Chapter 27

48 hours later...

It took a day less than what Po had thought, but he could feel his heart jumping out of his chest at the sight of his home just within reach...

Until he tumbled and hit the deck just before he could pass through the entrance. Man, he thought. How could I get back in two days instead of three? I'll never know...

Maybe he did. He came back for many things; to care for Tigress, to look after the boys, to patiently wait for his third child's arrival, to decide names, to thank Shang and Jasmine for everything they have done for her... help Tai Lung and Sapphire in anyway he can...

"But you can save her... if you get home quickly, and thank those who will save her from another threat."

He narrowed his eyes to see the shadow of a pack of... something, crawling along the open air, before being swiped away by a gust of wind. His heart dropped, and the vial was in his satchel in a flash. "I gotta warn Monkey and Viper-"

"Already did," Soothsayer pointed to the sky as she spoke reassuringly. "They are well on their way back. You do the same Po... they'll need assistance."

Whatever was going on... or was going to happen, Po's heart twisted at the thought. He knew he could count on the others to keep Tigress safe from anything harmful... but what did Soothsayer mean by the threat? The silhouettes weren't clear enough for him to specify the enemy, and Soothsayer didn't say who it was she was being protected from... maybe she didn't know the answers herself?

Shaking the minor pain he felt impacting the ground, he dusted himself off and rushed into the village. Everyone present in the streets turned his way and stared; oddly, they didn't cheer for his return like they used to. Instead, they ushered him to the Palace. With a funny look on his face, a village woman grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him along. That was when Mei Mei spotted him, jumped to her feet after being on the ground scrubbing a specific spot, and ran for him.

"Po! You must hurry!" She cried. "Something terrible has happened! Monkey and I were just about to send messages to you!"

"Where is-"

"PO!" Monkey came running on all fours. "Have you got the-" Po rushed through the bag and passed him the last two ingredients. "C'mon, we need to get up there!"

Po didn't have to be asked twice. The three ran as fast as they could, climbing up the steps on their paws and knees once they hit a particular spot, exhausted. Monkey kept going to their tiredness. Po had his own reasons to be ready to hit the ground; he had been on the move non stop for days. As for Mei Mei; her arms, back and knees ached from being hunched over and scrubbing all morning. Her digits ached once she flexed them, and her neck creaked as she tried to move her view upwards, to see Monkey become a figure, then a moving shape, to a moving blob, to then a speck, eventually to nothing...

He burst through the door, where Woo, Lok, Jun, and Viper stood to attention. "Po's back." Monkey said, before rushing past them.

He rushed down the hall, into the medical wing, where Jasmine was just wiping her paws with a rag. She jumped when he came in, while Yuki and Yumi took their attention away from the window, immediately asking what was the rush. A pair of softening Amber eyes blinked open. "Po's on his way up. He gave me these-" he presented the honey vial and beans to Jasmine with open palms, eyeing Tigress as she sat up straight in bed. She had been restless over the past few days. The inability to go down to the village, let alone anywhere else but inside the palace courtyard, she grew restless, yet more fatigue.

"He's here..." she whispered weakly, glancing at the items being swiped up into Jasmine's gentle hold, who, in turn stared down at them with a soft smile.

"I'll get to it right away..." looking at Tigress, she fixed a stern gaze, and brushed the feline's forehead with the back of her paw. "You sit easy..." twisting around on her heels, Jasmine strolled to the table, and began preparing the antidote, but before Tigress could focus her attention on the method, she heard heavy panting, and weighted footsteps dragging across the ground. Tigress dragged herself out of bed, despite Jasmine telling her to get back to where she was. Not like she was able to get far.

A large flabby pair of arms wrapped around her, causing both bodies to hit the ground. Immediately she picked up the scent; noodles, spices, herbs... him. Pulling away far enough, their eyes met. He went to hug her again, but she just held his face in her blurry focus. "Po..." she whispered, before he held her closer.

"Told you I'd come back, didn't I?" He said with a smile, before both leaned in for a long awaiting kiss, before he held her tight, rocking back and forth, as their foreheads touched, and their eyes locked with one another. Jasmine didn't intervene, she, Monkey and the twins just smiled, before hearing Tigro and Lotus at the end of the hall. Monkey leaned against the door frame, smiling weakly as his wiped his forehead with a rag.

"Papa? Is that you?" They cried out at the sight of him, and scampered down the hall, and jumped on top of him. Next thing he knew, he had slipped out of Tigress' hold, and was on the floor with his two overly excited children, ecstatic with his return. He wrapped his arms around both his cubs, bombarding them with kisses when he sat back up again, and Tigress had her head on his shoulder, both out of relief and exhaustion.

"I'm home... and I don't plan on leaving..." Tigro and Lotus got up when Po asked them to, and he hoisted Tigress up once the bag was dumped on the floor. Her form was a whole lot lighter than he had remembered, the baby's bump was still small, and she could barely stand. Jasmine was mashing up the beans and adding in the black honey, with Yuki and Yumi holding the rest in their paws. Po carried Tigress back into the room bridal style, and lay her gently on the bed, before being greeting by the three other women in the room. "Rest now..." Brushing back the fur on her forehead, he watched her worriedly as she blinked slowly, her breathing heavy and laborious. She noticed his worrisome facade and asked him what was the cause. "You seem sicker than you were a few days ago..." He whispered, cupping one of her paws in both of his, face crippling into one of fear. "It's hard seeing you like this..."

Monkey, who had stepped out of the way to let the panda in, re-positioned himself back into his place. Chang came running seconds later, and climbed into his father's arms, burrowing his head into the crook of his neck. Monkey said nothing and just held him like he was never going to let go. Upon his return from the the fight in the Valley the day before, it had been a crazy ride. "Boys... we need to speak with your father privately... could you check if Crane needs any help?" Tigro and Lotus nodded, before reassuring their parents they'll be right back. Chang went with them reluctantly, but knew by his Mono's voice, it was important. Heck, they weren't stupid... they'd know what the topic of the conversation would be...

Po turned to Monkey as he closed the door. "What is it?" He looked around him; there was someone missing...

"It's about Tai Lung." Po stood up immediately, one paw tightening around his wives', while the other slumped to his side. "There was a invasion... they came to hold Tigress ransom..." He folded his arms loosely, eyes feeding on his shadow on the ground. "Somehow they knew we were away... and that she was ill."

"He didn't..." Po thought of something completely different.

"No..." Tigress breathed, making Po look down at her sharply. "We were hidden... a-and he helped out in the fight..." There her voice began to crack, and he sat her up. Jasmine and the twins quickened their pace, stirring the last of the ingredients into hot water.

"And then?" Po urged, although he knew she couldn't speak any faster. He turned to Monkey for the answer. The primate shifted his gaze away, lightly biting his lip doubtfully.

"The leader caught hold of Sapphire. He realized the blood ties... one thing led to another, they moved down to the village. Viper and I showed up... we defeated them... but Tai Lung got severely wounded." Po asked where he was. "He's down in the village hospital. Shang has been running back and forth, treating both Tai Lung and Tigress."

Po wasn't saying anything else; he just stared at Monkey as he kept talking; telling him how Tigress nearly passed out at the news, and in her current state, deteriorating. Through the words, Jasmine and the twins had finished brewing the antidote. Pressing it towards Po, he snapped back to reality, pulled Tigress up far enough to have her slumped against him. Twisting his head down to her, he practically fed her like a toddler; once the rim of the cup was against her quivering lips, she weakly took the drink, eyes slowly closing to the tingling sensation of the warm liquid lapping on her tongue, gums, and roof of her mouth...

"How're you feeling?" Po asked once he put the cup down.

"Mmm..."

They all watched her in silence while he lay her back down, his paw holding her head gently, and with a quiet sigh, she grew unresponsive once her head touched the pillow. Po was frozen, gripping onto her paw tightly, whispering her name. "Don't worry now Dragon Warrior... she'll be sleeping for a while... but after that she will be right as rain." Jasmine placed a paw on Po's shoulder, and he jumped up and embraced his sister-in-law tightly, taking her off the ground.

"Thank you..." he whispered, and she smiled into the hug, with her chin resting on his shoulder, giving her the access to watch Tigress peacefully sleeping. Not even a minute into taking the medicine, she could see a radiant glow...

"You should rest Po." Monkey suggested, which Po did favour, but he shook his head.

"Not yet," he replied. "I need to talk to Shifu now." Putting Jasmine back down, Po turned to Monkey, who was just opening the door, which revealed Viper's head popping through the gap. "Viper."

"I couldn't help but overhear... if you need Shifu, he's gone down to the Valley to see them." How did Po not notice the red panda passing by? There was a small smile of hope appearing on her face when Po asked who. "Sapphire hasn't left Tai Lung's side since the attack..."

Down in the valley...

Sapphire almost forgot what a decent night's sleep was.

"...in case they someone how latched onto the idea of it being possible, let alone the truth..."

Somehow there was always a noise; a voice, a creak, and hush, a whisper, and clatter... something would pluck her from her dreamless slumber. This time when she awoke, rising up from the sofa, there was sunlight... but she wasn't in Po and Tigress' spare room, or in the suite.

White walls, a clean smell lapped around her nostrils... and a tightening sensation around her arm, the area just below the shoulder, ached at her movement. Scanning the area with both her eyes and a tentative paw, she inspected the thick layer of bandages that concealed stitches... for a brief moment she forgot how it even got there, and went to push the thought out of the way when she pulled herself off of the sofa, crossing her arms. The blankets slid off the surface and hit the ground. Before she could acknowledge the items move, her eyes fell to the hospital bed.

Sapphire was almost afraid to ask the doctors about his progress when they came in every once in a while to check on him, redress the wound, and so on. Many people gave her frightened looks when she came to the hospital, not far behind Tai Lung. Shang wasn't around when she woke up like he was the day before... he was probably working on Tigress like he should be...

Shang instructed that he had to be laid on his back, arms planted by his sides, the blanket just stopping under the belt of bandages wrapped around his torso. The wound of pretty big, and was close to piercing out the other side of his body, if Alpha got the chance to do the deed... but whoever was wrapping the bandage around him, they must of wasted a whole roll; it was like the white was trying to conceal a massive lump, and it looked absolutely ridiculous, on such a character she almost laughed at the sight, but her level of tiredness was far to strong.

"I've dealt a seven year battle, unsure what would become of me..."

A sharp pang cut across Sapphire's eyes, and her paws abruptly cradled her head in an attempt to ease the pain. Instead of being consumed by a black void when her eyes closed, she saw the familiar scene; a frown on his demeanor, with saddened eyes, and ears across his head. He reached for her paw, and she allowed him to help her up. Those words were repeated, before she whispered;

I'm eternally in your shadow.

"You haven't left this room in two days." The leopardess almost jumped out of the several layers that made her form. Shifu stood at the door, staring at her blankly, his leg bandaged up, and he was being supported by crutches instead of his staff. Without awaiting an invitation, the red panda slowly moved into the space, leaving the door slightly ajar. "Shouldn't you go for something to eat? Or fresh air?" The snow cat shook her head, before taking a seat on the sofa again, sighing.

"Not hungry..." she replied thickly, sinking down slightly in her place, one leg sitting over the other as she turned her gaze on Tai Lung. "Someone needs to watch him..." Her attempt at lightening up the mood wasn't working.

"I don't mind sitting here with him." Shifu hobbled over, and took a seat beside her. "Go get a cup of tea at least..."

This time she listened, and glided out of the room like a voiceless ghost. Hearing the door slide shut with a wood clank, Shifu avert his gaze from the door, and watched Tai Lung's form. His eyes remained closed, and nothing had passed his lips in over two days, and the only thing that was signalling that he was still here was the subtle rising and falling of his chest. It was almost therapeutic to watch, and Shifu moved in closer to investigate.

Never had Shifu seen the snow cat so calm; in the days before the invasion, Tai Lung was always on his feet. Making tea, fetching blankets, cooking and cleaning talking to the boys, entertaining them, getting the broth from Jasmine and bringing it to Tigress, updating her status when Shifu was absent from certain times. The only time he wasn't on the constant move was when he was sitting in the medical wing with Tigress, talking to her, or just watching her sleep... his work going unnoticed by the old Master. He heard Crane praise his hard work, and even Mantis was starting to warm up to the idea, but Shifu's reaction was nothing supportive... to him Tai Lung was still the same he was before. He was just putting on this act so he could fool them all before he could attack.

"I'm back," he turned to see her leaning against the closed door, taking in the warmth of the teacup. "Good call..." she commented, before they both looked away from one another awkwardly. With Shifu now off the sofa, she sat back down, throwing her legs up to elevate her feet from the hard stone ground. Her head met the cushions behind her as her form slid down, exhaling softly through the nose.

Shifu glanced at her through this whole act, before looking back at Tai Lung when she opened her eyes again, staring at the same thing. "You haven't slept." He commented, ear twitching slightly at the sound of her slow intakes of air. They were calmer than before; she spoke firmer, and which more authority since the attack. Shang made the comment on his way back from the village.

"Haven't had to peace and quiet..." She spoke through another sigh, eyes elevated to the ceiling. "I've tried, I promise you that..."

"Why not try now?" He asked invitingly as he gestured at the blankets settled next to the sofa without having to turn back to look at her. Sapphire followed his motion, and stared at the mount with a twitch in her nose. How amazing that sounded... but she shook her head at the offer, biting her lip.

"I can wait til tonight." She replied, before taking in another sip. The brew bubbled around her lips when she gently blew into it. "The Nurses are showing me how to dress the cut." Shifu raised a brow, and finally turned to look at her. "My little scar from this fight," she lifted her arm to show the bandage, before frowning at it. Shifu asked her what the matter. "It's just... none of this wouldn't have happened if I didn't act out. When the wolf cut me, I yelled out like a child. I thought it hurt." Putting the cup down on the side table, she gently squeezed the area, even though he told her not to. "I'm not in pain."

He could've believed her, if it wasn't for the minor strain on her vocal chords. Shifu slowly got to his feed, and moved over to her. She asked what he was doing, but there was no answer from him; abruptly, he quickly slid across her focus, somehow on the sore leg, and before she knew it, he was inspecting the cut under the band-aid. "This was severe." He said bluntly, letting go of her limb. Some unknown force made them lock eyes, and there Sapphire saw the anger slowly coming alight. "Whatever made you think it wasn't?"

Sapphire could only shrug. "It doesn't matter to you." Her response came out ruder than she anticipated, but there was no chance granted to express her apology. He shook his head and glared at her.

"You can't act like this is a little cut Sapphire... why wasn't I informed of this?"

Sapphire got to her feet when he jumped off the sofa, arms linked under the folds of his sleeves as he landed on his good leg. "Patient confidentiality," she replied defensively. "It has nothing to do with you."

Shifu averted his gaze towards the window. There he saw the Jade Palace take on the sun's filter. There Tigress was deteriorating... and here Tai Lung's status wasn't stable, and his outcome from this was unknown...

"It does when it comes to family." The snow cat just stared down at him in shock, her arms rigid by her sides. "The past few days gave me the opportunity to open up my views on many things. Tai Lung's intentions... they are what they were from the start. Tigress and Po were right to trust him, to let him come here, and have to opportunity to redeem." He replied in a soft tone. " If this didn't happen, you would be still avoiding him, fighting against every word that comes from his mouth. This happened for a reason; for all of us. For me, the Masters, and the Valley, it was his act towards redemption. As for you... whatever time you may have left... now you can make it right between you and the man that only got to hold you, and love you once. He has his place in the palace... and so do you."

Sapphire's mouth was slightly agape, ready to speak her own words... but nothing was willing to roll off her tongue so easily. It took a moment, but what came out was what was truely going on in her head.

"How dare you." She hissed. "What rights have you to tell me that?" His mouth opened to speak, but she didn't give him the time to talk. "No. No!" She was close to screaming now, eyes flaring and paws so tight her claws embedded into her palms. "You have no right to tell me that!" She then pointed out the window, directly at the Jade Palace. She couldn't hit him, not like what she did to Woo; the strength could injure him beyond repair, and everyone would want to banish her, lock her up and throw away the key. She couldn't be trouble... "In case you don't forget, you have two grandsons who haven't experienced any ounce of affection from you, outside of training... and your own daughter could be dying, and never have I seen you express anything but strict Master- Student relations." He made a face that indicated he didn't know what she was talking about. "Don't act stupid old man; everything you've done when he was in prison, everything you did and said during the decision to have her third child. It will be embedded in her mind until the very last breath. Before you come to me and tell me how to fix things with my father, I'd advise you to leave, and fix things with Tigress... if you have the guts."

It was Shifu's turn to be dumbfounded by her words, but he slowly limped towards the door. Once he was gone, she sunk to her knees, breathing heavily as her head hung to the ground.

"That sure was something." Her head snapped back up, and there he was.

"Po!" He stood there in the doorway, a large satchel slung over his shoulder, fur tussled from the winds he must of battled through the get home. Clearly exhausted, she leapt to her feet and pulled him in. "Sit down-" yet he didn't follow her gesture to the couch. He thanked for her the offer, but went straight over to Tai Lung. She watched him wordlessly as she sat by him, just looking down at him blankly, before watching Po stare down at him sadly.

"You idiot..." he whispered, while Sapphire's ears twitched at the sound chuckling. "Is there ever a time you can let someone else be the hero?" Shaking his head, he placed put a paw on Sapphire's good shoulder. "You okay kiddo?"

"Yeah... just a little cut up." She completely brushed off Shifu's comment about her cut. "It's my fault he's like this..." she muttered, placing a firm paw on the bandages in case she pulled a Shifu on her, but he just rubbed her shoulder gently.

"Hey don't knock yourself down over it... he heard you get hurt, and he took the chance to make sure you weren't badly injured... he was worried."

"Yeah..." her heart sunk a little with the sudden guilt. "Did you get everything for Tigress?"

"We did... she's just taken the antidote..." he squeezed her shoulder with a grin. "She and the baby will be okay." Sapphire smiled too, her tail swishing behind her happily. "Now we can focus on Tai Lung, Shifu, and you," she didn't like the sound of that. "You three are the ones who need to rest up easy... once he's done what he's told."

"Who?" He just raised an brow, the smile still on his face, before she blinked slowly. "Will he really?"

"Well he seemed in a rush to get out, and he told me he had a special mission to take care of... and so do you." He motioned towards Tai Lung delicately. "You said it yourself... he's your father..."

Immediately, Sapphire's eyes rolled towards the ceiling, before she shimmied away from him. "I will never have a place in this Valley." She said huffily. "I was kept in the dark for too long, and suddenly being pushed into the light made it worse. There's a parade of questions waiting for me once he wakes up," if he ever does. Tears were welling up in her eyes, and before he could say anything she pointed at the door. "I won't be accepted."

"You will," Po folded his arms after pulling away from her. Suddenly realizing he had the satchel on his back, to unhook his arms, took it off, and passed it too her. She reluctantly took it, pulling a weird face. "I've been needing to give you these... might change your perspective." And with that, he walked out. She watched him leave slowly, before slowly moving her gaze back to the back. Tentatively, she pulled back the flap;

Scrolls.

Thats chapter 27 guys! Hope you like it!

The next chapter or so will be the last I'm afraid XD

Soooo please leave a review and chapter 28 will be up asap!

Ciao!