Chapter 3 Coffee

Standard disclaimer: I don't own Monk.

Notes: Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Sorry I took so long to post - I kept getting a processing error from FF! But now it's all good, thanks to the kind folks at site support! :)

-------

After hours of aimless wandering, it was still only 9PM when Adrian arrived at his apartment. Though physically tired, he found himself too excited to sleep. Pleased with the thought of officially dating Natalie, he went and sat at his desk and retrieved a pad of paper from the top drawer. Always one for over-preparing, he wanted to make a list of possible date activities Natalie might enjoy. Recalling Julie's questions, he started the list:

1. –Movie

2.–Dinner

3.–Dancing

4.–Miniature Golf

Drawing a line through item number 4, Adrian chuckled; miniature golf would definitely be a last resort idea. Looking up from his list, he noticed the picture of Trudy on the desk. Well, actually there were two pictures. Turning away from the desk, he surveyed the room. There were pictures of Trudy everywhere in his living room; on the mantle, on the wall, and on each shelf of the bookcase. Getting up, Adrian took a walk through his apartment and counted all the pictures of Trudy.

Over the years, his apartment had become a shrine to Trudy. Adrian knew that he had loved Trudy without reservation when she was alive, but he never realized how overly fixated he had become since her death. Aware that it was neither necessary nor healthy to display so many pictures of Trudy, he returned to the living room. Surely it wasn't comforting for Natalie to be completely surrounded by images of Trudy either, especially now. Adrian understood he had to make yet another change in his life.

Adrian decided to put away half of the pictures that were on display in each room. In the living room, he took down the two pictures that had forever been hanging behind his leather chair. He remembered how Trudy had hated those pictures and wanted to take them down. But he had stubbornly insisted that he wanted her to always be looking over his shoulder. He had playfully called them his 'guardian angel' photos. After all these years, and without regret, he was finally acquiescing to Trudy's wishes and took them off the wall.

He then removed pictures from every other shelf of his bookcase and removed one picture from the mantle and one picture from his desk. Yes, the desk and mantle were no longer symmetrical, but Adrian knew they wouldn't remain that way for long. He looked forward to taking some pictures of Natalie and Julie; their images should also grace his mantle and desk. He loved them both and wanted to celebrate their place in his life. Soon all the empty nails left in the walls would hold pictures illustrating his new-found happiness and joy.

Not having an empty photo album in the house, Adrian took Trudy's framed pictures and, sorting them by date taken, stacked them together. Placing them in the deepest desk drawer, he made a mental note to purchase an album next time he went downtown. He promised 'Don't worry Trudy, I'll find a pretty one for you.'

Returning his attention to his desktop, Adrian started adding more date ideas to his list. Delighted when the tally reached twenty, having a back-up idea for each of the ten date ideas, he headed off to bed.

---------------

Stirring from a deep sleep, Natalie wondered was happening. All she heard was an obnoxious noise buzzing over and over. In a fog, she looked at her clock and noticed it was not yet six o'clock in the morning! Finally she recognized the noise as the buzz of her cell phone, dancing across her nightstand. Clumsily grabbing the phone, Natalie pressed the talk button and answered with a grumpy "Hello?"

"Hi Natalie! I know it's early but what are you doing?"Adrian's voice was joyful and very much awake.

"I'm sleeping, you ninny. What did you think I was doing?" Natalie sat up in bed and turned on the bedside light. She now regretted giving him her old cell phone earlier that week. "What are you doing?"

"Could you come to your front door?" Adrian asked cryptically."There's something I want to show you."

"Ugh! I'll be down in a second." Natalie hung up and ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She then returned to her bedroom and pulled her still warm comforter around her shoulders. Careful not to wake Julie, she quietly tipped down the stairs and crossed to the front door. As she unlocked the deadbolt, she knew Adrian was happily waiting out there on the porch. Natalie quickly combed her fingers through her hair and opened the door.

"Hey sleepyhead!" Adrian handed Natalie a cup of Starbuck's coffee and led her over to the porch swing."Here, sit down." He settled down next to her on the porch swing and patted her knee.

"What are you up to?" Natalie sipped her perfectly sweetened coffee. It was still dark out and he had said nothing about what he had planned. She shivered and pulled her blanket tight around her body.

Adrian put his arms around her and pulled her close, sharing the heat of his body."I thought we could watch the sunrise and then make breakfast together."

Placing her drink on the arm of the swing, Natalie pulled her blanket around her legs before she slid them over his lap. Snuggling closer, she reached for her coffee and took another sip. "This is a pretty good first date, Adrian. I'm very impressed."

Adrian smiled and looked off into the distance towards the sunrise. He was amazed at how many changes he had gone through in these last few weeks. Having finally let go of the unrelenting desire to solve Trudy's murder before he could live again, he was no longer tormented by her memory. Gone was the guilt and self-loathing he had suffered for twelve years. Instead, now he remembered Trudy with love and happiness. He was still going to solve Trudy's murder, but now he was at peace and knew it was permissible to be happy once again.

As the sun rose, Adrian understood he had been blessed a second time in life. Natalie was truly a gift he had not expected. Silently vowing to love and protect Natalie and Julie, Adrian watched a bluebird sail across the sky. The ever-brightening sky he now shared with Natalie. And, save for Natalie's quiet stirrings against his shoulder, the world was silent and perfect.

----------

"Mom! What smells so good?" Julie stomped down into the kitchen, only to find her mom and Mr. Monk at the dining room table. She wasn't surprised to find her mom still in her pajamas but was momentarily struck speechless by how Mr. Monk was dressed. Wearing jeans and a long sleeve pullover, Julie had never seen him so casual and relaxed. Gone was the buttoned down shirt from the day before, the symbolism not lost on the English-Honors student. Julie approached the table and stole a piece of toast from her mother's plate. "What are you guys doing up so early?"

"It's nearly 7:30, honey. You don't know the meaning of 'early'!" Natalie shared a conspiratorial look with Adrian."There's a hot plate of eggs warming in the oven. Go help yourself." Natalie swatted Julie's hand away as she reached over to steal another piece of toast.

Julie returned to the table, her plate overflowing with breakfast. She sat next to Mr. Monk and the two started talking about how much she was enjoying college and how she loved Berkley. Observing their easy rapport, Natalie flashed back to how Mitch had doted over Julie and how she loved being the center of his world. Natalie saw the same father/daughter bond between Julie and Adrian. She was sure Mitch was watching over Julie and approved of Adrian becoming the earthly guardian of his daughter.

Hearing the phone ring, Natalie reluctantly excused herself from the table. Hoping it was a wrong number or even a telemarketer, she hesitated as she picked up the phone. She knew that if it was either Randy or the Captain, this mornings' domestic bliss would be over. "Hello?"

"Hey, Nat. It's Randy. We have a weird one - can you get Monk and get over to Vinton Street?"

"Sure thing Randy, just give me half an hour to get dressed and we'll be right over." Natalie hung up with a sigh. She returned to the table and stood behind Adrian, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Finish up, Adrian. We've got a job to get to."

Okay, ya'll. Adrian has more date ideas (Some his own, some from Leland and, unfortunately, one from Randy!). However, he is looking for more suggestions, you know -back-up ideas for the back-up ideas! So suggest away and we'll see if our sweet suitor is game! Thanks!