Disclaimer:Monk belongs to the USA Network
Author's Note: Thank you for all the helpful reviews. I truly appreciate every bit of feedback that I get.
The music had stopped, and Monk came to his senses. What was he doing? He had just kissed Sharona. He can't love Sharona, he loves Trudy! He pushed away from her with a panicked look on his face. "Sharona I…I'm sorry. I…"
Totally taken aback she said, "What? What's wrong?"
"I love Trudy, not…not you," he said, unable to look her in the eyes.
Sharona felt the tears gathering, getting ready to explode at any minute. She sniffled and said, "I know you love Trudy. What I don't know is why you kissed me."
Looking down at his feet, he replied, "I shouldn't have kissed you. I didn't mean to." He looked up at her, and then to the side and said, "I…I was…imagining you were Trudy." What was wrong with him? He wanted to enjoy the moment, but he couldn't let himself enjoy it. He wanted to tell Sharona how much she meant to him, but instead he pushed her away with a lie. Why does he do this?
Sharona sniffled again and wiped away the tears that had gotten loose. She couldn't believe what he was saying. He'd never imagined she was Trudy before, so why had he started then? This was ridiculous. She didn't know why she even thought that Adrian had feelings for her. She didn't even know that she had feelings for him until that kiss. She got to feel what it was like to be loved so completely in that one single moment. It broke her heart to know that it wasn't she who was being loved like that. She was so angry that Adrian could give her that gift, and then take it back just as suddenly as he gave it to her. She had never been that vulnerable before. She couldn't look at him. She tried, but it hurt too much. She just turned her back to him, and went to find Randy. Adrian didn't follow her, he didn't try to stop her, he just let her go.
Randy had stepped outside for some fresh air. He hadn't seen anything that had taken place in the gym between Monk and Sharona. He was looking up into the clear night sky, admiring the beautiful stars that were scattered all around. Sharona saw him and walked over to stand next to him. He glanced over at her and saw glistening tears on her magnificent face. "What happened?" he asked in a concerned tone.
Sharona wiped her face and whispered, "Adrian said something. I don't really want to talk about it."
"Okay, no problem. But if you need a shoulder to cry on, there's one right here," he said, holding out his arms to her.
Sharona smiled and wrapped her arms around him, smothering her face in his shoulder as she let out all the pain that she had been trying to contain.
Six months later…
Ever since that night at Benjy's dance, Monk felt like he had lost the Sharona that he had known so well. She no longer answered his early morning calls, or spent time with him that she didn't really have to. She didn't invite him to have dinner with her and Benjy anymore. He missed her. He saw her every day, but he still missed her. It was like she had shut off all personal feelings towards him. He was just another patient. He missed being her best friend, he missed talking to her, he even missed bickering with her.
Sharona burst through Adrian's door. She was so excited, and she wanted Adrian to be the first one to hear the good news. "Adrian! Adrian, I have something to tell you!"
Monk came out of the bathroom, wearing an apron and rubber gloves, and holding his spray bottle of Clorox bleach in one hand and a washcloth in the other. "What? What is it?" he asked, a little angry at being interrupted, but elated at the fact that he was catching this rare glimpse of the old Sharona.
Sharona held up her left hand, a diamond ring glaring on her ring finger. With a huge smile she said, "I'm getting married! Randy asked me to marry him!"
Monk was shocked. He stood with his mouth slightly open, eyes wide and intent on her ring, and his body completely frozen in place.
"Adrian? Did you hear me? I said I'm getting married."
Monk took his focus away from the ring and said in a raspy voice, "Yeah, I heard you. Con—congratulations." He attempted to smile, but didn't quite make it.
Sharona knew it was crazy, but a part of her had actually been hoping that Adrian would protest her getting married. She wanted him to acknowledge that he really did have feelings for her, but apparently that was hoping for too much. "Is…is that all you have to say?"
Monk swallowed, and stared into Sharona's eyes. "Well, what do you want me to say?" He waited a moment and then very sarcastically said, "Oh, Sharona, I'm so happy for you! I hope you two live a happy and wonderful life together and have plenty of happy and wonderful children!"
She felt those nasty tears again. They always escaped her at the worst possible times. "That's not what I wanted you to say!" she exclaimed in a shaky voice. "I want you to tell me how you feel."
He felt empty. He felt like his whole world was being taken away from him again. He felt like he was going to lose her forever. But he couldn't bring himself to say all that. He just turned away from her and quietly said, "Congratulations."
"Don't you feel anything?" Sharona asked. He didn't answer, he didn't even acknowledge that she was still in the room. "Fine. I guess I'll see you around. I gotta go, Randy's waiting." She walked to the door and put her hand on the knob, she turned her head and took one last look at Adrian. He still had his back to her. "Goodbye, Adrian." She waited for an answer, but didn't receive one. She sighed, opened the door and walked out.
When Monk heard his door shut, he turned around. The tears welled up in his eyes, and he whispered, "Goodbye, Sharona."
