I'm sorry I've made you wait so long for this chapter. This semester was pretty crazy for me. I was cast in three different plays so I had to put this aside to focus on those. But now the semester is over and I'm on summer vacation, which means more updates! You guys have been so great. I love you all. P.S. I still haven't recovered from that last episode.

Her Eyes

Chapter 70: LIGHTS WILL GUIDE YOU HOME

They ate dinner in silence. The end was near. There was no way to disguise the feeling of eminent doom rising within them. Alex hadn't looked at her since they sat down to eat; he was afraid to look at her. His grave was already too deep. The sound of sobbing caught his attention, but he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge it. There was only so much comfort he could offer her. He wasn't going to say everything would be all right. He was done lying.

He got up from the table and brought his dish to the sink, the rush of water masking her cries. There wasn't anything he could do. They were at a dead end. Alex really only had two choices: leave or go down fighting. He watched her with a pained expression. He loved her so much that it was hard to let her go. And even though she had certain death painted across her face…he stayed with her.

She glanced up at him, a little calmer than before. "So what happens now?"

Alex sighed, moving from the counter to the doorway. "We keep looking for Norman."

"I meant with the sheriff." He stopped dead. Her voice was like a bullet piercing through him, pulling him back to her.

He didn't turn around to look at her. He didn't have to. "I took care of it." It was obvious he didn't want to talk about it.

But Norma never could take a hint. "Alex."

He turned to face her, his mouth falling open in search of the right words. This is what reality felt like…it was killing them both. He shook his head lightly, allowing his eyes to fall to the floor. She had every right to be concerned. Norman was all she ever had. Even Alex could understand that. He caught sight of her eyes. He'd never let her go. "No one will ever know."

She stood up from the table, wrapping her arms around him. The gentle sound of her sobs had returned so he held tighter. She let herself fall into him, finding safety in his arms. "This isn't going to end well, is it?"

Alex sighed, his eyes searching the ceiling. "No," he muttered. "Probably not."

They headed into town, driving up and down the streets in search of Norman. This was becoming a routine, and he hated it. Alex was done covering for Norman. He cursed himself for helping him in the first place. But now he was in too deep. His fate had been sealed. He glanced over at the woman sitting in the passenger seat. It was amazing…the hold she had over him. He was sinking into the abyss, and he couldn't claw his way out. He was doomed. "I'm gonna need you to tell me exactly what happened."

She scoffed at him, her eyes still searching the street. She was as difficult as ever. "I don't know what happened. I just came home and there he was."

Alex held his breath. He could feel them retreating back to their old ways, but he couldn't stop his irritation for seeping out. "You didn't see anything? You didn't talk to Norman?" His blood was starting to rush as he watched her. Emotionless. He wondered if she even heard him. "You seemed pretty shook up when I got there." Nothing. "This isn't the time to be keeping things from me."

She glared at him. "I'm sorry I didn't know this was an interrogation." The hint of irritation in his voice had caught her attention. He almost smiled, but decided against it. Her adrenaline was on a high. She could kill a man if she wanted to. She had killed a man…a long time ago.

Alex shook his head, returning his eyes to the road ahead. "Don't do this right now. I'm trying to help you."

"Hell of a good job you're doing there, sheriff." And there it was. The reason he kept a bottle of scotch beside the bed at night.

He took a breath, gripping the steering wheel. "Let's just keep looking."

She watched him for a moment, observing his disdain. Her gaze softened as she reached out to touch him. "Alex." She was unpredictable. He knew that. She ran her hand along his arm until she met his hand. She stared cautiously, pulling his hand from the wheel and wrapping it with her own. "I came home and found him on the floor. Norman wasn't there. He must have left before I got there. I looked all over the house, and then I called you. That's what happened."

He smiled at her. Her honesty only buried him deeper. He loved her. "Thank you," he whispered.

They pulled into the motel parking lot, glancing up at the ominous house in the moonlight. Alex's eyes fell to the woman beside him. She shot him a weary look. "Home sweet home," she muttered, climbing out of the car and making her way towards the steps.

He followed behind her, climbing a little faster to catch up to her. It was almost as if she wanted to find Norman first…just in case. "Norma." But she wouldn't stop for him—she wouldn't stop for anything. She had to prove that Norman didn't do this, even if he did. Alex nearly tackled her as they got to solid ground. She flinched at his actions, glancing down at the hand wrapped tightly around her arm. He stared at her apologetically. "We need to discuss what's gonna happen after we find him."

Her eyes narrowed in on him. "What are you suggesting?" This woman would do anything for her son. He knew that. Alex sighed, loosening his grip on her arm. But her eyes stayed the same, egging him on. "He's not dangerous."

His eyes met hers. "Look me in the eye and tell me he didn't kill Bradley Martin." He could see the tears welling in her eyes as she daringly held his gaze. "Blair Watson, Jimmy Brennan, and Milton Arbogast. Don't these people deserve some justice? You can't protect him forever."

But of course she already knew that. Her eyes fell to the ground with a breath as she shakily took a step towards the house, glancing back at him for reassurance. "Ready?"

He sent her a nod and followed after her, placing a hand on the small of her back. "It'll be all right. I promise." He leaned in to kiss her cheek, but the sound of a woman screaming stopped him from following through. He glanced up at Norma, but her eyes were trained on the motel below. It was all coming to end. He pulled his gun from its holster, keeping his finger on the trigger. "Stay here," he whispered though he knew she wouldn't listen.

He crept down the steps to the motel, ignoring the pattering of feet behind him. His heart beat violently as he crossed the gravel, glancing back up at the house every now and then. The silence in the air threatened him. Death was near. He could feel it following him. This was for her, he told himself. It was all for her. He cocked his gun.

"Alex." He turned around to face her, staring at the look of exhaustion drowning her eyes. "Don't."

But her pleas wouldn't ease him. He was on edge. He flipped around at the sound of rustling, shooting the first thing that came into sight. The woman before him fell to the ground, clutching her chest as the blood began to seep out. He had excellent aim. "Sally," he called to her, rushing over to kneel at her side. He glanced back at Norma who stood speechless, eyes trained on the woman dying on her motel porch. "Call 911."

But there was no need to call them. She was already dead. Alex held her in his arms to help ease the pain building inside of him. Every death was calculated, mulled over, and then executed. This was an accident. It was the worst of them all. This was how he had to suffer. It was all for the woman he loved. He could hear her frantic voice in the background, but his focus remained on the woman who lay in his arms. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

Norma hung up the phone and made her way over to him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "It'll be all right. I promise." But Alex couldn't bring himself to believe her. Everything was slowly closing in on him. He was running out of room to breathe.

They both glanced up at the shadow coming around the corner. Alex could feel her breath on him, causing his heart to race a little faster. He knew who it was. It had to be him. He braced himself, gripping his gun a little tighter.

"Norman?" his mother called out, lightly brushing past Alex and stopping at the sight of a gun. "Norman, what are you doing?"

Her son glared at her, raising the gun in her direction. "You betrayed me, Mother." He wasn't the same boy. Something had finally snapped inside of him. Alex was beginning to wonder if he ever could be fixed. His heart dropped as the boy took a step closer to his mother, his eyes never faltering. "You lied to me."

He would kill her if he had the chance. It was slowly becoming apparent to Alex. Norma was never safe…and neither was he. He pointed his gun at the boy, keeping his finger locked on the trigger. "Norman, put the gun down." But the boy didn't acknowledge him…not until Alex stepped between them and gunshot went off.