Disclaimer: I don't own Monk or any of the affliated characters

He had said the words so many times he could recite them in his sleep backwards but this was no ordinary circumstances.

"Monk?"

"I can't do this,' he sobbed, "I can't lose her. I can't"

"Monk!"

"I know I know I know but you have to see this through my eyes," Monk said, "Losing her again… I would lose myself"

"MONK! As if I would ever let that happen," Leland said firmly

"Do you think she remembers me? Do you think she still loves me?"

"Look at her," Leland said, "She OBVIOUSLY does"

"Why would she disappear like that?"

"It was because you and her were both at risk," Natalie explained, "things were… complicated at best"

"Somehow… I should have seen… I should have known-"

"Mr. Monk there are no winners in the blame game," Natalie said, "lets focus on fixing this okay."

"I have said it so many times. Why can't I say it now?"

Monk was off on his tangents.

"You have said it a lot of times yes… but you never said it to her. You never said it to someone you love before"

"I know. I can't lose her. I can't. I just can't lose her!"

"Monk," Leland said, "its okay. But you do need to talk to her."

Just then out of the corner of his eye Monk saw something.

"Did you see that," Monk said

"Did I see what?"

"The false Trudy… she JUST passed by there"

"Wait… are you saying that there are two Trudy's."

"I'm sure there are many in the world," Monk said

"I'm talking about this specific Trudy," Leland explained patiently.

Monk nodded.

"Here's what happened. Trudy never disappeared. She was taken. She somehow managed to get away but the person who had planned this and caused this problem knew he was in danger.

"He knew he had to do something. He knew something had to be done. What could he do?

"He knew that he would be exposed and his life would be ruined. She had to be… the problem had to be fixed. But he knew that I would never go for that. He knew I would protect her. I would have to.

"She's my life. She's my world.

"So he arranged for her to be taken out. He hired a look alike. He tried to get her to believe it was just a performance and it worked. But he didn't expect that the fake Trudy would pass by at the same time as the real Trudy did. I knew she would never have…"

"So wait a minute. If-"

"Leland she's innocent"

"You're preaching to the choir," Leland said, "I know that."

It was only seconds later that Adrian and Trudy were linked together again as one.

She fit in his arms.

"Adrian I…"

"I missed you so much. You have no idea"

"I missed you too," Trudy said, "I thought about you every moment. It was so… I couldn't…" she broke off in tears as he held her

"It's alright darling," he told her, "it's all over now"

"I know," she said, "but we missed so much"

"No we didn't," he said firmly, "that doesn't… love never dies"

He tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I… I was… and I…"

"I know," he said, "but it's all over now. The nightmare's over. I am so sorry this happened darling but it will never happen again"

"I… just am so relived to find you again," she told him