The Fine Print: Daniel Knauf and HBO own Carnivale and, unfortunately, Justin and Iris.

Minutes Like Hours

By twinb80

Chapter Six: We All Fall Down

Later that night, Norman returned home without Rose. She had decided to extend her visit and stay the night with their friends. The invitation had been extended to Norman, but he had declined, saying that he had to get home to catch up on some church related work. That was true since they had spent the weekend celebrating Iris's birthday and visiting with Justin. He had driven home and only stopped once for gas. When he reached home he saw the front porch light and parlor lights had been turned on. Iris, he thought, must have come home earlier from work than she had planned. Norman let himself in the back door and was surprised to find that the rest of the house lights weren't turned on. Usually, when Iris returned from work, she had the radio playing, but silence only greeted Norman.

He slowly made his way through the dark down the hallway and found Iris in the parlor room asleep on the couch. Norman was a little taken back at the sight. Asleep, Iris looked younger than she appeared awake. She had already changed into her robe and nightgown and was curled up on the couch. Her long auburn hair flowed down her back. When was the last time he had seen her with her hair down instead of up like all the latest fashion crazes? Norman could not recall. Instead, he decided that the best thing to do would be to turn off the lamps in the room and to bring Iris a blanket, since she had decided to sleep there. He walked over to the nearest lamp and began turning them off. He was just about done when he heard Iris behind him stir in her sleep. The noise had started Norman and he turned around to see if anything was wrong. What greeted him was a surprise. Iris was still asleep but she had stretched herself out of the fetal position and Norman could see that her feet were bare. Her movement had also loosed her robe around her body and Norman could see the shape of her breasts lying against the fabric of her modest nightgown. He was taken back by the sight. Iris appeared to be someone else laying there.

He continued to stare at her sleeping form. "Stop thinking like that." he told himself. This woman before him was his adoptive daughter and as such she trusted him completely. He shouldn't be having these thoughts go through his mind or look at her that way. He was a married man, not to mention a man of the cloth too. He willed the thoughts running through his mind to stop but they didn't listen to him. His feet wouldn't obey him either. Instead they stayed rooted to the floor as image upon image floored his mind. Why was he thinking like this? He had known Iris almost all of her life and yet the woman lying before him didn't look like her. This woman was someone that had aroused his sense merely lying there on the couch.

Norman continued to stare at Iris's sleeping form. When he had finally worked up the courage to walk out of the room Iris opened her eyes. Norman froze fearing what her eyes would tell her when she saw him standing there. Would she guess at what had been running through his mind and become disgusted with him? Norman hoped not and yet at this moment he hoped she could read his mind. Norman forced himself to look her in the eye. But instead of disgust her eyes held nothing but concern for him. Neither said anything. Finally, Iris asked him if had eaten dinner on his way home. Norman managed to tell her he had. She then asked if he would like some tea before returning to his office to work. He managed again to nod his head yes and she got up from the couch and went into the kitchen.

Norman's body collapsed onto the couch as he repeatedly berated himself for thinking such lewd thoughts about Iris. What was wrong with him? Was he crazy? He didn't know. He just knew that she had caused something in him to stir merely laying there. Iris came back from the kitchen with the tea set and handed Norman a cup. He lifted his head fearing what he found in her eyes. He had seen the look of recognition at how he appeared. It was only there a moment but Norman had seen it. Would she slap his face now? Part of Norman hoped she would. To slap some sense into him. She merely looked at him as usual as he accepted the cup she offered. She sat down next to him and Norman thought it would be better for her if she ran to her room and locked him out. Such were the force of his thoughts he couldn't shake.

They both sat there and finally got around to talking about mundane things. Work, Church and Justin, of course. Norman was almost feeling back to his old self when Iris asked him where Rose was. Silence was the only answer given. Iris could tell by this that Rose had decided to stay over at her friend's house. She sighed. Poor Norman and Rose had devoted so much time and energy to Justin and herself. That by now they had not had the time to grow as individuals and as a couple. Iris looked down at her hands. The fact that Justin and her still lived at home didn't help matters. Iris could see that. That was one of the reasons she worked so hard at the Inn. She wanted to be able to give Norman and Rose the time and space they needed to reconnect and not have to worry so much about her and Justin. Iris had planned to be able to do this by saving enough money so that Justin and her could afford a home of their own.

She looked back up at Norman and was surprised to find him staring at her. She couldn't tell what he wanted to say but she could feel what he wanted from her. The shock of this was that what he wanted from her did not disgust her. In fact she welcomed this news. She had always been able to feel what others could not say. As a small child she thought everyone could do this and was shocked when she learned that this wasn't true. The person she had the strongest connection with this gift was Justin. He had never had to ask her for anything. She had always known what he wanted. She couldn't explain it. She just knew.

"Iris...I..."

"Shh...don't say anything."

Neither spoke as Iris moved closer to Norman and placed her hands against his face. Norman closed his eyes as she leaned toward he until their foreheads were touching. He could smell the mint tea on her breath as she breathed slowly against his face. This is wrong, he thought. She should slap my face and run to her room right now. She should be yelling and hitting me to get away. But she didn't. Norman opened his eyes and was surprised to see longing reflected back at him. She returned his stare and continued to say nothing. Instead she allowed herself to brush her lips against his. Norman closed his eyes again as the sensation of her light kiss went through his body. Why wasn't she running from him? He found that he didn't care as he kissed her back. Norman was shocked to find that Iris was kissing him back with as much passion as he felt. He forced his tongue into her mouth as she wrapped her arms around him. He in return wrapped his arms around her and gently lied her back onto the couch. He seemed to see himself as if from a distance away and could not believe that this was happening. But it was. Norman's hands found the opening to her robe and quickly did away with it. The buttons of her nightgown soon revealed her breasts to him. Iris's breath had become hurried and she gasped out loud as Norman's mouth began to ravish her body. She automatically placed her legs around his waist as he began to grind against her. All thoughts of right and wrong and sin flew out of Norman's head as his body reacted to hers. She arched her back as his hands pulled her nightgown up and he began to kiss her neck.

Suddenly one thought ran this his head. Was she a virgin? That thought sent him realing back to a sitting position. Iris lay beneath him her breath still haggard. He couldn't hurt her in that manner. As much as he wanted her right then he knew he couldn't do that to her. As if reading his mind, Iris spoke up. "You wont hurt me. Not like that." Norman was shocked. Had he spoke his thought out loud? He knew he hadn't and yet her she was giving him an answer. The Iris before him was not the Iris he thought he knew. Had that suitor of hers, Allan Bakerson, finally caught her and taken her to bed? Norman found he didn't want to know the answer. Instead he watched as Iris sat up and brought her hands to his shirt. She unbuttoned his shirt and her hands were soon on his bare chest. She looked up at him and his sense of sanity left him. He gathered her in his arms and their bodies soon tumbled backwards onto the couch. Neither heard the hallway clock chime condemning their actions.