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Chapter Text

A steady beeping sound pulls Norma out of her chilling nightmare with a loud gasp.

Norma's eyes slowly flicker open, her chest heaves dramatically as she struggles to take a breath and her heart starts to thump heavily against her chest. Blinking away the blurriness from her eyes, Norma immediately sits up in the bed her body is situated in and instantly feels a sharp pain shoot from her spine up to her now aching head. As an automatic response her body tenses and her right hand instantly reaches for the source of her discomfort. However, when she touches her forehead with her fingertips, it's not skin she feels. Instead a soft and puffy material covers the pain inflicted area.

Hesitantly, Norma lifts her shaky left hand to touch the other side of her forehead, only to discover the cloth is fastened there as well. With fear stricken eyes Norma parts her lips slightly, allowing another dramatic gasp to escape.

While dropping her hands limply to either side of her body, Norma scans the room in confusion. With a squint of her eyes, her vision is quickly filled with a new scene in the darkened room.

A dark haired man is slouched lazily in a chair next to the left side of her bed, appearing to be asleep. Norma carefully twists her body and tries to study the details of his face, but in the darkness it's too difficult to see clearly. Her thoughts start to intensify as she tries to focus her eyes and mind on the sleeping figure near her, but all this accomplishes is an increasing ache from her apparent injury.

In an attempt to relieve some of the pressure building in her head, Norma pushes more forcefully on the area with the palm of her right hand which unfortunately only results in pain to radiate throughout her already weakened system. Norma experiences intense agony infiltrate within every muscle of her body as she cautiously returns her torso to face forward once again. Soon the excruciating sting of her now obvious wounds overwhelms her, causing Norma to lifelessly fall backwards in her bed and her eyes to flicker shut.

XXXX

An hour later…

Romero stirs from his restless slumber.

While brushing his fingertips over his closed eyelids to gradually free himself from sleepiness, the Sheriff lets out a small groan and compels his body to sit upright in the uncomfortable chair he must've fallen asleep in a few hours before. Immediately he experiences a throbbing sting in his stiffened neck due to the awkward position he dozed off in. Unfortunately, waking up with a sore neck and back has become a routine for over a week now. The medical staff has always offered the concerned Sheriff a bed in a different room to relax in, but he could never bring himself to leave his wife.

Every day for the past 10 days Romero has not been able to leave Norma's bedside, except for the occasional trip home for a quick shower and a change of clothes. Even leaving for a short amount of time has taken some extreme convincing from his new step-son, who he's grown considerably closer to since Norma's unexpected accident.

Dylan and Emma have become the sole source of support for him during this difficult time when there has been no one else to turn to. Of course the deputies from the department have understood the urgency of the situation, but with such an abrupt leave of absence the Sheriff's departure leaves them shorthanded and without a supervisor. Romero can't stop the overpowering sense of guilt that hits him from time to time. He feels helpless right now. In his mind, not only has he abandoned his deputies but he's not even able to somehow ease his wife's suffering. This truly has been a struggle and a test of his will to keep moving forward.

Upon everything the Sheriff has been dealing with for over a week, another substantial burden has been plaguing him lately. Norman. His youngest stepson has become even more withdrawn from the family since his mother's accident.

It's no secret that Norman has always been distant towards his new stepfather, but surely this tragedy would lift at least some of the tension between the two? Well, sadly the situation has only become worse and Norman has gradually pulled himself even further away from his family.

Luckily, Dylan and Emma have decided to take on the responsibility of caring for the young man and keeping a watchful eye over his unpredictable behavior. Though from what Dylan had mentioned to his stepfather, Norman has no interest in dealing with any member of his family at the moment.

Standing up from the chair with cracking bones, Romero takes a tentative step toward his wife's hospital bed and gently touches her fingers with his. The only progress he's seen in the last couple of days is that she is completely breathing on her own and no longer needs the assistance of a breathing tube. Even though there have been no significant changes in Norma's movements since her arrival at the hospital, at least he knows she has the inner strength to keep fighting.

Norma hadn't slipped into a coma after her terrible accident. In fact, the doctor specifically assured the Sheriff his wife is at no risk of falling into a vegetative state at this point. Dr. Thompson only offered a vague explanation as to why she hasn't woken up yet and advised him to just be patient. The problem for Romero is patience isn't a virtue he possesses.

As Romero gently curls his fingers around his wife's, he notices a change. The change is minor and it crosses his mind this may even be one of those instances where his desires have decided to create false hope in order to somehow bury all of the sadness he's been feeling lately. But, what if this new circumstance does indeed represent something? What if this difference is the beginning of her coming back to him?

Anxiously, he grips her hand tighter and brings her seemingly lifeless fingers to his right cheek. He bites his bottom lip nervously and then cracks a small smile when her touch feels more alive than all of the other days he's held her hand in his. No longer does he feel the chill of her skin in between his fingers, instead he senses warmth and life radiating from her previously deadened hand. Is he imagining all of this?

The Sheriff slowly moves her hand from his cheek to his lips and places a small chaste kiss on the top of her wrist. All of a sudden the sound of loud beeping surrounds the room, changing from the typical slow and steady tempo to a fast, almost out of control pace.

Romero flinches at the noise while continuing to hold his wife in a loose grip, gently rubbing the top of her hand with his thumb. "Norma?" He whispers, trying to remain calm even though on the inside he's shuddering.

With an unsteady finger the Sheriff rapidly moves to press the alert button on the wall next to him, but stops sharply when he sees a medical team rush through the doorway. The room quickly fills with doctors, nurses and all different types of medical equipment.

Before Romero can protest, he's forced to drop his wife's hand, ushered away from her bedside and pushed through the doorway by a rather agitated nurse. Once he finally registers what has happened mere seconds prior, the hospital room door is shut in his stunned face. All he can do now is wait for an update on Norma's condition.

Maybe he'll pass the time thinking of some stern words he'll use on that particular overly aggressive nurse who pushed him out the door, once she emerges from the room.

XXXX

20 minutes later…

The Sheriff has been pacing back and forth in front of his wife's hospital door for what feels like forever.

Immediately after being banished from his wife's room, Romero sent a quick message to Dylan to advise him of Norma's change in condition. The Sheriff flashed a small smirk about 10 minutes later at the scene of the young man running past the front desk with Emma's hand tightly clasped in his, tugging the tiny brunette sloppily behind him as she tried to keep up. Dylan clearly inherited his mother's skill for making a grand entrance, even ignoring the vocal pleas from the medical staff to slow down just as she would've. The Sheriff is sure Dylan had to have broken a variety of different traffic laws to reach the hospital in record time, but the older man isn't going to bring it up. He isn't on duty anyway.

As time slowly ticks by, Dylan and Emma sit in the waiting area and stare in silence at the closed door in front of them. The younger man unconsciously bounces his right leg wildly out of nervousness, while Emma occasionally sighs and places the palm of her hand on his thigh in an attempt to calm him. Meanwhile, the Sheriff hasn't broken his pattern of stalking the hospital room, only pausing occasionally to peer through the small window of the door before starting his routine of patrolling back and forth again.

Finally after an additional 15 minutes of waiting, the hospital room door suddenly swings open to allow the many nurses inside to exit the area. In order to avoid a potential collision, the Sheriff quickly takes a step backward to move out of the way. At the sight of the now open room, Dylan and Emma jump up from their seats in the waiting area and rush to stand near the Sheriff in anticipation of an update from the doctor.

After the last nurse walks through the open doorway, Dr. Thompson steps out of the room and closes the door behind him. Instantly, the doctor notices the Sheriff standing nearby with his arms crossed tightly across his chest and a small scowl plastered on his usual stoic face.

Doctor Thompson carefully approaches not only Romero but also a young man and woman standing next to him, recognizing them immediately as Norma's adult son and girlfriend. "Hello. I apologize for having to rush you out of there earlier, but we needed to make sure we could assist your wife effectively."

Romero nods, but his face remains unchanged. "I understand," he grumbles.

"What's happened to her?" Dylan speaks up as Emma nuzzles closer into his side with his right arm fitting around her waist comfortably.

"Norma is awake now," he announces with a reassuring smile. "Her heart rate increased to a dangerous level and that is what set off all of the machines in her room and alerted us to her distress."

Emma's eyes open wide in shock as she glances up at her boyfriend and then at the doctor. "Her heart was in distress? I thought her head injury was the main concern."

The doctor realizes his mistake in bringing this into the conversation when he has three pairs of anxious eyes focusing directly on him. He inadvertently caused a wave of panic. "I can assure you her heart is fine. Sometimes when patients are in pain they have a brief surge of adrenaline, but when given the correct medication the problem is immediately corrected." He smiles at the family again, hoping to soothe their uneasiness. "Honestly, no need to worry about her heart."

Romero sighs out of relief and uncrosses his arms. "Is there any permanent brain damage after all of this? When I found her she was bleeding badly from her forehead."

"There shouldn't be any lasting damage. The laceration on her forehead is stitched up and is healing nicely. We were concerned about the bruising of her skull, but the MRIs we've been conducting show all positive signs of healing as well."

Dylan holds Emma a little snugger into his side and flashes a small grin at the doctor. "Thank you Doctor."

Dr. Thompson nods and returns a genuine smile. "Of course, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns." He pauses for a moment and then directs his focus specifically to Romero. "Norma has been asking for her husband. So, Sheriff you're welcome to go in and see her, but I'm sorry at this point we're limiting her to one visitor at a time." The doctor turns to walk away but then stops sharply after a couple of footsteps and aims his attention to Romero again. "Oh and Sheriff?"

Romero turns away from his wife's hospital room door to acknowledge the doctor. "Yes?"

"Just to let you know, she is quite emotional right now. Norma actually heard us mention she has been unconscious for 10 days. She's frustrated at the moment with everything and it's a good chance she won't be able to tell you what happened to cause her accident."

The Sheriff nods in the direction of Dr. Thompson, takes a deep breath and then re-approaches Norma's door, carefully and almost silently pushing it open. Stepping through the threshold of the room he immediately hears the soft buzz of bright lights now shining above Norma's bed versus the previous tranquil darkness. With the aid of a few fluffy pillows Norma appears to be comfortably propped upright in her bed, using the palms of her hands to gently cover her eyes. His wife's current state of misery is obvious to him as he sees her cry hushed tears, while her shoulders shiver in between each soft sniffle.

The Sheriff cautiously steps toward the front of her bed. "Norma?"

The fragile woman draws her trembling hands slowly down her tear stained cheeks at the sound of Romero's voice, revealing reddened and puffy eyes. Norma's body visibly stiffens at the view of the man standing in front of her. "I asked for my husband," she says with a shaky voice and a puzzled look on her face.

Romero's breath hitches in hearing his wife's confusion.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable stillness in the room, Norma finally breaks the silence with a whisper. "Where's John?"

His fear has become reality.

She's forgotten him.

Chapter Text

After a few seconds of uncomfortable stillness in the room, Norma finally breaks the silence with a shaky whisper. "Where's John?"

The Sheriff doesn't move a muscle after hearing his wife's jumbled words. Too stunned and too saddened to even think of a response for her question at the moment, so he remains motionless.

An unnerving silence returns to the room while Romero attempts to process her request. Struggling with his emotions, his mind races at the realization of his wife's memory loss. As he attempts to contemplate the next step in dealing with this newfound situation, the Sheriff begins to feel his throat grow tight and his knees weaken. Without a sound he repeatedly wills himself to remain calm and to push his own personal feelings aside in order to handle this with the least amount of damage.

The next decision the Sheriff makes is crucial. If he says or does the wrong thing, he could lose her.

Meanwhile, the quiet slowly crushes Norma. She can no longer wait and watch this strange man stand stationary, gawking at her with a blank look on his face. With each second that gradually passes, the woman becomes increasingly more frustrated with this situation. "Hey. Whoever you are, stop staring!" She tries to shout to snap the man out of his one sided staring contest, but her voice is strained from crying. "Look, I don't know what you're doing in here because you don't look like a doctor to me, but I just need to see John and my baby boy." Tears begin to fall down her cheeks again as she starts thinking of her toddler son. "My son, Dylan, is almost two now. I've missed so many days with him because of this. I hope he hasn't forgotten about me."

Romeo blinks out of his immobile state with the sound of his wife's startling new utterance and clears his throat awkwardly. "I can assure you he hasn't forgotten," he responds trying to comfort her from afar. In his mind, he knows having her see Dylan now as an almost 23 year old could send her into some sort of tailspin she may not be able to recover from. Right then, Romero swears to himself to keep the younger man away from her until he speaks with the doctor to see what they should do about this troubling new problem.

Before the Sheriff can excuse himself from the room, he hears a whimpering noise. When he catches a glimpse of Norma, her hands are once again covering her face.

He takes a tentative step closer to her, which she senses because she continues to speak. "He can walk now, well actually he can waddle on his chubby little legs until they give out on him and then he falls down on his bottom." She sniffles with a small giggle. "He's such a smart little boy too. Dylan just said his first word and of course it was mommy." She flashes a proud smile, looking up at the man standing near her. "I can't believe such a perfect soul came from such a horrible situa-" Norma stops herself suddenly with a gasp, opening her eyes wide in shock. She almost gave away her dirty little family secret to a complete stranger. Her beautiful baby born with the finest of blonde hair and the brightest of blue eyes was brought into this world under the cruelest of circumstances anyone could think of.

From the moment Dylan was placed in her arms mere minutes after he was born, Norma vowed to never tell another living soul that her brother, Caleb, was also her adorable new baby's father by unwanted force. Her baby will never know the shame of this terrible act. No, her son will never feel anything other than love from her and the man she pretends to be his father, John.

Squeezing her eyes shut for a second she attempts to clear her thoughts, but only feels pressure and pain radiating from her wounds. "Please can you just find my husband and son," she finally pleads.

Romero senses there is something his wife is hiding, but he decides not to press the issue while she's in this delicate condition. Instead, he plays along with her delusion. "Yes. Of course Norma," he mutters uneasily as he turns away and walks through the door, securing it behind him.

In stepping out into the busied hospital hallway, Romero immediately notices Dylan and Emma in the waiting area. Luckily, at that very second the young couple appears to be preoccupied in a deep discussion with each other, facing away from Norma's door. The Sheriff knows if he speaks to the young man, he'll only get questions and at this point Romero isn't prepared to give any answers.

Quickly, the Sheriff takes the opportunity to rush away from the area in an attempt to hunt down the doctor to discuss Norma's newly discovered ailment.

XXXX

Glancing over his shoulder for a second, Dylan notices the Sheriff basically jogging from the area. With a raised eyebrow he faces his girlfriend in confusion, which Emma responds to immediately. "What's wrong?" She asks with a whisper while massaging the top his hand with her thumb, trying to regain his attention.

"I'm not sure. I just saw Romero leave my mom's room but he didn't come here to update us." His eyes meet hers with a raised brow. "In fact, it looked like he was avoiding us."

"It's probably nothing Dylan," she tries to reassure in a calming voice even though she's just as puzzled as her boyfriend. "Maybe he's getting her water or something. Don't jump to conclusions."

Dylan wiggles his hand free from hers and then sharply stands up from his chair. "I'm just going to see what's going on."

"Don't do that," Emma strains her neck to look up at him as she reaches to grab his hand to have him sit next to her again. "Just wait for Romero to get back and talk to you. You don't know if something is wrong or not."

Successfully, he pulls his hand away from hers. His thoughts begin to spin, causing even more curiosity to build within him. "If something is wrong with my mom, don't you think I should know about it?" He responds angrily.

Emma drops her hand to her lap in defeat. Her eyes lower to stare at the ground as he towers above her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that," he apologizes regretfully. After taking a deep breath, he leans over and places a soft kiss on the top of her head. "It's fine Emma. I'll be right back," he promises with a nervous smile.

As Dylan turns to walk away, Emma looks up with a worried expression.

XXXX

Filling his lungs with a deep breath, Dylan cautiously turns the handle to his mother's room and hesitantly steps through the doorway. He quietly shuts the door behind him and proceeds to approach the woman who now is sobbing uncontrollably. The sounds of her cries are so distracting she doesn't even notice the young man now standing near her.

Instead of hovering over her, Dylan pulls a chair from next to the wall and places it near her bedside. "Norma?" He tries to get her attention by speaking but when that doesn't work he carefully reaches his right hand to touch her shoulder, proceeding with caution.

Norma flinches dramatically at the movement, wincing when the shooting pain she feels in her neck and head begin to throb wildly. Instantly she drops her hands from her eyes to her lap and panics at the new face she sees. "Who are you?" She asks frantically. "I told the dark haired man who was just in here that I need to see my husband and son." Though the young man is a stranger, there is something oddly familiar about him at the same time. She immediately puts the feeling of familiarity to the side as her uneasiness consumes her. "You're not John!" She yells, now regaining her voice. Quickly, Norma raises her hands from her lap to hold out in front of herself in a defensive manner.

Dylan pushes the chair he's seated in with his legs until the back of it hits the wall with a bang. He recoils as the impact bumps him forward in surprise. Aggressively he stands from the chair and narrows his eyes at the woman. Dropping his jaw slightly ajar, adrenaline fills his veins and the volume of his voice unconsciously rises as an automatic reaction to her shouting. "No, of course I'm not John! I'm your son, Dylan! Stop the games Norma!" For some reason he couldn't stop himself from growing angry with the belief his mother is up to her old tricks again. His mind instinctively floods with the wrong emotion, but he can't clear the thoughts of his history with Norma and all the nastiness which previously severed their connection as mother and son.

Norma claws at her wounds with trembling fingers, attempting to free herself from the cloud of confusion which is rapidly possessing her mind. "NO! NO! NO! My son is only two. You're not him, you can't be!" She screams at the top of her lungs.

Dylan abruptly stops all movements, realizing this isn't one of her games. The color instantly drains from his face at the sight of his mother's condition, finally understanding what is happening. The guilt overwhelms him as he realizes the harm he's potentially caused for his mother. "Oh God, I'm sorry Norma. I'm so sorry. I should've known you wouldn't lie to me like this. I wasn't thinking."

The erratic sounds of the machines are triggered in the room, causing Dylan to cringe in the chaos. Just as in earlier today, the sound prompts Norma's door to fly open. A trained medical team rushes into the room, along with an infuriated Sheriff trailing closely behind.

Without time to register any of this, Dylan is roughly pulled backwards by his right bicep causing his neck to jerk backwards. The young man is aggressively dragged toward the open doorway by his infuriated stepfather's tensed grip, but he is putting up a fight and isn't going to leave easily. "Stop it! Let go of me! I'm sorry Norma! I'm so sorry!" Dylan shouts as he tries to struggle out of the tightening grasp hauling him toward the door. Dylan is strong, but the Sheriff is a little stronger as he successfully maneuvers the young man out of the area and into the crowded hallway. A second later, the door is slammed shut behind them by one of the nurses inside the room.

In hearing all of the commotion and witnessing the disturbing scene in front of her after returning from a quick break to the water fountain, Emma swiftly jogs over to the pair of agitated men. "What happened?" She questions as she strokes her boyfriend's back gently in an attempt to soothe him. "Calm down Dylan, just tell me what happened."

Romero's clutch around the young man's bicep loosens, leaving Dylan's arm finally able to break free. Emma is quick to drop her arm from her boyfriend's back. With a little effort, she lifts his limp arm and wraps it around her shoulder. Emma sighs in relief when she feels him gently press her into his side.

Emma could feel Dylan's chest heaving with labored breath and when she presses her left ear near his chest she can feel the erratic beat of his heart. "Please Dylan, just relax," she whispers as the Sheriff looks on, willing himself to calm down as well.

XXXX

After a solid 15 minutes of quiet time, both men have significantly lowered their level of rage. The two highly irritated men along with Emma had been reluctantly led to a closed consultation room nearby, by one of the nurses in the waiting area after they caused a rather embarrassing commotion in the waiting area.

Emma is the first to break the silence in the tense room as she leans back in her chair. She glances up at the Sheriff standing against the wall on one side of the room and then at her boyfriend on the other side, both with their arms crossed and eyes narrowed at each other. Seeing the behavior of the men for the last 20 minutes is causing her to steadily lose her patience with both of them and she still doesn't even know what is going on. "Alright, is someone going to tell me what is happening? Or are you two going to continue to be big babies about all of this."

Dylan is the first to uncross his arms and step toward the table in the middle of the room. Casually he pulls out the chair on Emma's left side and sits down with an annoyed expression written on his face. "You didn't have to pull me out like that," he glares in the direction of the Sheriff who remains leaning against the wall.

Romero scowls at the younger man while tensing his jaw. "Well, you should've come peacefully."

Before her boyfriend can respond with most likely some sort of sassy comeback, Emma softly touches his outstretched arm which he's rested on the table top near her. "Think carefully about your next words Dylan because if there is any more of this bickering you two can fend for yourselves in here and nothing will get resolved." She then looks up to catch a glimpse of the Sheriff who hasn't moved a muscle from his original stance. "This isn't about you two. Don't you see that? Get over yourselves and talk about what is happening with Norma so you can help her. And while you're at it, let me know what is going on with her because all of this time has passed and I still don't know."

"Fine," Dylan grumbles under his breath with a roll of his eyes and then directs his defiant gaze toward the older man. "You should've told me about her."

The Sheriff uncrosses his arms, takes a deep breath and steps away from the wall with a huff. Gradually, he saunters over to the table in the middle of the room and grips the back of the chair placed directly across from the young man with both of his hands, towering over the tabletop. "I needed to speak with the doctor first," he states sternly.

Emma interjects while sharing looks between the two men, still looking for answers. "Okay, seriously what has happened to Norma?"

There is a rather long pause before Dylan finally speaks to break the deafening silence. Moving his chair, he turns to face her and removes his stretched arm from the tabletop to grab for her hand. "My mom has suffered some sort of memory loss Emma."

"How bad is it?" She asks in a whisper as she meets Dylan's eyes and instantly takes his offered hand in hers, forgetting all of the bitterness and tension which has covered the small room since entering it.

Romero clears his throat to regain the couple's attention. "She believes Dylan is her toddler son right now. She also thinks she's married to John."

Emma shares an unsettling look with her boyfriend, "John?"

Dylan nods, wondering why Emma doesn't recognize the name. He stares at her for a second, but then realizes he's never mentioned the man he knew as his dad for years prior to learning the truth. "Oh, right. Sorry, I never told you about him. Well, John Massett was my dad, I mean IS my dad. He's not dead or anything, I don't think? I mean - " He rambles embarrassingly up until he feels a tiny kick underneath the table from Emma, signaling him to stop talking. "Well, you know what I mean." He finally whispers while sinking in his chair slightly and slouching his shoulders in a bit of shame for almost giving away his family secret.

Unable to restrain himself, the Sheriff curls the corner of his lips into a slight smirk at the sight of the young man's uneasiness. However, the tiny grin soon disappears and is immediately replaced with his typical stoic expression as he draws his focus back to his wife's serious health complication. "Anyway," he sighs with a raised brow. "Basically, Norma has no recollection of the past 20 years." He explains sadly, once again having to affirm his wife no longer remembers him.

Emma's eyes open wide and her jaw slacks, "Oh God, I'm so sorry." Squeezing her boyfriend's hand a little tighter in her small grasp, she can't stop a lone tear from falling down her cheek. "I don't understand." She squints trying to figure out why the Sheriff would be so upset with the young man since he had no idea of his mother's ailment before entering her room. Glancing upwards Emma focuses on the older man for answers. "Why are you so angry with Dylan? I was there in the waiting room with him, he didn't know about any of this. He just saw you hurry out of the room and down the hall, clearly avoiding us. Even I was confused."

"He knows exactly why I'm upset. Don't you Massett?" The Sheriff mocks with heavy sarcasm and a hint of resentment. As Dylan opens his mouth to respond, a quiet knock at the door interrupts him.

The door swings open to reveal Dr. Thompson with a clipboard in his hands, which prompts the couple to stand up abruptly and Romero to turn around in order to all focus their attention on the doctor's next words.

"I heard you had a little problem in the hallway," the doctor says with a light chuckle, then immediately uses a serious tone towards the group. "I trust everything is under control now? Yes?"

All three nod in a hesitant acknowledgement, even though a sense of tension remains lingering in the small conference room.

Dr. Thompson flashes a slight smile. "Well good, then let us move along then." Flipping through a couple of pages on his clipboard, he then looks up to meet Dylan's eyes. The volume of the doctor's voice remains steady, but his attitude becomes stern. "What you did in that room young man was obviously not the right thing to do."

Dylan shifts his vision elsewhere, knowing he's about to get a lecture and in front of his girlfriend no less. He's already preparing to receive another one after the doctor leaves the conference room. "Yeah, I get it. I shouldn't have yelled at her."

In hearing her boyfriend's response, Emma loosens her hand from his and lets it drop to her side. "Why would you yell at your mom? How could you do that Dylan? She's severely injured."

The young man can suddenly feel three pairs of eyes turn to him, their glare burning right through him. "None of you understand. You can't possibly know how our relationship used to be," he exchanges uncomfortable glances with each of the others in the room. "I thought she was up to her old tricks again," he pinches the bridge of his nose with the index finger and thumb of his right hand and then briefly squeezes his eyes shut as a sign of stress. "She's my mom and so I accepted her no matter what when I was young, but as I got older I saw everything clearly," he sighs. "What I did was completely wrong and I own up to that, but I guess sometimes the past sneaks in when you least expect it to. I didn't handle it right. That's why I tried to apologize in there before Mr. Sheriff over there had to assert his authority and drag me out." He shifts his feet a bit and hangs his head a bit lower. "I know she's changed," he mumbles and then makes eye contact with Romero. "Maybe you had something to do with that, I don't know. I'm not trying to justify yelling at my mom, but I didn't do it out of anger. It all just happened so fast and I am sorry."

A spell of stillness follows Dylan's lengthy explanation, until the doctor clears his throat and begins to speak. "Well, maybe it will help you to know that apparently Norma thought the world of you when you were little. Even in her hysterics after you left, she kept repeating how you saved her from herself. I'm not sure exactly what she meant by that, but anyway the genuine care she expressed today doesn't simply disappear."

Emma returns to Dylan's side, causing him automatically pull her closer. Even though Doctor Thompson's words bring him peace and a smile, the guilt over how he reacted to his mother's complication still haunts him.

"Alright, back to Norma. I'll get right to the point about her current condition. Due to the unfortunate argument, Norma did slip into panic mode. We had to sedate her and to be honest, I'm not exactly sure what will happen when she wakes up. There could be a few different outcomes with this. She could wake up in the same condition as she did previously where she believes she is married to her ex-husband and her son is a toddler. Or she could wake up remembering everything, which of course is the best case scenario. However, there is a third alternative which I hope doesn't happen."

All three loved ones straighten up and pay close attention to the doctor's next words, dreading what the other consequence could be. "What is the third possibility?" The Sheriff asks while nervously biting his bottom lip.

"Norma could wake up not knowing who she is at all. Unfortunately as I mentioned, I don't know what will happen. Typically, in handling someone with her kind of ailment we take a more gradual approach where the patient discovers memories on their own or with little subtle hints from loved ones. In this case, things didn't happen that way. It was more of a dramatic confrontation which has led to some trauma. I will of course keep you updated on her condition, but I think at this time it would be best if you all go home and get some rest. This has been quite an emotional day for everyone, so it would be a good idea to return here tomorrow when you all have cleared your heads a bit."

The doctor then leaves the room, shutting the door behind him in order to give the disjointed family some time to digest the news he provided them. After the doctor exits, the three of them exchange worried looks. Their minds are all distracted with the darkest thoughts about Norma and who she will be once she awakens from her deep slumber.

In the midst of her deep thoughts, Emma's fingers begin to tremble while wrapped in Dylan's hold as she suddenly remembers one very important and complicated piece of the puzzle.

"What about Norman?"

Chapter Text

Three Days Later

“I’m a terrible person,” Dylan mumbles as he slowly paces back and forth in the living room while Emma follows him with her eyes from the edge of the couch.

“Stop it Dylan.”  Emma responds in a sharp tone, making him pause in front of her for a moment with weary eyes.  “We’ve been through this already.  You didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“Norma hasn’t woken up since I yelled at her, Emma.  How is this not my fault?”  He groans out of frustration.  “It’s been three days since the doctors sedated her.  Why isn’t she waking up?”

“I don’t know why, but she woke up before and she will again.  Everything will be fine, Dylan.” She assures while patting the couch cushion next to her with her right hand.  “In the meantime, Romero instructed for us to wait here with Norman until he calls.”

Dylan takes Emma’s hint and sits down next to her, gently pulling her into his side with his left arm.  Instinctively she cuddles into his hold, hoping the extra attention will help bring him some comfort and peace.   However, he continues fidget despite her closeness as his eyes focus intensely on the two cell phones placed side by side on the coffee table in front of them, willing one of them to ring with good news about Norma.  “I’m not only an awful son, I’m also a horrible brother,” he sighs heavily after a few moments of silence.  “I should be telling Norman all of this.”

“No, you can’t tell him anything.”  Emma says firmly while sitting up abruptly out of his embrace to face him.  “He won’t handle it well.  Let’s just wait to see what happens,” she advises in a whisper when she hears a slight creaking of steps on the stairwell signaling they are no longer alone. 

“Oh.  Good morning Norman.” Dylan greets with an awkward smile, standing up from the couch to address his little brother when he strides into the room. 

The younger man pushes past the couple as he treads toward the kitchen with a blank stare, not acknowledging their existence.  “Emma made eggs and pancakes for you this morning.  You can heat up your plate if it’s cold,” Dylan shouts since Norman had already stepped into the other room.

Once he sees his brother disappear into the kitchen, Dylan sits down in his previous place next to Emma with a look of discontent.  “I can’t keep lying to him,” he whispers.  “Eventually, he’ll know I’m faking all of this.  Hell, he probably already knows.  This is all going to blow up in my face Emma, the only question is when.”

Emma leans in closer to him, resting her head against his chest in another attempt to subside his nerves.  “We need to be patient.  Romero needs us to watch Norman just a little longer.  Soon Norma will wake up and we can start to put this behind -.”  Unfortunately, she is unable to finish her sentence when their conversation is suddenly interrupted by a loud crash in the kitchen, causing both of them to flinch.

“Shit!”  Dylan springs to his feet and rushes to the other room to investigate the origin of the noise. 

At that very same moment, Dylan’s phone rings from the top of the coffee table.  Recognizing the number as Romero’s, she quickly answers the call.   “Hello?” she says shakily into the cell. 

“Emma? Where’s Dylan?  Is everything alright?”  The Sheriff asks, hearing a slight panic in the young woman’s voice. 

The sound of crashing plates and thunderous shouting seeps into her eardrums prompting her to jump up from the couch.  Even though she wants to see what is happening, Emma knows she needs to pretend everything is fine for the Sheriff’s sake so she attempts to find a quieter place to talk.  “Um, yes.  All is well here.” Emma jogs to a different room, biting her bottom lip out of nervousness when she successfully reaches a more private place to talk.  “Is Norma alright?” 

“Well, she woke up a few minutes ago.  I don’t know details yet, but I thought I’d let Dylan know so he can come to the hospital to see her.”  He informs, still suspicious of Emma’s demeanor over the phone.  “Are you sure you’re alright, Emma?”

“Yes, everything is fine.”  Emma squeezes her eyes closed for a moment, knowing she needs to end this call immediately.  “We’ll be there as soon as we can.  Thank you!”  She says a little erratically before hastily disconnecting the call, not waiting for the Sheriff to respond.

Emma roughly shoves Dylan’s phone into her pocket the second the call ends and runs toward the noise radiating from the other room.  She gasps loudly from the doorway when she notices the kitchen in complete disarray.  Broken dishes and scattered glass now cover the linoleum floor along with other various household kitchen items thrown about the room.  The table which was once placed in the middle of the kitchen is now resting on its side with a couple of chairs flung aimlessly to the ground, destroyed.

The sound of rustling and garbled words distracts her from the obvious chaos in the room.  Looking in the direction of the sink, she notices Norman aggressively leaning with both of his hands clamped tight around her boyfriend’s neck.  Dylan is struggling to break free; however, his efforts are unsuccessful in hitting the younger man’s arms away.  She can see her boyfriend’s body weaken in Norman’s strong grip. 

At first glimpse of the hostile scene unfolding in front of her, Emma freezes in fear.  She’s so stunned and horrified by what she is witnessing, she can’t seem to move a muscle.  The young woman has never seen this type of rage before, especially from the typically mild-mannered Norman.

Of course Emma knows Norman is mentally ill, but she could never imagine him causing damage to another living soul.  This is more than simply a disconnection from reality, which she has seen plenty of times over the last few years of their friendship.  Right now though, she’s clearly observing an example of enraged and murderous fury.  Unfortunately, Emma can’t seem to break herself out of the state of shock she’s currently experiencing and remains motionless as the violent display continues to infiltrate her view. 

Meanwhile, Dylan’s complexion is rapidly turning pale with a slight hint of blue now evident on his lips.  The newly formed bump on his forehead appears to be growing darker by the second and the twitching of his limbs is becoming less and less prevalent.  The flutters of his eyes are slowing in speed while his arms drop to his side dramatically, a clear sign he is nearing his last breath.   

All of a sudden, Norman jerks his right hand away from Dylan, leaving only his left to remain holding his brother’s neck in place.  Emma flinches when she hears a loud clapping noise, but the sound isn’t from a pair of hands.  In fact, the loud noise which snaps her back to reality is actually Norman slapping the palm of his right hand harshly on the countertop as if he is desperately looking for something.  His eyes remain focused on his weakening older brother as he blindly finds what he is searching for, a knife.  His fingers scramble to enclose around the handle of the weapon and then hastily tightens it in his grasp, ready to strike.

Emma’s open wide as she scans the room in a panic.  She’ll never forgive herself if she can’t get to Dylan fast enough. 

Putting aside her fear, Emma races toward the two men and quickly grabs one of the frying pans lying randomly on the floor near them.  With a strong 2 handed grip around the handle of the pan, Emma winds her arms backward and makes contact with the back of Norman’s head with a booming crash.  The young man instantly releases the knife from his fingertips and drops to the floor, eventually tumbling to his back with his eyes clamped shut.  Emma spares only a mere glance in Norman’s direction to ensure he remains immobile before she turns her full attention to Dylan. 

Dylan collapsed the moment his neck was released from his younger brother’s strong hold.    Emma frantically rushes to her boyfriend’s side as he rests seemingly peaceful on his right side.  As she falls to her knees, Emma notices much to her relief his breathing is shallow but steady and his eyelids have the tiniest flicker.  While gently stroking Dylan’s pale left cheek with the pad of her right thumb, she observes the color gradually return to his complexion.  With a small smile, Emma carefully leans in and whispers words of encouragement into his exposed ear.

Suddenly, a loud gasp causes Emma to shudder backwards and her eyes to widen.  Dylan begins to cough forcefully by her side, fighting to fill his lungs with a breath and immediately grabbing for his neck as he attempts to sit up.   His chest heaves intensely while Emma is quick to wrap her arms around her boyfriend and aid him to a more comfortable position. 

“Dylan, it’s ok.  You’re safe, just breathe for me.”  She coaches him through his struggle while softly stroking his hair with her fingers.  In between her supportive words, Emma places tiny kisses on his left cheek in attempt to calm him as he rests his back against to the lower kitchen cabinets.  “I’m so sorry Dylan!  I just froze! I stood there while this was happening and didn’t do anything!”  She begins to cry into his shoulder with an overwhelming sense of guilt hitting her. 

Finally catching his breath, he turns to face her and attempts to speak but can only manage a broken whisper.  “It’s not your fault.  Is he alright?”

Emma glances over in the young man’s direction.  “I’m nervous to go near him, but from here he appears to be breathing normally.  I think he’s just knocked out.”  She turns her attention back to her boyfriend.  “What happened?” She asks, meeting his eyes with hers.  “I’ve never seen Norman so violent before.” 

Catching a glimpse of his unconscious little brother lying near him, he has mixed feelings.  Betrayal, sadness and guilt are amongst the many of emotions plaguing Dylan at the moment.  “Norman was throwing things around the kitchen,” he coughs harshly after straining his apparent damaged vocal cords.  “He threw a plate at my head like a Frisbee when I tried to stop him,” he feels delicate fingertips carefully trace the bump on his forehead.  “When I was caught off guard, he attacked me.  I guess I was too disoriented to get away from him,” he groans in pain when Emma touches a particularly sensitive area of his injury.

“You do have quite a bump there and it’s getting darker.  I think you’ll have a nasty bruise and most likely a pretty bad headache.  You could even have a concussion.  I’ll get you some ice and medicine,” she tries to stand but Dylan’s hand hurriedly grabs for hers.  “I’m going to call for an ambulance also.  Both of you need to be checked out.”

Dylan lightly tugs her hand downward in his weakened grasp and guides her to sit next to him again. “Just wait a second, Emma.”  He sighs, setting their clasped hands on his shaky thigh.  “I need to figure out what to do about all of this.”

Emma narrows her eyes at her boyfriend in confusion and frustration.  “There’s nothing to figure out,” Emma responds sternly.  “You’re both hurt.  Plus, your brother is clearly disturbed and very dangerous.”

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t call someone.  We just can’t call 911,” he informs, squeezing her hand a bit tighter.

Ripping her hand from his, Emma stands up and reaches into her pocket to retrieve Dylan’s phone which she had shoved in her pocket after her conversation with Romero.  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” she holds the cell in her hand and presses the “9” on the keypad.

“STOP!”  Dylan shouts followed by an earsplitting cough, prompting him to move his hand to his head with a groan.  “Please stop,” he whispers.

“Alright, tell me why?” She asks softly, moving to kneel next to him.

“Romero, that’s why.  We can’t have him find out about this right now.  I need him to stay with my mom, not deal with this mess,” he explains with a rickety voice.  “The Sheriff has been keeping the scanner with him these last few days because he wants to keep updated about everything going on in White Pine Bay.  He certainly would hear a distress call from this address over the air.  Besides, I have someone I can call who will keep all of this quiet for now.  He’ll probably take Norman for a 72 hour psychiatric hold for all of this.”

“Romero called during all of this craziness.  He said your mother is awake.  You need to go to her,” she sees her boyfriend’s eyes widen in surprise and relief.

Silence deafens the room for a few minutes, before he finally speaks.  “I can’t see her.”

“She’ll want you there.  Don’t do this to her,” Emma begs. 

While shutting his eyes briefly and leaning his head backwards against the cabinet, Dylan takes a deep breath before focusing his attention back to his girlfriend.  “Norma is in this situation because of me.  I did this to her and I think it would be best if she doesn’t see me right now.  This is where I belong.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”  Emma responds in a disappointing tone.  “She’s your mother and she loves you no matter what.  Romero doesn’t know the details yet, but you should at least be there.”

Stumbling to his feet, Dylan pulls himself up from the floor and hunches over as he supports himself with his left hand on the counter.  “Give me my phone Emma,” he holds out his right arm for her to place it in his hand.  “I need to make this call.” 

Reluctantly she hands the phone over to him, but continues to challenge his decision.  “You’re making a mistake,” she puts her hands on her hips in annoyance.

“This is my decision, Emma and it’s final.”  He warns as he staggers over to his little brother, proceeding with caution.  “I also need you to go to the hospital to watch over Norma and Romero.”

“What am I supposed to tell them?”

“I don’t know, make something up.” He dismisses, searching through his phone to find the number he needs.

“I can’t do that!  You know I’m a terrible liar,” Emma reminds him and then pauses awkwardly before continuing.  “You’re not going to be able to hide that large bruise on your forehead or those obvious contusions around your neck anyway.  Unless you plan on wearing turtle necks and hats for the next couple of weeks,” she mocks with a shrug of her shoulders.  “And, what about this mess, huh?  How are you going to explain this?”

Dylan dials the number stored in his phone and lifts it to his right ear as he hears it ring.  “I told you, I’m getting help.  Now please go Emma,” he pleads.  “I promise, I’ll figure all of this out.”

“It’s not safe for you to be here alone while you wait for help.  What if he wakes up and attacks you again?”

“Emma, you hit him with a frying pan.  I’m pretty sure he’s not waking up any time soon,” he answers sarcastically.

Admitting defeat with a roll of her eyes, Emma steps toward her boyfriend and places a chaste kiss on his left cheek before turning to saunter out of the kitchen unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness.  Once she steps through the doorway Emma hides behind the wall to eavesdrop and figure out who this mysterious helper may be. 

“Deputy Evans?  You told me to contact you if I ever needed your help while the Sheriff is on his leave of absence.  Well, this is one of those times.”  Emma hears Dylan speak over the phone, unable to conceal the trembling in his voice.  “I’ll need at least a couple of you and an EMT,” he takes a deep breath as he listens to the deputy on the other line.  “This has to do with my brother so I need you to hurry.  Oh and I probably don’t need to say this, but please keep this off the airways because the Sheriff has his radio with him and I don’t want him to know anything about this right now.”

After hearing Dylan end the conversation over the phone, Emma feels a sense of comfort.  She’s still troubled with her boyfriend’s choice to not visit his mother, but at least she feels confident he’ll be safe with the Sheriff’s 2^nd in command in charge of the situation. 

Now, if only she can keep this a secret …

XXXX

The Sheriff switches from glaring at the ticking clock on the wall of the waiting room to staring at his watch on his twitchy left wrist.  It’s been exactly 72 minutes and 20 seconds since the doctor informed him his wife has woken up after a three day long slumber.  His mind continuously spins with all of the possible outcomes regarding Norma’s condition.  Will she remember him?  Will she even remember herself?  Will there be permanent damage? 

Anxiously, Romero shifts in his seat and begins to tap is foot unconsciously while his thoughts continue to drift.  After 15 more minutes of continual thinking, he decides to distract himself.  He attaches his earpiece to the handheld radio scanner secured to his belt on his left hip and turns it on.  Oddly, listening to the various active police calls occurring throughout the county calms him.  The Sheriff is listening so intently to the scanner, he doesn’t even hear another person pull up a chair next to him.    

The voice seated to his right side snaps him out of his trance.  “Have you heard anything yet?” 

 “Emma?”  Romero acknowledges her presence as he turns the police radio off.  After he tugs the earpiece out of his ear, he shoves it in his pants pocket and then leans forward in his chair to glance down the hallway.  He narrows his eyes when he realizes his stepson has not accompanied her. 

“Dylan isn’t here if that’s your next question.” She responds with hesitance, trying to think of an acceptable excuse for her boyfriend’s absence.  

Romero raises a curious brow while making eye contact with the jittery young woman.  He can tell something isn’t right with Emma by not only her current nervousness, but also by her demeanor over the phone earlier in the day.  “Is everything alright at home?”

Emma places her hands in her lap in an attempt to conceal her trembling fingers.  She has a heavy feeling of dread consume her at the mere thought of lying to the Sheriff.  “Um,” she attempts to stall as she glances downward briefly.  “Well…”

Before she can fully answer the uncomfortable question, Romero interjects with his own conclusion.  “He isn’t here because of me, right?”  He sighs loudly, rubbing his forehead for a moment rather harshly with his index finger and thumb.  “Just because I’ve been upset with him over his behavior regarding his mother, doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be here.  He is Norma’s son and having a disagreement with me shouldn’t stop him from being here for her.” 

“Maybe that’s part of it,” she mentions more confidently because at least this part of the conversation she can be completely truthful with the older man.  “But, Dylan is more disappointed in himself about the whole thing.  He doesn’t want to hurt Norma, so he thought it would be best to stay away until everything settles down.  I’ll keep him updated with the news about her.”  Without thinking, Emma continues to speak freely to the Sheriff.  “He’s dealing with Norman anyway.” Her eyes widen suddenly after her last statement.  She let the one word slip through her lips that she shouldn’t have and by the way Romero is staring at her right now, Emma knows she’s in trouble.  She shouldn’t have mentioned Norman.

The Sheriff has a strong suspicion there is something Emma isn’t telling him and it has to do with his youngest stepson.  “Did something happen with Norman?  You’re leaving something out here, Emma.  What is it?”  He uses a sharper tone, determined to figure out the truth from the young woman. 

“Well, umm.  I -“   Thankfully Emma is interrupted by the door to Norma’s room swinging open, effectively distracting the Sheriff from his intimidating interrogation.

Dr. Thompson swiftly steps toward the anxious man and young woman seated in the waiting room.  The Sheriff instantly stands up when he sees the doctor approaching him.

“Hello Sheriff.  I know you’ve been waiting a long time for some answers and I apologize for that, but we wanted to make sure we knew the entire situation before speaking with you.”  The doctor quickly scans the room, noticing Norma’s son is not here.  “Where is your stepson?  I think he should be here to hear all of this also.”

Emma speaks up immediately.  “It’s okay doctor, I’m keeping him updated.  He thought it would be best to wait to see her.”

“I see.  Well okay, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer then.”  The doctor exchanges eye contact with both of them.  “In the several tests we conducted, I am pleased with her progress,” he smiles.  “Her wounds are almost healed, so her rest has served her well.  She still has some pain in her back and neck, but that should all heal with time.  Her head wounds are healing nicely also which means she should have only minimal scaring and no long term effects from her injury.”

Romero and Emma look at each other with a smile and then let out a sigh of relief. 

“But, there is something else we need to talk about.”  Doctor Thompson’s grin suddenly disappears as his facial expression becomes more empathetic.  “When we conducted a memory test with Norma, we discovered she still has a lapse in memory.  Unfortunately, she continues to believe your stepson is a toddler and she’s married to a man named John.”

The Sheriff’s typical stoic demeanor becomes saddened with the news.  With a small cough to conceal the tightness creeping into his throat, Romero fights back the tears that threaten to form.  “What can we do to help her?”

“Well, I’m going to keep her here for another two days just to monitor the situation, but then she’ll be released.  Now, this time will be different than before because I spoke with Norma about her memory loss.  With that being said she won’t remember you but Norma will be open to knowing you and wants to regain what she’s lost.  Even though this still seems like a terrible outcome, it really isn’t.  You have a chance to help her memories return, Sheriff, which has its benefits.  This might actually end up strengthening your relationship, I’ve seen it before.”  The doctor flashes a reassuring grin.  “The most important thing to remember is to let your wife recall her past on her own time and don’t get frustrated with her progress.  I encourage you to show her old pictures and take her to familiar places, maybe even recreate some of the happy times you’ve had together.  This all can help rebuild her memories.”

Romero pauses for a moment while wearing a tiny grin.  Immediately he begins to reflect on all of the various special moments he’s shared with Norma.   He needs to remind his wife of the strong feelings they have for each other, without applying too much pressure.  “When can I see her?”

The doctor glances at his watch to check the time.  “You can see her right now, if you wish.  Just keep in mind what we’ve discussed.  Also, Norma didn’t take the news of her memory loss well,” he advises while looking over to Romero again.  “It certainly has been a stressful day for her.  Basically, if she’s tired again allow her to sleep.” 

Romero nods in acknowledgment. 

Doctor Thompson then directs his attention to Emma.  “And young lady, please inform your boyfriend to allow his mother’s memories to return at her own speed.  Otherwise, I don’t see a problem with him communicating with her since she has been informed that her two year old son is now an adult.  This should make things easier for the both of them.”

Emma beams happily at this positive news about Norma.  Her boyfriend will be thrilled to know he has a chance to repair the relationship he’s struggled to build with his mother over the last couple of years.

Romero clears his throat, regaining the attention of the doctor.  “Norma has another son.  Norman is younger than Dylan, but he has some mental health issues.  Finding out his mother doesn’t remember him will be devastating.  He’s very close with her.”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware Norma had another son.  Well, while she’s in the hospital for a couple days maybe we should have her concentrate on regaining a relationship with you and your eldest stepson first.  Then maybe introduce her to the other young man.  Norma may even remember him by the time she returns home.  Unfortunately, with this type of ailment we don’t have a timeline.  I will leave it up to you as to when it is a good time to mention this to your other stepson.”

Emma suddenly feels ill when the subject of Norman is brought into the discussion.  Hurriedly, she excuses herself from the conversation and rushes out of the hospital.  She needs to warn Dylan.

XXXX

The Sheriff takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nerves.  With a trembling hand, he turns the doorknob leading to his wife’s room.

As he quietly walks through the doorway, Romero notices the vast area is dimly lit and the noise of countless medical machines sound consistently throughout the room.  When he looks in the direction of the hospital bed, he sees Norma sitting almost upright with pillows supporting her sore back and neck.    

“Norma?”  He speaks softly as he cautiously walks toward her direction, instantly noticing her red rimmed eyes when she gazes up at him.

“You’re him, aren’t you?”  She asks with a quiet sniffle.  “My husband?”

“Yes,” his heart breaks in answering his wife’s innocent question.

Tears once again begin to trickle down her already stained cheeks.  “I don’t even know your name.”

Daring to move even closer in order to offer some sort of comfort to her, Romero takes another step and then another until he finally reaches the left side of her bed.  “Alex.  My name is Alex,” he flashes a smile.

“Alex is a good name,” she returns the smile.  Norma then adjusts the blanket covering her lap and settles back further in her pillows, feeling a little more at ease with the man standing next to her.  “Can I ask you a question, Alex?”

“Of course.”

“Were we happy?”  She asks with a whisper, focusing on his eyes as he answers the question.  She has always believed the eyes provide a tiny peek into a person’s soul.  In this case though, Norma finds it especially difficult to focus only on the man’s eyes as her attention occasionally drifts to his lips and then back again. 

A smirk forms on the Sheriff’s face, when he notices his wife struggle to keep eye contact.  “Let me show you.” He says reaching into his right pocket, pulling out his phone.  Without delay, he skims through his pictures until he ultimately finds the perfect one. 

Norma appears perplexed by the miniature phone when Romero holds it in front of her, but then her face instantly brightens when she glimpses at the image on the petite screen.  “We were happy,” she giggles lightly.

“Yes, we were.”  The photograph Romero has chosen to show Norma is by far his favorite.  It’s a black and white photo Norma decided to take on an impulse.  He can only remember happy thoughts and laughter from that day and knew if there is any picture that could capture how they truly feel about each other, it has to be that one. 

After 15 minutes of Norma staring at the image of the two of them together, she feels her eyelids get heavy.  A mini yawn escapes her lips before she forms a smile once again.

Witnessing the signs of exhaustion from his wife, Romero gently takes his cell phone from her grip.  “I think maybe it’s time for you to get some rest,” he says softly.

“But, there is so much I want to know about my life,” she protests, with her usual manipulating pout on her lips.  A pout Romero has tried to become immune to many times, but has not been particularly too successful previously.  “And, there’s so much I want to know about you.”

Keeping the doctor’s words in mind, it’s easier for him to deny her request this time.  “I can tell you more tomorrow.  I promise, but now it’s time to rest,” he says while bending down to the floor to pick up the duffle bag he had left in the room from the previous night.

“Can you stay with me?” She requests with a whisper and hopeful eyes.

“Always.”

Chapter Text

“Always,” Romero answers with a brightened smile, instantly dropping his duffle bag to the floor to be by her side.  “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Norma hums softly in response, returning his smile while adjusting herself into a more comfortable position for sleeping. 

As an automatic response, the Sheriff is quick to reach forward and assist her in moving her pillows around so her head is cradled properly without causing any additional pain.  While helping her, Romero accidently brushes his fingertips against the skin of her arm.  This is a familiar touch to him but to her it’s new, causing her to flinch at the unexpected feeling.  Noticing her sudden uneasiness, he immediately withdraws his hand.  “Sorry,” he mumbles anxiously as he steps further from her.

She closes her eyes, smiles and reaches for his hand to reassure him his touch was not unwanted.  Once she senses his fingertips resting on her hand, she allows her muscles to relax. 

Upon noticing Norma’s breath steady indicating she has fallen asleep, Romero gently takes her hand in his.  Before letting her go, he leans down to touch his lips to her closed left eyelid. “Sweet dreams,” he whispers.

XXXX

When the bright morning sunlight seeps through the miniscule spaces in the closed blinds of the one window in Norma’s room the next day, she begins to gradually stir from her restful slumber.  Other than the continuous noise of the many medical machines she’s been attached to for almost two weeks now, the room is still and tranquil. 

Fluttering her eyes open she casually glances to her left.  Norma startles for a moment when she observes another figure slouching in a chair beside her bed.  A tiny grin appears on her face in remembering her encounter from the previous night with the handsome dark haired man, Alex.  A sigh of relief escapes her lips when she realizes he indeed stayed the night with her.

Careful not to make any unnecessary sounds to cause the man to awaken prematurely, Norma cautiously turns onto her left side with an exhale of contentment as she secretly watches her newfound husband.  While continuing to study Alex’s face during his slumber, she notices him shift in the chair. 

Afraid of being caught in her fond gaze, Norma quickly squeezes her eyes shut and pretends to remain asleep.  Little does Norma know she’s already been caught gawking.  With a smirk, the Sheriff decides to wake her from her false sleep.

“Norma, I know you’re awake.”  He chuckles, leaning forward in his seat.

She snickers while peeking through her right eye first, then her left.  “How did you know?”

“Because I know your tricks already,” he teases with a wink. 

Norma shifts her eyes elsewhere in embarrassment, disappointed in herself because she can’t remember any of her husband’s quirks and habits.  “Oh.” She says faintly with a frustrated sigh.  Norma then attempts to adjust her bedding to sit more upright, but winces in pain when she moves a little too fast for her aching muscles.

Romero springs to his feet in an instant and places the pillows carefully around her.   Sensing his wife’s sudden change in mood, he remains next to her bedside.  “Everything will be fine, Norma.  I promise.  This all just takes time.” The Sheriff encourages as he tenderly yet cautiously lays his hand over hers.

Minutes pass with no words exchanged, only the occasion glance and unbroken touch.  Romero wants to say something to cease the awkward silence between the two of them, but decides to wait for Norma to speak first.  With her current distant stare, he can tell she’s deep in thought. 

Suddenly, Romero feels a tremble under the palm of his hand.  In making eye contact with his wife, he sees she is on the verge of tears.  “Norma?”  He asks with heavy concern. 

A stray tear escapes the corner of her right eye and slowly creeps down her cheek.  “I think I’m ready to see my son.”

XXXX

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Emma.”  Dylan looks in the rearview mirror of his truck to adjust his new baseball hat.  Unfortunately, his badly bruised forehead is still somewhat visible no matter how it is placed on his head. 

“We’ve been through this.  You have to see her now,” Emma groans out of exasperation while grabbing his chin between her right thumb and index finger to twist his face toward hers.  “The doctor wants to release your mom, but he thinks it’s a good idea to see how she handles seeing you again first.”  She drops her hand from Dylan and reaches into her purse.  Her eyes intently focus on the inside of her bag as her fingers desperately search for the item she needs.  “I know it’s in here somewhere.  Aha!”  She exclaims with a grin, pulling out a small tube of neutral colored make- up. 

Dylan leans backward until his back is up against the inside of the driver’s side door, successfully avoiding her reach.  “No way, I’m not wearing that.” 

“The hat I got you only covers part of your injury.  I can still see a portion of the bruise on your forehead and even with your jacket collar the marks on your neck are also visible.”  She theatrically rolls her eyes and huffs.  “Do you really want the Sheriff interrogating you about Norman when he’s supposed to be concentrating on helping your mom?”

With a return eye roll and a frown, Dylan reluctantly shifts closer to her.  “Fine, but I’m not happy about this.”

Emma smirks while gently touching his skin to apply the skin- colored cosmetics to his darkened contusion.  “Stop being dramatic, it’s only going to be for a little bit.  Romero thinks it would be best if this is only a brief visit today.  Apparently she’s responding well to him and he doesn’t want to overwhelm her in this fragile state.  He’ll be staying the night with her again tonight.”

Dylan winces when Emma traces a particularly sensitive area of his injury with her fingertips.  “Good.  That will give me another day to figure this all out.”

“I don’t know maybe on second thought, we should tell the Sheriff about your brother.  He’s going to have questions when he returns home tomorrow and sees Norman is nowhere to be found.  Besides, neither one of us is blessed with the talent of lying.”  Emma pauses for a moment to stare into her boyfriend’s baby blues.  “Keeping this secret is becoming very difficult, Dylan.”  Emma then flashes a half smile when she finishes with the covering of his injured forehead.   “Now tilt your chin up.  I need to put some of this on your neck also.” 

Dylan complies with hesitance.  His neck twitches involuntarily as he feels her fingertips massage rather rough against his skin.  “I’ve told you this before, Emma.  I already know this will come crashing down on me.  Trust me, I get it but right now Romero can’t be distracted.  Norma is making progress by just having him near her.  I can’t screw that up by telling him what happened.  He’ll want to get involved immediately.”  Dylan takes a limited breath due to Emma’s fingers applying pressure on his windpipe while she continues to blend the makeup into his tender skin.  “I can handle this.”

Emma retracts her hand from Dylan’s neck and drops the makeup in her opened purse before softly cupping the sides of his face.   With a continued loving touch Emma slowly moves his chin downwards so his eyes can meet hers again.  “I’m proud of you for trying to do all of this yourself.  I have to admit when I walked into the kitchen yesterday, it was spotless.  Though I think your mom will notice when she regains her memory that a couple of her chairs are missing and the plates along with all the glassware have been replaced,” she giggles and then gradually pulls his lips toward hers for a quick peck. 

“Well, I had a lot of help with everything.”  He flashes a smirk which rapidly disappears when he thinks about the other complicated piece of the puzzle, Norman.  “Deputy Evans said he authorized a 72 hour psychiatric hold on Norman based on what happened, but he gave me a warning.”

Emma’s eyes widen.  “What kind of warning?”

Dylan adjusts the brim of his new hat.  “If Norman doesn’t show he’s a danger to himself or others during his stay there, he’ll be released.  They’ll consider what he did to me as battery, if I even decide to press charges,” he sighs.  “He’s my own brother, how can I press charges against him.  He needs psychiatric care, not a jail cell.”

Emma fixes her boyfriend’s jacket collar with a sympathetic expression.  “Don’t think about that right now.  Think about meeting your mom again,” she grins.  “Anyway, I can’t really see your injuries.  Just don’t move your hat, wipe your face or touch your neck like you do sometimes when you’re nervous.  We’ll try to avoid the Sheriff as much as possible.”

XXXX

An anxious Dylan and an equally worried Emma step out of the hospital’s elevator when they’ve reached the correct floor.  As they tread closer and closer to the waiting area to meet the Sheriff, Dylan’s heart begins to beat wildly against his chest with his veins surging with an incredible amount of anxiety.   As his breath becomes shallower, he grabs for his girlfriend’s hand and holds it tightly once she’s fully in his grasp. 

The second Romero spots the couple he paces toward their direction until he’s standing right in front of them.  The first thing the Sheriff notices is Dylan’s head slightly lowered and his hand twitching in Emma’s.  He lifts an eyebrow in curiosity, knowing something isn’t quite right.  “New hat?”  The Sheriff crosses his arms across his broad chest, almost as if he’s preparing for some sort of battle with the young man who appears to be avoiding eye contact.  “Well, where were you?  I called you over two hours ago.”

“Sorry, I just.  I couldn’t.  I mean, um –.“  Dylan mentally kicks himself for not being able to even form a complete sentence under the Sheriff’s intimidating glare.  Too busy to ensure the older man won’t see his freshly formed injuries, Dylan remains still with his chin tilted somewhat downward and his shoulders slouched forward.

The Sheriff continues his frown while looking at the younger man.  “We’re going to have a long chat after you get done seeing your mother.” 

“That’s not necessary.”  Dylan replies mockingly while glancing to his left to meet Emma’s eyes.  After an encouraging nod from his girlfriend, the younger man squeezes her hand in his as a sign of appreciation.  With a nervous smile Dylan drops her hand from his and proceeds to step around the annoyed Sheriff, jostling the older man’s shoulder as he passes.

Before Dylan could get too far he feels a rough tug on his right bicep causing him to immediately turn around when he’s pulled a bit backward.  Dylan is instantly met with a fierce stare.  “You’re hiding something, Massett.  What is it?”

Through gritted teeth, Dylan harshly breaks his arm free of the Sheriff’s forceful grasp.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I’m just going to see my mom.”

“You better not be up to something.  Norma has been doing better.  I hate to see her regress after all of this progress,” Romero states sharply with an angry scowl etched on his face.  “If anything happens to her, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

No longer acknowledging the Sheriff’s presence, Dylan continues to wander toward his mother’s room.

XXXX

Prior to entering Norma’s room, Dylan inhales and exhales deeply in an attempt to calm his frenzied nerves.   Several thoughts spin throughout his mind as he takes a tentative step through the doorway and quietly shuts it behind him.  Standing still for a moment, he shakes his hands free of the lingering stress in his fingers and then wills himself to take a step forward. 

In hearing the noise of footsteps, Norma breaks her focus from the item secured in her hands to catch a glimpse of the mysterious figure slowly walking closer to her.  Her eyes light up when she senses familiarity radiating from the young man approaching her. 

Tears begin to fill the corner of her eyes while a few drip down her cheeks.  “Are you my son?”   She asks with a broken whisper, dropping the device in her hands to her side in order to reach toward the young man.  “Can you come closer?”

Dylan takes a hesitant step forward and then another until he is standing at his mother’s bedside.  His body automatically becomes rigid when she tries to gently yank him by the hand to sit down next to her on the edge of the bed.  Instead of sitting down near her, Dylan twists his hand out of her grasp and takes a seat in the chair which once occupied Norma’s husband.  The hurt expression on her face doesn’t go unnoticed, making the young man feel a tad guilty inside.

“Are you afraid of me?”  Her voice wobbles as she moves to lean on her left side in an attempt to study her son’s adult facial features, not surprised to see her brother’s as well as her own eyes staring back at her.  Norma mentally reminds herself to be extra careful not to accidently allow the true identity of her son’s father leave her lips.  That devastating secret will always stay locked away in her own mind, even if it means lying to the young man sitting in front of her.

Dylan feels his throat tighten and his breath suddenly restrict.  To relieve the building pressure, he unconsciously grabs at his jacket collar out of nervousness.  When reaching for his neck, he inadvertently brushes his fingertips against the newly applied makeup intended to conceal the evidence of his brother’s emotional breakdown from the previous day.  “No, I’m not afraid of you.” 

The truth is Dylan isn’t afraid of his mother, only suspicious of her.  Maybe he’s a little leery of himself too.  Maybe some things can never be forgotten, even if they are forgiven.  Whatever the situation is between him and his mother right now, Dylan vows to at least try to keep an open mind and an open heart.

Norma sighs in relief, but is still unsure why the young man’s demeanor seems so distant.  An uncomfortable silence blankets the room while the thoughts currently tangled in her mind start to slowly unravel.  She has so many questions for her son, yet she’s uncertain which one to ask first.

Dylan clears his throat to end the noiseless unease occupying the distance between mother and son.  The sudden interruption breaks Norma out of her deep thoughts, bringing her back to the reality of this complicated situation.    

Norma blinks with noticeable watery eyes and picks up the item she dropped to her side earlier with shaky hands.  “Alex gave me his phone to look through all of his pictures,” the woman smiles warmly as she shows her son.  “Do you have any photos from when you were younger?”  She requests with a tremor in her voice.

The young man shifts in the chair, uncomfortable with the topic of his dreadful childhood.  Dylan knew this was going to happen.  He even prepared for the subject of his younger years to make an appearance in the conversation with his mother but now that the moment is here, his mind rapidly fades and he’s left speechless.  Meanwhile Norma looks at her son blankly, confused as to why her simple question seems to have upset him.

Dylan’s complexion pales while dampness begins to gather along his brow.  In swiping his fingers quickly over face as a panicky automatic response, he remembers a little too late about his injury.  He winces when he touches his rather large bruise with his fingertips by mistake.

Norma focuses on her son’s flinch. “Are you alright, honey?”  Squinting while leaning toward the young man, Norma notices some bruising hiding under the edge of his hat.  “How did you get that bruise?”

“It’s nothing.” Dylan flashes an awkward smile while adjusting the cap with his right hand, tipping the brim down a little lower.  “It’s just a small bump, no big deal Norma.” 

“Oh, okay.”  She whispers, not able to hide the hurt in her voice when he addresses her by Norma instead of mom.  “You were such a happy baby,” she grins widely while changing the subject to ease the building tension in the room.  “Such a smart little boy.”

Dylan’s face appears to soften at the positive words from his mother, resulting in a tiny smile.

“I wish I could remember everything about you,” she sighs sadly.  “I was hoping you could tell me about your childhood.  I would love to see pictures of you when you little.”

Dylan doesn’t have any pictures, he never did.  In fact all he has held onto from his younger years is bitterness and resentment.  Trying to bury his inner hostility, he bites the inside of his cheek to remind himself to let the bad feelings go.  The problem is, he can’t.  While it’s true he had been able to see past the wrongdoings of his mother lately, this conversation seems to have opened up a wound for him.  “I don’t have any pictures Norma,” he finally announces through a tightened jaw.  He closes his eyes briefly and takes a deep breath to clear his mind.  “Sorry, um I don’t have any,” he repeats softer.  “Maybe we could talk about my childhood next time I see you,” he forces a smile while he stands up from the chair.  “It’s getting late though.”

Norma is disappointed.  This visit with her son isn’t nearly long enough for her, she wants to know more.  “I guess it is,” she whispers dejectedly.

Sensing his mother’s sadness, Dylan attempts to lighten her mood and leave on a good note.  “It sounds like you will be getting released from here tomorrow so we’ll have plenty of time to catch up.”

“I would love that,” her expression brightens at the possibility of more information.

He returns her smile with a genuine grin this time.  “Me too, Norma.”   

Norma regrettably watches the young man turn around and stride toward the door.  She sees him pause with his hand on the door handle, stalling for a few seconds almost as if he has one last thing to say.  However, instead he remains silent and opens the door, eventually disappearing behind it.

Her once hopeful thoughts regarding Dylan fade away the moment she realizes throughout the conversation her son never called her mom.

XXXX

Dylan quickly closes the room door behind him.  Before he can take another step, Dylan leans his back against the flat surface for support.  He squeezes his eyes shut, catches his breath and replays his entire interaction with the new Norma in his mind.  Once he collects his thoughts, he uses his right hand to adjust the lid of his hat lower on his head.  Unfortunately, the bruising he suffered from his deranged brother is clearly visible again, according to his mother’s accidental discovery. 

He desperately needs to avoid the Sheriff.

Scanning the waiting area a couple of times, Dylan finally notices Emma sitting patiently in one of the chairs.  Fortunately, Romero isn’t near her at the current moment so he makes a break for it and rushes toward her with his hand already outstretched to rapidly grab hers.

“We need to go now, Emma!”  He orders with intensity as he takes her hand in his tightly and basically jogs toward the hospital elevator, but the couple doesn’t go unnoticed.

The two mistakenly cause a scene, grabbing the attention of the Sheriff who had been speaking to one of the nurses about his wife’s positive progress.  “What the hell!?!”  The older man grumbles while trying to chase after the hurried couple.  His curiosity is more than simply peaked as he observes the young pair nervously standing hand in hand in the corner of the elevator, praying for the door to close.

The access is gradually closing by the time the Sheriff reaches them.  But, just before the door is the secure he hears the young man shout.  “Everything is fine Sheriff!”

Instead of going after his stepson, Romero decides to check on his wife. 

Meanwhile, the couple both sigh in relief as they feel the elevator move from floor to floor.  Emma immediately realizes why her boyfriend is in such a hurry when she can clearly see his injuries make an appearance.  “I thought I told you not to touch the makeup.”

“Yeah, I know.  I got nervous.” He says quietly as he turns to face her, taking ahold of her other hand.  “Can I confess something?”  She reluctantly nods in response.

“I don’t want my mom to remember.”

XXXX

After seeing his stepson dash out of the hospital, Romero wonders if there was some sort of altercation between the young man and his mother again.  With no time to waste the Sheriff quickly paces through Norma’s door, shutting it behind him for privacy.

His fears are confirmed when he witnesses Norma sniffling, desperately trying to wipe the wetness from her eyes with her fingertips.  “What did he do Norma?”  Romero asks in urgency, rushing to her side in an instant.  “I warned that boy to behave himself.  What did he do?”

Slowly, Norma removes her hands from her face and meets her husband’s concerned eyes with her own teary ones.  She reaches her hand for his, feeling satisfied when she senses his touch on her skin.  “It’s what he didn’t do,” she whimpers.  “He didn’t call me mom the entire time he was here.  He kept saying my first name.  He’s so distant, I don’t understand.”

Romero knows there has always been an unspoken tension between his wife and her eldest son, but he thought those negative feelings had at least faded with time.  Norma has never mentioned the details of her past and Romero has never pushed for the truth, but he’s in law enforcement for a reason.  The Sheriff can see their mother/son relationship has been strained for quite some time, he’s not blind.  This is yet another reason he’s growing more and more impatient with his stepson, who seems determined to avoid him at any cost these recent days.  The Sheriff needs to get to the bottom of all of this.  Norma is in a fragile state right now, but maybe this is a unique opportunity for that particular family relationship to be mended. 

At the same time, Norma needs to shake herself free of the distress she’s feeling right now.  She needs some happiness again to help her cope with the stress she’s sensing from her now adult son.  Maybe all she needs is a happy memory to force these negative thoughts out of her mind.  “Can you tell me about a happy time we’ve had together, Alex?  Maybe our first date?”  She asks with a quiet sniffle.

Romero’s face lights up instantly at his wife’s request.  He gently lifts their clasped hands to his lips and places a soft kiss on the top of her knuckles.

With a wide and encouraged smile, the Sheriff gazes into her beautiful yet tearful eyes.  After seeing his wife’s reaction to Dylan’s visit, he’s determined more than ever now to protect his wife from her damaged past, for as long as he can at least.  One of the ways he can do this is by concentrating on all of the joyful memories the two of them have shared, even if he needs to modify them a little.  Romero can sense his wife gradually returning to him, which only puts more spirit and motivation in his heart.

Continuing his fond grin, an idea suddenly pops in his head.  “Well, I hear you’re going to be released from here tomorrow morning.  How about instead of me telling you about our first date, I show you.”

Chapter Text

"Well, I hear you're going to be released from here tomorrow morning. How about instead of me telling you about our first date, I show you."  The Sheriff smiles, gently untangling his fingers from hers.

Norma’s face brightens in response, excitedly clapping her hands together.  “Yes!  That would be wonderful, Alex.” 

“It’s a date then.” He chuckles, noticing a tiny yawn escape his wife’s lips and her eyelids start to flutter close.  “Well, I think that’s enough excitement for tonight.  It’s getting pretty late.”

“You’re right, I suppose I should get some rest for our date tomorrow night,” she smiles drowsily. 

Romero leans down to assist his wife in adjusting her pillows for comfort and then places his lips on her now healing temple for a soft kiss.  “Goodnight Norma.”

Suddenly Norma sits up in her bed in a bit of a panic.  “Alex?”   

The Sheriff rushes to her bed side in alarm.  “What happened Norma?” 

Norma reaches to cover his hand with hers, firmly clutching his fingers.  “It’s about Dylan.  I got so distracted earlier I almost forgot to mention it.”

Romero narrows his eyes, already jumping to the wrong conclusion about his eldest stepson.  “What about him?”  He huffs, his hand twitching under hers.  “What else did he do?” 

Realizing her husband is incorrect in his thoughts, she loosens her grip and lightly taps the top of his hand to help him focus on her words.  “No Alex, it’s not what you’re thinking.  He hasn’t done anything wrong.  I’m concerned about him,” she states with a little fear evident in her voice.  “Dylan is hurt.  I noticed a large bruise on his forehead.  He tried to hide it under his hat, but I saw it.  He said he just bumped his head and it’s nothing to worry about, but it looked pretty serious.”

The Sheriff’s eyes widen.  Romero knew the boy was hiding something, he just couldn’t figure out what.  No doubt this injury is why Dylan has been desperate to avoid him today and why Emma has been nervous around him. 

“And I can’t be for certain, but I believe I saw some black and blue marks on his neck too.  Oh please Alex can you check on him?”  She begs with pleading eyes.

“Don’t be upset, Norma.  Of course I’ll have a talk with him,” he assures soothingly.  “But, you’re going to have to get some sleep.  You have a big day tomorrow.”

Hesitantly nodding in response, Norma lies back in her bed and attempts to find her comfort zone again.  “Can you come back tonight?”  She asks with a whisper.

“I’ll be here,” he grins widely while covering her chilled arms with a blanket.  “Now, get some rest.”

XXXX

Dylan stares intently at his full dinner plate, unconsciously pushing the food around using his fork.  After several minutes, Emma can no longer handle the silence.  “Not hungry?”  She asks, startling her boyfriend out of obvious deep thought.

Flinching at the sound of her voice, Dylan immediately looks up from his food to meet her eyes.  “Sorry Emma.  I guess I’m not really hungry,” he shifts his focus downward again with a sigh.  “I’m feeling a lot of pressure right now.  I have to figure this all out before tomorrow because Norma and the Sheriff are coming home,” he states anxiously while shoving his plate away from him.  “Then Norman could be returning the following day.  My mom isn’t ready for that.”

Emma scoots her chair backwards with a screech against the floor.  “You can’t keep doing this to yourself, Dylan.”  Standing from her seat, Emma grabs Dylan’s untouched plate of food in addition to hers and strides toward the sink.  After setting the plates down on the counter, she turns and bends down to wrap her arms loosely around his neck for a brief sign of support and affection.  Before straightening up and returning to the sink, Emma strains her chin to steal a quick kiss on his left cheek.

Dylan controls a gasp when a sharp pain radiates up the back of his skull as one of Emma’s arms accidently applies pressure to the one of many black and blue finger patterns around his neck.  “Trust me, I know.”  He grumbles.  “But, Norma needs Romero right now.  I can’t have him distracted, even if it means I only have one more night to come up with a plan.”

“Your mother needs you to help her with memories too.”  Emma scurries around the kitchen, opening and closing various cabinet doors until she finally finds a plastic container to store the uneaten food. 

The young couple is unaware of the curious shadow near the doorway, cleverly hidden behind a piece of furniture, hanging on every word the two are saying.

 With a groan, Dylan leans forward and rests his elbows on the kitchen table.  “The relationship with Norma is complicated, you wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” she states warmly while testing the water temperature streaming from the faucet with her fingertips.  “I won’t judge you.”

“I’m not worried about you judging me, Emma.”  Dylan starts drumming his fingers against the tabletop, while his leg bounces rhythmically underneath out of uneasiness.  “I don’t want you to think differently of Norma.  She doesn’t deserve that from you.”

“Are you ever going to tell me what happened?”  She asks inquisitively, turning around briefly to catch a glimpse of her boyfriend before turning back around toward the sink. 

He ceases all of his nervous movements abruptly at his girlfriend’s somewhat intrusive question.  “No and I don’t want to tell Norma about it either.  If she remembers on her own then fine, but I’m not telling her anything.  I’ll make something up if I have too,” he sighs.  “I don’t want her to remember me.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll drop it.”  Emma responds quietly, picking up a dish to rinse.

Dylan clears his throat to distract from the rising tension in the room.  “So, you want to hear something kind of funny?”

Emma nods and sweetly hums in response, trying to be supportive and also in desperate need to lighten the mood.

“Deputy Evans thinks I should go into law enforcement,” he jokes.  “Me?  Can you imagine?”  Dylan leans back in his chair to stare at the ceiling for a moment, slightly smiling to himself.  “He said because I was focused on what needed to be done the other night-“

The young man is suddenly interrupted in mid-sentence by a rather gruff voice in the doorway.  “Law enforcement, huh?”

Dylan snaps his body forward with a harsh flinch, immediately sitting up straight in his chair.  “Shit!”

At the same time, a loud crashing noise sounds throughout the kitchen as a dish drops from Emma’s shaky hands into the basin.  With a loud gasp, she dramatically recoils and then scrambles to stand next to her boyfriend.

The smirking Sheriff saunters closer to the couple stopping sharply in front of them, crossing his arms across his chest in an attempt to look intimidating.  “First step to law enforcement is to lock the front door,” he advises mockingly.

“What are you doing here?” Dylan asks erratically with eyes still widened in shock.  “You’re supposed to be with my mom.”

“She’s resting.  I’ll be going back to the hospital when you’re done telling me what is going on.”  The older man steps even closer to the table and takes a seat across from the obviously anxious young people.  “Your mom noticed the bruising on your forehead and neck.  I don’t like secrets, Massett.”

Dylan briefly clamps his eyes shut and takes deep breath before focusing his hesitant eyes on his stepfather.  “Alright,” he tentatively agrees and proceeds to describe the details of Norman’s violent tantrum.

15 Minutes later…

The Sheriff shudders inwardly after hearing the description of his youngest stepson’s fit of rage.  The young man is much more toxic and dangerous to the family than he even thought possible.  Plus, the mere possibility of Norman being released in less than two days frightens him to the core.  He needs to keep the young away from his wife and eldest stepson for as long as he can, to keep them safe. 

“I appreciate you telling me about this situation, but I would’ve liked to have been in the loop immediately after this happened.  I don’t enjoy the idea of my stepson dealing with all of this on his own,” he gives a stern look to the young man across the table.  When he sees Dylan’s mouth open to speak in response, Romero is quick to continue talking.  “Though, I am proud of you,” he observes the young man sigh in relief.  “You handled this just as I would’ve, if I had been in the same circumstance.  You may have a career in law enforcement after all,” The Sheriff pauses for a moment.  “You wanted me to stay with your mother and I appreciate that.”  The older man smiles with genuine gratefulness.  “By the way, she’ll be returning tomorrow afternoon if all goes according to plan.  I will be taking her out in the evening.”

Dylan raises a brow and exchanges a curious look with his girlfriend, both unable to conceal their curious grins.  “Like a date?”  

Under the warmhearted stare from the young couple, Romero pulls at the collar of his shirt a little roughly with his curled right index finger in an attempt to release the building pressure in his throat, feeling a little heat rise to his cheeks.  “Yes, a date.”

XXXX

Norma is instantly comforted with the pleasant sight of her husband slouched in the chair next to her bed when she awakens the next day.  “Morning, sleepy head,” he says with a wide smile.

In hearing the fond greeting from Alex, Norma returns the smile and stretches her body in her bed with a little yawn, experiencing surprisingly no pain as she does so.  “What time is it?”

Romero pulls his chair closer to her and rests his elbows on the open space of the bed.  “It’s just past noon.”

“Oh no!” she exclaims in a panic.  Immediately she sits up, ignoring the tinge of discomfort in her head from straightening up too quickly.  “I’m sorry, it’s so late.”

The Sheriff is quick to take her hand in his to calm her.  “It’s fine Norma.  The doctor is going to be making his rounds here soon to check on you.  The plan was always to release you later this afternoon.”

She sighs in relief, squeezing his hand a little tighter.  “Well, let’s pass the time while we wait then,” she softly snickers.  “Tell me about when we first met.  I’ve been wondering since you introduced yourself the other day.”

Romero isn’t exactly sure how to respond to her request.  Meeting Norma wasn’t under the best of circumstances and with all of the recent events he’s discovered, the Sheriff completely forgot about the story he was supposed to create.  “Um, well.  Maybe we should wait for that particular story,” he knows his voice wavers.

“No,” she pouts, pushing out her bottom lip slightly to make her distaste for his stalling tactics obvious.  “I want to hear about it now, Alex.”

Under her intense glare and in noting her adorable pout, the Sheriff is unable to resist her and decides to positively enhance the true story of when they first met.  He needs to ensure he leaves out certain aspects of that particular evening, including Deputy Shelby and of course her youngest son.  “Okay Norma,” he concedes with hesitance.

Norma narrows the space between her and husband a little more with her body, focusing attentively on his every word.

“So, I met you late one warm fall evening.  It was almost midnight if I recall correctly,” he tries to stall by being extra descriptive.  “I stopped by the motel to check on things when I saw you working there-“

All of a sudden Norma rips her hand from his in a frantic state, interrupting his next thought.  “OH MY GOD!”  She shouts and then begins to sob uncontrollably while covering her face with both hands.  Peeking through tiny gaps of her fingers, Norma cautiously meets her husband’s now troubled eyes.  “Was I some sort of call girl or prostitute?”  She whimpers.

“What?  No, of course not.”  Romero promptly takes ahold of his wife’s now trembling left hand in his right.  “I’m not explaining this correctly,” he mumbles with a groan.  “You own the motel, Norma.  You were fixing it up to open it for business,” he says hurriedly.

“Oh.” She whispers, wiping her tears away with the palm of her unclasped hand.  “I own a motel?”

“Yes,” he chuckles nervously as he realizes the huge mistake in his wording.  “I’m sorry.  I should’ve been clearer in my explanation.  Yes, you own a motel Norma.  We also live in a house on the same property.  I’ll be taking you-”

The door to Norma’s room suddenly opens, revealing a grinning doctor with good news. 

The Sheriff couldn’t have been happier to see Dr. Thompson than he was at that particular moment.  He has a little more time to create a happier memory for his wife regarding their first meeting. 

XXXX

After about ten long and frustrating minutes of the medical staff trying to coax Norma in a wheelchair to exit the hospital as per facility protocol, she finally gave in and was wheeled outside by a frazzled nurse.  Norma felt she was perfectly capable of walking out of the facility on her own, but the medical staff was relentless and unwilling to change their rules.

Norma widens her eyes theatrically when she witnesses her husband leaning on the closed driver’s side door of a Sheriff’s Department SUV squad, wearing a smirk.  The nurse gripping the handles of Norma’s chair carefully pushes her toward the smiling man until they ended up right in front of him.  “This one put up quite a fight when we tried to get her in the wheelchair,” the nurse informs.

“I would expect nothing less from my wife,” he laughs toward the fidgety nurse while taking ahold of both Norma’s hands in his to help lift her from the seat. 

“You’re a deputy?”  Norma asks in disbelief and disappointment in herself for not knowing the simplest of information about the man she is supposed to love.

“Better yet, I’m the Sheriff.”

XXXX

Norma was pleasantly surprised to see the motel and the rather large house on the hill next to it.  However, in observing an empty parking lot, her happiness gradually faded.  After her husband explained the reasoning for the slow business, Norma gained a strong sense of motivation and determination at that very second to improve the situation.  She is going to make this place popular again, by any means necessary. 

The house was blanketed in stillness and tranquility upon the married couple entering the residence earlier in the day.  Dylan and Emma decided to stay at the cabin for the evening in order to give the newly reacquainted couple some space and privacy as they will be spending their first official night together.  Norma was saddened to learn she wouldn’t be seeing her son and meeting his girlfriend for the first time, but in the end the healing woman accepted it was the right thing to do. 

After taking a tour and settling into her new yet technically familiar home, Norma is both anxious and excited to see what the Sheriff has in mind for their date.  According to Alex this is to be a recreation of their first date.  Norma hopes this night’s events will trigger at least a few of her forgotten memories and strengthen the already blooming bond she’s beginning to feel for the man who has showered her with support and affection over the past couple of weeks. 

XXXX

At this exact moment, Norma is carefully staring at herself in the well-lit bathroom mirror, applying the lipstick she had found in one of the drawers.  She attempts to control her unsteady hand as she cautiously traces her lips.  After a brief smile to check over her final look, she’s finally satisfied.  Hurriedly, Norma rushes to the top of the stairs leading to the bottom floor where an equally anxious man awaits with an extended arm.  Suddenly, the feeling of butterflies fluttering within her appears at the mere sight of her newfound husband dressed in a distinguished black suit and tie.       

However when she is about to lift her foot to take a step to approach the man, the muscles in her body unexpectedly become immobile as she feels a shiver run up her spine.  Norma experiences a few seconds of a hazy memory, sensing it’s not a good one.  The moment shakes her thoughts so much she has to grip the banister at the top of the stairwell tightly, displaying white knuckles.

“Norma?  Are you alright?”  Romero asks with a tremor in his tone, still with an outstretched arm.  The man stands in fear, secretly hoping the memory she is seemingly experiencing will pass immediately.  He repeats in his thoughts the wish she doesn’t remember the fall, not now at least.  It’s too soon.  He needs to show her the happy moments before she remembers the bad ones.  The Sheriff shudders at the memory of witnessing his motionless and unconscious wife lying helplessly at the bottom of the steps, bleeding onto the ground from a large gash along the upper portion of her forehead.

The woman is quick to shake the thought when she focuses her attention to the sound of her husband’s voice.  “Yes.  Everything is fine Alex,” she convinces while carefully stepping down the stairs. 

Romero is fast to push the horrific recollection from two weeks ago to the back of his mind and instead concentrates on his wife who is an absolute vision this evening.  As she continues to step down the stairs, the Sheriff follows her with committed focus.  A tiny exhale leaves his lips in noticing how her blue eyes appear even brighter while wearing royal blue.  The dress she’s wearing glides along her body with each step, literally taking his breath away. 

With a shy grin, Norma secures her left hand in his extended right.  Their fingers automatically intertwine as they stroll together out of the house, both hearts beating a little faster. 

The Sheriff only hopes his newly created first date will impress his wife, while she is excited to discover how their lives as a couple began. 

XXXX

After arriving at the fancy restaurant the Sheriff chose with careful consideration, the dinner started a little awkwardly.  Both were obviously nervous and apprehensive, but the edginess of the date soon wore off and they fell into comfortable conversation.  Longing looks were often shared as they were seated across from each other, along with the occasional opportunity to touch feet under the extravagantly decorated table. 

By the end of their special dinner, Norma feels her soul fill with tranquility and her heart flitter with excitement at even the tiniest of touches from her husband.  The fond smile continually resting on her partner’s face only proves to her, he feels the exact same way.

XXXX

Currently, the couple is on their way back home for a quiet rest of the evening.  The problem is Norma isn’t ready to go home yet. The truth is Norma has had such a wonderful evening so far, she doesn’t want her time to end.  Since staying in the hospital for a couple of weeks, most of which she considered boring bed rest, Norma remains in the mood to extend their lovely night out.  So, the woman fidgets in the passenger seat while continually stealing glances of her newfound husband as he drives, thinking of how to bring up the subject of staying out later.   

Suddenly, something catches her eye causing her to roll down the automatic window in the SUV.  “Stop the car!”  She orders, gazing outside from the passenger seat. 

The Sheriff winces at the shrill of his wife’s voice and the intensity of her tone.  Gripping the wheel tightly to keep steady on the road, Romero catches a glimpse of his wife’s revitalized smile.  “Norma?  I can’t just stop the car in the middle of the road.”

“Pull over,” she instructs again with excitement as if she’s a teenager again.  “Please Alex.  Please pull over,” Norma begs while reaching her hand to unfasten her seatbelt. 

The Sheriff can’t resist her plea, he never could.   Therefore, with a grunt and a jerk of the stirring wheel, he hastily pulls the vehicle into the first parking spot he sees on the side of the road.  Before the Sheriff even has the chance to fully stop the squad, Norma is already reaching eagerly for the door handle.  Once the SUV is stationary, the woman hurriedly jumps out of the passenger seat and slams the door shut behind her.  With the door closed, Norma jogs toward the sound of music radiating through the air.

Romero is dumbfounded by his wife’s unusual actions, but doesn’t allow himself to overthink the situation.  Instead the Sheriff unclasps his seatbelt, twists the keys out of the ignition and rushes out of the squad in a flash.  With great haste he shuts the door behind him, fumbles with his keys in his anxious fingers until he hears a beep indicating the vehicle is locked and then shoves them in his pants pocket.  

While running after Norma, he notices her stop on the pathway and turn to face him.  “Alex, it’s my favorite song!”  She yells with apparent giddiness and a giggle.  Truthfully, Norma has only heard the Cyndi Lauper song previously, but the melody is unchanged in this new version so she feels compelled to follow the sound.  “Come on, I want to dance!”  (Song:   Quietdrive:  “Time After Time”)     

Breathing a little heavier, the Sheriff finally meets his grinning wife on the trail who rapidly grabs his left hand in her right and attempts to tug him toward an array of shining lights.  “Norma, we can’t crash a wedding.”  He tries to advise, challenging her grip.  

“You’re the Sheriff here, Alex.  It’s an open invitation.  Now come on, live a little!”  She squeals in response, once again yanking on his clasped hand.

The Sheriff rolls his eyes playfully in wonderment of his wife who evidently has forgotten she’s been released from the hospital mere hours before.  Admitting defeat, Romero flashes an uncontrollable smile and willingly allows Norma to pull him in the direction of the twinkling lights and music.

The evening is perfect for an outdoor wedding in the park.  The sky is clear with shining stars sprayed across it, gentle waves casually crawl across the water nearby, and sparkling white lights are strung from the various posts in the vast area with most of them hanging above the designated dance floor.  It’s a beautiful scene to behold.  Norma instantly feels her soul invigorate, as if she’s in some sort of dream upon witnessing the sight.

The moment the couple reaches the dancing area, the Sheriff hesitates.  “I’m not really a dancer, Norma.” 

“Nonsense, I wouldn’t marry a man who doesn’t dance,” she teases light heartedly while finally successfully leading him onto the dance floor.  However, the second their feet touch the ground within the designated area, the song changes.  (Snow Patrol:   “Chasing Cars”)    The Sheriff turns to step out of the space, but Norma doesn’t allow him to.  She lightly grips his left bicep, turns him around to face her and stands on her tip toes.  “Stay,” she whispers into his ear.  So, he does.

Holding out his right hand for her to take, Romero smiles widely when he feels delicate fingers belonging to his wife’s hand fit into his.  He takes the lead in striding to the middle of the dance floor, lightly pulling Norma behind him.  Once the Sheriff finds a comfortable spot under a string of lights, he turns to face his wife.  Without a word, he draws her closer to his body with his left arm and wraps it loosely around her.  The Sheriff then leans into his wife’s personal space and breathes a whisper in her ear.  “I have a secret,” he pauses for a moment and drops his hand gently to rest on the lower dip of her back.  “I can dance.”  Romero then shifts his head backward slightly to meet her gaze with a smirk and a wink.

A mini giggle leaves her lips as she softly places the palm of her right hand on his chest and twitches her fingers of her left in his right.  “I like your secret,” she whispers in return with a sweet smile. 

As the song continues to play, the newly found couple moves as one to the flowing rhythm of the slow tune which radiates throughout the otherwise tranquil atmosphere.  Every once in a while Norma can feel the hand behind her back press her a little tighter against him.  As they continue to fluidly dance to the relaxed beat of the music, their fond stare never breaks and their touch never loosens.

All of a sudden in the midst of their dance, Norma feels a spark flicker within her spirit.  She immediately squeezes her eyes closed, leans closer into her husband’s chest and allows a tiny gasp to leave her lungs.  A memory interrupts her thoughts.

The Sheriff feels an impulsive tremble against his body and a warm breath tickle his neck causing him to become immediately concerned.  “Norma?”  He asks with unease, quickly tilting his head downward when he realizes her eyes are no longer connecting with his.  “Are you alright?”

Without a word, Norma curls the shaky fingers of her left hand harsher in his grip and gradually slides the palm of her other hand from Alex’s broad chest to grasp his side a little snugger.  The Sheriff instinctively shifts the position of his arm to fit comfortably around her in response.  Instantly, she nuzzles herself closer into his hold while tears begin to steadily tumble down her cheeks as her petite sniffles are muffled by his suit jacket.   

Their movement stills in a simple embrace as the crescendo of the song continues to play on and other couples happily dance around them without a second glance. 

When the tune finally ends and the dancing scene starts to clear, Romero angles his head downward and places a gentle kiss on the top of his wife’s head.  “Norma?”  Romero cautiously repeats, hoping to gain her attention without upsetting her further.  “Why don’t we take a walk,” he suggests. 

When he feels his wife nod into his chest in response, the Sheriff carefully unwinds them from their hold and then rapidly takes her hand in his to lead her out of the area.  As they walk to a nearby park bench, he notices her body shiver in the cooler exposed air.  Automatically Romero releases Norma’s hand and removes his jacket to gently wrap it around his wife in order to shield her from the gentle breeze.

After their short stroll to the bench along the waterfront, the couple sits down in silence.  The Sheriff’s building concern causes him to interrupt the quietness in another attempt to obtain answers regarding Norma’s sudden change in behavior.  “Norma, can you talk to me?” He softly asks, while touching the bottom of her chin with his index finger to tip her focus in his direction.

“I remembered something,” her voice falters.  “I remember you.”

The Sheriff’s eyes widen with a quickened beat of his heart, but before he can speak Norma continues. 

“Well, I don’t remember everything, just one scene in particular.”  Norma pauses for a few seconds while focusing intensely on the man’s anxious eyes.  “Dancing with you seemed so familiar and then I had a vision of us together,” she whispers as another tear slowly spills down her already stained cheek.  “I remember we were surrounded by lights, like we are tonight.  You were holding me close in your arms while we moved and I especially remember deep down that I never wanted the feeling to end,” she flashes a teary smile.  “This is a happy memory and I can’t wait to hear more about our time together.  Oh please Alex, tell me more.”

Romero is at a loss of words for a moment as he clearly remembers the dance they shared at the Annual White Pine Bay Festival earlier in the year. 

While her husband appears to be lost in his own mind, Norma lifts his left arm as a hint for him to rest it around her shoulders.  Once she feels his touch, Norma snuggles into his chest and watches as the water crashes peacefully against the rocks in front of them, patiently waiting for his next words.  Stillness returns while they immerse themselves in the comfort of each other’s embrace, allowing Romero extra time to collect his thoughts.

Just as the Sheriff is about to embellish the story of their first meeting, he is interrupted once again.  But, this time the disruption is by the sound of a ringtone indicating a message instead of a doctor providing positive news about his wife.  The noise prompts Romero to reach into his front right pants pocket in an instant and grab for his cell.  With the intention of turning his phone off to avoid any further disturbances, Romero observes a text message display across the screen. 

“He’s being released tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

“Shit!  What do we do now?”  Dylan nervously asks the other voice over the phone.    

Emma sits patiently on the front steps of the cabin porch as her boyfriend slowly paces back and forth.  She notices his hand tremble slightly as he holds the phone tight to his ear.

“No, don’t call him. I’ll take care of it,” he states with a hint of frustration in his tone prior to disconnecting the call.  Dylan then stares at the blank screen briefly before roughly shoving the phone in his pocket.  With his head hung a little lower and his focus drawn to the gravel beneath him, Dylan’s legs continue to stride in an almost robotic form.   

Emma follows the young man with her eyes as he anxiously walks in front of her, fisting his hands every once in a while.  Unsure if she should interrupt, Emma decides it would be best not to disturb him.

After almost 15 minutes of witnessing Dylan’s increasingly concerning behavior, Emma determines it’s time for her to speak up.  “What happened?”

Dylan abruptly stops and faces her with widened eyes, shaking his hands free of the pent up unease he’s experiencing.  “That was Deputy Evans on the phone.  They’re releasing Norman tomorrow, unless we can think of a way to delay it.”

Standing up from the step she’s been sitting on, Emma gradually approaches him and instantly grabs for his unsteady hands to hold in hers.  “You should tell Romero.  See if there is anything he can do.”

“I’m not interrupting them, Emma.  They need this time together,” he mumbles as his stare falls to the ground again for a few seconds.  “I’ll figure this out.”

Emma untangles her fingers from Dylan’s and then rests the palm of her right hand on his left cheek, regaining his attention.  “No Dylan.  Romero told you to keep him updated,” she attempts to convince with sharpness in her voice.  However, immediately Emma softens her demeanor and begins to gently massage his cheek with her thumb upon observing Dylan’s mounting distress.  “I’m not saying you should call him, but maybe send him a quick message.”

“Alright, I’ll text him,” he grumbles in exasperation.  “I guess if he wants to contact me about this, he can.”  Dylan huffs while she retracts her touch from his face to allow him to type more efficiently.  Sluggishly he withdraws the cell from his pocket and sends a text to the Sheriff with hesitance. 

In witnessing her boyfriend send the message, Emma rushes over to his truck and grabs a blanket from the backseat.  When she returns to his side, Emma grasps his left hand in her right and attempts to tug him in the direction of the lake’s edge but she’s met with resistance.  “Come sit with me,” she pleads.

Dylan remains still, even with the jerk to his hand.  “I can’t Emma.  I need to think of what to do next.” He frowns, twisting his wrist to loosen her grip.

In response, Emma squeezes her boyfriend’s hand even tighter and forms a pout with her bottom lip.  “You agreed to keep the Sheriff updated and that’s exactly what you did by sending the text,” she reminds him while continuing to yank on his hand.  “Now, you need to relax and enjoy this beautiful evening with me.”      

With a roll of his eyes and a loud exhale, Dylan willingly allows his girlfriend to lead him to the two chairs facing the lake.  “I guess you’re right.  There’s nothing more I can do tonight anyway.” 

Once he takes a seat on one of the chairs, Dylan right away feels the light weight of Emma making herself comfortable on his right knee.  She then drapes her legs over his left and snuggles into his embrace.  To protect their steadily cooling figures from the subtle chill in the air, Emma pulls the blanket still gripped in her hands over their slightly shivering bodies.  “Am I a terrible brother if I hope he screws up between now and tomorrow night so they have to keep him in that place longer?”

Emma leans in and places a chaste kiss just below his tensed jaw.  “You are a good person, Dylan.  Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

“Thanks Emma,” he whispers while cuddling her a little snugger in his arms.  “It is a nice night.”  He concedes quietly while looking across the soothing water, noticing the twinkling lights in the distance.

Emma gently rests her cheek on his strong shoulder with a smile, enjoying her boyfriend’s company before the inevitable chaos of tomorrow begins.

XXXX

“He’s being released tomorrow”

Romero glances at his phone, turns it off and quickly shoves it back into his pocket with his right hand.  He doesn’t want to think about the mess with his youngest stepson at the moment, not with his wife tucked comfortably in his arms. 

Sensing Romero’s movement, Norma sits up a little straighter and faces her husband.  “Are you okay?”  She questions with concern upon noticing his furrowed brow. 

“I’m fine,” he clears his throat and pauses awkwardly.  “Well, why don’t I finish telling you about the day we met?”

Her face brightens at her husband’s suggestion, focusing her sole attention on his face in anticipation.  “Yes.  Please tell me our story, Alex.”      

Witnessing her true blue eyes glisten under the lit moon in excitement of his next words, he releases a mini gasp.  Squeezing his eyes shut for a split second, the Sheriff searches his mind for the perfect fiction to create regarding their first meeting, leaving out a few details of course.  “You were working late one night at YOUR motel,” the Sheriff emphasizes with a smirk as he remembers the confusion during their previous conversation about this topic.

Norma snickers in response, also remembering the embarrassing misunderstanding.  She feels her husband’s left arm move her closer to his side while their eye contact remains unbroken.

“Anyway,” he chuckles before returning to his intended fabricated fairytale.  “I was on duty that night.”  The Sheriff tries to appear confident, conveniently leaving out Deputy Shelby from the storyline.  “Since the old Sea Fairer Motel had been vacant for a while, I was surprised to see a light suddenly lit on the property.” 

Romero briefly breaks his fond gazing exchange with his wife in an attempt to push away the deep seeded guilt he’s beginning to feel in his gut.  He doesn’t want to lie to her, but he can’t shock her with the truth either.  The Sheriff repeatedly reminds himself he needs to protect her from her own past, even if it’s only for a little while.  For less of a disruption to her psyche it’s best she remembers the disturbing memories at her own speed, not his. 

Flashes of the troubling events that soon followed the first meeting with Norma suddenly devours his thoughts, causing him to inwardly cringe and slightly falter his speech.  “T-Then I saw you,” he stutters as he meets her eyes again.

Norma doesn’t hear the waver in her husband’s voice though.  Instead an overwhelming amount of emotions start to stir within her, distracting her from recognizing Alex’s hidden internal conflict.  “What did you think when you saw me?”  She asks cautiously.

In hearing his wife’s innocent question, the Sheriff’s conscience grows muddied and his stomach twists in knots at the mere thought of continuing the deceit he’s designed in his head.  In order to provide some relief for his guilt, Romero decides to share the honest truth of how he felt that day.  This at least wouldn’t be an embellishment or some sort of half-truth, this would be real.  “You made my heart stop Norma,” he confesses with a genuine grin.  “Of course I was wondering why you were there,” he jokes.  “But, that was only my second thought.”

She smiles shyly.  “What was your first?”

Romero moves his body to a more comfortable position, adjusting her in his arms as he does so.  While facing each other, he reaches with the palm of his right hand and rests it softly on her left cheek.  The Sheriff then gathers his bravery and leans in closer to her in which only a whisper is necessary.  “I needed to know you.”

Norma’s heart beats rapidly, her breath becomes shallow and her body begins to shiver under Alex’s embrace from the sheer proximity of his warm breath tickling her skin.  Gradually, Alex closes the gap between them until the tips of their noses almost meet.  She doesn’t miss the way his eyes gaze into hers, only to break contact for a blink of a second to glance at her trembling lips, then back again as if he’s asking for unspoken permission to take the next obvious step.  In response to his anticipated physical intentions, Norma automatically flutters her eyelids shut. 

Upon noticing his wife’s hushed reaction, Romero feels his own pulse race and his palm begin to radiate heat from the touch of her cheek.  He hears a hitch in her breath escape just before he boldly advances forward to connect her lips with his.  With his eyes now sealed the Sheriff begins to lose himself little by little in a familiar feeling with a mixture of emotions, pleasure and apprehension.  “Is this too soon?”  He thinks to himself, worried he may be acting too quickly. 

All of a sudden, the sensation of imaginary butterflies fluttering wildly around her insides intensifies with the gentle touch of softness to her lips.  Norma rotates the top half of her body even more awkwardly to lean into his chest and lay her hands onto his shoulders, ignoring any discomfort she may be experiencing due to her oddly twisted pose.  His left hand swiftly adjusts to apply light pressure to the middle of her back, squeezing her more forcefully into his hold while leaving his right palm to continue to support her face.

The kiss quickly turns from sweet and innocent to powerful and heated for the bonded couple, both of them enjoying the progression of their connection too much to pull away.

After an extended amount of time the Sheriff reluctantly and slowly disconnects their lips to catch his breath, leaving Norma with her eyes remaining closed as he unhurriedly withdraws himself.  Both their chests heave and pant dramatically at the loss of connection, inhaling and exhaling deeply to fill their almost empty lungs with much needed air.  Without moving his hands from her, Alex tilts his head slightly forward to touch his forehead to hers.  “I’m sorry if you weren’t ready for this,” he whispers cautiously.  “I’d never want to rush you into anything.” 

A tiny smirk forms on Norma’s face as she blinks her eyes open, while unshed tears cause them to sparkle blue.  “That was beautiful, Alex.”  She says quietly with a little quiver in her speech.

He returns her smile with a large grin and a sigh of relief.  “I was hoping you would say that.”  He teases, prompting her to let out a giggle in response.    

An abrupt and sharp ache all of a sudden sparks up Norma’s spine, reminding her of the tricky and difficult position she’s in.  Not wanting to lose her husband’s control while she shifts, Norma steadily turns her body toward the soothing water again and burrows deeper into his side.  In an instant Alex encloses his left arm firmly around her, proving his need to be near her is just as strong as her need to keep him close.

After a few minutes of peaceful silence, a thought unexpectedly enters her mind.  “Do you know why my son is so uncomfortable around me?”  She blurts out, almost too quiet to hear.

Romero automatically cuddles her snugger with his arm.  “I’m sorry Norma, I don’t know your history with him so I can’t give you an answer to your question.”

“I wish I could remember what happened to my little boy.  I want to fix whatever is broken between us,” her voice shakes while wearing a frown.  “I’ll never forgive myself if this is my fault.”

The Sheriff strains his neck upward to rest his chin delicately on the top of her head while she nuzzles the side of her face into his upper chest, feeling the vibrations of his solid heartbeat against her ear.  “I may not know your past with your son, but I do know he cares for you and that’s all that matters.  Anything else can be figured out,” he responds in an attempt to calm her growing distress. 

Norma softly sniffles.  “Do you really think he cares for me?”   

“Yes, Dylan has proven he does several times.”  Alex reassures with no trace of doubt in his tone, directly comforting her with his simple words.  “I can tell you something else about your son.”

“Please tell me,” she eagerly nods against his chest causing him to withdraw his chin.

Romero reaches his right arm out in front of him, extending his index finger to point across the water.  “See that small glow across the lake?”

Sitting upright in her husband’s arms, Norma leans slightly forward and follows his motion with her eyes.  With a squint the woman faintly sees a speck of light in the far distance.  “Yes.  Barely, but yes.”

“That’s where your son is at this very moment,” he smiles when she glances back at him.  “He owns a small cabin across the lake.”

Norma huddles back into her husband’s hug but becomes quiet in his arms, overly consumed with frustration.  Her own son, the light of her life, has become a stranger.  It’s a notion too difficult and painful to accept.   

Detecting a change in her mood, Romero is quick to soothe her.  “Things will get better, Norma.  I promise.” 

“You are truly wonderful, Alex.” She says, nuzzling her face into his neck.  The faint smell of cologne instantly drifts into her senses along with a hint of familiarity.  Pushing the sadness behind her, Norma instead concentrates on the overwhelming feeling of safety and affection.  “I’m a very lucky woman.”

“I’m the lucky one,” he whispers lovingly.

The couple spends several minutes watching the gentle waves crash against the various rocks nearby in comfortable silence.  The married couple continue to grow increasingly more relaxed in each other’s arms, allowing any tension and worry to slowly drift away.  At the brink of complete and subtle peacefulness, a question unexpectedly arises to Norma’s thoughts.  “Alex?” 

The Sheriff calmly hums in response, forgetting all of his troubles while reveling in the tranquility of the evening with his wife in his hold.

“Why did I name my motel, Bates Motel?” 

Chapter Text

“Why did I name my motel, Bates Motel?” 

The seemingly harmless question from his confused wife sends the Sheriff’s mind into a startling tailspin of emotions. 

One minute Romero is enjoying a serene sense of bliss with Norma cuddled in his arms and the next he’s falling into panic mode, automatically setting off all sorts of physical reactions even the typically strong-willed Sheriff is unable to control.  The palms of his hands begin to dampen, his breath becomes harder to catch and his pulse races madly.  He secures the woman by his side even tighter in his hold as if she’ll float away if he loosens his grip, even just a little.  The man has no words to offer his wife at this time, only silence.

All of a sudden, a series of loud popping noises fill the otherwise tranquil atmosphere.  Instinctively, the unsuspecting couple flinch dramatically at the sound, shocking both of them out of their current thoughts.  Immediately they trace the interruption to the plentiful colors painting the previously darkened sky. 

With a sigh of relief and a sizeable grin on his face, Romero’s tensed muscles gradually relax as he slouches backward into the bench and appreciates the well-timed distraction.  He secretly thanks the bride and groom who decided to use an array of fireworks to celebrate their special day. 

Meanwhile, Norma adjusts herself in her husband’s arms in order to appreciate the mesmerizing view a little better.  Her eyes widen in child-like wonderment as the lights sprinkle the heavens above only to resemble shiny diamonds as they fall to the surface of the leisurely rolling waves of the water flowing in front of them.  They sit in delighted peace, at ease in each other’s embrace until the fireworks show finally draws to a close about 15 minutes later.

The Sheriff only hopes the time they spent fondly gazing at the presentation of spontaneous and grandiose illuminations, Norma will forget her complicated question from earlier.

Luckily for him, she does.

“I haven’t seen fireworks since my brother and I snuck out of the house to watch them one summer,” Norma breaks the returned stillness with a tear collecting in the corner of her eye and a tiny smile forming on her lips.  That was the only truly happy moment of her childhood.  “I just turned seven,” she continues quietly.  “I remember being in complete awe of what was seeing,” she sniffles as memories from the distant past flood her mind.  Briefly Norma seals her eyes shut in an attempt to block her entire troubled childhood history from seeping into her thoughts.  With a slight shake to her head, her focus shifts to concentrate on the barely there radiance of the moon, wanting to forget. 

Easily sensing his wife’s discomfort, Romero tries to soothe her apparent anxiety.  “Maybe it’s time we go home,” he suggests calmly.  The Sheriff then reluctantly releases his grip on Norma and gradually eases his body away from hers with only a defeated sigh as her response.  In an instant, Romero stands in front of her with his right hand extended for her to take.

Without a second thought, Norma places her left hand in his right and then is pulled to her feet with care.  Her grip tightens in his as she allows him to protectively lead her in the direction of his SUV.  Even with the Sheriff’s jacket wrapped snuggly around her, Norma shivers with the loss of his body next to hers.  She moves closer to her husband’s side in an attempt to shield herself further from the growing chill in the air and gather the warmth he’s automatically generating from his touch.

While they stroll closer to the vehicle, the Sheriff abruptly halts his steps and turns to face her.  “It looks like we’re off the path,” he meets her slightly dazed eyes.  “I’m going to have to carry you the rest of the way,” he flashes a coy smirk.  He may or may not have chosen this particular muddied and unruly trail for this reason, but she doesn’t have to know that little detail.    “There are some mud puddles around here and I don’t want you to slip and fall.”

Norma replies to her husband’s generous offer with a bashful smile.  She lets a giggle with a tiny squeak escape her lips as she’s lifted into his arms effortlessly with one secured under her knees and the other carefully supporting her back.  She hurriedly wraps her left arm around his neck and burrows her body into his torso, using a fear of falling as her pretend excuse for the closeness.  However, the true purpose for her clinging hold is her continued need for warmth and affection. 

Straining her neck for a better view, Norma finds herself staring at the man carrying her.  She studies his face the best she can in the shadiness of the night, noticing his loving eyes occasionally stealing a glimpse of hers as he trudges without complaint through some rough patches in the grass and mud. 

Once the couple reaches their destination, the Sheriff is careful to place his wife delicately to her feet on the mostly clean pavement near the passenger side of his vehicle.  Her left arm lingers from where it’s secured around his collar, not willing to let go so quickly even after she’s safely standing in front of him.  Gradually and reluctantly, Norma finally releases her grip and slides the palm of her hand down his chest while turning to face him.  “Thank you Alex,” she whispers.  

Romero lowers his head and softly places a kiss on Norma’s forehead before reaching around her to open the passenger door as an invitation for her to step inside.  Once he sees her sitting comfortably and reaching to secure her safety belt, the Sheriff closes the door and races around to the other side. 

With the uncomfortable question regarding the reason for the name of her motel never leaving his thoughts, Alex opens his side door and climbs inside.  

XXXX

The drive home is comfortable and quiet for the most part.  Occasionally, the couple breaks the calm silence by reminiscing about their evening with fond regard and exchanging a laugh or two.

Upon entering their house 20 minutes later, Romero immediately discards his muddied shoes at the entryway and then strolls into the living room to find Norma standing awkwardly near the sofa.  He notices her fingers fidget continuously with the bottom of the oversized Sheriff jacket she’s still wearing while she scans the room for a sense of familiarity, finding none.  It saddens him to see his wife look so lost and uneasy in her own home, almost as if she’s a guest instead of the owner.

With only spending a short time at the residence prior to their special date, Norma never got the chance to become at ease within her surroundings.  The walls and tables are free of any family pictures, minus the lone picture of their wedding day resting on a shelf in the room.  The Sheriff feels a little guilty for requesting Dylan remove all the other photographs from the house the night before, but he convinces himself it was for Norma’s benefit.  With Norman in all of those now hidden images, one glance at the unfamiliar face of a forgotten son could be devastating to Norma at this point.  At least that’s what he tells himself when he looks at his wife’s current insecure posture.

In addition to the remorse he already feels in his soul regarding the purposeful concealment of his wife’s beloved family photos, Romero still hasn’t been able to shake the haunting ache in the pit of his stomach regarding Norma’s earlier question.  He thought for sure the topic would be brought up when they pulled into their parking lot, but fortunately his wife seemed too preoccupied in her own thoughts to notice the lit electric sign in the front of the motel.  Obviously this is not a subject that will simply go away, no matter how much he wishes it to.  The truth is, the Sheriff’s time is running out to fix all of this and he still doesn’t have a plan in dealing with the dangerous son Norma doesn’t remember.

Romero cautiously approaches his wife while taking his suit jacket off and then tosses it to one of the chairs nearby in the room.  “Let me help you with that,” he says quietly as he steps behind her to assist with removing his too large law enforcement jacket from her shaky shoulders. 

She nods in response, leaving her arms to dangle loosely by her sides. 

The Sheriff gradually removes his jacket from her arms and tosses it to the same chair as his other one.  “Maybe we should sit down and unwind for a little while,” he offers taking her hand in his.  She easily allows her husband to lead her to the sofa and then releases her grip before collapsing with a small sigh to the seat cushions as soon as she’s close enough to the piece of furniture.  Her body becomes somewhat rigid when she feels his warm hands grab her tensed calves. 

While bending downward, Romero takes ahold of her lower legs in his grasp, and slowly sits down next to her while turning her body to face his left side.  He gently drapes her noticeably stiffened calves on his lap and rests the palms of his hands on top of her shins.  “Please relax Norma,” he recommends in a comforting voice while rubbing his thumb back and forth along her skin in a soothing manner.  Flashing a genuine grin, the Sheriff then slips off her shoes and drops them to the floor with a barely audible thump.     

After a deep exhale, Norma begins to feel more comfortable under her Alex’s touch.  Little by little the muscles in her body begin to loosen as she slumps further into cushions of the couch.  Closing her eyes with the back of her head now resting on the downy cloud-like material beneath her, Norma allows herself to clear some of the distressing thoughts from her overburdened mind.   The lingering disturbing memories from her childhood begin to fade into the background while gradually being replaced with all of the happy moments she’s shared with her husband this evening.  A serene smile sneaks onto her lips as she feels her confusing world drift away. 

Upon gazing at his Norma’s newly formed peaceful expression, a fond grin emerges on the Sheriff’s face.  He notices her body become almost weightless under his hands, muscles swaying with the pressure of his fingertips gently massaging her smooth skin.  For a moment he wills his mind to forget everything that has become a disruption in recent days.  Forget about his youngest stepson.  Forget about the job he has neglected for weeks.  Forget about losing the most important part of his life, his wife. 

Right now the Sheriff feels contented with his mind void of any unpleasant distractions. 

He is with his wife, nothing else matters.      

XXXX

Norma stirs from her peaceful rest with a drowsy blink to her eyes.  The darkened room causes her to panic at first, but she soon calms her nerves when she feels a tender weight on her shins.  Straining her neck with a bashful smile while moving her tired body to the support of her elbows, Norma fondly gazes over to the sleeping man seated at the other end of the sofa.  His head has slipped downward while his eyelids are secured shut, but his hands appear to have never moved from their original position as they remain resting gently on her lower limbs.  Her smile quickly turns into a tiny smirk in secret praise for the decision she made earlier in the evening of leaving the nylons she was to wear for tonight’s date tucked in her bedroom dresser drawer instead. The touch of her husband’s fingertips lying delicately on her skin is too appealing not to experience.      

Without intention, her leg twitches from her body’s new position.  The smallest of movement is enough to cause the man to gasp loudly and throw his head up straight, eyes instantly moving to meet hers with a grimace.  His right hand leaves her leg to grab for the pain now throbbing in the back of his neck due to the unexpected and quick effort of turning to face his wife.  “Norma?  Sorry, I must’ve dozed off.”

Norma carefully removes her legs from his lap, and scoots across the couch to be closer to him.  “Don’t apologize, Alex.  It was nice to unwind a little,” she whispers with a small yawn while fitting herself next to his side.  “I was feeling overwhelmed and confused when we got back here last night.  I felt so out of place.  Almost, like I was a visitor here,” she sneaks a glance at his softened expression before resting her right cheek on his left stiffened shoulder.  “But, you make me feel like I am home.”

The Sheriff hums softly in response.  The woman can’t see the brightened grin immediately shaped on her husband’s face or the tears threatening to form in the corner of his eyes when her sweet words trickle into his eardrums.  She can only feel his arm wrap around her a little snugger and his lips touch the top of her head briefly.

 After a few minutes of stillness, Norma begins to shift in his embrace.  “I’m still tired, Alex.  Is it alright if we go to upstairs?” 

“Of course,” he answers with a yawn as he unwinds his arm from her shoulders and stands up from the couch.  Instantly, he steps in front of where Norma is seated and holds out his right hand for her to take.  “Shall we?”

“We shall,” she answers with a giggle while fitting her left hand in his right.

Once she’s steady on her feet, Norma intertwines her fingers with his and follows Alex to the long staircase leading to their bedroom. 

The Sheriff grips his wife’s hand stronger with each step they take, earning a tiny gasp to escape from her lips.  She doesn’t remember the shocking image from almost a month ago, but he does and it’s a nightmare he never wants to relive.  He internally shutters and pulls her closer to his side when a flash of the scene plays back in his mind.  The sight of Norma roughly tossed to the floor with her body twisted and droplets of red leading to a puddle staining the ground beneath her had changed him forever.  He will always protect her, at any cost.

Romero stopped abruptly when they reached the middle of the bedroom.  His pulse races and he can sense miniature beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead while he reluctantly untangles his fingers from hers.  He’s not sure what his next step should be.  Of course he wants to stay with her tonight, but he also doesn’t want to push her into something she may not be ready for.  Out of respect for her condition and the pace she may not be able to mentally or emotionally keep up with, the Sheriff opts to stay in a different room.  Romero steps toward the dresser, opens the drawer belonging to him and grabs a t-shirt and sleeping pants.  He slides the drawer shut and saunters back to where he left his wife standing near the door.  Her facial expression is somewhat unreadable, but by the way her teeth capture her bottom lip, he can tell she’s nervous. 

“I think it’s best if I stay in another room tonight,” he flashes a tight mouth smile in an attempt to appear confident in his decision even though he wants nothing more than to sleep next to her.  He moves the clothing in his arms, to his left hand and cautiously steps closer to her.  Once he’s near enough to touch her, the Sheriff skims his right hand across her left cheek and places an innocent kiss on her trembling lips.  He then slowly walks around her to leave the room; however, he freezes all of his muscles when he feels dainty fingers skim his arm.        

A million thoughts are clouding Norma’s mind currently, but one thought is clear.  She doesn’t want her husband to walk away.  With a quivering right hand, she tentatively reaches out to touch his firm bicep with her fingertips.  “Um.  C-can you help me with my zipper,” she asks quietly with a slight falter.

“Of course,” Romero responds while moving around her to drop the clothes in his hand onto the bed.  Immediately he rushes to where his wife is waiting with her back facing him, already lifting her hair away from her graceful neck with her hand for easier access.

Suddenly, Norma senses an unsteady hand lightly touch her shoulder and a faintly labored warm breath glide near her neck, causing her body to shiver. 

With a shaky grip the Sheriff gradually drags the zipper down the track of her dress, revealing his wife’s delicate skin and a feminine curve to her spine.  Feeling some apprehension creeping into this thoughts, Romero clears his throat awkwardly before his voice wobbles when he attempts so speak.   “T-there, you’re all set.”

Norma drops the hair in her grasp to the back of her neck dramatically and turns around to meet his eyes.  “Thank you, Alex.”  She whispers with a timid smile.  “I want you to stay with me,” she blurts out of her mouth quickly and forcefully, as if she had been holding a secret to herself for too long.

The Sheriff returns the smile with a wide grin of his own.  “I’d be more than happy to be here with you.” 

Norma walks toward the closet with a tiny spring to her step while her husband remains still, following her movement with his keen eyes.  When she disappears inside the walk-in, the Sheriff hastily reaches into the front pocket of his pants and grabs his phone to send a quick and direct text.

After sending the message, Romero promptly turns off his cell and hurriedly shoves it back into his pocket.  He doesn’t want any disruptions this evening.  He only desires to revel in the time alone with his wife before the pandemonium of tomorrow will begin.  Without wasting any time, Romero rapidly undoes his belt and rushes to change into his sleep pants.  The Sheriff then snags his t-shirt lying on the bed in front of him and starts to pull it over his head, but he misses the pair of curious eyes catching a glimpse of his toned mid-section while he roughly pulls his top down over his broad chest.

Norma’s cheeks turn a faint shade of pink in witnessing her husband’s quick clothing change, willing herself to avert her gaze but realizing she simply is unable to look away.  Once she witnesses Alex fling his dress shirt and pants to the chair next to the bed, the woman decides to make her presence known.     

Upon hearing a noise from across the room, he instantly looks over his shoulder to see his wife hesitantly tip-toeing closer to him, almost as if she’s nervous to interrupt him.  A hitch in his breath follows at first glance of his wife.  She’s dressed in nothing racy or even in something considered to be sexy, only a simple silken blue pajama set that happens to match the twinkle in her eyes perfectly within the dull light of their bedroom.  Of course he’s seen her in this outfit before but something seems different this time. 

Everything feels brand new this evening.

“I found this in the closet.” Norma says with uncertainty, judging her husband’s silent reaction incorrectly.  She tugs at the hem of her top with unsteady fingers and shifts her focus to the floor beneath her.

The Sheriff can’t find the right words at the moment; therefore, he walks toward his wife with no voice.  Once he’s close enough, he gently takes ahold her face in both his hands and briefly stares into her eyes before touching his forehead to hers.  With a small gasp Norma flutters her eyes shut and waits for his lips to touch hers, which happens less than a second later.  It’s a simple kiss, but an effective one.  When she gradually pulls her mouth away from his to catch her breath, she’s blushing at the reassurance of her husband’s feelings about her.

They stare at each a little longer before moving to the bed, both of their hands twitching out of anticipation.  Norma stills suddenly, unsure of which side of the bed to crawl onto.  “Um, which side is mine?” She asks in a whisper, immediately feeling disappointed in herself for not knowing the answer.

Noticing her discomfort, his facial features automatically tense.  “You like the left,” he says with a smile, trying to ease her heightened anxiety. 

Once the couple settles into their respective arrangements on the bed, Norma turns to lie on the right side of her body.  Eagerly she awaits in excited anticipation for the comfort of a strong arm to drape over her fatigued figure; however, to her disappointment her frame remains untouched.  Her heart begins to pace hysterically and her insides begin to stress at the thought of her husband not wanting to hold her.  A lone tear falls from the corner of the woman’s eye while her mind continues to play tricks on her. 

Meanwhile, the Sheriff is unsure of his next move.  Typically he’d lie behind his wife and snuggle her in his arms while they rest, but everything is different now.  One incorrect move on his part could have devastating consequences for Norma.  Instead of feeling the silkiness of the material gathered on her precious skin under the palm his hand, Romero’s fingers only hover above her sleepy form, totally oblivious of his wife’s need for his caress.  He remains in this internal struggle until he notices movement next to him. 

Norma grows impatient with her husband’s lack of initiative so she decides to take matters into her own hands.  With a tiny sniffle and deep inhale, she cautiously moves her body slightly backwards to nuzzle closer to his in hopes he’ll understand without the need of spoken words. 

In realizing his wife’s unsaid communication of her longing for his embrace, the Sheriff flashes a smirk and proceeds to reach his left arm around her waist with a snug grip.  With a sigh of relief, Norma lowers her left arm to lie her hand gently atop of his and then flickers her eyes shut.

By means of steadied breaths and a loving embrace, the couple quickly falls into a deepened slumber with contented smiles formed happily on their lips.

XXXX

Emma is annoyed. 

At this very moment she is sitting in the passenger seat of her boyfriend’s truck while he drives to his mother’s house.  It’s obvious he’s upset, more than he has been in the last month by the look of it. 

Shifting her focus from the empty road in front of them to her boyfriend she witnesses Dylan’s jaw has become clenched, his grip is wrapped around the stirring wheel so firmly his knuckles have turned white and his posture is stiff as a board.  However, the most recognizable sign of his troubled distraction is the monotone, “yeah” responses she’s received from him all this morning. 

Only a minute ago, Emma mentioned she spoke with a unicorn just to see if he’d at least have a laugh to break his robotic mood, but she still received no other reply than she had from the time they woke up.  It’s frustrating he isn’t opening up to her like he has in the past and quite frankly, it’s intolerable at this point. 

Of course her boyfriend remains extremely guarded about his history with his mother but Emma knows this is only to make sure Norma isn’t judged from her past actions, to protect the both of them and probably himself too.  Emma can respect his decision.  So, even though Emma’s inner curiosity is starting to get the best of her, she’s decided to let it go until he is truly ready to share his childhood experience.  No matter how maddening the thought of him keeping this secret from her is, she’s reluctantly dealing with it.

Last night was perfect for Emma.  The couple enjoyed the shiny twinkle lights that shot through the air, the brightened stars in the sky and the faint sound of music radiating over the calming water from a distance.  Everything had been fine, more than fine actually.  That is until Dylan received a text from the Sheriff last night, informing the both of them to be at the motel in the morning.  Instantly, the pleasant aura of the evening changed a bit, with this morning becoming even worse.  It’s simply unbearable for her at this point.  

At an unexpected whim and without a much needed thought, Emma blurts out something she immediately regrets the second the words leave her mouth.  “I’m pregnant.”

All of a sudden the wheels beneath them screech and the truck is jerked to the right, stopping just short of falling into the ditch.  Emma frantically grabs the handle mounted above her side window and presses an imaginary break to the floor in order to steady her body.  She mentally curses herself for being so careless as to almost cause an accident with just two easily avoidable words.  All she wanted was for him to tell her what is bothering him, but she blew it.  Yes, she most certainly got her boyfriend’s attention, but at what cost?

When the wheels finally cease all movement and the sound of popping gravel ends, Emma tentatively looks over her left shoulder to catch a glimpse of the young man.

Dylan’s breath is labored and his chest heaves as he struggles to fill his lungs with much needed air.  He sets his forehead on the stirring wheel for a few seconds before twisting his neck to meet his girlfriend’s shuddering figure to his right.  “What did you say?” He whispers, pausing for a moment while removing his tight grip from their curled position on the stirring wheel.  “You’re pregnant?”  His eyes widen in an almost cartoonish manner as he asks.

Silence fills the inside of the truck.  Emma is ashamed of what she’s done and breaks their intense eye contact to briefly look downward to avoid his stare.  Her hands fidget in her lap nervously and she squeezes her eyelids shut before meeting his shocked glare and breaking the quietness in the tension filled atmosphere.  “No,” she says so quietly the single word reply barely creeps into his eardrums.   

“No?”  He questions softly.  “No, you’re not pregnant?”  Dylan attempts to clarify her answer in a little louder volume and a harsher tone.  “Jesus Emma!”  He now yells causing her to wince and cower in the corner of her seat.  “How could you say something like that!?!  Damn, I’m driving Emma!  We could’ve gotten into an accident!”  After his outburst and in noticing how his girlfriend appears to be afraid of him, Dylan’s expression starts to soften.  “Sorry I didn’t mean to shout, but you can’t lie about things like that Emma.  How can I trust you?” 

“I just wanted to get your attention.  All morning you were ignoring me and I knew, well, know there’s something upsetting you.  I shouldn’t have said what I did, but I guess I got a little desperate in trying to get you to talk to me.”  She rapidly reaches for his hands with a tear crawling down her cheek.  “I’m so sorry, Dylan.  I promise you can always trust me.”   

“You did this for attention,” he clarifies while ripping his exasperated filled hands from underneath her trembling fingers.  “Do you realize how incredibly selfish that was?”

“Yes,” she answers in a broken voice.  “But I said it only because I want to help you.  Something is hurting you Dylan and I need to know what it is,” she sighs.  “Is it because of the text you got from Romero last night?”

“Well, sort of.”  Dylan’s angry façade crumbles realizing Emma’s good intentions.  “I mean, it was just a message telling us to be at the motel because he wants us to occupy Norma while he figures out what to do about my brother.”  He then pauses for a moment as he feels a lump starting to form in his coarse throat.  “It just gave me a feeling about something,” Dylan finally says with hesitance.    

Emma leans in closer to him and cautiously takes his now willing hands into hers.  “What feeling?”

Taking a deep inhale and then a slow exhale, he clears his throat and stutters. 

“I- I don’t think what happened to Norma was an accident.”

Chapter Text

"I-I don't think what happened to Norma was accident," Dylan stutters awkwardly.

Emma's eyes widen. "But, they ruled her incident as an accident." She twists her body further to the left to face him more comfortably. "What do you think happened?

"I have this gut feeling that I haven't been able to shake since last night," Dylan mentions quietly with a slight unsteadiness to his voice. "I think Norman has something to do with all of this."

Emma is stunned at her boyfriend's accusation and shakes her head from side to side once in disbelief. "That's a pretty big assumption, Dylan."

Without intention, Dylan ignores his girlfriend's astonished reaction. "I'm going to talk to Romero about it this morning."

"I don't think this is something you should talk to the Sheriff about, not yet at least," she suggests. "You have no proof Norman had anything to do with Norma's accident."

"You saw what Norman is capable of, Emma." The young man responds harshly with a raised brow, ripping his hands from her grip. "Or did you already forget my little brother choked me a few days ago!?"

With intense vigor, Emma defends herself against the insult. "No, of course I didn't forget. I was scared to death to see you like that!" She yells with a half cry at the memory, reaching for him again only to be left disappointed when he moves further away from her. Upon seeing her boyfriend's adverse reaction to her attempted touch, Emma drops her hands to her lap and then softens her tone. "All I'm trying to say is to wait until you have more information."

Tearing his irritated glare from his girlfriend's now damp eyes, Dylan returns his attention to the unoccupied road ahead of them. He then grasps the stirring wheel firmly with his left hand and shifts the truck into gear. "I shouldn't have said anything to you," he grumbles in obvious frustration. "It's good to know I have your full support," he adds sarcastically.

As the tires beneath the couple squeal roughly from the gravel to highway pavement, Emma's focus lingers on her boyfriend's disheartened profile. After noticing Dylan's jaw once again tighten, Emma exhales in defeat and shifts her eyes downward. While wiping the tears threatening to fall with the palm of her right hand, Emma's mind continues to spin with the theory of Norman intentionally injuring the only person he's ever been fully devoted to.

Norman could never hurt the person he loves the most in this world … could he?

The rest of the drive to the motel is spent in unbearable silence as Dylan attempts to dilute his anger and Emma tries to mentally put the missing pieces of Norma's "accident" together.

XXXX

Romero scrunches up his face in disgust at the abrupt brightness of the morning sun which seeps through the almost see-through curtains of his shared bedroom. He inhales deeply through his nostrils with a closed lipped smile as he remembers the special moments from the prior evening. Reaching his left hand next to him with eyelids still sleepily sewn shut, the Sheriff's breath suddenly quickens and his heart beats faster in alarm.

The feeling of cool, wrinkled silk replaces the sense of soft skin under his fingertips which he swears was there only a short time ago. The man's eyes instantly fly open as he simultaneously heaves himself into a seated position and frantically searches the area with his still blurry vision. Swiftly freeing himself from the thin blanket tangled between his tired limbs, Romero swings his legs over the side of mattress and then puffs a sigh of relief in witnessing his wife standing inside their walk-in closet.

As Romero fondly gazes upon the back of Norma's flawless figure, his mind drifts to his nearly sleepless night. He yawns quietly while thinking of how many times he peeked an eye open during his restless slumber, simply to convince himself all of this was real. Seeing and feeling his wife lying in his arms throughout his wakeful rest appeased the doubts in his soul for hours.

It wasn't a dream. She was real, all of it was.

Norma is oblivious to her husband's heavy stare, believing the man remains peacefully asleep. She was careful not to disturb the sleeping man lying next to her when she decided to carefully crawl out of his embrace about an hour ago. As a confession, it was the best natural sleep she's had, from what she can remember anyway. Even though her past is a crazy haze of confusion, the feeling of pure affection and comfort throughout her slumber projected a strong sense of safety within his arms.

However, currently her mind is so consumed with the essence of happiness and apprehension she's rendered completely unaware of anything happening around her. Her nerves have been jumping in anticipation ever since she flickered her eyes open this morning.

Today she'll finally receive answers to the many questions she's had ever since waking up in the hospital.

This is the day Norma will be speaking with her son. Finally, she will learn the truth behind her relationship with Dylan, which leaves her feeling both excited and panicky. What if she is the reason why he's so distant and uncomfortable around her? Norma attempts to shake the continued negative question swirling in her thoughts, but she's failing.

Romero notices his wife's delicate fingers anxiously fumble with the clasp of the thin white material wrapped around her middle. In observing her discreet distress, the Sheriff decides to approach the woman to offer comfort but with a tinge of hesitance in his soundless steps. He pauses for a few seconds, wondering if he's doing the right thing. Should he be making the first move? For the most part he's allowed Norma to drop subtle hints of her readiness, permitting him to deepen any movements originally initiated by her but how would his wife's reaction be if he instigated any spontaneous behavior? With a deep breath Romero ultimately chooses to cautiously continue toward her.

Upon reaching her, the Sheriff slowly and carefully snakes his arms around his startled wife's waist, hearing a tiny gasp escape her lungs at the surprising and gentle contact. In recognizing the embrace, Norma nudges her back further into his chest to seek even more connection which Romero happily and readily obliges by tightening his hold. Lying her hands on top of his, Norma leans her head slightly backward and to the left with a tiny smile in order to allow her eager husband more access to her neck. Immediately she feels a warm breath tickle her now blushing skin before the touch of firm yet tender lips hover over the sensitive area between the top of her collar bone and the tip of her chin. In response to her husband's passion filled actions, a relaxed moan releases from the woman's throat causing a proud smirk to form on the Sheriff's face.

Many neck kisses later, Norma finally loosens her body from her husband's snug grip. Her nerves have calmed dramatically in his hold, but regardless of how comfortable and supported Alex's arms have felt around her for the last several minutes, the upcoming talk with her son has not left her thoughts. Turning around in Romero's arms, the smirk on his lips has apparently not disappeared. "Pretty brave of you, Sheriff." She giggles with a light shove to his chest with the palm of her hand, earning a chuckle from her husband in return.

"Does this mean you want me to continue?" Alex asks with a raised brow and a slight devious smile.

Norma flashes her own smile. "You don't even need to ask."

In hearing those words, Alex lunges forward with confidence and connects their lips in a mutual adoring and overly fiery kiss.

After a significant amount of time, the Sheriff reluctantly pulls away from his wife with a little sinister grin. "Well, I probably should get ready for work," he mentions while glancing at the clock on their bedside table.

Norma doesn't want him to leave. "You're going to work today?" She asks with a wobble to her voice.

Taking ahold of her hands in his, Romero meets her eyes. "Yes Norma," he speaks quietly with a softened expression. "There's a case I need to investigate today."

This is sort of the truth. His wife doesn't have to know the investigation involves her forgotten youngest son.

XXXX

The young pair remain still as the truck comes to an abrupt stop in the motel parking lot. Without sparing a glance to the noiseless passenger seated next to him, Dylan roughly removes his keys from the ignition and then exits the driver's side with a huff.

Emma's entire body cringes at the loud clatter of metal harshly slamming against metal. She instantly lifts her focus from her shaky fingers resting on her lap to the grand house on the hill. With a sigh, she unfastens her seatbelt and then quickly exits the truck in order to follow her agitated boyfriend. Emma knows she needs to fix this situation but with Dylan not acknowledging her existence at the moment, it will be pretty difficult to have a healthy discussion.

Instead of forcing her frustrated boyfriend into a conversation neither one of them is capable of having right now, Emma settles for keeping her mouth clamped shut and racing up the outside stairwell leading to the house. If she is unable to assist in solving the mystery of Norma's incident, the least she could do is offer some sort of hushed support for the people she considers to be her family.

Before reaching the front door, she witnesses Dylan having a rather animated conversation with his step-father on the porch. Emma doesn't have to guess the topic, she already knows the subject is regarding Norman. By observing the Sheriff's aggrieved reaction, she assumes Dylan has just mentioned his theory. Both men freeze instantly in detecting Emma's presence, snapping their focus to her direction with clenched jaws and narrowed eyes as she tentatively approaches them.

Romero immediately attempts to calm his stern features and soften his tone in the young woman's company, but his underlying irritation remains apparent. "Hello Emma. Could you go inside and watch over Norma? I believe she's in the kitchen," the Sheriff advises while flashing a strained closed-lipped grin. "Also as a reminder for all of us, there will be no mention of Norman today. Right now, he doesn't exist."

Emma nods her head once in response with a sweetened smile as she tries to make eye contact with her boyfriend, who actively avoids her efforts.

Hanging her head lower in a tad bit of shame, Emma steps through the front door and quietly closes it behind her.

XXXX

While stepping near the threshold of the kitchen, Emma hears the sound of tiny whimpers wavering from across the room. As Emma quietly tip toes inside she notices her mother figure with her hands covering her face, posture slightly hunched and shoulders bouncing with each sniffle.

At the sight of a weeping Norma, Emma immediately moves toward the upset older woman. "Norma?" She whispers with heavy concern.

In hearing an unfamiliar voice, Norma gradually slides her hands down her face and is instantly met with a kind smile. A slender young woman with brightened eyes and auburn hair stands in front of her, offering a Kleenex from her bag.

Graciously accepting the tissue, Norma swiftly wipes the tears from her eyes and her tear stained cheeks. "Thank you," she whimpers and then pauses. "Are you Emma?"

Emma doesn't know why she's anxious all of a sudden, but she is. She can hear her own voice crack as she attempts to acknowledge Norma's simple question. "Oh um, yes I'm Emma."

Norma's face revitalizes rapidly as she reaches her arms around the young lady for a bone-crushing motherly hug. "It's so nice to meet you!" The older woman literally squeals in excitement, tears easily replaced with a glow of delight as she pulls away. "Alex has told me about you and how good you are for my son."

A dash of guilt strikes Emma's heart in hearing Norma's words. The guilt over this morning's intense argument with her boyfriend causes the young woman's smile to falter, which luckily goes unnoticed by the other woman.

After a few minutes of friendly chitchat between the two women, Emma decides to return to the reasons for Norma's previous emotional breakdown.

Emma carefully proceeds with sympathetic eyes. "Norma, can I ask you something?" In receiving a slight nod with a smile in response, Emma feels safe to continue. "Why were you upset earlier?"

Norma looks down briefly before once again making eye contact with the young woman. "It all started when I couldn't find a whisk," she giggles uncomfortably. "It sounds so silly when I say it out loud, but at the time I guess I just felt lost." She breaks for a moment before speaking again. "All I wanted to do was make my husband breakfast before he goes off to work this morning, but I didn't know where anything was. I felt absolutely helpless."

"How about I make breakfast for all of us." Emma offers, already reaching in one of the many cupboards attached above the countertop for the appropriate bakeware. Norma raises no protest at the suggestion, instead she takes a step backward with a grateful grin and watches the young woman effortlessly flitter around the kitchen.

The continued friendly conversation between the women is suddenly interrupted with the sound of a throat clearing. Norma follows the sound with her stare until she's met with a pair of strong brown eyes standing in the doorway.

"Everything alright in here?" Romero strides into the room with a grin, relieved to see his wife more at ease.

Norma steps swiftly and cheerfully across the floor toward her husband with a snicker. "We're just having a little girl talk."

The Sheriff smirks while lightly gripping his wife's hips. "I see."

Instinctively, Norma rests the palms of her hands on her husband's broad chest. "I wish you didn't have to work today Alex," she pauses with a frown. "But I must admit, I do love seeing you in this uniform." Norma giggles as she smooths the collar of his shirt with her fingertips. While standing on the tips of her toes, Norma then strains her neck and places a chaste kiss on his lips.

Continuing to stretch her body to allow herself to seem taller, Norma briefly captures the corner of her bottom lip in her teeth playfully and then tilts her chin upward to whisper in her husband's ear. "Have a good day at work, honey." The woman doesn't realize the impact of her gentle and heated breath gliding over the sliver of exposed skin on his neck until she notices his upper body shiver in response.

The Sheriff coughs awkwardly and promptly clears his throat again, trying to hide the blush steadily radiating to his cheeks. "Um, right. Sure. Okay," he stutters while releasing Norma from his loosened grasp. "Well, I guess I should take off then." The typically stoic Sheriff stumbles as he steps backward toward the doorway, his thoughts still consumed with the sensation of Norma's exhale.

Not wanting to disturb any private moments, Emma strategically had kept her back toward the couple while she gathered the required ingredients and equipment to make a proper breakfast. She promptly turns to face the couple in hearing Romero's plan to leave, grinning widely in detecting the man's suddenly reddened complexion. "Do you want any breakfast before you go, Sheriff?"

"What? Oh, um no th-ank you Em-ma." Romero once again stammers, unable to pull his gaze from his wife's slightly frenzied eyes while continuing to clumsily step backwards toward the threshold of the room.

Alex's stare is ultimately broken when his right shoulder painfully collides with the wooden frame surrounding the kitchen doorway, wincing at the burst of discomfort. Before he can embarrass himself further, Romero grabs his shoulder with his left grip and quickly slinks out of the room.

The last sound the Sheriff hears before stepping out of the house is uncontrollable laughter, no doubt at his expense.

XXXX

Dylan is slowly pacing in the living room, lost in his own thoughts. He's completely oblivious to the noise of laughter roaring from the other room or even the sound of the front door closing shut. All the young man is concentrating on at the moment is the difficult conversation he's inevitably going to have with his mother today. His heart beats so brutally against his chest due to a combination of nervousness and anticipation that he actually feels a painful ache. In attempt to calm himself, Dylan shakes the nerves from his fingers and then takes a long deepened breath without breaking his almost robotic stride.

"Dylan?" A female voice speaks from the corner of the room, halting his movement immediately. "Would you like some breakfast sweetie?"

When Norma only receives a blank stare in response, she moves closer to her son out of concern. "Are you okay honey?"

He blinks dramatically and gives his head a small shake before making eye contact with his mother. "Oh, yeah sorry. No I don't need breakfast but actually could I talk to you for a minute?" This may not be the best time to have this challenging talk, but with the way Dylan is feeling right now it's the only chance he has. Might as well get this over with now, versus waiting until he loses his courage to speak freely.

"Yes, of course." She agrees with a small smile, immediately moving to sit on the couch in preparation to give Dylan her full attention. She sits near the side of the sofa to ensure there is enough room for her son to sit beside her; however, much to her disappointment the young man pulls over a foot rest and takes a seat on it across from her.

Dylan slouches forward and rests his elbows on his knees, making direct eye contact with his mother. "So, I know you have questions about my childhood and to be honest I'm not exactly sure where to begin or where this conversation will even lead to, but I think we both need this so there is no reason for delaying it further."

Norma simply nods in agreement, clasping her trembling fingers together in order to soothe her uneasiness a bit.

He sighs deeply before he begins in another attempt to calm himself. "I know it will be difficult for you not to interrupt, but I would really appreciate it if you just listen to me first." In receiving another nod from his now visibly stressed mother, he proceeds.

"In all honestly, I don't have much of a memory of you when I was very young. I guess that is what has made me uncomfortable around you now. At this very moment you remember me as a happy two year old boy that you would do anything for, but for me that time period is all just a haze. In seeing how you are now, I have no doubts that you were a good mother to me at that time," he flashes a small yet sad smile. "I think maybe under different circumstances we may have been able to continue to be that close, but unfortunately things didn't turn out that way." Dylan shifts his eyes away from hers briefly before carrying on with more details. "Everything started with a man named Sam."

Norma squints her eyes in confusion, but doesn't speak.

"Sam Bates was your second husband," he inwardly cringes at the man's name. "You moved here from Arizona to White Pine Bay immediately after he passed away. He was not a good man, Norma. In fact, he was not only a terrible man, he was also a dangerous one. Anyway, shortly after I turned three you left John and started seeing Sam. I didn't know until a little while later that you were with this other man at the same time you were married to my dad." He studies his mother's face for a second, noticing her eyes start to fill with tears. "I didn't understand what was happening because all of a sudden I was taken from the home I've always known to a completely different house with my mom and a man who wasn't my father."

Dylan squeezes his eyes closed in remembering some of the distressing details of his past with his mother and Sam, before blinking them open again. "Sam never liked me. He thought of me as a burden at first, but then after a few months of me living with the both of you he simply saw me as his enemy. I think I was about four years old when things went from bad to worse in the Bates household." He conveniently skips the birth of his baby brother, adhering to the Sheriff's demand to keep Norman's name out of any sort of chitchat with Norma. "Sam turned violent towards you. At first it was just screaming, well, it could've been worse at that time but whenever I heard yelling start you always told me to run to my room and close the door, so I always did." A noticeable tear slides down one of Norma's cheeks as she continues to listen patiently to the disturbing memories. "Then things escalated and instead of waiting for me to leave the room, Sam became more aggressive and I witnessed him hit you for the first time. I remember crying hysterically and trying to get to you but you kept trying to nudge me out of the away and yelled for me to go, but I didn't leave. I saw everything."

Norma uses her hand to quickly wipe away the dampness from her cheeks.

"You always tried to protect me, until everything changed again. It started with a shove here and there, nothing I couldn't handle even for a five year old. Unfortunately Sam's threatening behavior progressively got worse to the point where there was no limit to what he would do to me. I remember going to kindergarten with bruises on almost a daily basis, which were always explained away by clumsiness but I wasn't clumsy or accident prone," he sighs in frustration remembering how Norma's sole concern was her new family which didn't include him. Only Sam and Norman received her protection, he was a mere disruption to their familial dynamic. "I'll say this about Sam, he covered his tracks. Not only did he have you to protect him, he also made sure to stay clear of my face. Any injury there would've been too noticeable, he knew that." Dylan mocks with bitterness. "Even when abuse was suspected by the teachers, you gave excuses so the issue was dropped. No one helped me."

His mother's tears now furiously fell down her face with no attempts from her to stop them. Her sniffles become louder but she remains focused on every one of Dylan's words.

"I know you're probably wondering where John was when all of this was happening and well, the truth is he wasn't around. Hearing of your marriage to the man you cheated with was too much for him to bear. When I got a little older, I understood that. I guess because I looked so much like you, it was too difficult to be around either of us." Dylan pauses for another few seconds before speaking again. "Anyway all of this tension remained a constant in the Bates residence, until one day Sam screwed up and actually punched me in my face. Knocked me out cold if I remember correctly. At that moment, the both of you realized the extensive bruising to my eye couldn't be concealed and instead of you leaving him to protect me, you tracked down John and dumped me on his doorstep. John no longer lived in my childhood home. It turned out he sold the house shortly after your divorce. He explained later the reason he stayed in the original house after we left was because he believed at some point you would return to him, but he gave up hope once the divorce was finalized. John decided he needed to get away from everything and everyone for a while, so he ended up moving into a rundown shack in the middle of nowhere."

Norma's eyes have turned fire-engine red at this point, but her son pushes forward needing this conversation just as much as she does. Finding this his only opportunity to discuss the topic of his troubled childhood. He actually finds this whole talk to be rather therapeutic and isn't ready for all of this to end quite yet.

"John tried, he really did but he had no experience dealing with a 10 year old or a child at all. He would forget to take me to school sometimes, forget to pick me up and forget to watch some of my football games when I got a little older. To be honest I just appreciated the effort, especially since you were no longer in the picture. You used to visit weekly to check up on me. Then the once a week visit, turned into once a month and then eventually not at all. I believe I was about 13 or 14 years old when I actually decided to see you on my own terms, but that didn't go well so eventually I just stopped trying. When I turned 18, I left AZ and I never looked back or saw John again. He might still be in that same shack, I have no idea. I changed jobs every year but always had a pretty steady income to take care of myself. When I turned 21, I lost a good paying job because the company I worked for closed down, so I decided to see if I could find you. After a month or so of searching, I finally found you. The rest is history, I guess." Dylan takes a deep breath and briefly closes his eyes before once again focusing on his mother. "The true ending of the story here Norma, is that I have forgiven you. Sure, nothing is easily forgotten but I have forgiven you."

Norma hesitantly reaches out for him. When Dylan feels her motherly touch, he initially flinches but quickly relaxes, allowing her to gently place her palm on the top of his hand.

After a couple of minutes of pure silence, a noise from the other room sneaks into their eardrums causing them both to jump. Dylan instantly wiggles his hand free from his mother's and blinks out of his oddly calm stare. "Excuse me for a minute Norma. I'll be right back."

XXXX

Dylan traces the interrupting sound to the kitchen area.

As soon as he reaches the doorway to the other room, he marches over to a visibly startled Emma.

Her boyfriend has ignored her for most of the morning, so she's a little unsure of what to expect upon witnessing him stride toward her. Emma is pleasantly surprised when she feels two hands tenderly touch her face and a pair of lips suddenly join hers. Her eyes widen in shock but rapidly flutter shut as Dylan deepens their tender kiss.

When Dylan pulls away, he lightly touches his forehead to hers as his hands remain on either side of her face. "I'm sorry Emma," he flashes a sweet and meaningful smile.

"I can see that," the young woman giggles. "I am sorry too. I will always support you, I hope you know that."

"I do," he sighs peacefully. "I just talked to my mom."

"How did it go?"

"To be honest, I feel like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"I think you both needed that talk to clear the air and move forward with your relationship," Emma then leans forward and places a chaste kiss on his lips. "Let's never fight again."

Dylan can't help but chuckle at his girlfriend's optimism. "I agree," he responds with a nod while dropping his hands from her face. "Now, there is a question I've been dying to ask you since the drive here earlier."

Emma chews the inside of her cheek out of anxiousness, wondering what the question could be. "Okay?"

"How was your conversation with that unicorn?" He laughs when he sees his girlfriend's jaw drop ajar. "See, I told you I listen to every word you say Emma."

XXXX

Norma is left in the living room alone.

The story her son just shared has her heart literally torn in two. The reason for her broken relationship with Dylan was indeed her fault.

Dry tears now stain her cheeks, but she has no desire to dry them and instead allows herself to dwell on the many mistakes of her former life. Norma is convinced she deserves all of the pain she feels right now because even though her son insists he's forgiven her for all of the past hurtful choices she's made, Norma can't forgive herself.

All of a sudden her thoughts are interrupted by the echo of someone knocking on the front door. Adhering to what her husband had advised earlier this morning, Norma does not answer. Instead she stays seated and expects either Emma or Dylan to greet the stranger on the other side of the door.

However, after the third set of knocks she can no longer stand the noise and realizes it's possible the young couple is unable to hear the banging from the other room. Norma pushes herself up off the couch to balance on slightly wobbly legs and moves quietly toward the soft sound of voices in order to alert them to the faceless visitor waiting outside.

Norma's face instantly brightens in observing the scene of her son and his girlfriend cuddling in a tightened embrace. A wide smile automatically appears in noticing the fondness exchanged between the two young people.

While wearing a grin, Norma steps away from the kitchen threshold and decides to answer the door herself. There is no reason in the world she would interrupt the loving pair during this tender moment.

With a sudden spring in her step, the woman strides to the front of the house and turns the handle. When she enthusiastically swings the door open, her smile immediately drops and her eyes widen theatrically at the sight of the somewhat impatient stranger on her porch. Realizing very quickly the person a mere 10 inches away from her is in fact not a stranger, Norma slams the front door and frantically locks it. Her lungs start to burn as she struggles to catch her labored breath and her pulse races so fast that she's beginning to see stars. With her legs weary beneath her and her spread arms trembling down to her fingertips, Norma presses her back as hard as she can against the inside of the entrance. In her clouded mind, she's keeping evil from entering her peaceful sanctuary and most importantly, away from her son.

On high alert after hearing the boisterous noise of the front door slamming, Dylan and Emma race into the entryway with hands firmly clasped in a panic.

Upon reaching the area, the duo stop dead in their tracks at witnessing the scene in front of them.

"Norma?" Dylan tries to break her from her frantic daze, but his mother's eyes remain distant. "Mom? Jesus, you look like you've seen a g-"

The older woman interrupts with a shaky whisper to finish her stunned son's sentence. "Ghost."

Chapter Text

"Ghost"

Dylan immediately unclasps his hand from Emma's and takes a tentative step closer to his distraught mother, careful not to upset her further. "Mom?" Getting no response, he continues to gradually approach Norma until she forcefully pushes her right arm out in front of her in order to halt her son's movement.

"Get back Dylan, now!" Norma screams wildly toward the young couple. "Go to your room!"

At the sound of his mother's stern and loud shriek, the young man's entire body freezes instantly. The words and tone Norma used at that exact moment causes memories of his past to flood back into his mind all at once, leaving him immediately overwhelmed and completely immobile.

Minutes pass with no change in mother and son, causing great concern and confusion for Emma. Even the sound of Dylan's ringtone screeching from his pocket doesn't break him from his trance-like state. After the 2nd set of rings from his phone, Emma decides to take a few cautious steps forward until she's close enough to reach for her motionless boyfriend. At the touch of her fingertips, Dylan flinches dramatically, shakes his head and blinks a few times vigorously before coming back to reality. In an instant, Emma retracts her hand as if his skin is too hot to touch, afraid to worsen the situation by her closeness.

Dylan appears to be back in reality again when he looks at his mother, who continues to remain still. However, now Norma is mumbling something to herself over and over again, barely traceable to the human ear but her son hears every word clearly. "Go now and lock your door. He can't know."

Turning around abruptly, Dylan instantly is met with Emma's frantic and baffled stare. "Shit, shit, shit. Oh God, I think I triggered something. Damn, I should have never talked to her about my childhood. I don't know how to fix this, Emma." He rambles off in one excitable sentence, eyes noticeably disoriented.

"What's going on? What happened to you? You didn't move, just kept staring with a blank look on your face." Emma enlightens, stepping closer to the shaken young man. "You scared me half to death," she says with a quivering voice as she wraps her arms around his torso and rests the side of her head against his muscle covered rib cage to feel the tremors of his quickened heart against her ear.

Taking a deep breath, Dylan slowly calms himself to the point where he's able to disrupt some of the haziness in his mind. "I think Norma is reliving something. She may be getting some memories back."

Emma loosens her grip around Dylan's waist and looks up to meet his eyes. "That's a good thing, isn't it?

He gradually pulls away from her touch. "No it's not. It's hard to explain but if my mom is remembering anything at the moment, it isn't something good."

"How do you know?" Emma asks meekly. The truth is she already knows by Norma's behavior the older woman probably isn't experiencing a positive moment from her past but she hopes to find out more details, even if she has to be a little sneaky about it. However, her reasons are pure regarding her slightly tricky strategy for learning more information. Emma only wants to help and she figures the more she knows the better.

Dylan briefly pinches the bridge of his nose with the thumb and index finger of his right hand. "Because Norma used to shout that to me as a child," he mutters under his breath. "I don't want to talk about this Emma, just trust me she's scared right now. I don't know how to get her out of this without causing any sort of damage." He peers over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his distraught mother. The same repeated words spill out of her tensed mouth and the same detached look is etched within her eyes. "I don't understand why answering the door would trigger this kind of response from her." He shakes his head in uncertainty and then whispers. "Sam is dead." In mid thought, the sound of his ringtone suddenly interrupts the young man.

"You need to answer that Dylan. Whoever is calling has been desperate to get ahold of you, it could be Romero with news." Emma urges, shoving his arm lightly.

After reaching into his pocket, Dylan immediately glances at the display of his cell phone but doesn't recognize the number. "I don't know this number?" He mentions to his girlfriend before answering, not sure who the mysterious person is on the other line.

"Dylan?" The rather timid voice on the other line asks.

Dylan automatically recognizes the hesitant tone of the other man, causing him to pause awkwardly and instantly spare a glimpse at Emma with widened eyes. "Jesus, what do you want?" He questions quietly and harshly, careful to keep his volume down in order to not upset his mother any more than she already is.

"I understand you're angry with me son, but I had to leave." Caleb clears his throat to relieve the rapidly rising pressure in his chest. "I did it to protect you and your mother, Dylan. That's why I'm calling right now. I'm-"

The young man abruptly stops his birth father from speaking and steps around the corner to talk a little more freely, leaving Emma to watch over his mother. "Honestly, I don't have time to deal with daddy issues right now, Caleb. I have a situation here that I'm trying to deal with."

The older man tries to explain, voice a little more firm. "I know. That is what I'm trying to tell you. I'm outside tthe do-"

Once again Dylan doesn't allow the other man to continue, promptly interrupting him in a panic. "You're outside!?" He whisper-yells while sneaking a peek around the corner in order to check on the two women in the other room. All of a sudden he understands his mother's reaction. Without remembering the recent past, she can't recall the acceptance of her brother and the peaceful communication they've had before he abruptly disappeared. Norma also doesn't have the memory of the talk between mother and son informing Dylan of the identity of his true biological father. This all makes sense to the young man now, but this isn't the time to talk with her about it. He makes a decision, hoping it is the right one. Unfortunately, his mind is racing too fast to think clearly so he goes with his instinct which is to make this problem go away, aka Caleb.

Dylan returns to his position behind the wall. "You need to go!" He continues with his harsh whisper-yell through the phone, careful not to disturb the scene happening inside the foyer area.

"What?" Caleb responds weekly. He knows his son is furious at him for leaving the young man behind without a formal good-bye, but being ordered off property without a chance to explain doesn't sound like Dylan. Even when all of the information regarding paternity had been revealed, his son was willing to give him a chance and they became close because of it. Caleb is heartbroken as he stands leaning on the railing of the front porch, hand trembling as he grips his phone tight.

"I don't have time to explain right now," Dylan responds in a softer tone. He feels guilty in hearing his father's voice become unsteady, clearly upset. "I'm sorry Caleb, but you need to go. I promise I'll contact you as soon as possible to tell you everything that has happened. I just can't at the moment. How did you get here anyway?"

The older man sighs sadly, but feels better hearing his son's tone lighten. "I was never that far from you, I swear. Only a couple of towns away, so I hitched a ride from some people heading this way."

"Shit, okay." Dylan pauses for a few seconds to contemplate the solution to this complication. "My truck is in the lot, you can take it. Norma won't let me out the door, but I have a spare set of keys in a small magnetic box hidden on the inside of the driver's side wheel well. Go to the cabin. Emma will drive me there as soon as this situation cools down. Just hurry."

"Alright." Caleb responds hesitantly, already running down the stairs to obey his son's wishes to leave. Before he gets the chance to say goodbye, his son has already ended the call.

XXXX

After Dylan ends the call with his father, he quickly glances into the other room to see nothing has changed with his mother or girlfriend.

The intended recipient answers the call within one ring, annoyance evident in his tone at the interruption. "I don't have a definite answer yet Massett. As I told you before, I will contact you when I need you to come to the department for your statement and that time isn't yet."

Dylan rolls his eyes, knowing his reaction can't be seen by the Sheriff. "I know that. I'm calling because there is a problem. Something happened with Norma here and I need your help. I have a feeling she's not going to respond to me, but I believe she will to you."

Romero is silent for a little while, but Dylan can hear rapid footsteps and slightly labored breathing through the phone line. He knows the Sheriff is on his way without any further explanation; however, the young man decides to inform his step-father about the details of Norma's day anyway, minus the Caleb part. He especially emphasizes to the Sheriff his need to use the back door to enter the household.

The second he delivers the rather fast description of events to the Sheriff, Dylan ends the call and shoves the phone back in his pocket. He takes a deep breath, clamps his eyes shut briefly and then takes a tentative step into the other room to see the tearful eyes of his girlfriend staring back at him.

Once he is at her side, Emma instantly reaches out to take her trembling hand in his and whispers. "What do we do? She hasn't moved an inch and she continues to repeat the same words. Dylan, I'm so scared for her," she says with a whimper. "I feel helpless."

Giving his girlfriend's grip a squeeze, he twists his hand free from hers causing her to panic a bit from her loss of touch. To soothe Emma, he places a small kiss on her forehead. "I think it will be ok," he says softly when he pulls back from her. "I sort of have a plan, but I need to you to walk slowly into the other room and be really quiet."

Dylan really doesn't have a plan. In fact, he's completely winging it at this point and unsure of the outcome but Norma can't go on like this, he knows this. The only thing he does know right now is his mother has to return to reality, by whatever means necessary. Hopefully, the Sheriff will be at the house soon to calm down whatever aftermath is going to occur.

Shaking the nerves from his hands, Dylan takes a hesitant step forward and then immediately freezes to study his mother's reaction. He notices a flinch of her fingers with his movement and a tiny interruption to the words she has been chanting to herself.

Since there had been no significant change to her behavior with only his first step, Dylan dares to move again. This time her right arm extends powerfully in front of her body as a warning to stay back. "Dylan John Massett! I told you to go to your room!" She yells now extending her right finger in his direction, channeling her natural motherly instincts. The same instincts she had buried for years in dealing with her eldest son. "You can't be here," her voice grows weaker and softer. "He'll see you baby boy. He can't know about you, he just can't. Please do what I ask," she whimpers with a tear dropping down her cheek.

A shiver runs down the young man's spine as his muscles cease to move for the second time in mere seconds. He closes his eyes, allowing himself to just breathe and try to block out the reasons for him to stop moving forward. Dylan knows he needs to push his unstable mother further to ultimately help her, but his heart is gradually to ripping apart in seeing her react this way. The problem is it isn't only Norma experiencing her painful past, he is revisiting his as well which is causing him to become conflicted. While remaining still, he silently tries to convince himself this is the right thing to do. He also hopes the Sheriff is close to making an appearance because he's not sure how much more he can take. He's spent so much effort trying to forget, remembering is starting to become too emotionally painful to push aside.

"I promise I'll get you when he leaves," she whispers in between her quiet sniffles. Suddenly the woman changes positions for the first time within 15 minutes, when this whole awful situation began. Her back slowly slides down the smooth wood of the door until she can't drop any lower, almost as if her legs can no longer hold her weight.

After Dylan finally forces himself to snap out of the headspace he fell into, the young man notices his mother follow his every move with her teary watchful eyes. He continues to take step after step forward, each with heavy caution and concern.

The closer her son gets, the more Norma winces. Her thoughts are jumbled, stuck between the present and the past. Flashes of not only her hysterical four year old son crying at her ankles, but also the faces of two other men. One image she vividly recognizes as a teen aged Caleb, but the other is a mystery to her which causes her breath to be harder to catch. The man had chocolate brown hair in her mindful picture with deep forest green eyes and a furious brow.

"Norma?" An insecure voice cautiously murmurs, the sound growing nearer.

More memories flood her senses, but these are different. These are happy moments, causing a smile to become etched on her lips and her eyes to peacefully flicker shut. The present now sneaks into her awareness. The vision of dancing with Alex under the shimmering moonlight, their first sweet yet sensual kiss they shared and then finally waking up in his strong arms just this morning all rush into her view.

In seeing the distressed expression fade from his mother's face, Dylan decides to step around her outstretched legs and crouch down next to her left side. "Um, mom?" He asks in a tone so quiet it can almost be considered a whisper.

With a loud gasp, Norma startles at the sound of her son's voice. Her eyes fly open to see her adult son bowed next to her, noticing him visibly relax in stature and sigh in relief when he witnesses her tranquility. "Dylan," she utters serenely. The young man smiles kindly and then quickly turns his neck to follow the subtle sound of a couple of footsteps enter the room.

Dylan immediately stands up and walks closer to Emma and the Sheriff who have now made themselves known. "Thanks for getting here so fast," Dylan flashes a genuine grin while instantly taking Emma's hand in his. "My mom is calm now. Whatever bad memories her mind was thinking of, appear to be gone."

Romero raises a skeptical brow with the gut feeling of his stepson intentionally leaving out some information. "There's more to this story, isn't there Massett?"

Dylan exchanges a sheepish look with his girlfriend. "Nothing that matters," he scoffs with a simple shrug of his shoulders.

The older man crosses his arms and narrows his eyes sternly. "Where are you going? We're not done here."

With a chuckle, Dylan glances at his mother who remains seated by the front door with a much welcomed contented expression. "We'll be back soon. Just a tiny errand we have to run, right Emma?" His girlfriend hesitantly nods, not sure of what Dylan's plans are but agreeing with him anyway.

"And, where is your truck? It was here when I left." The older man remains motionless in his intimidating stance, attempting to act like an overbearing father. His firm intentions earn another chuckle from his eldest stepson.

"Remo picked it up," his stepson answers while avoiding eye contact but without a flinch in his speech. "We're taking Emma's car over to the cabin to get it now, that's the errand for your information."

"Fine you can go, but head to the department first. We have a little under eight hours to deal with your brother's situation. You are the last piece of the puzzle, Massett. Evans is expecting you to be at the office soon to give your statement about the incident the other night. He knows to contact me with any updates," Romero advises.

"Alright, we'll go there now." Dylan informs Romero while stepping past the officer, gently pulling his girlfriend behind him by the hand. Pausing suddenly once he stands directly next to his stepfather, he speaks some words of support. "She's all yours, Sheriff." The young man smirks, nudging his stepfather's shoulder with his free hand. "Just be patient with her. Memories are coming back to her, no way to know what triggers them."

The Sheriff nods in response and then immediately focuses his attention to his wife after hearing the young couple leave the room.

Norma looks up at her husband cautiously approaching her. While sighing happily, the woman instantly moves her arms upward to make grabby hands for the man with an almost childlike smile.

The Sheriff returns her smile as he bends down to sit next to his wife, taking her trembling hands in his as soon as he can. She shifts her body to face him a little easier, fingers remaining loosely attached. "Hi," she says shyly.

Her husband lifts both her dainty hands to his lips and makes sure to place a tender kiss on every one of her knuckles. "Hi," he greets with a sweetened smirk. "Are you alright Norma?"

"Yes." She breathes deeply, squeezing her eyelids closed briefly before reopening them to meet her husband's eyes. "I can't explain what happened."

"I'm not asking," he assures with an unwavering gaze. "I'm here only to be with you Norma, not to conduct an investigation," he jokes.

Norma giggles in response, loosening her intertwined fingers to snuggle into the man's side instead. She reaches for her husband's somewhat tensed right arm and wraps it around her petite slumped shoulders. Tilting her chin, Norma glances upward only to discover the Sheriff already gazing down at her. "Alex?"

He hums in response, tightening his embrace causing her to lean closer into his torso. The woman adjusts her position to rest her bent knees on her husband's outstretched legs and then sets the palm of her right hand gently on his peck muscle. "Can we sit here? Just like this?"

Romero stretches his neck down further to place a loving kiss on his wife's strained forehand. "There's no other place I'd rather be, Norma."

With a small exhale, Norma lowers her head again and rests her ear against his broadened chest. Feeling the gentle vibrations of her husband's steady breath against her left cheek, the woman senses the safety within his hold.

In a matter of minutes, Norma drifts away to dream of anything but her troubled past.

Chapter Text

“Damn,” Dylan groans as he sits in the passenger seat of Emma’s car.  “I forgot how ridiculously small this thing is.”

Emma glares to her right to catch a glimpse of her boyfriend struggling to get into the rather tiny vehicle.  “I know I didn’t hear you complain about my bug just now.”

“This thing is not meant for people over 5 feet,” he grumbles while trying to adjust the seat backwards to avoid crashing his knees into the dash in front of him. 

She narrows her eyes and scoffs at the comment, shoving her keys in the ignition roughly.  “Hey, I’m over 5 feet.”

With finally getting his seat positioned to where his legs aren’t bent up to his chest, he responds with a sarcastic mumble.  “Barely.”

Emma sighs out of exasperation, starts the vehicle and then drives out of the motel parking lot in a huff.  Once the tires hit the smoother pavement of the highway, Emma can no longer hold in her feelings and decides to disrupt the awkward silence suffocating the inside of the constricted space.  “I know this isn’t about the car, Dylan.  You’re upset about what happened earlier and you don’t want to deal with it.  At least be honest and allow yourself to deal with all of these emotions you’re experiencing.”  Emma’s attempt to urge her boyfriend to speak freely fails when she glances over at Dylan, only to notice him fixating his attention to the vast open fields with blurred scattered trees outside his passenger window. 

After about ten more minutes of stifling agitation, Dylan decides to respond.  However, his vision remains glued to the distractions of the outdoors as they continue to drive by.  “I’m fine Emma,” he mumbles weakly.

“You are not fine.  You can’t be after everything that happened today.”  She insists, gripping the stirring wheel a little tighter in frustration.  “You saw something trigger Norma’s memory.  Something that was painful for the both of you.”

“I don’t want to talk about it Emma and that’s final!” He protests through gritted teeth, successfully keeping his face hidden from her.

Ignoring Dylan’s harsh response, Emma continues to speak in an attempt to get her point across to him.  “Remember when you told me how much lighter you felt after talking about your childhood with Norma?”  She asks, trying to remind her boyfriend of the relief he felt after explaining his past.  “I didn’t listen to your conversation if that’s what you’re thinking.  I would never do that to you because I know you’re not ready for me to hear about it and I respect that.  But, I’m not sure how much longer you can go on like this, Dylan.  A lot has happened recently and I know you must be overwhelmed.”  Emma states with empathy and concern, softening her expression when she feels her boyfriend’s eyes intently focus on the side of her face now.   “I care about you.  I wouldn’t say any of this if I didn’t.”

With gradually loosening his jaw ajar and squeezing his eyelids closed briefly, Dylan exhales deeply to calm himself when realizes he’s channeling his anxiety towards the wrong target.  “I know you do, Emma,” he utters under his breath and then pauses before continuing.  “Yes, what went on with Norma today affected me.  A lot of her actions affect me, they always have but I can’t let it get to me.”  He sighs, “I have to remain numb.  It’s what works for me.”

Emma resists the impulse to offer comfort at hearing his saddened words.  She knows any more forced conversations or lectures from her will only make the situation worse, so she remains quiet with her focus concentrating on the road ahead of them. 

After 15 additional minutes of driving, the young couple arrives in the parking lot of the White Pine Bay Sheriff’s Department.  Emma turns her vehicle off and removes the keys from the ignition, dropping them into her handbag.  After unclasping her seatbelt, Emma reaches for the inner handle of her door but suddenly stops herself before touching it when she notices Dylan making no effort to move.  Emma awkwardly twists her body to face her seemingly detached boyfriend while he stares blankly through the windshield in front of them.

The silence is deafening for minutes, but is finally broken with a raspy whisper.  “Maybe this was a bad idea,” he drones under his breath.  “We should go.”

With widened eyes, Emma touches his left thigh with her hand and squeezes it once to gain his attention.  “We’re not leaving Dylan.  You need to do this,” she encourages with a firm tone.

The young man snaps his eyes to meet hers with a combination of intensity and vulnerability etched in his glare.  “Can I really press charges against my own brother?”  Dylan questions weakly, but his gaze remains wild and strong. 

Emma leans in closer to him, swiping her thumb gently against his thigh in a soothing manner.  “Yes you can,” she reassures with persuasiveness and hidden confusion.  Emma can’t understand how Dylan can go from one extreme to another regarding his little brother’s behavior.  Without being able to sweep this curiosity away from her mind, Emma decides to ask the question plaguing her mind.  “This morning you were so intent on not only pressing charges against Norman for what happened a few days ago, but you also believed he was responsible for Norma’s injuries.  What changed?”  She asks sweetly to avoid upsetting her obviously conflicted boyfriend any further.

Dylan’s concentration shifts back to glaring through the window in front of him with a long sigh, color slowly draining from his face.  “Norma will never forgive me when she finds out I sent her favorite son to jail.”  He then pauses for a moment, allowing the possibilities of outcomes to race through his thoughts.  “I will need to leave with you and not return, Emma.”  He states mechanically, completely void of emotion.

Without really knowing how to respond to the young man’s statement, Emma tentatively opens her mouth to speak.  “Your mother won’t want to lose you again,” she murmurs with fake confidence.  In all honesty, Emma has no idea how Norma will handle everything.  Her mother figure is the picture of unpredictability and with the entire family not being truthful regarding her recent forgotten past, all of them could be shunned and tossed aside when she does finally remember. 

At the end of this, it’s possible Norma and Norman’s dysfunctional relationship will be the last one standing which would be shattering for everyone.  Everyone, except Norman of course. 

Instead of feeding into the inevitable stillness between the two of them, Emma continues to push forward with her support in an attempt to motivate Dylan and break him of his current mental struggle. “I think you’re right about Norma’s incident.”

In hearing those words of validation from his girlfriend, Dylan instantly looks to his left.  “You believe me?”

“Yes,” she smiles with a slight nod.  “When I was in the other room waiting for you, I kept looking over at the staircase where she fell.  It just got me thinking about Norma and what could have happened that day.”

With a quirked right brow, Dylan squints his eyes and quickly scans Emma’s expression to determine if she actually means what she says.  “And?”

“I don’t know how Norman is involved in all of this, but I have a strong feeling he is.”  Immediately, Dylan’s face brightens and a smile gradually stretches across his lips leading to an equal reaction from Emma.  “I know you are afraid of losing your relationship with Norma, but if your brother doesn’t get help things could get much worse.”  She earns a hesitant nod from her boyfriend.

Dylan takes a deep inhale and exhale, curls his fingers loosely around Emma’s hand which is still placed on his thigh and closes his eyelids briefly.  “You’re right, Emma.  I had a momentarily lapse of judgement, but I’m thinking clearly know.  I know what I have to do,” he states while unraveling his hand from hers.  He unfastens his seatbelt and rapidly opens the car door to step outside. 

In seeing her boyfriend with a renewed enlightenment, Emma matches his movements and picks up her speed to equal his steps.

XXXX

After almost 30 minutes of explaining every detail of the attack to Deputy Evans, Dylan finally finished his version of the violent episode and officially pressed charges against his brother.  Emma could see he was tense at first, but then gradually gained confidence while speaking about the incident.  Evans was luckily the same deputy who assisted with the aftermath of the heated battle so he already had pictures of Dylan’s injuries, the first-hand view of the complete disarray of the kitchen and the basic back story of the viciousness that occurred between the brothers.    

Emma’s description of her involvement took much less time to finish, only about 15 minutes.  She inwardly cringed in recounting the facts of the case, especially when she had to mention the rage in her former friend’s eyes and how Dylan had to struggle against his own brother to stay alive.  Still a little shaky, Emma presented all of the specifics on how she had to take control of the situation in order to stop Norman and save her boyfriend. 

Providing all of the disturbing information from that day had been more difficult for her than she anticipated.  Emma found herself unable to shake the nerves bubbling within her, even after the interview was over. 

Strangely enough, the more time they had spent in the deputy’s office the quicker the roles seem to reverse for the young couple.  Dylan had become the one who is calm, cool and collected while Emma appears to have turned into a nervous wreck.

XXXX

Once the interviews are finally complete, Emma stands from the chair she has been occupying for almost an hour with a small sense of relief.  She’s just about to leave the office when she freezes in place, noticing her boyfriend hasn’t moved an inch.

Dylan continues to rest the palms of his hands on the top of each thigh, remaining focused on the man in uniform sitting across the table.  “Actually before we go, I have some questions for you.”  His statement catches both Emma and the deputy a little off guard, believing their conversation had already been finished.  Without waiting for a response from the officer, Dylan continues.  “It’s about my mom’s accident.  Were you one of the deputies working the investigation?” 

The older man leans back in his office chair with a curious expression written on his face, wondering why this particular subject would be brought up in the conversation when the case had already been closed.  “Yes, I was the one who found your brother.”

Dylan raises a brow with a tiny smirk forming on his lips, believing this is the exact person he needs to speak to about this.  “Good.  I have questions specifically for you then.”

The deputy leans forward and props his elbows on his desk, inquisitively directing his attention to the young man in front of him.  “What is this about?”  He narrows his eyes, slightly irritated since everything about that specific day had already been settled.  “The case was ruled an accident, you know this Massett.  Your mother fell down the stairs, which was pretty obvious from the scene.”

“Didn’t the Sheriff talk to you about this when he was here earlier?”  Dylan asks, immediately seeing the deputy shake his head from side to side.  “Well, since I wasn’t here for the investigation there are some things I need to know.”  He points his right index finger in the air.  “For one, where was my brother found?” Dylan then aims his right middle finger in the air in addition to the other one.  “Secondly, what was he doing?”  He asks while leaning his chest a little closer toward the desk and dropping his hand back to the top of his leg again.  “And I guess lastly, was there anything out of the ordinary you can remember about his behavior?”  He inquires impatiently, glancing to his left to see Emma has already taken her original seat next to him, intently listening to the conversation between the two men.

Deputy Evans bends down and removes the keys from his belt to unlock the file cabinet attached to his desk.  He takes a few seconds and then sits up again with a file in his hand.  In opening the folder in front of him he shuffles through the pages, until he finds what he’s looking for.  “Alright I found my report in here.  I can’t remember every detail of the incident, but this should help jog my memory a bit.  The Sheriff wasn’t directly involved in this case because he is too close to the situation, but he should know most of the details also.  I secretly used his advice in handling this,” he mentions in nearly a whisper before he continues in his normal volume again.  “Anyway, it looks like your brother was found in his bedroom with the lights turned off.  He was lying flat on his back on top of the bed and his eyes were shut.  I specifically remember he was difficult to wake.  It actually took me several minutes of roughly shaking his shoulders if I recall correctly.  Norman also seemed quite dazed when he woke up, asking what happened right away.  Almost as if he didn’t know where he was.  To be honest, I haven’t seen anyone so out of it before and I’ve worked in law enforcement for almost 10 years.”  The deputy peers upward to meet Dylan’s eyes briefly, noticing how the young man’s demeanor has grown uneasy.  Evans then glances at Emma, who appears to have the same reaction as her boyfriend to his words.

“Anything in his room seem strange?”  Emma asks with concern evident in her tone before she turns her neck to exchange a distressed look with Dylan.

The deputy slides his right index finger down one of the pages set in front of him, skimming the written words until he locates the specific condition of Norman’s room upon arrival.  “It says here when he was asleep, the bed was perfectly made.  I thought that was a little different since usually if someone is sleeping, the covers would at the very least be wrinkled, but they weren’t.  There was some blue crumpled up material on the ground next to the bed.  It could’ve been a jacket, a robe or maybe even another blanket, I’m not sure.   The weirdest thing of all I found in the room was a stuffed dog.  Not a stuffed animal, but an actual dead dog.  It gave me the creeps,” the officer says with a noticeable shiver.  “It just kept staring at me.”

Dylan nods in response with an unsettling smirk.  “My little brother has a rather disturbing hobby,” he advises sarcastically but then stops himself from making another snide comment about Norman’s unusual past time.  His girlfriend would definitely not find any further remark about the subject humorous and he’s not willing to start an argument with her, especially when it simultaneously concerns her father’s choice of income.  Dylan would definitely lose this silly battle and somewhat pities Evans, who is on the receiving end of the young woman’s death stare at the moment due to his offensive earlier reference to Norman’s lifeless dog. 

“I may have more questions about this Deputy, but I know you’re a busy man today without the Sheriff available so we’ll leave you alone for now.”  The young man stands from his chair quickly with a couple of cracks to his knee joints and then assists Emma from her seat by lightly grabbing her right bicep with his left grip.  “Please keep me updated about the charges against my brother, you have my number.”

Evans scrambles to his feet and reaches out his right hand to shake Dylan’s unoccupied one.  “I appreciate you two coming in today.  I will be submitting this charge immediately which will keep Norman in the institution for observation for another 72 hours, but if he displays good behavior during his continued stay he will be released by the doctors.”

“I understand,” Dylan says while dropping his hand from the deputy’s.  He then proceeds to walk through the door with Emma’s arm still in his gentle grasp.  “Also, I’m not sure if Romero was able to get ahold of you or not since he left earlier but he’s with my mom right now and things are kind of sensitive at the moment.  So, if you don’t hear from him that’s why.”

Evans slowly follows the couple out of the office.  “The Sheriff said he’s available by text.  I’ll be sure to keep you both updated.”

“Thanks, I’ll be waiting for your call.”  Dylan flashes a faulty smile, already running different theories in his mind of what could have occurred with Norman on the day of their mother’s accident.

As soon as Emma and Dylan are sitting in her VW bug, Dylan turns to make eye contact with his girlfriend who is shakily inserting her keys into the ignition.  The whole interview process and conversation following it has put Emma on edge.  She tries to calm herself by filling her lungs up with every bit of air she can gather before exhaling loudly, catching the attention of her boyfriend. 

“Now that we know Norman will remain in custody a little while longer, let’s go to the cabin and think about everything Evans told us in his office.  I also need to explain all of this to Caleb and get my truck back.  This car is giving me leg cramps,” he grimaces in pain while squeezing both of his knee joints with his strengthened grip.  “Before you say anything, I appreciate you and your little clown car.”  He smiles genuinely, earning a tiny giggle from his left.     

XXXX

Romero winces in agony again as another lightning bolt of pain shoots up his right side. 

The idea of removing his gun belt prior to joining his mentally exhausted wife on the hardwood floor completely slipped his mind at the time.  Remembering this little detail would have completely prevented the stiffened grip of his .42 caliber from digging further and further in his ribs with every breath he takes, causing the painful sting to be almost unbearable.  He’s currently been in this position for 46 minutes and 32 seconds.  The Sheriff knows this for a fact because this entire time he’s either been on alert for updates from his work cell which is in his left grasp or staring at his watch clasped around his wrist.

At 17 minutes and 40 seconds, Norma moved from her original position with her left cheek resting against his upper chest to her head lying on his lap with the rest of her body curling around his outstretched legs.  The good part about this move is his right arm which had fallen asleep around 11 minutes prior is now finally free.  Currently, he’s content to use his unrestricted hand to gently rub up and down her back with the occasional running of his fingers through her wavy hair.  Surprisingly, she did not even blink an eye open nor did she regain any sort of consciousness during this sleeping adjustment which is quite impressive.  The soft purrs escaping her lips as she dreams is a sign his wife is definitely in a deep sleep and after her emotionally draining day, it’s best he endure the constant pain than wake Norma from her seemingly peaceful slumber.  

This last update he received from his deputy was two minutes ago regarding the unusual line of questioning from his eldest stepson during the earlier conducted interview at the Sheriff’s Department.  Romero is now patiently waiting for Evans to return his curious text about the interaction.  Because of all the chaos with Norma’s reaction today and her possibly regaining some more memories, the Sheriff forgot all about the conversation he had with Dylan out on the porch this morning.  The young man’s new theory of Norman being at least partially responsible for Norma’s so-called accident isn’t too farfetched when he thinks about it, especially after hearing both Dylan’s and Emma’s account of the attack which took place a mere 72 hours before.

A loud gasp suddenly disrupts the otherwise noiseless room, completely drowning out the almost silent sound of an incoming text from his phone.  Immediately concerned with his wife’s welfare, Romero ignores the nagging pain of his body and wraps his arms snug around Norma.  In pulling her closer into his embrace he hears a small contented sigh escape her lungs.  “Are you alright?”  He asks softly, careful not to agitate her already shaky condition.

Norma doesn’t answer.  Instead, she whimpers against his broad chest and nuzzles her body against his as much as possible. 

“Did you have a nightmare?  You fell asleep with a smile, did something happen in your dream?”  He questions, occasionally feeling her figure tremble in his arms.  He places a tiny kiss on the crown of her head as a sign of support and reassurance.

Tilting her chin upward, she pulls back only slightly from his hold in order to meet her husband’s eyes.  “I saw you in my dream,” she smiles even with tears dropping to her cheeks.  “You calmed me before - .”  She stops herself from continuing, reluctant to share a part of her past Alex may not know.   Would he judge her for the mistakes of her distant past?  Norma panics when the left arm wrapped loosely around her middle suddenly disappears, but exhales in relief when she immediately experiences the sensation of her husband’s thumb gently sweep away some of the wetness from her cheekbone.  Her eyes flutter shut momentarily at the tender touch.

Romero can’t help but be disappointed when his wife chooses not to share her thoughts.  However, after a few moments of stillness he decides to encourage her to speak again.  Maybe he can help ease her mind and allow her to realize she’ll receive no judgement for any choices she may have made.  She doesn’t realize this, but he already knows her most protected secret.  “Before?” 

Focusing on her husband’s kind expression, Norma shyly continues.  “I fell asleep with such peaceful thoughts because you were by my side, but then my dreams turned cruel and I couldn’t control all the flashes rushing at me.”  She whispers while burrowing the side of her face into his uniform shirt, staining it with faint tears.  “Images I don’t understand.”

“Maybe I can help.” He offers while moving his left arm to the original position, draping his support around her torso and shoulders. 

A grateful smile masks her hesitancy.  Norma’s voice tremors as she gather’s the strength to explain.  “At first I saw my giggly, happy little boy.  He was exactly how I remember him as a toddler, but then his appearance changed.  He became older in my dream and I started to see how he turned from my cheerful son into a sad young man.  Then the pictures in my mind altered again, to a face I didn’t recognize.  The child couldn’t have been more than 4 or 5 years old, with soft brown hair and bright blue eyes similar to Dylan’s.  I feel so lost and confused in seeing this child I don’t know,” she nervously sighs.  “What does all of this mean?”

The Sheriff’s complexion pales, afraid the mental pictures of Norman as a boy would trigger some memories Norma isn’t ready to face yet.  Romero bites the inside of his cheek in attempt to distract himself from the fact he is blatantly lying to his vulnerable wife.  He convinces himself his pretend ignorance isn’t a lie, but rather a form of protection for Norma.  She’s too fragile to handle the subject of her youngest son at this time.  “I don’t know Norma.  I don’t know.” He murmurs quietly, setting his right cheek on the top of her disarrayed hair after she tucks the side of her chin deeper into his pectoral muscle. 

“Right before I woke up,” Norma then erratically inhales with a shallow breath as the recollection of her last sleep induced illusion corrupts her memory.  “I saw a curled hand forming a fist belonging to a faceless man,” she shutters in her husband’s hold.  “At first I thought it was going to be a gentle touch, but then at the last possible moment it became forceful and then all of a sudden I woke up.  It felt so real Alex, like I experienced an actual fist to my face.”

“That faceless man wasn’t me, Norma.” Romero speaks in a comforting tone, he peers downward in time to meet the flicker of her eyes.  “It would never be me.”

“I know.”

XXXX

After the Sheriff’s muscles have long since grown numb, Norma breaks the silence they’ve been encased in for the last couple of hours now.  “Would you like some tea?”  She asks meekly, still firmly huddled into her husband’s embrace.

“Romero flashes a smile.  “I’ll make it,” receiving a timid nod from his wife in response. 

With a grimace, the Sheriff painfully untangles himself from his wife at a slow pace and shoves his cell into his right pocket.  His muscles hiss and his bones release various cracking noises as he finally moves to his feet.  Immediately he releases his gun belt and discards it to the floor, feeling instant relief at the sudden loss of weight around his middle.  Bending at the waist, Romero extends his right hand toward Norma who happily accepts his offer.  A restrained gasp is released from the usually tolerant Sheriff as he smoothly pulls his wife to stand in front of him.

Once they step into the kitchen, Romero slides a chair slightly away from the dining table and waves his hand to invite her to have a seat.  As she shifts in her seat seeking comfort, Norma grins with a glint to her reddened eyes in noticing her usually confident and strong husband frenziedly rummage through the kitchen.  Oddly, seeing her husband a little panicked over the most trivial of things as finding a tea bag soothes her.  She may or may not be giggling discreetly behind her hand at the sight.  “Need a little help?”  The woman asks with a not so hidden snicker.

At the loveable sound he can’t hear enough, the Sheriff finds himself chuckling at his own expense.  “Looks like I do.”

With a smirk sneaking onto her lips, Norma isn’t able to control her playful sassiness.  “Emma showed me around the room earlier, so I am well aware the tea bags are hiding in the bottom right drawer.  The one place you missed, Alex.”  Using her hands as a gesture for her husband to move closer, Romero instinctively strides toward his wife at her request.  Leaning in the direction of the Sheriff, Norma teasingly pats the palm of her right hand on the seat next to her.  Without a hint of hesitation, the man sits on the chair and scoots it along the kitchen floor with a loud screech causing them both to wince at the noise. 

“No tea?”  He says jokingly with a quick wink.  “After all, I know where it is now.”

Norma laughs and reaches her right arm up to lightly touch her husband’s forehead with her fingertips, but then stops abruptly and recoils her hand.  The smile formed on both their faces fade for different reasons.  While the Sheriff simply reacts to his wife’s sudden change in demeanor, Norma is experiencing a flashing memory.

Norma senses her pulse race uncontrollably and her lungs struggle to find breath.  Blinking her eyes close, the woman concentrates on the pictures running through her mind in silence.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff is frozen in place until Norma finally flutters her eyelids open again to meet his gaze. 

“I remember this.”  She advises with a teary yet sweetened smile, reaching to gently touch her husband’s face.  Slowly she runs her fingertips down the left side of his cheek and then cups her hand under his jaw. 

The Sheriff’s muscles tense at the initial touch and then immediately relax at the soothing comfort of his wife’s caress.  A glimmer appears in his eyes as he continues to study Norma’s every move and expression.

“I remember we were sitting at this table, in this exact same position actually.  You were injured, Alex.”  She pauses for a few seconds and captures her bottom lip in her teeth before releasing it again.  “You should have a scar right about here,” the woman whispers as she delicately dances the tips of her fingers across the faint wound above his left eye.  “You smiled at me,” she grins bashfully in noticing her husband’s cheeks become blushed with a trace of pink. “I remember feeling something was very special about that particular smile.  Almost as if everything changed at that moment but we were too blind to see it or maybe we weren’t ready to see it.  I’m not sure.” 

Romero instantly recalls the memory.  It was a special moment for him, one not easily forgotten.  The memory etched into his mind isn’t because of the injury he suffered that night, but because he realized his feelings for the woman sitting next to him might actually be returned.

“I said to you that I thought your face was paralyzed because you rarely smiled,” she giggles removing her hand from his face and placing it on her thigh instead.  “I want to let you know that smile changed me.  However long it took me to share a loving sentiment with you, I meant it silently on the night I saw you flash that smile.”   

The Sheriff’s clears his throat awkwardly to relieve the increasing pressure building while stealthily trying to dismiss the dampness christening the corner of his eyes with a quick swipe of his hand, which doesn’t go unnoticed by the woman in the room.  His attempt to not lose his strong and stoic character in front of his wife, fails miserably.    

“I believe I specifically told you I didn’t smile, but of course you saw right through that.” The Sheriff teases with a tiny hitch in his breath and a chuckle before turning serious again.  While taking her hand in his, Romero lifts her knuckles to his lips and places a tender kiss to them before whispering sincerely.  “That night was special for me too, Norma.”

XXXX

After Norma makes a cup of chamomile tea for the both of them, the couple settles into the living room and exchange warmhearted banter. 

Once the pair finished drinking their tea and the cups had been washed and put away, Norma suggests watching a movie to unwind.  Norma cozies her tired body next to her husband’s strong side with a contented sigh, feeling his arm snuggle her closer into his torso occasionally until there is not even a sliver of air between them. 

While Norma focuses her sole attention on the television hanging on the wall in front of them and the comfort of her husband’s touch, Romero carefully pulls the phone from his right pocket and places it on the empty couch cushion next to him.  The Sheriff is careful not to disturb his wife while he uses his hand free hand to scroll through the few unread messages from the day. 

Romero responds to the texts from Evans, advising his deputy to reopen Norma’s case.  Yes, technically he isn’t supposed to be involved in any discussions regarding the incident with his wife but  he’s desperate and willing to bend the rules a bit to get to the truth, he is the Sheriff after all.  Something has always seemed unfinished when he thinks of Norma’s incident; however, with his wife’s devastating injuries he’s chosen to concentrate on her well-being versus the case.  Now with Dylan also suspecting foul play concerning the so-called accident, it will be easier for the Sheriff to divide his time to both the investigation and Norma.  Of course, he’ll be working secretly on the case to avoid any unnecessary attention from neighboring departments.  Any intrusions from outside sources could cause more harm than good in this circumstance.

After reading Dylan’s text message mentioning his intention to stay at the cabin for the night, Romero decides to enjoy the rest of the evening with his wife and forget about the case for the time being.  When he hears a little giggle from his left sneak into his eardrum, a fond smile appears on his lips and an idea pops into his head.  The man’s grin continues to shine as he reaches his right hand to his cell again.  Quickly Romero scans his contacts and after he selects the correct name, he types a short message and eagerly waits for a response.

“Emma.  I need a favor…”

Chapter Text

Emma gazes at her boyfriend in concern from across the table of a somewhat empty diner on the outskirts of town. He awkwardly rests the side of his left elbow on the tabletop, bracing his cheek with a loose fist while staring out the window. A golden hue glows through the opened blinds and casts a shadow on his brooding expression, highlighting the contours of his face. The fingers of his right slightly outstretched hand tap mindlessly against the surface of the tabletop, obviously deep in thought. The clatter of a mug and spoon being placed in front of the young man, finally snaps Dylan out of his trance.

After thanking the waitress for her cappuccino and the plate of French fries, Emma turns her attention back to Dylan and slides the dish slowly to the center of the table top. "So, why are we here?" She asks, peering above the rim of her mug while she grips it with both hands and takes a tiny sip.

"I just needed to think about things for a bit. Away from White Pine Bay," he adds as he grabs a fry with his previously occupied fingers.

Emma sighs and sets her cup down. "Think or avoid?" She asks with a raised brow, already knowing the answer. "You're going to have to face your dad eventually."

With a roll of his eyes, Dylan replies in exasperation. "Alright, yes I'm avoiding this conversation with Caleb. Why did he have to comeback now? Why couldn't he just stay away from us?"

"You'll never know unless you talk to him, Dylan. I understand you're bitter right now because he left without saying good-bye, but you should at least give him a chance to explain before jumping to-." Her purse suddenly vibrates against her right thigh, interrupting her lecture.

At the sight of his girlfriend frantically search her purse, Dylan wrinkles his nose and crease between his brows in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"I felt my phone vibrate, but unfortunately it's buried at the bottom of my bag. Aha!" She says in excitement as she grasps her cell and sets it on the table to read.

"You know, I'm the only one who actually contacts you," he jokes but stops immediately when he's met with a glare across from him. "So, who is it?"

"Excuse me Mr. Smarty Pants, but my dad calls me. Oh and Norma does too." Emma defends, noticing the name on the display. A name she rarely sees unless it's an emergency of some sort. Her pulse races a bit and her fingers fidget while quickly pressing the message.

Dylan scoffs sarcastically. "I doubt Norma even knows she has a cell phone at this point."

" Emma. I need a favor…"

She quickly responds with curiosity, not even taking the time to look up to see Dylan's questioning expression. "Okay?"

Mere seconds pass before another message from the Sheriff is received. "I want to recreate the dinner all of us had a while ago."

"What's going on Emma?" Dylan curiously asks, sensing something is a little off. "Who is that?"

Before replying to Romero, Emma's attention is drawn to the pair of eyes gazing inquisitively from across the table. "It's Romero. He wants to recreate the family dinner we had a little while ago."

"No!" Dylan exclaims instantly with narrowed eyes. "Tell him no right now, Emma."

Emma's eyes widen in reaction to her boyfriend's response. "Shhh, lower your voice." She touches her right index finger to her lips briefly. "Why are you so upset about this?" She pauses, waiting for an explanation but Dylan remains quiet. "I think it would be nice for Norma."

"Are you crazy!?" Dylan whispers-yells sternly as he leans forward over the table with both elbows, narrowly missing the almost full cup of coffee in front of him. He then takes a deep breath and slouches backward against the booth after realizing he's being too harsh toward his girlfriend about the situation. "Do you remember who was at the family dinner? Two people specifically?"

Somehow it slipped her mind about the two other occupants at the table that particular night. Emma only concentrated on the laughs they shared altogether and the positive conversations they were all engaged in, well, most of them anyway. Norman was obviously withdrawn that evening which should've served as a sign, but instead his awkward behavior went unnoticed. She wonders if Romero may have forgotten about the two missing guests also. Even though this fact may not have immediately sprung to her thoughts, Emma still believes this could be a positive experience for everyone. After all, without the missing two family members this dinner would technically not be an exact recreation anyway. "Honestly you're thinking too deep about this. It's just a simple supper with Romero and your mother. Don't make this a bigger deal than it needs to be."

Pinching the bridge of his nose with his right pointer finger and thumb briefly, Dylan squeezes his eyes closed before opening them again. "I just don't want my mom to remember Norman right now, she's not ready. Plus, you saw how she reacted when she saw Caleb, for even a few seconds. I can't put her through that," he sighs in frustration. "I'm sure Romero knows I would be against this and that's why he contacted you. He probably thinks you would be able to talk me into this."

Emma types a message to the Sheriff, completely ignoring her boyfriend as he continues to rant. "Dylan doesn't like this idea, but I do," she types with her eyes focused solely on her cell phone's display.

Immediately Emma hears her phone buzz indicating another incoming text while simultaneously earning an annoyed glare from Dylan, which she also chooses to disregard.

"I know he's worried about Norma remembering something about Norman, but this won't be the same as before.Norma needs her family right now."

" I agree. Don't worry Dylan will come around eventually, I'll make sure of it. How can I help?"

" I'll need you to help me cook. I thought Norma could spend time with Dylan while we make the dinner."

"I'm happy to help," she types as a quick response. Even though technically Emma is not a blood relative, she's always considered herself to be a part of the Bates' family even long before dating her eldest son.

" Good. I really don't want to have the fire department on standby, doesn't help the Sheriff image."

" I suppose not. When is this?"

" Tomorrow night. I'm thinking dinner will be around 6pm."

" Groceries?"

" I'll take care of it. Thanks Emma."

A nervous smile forms on her lips when she looks up and directs her focus to meet an obvious scowl from her boyfriend. "Everything is settled. You're going to spend time with Norma while I help Romero cook."

Dylan clenches his jaw and displays his frustration through gritted teeth. "I'm not doing this Emma. Mark my words, this will blow up in the Sheriff's face. I can't be a part of it."

"Hmm. We'll see about that," she smirks with a wink.

XXXX

At the moment, the youthful couple is only a minute or so away from the cabin.

Dylan is highly agitated and visibly apprehensive regarding the return to his second home. The young man already knows he'll need to have a difficult conversation with his father about Norma's condition, but the additional issue is he's still upset about Caleb's spontaneous disappearing act. It's true Dylan knew his father was leaving, but what hurts the most is how Caleb promised he'd say goodbye which of course he didn't. The trust has gradually faded since then and at this point, Dylan isn't sure he'll be able to put his frustration aside to continue the blossoming relationship they were building as father and son.

Oddly, Romero has filled in the gaps of fatherhood for him when Caleb vanished without a trace, so the need to have his birth father in his life doesn't seem as vital as it did before. However, Dylan still has a soft spot in his heart for Caleb no matter how much he tries to ignore the nagging feeling it gives him.

Engrossed again mindlessly in his nervous habit, Dylan drums his fingers on his lap and takes in a few shallow breaths as Emma turns into the long gravel driveway of the cabin. A sense of both relief and uneasiness floods his system in seeing his trucked parked out front.

When Emma's car finally comes to a complete stop, Dylan shakes off his nerves and exits the vehicle with a wince when his knees make an ugly cracking noise. In an attempt to give her boyfriend some time alone with his reappearing father, Emma remains in the car.

"Caleb?" The young man announces as he steps inside the darkened entrance of his cabin. The daylight has gradually disappeared during their drive, leaving the evening sky as the only source of light. In turning on the lights in the room, he notices there is no sign of life.

In confusion on where Caleb could be, Dylan exits the small building and proceeds to stride around his property, even extending his search to the nearby wooded area. Emma witnesses Dylan's posture become rigid and almost frantic as he conducts a rather broad exploration with only a tiny flashlight he carries in his jacket pocket as a guide. Deciding she can no longer sit in the car alone while her boyfriend appears to be in some sort of distress, Emma leaves her car and starts to walk in his direction. It doesn't take long before she's met face to face with her shaken boyfriend. His left hand is noticeably tensed at this side, formed into a constricted fist while his other hand grips his tiny flashlight so tight she can see his white knuckles on full display even in the minimal glow of the sky.

"He's not here," he scoffs with a cynical chuckle. "I mean, of course he's not. Why would I think I could depend on him when he's proven time and time again, I can't?" Dylan then gently pushes past Emma when she tries to reach for him and treads forcefully toward one of the chairs facing the tranquil water, hoping it will relax him somehow.

Tucking the flashlight into his jacket pocket again, Dylan then pulls out his cell phone and selects the unknown number Caleb had called from earlier in the day. Maybe by some sliver of a chance this wasn't a purposeful avoidance by his father. However when Dylan attempts to call, he's only met with more disappointment when the phone goes straight to voicemail, which isn't even set up. His heart beats a little faster and his fingers wobble as he furiously types a message on the keys of his phone to the unknown number and then immediately sends it. With an angered deep exhale, Dylan shoves his cell back in his pants pocket and tries to concentrate on the tiny ripples of the calming water, which has always served as a method of relaxation for him. One of the reasons he absolutely loves his property.

Emma gradually steps toward her boyfriend and then runs her fingertips along the small exposed area on the back of his neck causing him to fidget in his chair. Her hand lingers as she steps around the chair to take a seat on his lap. Emma relaxes instantly when she feels his arms enclose around her and leans her head against his shoulder, focusing only on his embrace.

Besides the typical sounds of nature surrounding the atmosphere, the pair remains silent for a long stretch of time until suddenly it's interrupted with a barely audible whisper. "When is the family dinner?"

"Tomorrow." Emma responds in the same volume while smiling into his chest, knowing she's won the fight.

XXXX

The time is rapidly approaching 6pm and the Sheriff is nervous.

There's really no reason for him to be as anxious as he is at this very moment, but he is.

Maybe it's the anticipation or maybe it's the uncertainty of tonight's events causing his blood pressure to rise and his pulse to race. Maybe the nearer the time gets, the more he thinks about how those two missing guests may make an appearance in Norma's thoughts, just as his eldest stepson predicts.

Emma sits at the kitchen table and attentively supervises as Romero stirs the pot of spaghetti sauce he's recently placed on the burner. The dinner is not exactly fancy. In fact, it's basically thin noodles from a package and spaghetti sauce from a can but he can proudly say he made the meatballs from scratch, with Emma's guidance of course. Another positive about his first true cooking adventure is he didn't need to contact the White Pine Bay Fire Department.

At about 5:45pm, Emma hears the front door open and close along with the sound of two pairs of footsteps traipsing against the wood floor which causes her to spring to her feet and travel into the other room to meet her boyfriend and his mother. She figures since Romero is on his last step of preparing the menu for this evening, there's minimal chance something will catch on fire.

Per his mother's request, Dylan had taken Norma to his cabin. Since he knew Caleb was nowhere to be found once again and both Remo and Gunner were gone today, it was the perfect time to show his mom around the property. He kept one part of the building a secret though. He isn't quite ready to share with this new mother of his the truth of his business. There really isn't anything to be ashamed of regarding the sales of legal marijuana, but it's not the right time to reveal his chosen occupation with her yet.

When Emma reaches the entry way, she takes ahold of Norma's hand and guides her to the dining room to have a seat in one of the chairs. Norma covers her smile with the palms of her hands at the wonderful scene in front of her. The table is adorned with dulled lit candles, the nicest plates Emma could find in the cabinets and what appears to be freshly polished silverware. "This looks so lovely Emma," the older women mentions softly while inhaling the scent of fresh flowers set in the middle of the crisp white table cloth.

"Actually, your husband put all of this together. He even cooked." Emma flashes a grin when she notices Norma's eyes grow glossy at her husband's sweet gesture.

Meanwhile, Dylan strides to the doorway of the kitchen and smirks when he sees the sight of the Sheriff trying to pour noodles from a pot into a large family dish with a few spilling onto the counter top. The young man crosses his arms against his chest and leans his shoulder against the doorframe, the smirk never leaving his lips. "Nice apron," he chuckles in noticing the pale blue material with tiny embedded white daisies loosely tied around the older man's waist.

After setting the pot down onto one of the turned off burners, Romero snaps his focus to the other side of the room to see his stepson having a laugh at his expense. While glaring at the young man, the Sheriff quickly wiggles his hands free of the oven mits and drops them in a huff onto the kitchen table. As soon as his hands are available, he unties the apron and drapes it on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. "I didn't have a whole lot of choices. It was either this one or a pink ruffled one. I made a choice," he responds sarcastically. "Anyway, dinner is done."

"It smells good at least," Dylan loses the smirk and steps closer to the kitchen counter to inspect the food. "I wasn't sure if it would be edible, but it actually looks pretty good." The young man turns around and lightly slaps his stepfather on his back. "Good job Sheriff, better than I could do."

"Thanks," he mumbles under his breath while approaching one of the large serving dishes. "I have to carry this food in."

Dylan also moves toward the countertop to stand next to Romero. "I'll help," he offers earning a nod from the other man. Suddenly Dylan feels the need to break the small awkward gap of silence between them with a slightly stuttered speech. "Well, um, thanks for doing this for Norma by the way. I know I was against it at first and maybe I still am a little, but being with family is what she needs right now," he sighs as they start to slowly step toward the open kitchen doorway. "I just want her to regain her memory in the least painful way possible," he whispers in order to ensure his mother won't hear them.

"I get that Dylan," he replies matching his eldest stepson's volume. "Tonight isn't about her getting her memories back though and it sure the hell isn't about remembering Norman. I only thought of this as a time where she can get used to not only me, but also you and Emma."

The young man nods and even flashes a quick smile to his stepfather before they round the corner into the dining room.

XXXX

The group has settled into comfortable banter as the night slowly moves forward. Conversations range from serious deep moments between the four adults to bouts of uncontrollable laughter.

However, something changes for Norma in the middle of their special meal. She feels a sudden blast of quickened memories fill her thoughts causing her smile to disappear. A barely audible gasp leaves her lips while her eyes instinctively flutter and then clamp shut. Too wrapped up in a surprisingly amusing story of one of the Sheriff's earlier in his career arrests, no one notices Norma's brief moment of withdrawal.

A familiar face flashes across her mind, her brother's. Even though his face seems older with more wrinkles adorning the outside corner of his eyes, it is most certainly him sitting in the very spot her son now sits. Another image then appears in the blink of a light of a young man, eye color and shape matching Dylan's and Caleb's but with dark hair versus light. Is it somehow possible her dangerous and unpredictable elder brother has a child? Is it possible they both were occupying the same chairs they all rest in now in the previous life she can't remember? No, can't be. This is only her mind playing tricks on her.

Dylan catches a glimpse of his mother's abrupt change in behavior out of the corner of his eye and then immediately directs his sole focus to her, causing the other two at the table to stop the conversation in an instant. "Norma? Are you alright?" He asks leaning over the table a bit, noticing the Sheriff already had his hand resting on her right thigh in a calming manner.

The sound of her son's voice and the soft sensation to her leg snaps Norma back into reality. "Oh, yes I'm fine." She says with her attempt at a reassuring smile, instantly reaching for the bottle of wine nearest to her. With all of the moving pictures which have astounded her thoughts mere seconds ago, Norma feels overwhelmed and in desperate need of the safety net her mind has unconsciously provided her. She needs to forget what has seemingly and spontaneously seeped into the present.

Norma silently convinces herself the images are all wrong and couldn't possibly be the truth. Dylan can't know his real father. As his mother, she would never allow this information to be casually shared. It must always stay a secret. Therefore, it's simply not possible Caleb would be sitting near her son.

It's not real.

XXXX

30 minutes later, Norma is tipsy.

The woman's hiccups and giggles are interrupting any conversation the other three adults attempt to begin, believing every word leaving the trio's mouths is the most hilarious thing anyone has ever said in the history of the English language. Maybe someone should've monitored the situation a little better by possibly pushing the two now empty wine bottles out of Norma's reach earlier to prevent such a result, but seeing the large drunken grin etched on her face and hearing her uncontrollable giggles ring throughout the room seem to make the woman's current state music to everyone's ears. Norma is having fun, that's all that matters.

Unknown to her family who are simply enjoying her displayed happiness, the woman's struggle with the flashes of various fragmented images have faded away with her third glass of red wine.

Mission accomplished.

At this very moment Norma is enjoying the feel of her husband's left arm draped snuggly around her shoulders, not even trying to follow any dialogue the other three are engaged in anymore. She nestles her body in even closer to the Sheriff's torso, so close Norma nearly tips her chair over and falls into the man. Luckily, she still has enough balance even in her condition to remain seated and chooses instead to twist her body to accommodate her need to be cuddled. However, even when the closeness of their figures leaves not even a sliver of space her hands seem to itch for more. Maybe it's the alcohol, maybe it's her typical self or maybe it's simply the presence of the man next to her who she's grown incredibly devoted to in such a short time? Right now though, the reasons don't matter.

Norma gazes upwards in amazement as she intensely studies the way her husband's Adam's apple moves up and down while the soothing timbre of his tone tumbles out of his lips and vibrates his chest, it's simply fascinating. This serves as a distraction for a little while, until she's overcome with an urge to expand her touch. Without a single thought in her hazy mind, the woman gradually starts to walk her fingertips up one of the Sheriff's thighs, smirking as she does so. His body noticeably shivers with the sensation while goosebumps begin to appear the higher up her fingers reach.

Suddenly, Romero jumps in his seat dramatically and his cheeks quickly redden as he swiftly moves his wife's hand away from his lap. The man's unexpected jerk of his body shakes the table causing an immediate bout of silence for a few seconds among the other two people sitting across the table from the elder pair. The young couple instantly exchanges a glance and then a snicker in realizing what had occurred.

"Emma, I think that's our queue to make an exit." Dylan smirks, his own cheeks turning a bit pink as he stands up to grab his girlfriend's hand.

The young woman brushes off his hand and instead picks up the used dirty dishes off the table, stacking them neatly and balancing them as she steps carefully into the other room. "I promised I'd help with the dishes," Emma advises when she receives a bewildered stare from Dylan. "If you help, it will take half the time. Grab the glasses, will you?" She asks sweetly, batting her eyelashes a little.

Dylan groans loudly while trying to steady the four glasses in his grip, even daring to pick up one of the empty wine bottles without dropping anything from his hands. He spares a quick peek at his mother and stepfather who remain seated at the table, flashing a smile they don't notice before he disappears into the other room.

XXXX

After the dishes are all clean and put away, the young couple once again reappears in the other room to see the sight of the Sheriff attempting to steady a giggling and occasionally whiny Norma. "Please Alex, I want to dance." She whines while roughly grabbing at the man's neck.

"There's no music," he replies in a strained voice as he tries to hold onto her wiggling waist. "I think it may be a good idea if you lay down," he suggests before hearing the sound of a throat clearing at the other end of the room.

"Well, everything is taken care of in the kitchen so we'll be heading off to the cabin now," Dylan interjects with obvious awkwardness in his posture at the scene of his stepfather struggling to keep his mother from falling from his arms. Emma casually stands next to her boyfriend, giggling behind one of her hands and occasionally bumping her hip into his. "Ok, well, bye." He says with a stutter while turning on his heals to make a hurried exit for the front door with Emma, mildly yanking her along in his grasp.

"Wait!" The Sheriff exclaims in a frazzled and wounded voice just prior to the young couple leaving the room as he remains holding his wife in a struggling grip. Her actions have now evolved into planting sloppy and drunken kisses to the front of his shirt while continuing to hang her arms heavily around his neck. He winces in pain as he bends slightly at his waist to relieve some of the pressure off his spine.

Dylan stops abruptly at the sound of his stepfather's sharpened tone. Tentatively, he steps into the other room with a curious Emma trailing closely behind. "Yeah?" The young man asks in confusion as he sees Romero lift Norma into his arms and uncoordinatedly set her on the couch near him.

The Sheriff instantly squeezes the area behind his neck with his right grip briefly to assist with the pain and then points in the direction of the hall closet. "Follow me, Dylan."

With a melodramatic roll of his eyes, Dylan mimics his stepfather's footsteps while Emma keeps watch over her mother figure who now fights to stay awake as she lies messily on the couch. "What is this about?"

Ignoring his stepson's question, Romero strains his reach and pulls down a small black box. "Did you drive your truck here?" He asks, while opening the container in his hand. In seeing the young man nod once in response, the Sheriff lifts a small rectangle device from inside along with a thin plastic tube from the case and then drops it to a side table nearby.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Dylan grumbles when he sees exactly what the Sheriff is holding in his hand. "A breathalyzer? Seriously? I only had 2 glasses of wine over an hour ago!" He sighs loudly out of exasperation. "Ugh, why did my mom have to marry a deputy?"

In response, the older man only quirks an eyebrow and continues to place the plastic tube in the correct space on the law enforcement gadget. "Not just a deputy, Dylan. I'm the Sheriff of our fine little town," Romero says with a smirk.

Accepting defeat in this mini battle with his stepfather, the young man completes the test and yanks his lips away from the tube the second a loud click noise echoes. "Well? Can I go now? I think you have bigger problems in the living room than me soberly driving home."

Romero tosses the tube in a small trash can hiding under the side table, repacks the breathalyzer in the black box and then places it back on the top shelf of the closet. When he's finished closing the closet, the Sheriff turns to face the young man and claps him lightheartedly on the shoulder with his right hand. "Well, .002. Congratulations son, you're safe to drive."

Dylan only snorts as a reply while both men return to the other room, but the two of them stop short in seeing Emma sitting on the couch with a completely passed out Norma resting her head on the young lady's lap. Quiet snores sporadically leave the older woman's lips as she sleeps peacefully with no signs of consciousness. "Norma sort of tired herself out," Emma mentions when she sees her boyfriend approach her.

"Looks like you have your hands full tonight, dad." Dylan returns Romero's previous smirk and then carefully helps his girlfriend out from underneath his mother's head. Promptly, the Sheriff appears to his stepson's side in order to delicately replace Emma's legs with one of the couch's decorative pillows. "Good luck," he adds genuinely. "Take care of her."

Romero squats down in front of the couch to remain eye level with his sleeping wife, who appears completely dead to the world at the moment. "I will," the older man whispers, peeking his eyes upwards to meet his stepson's softened stare briefly.

With the reassurance his mother is in good hands, Dylan clasps his right hand with Emma's left. Her fingers intertwine with his as she gives him a tiny squeeze through their connected touch causing him to flash a smile while they step through the front door and close it tightly behind them.

The Sheriff tenderly caresses his wife's face with his fingertips and then exhales a deep breath before standing up from his crouched position. "It's going to be a long night," he grunts to himself while cautiously lifting Norma from her peaceful resting place on the sofa into his arms. The Sheriff ignores the pain he experiences with every step as he gradually saunters his way up the stairs, eventually entering their bedroom.

XXXX

"That sure was an interesting evening," Emma giggles. "I've never seen your mother like that. It was quite entertaining."

Dylan grips the steering wheel a little tighter as the gravel driveway of the motel changes to the highway pavement. "He actually gave me a breathalyzer. Can you believe it? I mean, who has a breathalyzer in their closet. Oh I know, my stepdad that's who."

"Well, he is the Sheriff Dylan." She grins, deliberately using sarcasm as a response. "It's really sweet how they are together though. She's lucky to have him. You are too, you know."

Dylan nods. "I know," he mentions sincerely in a quieter tone.

The young man becomes soundless for the rest of the drive to his cabin, completely lost in his own thoughts. As he finally approaches his property, Dylan suddenly interrupts the silence with a whisper filled with words Emma thought she'd never hear her boyfriend mutter...

"I think I need to see my brother."

Chapter Text

With a huff and a strain to his back, the Sheriff hoists an unaware Norma in his arms and cautiously steps up the steep stairwell.  His biceps are on fire by the time he reaches their bedroom and his legs feel shaky beneath him.  The man has quickly realized there is a world of difference between lifting a conscious Norma and the deadweight of his wife currently in his hold.  He did not plan accordingly, especially after consuming wine a couple of hours prior. 

Carefully Romero lowers his wife to the bed, ignoring the spike of pain shooting up the back of his neck.  At any point he’d sacrifice his own well-being to ensure her safety and comfort without hesitance, this was no exception.  

After lying his sleeping wife down on the mattress, the Sheriff takes a moment to gaze at the woman. 

Norma’s golden blonde strands of hair are scattered on top of the pillow in a rather chaotic yet somehow beautiful manner, the typical blueness of her eyes are hidden behind shut eyelids causing her long dainty eyelashes to fan across her flushed cheeks while continuous small puffs of air leave her wine stained lips.  He’s truly smitten with his wife and even with her somewhat tousled appearance, Norma is still a vision in the greatest form possible.

With the slightest movement of the woman’s hand, Romero breaks his stare and takes a deep breath to clear his mind.  Tired from the evening, the man changes into a random pair of sweatpants shoved into one of the dresser drawers in the room.  He then picks out a t-shirt to wear, but stops himself before putting it on.  He pauses as the question of should he or shouldn’t he go bare chested to sleep next to his wife seeps into his thoughts.  In his heart it’s silly to worry about this simple act, but in his mind he can’t help but hesitate.  Is this too bold of a gesture or is this the next natural progression in their relationship?  Ultimately he takes a chance Norma will accept this small and innocent intention as only a form of advancement in their gradually rebuilding relationship.  He can’t help the nagging sadness lingering in his soul over this tiny little gesture being such a difficult question for him to answer.  It’s almost as if he’s a teenager again coping with his first crush, instead of the big and tough Sheriff. 

Frowning slightly, he cautiously pulls the comforter out from underneath his wife’s sleeping figure in order to cover her properly when he notices Norma’s heeled shoes are still firmly placed on her feet.  This can’t be comfortable for the woman so without any form of grace the Sheriff leans down and attempts to unclasp the strap from around one of her delicate ankles.  His thick fingers fumble with the tiny latch causing him to swear quietly under his breath until he at last successfully unfastens the shoe.  With a little more ease, he unhinges the second shoe and then places them on the ground without a sound.   

Standing up straight again the Sheriff observes how the dress Norma is wearing appears to gather quite tightly around Norma’s middle.  Romero shifts apprehensively on his feet as he debates for several minutes if he should or shouldn’t remove the constricting material from his wife’s body.  He’s aware of the silken slip hiding under the dress, but he still feels like he could be overstepping his boundaries in some way. 

With a brief squint of his eyes and a deepened inhale, the Sheriff once again approaches his wife to reluctantly remove the attire clinging to her.  Pushing her ever so slightly onto her side, he tries to use a soften touch to pull the zipper down of his wife’s dress.  The man fails miserably when his nervous fingers mishandle the zipper causing him to force it down the track a little rougher than he probably should have.  By some miracle though, Norma remains sound asleep throughout her husband’s humiliating struggle. 

With more of a nimble movement, the Sheriff lies her on her back and unhurriedly pulls the dress downward until he gradually reveals the shiny royal blue material.  When the dress is completely off his wife’s frame, Romero steps around the bed and lies it on the chair in the corner of the room.  A yawn escapes his lungs as he sluggishly drags his tired body back to his side of the bed and allows himself to finally relax every muscle.  He then lifts the cloud-like comforter smoothly over his wife’s slumber filled physique, as well as his own. 

The Sheriff turns onto his side and catches one more glimpse of Norma before gently placing his arm over her middle and allows darkness to take over.

XXXX

Norma tentatively sneaks a peek through one eye to see a full glass of water and two aspirins conveniently placed on the nightstand next to her side of the bed.  Scrambling to remember the events of the previous night, Norma blinks her other eye open and accepts the morning with a squint.  A tiny gasp leaves her lips as she struggles to sit up, instantly causing her to reach the fingertips of her right hand to her temple.  The throbbing pain of her skull gradually forces her to become aware of every drunken word she uttered and every silly move she made last night, leading to her cheeks tinting the faintest shade of pink in embarrassment. 

It appears she’s lost her tolerance for wine or maybe it’s the medication Norma forgot she consumed mere hours before, guiding her to a regrettable interaction?  Either way, Norma is nervous how her behavior from the previous evening will adversely affect the relationship she has slowly been building with the husband she can’t seem to recall.  A frown appears with the thought of losing all the progress she’s made with him as her trembling hand reaches for the water next to her.    

After swallowing both pills and gulping down the entire contents of the glass from her side table, Norma adjusts her position to lean her back against the posterior board of the bed.  Norma clears her blurry vision until she regains focus and then glances downward, noticing her husband lying peacefully asleep next to her.  Cautiously lifting her left hand, Norma gently strokes the top of his head with a sweetened close lipped smile on her face and a lone tear sliding down her cheek.  Even though she only remembers flashes of her past life with the Sheriff, Norma feels extremely protective over those tiny glimpses into their shared history.  She can’t bear to lose the man who has provided her with love, support and patience during this whole ordeal. 

Norma’s internal panic and deep thoughts are suddenly interrupted when she feels the sheets shuffle next to her.  Quickly, she runs her fingers through her hair to calm her bed ridden locks and swipes her fingers across her mouth to ensure no lingering dribble remains attached to the corner of her lips. 

Eager to be the first image her husband sees when he awakens, the woman shifts her body in order to lie down next to him.  While resting on her left side, Norma repositions her figure to align herself with the fast asleep Sheriff and then attempts to patiently wait until his brown eyes finally meet her brightened baby blues.  Her eyes widen when she catches a glimpse of the man’s golden tan skin and his strong chest peeking from underneath the puffy duvet.  Tentatively, she moves her arm toward her husband and touches the tightened upper muscle with her fingertips, biting her bottom lip as she feels his skin respond slightly to the sensation.  She remains captivated with Alex’s facial features and the small exposure of his skin.   

After about 15 minutes of silence, Norma becomes incredibly impatient.  The constant peering over the Sheriff’s shoulder to check his side table for the blaring red numbers on the alarm clock, merely to notice only a few minutes had passed isn’t easing her overwhelming sense of impulsiveness.

The combination of the woman’s excitement and the sensation she feels on her lips every time a warmed breath escapes his causes her skin to shiver with goosebumps and her desire for him to welcome the morning intensify.  When she’s at the point where she can no longer stand the quietness, Norma lifts her right hand to softly brush her palm down his left cheek and then grows extra brave by using her fingertips in a barely-there touch to brush against his closed eyelashes.  Norma can’t seem to stop gazing at the man. 

With the tender sensation to his eyelid, Romero’s sealed left eye twitches under her touch and a small low-pitch hum emits from his diaphragm in pure contentment.  Once the ghost of pressure is gone, the man groggily flickers his eyes open with a widened grin at the instant vision of glistening blue. 

“Hi.” Norma whispers with a fond smile, already feeling a sense of relief in realizing her husband’s reaction to seeing her.  Even as worries over her drunken behavior slowly fade in her mind, she still feels a pinch of guilt and an enormous amount of embarrassment.

Romero continues to grin at his wife, but he has an inward sense something may be bothering her.  However, after hearing the doctor’s advice in the hospital, the Sheriff has vowed to himself never to force Norma to share her feelings with him unless it inhibits her progress in some way.  “Hi,” he replies in a broken tone due to his continued fatigue.

Norma moves her right hand forward to rest on his curled left fist and then wiggles her tensed fingers to loosely intertwine with his. She pushes a deep exhale through her lungs even though her tone still quivers.  “I’m so sor- “

Knowing what she’s about to say even before a full sentence leaves her mouth, Romero interrupts her.  “Don’t say you’re sorry, Norma.  You have absolutely no reason to be,” he assures as he squeezes her fingers within his briefly.  “Actually, I found the whole situation to be a little entertaining to be honest,” he admits with a small chuckle earning a giggle from the woman and a blush of her cheeks.  Romero unclasps his hand from hers momentarily to reach around her waist with his arm, snuggling her closer to his body until their noses almost touch.

“Really?”  She questions fretfully as she nervously captures the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth.    

The Sheriff flashes a comforting grin for his wife and then nudges his face closer to hers to place a sweeten kiss to her lips.  “We’ve all been there, Norma.  I remember a time when you had to take care of me when I was, well, not myself.”  He chuckles with flushed cheeks at the recollection of his less than desirable messy behavior.  His laugh becomes infectious, causing Norma to giggle again in response.  She sighs in relief and allows her worries to gradually dwindle. 

“Oh by the way Alex,” the woman interrupts her own snickers momentarily.  “Is there a reason why I’m only in my slip?”  She sassily mentions, with a smirk formed on her lips in noticing the Sheriff’s eyes widen and his face redden furiously.

“I, ah, well…” Romero stutters, definitely uncomfortable under his wife’s unknowingly warmhearted glare.  He continuously remains unsure of Norma’s underlying emotions toward him since the incident.

In reality, Norma trusts the man with her life, which shocks even her.  She’s only known the Sheriff in her mind for a short time but she feels an internal pull toward him that she can’t explain or define even for herself.  “Don’t worry, Alex.  I don’t mind,” she smiles as she releases a yawn.

“Do you need some more rest Norma?  You still look tired,” the Sheriff mentions while flipping onto his back.  He continues to hold his wife in a snug embrace as he turns his head for a quick glance at the clock.  “It’s still pretty early.”  He advises, with a yawn releasing from his lips in response to hers.   

Norma promptly adjusts her frame to nuzzle the side of her head on the smooth skin of his strong chest and falls back to sleep immediately to the soothing vibrations of his steady heartbeat, leading to her husband’s eyes to  slip shut shortly after.

XXXX

The Sheriff feels the morning sun heat his face, automatically alerting his body to awaken.  When he glances at the clock to his left, Romero notices the time has apparently flown by and he is now officially late for work.  “Shit,” he mutters under his breath. 

It’s not easy leaving Norma behind and return to work when she still hasn’t fully regained her memory, but he has a responsibility to White Pine Bay and his deputies.  Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he’ll be closer to the investigation of Dylan’s battery case against Norman and the reopened file of Norma’s accident.  Nothing is more important than keeping Norman in the mental facility at this moment, besides Norma’s wellbeing of course.   Part of the Sheriff’s strategy to keep Norma safe and comforted at all times is to make sure she’s not alone while in this vulnerable state.  His solution is to have at least Dylan, Emma or himself by her side to lean on during this difficult time.  That is why he’s pre-arranged for his eldest stepson and Emma to keep Norma distracted for the day while he fills his obligation as the town’s top officer.

Carefully, Romero attempts to separate himself from his resting wife, wincing as he slips out from underneath her relaxed grasp.  He takes a moment to gaze down at her, trying to soak in all of her tranquility.  Her typical lively blue eyes are sewn shut, tiny puffs of air leave her lips and the tiniest of smiles is present on her face.  She’s at peace.

After standing at the side of the bed, for probably way too long, the Sheriff bends down and places a sweetened kiss against his wife’s softened cheek.  The time has really gotten away from him and it is only a matter of minutes until Dylan and Emma arrive on their doorstep.  Quickly, he takes a shower and hastily dresses in his uniform with his shirt sloppily still untucked on one side.  Racing around the bed to grab his equipment, he almost falls to the ground as he trips on a blanket that has seemed to found its way to floor at the edge of the mattress.  “Damn,” he whispers to himself and then instantly glances at Norma to ensure she’s still asleep which luckily she is.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, the Sheriff picks up his gun belt from the chair in the corner of the bedroom and races out the door, cautiously closing it behind him.  As Romero approaches the stairwell, he can hear a pair of faint footsteps walk into the foyer.    

“Good morning Emma,” he greets quietly as he takes the last step off the stairwell.  “Where’s Dylan?” 

Emma immediately notices the Sheriff’s disheveled appearance and snickers quietly behind one of her hands at the sight on him, already jumping to conclusions in her head.  “He’s meeting me and Norma downtown for lunch at noon.”  The young woman smiles politely, dropping her hand to her side.  “He has some business to deal with at the cabin this morning.”

“Ah, ok.  I’m actually late for work so I have to run,” he says while tucking in the corner of his hanging shirt into his pants with his belt still awkwardly in his hand.  “You can let Dylan know that I’ll be outside the county line for a case today, but I should be reachable by my work cell.”  The Sheriff then rushes to grab his boots from the foyer and sits on a chair nearby to speedily slip them on.  He drops the equipment in his hand to the ground with a thud and proceeds to lean over to tie his work boots, running out of breath as he talks.  “Norma is upstairs resting.  I wouldn’t wake her right now.  She, well, let’s just say she had a bit of a rough evening last night.”  He huffs, but adds a smirk. 

“Ok,” Emma responds while returning a knowing smile.  “I’ll let her rest.” 

The young woman watches as an almost frantic Romero stands up from his seat and attaches his gun belt quickly, missing a belt loop or two in his hurriedness.  He then grabs his keys to the squad SUV from the small bowl placed on a table next to the entryway and rushes toward the front door.  “Thanks Emma,” he mentions quickly before disappearing outside.

XXXX

Emma is bored.

She has already straightened up the living room, though it didn’t need much cleaning since Norma is pretty detailed in keeping the state of her home in pristine condition even with all the medical troubles she’s suffered recently.  The kitchen was already scrubbed thoroughly last night after the family dinner, which luckily had been a great success to Emma’s relief.  Sure Norma had a little more fun than expected, but after the trauma she’s suffered the older woman deserved a little happiness. 

Emma was just about to sit down with an old book she found on the shelf in the corner when she heard noises coming from the upstairs.  Quickly, she put the book back where she had found it and walked toward the kitchen in order make coffee, believing Norma would need a little energy booster after last evening’s event and her long rest this morning.  The young woman also decides to take out some bread in order to make some toast and jam as a light snack before meeting up with Dylan at the lunch which now is a mere 45 minutes away.

About 20 minutes later Emma hears light footsteps traveling down the long stairwell and then shuffling of feet breach the doorway to the kitchen.  To Emma’s surprise Norma appears to be in brightened spirits with no trace of any sort of hangover whatsoever, almost like the previous night’s drunken finale never happened. 

“Hello Emma,” the older woman greets with a brightened smile on her face and a perk to her step.  “Oh, thank you for making coffee.”  She squeals with excitement as the aroma hits her nostrils and swiftly makes grabby hands for the new cup secured in Emma’s hands.  “Oh, and toast with jelly too.”  She states while bringing the mug full of coffee to her lips, blowing on the rim, cooling it a bit before sipping. 

“I thought you might need a little something in your stomach after last night.” Emma flashes a somewhat awkward smile, unsure if her mother figure would be okay bringing up her behavior at the family dinner.

“That’s so thoughtful of you Emma.  Thank you,” she replies in between nibbling on her toast.  “Where’s my son?   Is he with you?”

“Well, actually something came up at the cabin but he’s going to meet us for lunch soon.”  The young woman glances upward to the hanging clock on the kitchen wall, noticing the time has rapidly flown by.  “Actually we should leave now if you’re ready.” 

“Yes, of course.”  Norma stands from her seat, picking up her dirtied plate placed in front of her and the barely touched coffee clutched in her grip before following Emma out of the room.

XXXX

“This certainly is a quaint little town.” Norma smiles as she gazes out the passenger side window of Emma’s Volkswagen bug, observing a handful of charming small stores and coffee shops lined up down the almost vacant street.  “I see why I chose to move here.”

“Dylan is here already,” Emma mentions with a grin while pulling her car directly behind her boyfriend’s rather large navy truck and then coming to a complete stop. 

Norma grins widely at the sight of her son swiftly exiting the vehicle ahead of them.  She rapidly unfastens her seatbelt, filled with excitement in seeing her believed only son.  The talk she had with Dylan the other day saddened her soul deeply.  From the moment she heard his story of their history, Norma has vowed to make up for the poor behavior she doesn’t remember toward her son and hopefully melt his guarded heart.  The woman fears the process will be a difficult one, but she’s determined to fix what’s broken no matter how long it takes.  “Hello Sweetie,” she greets with a continued smile and high hopes.

Initially a little taken back by the enthusiasm of his mother, Dylan flashes a tentative and forced smile.  “Ah, yeah, hi Norma.”

Norma can’t hid the falter of her face from the young man or the young woman now approaching the two of them.  Her son’s reaction to seeing her leaves her disappointed, but then again she understands his hesitant response. 

Emma narrows her eyes at her boyfriend’s reply and mouths words in silence behind his mother’s back for only him to witness.  “Behave,” she states theatrically with a pointed index finger pointed in his direction which earns her a clenched jaw and a tiny nod from the young man.

After being seated next to a rather large window facing the town’s hometown shops and rather uncrowded street, a bout of painful stillness consumes their booth.  Dylan fidgets with his fingers under the table and fills his field of vision with the almost empty restaurant, avoiding his mother’s nervous stare.  For some reason, he’s unable to think of anything to say.  Last night he had grown more comfortable speaking with his mother, but now he can’t manage to speak a single word.

The touch of a comforting hand to his leg causes him to turn his head to the left and meet the frustrated eyes of his girlfriend, distracting him from his previous glare at nothing.  She squeezes his thigh a little roughly, prompting the young man to clear his throat and tentatively start a conversation with his mother who looks at him with fond anticipation.

“I, ah, appreciate you listening to me the other day during our talk.”  He says quietly while directing his attention to his mother with a flash of a tight lipped smile.  “You’ve never actually listened to me before.  Well, at least I can’t remember a time when you have.”

Norma forms a smile even though she can sense tears building in the corner of her eyes.  “Of course Dylan,” she pauses to take a deep breath to calm herself.  “I’m sorry for everything.  I don’t remember what happened, but I truly regret everything I’ve done to hurt you.”

“I know Norma.  I know,” he tries to smile even though he can see the glisten of his mother’s eyes.  The young man can tell she’s about to cry which suddenly causes a tinge of guilt to spread throughout his heart.  “I’m not mad anymore Norma,” Dylan attempts to reassure.  “It’s in the past.  I just want to start over with you,” he smiles again but more genuine this time.  “You’re different now, I can tell.”

Emma can’t hide the proud grin she displays when looking at her boyfriend.  Instead of the tight grip she had on his leg a minute ago, her touch becomes loosened and soothing as she now massages his muscle versus pinching it between her fingers.  She rests her head on his shoulder as an added approval of Dylan’s changed behavior toward his mother.

XXXX

The conversation flows easier between the three adults at the restaurant after that initial muddled and awkward speech by Dylan. 

When the waitress drops off the check, Dylan immediately places his palm on top of the slip of paper and slides it closer to himself.  Their meal wasn’t quite finished yet, but he wants to ensure neither of the ladies in the booth with him would attempt to pay for the bill.  This meal was going to be his treat for the two most important women in his life.

The past hour shared with Norma has brought him sincere happiness and contentment, a feeling he truly hasn’t felt in a very long time (if ever) when he recalls all of the tense moments with his mother.  However, with a quick glance out the window the young man’s demeanor changes in an instant.  His posture is stiffened and his teeth grind slightly at the sight, which luckily goes unnoticed by the women who are engaged in a deep chat.

“Um, I’m going to pay the bill.  I’ll be right back,” Dylan says as he tries to keep his voice steady for the sake of his mother and girlfriend.  He slides out of his seat and immediately stands up to rush to the cashier.  The young man then pulls his wallet from his pants pocket and hands the waitress a handful of cash, more than enough to cover the meals for the table and the tip.  The woman’s eyes enlarge and a sparkling smile forms on her face in gratitude, but before she can express her thanks Dylan is already sneaking out the door in attempt to avoid the suspicion of Emma and Norma. 

“What the hell are you doing here!?!”  Dylan whisper-yells while he checks the window to ensure the ladies aren’t paying attention to him outside.  “You need to get out of here Caleb!”  The young man orders with clenched fists tensed at his sides.  “I can’t deal with your games today.”

“I’m not playing games Dylan.  I’m just confused at what is going on,” Caleb steps closer to his agitated son who in turn takes a large step backwards.

Dylan narrows his eyes at this absentee father.  “The time to talk was the other day, you chose not to meet with me.”

“I know, I’m sorry about that.  I guess I just needed to get my head wrapped around Norma’s reaction to seeing me and then your demand for me to leave.”  The older man approaches his son again who this time remains frozen place. 

“I was going to explain everything to you that night, but apparently you couldn’t be bothered.  How did you get to town anyways?  My truck was left at my cabin.”

Caleb’s eyes shift down to his feet for a moment before meeting his son’s angered blue eyes.  “I walked and then hitched a ride to town.  I stayed in one of the hotels here,” he informs and then pauses.  “I was taking a short walk when I spotted your truck.  I had to speak with you.”

“So, you’re stalking me now?” 

“I prefer to use the word waiting versus stalking, but yeah I guess you could say that.”

Dylan checks the window again and with a sigh of relief continues to speak to his birth father when he witnesses the women remain involved in conversation.  However, the young man knows he doesn’t have much time before they figure out he’s been gone a longer than usual time.  “Look I don’t have time to tell you everything right now.  You need to leave and I promise I’ll be in touch,” he whispers a little frantically while pushing Caleb backwards with his hands which ultimately catches the older man off guard causing him to stumble. 

Caleb regains his footing by using his son’s passenger side door as a means to steady himself.  “Alright, I’ll go.  I’m sorry for everything Dylan.” 

Dylan’s expression softens when he sees his father’s defeated reaction.  Deep down he knows Caleb means no harm, but the disappointment he consistently feels regarding his dad’s behavior causes him to become agitated easily.  “I promise I’ll tell you everything, okay?  I’ll call y-“  All of a sudden, the young man’s words are interrupted by the sound of a woman screaming at the top of her lungs.  “Shit!” He exclaims at the loud and screeching noise, knowing exactly who it’s coming from.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!”  Norma yells, racing toward the two men.  Both cringe at the sight of Norma running with fury in their direction.  “STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!”

Emma tries to catch up to her mother figure in an attempt to slow her down before she reaches the shocked males, but the older woman is too fast even in her heels.

Upon reaching the men, Norma roughly grabs her son by the bicep and tries to pull him away.  Dylan only moves slightly as she attempts to shove him behind her, protecting him like a momma bear to her cub from the man she fears most in this world.  Her mind is thoroughly obsessed with the mantra, ‘they can’t know the truth,’ playing over and over again like a broken record. 

Dylan moves out of her grasp in spite of his mother’s infuriated and strengthened grip.  He then turns to face her and as powerfully as he can without hurting her, takes ahold of her arms and steps forward which automatically leads her to reluctantly walk backwards.  The sound of her constant shouts unintentionally causes his ears to ring and his muscles to flinch throughout the volatile confrontation.

Emma feels helpless, but wills her body to move to help calm a completely distraught Norma who is shaking uncontrollably in her son’s arms.  On instinct the young woman encloses her ears with the palms of her hands as she rushes toward mother and son in an attempt to shelter her hearing.  However, when she’s close enough to the pair Emma promptly moves her arms to Norma’s left side in an attempt to steady Norma’s nerves and provide support.

“Mom!  Stop it!  Just stop!”  Dylan tries to match his mother’s volume, but fails.  She only quiets her voice when she feels her son pull her into his tight embrace.  Her noisy shouts now turn into sobs as she presses her face into Dylan’s shoulder, muffling the sound releasing from her overused throat.  “It’s okay Norma, I know.  Everything is alright.  I know everything about Caleb and you,” he soothes in a whispered voice as Emma rubs the older woman’s back tenderly.  Tears seep from her eyes in seeing how utterly destroyed Norma appears to be in her son’s arms.

After a few minutes in the same position, Norma pushes herself away from her son and meets his eyes with her redden ones.  “You know?”  She sniffles as she peers around her son’s shoulders while standing on her tip toes to see her shocked brother leaning on Dylan’s truck, obviously shaken by the whole ordeal.

“Yes, I know Caleb’s my dad.”  Dylan speaks softly and nods.  “You are at peace with him,” he grins when she once again makes eye contact with her son.  “You two talked and worked things out.  He apologized for everything he’s ever done to you and you in turn let your anger go.”

A hint of a smile forms on her lips, but quickly disappears when she still feels very much on edge. 

“Um, Norma.”  Caleb interjects with hesitance which leads to Dylan shifting his position to direct his and his mother’s attention to his visibly panicky father.  “I’m sorry.  I don’t really know what is happening, but Dylan is going to explain everything to me.  I’ll leave you alone until you tell me otherwise, okay?”

With her now strained vocal chords, all Norma can do is whisper.  “Okay.”

“I’ll talk to you later Dylan.  Take care of her,” he mutters under his breath.  With a tentative wave of his hand, he walks across the street and disappears.

After the explosive confrontation that took place, Norma decided it was time to return home with Emma.  Dylan, however, had other plans. 

XXXX

Dylan arrives at the criminal psychiatric ward of the hospital.  Seeing the whole situation unfold earlier between his mother and father, lead him to the idea of seeing his disturbed brother. 

With every step closer to the nurse’s desk of the locked down division of the medical facility, Dylan’s conflicted feelings begin to overwhelm him.  Maybe it is a better idea to leave this issue to Deputy Evans and his stepfather to deal with.  Maybe it’s his rightful place to be at his mother’s side after the mentally and emotionally draining fight she had to endure while challenging her past demons. 

He turns around on his heels to step back toward the direction of the front door when a woman’s voice echoes throughout the cold walls of the psychiatric prison.  “May I help you?”

Dylan stops dead in his tracks, takes a deep breath and once again approaches the nurse standing behind a counter.  “S-sure,” he stutters with trembling hands glued to his sides.  “I’m here to see my brother.”

“Name?” She questions as she sits down on the chair with ready fingers resting on a computer’s keyboard.

“Norman Bates.  He’s here for a secondary psychiatric hold.”

The nurse’s eyebrows lift and her fingers abruptly stop tapping. The fake smile she's had plastered on her face disappears in a matter of seconds.  “Um, just a moment.” 

Dylan scrunches his face in confusion and watches as the woman presses a button under the surface of the countertop with a shaky finger.  Less than a minute later a tall, older gentleman with a stethoscope hanging loosely around his neck and a clipboard secured in one of his hands steps next to the nurse. 

The woman quickly looks up to make eye contact with the doctor before speaking with a tremor in her tone.  “He’s looking for Norman Bates doctor. He’s his brother.”

The older man’s face turns stern and his grip noticeably tightens around the clipboard.  “Well, I’m sorry young man but Norman is no longer here.”

Dylan instantly freezes and his complexion pales.  “What are you talking about!?!  He’s being held here for criminal reasons, you can’t just let him go without notifying anyone!”  His booming voice quivers throughout the small room.

“I did notify someone prior to his release.  I called the Sheriff’s department and spoke with the receptionist there.  She took the message and said she would pass it on to the deputy working on Norman’s case.”

“No, no, no.” Dylan shakes his head in disbelief before bringing his hands to his face.  “This can’t be happening!”  The young man then drops his arms to his side again, forcefully stretching his fingers before forming them into fists.  “He’s dangerous!  I’m one of his victims, you don’t know what you’ve done!” 

“I’m sorry but I’m under no obligation to advise you of his release, only the Sheriff’s department which I did immediately.  He was no threat to himself or others while he’s been here and frankly the previous doctor keeping him here for any time beyond the 72 hour hold was unethical based on your brother’s model behavior.”

“You’re wrong about Norman.  Dead wrong!  He completely played you doc!”

The older man drops the clipboard to the desk with a bang and then places his hands on the counter in front of him, leaning slightly toward Dylan in an attempt to intimidate the young man.  “If you don’t calm down this instant, I will not hesitate to call security.  Do you understand me?”  He threatens until he sees the Dylan nod once in agreement.  “Now, I’m sorry about all of this but notifying you as the supposed victim in this case is up to deputy who charged your brother, not me.”  The doctor’s expression suddenly turns sympathetic in seeing the younger man in utter disbelief and outright fear clearly evident in his eyes.  “He was released about a half hour ago.  It’s possible the deputy is already handling the issue and you’re getting all worked up for nothing.”

“What did he have with him?”

The nurse glances at the computer screen in front of her for a quick inventory of Norman’s belongings.  “His clothes from the night he was brought in, a wallet with $25 inside, and a set of keys.”

“Holy shit!”  Dylan exclaims.  Without another word, he runs out of the room and through the front doors.  The worst case scenario… Norman on the loose with enough money for transportation and a set of keys to the house. 

In a panic the young man pulls his phone from one of his pockets and rushes to get to his vehicle currently parked in the visitor lot.  He catches a glimpse of the phone’s display and chooses the correct name while unsteadily climbing into the driver’s seat.  After starting his truck, Dylan peels out of the hospital’s driveway in great haste with a squeal of the tires.  His cell phone is held in place awkwardly between his right ear and shoulder as he spins the stirring wheel erratically, still managing to somehow stay on the road. 

Since the familiar voice doesn’t answer the other line, Dylan eagerly waits for the prompt to leave a message. When the young man finally hears the expected beep and gets the chance to speak, he can’t hide the alarming inflection in his tone.

“Norman’s out.  Go home as soon as you can!”

Chapter Text

“Are you alright Norma?”  Emma glances to her right to see her mother figure gazing blankly through the windshield at the open and somewhat barren road ahead of them.  “Do you want to talk about it?”

The car ride has been silent minus the occasional sniffle Emma hears from the passenger seat.  The older woman is obviously confused about everything that happened a little earlier, not sure how to process this new information.  Confronting her brother minutes prior has left Norma feeling a variety of emotions.  The combination of fear she’s never fully challenged before, the sense of freedom from the one demon she hasn’t been able to shake for all of her years, and the embarrassment of her family secrets being exposed. 

“Norma?”  Emma tries to gain the older woman’s attention again, but fails when she notices no change in demeanor from her passenger.  Since she’s received no response, Emma decides to remain quiet for the remainder of the trip to the motel figuring maybe the quiet is somehow soothing Norma. 

It’s not until the VW bug pulls into the motel parking lot and stops in front of the house that the older woman breaks the stillness of the car.  “Does he treat my son well?”  She asks Emma in barely a whisper. 

“Who?”  Emma isn’t stupid.  She knows exactly who Norma is referring to, but thinks it might be a little more therapeutic for her pseudo mother to acknowledge Caleb in a peaceful conversation.  She turns off her vehicle and shifts her body in an attempt to make eye contact with the other woman. 

Now focusing on the fidgeting fingers resting on her lap, Norma deeply inhales and tries to calm her shaken nerves before meeting Emma’s eyes with her tearful ones.  “My brother.”

Emma smiles as she notices Norma directing her stare toward her.  She reaches out for the older woman’s hand, ultimately resting her palm on her trembling knuckles.  “Yes, he cares for Dylan very much.  It was rough in the beginning for obvious reasons, but I know they care for each other like a real father and son.” 

Norma keeps Emma’s comforting on hers and then lifts her free hand to her face to wipe away the gathered wetness from the corner of her right cheek.  “Okay.  That’s all that matters,” she returns the smile with a tiny whimper. 

“You’ve mended things with Caleb too.  Sure it’s not perfect between the two of you, but you both had been on the road to recovery until-“ 

“My accident.” Norma replies softly with a wavering voice, earning a nod from Emma.  “I just feel so lost right now and confused.  I hate this!”  She exclaims in frustration, ripping her hand from underneath Emma’s.  “It’s difficult to know I’ve gained so much, only to lose it in the matter of minutes.  I wish more than anything I could remember the past.”

Emma feels absolutely helpless in witnessing Norma’s struggles.  The only thing the young woman can do is concentrate on the positive in the situation.  “This has helped you in some ways,” she states with hope in her tone.  “Your relationship with Dylan has improved greatly.  I’ve never seen you two have a deep and genuine conversation about your past.  He’s always guarded, but that talk you had with him allowed his mother to break down his walls.  That’s amazing Norma.  It was truly wonderful to see,” she informs with a reassuring grin.

“Really?”  Hearing those words uttered from the young woman suddenly puts everything that has occurred over her several days of darkness into perspective.  A smile begins to creep onto her lips as she starts to feel a little better about her ordeal.  At least there is a thread of positivity to shine through the hopelessness she’s been feeling for so long.

“Yes, to speak about his childhood experiences was intense yet cleansing for him.  Just by listening to him and the trauma he suffered as a child helped your relationship tremendously.   He has always tried to shove his true feelings about John, Sam and Norm-“  Emma instantly stops speaking and widens her eyes in horror with the realization she almost mentioned Norman.  She quickly clears her throat to mask her mistake, hoping the older woman is oblivious to the name that almost slipped out of her mouth.  “Norma.  I-I mean you,” she immediately says with a slight stutter. 

Norma is noiseless for a second as she squints her eyes and tilts her head, noticing Emma fluster suddenly. 

“Maybe we should go inside now.” The young woman suggests, in hopes of directing Norma’s attention elsewhere.  “After this emotional rollercoaster you just went through, you deserve a rest.”

Norma nods in agreement while watching Emma hurriedly unbuckle her seatbelt, hastily grab her purse and exit the vehicle.  The younger woman’s sudden unusual actions cause questions to form in her mind, but she soon forgets them when she unclasps her own belt and steps out of the car.

Too tangled in their own thoughts, neither of the women notice the phone slipping from Emma’s bag nor do they dwell on the fact the front door isn’t locked.

XXXX

Dylan is frantic. 

In addition to his first call to the Sheriff going unanswered, his second call to Deputy Evans is also a fail.  The idea of calling his mother completely bypasses his mind since she probably doesn’t even realize she has a cell phone.  Calling the house phone is a bad idea because if Norman happens to have found his way home, he would most certainly answer it.  Only one other person comes to mind for him to call, Emma. 

Taking his focus off the road momentarily, Dylan takes one hand off the steering wheel and searches for her number until he finds it.  The tires from his truck hitting the gravel patches on the road’s shoulder quickly remind him he’s driving causing him to jerk the wheel back into place to continue his journey.  “Come on Emma.  Pick up, pick up, pick up,” he chants to himself as the phone continues to ring on the other end of the line.

“Shit!” He swears while tossing the phone to the passenger seat.  He then smacks the steering wheel with the palm of one of his hands before gripping it tight enough for white knuckles to be displayed. 

Even with the speed he’s driving, Dylan is still too far away from town to be at the motel any time soon.  Possible options swirl in his head as he drives causing him to occasionally lose concentration.  Yes, in theory he could call 9-1-1, but if he did call the emergency line there is a chance another officer who isn’t familiar with the volatile situation could be disastrous for everyone involved. 

The only hope he has left is the Sheriff gets the urgent message and is already on his way. 

XXXX

Norma sits at the kitchen table, completely lost in thought.  Noticing her mother figure’s inward distress, Emma decides to make some relaxing tea to help unwind the woman’s overworked mind.

The young woman places a steamy teacup in front of Norma and joins her at the table.  “Are you okay?”

Norma blinks herself back into reality after trying to pull memories from her psyche, making her head ache and her body become increasingly more exhausted.  She reaches for the cup in front of her with a shaky hand and touches the rim to her bottom lip to test the temperature.  Judging the heat to be safe, the older woman sips from the cup before placing it in front of her again.  “I’m fine Emma,” she exhales with an attempt at a reassuring smile. 

“I have a lot on my mind,” Norma’s voice wobbles and her nervous grin fades after a stretch of silence.  “Seeing Caleb was, well, unexpected.”  She shakes her head once and then drops her focus to her trembling fingers prior to meeting Emma’s concerned eyes.  “Maybe that’s not the right word to use because it was so much more than that,” she sighs while picking up the teacup and swallowing the warm liquid a little more aggressively at the memory.  “I don’t understand how everything is resolved between us?  How is the past so easily forgotten?”  The older woman suddenly gasps loudly, dropping the now empty cup to the tabletop.  “Oh my God Dylan, he knows the secret.  My poor baby boy!”  She openly weeps, covering her face with the palms of her hands.  “What he must think about me, what you must think!?!”

Emma reaches toward her mother figure and then gently strokes her back to soothe the distraught woman.  “I promise you Norma, everything is alright,” she murmurs calmly.  “Dylan is fine.”

Norma slides her palms down her dampened cheeks to focus her reddened eyes back to the young lady.  “Is he?”  She sniffles with a tremor in her tone in almost a whisper.  “How did he find out?”

Emma shifts awkwardly in her seat, uncomfortable with the questions being asked.  Her small frame fidgets and her eyelids seal shut briefly while remembering the disturbing sight of the visibly destroyed young man slumped over in his truck, unconscious.  Dylan was somewhat of a mystery to Emma back then, but even at that time she felt oddly drawn to him.  “Um, well, I don’t-“  She pauses for a moment, trying to choose her words carefully to not upset Norma further.  “He didn’t take it well at first,” Emma states while glancing at the older woman.  “But, he was in shock.  He’s put all of it behind him, just as you have.”  The young lady flashes a smile, sighing in relief when she notices a change in Norma’s expression.  “He cares for you, Norma.  No matter what he says or does, he cares.”    

Norma whimpers and attempts to wipe her tear stained cheeks dry with her unsteady fingers.  “Thank you Emma.”

Fifteen minutes of comfortable chitchat pass before Emma notices the older woman yawn discreetly.  “Maybe you should rest Norma,” Emma suggests cautiously.  “You’ve had a difficult day.”

“I think you’re right.  I’m just going to lay down for a bit.” Norma sleepily agrees as she stands up slowly from her chair, instantly discovering all of her body’s tension has withered away.  Thanks to the calming tea and the emotional afternoon, all of her limbs are weary.  The muscles in her extremities are beyond relaxed, crossing over to the point of immobile.  However, the sluggish woman politely refuses Emma’s offer for assistance and continues to shuffle out of the room.

Norma stands at the bottom of the stair case with her left hand gripping the post and one foot on the lowest step.  She takes in a deep inhale and then slowly exhales while mentally preparing herself to take the long hike upstairs.  Gradually Norma drags her feet up the stairs, continuing to grasp the banister for balance. 

Once Norma reaches the top and starts to approach her bedroom, she hears a noise coming from inside.  Regardless of her exhaustion, her body tenses and her pulse races as an automatic response. 

As far as she knows, Emma is the only other person in the house. 

Standing frozen to the side of the doorway to her room, Norma’s theories go wild within her head while trying to figure out the answer to her question.  However after a few moments of deep consideration, the woman’s nervous invisible shield slowly crumbles when she convinces herself how silly she’s being and how paranoid she has become.  Wiping all negative possibilities from her thoughts, Norma’s mind instead persuades her to believe her husband is the originator of the unexpected noise. 

Without further contemplation, Norma decides to plan a sneak attack and surprise Alex.    

A playful smirk forms on her face as she attempts to gracefully move forward, trying her best to be quiet even though her heels are most likely emitting some sort of sound against the hardwood floors.  As she creeps inside the room on her tip toes Norma notices the man inside her bedroom is not her loving husband, but a younger male she can’t recognize.  Her jaw drops ajar and a loud gasp leaves her lungs at the sight, prompting a quick reaction from the stranger seated at her lit vanity with what appears to be one of her perfume bottles secured in his grasp. 

The young man snaps his neck to the direction of the noise and focuses on the female figure standing in the room.  He instantly drops the scented bottle from his clasp to the floor with the screeching sound of glass shattering causing both mother and son to flinch dramatically.  Seeing Norma sets Norman into a confusing descent as he rushes to stand from the bench he had been seated in, hearing it also crash to the floor when he stands in haste. 

Unfortunately, Emma hears nothing. 

While Norma had walked from the kitchen to the hallway, Emma had found the earbuds and small iPod she had hidden inside her bag.  The urge to make Norma’s pantry more user friendly had overtaken any sense of alarm.  As the young woman obliviously continues to arrange various food containers in the large storage cabinet, a confrontation unleashes upstairs between mother and disturbed son. 

Norman moves aggressively toward his stunned mother.  Upon registering the movement of the young man wrapped in her light blue robe moving closer and closer to her, a vision consumes Norma’s mind.  Flashes of the past flood her thoughts which leads her to stumble as she attempts to step backward out of fear. 

Snippets of the night of her fall suddenly become clear.

Over a month ago….

“Norman!”  Norma shouts throughout the house with a little sharpness in her voice.  

After receiving a phone call mere minutes before from her husband regarding the young man’s recent behavior and outrageous threats directed to his new stepfather, the woman realizes she can no longer allow this type of attitude to continue.  Her son needs to accept the notion that the Sheriff isn’t going anywhere, no matter how poorly the young man acts. 

This is Norma’s chance at real happiness.  A happiness the woman hasn’t felt in years or maybe ever when she remembers her past filled with broken relationships with men who claimed to care about her, but only ended up hurting her both emotionally and physically.  The scars are finally healing from the memories she’s endured for years, Norma can’t lose the one Band-Aid she’s been able to lean on and receive unconditional love from.

Upon finding her son’s usual hiding spot in the basement empty, Norma decides to check the only other space he likes to be.  As the irritated woman walks up the long staircase to Norman’s bedroom, she decides to lower the volume of her voice and sweeten her tone, hoping to receive a better response.  “Norman honey, I’d like to talk with you.”        

When there is still no reaction to her words, Norma peeks inside the young man’s room only find it empty as well.  While standing confused and concerned in the hallway, she hears a noise radiating from her and Alex’s bedroom.  Her husband is obviously still working so it can’t be him, but perhaps her youngest son has decided to sneak in.  It wouldn’t be the first time she’s caught Norman in her room.  The pair used to spend quality family time together in her room, watching movies on the bed at night or even catching a nap on a lazy afternoon prior to the Sheriff coming into the picture.  It’s possible this is the young man’s way of expressing his defiance against all of the changes the family has gone through recently.  His way of continuing traditions with his mother he’s so afraid of losing?  Can she really lose her temper with her son who is obviously struggling?

In stepping through the doorway, the woman observes a disturbing sight.  Sure, Dylan has mentioned a similar spectacle he witnessed before, but Norma didn’t believe it.  Not until this very moment could her mind even grasp such a thought.  However seeing her youngest son, outfitted in her pale blue feminine robe with one of the sparkly dresses she owns clutched in his grip, suddenly allows her to accept the truth in the most shocking and jolting manner possible.

The loud sobs from his mother, stops the young man and causes him to focus intently on the woman standing in the doorway.  Deep in his “Norma” headspace, Norman drops the shiny dress from his fingertips and moves hostilely toward the female figure.  “How did you get into my house!?!” He shouts with venom in a higher pitched sound with hands raised, preparing to attack the shuddering woman.  “LEAVE or my sons will make you leave!  Dylan, Norman, get this crazy woman out of my house!”

Norma steps back quickly when she trips over her unsteady feet and falls to the ground in fright, realizing her disturbed son does in fact believe he is her. The sound of uncontrollable sobs continue to radiate throughout the hallow walls as she quickly tries to scramble to her feet, succeeding only seconds before her Norman hovers above her. 

Screaming and cries are the only noises filling the otherwise empty house while Norma frantically moves backwards, using the stairwell railing as the only guide to make her haste escape. However, once the heel of her shoe touches the top of the stairs, Norman lunges forward with all of his might and makes contact with the shaky woman’s shoulders.  With such incredible force, Norma’s grip is ripped from the railing and she plummets onto the steps. 

Her body is tossed and beaten ruthlessly as she tumbles down the stairs until her injured frame lands awkwardly to the unforgiving hardwood floor.  In the midst of her fall she knocks her head roughly on the ground, causing darkness to envelop her vision.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Norma remembers every detail of that fateful day and every day before it.  Everything is filtering back into her mind at this very second. 

Unfortunately for Norma, she now finds herself in the exact same positon she did over a month ago, with her son rushing at her so aggressively she can’t stop his momentum.  The heel of her shoe once again hovers over the edge, with even the tiniest of force she knows she will fall victim to the same result.  Desperately and furiously Norma claws at the banister to grab for any sort of safety, but she can’t hold on.  The woman now accepts her fate with the feeling of falling beginning to fill her senses.

Until… two strong arms embrace her, only inches away from her body making first contact with the steps.  “I have you Norma,” a deep voice whispers in her ear as she is lifted and carried down the stairs swiftly to the safety of the flat ground.  A panicked Emma stands near and then rushes over to the couple to immediately reach for her mother figure, who is clearly in shock.  The Sheriff can’t bear to let his wife go at the moment so he continues to hold her tightly to his chest, completely unaware of the young man in his mother’s robe jogging down after them.    

All of a sudden, a vulgar slamming noise from the foyer area causes everyone in the room to wince.  Instantly, the uproar of clambering footsteps run past the three other adults on the floor, quickly gaining their attention.  A running blur races mid-way up the stairs and then tackles a stunned Norman to the steps with a bone crushing crash.  The shadow turns out to be a wild eyed Dylan who has now taken control of the situation.  As the younger struggles to break free of his older brother’s grasp, another man rushes past the small crowd gathered in the room.

Deputy Evans immediately removes a pair of handcuffs from his side and attaches them to Norman’s fidgety wrists.  Dylan and the deputy both haul the troubled young man to his feet and into their clutches as they make their way down to the bottom floor.  A barely aware Norma is whisked away into another room, still secured in her husband’s arms while Norman is dealt with by his brother and Evans.  

“Norma?”  Romero asks quietly while he sits on the sofa with his wife resting comfortably on his lap, her body curled into his torso.  “Everything is alright, love.  I promise, you are safe.”

The woman peeks her eyes upward as he lowers his to make an instant connection.  A shy smile sneaks on Norma’s lips as the Sheriff grins fondly in response.  “You’ve never called me love before,” she says between soft sniffles. 

“I feel it fits you,” the man sighs sheepishly.  “It’s how I feel when I see you.”  Romero then flashes a nervous smile, unsure of what her response will be and completely naïve to his wife regaining her memory.   

Norma captures the right side of her bottom lip between her teeth playfully without breaking eye contact.  “I think I love it.”  The woman smirks bashfully and nuzzles her nose into his neck to bathe in his natural musky scent.

She falls asleep this way, blissfully huddled in her husband’s protective embrace.   

Chapter Text

The sensation of tender lips on her skin wakes Norma from her peaceful slumber with a flutter of her eyes. Gentle feather-like kisses progressively reach from the tip of her shoulder blade to her exposed neck, which she automatically reveals for her husband's access. Tiny goosebumps gradually appear as she feels the warmth around her middle suddenly disappear only to be replaced by the sensation of fingertips dancing across her uncovered arm. "Oh no you don't," Norma warns in a sleepy tone with an added yawn and eyes remaining sealed. "I know what you're trying to do."

"I don't know what you're talking about, love." A deepened whisper sneaks into her ear which makes her spine shiver at the feeling of his heated breath and a quiet hum leave her lungs. "I'm simply your alarm clock this morning." He says quietly while flashing a smirk she can't see.

"I suppose you were my alarm clock yesterday morning also." Norma attempts to appear stern, but the tiny smile on her lips betrays her. Suddenly the woman shifts her body to lie on her back and nuzzles closer to the man when she feels his muscular leg drape over her, subtly moving her closer to him.

"Actually, every morning," the Sheriff chuckles while enclosing his hold around Norma to essentially trap her figure under his. "It's my new role in life."

As Norma continues to wear a smile, she strains her neck to give her husband a peck on the lips and then wraps her arms loosely around his middle to massage his bare back with her finger tips. The motion noticeably causes a hitch in the man's breath and his arms to instinctively cuddle her closer to his chest. The woman pulls her focus from her husband for a moment to take a quick peek to her left. Her eyes widen with the realization the true alarm clock on the nightstand displays a time much later than she expected.

Squirming to break free of her husband's loving grasp, Norma resorts to poking the man's sides lightly with both of her index fingers when her simple movement underneath fails to budge him. "We're going to be late," she informs him a little frantically as she struggles to sit up. "I knew we shouldn't have stayed up to such a ridiculous hour last night, well, technically this morning. We can't disappoint Dylan and Emma. They're counting on us to be at their house in an hour and I still have things to do at the motel before we leave, so move it Mr. Sheriff!" She orders teasingly with a giggle and a shove to his shoulder.

The Sheriff groans dramatically while reluctantly rolling off his wife's slender frame. His body then sinks into the mattress next to her out of disappointment, unwilling to move another muscle without force. In observing her husband's lack of enthusiasm to start the day, Norma continuously nudges him until he sits up to rest his back against the bed's headboard. "Alright but we'll be continuing this later," he retorts in frustration through a visible pout.

Norma's alluring eyes meet his with a cheeky grin etched on her face before she swings her legs over the edge of their bed. With a quick glance over her shoulder she flashes a playful wink toward her husband. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Placing his hand on hers, Romero surges forward with a sinister smile and tugs mildly on her bicep. The swift motion causes her to easily and willingly fall into his torso with an uncontrollable snicker. His strong arms immediately lock around her as she shifts in his grasp to meet his focus. While lying comfortably on top of the man, Norma continues to giggle with a blush brightening her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes. "Well, I guess we have a little time."

Needless to say, the couple is late.

XXXX

"Alexander William Massett!" Emma exclaims from the kitchen when she notices small chubby fingers stretching for the fancy decorated 2 tiered cake resting on the dining table. "I see you."

The boy's sapphire blue eyes widen in shock, causing his little hands to startle and his jaw to drop ajar. Immediately, the three year old falls from his shaky tip toes and takes a hastened step backward. "I'm being good mommy," he squeaks while lowering his focus to his feet.

Emma steps into the dining area, bends down to his level and then raises her son's chin with her index finger in order to meet his stare. "I told you not to go near that cake, Lex." She sighs trying to sound firm, but seeing the boy's dampened eyes causes her tone to automatically soften. "I promise you will get a piece later." Emma then uses the fingers of her right hand to gently sweep a stray piece of wavy auburn hair away from the child's forehead before leaning over to place a kiss there.

With a barely noticeable sniffle, the boy sheepishly smiles at his mother. "Okay."

The young woman moves from her bent position to kneel on her knees and then reaches to straighten her young son's royal blue bowtie knotted around his baby neck. While in the same pose, Emma smooths out the boy's charcoal gray suit to whisk away any wrinkles with the palms of her hands. "You are just the cutest." She smiles, pinching her child's plump cheeks between her right thumb and forefinger.

"So what did you do to earn the full name shout out little man?" Dylan questions as he makes his presence known wearing an almost identical suit to his child, wearing a regular tie versus bowtie. The interruption in the room causes both mother and son to direct their attention to the new voice.

The small boy claps his tiny hands together with a wide grin and then squirms from his mom's loosened grasp to rush for him. "Daddy!" The toddler yells excitedly and sprints toward his father, giggling loudly when Dylan picks him up in his arms with an enhanced smile.

Emma sends an annoyed expression to her husband when she notices him bouncing their son in his embrace, observing the wrinkles she just smoothed from the boy's clothes reappear and his bow tie once again shift. "I just fixed his outfit Dylan," she narrows her eyes as she struggles to stand from her knees.

"Sorry mommy," father and son apologize in unison while the young man sets Lex back to his feet.

In noticing his wife's obvious failed efforts to hoist her body upwards on her own, Dylan steps closer to her with an extended hand and concerned tone. "Do you need some help?"

With strong arms hugging her sides, Emma is easily lifted to a standing position and then immediately faces her husband to briefly touch her lips to his. "Thank you," she mutters under huffed breath. "I can't do the simplest of things anymore. It's starting to get annoying."

The young man lays his hand tenderly on his wife's evident protruding bump and then leans down to press his left ear against her tummy. "Our daughter apologizes for being inconvenient," he smirks and then flinches when he feels the baby inside kick through the material of Emma's dress at the sound of his voice. "But, she can't wait to meet us."

"Hmmm, I guess she's forgiven then." Emma smiles when she feels a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "You, however, are not since it's your fault my son is a wrinkled mess again. What will everyone think when they see this adorable little boy strolling down the path with his shirt untucked on one side and his tie turned around?"

"Come here buddy. Let me fix you up before your mom gets any more upset with me," he chuckles directing a wink in the direction of his wife and then squats down in front of the young boy. When his son's appearance is again straightened and a quick comb of his father's fingers sifts through the toddler's soft shortened hair, Dylan glances up at the clock hanging on the wall. "They're 30 minutes late. Everyone is going to be here soon and they're nowhere in sight. Maybe I should've told them what is happening today."

"No, I love that you're surprising them with a wedding ceremony for their 5th anniversary. It's the sweetest gesture," Emma convinces the young man who has now turned a bit jittery. "Your mom and Romero never got the kind of wedding they deserved. It was all so rushed and for reasons other than what they should have been. They are truly in love now and this is the perfect time for them to be rewarded for that feeling. Especially since everything has calmed down in their lives."

The young woman turns to stare at her son with a fond expression and then meets her husband's restless eyes. "Just think about everything that has happened for a minute," she touches Dylan's shoulder and lightly massages it with her thumb. "The motel is once again successful since Romero rallied to open up another exit exclusively for it and even assisted in bringing other businesses in the area to attract people to stay there. Second of all, they have an empty house to concentrate on only themselves and their marriage in peace. Plus, your mom is seemingly adjusting to your bro- ," Emma stops herself abruptly before she mentions a subject that will no doubt cause drama on a day where nothing but happy thoughts should exist. "Um, Lex why don't you go in the other room and play quietly with one of your trucks for a bit while I talk to your dad. And, remember no rough housing. I don't want to have to fix you up again."

"Yes mommy," the toddler says with a nod before he scampers into the other room to play.

"Such a polite little boy, well, unless he sees cake." The young couple shares a quick laugh until Dylan's appearance changes suddenly, looking rather bothered now. Upon observing her husband's demeanor transform, Emma grabs for his hand and clasps her fingers within his in a tightened grip. "I called and left a couple of messages for your mom. I'm sure they'll be here," she searches his eyes and notices something else may be troubling her husband but she waits for him to mention what's truly perturbing him. "The tables and chairs are all arranged near the water, a path is cleared and the officiant should be here soon. Your parents only have to change into the dress I got for Norma and the suit you snuck out of their closet for Romero when they weren't home."

A long stretch of silence fills the room before Dylan speaks. "This isn't really about the ceremony Emma," he pauses for a moment and shifts his attention away from her briefly before making eye contact with his wife once more. "I saw Norman yesterday while I was working."

The young woman feels his hand tremble a bit in hers, but she remains silent to encourage Dylan to continue uninterrupted.

"He keeps getting worse. I don't even think he even recognizes me anymore," he sighs squeezing her fingers a little snugger. "He looked straight at me yesterday and didn't react. I would take any sort of reaction from my little brother at this point."

Tears hidden in the corners of Emma's eyes threaten to fall at seeing her husband's distress. "I thought you were giving up on visiting Norman at the hospital until the doctor told you his condition improved."

"I did! I swore when I saw him a few weeks ago, I would never see him again because he's too far gone for me to reach at this point but this wasn't my choice. I saw him accidently when another deputy and I had to bring a guy to his ward for a mandatory 72 hour hold," Dylan gazes blankly at his wife. "Norman stared at me with absolutely no expression on his face, almost like I was a stranger or something," Dylan groans intensely and shakes his head lightly from side to side. "I'm a terrible brother."

"You are not. Your brother is sick, Dylan. We all wish he could get better, but it's not up to us. He's with a highly respected doctor and medical team thanks to your efforts in trying to get him to work with Norman," Emma attempts to reassure.

"I also ran into Dr. Carter while I was at the hospital. He said Norman no longer answers to his own name, he only answers to mother now. That is why the doctor won't allow my mom to visit him or have any contact with him until further notice," the young man informs while taking a shaky inhaled breath. "Though the doctor seems to have faith this drastic behavior change may be the break Norman needs to snap out of this weird head space of his. Basically, Dr. Carter is just going along with Norman's delusion instead of forcing him to face everything head on. He thinks this will bring Norman back to reality somehow."

Emma reaches her freehand to run her fingertips along the curve of his jaw line, causing Dylan to close his eyes for a few seconds to revel in his wife's tender touch. "He's the professional, Dylan. You need to let him do his job."

"Yeah, you're right." He exhales roughly while pulling her closer into his chest. "Norma seems to be dealing with all of this, so I should too I guess."

"Well, knowing Norma's bond to her youngest son, I think she's putting on a brave front right now for everyone. She was devastated after remembering the truth about her incident, almost inconsolable actually, but I think Lex has provided a healthy distraction. Her grandson is quite a handful," Emma smirks knowingly. "Plus, working on rebuilding the motel's reputation and now dealing with all the customers flooding through the doors, she's been keeping busy," she sighs with a hint of sadness in her tone. "I know deep down she is still distraught. She's never said anything, but I catch her sometimes deep in thought with a troubled look on her face."

Desperate to change the subject, Emma then tries to steer the conversation away from the Norman subject after a spell of silence. She already knows she's said too much. "By the way, you look pretty eye-catching today Mr. Massett," the young woman mentions while straightening the lapels of her husband's darkened gray suit jacket.

Dylan pulls his pregnant wife closer to his torso with a grin and then glides the tip of his nose against the left side of her neck. "Well, you look stunning in this dress Mrs. Massett, but I think you already know that."

The youthful couple remains in an embrace a few minutes more, before the sound of a vehicle racing onto the gravel of their driveway causes them both to flinch and loosen their caress.

The pitter patter of tiny shoes hitting the wooden floor leads Dylan to pull away from his wife and race after the toddler before he can reach the front door. "Whoa little man, there is no running in this house. You know better than that." Dylan casually scolds as he observes his son now jumping up with pint-sized bounces to make grabby hands for the door lock, which is just out of his reach. The young man takes ahold of the toddler's hand and peers through the side window of the doorframe to see familiar faces exiting an equally recognizable vehicle.

Dylan keeps the small boy's hand in his grip as he unlocks and opens the door. Instantly, the three year old's face lights up brighter than a Christmas tree when he sees who is approaching the house with intertwined fingers. Wiggling his hand free from his daddy's grasp the boy runs as fast as his little legs can take him toward the couple with a large smile. "Gramma! Papa Sheriff!" Lex screams in delight while Norma lowers her body to his height in preparation to catch her grandson when he inevitably rushes into her clutches.

However prior to reaching his grandmother, the toddler topples over and lands with his knees in the dirt causing all of the adults to dramatically cringe at the sight. With barely a pause in his movement or even a yelp in pain, the young boy stands on wobbly limbs and takes a couple of more steps with arms outstretched until he finally melts into the heartfelt cuddle of his grandmother.

In noticing the dirt now embedded in the fabric of his son's previously spotless dress pants Dylan mumbles to himself. "Emma is going to kill me."

"Don't you look handsome in your suit and bowtie," Norma coos over her grandson while bobbing him in her arms every once in a while as she walks toward her eldest son standing nearby.

"Why are you so dressed up today buddy?" The Sheriff asks with a caring smile, reaching over to straighten his step grandson's tie clasped around his neck and then brushes some of the dirt clinging to his pant leg.

"For you and gramma silly," the boy giggles as if it is a well-known fact the party happening today is for them.

Dylan can only shake his head warmheartedly in the realization of the surprise regarding his parent's impromptu nuptials has just been exposed by his overly excitable three year old.

Squinting her eyes in confusion, Norma exchanges a quick glance with her husband who looks equally lost. "What's going on Dylan?" Romero questions with a shrug of his shoulders, noticing his stepson is dressed similarly to the boy.

"Okay. Well, Emma and I may have put together a gathering for you two." Dylan flashes an awkward grin and instantly looks over his shoulder when he hears the front door creak open. He continues to smile as he watches his wife step close to his side.

"This is a second wedding for you two, more like a redo actually. The first one wasn't under the best circumstances and none of us were there to witness the ceremony. We thought this would be an interesting gift for your fifth anniversary. Hopefully you're both comfortable with this idea." Emma says with an optimistic expression which quickly fades upon focusing on her son's visibly dirty pants. "Seriously Dylan? You couldn't keep him clean for another few hours." The young woman then weakly slaps her husband's shoulder with the back of her hand and furrows her brow line.

"I fell mo-m-my," the boy stutters and instantly lowers his gaze to the ground while still in Norma's clutches. "I'm sorry," he snuffles. "I didn't mean to."

"No worries honey, it was an accident," Norma wipes the tears threatening to fall from the boy's eyes with her free fingers. As an automatic response, little Lex leans the side of his face onto his grandma's shoulder and peers through the corner of his eyes to his right to meet the look of his irritated mom. A tiny sigh escapes the toddler's lungs as he notices his mom's initially frustrated appearance slowly soften. Upon seeing Emma approach them, the older woman gives her grandson one last squeeze before setting him to his feet on the ground and watches him hesitantly move toward his mother. The older woman flashes a fond smile at the sheer cuteness of the toddler toward her husband, who immediately returns it.

Hanging his head low in shame, Lex allows his hand to be taken into his mother's as they step to the house.

To the young woman's relief, the dirt surrounding her son's knees appear to be only surface deep and not as bad as she originally expected. "It's okay munchkin, we'll fix you all up good as new. Just promise mommy no more running." Emma advises with a sweetened voice, earning a tentative nod and a shy smile from the boy.

Dylan doesn't miss the hint of a scowl on his wife's lips as she maneuvers around him with their son trailing behind her. "Well, it looks like I will be in trouble for this one," he chuckles uncomfortably and squints at his parents. "Anyway, I'm sorry if this is a dumb idea today. I guess Emma and I just wanted to show our appreciation for helping with Lex and working on building this house with us. We would never have gotten everything done if it wasn't for you two."

Tears start to sneak down Norma's cheeks in hearing her son's thoughtful explanation. Her body suddenly compels forward and she instantly wraps her arms around Dylan's shoulders, causing him to stumble backward on his feet but he quickly recovers. Even after everything that has happened; the young man is still hesitant when it comes to his mother. However, following a few seconds of quiet contemplation, Dylan finally returns her hug. Norma has always understood her eldest son's hesitance toward her, she knows it's justified by how she had treated him in the past. The only thing she can do is to take each day in stride with the young man and his family in an attempt to eventually make things right with him.

When mother and son pull apart, Romero drapes his arm around his wife's waist and then reaches with his free hand to shake Dylan's in gratitude. "This means a lot to us Dylan. Thank you."

XXXX

"Do you want to go with your daddy to the cabin to help get papa Sheriff ready for their wedding or do you want to stay with me and grandma?" Emma asks the toddler, who is continually fidgeting with the collar of his white dress shirt, clearly uncomfortable with the foreign feeling around his neck.

"What do you say buddy, wanna come with us? Or stay with the girls?" Dylan questions with a smirk, already knowing his son's decision.

The three year old rushes for his dad and makes grabby hands for his dad to pick him up into his arms. "I want to go with daddy and papa Sheriff please," he squeals as he's lifted into the air.

"I knew it. It's because you're a big boy, my little man," Dylan coos at the child who is still bobbing out of excitement in his dad's hold.

Emma rolls her eyes lightheartedly at the scene. "Alright but you be good, okay? No making messes," the young woman places her left hand on her hip while wagging her index finger in her son's direction.

"Okay mommy," the boy replies. "I won't."

"That goes for you too mister," she now directs her attention to her husband in a joking manner. "I'm counting on you to keep him out of trouble."

"Yeah, I get it." Dylan responds sarcastically, returning her previous eye roll in response.

The women watch the men step out the front door and make their way to the small cabin next door before Emma turns to face her mother in law. "Are you ready to get into your dress?"

"My dress?" Norma raises a brow in confusion. "But, I didn't bring one."

"Well, I may have gotten Dylan to steal one of your dresses for your measurements. My husband was quite stealthy in his mission," she snickers behind the palm of her right hand. "He also grabbed a suit and dress shoes out of your closet for Romero to wear today. Oh, and he also snuck out a pair of your heels too."

"Hmm, I guess he really is my son. I've been known to be a little sneaky myself." Norma says, as the women share a laugh before a bout of noiselessness fills the air. "You two are truly wonderful," she says with another round of tears slipping down her face.

"You both deserve it." Emma smiles widely, lightly tugging Norma to the guest room by her bicep where the older woman's bridal dress is hanging gracefully from the closet door.

Norma gasps loudly and instantly covers her mouth with both her hands upon the vision of her dress. "Oh Emma, it's so beautiful. I don't know what to say sweetie," her eyes widen with a large smile hiding behind her palms.

The dress is a light cream colored A-line design with a touch of delicate lace adorning the cap sleeves and finely draped around the neckline. The skirt of the dress is not without its own equally fragile and graceful lace, carefully layered upon the same color silk material peeking through. To embellish the otherwise one color dress, a simple royal blue silk ribbon wrapped around the waist.

Norma holds her breath as she slowly takes a few steps closer to the exquisite outfit, reaching her fingers forward to lightly pinch the material between her index finger and thumb in awe. She is truly touched by the mere thought of wearing wedding dress. In her previous marriages Norma never had the luxury of owning such a meaningful dress to celebrate this type of special day.

Even with her first wedding to Alex, it was more of a business transaction than a day to remember. However, now she's ready to share every emotion with everyone in her life and to celebrate a union between two souls who truly belong with each other. Norma wipes her right cheek with a swipe of her hand and then turns to Emma with a quiet sniffle.

"Let's get started," Emma grins while she lifts to her tip toes to unhook the dress from the closet door.

Once Norma has changed into the dress, Emma works quickly to fasten the several pearl finished buttons lining up the older woman's back. The blue sash is then tied comfortably around her slim waist and tied into a loose bow just above the curve of her lower backbone. Emma gradually turns her mother in law around to make sure everything is place before carefully ushering her to the long length mirror in the corner of the room.

"You look beautiful Norma, but there are a few finishing touches I want to add. Luckily I planned on you wearing your own make up," Emma giggles while extending her arm to pick up a sapphire and rhinestone embellished hair piece placed on a nearby dresser top. The young woman smiles as she attaches the shiny yet classic and simple barrette which is reminiscent of the 1940's to her hair. "This is your something borrowed," Emma mentions. "You might remember it, I wore it at my wedding. This was passed down to women in my family for years and I thought it would match your day perfectly." Norma is speechless at the encouraging words of her daughter in law.

After smoothing out a stray strand of her mother figure's hair, Emma moves her arm toward the dresser again and chooses a necklace this time. "This is your something new," Emma continues to grin. "Dylan bought this for you at an antique store in a nearby town." The older woman begins to weep as the necklace is fastened and straightened to fall just above the neckline of her dress.

"Are you alright Norma? I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you." Emma turns to face the older woman with a concerned look in her eyes.

Norma shakes her head. "Oh no sweetie. I'm just happy," she shakily inhales. "This is all so thoughtful and then this," the older woman motions to the necklace around her neck. "This gift represents hope for me," Norma admits with wide and reddened eyes focusing on her daughter in law. "When Dylan moved here years ago, we had such a rocky start. It is my fault and I accept full responsibility for the crumbling of our mother and son relationship, but this present shows me he's dedicated to fixing things between us. And, maybe he's on the road to forgiving me."

Silently blaming her pregnancy hormones, Emma joins her optimistic mother in law with a few tears dropping from the corners of her eyes. "Okay, no more tears for us Norma because now I have to fix your make up," the young woman giggles, earning a laugh from the other woman. "Oh, and I know there is already blue in your new jewelry and the hairpiece, but also we can't forget your blue shoes," she says while suddenly holding a familiar pair of heels in her fingers.

"So that's where those have disappeared to," Norma laughs in seeing the shoes in Emma's hand.

Emma snickers. "I told you Dylan is sneaky." Emma then catches a quick glimpse of the clock hanging on the wall and suddenly panics. "Oh my, we're running really behind." The young woman informs frantically as she hears the sound of gravel crunching under the various tires of approaching vehicles. "You just need a little powder on your cheeks and some lipstick for a little color," she advises while rushing to retrieve her makeup from the other room.

"One more thing Norma. I'll need your ring."

XXXX

"You know you didn't have to do all this. You and Emma have helped with the motel a great deal and now that it's once again successful, we should be thanking you." The Sheriff advises while he fiddles with his fingers nervously.

"We wanted to do this," Dylan replies quietly as he straightens the older man's tie for the final touch before they head outside to greet the small group of guests who have gathered outside near the lake. The young man then clears his thoughts and takes a step backward. "So, well, I actually wanted to say something that, well, I didn't get to say before."

Romero is silent and directs his full attention to his eldest stepson.

"I guess I just want to say thank you," he rubs his forehead briefly with the palm of his right hand out of nervousness. "Basically, I appreciate how you've protected Norma and how you've stood behind her regardless of how difficult the situation," he sighs. "Even with my painful past with her, my mom has been and will always be important to me. It's refreshing to see her with someone who genuinely cares about her and accepts her. She hasn't had that before."

"I unders- ." Romero starts to speak, but is quickly interrupted by the young man.

"Just let me say this," Dylan continues with a firm tone. "I know you and I haven't gotten along at times, but I want to let you know that I do respect you and even if I don't say those words a lot to you, I do mean it. You even inspired me to go into the police academy. I don't know if you actually helped me get my deputy job at the department or not, but either way you helped me," he pauses for a few seconds and gulps loudly through his throat. "You are my stepdad and I do accept you, hell, my son worships you." The young man laughs, which causes the Sheriff to smirk.

"He does, doesn't he?" Romero chuckles as he looks over his shoulder to see the toddler entranced by a random superhero cartoon playing on the tv next to them, sitting quietly for a change.

"Alright, alright no need to be smug." Dylan replies sarcastically, extending his right hand toward Romero. "So, are we good?"

The Sheriff nods, shaking his stepson's hand with his. "We're good."

A knock on the cabin door causes both of the men to flinch and the small boy to snap his neck in the direction of the entryway.

Dylan strides across the room and opens the door to see a familiar face. "Hey Caleb, I didn't think you were going to make it today."

"I wanted to be here for Norma," Caleb informs as he timidly walks inside with his face turning pale in seeing the Sheriff standing a few feet away from him with his arms crossed against his chest. "Besides you said you may need my help with things." Caleb remains intimidated by his sister's husband, even after all of these years later. Though his sibling relationship has become strengthened over the years, the Sheriff remains skeptical and overly protective of Norma. Caleb understands this.

Sure, working side by side with Romero to build his son's house and assisting with the reopening of the motel has improved the situation, but it has by no means fixed the problem. "I know I'm a little late but I thought I could still help in some way. Emma just told me you were in the so-called man cave," Caleb advised with an awkward chuckle.

In hearing Caleb's voice, Lex jumps off the couch and rushes toward his grandfather. Remembering his mother's words, the toddler is careful not to run and disobey his mother's warning. "Grandpa Caleb!" The boy screams triggering Dylan and Romero to wince at the volume. When the three year old reaches his grandfather, Caleb squats down and opens his arms for a hug.

"Hi Kiddo. I've missed you," Caleb squishes the toddler in his hold and then places a quick peck on the boy's forehead.

"Okay little man, give your grandpa Caleb a little breather." Dylan checks his watch and then pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "It's getting late, we need to get you out there," the young man points at his stepfather with a smile. "Caleb, I actually do have something you can help with. Come with me," he ushers his dad through the door and then paces toward his toddler. "Come on buddy. Turn off the tv."

Once the tv is off, Dylan takes the small boy's tiny fingers in his grasp and steps to his stepfather with the palm of his free hand outstretched. "One more thing, I need your ring."

XXXX

Twenty to thirty wedding guests have taken their seats at the various rented white round tables scattered around the backyard. Adhering to the color of the wedding, blue candles with glass shielding the open flames are placed carefully on each table while simple blue ribbons tied upon the matching chairs. Sporadic displays of fresh rich blue irises, periwinkle flowers and white tulips are sprinkled to add a little extra to each of the table tops, which coordinately match Norma's bouquet.

While Romero is standing in overlook of the waterfront next to the somewhat stoic officiant, Dylan and Caleb systematically walk down the designated aisle area with a pure white covering unraveling in their grip with every step they take until it spans across a significant amount of space. After the material is laid down to their satisfaction, Caleb takes a seat in a chair next to Wil Decody at the assigned family table and patiently waits until the ceremony begins.

Meanwhile, Dylan rushes inside his house in preparation to escort his mother down the newly created aisle.

Norma's nerves start to consume her as she sees her son hurriedly move toward her. "Ready Norma?" Her son asks impatiently while holding out his hand for her to take, without waiting for an answer from his mother. The woman reaches a trembling hand to her son and then feels her arm suddenly hooked within his.

Emma waits patiently by the front door with a white satin puffy pillow secured in one hand and her toddler's fingers in her other. The young woman notices her mother in law's body twitch slightly as she stands next to Dylan. "Are you alright Norma?"

"Oh, yes. I have to admit, I've been a bit anxious since it was mentioned that we're exchanging vows and not following the traditional ceremony." Norma hesitantly peeks at her son, afraid she's disappointing him.

"I'll give you the same advice I gave your husband a little while ago," he informs in a calm tone. "Just speak from your heart," Dylan smiles at his mother and then meets Emma's eyes briefly before returning his attention back to Norma. "Don't worry, there will be no judgement from anyone here," he sighs with a sincere grin. "Mom, your words are meant to be exchanged between the two of you. We're just lucky to overhear them." Norma nods in acknowledgement and then releases a deep breath before they proceed forward and step through the front door.

A soft melody is played through various mini speakers dispersed around the yard as the guests continue to grow restless in anticipation for the ceremony to begin which is already running about 30 minutes later than originally planned.

Exactly 45 minutes after the scheduled time for the wedding to begin, Emma appears with her son wobbling on his toddler legs next to her. The small boy struggles to keep up with his mother's steps and hold the fluffy pillow with two shiny rings tied in the middle, but he refuses to let it go. He totters down the aisle with a proud grin formed on his lips as he giggles in seeing all of the smiling faces shining at him.

In seeing her three year old distracted by all of the guests, Emma leans to her side slightly and lays a comforting hand on his shoulder in an attempt to guide him. Once they reach the end of the white material near the waterfront, the young woman stands next to the officiant on the opposite side of the Sheriff. A beaming Lex takes his place in front of his mother and tolerantly waits for his grandmother to step closer to him.

Caleb stands from his seat and rapidly approaches a small bench set near the side of the house and changes the music radiating through the speakers to the traditional wedding march. All the guests rise from their chairs and aim their attention to the woman with her eldest son stepping onto the span of white material.

A tearful smile garnishes her face as she focuses her gaze upon the man who has brought her immense happiness during the past five years.

At first glimpse of his wife, an abrupt intake of his breath fills the Sheriff's lungs while he locks his eyes on the feminine figure steadily approaching him. He returns her smile and then untangles his own trembling fingers to take her hand in his while nodding at his stepson. Dylan joins Romero's side before staring fondly at his own wife and beaming three year old. The young man touches his lips with the tip of his right index finger in an attempt to quiet his toddler from where he's standing, causing the boy to mirror his daddy's action.

The ceremony pushes forward faultlessly throughout the brief speech from the officiant, the removal of the rings from the pillow gripped in the toddler's tight clasp and even the shift in positions for Lex from his mother's side to his grandpa Wil's lap.

With the rings now secured in Emma's hand, a lightning bolt of adrenaline shoots up the veins of the ceremonial couple because they both know what is next, the vows.

Filling his lungs with a deepened breath, the Sheriff intertwines his quivering fingers with his wife's and intensely gazes into her already watery eyes.

"My stepson has so wisely advised me to speak from the heart. The problem is I'm not exactly smooth with my words, but I will try my best," the man clears his tightened throat. "You're stunning today Norma and honestly I'm at a loss for what to say next," Romero chuckles lightly, causing a tiny giggle to release from his wife and a laugh to radiate amongst the guests in attendance. "Okay, sorry I got distracted a bit." The Sheriff pauses, squeezes his eyes shut momentarily and then gathers his thoughts before beginning to speak.

"Well, that was certainly embarrassing," the man jokes. "Anyway, from the second I met you Norma my life has been a whirlwind of excitement, intrigue and confusion. We've experienced tremendous happiness, struggled with heartbreak and suffered through miscommunication throughout our time together. Most couples would break apart from the strain our relationship has experienced and the rollercoaster ride we have taken, but we have only become stronger together," he takes a moment to once again collect his words. "Through our love I have been lucky enough to become not only a husband, but also a father and a grandfather." Romero peeks over his wife's shoulder to witness Lex waving at him with his plump little hand and a wide smile from where he's held in Wil's arms. "I vow to always protect you and our family from whatever surprise may be lying around the corner, waiting for us. You've forever changed me Norma and now there's no turning back from our continued adventure." The Sheriff smiles and then lifts one of her hands to his lips to place a chaste kiss on her knuckles.

As predicted, Norma's eyes begin to tear uncontrollably and a sob escapes her lungs. Her husband's words, even though not the most eloquent, have melted her heart. Instead of loosening her entangled fingers to wipe her cheeks dry, she allows them to stay damp. She can't fathom losing the touch of her husband at this very moment. With her heart beating roughly against her rib cage, the woman takes a few seconds of silence to collect herself prior to starting her emotional speech. "Sorry, I can't stop crying," she speaks in between stray sniffs through her nose. "Your words… were so perfect Alex." The woman breathes slowly in another attempt to gather her emotions enough to talk. "I'm not sure I can even come close to what you just said, but I will give it my best. Just know the words I am about to say are not nearly as strong as how I feel," she whispers while squeezing her dainty fingers in-between his.

"I've never met a man so strong and gentle at the same time. Those two aspects don't typically go together, but you've broken this theory and have proven to me how a woman like me could be treated. I've never felt more loved or more protected than I have since knowing you." Norma leans in closer to her husband, daring to take another step forward to close their already slight gap. "You have saved me from not only others who have been a threat to me, but also from myself and I can never thank you enough for this." The women chokes a bit on her words with the many emotions flooding her throat. "You are the true guardian to my heart. I love you," she whispers.

Once the vows are complete and Norma clears her tear stained cheeks with a tissue, the ceremony is continues.

The already married couple's rings are exchanged with gentle expressions etched on their faces mere seconds before the treasured first kiss is shared with both tenderness and grace amongst the many claps echoing loudly in celebration at the announcement of Mr. / Mrs. Romero.

The day has been flawless.

XXXX

The day gradually turns to night with the sun slowly slipping away, granting permission for the remaining sky to gradually turn a variety of brightened colors. A light breeze floating through the air causes the water to ripple gently across the surface while a slight chill nips at the skin of all the remaining attendees present at the party. To shield his wife from the inevitable coolness of the atmosphere, the Sheriff promptly removes the jacket from his shoulders and wraps the woman up in the thickened material. In gratitude, Norma strains her neck upward and places her softened lips to his flushed right cheek before she flitters away to speak with one of the many guests mingling in the backyard.

In seeing his stepfather provide his suit coat to Norma, Dylan glances to his right to notice his own wife's skin prickle with goosebumps due to the falling temperature. With a copied grand gesture the young man quickly discards his jacket as well and cloaks his pregnant wife tightly within the heated cloth. He then leans down and cautiously touches the Emma's protruding belly before fastening some of the buttons to ensure the warmth of his wife and unborn baby girl. Emma places her right index finger under the young man's chin and directs him upward to meet her lips with his. "Thank you," she whispers in appreciation and then slithers her left arm around his waist, automatically prompting Dylan's right arm to rest along her shoulders.

The young couple can't help but laugh at their energetic son dashing around the yard smiling and giggling like a little maniac while participating in an outdoor game with the other children in attendance. Unfortunately, the child soon trips on the grass and falls on his knees for the second time today triggering the parents to wince at the sight, but both breathe a sigh of relief when they notice the boy jump to his feet and continue to play without shedding a tear or skipping a beat.

"Well he's dedicated, I'll say that for him." Dylan chuckles, squeezing his wife's frame a little tighter. "Nothing is going to get in the way of his play time."

Emma snickers, leaning into her young husband's side a little more to soak up more of his body heat. "I'm just hoping he'll tire himself out. His energy level right now is off the charts, crossing over into crazy town."

XXXX

An array of soft music plays throughout the atmosphere as comfortable conversations continue between the gathered group of guests. The food, which was generously donated by a fellow deputy's wife, is enjoyed by friends and family while sentimental well-wishes from Emma and Dylan interrupt the scattered banter amongst the invitees.

Thirty minutes have flown by and it is now time to cut the grand 2-tiered cake perched upon a side table. The Sheriff applies slight pressure to the small of his wife's back and gently guides her to the other side of the yard. Once they position themselves behind the cake stand, Norma picks up the sterling silver knife lying on the table top and secures it in her right grip. The Sheriff swiftly moves himself behind his wife and then sneaks his arm around her middle, just above the satin bow attached to her dress. Carefully, the man rests his hand upon Norma's and slips his fingers in-between hers as they successfully glide the blade through the cake with ease.

Once a piece of the cake is secured in their grip, a sinister grin appears on the woman's face as she pinches a portion between her finger and thumb. With harmless force, Norma mashes the frosted treat in her fingers and then takes careful aim for her husband's face. Upon contact the woman moves the palm of her hand around the face of her startled husband to spread the sweetened mess, completely covering his nose and lips. In playful retaliation the Sheriff rests his hands on both sides of his wife's face and then plunges his lips forward to share the sloppy yet tasty goodness.

After another round of laughter inducing cake smashing, the married couple disappears inside the house only to return several minutes later with clean and smiley faces. The minute the bride and groom return to the party, the pieces of cake are distributed to the remaining guests.

Little Lex's eyes enlarge and become a brighter blue when a piece of cake is finally set in front of him, something the small boy has been looking forward to since this morning. The toddler claps his hands together in anticipation as his mother struggles to roll up the sleeves of the young child's dress shirt before the three year old carelessly dives his fingers into the frosting, invoking an eye roll and an irritated sigh from Emma in response.

With only one sugary bite, the toddler instantly shivers with the sudden burst of energy the frosting supplies his veins. When the boy finishes his dessert, he immediately squirms from his seat and jumps to the grass. "Done mommy!" Lex shouts as he begins to run away from the table, frosting and crumbles still stuck to his face and fingers. After five exhausting minutes of racing after her toddler, a pregnant Emma finally catches up to him. As soon as his mother wiped the last crumb from his cheek, Lex is off again to race around the yard. Emma just hopes the toddler's sugar high crashes soon.

XXXX

With shuffled music steadily playing through the speakers, the night begins to wind down. Only a few candles set on the tables remain flickering, but the shine of the stars in the clear darkened sky and the array of lit fairy lights dusted along the house assist to keep the blackness of night away. Most of the attendees have left the party, leaving only a scattered amount of people to continue the evening in the backyard.

All of a sudden a particular song ("Never Say Never" by The Fray) is heard through the air, a favorite of the renewed married couple.

Upon the first note of the tune, the Sheriff quickly stands from his chair and faces his wife with his right hand extended toward her. With a lively smile, Norma instantly takes a hold of her husband's hand and trails behind him as he smoothly leads them to the designated dance area of the yard. The space is illuminated by the moonlight and is set perfectly in front of the calming wavy water, easily allowing the pair to relax in each other's arms.

The woman reaches her arms slightly above her and touches the sides of her husband's face with the palms of her hands. Once Norma's thumbs softly massage the man's sharpened cheekbones she tilts her neck upward while he simultaneously casts his gaze down to meet her eyes, causing them both to quiver at the instant loving connection. With haste and a smirk, the Sheriff nestles his arms around his wife's waist and subtly draws her nearer into his broadened chest.

No words are needed as they float to the rhythm of the familiar song under the stars and lit moon. Soon all other sounds and distractions fade into the background until they are almost non-existent. The couple's eyes never disconnect and their feet never falter while they continue to sway to the beat of their own hearts.

The music has long since ended now, but the pair never breaks apart nor do they move the focus from their own little world. The guests have steady left for their own homes as the night continues to move forward, leaving Dylan and Emma as the only other couple present. Careful not to disturb his parents, Dylan strides around his yard picking up discarded plates, glasses and any other item that needs cleaning. Every once in a while the young man takes a break to catch a glimpse at the devoted couple dancing to no music near the water with a fond grin etched on his face.

After all of the failed attempted relationships with men who were either emotionally distant or abusive toward her, his mother is finally at peace in the arms of a man who would do nothing but protect her from harm and shower her with adoration.

XXXX

"Well, we're leaving." Dylan advises at the older couple, snapping them out of their blissful bubble.

Norma drops her arms from her husband's shoulders and reaches for his hand instead. "Leaving?" She asks, noticing her grandson draped over his daddy's shoulders while wearing navy blue fleece footie pajamas with several tiny police cars embellishing the soft material. Norma coos at the sight of the toddler who is completely passed out in Dylan's arms, most likely suffering a crash from an intense sugar high.

"Yes, we're going to take this little man to your house." Dylan replies quietly, nudging the almost comatose boy with his shoulder by accident. No one is surprised when the movement doesn't alter the three year old's breathing pattern.

Emma suddenly appears with a large bag strapped to her right shoulder as she steps closer to Dylan's side, a little out of breath due to exhaustion. "We're going to watch the motel tonight and tomorrow for you," she flashes a smile. "Our overnight bags are already packed in the SUV, so we're not changing our minds," she informs with a hint of firmness in her tone.

Exchanging a quick glance with the Sheriff, Norma eagerly agrees to her eldest son's offer. The older woman hates to admit all of the new attention the motel is receiving lately is becoming a tad bit overwhelming for her. Multiple times she's thought of hiring additional help to assist her with everything, but Norma doesn't trust easily and the idea of bringing in a stranger as an employee terrifies her. Emma is always insistent on helping when she's needed; however, with the new baby arriving soon it will be difficult for her to help on a consistent basis. "We can't thank you enough for this day. This was truly the best anniversary gift anyone could possibly receive," Norma sniffles. "I'm so lucky to have all three of you in my life."

"We're happy for you both," Dylan smiles shaking the Sheriff's already outstretched hand with his free one. "Lex is getting kind of heavy." He chuckles, earning a laugh from the other three adults. "Plus Emma could doze off at any moment and I'd rather only have to carry one unconscious body up that nightmare staircase you have at the house."

Once headlights can no longer be seen from the backyard, Romero startles his wife by picking her up bridal style and strolling toward the waterfront. The Sheriff takes a seat on one of the lounge chairs and carefully sets Norma in his lap. Instinctively the woman nuzzles her nose into his neck and secretly inhales the still evident cologne embedded in his skin.

The Sheriff's strong arms wrap protectively around his wife's shivering body. Then with the palm of his left hand the man lightly strokes her thigh, immediately calming her. "What are you thinking about?" He asks quietly and carefully, noticing a slight change in Norma's previously undisturbed demeanor.

Norma continues to delicately trace the man's neck with the tip of her nose, humming softly as she does so.

Sensing the woman's intention of distraction, the Sheriff rephrases his original question. "Is there something on your mind, love?"

With a tiny sigh, Norma adjusts her position to sit up a little straighter in his hold. "I'm just thinking about Norman and how he should be here with us."

The Sheriff's body becomes rigid under her touch. The mere mention of his youngest stepson's name puts the older man on edge.

After the incident with Norman years ago, Romero has dreaded the sheer thought of the young man returning to live under the same roof as Norma and shudders at the idea of Norman being integrated back into the family as if nothing had ever happened. However, the Sheriff is also realistic and knows for a fact Norma would invite her youngest son back into her life with open arms, no matter what the potential complications his presence could cause.

Initially on Norma's behalf, both the Sheriff and Dylan dedicated all of their efforts to push for the best doctor in the area to treat Norman for his unusual disorder. Through the years Norman has become more and more withdrawn, to the point where he is unrecognizable. The man sees how much his wife is hurting over the situation with her youngest son, but she bravely faces each day with a new enlightened spirit and attempts to distract herself from falling into a darkened hole of despair for him and the rest of her family. The least he can do as her husband is comfort her, even when she insists she doesn't need the extra emotional support.

Romero briefly squeezes his eyes closed, hoping the subject will somehow disappear from Norma's memory. Though the man knows better than to believe the consideration of Norman Bates will ever drift away from her mind, or any of theirs if he's honest with himself. "Norma, I know you miss him but he's not who you want him to be right now," he pauses to gather his thoughts for a few seconds. "He's in good hands, love. Norman is receiving the best care possible, better than any of us could provide him." He tries to soothe in a calming whisper. The Sheriff senses his simple spoken words are effective when her body relaxes above his and a nod of her head nudges the bottom of his chin.

Norma reaches her right hand to her husband's left cheek and gently dances her fingertips along his jawbone. Her dainty fingers gradually guide his neck to turn in her direction, intentionally meeting her glistening blue eyes with his enriched brown ones. "We're in this together, right?"

He leans in and places his lips to hers before whispering...

"Always, love."