CHAPTER ONE:

Natalie's POV

"Mr. Monk," I pleaded, following my eccentric boss around the department. Sometimes I doubted that "eccentric" covered it.

"I promise you, my hands were clean!"

Monk shook his head, still trying to ignore me by escaping me. It wasn't gonna happen. "But you still touched it. My pen! Ah, it will have to be incinerated! And I really did like that pen."

It's been like this for days. As Captain Stottlemeyer bombarded Monk with nearly impossible cases (and, of course, Monk solving every one), he began to get really picky with how "clean" I was. I don't know if his stress level is causing him to take it out on me, but I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Kroger for my poor boss to come in. Sometimes I wish it was me getting the therapy.

"Please, Mr. Monk. You're overreacting."

Monk did something really childish then. Raising both hands to his ears and plugging them with his fingers, he took a seat just outside Stottlemeyer's office and hummed.

Sighing, I took a seat beside him. Despite my ongoing battles with Monk, I still admired his innocence.

As we sat there, I saw the door to the department open and a small shape moving towards the Captain's office. The shape neared, and I realized that it was a girl. No older than Julie, perhaps. I would have asked her if she was here for that very reason--to see Julie--but I got the impression from her resolute face that she wasn't here for a playdate.

xxxxxxxx

Capt. Stottlemeyer's POV

I was thinking through (or trying to think through) a particularly hard case when the door to my office swung open. I assumed at first it was Disher, and already had a "Go away," on my tongue, a much different figure appeared before me.

"May I…help you?" I asked. What was a child doing in my office? No, not a child. Her face was too stern and knowing to be as artless as a child.

"Captain Stottlemeyer?" The girl asked. She kept an even tone, yet hinted of impatience.

Nodding, I rose from my desk chair. "Yes?" I matched her impatience with my own, which seemed to set her back in her place.

"You're a homicide detective, right?"

"Look," I sighed. "If you're here for some school paper or Girl Scout cookie thing, I'm not interested. I'm a very busy man, so if you can just run along to Mommy--"

"I'm not here to sell cookies." She cut me off. I admired her get-to-the-point straightforwardness, and at the same time despised it. She reminded me of…well, me, when I was at that age. That's what startled me. "Or for a paper," she went on. "I came here to claim a murder."

Instinctively, I snorted. "For who, your dog Skippy?"

After I said that, I wished I hadn't, for the girl's defense had ruptured a bit and her face gave way to the pain.

Her eyes, wet with tears, stared fixedly into mine. "For my father."

A/N: Alright! Chapter One of my Monk fanfic! Thanks for reading! And if you could be so kind as to hit that "Review" button at the top of the page before you go, that'd be great D Tell me what you think!