Disclaimer: I do not own any Kung Fu Panda characters

A Tiger's Love

It was a typical day at the Jade Palace. Tigress was meditating trying to find her center. Yet, no matter how long she sat there her mind kept drifting back to a certain panda named Po. When he first came to the Jade Palace Tigress thought he was a joke and openly told him so. But she soon regretted her words when he defeated Tia-Lung and saved the Valley of Peace. Soon she began to have a deep respect for him and thought of him as a very good friend. After he almost died from Chen's weapon her heart broke in two. She couldn't believe he was gone just like that. Tigress grew angry but she felt her will to continue fighting had been diminished. When she saw Po standing on that roof her heart began to race. Soon her deep dread and sadness vanished as hope began to fill up her entire body. He was alive and together along with their friends and Master they saved all of China. After the battle when he hugged her it felt awkward but at the same time it felt so right. When he sat her down and backed away they never spoke of it again. Like they both agreed it was just a onetime thing and they would never discuss it because Po knew Tigress didn't like to show her emotions. Still Tigress thought about it constantly and wished she had hugged him back instead of stiffening up. Tigress soon began to feel awkward around Po but in a good way. Every time she saw him her heart just skipped a beat and she couldn't help but smile. He made her laugh and feel loved. She could tell Po anything and he would never judge her because of it. Even after all this time she still remembered her harsh words and wish she could have taken them back but Po never held it against her. As the months passed Tigress realized she was in love with Po when she kept dreaming about him kissing her or holding her. In one dream they were married and had children. She decided to talk to Po about her feelings towards him but that all changed when Po met a female mountain lion or a cougar, named Sasha. Sasha was a golden fur cougar with deep hazel eyes and a curvy figure. At first she seemed extremely sweet but when Po and she began to date something changed. At first it was very small things that Tigress noticed. During meals Po barely ate anything and when Tigress questioned him about it. He told her that Sasha broke up with her last boyfriend because he was overweight and Po was trying to lose weight to keep her happy. Yet, Tigress thought that was stupid because Po was a panda and he was supposed to be big but said nothing as she watched her friend diet. Then he began to train less and less with her and the others. Again Tigress asked why and he said Sasha broke up with her last boyfriend because he never spent a lot of time with her. Po could still do Kung Fu well enough but Tigress kept getting this weird feeling that something was off. A few days went by since Po began to date Sasha and he began acting weird but not in the normal way he usually acts. One time Tigress went into the kitchen to grab an apple and saw Po cooking a soup. She thought she would invite him to meditate with her and maybe later play a game of checkers. She barely touched his shoulder and he jumped literally three feet in the air. "Oh Po I am sorry if I scared you", Tigress began wishing she said his name first. But what came out of Po's mouth really bothered her.

"Oh no Tigress I am sorry you dropped your apple it is my entire fault. Sasha told me I never listen I am such an idiot. Please forgive me please", Po begged as tears fell from his face. Tigress didn't know how to react to this situation for it was an accident it wasn't a life or death situation. But the look Po was giving her made her heart ache.

"It is okay Po I forgive you", she said offering him a smile.

"Oh thank you Tigress I don't deserve you as a friend please don't tell Sasha I wasn't listening again. She left her ex-boyfriend because he never listened to her", Po begged.

"Um I promise I won't tell", Tigress said as she thought maybe that wasn't the only reason Sasha and her ex-boyfriend broke up. Po smiled and quickly finished the soup and Tigress now knew something was up with this Sasha girl. Her suspicions were confirmed when Sasha came to the Jade Palace. Po accepted Tigress invitation to meditate and play checkers with her later. He began to calm down and soon relaxed which made Tigress smile as she began to meditate. Yet when Sasha came waltzing in Po's demeanor changed drastically and Tigress took notice. He began to shake and sweat rapidly as he stood up to greet his girlfriend.

"Hey beautiful", Po said with a nervous smile.

"Po did you forget something?" Sasha asked. Po searched in his brain and soon his eyes were the size of golf balls.

"I was supposed to take you out again", he said bowing his head in disgrace.

"Yes, you were but instead I find you here with her", Sasha hissed as she glared at Tigress.

"It's not what you think sweetie. I was just meditating with Tigress nothing else," Po said quickly.

"No it is okay if you don't want to be my boyfriend anymore have fun with your little friend", Sasha hissed as she walked away. Po followed her and Tigress heard more shouting mostly Sasha was doing the shouting and then everything went quiet.

Po came back with tears in his eyes as he said in an emotionless tone ", Sorry Tigress I have to go". Then he left and Tigress noticed a small bruise forming on his face on the left cheek. Now Tigress was thinking a dreadful thought could Po's girlfriend be abusing him? The thought angered the female tiger and she decided to see if her suspicions were true. Later that night while Po slept Tigress snuck into his room to see if he had any other unexplained bruises. She saw that he lost a great deal of weight and knew his diet was not a good idea. She carefully lifted up his fur and to her horror saw a huge bruise on his back like someone hit him with something hard. Another one was a cut on his right shoulder like someone cut him with something. A burn mark was on his left side and Tigress knew Po was being abused. The next morning Tigress decided to confront Po about the bruises and to her shock he denied it.

"Come on Ti you know how clumsy I am. I just cut myself probably during a fight and the burn mark from when I made soup. Accidents happen all the time don't worry", Po said with a nervous grin.

"Po those marks were not from a fight or a kitchen accident. There were made by another person and I think we both know who is doing it to you. Po is Sasha abusing you?" Tigress asked trying to keep her anger in check.

"Of course not she loves me. I just make her mad a few times it is nothing besides you hit me all the time and we are friends", Po said defensively.

"Yes, Po I have punched you a few times but I have never tried to burn you or stab you in your shoulder blade", Tigress hissed. Then her eyes softened and she placed a paw on his shoulder. "Po I am worried about you", she said hiding her tears.

"Well don't be because I am fine now if you excuse me I have to go meet Sasha", Po said avoiding eye contact.

"Don't you think you should eat breakfast first?" Tigress asked as she remembered how thin he was looking.

"I will eat an apple on the way okay now please leave me alone", Po said. He left quickly but Tigress decided to follow him. She knew something was up and she was determined to save Po. She found Po talking to Sasha out in a meadow. Apparently Po was five minutes late and Sasha was angry. She became screaming at him and began punching him in the back.

"You worthless good for nothing panda, you bring this on yourself!" Sasha yelled. "You do this on purpose now I have to teach you another lesson!" Sasha screamed. She grabbed a branch and was about to hit Po with it when Tigress knocked her to the ground. Sasha's eyes grew wide with fear as Tigress held her by the throat.

"If you ever touch my panda again I will kill you", Tigress growled as her voice was cold as ice. "Now get out of here and I never want to see you near Po again understand?" Tigress asked as she tightened her grip on Sasha's neck. The other cat just nodded as Tigress threw her to the ground. When Sasha was gone Tigress picked up Po in her arms and cradled him as she whispered", It is alright Po you are safe now". Po didn't answer as she carried him back to the Jade Palace. For the next few days Tigress took good care of Po until he was back to his normal body weight. The others heard of Sasha's treatment of Po and they couldn't believe it. They knew Sasha was a bitch but they never thought she would be that bad. Po was in his room crying when Tigress came in. "Hey", she whispered.

"Hey", Po said giving her a weak smile. Tigress sat next to him and placed an arm around him as she hugged him.

"Po why did you let Sasha treat you that way?" Tigress asked. Po was such a nice guy and it broke her heart to see him in such distress.

"She was the first girl to love me and she made me think that no other girl would love me because I was a fat stupid panda", Po said sadly. "I thought if I did everything she asked then she would love me but she never loved me and now I am alone", Po said sadly.

"Po you are not alone you have your dad, the Five, Shifu and me. We love you and we will always love you", Tigress said trying to get Po to smile.

"It is not the same Tigress I want to have a mate and have a family. But let's face it what woman would ever want me?" Po asked as he got up and left the room crying.

"I want you", Tigress whispered as a tear fell from her eye. Later that night the Five and Shifu took Po to his dad's noodle shop to cheer him up. Tigress had a secret plan to show Po that she loved him and hopefully it would work.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen we have a special performer Master Tigress please give her a hand", Mr. Ping said happily.

"I dedicate this song to a very special friend of mine and I hope he likes it", Tigress said with a smile. She was looking at Po as the music began and she began to sing.

You're on the phone with your girlfriend - she's upset

She's going off about something that you said

'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do

Po remembered that day how he tried telling Sasha a joke and she got mad and walked off. Then when Tigress heard the yelling and explained to Tigress what happened. When he repeated his joke Tigress laughed and said it was cute.

I'm in the room – it's a typical Tuesday night.

I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like.

She'll never know your story like I do.

Tigress was right about that Sasha never cared or ever wanted to talk about Po's past just to have him focus on her only.

But she wears short skirts

I wear t-shirts

She's cheer captain

And I'm on the bleachers

Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find

That what you're looking for as been here the whole time.

If you could see

That I'm the one

Who understands you

Been here all along

So, why can't you see –

You belong with me,

You belong with me?

Walking the streets with you and your worn out jeans

I can't help but thinking this is how it ought to be

Laughing on a park bench thinking to myself,

"Hey isn't this easy?"

And you've got a smile

That could light up this whole town

I haven't seen it in a while

Since she brought you down

That line brought a tear to Tigress's eyes for ever since Po started dating Sasha his smile went away. And she had missed it so much and was hoping she would bring it back.

You say you're fine – I know you better than that

Hey, what are you doing with a girl like that?

Po knew Tigress was right for even though she knew Sasha was abusing him. He still said he was fine but wondered why he was even dating a girl like Sasha to begin with.

She wears high heels

I wear sneakers

She's cheer captain

And I'm on the bleachers,

Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find

That what you've been looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see

That I'm the one

Who understands you

Been here all along

So, why can't you see –

You belong with me?

Standing by waiting at your back door

All this time how could you not know, baby –

You belong with me,

You belong with me?

Oh, I remember you driving to my house

In the middle of the night

I'm the one who makes you laugh

When you know you're 'bout to cry

I know your favorite songs

And you tell me about your dreams

Think I know where you belong

Think I know it's with me

Can't you see

That I'm the one

Who understands you?

Been here all along

So, why can't you see –

You belong with me?

Standing by and waiting at your back door

All this time how could you not know, baby –

You belong with me,

You belong with me?

You belong with me,

Have you ever thought just maybe

You belong with me?

You belong with me.

The song ended and Tigress jumped off the stage as the crowd cheered. Po met her in the center of the room with tears in his eyes. "How could I be so blind?" he wondered. Tigress just smiled and said" Just say it".

"I belong with you", Po whispered in her ear as a smile came to his face.

"Damn right you do", Tigress said with a laugh as she wrapped her arms around Po's neck and kissed him. Everyone cheered as the two finally found out that they belonged only to each other and they lived happily ever after.

The end

Author's Note: Special thanks to KungFuPandaFanatic for giving me the ideas to write this story. It was going to be called You Belong With Me but I found out there were two other stories with that title so I changed it. Hope you enjoyed our story and please review. Till next time.