*Jolene's POV*

Last night after I got that phone call I immediately started packing. It's been awhile since Norman and I have spoken, but he needs someone, and I'm not gonna just leave him alone like that.

Mr. James said I'd likely be there two or three days since they're not sure how long they'll keep him.

"I can't believe you're actually gonna go." Richard complains. It's all he's been doing since I told him.

"Richard, I can't just leave him there alone. He needs someone and I'm gonna be there for him. He has no family."

"Well, if he wanted family maybe he shouldn't have-"

I turn and give him a look.

"I just don't understand you Jo. You put yourself out there for people too much."

"Because I care, Richard. I know you don't understand because you and I are complete opposites. I don't expect you to understand but I want you to respect my choices."

"How would your mother feel if she knew you were doing this?"

"MY mother would be proud because she raised me to have compassion for others. She raised me knowing that everyone deserves a second chance. Richard, I can't not do this for him. I really helped him in my time at the institution and maybe me staying with him will do me some good."

"Do you like him?" He leans on the counter and gives me a puzzled look, frowning.

I look up into his cold blue eyes, almost as if I'm expecting our souls to connect, though they never have.

"Do you?"

I shake my head.

"Does he like you?"

Breaking eye contact, I bite my lip.

He grabs under my chin, bringing me to make eye contact again.

I think back to his journal entry about me.

"Jo.."

"No. Well, not that I know of. It's not like I can get in his head, you know?"

That technically isn't a lie, right?

He sighs, pushing himself off the counter and walking over to lean on the doorway. "I just don't know what's gotten into you."

"Baby, nothing has gotten into me. I'm still the same girl you fell in love with." I walk over to him, cupping his jaw and running my thumb over his cheek.

He wraps his arms around me, putting his forehead against mine.

I smile up at him, kissing him lightly and starting to pull away, but he pulls me back, moving his mouth to my neck.

"I really need to go now." He leans away, frowning.

"Come on, Jo, I need you.." His lips come back to my neck.

"I'm gonna miss my train." Scooting by him, he sighs, grabbing my suitcase and following me out the door.

We get in the car and he keeps looking over at me as I pick at my fingernails.

"What?"

"You never wanna make love anymore,"

No.

"Why is that?"

I dunno.

"I don't know, I guess it's just where I've been so stressed recently. I'm sorry I keep brushing you off. Maybe here soon we can have a romantic getaway, just us."

That's a lie. I really don't want to do that.

"Promise?"

Nope.

"Yep."

He half smiles at me, reaching over and putting his hand on my inner thigh.

To be honest, stress isn't the reason. It's just that I'd rather not get intimate with someone who has left bruises on me emotionally and physically. I would say a few days away from home would be nice, but I'm afraid of how things will be.

Richard snaps me out of my thoughts to point out that we're at the train station. People are still boarding and I can see that we've made it in just enough time.

I get out of the car and Richard goes to get my suitcase, meeting me on my side of the car.

"Well, I'll be back in a few days I guess. Try not to have too much fun without me." I smile, kicking my leg at the ground.

He wraps his arms around me, pulling me close to him. "Please be careful.." He mumbles into my hair.

"You don't have anything to worry about. I promise."

He nods, pulling away and grabbing my suitcase. We walk over to the boarding station and he kisses my forehead once more as I get on the train, preparing to take the ride to Fairvale.

*Later*

Someone touches my shoulder, waking me up from a jump of fear. A man smiles down at me. "Sorry to frighten you, but the train has arrived to the station."

"Oh, thank you." I blush.

He nods, walking off toward the door. I stand up, grabbing my suitcase and walking toward the entrance.

Now I have to go in the train station and call a cab.

Once I call a cab I sit on a bench inside waiting.

"Did you hear that that Bates man got out of the madhouse? I hear he's in the hospital again." A passing woman says to her friend.

I roll my eyes, looking down at my lap.

"Jolene Peterson?" A man calls.

I look up and see my cab driver and stand up, grabbing my suitcase.

"Where to?" He asks as we get in the car.

"The hospital, I'm not quite sure of the name but I'm gonna say it's the only one here."

He laughs, nodding. "Fairvale Medical Center. So, what brings you here?"

I'm a pushover.

"An old friend of mine is in the hospital so I've come to see him."

"Ah. Hey, did you hear that Norman Bates is staying at that hospital? You know, the guy who killed that girl about a year ago?"

My cheeks burn and I shake my head. "Is that so? No, I didn't know that."

We sit in silence for the rest of the ride and I feel my stomach twist into knots as the hospital comes in to view.

"Here you are, Ma'am." He turns around and I hand him the right cash before climbing out, shutting the door behind me.

The walk to the front doors feels thirty miles away.

Once I get inside I walk up to the nurses station, smiling as I put my suitcase down and rest my arms on the counter.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Norman Bates."

"I'm sorry, but we aren't letting anyone in to see Mr. Bates."

"I'm-"

"I don't care which newspaper or radio station you work for, no one is exploiting one of our patients for a story."

"My name is Jolene Peterson."

Her face falls. "Oh, of course. You're supposed to be here with him. I'm sorry. Just today we've had four reporters come in trying to get in there to interview him. He just got here yesterday, I don't even understand how they found out."

I shake my head, annoyed that people would do that to him.

"But anyway, he's in room thirty five. Its at the end of the second hallway. There will be a guard there, but just tell him who you are. We've been expecting your arrival."

"A guard?"

"Just a safety precaution. We do it with all of the patients that are transferred from the institution."

I nod.

"Anyway, just see yourself down to your room."

I smile gratefully, grabbing my bag and walking to the end of the second hall like she told me. There is a guard there, just as she said there would be.

"Hi, my name is Jolene Peterson."

He nods, opening the door and stepping to the side.

I take a deep breath, slowly walking in.

When Norman comes in to view I notice he's asleep, still looking as peaceful as did that one morning I walked in on him sleeping. I find it amazing that a brain with that much going on can still look like a baby while sleeping.

Then I notice his blanket is off, and since he's wearing a hospital gown I assume he isn't wearing underwear, so I put my suitcase down gently and go up to his bed, fixing his socks and pulling his blanket back over him to save us of any later embarrassment.

He stirs a little in his sleep before letting out a long breath and settling. I figure he could be asleep for awhile, and I go over to the couch in the room, laying my legs on it and resting my eyes.

*Norman's POV*

Josephine wasn't joking when she said this medicine would make me sleep. It seems as though all I've done in the hospital is sleep and eat.
I slowly open my eyes, glancing down at my now covered legs. One of the night nurses must've done that since I kicked the blankets off last night.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Josephine sitting on the couch. She sure does look like Jolene in this lighting. I turn my head to let her know I'm awake when I see that it is Jolene. My Jolene. Right there.

"Jolene…is that you?" My question comes out shaky.
Her eyes pop open and she stands up, scurrying over to greet me.
"Hi, Norman." She leans down, giving me a short hug.

Oh, the scent of a beautiful woman.

"Jolene, what are you doing here?"

"I heard you were in the hospital, so I came to keep you company! And to help you out with some stuff, but mainly to keep you company."

I lean my head back reminiscing about what I was told in confinement.

"Jolene, about what happened when you came to tell me you were leaving, I-"

She raises her hand. "Norman, it's fine. You don't have to explain yourself. We'll leave the past in the past." She gives me a soft smile.

I nod, my face written in shame, and look down at my lap. "I've missed you being around." I mumble.

"I've missed you too, Norman. You seem to be one of the only people that understand me." She sits down next to me on the edge of my bed.

"You didn't leave because of me, did you?"

She gives me a look, resting her hand on my forearm. "Norman, absolutely not. You should know better than that. I just couldn't work there anymore."

I look down at her hand seeing a dark bruise wrapped around her wrist that resembles a handprint. "What happened to your wrist?"

Her eyes widen and she jerks it away. "Nothing. Just me being clumsy."

She's lying, but I decide to let it go.

I'm just glad to have her back.

Thank you again for your review! You don't know how much it means to me when you say that my writing has improved! I really look forward to seeing your next review!