A Few Author's Notes: I didn't get too much of a response for the last chapter, so I either made a misstep with it or readers are bored and want this fiction to end. I'm thinking I will write one extra chapter and maybe a short epilogue, unless you want more. This chapter is super long and does move things along rather quickly to approach the end point.

*Sorry this took me so long, but again life got in the way of a quick update. This isn't fully edited, I just wanted to post it as soon as I could.

*Please let me know what you think, I try to mold the story around what readers ask for. The request for more Nomero is granted in this chapter ;)

I hope you enjoy…

Chapter 12: Past Demons

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 with the recognition of Norman's name. "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!"

Author's Notes: As always, thank you for reading!