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Chapter 13: True Meaning of Love

Alive, she could feel a small pulse on his hand. She cried of joy. He was alive. "Mushu, get some herbs we need to treat to his wounds." She called out. Mushu ran off to go gather some herbs and some other plants that he would need tending to. Mulan turned towards Shang, her eyes were red from crying. She carefully placed Shang's head on some blankets while she would treat his wounds. She then with her gentle touch removed Shang's shirt and began to examine the wound. He had a deep cut in his side, it looked as if he had been shot with an arrow and he pulled it out.

"Here I got the herbs" Said Mushu as he approached Mulan carrying the plants in his tiny little hands. He stopped and handed them to Mulan. Mulan smashed the herbs into a mushy liquid. She carefully spread the contents onto the deep wound then covered it with cloth. She continued to treat the scraps, cuts and more. Once she finished she covered him with a couple blankets. She glanced at him and smiled a bit but it quickly turned into a frown.

"Do you think he's going to make it?" Mulan asked, turning to Mushu with an uncertain look upon her. Mushu glanced at her then at Shang, who still lay there unconscious. Shang's did have a small pulse that it was unpredictable weather he would make it or not.

Mushu sighed, "I don't know, I mean he's gone this far, I think he'll be able to." Mulan smiled and faced Shang, a small lock of his hair was on his face, with her fingers she slowly and gently moved it to the side of his face.

As night fell once more, Mulan had made a fire to keep her and the others warm in the snowing mountaintop. The cave got darker and darker as it got later in the night. Mulan wrapped herself in a blanket and huddled near the fire. She stared into the red flames watching as they moved with the wind.

A sudden low groan came from behind her. She turned quickly, Shang was slightly moving from side to side. She dropped the blanket on the ground and ran towards Shang. His eyes were still closed, he was shaking intensively, Mulan began to get worried, what was happening? She thought.

Mushu came up to her to see what was happening. "It's ok; it's just a state that he's going through." Mulan looked at him nervously.

She then carefully put her hands on his shoulders to try to calm him. Once she touched him he stopped. She waited for anything. "Shang? Shang, It's me can you hear me?" She asked him, not knowing if he could hear her or not. He groaned again. Mulan began to smile again. "Shang, It's me Mulan, please talk to me" She asked him.

Shang groaned again, "Mu..lan?" He said, sounding like his voice was cracked and weak. A tear fell down Mulan's cheek.

"I'm here.....Everything will be ok" She assured him. Hearing her voice, Shang began to open his eyes slowly. Once they were finally open, he looked around then found her. He breathed in an out as if it were hard for him to do.

"Mulan?......" He paused, "What?.....Where?....." Mulan put her finger on his lips to hush him.

"Sh.....Sh.....It's ok, your safe, I'm here now." She traced his face with her finger and smiled at him. He sighed, he was happy to see her but wished that she didn't even come. He knew that she wasn't safe here. There were still Hun's out there, plus he was wounded and he didn't want her to see him like this. He picked up his hands, which were weak and cut up, he took Mulan's hands off him and set them in her lap.

He looked up at her and frowned, "You should have....come" Mulan looked at him surprised and hurt, what was he saying, She came to find him and she did. Didn't he know what he meant to her?

"Shang, I came to find you and bring you home, Why do you say such a thing?" She felt her heart break.

"You're not safe here......"He groaned of pain, "Go home!" He ordered her.

"Shang?....." She paused, "I came to find you, and I did, you're not safe here either. Why do you want me to go, don't you care about what I feel for you......Don't you?"

"Mulan, I love you, I told you that." He placed his hands on hers. "I told you that I would do anything to keep you safe and that's why I left; I wanted to make sure that you would be safe." He paused, "I don't want you to see me like this, Plus there are still Hun's out there and I fear that they will find you and kill you."

"What about you, you saved me a couple of days ago, I didn't think you care, but you did, you saved me that meant so much to me. I knew that if anything happened to you, I wouldn't know what to do, I love you Shang and we are in this together so don't tell me to leave you here to die, just because you want me to be safe. Nothing you say is going to change my mind to leave you here and die, I wont because I care too much!" She cried out. Her eyes filled with water. Shang stared at her stunned of what she had just said. He could feel his heart beat faster, those words touched him so much. His eyes began to get soft and a tear ran down his cheek.

Mulan saw this and wiped it away gently. "I love you, Shang; I don't want to lose you."

He cupped his hand on her face and stared deep into her eyes. "I'm...Sorry" Mulan's heart stopped as she then watched Shang close his eyes. Not knowing if he was lost to her or not she began to cry deep in agony.

"Shang!......" She cried, "Please....Please, Don't leave me, Shang!" She rested her head on his chest and wept. Mushu watched in pain as Mulan cried for him. A tear rolled down his face.

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Wang got the Fa residence and patted his horse on the neck, then walked to the front door. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. Fa Zhou opened the door and smiled politely. "I take it you got the message?"

"Yes, I did, and I'm sorry, I just came to tell you that my men and me will be leaving to go find her and hopefully Shang." He bowed down.

"Thank you Captain, my family and me are grateful that you are doing this." Said Fa Zhou.

"It's nothing sir, We'll I better get going." He bowed once more and left.

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Their journey started right away to find Mulan and the missing General. They ventured throughout the towns, the Dark forest and the mountains. Wang sighed, 'where were they?' He turned towards his men and was about to order them that they were to leave when he heard the sudden sound of a horse neigh. He stopped and told his men to be silent. "What was it sir?" Asked a men.

"I don't know, but keep quiet it might be one them." He looked around the snowy mountaintops, but all he could see was snow and a ton of it. Then he heard the sound again. He looked off in the distance and sure enough it was a horse, a black horse, it was Mulan's horse Khan. "That's Mulan's horse, let's go." He said. He kicked his horse and galloped towards Khan. Once he reached to the horse he noticed that there was a small cave. He took out his sword and headed inside.

He looked around then saw Mushu, "Mushu, what are you doing here, where's?......" He stopped, seeing a sleeping Mulan with Shang, Who looked pale as ever.

"We found Shang in here and treated to his wounds, but then I guess he gave out and she cried and fell asleep." Explained Mushu.

"Guys! We have to get them out of here; I need your help." Ordered Wang. He walked over to Mulan and Shang. He frowned. His friend didn't look good at all. Was he dead? Was he alive, he did not know? Mulan was still on Shang. Wang moved Shang's arm to get his pulse; his eyes went up, "Guys! We need to get them out of here fast!" Then men came in and picked up Shang, While Wang picked up Mulan and carried her to his horse. Where they would take them back.

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Mulan began to open her eyes slowly; she could hear people walking around and right near her too. Once her eyes were opened she noticed that she was back home but how? She wondered. She moaned, and stretched out. "Mulan, how are you sweetie?" Asked her mother who was at the end of her bed. Mulan sat up and began to rub her head.

"Mom? Oh my God, Where's Shang?" She asked franticly, realizing that Shang wasn't with her.

"Easy honey, Shang is at the doctors. Wang found you two in a cave in the mountains." Explained her mother. "You better thank him when he comes here later on." Mulan nodded. "All right, do you want anything?"

"Mom, Is Shang going to be ok?" She asked, hoping that maybe Shang had only fainted and was going to live.

Fa Li shook her head, "I don't know, we've got no news so far from Wang to tell us, weather he will be ok or not." Mulan lowered her head, she felt hopeless without him. Fa Li put her hand on her daughters shoulder. "I'm sure he'll be fine, besides Wang told me that you already treated some of his wounds."

"Yeah, but did I do a good job with doing so?"

"Mulan, sometimes medicines and antidotes aren't enough to cure a person, sometimes all they need is someone they love right near them, that gives them courage to live. And what you did for him, I am sure he'll stay for your love and caring. Now go to sleep and relax." She tucked Mulan in and headed for the door.

"Mom?" She turned to face her daughter. "Thanks" Fa Li smiled closing the door behind her. Mulan snuggled down under the covers and closed her eyes and dreamed of Shang and prayed that he would live for life, family, friends and her.

Later that night Wang came along once again. He put his stallion where he always would and walked up the Fa's house and knocked on the door and waited awhile for someone to answer. Fa Zhou opened that door and let him in. "May I speak to Mulan, sir?"

"Of Course, I'll show you to her room, do you want any tea or anything?"

"No thank you sir."

"All right then, follow me." He showed Wang to Mulan's room then opened the door to let him in. Wang nodded in thanks and the door was close behind him. He walked up to Mulan who was still in her bed but sitting up. She looked at him, ready for what ever he had to say.

"Hi"

"Hi" Wang replied. He coughed.

"Oh, sorry please sit down" She patted a spot right next to her. He sat himself down next to her. "I want to thank you for saving Shang and me from the mountains. I don't know what would have happened to us if you didn't come."

"Oh....that was nothing."

"So...um...any news on Shang?"

"Oh....well I went to the doctors and I talked to them and they said that he did lose a lot of blood and that he'll have to stay in there for a while, but they also said that if it wasn't for you and what you gave him he would have died for sure." Mulan sighed of relief. Wang chuckled, "Kind of takes a load off ya doesn't it."

Mulan smiled, "Yeah, I thought I was going to lose him or something."

"Nah....he's a big guy, he can do anything." He teased. Mulan giggled.

"So when am I aloud to see him?"

"Uh.....That I don't, but I'm sure when ever." He paused, "Well I better get going, it's getting late and I got to visit Shang one last time for tonight." He got up and walked to the door. Wang turned to face her once more and said, "Oh and what ever you did, I'm glad you did." He smiled and walked out. Mulan smiled and screamed out, "Yes........" She laughed and tears were streaming down her face of happiness and joy, Shang would be ok, and everything would be ok.

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Hope you liked this chapter, the end is coming near, probably one or two more chapters then the story will be complete. Well any ways if you have any comments or anything please review, Thanks!