Since the last time Adrian had seen him, Preacher Armstrong had been transferred to a new precinct and with the transfer got a promotion and a new title. Now Captain of the Mt. Pleasant Police Department, he worked and lived in a community that saw its share of violent crime – one fitted for his particular brand of justice and compassion.

On the inside, the home that he lived in reminded Adrian a lot of the home that he himself had grown up in; but, on the outside, it was like most of the other homes in the area, attached on both sides to other units.

The closeness of city living was familiar to Adrian since he had lived in an apartment for so many years, but it wasn't what he would have chosen. This was how Preacher liked it though. He wanted to be in the community where he could really make a difference. He seemed to be in his element.

Preacher helped Monk carry his suitcases to a room on the second floor that would serve as Adrian's bedroom. He would also have his own bathroom, closet, and there was even a little kitchenette nearby from when the home had been rented out as two apartments. It was perfect for a short stay.

After setting down his things, he and Preacher went to the downstairs living room to catch up and talk about what had been going on in their lives. The re-connection with Preacher had a real calming affect on Monk, who at the end of a long trip from Orlando, where there was lots of stop-and-go traffic, had been a bit of a pain to anyone he came in contact with. He was even beginning to irritate himself, learning that while "Monk-unfiltered" served its own purpose, the little bit of effort to keep things under control had great benefits in that people liked him better and he liked himself. Bottom line, reverting back to the old Adrian showed him that he missed the new Adrian, a person that he couldn't wait to being that man again, once Natalie was back in his arms.

It didn't take long before the preacher in Preacher came out. An excellent judge of people, he knew that his friend Adrian had come to him a sad and troubled soul. Not being one to beat around the bush, he started their conversation by asking where Natalie was.

"She's…she's away at her parent's house in California." Adrian said, looking at the floor.

"On a visit?" asked Preacher.

Adrian didn't know how to answer that, so he just told Preacher the truth. "She said she needed to get away. Some stuff happened with my job, so she took the babies…"

"Babies? Wait a minute, back up. Whose babies?" asked Preacher.

Adrian smiled. "Oh, that's right. You don't know. Natalie and I are the parents of four-month-old twins." He said, pulling out his wallet which unfolded in accordion style with dozens of photographs. Smiling, he showed him each photograph. "Here, here are their pictures. Oh, and here…and, I like this one too... Awe, and this one is where Abby first sat up."

"Amazing man! Congratulations. They look like a miniature Adrian and Natalie." Preacher said.

"Act like it too. Heaven help them." Adrian laughed, for the first time in days, and then became serious. "Preacher, I miss them. I miss them bad."

Preacher looked at Adrian. "I know, it's hard. That's fatherhood. Those little goober heads wind up owning your heart."

"Them, and their mother." Said Monk.

"Well, friend, I don't pretend to know what is going to happen, but I find it very hard to believe that Natalie will just stay gone. You two are too good together. I see how she looks at you. The woman loves you." He said.

"I know she does. Perhaps too much. Is it fair of me to ask her to go through this? That's what worries me." Adrian said.

"You've got to live out your calling and she'll have to accept it. Fair doesn't enter into it. She'll come around." Preacher said.

"Yeah, but, maybe my calling isn't this." Adrian said, thoughtfully. "I've been thinking about it a lot. Maybe my calling is just Natalie and making her happy."

Preacher knew that the answer would not be that simple, but being the wise man he was, simply said "Well, that's something that you two need to figure out. You'll work it out. I have faith."


In California, Natalie sat at a table bedecked with flowers that Adrian had sent her (he had sent her a bouquet every day that she had been gone). She was in the garden of her parent's home letting the sunshine bake into her skin and drinking a glass of wine. It had been almost a week since she had arrived home, unannounced, and she hadn't told her parents yet about what had happened. Knowing Natalie, they didn't press. But that didn't mean that it wasn't bothering them.

Peggy looked out the back window and saw her sitting there and had finally had enough. She knew that her daughter was hurting and wasn't sure why, but she also knew that to out and out confront her with it would likely drive her way. So, she chose a more subtle approach. She would talk about herself and hope it hit the mark. She was spot on. Walking to where she was sitting, she saw Natalie's glass of wine and tapped her own the shoulder.

"Dear, it isn't even noon yet." She stated. "Don't be like your mother."

Natalie took a breath and said, "I'm just relaxing, Mom. It makes me feel peaceful."

"It may make you feel peaceful, but it won't bring peace. Trust me. It numbs the pain, but it doesn't get rid of the problem." Peggy said.

"Since when were you in pain, mother?" Natalie said. "You've always had everything you ever wanted."

Peggy sat. "You're wrong. I had material wealth and I had you two children, but I did not always have everything I ever wanted. That wasn't always a bad thing."

"You had Daddy too." Natalie said.

Peggy stopped and considered her words carefully. "Natalie Jane, my life with your father is not what you imagine it to be. It hasn't always been easy. There was even a time where I thought it would not work out."

She had Natalie's attention.

"You are too young to remember it, but there was a time where your father would travel a lot. You were very young, and Jonathan was not yet born. I had a difficult time coping with being away from him and being alone with a young baby, and I worried about everything. Would he make it home? How would I raise you? I even worried that he might have someone else. Of course, he didn't. But I felt very insecure and alone, not knowing really where I fit in.

I made myself feel so bad that I took it out on him, rather than looking within to see what was driving it all. Your father was just doing his job. It was unfair of me to have treated him the way I did, but I was stubborn, and it almost cost me - not what I 'wanted,' – which wasn't what I really wanted (but I did not know that at the time) - but what I needed."

Natalie asked, "And what was that?"

"I needed your Father. I needed that feeling of connectedness that we had before life got so busy. I needed to feel like your father needed me. I had completely misread things, because in his mind he was just doing what men do, providing for his family. His working was an offering of love. He didn't know how I was feeling because I didn't communicate that. I blamed him for things out of his control and regretted that."

"Have you been talking to Adrian?" Natalie asked, with narrowed eyes.

"No, ma'am. I am curious though what has happened between the two of you. Things were so good. Did you have a fight?" Peggy asked.

Natalie thought for a second. She really didn't want to get into it with Peggy at that moment. "I want to hear the rest of your story. How did you fix it? What did you do?"

Peggy sighed. "Well first, I stopped borrowing trouble. Three quarters of what I was concerned about were figments of my imagination. We women can be our own worst enemies in that way.

Your father is a lot like Adrian in that he has only ever had eyes for me. I can't imagine either man would ever cheat. I stopped worrying about it. Oh, I didn't totally take it for granted. People get driven into situations you would never expect, so you never say never. You have to maintain the relationship and be careful on your end that you don't end up pushing your husband into another woman's arms – because everyone needs love. It's part of being human. And, often, if they don't feel love where they are at, they will inadvertently seek it elsewhere.

The best way that I know of showing love to a man is to appeal to his drive to be your hero. I know it seems and sounds silly. But, down deep in every man is a little boy that just wants to feel like he is warding off anything unpleasant for the woman he loves. They are natural born protectors. Let him know you appreciate the efforts. Brag on him, if you will.

Second, I learned to let it go and accept things for what they were. I tried to see the good in things – rather than focusing on the bad. And you know after a while, things became good. Better than ever."

"That's a nice story, Mom. But your fears were imagined. Mine are real. Adrian's job is very dangerous. And the way Adrian and I communicate sometimes. It's not good." Natalie said.

"Concerning the job, it's always been that way. You knew this when you married him, so this is not the issue. And, about the communication, of course, it isn't always good, dear. Marriage is work – a lot of hard work. It is work to learn to learn how to communicate with one another, and that is a work that never ends. Your father and I have learned to communicate rather well to the point we often know what the other is thinking before a word is said, but we still have to work at it. And darling, having lived in your household, I can tell you unequivocally that it is worth it.

You know, you felt that I had rejected Mitch because he wasn't of the right social status. That wasn't it. I know I should have accepted him as the man you loved, but what I wanted for you was not some social status – but someone who could fulfill you and let your gifts shine. Mitch was a good man and you had the life you had with him – same with Stephen. But it was always 'You and Mitch' or 'You and Stephen.' Separate individuals. The Navy men and their wife.

With Adrian, you have your own separate identity, but there is also this close tie like I've never seen. You operate, at times, as one unit. It is not 'you' plural, as two individuals, but 'you' singular. The couple. One unit. And, what I can see has the makings of one of 'the great couples.' You complete each other. Soulmates. You know I'm right."

Natalie said nothing, but was listening to every word.

" I guess what I'm saying is, Natalie Jane, don't blow this. These kinds of relationships don't happen very often. Do whatever you have to do to make it right.

Adrian is a good man and he is good for you. It took me living in your home to see it, because I just thought he was this strange little needy character and you were going to be his mother figure. That is not at all the case. He is the Mr. Darcy to your Elizabeth Bennett, the Rochester to your Jane Eyre, the Tracy to your Hepburn"

"As long as you don't say he's the Romeo to my Juliet, we're okay. Mom, two out of three of those couples are fictional. That's not real life" Natalie said.

"There you go looking at the negative. You miss my point. Adrian is not a perfect man. There are no perfect men. And newsflash, you're not perfect either. But what you have together is really, really good. He may not do or say or be everything you think you want right now. But, he really is exactly what you need. Don't throw him away over some fanciful notions running around in your head."