I don't own Monk and I don't own Trudy (or she'd still be alive). Stottlemyer isn't mine but the judge is
Adrian Monk loved his wife. His love for her was unconditional. There were many examples of that throughout their marriage. One of the strongest examples came when they were married only six months. As Monk would say, here's what happened.
Trudy was set up to have seemed to have committed a crime. I'll spare you the details as it is not important to this story but the case had to go to court. She was found guilty. Because the judge was a good friend of Adrian's however she was spared jail time. Instead she had to wear an electric ankle braclet for one month.
The bracelet sets off waves of electric schocks at random times of the day. The shocks could be anything from minor to very strong. Trudy happened to have very sensitive nerve endings. Every time the shock wave went off she recoiled. It killed Adrian to see the pain she was in.
The final straw came that night. She was cooking dinner and a painful shock came that was so strong she dropped the bowl.
"Ouch," she whispered tears streaming down her eyes. He ran over to her and tried to sooth her. Once he saw the tears he couldn't take it anymore.
"Sit down," he commanded her gently
She didn't question him.
"Here put your foot up"
Again she didn't question him figuring that he thought it would be more soothing. She did question it though when he started to remove the bracelet.
"Honey… Adrian they keep track of those things," she said, "if someone's not wearing it they'll know"
"Someone will be," he said as he finished removing it.
"What do you mean," she asked him
He took off his shoes"
"Oh GOD, Adrian you don't realize how painful it is"
"I do realize it," he said, "and I can't stand to see you suffering for another minute let alone another 30 days"
He rolled down one of his socks.
"Yes but-"
"No argung," he told her with a smile, "besides I've been shocked before as part of my training"
He rolled down the other sock.
"It only goes on one ankle," she said
"I know," he told her but that way it's even"
"Right," she said smiling, "I forgot about that"
He sighed when he had a thought.
"I have work tomorrow," he said, "it's going to be a bit tricky hiding this from everyone"
The day started off fairly simple. He got 3 shocks but they were minor. By the time he got to work he was feeling assured that he could pulled it off. As luck would have it though, in the middle of role call he got a strong shock. He jumped up and jumped around for awhile.
"You have to pee or something," the captain asked
"I'm fine," Adrian replied
"Yeah okay," Stottlemyer said and continued
Before he did though he said, "I want to talk to you later"
"Like later today?"
"Yes later today," the captain replied, "as soon as this role call is over"
"Okay," he said and bit down as another shock hit
After the role call he was ushered into the captain's office.
"What was that all about," Stottlemyer asked
Monk shrugged.
"No that's not an answer," Stottlemyer told him firmly
"It's probably jumt sympathy pains," Monk joked
"Monk… roll up your pant leg"
"I can't really do that," he said
"Why?"
"Okay here's the thing-"
"No HERE'S the thing. The think is you're wearing Trudy's electric bracelet"
"What," Monk tried to laugh it off.
He failed miserably.
"Don't make me repeat it"
"What makes you think I would do that," he asked
"Um… because I know you"
"Look Leland," he conceded, "I couldn't stand to see her in so much pain. You would do the same thing for Karen"
"You think so?"
"I know you don't but you would"
"Monk, that's beside the point"
"Please don't rat me out about this"
"I have no intentions of ratting you out"
"So you're not angry about what I did?"
"Angry? I'm amazed, though I have to say she's a bitch"
Monk narrowed his eyes.
"Do NOT call her names"
"How could she let you do it"
"She hesitated at first until I pointed out that I had experience with that."
"But she still let you take her punishment for her"
"She didn't let me do anything. I wasn't about to let her not let me"
Stottlemyer chuckled
"She takes control often," Monk added, "it was my turn this time"
"Well you certainly you're your own style," Stottlemyer replied.
Monk laughed
"That's always been true," he admitted
Just then a shock hit causing him to groan
"Maybe you two should trade off," Stottlemyer suggested, "so that you don't have to suffer the whole time"
Monk shook his head strongly
"Seeing her suffer is 100% worse for me then dealing with it myself"
"Aren't you getting together you're your friend tonight," Stottlemyer asked
"Tomorrow actually"
"How are you going to pull it off"
"Russle knows me," Monk replied, "he knows I get a little weird sometimes"
"Yeah… 'a little weird'… that's it"
Monk laughed
"Don't pretend you don't have any issues," he told Stottlemyer, "you have issues too. I've seen it"
"I'm not saying I don't"
"Good," Monk said, "because you do"
"I know I do"
Monk noticed Stottlemyer's eyes were filled with tears.
"Leland, you okay?"
"How do you do it," Stottlemyer asked, "how do you love her so unselfishly"
"Unselfish love is the only love," Monk said
"But it's not always easy"
The next day Monk and Trudy got together with his friend. His friend happened to have been the judge.
Please don't go off, Monk prayed
"Monk… you okay?"
"Yeah sure," he said just as a shock went off
He had to pinch himself to stop himself from screaming.
"New tick?"
"Huh?"
"You're pinching yourself"
"Oh…must be a new tick"
"Interesting," the judge sad, "most tcks don't develop overnight"
"Hmmm"
"Adrian Monk you must really you're your wife don't you?"
"Of course I love her," Monk said, "that's obvious. I mean is it really surprising that a husband would love his wife?"
"No… but you take love to the 300th degree," the judge said smiling
"I do," Monk asked innocentally his voice getting a little higher from a shock"
"Leland told me everything"
"I can't believe he ratted me out"
"He didn't," the judge said, "he knew you'd be acting weird even for you"
"Hey," Monk said, "I did what I had to do. You would do the same thing if it were your wife"
Touched by that unremitting show of love the judge looked at Trudy.
"You know what," he said, "anyone who's husband loves her that must could not possibly have committed the crime that you were accused of. Adrian you can take off the electric bracelet and we will consider the sentence paid in full"
"You know you could get in trouble for that," Monk pointed out
"Hey… sometimes someone has to stand up and do what's right even if there is a price to be paid. If there is a price to be paid I will pay it"