For the next three days, Adrian and Natalie barely saw one another at all. Adrian was pulled aside to work on the case by Leland and continued to sequester Natalie, not allowing her to travel with him until he could find something concrete to clear Mitch's name. Then, when she and Molly came up with information suggesting that Steubens was suspected of being a foreign spy, he shut her down completely. She was getting too close to the truth and he couldn't afford that – not without having the other piece of the puzzle that would set her mind at ease. Despite her excitement over their latest find, he tried to downplay it and then gave her a couple of days off asking her to help Molly with her party and telling he would see her Friday at Molly's shin-dig.

Natalie was understandably hurt by his actions, even to the point of tears. And when Albright saw her car at home early afternoon, he stopped by to see if everything was okay. Hearing the tale, he drew her into a hug and began telling her about all of his misgivings about one, Adrian Monk.

"He's not who you think he is, Nat." Albright said. "You think you know him, but really you don't."

"Steven, I don't want to start this again…please." She replied.

"I know you don't, but I'm tired of coming around and seeing you upset – so I need you to listen, even if it hurts a little. It's for your own good." He replied. She remained quiet. "Babe, Monk may have had the makings of a good man at one point. He's undeniably smart and even brave at times, but as I've been saying, he's deeply manipulative - and…"

She opened her mouth to defend but shut it as he continued.

"And you can't see it because you are the one he's manipulating. He plays things one way with you, but I'm telling you…when he and I were alone…I don't know…it just gave me chills. He's a dark, dark man."

"Steven…"

"No, Nat. There was something black in his eyes, something I've rarely seen. I think all of the things that he's gone through in life have made him that way to the degree that he will lie or cheat or steal or do whatever he has to in order to not be on the bottom of the pile again. He's terrified of losing you, I can tell you that right now. And not because he really cares about you, but because you're the one person who will put up with his bull and keep coming back for more.

In the medical field, we call them Narcissists. He is a narcissist, and a very convincing one, and you are his narcissistic supply. And while there is a certain thrill at being around a narcissist because, of course, there is always drama – babe, know this…in the end, they will chew you up and spit you out and you won't even know what hit you. Be careful, Nat. He's pushing you away and there has to be a reason for that. He's not done that before. I can all but guarantee it is to cover for something he himself has done that he's afraid you're going to find out, so just beware."

Natalie didn't want to believe it and truly didn't, but she didn't argue. She just wanted to crawl into bed and go to sleep. Why all the mixed signals? It simply made no sense.

Meanwhile, over at his Russian Hill apartment complex, Monk kept the secret of his purchase held very close to his chest – quite literally. He carried Natalie's ring in his pocket right above his heart as he considered when would be the most appropriate moment to pop the question. Naturally indecisive, he was wise enough to know that he needed act quickly or it might never get done, and so he settled on later that week. It would be bad form to do so before Molly's engagement party. No need to overshadow her happiness or steal her thunder. Instead, he would do so afterwards. His car had gotten keyed earlier in the week and he had already arranged for Natalie to pick him up, so the arrangement would be perfect. Even with 'drywall' around, the couple would be driving separately and in the romance of Molly's happiness, Adrian would have the opportunity to express his love to Natalie and see exactly where they stood. He couldn't wait.

Friday morning arrived and he called Natalie to make sure she was still picking him up later that night. She said that she was, which set his mood for the day. He was going to see his girl and perhaps by the end of the evening he might even call her his future bride.

On the other side of town, Natalie was still nursing her wounded feelings but the break of day had made things appear a little brighter. Steven was just wrong. He had to be. She knew Adrian Monk better than anyone and knew that he wasn't any of the things that Albright was accusing him of. It had to be jealousy – and truthfully, Steven was right to be jealous. Natalie loved Adrian and didn't love Steven in the way that he wanted her to, and she couldn't just keep leading him on the way she was doing. She knew that Monk might never reciprocate, but it wasn't fair to Steven to deceive him in that way. She would give him a call.

Steven Albright was just stepping out of the shower of his cabin aboard a yacht the U.S. Navy had stationed in San Francisco Bay for short stays undertaken by some of its officers. Looking down, he smiled when he saw Natalie's name on caller I.D. and quickly threw on a bathrobe so that he could call her back. She answered right way, though her voice was not as excited as he was expecting it to be given the fact that they had a hot date that evening.

"Steven, we need to talk." She said.

"Okay. Sure." He replied. "You wanna talk now or tonight at Molly's party?"

Natalie considered her response. If she said now, things were going to be extraordinarily difficult the rest of the day ,but if she waited until after the party, she could break up with him more privately and would risk embarrassing him less. "Tonight's okay, I guess." She responded. "I…I haven't been completely honest with you about some things and I feel like I owe you that much, so if you could save a little time. I will have Mr. Monk with me, but I think maybe we can steal away a little and make the time."

Steven furrowed his brow, knowing exactly what she likely was going to say. "Um…sure, babe. Anything you want. If you want to drop your car off to Monk's I could drive you home. That would give us more time."

Natalie was quiet for a moment as she thought. "No, Steven. I think when I say what I need to say it'll be better we just leave separately."

"You're scaring me."

"I don't mean to scare you, or to hurt you." She said. "This is just the way it needs to be."

The hands of the clock moved quickly the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. Monk took a cab into town and got his hair cut and then took his customary two-hour shower before pulling out the suit he was going to wear to Molly's affair. He patted his pocket several times to make sure that the ring was still there and smiled as he looked over at a picture of Natalie he now had sitting on his dresser. To think of how far they had come in all of their years together – from that tough young bartender who had killed an intruder when he broke into her home, to the irreplaceable woman who knew him better than anyone besides Trudy ever had and gave him a reason to go on – theirs had been quite the journey. If you would have asked him ten years ago, or five, or even two if he would be ready to walk down the aisle again, he would have said you were nuts. But not now. He finally had something to look forward to and he got butterflies in his stomach just hoping that she would feel the same way too.

At four-thirty that afternoon, Natalie was on the road and heading to the precinct in order to collect Monk's latest paycheck before driving to his apartment to pick him up. Dressed in a resplendent red dress with her hair and makeup just so, she truly looked like she had stepped out of a fashion magazine. And, despite the spectacle swirling about her and her love life, she felt good as well. It wasn't fair of her to do what she was doing to Steven. She had been using him in order to shield her from the loneliness of wanting Adrian all of those years, and as a substitute for Mitch,as well. In fact, the connection with Mitch was probably the main reason she felt attracted to him to begin with. That same lifestyle and familiarity that she had with her husband was something she missed, along with the life they had as a family of three. But, as she thought about it now, Steven was never really a good substitute, because he wasn't Mitch and he couldn't bring that life back no matter how hard he tried. Nor was he a shield against her feelings for Adrian, no matter how much she had wanted him to be. She still loved him and it would always be. And so, she felt good about letting him go. Bad about hurting him, but good that she was making the right call.

She walked into the station house at four forty-five, causing the watch guard out front to do a double take as she crossed through the metal detector and into the lobby. With a devilish smirk she considered how Adrian would react to her look when he saw her that night? Would he find her pretty – maybe even sexy? Time would tell.

Entering the squad room, she noticed things were rather busy and she was forced to wait for a few minutes while the desk clerk went in back to find the check. She said hello to a couple of the lower level cops who she had seen from time to time and chuckled to herself when she realized that these gawking men were quite literally young enough to be her son. Then, feeling a little parched she walked over to the water cooler to dispense a cup full of cool water while she continued to wait for the check.

Looking down at her watch, she tuned out most of the chatter as her eyes looked at the faces of missing children posted upon the bulletin board. She always took time to look at them figuring that maybe one day she'd spot one of hundreds of thousands of kids who had disappeared without a trace – and she could be a part of reuniting that child with his or her family. One little girl with curly brown hair caught her eye and for a moment she imagined what a child with Adrian Monk would look like. Shaking her head, she blushed as she shook herself out of the moment, reminding herself that she was getting out of one relationship but had no guarantees concerning the other, so she should just remain cool. These thoughts were running through her mind when a cubicle over she heard Sergeant Lisa Stringer talking on the phone.

"Sure, Alicia. I've got them right here. Lieutenant Colonel Mitch Teeger, Natalie's husband."

Natalie froze in place, tilting her head to hear what was being said.

"Just like Monk said, killed in Kosovo they said he deserted. Poor, poor Natalie. You have to hand it to her, raising such a good kid like Julie all the while knowing that her husband may have been a traitor to his country!"

Adrian told them about Mitch being accused of desertion after I bore my soul and warned him that the secret would die with him?

A wave of anger and feelings of betrayal swept through Natalie's heart as she turned around and made a beeline towards the Clerk's desk, practically ripping the paycheck out of her hand as she turned to leave. Sergeant Stringer spotted her walking, but Natalie didn't turn around to speak when she called out to her, instead turning on her high-fashion heels and exiting the building as quickly as she could. It wasn't until she got outside that she broke down and sobbed. The one man in the world that she loved and trusted more than anything had betrayed her. It was almost more than she could bear.

By five-fifteen, Monk was nearly ready, looking dashing in his black dress pants, white shirt and red silk tie that Natalie had bought him for special occasions. He'd put on some cologne and even used a little product in his hair to give him a look that was decidedly debonair and atypical of Adrian Monk. If he was going to propose that evening, he wanted to look his best – in fact, it would be nothing but the best for his Natalie for the rest of his life, if she would just accept him.

At half-past the hour he looked at his watch and could hardly contain his excitement. Listening for the sound of her feet when he heard the door open and her call out his name, he smiled, completely missing that her tone was not the normal cheerful sing-song voice that he was used to hearing but rather completely different. Straightening his collar once more, he exited the room expecting beauty and instead walked into a firestorm like none he'd ever seen.

The first thing that captured his attention as he walked into the hallway was his paycheck, flying through the air like a frisbee and bouncing harmlessly off of his chest. Confused, he looked down at the paper on the floor, bending down to pick it up rising with his palms facing the ceiling. He was about to ask why she threw it at him when he was stopped short by her facial expression which was like he had never seen it. The whites of her eyes were beet-red causing the green in her irises to light up in such a way that they nearly glowed and her face was a blotchy combination of red and white, streaked by the tears that stained her otherwise pristine complexion.

For Monk, it was a shocking sight to say the least – especially considering his expectations. Walking out of the bedroom he looked helplessly at his assistant, saying the only thing that came to mind.

"Is something wrong?"

Natalie's reddened face morphed into a menacing display of anger that literally caused Adrian to fear, if only for a moment. "Is something wrong? Is something WRONG?! YOU TELL ME, ADRIAN MONK! You tell me if something is wrong."

Monk looked genuinely confused and a little panicked. He had a good idea that her anger was directed at him but literally had no earthly idea why – and, he had the feeling that the next words that he chose were to be very important, perhaps even life or death. "Uh…you…you appear upset." He said, as calmly as he could without trying to sound insincere or as clueless as he naturally was.

"Upset? I appear upset? What would I have to be upset about?" she said, walking towards him with a threatening stance. Naturally, he began walking backwards until she had him backed him into the doorpost of his bedroom door. Raising his hands up near his chest in a defensive stance, he felt in that moment that she just might hit him. His eyes widened in fear.

"I…I'm sorry…but, I guess I don't…ruh..ruh..really know." He stammered, feeling the heat rise in his body and sweat beginning to form upon his well-coifed brow.

She poked him in the chest. "You don't know. You don't know, do you?" she replied before turning on her heels and walking into his living room. "Well, since you don't know I guess I need to spell it out for you, Mr. Detective…since you really have no clue."

Ah. A clue. Exactly what he needed. She was giving him a clue. Monk listened eagerly.

"I need you to write out my paycheck so that I can take it with me now." She replied.

He furrowed his brow. Her paycheck? She's mad about her paycheck? This is Friday. I'm not late. Why would she be mad about that? He thought as her words and actions flooded his brain, but before he could formulate a response or even a question, there was more.

"Oh, and here's the key to your apartment. I won't be needing it anymore." She said, before walking over to him and opening his palm, handing him the key and closing his fingers over top.

It took a moment for him to process her actions but once he did, he began to panic. "You're…you're quitting your job? Why?"

"BINGO! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! I'm quitting my job and I'm quitting us and…listen clearly…I'm. Quitting. You! "

Monk blinked in disbelief.

She went on. "Why are you quitting, Natalie? Why thank you for asking…" she said to herself as a bewildered Monk watched. "I'm glad you asked! Because I discovered that my boss, a guy I used to think was my friend but clearly WAS NOT because what sort of friend acts like that? My boss has turned out to be a the most dishonest …disrespectful …disloyal horses' ass that I've ever met!

I mean, here I thought I could trust him. Thought I could trust him with my life, with my daughter's life even, but no – he's turned out to be exactly like all of the other guys that have ever come into my life, except perhaps my Mitch - a manipulative and self-centered liar who only cares about himself and nobody else and who will pick up a knife at the moment you least expect it and PLUNGE it so deeply into your heart that it breaks it in two!

ADRIAN! How could you?!"

Blown away by her words, Monk managed to eek out a "How could I what?" before Natalie's tirade continued.

"How could you take my secret…my deepest darkest secret…the one that I trusted you alone with….how could you take it and go tell…go tell… THOSE people?" Tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Tell what? Who?"

"How could you tell Alicia and Lisa, and who knows who else, about what I told you when you …you knew how…m-much pain it caused me to even share it with you? How could you, Mr. Monk? How could you?"

"Natalie…please…I…" He said, reaching out to touch her arm. Immediately she swatted him away.

"Don't Natalie me! Don't you dare Natalie me, you don't care! How could I have been so stupid as to think that for once in my life I had found a good and decent and honest man? How could I have been so dumb? Tell me! How could I?"

Monk felt himself seizing up into what could easily become an anxiety attack as confusion swirled all around begging him to flee – but he knew he must not. He had to stand and face the onslaught of whatever had set her off and hopefully turn things around quickly, given it was just a misunderstanding. It had to be. He hadn't done anything but love her, so she had to be acting this way on some bad information – about what, he still didn't know.

"Natalie…I, I'm sorry but I honestly have no idea of what you're talking about."

"You don't?" she said, disbelieving. "About what you told Aleeesha?"

Monk shrugged, still in the dark.

"You're going to tell me that you don't know anything about how Alicia Prince and Lisa Stringer knew all about how my husband deserted from his team in Kosovo and how he was considered a traitor?"

Monk couldn't believe his ears. "Mitch? I…I never told them about Mitch…Natalie, you've got this wrong."

"Oh, do I, now?" she sneered. "Adrian, don't you dare…don't you DARE stand there and lie to me to try to get out of it. Lisa Stringer sat right there and said 'Adrian Monk told us that Mitch was a traitor…oh, poor, poor Natalie….'"

"I never said any such thing!" he shouted, becoming angry himself.

"Oh, no? Then tell me how it is they knew, if you didn't tell them. Did they consult a psychic? Or perhaps, just get up in the morning one day and said, gee, I think I'll dig into some military records and see if maybe Natalie Teeger's hero husband wasn't such a hero after all…is that how it went? Was it just innocent curiosity that turned them on to the scoop of the century? – or maybe…maybe you gave them some hints? You know, 'I know something that you don't know and the color of it is yellow?'"

"NATALIE!, that's just ridiculous! I never told them about Mitch. They discovered it on their own as a part of this investigation" Monk replied.

"Uh-huh, yeah! Right. Like I'm going to believe that." She snarled.

Monk felt his blood pressure rising by the second and yet didn't want to lash out at his assistant for what she was saying, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. "I can't believe you're saying these things. I would never do something like that and you know it! I would never hurt you like that…not in a million years."

"Oh yes you would and don't stand there and say you wouldn't. You have abused me and manipulated me and monopolized my time for years and years and years. And I must say, you put on a pretty good show. You should try out at Berkeley and work with Julie's team. Or better yet, go to Broadway. I'm sure Sharona's sister could hook you up with some big producer. Could be a second career."

"WHAT…are you talking about? Second career? You're talking crazy!"

"Well, you should know! Crazy is as crazy does."

Monk bit his tongue at her jab. She had crossed a line. "Natalie. You need to stop."

"You know, you're pretty good. Because you sure fooled me. You sure did. And I defended you." She continued, her eyes reddening with angry tears. "I defended you against the bad guys, against Steven…"

"Steven? HE has something to do with this?! I should have known." Monk responded, his face now becoming red.

"Don't you EVER speak to me about Steven!" She yelled. "He told me all about how you've been badgering him and speaking down to him…"

"Speaking down…?" Monk shook his head in exasperation. "Listen, we need to stop this conversation right now because you're saying things you don't mean and speaking things that you can't take back."

"What makes you think I'd ever want to take them back?" she asked. "Mr. Monk. You betrayed me. You betrayed Mitch. You betrayed Julie. I'm never going to want to take a word of this back. You deserve what you get."

"Natalie, please…please just stop…" Monk said, getting to the point of tears himself. He paused then softened his voice. "Don't do this. Don't say these things. I swear to you, that I'm not guilty of whatever it is you think I did. I wouldn't do that. What on earth would I even hope to gain?"

"Who knows? Who can imagine how that mind of yours works? Maybe it's just the thrill of the chase."

"What? STOP! Just stop!" he screamed. "You're being ridiculous and unfair and unkind and you're saying things that are very hurtful right now, things that are unbecoming of you and that you know are wrong."

"Do I?"

"Yes – YOU KNOW ME! …probably better than any living person ever could." He replied.

Natalie stopped for a moment and looked coldly into Monk's pleading eyes then dropped her voice speaking low and slow. "Yeah. I know you. I sure do, Mr. Monk. And now, I understand exactly why you always end up alone." Monk looked at her in shock and desperation as she continued. "I used to think it was because people just didn't understand you and couldn't see who the real Adrian Monk really was. But now…I'm sorry to say, I realize it's because they do."

"You take that back!"

"I will not!"

"Natalie Jane Teeger, you take back those mean, horrible things that you're saying right now or…"

"Or what? You'll fire me?" she said, crossing her arms. "You forget the beginning of this conversation – remember, I quit. I'm leaving you. No more handing you your wipes. No more picking up your laundry. No more putting my life on hold while you suck the rest of my life out of me and give nothing in return. I'm done."

Monk's sucked back emotion as he stood there in complete disbelief. "Then you're going? You're saying this is the end of our working relationship and us as friends?" he said, softly.

Natalie choked back her own tears of anger and pain. "Yes. After the party this night, I will be leaving you. I can't work for a man that I don't trust – so there is no working relationship, or any relationship at all. Not even friends."

Monk looked down at the floor. "I see."

Then, there was an uncomfortable silence,

After a minute, Natalie looked up at him and straightened her spine then spoke to him softly yet coldly. "Get your jacket. We're going to be late." She said.

"I can't go now." He protested.

"Oh, yes you can. You're going and you're not backing out. This is for Molly and we're going to not ruin her night. She's a decent young lady – clearly no relation to you – and if you don't go I'm just going to have to tell her the stuff you said about Kyle. Then you'll have two people you've disappointed grossly."

Monk was stunned and could come up with no retort, too numb to protest or fight.

"I'll be in the car." She replied before turning towards the door leaving a shell-shocked Monk standing helplessly in her wake.

By six-o'clock that evening, Natalie's car had pulled up to the venue though they waited for a few minutes while she fixed her makeup in the rear-view mirror. The two remained completely silent the entire trip, with Natalie trying to get a handle on her anger and Monk too afraid, angry and hurt to say another word. Walking into the restaurant they elicited stares as they made a striking pair but neither one of them noticed since the only thing either one of them wanted to do was to make it through the evening to face another day. The hostess led them through a dark hallway to a private terrace just outside overlooking the Bay and the moment that they entered the room Molly came running up to greet them both with a hug and a kiss. Natalie played her part much better than Adrian who simply looked uncomfortable. Molly shrugged it off at first, assuming he was simply having one of his moments and expecting that he would be better as the evening progressed. But, when she tried to sit Natalie between Adrian and Steven and Natalie instead requested to sit on the end and Adrian's eyes met her own, she knew something was wrong.

"Sure. Sit wherever you're most comfortable, Natalie. I'll sit you and Steven there and Adrian can sit across from you since he too likes the end." Molly said, smiling at her friend and then motioning with her head for Monk to follow her into the next room. "Excuse me for a minute, there's something I wanted to discuss with Adrian. We'll be right back."

Once inside, Molly pulled Monk to a private corner and asked what was going on.

"She's mad at me, Molly. Really mad. She thinks I shared something private that I honestly didn't share with anyone…I swear on my life….but, she won't listen. She said she's quitting me and quitting her job and it's just a disaster. What…what am I going to do?"

Molly watched as the panic was growing in Monk's face and quickly drew him in for a comforting hug like Natalie was apt to do. Patting his back she whispered. "It's okay. It'll be okay. Just stay calm." Her words helped to draw him back down. "So…you say she's mad and won't listen. I'm telling you that once she calms down she will, because she loves you. She always has."

As Molly spoke, Steven Albright arrived and unbeknownst to anyone was standing nearby hearing every word that was said.

"Now you love her, right?" Molly asked. "Don't deny it."

"Of course." Monk replied.

"And you want things to work out between the two of you, right?" she asked.

Monk nodded. "Yes. So much so that…please…let's just keep this between the two of us, but I had bought her a ring." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small square solitaire framed by ten perfectly cut channel set diamonds. Molly gasped.

"You're going to ask her to marry you?" she asked.

"I was." He lamented. "Tonight. Molly, I do love her – more than anything. I just can't…I can't understand or believe that she would think such things about me…I mean, after all we've been through?"

Molly took a deep breath. "Adrian, I'm going to talk to you as clearly as I can. You need to pull it together. You love her and I'm telling you right now, as sure as I'm standing here, that woman loves you. What you have here is a little misunderstanding and you're going to need to be patient with her, but if you give her the time to calm down you'll see she will come around. We always do. It may not happen tonight and that's okay. Love's worth the wait, Adrian and if you're just patient, I'm telling you, dad…it's going to happen."

Monk looked up at Molly with hope filled eyes. "You're really sure?"

"Positive." Molly said.

Albright slipped past the room and joined the others on the terrace. A few minutes later, Adrian and Molly emerged with Monk looking much calmer than he had just a few moments earlier.

The evening progressed and with newfound courage Adrian managed to hold it together and even engaged in conversation with Kyle, who, to his surprise turned out to be a really decent guy. It also didn't hurt that he saw the love in Kyle's eyes when he looked at his step-daughter and the joy in hers when she looked at him – so much so that he would have laughed at himself for trying to stand between them if he wasn't feeling so miserable at that moment having to subject himself to the imagery of his rival, Steven Albright, placing his paws around his Natalie's frame.

Molly evidently recognized Monk's mood shifting so she decided to change subjects to something that might divert his attention.

"Oh, Adrian!" she said, swallowing a bite of linguini then taking a swig of water so she could get it all out. "I forgot to tell you. I've got something new on the case. Could be really big."

Monk laid down his fork and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Something big? About Nadia Steubens?"

"Better." She smiled. "We may not talk to her at all…not that she's returning our calls. With Ethan's wife's help, we contacted their phone company and the company has shipped us all of Ethan's phone records from 2008 and 2009. The whole enchilada. It came via Fed Ex tonight just before Kyle and I left the apartment, but I suspect we won't need Ms. Steubens to talk to us at all. If Ethan was involved with Tahiri, and we know he was, we should be able to piece together exactly who he was talking to in those final days and if Nadia was one of them…that woman is going to have a whole lot of explaining to do!"

Albright sat back in his seat. "Wow! Impressive." He said. "Hey Adrian, I know she's not really related to you but just pretend, but if I didn't know better, I would think Molly here is a chip off the old block."

Monk clinched his jaw but did not return his retort. He didn't have to because Molly was right on his heels.

"Oh, Steven – there is no pretense between Adrian and myself. He's the most honorable and brightest man I've ever known and I'm proud to call him dad." She smiled.

Monk grinned and bowed his head then looked at Natalie who rolled her eyes bringing him down again. He lifted his fork and knife and began to grudgingly saw into his Chicken piccatta as all conversation came to an uncomfortable halt. Thirty seconds passed and Steven again spoke up, enthusiastically turning to Kyle and announcing, "So, Kyle. Natalie tells me that you and Molly are moving to New York after you get married."

Natalie and Molly's eyes both went wide as Natalie elbowed Steven and Monk lowered his fork from his mouth without taking a bite, turning instead towards his step-daughter and asking , "What? Moving? When did this happen?"

"Oh, Adrian." Molly said, getting up from her seat and walking to sit by him. "I was going to tell you but wanted to wait for the right time." She glared at Steven then returned to Monk. "Kyle got a really good job offer. It's a huge opportunity and they offered me a job too."

Monk looked sad, "But, New York? Can't they have him do the job here?"

"Unfortunately, no." she said, rubbing his arm. "The home office is right there and he'll be their lead reporter for the whole Eastern Seaboard."

"But, you're leaving me." He lamented.

Molly smiled softly. "I'm not leaving you, Adrian. I'll always be with you. I just won't be as accessible, but we can always talk and I'll visit you when I can. We'll probably be traveling a great deal."

"Well, maybe you can visit me and Nat too." Steven smiled. Natalie turned to him in confusion.

"You and Natalie?" Molly asked. "You mean here in San Francisco?"

"No." he replied. "I mean in Tokyo. I'm being promoted to Lieutenant Commander and we're moving out to Tokyo."

Monk dropped his utensils onto his plate and lifted his head, his eyes shifting between Natalie and Steven. Molly's eyes drifted worriedly towards Monk whose temperature she could see was beginning to rise.

"Steven," Natalie said, feeling all the eyes upon her. "I…I never said I was going to Tokyo with you."

Good! You tell him, Nat! Monk said, internally, as he readied himself to be able to step in and defend his woman from the advances of one so clearly beneath her.

"No, Nat. You didn't. And I now know why." He replied. "You're not the kind of girl to just pick up stakes and leave with some casual boyfriend or live-in. I get that, now. You're honest and true and you take your life and your relationships seriously and you deserve the same in return."

Natalie looked confused. "Steven, what are you talking about."

"About us, Nat. About you and me. I realize that this is a little uncomfortable, here in front of all of these folks, but baby I love you and I know you love me – but, I've come to realize that my own attachment to the status quo is no longer going to work."

Monk watched with concern as he saw Natalie's countenance begin to soften even he fought back anger and jealousy when Steven reached out and held her hand. "Nat…" he said softly. "I know why things have felt distant between us, it's because of me and my fear of commitment. After Caroline broke up with me…it's just been hard, but I know that is just the cowards way out. If you love someone then you'll press past any fear. And well…I….I wasn't planning on doing this tonight right here and now, but…" he said before getting down on one knee and reaching into his vest pocket to retrieve a box. Immediately, the blood drained from Adrian's face and Molly began to stand as the man who was Monk's rival opened the box to reveal a two-carat diamond solitaire with a platinum band. The blood drained from Natalie's face as well as in total shock she raised her hand to her mouth when she saw the ring.

Steven just smiled. "I know you could do better, Nat, but I think we could really have a great future together and well, I was wondering Natalie…will you … marry me?"

Kyle smiled at the scene and turned his head towards Molly who with wide eyes shook her head no. Meanwhile Adrian felt his world spinning about him as panic began to consume him and he felt his stomach tighten. All he had to hear was Natalie's words, "Oh, Steven…It's beautiful!" and that was it. He crumbled.

Pushing back from his chair he quickly dismissed himself from the table and ran away from the terrace to the side of the building as quickly as he could. Bracing himself against the wall, he promptly heaved into a bush and was still standing there when Molly came running to see him. Calling his name, he just waved her way, unable to look at her – barely able to keep his balance. She stepped forward.

"Adrian...are you okay?"

"Molly, I've got to go." He said, stumbling a little and wiping the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

"But, you can't go like this. You don't even have a car. Natalie drove, remember?" She said, pulling on his sleeve.

"Molly please. Let me go. I've lost my Natalie to that beast. Please…" he said through tears. "Please, don't make me stay and watch."

Molly whelmed up with tears and embraced her step-father. "Oh, Adrian. I'm so sorry. I wish that there were something that I could do."

Monk choked back a sob and backed away, taking her by the hand even as he turned away. "There's nothing, sweet girl. There's nothing. It's over. It's over for me."

"Don't talk that way."

"No. It's true. Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything rash. At least now, I know. Go back to your Kyle and have a good time. I really like him. You chose well."

"But…"

And with that, he began walking away. Slump shouldered and weeping as Molly watched him go.

"I'll call you." She said with a sigh, shaking her head in worry as she returned to her guests.

Entering his apartment, a little past nine, he didn't even turn on the lights but took off his jacket and stumbled across the door straight into his bedroom. As if in a daze, he tugged his tie from off his neck and unbuttoned his top button, sitting down on his bed and looking over at the photo of Natalie on his dresser now illuminated by the streetlamp outside. There were no words to express how he felt but the pain inside was real. The day had begun with such promise. How could it have gone so wrong?

Molly called him around ten-thirty just to check on him and he managed to tell her that he had made it home safely but was going to bed. She didn't argue, being thankful at just hearing his voice. She was worried about him and asked him to call her when he got up. He promised he would.

Hanging up the phone, Molly Evans went into her bedroom and put on her pajamas, then walked to her kitchen, made a cup of tea and sat down with the box she had received from the courier service that afternoon. At last, she would see her biological father's phone records and maybe be able to pull together more information on what he was doing with Tahiri. She had just removed the seal when her doorbell rang.

Standing, she looked at her watch and then cautiously walked to the front door wondering who on earth could be there at that hour. Looking through her peephole, she was surprised. She quickly opened the door.

"Steven." she asked with surprise. "What on earth are you doing here? Is Natalie with you?"

Shortly after the sun rose, Natalie Teeger walked aimlessly around her house dressed in her pajamas with a red nose and puffy eyes from crying all night. Even though she hadn't accepted Steven's proposal right then, the offer was still out there and she felt like she would be foolish not to take it. Yet, she had seen the stricken look in Adrian's eyes and it bothered her.

What if he was telling her the truth? What if the women had gotten the information some other way and he had indeed kept her secret? Lisa specifically said that Adrian Monk told her – but what if she was just repeating a conversation they had after it was already known? Could she have gotten it wrong?

But how could they have known? It's not like there would be any reason for Alicia and Lisa to be poking around in her business – particularly concerning Mitch. He had to have told. There was no other explanation that made sense, and if he did tell then he betrayed her in a way that she couldn't forgive. Hurt as it might, she had made the right decision. There was no staying put around a guy she couldn't trust.

And such was the conversation she had with herself all morning as a revolving door of sorrow, anger, betrayal, hurt and guilt swirled through her mind. And then, there was the feeling of loss. That probably hurt the most. In a moment's time she had lost the greatest relationship she had ever had in her life aside from Mitch and was feeling acutely the pain of saying goodbye.

Around eleven o'clock she had just made some tea and was in the middle of her third crying fit of the morning when her phone rang. She wiped her nose on her sleeve and her face with her hands then made an effort to go and answer. Looking down at the number, she was immediately angered.

So, he's calling in reinforcements. Of course, he is. Not going to work. Not this time.

Clinching her jaw, she answered the phone with a curt "hello."

"Hello, Natalie. This is Leland." The familiar voice said on the other end of the line with an almost urgent tone.

Natalie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes. What do you need?" She tapped her feet impatiently, waiting for his spiel.

"Natalie, it's Monk…he's…."

"Leland, I'm going to stop you right there. I know he's probably upset right now, but in case he didn't tell you, I quit. I no longer work for him…"

"Natalie…"

"And he can beg and plead and whine and pout all he wants to... but he betrayed my trust and…"

"Natalie, wait…it's not that…"

"Leland, I don't care what it is. He's just going to have to do it on his own. It's like Steven says. He's a perfectly capable man, he's going to have to buck it up and just…"

"Natalie. Listen to me! Will you please just stop talking."

"I'm not going to..."

"Please, Natalie…I got a call from him around nine o'clock this morning."

Natalie rolled her eyes again and shook her head.

"What? What's wrong? Was he crying?" she jabbed. "Does he need someone to come give him a hug?"

"Natalie," he paused. "I really hate to tell you this. Molly Evans is dead."