Evermore

"Life is beautiful / We love until we die / When you run into my arms / We steal a perfect moment / Let the monsters see you smile / Let them see you smiling / Do I hold you too tightly? / When will the hurt kick in? / Life is beautiful / But it's complicated"

Past

When Sheriff Romero looked in the mirror that morning, three things were totally out of the ordinary. Number one, the lines on his face were a lot less prevalent. Number two, his greys were budding but not yet alive. And the most frightening number three...the date on his phone read 2014. 2014? Just last night, he fell asleep in a drunken slumber. His eyes were beamed red from crying. He had tired himself out once again. The last cohearent thing he remembered was wishing he could hug his deceased wife one more time before she slipped into a world far from earth, somewhere much more lovely, probably coated in lupins and peonies...but not with him.

He knew it was probably all some weird dream. Something that his head conjured up between bouts of sadness and thoughts of vendetta. The morning routine was normal, he put his socks on...wait. Alexander Romero was no longer a sheriff...right? His phone said 2014, but his mind was completely engrossed in the terrible and dreary year of 2017. He was on the cusp of suicide the night before and now his mind was doused in confusion. As his eyes averted outside, he saw his Sheriff SUV. But how could that still be there? The department had already confiscated that. When he looked to the closet near the side of his bed, his uniform was bundled up in a heap on the floor...he must have worn it the day before, right?

With no more hesitation, he grabbed his clothes and went to the SUV. His brain was foggy as ever as he drove to the White Pine Bay Police Station. There was only one way to test this out. As Alex walked into the building, Regina was seated at the receptionist desk with the same muted expression as he always remembered.

"Morning, Sheriff. There's coffee and donuts on the back table," she said, her eyes alerting back to her computer, "And don't worry, I saved you a jelly one."

He shook his head, unresponsive to her treat. Suddenly, a hand tapped his shoulder. He was almost afraid to turn, maybe he did die in his sleep and it was the grim reaper coming to take him from the pain he could only pray to stop feeling.

"Romero! I never thought I'd see the day that the sheriff was late but...guess I colored you wrong, huh?"

It was Zach Shelby. In the flesh. His hair was perfectly blonde, youthful skin screaming playboy, and his smile had so many devious intentions behind it. There were no blood splatters or matted brain matter anywhere to be seen. This...this had to be real...right?

"Uh- yeah," he forced out a short laugh, feeling almost awkward with the whole situation. He started walking to his office when Shelby's voice boomed behind him.

"Hey, don't forget that tonight we are on patrol together! You train me on the backroads of White Pine. We go through In A Wink Cleaners to the Seafairer Motel," he announced, walking away with a file in hand.

In that moment, Alex could've died. The Seafairer Motel? Seafairer as in no longer Bates? Or did The Bates Motel never exist at all? Was his wife all an illusion. His brain felt like it was on fire. He paced back to his office and slid back behind the door. This couldn't be real. It just couldn't be.

X

Hours on Wikihow and Answers proved that this was no dream. It wasn't lucid either, he hadn't planned any of this in sequences. It was just impossible. His computer read 2014 and so did his receptionist's calendar. Something was really wrong here. When Shelby came knocking at his door around 1 am and asked him if they could leave to patrol, he just nodded.

The two sat in the car and Alex drove along the oh so familiar streets of the quaint little town. He was mindful of Shelby the whole way, not sure if he would do anything sinister with him right there. His mind replayed all the times Zach would come into work bragging about how that "Norma Bates woman sure is good in the sack" and that "older women can rock your world". Alex wanted to punch him, no they weren't together at the time but still...she was enterally his. She died his. He would continue to refer to her as his. Connie said so whilst reading their vows at least. His beautiful blushing angel of a bride. She always would be. The thought made Alex want to cry right there but he kept his grip firm on the wheel and stayed straight.

"So uh- where are we headed?" he asked, his voice stoic and his gaze steely. He still didn't think this was real...it couldn't be but there was no other explanation. He looked at his watch, pinched himself, went through normal routines and it was all okay, nothing changed. It was like the universe was letting him go back in time.

"Seafairer, man. It was on the list of spots. You said yesterday that we should park there and wait to spot drunk or disorderly drivers. Something about our pull over quota being pathetic," he said, looking down at his phone for new notifications.

He just nodded tightly, the road leading to the motel shattering his heart in 300 different pieces. This was gonna sting like a bitch. He could feel his resolve slipping away as a tear sprung down his face, lucky for him Zach was too busy to notice.

"Man, I heard about that new lady that just moved here while I was talking to Deputy Jones this morning," he whistled while he looked at the night sky through the windshield. "Sounds like a knockout. Apparently she bought this place from the bank. Jones saw her around town and almost-"

Alex stomped the breaks. His eyes stopped leaking tears as he turned to his little shit of a deputy, "What did you just say?" he asked, his heart leaping with the most anticipation it had in a long time.

"The new lady...she owns the motel now. Romero, what's going on? You seem foggy?" he asked, his eyes squinted in worry as she looked over the man in charge.

He looked to the clock. 1:15 am. And the he remembered, 2 am and his wife was cutting up carpeting, right? He told her to get her boy to bed. He called her ma'am. He gave her the line of criminal questioning. He wondered what she was hiding. He sped up to the motel, Zach held onto the handle of the car as he swerved through street corners and did at least 30 over the speed limit.

"Dude, slow down, your gonna kill us!" he shrieked over the sounds of screeching halts and hurried adrenaline.

Then it happened, it was like the universe was handing Alex a beautiful gift. He saw the green mercedes. And a ton of carpeting poking out the back. This. Couldn't. Be. Real. Unless...

He turned to Shelby, "Look...I need you to stay in the car, okay? If you insist on coming with me and try flirting with or even looking at that woman in a sexual manner, I will have you transferred to another station, you got that? Make up your mind."

"Woah, okay Romero. Easy...I get that your calling dibs here. I'll just stay here I guess," he said, going back to his phone. As much as Alex wanted to explain the situation, he hated Shelby. At least, now that he knew what he was and the things he was doing behind closed doors.

He slowly walked from the car and approached that room. He didn't bother with the flashlight, his heart was pounding out of his chest. The thought that she could...would even appear was like science fiction to him. So he did what he knew to do best, he called her by name.

"Norma!"

It was silent. Stayed silent too. Until he saw something that made his heart bounce against his rib cage. It was the most beautiful sight. Those old school blue eyes that made him a sucker for her since day one. This day to be exact. The day he vowed not to get involved with that Bates woman. The cute nutty lady that owned the motel. The bags under her eyes were something he wasn't used to seeing in these recent...or should he call them future years. Hiding a body was a tiring endeavor after all. Her body was rigid and her face was streaked with confusion. It wasn't the same smile from years ago that he remembered, the charm was nonexistent. He couldn't believe his wish had came true. He put his hand over his mouth in shock and walked up to her with the warmest embrace he could manage. She felt real. Gone was the cold corpse he'd kissed goodbye a few days earlier. His eyes were flooded with tears as he whispered in her hair, "Norma...it's you…" his voice broke as he grasped her.

"Erm…" she mumbled, tugging away while trying to look at him straight, "Do I know you?"

His heart stopped parading around in excitement and went back to it's sedentary sad state. She didn't know who he was. Of course not! This was 2014, right? Their technical first meeting.

Her eyes flashed to his badge and then back to his eyes, they looked like red abused torment, "Are you okay...Sheriff?"

"No, no...you don't understand. This can't be real. Your my- my wife. We got married or get married I should say. This isn't real…" he said, trying to get her to understand though he couldn't understand himself.

She laughed, her luminous smile coming out to play, "Well, that's a line I've never heard before! Why don't you just-"

"No. Norma. Norma Louise Bates. You're from Arizona, your husband just died, you have a seventeen year old son named Norman. You love fresh strawberries and Frank Sinatra. And um...you love watching Casablanca to fall asleep. It's calming to you," he reeled off, wanting her to just see that he knew everything about her without coming off as creepy.

She just stared at him, her mouth open a bit in shock, "Uh- I mean. Half of that stuff you could've found in your cop system right? And who doesn't like strawberries and Casablanca? You must just have me confused with someone else and-"

"You have to listen to me please. We might have limited time. This could all just be some stupid dream. You are my wife. We got married. We fell in love. You have another son named Dylan. You two don't get along right now but...you will. You wash your body with a lavender honey soap. You um...you make a mean turkey pot pie and an amazing apple pie. You love doing laundry. Please, don't think I'm crazy. I know too much about you for this to all be some kind of lie. I know I look insane right now but you have to believe me," he begged, feeling desperate as ever. But he couldn't let her get away. This was his time right now and he had a chance to change the grey course of events. It was a golden opportunity.

She was shocked. Even more so than the last time he rounded off. How? How could this man know so much and she'd never even seen him before in her whole life. She was so curious to know more. But it's not like this man could be from the future? Time travel wasn't even a real thing, right? Or was this just some kind of crazy fate? She looked back to make sure Norman was still secluded in the motel room in case this guy was off his rocker and decided to do some crazy shit. "Okay. You're my husband from the future? Tell me more."

He nodded, his heart re-palpitating. Was there a chance that she was letting him in despite the fact that this was their first meeting, "You have two birthmarks. One is on your hip bone, it's small. Kinda looks like a dime. The other is well...it's on your left buttcheek, it looks like a heart. You have a scar down your left leg. You've never broken a bone. You love lupins and peonies and white roses. Your favorite season is spring because that's when the flowers bloom. Your all time favorite book is War and Peace. Your maiden name is Calhoun."

She moved a bit closer to him, almost in awe of everything around her, "Last round. Pull out the daggers if you know what they are," she said, her eyes beginning to water.

He hesitated for what seemed like a long time, he knew what she was referring to. This was a test, maybe if he got it right, he'd win the greatest prize to walk the earth. Unconditional love. "Dylan is Caleb's son. Your brother abused you when you two were young. Your mother was sedated all the time and your father was an abusive son of a bitch. Norman hit Sam over the head with a blender and you tried to cover it up with a heavy garage self. Keith Summer's dead body is thirty feet away from me right now. But you know what...I think you are the epitome of strength. You are the bravest woman I've ever met. You aren't afraid to stand up to anyone. And you are perfect...stunning. I am so in love with you, Norma Bates. Nothing would have ever changed that and nothing ever will."

As her body shook with tears, she embraced him. He could hear the stifled breathy cries coming hard against his neck but all he felt was joy. It was like God gave him another chance. He held her like a lifeline and rocked her back and forth. He called her baby and told her it was all okay. Now that he was there, nothing bad would ever happen again.

After all, she was his bride. She always would be.

Present

They were sitting on the hotel balcony. Their legs were crossed over one another's. The bubbly champagne on their lips making them tipsy. Their eyes captured the entire skyline of Portland in a glance. With interlocked fingers, Alex let out a brief sigh of happiness.

"Today went well, yeah?" he asked, glancing over at his bride. Her now slightly longer blonde locks still in pretty waves bouncing around her shoulder as she nodded.

"Absolutely. I was so, so happy that Emma and Dylan came. They really love you," she flashed him a cheesy smile because even she knew that her declaration made him blush with embarrassment. But that was Norma Bates for you...she always knew the right buttons to push.

"Yeah, yeah...I uh- promised Dylan that we could take a ride on my old boat and go fishing. I thought maybe he would be too old for that kind of thing but-"

She clasped onto his fingers a little tighter, giving them a squeeze, "No, hun. That's so kind of you. His- well...John. He never did those things with him when he was a boy and lord knows that Sam couldn't have been bothered."

He sensed his wife's bitter energy rising from the utterance of the men that had either let her down or abused her in the past. Alex leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek, "I'm here to change that, baby. I'm gonna be a good father figure to him. Both of them, I promise you."

She smiled. Though pain was hidden behind those lush lips. Norman was not an easy subject right now. Things were tense when he was brought up because Norma finally agreed to send him back to Pineview almost a year ago. She got even more depressed when Dr. Edwards claimed it would be a long while before he'd be released and considered a regular member of society. Alex was happy that he was back there. The boy could get actual trained help and Norma would be safe in his arms. The worst was over. The moment he'd walked into their bedroom and witnessed Norman trying to choke the love of this life, he tore him away and tossed him to the side, making sure she was okay. He thanked his lucky stars that she survived and that she finally saw things the way he did, the way Dylan did, the way everyone did.

It wasn't easy though, especially because a week after losing Norman to Pineview, she said that they had to sell the house. Norma claimed it was too many bad memories and Alex took her to his rebuilt house with no questions asked. He would get used to all the frilly bath towels and the array of makeup that sat in his room if it meant her being comfortable and happy.

"Did you have fun tonight?"

Her voice hung through the air with a shred of worry. Alex always had to remind himself that life was not easy for this woman. Men had never been kind to her...raped her, abused her, talked to her like she was trash. It made his heart sink and shatter. She was everything to him...any man would be blessed to have her. He didn't know who to thank for her. Was it some kind of higher spirit or his mother or fate everyday for giving him this woman and all her charms? Whatever it was...he was blessed. His fingers played around with the band of her ring.

"Without a doubt. I had the hottest chick in the room as my date so that's a plus," he grinned, looking her over out of the corner of his eyes. He could see the way she blushed and turned her head at his comment. He would always love seeing how shy she got whenever he complimented her beauty or grace.

"I love you, Alex. Don't know where I'd be without you, hun."

He let her words sink through him. Hun. His nickname. He would never tire of hearing her call out to him with it. "Well, I love you too, baby doll. Glad I married you."

And that was it. Life could go on and forever could pass right by them...they wouldn't care. They had one another and it felt like all they'd ever need.

Future

The sun was beaming through the window of what looked like an old school cadillac. The last thing he knew, his head was caved in by a cold, icy rock. Then his world turned to black for a while and now he was here. He had no clue where he was but he knew it was beautiful. Nothing like White Pine Bay. It was like all those pictures of Hawaii or Punta Cana that you see on vacation pamphlets but somehow better.

His hands knew where to slide the directions of the wheel as if he'd been down this road four million times before. A song was lightly playing on the radio. It was The Everly Brothers...the one that his mother liked so much. She used to croon it to him so sweetly every night before he went to sleep as a kid. He heard a female humming along to it.

When he looked beside him, it was the most beautiful sight. His wife. The woman he had fought to avenge for two years now sitting in the passenger seat. She was wearing her favorite blue sundress and her shoes were kicked off to the side, carefree feet resting on the dashboard side. Her nimble fingers were making patterns on his denim knee. It was like all his dreams were coming true again.

"Norma?" he asked, a big smile breaking open on his face as she glanced his was. The toothy grin sat concreted on her lips as well, she looked so invincible and thrilled to be there.

He looked at the road again, the scenery was still as breathtaking as before, much like the woman sitting next to him. As he looked in the rearview mirror, he caught a glimpse of someone in the back seat. Dirty blonde curls, closed doe eyes, and very thick eyelashes. They almost looked like his...but her lips were shaped like Norma's. Could it be?

He looked at his wife in awe. "She ours?" his voice was almost partnered with tears but he held them back. This was a happy time, he could feel it.

"8 hours in labor and 15 stitches, darling. I think she's ours," her same old mischievous look came back to life again and his heart swelled more than it ever had before.

This was it...no longer was the icy ground under his slowly dying body or the damp cold sinking into his chest. Gone were the thoughts of killing Norman Bates or feelings of depression. Could this be the afterlife he'd so often heard about when he attended all those church sermons as a boy? Or the ones he'd skimmed through when his grandma forced him to read chapters of the bible as punishment? He couldn't believe it. This was paradies. Everything he'd ever wanted sitting in a vehicle.

"You better put the pedal to the medal, big shot. We have to meet Theresa at the beach soon. I promised her some pictures with Isabella before the sun went down."

In that moment, Alex Romero knew what true happiness was. "My...my mom's here?" he asked, this time he could feel a tear running down his cheek. A beautiful, loving wife, what looked to be a stunning little girl, and his mom all in one sitting? It was heaven.

"Of course, honey. We're all here. We're not going anywhere."

He nodded and let his hands guide him to their destination. This was paradise, something that could never be matched. Their love would go on evermore whether the world was spinning for both of them or not. That was the sign of something truly magical.

No worries, my friends. Tennessee Whiskey is coming soon, I promise. I just needed to get this one shot out of the way because it wouldn't leave my head. Plus I haven't seen anyone do anything like this yet. Love you all! Stay tuned - MJ123 :) xoxoxo