A/N: Finally trying to finish editing this, as I have some time to work on it now. I know it has been forever since I have updated, but for everyone begging for an update, here you go! Going to try to have the rest up very soon!

The moon gleamed upon Shang, who was sitting in the garden alone. Thinking of how all this came to be, and how all of it had worked out. Maybe he was finally getting what he deserved, maybe he was finally getting the family he always wanted. Maybe, he would have his wishes fulfilled, a great man of Chinese society, a father of a son, a husband to a wife beyond beauty itself; wasn't this what every man in china wanted? it was, but unlike many others, Shang wanted more, and that's what he got. Love, compassion, a friend, a lover, a partner to be with, not just through life, but into the other world as well. He got all he wanted, and more than he could have ever imagined. Yes, he may say he loved Mulan, but his feelings were much deeper. If he were to lose her again, he would never know what to do, for he had forgotten about life before Mulan. Is this what true love was?

Shang sat and gazed at the stars, as if they were shinning brighter for him, as if they were saying, he had finally won the battle, now was his time to claim his rights, in which he had deserved a great deal, if not more.

Shang looked back towards the house. Mulan had fallen asleep hours ago, she needed it, it was not right for a woman who just birthed his son, or any son, to battle, she needed to sleep, she needed to have her time of rest for once.

He knew he was tired, and needed rest too. Fa Zu had been kind enough to give him a room to stay in for the two weeks he had to prove himself, but really what did he have to prove, his love for Mulan was deep and felt everlasting, his love for his son was deep and great.

Shang felt the soft breeze sway past his face, letting a few strands of hair be released from his bun.

A small flower landed on his lap, and the beauty of it, the delicacy, made him think of Mulan.

Shang took a deep breath, and began to retreat to his quarters, with the flower perched softly in his hand.

The fair light gleamed off Mulan's face, showing her radiance, just like the night he showed his love.

Shang had come to kiss Mulan goodnight, even if she was asleep, he wanted her to be the last thing he saw, so she could fill his dreams.

Shang softly placed a kiss upon her forehead, and placed the delicate flower behind her ear.

"Shang?", Mulan said under her breath.
"Just go back to sleep," he said in a loving manner.
"What are you still doing up?" She asked sleepily.
"I was thinking, the time must have just passed me by." He whispered softly.
"About what, leaving us again?" Mulan said jokingly
Shang knew she didn't mean it, "Never, I will never leave you, no matter what," as he ran his hand through her hair, in a loving way.

Mulan smiled at this gesture, he was always so gentle with her, and she would always get goosebumps when he stroked her.

Mulan wished she could have another night with him, so she could show that she loved him in the same way, so she could be close to him, to be held in his arms. But she knew that it was not right for her health, she had just given birth, her body was not ready for such activities. Right now, she was not capable of that, even if she wished.

Mulan tried to sit herself up, if she couldn't have another night, then at least she could have a kiss. it wasn't the same but at least she would be close to Shang, and in his arms.

"Mulan!" Shang quietly exclaimed as he watched Mulan's failed attempt at sitting up.

She was weak, but it had been long enough since the birth, she should never be this weak.

Shang placed his hand on her cheek, her skin was piercing hot.

Shang worried, thinking "Not again." The memories of Ping's fever flew threw his mind, but this time it wasn't Ping.

Shang search throughout the house, for anyone awake to help.

Shang happen to stumble by a door, he could see a dim light from a candle. Awkwardly shy, he didn't want to wake anyone, but this was too important. He didn't need to be shy.

Shang quietly knocked on the door. Shang heard covers move, and then footsteps. Shang waited for Fa Zu to angrily open the door, he knew it was quite late, and he knew Fa Zu didn't like him. The combination of the two, was worse.

The door opened quietly, but not by Fa Zu, but by Mai Li

She was quiet awake for this time of night, "Li Shang do you know how late it is?"
"Yes ma'am. I wouldn't have waken you if Mulan wasn't sick."
"What?!" she exclaimed
"Ma'am I think she has a fever. She is piercing hot with it."
"Take me to her." She demanded.

Her hands were cold, yet comforting to Mulan, it reminded her of her childhood. Mulan watched as Mai Li discussed the problem to Shang.

Mulan was not listing, she didn't care, she was too deep into her own thoughts.

Her eyes became heavy, her breathing deepened, she began to slowly slip in to the darkness, succumbing to her weakness.

"She's getting worse by the minute! Stay with her while I get her parents, and a doctor." Mai Li exclaimed as she ran out the room.

Shang ran his fingers through her hair, "Please don't leave me." He whispered softly.

Oh how he wished he has never left her, how the sweet time he had with her was slipping by, how their love was strongly bonded but slipping away. She was still warm, but he trembled at the thought of her going cold, stiff, lifeless, loveless.

Shang could feel the heat of the fever upon her head, as he leaned his against hers. If she should ever awaken, he wanted to be the first thing she saw.

"Mulan!" He heard a woman's voice exclaim.

Looking back towards the doorway, he saw Fa Li rush to her daughter, he watched as her mother felt her face, finding what was told to her to be true, holding her close, just as Shang wanted to do.

"My dearest daughter!" Fa Zu said as he joined his wife in morning.

Shang sat back and watched. He wanted to join them, but the restless night had caught up with him, his eyes were heavy, his body was tired and weak. But no matter what, he would not sleep nor eat, until Mulan was cured. If the worse would happen, he would join her, into the afterlife, together always with nothing to tear them apart.

Shang's head turned, the sound of an infant filled the air. Ping, the commotion had woken the poor thing. Shang had forgotten, he felt so selfish, he wanted to die, when and if Mulan did. He had forgotten about his child, he would have left him if Mulan died.

Shang knew now, he had to be strong, he had to be there for everyone. Mulan, her parents, Mai li, and most of all Ping. Ping need him the most, he was helpless and relied mostly on his mother, who was now not capable of that duty. Now it was Shang's duty to do so. He may not be able to do it all, but he had to do what he could. Ping needed him.

Shang began to approach the cradle, he knelt beside it. He saw Ping becoming frustrated, scared, and confused with the commotion of his family. Shang slowly placed his hand behind Ping's head and behind his back, as he gently lifted Ping up from his cradle.

"Everything's going to be alright." He cooed to the child. "I am here."

Shang carefully laid the infant in his arms, and proceeded back to Mulan.

Shang slowly bounced ping, trying to keep the baby calm as he sat beside Mulan's bed. He was never going to leave her side again.

Everyone's head turned at the voice of the doctor. "How is Mulan? Has she gotten any worse?" he asked.
"She hasn't awakened!" Her mother pronounced through her tears.
"But she still burns with fever." Shang worriedly announced from the floor, with the crying child in his hands.

"I need for the men to step out." The doctor demanded

Mai Li quickly grabbed Ping from Shang's arms. Shang questioned, even though he knew it was a man's place to leave the room when a woman was giving birth, or being checked. Even though a man was able to enter and feel these placed, he was never able to see them, unless during bed business. But most men never paid attention to sight at that time, Shang still could never understand why he couldn't be with her. They could have at least let him be with his son at this horrid time.

Shang was pushed out the door and it slammed in front of him.
"...But they need me," happened to slip from his lips.

"Forget it boy," Fa Zu began, "It's not a man's place. Mulan shall be taken care of, and Ping belongs with the women at this time in his life. A boy belongs with his mother as a child, for he is no use to a man. Not until he has grown to take his masculine duties, does he become useful to a man." Fa Zu said coldly.

Shang had heard this countless times from his father as a child. it was always his way of getting out of play time with Shang, or his way of ignoring him. That was always his excuse. Even if Shang would say he was ready for his masculine duties, his father would still call him a useless child, too immature to claim anything but a woman's face, for he resembled his mother much more than his father.

But still Shang would have never thought this would have come out of Fa Zu's mouth. The man loved his daughter so much, and yet in some ways he was insulting Mulan, Ping, and Shang. Was this a test? Or was it that Fa Zu blamed it all on Shang? Like he knew it was his fault, Shang began to feel like that small child from years ago, trying to prove himself, in what he was and could do, but yet being torn down by a man, a man who acted like he couldn't find a speck of intelligence in the child, like he was nothing more than a speck of dust.

Even if it was a test or not, he was going to tell this man once and for all how he loved Mulan and ping, he wanted to be with them.

"Sir, I know this out of my ranking and not suitable for a man to say, but I must tell you. I love Mulan too much to let that get in my way, I should be in there with her, she needs me."

"Boy, she does not need you right now, she doesn't even know who's there or not!" Fa Zu snapped.
"Sir even though that is true, she still needs me. It feels as if it is my duty to be with her though the darkness of life, to never leave her side through sickness and health, no matter what!"
"Boy! I don't think you should tell me when and when not my daughter needs you!" Fa Zu proclaimed in Shang's face, "She is my daughter, and I have control of that for I am her father."

"As I am the father of her son!" Shang proclaimed, "So shouldn't I have some right in being with my son at this time at least? He definitely needs me. I may not be able to do the things Mulan can do for him, but at least I can be there for him, to give him some comfort!"
"So you only want to be with your son?" Fa Zu said in a sinister voice, "Is that the only reason you came here was to proclaim your blood line, that the son had finally been born?"

"WHAT?!" Shang exclaimed "Didn't you just here what I said about wanting to be with her? Don't you listen?!"
"How would I know that is true? How do I not know you are trying to use my daughter?"
"If I was using her would I have come back for her!? Would I have still been here when she became sick with fever? Would I have sat with her through the night? Would I have gotten some one when I found out she had a fever? Would I have tried to prove myself to you, if I was using her? if I was using her, I would have left and never came back. .I know I am not using her, I want to be with her through all, and yes Fa Zu, I can understand your anger at me for getting her pregnant, for not sending her home. But sir I never knew, she never told me anything." Shang began to sink to the floor, with is face perched in his hands, "I never even knew about my son until the day of his birth, she never showed much." Shang took a deep breath "I am so stupid! I should have known, I should have sent her home the first instant I found out she was a woman. None of this would have happened. She would have never had to gone through all the trouble I caused her. The months she carried Ping, I should have been able to tell, she was always so tired. Always trying to keep away from the rest of the men. I should have known she was hiding something. She would always tell me everything, she even tried to tell me once, but."

The memory of Mulan trying to tell him about her pregnancy, he remembered it clearly. it was so obvious, her stomach was rounded out, not so much it was obvious, but enough to see up close to tell. She had that glow about her, even if she was scared, worried, and maybe angry. She gleamed with radiance.

Fa Zu sat down by Shang, and patted his back, "I understand you now my son."

"Son?" Shang thought.
"You have proven to me, what you're worth. You are a good man, LI Shang, and I would have seen that sooner, but you have to understand it from my view, she is my only daughter, and even if it wasn't you, no man would be perfect for her. You came as a surprise to us. She brought home a child, an unmarried girl. And you were that father, of course we're going to have to put you to the test. We wanted to make sure you were truly a father, and the lover she claims you to be." Fa Zu said as he patted him on the back and smiled.

Shang smiled back. Finally he was getting what he deserved. Finally he was being understood.

Minutes after minutes, hours after hours, all Shang could do was sit by the door and worry.
"Why is it taking this long?!" Shang proclaimed in his anger and worry to Fa Zu who was sitting it a chair.
"These things take time son." Fa Zu said gently yet worried as well, "It is better for it to take time."

These worlds hit Shang. Fa Zu was right it was a good thing it took some time, but this was about as long as when Mulan gave birth to Ping.

The sun had already begun to shine across the field, he hoped it was a sign that everything was fine.

Finally, after what felt like almost an eternity, the doctor stepped out.

Shang quickly responded to this and stood. "Well? How is she? Is everything ok?"

The doctor cut him off with the raise of a hand. "Fa Mulan does have a fever. it was caused by her birthing canal. Her delivery went swiftly and smoothly. But she was never taken care of, she had many rips and tears, which is quite common in birthing. But they weren't taken care of very well, which caused an infection. And because this being such a private place for a woman, it matters most. So even though it was a simple infection, it has caused a great deal in her health."

"Well what do we need to do to cure her?" Fa Zu asked worried.

"She needs to be sewn up, which is what Mai Li is doing now. And I have given her some herbs, which would hopefully stop the fever and heal the wounds. But really that is all I can do." The doctor said kindly.

"Is there anything else you can do? Because if there is anything, money is not a problem to me. I am almost as rich as the emperor. Money is no obstacle, I can pay for whatever you do, just give her what will work."

Shang was cut off once more but he doctors hand, "Li Shang this has nothing to do with money. I have done all I can do." The doctor handed Shang a pouch of herbs, "Give this to her 3 times a day in her tea, hopefully this shall clear the infection."

Shang looked down questioningly at the pouch. Was this really going to work?

Well if it did, or if it didn't, he just needed to believe it would. Shang looked back up at the doctor. "Thank you."

"it was no problem, it is my job." The doctor said kindly and left.

Shang quickly rushed in to Mulan, he had waited long enough. He need to see her and Ping. He needed to be with them.

Shang quietly approached Mulan who happened to be awake.
"Shang?" she said quietly
"I am here, I won't leave. I promise." Shang said softly as he ran his hand over her cheek.
"I love you." She said as she released her hand from the covers, and grabbed his hand that was on her cheek.
"I love you too, much more than you know." Shang said as he kissed her softly on the lips.

Fa Li took the herbs from Shang, but gave him Ping.

Shang gladly took his son, and looked at his love." I love you both, much more than you both know." Shang said quietly, as he kissed Mulan once more.

Finally he was with them. The only thing in-between them was Mulan's fever. But he believed that would be cured with the herbs.

Just the fever. The fever and Shang's mother, Li Hui-Ying.