I have to state I do not own Monk or Natalie. But I can play with their minds and feelings...

This is the last before the weekend break. Next chapters coming next week.

Thank you so much for the reviews, and obrigada pela resenha! Espero estar honrando nosso país nesta ficção...

MR MONK MEETS THE REDEEMER

CH17

"Ewwww." Monk stop suddenly as he entered a few yards left into the woods.

"Ewwww?" asked Natalie.

"Natalie, this is…this is nature…and it's all around me… and it's night… and you are all over my sunburned shoulder… and …"

"Hey, wait a minute. You are dragging me, Mr. Monk. I didn't jump all over your shoulder and run you down here! And you are still holding me on your sunburned shoulder!" Natalie answered, a little offended.

Monk lowered Natalie.

"As a matter of fact, Mr. Monk, you dragged me here to this country, and now here I am with an injured leg in the middle of a jungle, running away from some bad guys, and I have no idea who they are, at night, and with you!" complained Natalie, feeling her shoe a bit soaked with blood.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, woman!" quickly answered Monk. "Except for the leg part; And the drag you on the shoulder part; And the having no idea on who the bad guys are part; And the being with you here part." The last words came out weakly, as he was turning away from Natalie, to look back in an attempt to see the street.

After a few seconds of silence with the sound of Monk's latest words still in her head and twisting her heart, Natalie quietly spoke, "So that leaves us both only with 'the jungle' and 'the night' then, Mr. Monk."

Monk turned to Natalie, who was seated on a tree trunk at the ground, "These two words should never come together, Natalie, and at least not when I am out here."
He then approached Natalie and looked at her leg. "Oh God!"

"Yes, I know, and it hurts bad…"

"You are still bleeding!" Monk began to hyperventilate.

"Yes, I've noticed that, Mr. Monk. And I…"

"And you were up here!" He said, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Oh God! You probably bled all over me!" He began to draw away his jacket frantically.

"Hey, hey, I told you it was not my idea to be up there, Mr. Monk! And please be quiet! You're making too much noise! You will attract attention from the bad guys!" Natalie lifted herself up and helped Monk take the jacket off.
Monk began pinching the sleeves of her shirt and straightening his shirt collar, while Natalie held his jacket.

"What do you have inside the ..."

"Shush!" Monk cut Natalie off. "There's someone coming," whispered Monk.

"Oh , boy! What now?" Natalie whispered back.

"Here, behind this tree." Monk took two large steps toward a tree, taking extreme care not to make any noise, and hid himself behind its large trunk. Natalie was still standing on only one foot, supporting her injured leg on the tip of her toes, holding Monk's jacket.

Monk looked at her, and gestured her with his hands, asking her to join him. She nodded and pointed to her leg.

The noise that Monk heard had become louder, as several people entered the forest, trampling the ground.

Monk then carefully returned to Natalie, trying to step back on the same spots he had chosen before. He stopped in front of her and asked, "What now?"

"What do you mean by that? C'mon, Mr. Monk, if I hop to the tree, even the Christ Statue up there will know where we are!" whispered Natalie.

"Oh,God! You're right. Wait, let me think."

"Let you think? There's nothing to think about, Mr. Monk! Get me up there now, c'mon!" And positioning her right side in front of Monk, she placed her arms around his neck. She had been careful to leave the injured leg as far as possible from Monk.

"Here I go." whispered Natalie, warning that she would climb into his lap.

"Oh God!" Monk clumsily held Natalie in his arms, placing one arm on the back of her knees and another behind her back, with both hands closed.

Natalie couldn't help giggling, while Monk was concentrated on getting back to the tree without making any noise, carrying Natalie as far as possible from his body as he could and stretching his neck to avoid getting close to Natalie's head.

"Stop it, Natalie!" said Monk, lowering her carefully as they reached the tree, but she stepped with her bad leg onto a broken trunk and released an instinctive "ouch" of pain, dropping Monk's jacket on the ground.

The others stopped for a moment. They froze and listened.

Monk stood with his back to the tree, and immediately placed his right hand on Natalie's mouth and pulling her close to him with the other hand, he leaned back on the tree and pressed Natalie against his body.

Looking to the left, he saw three figures carefully searching the forest, a few yards away from them.

Natalie turned her face to the same side and leaned her head on Monk's chest, making him remove his hand from her mouth and move it behind her shoulders, laying it on her head.

He was now protecting Natalie with both hands around her.

Natalie kept her arms folded in front of her body, with her hands close to her mouth. Monk's chin was lightly touching the top of Natalie's head. She kept her eyes closed, head lowered, trying to control the pain and keep her breathing calm.

Monk continued to follow the movement of the men closely. They began to walk in the opposite direction.

Natalie spread her hands on Monk's chest, and feeling his breath she began to calm down, trying to keep pace with the beats of his heart. After several minutes of tight silence, Monk took a short sigh and loosened the hug a bit, making Natalie raise her head and open her eyes.

At that moment there was only the wind playing with the leaves at the top of the trees and two breaths rhythmically merging into one.

Thank you, Kathy!