A/N: Here I am with my chap! Has somebody missed me? (Or the next chap?) So, I am proud to say that we have reached my goal which means that I know have over 100 reviews! THANK YOU! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! (NO, I am not freaking out; I am just happy!)

I would say to you that you have answered my question well, though the real answer is that Jiao-Long not once says Mei-Hua's name in the last chap. Only 'the Dragon Queen' or 'your mother'. But then we'll have to find out why, and you have been good to realize Jiao-Longs emotion (I had to give him just some heart.) Well, more about that in this and later chapters.

Sorry for the wait, but don't blame me, blame my homework! I had to write a story in Danish and English (ironic isn't it) and a lot of other things so I didn't really had time for fanfic.

No, I don't own Kung Fu Panda (and I hope you know that now!)

Behind The Golden Eyes, Hidden Pain

Tigress walked through the halls, trying to find some way to clear her mind. It was now a day since her talk with her father, and she hadn't seen him since. No one had told her about how the situation in the Valley of Peace was or how close her mother was now. Left in the lack of knowledge, Tigress had tried to find Jiao-Long but with no avail.

Yuan wouldn't tell her anything, and now he was disappeared as well. Even though Tigress wouldn't admit it, she had been come worse to handle being alone. She wished that she could write a letter to Shifu and the others but she knew that Mei-Hua's guard would never let it pass.

Her ears were trying to catch any sound of voices, but there was dead quiet. Jiao-Long knew this place much better than Tigress, and if he wanted to be a place where she couldn't find him, then it would easy for him to just hide from her. For Tigress this place just seemed to grow bigger as she explored more. And when the hall ended, she let her curiosity win and opened the door that was in front of her.

Tigress found herself in a training hall. First it was like a punch in the stomach, painfully reminding her of her time in the Jade Palace. Then it suddenly became calming, like she actually was back at home again. Still, it was smaller than the training she knew, but right now it was perfect. She slowly walked towards some equipment, and with a smile on her face she attacked.

The sense of time was gone; all she could do was just continuing training. All her problems went away because she had something else to think of. And then, suddenly she stopped. The sound of a slow clapping had taken her attention. As she turned around, sweating and panting, she saw her father standing calmly, his shoulder against the wall.

He stopped clapping and walked towards her. "I see Shifu at least have taught you something."

Tigress watched him, and then she suddenly knew what to do. "Fight me." She said, taking her battle stance.

"What?" It was like she just had told a not-fun joke. Jiao-Long stared at her full of disbelieve, but also amused.

"Fight me." The younger tiger repeated, not moving at all. Her golden eyes were focused on her father's form, waiting for him to do something. Then, finally after what felt like minutes, the leader of the Shadow Warriors lifted his arm into his stance. It briefly reminded Tigress of Shifu's individual training.

Tigress leaped forward and made a kick towards his stomach, but he quickly blocked it and sent her some meters away from him again. Growling, Tigress tried again this time aiming for his head. But again, he was too fast. The younger tiger started to get frustrated; why couldn't she even touch him. She had been trained nearly all her life, she was a great fighter and had been the leader of the Furious Five, so why couldn't she defeat him?

Jiao-Long didn't try and attack her at all, he just blocked hers. And that didn't really help Tigress to be calm. With a furious roar she tried again and again…

"You are letting your anger control you." Jiao-Long calmly said as he grabbed Tigress' paw and stopped her from attacking. The younger tiger struggled in her father's grasp and with eyes like daggers she glared at him.

"At least I feel something!" Tigress spat out through gritted teeth. A second after she found herself on the floor. When she slowly got up again, her father had left the room. Tigress growled and slammed her fist on the ground.

Kung fu was something she and her father had in common. She had thought that it was something they could do together. But again she had destroyed anything. Jiao-Long was right; she could never control her anger. Shifu had helped her a lot, but still…

Tigress was just so angry at her parents. Or maybe she was just disappointed. The children in the Valley of Peace seemed so happy with a mother that would hug them and a father that would protect them. She had grown up without her parents and when they then finally found her then they didn't care about her.

But still, Tigress cared about them. She didn't want her father to be mad at her, and the feeling of guilt wouldn't leave her stomach. She shouldn't have said it. In too long time people had thought that she couldn't feel, that she didn't had any emotions. Her saying that to another person was just wrong. Sighing, Tigress got up and tried to find her father.

"I apologize." Tigress said as she entered the room. Jiao-Long stood with arms crossed waiting and a face that definitely didn't look happy. Tigress comforted herself with the fact that he at least had let her come in. She sighed again and continued. "I should be the last one to say that."

"The storm's over. You can leave if you want." Jiao-Long told her, studying his daughter.

"I'm not going to leave. Not before I have talked with you." Tigress walked closer, looking into her father's eyes. If Jiao-Long was going to test her then he could do that. Tigress knew what she had to say before she would go.

"You know that I am daughter and you knew where I was. You stayed away because you wanted to protect me. I believe that you were right. I wish that Mei-Hua hadn't found me, that I still was living in the Jade Palace. But my mother found me and I found you." She paused for a moment. "Maybe you aren't the biggest part of my life, and maybe you could have done things on a better, different way. But that's the past and we can't change that."

Jiao-Long didn't say anything, but Tigress could see that he was listening.

"I don't belong in the Dragon Palace and I don't belong here. But the Jade Palace is my home. I know that now. I have taken decisions that I am regretting. You were right when you told me that I should have stayed in the Jade Palace."

"Your mother will be here soon."

The time stood still and the room became ice cold. Tigress could feel the air on the neck rise. "How soon?" She asked with an empty voice.

"Less than a couple of hours."

"Can't you stop her?" Tigress asked again. He was the leader of the Shadow Warriors and yet he wasn't going to do anything?

"You are her daughter. You aren't a little cub anymore, I can't protect you."

Tigress just stared at him, stunned. "Are you going to talk with her?"

Jiao-Long made a dark chuckle. "The real question is if she is going to talk with me."

"You can try."

"You think that it's that easy?" He snarled, eyes glaring daggers at her. "I took away her child. Our child. Do you really think that she can forgive me for that?"

"You tried to protect me. You had your reasons." Tigress told him, staring back at him.

Jiao-Long just snorted. "It doesn't matter. You will have left then, she won't find you."

"But what about you? She will find you. What are you going to tell her?"

"You think I am scared of her?" Jiao-Long voice was like thunder.

"You have used your whole life avoiding her. You have lived alone on a mountain far away from anyone."

"Yes, I have. But look what I have spent my time with. I am the leader of the Shadow Warriors. All the time the villagers are whispering about they then it is because of me. I have tried fighting the dragons with the Shadow Warriors, I…" He trailed of, and took a deep breath. Tigress could see how he tried the calm down.

"Your mother isn't the problem. If you want someone to blame then find the dragons."

Tigress shook her head. "I am not trying to blame anyone. All I want is to be ready to leave."

"Yuan filled your bag with what you need. Take it." He handed her the bag that had been leaning against the wall. Tigress grabbed it and pulled it close to her. She looked away from him avoiding his eyes. "You still care about her, don't you?"

Jiao-Long froze, his ears flat against his skull. "Watch your words, girl."

But Tigress continued, ignoring his warning. "You can't even say her name."

"You are a fool!" Jiao-Long turned and started to leave, but Tigress stopped it before he could.

"Then say it." The younger tiger challenged him.

Jiao-Long opened his mouth, but that was it. No sound came out. Then he stormed pass her, door slamming as he left the room.

Tigress remained standing, unsure of what to do. She felt truly sorry for her father; he had been forced the leave the woman he loved. He must have felt so alone, even if he wouldn't admit it to her. Jiao-Long stilled loved her mother, Tigress was sure of that. But what did Mei-Hua feel?

The tiger sighed; she had started with apologizing to her father but had ended up making it all worse. Mei-Hua was getting closer and it was only a matter of time before she would be there. And Tigress wouldn't let that happen. She wouldn't let herself being caught by the Dragon Queen again.

Walking out on the hallway, Tigress once again tried to find her father. But he had disappeared and Tigress finally had to give up it; was not like she could spend all her time on that. As she opened the door that lead to the room where she last had seen Jiao-Long, Tigress realized that she wasn't alone. A raccoon was staring at her, the needed bag in his paw.

"Looking for this?" Yuan asked, and handed her the bag. Tigress had left it when she started her search, but she had to get it before she could go.

"Thanks." She muttered, and placed it on her back. "Have you seen…?"

"Jiao-Long has made it clear that he don't want to talk with you. But Master Tigress, one of the Shadow Warrior said that the Dragon Queen would be here soon. If you don't want her to find her then you must leave now."

"I know." Tigress sighed. "Yuan, when you see him, then please tell Jiao-Long that I am sorry and the Jade Palace's doors are open for him."

Yuan nodded. "I will tell him, Master Tigress."

Tigress bowed for him and then left the room. It only took short time before she found the right door, and was outside again. The snow was covering the ground in a thick layer, perfectly untouched. No snowflakes were coming from the sky much to Tigress' joy.

The tiger turned to the house that was carved inside the cliff of the mountain. Only the front was visible. Then Tigress did something that her father hadn't been able to so many years ago. "Goodbye father."

With that she left, starting the travel back to her home. The Jade Palace was her goal. She was missing her friends and if she was right then they were missing her too. The warm smile that came when she thought about them comforted her again. She could do this. She could return. She could make her life normal again.

Tigress thought about all the things she must do when she was back at home. First she would have to apologize to Shifu, and hopefully he would forgive her. Of course she owed her friends' an apology too. And then… Then she would just enjoy being back. She would gladly accept any hard training Shifu would give her if it just meant that she could stay.

The problem with Mei-Hua's guards was something that Tigress didn't thought so much about. With her training, then she would be able to sneak pass them. She had to. If they were the only thing between her and her home, then she would not let them stop her.

Tigress walked in an hour, her mind full of happy thoughts. Maybe something good actually could happen for her now. She was on her way home, away from her mother and father. But all those happy thoughts disappeared when she heard the well-known, soft voice.

"Tigress?"

A/N: Short, yes. But at least I finally got it done. I hope I can come up with the next chapter sooner.