Nothing will part us (7.03)
(After Natalie accepted the one-night lottery job)
Natalie rubbed her hands and smiled with glee as she looked forward to being the lottery girl the next night. Even though she had no experience or did not know anything about the job, she had secretly wished that she would be part of a glamorous industry. The job, although brief, dropped right into her lap and she could not the will to refuse it at all. The lottery manager's smile and welcoming yet strong offer appealed to her inner senses. Natalie commiserated with the murdered lottery girl, but she could not hide her joy at the opportunity.
Trouble was that her boss Adrian Monk did not seem pleased at all. Monk was not easy to displease but having his assistant walk off her job – even as meaningless one as a night cleaning the kitchen – was one of them. Despite his reluctance to agreement, if one could consider that an agreement, Natalie felt that Monk was pushed into a corner. He was a selfish man who needed his assistant to do the most mundane things, and asking him to think vicariously of Natalie's joy was out of the question. Maybe only the chance to examine the larger crime scene was all that made the job palatable to him.
Natalie saw Monk's continued reluctance and tried to soothe his feelings, "Adrian, it's just one night. Plus, I'm not leaving you at all. You know what the manager says; he just wants me to fill in for a night. You will always come first."
Monk did not consider her reassurance satisfactory and groaned, "But you'll probably find the job enjoyable and leave me. Everyone quits me. That's a fact of nature, just like ten is always a winning lottery number."
"No, I told you. I will never leave you. Even if I find the job enjoyable, I will miss spending time with you. You are more than my employer now, which I hope you realize. This lottery thing is just a one time thing on the side. Plus, it will help you look around a bit. Remember, we are partners now – I help you and you help me. We established that three years ago."
"Okay, I believe you. But you owe me one more night of cleaning the kitchen. The dust bunnies do not take nights off for lottery."
Natalie gave Monk a glare before walking off to sign the contract.
(After Monk had called Natalie a bimbo, and Natalie quitted; Leland's POV)
Leland stopped his investigation as Natalie ran off. She jogged away from Monk without a look back. But Leland knew that her heart was broken. Monk's words had surely hurt her deeply, and Leland could not defend his friend at all. Of Monk's many faults and obsessions, his insensitivity was perhaps the worst. With Sharona, the issue often resolved around money but this time with Natalie was beyond that. He saw how close Natalie and Monk had grown, and felt the genuine respect Natalie had for Monk. They needed each other after losing their respective spouses. Monk was finally able to function in society, partly because of Sharona, but also largely because of Natalie. In turn, Natalie and Julie had found a man who could be a part of their life and give them some closure to Mitch. All in all, Leland was deeply disappointed with Monk.
Before his hands formed the strength to strangle Monk, Leland took a look at his friend. Monk was looking sullen and despondent. He seemed to realize the mistake he had made, at least Leland hoped so. But Leland was worried that Monk was only sad because he lost an assistant, not a friend. For a brilliant detective, Monk was unusually naïve in the ways of society and relationships. Trudy proved to be an exception, and Natalie was close to another. But until Monk realized what he had done and indeed lost, then Leland thought, he would never move beyond his phobias and awkward life.
Randy broke up the silence with a half-humor remark to Monk, "You lost it big time, buddy. Looks like you ain't got her number no more."
Leland scowled at Randy's remark. He, after Monk, needed some sensitivity training, especially with his ad lib. Anyway, the problem now was Monk, who expectedly would not function without Natalie. The case was to be stalled. Leland was worried more for his friend than the case. He remembered Natalie's last words, "I quit us." There was an 'us', something that Leland knew meant much for both of them.
(In Monk's apartment, after he agreed to help clear Natalie of rigging accusations)
Natalie kept her arms firmly around Monk as her tears ran dry. She knew her tears were ruining Monk's shirt, but forget them, she reasoned, since other matters were more pressing, and he had four of the same shirt as backup. Natalie was relieved that Monk decided to help her out. Coming to his apartment, she thought Monk would not speak to her again. She had walked out on him. Even though he was ultimately responsible for his harsh words, he rightfully could have felt abandoned. What she did was probably worse than what Sharona did. Either way, Natalie could not but feel relieved that Monk still welcomed her. Maybe she could get her old job back.
Monk budged a bit and gave Natalie the cue that she should let go. Natalie reluctantly moved away. His shirt, previously immaculate, was stained with her tears. Monk was worried a bit and made a mental checklist to get rid of this shirt. Incineration would be the only course to even out all the tears. Natalie, meanwhile, still looked a bit anguished but he saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes. He grabbed some tissues from a counter and gave her a few, just in case.
Natalie spoke up with a bit of hope but still some caution in her voice, "Mr. Monk, thank you so much for doing this. I'm so relieved to know that you still trust me and you'll help me. If there is anything that I can do…"
Monk smiled and pointed to his shirt, "Well, you can take this shirt to the incinerator first thing tomorrow morning. That is, if you will be coming by tomorrow."
Natalie looked at him, "You mean it, Mr. Monk? You mean I can get my job back, after I quit so suddenly on you?"
"Natalie, first of all you know now to call me Adrian. And yes, you still are my assistant. Do you really think that I would let you go? You are too important for me to lose."
Natalie looked at Monk and now her remaining tears flowed not of apprehension, but of joy. She approached to hug Monk again but remembered his shirt. Yes, the shirt would have to be fixed – hopefully not by incinerating – but her relationship with Monk was mended. That mattered most to Natalie.
"And Natalie, I need to apologize for calling you a bimbo. You are not a bimbo, and never were. I acted irresponsibly that day at the scene and was wrong. Please accept my apology," Monk continued and finished with a slight smile.
Natalie looked at Monk again in surprise. Indeed, she was quite upset with Monk and simmered inside about that remark. It had hurt her deeply and she was determining not to return unless Monk apologized. Now he was doing so and on his own volition. Even though the apology was probably from a standard line card that he had, it still meant much to hear him say it.
"Yes, Adrian I accept your apology. I hope that never happens again and nothing else comes between us. But that doesn't mean you are entirely forgiven, sir. You need to redo the bad karma and earn your forgiveness credits," Natalie answered with a light tease.
Monk looked at her with understanding. "Well, Trudy told me something like that would happen. I spoke to Trudy last night and she told me how wrong it was to have called you a bimbo. I trust Trudy and realized that I should not have acted as I did. She was quite smart in pointing it out. She asked me how Ambrose would have felt if my mother or I called him a hermit or imbecile. I know I insulted you in the same way. It will take a long while for me to be forgiven."
Natalie was tempted to pet or hug Monk. He seemed so sincere and spoke the words as if Trudy had spoken them. She was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It was a major step for him and she hoped he would emerge stronger and more socially adept from this episode.
Natalie took Monk's hands and looked at him in the eyes, "Adrian, if Trudy forgives you, then I will surely do the same. I know I'm not Trudy and never will replace her in your heart but I want you to know that you mean more than a boss or friend to me. I hope you think the same about me. Remember what I said about there being an 'us'. There still is and will be. If you are willing to move on and learn from this, and listen to Trudy, then you are forgiven Adrian."
Monk looked at Natalie in the eyes and saw the love and sincerity in them. He felt secure about pouring his feelings out to her. It was difficult for him but he had it do it. "Natalie, thank you. You mean so much to me as well. I don't know how exactly but I will figure it out soon. I hope there will always be an 'us' as well. Please don't ever leave me again."
Natalie then gave Monk a hug. She knew that they were crossing the line of no return, but consequences be damned. Each of them had suffered too long from losing their loved ones, and needed each other for friendship, support, and maybe love. Their future was together and nothing could drive them apart.
