Shorter chapter- I know where I'm going with this, it's just a matter of getting there.

Chapter 4: Afterglow

"How did you know?"

"I didn't know, Adrian. But at the risk of flipping you out, when I was at the morgue I nearly lost my lunch."

Natalie felt his stomach muscles tense and laughed. "Some things never change. Protesting my use of public restrooms and reacting to the mere notion of..."

"Don't say it!"

Natalie turned over on her side, facing him. Still fully clothed, Adrian had led them to the bed to lie down. "Seriously, what are you going to do when the morning sickness hits every day, even when it's not always morning, and I can't hold it back? How about when I have to pee every 30 minutes and I'm not at home?"

Adrian sighed, barely able to control his horror at the thought of having to hear his wife vomit every morning for the foreseeable future. "I don't know...maybe I need to be your assistant for awhile. I'll wake up before you, get you crackers and ginger ale, give that a shot."

"That doesn't always work, Adrian."

He shook his head. "What kind of husband would I be if I worried about these things because of...you know...me? It's you who will be carrying our child."

"I worry about you, too. You are still made up of all the things that makes you so unique. Some of your phobias are your greatest strengths, Adrian. Someone who didn't have them wouldn't have that eye for the minute details. I wouldn't change that at all." Natalie ran the back of her hand along his stubble. "I love all of you."

Adrian smiled at his wife. "I love you, Natalie. Both of you. I know that you'll do what you've always done- let me know when I'm over the top, when I'm acting too...me. But I know almost nothing about pregnant women. When are you going to see a doctor? As young and beautiful as you look..."

"There's no getting away from the fact that I'm over 40," she finished. "I don't know how far along I am. I didn't even realize I was late until the nausea hit, it made me check my calendar where I track my cycle. Honestly, I can't believe it happened so fast. I was actually worried that we would have to have help."

He traced her face with his fingertips, and his eyes were full of love. "I hope she's as beautiful as her mother."

"Have you ever thought, Adrian Monk, that I might want a little boy with black curls and brown eyes? But I don't care- I just want a healthy baby. I'm just thrilled it's happening."

Adrian's gaze grew more thoughtful. "Do you think I can be a good father?"

Natalie knew this was one of his biggest fears- that he would be embroiled in a vicious cycle because of his own childhood. "I know you'll be a good father, Adrian. I want you to believe in yourself. See, I'll never forget the sight of you, in spite of all of your overwhelming fears, rolling around in the grass with little Tommy. Now you're ready."

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"You do it every day, Adrian. Every time bad things happen, you refuse to give up until you have made things right. It isn't what you do, it's who you are. Sometimes I wish I could strangle your father. He's the biggest reason you've spent your entire life believing that you rate no better than a single walkie-talkie. Dr. Bell would tell you to open your eyes and take a good, hard look around you. Even before we were married, you always had me. You have Leland, who has proven he will do almost anything to help you because he believes in you. Julie sees you as her dad, and did long before the wedding. Sharona told me years ago that she loved you- in spite of everything. You inspire loyalty, Adrian."

Natalie took his hand and placed it over her belly. "And this baby will adore you, too."

An impish grin appeared on Adrian's face. "I wonder when it happened."

Natalie started to laugh hysterically. "I think that's a mystery that not even you may be able to solve! What if you figure it out? Am I going to get the 'Here's what happened...' summation?"

"I think you already know what happened. I wonder if it happened that embarrassing night we spent at your parents?"

"It wasn't that embarrassing," she shot back.

"Your mother knew exactly what we were doing and when we were doing it!" Adrian flushed at the memory.

"And so? We are married!" Natalie rolled her eyes in exasperation. "My mom thinks the way you look at me is hot," she teased with a wicked smile.

Taking the bait, Adrian twitched violently. "Why would she say something like that? Assuming of course, that you're not referring to an actual temperature."

Natalie lightly swatted him on the arm. "She was only acknowledging the way you look at me, the love in your eyes."

"I can't be held responsible for that. I can't look at you in any other way." He sighed in contentment. "Now you're going to have my baby. Natalie?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can this be our little secret for right now?"

Natalie smiled, nodding in agreement. "I didn't really want to share our news with anyone until I'm in my second trimester."

"I would like to tell Dr. Bell. I want him to help me make sure that I'm the best father I can possibly be."

Locking her arms around his neck, she replied, "You're already the best husband- being the best father is simply the next step, Adrian."

Adrian was stymied over this recent case. In spite of their recent happiness, he couldn't shake the feeling that the other shoe was about to drop. Without the motive of the dead woman in the original Leven case, Adrian was no closer to solving this murder than he was the day in the morgue.

The other shoe dropped three days later when Captain Stottlemeyer called. Once again rattled by the circumstances, he summoned Monk and Natalie to Dr. Bell's office. The cleaning lady had been found stabbed to death.