It's Not Forever

~ Alex had to wonder if Norma was kicking him on purpose. Her small feet were like fierce, angry weapons under the covers at night. Perfectly hitting his calves when he least suspected it. It had been so long since he'd shared a bed with someone where all they did was sleep. It was an alien concept to confine two restless bodies to such an enclosed area, but he wasn't willing to sleep on the couch downstairs like Norma had suggested in hurried, pleading whispers.

He was her husband. She was his wife. He wasn't about to let an eighteen year old kid dictate where he would be spending his nights in this house. He didn't care if Norman didn't like it, he was sharing a bed with his wife.

Norma's sharp little foot kicked him again. Harder this time. Hard enough to shake the whole bed frame and he felt the motion of her buttocks buck against his own back. They had gone to bed angry after his refusal to sleep on the couch and Norman had cloistered himself to his room.

It had been an eventful night. One that had started out nice enough with their first dinner as a family. An event that hadn't ended well. There had been a lot of overly dramatic shouting on Norman's part. The young man seeming to think his entire world was coming to an end simply because his mother had remarried.

Alex didn't think such a thing would have bothered Norman so much. Even if he and his mother had been close, Norman was legally an adult and would be off to college soon after his stay in PineView. His mother's marriage shouldn't effect him so harshly. If anything, shouldn't it be a relief? A way for the young man to break away and be on his own?

It was after Sheriff Romero had witnessed Norman Bate's psychotic rage first hand that night, that he finally understood. Seeing Norman with that ax and the young man's raw anger and jealously over his mother that made everything become frightfully real. Romero finally believed that this charming and innocent looking young man was capable of horrible things.

Of course Norman killed Blair Watson. He didn't care what the polygraph said. Norman Bates was a murderer and was more than capable of hurting his mother. Norma believed it to although she didn't want to admit it. She would die before she would admit it.

Another sharp kick under the covers and Alex let out a sigh.

"You wanna talk about it?" he whispered in the near darkness.

The only light that shown in their bedroom was the electric neon blue from the motel sign outside. It seemed such an odd contrast. A tacky motel next to the once grand Queen Anne house. At least Norma had fixed up the motel so that it was cozy and comfortable.

"There's nothing to talk about." she sniffed. "You made up your mind for me."

"He was violent, Norma."

"He was mad."

"How many times has be been mad like that?" Alex asked. "Was he mad like that the night I took him to PineView? The night you called me and I found you both in the cellar? What happened down there anyway?"

She was silent.

"We both know he's dangerous." Alex went on. His voice becoming gentle. "You asked me to marry you for the insurance. So you could get him the help he needs."

"He would never hurt me." Norma said in a small voice and pulled away till her body was on the very edge of their bed.

Hating her stubbornness, yet loving it at the same time, Alex rolled over and winced at the noise the old bed frame made under any kind of movement. The walls were paper thin in this old house and noise would carry. It didn't help that Norman's bed was less than a foot away.

Alex moved closer to his wife and wrapped a heavy arm around her. Pulling her closer to his chest so she wouldn't topple over the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry." he whispered in her ear. "I'm taking him back in the morning. You know it's for the best."

She let out a loud sob and her body seemed to curl in on itself.

"I know." she sniffed at last. "I just… I wanted so much for us to be happy."

"We will be. It's not forever." he promised. He liked the feel of her slight body relaxing under his hold. Her feet moving across his under the covers was another flirtatious contact that he found arousing.

His hand tripped down, accidentally of course, to her night dress and her felt the harsh lace of her panties. It was cold outside, too cold to wear such skimpy night clothes to bed, but the new heater in the basement was working a little too well and was pushing out too much hot air into their bedroom.

The vent was right under their bed and just now, everything felt toasty and warm under the blankets.

"Alex." she whispered when his fingers grazed appreciatively over the fabric of her underwear. Her breathing coming heavier with his teasing and exploration.

"Norman… he's in the next room." she whimpered worriedly.

Alex didn't care. He wanted Norman to hear them. Wanted the bed to make noise and for her son to know exactly what they were doing. He'd locked both doors and he knew nothing would disturb Norman more than to know what Sheriff Romero was doing to his mother a foot away.

"We can be quite." he whispered hungrily into her ear instead. Alex wasn't a cruel man, but he wanted what he wanted.

Norma squirmed fitfully under her husband's grasp. Her hips rocking and bucking enough to make the bed squeak and groan.

He felt sure she would tell him to stop, but his wife, her body suddenly alive and hot to the touch, grabbed his hand and aggressively shoved it down the front of her panties.

Alex could feel the delightful wetness already there. Wetness that only needed slight manipulation from him to bring to orgasam.

She spread her legs wide for him. Her small feet curling around his calves while her hips bucked angrily against him. He could feel his own need growing for her. A firmness tingling as strong as ever with her squirming.

He allowed it. He allowed her to take her pleasure from him. Her slight body needing the release after such a stressful night. He could feel the swollen dampness of her inner folds and how her body jerked when he moved his hand and fingers just right. His arms holding her down as though she were a wild animal he was trying to tame.

"Baby." he panted in her ear when she let out a loud gasp and the bed creaked loudly. His free hand went up her night dress and he found a beautifully firm breast. Perfectly proportioned to her frame and begging for his attention as well.

His wife was in ecstasy and suffering all at once. Her hips bucking violently on their bed till her husband had to hold her down more firmly. Her own hands pulling on the sheets, on his shirt, trying to reach back for his hair as she greedily took her pleasure.

"Alex!" she panted and tried to slam her legs together in protest.

Her husband didn't miss the opportunity and quickened his pace. His fingers strumming over her swollen clitoris quickly and firmly. His legs holding her down and his free hand now over her mouth so she couldn't scream.

Her beautiful body spasmed several times without her seeming in control. Her breathing calming down at last enough for him to let her go.

"Come back to me." he whispered in her ear and she relaxed at last.

"Thank you." she said weakly and embarrassingly folded down her night dress. In the fragile blue light of their bedroom, Alex could see her face looked slightly ashamed.

"You're welcome." he said awkwardly.

She looked worried.

"You think Norman heard?" she whispered. Her eyes wide in alarm.

Norman was the last thing Alex wanted to think about just now. His erection was in need of attention from the beautiful woman lying next to him. Her breasts still heaving in that sheer night dress didn't help matters.

"I don't care." he said harshly.

"Alex."

"I don't care." he said again. "I want my wife." he whispered.

"Alex." she pleaded in a hushed voice. It was if they were teenagers afraid of getting caught.

"I want my wife." he demanded again pulling her close to him and maneuvering her hands to the firmness she was responsible for.

"Please." he whispered when his lips met hers.

"Norman will hear." she panicked. Her hands giving him a few affectionate pumps.

"I hope he does." her husband growled and he maneuvered on top of her.
"Alex!" she hissed and moved away from him. Her warm hands, still having a job to do, abandoned their work and left him to suffer.

She slipped away from him. Their bed making a creaking sound again as she escaped and gracefully stepped onto the floor.
"Norma." Alex said calmly once he regained some control of himself.

"He'll hear us!" she whispered.
"Come back to bed." he insisted reaching out an arm to her.

She shook her head, but moved closer.

"Please. I need you." he said.

Norma looked hesitant, but reluctantly climbed back into their bed again. Her body fitting neatly next to his and happily, her hands wrapping around his shaft again and started stroking him.

"Thank you." he whispered in the darkness. Their movements so subtle that the bed was finally silent.

Norma's hands were small, but firm. Alex delighted in the fact she knew what she was doing and would bring him to completion soon. Her soft lips enticing him with kisses that had no end and her body made him never want to let her go.

How could he have slept on the couch? What a fool he was to have even spent one night away from her just to accommodate Norman. It would never happen again. Never.

"I love you." he whispered in her ear without thinking. He still wasn't used to staying it. Wasn't used to feeling this level of happiness. A happiness he felt he didn't deserve.

He felt her smile as they kissed. His body seizing with sudden release under her handiwork.

"I love you to." she giggled when she made him climax onto her thin night dress. She was grinning and biting her bottom lip as if to suppress the naughtiness she'd perpetrated tonight.

When his breathing had claimed down he realized she couldn't stay in the night clothes he's so recklessly soiled.

"We're going to be louder next time." he warned. His hands stripping her naked and casually tossing the white garment on the floor.

She was radiant in her nudity and looked unashamed for her actions. A thing that made him love her all the more.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked. "I… I-I can get you another nightgown."

"I'm fine." she smiled happily and curled up in his arms for warmth. His lips made affectionate contact with her forehead and pulled her close.

"Lets go to sleep." he prompted feeling her body relax against him.

~ It was much later that night, or very early in the morning, that Alex woke up again to sounds of the floor boards creaking outside their bedroom door. No wonder Norma didn't like to be in this house alone. It was a little spooky here at night. Especially when the wind was blowing and a heavy rain was coming.

His first night there, Alex's bride had gone to bed early after drinking a little too much, and he'd made the rounds of the large house like any good cop would before going to bed. He checked the locks. Secured all the doors and widows and was concerned at how easily someone could break into the basement and gain access to the house. He quickly secured the basement door and thought it might not be a bad idea to invest in a home security system. Just to make Norma feel safe. All those strangers down at the motel after all. It was wasn't an unreasonable investment and he was surprised he hadn't suggested it to her before.

Then again, they hadn't been on the best of terms until a few weeks ago.

Strange how that happens. One day you hate her, the next day you love her.

Now, that strange creaking in front of their bedroom door made Romero tense up and glance provocatively at his sleeping wife. Norma was thankfully out like a light after their exertions.

Another creaking of the old, wooden floorboards outside their door and Romero saw the door knob turn. He'd locked it of course. He'd also locked the adjoining door to Norman's bedroom too. He had to repair the lock and some of the frame not long after he'd moved in so it would work again. Apparently there had been some kind of incident that Norma wouldn't explain to him fully.

Alex watched the knob turn and turn the other way.

"Mother?" came a soft plea from the other side of the door.

Alex kept his side arm in the night stand and was more than ready to use it. Norman Bates was a murder after all. He glanced at his wife again. She was still asleep, naked and helpless, if her grown son decided to hurt her.

Alex watched the knob turning a few more times and stayed still. He didn't want to wake Norma up in case Norman went away. He also didn't want Norman to start pounding on the door wanting to be let in. Another tantrum that would break Norma's heart.

He knew Norman would easily convince his mother he was the victim, and that he should be allowed to stay at home.

"Mother?" Norman called again before knocking on the door loudly.

Norma stirred and Alex slipped out of bed leaving his gun behind. He crossed the bedroom in a few strides and to the door. The old locks making loud clacking noises as they turned out of place.

"Mother, why did you lock the door?" Norman was saying when it was revealed Sheriff Romero had been in his mother's room and in his mother's bed.

Alex was more that a little satisfied to see the look of horror Norman gave him. Like a child being told their wasn't a Santa Clause by a school bully.

"It's late, Norman." Alex said in a hash tone. "Your mother is sleeping. What is it?"

He acted perfectly normal. He wouldn't be rattled by Norman's ax wielding outburst from before.

"What are you doing in mother's room?" Norman demanded after taking a deep, shaky breath.

Alex shrugged.

"I'm her husband." he said lazily. "Why don't you get some sleep? We can talk in the morning."

~ Alex had to admit, Norman had been well behaved during the drive back to PineView. Maybe it was because Norma was in the front seat and talking to him the whole time. Making promises about visits and how much she would miss him.

Norman sulked in the back seat while Alex drove. Neither of the men said anything for the long drive. Anyone passing would think they were a real family.

~ Like any sullen teenager, Norman Bates allowed himself to be checked into PineView again without a word to his mother or a glance at Romero.
"It's going to be okay, honey." Norma sniffed. "I love you so much. Remember that."

"You'll call us if there's any trouble." Alex said curtly to the haughty admissions director who seemed highly judgmental of Norma Bates.

The thin woman who had questioned Alex's relationship to Norman almost two weeks ago, looked over his wife from a distance as if she meant to buy her. She examined her the same was Rebecca had at the Lights of Winter festival just a few days ago. With that slight look of jealousy and hatred. Her own insecurities growing by the second as she watched how naturally confidant Norma could be and how Alex's wife could radiate pure energy and affection that she never would.

When the lanky teenager had turned away and gone with Dr. Edwards, Alex made sure he wrapped an arm around Norma's waist and pulled her closer to him. It seemed to annoy the admissions director greatly to see him being affectionate to Norma.

The skinny, well dressed, woman looked every bit the part of an old maid who wasn't even out of her thirties.

"Sheriff, Mrs. Bates, you realize that we haven't agreed to re-accept your son." she said stiffly.
"It's Mrs. Romero." Alex corrected her coldly. "Norman was just home for a visit. I'm sure you can make exceptions."

"After he eloped out of the facility with another patient?" the director huffed.

Alex decided he hated her. Hated her in a way that would have made him want to subtly intimidate her like he did with almost all the residents of his town.

Yet, he didn't move. Didn't say a word. It felt different now. Being married to Norma. As though she'd redeemed him. Changed him. He was a different person entirely and he didn't want to be the type of man who would resort to his father's way of doing things.

Bob Paris' words that night had wounded him because he knew they were true. Alex was dangerously close to turning into his father. Stopping at nothing to get what he wanted, no matter who stood in his way. Not an admissions director or an eighteen year old kid.

"You allowed the other patient to stay." Norma snapped just as smartly. "Besides, from what we were told, it wasn't my son's idea to leave the facility but the other boy. I took him out briefly and now we feel he needs more time."
The admissions director looked outraged and Alex stood a little straiter at seeing that fire spark in Norma again.

He'd always been smitten by that spark in her. That stubbornness that refused to bend to anyone. That inability to manipulate him hadn't hurt either. It had meant she was honest and he'd respected that.

"I think we'll be going home now." Romero said.

~ Norma was silent on the way home. Even when he asked if she wanted to stop and get something to eat.

"You can be mad at me… all you want." Alex said humbly. He wasn't sure what to say now. He'd never been in this situation before. Never had a desire to be a parent and responsible for making these hard decisions.

"I'm sorry we had to do this. We're doing what's best for him." he reminded her.

"It's not your fault, Alex." she said in a numb and detached voice. "I just… I failed him as a mother."

Alex blinked and kept his gaze focused on the road.

"I think if you'd let him stay home, you would have failed him as a mother." he told her.

"Well, we'll see how it goes for another two weeks." she sighed. "Norman… he wasn't happy to go back… I just… I'm not used to being away from him."

"Maybe we can pick up where we left off." Alex offered.

"What do you mean?"

"We were making plans to fix up the house." he reminded her brightly as the reached the old highway and the Queen Anne came into view. "Now is as good a time as any."

Norma only gave him soft smile but it was enough.

"It's not forever." he promised. "We'll have plenty to keep ourselves occupied while Norman gets better."

"I hope so." she whispered. "But I doubt we can just pick up where we left off."

"Sure we can." he said pulling into the drive way.

The grand old house loomed above them and looking oddly out of place on the serene hilltop.

"I'm just… you seemed so focused on pushing Norman away from me. Pushing him back into PineView after just a few days home." Norma said miserably. "He didn't have enough time to adjust to our new situation."

"Norma, he came at me with an ax." Alex said defensively.

"Yeah? Well, are you dead?" she retorted savagely.

Alex didn't have the patience to respond to that. He wasn't going to be lured into a trap of nonsense where she justified all Norman's behavior.

"He needs to be there." Alex said calmly. "We both know that."

"I guess the honeymoon's over." she sighed defeatedly and stepped out of the car.