Chapter 10 - I'll Stand By You (Originally by The Pretenders)
"She is awake, sir," the servant led him to the medical room and gestured towards her. They both looked at her, but her eyes were closed. "Well, she was awake and she is still breathing." The servant looked to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "She's fine," he told Shang reassuringly.
Shang sighed and walked over to her bedside and sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Mulan with tears forming in his eyes. He put his head in his hand and covered his eyes with his hand. "Can you please leave us?" Shang asked the servant, and the servant nodded and departed from the room, leaving Mulan and Shang alone and giving them privacy.
"Is she awake?" Ling yelled as he entered in the room. He ran in and slid on the floor as Yao, and lastly Chien-Po followed in, causing them all to fall.
"No," Shang answered them sternly. The men, seeing how upset their General was, immediately got up. "Can you please leave us right now?" Shang asked them. The three nodded and immediately left the room, respecting his wishes for privacy. Shang turned away from the door once they left and put his head back in his hand, trying to hide his emotions.
Oh why you look so sad? The tears are in your eyes
Suddenly Mulan's eyes fluttered open, but Shang didn't know about it. She thought she would wake up to a happier Shang, not one that was crying, but she understood his pain. Mulan tried to open her mouth to speak, but no words came from her mouth. She wanted to comfort him and reassure him that she was okay, but something told her that there was something else that was bothering Shang. "Come on and come to me now," she said with a raspy, yet quiet voice that Shang didn't seem to hear. She wanted to reach over and move that hand from Shang's eyes and say, "Don't be ashamed to cry. Let me see you through because I've seen the dark side too." Mulan watched him with saddened eyes and fought hard to try and not cry along with him. She sighed, "You don't know what to do…" but slowly faded out and fell half asleep once again, weakened by her injury.
Nothing you confess could make me love you less
Shang sighed and dried his last tears and looked up at Mulan. Her eyes were closed, but her mouth was open, unlike when he entered. Shang shook his head; he was trying so hard to imagine she would wake up that his mind was playing tricks with him. "Mulan," Shang sighed, "There are so many things I want to tell you, so many things we haven't done, and…now, I'm losing you. And…I'm sorry," he faltered, "I haven't been completely fair to you, and I've learned my lesson after you somehow visited me, and I've kept things from you that you need to know before…or that you should know, and I completely jeopardized our chances with Lord Wang by punching him in the face after what happened to you," he chuckled. "So your fighting was a complete waste, and I just honestly don't know what to do now. And…I'm so sorry Mulan. I'm sorry," He sighed and looked down in , after hearing these words, somehow found the strength to move her hand to clasp his. Shang immediately looked up in awe, and saw Mulan smiling at him. Seeing her awake, Shang couldn't help but smile and laugh. Mulan smiled weakly at him and held his hand, "I'll stand by you…" she whispered.
"You're awake," Shang said with a smile on his face. He immediately leaned in to hug her and Mulan hugged him back. "I swear I will hurt Lord Wang so badly. When you were knocked unconscious I punched him straight in the face, knocking him down so hard, I would have gone and punched him a couple of times more for allowing that to happen to you but I knew you needed immediate medical attention. Man, seeing you now, I just want to strangle him and…" Shang growled, but then sighed. "You probably don't want to hear this don't you?""I'd rather you tell me how angry you are now. Don't hold it all inside. Come on and talk to me now. It's been a while since I've seen you and talked to you. I love listening to your voice. Besides, what you got to hide? I get angry too," Mulan laughed, and then grimaced and put her hand to her head.
"Mulan," Shang immediately got up and knelt down by her bedside to make sure she was okay. "Are you okay? Does it still hurt?"
Mulan sighed and took in a deep breath. "No, I'm fine," she assured him. Mulan smiled as she looked at Shang. "I already said yes Shang; you don't need to ask me to marry you again."
Shang laughed and stood up.
Mulan smiled and slid to the right side of the bed. She patted the empty part of the bed and gestured for him to sit next to her. Shang smiled and lay beside her. He then put his arms around her and Mulan leaned on him and sighed. She put her arms around him as well. "You know when we go back home we can't do this, right? My parents certainly wouldn't approve, well except Granny Fa."
Shang chuckled, "Well you'd be surprised," he confessed. "I really did miss you while you were out."
"Well I'm fine now," Mulan sighed, "And I think we should talk to Lord Wang so we can finally depart from this horrid place. I want to go home. Though I will miss sharing a room with you," she and Shang laughed. Mulan sighed and immediately rose from the bed, but grimaced as she did. Shang immediately got up and went to her side to help her off the bed. "I'm a bit weak, but I think I can handle myself," she smirked at Shang.
Shang sighed, "You always were so strong," he lifted her up and walked with her towards the conference hall to meet Lord Wang, "if not stubborn," he muttered.
Mulan laughed, "C'mon General. It's time to take down Lord Wang one last time."
…
"Ah Consul Mulan," Lord Wang happily greeted her as she entered the room, "It is nice to see you finally woke up and are fine. I just wanted to inform you that the deal is still on."
Mulan angrily glared at him and swiftly took out her sword in one swift movement. The guards immediately surrounded her with their weapons aimed at her. Shang stiffened up and immediately got into fighting stance to fight by her side.
"Stand down men," Lord Wang ordered them, "I believe Fa Mulan has fought more than enough while here." He chuckled cynically, much to Shang's anger.
Mulan angrily marched over to Lord Wang with her sword clenched tightly in her hand. Shang fought laughter as he watched Lord Wang trembling with each step Mulan took. Mulan looked at the scared man and angrily threw at him a scroll, which made Lord Wang ducking under the table because he thought it was a weapon. Mulan impatiently sighed and boomed, "Sign the contract or I will call upon the Emperor to send his troops. Hurting his Consul, not to mention the Heroine of China, and General Li Shang will bring great riot upon all of China, including the sending of troops to make sure you are gone from your power. So I highly suggest signing it, now."
Lord Wang immediately got up from under the table and shakily signed it without even looking. His advisors immediately tried to grab the scroll from Mulan, protesting that they had not even looked at it. Mulan, to silence them, immediately waved her sword in front of them and his advisors ducked in fear.
"Thank you Lord Wang," Mulan answered him sternly. "We will be leaving now, and no, I did not find my stay here satisfactory at all." She smirked and walked out of the room without any expression on her face. Shang, who was trying to hide the smile of pride on his face, immediately ran after Mulan. As soon as they turned the corner of the hall, Mulan sighed weakly and put her arm out against the wall to hold herself up. She breathed slowly to compose herself.
Shang smiled and walked over to Mulan. He took her hands and placed them on him so she could stand on him. Shang then up his hands on her shoulders to help her stand up straight. "I know how much strength it took for you to stand up to Lord Wang after what happened, I know how much physical strength it took for you to stand up there alone and unwavering and giving them the idea that you were stronger than ever, I know how much emotional strength it took to hold back your anger and not attack Lord Wang, and more importantly I know exactly just how strong you are in the face of adversity and in the face of men in a courtroom just wanting to tear you apart," he gently lifted her chin to let her look him in the eyes. "I am so proud of you."
Mulan smiled, "You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say those five words."
"It's six words," Shang corrected her.
"Well I didn't really care for the 'so', and when you're training under the meanest Captain, you'll take every complement you get," Mulan smirked. "Besides, I need a big strong man to be by my side. I can't always fight by myself and I'm sure my teacher can show me a few more moves himself."
Shang smiled and took her hand to lead her to the stables, "Don't worry soldier, I'll stand by you."
Author's Note: Well I really wanted the other chapter to work, but it was pretty confusing. Anyways, I know this is a super short chapter, but I hope you guys enjoy it! I'll update soon! Please Review!