Author's Note: Sorry I have been taking a while on my story. I started writing another story, The King and Queen of Hearts. And with that, I had to change my writing style, dialogue wise. Writing with a Southern tongue can be challenging at times and may have kind of dampered my grammar, so I apologize. But thank you for all the reviews I appreciate it! I'm glad you guys love my story!

Special Thanks to:

Trackrat: Thanks for your review! We'll get started on our story soon!

Leah: Thank you for reading my story and your review! I'm glad that you like my story!

chelle93: Yes Xiaohua is finally turning around! I'm glad too! Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like my story!

PatTy: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad that you love both of my stories and think they are the best you've read! I'm very happy to hear that! :) Thank you! Your review brought a smile to my face!

RuthWannabe: I was very touched by your review! I had no idea my story brought on emotions like that! This may sound mean, but I am glad that you cried. I'm glad you had some emotion in this story, because that is what I have been trying to do this whole time: have you relate to the character and feel something when you read these stories.
And did you cry last chapter, when she said that the picture she saw was Shan's? That was one of my favorite scenes that I've written so far. And I'm glad you love my story! And btw, The Way I Loved You is one of my favorite love songs, ever!

Mulan sighed as she woke up in the morning. She was in Shang's arms and was warm underneath the covers. Their legs were intertwined and her head lay on his chest. She felt his soft breathing as his chest slowly rose up and down. As she looked at him sleeping, she giggled because she thought he looked so cute. Mulan slowly traced his face with her hands. His skin was not as soft, but a little rough and thick; probably due to all the training he had to go through. She played with his tousled hair which was now let down and loose and not tied up in its usual fashion.

"Mhmm." He sighed and brought her closer to him. One of Shang's hands was around her waist, while the other was on her arm near the shoulder bone. He gently massaged her waist and she moaned. "Good morning," he whispered softly in her ear and kissed her neck.

Mulan giggled. "Good morning to you too." She moved his face closer to hers and kissed him on the lips. Once they broke apart she sighed and laid her head on his chest.

"What's wrong Mulan?" Shang asked trying to calm her.

"We have another mission to accomplish," she told him unhappily, "And it's not going to be easy."

"I'm sure we can handle it," Shang said proudly, "After all we do make a good team." Mulan could feel that he was smiling even though she wasn't looking at his face.

"Shang, we have to go out of China's borders and talk to the Mongol tribes." She told him.

Shang gulped. Mulan could tell he was not so proud anymore, and maybe he was even scared. This time they had to do a mission that had no sure outcome, but had to end right. Mulan sat up in bed and looked at Shang, "What if we don't make it Shang? China can't afford to lose you! You're the General!" She then had one tear fall down her face, "Shang I can't afford to lose you."

He immediately sat up and gave her a reassuring hug. She rested her face on his chest. "Listen, as long as I am alive, I will make sure that you are fine and well. Because I can't afford to lose you either."

Immediately the door opened and Xiaohua stepped in, "Shang!" she yelled but then stopped when she saw Mulan and Shang. "Oh," she looked away, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No," Shang told her, and let go of Mulan. He slipped on his pants and got up from the bed. "What do you need Xiaohua?"

"Lord Chin wishes to see you now," she told him, "He says that it is urgent."

"Well," Mulan replied and slipped on a shirt and shorts, "He can wait. Shang needs to get dressed and meet up with him in the proper attire." She got up from the bed and brought Shang is uniform and armor. She helped him dress up, just like any good wife would.

Before Shang left, he gave her a kiss and walked out the door, quietly shutting it. Mulan then sighed and started to also dress. Since it was just Xiaohua in the room, she didn't care. But Mulan was able to change quickly before she even noticed she was changing. She changed into a simple robe that was dark olive green and blended in well with the forest. Outside, dark rain clouds were filling the sky. Even though it was still early in the morning, there was not a trace of light in the sky. And somehow it fit Mulan's current mood. "So," Mulan asked, trying to spark up a conversation with Xiaohua, "Where were you last night?"

"It doesn't matter," Xiaohua replied, "I was just in a different room."

"Well thank you," Mulan smiled. "I know you did that for me."

Xiaohua sat up on the bed and smiled. "You're welcome Fa Mulan. I want you to trust me. And I want us to work together well. I really and truly am sorry for my earlier actions, but I have changed."

Mulan smiled, "I believe you."

…

Once they cleaned up their bags and were packed, Mulan and Xiaohua both made their way to Lord Chin's meeting room. They were originally going to wait for Shang to come back, but after waiting twenty minutes, they decided to go on ahead. Along the way Mulan noticed that it was quiet, quieter than usual, she added.

When they reached the meeting room, Mulan greeted the guards, but none of them said anything back to her. She took the hat off of one of the guards and realized that there was an arrow directly pointed into his head. Mulan screamed and jumped back. Xiaohua just stood there in horror. "If the guards are down…" Xiaohua said to Mulan, she gasped. Mulan knew exactly what she was thinking and immediately kicked down the door.

Mulan gasped in horror. Xiaohua screamed and Mulan had to place her hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming. The tables were broken in half. The chairs were all over the place. Some of the councilmen were unconscious while others were dead. And in the middle of it all was a terrified Lord Chin who was sitting in his seat hyperventilating. A man was treating him.

From behind Xiaohua picked up a letter. "Fa Mulan listen to this! It's a letter from the men who did this."

Mulan immediately turned around, "What does it say?"

"It says,

Dear Fa Mulan,

We know who you are and we are watching you. You are lucky to not be captured by us; your dear husband saved you. We originally came here for you, but your husband made a deal we could not resist. We would take him for you. Now, you have a chance to save your husband, by coming and trading you for him.

Yours truly, Tan Ming

P.S. If you want to know where your husband is, ask Lord Chin. He set this whole thing up.

Mulan growled and grabbed a rope. She threw it up in the air and pulled it down. Along with the rope came a man. He was scared and dressed in all black. "How did you…" the man started to ask.

"Are you by yourself?" Mulan angrily asked, "Lie to me and I will kill you."

The man shook his head. "They made me the only man to watch you and see how you did," he nervously answered her.

Mulan screamed and stabbed the man in the chest. She then dropped the man and wiped her sword with his clothes. She then ran up to the chubby Lord Chin and grabbed him by the shirt collar. Mulan spit in his face and then yelled, "Where is Li Shang?"