Author's Note: I know,I know. I am so sorry for updating it late. I have written this few weeks before but in doubt to post it. I wasn't really sure about this whole chapter. Plus there are just some things going on. I was actually planning to delete this story because I might not be able to write the flow well because anxiety is such a bitch. But I don't want to give up on this story as it is my first. I don't promise to make a weekly update (should have told you all in the beginning) but I will do try to update as soon as I can.

Anyway, thank you for your patience in waiting. And for all the lovely reviews you've been leaving. They mean so much to me! Please, please, please, tell me whatever your opinion about this because I'm really nervous and still unsure. Your words keep me motivated and I need those to keep me going. Yes, I'm being kinda needy ;P But here you go!

Warning for violence.

Disclaimer: The usual applies.

"Norman?"

Only when she realizes Norman isn't himself and unconscious, does she slowly start to walk towards him, her eyes drawn to the dead sparrow he was holding. Before she can take it from his hand, she takes a deep breath trying to ease the anxiety that runs through her veins. She grabs his upper arm, guiding him to walk with her up to his room.

It is 11:51 pm and Norma is lying awake on her bed after she locked Norman inside his room since he hasn't awakened yet from his black out. The happiness that today had brought her vanished after she arrived home, seeing Norman just as unwell as Alex, and Dylan told her to be. Albeit he didn't harm her, it terrifies her that they might really be right about him, that he's dangerous and might hurt her. Those disturbing thoughts make her unable to sleep. She reaches for her phone to call Alex, hoping that maybe, the voice of the only person who calms her will somehow bring her comfort.

"Norma?" Alex answers in a groggy tone.

"Alex-" Norma stops almost hesitantly, her mind protesting whether she should tell her husband about her youngest son's black out, knowing he would immediately send him back to Pineview regardless of whether he's harmed her or not. Maybe sending him back to the institution is really what he needs. But still, she needs to think. She bites her nails, trying to think of an excuse when an uncomfortable silence fills their conversation.

"Is there something wrong?" He asks in an uneasy tone, breaking the silence, aware that there might be something going on inside the Bates' house, giving his wife a reason to call at such an hour.

"N-nothing, Alex. I just wanted to hear your voice." It's true. Although it's somehow an excuse to cover up her anxiousness, still, his voice gives her serenity.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she chuckles softly, "Are you sleepy, Sheriff?"

"Well, I had a long day, you know. But it was well spent."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And you asked for me to fuck you hard."

"Oh, did I?" She giggles, recalling how beautiful and passionate Alex was earlier as she sighs, secretly wishing Alex is laying down beside her, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers.

"You did."

"I didn't know that."

"Well, now you know it."

"Okay, big shot. You win." She chortles at her confession, waiting for him to say something more when she hears him yawn discerning how sleepy he must have been right now. "I'll stop by tomorrow at the station. And bring you lunch maybe? Go take a rest now."

"Okay. So… I'll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Romero?"

Her eyes widen. Mrs. Romero. It's not the first time he's called her that, but it feels different. It's something new. It sounds pleasing to her ears. She likes it. Maybe even loves it.

Smiling at herself, she answers him. "Uh huh."

After a short silence on the other line, he lets out another deep inhale enough for her to hear it.

"Goodnight, Alex." She whispers softly that sounded like a lullaby.

He doesn't answer. Maybe he's fallen asleep, she thinks. Instead of hanging up, her phone remains at the side of her ears waiting to hear his snorts expelling air through his pursed lips.

"Norma?" He softly calls her back.

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, hon."

After she made her youngest son a breakfast, she walks back upstairs to take a hot bath since it's freezing cold and get ready for today's work assuming it will be another long day. As she's about to run the bath, her phone rings. She rushes back to her bed to reach for it, expecting it to be Alex. And indeed it was.

"Hi, hon. Good morning," she greets him happily, knowing she will see him today at lunch, "How's your sleep?"

"I had a dream about you."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Hmmm… Good or bad?"

"Good. But I'm not going to tell what is it about." He teases her and she chuckles. "I can't wait to see you later."

"Me too." She whispers in an eager tone, smiling, "I…" she pauses, carefully choosing her next words. Norman's black out is still bothering her. She needs to tell him anyway. Norma hears him sips something over the phone, "Morning coffee?"

"Yeah. I'm getting ready for work."

"Well, I'm gonna go get ready too. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. I love you." He murmurs softly. She blushes at the sounds she's heard that caused her to grin and not able to say it back. "Are you still there?" He utters at the sudden silence she made.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm still here. Well, I love you, too." She snickers, secretly cursing herself for not saying the words back promptly at him. But what could she do? She can't help it. She feels as if she was still a teenager, first time in love. It's indeed the first time she felt loved as much as she loves. "I gotta go now."

"Yep. Bye."

"Bye." She hangs up, still grinning at Alex's words. She's not only just taking a risk, but also taking the chance she deserves herself.

After almost 15 minutes of getting ready, she walks through the door when Norman startles her, standing beside the door way.

"Oh God, Norman, don't sneak up on people like that! You're gonna give me a heart attack."

"I needed to use the toilet, Mother. I was waiting."

"How long have you been there?"

"I just got here," He tells her, making his way through the door.

"Okay," She observes, not quite believing him, "Norman," she calls him and he looks back, "I already made you breakfast. I'll go down to the office in a bit and around afternoon, I'll have to run some errands in town. Don't forget your medicine," she adds, almost as an afterthought.

"Okay." He smiles at her, and she returns it.

When Norman closes the door, she finally moves her feet, walking towards her room.

"Hey," She greets him happily, as soon as Alex opens the door for her, "Special delivery for the Big Daddy of White Pine Bay!" She giggles, lifting the paper bag she has in her hand. He moves closer, taking it, and softly presses his lips against hers in thanks.

"What's this?" He smiles, taking out a glass jar from it while stepping back at his seat.

"Oh, it's just a cobb salad with a buttermilk ranch." She smiles nervously, but the sight of him staring at his lunch like a little kid is enough for her little anxiety to cool down.

"I'm hungry." He groans in a serious tone.

"Well… Sorry to have you waiting, Sir. Got lots of order but I personally made myself available to make that and bring it to you." She teases, winking at him.

He chuckles as he sits down, facing the table, starting at his meal that Norma made for him. She stands beside him, enjoying the look he has on his face as she watches him.

"This is really good," he says after eating a few mouthfuls.

"Thank you." She smiles simply and sighs in relief at his approval. He pulls her towards him, letting her sit on his lap. She sees him looking at her in an unfamiliar way and it scares her for some reason.

He reads her eyes, "Tell me, what's really wrong?"

"What?"

"What is it?"

She shakes her head, trying to avoid his gaze.

"Tell me."

"Alex," She shifts nervously, pushing him away a little.

"Come on, Norma."

It takes a while before she concedes.

"Fine," she gives in as she lets out a heavy sigh, "Norman had a black out last night."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" He says in frustration.

"Alex, he didn't do anything; he didn't hurt me." She replies defensively

"What if he did?"

"Well, he didn't." She stops, standing from his lap. "I know what you would do if I told you last night. You're gonna send him back to Pineview immediately."

"I'm protecting you, Norma. You know that."

"I know, I know. Alex… He- he's my son." She whimpers softly, turning around, and pressing her hands against her face. She glances over her back seeing Alex moving from his seat. "Alex, please, don't be mad. Please," she begs, "I need to think."

He reaches for her, winding up his arm at her delicate shoulder, and she clings to him. His heart aches at the pressure he has put in her seconds ago. Norman is her son after all. She loves him dearly and he understands that.

"I'm sorry," He kisses her blonde curls causing her to clutch harder at him.

"I'm sorry, I know I should have told you that-"

"Hey, hey… It'll be fine, okay?" He assures her, brushing an errant tear from her cheek. Then he pulls her back at him, giving her a quick peck on her lips. "You're a great cook." He grins plainly at her trying to cool down the tension that could have been another argument between them. She sullenly pouts settling her head in his chest. He gently rubs the back of her shoulder and apologizes again, "I'm sorry."

She looks up at him not saying a word, her lips searching for his. She claws at his shoulders as he hoists her up onto the desk. Her palms grabbing his face, her kiss intensifies as the tension of their body start to fill with such heat. His smooth tongue slips past her lips, pulling her closer to him. His hand travels down her thigh, underneath her blue cardigan dress.

"Alex," She murmurs his name softly in between kisses, smiling wickedly at him.

"Hmm?"

"I don't think we should do this here."

"Why not?"

She mutters inaudibly, "…your office."

"Don't worry, I locked the door."

"Okay."

"This is what I dreamed about last night," he pants in his breathing pulling her closer to him.

"Really?" She laughs breathlessly as he tugs her thighs open.

Just as he is about to undo his belt, there's a loud knock on the door. They quickly move away from each other as soon as the door opens and his deputy is standing

"Oh God, I'm sorry," Deputy Fletcher says, a dear in headlights look on his face as he sees Alex trying to regain in his composure. "I'm really sorry, I-"

"What is it?" Alex asks, awkwardly clearing his throat.

"We got a report they found a dead body at the lake, Sheriff."

"Okay, I'll be off in a minute."

Before Fletcher closes the door completely, Alex calls him back, "Fletcher?"

"Yes, Sheriff?"

"You saw nothing."

"Of course," he confirms.

"Good." He nods at him as the deputy finally leaves.

"Shit!" Norma hisses to herself, "I thought you locked the door?"

"I thought I locked the door." His lips purses, looking away from her, "I got to get back to work."

"Yeah, I guess." She shoots him a look, decompressing herself at the tension that was cut between them. Sliding of the desk she takes her bag to leave.

"Norma?" He utters her name.

"Hmm?"

"Call me when there's something going on."

"Okay." Her lips crush his once again before she closes the door.

"Hey, honey," Norma greets her youngest son warmly as she's chopping an onion when he enters the kitchen, "I'm making turkey pot pie for dinner." She announces, smiling at him.

Norman returns the smile, plainly scanning her. She follows his gaze to her watching him in her peripheral.

"Norman, can we talk?" She stops chopping the onion, putting the knife down at the counter, and turns to face him. She takes a step forward walking to the kitchen table.

He nods responding to her question. "Sure."

"I personally think you should go back to Pineview." She says simply.

"But Mother-"

"It's for the best, Norman."

"But I'm drinking my medicine and I'm seeing Dr. Edwards regularly."

"You had a black out last night, Norman. And I think it's better if you go back."

He swallows, taking a step towards the counter when Norma's phone suddenly rings, Alex's name glowing brightly on the screen from where left it on the table. Fixing his eyes on the screen, a sudden feeling of betrayal fills him. He looks back up at her and shrugs, "I know you've been seeing Sheriff Romero again. I know he's been trying to manipulate you against me so that he can get between us."

"Leave Alex out of this, he has nothing to do with this." She raises her voice, picking up her phone to decline the call.

"Yes, Mother. He has nothing to do with this… with us. It's been always you and me. And there can never be a room for anyone else." Taking a step forward to his mother with a knife in his hand, he keeps talking, "Before anyone could completely break the cord between us, let's take ourselves out of the equation, Mother."

"Norman," her chest rising and falling as the anxiety builds inside her, making it difficult for her to breathe. It was like a déjà vu. The last time he tried to hurt her was not long ago enough for her to forget it. And here it is again. Norman is not himself and it hurts her.

He takes another step until he stands before her, but she doesn't move. She reaches out the cup the side of his face, hoping the simple gesture of her love for her son would make everything better.

"Norman, you don't have to do this," she starts as tears spill from her eyes

"I'm sorry, Mother, I don't want to do this but I have to. I'm not gonna let anyone get between us." Raising the knife, he brings it down swiftly, slashing her arm. She howls in pain and shock before turning and rushing towards the stairs, Norman following

"Norma!" a familiar voice calls out from outside causing Norman to freeze from where he's standing.

"Alex!" She yells back, a sense of relief flooding through her.

When Alex opens the door with his gun in his hand, he's greeted by the grisly sight of the bloody knife in Norman's hand.

"Put that down, Norman." He commands him assertively, moving towards him and pointing the gun at him.

Norman hesitates momentarily before dropping the knife to push the Sheriff aside, his aggressive energy giving him the strength to do so. He immediately moves on top of Alex, hands clamping down around his neck.

"Alex!" Norma calls out when she sees no one from the stairwell and hurries down,

"Norman, stop!" She yelps when she sees Norman cruelly suffocating Alex

"Norman, stop it!" she yells again, her eyes scanning the room for something, anything, before spotting the vase.

"Alex!" She rushes towards him before smashing the vase against the side of Norman's head.

"Alex!" she sobs as she falls to her knees and tightly embraces him.

"You're bleeding." He coughs, wrapping his arms around her.

She ignores her injured and still bleeding left arm, "Norman," she exhales heavily, "Can you get him back to Pineview now?"

He nods. His eyes still fix on the cut her left arm has. He glares at her face realizing it is almost pale probably because of the blood she has loss.

Norma wakes up in pain because of her injured arm in a hospital bed. It aches to know that Norman could really hurt her. But he did. Sitting up, she reaches for her phone. The first thing that crosses her mind is to call Dylan. The only person, aside from Alex, that she can trust.

"Norma?" Dylan questions as soon as he answers his phone and hears the deafening silence.

Norma doesn't know how to start. The last conversation they had really caused severe damage to what they tried to rebuilt for months. They both exchanged and hurt each other with their words; it cannot easily be fixed and she knows that. And now that she's laying in the hospital after she fainted when Norman slashed her arm, she finds it more difficult that he's right and she should have listened to him. But she really has to give it a try.

She stays in an uncomfortable silence.

"Norma, if you're not going to speak, I'm gonna have to-"

"Dylan, wait." She starts, "Norman. He- he's back in Pineview now. I got him- well Alex got him admitted last night. He attacked me. It was a long story. I-" she stops, her tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She sighs heavily and continues, "I'm so sorry, Dylan. You were right. And I'm sorry to dump this on you, you're the only person I can talk to right now. I just don't know what to do anymore. Norman is sick and I don't know how am I going to deal with it."

He stays silent.

"And," she stops. Her breathing now quickening, "Alex is sick too. He's-" she blurts out immensely with the words she's trying to say, "He's got cancer. Leukemia. I didn't know until he got admitted last week."

No matter how much his mother had hurt him, his heart will always be big enough to make space for her and forgive her. But he has hurt her too. Badly. You've never been a real mother to me! His own words struck him. He knows he shouldn't have said that, not after everything she had been through. How he wishes he could hug her right now.

"I'm sorry, Norma."

"It's okay," she murmurs in a subdue tone. Dylan is the only good thing that happened so far after all the storm that has been raging in her life right now and she confides in that comfort. At least she and her eldest son are okay now. Maybe this is what starting over really is: getting Norman the help he needs, staying with Alex through thick and thin, and making it right with Dylan.

"So," she continues remembering the only family-friend she considers. Emma. "How's Emma?"

"She's okay. We've been very busy fixing the house. I," Dylan stops before he allows himself to tell her something. "We're getting married, Norma. I'm marrying her. In summer. It will not be much but I hope you can come."

Norma doesn't answer. She feels as if her heart will burst sooner. She's always been thankful with Emma ever since. And the fact that she loves Dylan and her family wholeheartedly no matter how complex and dysfunctional they maybe, will always be something she will cherish in her complicated life. She couldn't be happier for him. He deserves this.

"Uh, Norma?"

"Oh. Alright, I'll come.", she sniffles, "I'm very happy for the both of you."

"Thank you, mom."

Mom.

She dimples at what he has just called her not quite expecting she will ever hear it again after the last few words he told her since they had an argument. It's the most soothing sound she has heard so far. This is what starting over really is.

I'm really still so hesitant about this. Especially how I concluded this. So please let me know what you think. ;)

TBC...