A/N

This was an idea I had last night after re reading Returning To Help Friends and a daydream from last night.

It's been a long while since Shrek's human friends have been in Duloc but is worried but when an new evil begins to rear it's head, they come to help but they've changed.

It takes the deep bond they have to stop it.

I hope you like.

It was an normal day in Duloc but Shrek was sitting outside but was thinkig about the strange dream he'd had about his human friends but sighed seeing Elphaba show up but was worried for some reason and wondered what was wrong.

"Some sort of evil is going to emerge.

But it's related to my husband Rumpel.

I think Leah along with Carley and her sister can help stop it but we need to find them.

You think you can get them to return?" she asked.

"We should ask Carley herself.

But I don't know where she is.

Brogan keeps telling me that they wouldn't come back like last time but I know he's wrong." he said.

But she saw Rumpel join them.

"One of your little friends is asleep in the forest." he said.

They were curious as they followed him but Shrek gasped seeing Carley lying asleep under an oak tree but they had a feeling that something was bothering her as she sometimes came to this world when upset but Rumpel had a feeling that she needed to talk.

Shrek then shook her awake gently as her blue eyes fluttered open.

"H-Hey guys..." she said gently.

"Hey there.

I came because I was feeling a little down." she answered.

"One of those days huh?" Elphaba asked her.

The human female nodded.

"Yeah Leah's been busy with college work.

Plus Molly's too busy.

She's always with her friends.

Or doing homework.

I just came here because you guys are my friends and this world makes me feel better.

But what's wrong with you guys?" she told them.

"Elphaba says that an new evil is rising.

Can you sense it?" Rumpel said.

She nodded shyly.

Shrek knew that even though Rumpel was a good guy now but still felt a little nervous around him but saw her focus as she was chanting as her body glowed with magic.

She then saw an image of a woman with red hair like Rumpel's.

"What did you see?" Shrek asked her.

"It's related to Rumpel." she said.

Shrek looked nervous at that.

But Carley then placed a protection spell on the swamp.

She then felt Amigo nuzzle her.

"Hey.

I'm sorry Moly hasn't been here.

She just... forgot." she said.

The dragon growled softly.

"You should go." Rumpel told her.

"I'm actually going to stay.

Nobody's going to mind." she said.

Shrek smiled at this as he knew that she liked hanging out here but was worried that Leah hadn't been here in a long while but he wasn't the only one as Rumpel was missing Molly along with Amigo.

But he understood knowing she was back in her home with Carley's parents.

He hoped that maybe, just maybe this new evil would entice her to come back.

But Shrek sighed as they went to join Brogan and the others.

But in her college dorm room, Leah had the feeling that Shrek and their other friends in Duloc needed her but smiled putting her necklace on as she knew that Carley had probably went there since she had been feeling down as they hadn't been in Duloc for a long while but knew she had to go there.

"Duloc." she said as she vanished.

Brogan smiled as he and the others were having fun training along with Carley and Shrek but then heard somebody enter as she smiled broadly sensing her aura as Leah hugged Carley and Shrek as Carley giggled seeing her best human nakama was here with her.

"I figured you'd be here.

You were feeling blue for a long while." she said.

"Yeah.

There's an new evil rising.

It's related to Rumpel." she told her.

Leah was in awe as they went back to the swamp.