Days, Weeks, Time seemed to go so fast after the defeat of shen and yet things didn't seem to be much different on the surface, underneath though that was a different story …

Everyone was sleeping at the jade palace as the moon hung over in the night sky, well most of them are...

Crane was sitting alone in his room staring at the door thinking about that dream,

"That dream again…"he slowly said to himself sighing with a reddened face and his head in his wings

This wasn't the first time the dream had invaded his mind during the night and he was sure it wouldn't be the last but after the few times it did he still wasn't sure how to deal with it. Some part of him wanted it to be true, so very true, but at the same time he wasn't sure how she would react. "Viper ..."He said to himself as the name rolled of his tong.

Unbeknown to crane that very same 'her' was having the exact same conversation in her own head, Viper the green snake with blue eyes and one of the furious five and just like her avian friend was too just staring into space trying to make a decision ..

"Just tell him … ", "But what if he doesn't feel the same "that same excuse would always come up in her head and in the end viper would just get more annoyed with herself.

"But what if he does" she said to herself to quiet to even be herd, she knew she was right but was unsure of even how to approach it with him

"But what if …."

"STUDENTS! "Was all that the 5 suddenly herd

Pulled out of the mind game both crane and viper had going on with themselves , crane shook his head as viper did the same both letting out a sigh , another day to go through half distracted . They know that practice was important but they just couldn't shake that dream it was both what they wanted but didn't know it, yet at the same time both where to scared to speak fearing the outcome, they had been friends for such a long time and even the others had noticed things in the weeks gone , crane staring more at viper when she was occupied and she was doing the same to, that was just one of them , the lifted spirit of both of them when they trained together and the conversations they that always seemed to know what to say , except for that one thing they wanted to the most

The five pushed open the wooden doors to their rooms after the wakeup call as the sunlight filled the rooms and their eyes , tigress walking forwarding and greeting the small red panda with a simple " Moring Shifu " shortly followed by the others , crane and viper both trying to regain composure at the same time .

As sun was beginning to show its orange surface over the mountains Viper, Crane, Mantis and monkey sat it the kitchen waiting as po prepared to bring in the food all 4 of them wanted.

"You sleep ok crane "monkey randomly said to crane, surprised by the sudden question crane wasn't sure how to reply. Truthfully he had slept very well ….. The waking up part was the worst of it and at that viper had the exact same answer in her head.

" I slept fine , thanks " was all that crane could manage to say … " you sure " monkey asked " you seem to be zoning out more often lately " , viper trying to not be noticed in fear of been asked the question too , instead she just watched crane from the corner of her eyes

Crane was caught off guard by this, "had others noticed it that much" he asked himself? , staring at the table trying to not look at monkey or the others even though he knew them blue eyes were on him he kept looking down in fear of caving in. After what seemed like ages he managed to speak...

"Err, I just have some things on my mind, it's … nothing really "...

"Ah Ok, well hope all is fine "mantis interjected before monkey could question it further.

Viper on the other hand didn't buy into that "Nothing really" she knew something was nagging at him and then it hit her "Maybe he is having the dream "realising she had said that out loud she was quick to leave before they noticed her red face … leaving monkey and mantis with a confused look.

Monkey and mantis not seeming to notice cranes reaction to Vipers sudden comment and leaving went back to talking to each other, but crane did notice that tigress had walked passed with shifu and they both looked and him and left just as quick, leaving crane just as confused.

Crane sighed to himself as he walked outside as the moon once again took its place in the sky, the air feeling cold as it past though his feathers as he watched the mist from his breath float away in the night.

Looking up at the sky he stared at the moon and the stars effortlessly positioned around it as he thought over the day, it had gone a lot better than he original expected given the circumstances. The morning was rounded off with food po had managed to get to them on time even though half was already gone with po mumbling something about steps. After it was training as usual, He tried his best to not stare at viper during this time but he couldn't stop himself for every minute of the day and he finally took a more than long look at her, he watched as her thin green frame effortless dogged the jets of fire that erupted from the tubes below her. What he didn't notice as he was caught up with vipers display and the strange feeling in his chest was Shifu watching him till he herd "Crane Focuses "catching him off guard.

Crane laughed to himself as he stood there in the night but this turned to more a questionable look as he remembered back on the event.

"They must have noticed that" he worriedly thought "I was caught by shifu, there's no denying it "

"No denying what? "

Crane jumped at the sudden question getting distracted from his thoughts of the past day. Turning to his left he saw that tigress was standing there with a blank look to her face.

Tigress knew that crane liked viper is was more obvious to her and the others than it was to crane and viper themselves.

"You love her don't you" tigress said, more so stating it.

Crane looked away avoiding eye contact trying to hide the emotions on his face. "How does she know, she can't have figured it out" he tried reassuring himself. Standing next to him with a concerned look for her friend she knew she was right with crane giving it away without even trying.

"I...I... Uh how do you know …"Crane said with defeat hanging in his voice he knew tigress would work it out if anyone was to and they was no point lying to her , she could probably tell if he did .

Tigress thought about what to say, she really had been going on a hunch but after what she had caught viper say during breakfast that morning she knew it must be between viper and crane and decided as a friend to try and help two of her closest friends in any way she could, even if that meant pushing a little.

"You kind of gave signs" she said in a light hearted manner trying to keep things less awkward for crane.

Crane sighed to himself he knew it was too good to be true that others hadn't noticed.

"That bad, Huh "crane lightly said causing a smile to creep over tigresses face.

"You do stare a lot so it was picked up on, but maybe instead of staring you should try talking "tigress said as she placed her paw on the avian's shoulder.

"We all noticed how happy you are when she is around you and it's the same for her too, yet something seems to be distracting you lately"

Crane took a minuet to process what he just herd, she was right he was the happiest he'd ever been when viper was around and he was sure she felt the same, yet he couldn't get past the fact what if he was wrong he would look stupid and embarrassed in front of her and he didn't want to ruin the friendship he already had and loved.

Closing his eyes "I love viper that is true "he said quality but more than enough for tigress to hear who just smiled.

"So what's holding you back" tigress asked trying not to sound like he needed to answer but hoped he would.

"W...Well Im worried that she won't feel the same "he stated finally looking at tigress, sadness showing though his eyes.

"That's it?" tigress simple said.

"That's it, that's It" crane said in a more serious tone turning and looking down at the floor.

Tigress with a softened expression said "I didn't mean it like that crane, you know full well somewhere in your head she likes you and you are tormenting yourself by not just talking to her"

With a slight pause as she could see crane was thinking Tigress lightly and simply said as she began to leave

"Don't ask crane, Don't Know "

Crane looked at tigress as she began to leave seeing the smile on her face.

She was right crane thought "If I never ask, I'll never know "in the end it was worth everything if she did feel the same and he would say even if she didn't, she would always be his friend and they both knew that deep down.

Tigress had vanished from sight by the time crane returned from his thoughts, it was just him and the stars, he made the decision he should have made a while back "I will talk to viper "

After making his way back the his room he sat there thinking on what to say "should I mention the dream" he questioned himself "she said I must have had the same dream so I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask , I dreamed about her , so she must of dreamed about me ?"he was sure that was the best way to approach it, but that changed when her heard the sweet voice from the other side of the door…

"Crane? You in there, I…I have something to ask y...you.."

"Viper …. ? "crane whispered in surprise .