Unexpected

Chapter 21: Arguing

Sitting in his trailer on break, Norman stews as he thinks about the audacious trial Gimple is putting him through. All over Emily and his new show? He's trying to cut Norman down to size, steal his career like Emily's, but he doesn't realize that it's a big mistake. If they do this, they will lose ratings. True, when they killed Beth everyone tuned in after to see if she'd come back, she was supposed too- but they took that away also. If Daryl dies, everyone is going to just stop watching. He knows this- anyone with a brain would. It's justified when every other character is losing their minds.

It's rational being mad. Right? He has all the rights in the world to disagree with Gimple and his dogs.

"Norman?" Speaking of the devil. Gimple knocks on the door and acts as if nothing is wrong. "I came to tell you that you can go for the rest of the day. This afternoon is just Alexandria stuff."

He goes to leave and Norman catches him.

"When's my death scene gonna be shot?" He asks mightily and Gimple sighs.

"Norman...now it's not like that..."

"Not like what? Not like Beth? Cause that's exactly what I see." Gimple readjusts his tie and acts ignorant to the whole thing.

"I have no idea what you're going on about. This is a show where people die Norman. Why would you think you'd be impregnatable to this?" Leaving Norman's trailer, Gimple slams the door behind him and Norman throws a coffee mug at the door, shattering not only the mug but the glass window. Heaving huge breaths, Norman tries so hard to calm down, but he feels his temperature rising. A jarring pain shoots through his chest and he sits down on the couch. He holds his heart for a while until finally the pain dies away. He knows he should be checked out by a doctor, but he's too angry right now. Going out to his car, cameras are in his face and he tries his hardest not to flip out. Once in his car, he feels the pain again, but ignores it as he drives down the road to make his way to his Georgian Home.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Norman fumes as he tries to get home. He's so pissed right now that he can't even think straight. As Gimple's words torment him, he feels his heart ready to explode. Coming around the bend, he loses it. His heart's pain blinds him and renders him weak. Losing control, the car goes off the road and down over an embankment where he smashes into a tree. His eyes close and he just goes limp.

***

Waking up, his body is stiff and the air around him smells sterile. His head hurts like crazy, but not as much as his chest. Opening his eyes in the dimly lit room, he finds Emily beside him, cheeks red from tears hitting them and eyes stormed over. She scootches her chair closer and holds his hand.

"You had another heart attack....the set called me and said you were angry when you left and that you broke your front window out? I flew all the way from New York to surprise you at home, but when I got the call that yer car was twisted around a tree...I...I..." Pulling her closer, Norman kisses her tears away and rubs her back.

"Gimples killing off Daryl..." She sits back and looks at him with distain on her face. "I got so angry that..."

"This is all over a role? Norman, Gimple's a prick, but it's just a role." Just a role?

"It's not just a role Emily. It's my life. My income."

"You're an amazing actor Norman, one role passing isn't your career when you got so many other things ahead of you."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. Beth was too soon and now..."

"Beth wasn't evem supposed to last as long as she did! She was a character Norman. Daryl is a character! You! You are alive! You're real. Worry about you and your health- not some damned character you play on tv. You could have died today and all you care about is fucking Daryl Dixon!" She growls and Norman can't believe what he's hearing.

"This is my life Emily."

"No Norman. I am. Mingus is....our baby." She has her hands cupped around her small stomach. She hasn't seen him in a few weeks and came down to surprise him with the news. But now he seems to only care about his character. "I'm pregnant..."

His eyes glaze over almost as he shifts from hers to her stomach. He thought that she was going to leave him from his idiocracy, instead she gives him wonderful news.