[Short chapter, it's an add on to part 20, just didn't want to make part 20 too long!]
Upon pulling back the curtain back he froze as a hot and cold shiver ran up and down his spine, Norma was slumped and looked lifeless in the bath, Alex, consumed by painful past memories of his mother's many suicide attempts, instinctively looked and checked her wrists, breathing a sigh of relief when he found them completely unmarked, he quickly checked for a pulse and realised it was more than likely she'd exhausted herself and fallen asleep. He turned the shower off, it was boiling, and she was red all over and covered in bruises. He noticed she had been scrubbing her skin with bleach, it stung his nose, the smell was strong and overwhelming and she had broken the skin in areas, bloody scratches marking her perfect skin. Alex grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her whilst trying to lift her out of the bath tub. He whispered softly to her,
'It's okay baby, I've got you, your gonna be okay'
Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at Alex, she seemed agitated and confused about where she was and what was happening, Alex whispered to her,
'Norma its okay, i'm just going to put you to your bed'
Norma didn't answer back, just put her hand on his cheek and smiled weakly. Alex carefully placed her on the bed trying ever so hard to keep the towel on her, he pulled a blanket from the bottom of the bed and started to wrap it around Norma until she moved and her towel slipped down revealing her breasts, Alex blushed and looked away pulling the blanket up around her neck making sure she was warm and comfortable. She was like a small child, tiny and fragile and just in need of someone to love and take care of her. Alex sat at the edge of the bed and stroked her hair, she seemed so peaceful now like a completely different woman, he wondered how many people had seen the real Norma Bates, the scared, frightened and vulnerable woman who he saw earlier. She put on such a facade to the world that it was a complete shock to him just how battered by life and fragile she really was. He wanted to scoop her up and just embrace her, he wanted to show her that he wasn't going anywhere and that he would help her in any way he could. Alex wasn't sure whether to stay in her room with her or go back to Dylan's room, he decided against staying in case she woke up and was upset with him being there. As he got up off the bed Norma grabbed his hand, Alex turned around to see Norma, eyes full of tears, her voice horse she whispered,
'Alex I'm sorry, i'm so sorry. Can you stay with me until i fall asleep please. I'm scared'
Alex gave her a smile and kissed her on the forehead.
'Of course Norma, I'll be here. I'll always be here'
And within minutes Norma was fast asleep, Alex gently playing with her hair to soothe her.
As Norma slept peacefully her back pressed against Alex's leg and his fingers still gently playing with her hair and stroking her back, he reflected on everything that happened that evening, his stomach twisted and a lump formed in his throat, he tried to fight back tears as the realisation hit him hard that they probably would be never be the same again after this, never be able to go back to before tonight. Alex let his guard down and allowed the tears to fall. There had been a lot said by both of them, a lot of hurtful things and a lot of home truths. He regretted so much and wished he could take back some of the things he said and erase some of the things she said. Despite everything that went on and how she treated him he would always love her, she's been to hell and back and her childhood almost destroyed her, it had shaped her into the woman she was today, she wasn't "broken" like she said, he would never see her as broken, but she was vulnerable and she had never had someone look after her, all she wanted was to be loved but instead she had been raped countless times and abused. She didn't know what love was. He cried knowing that things would never be the same, he had already forgiven her, But he knew when she woke up she would never be able to forgive herself and the guilt would consume her and she would build her walls higher and push him away. Alex mourned the fact he had lost her. And that she was completely alone. She had nobody.
[Sorry it's taken me a little while to update! Hope you like this!]