A/N: This is a special request and dedication to WhereAreWeGoing. You know why. Hope you like it ;) And to the rest of you, I hope you enjoy it too! Thanks for reading. :)

I.

Who does she think she is? Alex is highly annoyed as he sits on his desk trying to work. He can't believe she had the gall to come into his office, ask for political favors, and on top of that, smile at him, flirt with him. She even told him to call her Norma after he politely had addressed her as Mrs. Bates. He looked down her dress when she leaned over the desk revealing a hint of cleavage. He saw what she wanted to show him, except when he raised his eyes to hers and remained stoic, unfazed and unmoved by her obvious display, her demeanor changed instantly and she looked almost shy. He had treated her as cold as ice all through her rambling about how they now knew information about each other and how she, in her mind, thought it was the perfect opportunity to ask him to help her get something she wanted.

We're not friends. That's what he told her, even though he wishes nothing more than to get to know her, because as annoying as she is, she's also interesting, and he hates to admit to himself, she's also beautiful, disturbingly prepossessing and to top it all: charming too. But he will be damned to fall for her feminine wiles easily; he's a hard as stone man.

Alex could not believe his ears as he sat there listening to her. She had the audacity to get defensive when he said he would not help her. He had closed the door when she raised the volume of her voice; he didn't need his whole team to hear her too. She was getting on his nerves mostly because she was getting under his skin. Her smile made him wish she was really smiling at him, not the fake version of it she presented him today so he did the first thing his instinct told him to make her stop smiling. He threatened her.

He sat on the edge of the desk and used his bigger size and sudden physical higher position to make her feel small and scared. It almost backfired when he saw her biting her lower lip, the simple action making him crazy for a moment. An animal desire overcame him and all he could think of was kissing her. So he emphasized her name, Mrs. Bates, when he opened the door and showed her out. He needed her out of his office.

Now, 15 minutes after she left, her perfume still lingers in the air and he can't get her out of his head. From the moment he met her that night at the motel, he suspected a few things about her: she was hiding something behind that captivating smile, she was lying, and she was going to be a pain in his ass.

"That woman is trouble." He speaks out loud to no one, mainly to himself and goes back to work.

II.

Alex is tired and angry. His house just went up in flames and he wants to sleep after spending the whole night dealing with the fire. He's lucky he had some personal pictures; the one of his mom is the one he cares most about, saved online, because he lost everything else.

He gets out of his SUV with a sigh, his neck and joints telling him he really needs to rest, and goes into the office of her motel. There are other motels in town but he's not really sure why she chose to come to hers; maybe he just wants to be close to her.

Norma is gifting him with her perfect bright smile; the one he's growing so accustomed to enjoy. She's also making fun of him, or at least, being incredibly exasperating. He's always been suspicious of her smile; it has the power to make or break any man. He hears her mention the words Big daddy of White Pine Bay referring to him and grimaces. He just wants to check-in and lay in a bed for a few hours. She finally gives him the room key and he quickly disappears.

One night he arrives at the motel and upon seeing the light in the office still on decides on a whim to go say hello. He finds her trying to move a big plant from one side to the other.

"Hi, Sheriff!" She sweetly chirps when the bell of the door announces his presence.

"Uh, hi." He feels suddenly out of place. "Do you need help with that?" He offers motioning to the gigantic pot.

"Yes! I want to put it in the corner, over there."

Alex moves the plant to her chosen spot and she smiles thankfully at him. They make small talk about the events of the day and then they awkwardly run out of topics so he announces he's going to his room.

He feels closer to her these days, thinks she feels the same way too. After their moment in her kitchen when she cleaned his cut, he's been thinking about her non-stop. He likes to falls asleep every night reliving that instant; looking into her expressive blue eyes and getting lost in them.

Then days later he sees her with that Heldens guy. Where did she meet him? It's not entirely strange for them to have met, they live in the same town after all, but it makes him wonder since he knows she doesn't move around in the high social scene of White Pine Bay. It's also definitely not impossible for Norma to have any man she wanted, but he feels deflated. Maybe her smiles and good mood lately were not because of him, but for this guy.

III.1

He's on a mission today. He's driving to Portland, his left arm still on a sling, to get her car. She didn't say she wanted it back but he can read people and she did mention she missed it. Truth be told she and her vintage green Mercedes make a better image than she in that sports red car, so he's going to do the one thing he knows can make her happy again.

Alex brings her car back; she screams with joy and then very slowly asks him why he did it. He just chuckles to hide his sudden nerves because there's a possibility that this seemingly simple act finally lets her know that, by now, he would do anything for her: help her son, accompany her to make a deal with Bob Paris, or get her car back. Anything to make her happy.

His brain stops working when he sees she's going to kiss him. He really thinks she's going for his mouth but at the last second she changes direction and presses a soft warm kiss to his cheek. The disappointment of not feeling her lips on his lasts only a second, because the thrill her kiss brings to his entire being is enough to compensate. His whole body tenses up, he can't properly breathe, his eyes close for the few seconds her lips are pressed to his skin.

Then she moves away from him and he misses her proximity instantly. She jumps up and down excitedly, the gleeful smile reaching her eyes and she takes off running up to the house to get the car documents. Alex feels a smile appearing on his face too. She's half woman, half little girl; and he likes that about her. Her beauty and sensuality only matched by her joyfulness and sometimes, even innocence.

III.2

The cell phone breaks the silence in Alex's bedroom, awakening him. With a groan he opens his eyes and looks at the small screen: Norma calling. He waits a few seconds to answer. They had a fight; two actually. After he spoke to Bob Paris and he told him things about her husband's death he had gone to talk to her. She answered her door and smiled invitingly, mentioned she was making dinner and he could stay. She had put her hands on her pockets, effectively opening her sweater and leaving her feminine form in view. He noticed her gesture right away. She was flirting again. But when he asked, she lied. He gave her one last chance, and she lied again. He left hearing her yelling his name but feeling wounded and stupid. The other fight was more physical and even more intense.

The phone keeps ringing and he decides to answer. Maybe she's in trouble. Maybe she needs him.

"Hello."

"Alex? What took you so long to answer?" Her voice pitch is high; she sounds irritated, which is too much for him to deal at this hour of the night.

"What is it, Norma?"

"I have a problem."

"Of course you do."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"First I'll need to know what the problem is."

"It's my car. And I can't get a cab here and I don't know what to do. The road is dark and…"

He wants to say no, to send road assistance her way and be done with it, but he can't. If something happened to her because of him he would never forgive himself. So he asks her where she is and gets dressed.

"I'm on my way."

"Thanks, Alex."

The car has a flat tire. It's late and they're an hour away from town.

"Norma, why don't you have your spare tire in the trunk?"

"I told you! I had to do some shopping, and I asked Norman to get it out to have more space to put the bags in."

"That's a really stupid idea."

"Well, thanks." She deadpans and looks angrily at him. "In my defense I wasn't planning on going out of town, but when I arrived at the store they didn't have the item anymore, the girl said I could go to the other store to pick it up and I forgot I didn't have the spare in the car. Then this happened!" She kicks the flat tire as if it was, somehow, its fault.

Alex chuckles and shakes his head at her.

"Well, I can't do anything if there's no tire to change. I'll call a towing company." He takes out his phone and makes the call.

"Ok, thanks." He puts his phone away. "It'll take an hour for them to arrive."

"Oh." She answers.

He notices she's hugging herself, even with her coat on, the night is chilly. Security wise is not safe to be either out on the dark road or inside her car.

"Uh, I think we should wait inside my car. It's a marked vehicle and I can turn on the LED lights, easier for the road service to find us. And it'll be safer than waiting here." She looks at him a little unsure. "I can also turn on the heater." He offers as a last resort.

"Ok." She quickly grabs her purse from her car and follows him.

Once inside the SUV, Alex turns on the heater and Norma places her hands on the air vents, sighing in relief as her hands get used to the warm temperature.

"Better?" He asks.

"Yes. Thanks."

Minutes pass. They don't talk. Their last encounter was when she left his house the night she broke into it looking for the flash drive. She was already angry at him for having asked about Sam's death and Norman's involvement in it a few days before. She was livid when she found out he had turned in the flash drive to the FBI.

"I was not sure if you were going to answer your phone…" Norma breaks the uncomfortable silence. "Or even help me, so thanks again for coming all the way here. I know you're angry at me."

"What?" He tries to sound neutral, non-affected by her nearness and the fact he's supposed to be mad at her. Except he's not. As much as she infuriates him sometimes, he can never stay angry at her for too long.

"After what happened."

"Oh." He thinks for a moment before saying anything else. "I would never abandon you on the road with car problems. I would never abandon you."

At his admission, Norma's heart skips a beat.

"Alex…"

"Norma, don't. I know why you lied to me and I'm sorry for pushing you… it's just…" He stops.

"What?"

"Sometimes it's frustrating… dealing with…" You, he thinks but doesn't say it. "Everything. But don't worry, I'll keep you safe, and Norman too. I know that's what you want, so don't worry."

He sees her eyes watering. She takes a deep breath and his eyes follow the rise and fall of her chest for a second too long. He hears the air leaving her mouth in a long loud sigh and when he looks back at her face her eyes are closed.

"I'm scared." She whispers.

"I know. But I told you, I'll protect you."

"I'm scared of so many things." She opens her eyes and looks at him with an intensity that leaves him dumbfounded for a second. Is she talking about…?

Her whole body is taut; she's wringing the fabric of her coat in her lap and there's a wild storm in her eyes. She licks her lips in an anxious gesture and his eyes drop to her mouth.

"You don't have to be afraid of me." His voice is suddenly lower, graver.

He leans towards her the tiniest fraction of space and she notices, also mirroring his actions and aligning her torso closer to him; just a bit. Their senses are too attuned to each other at the moment. They are both aware that this conversation or whatever happens here is a continuation of what transpired between them a few days earlier at his house.

Alex can't hold himself back and he moves his hands to her face; touching her cheeks lightly, caressing, trying to calm her, make her feel safe. One of her hands hold onto his forearm.

He touches his forehead to hers; she closes her eyes and he swallows deeply. He wants nothing more than to kiss her, tried already back at his house but she uttered those words. Don't touch me. Right now, he's praying to anyone that can hear that she doesn't repeat them.

They breathe the same air. Norma feels lightheaded, like she's living and dying at the same time. He takes her breath away and at the same time breathes life into her and she's terrified of this feeling.

Alex is almost losing control of his mind. It takes everything in his willpower not to devour her mouth as he wants to, had dreamed about for a long time now.

"Alex…" She sounds like the wind moving against his ears; leaving goose bumps in its wake. She feels like a live wire.

The moment their lips touch a floodgate opens; months of yearning crashing down, of fantasies fulfilled lead way to desired exploration.

Norma moans when his tongue swipes along her lower lip seeking entrance. She opens her mouth but he's surprised and exhilarated when it's her tongue delving into his mouth, grazing his in a slow sensual motion. His hands are on her neck now, holding her head close.

Alex feasts on her tongue and her lips and the world can end right now and he wouldn't care. He's finally kissing Norma Bates. He's not entirely cognitive of the fact he's starting to push her back on her seat, his body trying to connect with hers more; that one of his hands has moved to her breast, kneading it softly through her layers of clothing.

"Alex… Alex, stop…" He's aware of two things simultaneously; her hands on his chest exerting pressure and her words.

He releases her immediately.

"Norma… I'm sorry." He puts his hands in the air as if showing her he's unarmed but his eyes are still drawn to her freshly kissed and swollen lips. He makes a conscious effort to drag his sight to her eyes.

She doesn't look scared and he relaxes a bit. Puts his hands down on his lap, trying to conceal the fact he's already hard against his jeans.

"Don't be. I liked it." She coyly smiles.

Alex releases the breath he was holding.

"But I don't want to have sex. I mean, here… now."

"Norma, no! I didn't mean for you to feel like I was trying… I'm sorry."

"I'm not angry at you anymore." She mentions alluding to their fight. "Whatever happens in the future, with Bob Paris, with us… I trust you, okay? I always have. And I wouldn't call anyone but you."

Her words seep into his brain. Is she saying she's open to something more happening between them? In the future, maybe? And she still trusts him. He's overwhelmed by it all; their kiss, her confession, her forgiveness. "Thank you, Norma."

The towing vehicle arrives. They get out of the SUV, exchange information with the service man, and watch her car being driven away.

"I'll drive you home." Alex offers.

One hour later they're in front of the motel. Her car is being lowered into the parking lot.

"Thanks." She half-smiles at him as she's getting out of his vehicle.

"No problem, Norma."

He waits until she's inside the house to drive off. Days later, all hell breaks loose. The FBI plans a raid to Bob's property. Alex goes to talk to Norma to say he's sorry he couldn't protect her. She cries as she tells him that it's okay, it's not his fault. We're all doomed in the end, right?

But he can't bear it. Seeing her cry. Watching her defeated. Being the cause of her tears.

He kills Bob Paris. He dooms himself in order to save her. He wants to see her smile again. He needs to kiss her again. Because he finally is able to admit it to himself, he loves her.

IV.

Alex wakes up before Norma. She's naked and warm next to him but he has to get ready for work. He's already late as it is. They didn't get much sleep last night; the promise of the delights her body could offer him a much more pleasant activity than sleep. When his alarm went off half an hour ago he pressed snooze. Now he's late. He gets out of bed, taking one last look at her naked back as she sleeps on her stomach, arms tucked below her head, the underside of her right breast pressed to the mattress enticing him. He wants her, he always does, but instead he covers her fully with the sheet and goes to take a shower.

When he comes back from starting the coffee maker she's already in the bathroom. He's finishing getting dressed just as Norma appears in the doorway. She's happy and clingy this morning. She presses small kisses on his lips as he makes a half-baked protest of being late and having to leave.

He's almost at the top of the stairs when she comes out to the hallway, calling after him. She has a dreamy expression as she talks about being in a movie and how happy they are. He can't help it. She draws him in like a moth to a flame.

She grants him the most beautiful, radiant, beaming, sincere smile he has seen on her face the last two weeks; and he has seen plenty. He's pretty sure he has been smiling more than usual too. Hell, he never smiled at all. Now it's all he can do whenever she's around.

He kisses her and drinks in her laughter when he tells her it's not a movie.

"Don't screw it up."

They laugh together.

He kisses her again and she kisses him back. His hands move to her ass and he starts walking her backwards towards the bedroom.

"Alex… don't you have to… go to work…" She tries to get his attention between kisses.

"Yeah…later." He replies hastily as he lifts her off the ground; her legs quickly wrapping themselves around his hips. She feels him ready and she rubs her center against him, moaning at the sensation.

He walks them to the bed and they tumble on it in a heap of arms and legs and kisses and laughter. He moves his head back to look down at her face. This time, unlike their first meeting, her smile is real. She's not hiding anything anymore. He suspects she loves him. No, the suspicion is over. He's sure she loves him as much as he loves her, too.

"Norma, I have something to confess."

She looks serious for a moment.

"Yeah?"

"When I met you I thought you were trouble and a pain in my ass."

"Awww, I have something to confess, too."

"Really? What is it?"

"When I first met you I thought you were a bulldog and a meanie."

"So I guess we were both right, huh?" He kisses her neck as she undoes his fly.

"I am not a pain in your ass. But you love my ass." She smiles and kisses him.

"You are, but I love you. And I do love your ass."

"I love you, too my sheriff bulldog."

He kisses her deeply. He'll be very late for work today.

The end.