Natalie Monk laid in the stillness of the bed wide awake. A small lamp on the nightstand beside her cast its dim amber glow across the room and the only sounds were those of a cricket somewhere down the hallway and the fitful breaths of her husband sleeping.

The day had been extremely hard on him, and she was worried that it was going to set him back emotionally – not that she couldn't deal with that if it did. She had done it for years. But, the events of that day and how it affected him really caused it to hit home that there was this fragile side to him that would always be present. This enigmatic personality was what caused her to fall in love with him. He could at one moment show super-hero like strength and bravery and the next moment be a vulnerable child or an emotional wreck. She had started to get used to the steady side, so seeing him fall apart was a little wake up call.

As she laid by his side, she noticed that he was moving a lot more than normal. He normally slept very still, and on his back. But now, he was tossing and turning, clearly having some sort of a nightmare. His breathing became shallow and he began mumbling something in his sleep – what she couldn't tell. Eyes flickering, his face contorted as if he were in pain. He flinched and great beads of sweat began to form on his forehead and face. She had heard from her days as a military wife that it was not good to try to wake someone up when they were having a PTSD nightmare, but she struggled watching him struggle. She wanted to whisper in his ear telling him things were okay, and it was just a dream. But such interference was discouraged by the professionals, so, she chose to wait it out.

After about ten minutes of this, he jolted in his sleep and his mouth flew open as if he were screaming, but no sound came out. Then, his breathing stopped entirely for about 15 seconds. Witnessing this, her own heart skipped a beat. Was he okay? She sat up one elbow and watched for his chest to rise and fall again, breathe Adrian! She thought. After about ten seconds she started to panic. She had just reached forward her hand to shake him when she about jumped out of her skin as he suddenly inhaled one huge gulp of air and sat straight up, eyes wide open. In a daze, he sat there, staring straight ahead for several seconds trying to get acclimated to the room. After a few seconds, she reached her hand up and touched him on his back which was drenched with sweat, startling him. Slowly he turned around and looked at her, his eyes filled with grief which morphed into relief as he realized it was truly just a dream.

His voice broke through the stillness, but it wasn't at all what she expected to hear.

"What would you think if I retired from investigative work?" he asked.

She stopped for a second and considered the question before answering. "Retire? I, well…I haven't thought about it. But… I support whatever you want to do. You know that?" she said.

He nodded, and looked down at his hand, as if deep in thought.

She sat up fully, and wrapped one arm around his back, placing her head on the back of his shoulder.

"Why do you want to retire?" she asked.

"It's just something I'm thinking about." He said.

"Because of the danger?" she asked.

He looked up at her. She had read the situation well, but not entirely.

"That's a big part, yes. But not because of the fear. Of course, on days like today, I'm battling that pretty hard…" he started to zone out thinking about what could have happened. Sensing this, she interrupted his thoughts.

"If not fear, then what?" she asked.

"Responsibility." He said. "I'm no longer Adrian Monk, widower. I'm Adrian Monk, husband and father. It has made me think, why am I doing this? Why am I running the risk of leaving you a widow or our children orphans?"

Natalie did not answer immediately, but instead stood and walked over to the bureau, pulling out clean dry pajamas for him to put on. This wasn't the first time they had broached this subject, but it was the first time he had intimated what he was considering. She wanted to take the time to answer him properly, since he needed her guidance.

Climbing over the footboard and back onto the bed, she reached her hand out and looked at his wet pajama top motioning for him to hand it over. He looked down and quietly unbuttoned the shirt, and slowly slipped it off and dutifully handed it to her.

Folding it, and laying it on the bed next to him, she took the clean one and held it out for him to slip his arms into. He quietly complied and watched her as she then buttoned the shirt up and rested her hand on his chest. Now, she sat on her knees face to face looking him straight in the eyes.

"Adrian. You are doing this because it is who you are. It's who you were made to be." She paused. "I appreciate your desire to put us before yourself. But I also know, as much as I would like to have a more normal life where we didn't find ourselves in mortal danger every five minutes – it's just who you are. It's just who we are. It's what we do. Besides, you wouldn't be happy just sitting around as a retiree doing who knows what." She said.

"But, we have the money…I could do it…I could spend more time with you and the children." He said.

"And I would love that. But…it wouldn't feel right for you. This is your life. You are a wonderful husband, when you're not being a grouch…"

"When am I ever?" he interrupted.

She put her hand on his lips, smirked a little, and continued. "You're a wonderful husband. You're an amazing father. These things are true. But you are also this incredible intellect. We can talk about it more later, but I don't think you would be happy and that's what I want most of all, for you to be happy." She finished.

"You make me happy." He said, running his hand through her hair. She shifted her body to where she was now sitting on the bed directly, in her silk pajama shorts, and she scooted up, facing him, and wrapped her legs around his hips. Leaning forward, she put both arms around his neck and gave him a tender and lingering kiss. Then, with her hands still around his neck, she sat back and just looked at him and smiled.

"What?" he asked.

She smiled and gave a single chuckle. "Nothing." She replied.

"No. Not nothing! What are you thinking?" he said, like an insistent little boy.

"It's nothing!" she said, propping herself up on her palm and swinging around so that she now sat beside him in bed.

"Natalieeee!" he whined, turning to her. "What were you thinking? You know I'm not going to be able to go back to sleep unless you tell me."

She laughed. "Alright. Alright. I was just thinking, this is not the first time you've tried to do this. Retire, that is. Remember after your 100th case?"

"One hundred and first" he said. "Why didn't you stop me?"

"Me? Stop you?" she answered, dubious of the idea.

He threw her a look. "Oh…don't give me that!" he said, shifting in his seat and rolling his eyes.

"Don't give you what?" she said, shifting her body towards his and smiling with growing amusement.

"Awe, cut it out. You know what!" he said, turning his body to the side and fluffing his pillow then laying down, looking at her and shaking his head.

"Cut what out?" she teased, getting up on her hands and knees and reaching her right hand across his body, resting it on the other side of the bed. "I'm sure, I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Monk."

He squinted his eyes and bit his lip, trying not to grin. "THIS! This thing right here! You're always doing this!" He said.

"What?!" she said, feigning innocence.

"We get in a discussion, I'm making a point. You have a different point and you're going to stick to it. Next thing I know, you're there pouring on the charm and all your beauty and wham! There I go again…wrapped around your little…"

"Adrian." She interrupted.

"What?" he said.

"Shut up." She said.

"Shut up?" he asked.

"Yes. Shut up, and kiss me." She said, leaning in close and licking her lower lip before biting it. Her eyes had a look of seduction about them. He swallowed hard.

"Yes ma'am!" He replied, as he took her in his arms and laid her down beside him, taking the damp pajama top in his free hand as he did and tossing it over top of the amber lamp beside their bed.


The next morning, Preacher Armstrong sat at the kitchen table eating a bowl of bran cereal with fresh fruit cut up on top of it. As he did, his eyes bounced back and forth between Monk and Natalie who were in perhaps the best mood he had ever seen them in. Considering that they had almost gotten killed the day before, it was a bit unusual; but, he enjoyed the spectacle as Natalie hummed La Vie En Rose while making them both a cup of coffee and Adrian glided across the floor, emitting an occasional harmony to her voice as he made them toast.

Natalie set the cups down on the table at the same time Adrian sat down the plates of toast, and Preacher's eyebrows raised when Adrian took Natalie by the hand, twirled her outward in the middle of the kitchen and then pulled her with a twirl back into his embrace before pulling out her chair for her and doing a half bow presenting her with her seat.

The Police Captain stifled a laugh and shook his head as dimples adorned his cheeks at the sight of the two lovebirds.

"Sleep well?" he finally asked at which point, Natalie and Adrian looked at each other and giggled.

"Very well." She said, making Adrian blush.

Preacher cleared his throat. "That's good. Anything interesting on the agenda for today?"

Adrian sat down and decided to be serious for a moment.

"Yes." He answered, taking a bite of toast. After chewing a few bites and swallowing, he continued. "Going to meet with the President today. I think I have an idea that's going to require some travel for me and Natalie. Also…I've asked that they put you in for a security clearance."

"Me? Why?" Preacher said, eating another bite of cereal.

Adrian looked at Natalie and then down at the table before looking back at Preacher.

"Well…I can't say right now. But, there is a particular area that I want to brief you on and with your expertise in this city, I figured you would be a great asset." Adrian said.

Preacher's eyes darted between the two and he knew they were keeping some sort of secret; but, having lived in DC for as long as he had, he decided to leave it be. He raised his chin a little and looked at them through the bottom of his eyes, as the right corner of his mouth raised in a suspicious smirk. "Alllllright. I'm sure you'll tell me all about what this is about soon." He said.

"Yes. Very soon." Natalie answered.

"Good!" the Captain said, pushing his chair out from the table. "Meanwhile, you might want to go talk to your guys out there. The dayshift just arrived, and they have my car blocked in."

Adrian wiped his mouth and nodded his head. "I'll get right on it, Captain Armstrong."