She sat in her room, staring out the window, a blank look on her face. It was a cloudy and rainy day outside. It was July, and the town of Fairvale, California was due for a storm. Mary Loomis watch as the sky got darker, and didn't even jump when she heard the rumble of thunder. Lightning flashed in the sky, and rain started to hit the window. Mary had been here for twenty years now, and would never speak to anybody. Her psychiatrist kept trying, but Doctor Taylor just could not get through to her. He really cared about Mary, and wanted so hard to be able to help her. Josh Taylor knew that Mary was bullied by her late mother, Lila, and put in danger.

Lila Loomis used her only child as bait, to try and lock Norman Bates back up. That woman was even more insane than Norman. Sheriff Hunt and the town of Fairvale eventually found out that Mary wanted absolutely nothing to do with trying to drive Norman crazy again, and felt bad for their treatment of her. Sheriff Hunt felt the worst, though. It was the twentieth anniversary of when Mary had been shot, tended to and then locked up. There was a knock on the door of her room, and it opened, revealing a nurse, and Sheriff Hunt. He was do to retire in about a week, and was planning on moving to New York City with his wife, but first, he had to see Mary.

Sheriff Hunt thanked the nurse, and stared at the back of Mary's head. Her black hair now had a little bit of gray. The Sheriff fiddled with his hat, and sighed.

"Miss Loomis?"

No response.

A loud boom caused the Sheriff to jump. Mary, on the other hand, sit completely still, not moving at all.

"Mary? Do you remember me? I'm Sheriff Hunt. I needed to talk to you."

Mary turned around to face the Sheriff, but still didn't say anything, and her face was still blank. Seeing the look on her face made Sheriff Hunt almost wish she was still facing outside.

"Listen, Mary, I owe you an apology. Well, two apologies, actually. I should have let you explain yourself that day I told you to leave town. I also apologize for shooting you. When I saw you, it didn't look good, Mary. I mean, there you were dressed up in Mrs. Bates clothes, wielding a knife, about to kill Norman, what was I supposed to do?"

No answer. Mary continued to stare blankly at the Sheriff.

"That's not the only reason I came. I found out that you started to care about Norman, and ended up trying to help him. He ended up going crazy again, and you got scared, so you were trying to defend yourself. It wasn't you or your mother that drove him crazy again, though. Remember Mrs. Spool from the diner? She was Norman's aunt."

The Sheriff proceeded to tell Mary all that happened over the years. How Norman fell in love with a nun named Maureen Coyle, but she got killed, and eventually he was locked back up, and how Mrs. Spool was really convinced she was his real mother.

Finally, the Sheriff said that Norman was actually able to recover again, and fell in love with his new doctor. Her name was Connie. They got married and ended up having a son. This got a reaction out of Mary.

Tears were pouring down her cheeks. Sheriff Hunt reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to Mary. She took it and wiped her eyes.

"Mary?"

"I-is he happy?"

The Sheriff's eyes widened. That was the first time Mary Loomis had talked in twenty years.

"Very much so. He doesn't live in Fairvale anymore, though. He lives with his wife in the next town over. He's a lot better now."

More tears leaked out of Mary's pretty brown eyes. Sheriff Hunt wasn't very good when it came to weeping females. Just ask his wife.

"Mary, what is it?"

"I-I loved him."

Sheriff Hunt definitely wasn't expecting that. Of all the things she could say. What was it about Norman Bates that made all the women fall in love with him? Maureen, Connie, and Mary, too?!

"I fell in love with him, Sheriff. At first I was scared of him, but then I saw he wasn't a bad man. He had been nothing but good to me, and I wanted to help him. I loved my mother, but she was a bitch. A bully. I began to understand how poor Norman felt. We had a lot in common. We were there for each other. I know he's old enough to be my dad, but I couldn't help falling in love with him. I'm just glad to hear he's happy."

Sheriff Hunt nodded, and surprised Mary by giving her a hug. He really felt awful about the way he treated her.

"I do apologize."

"I know. I understand. I don't blame you for being angry with me. When Norman found out, he wasn't upset with me. Or my mother."

After a couple more minutes, Sheriff Hunt decided to take his leave. He apologized to Mary, and got her to talk again.

"If you see Norman again, Sheriff, please don't tell him what I told you. I want him to be happy and don't want to ruin anything."

"My lips are sealed, young lady."

One year later, Mary Loomis left the institution and decided to write a book about her experience with Norman, but changed the names. She then went on to become a children's writer, and ended up being able to afford a house on the beach.

At one point, Mary could have sworn she saw Norman Bates walking along the beach, holding the hand of a woman. His wife, probably. Deep down in her heart, Mary still cared very much about him, but didn't want to ruin his relationship with his wife.

Mary eventually met a nice guy named Steve, and they ended up getting married, and Mary was able to have at least one child before menopause. A girl that she named Janet.

THE END