A/N: I'm glad you guys liked the first chapter! Here's the next.

"Dylan, how many times have I told you to stop bringing that BB gun everywhere. You almost got kicked out of school!" Norma yelled as soon as they entered the house.

Luckily, Sam wasn't home, as he was currently at work and Norman was still at the school since it didn't let out until 4:30 PM.

"If that scared little kid didn't tell, no one would've even knew I had it," Dylan defended.

"Dylan, sweetheart please. We just moved here. I know you're having a hard time adjusting to the move, but you can't get in trouble in school. I don't want Sam to find out you've been misbehaving…" she explains.

Dylan frowned and stood in front of her. "Why did you make us leave with him? He doesn't give a shit about us."

"Dylan!" she scolded. She hated how her son could use such inappropriate language despite being only a nine year old. She also knew how much her son hated Sam. He would always hit her and he'd even hit her children as well. She knew Dylan despised her for making them continue to live in this situation, but she had no money and nowhere else to go. They didn't have any other family and no friends to turn to. Norma hated the feeling of being stuck with this man.

Dylan scoffed and retreated to his room. Norma let out a deep sigh and massaged her temple, desperately trying to relieve the tension and stress of today. She just wished life would give her a break.

Norma took the time to make sure the house was in order. That everything was clean and tidy to Sam's liking. He always ordered her to keep their home neat, although he was always the one to leave his dirty laundry and beer cans laying around anywhere. Once she was done, it was time to pick up Norman from school. She made her way back to the elementary school and smiled when her youngest son entered the car.

"How was school honey? Did you learn something?" Norma questioned.

"Yes," Norma nodded and Norma leaned over to kiss his cheek. She put the car in drive and headed down the road.

"Mom, we're leaving Dylan!" Norman exclaimed.

"He's already at home honey. Don't worry."

"Oh," Norman relaxed.

They arrived home shortly and Norma instructed her youngest son to go clean up and get ready for dinner soon. She whipped up something quick before Sam got home but made sure the food was to his liking. Afterwards, Norma went into Dylan's room to check up on him and saw him lying on his bed watching TV.

"Dinner's ready," Norma announced.

Dylan flipped the TV off and exited his room, Norma following close behind. Norman was already sitting at the table and as if on cue, Sam entered the house. He didn't bother to speak to anyone, nor wash his hands, which Norma found vile and disgusting. The family of four gathered around the table and ate their meal in silence.

Sam was the first one to finish, and he got up from his seat, not bothering to take his dish to the sink. "Come to the room when you're done with all of this," he demanded to Norma and left the room.

She sighed, knowing she would have to endure another night of unpleasurable sex with her husband. The boys finished their meals and Norma helped them get ready for bed after their bathes. She kissed them both goodnight, told them she loved them, and went into her bedroom where Sam was waiting for her.

"What the hell took you so goddamn long?" He sneered when she closed the door behind her.

"I had to get the boys ready for bed and I had to put the leftovers away and wash all the dishes Sam," she replied, trying her best to hide the annoyance in her voice. She hated this man so much. She wanted to leave him, but she was too afraid. She had her kids to think about, but when she would finally leave him, she would do it smart, or so she hoped.

"Get over here."

Norma slowly made her way to his bedside and gasped when he grabbed her and threw her over the bed. She sat on her hands and knees in the mattress while Sam stood behind her, unbuckling his belt. He forced her dress up and ripped her panties from her, throwing them on the wall behind him. He then spit in his hand, making Norma close her eyes at how disgusting he was, and rubbed himself before forcing himself inside of her. She whimpered as he continued all the way until he found release.

*deviatedrift*

The next day, Alex was at the Sheriff's station catching up on some much needed paperwork he had been pushing off. Usually he would be out on patrols or calls, but he was actually waiting for the Bates woman to show up. He told her to stop by the station today so that she could enroll her son in the juvenile program. It was already after 3 PM, and he thought she wasn't going to show until he saw her walking into the station. She stood on the other side of the glass window anxiously.

"Excuse me, I'm here for Deputy Romero," she said to the front desk receptionist. She could see Alex on the other side of the window and he nodded to her. The receptionist turned to him and he gave her a quick nod, telling her to let Norma through. Once the door buzzed, Norma opened the door and went to where Alex was standing.

"Mrs. Bates, glad you could make it today," Alex greeted.

She slightly smiled and looked around the station. Alex guided her through another door and down the hallway until they reached another office that no one was currently in. He made sure to leave the door open so that it wouldn't feel intimidating for her.

"Where is your son?"

"He gets out of school in an hour. I told him we were coming here today, but he insisted on not coming. So I just came here and plan on giving him all the information when I go pick him up."

"Hmm, it would've been better for him to hear directly what this program is all about."

"Oh, well… I will make sure to tell him everything," she replied in somewhat a defensive tone. Alex backed off, remembering how fierce she could be from their encounter at the bar two nights ago.

"Alright," Alex reached inside a file cabinet and pulled out a pamphlet, handing it to her. Norma skimmed over the words and flipped through the pages.

"It's a four week program where he will be doing community service and anger management classes, but there's some activities that he may find enjoyable as well. There's already about 15 kids enrolled and it starts in the next three weeks, so it's lucky he'll be getting in now instead of later. There is a tuition fee, but insurance can cover that, depending on who you're with," Alex informed.

Norma hid her sigh, Sam was in charge of all their bills and insurance. She wasn't sure he would allow her to use their insurance for Dylan. Maybe she could just sneak behind his back and do it, although it would be difficult since Sam was always one to read the mail.

"How old is he?" Alex asked.

"Nine."

"Okay, he's a little young but the other kids are close to his age."

Norma nodded and looked up at Alex. He didn't speak for a moment and she felt awkward just sitting there at the table under his gaze. He finally cleared his throat and nodded his head towards the pamphlet in her hand.

"Yeah, so just… read through all of it and talk to your son and husband about it. If you have anymore questions, here's my card," Alex reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a card he kept sitting in there. Norma thanked him and looked it over.

Alex motioned towards the door and Norma exited the room, eventually exiting the station all together. Alex always thought back to the night he met her at the bar. He felt a little awkward around her and he knew she did as well since she could never hold eye contact with him.

"Alright then Mrs. Bates, I'll see you around." Alex said, waiting for Norma to look at him. When she finally did, he fought hard not to get lost in the ocean blue eyes she possessed. She smiled at him and it made him give her a small tight smile back.

"Thank you Deputy Romero." Norma left him standing there and went to her car, looking at Alex as he finally went back inside the station. She started her car and went to the local elementary school to pick her sons up.

*deviatedrift*

Later that evening, Norma decided to bring up the program during dinner. She cooked a lot in hopes of satisfying Sam with a full stomach.

"Um," Norma started. She didn't know where to begin. Sam didn't even know about the BB gun Dylan got in trouble at school for. She shook her head and said what came out of her mouth.

"Dylan is going to be entering the juvenile program down at the police station. I read up on it, and it seems really good and beneficial. I think you'll like it Dylan," Norma stated. Dylan didn't say anything, and Norma slowly turned to Sam who was glaring at her.

"What's the little shit done now?" Sam uttered.

"Sam please," Norma begged, hating when he referred to her kids as such. "He… he's just been having trouble adjusting to the rules at the school. We've only been here for three weeks, it's still taking some getting used to. But I want him to enter this program so he doesn't continue down the wrong path. It's better to be safe than sorry," Norma said quietly.

Her two sons were now looking at her. Norman looked frightened, as he knew bad things usually happen when Same swore at them. Dylan looked a little more annoyed by his stepfather than afraid.

"Oh yeah? And who's gonna' be paying for all of that? You think I just shit out coins and bills? You're a piece of work Norma," Sam quickly stood from the table, causing Norma to jump, and quickly exited the house. She sighed in relief that he didn't put his hands on her right then and there, but knew he probably would later when he got home.

Norma looked at her sons who were both staring back at her. It would be the perfect time to just take them and leave, but she had no money and nowhere else to go. Her car probably wouldn't get her that far until she got some new tires on it, something Sam had been delaying on doing for her.

"Well, let's clean up and get ready for bed," Norma offered. After her boys helped her in the kitchen, they both took a bath and went into their bedrooms where they fell asleep rather quickly. Norma sat down in the living room, deep in thought. She pulled out the card Alex gave her earlier today and looked at it. After a while, she put it down on the table and went into her bedroom where she wasn't able to get any sleep of her own.

*deviatedrift*

The following weekend, Norma and the boys went to the local beach that was in the town since it was pretty warm outside that August day. There were plenty of people there, and some had even introduced themselves as they figured Norma and her boys were new faces in the town. While Dylan and Norman were a few feet away from her building sandcastles, Norma sat down on a towel watching over them. She was grateful that some of their youth was still there and wasn't destroyed completely. That they could still have fun without worrying about what Sam would do to them.

"Mrs. Bates," a voice said to her left, and she whipped her head around to see the deputy she had been in contact with quite frequently. He had on a tight, wetsuit shirt and black swim trunks. Norma could see his taut abdomen and detailed biceps that seemed to be trying to break through the material of his shirt. She tore her eyes away from his body and glanced up at him.

"Hello," she greeted.

Alex nodded and places his hands on his hips, overlooking the entire beach. "You here with your family?"

"Yes," Norma confirmed. "Are you here… for work or something?" Norma started questioning.

"No, it's my off day so here I am. I come here every once in a while."

"Just like you do at the bars huh," she commented.

Alex saw the smile small on her face and figured she was joking with him. He smiled back and shrugged. "Yeah, exactly. So… how's it going with Dylan? Did you decide to go through with the program?"

"Um, I do think it's a good program. I just… our insurance doesn't cover it," she lied. Really, Sam just didn't want to use his insurance for Dylan, saying how Dylan wasn't even his kid, which hurt Norma to the core. She hated how Sam never hid his dislike for her eldest son. It wasn't fair to him nor her.

"It's only a $300 tuition fee?" Alex said nonchalantly. Norma frowned, not liking how he made $300 seem like it was so affordable. He didn't know her life or anything about her.

"I know that," she said harshly. Alex read the tone in her voice with ease and softened his approach.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that," he apologized.

Norma swept her hair to the side and watched her boys building sandcastles. She was attempting to dismiss him without really saying so. Alex followed her gaze and saw her looking at the boy he knew was her son and another darker haired, younger one.

"You have two sons?" Alex asked her.

"Yeah," she said simply.

"Oh," Alex became more interested in her. He never would've guessed she had a kid when he first met her, let alone two. He focused back on her again, admiring her profile. Alex would be lying to himself if he didn't think she was absolutely gorgeous. As if she could feel eyes on her, Norma turned to see Alex staring straight at her. He quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. She didn't think too much about it and continued to watch her boys again.

"Is your husband around?"

Norma frowned and whipped her head to look at him again. "Why?"

"I just wanted to talk to him about the program. Maybe we can set up some type of payment arrangement for Dylan. I think the station will be lenient when it-"

"That won't be necessary. Sam… he's not the type of man that will so easily accept favors."

"But it's for his son," Alex reasoned.

"Step son," Norma corrected.

Alex rolled his eyes at her. "Same thing. What…. Just because Dylan isn't biologically his, that makes him not responsible for him? He's only nine right?"

Norma became more and more offended as Alex continued to talk. She felt the rage rise within her at him butting into her life and trying to read her family. "It's none of your concern!" She yelled.

Alex looked taken aback at her raising her voice at him. No one spoke to him like that. He didn't allow it, and this woman wouldn't get a pass.

"Look, I'm just trying to help out. So calm down and lower your voice," Alex stated.

"Calm down? You're in MY space. How about you leave me and my family the hell alone. We don't need your help. I never asked you for help. So just back the hell off!"

Alex shook his head. Clearly, this Bates woman was bat shit crazy, yelling and screaming at him in a public spot. He should arrest her for disturbing the peace just to be spiteful, but he left well enough alone. He walked off and made his way towards the shore line where some old acquaintances and their families were at.

Norma watched the young deputy walk away and let out a deep sigh. She knew he was only trying to help, but she hated that he was pointing out how wrong and terrible her husband was, even if it didn't say it directly. She didn't like people passing judgement on her because she felt hopeless and weak. Her tears were held back when she saw Dylan and Norman making their way towards her.

"Hey, you guys ready to go?" she smiled.

"Okay," Dylan answered for him and his brother. Norma gathered their belongings and all three of them went to her car. She offered to take them to the diner they passed by on the way there for a milkshake and burgers before they would have to go home, a home they all dreaded living in.

Alex watched from a distance as she and her boys left.

*deviatedrift*

"Hunt, you know anything about waiving the tuition fee for the juvenile program?"

Deputy Hunt squinted at Alex's question, as he found it odd that Alex was interested in the program he helped oversee.

"Yeah, I mean, it's rare. But it can be done. It all depends on the situation. What makes you ask?"

"There's a young boy that needs to be in it, but his insurance doesn't cover the cost and I don't think the mother has the money for it," Alex explained.

"Well, if he seems to be a risk to the community and himself, then it may be waived, but he'll most likely have to endure a psych evaluation in order for that to go through," Hunt replied.

Alex shook his head. "Nah, that won't work. He's not… dangerous or mental. He just a young kid who needs help to get back on the right track of life."

"Well, that's the only way Romero."

Ever since the encounter Alex had with Norma at the beach last weekend, he couldn't stop thinking about her and her family. He was drawn to her, and he couldn't understand why. He hated that he was. Maybe it was a part of who he was, a man who wanted to protect people's lives and help them. Maybe it was a small town mentality he had acquired over his years of living in White Pine Bay.

Alex decided he would just pay the fee for young boy, that is, if his mother would allow him to help her family. She had already told him to back the hell off, her words replaying in his head every day since it happened. He wanted to back off and leave her alone, but he couldn't. He needed to know that her family was taken care of first.

An hour later, Alex went on lunch break and sat outside the diner in his patrol car. He watched the streets, particularly looking for Norma. It was Wednesday and her boys would be at school. He figured she would be out and about running errands and doing whatever it is that she does. He didn't have her phone number and didn't know where she lived, so he just hoped he would bump into her in town.

Luck seemed to be on his side because he saw getting out of the green mercedes car that had just parked at the hardware store across the street. Alex collected all the paperwork for the juvenile program in his hand and exited his patrol vehicle, following her into the store.

When he got inside, he didn't see her, so he went through each aisle until he saw her at the one with paint and drywall.

"Doing innovations?" he called out and she jumped.

"Jesus!" she exclaimed, holding her hand to her chest.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Alex said sincerely.

She glanced at him and knitted her brows together. "What are you doing?"

"I uh… I actually wanted to discuss something with you?"

"Are you following me?"

"What? No, I was just out on lunch and I saw you walk in here…"

"So you're following me," Norma deadpanned.

Alex's face turned scarlet as he felt embarrassment swarm over him. He didn't want to seem like a creep, but realized that's probably what he was since he was literally looking and waiting for her to pop up in town.

"I'm not," Alex reiterated, becoming annoyed with her already. Norma hid her smile, finding it amusing how easily she could get under the deputy's skin.

"Ok, well what is it that you had to talk to me about?" She wondered, completely forgetting how she told him to leave her and her family alone a few days ago at the beach.

Alex handed her the papers that was in his hands and watched her read over them. She nodded and looked up at him.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"It's some things that you need to sign as the parent of Dylan for the program."

"I told you Alex, our insurance doesn't cover it."

Alex got momentarily lost in the fact that she remembered his name, but quickly gathered himself together.

"I know, but don't worry about that. It's taken care of."

"Taken care of? How?" She asked.

"The tuition was waived. Now, just sign these papers and bring them back to me whenever you get a chance. Remember, the program starts in 10 days."

Norma watched him and smiled after a few seconds. "Ok. Thank you."

"Yeah, have a good day Mrs. Bates," Alex said and began walking away until Norma's voice interrupted him.

"Can you just call me Norma? Mrs. Bates reminds me too much of my mother in law."

Alex turned to face her. She had on a button down peach shirt and a pair of black fitted jeans. She was too beautiful to be real. "Alright. See you later Norma," Alex responded.