Mr. Monk has a Blast
Summary
Natalie and Lieutenant Albright take the next step in their relationship, leaving Monk out in the dust (and wipeless) as he follows a new lead on Trudy's murder. But what happens when an unexpected twist of fate threatens to destroy the only chance Natalie and Monk have at finding happiness? Future Monk/Natalie pairing.
Chapter One: Christmas with the Lieutenant
It was Christmas Eve at the Teager household. Monk sat in the wooden chair next to the Christmas tree, the closest he would ever get to nature, counting the presents one by one in his head. His hands clenched the armrests.
Two four six eight ten, two four six eight ten…
"Natalie! Natalie-ee! Why are there eleven presents under our tree?" Monk twitched his neck, reaching out a finger to touch a glittery ornament. Julie Teager, who was setting a plate of cookies on the coffee table nearby, glanced at her mother out of the corner of her eye, and grinned.
"Mr. Monk…" Natalie said, but abruptly put a hand over her mouth as a car horn erupted outside.
"Why- Are you giggling?" Monk demanded. Natalie opened her mouth, but before she had time to answer Monk's question, the front door burst open.
"Merry Christmas everybody! Julie. Mr. Monk." a striking man in uniform nodded in acknowledgement toward the trio as he entered the living room carrying an armful of packages and a glass bottle filled with dark liquid.
Monk's eyes widened as Lieutenant Albright approached, giving Natalie a lingering kiss on the cheek. She giggled.
"We have a guest!" Natalie announced, throwing her arms up in the air, motioning with her hands for Monk and Julie to stand up and greet him.
"Hi, Mr. Albright." Julie said.
"Julie, how many times do I have to tell you, you can call me Steven?"
"Hi Steven." Julie said.
"I see." Monk said looking from Natalie to the Lieutenant to Julie, shaking his head so it looked like it was going to fall off, "Lieutenant, I'm afraid my assistant Natalie has only made six cookies. That's an even two for each of us. She must have forgotten you were coming." A smug grin crossed the detective's lips. Natalie issued Monk a death glare.
"Mr. Monk, the great detective. Natalie told me about your feelings regarding the Christmas season. I know what it's like to lose someone you love." the Lieutenant said, pacing across the room and patting Monk on the back as the detective leaned away in horror, "I brought you a present." He handed Monk a smooth red and silver lined box tied neatly with a bow.
Natalie wrapped her arms around Albright's waist, looking dotingly at her boss.
"Thank you." Monk said, placing the parcel below the tree next to Trudy's present.
"Mr. Monk, aren't you going to open your present?" Natalie said, crossing her arms and leaning back as she observed Monk.
"Natalie! I can't open any present before I have opened Trudy's." Monk said.
"But Mr. Monk you will never open Trudy's present."
"Exactly." Monk said.
"Okay, okay." the Lieutenant said, a boyish grin crossing his face, " Then I will open it for you."
"Oh look, look Mr. Monk! It's a Glade Plug-in," Natalie said patting her boss on the back. "Steven that was so sweet of you. Wasn't that thoughtful of him, Mr. Monk?" She gave her boss a playful bump on the arm before kissing the Lieutenant softly on the lips above Monk's head. Ew, ew. Monk jerked his head and shielded his eyes with his hands.
"Just wait until you see what I got for you." Albright said, and winked at Natalie.
Natalie turned on the radio in the kitchen to add some holiday music, and after a few minutes walked as fast as she could in her purple dress and high heels to turn on the television.
"It's a Wonderful Life is on! " Julie said ecstatically, " It's a Wonderful Life is on! I so love this movie."
Monk, now sitting on the couch turned to look at the younger Teager his jaw slack,
"What is wrong with you? The guy doesn't get to keep his happy ending. No…no…that Clarence angel made a mistake. The world would be better off without us…without me…oh the pain. I mean the wife and kids are going to die anyway. Everybody dies. He's destined to live alone and miserable forever! What's the point?" Monk went on mumbling inaudibly. Natalie shook her head at her boss and then went back to making googly eyes with the Lieutenant on the rug by the tree.
After the movie had finished, Monk began to unplug the lights, while Julie was busy shaking her unopened presents. There was a loud cough. The Lieutenant pulled a small box out of his pocket and dropped to one knee.
"Oh my God." Natalie said standing up in front of the sailor. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God."
"Oh my God." Julie said.
"Oh my God." Monk said.
"Natalie Teager, I've been waiting for this moment since our first time underwater together. Will you marry me?"
Wipe, wipe! Monk whispered. Wipe!
"Oh Steven, yes. Yes!" Natalie said, jumping up and down clapping her hands. She threw herself into the Lieutenant's arms and they fell into an awkward jig before crashing into the Christmas tree.
Monk lifted the bottle off the coffee table to make sure it was non-alcoholic.
When the screaming had subsided Natalie pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ears blushing, and turned to face her boss beaming. .
"Mr. Monk, I'm going to be married! Me. Can you believe it? This is so exciting. It's been so long."
But a trail of tears was now streaming down Monk's face.
"What's wrong Mr. Monk? I mean you know I would never-" Natalie said.
Julie and the Lieutenant looked at each other.
Monk slowly pointed his finger at the torn package on the ground, his lower lip trembling.
"Trudy's present."