True Love's Test by Cassim fan
Summary: Cassim falls victim to a curse and becomes ill. Aladdin, Jasmine, Carpet, Abu, Genie, and Iago set off to find the cure while Carina stays behind at the layer to look after Cassim. They have to hurry. Never before has the cure for the curse been given to the person in time! The gang is determinded to make sure Cassim is the first person cured. Can Cassim and Carina's true love stand firm against the curse? Can the gang find the cure and get it to Cassim in time? Or will the former King of Thieves die?
Rating: G
Categories: Aladdin
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 03/19/07
Updated: 04/14/07
Index
Chapter 1: The Curse
Chapter 2: The Test Begins
Chapter 3: The Test Continues
Chapter 4: The Test Ends
Chapter 1: The Curse
Cassim came back into the main room of the layer of the Forty Thieves.
Carina, Aladdin's mother, went over to him. She stopped when she was only a few feet away.
"Cassim, what's wrong? Your face is pale."
"A curse."
"What about a cruse?"
"I've been cursed."
"What?!"
Cassim went to her and put his arms around her.
"I'm sure it's nothing. It was just some crazy old man. Perfectly harmless."
Carina pulled back after a moment. She saw the color had returned to his face.
"Are you sure?"
"My dear, you don't actually believe in curses do you?"
"You never know."
"Carina, it's nothing. He was just a crazy old man. There's no need for worry, though he did scare the living daylights out of me."
"How did he do that?"
"He was behind me, and I didn't know it. All of the sudden he started talking. It scared me half to death, not literally."
"I know."
The next morning they awoke at the same time and kissed good morning.
They got up to get dressed, and Cassim quickly sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I just stood up too fast I guess."
"That's never happened before."
"There's a first time for everything."
That afternoon Cassim was outside running around with the horses and playing with the foals.
Carina and Iago were watching him.
Suddenly Cassim stopped and started to cough. Within moments he was doubled over coughing!
Carina went over to him.
"Cassim, mabey you should go back inside."
Cassim stopped coughing and straightned.
"No. I'm fine."
"You haven't coughed like that in years."
"I did also get dust kicked up in my face and breathed some in."
"That's happened allot recently, and you never coughed like that. Please at least go back inside."
"Okay."
Just as he reached the steps Cassim started to cough again.
Carina and Iago looked over to see him on his hands and knees coughing!
They hurried over to him.
It was a few moments before he stopped coughing.
"Iago, go get Genie."
"Carina, I'm fine."
"You've *never* coughed like *that* before."
"There's a first time for everything."
"Cassim, you don't just all of the sudden cough so hard you go down to your hands and knees. I think it may have something to do with that curse."
"Oh. Not this again. Carina, we've already been this. It was just a crazy old man."
"You don't know that for sure."
Cassim got to his feet and went inside.
Carina and Iago looked at each other and sighed.
Cassim got into the main room when he suddenly felt dizzy! His vision became weird, so he saw almost two of everything he looked at, his legs felt like lead weights, his head started to throb, his vision then became blurry, then his legs felt like jello, the ground rushed upon him, and all went black!
That's how Carina and Iago found him!Back to index
Chapter 2: The Test Begins
Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, Abu, Iago, and Carpet set off to find the cure.
No one had *ever* gotten the cure in time! The gang was determinded to make Cassim the first!
Carina stayed behind with watch him.
As the days passed he gradually got worse.
Carina did her best to help him, but there wasn't much she could do.
While he slept she would pray at his bedside.
Then, after about two weeks, the curse struck harder and faster than ever before!
Carina was in the kitchen when she heard Cassim yell her name in a terrified voice!
Carina came running to the room.
"Cassim, what's wrong?"
"Carina, where are you?! I can't see anything!"
Carina gently pushed him back up against the head board and calmed him.
"What do you mean you can't see anything?"
"I can't see."
"Be more specific."
"I can't see you. I can hear you, but I can't see you. I only know you're right in front of me is because of your voice. I can't see."
"Do you know why?"
"The curse. The curse has caused me to go blind!"
Unsure of what to do, and still terrified, Cassim began to cry like a child!
It took a long while for Carina to calm him down this time.
Later that day, while propped up against the head board playing his flute, Cassim suddenly started coughing harder and more violently than ever before!
Carina ran in and sought to hold him steady but failed.
His entire body shook with each cough, his face was turning red, and he began wheezing as he coughed!
When he finally stopped coughing he was gasping for breath!
Carina made him lay down.
Once he finally caught hs breath she noticed his face was more pale than usual.
She felt his forehead.
He had a high fever!
She began gently patting his forehead with a damp cloth.
As the days passed Cassim's coughing got worse and was more often, his fever was getting higher, and he often began shivering, though he wasn't cold!
One night,as he slept, Carina was sitting at his bedside.
"Hurry, Aladdin." she whispered very quietly so she wouldn't disturb Cassim.Back to index
Chapter 3: The Test Continues
Finally there were only four days left for the cure to be on time and work!
Carina was getting worried. She tried to not let it show when she was with Cassim.
That morning as she was patting his forehead with the damp cloth he reached up and took hold of her hand.
She put the cloth back in the bowl with her other hand.
Cassim held her hand closer to his neck.
"Carina."
"Yes?"
"What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're worried about something. What is it?"
Carina hesitated.
How could she tell him?
"I'm worried about your fever. It's still getting higher."
There was silence for a moment.
"That's not what you're worried about."
Carina's hope that he believed her vanished.
"What are you really worried about?"
"I'm worried that Aladdin won't get the cure here on time. I'm worried that... that..."
"... I'll die?"
She nodded, fighting back tears.
"Carina, it's okay to tell me that straight out. I'd feel better if you had done that instead of lying about it."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't worry. Aladdin hasn't let anyone down, yet. He's not to let us down, at least not without one heck of a fight."
Carina smiled at Cassim through her tears.
"He's a fighter."
She reached over and gently stroked Cassim's hair.
"Just like his dad."
She leaned down and gently kissed him.
After they broke apart he took her face in his large, callous but gentle hands and gently stroked her cheeks with his tumbs.
"Have more faith in him. He won't let us down without one heck of a fight to succeed."
Carina smiled again.
"You're right, Cassim."
"I wouldn't tell you something that wasn't true."
Carina smiled one more time, got up, and made breakfast.
As she did she prayed that Aladin would make it in time.Back to index
Chapter 4: The Test Ends
Over the next three days Cassim's health and chances of living unless he got the cure right away decreased rapidly!
As she sat at his bedside at night and prayed, Carina would cry quietly.
His fever was unbelievably high, his was coughing so hard both he and carina were sure he was going to cough up one or both of his lungs at some point, and his shivering had become violent shaking!
Carina's hopes were almost gone when the fourth day came.
When Cassim opened his eyes that morning there was a weakness in them that hadn't been there before!
"Carina."
His voice was so weak she barely heard it.
"Shhh. I'm here, love. I'm here."
He lifted his hand a little, and she took it.
"I don't have much more time left."
"Please, Cassim. Just hold on. Please. Fight. Fight death. Please fight it."
"I have been. I don't have much fight left."
"Cassim, you have to fight it! You've just got to! For me, for Aladdin, for Iago, for the baby."
"What baby?"
Cassim felt Carina take his other hand and place it somewhere.
After a moment he felt something.
"Carina?"
"I'm sorry." her voice was choked with tears.
"For what?"
"For not telling you sooner."
"Telling me what?"
"Cassim,..."
She paused to wipe away a few tears.
"You're gonna be a daddy again."
"You're... you're pregnant?"
"Yep."
"When did you find out? How far along are you?"
"I found out quite a while ago. I'm a month and a half."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I was planning on it, but then the curse and..."
"Stop. Don't bother. I understand."
He heard her sniff and knew she was crying.
"Oh, baby, please don't cry."
"Then you don't give up. Fight it for all you're worth."
"Carina, this whole time I've been fighting a losing battle."
"Now you have one more thing to fight for! Please, Cassim, don't give up!"
"I won't, but I can't promise I'll win."
Just then Aladdin came flying in on Carpet!
"Dad! Mom!"
"Aladdin!"
"We got it!"
"Hurry!"
Cassim felt Aladdin gently lift his head up and tilt it a little.
"Gently, son. Gently." he said between clenched teeth.
"Sorry, Dad, but we don't have much time!"
Aladdin poured the healing liquid down his father's throat, careful so he wouldn't choke.
After an anxious and frighting half hour Cassim suddenly gasped.
Carina was instantly at his side.
"What is it?"
"I can see again."
Carina gently hugged him happily.
The cure worked! Cassim was still alive!
Months later when Cassie was born Cassim wouldn't have been happier!
He wouldn't have his life any other way!Back to index