Author's Notes: I was writing a new chapter of Flying Home (imagine that, ha) and this came to me as I wrote a Tony and Jeannie scene. So here it is. We know Tony flew to Basenji to go get Jeannie and we know he made it. What we don't know is what went through his head, what did he and Roger talk about after they got off the plane and headed for the palace? This was just my attempt to fill in the blanks. Spoilers for all of Season 5, but mostly Guess who's going to be a bride? Part I and II. Hope you like.

"It's not too late to turn back," Roger pleaded, still trying to convince him to stop, think this through.

He was right, there was still time. Their journey from Russia to Basenji was long and they were just past halfway; it would be far easier to turn back to their plane, abandon their quest and return home.

He'd considered it only once, when they had first flown into Russian airspace. Roger was right, if they were caught, there was no talking their way out of it. If they were caught, they were looking at the rest of their lives in Leavenworth. If they turned around, no one would ever know. Not where they'd flown, not about Jeannie, the last five years could be erased and normalcy returned. It was as simple as turning the plane back toward Cocoa Beach.

It had been a fleeting thought, however and he'd quickly pressed on, flying the plane to the edge of its limits in a race against time to get to her.

"We've come this far, Rog, I can't…" He shook his head, the words catching in the back of his throat. He couldn't live without her. He knew that now. He hadn't yesterday, or even the previous night. But he knew now, and he was going to get to her.

Roger sighed. "You sure picked a terrible time to realize you're in love with her."

He laughed lightly at that and nodded. "I guess I had to almost lose her to realize how much I need her."

"You realize that nothing has changed, don't you?" It was his duty as Tony's best friend to point out all sides of this adventure of theirs. It was grand. It was romantic. And it was probably the wildest thing Tony had ever done. But the reality was still same as it always had been. "She's still a genie. She may or not may not lose her powers. If you have children, they could be genies. Nothing has changed."

Tony nodded, turning his head just enough so his eyes could meet Rogers. "I can't live without her, Rog." This was the wildest, most intense and bold thing he'd ever done. It was the first time he'd ever intentionally disobeyed orders. And it was the first time since he was a six year old dreaming of the stars and far off wonders of the universe that he didn't care about NASA or his job. The last four years hadn't been about her finding her way into his heart; she had been since the day the met, but about her becoming his heart. Her journey to being the one thing he wanted more than space capsules and orbits of the moon.

Roger nodded and offered him a soft smile. "I guess it's better late than never."

"It still might be never," He sighed, shaking his head.

"You'll get there and she'll forgive you."

"Yeah? What makes you so sure?" He wondered and Roger shrugged.

"It always works out," He pointed out. "No matter what kind of a mess Jeannie makes, you always find your way out of it. Why would this time be any different?"

He had a point. "I never thought of it like that."

Roger laughed, and patted Tony on the back. "You haven't thought about any of this."

"I think this is the first time in my life that I've ever been alright with not being an Astronaut."

"Or spending the rest of your life behind bars," Roger teased.

"She's worth it."

Roger nodded, reluctantly. If there was any woman worth spending the rest of his life in prison for, it was Jeannie. "What are you going to say to her?" He wondered curiously.

"I don't have a clue," Tony laughed nervously, "I hadn't even thought about it until a minute or so ago."

"You jumped in a plane, flew across the world, disobeying orders to get to her. We're riding through the desert in a camel drawn carriage so you can get to her. Do you really have to say anything at all? It's pretty clear you're crazy about her. Take her in your arms and kiss her."

"I hope it's that simple." He had a feeling it wasn't going to be. And whatever he had to say or do to convince her that he was sorry, that he loved her that the rest of his life had to be spent with her…he would do or say. He was prepared to move and heaven and earth, if that's what it took.

They didn't speak much after that, falling into their own thoughts. They were still hours away from Besenji and it was for the best if they tried to get some rest. They were likely to arrive at the palace door just as the ceremony was to commence. He was already envisioning himself running past palace guards, through hallways and ballrooms, as he called her name. He knew it wasn't going to be easy. And he knew he was going to have to fight for her.

He knew that he would. Fight. Beg. Plead. Crawl if he had too.

He wouldn't leave without her. He would never be without her again.

That much he knew.

Fin