A crowd waving American flags roared as the first mission to reach the moon in over 40 years finally returned home. The general populace had not yet heard about Commander Grayson's 'mishap', though the Mission Control Center and Governor Greenway were frantically trying to come up with the best way to do damage control.
The small reentry vehicle had splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in the early morning hours and after examination by doctors, all on board were deemed to be in excellent health.
As guests of the Governor, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer, Randy and Sharona Disher, Julie Teeger and Natalie Albright had special seats along with the families of the crew members and would be the first ones to see the crew when the doors were opened. There were several false starts...security personnel and others who were paving the way for the heroes return.
Then, suddenly they appeared.
Walking out, shoulder to shoulder was the entire crew in matching orange launch-and-rentry suits with Commander Stevens and an Astronaut named Monk front and center. Adrian was smiling humbly and waving as the crowd cheered and waved their flags. Then, they reached an open space and security removed a barricade, allowing the family and friends of the crew members to come and welcome them home.
Spotting Adrian, Natalie ran as fast as her feet could fly. In fact, she outran her entire group. She was beaming and when Adrian spotted her his heart nearly sank to his stomach and his throat tightened with emotion.
About 5 feet from him she stopped, and without releasing her smile she pulled a wipe out of her purse and laughed. Then, she ran up to him and began planting little kisses all over his face and forehead followed up with the wipe. Monk pushed her back and pulled back her hand. Grabbing the wipe, he threw it on the ground and wrapping his arms around her waist. His eyes glistened with love and desire as he pulled Natalie deep into his arms for a passionate kiss on the lips. Shocked at first, she happily wrapped her arms around his neck and then melted in his embrace. Then, when the two of them finally came up for air, they were surrounded by friends who couldn't be happier for their happiness and were just so glad to have him back in one piece.
Adrian Monk was home.
Later that evening in San Francisco, the detective sat in the Squad room in his trademark brown jacket but with a buttoned down shirt underneath.
"Here's what happened..." He explained.
"Governor Greenway had aspirations to run for President and knew that the U.S. space program was a way to get national recognition. He took advantage of his wife's association with Altman and began to study the maturity of their technological development programs. Realizing that they wouldn't be where they needed to be for several years, and not getting any younger, Greenway reached out to a mutual friend of his and Judge Ethan Rickover's, Former-Astronaut and current inmate, Steve Wagner, who, even though he was a murderer, had just the kind of brilliant technical mind he needed for his program. Pardoning him was a small price to pay for the advancement he desired, he thought. Although, how he justified releasing a murderer really says a lot about Greenway as a person. What he didn't count on is that Wagner had been building up resentment - no, not resentment, seething hatred towards me throughout his years in prison and would stop at nothing for revenge. Wagner decided to get to me by getting to Natalie. And, it worked. He recruited his old colleague, Sam Grayson and blackmailed Grayson into kidnapping Natalie. "
"That's incredible. What kind of dirt did he have on Grayson?" asked Sharona.
"He threatened to expose Grayson for the fraud and liar that he was. Grayson did not invent the monitor that we put on the lunar surface, even though he held the patent and took credit for it. Wagner did. If Grayson wouldn't play ball with Wagner, Wagner would see to it that Grayson was destroyed. Wagner recognized in Grayson a man with the same level of cockiness and ambition that he had; and, he knew that together they just might pull it off. Thankfully, their plan failed."
"Thankfully so" said Leland. "It looks like the Feds have enough evidence on Wagner that he will never see the light of day again. At a minimum, he is looking at life - WITHOUT possibility of parole."
"It couldn't happen to a nicer person."Natalie replied, standing up from where she was leaning against a desk as the cops began to return to their business.
Once everyone had dispersed, Monk walked over to his former assistant and desired flame.
"Hey," he said to Natalie in a playful voice. "I know a nice person."
Natalie grinned shyly and turned towards him. "You doooo?" she asked, with puppy dog eyes.
Monk smiled and then nervously cleared his through. "Um...Yeah. I was wondering if maybe she would like to accompany me to dinner and a play tonight?" he asked.
"Why Mr Adrian Monk! Are you asking me out on a date?" Natalie teased.
Monk stood a little taller, adjusting his collar. "Why, Ms Natalie...I believe I am." he responded with a smile, doing his best Rhett Butler.
Natalie looked both ways and when satisfied that nobody was watching, leaned in and kissed him on the mouth..."then I accept."
Adrian smiled a satisfied smile.
"Most excellent news..." he said, as he held the door open for her, touching the door post with his finger on the way out. Quickly, he made his way to her side, kissed her on the cheek and began to will the butterflies away from his stomach as he walked with his girl, hand in hand under a moonlit sky.