Author's Note: Just found out the Sharona is coming back to Monk for the final season! Hehe...did I call it or what?! Now lets see if it's like I think...that Natalie's going to be jealous and Sharona is going to be suspicious of Natalie. Maybe! I can't WAIT to see what happens!

Natalie sat at Monk's desk, meticulously making out checks for all of the bills that continued to flow in. The captain had talked with the mayor and had gratefully received some help in Monk's finances. Though the generosity of the mayor was a good some of money - it still didn't cover all the expenses.

Stottlemeyer had made sure that Sharona would get paid for her services by Monk's insurance, as well as Natalie - claiming that she was also taking care of Monk. Still Natalie had to take on a 'normal' job to cover all of the bills that Monk and herself included needed to survive.

Even after a long day at work, she would drive to Monk's and watch Sharona literally feed him, and even clean his face and mouth. While the whole time she watched, Natalie's heart would ache and her fear would overwhelm her. Fear that he would remain like this for the rest of his life.

And she just couldn't bare that. Finally, after everything they had been through, after all the time she had spent trying to deny and escape her feelings - he took all of her choices away by doing this to himself.

At the moment Sharona was busy keeping everything clean in Monk's path. Natalie was sure to help her out when she was pretty certain that Sharona couldn't make everything as clean as Monk liked.

Neither one of them really talked much, both just seemed to allow the other to be as they both shared the responsibility of making sure that Monk was fine.

So with that in mind, one would understand why Natalie almost jumped three feet in the air when Sharona said her name to get her attention.

"Sorry...what?" Natalie asked a little embarrassed about being so zoned out that she hadn't noticed Sharona standing right behind her.

"Sorry ta' ask yah this but...I really need to go see about the apartment down on Market street. A friend of mine use to rent their and put in a good word for me. But I still need to see if the apartments not rat infested. Do you mind if I leave you alone with Monk while I go down there."

Natalie had to shake herself out of her thoughts, "Oh! Ah...sure! I can handle it." Natalie said semi-sure that she could.

"Great! Look...I'll be back as soon as I can. I already gave him breakfast and I'm giving him lunch around one o'clock. The sandwiches are already made and in the fridge - just in case I don't make it back in time could you make sure he eats?"

In her mind, Sharona was risking Monk's well being by leaving him alone with Natalie. But she needed to leave if she had any chance of finding a place to live for her and Benji. Even if she called Stottlemeyer or Randy, she couldn't very well tell them that she thought Natalie had something to do with why Monk was comatose again.

They had become friends in the time that she had been in New Jersey. Sharona felt a twinge in her stomach as she realized the Randy had even become closer to Natalie than to her.

Shaking her head she brought herself back to reality and quickly said a goodbye as she headed out the door - hoping she wasn't making the biggest mistake of all time.

Natalie had long since finished all the bills and was sitting by Monk - just staring at him.

He of course was staring off into nothing.

Natalie's blue sad eyes stared into his face and wondered how many times she had felt pity for him? How many times had she thought that someone would be insane to fall in love with him?

God I'm an idiot!

Reaching over she took his hand in her own and caressed it with her thumb.

Over the years they had grown closer and closer. Well...she grew closer and closer to him. She had nearly lost him several times in the past few years. And after everything that they had both overcome...it was his mind that had taken him away from her.

Standing up she kneeled down the next second beside him and turned his face with her hands.

"Adrian I need to talk with you." She said as she caressed his face. Still there was no change.

Natalie searched his face, trying to see if there was any recognition in his eyes...but nothing.

Natalie's eyes began to tear up as she just stared into his empty face. Then...something inside of her snapped.

SLAP

Natalie tried to control her breathing as the anger in grew as she saw that his face was still empty - no expression of pain whatsoever after the hard slap she had delivered to his face.

"Stop it!" She said through clenched teeth.

Still Monk remained motionless.

Then she began to hit him and shove him, trying to make him react...to do anything at all.

And as the anger poured out of her she began to sag against him as tears replaced her closed fists.

Collapsing against him she sobbed against his chest. Wrapping her arms around his frame she let herself cry in his arms until she couldn't cry anymore.

Slowly she pulled back from him.

Looking up into his eyes all she wanted was for him to speak...move...anything.

He didn't have to love her back...he just needed to come back to her. That's all.

Tilting her head up she kissed his lips. Slowly, trying to memorize the feel of his lips against her own, almost as if she would never get the chance again.

Slowly her lips caressed his over and over, closing her eyes and sighing against his lips as she let herself be overwhelmed by the feel of him. Her hands began to drift along his body and soon found exactly where they wanted to be.

Monk's mind had been drifting in an abyss of nothing, his brain trying to save itself from the millions of thoughts that caused him such distress and self-loathing...when his brain began to send screeching signals of a...a certain sensation.

Drifting back to consciousness almost shocked him, but as his brain continued to send signals of sensation he blinked his eyes several times.

Natalie was unaware of any change and continued to lose control of herself against him. It wasn't her fault...she had begun to lose herself. Not just physically...but mentally. Natalie's mind just couldn't handle things the way they were.

Suddenly though she felt his lips move against hers. Stopping suddenly she looked up into his eyes. But she didn't see any change in his features - Nothing!

Again tears gathered in her eyes as she pressed herself against him and kissed him with such desperation.

Adrian's mind was trying to decipher the sensation and slowly the lips against his own registered, and on instinct returned the motion. Soon though the lips moved more aggressively and a wet sensation on his face continued to bring Adrian back to the now.

Natalie didn't notice at first the arms that began to wrap around her...but when she did she was far too gone to stop herself. In fact when she felt him respond her body's reaction almost doubled with sensory overload.

Adrian didn't know why this was happening but the way Natalie was touching him and kissing him and just everything led them to do what had caused Adrian's ordeal.

But this time...this time Natalie begged him to stay with her...told him that she needed him.

She needed him.

Through the haze and disorientation- that was all Monk had to know...Natalie...needed him.

When the last gasp left their bodies, and both continued to hold each other tight, both felt something in them shift and change.

Monk felt something he hadn't felt since Trudy had died. Safe.

For the first time in so long...Monk felt safe. And Monk knew...nothing could ever be the same between them. And for some reason...it felt right to him.