Sorry again for the long wait, but work is killing me, plus I'm starting school soon. So I'm gunna be busy, but I shall still be working on this story on my free time. Please review and let me know if it's worthwhile, anyone who shows interest in this story really helps, and I want to thank Sabaku no Amura you didn't leave an email, so I shall have to thank you here. Your words really brightened up my day. This chapter was hard, and it may come through. Next chapter will be better though...Thanks again!

Chapter 5

"What are you saying, that our number one suspect…has skipped town?"

"Ah…yes…sir…"

"That the guy, the guy that is probably the one who killed three people, and damn nearly killed Monk, has skipped town?"

"Yes sir…"

"Damn it Randy! I thought I told you to put a tail on him!"

"I did sir, but he was in the Navy, he made us, and he managed to lose us…"

"Get pictures of him circulated, I need an APB, and some…" The Captain's voice faded as Randy's mind whirled with thoughts and musings, and he looked to a sheet of paper that was left on his desk. It was the list of names that Monk had given him just hours earlier. Randy's heart spun in tight circles. Just hours, or had it already been a day?

…earlier. Monk had helped him so many times, had helped them it was his turn.

"Captain, Monk…he had another list of suspects."

"Wha?" Randy showed him the paper, and his eye grew large as he studied his idol's face. He seemed…surprised? Hurt? Angry, was the final answer Randy received as the paper was thrust back to him.

"Monk saw them yesterday, he was with Natalie…he got nothing from them."

It had already been a day.

"Waitaminute…" The Captain snatched the paper from Randy's hand once more. "These two, here, he didn't see them…"

"So? They couldn't have shot Monk, they didn't even know he was looking for them."

"Yea…hold on. Natalie mentioned having left their number…to their business partners…" The Captain's eyebrows rose. "The whole city is looking for Bennett; we can finish what Monk started…"

"And solve the case…without him?"

Stottlemeyer involuntarily flinched at the words.

Without him sounded too final…it was as if he were already dead….

"Not without him Randy, he helped us with our suspects, and he'll help us still." How the police captain did not know, but he was sure, his gut told him that Monk had yet to give up on the case. After all, Monk's words to him were Who shot me? Not I need a wipe.

"Of course sir."

-o-O-o-

"You can do it Ambrose, come on." Natalie tugged at the older brother, who was standing firmly, grasping the door handle, not budging.

"Maybe I should call Dad…he would come for Adrian, I know he would…"

"Wait…you have his number?"

"No, but he would come." Ambrose held onto the door, and laid his head against the door frame, and shut his eyes tightly. "They say, he has an infection?"

"That's what they're saying…now come on Ambrose, let's go visit him…"

"But you said he had a minor gunshot wound. That's what you said Natalie, but with minor gunshot wounds…infections are rare, because you know…they are easily treated. You said he just needed companionship." Natalie looked into Ambrose accusing glare, and she turned her head sharply, raising her fingers to her mouth.

"Ambrose…Mr. Monk, your brother, he's hurt…real bad…the doctors, they wanted…me to contact any family in case…in case…"

"He dies." Natalie looked up when she heard gentle footsteps behind her; she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and blinked rapidly as she turned. Ambrose was outside the house and his face was contorted in pain.

"Adrian, he braved his fears for me Natalie. He taught me, that family…is more important than fears."

Natalie bit her lip and pulled the courageous brother into a tight hug. They stayed like that for a while, before Natalie finally pulled away, and Ambrose twitched slightly as he looked around him.

"For Adrian, I guess I can brave the outside…."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it Ambrose, when he wakes up." Ambrose smiled at that.

"Yes, when he wakes up."

-o-O-o-

"Trudy! Trudy! Is that…Ambrose?" The heavenly figure gave her loving husband a small smile.

"Of course Adrian, you know he loves you…"

"Of course I know, but…he left the house! For me." Adrian smiled at his wife, and then frowned at how sad those he cared about looked. He never really thought about how much his friends cared for him, all he ever really thought about was either his phobias, or the person next to him.

Now that she was here, and he was there…lying in the cot with the distorted blankets…He could see, that he wasn't alone…that his friends were always beside him. His brother.

"Ambrose." He whispered to himself, and looked to Trudy who nodded slowly. Adrian smiled and closed his eyes in one world and opened them up in another. Not really thinking of what dangers awaited him, just knowing that his friends-his family were waiting for him.

-o-O-o-

"They've given him some antibiotics to combat the infection." Natalie commented "They've taken care of most of it. They say he's not in the danger zone anymore."

"Adrian will get better, he's always been the strong one." Natalie chewed over that small statement, and finally opened her mouth to speak.

"You're strong too Ambrose, after all you're out of the house." Ambrose turned to Natalie and smiled at her sweetly. They stared at each other for a while, but stopped when they heard a slight rustle behind them.

"Mr. Monk!"

"Adrian!"

Monk was moving his hand, carefully fixing the blanket under him, his eyes still closed, but hearing his name being called his eyes began to flutter. Open, too bright, he closed them again, but he couldn't see, open, too bright, and so on.

His eyes caught Ambrose's and Adrian held his gaze, Ambrose had tears coming down his face and he leaned in forward to lay his head upon his brother's chest.

"You woke up. You came back."

Adrian lifted his hand to place atop his brother's head, and this is when he noticed the IV line sticking through his arm. A needle. In him. Natalie saw the panic in his eyes and she saw how he began to twitch and move his other arm from under Ambrose in an attempt to pull it out.

Natalie managed to grab a hold of his arm and stop him, but that didn't stop the squall of alarms and beeps as Monk's heart rate when through the roof, his breath came in tight short gasps, and he continued to struggle, and luckily as Natalie felt her hold breaking, doctors and nurses rushed in, trailing after came Joe Christie.

Each wore a look of urgency as they crowded around Adrian and Ambrose. Ambrose was still holding on grasping Adrian's hand and ignoring the nurses who tried shoving him away.

"Ambrose, you have to let go!"

"No! Adrian needs me! Adrian…" Joe Christie sent an apologetic look towards Natalie, and she held up her hand, and moved towards Ambrose. Adrian's heart rate was still flying, and nurses couldn't quiet calm him down to place another needle in him to get him to go back under.

"Adrian, Adrian, you came back. I knew you would." Ambrose was muttering, sobbing, and clutching at his brother's chest, and Adrian's heart rate began to drop slowly, as his panic subsided, as if someone else was guiding him, Natalie mused in shock. There was a different light in his eyes, and he gave his arm, willingly to the nurse in waiting, turning away and looking defeated.

"Am-m-bbrose…" he croaked, and gave a small twitch of the mouth that slightly resembled a smile, and he closed his eyes as the drug took effect.

"'drian. 'm not leaving you. Not leaving you." Ambrose whispered as he felt his brother's hand go lax, and he continued to nuzzle into his brother, and the two were left alone.

Natalie made sure of that.

-o-O-o-

"Adrian, are you all right?"

"I-I don't know, Trudy, I was fine, and then I saw the needle, and then…"

"Hush now, I understand dear, you just weren't ready yet. I'm so proud of you for trying."

"I can't believe I broke down like that in front of Ambrose, he's still crying, I want to wake up, so I can…"

"Don't worry Adrian, he'll be fine, you're getting there…"

"I suppose I am, at least I managed to fix the blanket." He murmured as he laid his head on Trudy's lap.

"That you did." She ran her hand through his soft curls "That you did, Love."

-o-O-o-

"Listen up, and listen real good. A friend of mine is hurt, and so I am not going to be soft with you, I need some answers, and I need them now. I don't give a damn about your business meeting." The Captain laid his hand down on the man's shoulder and he spun him around on the chair, so the man could face him.

"What, look I'm sorry, ok, ok…" The man pressed his intercom and spoke slowly into it.

"Charise, tell the board members I have to deal with official police business…I won't be able to make it"

"Yes, sir."

The man let go of the button and sighed and motioned for his visitors to take a seat.

"Now what do you need?"

"Mr. Frankiss did you know a Mary Sanders?"

"Yea…I knew her in high school…"

"Carrie Richards?"

"I knew her then too, what does this have to do with anything?"

"Were you aware they were both murdered this past week?"

"No-no…"

"How about Adrian Monk?"

"The famous police detective? He was killed?"

"Shot." No he wasn't dead… yet. Shut up Leland.

"I didn't even realize…so many killings…"

"I find that hard to believe, it's been all over the news."

"Look I work from dawn until dusk, I don't have time to turn on the TV, I am constantly on the phone, and I only ever look at the paper to see any articles about my company."

"Did you know Frank Reed?"

"Yea-yea, what does he have to do with anything?"

"He was murdered too." Randy piped up as he looked up from his notepad.

"No, not Frankie…"

"I heard you guys feuded Joshy boy. "

"It was small, we were best friends by the end of the year."

"Just exactly what were you fighting about?"

"It was stupid, high school stuff…"

"Humor me." The corporate business man raised an eyebrow, clasped his hands together and shrugged.

"I had a crush on this girl, and I heard rumors that Frankie was after her, and so I was a real jerk to him, because I was just so upset that she could like him but not me…"

"And?"

"And he turned out to be gay. He confronted me, and asked me why I was acting the way I was, I told him, he looked relieved, I remember that, and then he admitted to me his secret. I was the first person he told, and I was relieved, because it meant, really no more competition. The girl is now my wife, thanks to Frankie."

The Captain sighed, knowing that this suit was not the killer they were searching for, but maybe he would still be able to provide information.

"Do you remember anyone from school who may have wanted to kill your classmates?"

"No…"

"What about Mark Bennett?"

"Mark?" The man squinted his eyes and shook his head. "Didn't run with the crowd I'm afraid, sort of a loner, we served together though. So he's capable of killing, but why would he kill Frankie? Or Mary? Or your friend? Or Carrie? The guy worshiped her."

"Maybe to the extreme of killing her?"

"He would rather die himself if he couldn't have her, why do you suspect him?"

"Because he's skipped town."

"You sure? I bet he's just trying to find Carrie's killer. That's more Mark."

"Right now he's the only lead we've got, are you sure you don't remember anything else?"

"Nah, except all three of them were part of this club in school…" Both the Captain and Randy's eyes widened. A lead.

"What was it?"

"It was an anti-war club. I remember Frankie being upset that I would dare enlist in the army…" The man shrugged again.

An anti-war club? Why would anyone kill someone because they were anti-war…

"Ok, thanks for your help…"

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"You gave us another lead, that's more than enough."

And the two police detectives left.

Leaving a Mr. Frankiss, who was holding the intercom button down, his lips trembling.

"Hold all calls Cherise, and I won't be able to make any of the meetings."

"But sir-"

Josh unplugged the machine, and slumped in his chair.

Three of his friends, were gone…

Surely, spending the day to remember them was the least he could do.

"Oh Frankie…You were the best friend a guy could ask for…"

And he cried. For him, for her, and for her, and for them.

And for himself.

-o-O-o-

"Benjy! Grab your things, we've got to go now!"

"Mom! I'm going to a concert with a friend! I've been waiting five months for this!"

"Look, Benjy, I don't have time for this, stay if you want, your dad can watch you, but I'm out of here, Adrian's been shot. Oh my God, he's been shot!" She cried flinging clothes into her suitcase, walking briskly from room to room, collecting random items, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"Mr. Monk? Shot?" Benjy swallowed nervously. Sharona closed her suitcase in one quick swift motion, and flew out the door. Benjy blinked slowly and then noticed that she had forgotten something.

"Mom! Wait! You forgot your keys!"

And me, he thought to himself.

"Mom! Wait up!"

To be continued…