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"Thank you, Mr.Monk" Natalie said and hugged him, despite the fact that she knew he didn't like it. At least he let her do it without resistance since a couple of years, even if he mostly didn't reciprocate.
It actually got a lot better since he finally solved Trudys murder and found his kind-of-stepdaughter Molly. She really was an angel and he was so happy he had found her.
Everything worked better since these days and reciving hugs from his partner Natalie were not as half as bad as they used to be.
In fact, he kind of got used to it, even endured it. Today was no exception. Adrian had helped her to find her favourite ear ring which she had lost in his apartement yesterday. It hadn't been a masterpiece of detective work but Natalie was very thankful nevertheless.
She hugged him powerful and he at least tried to hug her back a little bit. His head was almost resting on her shoulder and he smelled her decent perfume.
Something was different today. It needed a little time for him to figure out what it was but he had enough time, because Natalie didn't let go. That was the first thing he noticed, she didn't let go. The second was, that it didn't bother him. No, actually he liked it. Also her smell and the tickling feeling of her hair against his cheek.
Since the death of Trudy he have had this kind of feeling exactly eight times.
On the day he had his great breakthrough and before the fake Trudy appeared on the scene.
On the day he tried the medication Dr. Kroger gave him.
On the day he met Maria Cordova, the woman who had Trudys eyes.
On the day he met Tommy and almost got a son.
On the day he met Marge Johnson, the woman whom treated him like a mother. (A real mother, not like his actual mother had treated him)
On the day he met Monica Waters, the woman who had a husband just like him.
On the day he met Michelle Rivas, the woman from the electricity plant.
And last but not least on the day he met Leyla Zlatavich, the woman whose mother he had sent to prison.
The feeling was happieness and - in the last three cases - falling in love. He could admit it now, he have had feelings for them. Not the same feelings he had for Trudy - but still.
And now he felt the same for Natalie. Adrian could comprehend it. She was a part of his life for many years now. She was beautiful and clever and nice and understanding, everything he had loved in Trudy.
The feeling rolled over him like an epiphanie. He could never have admitted it before, not before he had done justice to Trudy but now it was undeniable. And even so he would never ever, ever admit it to anybody, he actually had amorous feelings.
He have had sex with Trudy. Not as often as other people, he was certain about that, but when they had done it, it had been an expression of their love and trust and he had liked it very much. Ok, the fluids had been a little bit difficult, but nothing he couldn't have handled with some towels, some wipes and a shower afterwards.
All this thoughts and feelings flooded him in the mere seconds, Natalie held him in her arms and as she loosened her embrace, there was only one thing left to do. He hold her shoulders before she could withdraw and looked her in the eyes. He smiled.
"May I kiss you, Natalie?"
He could see the confusion on her face but he hadn't wrongly concluded, she liked him as well.
"Are you sure, Mr.Monk?"
"Adrien." he answered, still smiling. "Please, call me Adrien."
And with that, he leaned in. He loosened his grip, so she could leave at any time. But she stayed. His lips touched hers with incrdible caution. It was so tender that Natalie sighed dreamily.
"Adrien, what was that?" She asked, after they unbounded.
"A beginning." He answered. "I hope." he added shyly.
"Sounds promising." She smiled and closed their gap once more.