AN: Thank you to everybody for the reviews and messages they meant the world to me. I took some of the advice given to me and am going to make the change in their relationship very slow. These first few chapters will all take place during the show, but soon they will evolve to what it might have been like after the series ended. I know that they are a little out of character, but my whole idea of these calls is that maybe both Natalie and Monk were a little more open with each other over the phone late at night than they would have been face to face. Anyway, I hope you like it, but let me know either way.
Chapter 2 Midnight Phone Calls - better than normal
February 24th, 2008 12:00 AM
"Hello, Mr. Monk." Natalie greeted with a sigh of relief it was the first time that he had called her at midnight since she thought he was dead and they worked to clear his name and catch Dale Biderbeck. She used to be so annoyed by these late-night calls, but last week it destroyed her to think he would never call her late at night again.
"Hello Natalie, it's Adrian Monk." The familiarity of the awkward greeting brought a smile to her face for once.
"I know it's you, Mr. Monk," she said, "how are you doing?"
"I can't sleep." His sat up in his bed not even close to sleep.
"Well you had an eventful two weeks Mr. Monk it's no wonder that you are having trouble sleeping," Natalie said. "I know I have barely been able to sleep. First I thought you were dead and then I was so worried about you, and even after you found the bomb and caught Biderbeck I just can't seem to get my brain to settle, I can't imagine how you are feeling."
"I can't figure out who he was talking about," Monk said, "Who is the judge?" Natalie gave another sigh, she fully understood why he would be obsessed with his new lead, he should be, but it still frustrated her when he ignored what she said. "That's why I can't sleep." He finished surprising Natalie with the fact that he had been listening to what she had been saying after all. "That and I can't stop thinking about the water, it was terrible Natalie, it was so dirty."
"I know it was Mr. Monk," Natalie said, "but think of this it was tough and dirty but when it was important you did what you needed to do, you fell and swam and dealt with dirt, and you were brave and strong. Just do me a favor and never do it again."
"Be brave?" He asked confused.
"Die," Natalie whispered, "or fake your death, I never want to think you are dead again."
"Fine, I promise the next time I have to go on the run I will tell you." He knew what he was saying was ridiculous and didn't hide it with his tone of voice, but Natalie didn't care.
"You better." She said seriously.
"I did want to call you," Mr. Monk admitted, "but it would have put you in danger."
"I know." Natalie relented. "I just can't plan another funeral." This was something that they both understood; they had each had enough funerals for a lifetime. There was a long pause that hung heavy in the air before Natalie spoke again trying to lighten the mood. "You know Mr. Monk you were right about one thing, that 'learn to swim' correspondence course paid off."
March 31st, 2008 12:00 AM
"Hello." Natalie picked up her phone and put down her book.
"Hello Natalie," Adrian greeted as always, "it's Adrian Monk."
"Hi Mr. Monk, would you like to know the weather for tomorrow?" She picked up the paper next to her on the nightstand and started to flip through it. She had begun to keep a paper there most nights after the first two years of working for Mr. Monk. It was easier for the nights when he did call she didn't need to get up out of bed.
"Yes please," Adrian said.
"Ok, a high of 46 degrees and a low of 33 with a 15% chance of rain in the morning." She folded the paper and put it back on the nightstand.
"Thank you, Natalie." Adrian felt better now, Natalie reading him the weather for the next day always calmed him if only a little.
"Do you need anything else, Mr. Monk?" Natalie settled the comforter back around her and grabbed her book ready to go back to reading.
"What are you doing?" Mr. Monk asked looking over at the empty half of the bed next to him.
"I was reading my book." Natalie knew that he wanted to chat for a few more minutes but didn't know how to admit to her that he didn't need to know the weather he needed to talk to a friend.
"I was reading," Natalie folded the page over and closed her book once again. "Our Town."
"What?" Adrian asked confused.
"Our Town," Natalie explained, "that's what I'm reading."
"But you have read that before." He stated confused.
"I have," she agreed, "how did you know that?"
"I saw it on your bookshelf years ago," Monk explained, "and I don't think Julie wasn't reading it when she was 12."
"I should have figured," Natalie said, "I have read it before, I read it about once a year. I like to re-read certain books."
"Trudy used to do that; I almost never re-read a book" Monk stated as he looked over at Trudy's book that still sat on her nightstand. He leaned over and touched the cover of it gingerly. He was lost in his thought, and it took him a minute before he realized that Natalie had been saying something and he hadn't heard a word of what she had said. "I'm sorry Natalie what did you say?"
"What books do you re-read?" She asked not minding that he had spaced out on her for a minute.
"Ones that Trudy loved, Great Gatsby, Weathering Heights, a lot of poetry, and of course anything that Trudy wrote."
"Did she write other than for the paper?" Natalie asked
"A little, here and there," he said with a smile, "She wrote to me, poems, notes, little stories, she was a beautiful writer, but she said that her non-journalistic writing was just for her she never wanted it to be something he did professionally, it was too personal."
"I get that," Natalie agreed, "I always wished that I had a talent like that as Trudy had with writing, or you have for solving cases, or Julie does with music."
"You have a talent," Monk stated as if it was obvious, "your good with people."
"Lots of people are, it's not a great talent," Natalie disagreed.
"Lots of people are ok with other people; they can do all those things I can't do, small talk, make jokes, lie, flatter, flirt," Adrian was starting to feel sorry for himself, so he quickly finished his thought, "you do more than that. Natalie, you have a talent for making people feel better. You can tell what it is they need, even if they don't know, and you make it better. You even deal with me."
"Thank you, Mr. Monk; I guess I do have a talent."
June 5th, 2008 12:00 AM
Natalie sat on the couch waiting for midnight. She was tired, it had been a long day, but she knew it was not time for bed yet. They had gotten the news early this morning from his messaging service. Natalie was glad that they had called her and not him. They called to let her know that Dr. Kroger had passed away the night before and that they would soon be referring his patients to other psychiatrists but they didn't have that lined up yet, and Mr. Monk should not go in for an appointment today.
She had broken the news to Mr. Monk, and it took hours before he even spoke. And once he did, he quickly switched from anger to sadness and back again for the rest of the day. She had just gotten him calmed down enough by eight when she had to go home to Julie, but she was waiting for him to call, knowing that he would tonight.
"Hello Natalie, it's me Adrian Monk," Adrian said as soon as she picked up his voice was rough and quiet, it was evident to her that he had been crying.
"Hello, Mr. Monk," Natalie said sympathetically, "how are you, did you get any sleep after we left."
"No, I tried to call Troy and his step-mother," Monk admitted, "but there was no answer, I don't think they are home."
"They might not be," Natalie took a deep breath, "Mr. Monk you can't call them ok, we will write a letter tomorrow, I will help you, and we can send it with flowers, but no calling them ok?" Natalie waited and when she got no response she knew she needed to continue, "Mr. Monk, I know that you cared about Dr. Kroger but you know what his family is going through right now, you have been there, and it's not time yet for you to talk to them ok? But we can see about maybe going to the funeral or wake."
"I don't want to go to the funeral or wake." He refused.
"It might be good to say goodbye." Natalie tried to convince him.
"I don't want to say goodbye," Adrian stated stubbornly.
"I know Mr. Monk." Natalie sighed not knowing what else to say. She knew no matter what she said this was a hurt that she couldn't make better.
"I don't understand, why is it that everyone leaves me?" Adrian's voice was smaller now, almost a whisper. "First my mother, then Trudy, then Sharona, and now Dr. Kroger."
"I don't know Mr. Monk," Natalie's heart broke for her boss, "But not everyone is gone, you have me and Julie, and the Captain and Randy, we are all here for you, and we love you."
"You will leave too," he said, "someday."
"How about I promise not to leave," Natalie offered.
"You won't quit?" Monk sounded surprised as if he expected her to quit any day now.
"You and me, Mr. Monk, we are partners, I won't quit us ok?"
"Ok," After a pause, he asked, "Natalie, I don't have to see the flowers we are going to send tomorrow, do I?"
August 5th, 2008 12:00 AM
"Hello," Natalie whispered as she picked up the phone. She and Julie had fallen asleep that night watching television together, and she didn't want her daughter to wake up. She quietly walked into the other room.
"Hello Natalie, it's Adrian Monk." He greeted, "Why are you whispering?"
"Julie was asleep next to me, and I didn't want to wake her, it's ok now, I'm in the other room." She explained as she walked into her kitchen getting herself a glass of water.
"I'm sorry," Adrian thought about it for the first time, "I guess it never occurred to me that I might wake up Julie when I call."
"We turn the ringer off on the phone in her room when she goes to bed now so you won't wake her," Natalie told him, "we learned that after the first time you called."
"Is that why you quit?" Monk asked, "because I call you late."
"No," Natalie said with a sigh knowing that she would be hearing about this for a long time, "that wasn't why I quit. I told you I was wrong and I'm sorry."
"I know," Adrian said, "but you never told me exactly why you quit, you told me you wouldn't quit us, that we were partners and then you quit to be the lotto girl."
"I am so sorry Mr. Monk," Natalie tried to collect her thoughts, "Try to understand you are this world-famous detective and I am the person that hands you wipes and deals with your phobias, it is a thankless job. As the lotto girl, people wanted my autograph, and the winners thanked me like I had been the one to help them, and it felt so good that after a while I started to believe it. And then you called me a bimbo."
"I'm sorry." He said right away; he had known that word had been wrong. "I don't think you are a bimbo, you are very smart Natalie, but you weren't acting like yourself, you were acting like a dumb girl whose only value was their beauty."
"I know Mr. Monk," Natalie agreed, "and I see that now, but it hurt, sometimes you do things that hurt my feelings and being the lotto girl was so easy, and it made me feel good."
"I don't mean to hurt you," Monk defended himself but then admitted, "But I know I do sometimes when I don't mean to, Dr. Bell told me I do that to people a lot, he wants me to work on it. I am sorry I hurt you."
"You also help," Natalie supplied, "I was horrible to you, and I quit, and when I was in trouble you were still there for me, no questions asked. Sometimes friends hurt each other sometimes they fight, the important thing is that they are there for each other when it really matters and you are there for me, and I promise you, Mr. Monk, I will be there for you too."
"I know you will," Monk said, "I will try to make sure I don't hurt you so much if you don't quit again."
"It's a deal," Natalie agreed with a smile.
"Natalie," he asked, "can you read me the weather for tomorrow?" Adrian and Natalie both felt a little better at that, knowing things were back to normal, or maybe even better than normal.