Alex practically sprinted up the steps back to the house, unsure of why he had this horrible foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had done a cursory job of locking up the motel (literally just turning the lights off and locking the door) and he knew Norma would be annoyed tomorrow, but he had glanced up at the darkened house up on the hill from the office and immediately felt like he needed to be back there straight away.

Pausing at the door, he took a moment to catch his breath, feeling a bit silly. Nothing was wrong, he told himself, calming down as he pushed the door open. He'd only been gone ten minutes.

Just as he stepped through the threshold, there was a sickening thud from the floor above him, and his feet were moving before he could register any sort of emotion, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Norma!" He called out, as he rounded the top of the stairs, skidding to a halt as he took in the scene before him. Norma was laying very still, her eyes closed, her absurd white nightgown, the one that he hated, was fanned out around her, and Norman was kneeling next to her, staring down at her in horror.

"What happened?" Alex said. Norman turned to stare at him, his mouth hanging open wordlessly, holding Norma's still hand in his own.

"Norman?" He couldn't keep the shake out of his voice as he dropped to his knees, his eyes darting wildly from Norma's peaceful face to Norman's horrified one. She was still, far too still, and he snapped, panic setting in, as he reached across her to shove Norman backwards, just wanting to get him away from her.

"What did you do?!" He screamed, cupping Norma's face, turning her head frantically, scanning for injuries.

"She just- She just fell." Norman said blankly. Alex ignored him.

His hands smoothed the hair away from her forehead, noting her face was a little clammy, before they strayed to her neck, searching for a pulse. He was a police officer, so he was trained in basic medical knowledge, which meant finding a pulse should be easy, but his shaking, terrified hands betrayed him and he floundered, forgetting where to look and what to do.

"Baby?" He choked out, tears forming in his eyes. "Please. Please wake up." He murmured desperately, cradling her face, his hand still frantically searching for a pulse.

If he hadn't been struck dumb with shock and terror, he would have noticed how warm her body was, how there was a fresh sheen of sweat on her forehead, how her pulse was actually beating wildly against her neck and her chest was rising in slow, steady breaths. But he didn't, so when she sleepily murmured out "Alex? What time is it?", Alex nearly died of shock, pulling her into a bone crushing hug that she didn't quite understand.

Pulling back, he brushed his thumbs across her cheeks, watching as her eyes fluttered open and she gazed at him, dazed.

"What happened?" She mumbled, frowning in confusion as she glanced around at their surroundings, her eyelids still half closed.

"I told you - She just dropped." Norman piped up in a small voice from where he lay haphazardly where he had fallen.

"Norman?" Norma muttered drowsily, slowly turning her head to the side to glance at him.

Alex glanced guiltily at him, fearing he may have acted too harshly for a second, before Norma's eyes fluttered closed again and she sagged in his arms. This time, he managed to choke down his panic to noticed the steady rise and fall of her chest, but that didn't stop him from scooping her up in his arms, tucking her head against his chest. She wasn't even really unconscious this time, as she murmured softly, wrapping her arms around his neck, but that didn't quell the tight panic in his chest.

"Ok. We're going to the hospital." He announced.

"What? Why? I'm fine." She mumbled against his chest and he would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't been so terrified.

"Shut up," he murmured softly, struggling to his feet and starting to head towards the door. He was halfway down the stairs when he glanced back. Norman was still lying where Alex had shoved him, his pale face frozen in an expression of pure terror, staring at the floor numbly. Alex sighed, glancing at Norma's peaceful face pressed against his chest, then back at Norman. The boy had clearly slipped into shock, and while he still didn't trust or understand what had happened, Norma wouldn't want him to leave him there.

"Norman?" He didn't move or reply. "Norman!" He barked out, making the boy jump. There was no time to be sensitive right now. "Get up." Norman obliged, obediently stumbling to his feet, swaying for a moment before fixing his eyes on where his mother was wrapped in Alex's arms. Fresh tears sprang to his eyes as he gazed at her.

"I need you to drive." Alex said, starting to move again, sprinting as fast as he dared down the stairs.

"I... I can't drive. I don't have a license." Norman choked out, shouting down the stairs after him.

"I'm the Sheriff!" He called back. "If I say you can drive, you can drive."

He paused by the door, not looking back.

"Your mother needs you."

His words had the desired effect and Norman sprung into action, hurrying down after them, rushing to hold the door open for them to slip through. Alex knew that it was best for Norman to focus on something right now, which is why he wanted him to drive, even though his common sense told him that asking a mentally unstable teenager, who was definitely in shock and occasionally suffered from blackouts to drive was an incredibly stupid idea. As he settled into the back seat, pulling Norma into his lap and watching the back of Norman's head as he nervously fidgeted in the driver's seat, he realised it was because he didn't quite trust Norman with the woman they both loved.


Norma was mostly awake by the time they had reached the hospital, sighing and "pffft"ing alot at being treated like an invalid.

"Honestly, this is ridiculous." She said for the hundredth time. "Norman, honey? Turn the car around." Norman stared at the road ahead, but glanced at Alex in the rearview mirror for a nod of confirmation that he should do no such thing. They had managed to convince her that she should at least get checked out, to soothe their worries at least, but that didn't mean she had to like it, pouting at them both.

"Stop fussing." She muttered, batting away Alex's nervous hands and swinging to sit up abruptly, sliding across the back seat, privately wanting to be wearing her own seatbelt while her unlicensed son drove. A wave of dizziness washed over her as she sat up, and she turned her head sharply to look out of the window to cover it. It was just the stress of the day, she told herself, taking steadying deep breaths, ignoring the feel of Alex's eyes boring into the side of her face and the way Norman kept glancing at her worriedly in the mirror.

By the time they pulled into the parking lot, she felt dreadful, but was desperately trying not to let on how ill she felt as Norman ineptly parked the car. Her mind raced, running through her list of enemies, wondering if this was what it felt like to be poisoned, feeling ridiculous at the direction her own thoughts had taken. She was a housewife, not a Bond villain, but she couldn't help but feel a rapidly spreading sense of panic as she pushed open the door, enjoying the feel of the freezing night air hitting her sickly face.

Vaguely registering both men rushing out of their seats to help her, she defiantly swung her legs out of the car, letting her bare feet hit the tarmac before either of them were even out of the car.

"Honestly! I'm in a nightgown!" She grumbled, eyes darting around the parking lot like she was going to see someone she knew, as she pulled herself out of the car, lurching to her feet unsteadily. Her vision swam and she reached down to pull at the fabric to make a point about them not bothering to grab a single coat between them, before her eyes landed on something that distracted her and the words died in her throat. Three small spots of red were marring the bright white fabric of her nightdress, just above the knee, and she frowned at them, just as Alex rounded the car, his eyes wide as he took them in aswell. Their eyes met for a split second, wearing matching horrified, frightened expressions.

"Alex?" She started, in a small, terrified voice, before her knees went out from under her, her vision blurring as she figured out what was happening to her. The last thing she was aware of was Alex's arms catching her as she fell, before her world faded to black.