I though the hiatus could make the main characters mine...but Id didn't! Anyway, take your time to, please, review it!

MR MONK MEETS THE REDEEMER

CH18

Natalie walked determinedly away from Monk.

She first crossed the road then the train tracks, reaching the forest. Her idea was to walk along the tracks by the forest. If the patrol car appeared, they could quickly hide themselves in the forest. She stopped for a moment; her leg was aching, more from the tiredness than from the actual cut itself. Supported by the stick, she bent her injured leg back, then stretched it forward and pulled her toes up in an attempt to relieve the muscle's pain. But this only made it hurt more. Natalie raised her hand to her neck, sliding it to her back. She was exhausted, but there were only 20 minutes separating her from a well-deserved ride to a safe place where she could finally relax.

"Thank you for waiting, Natalie," Monk said, approaching Natalie.

"I was not ... You're welcome, Mr. Monk," she said, resuming the journey.

They continued to go down alongside the rails; Natalie was in front walking with the help of the stick, and Monk was following her closely, trying to step over Natalie's previous steps to make sure he wouldn't get hurt or surprised by any lurking nocturnal animal.

"Slow it down, Natalie. I cannot see where you are stepping."

Natalie stopped and turned to Monk, "Slow it down? We have only 20 minutes to reach the gate without being noticed by the patrol car, and I'm making my way, limping through the forest, at night and in pain. How can I move slower than that?" Natalie spoke and then turning around again and facing ahead continued walking.

This repeated turning around made her feel dizzy. "It would be much faster if you walked next to me, Mr. Monk. I could use a bit ofhelp here." And she stood still, breathing deeply and waiting for the dizziness to vanish. She put her hand on her forehead, noticing it was sweaty and cold. She was afraid the nausea would stay withher all the way down to the gate.

Monk approached Natalie, stopping just behind her, exactly on her last step marks. "If you were not limping, it would be much easier to see where you stepped," complained Monk.

Natalie slid her hand to the back of her neck again. She felt an uncomfortable heat all over her body. Her stomach was cramping, and strange flashes of light were popping in front of her eyes. Her hands began to tremble, and her legs weakened as she blinked her eyes in an attempt to erase the bright spots from her vision.

"Now what, Natalie? Can we go on?" said Monk.

Before the growing heat reached her neck, she turned to Monk, and stepped half way back in his direction.

"Oh no, Natalie! Step back again or I'll lose the spot!" said Monk, looking at the ground trying to memorize where she had trampled before.

"Mr. Monk, I," Natalie fainted.

Monk was caught by surprise and lost his balance, falling to the ground with Natalie over him. After a few seconds without breathing and trying to understand what had just happened, Monk gently rolled Natalie to the side, laying her with her back on the ground.

He was sideways on the ground too, with his left hand under Natalie's head, and supporting his torso with the left forearm on the ground. He was feeling extremely uncomfortable, and tried to keep his body as far as possible from Natalie, but afraid to be too far to allow the trailing creatures approach him. He looked desperate at Natalie still unconscious at his side as he began to listen to all those creatures stirring up the leaves on the floor.

"Natalie, wake up." his voice was shaking, as his hand behind Natalie's head. "They are coming, I can tell, they know we're defeated. Wake up, Natalie." whimpered Monk, starting to hyperventilate.

Natalie's breath was fast and short, and Monk could see some sweat drops forming on her forehead. He was stuck in that position; he knew that should keep her head high, but with his hand under her head he couldn't take of his jacket to use as a pillow. And he wouldn't take it out. It was his protection from the Night Creatures hanging on the trees over them. Now he could listen to them also, whispering their attack plan to one another over his head.

He started to sweat.

He was still hyperventilating when he decided to stop breathing. He was making too much noise, and the Small Night Air Creatures could notice that and invade his body through his nose, causing him to bleed slowly until he dies. He put his hand over his mouth and nose, and looked around to find something to make Natalie wake up.

Monk then noticed that Natalie's purse was on the ground a few inches from her. It could make a great pillow, and then he'll be free to crouch as much as he could besides Natalie until she wakes up. But to reach it he needed the stick that was next to her, by her left side. He could feel all the Night Creatures around them, chatting, laughing at his vulnerability, waiting for the best moment to attack. He decided then to try to reach the stick beside Natalie for his own protection.When Natalie woke up, she could deal with all the creatures, but until then he should keep them away from himself.

Monk placed his body closer to hers, trying to avoid touching her, and stretched his arm out again, without success. The only solution was to go over Natalie.

Reluctantly, he concentrated and calculated his movements with all the precision he could and began his climbing: first, he supported his torso on his left forearm on the ground; then, he stretched both of his legs, turned them round, and supported them on his tiptoes, being extremely careful not to touch Natalie's body. He then raised his right leg and kept it over Natalie's legs, without touching them; he took his right arm over Natalie's stomach, again being careful not to touch her. With a quick impulse, he rolled his body over Natalie seeking support for his right hand and right feet on the ground at Natalie's left side.

But as he did not take his left hand out of Natalie's head, and his forearm was fully supported on the ground, his desire to keep his body over Natalie's without touching her was impossible. He laid closer to her left side, with his face almost touching hers. He quickly looked at the stick, and moved his hand towards it until he reached it. He smiled at the though the Night Creatures were following his moves and were afraid of him now he was armed, because he wasn't listening to their buzz anymore.

"What do you think you are doing, Mr. Monk?" Natalie asked gently, with a smile spreading to the corner of her mouth.

Monk looked back at Natalie, "I-ah. I was just trying ... " and immediately pulled his left hand from under her head, intending to get a better support by placing the palm of his left hand on the ground.

But that very hand was dead asleep, and unbalanced him. It made him awkwardly drop his torso over Natalie's. He quickly moved off of her, rolling his body to his original position beside her, leaving the stick away.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry, Natalie, my hand is asleep and it couldn't support my weight," he said, sitting on the ground and massaging his hand.

"You didn't answer my question, Mr. Monk" said Natalie, holding a laugh.

"Oh, and the Night Creatures were about to attack me when I…"

"So, I faint for a couple of seconds and you decide to come over to lie on my ..." she sat on the ground too.

"...was trying to get the stick...hey! I wasn't trying to lie on top of you! You can ask the Night Creatures, they were following closely what I was ..."

Natalie burst into a laugh when she spotted the desperate look on Monk's face. She enjoyed the moment a bit, then went on, "I am sorry, Mr. Monk. I couldn't help teasing you."

She stretched her arms towards Monk, who was already on his feet. "Would you help me to stand up, please?"

"Ha-ha, funny, Natalie. I was just about to have the most terrible death I could imagine and you there, having fun on my brave efforts to keep me alive."

Monk grabbed Natalie's arms and helped her up. But she was still dizzy, and trembled all over. Once again, she found support on his chest. He instinctively and awkwardly embraced her, with his hands not touching her.

"Sorry, I am a bit dizzy," said Natalie, resting her head on Monk's shoulder.

Monk shifted the shoulder, and said "Oh, no, Natalie, please, do not faint again. Please, look at me."

His arms were still awkwardly placed around her body, not touching it. Natalie closed her eyes, and dropped her weight over Monk's body.

"No, no, Natalie, look at me. Don't faint again, I need you." demanded Monk, placing his hands on Natalie's shoulders and gently shaking her, keeping her a bit apart from him.

She lifted her head and opened her eyes, trying to focus Monk's face.

They remained in silence for some seconds, looking at each other. The distance between the two decreased gradually in the same proportion they both got overwhelmed by their sudden feelings. They slowly moved towards each other. Was it Monk that was pulling Natalie closer, or was she that was moving towards him? They both could not notice any resistance from the other, but the uncertainty of the other's thoughts made them stop a few moments before touching their lips.

Each one was waiting for the other's next move.

leaving you hanging on there is cruel...I know...

Thanks Kathy for kindly finding a space to me in your over-busy free time.