Title: Three Drabbles

Pairing: Natalie/Monk

Rating: PG, to PG-13 for a bad word.

Summary: Three drabbles, from a hundred words to two hundred, all containing Natalie/Monk themes.

A/N: This is completely unbetaed. Also the line in drabble two is from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

1. stakeout.

"Oh, no! He's coming this way!"

Before Natalie's senses came back to her to tell her what she was about to do was crazy, she had grabbed her boss by the lapels and kissed Monk fully on the lips.

As expected, Adrian froze. But what she didn't expect was the hand gently touching her back and pulling her closer.

The moment was ruined however, by the man they were supposed be on stake out watching. Natalie, though, didn't pull back until the chess player cleared his throat.

Damn genius, Natalie thought bitterly. Now I really don't like this guy...

2. there's no happy ending, so they say. not for me, anyway.

When Adrian had asked Trudy to marry him, and she had said "yes", he had thought that he could finally have a happy ending after years of lonely torment.

When she was stolen away from him seven years later, he told himself he should have known better. Men like him can never have a "happy ending".

When he gets used to his nurse, Sharona, he realizes that he can at least have a friend. He was happy... sort of...

When Sharona leaves one day, without a "goodbye" and just a note saying she had to leave, that "told-you-so" voice comes back.

When he meets Natalie, he no longer waits to see if he gets used to her. He instantly feels happier, and not at just finding a new assitant. Natalie just has that effect on him.

When she quits for the first time, he denies it, thinking she's acting just like Sharona and is goin to return, but that day, before being knocked uncouncious from lack of oxygen; from being buried in a casket alive, he can't help but think that this was the end... and he didn't even get his happy ending...

3. down.

Leland Stottlymeyer looks at Natalie and his best friend's retreating forms with a smile on his face. Natalie's hand was placed on Adrian's back, movng in small, comforting circles as they walked. Not once while he was watching them, did he see Monk flinch at Natalie's contact.

I can't believe it. After all those years of seeing him spiral downward, I think... He paused his thinking and shook his head lightly. I think he finally found someone to pull him back up.