carpet and flew back to Agrabah.
Aladdin and Jasmine were finally married. As they walked down the aisle they looked over and Cassim and Carina by one of the pillars. They were smiling proudly.
Cassim nodded once and turned away.
"Out in the open?"
Cassim and Carina looked down to see Iago.
"No mask? Pretty risky if you ask me."
Cassim put his hands on his hips and leaned over.
"Even a wanted man can risk a bit to see his own son's wedding."
He went down on one knee.
"So you little turkey, come to say good-bye?"
"Nah. I already say my good-bye's. Of course the monkey had a cry and that got me going."
Cassim stood up.
"You're not gonna live in the palace?"
He jumped down into the menagerie and caught Carina when she jumped.
"With the newlyweds?"
Cassim mounted his horse and pulled Carina up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist.
"It'll be all lovey-dovey." Iago said as he landed on Cassim's shoulder.
Cassim and Carina exchanged amused glances. They knew it probably wouldn't be any different with them!
"I'd just as soon keep my will to live."
"Well, I don't where we're going, but you are welcome to come along for the ride."
"You're a good guy, Cassim, but not too good."
All three of them laughed as Cassim sent his horse galloping out of the city.Back to index
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
"Where should we go?"
"There are many things I want to show. They're all in one place."
"Okay."
Cassim turned his horse towards the layer. They stopped on the shore across from the mountain.
The stallion snorted and stomped his hoof.
"He senses home."
"Cassim, there's nothing here."
"Just wait and watch."
Cassim held his right hand out towards the mountain.
"Open sesame!" he yelled mightily.
Before Carina could ask why he yelled that the water started to bubble! The mountain opened and the water parted!
The stallion galloped inside with Iago flying alongside.
Cassim stopped the stallion and got off. He helped Carina down.
"Wait here. I'll be right back."
He led the horse off to the left. He came back about five minutes later.
"Come on."
Carina followed Cassim. They had gone a ways when she suddenly stumbled. A moment later a human skeleton came down in front of them!
Both Carina and Iago screamed. Cassim cut the rope holding the skeleton and threw it off to the side.
"Sorry. Forgot about that."
Cassim led her to the place he had taken Aladdin. They went into the room, and Carina stared in awe.
"Wow. This room is beautiful."
Cassim showed her the golden ship.
"I'm glad neither of us was on that ship."
Cassim took her hand.
"Wanna see the best part?"
"What could be better than what I've already seen?"
"Close your eyes. Don't open then until I say."
Cassim led her somewhere. He moved and put her arms around his neck.
"Hold on and don't let go, whatever you do."
The next Carina knew she was being lifted off the ground!
"Cassim, what's going on?"
"Relax. It's okay."
Finally her feet touched the ground again.
"You can let go of my neck now."
Carina let go.
"Cover your ears."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Carina covered her ears. She felt Cassim's arm slip around her waist. He guided her somewhere. When they stopped again she felt his arm leave her waist.
He pulled her hands down.
"Open your eyes."
Carina opened her eyes and gasped.
They were on a small, square, stone balcony. It gave them a perfect view of the sea and the rising sun!
"Oh, Cassim. It's beautiful."
"It gets better."
"How?"
Cassim stood up on the railing.
"What are you doing?! Get down before you fall!"
"Relax, Carina. I've done this hundreds, mabey even thousands, of times."
He held his out to her. She heasitated and looked at his face.
He smiled reassuringly.
"Trust me. I won't let you fall."
Carina took his hand and let her help her up onto the railing.
"Look down."
Carina looked down and saw that the water looked only like a patch of blue!
"Do you feel like you're on top of the world?"
"Yeah."
Cassim went behind her, for there was a ledge that stuck out on the railing.
Carina moved a closer to the edge of it. She suddenly felt Cassim's warm breath on her neck and right cheek.
"Now..."
He was whispering right by her ear.
"... close your eyes again."
Carina closed her eyes once more.
"Put your arms out away from your body."
Carina did as she was told.
"Take a slow, deep breath of the fresh sea air."
Carina slowly took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"How do you feel now?"
"I feel like a bird flying above the sea."
"Be quiet and listen."
Carina obeyed. After a few minutes Cassim's spoke again.
"What did you hear?"
"I heard the waves washing against the mountain, and the call of the seagulls."
"Take another deep breath and slowly let it out."
Carina did as she was told.
"How do you feel now?"
"I feel lighter than air. I feel like I'm flying."
"Good. Because you are."
"What?!"
"Open your eyes."
Carina opened her eyes and grabbed onto Cassim's neck. They were flying up in the air!
"Carina, it's okay. You won't fall unless you don't believe."
"Believe what?"
"Believe in the magic and wonders of true love."
"I do believe it the magic and wonders of true love."
"Let go of my neck."
Carina slowly let go.
"We'll see if you truly believe. Don't worry, I'm right here to catch you."
Cassim let go of her waist. She stayed where she was! She smiled at Cassim. He smiled back, moved over, and went down beside her.
He took her hand and flew down towards the sea. He leveled about three feet above the water. Carina put her hand down, and her fingers went across the water. She pulled her hand back up and smiled at Cassim again.
He returned the smile and went back up in the air. He turned back towards the layer.
"Why are we going back?"
"This doesn't last forever. Only for a short amount of time."
They landed on the balcony. A moment later Carina no longer felt lighter than air.
"Not a moment too soon. If we had been just a moment late we'd be in the sea!"
"That was amazing!"
"I know."
"Was that the best part?"
"Not quite."
"What could be better than *that*?"
Cassim was able to keep the hurt from his face but unable to hide it in his eyes!
"What's wrong?"
"The bast part is this..."
Cassim leaned in closer and kissed her, a passionate, full tounge action kiss.
He pulled back after a few moments.
"You're right. That was the best part."
Cassim chuckled and helped her down the ladder he had climbed up to get to the balcony.Back to index
Chapter 3: Chapter 3
THat night Cassim was putting his night attire shirt on when he stopped and winced with a sharp intake of breath through clenched teeth, making a sort of hissing sound.
"Cassim, are you okay?"
Carina came over to him.
Cassim took the shirt back off, and Carina gasped!
"What happened to your chest and arms?"
Cassim looked over his arms and chest as best he could.
There were several scars on both of his arms and his chest! They stood out against his deeply tanned skin.
"These are from all the fights I got into."
Cassim turned his head to look over his left shoulder and winced again.
He backed up to the mirror that showed his whole reflection.
He had a large, ugly, bloody gash on the back of his shoulder!
"No wonder my left shoulder has been hurting like crazy all day!"
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Habit. When you're with the Forty Thieves you hold your pain and don't let it show."
Carina inspected the wound.
"It's not infected, but it will be if it's not taken care of. There is a first aid kit around here?"
"Under the bed."
Carina took the first aid kit from under the bed.
She had Cassim sit down on the edge of the bed. She gently wiped away the blood that was around the wound.
Cassim heard her take out a bottle of liquid and pour some on a soft cloth.
"Hold still. This might sting."
A moment later a burning pain overlaped the normal pain of the wound!
Cassim squeezed his eyes shut tight, gritted his teeth, and clenched his hands into fist. He couldn't keep from hissing in pain.
Carina finished cleaing the wound and bandaged it.
Then she slipped her arms around him from behind.
He scootted back and pulled her around so she was half beside him and half *on* him.
Carina smiled.
There was a large and more recent scar near his heart. She leaned over and kissed it.
Cassim could barely keep from laughing at her action.
"A kiss from your true love is the best thing for your scars. Where all did you get hit?"
"Some of the scars healed comepletely."
Carina kissed all the visible scars.
"What about the ones that healed?"
"I got hit here, which really hurt." Cassim said, tapping the middle of his chest.
Carina kissed him there.
"And here."
He tapped his right shoulder not far from his neck.
Carina kissed him there, too.
"And here."
Cassim lightly tapped the right side of his neck.
Carina kissed him there as well.
"And here."
He tapped his right cheek.
Carina kissed him there.
A playful yet sly grin came to Cassim's face.
"And here."
He lightly tapped his lips.
Carina giggled and kissed him softly.
Cassim slipped his arms around her slim waist and pulled her up against him, kissing her passionately.
Carina slipped her arms around his neck, careful not to bump his wound.
It had been so long since she had last been right up against Cassim's warm, bare chest, and she loved it!
They broke apart, and Carina pulled Cassim over onto the bed so they were laying on their sides, though Cassim was partly on top of her.
He lifted himself off her a few inches. He leaned down and kissed her neck.
The tickling of his beard caused her to giggle.
When he lifted his head again she traced the right side of his beard where it ran along his jawline.
She pulled his face closer and kissed him.
Cassim felt her hands slide down from his shoulders to his chest.
Instantly different emotions sped through him: love, eagerness, concern, joy, worry, confidence, courage, and fear!
That was the signal!
He pulled back, lay down on his side of the bed, blew out the candle, and they got under the covers.
Carina slid closer to him.
"Are you ready, my love?"
Cassim then realized that his entire body was trembling with excitement and fear!
He didn't want Carina to know the negative emotions he was feeling about this so he answered with a confidence he didn't have!
"Of course I'm ready. Why wouldn't I be?"
Cassim knew that he could come up with quite a few answers to that question!
But, several minutes later, where their bodies became one all the negative emotions vanished!
His whole body tingled with pleasure! This was night he didn't want to end!Back to index
Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Cassim and Carina decided to use the layer as a home for orphaned or abandoned children that wouldn't be taken in by anyone else. They found several children in that situation and took them back to the layer.
Carina was normal cooking or cleaning so Cassim was the one that played with them and told them stories. They became more attatched to Cassim than they did Carina since they spent more time with him.
All the kids looked to him and loved him as though he was their father. In a way he was. He loved them as though they were as much his children as Aladdin was his son.
The younger kids were more attatched to him becuase they were more dependent of him.
After a few months the stress was starting to show. Having all the younger kids beinging so dependent of him was begining to take its toll on Cassim.
The youngest one was Salima. She was four years old.
She followed Cassim around a lot. She was more attatched to him than any of the other kids.
Cassim loved to play with the kids. He would play games with the younger kids and older girls, and he would playfully wrestle with the older boys.
By the afternoon he was already exhausted! He struggled just to make it through the second half of the day!
Iago wasn't any help. He spent the day keeping away from the kids, and Carina was too busy cleaning or cooking to help.
One night it was storming. Cassim and Carina were awaken by the sound of their door opening. They looked over to see little Salima with a candle.
"Cassim, Carina."
"What's wrong, Salima?"
"I can't sleep."
Cassim looked at Carina. She shrugged. He looked back at Salima.
"Come here."
Salima went over to the bed, Cassim picked her up, and put her down beside him.
"Remember, just for tonight."
"I know. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Salima soon fell fast asleep, cuddled up against Cassim's warm chest.
He couldn't help but smile. This little girl held more of his heart than any of the other kids!Back to index