Ping's eyes were too heavy to open; that was the first the thing he realised. The next was that the sun was shining down on him, its warmth a gentle caress against the pains that were making themselves known.

He lay still for a moment, listening to the twitter of nearby birds and the quiet murmur of people. It was highly unlikely that they were still in the field anymore, Ping was lying on an actual bed and there was a heavy blanket covering his legs. He kept his eyes shut for a few minutes longer, trying to recall what has happened...

Shan-Yu had escaped the mountains... He had attacked the palace. Ping realised that his injuries had to have come from that battle; his face burnt from the cannon in the mountains and his ankle, ribs and throat from Shan-Yu chasing him through the palace.

He wanted to know where he was though; still at the palace, in the care of another medic in the city, or had they taken him home? For a moment, the young man desperately wanted to be at home, and he didn't even care if it would be disappointment on the faces of his family; he just wanted to see them again. With this in mind, Ping forced his eyelids open; it took a moment before he could see, his eyes remaining rolled back even as their lids obeyed.

The high ceiling answered the most important part, he wasn't back home yet. Turning his head was difficult and it took a large portion of his energy to accomplish, but it made the young lad nearby jump to his feet.

"Please wait sir, I'll go get the doctor." And the boy was scrambling out the door before Ping could sluggishly think of a response.

It seemed like seconds later when someone was talking and Ping was having to force open eyes that he didn't remember shutting.

Staying awake while the doctor checked him over was a struggle and by the time the man was done, Ping had missed his chance to ask about Shang and the others; but it had to wait as the effort of opening his eyes and talking to anyone again was too great.

The next time Ping woke, the same young boy was sat in the corner of the room again.

He told Ping "It's only been half a day since the doctor left." As he stood up with a smile on his face. He hurried out the room, calling back "Your friend wants to see you."

Shang? He rather hoped so. The doctor had informed him that over two weeks had passed since Shan-Yu had been defeated. Ping had no memory of the time in between, but he found he missed his captain anyway. Still, he would have liked to have seen Mushu too, but his guardian wouldn't be hanging around where people would see him. Hopefully, the dragon was hiding just out of sight.

As he waited, another slightly older boy came in, carrying a tray. "The doctor said you are to have the tea he has prepared. There is also soup as you will not be able to eat much else." As he spoke, Ping made his shaking arms work to push him into sitting up. Again, the effort of moving left him tired, but the thought of tea and soup was enough to keep the man awake.

"Thank you." He mumbled as the other held out cup to his lips. He didn't bother asking to hold it himself as his hands were likely to be too unsteady.

As the tea perked him up, his eyes drifted to the bowl of soup. The thought of food becoming more tempting as the moments slipped by. It was only the cry of "Ping!" from a familiar voice pulled his gaze away. Dressed smartly but without armour, Shang was a welcome sight as he walked into the room and dismissed both boys.

"How are you?" He asked earnestly, "I heard you had woken earlier but I missed my chance."

"I'm..." He hesitated for a moment before deciding to be honest. "I ache. My face feels too tight and everything feels heavy."

"Your face..."

"But for the moment, I'm awake and I'm hungry." Ping smiled sheepishly at him as Shang glanced at the bowl. He was glad to see Shang and was beyond thankful that he hadn't been left here in his own, but his appetite was making itself known.

"Do you need help? I mean... It's not that I think you incapable, but I just... that not just now was-"

"Help would be appreciated." Ping interrupted with a grin. However, he dozed off again after just a few mouthfuls and he once more wondered where Mushu had gone.

The guardian didn't show up again until more than a week later. Nonetheless, when he did arrive it was with a swagger that said he was very pleased with himself.

"Hey, buddy." The dragon slid up the bed to stand on Ping's chest. "You're looking better."

The young man moved the guardian off his ribs, which were still sore before smiling gently at his friend. "I'm getting there, apparently. All I can tell is that I hurt less and I'm not sleeping so much."

"You're still in pain?" Ping laughed slightly at the look on Mushu's face.

"Not all of us are fast healers. I'm not allowed to walk normally on my ankle for months yet and I... well, I have a fair few scars that aren't going to go."

"You think anyone cares that you aren't a flawless pretty boy anymore? Cos if they do then point them out to me and to they can have a few burns to match... and a few lower down too." Mushu had come to stand beside his head now, glaring down as he defended Ping from imagined tormentors.

"Where've you been, Mushu?" Ping asked, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice as he looked at the dragon.

Mushu grinned widely at him, his body straightening up as he replied. "I've been getting your family over here."

Ping startled, staring at his guardian. "My family? How?"

"I'll tell you this, it wasn't easy. Man, I had to write so many letters and talk to myself just out of sight of so many people to get this arranged."

"My family are coming? Here? Who? When?"

"Mulan and your Grandmother... also an escort of some locals who I think really just wanted to see the Imperial City."

"Are they here yet?"

"They're in the city, not sure if they've reached the palace yet. Oh, I overheard something else. You're gonna be meeting the Emperor soon."

"Me?" Ping gaped at his guardian, surprised for a moment before nerves suddenly struck him. "He wants to see me? But I can't stand well yet. And I'm not… you know…"

Mushu puffed himself up indignantly before Ping could finish speaking, having correctly guessed where the young man was going from his body language and half-hearted gestures. "If you're trying to say you aren't important then I have news for you; you saved China from the Hun army. Of course he wants to meet you. He's met Shang and the others, but he wanted to wait until you were feeling better."

"Why?"

"Conversations don't work so well when one party falls asleep half way through." But whatever he had been going to say next was interrupted as the man who had been stepping into the room was knocked out the way by a young woman.

"Ping!" She yelled, throwing herself at him.

"Ping?" Shang was following her into the room, confusion etched into his face.

Ping didn't notice Shang's face though, he was entirely focussed on his dearly missed sister. As they clung to one another, an elderly woman limped slowly into the room; the was a moment when she paused, unnoticed by the others as relief, pride and love flitted across her face before the hint of a grin she usually wore settled back into position.

"I always knew you'd be trouble." She announced as she made her way over to the bed.

"Grandmother!" Ping reached out a hand to her, unable to shift more with Mulan still embracing him. "You know I don't mean to be troublesome."

"But trouble always seems to find you, my boy." She grasped his hand tightly, once more allowing her love to shine through.

"How's everyone been?" Ping asked as Shang turned and left the room unnoticed, but with a smile on his face. "What have I missed?"

Mulan sat back to answer, but their Grandmother beat her to it. "Who cares? I want to hear about how my grandson is a hero!"

Ping laughed, but quickly realised the women wanted to hear about it. He flinched, eyes dropping as he raised a hand to cover the scars on his face. "I can't…" he whispered but his healed throat clogged up.

"Don't listen to her, Ping. It's enough to know that you're safe." Her voice was steady as she gripped his shoulders and waited for him to lift his eyes.

"You've done the hard part, Ping." Their Grandmother said, her eyes gentle and her grin absent. "We'll be home soon, you just need to be strong for a little bit longer."

He shook his head, tears finally welling up as he pressed his face into Mulan's neck. Her whisper of "I'll be strong for you." Was a promise he clung to as he settled down to listen to the women recount their own journey over… their own journey that had had far more close calls than necessary thanks to their Grandmother's utter confidence in yet another 'lucky cricket'.

"So… Grandmother and sister, huh?"

Shang and Ping were sat out on a balcony the next morning, wrapped in thick clothing as the unexpected warm weather they had been having had dropped away and left a chill in the air. Shang had headed over not long after dawn to watch Ping while he slept and had then sent for tea and breakfast when he had woken.

"Someone must have let them know I was here." He half-explained with an amused grin tugging at his lips as he thought about Mushu. "I think they are going to stay here until I'm ready to go back home."

"That'll be after you've met with the Emperor, I guess." Shang's voice had an odd note to it, causing Ping to turn and look at him. There was an odd look on his face, but the young man wasn't quite able to translate it.

"What's wrong?" As Shang opened his mouth Ping held up a hand. "And don't say 'nothing'."

"I live here, in this city. My mother is here, my brothers are here…" He hesitated for a moment before reaching out to grasp Ping's hand. "You live far away. I don't want to say goodbye."

"Then don't." Ping stood up and hopped slightly before dropping into Shang's lap. "I don't need to leave the army. I can stay here and work with you."

Shang wrapped his arms around him, shutting his eyes and enjoying the closeness. "But your family…" he whispered.

"They'll get by without me. Mulan can see to the farm, in time." Ping pushed the older man's head up so that their eyes met. "My place was not there, it is here. I hope, in part with you, but also where I can be myself. I admit that I would like a more gentle job than a soldier but it fits me better than trying to help with farm work."

"You're going to come back then?"

"Yes."

Ping leaned forwards to press their lips together, revelling in the caress of hands on his back and the surrender of Shang's mouth to his exploration. The soft slide of lips as Shang opened his mouth to Ping's probing tongue made the younger man's breath quicken, desire forming a hazy cloud over his thoughts as the hands on his back dipped lower.

"Ouch!" Shang suddenly yelped and jerked up. He caught Ping before the other toppled over, but only one of them caught a glimpse of the long, red body that was disappearing inside. "Something bit me!"

"Oh." Ping gasped, his arousal having dropped away so quickly that his head was spinning, thought falling backwards probably hadn't helped. "It was probably just some annoying, little insect." He stated pointedly as he pressed close again, eyes flitting about to find where his bothersome guardian had gone.

Shang smiled wryly, but didn't try starting their activity up again. "Not to worry. I promised myself I wouldn't truly have you until we had a home together, wherever that may be."

"You still want to live in a village and train local boys to fight then?" Ping asked, his mind recalling a conversation that seemed to be a lifetime ago.

He nodded, "In time. For now, I'm content in the army. What was it that you wanted to do again?"

"I'd like to work as a scribe, like Chi-Fu does." Even after everything, the idea felt like a very distant goal, however the chance to travel and record not just what was going on with the army but with the different lives of those they encountered was something of a dream.

"I'll talk to someone. Surely after what you have done, you can make a start somewhere." Shang stated, his eyes soft as his hands moved up to caress his face. "What are you doing today?"

"You mean do we have much time to be together? I'm not sure. I'm having a bath soon though and getting properly clean again is likely to take some time." He smirked at Shang who had gone red, even as his own face flushed slightly.

"A bath? Well, yes… If you need help scrubbing… Or not, I meant what I said about waiting until we're in our own home before I lay you out and fully adore you, body, mind and soul."

Ping laughed happily as kissed Shang's forehead, his mind moving too quickly in forming a plan to get bogged down in arousal. "I'm sure. First a bath, then meet the Emperor. After that sort out my future career as a scribe or a soldier then I'll go home, see my family before coming back to live my life with you."

"Perfection." Whispered Shang, kissing the man again.

Ping pulled back as something else occurred to him. "And then double-check my Grandmother hasn't joined the army herself. She's been making comments about fine, young men." He added, a fond grin on his face as he imagined the havoc she could cause.

"Before that, I'd rather you tell me, honestly, all about this future home we're going to have. I want so many details that I can see it in my sleep."

Ping laughed again as a cheeky expression formed on his face. "All you need to know is that you will be there, I will be there, and so will the bed we are going to share."