Completed May 2001 by Sindie.

The lava boiled furioulsy in the fiery pit below. The towers of the palace fell like sticks breaking in two into the lava, burning up the instant they hit the incredibly hot temperature of the earth's boiling interior. How anyone could survive in should unfavorable conditions was beyond understanding, but the only possible explanation was this: A genie can't kill anyone, not matter how evil he is.

The evil of this genie couldn't be surpassed by anyone on earth. He looked like a demon, with red skin and fierce, yellow eyes that displayed the very core of his evil. He had become infuriated at those fools, or so he called them. Those "fools" were the good guys, who had tried to destroy his lamp, in order to destroy him, but from the looks of the scene, it didn't appear as if they were succeeding very well.

"Give it up, boy! You shall never have my lamp. There is no one to save you this time!" the evil genie's voice boomed.

But he was wrong... He didn't see the little bird who was behind him.

"Hey, Jafar! Shut up!" Iago yelled with all his might, as he flew down to the lava pit toward the lamp.

"Iago!" Aladdin gasped, shocked to see that he had come back.

"Traitor!" Jafar bellowed at Iago, just as Iago clutched the lamp with his feet.

Jafar sent a bolt of lightning toward the parrot, but it missed. Iago flew with the lamp clutched firmly between his claws toward Aladdin, who was desperately holding on to a rock for his life. Just as he was about to hand the lamp over to his new friend, that evil Jafar sent yet another lightning bolt at Iago, but this time, it hit the poor, little bird, sending him toward the rocky wall at the far side of the pit.

"No!" Jasmine gasped from a distance, seeing the helpless form of Iago hit the wall and then fall on to a rock below. The rock was barely above the surface of the lava, and Iago was barely conscious.

He tried to kick the lamp, which had landed nearby, off the rock and into the pit, but he failed.

Seeing this, Jafar mocked, "Good help is so hard to find these days, isn't it, Aladdin?"

But this didn't stop Iago. He tried as hard as he possibly could to focus his eyes on the lamp, and just when he thought he had it right, he kicked his right leg again, sending the lamp into the fiery pit below and knocking all the remaining energy from Iago's limp body.

"NNNOOO!!!" Jafar screamed, but it was too late for him. He slowly started to be destroyed as the lamp melted. While he shrieked and screaming uncontrollably, the rock on which Iago was lying was crumbling apart. Aladdin managed to save him before it was too late, and as he held the lifeless bird in his arms, he looked sadly at his little friend.

He risked his life for us, for all of the people in Agrabah, Aladdin thought. He didn't have to, but he did... He doesn't deserve to be hurt like this by that evil Jafar. Aladdin's gazed turned momentarily to Jafar, and Aladdin looked at him with such hatred in his eyes. Aladdin hated him more than ever, but at least that horrible man/genie would be gone forever. Aladdin climbed up the wall of the pit as it started to close, and he didn't even have time to look as Jafar disappeared completely. His one focus now was trying to save himself and Iago.

Just as the pit closed, Aladdin escaped from the clutches of the earth's molten core and rolled on to the grass of the palace gardens. The sky returned to its normal blue tone from the red tone it formerly was, and everything that had been destroyed by Jafar magically reappeared unharmed. Everyone was happy again, but their happiness was abruptly ended when they realized that poor Iago was not moving.

"Iago," Aladdin softly mumbled, as he gently stroked the bird's feathers.

He didn't respond. Aladdin hugged his lifeless body, feeling almost as if he wanted to cry.

"No," Jasmine said, almost crying.

"But...but I thought a genie couldn't kill anyone," said Aladdin, not knowing what else to say.

Suddenly, Iago coughed. He opened his eyes and coughed again, "You'd be surprised what you can live through," his voice, though weak and scratchy, replied.

"All right!" Aladdin exclaimed happily.

"He's alive!!!" yelled Genie, turning into a rocket and shooting up into the air.

"Let's go inside," Aladdin smiled. "All the bad is over, thanks to you." Aladdin looked Iago directly in the eyes.

Iago tried to smile, but it hurt to move any muscle on his body. Once they were inside the palace, Genie magically bandaged Iago's wounds and cleaned the burnt markings off of him.

"If you don't mind," began Aladdin, "I'd like to have a moment alone with him." Aladdin motioned toward Iago, who was sitting on a pillow on the bed.

"Sure thing, Al," Genie winked.

"Of course, Aladdin," smiled Jasmine, kissing him on the cheek as she left the room. Abu and Carpet followed.

"Iago," Aladdin began, "how are you feeling?"

"A bit sore, but okay, I guess."

"Listen, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done. You didn't have to risk your life like that. What made you come back?"

For probably the first time in his life, Iago was speechless. He didn't know how to respond to something like that. He had never been thanked or done anything good in his life, and all of a sudden, all of this goodness was so overwhelming for him.

"I...I just had to," he replied weakly. "The truth is, Aladdin, I couldn't bare to let him hurt anymore people. He was a horrible person, and I saw everything he did. If I didn't agree with him, he threatened me, so after time, I just acted the way he wanted me to act. He manipulated so many people into giving him whatever he wanted."

"I'm sorry," Aladdin said sadly. "I had no idea. Why didn't you just leave?"

"This may be the only time you hear me admit this, but I didn't leave him because I was a coward. I finally had enough of him, so I left, nevering expecting him to be released. The truth is, I didn't have good intentions when I first came back to Agrabah, but when you saved me and stook up for me, I was hit with something. You were the first person who ever looked out for me in my life. No one had ever done that for me before. From that moment on, something inside of me had changed because of your kindness."

"Wow, you're right. You did change. What you did required more courage than anything I've ever seen in my life, and I'll always remember that about you. I don't think things are going to be easy for either of us in the future, but what to you say? Will you stay and be our friend?"

"Friend," Iago smiled, tears forming in his eyes. "You mean it?"

"Yes, you are my friend, my very good friend."

"Of course I'll be your friend. You're already mine. Just one thing, though."

"What's that?"

"Can you please not tell everyone else what we talked about in here?"

"Why's that?" Aladdin asked, confused.

Iago smiled, slightly devilishly, "You know, just because I'm a good guy now, that doesn't mean I can't keep my reputation. I can't be all emotional all of a sudden around everyone. Maybe in time, but not yet."

"Your secret is safe with me," Aladdin nodded.

That was the very beginning of their friendship, and through all the adventures they would share, no one but Aladdin really knew just how much Iago really did care. That was their little secret. ;)