Chapter 12

"Pregnant?" Tigress stammered. She looked about the room. "That's impossible. I couldn't possibly be pregnant."

"And why is that?" Mea asked with a sly smile, "Don't tell me you and Po have never done it."

Tigress's cheeks suddenly turned red, turning away from the snow leopard. "I don't think that's any of your business."

Mea burst out into a fit of laughter. "Oh come on Tigress, we're both females here, now tell me the truth."

"Alright, fine you win," Tigress said with an annoyed sigh, "yes we've done it a few times, but how is it possible for me to get pregnant? We're far too different."

Mea rolled her eyes letting loose with a scoff. "You're a female, Po a male. I think you both got that part covered."

"I'm a tiger, he's a panda," Tigress returned.

"Ever heard of mix breeds?"

Tigress eyed her friend with an arched eyebrow. "I think it would be a little too mixed."

"Anyway, all I'm saying is that your pregnancy would explain your mixed emotion regarding this Jiao."

"What are you talking about?" Tigress demanded glaring at her friend. "I'm a warrior of kung fu; I don't have any problem with controlling my emotion."

"Oh really," Mea said with a smile, "well then let's try a little game. Close your eyes."

Tigress seemed a little bothered by Mea's request, but after a playful nod from her friend, the tiger released a solemn sigh and slowly closed her eyes, taking a few deep breathes to steady herself.

"Okay, I'm going to say something, and I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind. Nod if you understand."

Tigress nodded.

"Sun."

"Moon."

"Dumpling."

A smile formed on Tigress face. "Po."

"Spiders."

"Creepy."

"Suger."

The smile returned to Tigress's face, "Po."

"Stars."

"Bright."

"Bold."

Tigress let loose faint giggle before say, "Po."

"Powerful."

This time it was a loud purr that came before Tigress saying, "Po."

Mea was beginning to see a pattern and though knew she was taking a great risk placing herself in great danger, she leaned closer and whispered into Tigress's ear, "Jiao."

An angry growl slipped through Tigress's lips and suddenly turned on Mea tackling her to the ground. "I'll rip you to pieces thinking you can take my man away from me."

"Tigress calm down," Mea cried out doing just about everything she could to keep from the tiger from clawing her. "It's only me."

Tigress blinked a few times, blushed again upon realizing what she was about to do, and jumped away from Mea. "I'm sorry Mea. I don't know what came over me. I've never felt this way before."

"It's called a Mood Swing," Mea said standing up, "you're bound to have more. They can be pretty rough on some women, good thing Po's the Dragon Warrior otherwise he could be in a world of hurt."

"Oh he's going to be in a world of hurt when I see him. He still has to explain why he was kissing Jiao."

"And what about you explaining the fact you're carrying his child?"

Tigress cast her gaze down, gently placing a hand along her waist. Though she could not feel anything moving yet, she knew deep in her heart that something indeed was growing within her, and it brought forth a warm smile to her face, to think she was carrying Po's child, something she had never imaged ever happening. Then again before meeting Po she never pondered the idea of falling in love. Though her mood shifted once again causing the smile to slowly fade. "No."

"What?" Mea cried a look of disbelief plastered all over her face. "What do you mean know? You know you're not going to be able to hide this for much longer."

"I know, but for as long I've known Po, there is one thing that seems to play a key factor in his life. It has never been a normal one. He's always had to hide who was from the world, and it use to fill me with grief to watch him wear that bulky robe. I thought now that Shen is dead, Po could finally have a normal life for awhile…a simple life with me…but now that Jiao has shown up, his whole world has been turned upside down all over again. I can't be the one to pile on more stress to his shoulders."

Mea took a moment appearing to auger some more, but after taking a deep breath, she sat down and said, "Alright, but you will tell him someday."

"Yes," Tigress said, though quickly shot the snow leopard a nerves look, "and you won't go tell anyone, not even Tai Lung."

Mea rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah right, I tell that blabber mouth and he'll be all super thrilled and go tell the whole valley. Don't worry, for the time being your secret is safe with me," she paused to smile at Tigress while narrowing her eyes, "though only under one condition."

Tigress leaned back; a little awkward by that look on Mea's face. "And that would be?"

Mea suddenly jumped from her chair, took hold of Tigress's hands and spoke in a child like voice, "You've got to bring the baby here after its born so I can make the fabulous clothes for it."

Tigress didn't know if were because of her own rapid mood swings or how silly Mea was acting, but Tigress couldn't help but burst into laughter. The sensation of her merriment felt good even with the dilemma once again pitted against her and the man she loved.

Ping's noodle shop…kitchen…

Po stood before Ping's kitchen counter, solemnly chopping up a long line of carrots, onions and radishes. A number of filled pots rested before him, though with the stove damaged, he dared not risk causing any more harm to the shop. He didn't know what to do; his mind was still reeling over what Jiao had told him during their private chat.

Several minutes ago…

"What do you mean go back with you?"

Jiao took on an annoyed expression on her face. "And here I thought you were smart." She said in a cruel tone.

"But what are you talking about," Po staggered, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I thought our home was destroyed."

"Oh we wouldn't be going back to place," Jiao said with a faint smile if not looking a bit harsh, "though it is close by it," she paused to pull on Po's arm, "Now come on, if we leave this place now we should get back in time."

"In time for what?" Po asked pushing Jiao back.

"Something is coming Xiong," she said in a low voice, a strange look in her eyes. "Something grand, that will change so much. Ever since you disappeared, we've been searching for other pandas that survived Shen's madness, bringing them all together. That's why I came looking for you…well to be honest, I came looking for the Dragon Warrior, word spread that he was a panda, but I never thought you and he would turn out to be the same person," she paused to rub a hand along his chin, "talk about an unexpected bonus."

Po pushed Jiao away again, he was glad she was alive, but something about her seemed different. She appeared darker than normal, but given the divergence their lives took he couldn't really blame her for acting slightly cruel.

"I'm sorry Jiao, but I can't go with you."

"You what?" Jiao snapped.

"You're right I am the Dragon Warrior, and that means I have a responsibility to protect the Valley of Peace and China."

"And what about our kin?" Jiao demanded in a harsh tone. "What about your duty to protect them, and let's not forget," she paused to press a finger against his chest, "you are the future chief of our tribe, your place has always been with us."

"I'm sorry Jiao," Po said pushing her hand aside, "but that was a long time ago, a lot has happen, I've finally found my place in life, a home where I don't have to hide who and what I am anymore."

"Well good for you," Jiao mocked, "but for the rest of us, life has as it is has always been, filled with strife and suffering. You have to come back with me."

"What about my father?" Po said turning away from Jiao. "Isn't he still around?"

"Yes…but…" Jiao said, though seemed to stammer off sounding sad.

This drew Po's attention back to her and calmly placed his hand along Jiao's upper arms. "What…what is it?"

"I didn't want to tell you this," Jiao said in a low voice, "but you should know that Li is very sick. You're disappearance cast a heavy blow to your father. Worrying about what happened to you has affected his health, and there's no telling how much longer he'll survive," she paused to cast her gaze upon Po, her eyes narrowing and went to say in a harsh tone, "do you really want your father's last thoughts to be that you don't want to be with him, that you don't love him anymore?"

…Ping's kitchen…

Po had just finished his last pot of soup, Jiao's last words still echoing in his mind. …that you don't love him anymore.

"How could she say that?" Po cried slamming the knife into the counter driving it half way into the thick wood. "I would give anything thing to see him again, it's just that…" Po trailed off, unable to finish his thought.

"It's just what?"

Po turned around to see Mrs. Ping entering the kitchen, cloth strips were wrapped about his head and wore his strange noodle hat was at an odd angle.

"Ping!" Po snapped jumping from the counter to kneel before the old goose. "What are you doing here; shouldn't you still be in the clinic?"

"What and risk loose business," Ping said with a playful voice, though the sway in his step suggested he wasn't completely healed.

"Ping this is crazy," Po said standing up, released a sharp cry of pain as his head pumped against the ceiling. Though he worked in this same kitchen for about two years, he still had trouble judging how quickly to stand up. Rubbing the back of his head, he looked back down to the goose and slowly began to push him back through the door. "I'm taking you back to the clinic for proper bed rest."

"Nothing doing," Ping said, taking hold of the door frame. "I'm a grown goose; I can do what I want. Beside I can't let all those pots go to waste."

"The soup can wait," Po said gently pushing the crazy old goose out into the dining area, "beside you're stove has a table sticking out of it, and your dining area is trashed. It's going to be a least a week before you can set up shop again."

Ping let loose with a low groan but finally relented and taken outside.

"Good, now if you'll excuse me, I need to head back to the Jade Palace. The others are more than likely waiting for me, plus I don't know what I'm going to say to Tigress…that is if I last long enough."

"Po may I ask what you were talking about just before I walked in?"

Po released a low sigh, lowering his hands, his gaze drifting to the ground. "It's personal, and I don't want to talk about it."

"Your posture doesn't suggest so," Ping said crossing his wings about his chest. "Now out with it."

"Alright," Po snapped locking eyes with the goose clinching his fist. "It has to do with the person who attacked you. She's a fellow panda, and not just any panda, she's my wife. For so long, I thought her and every member of my kin were killed, but now it turns out they're alive."

"Well why so moody?"

"Because I've just been told that my dad is very sick, that he could die soon." Po then sat down, for the first time since his mother died feeling completely helpless. "I feel like I'm being torn apart. I want to go see my dad again and the rest of my kin, but as the Dragon Warrior I have to protect the Valley of Peace and Jade Palace," he paused to bring his hand up to his face as a river of tears began to flow, "Oh Ping I don't know what to do."

Ping stroked the edge of his bill, looking as though he were in deep thought. "Well Po, would it be alright if I make a frank statement?"

Po lowered his hands, his nose sniffing and fought to control his emotions while saying, "Yes."

Ping then surprised Po by jumped up using his wings to bring him level with the panda's face, and then slapped Po upside the head. "Are you crazy?" He snapped landing firmly against the ground beside him. "This is your father after all; you should be with him, even if there's a chance he may die. You'll need to spend these final moments with him because believe me, you'll never get them back."

"But the valley?" Po tried to protest, but there was no strength in his voice.

"But nothing. Let me tell you something Xiong. This valley was well looked after long before you became the Dragon Warrior, and I'm sure we'll coup without you for few months to be there for your father and more importantly be there to say goodbye when the time comes."

Po lowered his gaze once again, released a heavy sigh, though he hated to admit it, the goose had a valid point. For so long he had always felt horrible that he was never there for his people. With each day he woke up, he felt guilty he was living a carefree life while his kin had suffered some unruly fate, but now he was given a second chance, a way of spending time with those of his own kind, a chance to just an ordinary panda again, not Po or the Dragon Warrior, but Xiong.

But could he simply walk away from his fate or Tigress for that matter, and what about Rose. The three of them had become so close in the past three weeks; it would break the young leopard's heart if he were to run off without letting her know. Maybe I can bring them along. Rose did say she would like to travel, and who knows what sights we'll see on our way to this panda village.

With that thought firmly set in his mind, Po stood and turned to face Ping who returned his gaze with a friendly smile gave the goose a solemn bow and then dashed off toward the Jade Palace.

…Meanwhile up in the Jade Palace…

Shifu watched calmly as the Masters of the Jade Palace return from the valley. None of them said anything as they strolled past him, though it was clear by their deepen expression, that something was bothering them. Tai Lung was the last of the group to approach him and he stood rigid, unable to return the red panda's gaze.

"Tai Lung," Shifu whispered the tension he felt in air weighing heavily atop his shoulders, "what happened. I trust nothing went wrong down in the valley."

"No," Tai Lung said in a low voice, "but something did happen, something none of us were expecting."

…Back in the Market Street…

As Po made his way toward the Thousand Step, he couldn't help but feel someone was following him. Once he reached the central square, he came to a stop and glanced about. Most of the villagers were still in their homes, clearly still shocked by what happened in Ping's shop, but he could still feel a pair of eyes pitted against him.

"Alright," Po said shifting into an attack stance, "I know you're there so you might as well come out."

A sudden clicking sound drew his attention and turned to see Tigress slipping out from behind a nearby alley way. She looked upon him at first with a nerves expression, gently caressing the red cat's eye gemstone he had given her after dealing with Yumao a year ago.

"Tigress," Po said lowering his guard and rushed to her side. "I've been looking for you," he muttered slowly placing his hands along her arms, "there's a lot I want to talk with you about."

Tigress's expression quickly became one of rage as she turned on Po, stepping back out of his grasp. "I bet you do, Xiong!" she snapped and then slammed her fist against Po's face knocking him clear off his feet. "Let's start with why you never thought to mention the fact you're married."

"You heard that," Po said, standing up, "but I thought you ran off before—"

"I heard everything that went on in the shop," Tigress said with a snarl, "but what I don't understand is why, why would you lie to me for so long."

"You have to understand Tigress; I never meant to hurt you. In all honestly I thought she and every other panda was dead."

"Oh and so now that she's back I'd expect you want to go back to your first love."

"No," Po muttered though turned away from her looking nerves, "well yes but—"

"I knew it!" Tigress snapped turning away from him.

"Tigress, it's not like that," Po stammered, "I love you, you know that. It's just that I need to do this; I need to be with my own kind even if it's only for a moment. To know that not all the suffer they had to endure was not in vain." He then came to stand before Tigress, bring a hand to her chin, tilting her head up to gaze into each other's eyes. "And I was hoping that you would come with me."

"Are you stupid," Tigress snapped moving away from the panda, "you might be willing to betray everything we stand and our obligation protecting the valley, but I never will. Now why don't just leave, I never want to see you again."

"But Tigress," Po pleaded.

"LEAVE!" Tigress turned on shouting in his face, with that, Tigress ran off, disappearing into the shadow.

"Tigress…" Po whispered lowering his arms, a look dismay riddled his feature, "I never meant to hurt you, I pray you someday find it in your heart to forgive me."

There's plenty of twist and sudden shock in this chapter and I intend to keep them coming. I hope you all like what I have in the works.

Please review.