Layer 7:  Sins of Omission


Shrek pounded on the bedroom door once more.  "Fiona, sweetheart, 
please!" he pleaded.

There was still no answer, as there hadn't been for ten minutes.

Shrek held an ear up to the door and listened closely.  He could 
still make out the occasional sound of a muffled sob.  He stepped 
back from the door and looked morosely down, his ears drooping.

"Shrek, how could ye not TELL her?" Moyre asked scoldingly.  She had 
left the table and was now standing just a few feet behind him.

"And how could YOU just drop it on her like that, Mom?" Shrek shot 
back, his ears resuming their normal posture as his temper rose.

"Well SOMEBODY had t'tell her!"

"To what end, Mom?" Shrek asked, his voice both angry and pained.  
"We were doing just FINE as we were.  And she was adjusting GREAT!  
She was finally learning t'be herself -- her OGRESS self -- 
t'explore her full potential and get over all that garbage that the 
humans had lain on top'a her ever since she could remember.  And now 
you're saying I was supposed t'pile even MORE garbage against her 
from the OGRE side, show her some'a US can be even MORE stuck up and 
prejudicial than the bloody HUMANS?"

"She should have been able t'KNOW what she was getting into --"

"She KNEW what she was getting into!  A MARRIAGE!  With ME!  US!  
ALONE!  NOBODY ELSE!  LEAST of all any PIOUS, POMPOUS, SANCTOMONIOUS 
OGRES who feel they have the RIGHT t'dictate to others what makes 
for a 'PROPER' ogre couple!  And like I said, I'd have wanted her 
even IF she never changed into an ogress --"

"But she DID change,  Shreklecheh!  And once she did, ye OWED it to 
her t'tell her ye two wouldn't be accepted --"

"But we ARE accepted.  By EACH OTHER.  And by the RIGHT people.  
Even her PARENTS, when we first met, at least accepted the FACT of 
our marriage.  They didn't LIKE it, but they recognized its 
EXISTENCE.  And ye talk like all ogres are the same.  I've heard'a 
LOTS of ogre couples where one or the other didn't have the proper 
'pedigree' -- and even a few who DID -- who got married WITHOUT the 
traditional rituals, and they're doing just FINE, thank ye.  Except 
for maybe the occasional, butinsky IN-LAWS with their snotty, 
snobbish, intolerant attitudes, like YOU showed to FIONA --"

"I thought she'd DISHONORED you, Shreklecheh!  When I found out ye'd 
married a girl who didn't have even ONE ogre parent, let alone TWO --
and one of whom was a FROG, no less -- I thought she's just 
waltzed in, without respect for ogre traditions, and --"

"Well YOU thought WRONG!  For the love of Pete, weren't ye listening 
to ANYTHING we told ye during dinner?  And  did ye think that MAYBE, 
before coming on like the mother-in-law from down below with your 
cynical presumptions, ye should've tried COMMUNICATING with me?"

"HA!"  Moyre laughed.  "Look WHO'S lecturing WHO on COMMUNICATION!"

"ENOUGH!!" Groyl bellowed in a voice that commanded attention.  
Shrek and Moyre immediately ceased their arguing and looked over at 
him where he still sat at one end of the table.

"You're BOTH wrong, and ye've BOTH wronged HER!" he said, pointing a 
finger toward the locked bedroom door.

"But he --" Moyre began.

"MOYRE!" Groyl interrupted her, and rose from his chair.  "I WARNED 
ye on the way over here not t'go acting on your assumptions.  I TOLD 
ye t'give her a chance.  And even though we BOTH presumed that Shrek 
AND Fiona had both known they'd not be recognized by some ogres and 
had gone through with the marriage anyway, I told ye it was THEIR 
decision and that WE had no right t'judge them.  Didn't I?"

"Well ... but --"

"DIDN'T I?"

Moyre scowled at her husband, then replied, "Yessss," the 's' sound 
being drawn out like a hiss.

"Then maybe ye shouldn't have judged her before ye got t'know her.  
Eh?" Groyl asked.

Moyre glared back at him.  "Apparently so," she managed to say 
through clenched teeth.

"Now, please," Groyl said, his voice softening.  "I'd like t'speak 
to Shrek.  Alone."

"But --" Moyre began to protest.

"Please, dear," Groyl said.  There was no longer any bitterness or 
reproach in his voice.

Moyre looked back at her son -- but saw that he was again staring 
forlornly at the closed bedroom door.  Then she looked over at the 
table where Donkey still sat, taking everything in with an 
expression of part curiosity and part confusion, and considered 
pointing out that they would not be 'alone' with him there, but then 
decided against it.  "Very well," she said reluctantly.  "I'll be 
right outside."  With that, Moyre strode across to the front door of 
the house, opened it, exited the house, and closed the door firmly 
behind her.

*     *     *

From his perch atop the grassy knoll, the Piper saw the front door 
open and the ogress exit, shutting the door behind her.  How 
convenient of her, he thought as a sinister smile creased his 
cheeks.  He swallowed the last bit of the snack pie that he was 
chewing --  his second since he had settled in to wait -- and 
carefully reached for his chalumeau ...

*     *     *

Moyre absently gazed around the clearing in front of the swamp, her 
eyes finally coming to rest on a wooden sign at the far end.  Its 
back was to her now, but she remembered noticing it when they had 
first arrived.  It had originally been a hand-painted rendition of 
Shrek's snarling face with the words 'Beware!  Ogre' scrawled across 
the bottom, but it had since been altered as Shrek had tacked next 
to his image a similarly hand-pained rendition of Fiona's snarling 
face and he had also tacked on an 's' after the word 'Ogre'.  It was 
very sweet in its way, but Moyre had mostly overlooked it, as her 
seething presumptions had clouded it out of her mind.

"I mostly overlooked a LOT of things, I suppose," Moyre muttered to 
herself, then sighed and sat on the porch.  A moment later she felt 
something furry and living rub against her hand.  She instinctively 
jerked her hand away and looked down with a start.

It was the little white puppy.  It had apparently slipped outside 
with her, and was now sitting beside her. The small canine looked up 
at Moyre, gave a couple of brief, happy barks, and wagged its tail.

At first Moyre scowled down at the silly little dog.  But after a 
short while of beholding its innocently exuberant little face, the 
ogress felt herself start to relent.  "My, YOU'RE a sneaky one," 
Moyre eventually said.  Then she reached down and gently petted the 
dog.  It wagged its tail even faster and licked her hand.

Moyre smiled sadly.  "I'm afraid I rather fouled things up for your 
masters in there," she said to Puppy.  "Poor Fiona.  If I'd only 
known.  I must've sounded terribly cruel.  And it turns out, 
ironically, SHE's the one who gives a darn about the ogre marriage 
tradition, and realizes its importance for her children.  To 
Shreklecheh, it's just so much hokum."  She took a few moments to 
reflect, then shook her head.  "I never thought I'd hear myself say 
this, but maybe he's RIGHT.  Two people who love each other ... care 
about each other as much as they seem to ... what's the POINT of 
having a marriage tradition if it excludes a pair so ... so RIGHT 
for each other as those two?  I just wish I can find some way t'make 
it up to Fiona ... something I can do for her --"

Just then Moyre's thoughts were interrupted as she heard the first 
strands of music.  Her ears pricked up at the sound of the 
chalumeau, and she began to turn in its direction.  But suddenly she 
couldn't turn -- she couldn't do ANYTHING.  She tried moving her 
head -- her hands -- her mouth -- but NONE of her muscles seemed to 
want to obey her.  Then, suddenly, she stood -- but she had not 
WANTED to stand.  Moyre felt inner panic as she realized that 
someone or something else had suddenly taken control of her body.  
Then she began to walk.  It was a slow, steady walk that she didn't 
want to take, and it was leading her across the clearing and away 
from her son's house, apparently in step with that rhythmic 
chalumeau music she kept hearing playing in her head.  Puppy, 
seeming to sense that something was amiss, barked a couple of times, 
then followed along beside Moyre, looking up at her empty expression 
every so often and whining.

*     *     *

Shrek was still staring at the shut bedroom door when he felt his 
father's firm hand on his shoulder.

"Come, Son.  Sit."

"But Dad --"

"Please."

Shrek sighed, then nodded and allowed his father to lead him over to 
the easy chair.  Shrek collapsed into it, immediately assuming a 
slouched, limp-eared posture as his father sat in a wooden chair in 
front of him.

"Your mother was right, ye know," Groyl said calmly.  "Ye should 
have told Fiona b'fore."

Shrek's eyes shot up at his father.  "Dad --" he began, belligerence 
building in his voice.

"Son," Groyl responded, his voice firm but not combative.

Shrek sighed, then looked back down.  "I know," he responded 
dejectedly.  "But Dad, what was I t'do?  After Fiona descended from 
that big shiny cloud after having the spell broke, and we realized 
she was an ogress permanently ... what was I t'do?  Say, 'Gee, 
sorry, Princess, but I'm afraid ye don't have the proper background 
t'be regarded as a true ogre wife.  Maybe ye'd like to shack up for 
a while instead?'"

"I didn't say ye were wrong in marrying her in the manner ye did, I 
said ye were wrong in not telling her all that entailed BEFORE ye 
said your 'I do's'," Groyl corrected.

"Okay," Shrek conceded reluctantly.  "Point taken.  But Dad, ye 
don't understand.  When I looked at her, and saw what t'me was the 
most beautiful ogress in the world, and it was a beauty that went so 
very far beyond the physical ... and she'd just given up so much for 
me, and now she was left as this vulnerable, insecure ogress who'd 
only been told all her life, in attitude if not words, how 
disappointed -- how REPULSED -- people were by her appearance and 
mannerisms ... how could I then ADD to all that by telling her about 
the insipid 'ogre pedigree' thing?  Dad, there was no real question 
in my mind ... or heart ... that I HAD t'marry her.  She was every 
dream I'd never dared dream, every wish I thought too crazy t'come 
true, every blessing I never deserved.  She completed every gap in 
my being, those I knew I had and lots I didn't even realize until 
this ... this miracle came into my life.  And then I asked her 
t'marry me, and she said yes, and she had these ideas of what a 
wedding should be ... I just didn't have the heart ... or the guts 
... to say or do anything that might damage her dream.  No, OUR 
dream.  And if it came to a choice between being Fiona's husband and 
being an ogre ... well, Dad, I made that choice once already when I 
drank that potion, and I'd gladly choose again the same way if it 
would make her happy."  Shrek sighed glumly.  "Maybe I shouldn't 
have asked her what she wanted that night at the ball when the clock 
was striking midnight.  Maybe I shoulda just gone ahead and kissed 
her."

"What?" Fiona said.  "And cause me to loose the ogre I married?  I 
don't THINK so."

All eyes quickly turned to see Fiona standing in the now open 
doorway of the bedroom.  She was leaning against one of the 
doorposts, not entirely steady on her feet.  She was looking at 
Shrek through red-rimmed eyes, and offering a tentative, quivering 
smile.

"Fiona!" Shrek gasped, jumping to his feet.  "How long have YOU been 
there?"

"Long enough," she said, trying to sound coy but unable to sponge 
all the hurt from her voice.  "As I said before, my good knight, 
thou dost have a way with words."

Shrek hurried over to her side and took her hands in his.  He felt 
her lean against him slightly to try and maintain her balance.  "Oh, 
sweetheart," Shrek said in a grief-stricken voice, "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry ... about which?" she asked.  "That you didn't tell me ... or 
that your mother did?"

Shrek sighed ... hesitated a few moments ... then finally admitted, 
"Both, actually."

"So ... if your parents had never shown up ... when were YOU 
planning on telling me?" Fiona asked.

Shrek hesitated again.  "Well ... I ... um ..." he stammered, 
finding it hard to think with Fiona's piercing eyes focused so 
intently upon him.

"Ever?" she asked.  "Or were you going to wait until one day when 
one of our children came home crying because some ogre bully made 
fun of him because his parents weren't properly married?"

"No!" Shrek said.  "I was going t'tell ye ... when ye felt more 
confident."

Fiona's expression changed to one of uncertainty.  "More confident 
... in being an ogre?" she asked.

"No," Shrek replied.  "More confident in being yourself.  'Ogre' or 
non-'ogre' be hanged.  As I said b'fore, Fi, you're a unique being.  
So BE yourself, Fiona.  Your authentic SELF.  Stop worrying about 
labels that people -- human OR ogre -- try t'impose based on their 
prejudices and biases and myopic traditions.  If we didn't overcome 
those things in ourselves, Fi, we wouldn't be wed at all; you'd be 
living somewhere in Duloc as Mrs. Farquaad and I'd be sitting here 
alone watching the moss grow."

Fiona finally offered Shrek a genuine smile, but it quickly 
evaporated as she said, "But our children ..."  Her voice faded 
away.

Shrek sighed again, then opened his mouth to speak when Donkey 
suddenly said, "Excuse me!  I hate to interrupt this little episode 
of 'Days of Ogre Lives', but --"

"Not NOW, Donkey," Shrek said sternly, casting a forbidding glare at 
his friend.

Donkey ignored him and addressed Fiona.  "Princess, maybe I missed 
somethin', but you still look like an ogre to me."

"Well, yes, Donkey," Fiona said, somewhat flustered, "I --"

"And Shrek's still an ogre ..." Donkey continued.

"Your POINT, Donkey?" Shrek prodded impatiently.

"My point IS, I might not be a stallion anymore, but I can still 
count up two and two and get four.  At least I THINK it's four.  But 
anyway, ogre parents have ogre kids.  Right?"

"Well, yes," Fiona admitted, "but --"

"So why are y'all pilin' so much baggage on top'a somethin' so 
simple?" Donkey asked.

Fiona looked over at Shrek, a plea for assistance in her eyes.  But 
Shrek smiled a sly smile and said, "Well!  It seems he really DOES 
have a point, after all."

Fiona let out a frustrated groan, then stepped to where she stood in 
front of Donkey and knelt down to where their faces were closer to a 
level plane.  "The problem, Donkey," she explained, "is that because 
Shrek and I weren't married -- and can't be married -- in an ogre 
ceremony, our marriage isn't recognized as valid by other ogres."

"Yeah, I remember that part from earlier," Donkey said.  He cocked a 
contemplative eyebrow, then looked over to Groyl, who was standing 
now by Shrek's easy chair, arms folded, observing the proceedings.  
"Hey, Groyl!" Donkey called.  "You're an ogre, right?"

"Oh, aye," Groyl agreed.

"You recognize Shrek n' Fiona as married?"

"Indeed I do," he replied.  "In fact, there are many ogres who don't 
feel as bound by tradition who'd gladly recognize them as well."

"There!" Donkey said excitedly, turning back to Fiona.  "Ya see?"

"Many," Fiona said, looking up at Groyl, "but not MOST?"

"Aye," Groyl admitted reluctantly, "not most."

"So YOU see, Donkey?" Fiona asked, looking back at her friend.  "In 
most cases, we aren't recognized, and so our children would ... 
well, they wouldn't be regarded as ... authentic ogres born from a 
valid marriage."

"Yeah, whatever THAT means," Donkey said.  "Look, Princess, you're 
'fraid others are gonna make fun of your kids 'cause they'd be 
different, is that what this all boils down to?"

"Well ..." Fiona struggled with a response "... in a sense, but --"

"Hey, you seen MY kids lately?" Donkey asked.  "You think THEY ain't 
gonna be thought of as different growin' up?"

Fiona blushed, then said, "But Donkey, it's not the same --"

"You can say THAT again!" Donkey said.  "They ain't the same as 
ANYTHING.  How many dragon/donkey hybrids have you ever heard of, 
anyway?  We don't even know what to call 'em.  Drakeys?  Dongons?  
Who knows?  But I'll tell ya one thing.  We're gonna raise our kids 
with a healthy dose of self-respect for who they are, WHATEVER they 
are.  They're gonna go through life with their heads high and proud.  
And if somebody makes fun of 'em, treats 'em like they're some sorta 
freaks, we're gonna tell 'em to just spit in their eye -- and try 
not to burn it out.  Those are the types o' fools we don't want our 
kids hanging with ANYWAY.  I mean, if those bigots would rather 
judge somebody based on their background or appearance rather than 
gettin' to know the content of their character -- well, that's THEIR 
loss.  Anyway, that's how Dragon and I see it.  And if ya don't mind 
me sayin' so, Princess, maybe YOU should consider lookin' at it that 
way, too."

Fiona, slack-jawed, just stared at Donkey for several seconds.  
Behind her she heard Shrek comment, "Ye know, I once heard that some 
cultures revered talking donkeys for their wisdom  Now I'm starting 
t'think there might be something t'that after all."

"Besides," Donkey added, "one'a the things I liked about your hubby 
when I first met him was his 'I am who I am and I don't care what 
NOBODY thinks of me' attitude.  And maybe it ain't my place to say, 
but it seems to me that's more a sign of being an 'authentic' ogre 
than worryin' about where somebody's PARENTS came from, and if you 
teach your kids to be like him, then they should be fine!"

Fiona smiled at Donkey.  "Indeed they should," she agreed.  She then 
leaned forward, said, "Thank  you," and kissed him on the top of his 
snout.

"What was THAT for?" Donkey asked, surprised.

"For the inspiration ... and the perspective," she replied.  "You 
truly are a smart a-- ... I mean, a wise friend."  Donkey smiled 
appreciatively as Fiona got to her feet and took a few steps back so 
that she could address all three males at once.

"Gentlemen," she said, "I thank you all.  Donkey, for your words 
just now.  Groyl, for being the type of father-in-law I could only 
have WISHED for before today."

"Thank ye, m'dear," Groyl responded, smiling, "and as I said b'fore, 
I couldn't be prouder of my son for winning the lifemate he did.  In 
fact, I'd be honored if ye called me 'Dad.'"

"Thank you ... 'Dad'," Fiona said meekly.  "I just wish Moyre agreed 
with you."

"Moyre was wrong to prejudge ye like she did," Groyl stated flatly, 
his smile fading.  "She's admitted as much."

"Really?" Fiona asked, then looked around the room.  "Where IS she, 
anyway?"

"She stepped outside for a spell," Groyl replied.

"Ah," Fiona said, then turned and looked at the closed front door.  
"Maybe I should speak with her ... alone ... for a while."

"That might not be a bad idea," Groyl agreed.

Fiona nodded, then turned back and faced Shrek.  "But first," she 
said, smiling sadly, "my dear True Love.  I know your heart was in 
the right place.  But dearest, you've GOT to trust me more on things 
like this."

"Fiona," Shrek began apologetically, I --"

Fiona raised a hand --  unconsciously using a royal gesture -- 
signaling for her husband to stop.  He did so without even thinking.  

"I ... I'm sorry for my ... emotional outburst earlier," she said, 
addressing all three males, some strains of that earlier emotion 
still detectable in her undertone.  "But ... well, it was rather 
important to me ... actually, more important than I realized ... to 
be accepted as an ogress.  To finally belong ... to be recognized 
... and even more, for our children ..." She paused, bit her 
suddenly quivering lower lip, then continued pensively, "But if that 
is not to be, then I must learn to accept it."  She looked into 
Shrek's eyes, then continued, "Just as you accept me, although I am 
less than the full ogress you deserve."

Shrek shook his head and beheld her with loving, adoring eyes.  
"You're MORE than ANYTHING I could EVER deserve, Fiona," he said.  
"I'm so very, very sorry that by not telling ye everything before -- 
that in trying t'protect ye -- I ended up hurting ye even that much 
more."

Fiona shrugged a heavy shrug.  "I guess we're both still learning," 
she said, and began to slowly walk towards him as she spoke.  "Your 
fault was well-intentioned secretiveness.  My fault was shutting you 
out just now when I was hurting so.  I'm just so used to suffering 
... to venting sorrows ... alone.  But I should never shut a door in 
your face."  She was now directly in front of him.  She looked up at 
him wordlessly for a moment, then added in a voice just above a 
whisper, "Especially not my bedroom door."  She then suddenly 
reached up, took hold of his neck, and pulled his head down towards 
her.  Shrek gave a short, surprised gasp, which was cut even shorter 
as Fiona locked her lips with his in an ardent kiss.  Shrek flailed 
his arms about for a moment, but they quickly settled down against 
Fiona's back and were soon enveloping her, pulling her tighter 
against him as he returned her kiss with equal fervor.  As the time 
of the kiss lengthened, Groyl and Donkey looked at each other and 
exchanged self-conscious but pleased grins.

Eventually the kiss broke, and Fiona and Shrek each had to take a 
few moments to gasp for air.  "Wow!" he said.  "What was THAT for?"

"For the things I heard you say to your father," Fiona replied, 
smiling up at her beloved.

"Really?" Shrek said.  "Well, stick around!  I'll tell him some 
more!"

Fiona giggled -- a sound that was welcome music to Shrek's ears, 
even if it had not yet regained the completely care-free quality 
that her giggles usually held.  "Perhaps later," she said, but then 
her face grew more serious.  "Right now, I'd like to talk with 
Moyre."  She leaned up and kissed him again -- this time just a peck 
on the cheek -- then turned and headed out the front door.

Shrek stared at the door for several seconds after it closed behind 
her and then sighed as a contented smile played on his lips.  Donkey 
grinned up at his friend, but then the animal's face took on a 
quizzical expression and he cocked one eyebrow and asked, "Say, man, 
why you holdin' your ears that way?"

"Huh?" Shrek grunted, not really having heard Donkey's question.  
But then he noticed his father walk over to the front door and flick 
the little flap that covered the knothole.  "Son," he asked, "how 
long have ye had this ... little cover thing here?"

"Uhhh ... it's always been there ... pretty much," Shrek replied, 
wondering where Groyl was going with this, but fearing he knew.

"But Shrek, I thought ya just put that in after Fiona moved in with 
ya," Donkey said.  "Before that, ya just had the open hole in the 
door."

Shrek looked down at Donkey.  "Thanks for the clarification," he 
said sarcastically.

"No sweat, man!" Donkey smiled, missing the sarcasm.

Groyl nodded.  "And what was that little warning ye gave Fiona to 
'be careful' when she went t'answer the door earlier?"

Shrek shrugged and answered defensively, "Well, ye never can tell --"

"Son," Groyl said, "this 'authenticity' bull and her own self-doubts 
aside, your wife IS an OGRE.  And ogres MUST be able t'maintain an 
air of confidence ... even to the point of ARROGANCE.  YOU know 
THAT.  It's how we survive in a world that mostly don't like our 
kind.  We need t'project an aura of self-assured intimidation ... 
so's to discourage the villagers and others of their ilk from trying 
anything funny, and in those cases where they do, t'be able t'scare 
'em off that much easier.  What you're doing with Fiona is 
UNDERMINING her confidence."

Shrek blushed, then said, "But, Dad ... I don't see where taking a 
few precautions --"

"Precautions are one thing," Groyl said.  "That's why we put up 
signs and such.  But Son, ye keep treating Fiona the way ye are, 
soon you'll have her jumping at every shadow that crosses the window 
at night.  And eventually when she chances upon the stray human, 
instead of projecting the air of cocky assurance she needs to, she 
might just show a little fear, and ye KNOW how that encourages them.  
Then, when the times come when she DOES have t'fight ... and as much 
as we try t'avoid it, eventually we ALL do ... it might make her a 
half-beat more hesitant, that much less assured when she needs t'be 
striking out with unwavering, unflinching abandon.  From what Donkey 
here told me about your little encounter with Hood's gang, and even 
though she was outwardly human then, she HAS that ogress abandon.  
Ye don't want t'go messing with that."

"I ... understand what you're saying," Shrek admitted.  "But, Dad 
..."  Shrek looked down, heaved a great sigh, then walked over to 
and again flopped down into his easy chair.  He continued to look 
down for a few seconds, gathering his thoughts, then looked back up 
at his father.  "But Dad," he said, "it's just that ever since that 
horrible moment at the ball ... when I saw Charming kiss her ... 
Great Heavens, Dad, ye don't know how devastating that moment was!  
I'd thought I'd lost her ... forever ..."  Shrek's voice caught for 
an instant.  He forced a cough, then continued, "And honestly, Dad, 
I don't know how I could've just picked up and gone on after that.  
Thank God her father had refused t'give her the love potion.  But 
ever since then ... when I realized how frail life is, and how 
easily I could lose her ... I just can't help it.  I want t'protect 
her ... I NEED to protect her ... t'make sure nothing else happens 
to her --"

"Son, I know ye mean well, but really, it's counterproductive, like 
trying t'hide the ogre marriage tradition.  Eventually it'll come 
back t'bite ye.  It's yet another matter of trust, Shrek.  Watch her 
back, yes, just as she watches yours.  But ye've also GOT to trust 
her more t'take care of herself.  If all ye want t'do is keep her 
sealed up in a safe little box, ye may as well have moved in with 
her parents in their castle."

Shrek blushed slightly and looked away.  Groyl stared at him, his 
mouth agape, for several seconds.

"Oh m'God!" Groyl gasped.  "Ye've actually CONSIDERED it, haven't 
ye?"

"Well ... I've THOUGHT about it," Shrek admitted defensively, 
looking back up at his father.  "I mean, after all that happened at 
the ball ... things were a lot better after that than when we first 
arrived there."

"You can say THAT again!" Donkey suddenly chimed in.  "But then 
again, it's not like they could've gotten a lot WORSE!"

Shrek shot Donkey an irritated grimace.

"Well, they couldn't have," Donkey mumbled contritely, dropping his 
eyes and kicking idly at the floor.

Groyl cocked an eyebrow.  "Did ye talk this over with Fiona?" he 
asked his son.

"Yeah, we talked about it the day after the ball," Shrek replied.  
"She said that it was nice that things turned out so well that we 
could feel free t'visit her folks now and we'd be welcome, but that 
our HOME was back here in the swamp.  It's where we belong, she 
insisted."

"And ye told her about your ... concerns?"

"Aye."

"And?"

"And ... she said it was something we'd work at coping with ... 
together."

Groyl shook his head.  "You are one lucky ogre, Son," he said.

Shrek smiled wistfully.  "Yeah.  I know."

Groyl smiled sympathetically.  "Don't think I don't understand how 
ye feel, Son," he said.  "I haven't been through trauma like ye went 
through at that ball, but if something ever happened to Moyre ... 
well, I don't really know what I'd do, either."

Just then the front door opened and Fiona peered in, a perplexed 
look on her face.  "I thought you said Moyre was out here," she 
said.

"Aye," both male ogres said together, turning to face her.

"Well, she's not out here now," Fiona said.

Both male ogres cocked an eyebrow in confused surprise and Shrek 
stood up from his chair.

"She SAID she'd be right outside," Groyl muttered, and strode toward 
the door.  Fiona stepped back outside to let him pass, with Shrek 
and Donkey following just after him.  Groyl stood on the porch and 
scanned the empty clearing, then he placed his hands to either side 
of his mouth and called, "MOYRE!"

There was no answer.

Groyl's confused expression was starting to yield to one of concern.

Shrek gestured toward the outhouse.  "Would ye mind seeing if she's 
in there, Fi?" he asked.

"She's not in the outhouse," Fiona stated.

"Ah!" Shrek said.  "Ye already checked for her there, then.  Smart 
woman."

"Well, I've been to the outhouse, but it wasn't exactly to check for 
Moyre," Fiona admitted, blushing slightly.

"Oh," Shrek said.

"Then where do y'all think she went?" Donkey asked the group in 
general.

"I don't know," Groyl replied, the worry growing in his voice as his 
eyes darted about the scenery.  "Maybe she decided t'take a look 
around Shrek's swamp."

"Well, let's search around for her, then," Shrek said.  "She's GOT 
t'be here somewhere.  It's not like she could've fallen off the ends 
of the earth!"