Authoress final note: This is it. The last chapter to this story. I hope all of you enjoyed the ride, as you did not jump off! I love you all! My final parting wish: I need to cross that 50 reviews mark! Come on, I just need 7 more and I got it. Do it for me! Thanks!

Notes: To Rebecca: Thanks! The thing with the wall, as you call it, is in reality the original "Frog Prince" story, the princess does not kiss the frog (she is much to disgusted with that) and when he demands that she let him sleep in her bed she is so angry as to throw him against the wall and he gets transformed into the human prince again. Explaination: I love fairy tales and I proud myself to have quite a knowledge of them!

There are situations in which there is no need to speak and only acts are needed. When the communication between two people functions perfectly without a word.

This was not one of these moments.

It was one of those where days and weeks of talking were long overdue and still both of us stayed silent. Where actions should be taken with careful consideration and precaution only.

And still it only took minutes for us to get to our bedchamber. I pulled the needle out of my hair and let it flow down my back. "Would you help me with the dress?" I asked and was almost shocked at finding that it sounded more like a purr. "Cant you do it yourself?" So much for my romantic husband!

I was standing at the window, my back to him and undressed myself not even knowing why I was doing this. "Sleeping with him will not solve your problems!" a voice whispered in my head.

When I had finished and turned towards him, he scrutinized me like some foreign sculpture. "You are beautiful" he stuttered and then more silent "I almost have forgotten how much."

When we made love, I felt like a young giddy girl (the one I had never been), eager and desperate at the same time. There was a certain feeling of pride in me: this is my husband, mine and I love him and it will all work out, it will. Only the "I hope" kept poppping up!

A glimpse of Charming shot through my mind, but it was no comparison. There was more to loving, that simply making love. Oh how easy it would be otherwise!

Afterwards I felt unexplainably sad, without really knowing why. I kept touching Harold, as if to convince myself that he was really here, as a human, lying next to me.

"I have missed you so much" I whisper into his ear and the long-backheld sobs try to escape. He wipes away one of my tears with this fingers. "I never thought I would ever be feeling this again." How wonderful his voice sounds without the croaking.

"I wish Shrek was here. His daughter needs him" my voice is hoarse. "I wish Fiona was with us." Harold says and the honesty is written within his eyes.

We both notice the star that passes our window, a star falling from the sky. The pessimist would say that someone has died tonight and his soul is now on the way to god. But the optimist would smile and make a wish.

Now wishes can not bring dead back from the grave. They can not revive my lovely girl. But they might lead a father back from his ways astray to finally take a place in his family, to raise and love his daughter.

I have always been a rational woman, trusting my mind more than my heart. But wishing is something I am still capable of, as is dreaming and hoping.

Suddenly Rose starts screeching and I jump out of the bed. Rose is such a quiet girl and her sudden squeals make my heart tighten in fear. What has happened? Harold frowns, but hurries out of bed as well.

I try analyzing the shrieks on my run to Roses room and discover them to be sqeals of happiness instead of pain. But why?

When I reach her bed, she smiles adoringly at me but her eyes look out the window and when I turn around, I hold my breath.

A sight like the three musketeers, a grey usually overjoyed and talkative Porthos and a fit for dueling with a spanish accent Aramis, who march to the right and to the left of their grieving Athos who has returned at last.

Harold shuffles in and pantingly asks "What happened?" Following my smile, he discovers the three figures outside. "Wishes do seem to come true!" he wonders, before I take Rose into my arms and we hurry to the main door to let in the returned.

"It is so good to see you!" "Hey, where did the frog hop?" "I live to serve your majesty" and "Welcome back." All meet in the middle of the parc.

Shrek looks like he has gone through hell during the time he was away. I dare not ask him, where he was and what he did. I feel quite grateful towards donkey und puss who seem to have not only taken care of him as good as they could, but have also proved to be true and honest friends. But he is here now, alive and more-or-less intact.

Shrek never takes his sad eyes off his daughter. "May I hold her?" are the first words he speaks to us and I understand. I give him the joyful bundle.

Rose seems to know quite well that this is her father, as she shows no fear, gives him a bright smile and taps onto his nose with her small fingers.

Shrek smiles through tears "So much like your mother" he whispers and I hang my head.

This is where we stand, what we are and what is to become of us.

A madly grinning donkey, who tries clapping with his hind legs, but suceeds only with falling ungracefully onto his own bottom, which does not stop his obvious happiness.

An adoring little puss, only part-time assasian, who had climbed onto Shreks shoulder so he can regard the little girl out of huge kitty-eyes.

A baby ogre girl, unaware of the world and its cruelities, half-orphan, who plays with her fathers nose.

A widowed ogre, grief and sadness of mourning written into his heart, but a small smile at regarding his daughter steals itself onto his face.

A king who used to be a frog and will continue to be my husband, who watches as if he was an outsider, until I take his hand and kiss him.

A queen, a wife and a grandmother who wants nothing more than to suceed in those areas of her life and try to find some happiness in the short span of time that is given to us. Even if it is only one single happy moment, that belongs only to her. And if she is willing to, she can share it with those she loves.

And she does love them. These are not creatures gathered in a court to meet by chance. This is a family, destined to belong to each other for all eternity!