Homecoming (6.15-16)
(In Natalie's bathroom, away from the unsuspecting Randy)
Natalie shook her hands to get rid of the numbness after using the drill. It took longer than she had thought to free Monk from the shackles. After placing the drill down, she looked around and gathered some towels for Monk. Her bathroom, while simple in décor and small, had all sorts of cleaning supplies – mostly at Monk's insistence.
Monk spoke up after getting Mitch's uniform, a supply of cleaning supplies and some money. "Natalie, thank you so much for everything. Thank you most of all for believing in me."
Natalie gave him a smile that still manifested her sense of worry, "Come home. That's the best way to thank me."
Monk was touched by her kindness. Natalie was different from the others who supposedly wanted to help him. Most of them abandoned him in times of crisis, even Sharona. Monk knew Natalie to be a fierce and independent woman who had little fear of the law. She was there to support him, even while imperiling herself.
"And Natalie, don't worry, I'll promise you that 5% raise. Let's make it 10%, just to be even."
Natalie smiled again at Monk and his sense of humor. Notoriously stingy, he probably was not just being kind. Nonetheless, Monk was a fugitive at the moment and that overrode any thought of money. "Mr. Monk, don't think about that. We need to find out what's going on, not what my raise will be. And I'm confident that you can figure out it. You solve crimes, even the most inscrutable ones."
"Confident, wow, I've not been that for a long time. And there's always the one case I have not been able to solve," Monk replied sadly.
Natalie knew which one he was thinking about and gave him a big hug. She was worried that his fears and lack of self-confidence might catch up with him again. This time, she would not be with him to investigate the crime and clean up anything out of order. Natalie knew she might be seeing him for the last time.
"Natalie, you can let go now. You're wrinkling the prison uniform, which I spent hours stitching back together yesterday. Besides, isn't Randy waiting downstairs?"
Natalie let him go. Even in such conditions, his fear of hugs still remained. "Yes, Randy is down there. Knowing him, he's still enjoying the oil smoothie that I drill made."
Monk looked back in disgust and fear, "You mean he's actually drinking that. Natalie, forget about me and get Randy to a hospital. Quick!"
(Contemporaneously in San Francisco and Sparks)
Natalie was looking at the collection of photos of Adrian Monk on the front table. Tears continued to flow as her eyes skipped from photo to photo. The pictures told Adrian Monk's life story from beginning to present. Each of them brought some element of sadness to Natalie's eyes. She saw his ruined childhood with dysfunctional parents, his loneliness in school and college, his utter despair after Trudy's death, and his slow recovery to society with Sharona. In each picture, Monk was dressed in prim school clothes or his standard uniform. His face rarely betrayed any emotion but rather, contained some inner sadness that Natalie could feel from far away. She held back a deluge of tears knowing that Adrian Monk was crying inside somewhere in heaven.
But one picture brought some light, the only happy picture in the collection. This one showed the three of them, Monk, Natalie and Julie the past Christmas. Natalie remembered that time when some conspirators sought to steal the Star of Bethlehem and everyone thought Monk had shot Santa Claus. That Christmas turned out to be one of the most joyous for her and Julie. She believed that Monk felt the same, even though it was the tenth anniversary of Trudy's death. For once, Adrian Monk felt joy in the world.
Thinking of Monk brought Natalie's heart to a spin. She had known him for more than three years and they had grown closer, much closer than employer and employee. They were even closer than friends. Natalie focused on her exact feelings toward Adrian Monk. She found him to be a caring and affectionate person, despite all his phobias and stinginess. He obviously respected Julie and she viewed him as a father figure. Natalie herself came to depend on him and involve him with her family. Finally, she found herself checking him out and flirting with him. Natalie flushed a little at this, but could not deny that Adrian Monk had become an attractive and caring man in addition to being a brilliant detective.
That was why Natalie missed him more than ever. She felt as if she were living the moments after learning of Mitch's death. While her life was more normal and privileged compared to Adrian Monk's, she found herself suffering from losing another man close to her. Without Adrian Monk, her heart was coming to pieces. Natalie slowly picked up the Christmas photo and placed it close to her heart, praying against reason and hope that the unthinkable had not happened.
Meanwhile, a desert away in Sparks, Nevada, Adrian Monk was lying in his motel room thinking about home. Life away was miserable. He had to adjust to drinking a foreign brand of water, since the town did not have his brand. The manual work at the car wash was bearable only because despite the overbearing manager and meager wages, all he had to do was clean. The coworkers were affable and did not question his origins despite his odd name, Leland Rodriguez.
Monk's thoughts turned to those at home. Leland, his oldest and closest friend, had given no new leads into the investigation. Monk knew his friend was hard at work and risking his badge on this stunt, but he still ached to take part in the investigation. Ambrose probably heard of what happened and might be worried sick. Monk was glad that Ambrose could not leave the house, or else his brother would have gone crazy looking for him. Dr. Kroger, like Ambrose, also might be worrying for him. Monk was tempted to call Dr. Kroger several times but he knew that he could not. It was difficult to arrest those temptations but knowing that they were his friends and family, and that the corrupt sheriff probably was listening on them kept Monk in check.
Finally, Monk thought of Natalie and Julie. It was they whom Monk missed the most. Monk recollected the last time he saw Natalie in the bathroom, as she gave him Mitch's old uniform and bid him adieu. He was truly touched by Natalie and her devotion. For once, he felt a strong familial connection to someone not named Trudy. Natalie had long since been more than an employee, indeed a close friend. He shared and opened his life to her and Julie, and liked Julie like a child he never had. Monk indeed missed the Teegers more than he thought possible.
Monk reached into his bag for a photo that Leland brought him. It was not one of Trudy, although Monk requested one. Instead, the photo showed Natalie and Julie in a mother-daughter embrace. Monk remembered it from a few months ago when Julie finally got her driver's license. Natalie, despite her worries over Julie driving a car, was just glad that Julie was alive after two other Julie Teegers were tragically killed. Monk smiled at that moment, and pushed his homesickness to the side. The picture, though, was held close to his heart.
(After locking Dale up for good and returning to Natalie's house)
Monk and Natalie returned to Natalie's house after leaving Dale in their wake, hopefully for good. Monk was temporarily staying with Natalie while his house was being cleaned – even a few weeks away did not satisfy Monk who had maids and various cleaning companies operating on his house. Natalie had prepared the guest room for him. His first day back, Julie was so happy that she hugged Monk many times over. Surprisingly, Monk flinched only slightly and welcomed seeing her again. Even though he did not feel fully comfortable until he returned to his apartment, Adrian Monk felt safe at home just seeing them.
Natalie's voice broke up the silence once they settled down, "So, is it finally over? The guy Dale creeps me out."
Monk's reply was smooth yet firm, "Yes, it's finally over. Trudy's case, though, remains. I have one more clue in my arsenal."
Natalie looked at Monk with appreciation. "I'm sure you will solve it Mr. Monk. For now, I'm just glad you are back home safe." She placed her arm on his and sat close beside him.
Monk realized Natalie was sitting close. His natural instincts told him to move away. Too much touching. It was infringing on his comfort edge. In fact, it was even more than in the car wash, when Natalie had the pluck to kiss him on the mouth! This time, though, Monk hardly felt bothered at all. In fact, a part of him welcomed it. He furtively moved closer to Natalie.
Natalie realized that Monk did not move away. In fact, he seemed to have moved closer to her. Natalie was thinking that something probably was affecting him, and asked, "Is everything all right, Mr. Monk?"
Monk replied with a smile, "Not yet, but it's becoming that way. And you can call me Adrian."
Surprised even more but delighted at that thought, Natalie replied, "Certainly Adrian. Hmm, in fact I do like this Adrian. So you sure you're comfortable with me calling you this?"
"Yes. You can call me that anytime, just not when we are at a crime scene or in the station. Let's keep that between us or outside professional circles."
"Ok, Adrian. And for how long?"
"From now until I die. Or until you quit us, which I hope never happens."
"Sounds good. And quit, no way. I'm a Teeger; I'm no quitter."
