It was a hot, muggy evening on July 21st, now three weeks since the shooting. Adrian lay on his living room floor with his younger children while Natalie was out throwing a bridal shower for Kellyanne Roberts at her friend's house. Kellyanne's wedding to Ambrose Monk would be one week later on the 28th.

"Again, Daddy," Sophia said as she tugged on Adrian's sleeve.

"Okay. After Timothy's turn." Adrian smiled up at his six-month-old son as he held him above his head.

Timothy laughed in delight in response to Adrian's attempt at airplane noises as he flew him back and forth.

"All clear for the landing," Adrian said as he lowered Timothy to the floor beside him. He reached for Sophia who hopped up and down beside them. "Next flight, now boarding."

Sophia's peals of laughter mingled with her brother's as Adrian zoomed her around in the air above him. After a few minutes, he lowered her to the floor. "More, Daddy," the toddler shouted.

Adrian rolled to his side and laughed. "Daddy needs to rest for a minute." He sat up and pulled his children into his lap, one on each leg. "How about a story? Did I ever tell you about when I rode on a real airplane to Texas?"

Sophia shook her head, but before Adrian could begin, the doorbell rang. Adrian looked at his watch. "Now, who could that be?" He lifted Sophia off his lap and stood, placing Timothy on his hip. He went to the door and peered through the peephole. It was a woman, but she had turned, obscuring her face.

"May I help you?" Adrian asked when he opened the door. When the woman turned in response, his mouth fell open. With her dark, curly hair and striking green eyes, it was as if he had entered a time warp and an adult version of Sophia stood before him.

"Mr. Monk?" she asked. All he could do was nod. "I'm Tracey Hayes, Ryan's sister. Could … could I speak with you and your wife for a moment?"

Adrian opened the door wider. "Natalie is at a shower for my brother's fiancée, but come in." He showed her to the living room where she took a seat on the couch, placing her purse beside her. "Would you like something to drink?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you. I'm fine."

Adrian sat on the opposite side of the couch and settled Timothy into his lap once again. "How can I help you, Miss Hayes?"

"Ryan asked me to come. He would have come himself, but he moved to Seattle last week."

"Seattle?"

"Yes, he took an internship with the VA hospital there." Tracey looked down and rubbed her hands on her jeans. "I miss him already, but I know it's a wonderful opportunity."

"What about college?" Adrian asked.

"He'll continue at the University of Washington. Then, when he graduates, he'll work with injured service members and veterans."

Adrian handed Timothy the toy he was reaching for. "That's great. I'm glad to hear it."

Tracey smiled in response to the baby's coos. "You have an adorable little boy, Mr. Monk."

"Thank you." He looked at Timothy and smiled with pride, but as he turned his attention back to his guest, his smile faded. "Tracey, why did you come?"

"I'm sorry. I suppose I shouldn't delay this any longer." She reached over and opened her purse, pulling out a large, white envelope. "Ryan wanted me to give you this."

Adrian took the envelope and looked at the cover. The return address was from a lawyer's office. He gazed at her for a moment before he moved Timothy to sit on the couch beside him and turned the envelope over. It had been previously opened. This time, the flap was merely tucked in, so he didn't need his letter opener. He untucked the flap and paused. Taking a breath, he pulled out the papers within. He recognized what was on top of the stack. It was the results of the paternity test they had been waiting for.

He turned it and scanned the numbers and graphics, looking for the one piece of information that mattered ... Positive. It was a match. Ryan Hayes was without a doubt, his daughter's biological father. Sophia had a family outside of theirs. He closed his eyes and cleared his throat. It was too much to consider at the moment. Truth be told, he expected it. As he glanced at the young woman watching him, it was obvious, but the reality of it was harder than he had expected.

He removed the DNA results with caution, almost afraid to see what was underneath. He set the results on the coffee table and found a handwritten letter underneath. He began to read:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Monk,

First of all, I want to say I'm sorry for not being able to deliver this in person. As my sister has hopefully explained, I moved to Seattle to take an internship at the VA hospital. I will miss my family greatly, but I am excited for the opportunity this move provides me.

I also want to say thank you for your kindness and your trust in allowing me to complete the paternity test. I have to say it was quite a shock to get the results, even though it is what I suspected all along. Once I recovered from the shock, I knew I had to make good on the promise to you that I wouldn't interfere with your raising of Sophia. To do that, I consulted with a lawyer to waive all my parental rights. That is the paperwork you will find under this letter. As a result, I will not and cannot seek custody of any sort. I have done this because in the short time I have known you, I can see how much you love Sophia and are committed to raising her well. I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me to know that. She may have my DNA, but I am not the right one to raise her. I believe God brought good out of tragedy when you and your wife decided to adopt her. I have absolutely no doubt you are the right family for her, and you honor Hannah's memory by loving her daughter.

That being said, I would like to ask one thing of you. If it isn't too much. I would like for you to send me a letter and maybe a couple of pictures on Sophia's birthday each year so I may know how she is doing. I am grateful I was able to meet her that day in your home. She is a beautiful girl, full of life, so much like Hannah. If Sophia decides she wants to meet me and my family someday, we would consider it a blessing, but that is between you and her. I will abide by your decision, whatever that may be, but please know I will always remember her and pray for her.

Yours truly,

Ryan Hayes

By this point, Adrian had to take some deep breaths to fight the emotion threatening to rise to the surface. He wiped his hand across his face and lifted the letter. In his hand, he held signed paperwork and a letter from Ryan's lawyer assuring them that he would never be able to seek custody of Sophia. Adrian blew out a deep breath. It was all so … overwhelming. He stared at the paperwork until he was distracted by Timothy, who was tired and beginning to fuss. At the same moment, he felt a small hand touch his arm.

"Daddy, I thirsty."

Adrian almost forgot that Sophia had been at the table coloring. He picked up Timothy, then said, "Sophia, there is someone here I would like you to meet. This is Miss Tracey." He pointed to their guest.

Tracey smiled at the toddler. "Hi, Sophia. I'm very pleased to meet you."

Forgetting about her thirst, Sophia walked to Tracey. She looked up and tilted her head. Then, she climbed onto the couch beside her. With a tentative hand, she reached up and touched her long curls. "Like mine," she said.

Tracey wiped away a tear. "Yes, very much like yours."

Adrian and the children continued to visit with Tracey Hayes for another hour until she had to leave. Shortly after, Natalie returned home. She entered her dimly lit home to find her husband asleep in his chair. His arm cradled Sophia, who also slept with her head resting on his chest. In his other arm, he held a slumbering Timothy. Natalie paused for a moment, smiling at the sweet scene. She set her purse and keys down as quietly as she could before she took a seat on the footstool in front of the chair.

"Adrian," Natalie whispered as she touched his knee.

He opened his eyes and smiled. "Hi there."

"Hi there, yourself. Did you all fall asleep watching a movie or something?"

Adrian sighed and shook his head. "I just couldn't let them go tonight." He reached for the papers on the end table and handed them to her. "Tracey Hayes came by with these."

Natalie took them from him, her eyes widening. "The paternity test?" He nodded. "Oh, Adrian." The fear in her voice was evident.

"It's positive, but read the letter underneath."

Natalie set aside the test results and read the letter. She covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes whelmed. She looked to her husband whose eyes also glistened. "She's ours forever? No more worry?"

Adrian nodded and kissed Sophia's head. "No one can take her away. She may choose to meet Ryan someday, but she'll always be ours."

Whistling could be heard throughout the Monk home the evening of July 26, 2012. Adrian whistled as he showered, he whistled as he dressed, and he whistled as he stood in front of his bedroom mirror combing his hair. He paused for a moment to coax a wayward curl into place. Then, he smiled. He had a date with his wife. Six weeks ago, he had attempted to take her on a date to her favorite restaurant. He rubbed his chin. Had it only been six weeks? In many ways, it seemed much longer. Between solving a triple homicide case involving fellow police officers, receiving the shocking news that Sophia's birth father was still alive, and sustaining and recovering from a bullet wound, life had been anything but slow or dull. He moved his right arm in a slow circle to stretch. He could do it now with very little pain. Only small twinges remained when he turned or twisted too fast. The angry red scars on his chest and back were fading, and he was feeling as if his lung was almost back to full capacity. He turned and reached for the tie he laid on the bed. He surprised himself with his eagerness to leave his cozy home and spend an evening out with Natalie and friends.

Natalie's hand touched his as she also reached for the tie. "Here, let me help you with that."

"I can do it," he said. "You don't need to fuss over me anymore."

Her response was a pout. "Just like all the times you've fussed over me?" She pulled the tie from his hand. "Besides, I like to do it."

Adrian couldn't help but smile at his wife as she wrapped the tie around his neck. She was looking lovely in the same pink dress she had worn for their almost date six weeks ago. Her beauty still managed to stun him at times, but it wasn't just her good looks that made his heart beat faster. It was also her inner beauty—her love, her devotion, her kindness, and patience that caused the warmth he felt. Over the last few weeks, those traits had been put to the test. Now, having been put through the fire, their commitment was even stronger, and he loved her even more. He put his hands on her waist and kissed her. He couldn't help himself.

"Adrian, I'm not done," Natalie said through her giggles.

He kissed her again. "There will be time to finish."

Natalie placed her hands on his cheeks and smiled. "As much as I'm enjoying this, love, there really isn't time. I still have to get Timothy changed, then we have to drop off the kids with Luke and Molly, and still get to Antonio's by 7:00."

Adrian sighed as he backed up and let her finish with his tie. "Do you know why Leland invited us to go to dinner with them?"

"No, he didn't say why. All I know is, he said to come. Randy, Sharona, Dwayne, and Nicole are also going to be there too." She gave his tie one last pat, then stepped to the closet to retrieve his jacket. "I thought maybe they wanted to celebrate Leland's recovery, and yours."

"Hmm, maybe," Adrian said as Natalie helped him into his jacket. "But, I think he has some news to share."

The four couples, seated in a back corner of the Marina District restaurant, finished their delicious dinner. The waiter took their dishes and they sighed with contentment. Adrian and Natalie would have turned down dessert, but Leland had insisted on treating everyone, so now they waited for the sweets to arrive.

Leland stood and cleared his throat. "Could I have everyone's attention please?" Seven heads turned to look his way. "I asked you all to join T.K. and me here tonight for a few reasons, but mainly because we felt we have a lot to celebrate. I don't have to tell any of you how trying these last couple of months have been, but they would have been even harder if I'd had to do it without all of you. You all are more than co-workers. I think you know that, but I'll say it anyway. You're family. So, with this very inadequate gesture, I wanted to say thank you. I also wanted to publicly thank Monk, who now I owe my life to. The hardest thing I ever did was lie in that hospital bed wondering if he would pull through." He paused and swallowed while Natalie rubbed Adrian's back. Leland looked Adrian in the eyes. "I love you, buddy." His voice was thick with emotion. "Thanks … Thanks for what you did." Adrian nodded and Leland blinked back tears.

"Okay, enough of the mush," Leland said, taking a deep breath. "The other reason I asked you to come is that I have a couple of announcements I wanted to make privately before they become public knowledge. First of all, I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to accept the promotion to commander." An immediate chatter rose among the group before cheers and claps replaced it. Leland smiled and gestured that he wasn't done. "Now, just because I'm commander, doesn't mean I won't still be involved in the homicide cases. I insisted on that. I'll just be involved on a different level, and I'll have a different office. That does, however, leave my captain's office and position vacant, and it needs to be filled. So, I made a recommendation to the chief and to the mayor." The group quieted to a point you could have heard a pin drop if it hadn't been for the general background noise of the restaurant. "The person I recommended hasn't been asked, but my recommendation has been approved pending his acceptance. I asked if I could deliver the request in person." T.K. handed Leland a letter-sized, white envelope, and Leland turned to Randy, who was sitting beside him. "Captain Disher, it would be my honor if you would come to serve beside me at the SFPD."

Randy's mouth fell open. "Me? You want me to take your position?"

Leland smiled as he nodded. "Yes, Randy, I do. You've handled your department in San Mateo impressively well. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have heading up the division in San Francisco."

A hush fell on the group again as Randy turned to Sharona who looked as shocked as him. "What do you think?" he asked her.

Her shock turned into a smile. "Take it! Let's go home!"

Dwayne stuck his hand out across the table. "Looking forward to working with you, Captain."

Randy grinned as Sharona hugged him. He shook Dwayne's hand. "You too, Lieutenant.

After rounds of congratulations and their desserts were eaten, the couples said their goodbyes. Adrian and Natalie stepped outside, and he looked to the moonlit sky. He wrapped his arm around Natalie's shoulders. "Shall we take a walk?"

She smiled as she wrapped her arm around his waist. "I was hoping you'd ask."

They walked, taking their time, toward their favorite spot on the waterfront, where they had a clear view of the bay and the bridge. Most of the boats had come back in for the night. Only the reflection of the moon and the city lights were on the water now. They stopped and Adrian shifted so he could wrap his arms around Natalie's waist, beckoning her to lean into his embrace. A warm, gentle breeze caressed their faces as they entwined their fingers.

He pressed his cheek against her soft, tousled hair and inhaled her perfume. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she whispered back.

The waterfront held so many memories for them. It was the perfect place to reflect on the past and dream of the future.

"Adrian," Natalie said after a while, "do you think Leland will be happy in his new job?"

"I hope so. It will be different, but he'll have a lot of say over how the department is run. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have in that position."

Natalie snuggled into the crook of his neck. "Yes, but you'll miss the day-to-day with him, won't you?"

Adrian sighed. "I will, but Randy's a good man. He's come a long way."

"I'm happy for him and Sharona. She was already talking about moving back to the city before we even left. It will be nice to have them closer."

Adrian nodded against her cheek. "You know I've never liked change …"

"But?"

"Well, I'm realizing it's not always a bad thing. Sometimes it's for the better."

Natalie turned in his arms and slid her hands around his neck. "So, you're saying that marrying me and becoming a father was for the better?"

Adrian chuckled before he graced her lips with a light kiss. "Without a doubt."

Natalie straightened his collar and lowered her hands to his chest. She looked up to meet his dark eyes. They were sparkling in the moonlight. "We are blessed, aren't we? Life is so good, and there's no one I'd rather live it with." She reached up and kissed him. "On that note, I say you take me home so we can celebrate your recovery and all the good things we've been given."

Adrian reluctantly loosened his grip around her waist. "I suppose we should go pick up the kids. It's getting late."

Natalie smiled at him with a twinkle in her eye. "Just home, babe. We don't need to pick up the kids." She giggled at the question on his face. "It's my turn to surprise you. I asked Luke and Molly to keep the kids overnight." She winked as she slipped her hand in the crook of his arm. "After all, they need the practice."

Adrian grinned as they began their walk back to their car. "I think I'm beginning to like surprises." Then, he threw caution to the wind and held Natalie's hand all the way home. Not much was said, but countless thoughts were conveyed through their touch and the flirtatious glances they shared. Once home, they were barely inside when they collided in a flash of excitement and passion. Fingers tangled in hair and lips devoured one another as shoes, jacket, and tie were thrown aside. Without breaking their kiss, Adrian bent to pick her up.

She pulled back, breathless. "Adrian, don't hurt yourself."

He reached for her, his voice husky with desire. "I thought we were celebrating my recovery."

"Oh, we will," she said with a tempting kiss. "Stay here for a minute." She turned for the stairs.

"Where are you going? Natalie?"

"Just a minute. I'll call you when I'm ready.

He picked his jacket and tie off the floor. "Okay. Don't be long."

Adrian hung up his jacket and tie in the hall closet and looked at the book he left on the end table. He shook his head, knowing he wouldn't be able to concentrate, and instead, paced the living room floor. He untucked his shirt, then changed his mind and tucked it back in. "Natalie, are you almost ready?" Why was he so nervous? You'd think it was his wedding night.

"Adrian, I'm ready."

He ran to the foot of the stairs, but when he looked up, he stopped dead in his tracks. The stairs were lined with glowing candles, and soft music wafted down from their bedroom above. It was the sight of his wife, though, that made his jaw drop. She was wearing a sheer, black robe over what appeared to be a lacy, black negligee he didn't recognize, and her long legs looked endless in matching stilettos.

With his jaw back in place, he flashed her a dimpled smile. "You sure know how to celebrate."

She laughed. "Well, are you going to come up here, Mr. Monk?"

He bounded up the stairs, two at a time. He took her in his arms, quickly reigniting the flame lit earlier downstairs. Natalie broke their kiss just long enough to lead him into their bedroom where the soft music played and more candles were lit. Then, with much to celebrate, their own fire burned bright long into the night.