Aladdin was riding back to Agrabah when he heard hoof beats behind him. He started to urge his horse faster.
"Aladdin, wait!"
Aladdin stopped his horse, and Cassim came up alongside him.
"What are you doing?"
"Going back."
"What made you change your mind?"
"You."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"How did I make you change your mind?"
"I know that I can't bare being separated from you again. Just the thought of it is almost too much. Those twenty years of being separated from you were torture."
The two kicked their horses into action and galloped back to the palace. Once there they were grabbed by some guards and brought into the palace.
They were allowed to go change if they wanted to. They both went into Aladdin's room. Cassim waited until Aladdin was dressed. When they left the room they were led to the throne room.
Jasmine, the sultan, Genie, Carpet, Abu, and Rasoul were there.
"Your Majesty, they came back."
They turned around. The guards let go of Cassim and Aladdin and left the throne room when the sultan said. Only Rasoul stayed behind.
"Come over here."
The two went out onto the balcony and stood near Jasmine. Cassim smiled as Aladdin and Jasmine embraced. Then he remembered something.
"Your Majesty."
The sultan looked at him.
"Yes?"
Cassim took the oracle from his belt.
"I took this before I left the palace. I wanted to return it before I forget."
Rasoul took it. The sultan turned to Aladdin.
"Your actions were most disappointing, my boy."
"It is tragic, Your Majesty. The streetrat has obviously followed in his father's footsteps. Aladdin is a criminal."
"Aladdin is no criminal! If anyone is the criminal here it's me! I'm the one who lied to you and took the oracle." Cassim said, jumping forward a little.
"What he did..."
"What he did wasn't right, I know. Yet what he did was noble. He risked everything to set me free. He knew what he was risking, but he as willing to do it anyway."
The gang stared at him. Cassim closed his mouth and stepped back to where he had been standing.
"Do you have anything else to say, Cassim?"
"Actually, I do."
"Then go ahead and say it."
"Aladdin didn't know the danger he was putting himself in when he dressed up in my old clothes. He didn't know the danger he was in when he made the guards think that he was me. He knew he was putting himself in great danger, but he didn't know how great. He knew what could have happened to him if he got caught. He was lucky when he did get caught. After we stopped in a canyon not very far away he had a choice. He could leave with me and get riches beyond belief. Or he could come back and risk being thrown in prison for the rest of his life. He chose to come back."
"Why did you come back?" the sultan asked.
"I came back becuase of Aladdin. I realized that I wouldn't be able to bare being separated from him again. Those twenty years of being separated from him were torture."
Cassim paused for a moment, looked at Aladdin, and put a hand on his shoulder.
"He's all I have left. I love him, and I'm very proud of him. I'm not going to lose him again. I'm not going to leave him again. I made that mistake once. I'll never do it again."
Aladdin stared at his father, who was smiling at him.
"Thanks, Dad." was all he could say.
"You came back becuase of Aladdin?"
"Yes I did, Your Majesty."
"Your love for your son must be strong indeed."
"It's strong enough that I'd settle for life in dungeons as long as he could visit me. I can't bare to lose him again. I won't leave him *ever* again."
The sultan suddenly smiled.
"Cassim, I am removing all charges against you. You are a free man here in Agrabah."
Cassim, the gang, and Rasoul looked at the sultan with wide eyes. Jasmine was the first one to speak.
"You mean it, Father?"
"Of course I do. Cassim is a free man here in Agrabah. We may not want to let anyone else know that he's the King of Thieves."
"Now I'd have to say I'm the *former* King of Thieves. For me that life is gone."
Aladdin and Jasmine were finally married. They flew off on Carpet for their honeymoon knowing that Cassim would be there to greet them when they returned along with the rest of the gang.
People Can Change by Cassim fan
Author's Notes:
I don't own Cassim, the gang, the sultan, or Rasoul. They belong to Disney.