Chapter 2

When Li opened his eyes again, he was in a bedroom. It was immaculate and neat, and no one else was about. Vases with flowers sat cutely on the dresser; large orange lilies watching him like eyes with their beautiful markings and patterns. Tentatively, he crawled out of bed and looked outside. He was still in the Valley of Peace... and in a bedroom above the Noodle Shop.

"Hey dad?" A voice called. "You up?" Li twisted his head towards the closed door. He followed the direction of the voice cautiously, in case it was danger...

A smile came to his face when he saw his son Po; he was just coming in through the door, a wash cloth in paw, while Ping hummed and stirred a pot of edible content on the stove, turning to wave at the panda when he entered.

"Hello..." Li was clearly confused, but shook it off when Po asked if they could have breakfast together. "Haven't done that in a while!" It wasn't opening time yet, so why not?

"Why don't you two sit outside while I finish cooking?" Ping suggested.

"You sure you don't need help dad?"

"Not at all! Go on!" They were shooed outside, and took their place at the table nearest the ordering window. While waiting, Li summoned the courage to turn to Po. "I'm so glad you decided to come and help us today son." Placing a paw on his shoulder, a warm glow surrounded them. "We never get to see you."

"Well even though I'm the Dragon Warrior, and Ooguay's successor, I have to try make time for you guys!" They hugged, with Po's head facing towards the entrance to the restaurant. There was no board to cover it up, just like there wasn't a soul on the sunny streets...

Suddenly, darkness over came their warmth, and the two pandas pulled apart and ready to fight.

"Foolish mortals!" Kai! He materialized in front of them, swinging his swords, a sinister grin appearing on his face. Both pandas glared, and Ping remained in the kitchen, taking cover behind the order counter. "You think I was gone forever!"

Li was about to throw a punch, but Po, suddenly dressed in a cloak, hat, and Ooguay's staff in paw, bolted for the demon. "Son!" Li cried, but it was too late. Kai's eyes started glowing, and Po was in his control; sinking to his knees, the staff and hat hitting the ground. However, it didn't turn to a jombie... instead his head rose as Kai's whole form started to glow. There was a brighter light again, like Po had defeated him, but instead, Po wordlessly stood and took a a step back, a soft, knowing smile on his face as he turned to his dads.

By this time Mr. Ping was beside Li, and they watched the scene in fear. "Po?" They both said.

"It's okay now." Po said, before turning to reach out for Kai's glowing form. By the time he linked paws, Kai was replaced... by Tigress.

Li Shan was just as confused as the reader reading this scene. "What about Kai-"

"We defeated him remember?" Po laughed, before wrapping an arm around the feline's waist, who nestled into him in response, purring. As she grinned at Li Shan, almost evilly, they started to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"Away."

"But son!" Li Shan cried. "What about us?"

They kept walking, and ignored him. Angry, Li Shan ran after them. He was huffing and puffing, but he was losing his son again. He was within reach, but his paws were holding Tigress, and he wasn't trying to reach back. When he got close enough to pry his son apart, he disintegrated into dust.

"Po? PO!" Searching for him on the barren streets alarmingly, Tigress' voice echoed in his head, in an eerie whisper.

"He's mine now."

Li Shan woke with a quaking start. With his heart hammering against his chest like a bird trapped in a cage. But why?

Intruder? A thief?

His eyes scanned the room quickly to catch the culprit, but no one was there. He was in Po's old bedroom in Ping's Noodle Shop. This room was nothing like the one in his dream. This one was more messy, more childlike with all the Furious Five posters and figurines. However, a familiar scene...

"Po where is my a ladle?"

"I saw it hanging over the stove." That was Po! Relief ran through his body, and he fell back onto the bed, paws over his eyes. Thank heavens it was just a dream, rubbing his eyes, he sat up again, and made his way downstairs. They heaviness in his footsteps caused the stairs to creak, and alerted his son of his arrival. Instead of living on his own, Po and Mr. Ping insisted he would stay in the noodle shop, so Ping had an extra paw in Po's absence, and company for both of them.

Entering the kitchen, it was the same set up as the dream; Ping was slaving away at the stove, while Po was by the door, just back in from cleaning the tables from last nights snow fall. "Morning Dad!"

"Morning son," they hugged as they closed in on one another. Li rose his nose in the air, inhaling the strong, irresistible aroma of breakfast. Po did the same, his mouth practically watering. "Smells good!"

Mr. Ping smiled inwardly as he gave the breakfast broth another few stirs. "All the best for my son!" Po grinned at him and picked up the bowls sitting on the order counter. "Line up!" Li Shan shook his head at the goose; he was acting like he had a while village to feed... although back in the hidden Panda Village that was all he did; feeding the baby pandas.

All the same, Li Shan followed Po, who was right beside Mr. Ping, eagerly waiting for his bowl to be filled with the heavenly brew. "Here you go son." Po immediately brought the bowl to his mouth, and slurped it down. Li Shan was proud at his son's immense appetite, but Ping just chuckled and shook his head. "I hope you don't eat like this in front of Tigress!" He joked, which made Li Shan roll his eyes slightly.

"Of course not..." Po said sheepishly, before blushing furiously. Ping laughed, and to avoid any questions, Li forced himself to laugh too.

After that night, Li assumed it was an action stupidly taken after one too many drinks. He thought they would wake up in the morning so embarrassed about the way they acted in front off everyone, and would force everyone to forget about the whole thing... a year since it changed everything. They became a couple, and she was all he ever talks about. Around her in training, around her outside of training, he was never away from her...

But he had Po now; she has been away the past few days. This was his second Winter Festival in the Valley, and he was looking forward to spending it with Po and Ping, and only them.

There was a brief silence between them. "So... um, son." Po raised his head with a toothy smile. "What shall we do today?" Motioning towards Ping, he added. "I was hoping we could get the decorations down and-"

Po chuckled. "I'm way ahead of you on that one dad!" Mr Ping pushed out a box from under the prep counter. "I got them out while you were sleeping!" He bent down to pick up the little red lantern he made for Ping as a cub.

"That's my favorite ornament!" Ping swooned and he and Li took out more decorations. "Shall we hang it over the entrance? Or over the order counter?"

Po watched at the other decorations were pulled out; the main box that held everything was dusty from being cooped up in storage for most of the year. His goose dad always made sure his lantern was on top to make sure it wasn't damaged in anyway. The worst it ever encountered was a light layer of dust, when he didn't close the lid properly one year, and he still gets lectured about it.

"Over the entrance." He answered, looked back down at the lantern fondly. Placing it on the counter, he turned to take a set of decorations from the box again. "We'll leave it til last."

"And done!" Po had placed the lantern over the entrance, and took a step back to join his fathers in viewing the handiwork. The sun beamed down, strong enough to brighten the red paper, but not enough to melt the snow.

"All set!" Li turned back around to walk back into the restaurant. It was still pretty early, and no one had arrived to the restaurant. Taking a seat, he sighed happily. "Now we can relax for the day, and do what we please."

"Yeap!" Mr. Ping joined him, leaving Po to move his gaze to his paws, which were knitting together almost anxiously by his stomach. Slowly biting his lip, Mr. Ping and Li saw this right away, and glanced at one another. "Son?" They said in unison. He moved his head in their direction, and a stool was pushed out from under the table, inviting him to sit.

Once he parked himself, Li placed a paw on his shoulder. "Is everything okay? You got quiet all of a sudden son..."

Mr. Ping leapt onto the table and felt his forehead hastily. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine dads... just... been needing to ask you guys something."

Both of them tilted their heads in question as Ping pulled his wing away. "What?"

"It's about... Tigress... do you guys like her?"

Li's lip stiffened a little, but Mr. Ping jumped on board before anyone could notice. "Of course we do! Why, what's wrong?" Before Po could respond, the bird started to panic. Flapping his wings over his head in a feathered frenzy, his eyes widened. "You haven't ended things... right?!"

"No!" Po laughed, holding his head in one paw, while simultaneously raising the other to tame the goose. "Of course I haven't."

Mr. Ping stopped panicking instantly, and sighed with a mass of relief overcoming him. "Phew! That's a relief... but what about her?"

Po raised his eyes to the sky. "Well I..."

"Better not be causing trouble." Po jumped, and fell off his stool. Low and be-hold, there she was. Dressed in her usual golden jacket attire, Po grinned at her, jumped to his feet and ran to her, catching her in a warm bear hug. Mr. Ping's wings clasped together under his beak, whispering 'aww' when he cupped his beloved's cheeks, and they shared a small, loving kiss. Li Shan also smiled at the scene, but could help but feel lump growing in his throat.

So much for family time, he thought, as Po began telling Tigress how much he missed her, in which she just laughed in response. "I've only been gone a few days..." Shaking her head at him as he blushed, she linked paws with him and bowed her head in their direction. "Hello Mr. Ping, Master Shan."

"Welcome back my dear!" Mr. Ping waddled towards her with open wings. "You must be freezing! Come, I shall give you some broth!"

"Thank you Mr. Ping, but I'm fine for food..."

Po wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Besides, I think Master Shifu will be expecting me to do training once you got back... shall we?" He motioned outside, and she happily accepted the invitation. "See you later dads."

They waved them off, but watching the two of them walk out, just like in the dream... made Li's wave a little stiffer. One thought swam around his head.

What was he going to say before she cut in?

Next chapter coming soon you guys! Enjoy!

Ciao!