Beautiful With You (Norman Reedus)

Chapter 28

Author's Note:

Thank you to everyone that had read this. A big thank you to _samalmightyx and Theycallmerae for helping me out with this story and for supporting it. You both rock and this chapter is dedicated to you. Also I want to say a big big big thank you to Theycallmerae for pushing me to write when I felt like giving up. If it wasn't for her, this story wouldn't have happened. It is dedicated to her and her love for Norman. I love you <3, you're the best and I feel like I don't deserve you :). Anyways tell me what you think! I know it is a filler chapter but it is leading into some bigger things!

Thank you for reading,

Steph

It was a whirlwind of activity once everything hit. I tried to stop it but Katrina was fighting it. I could tell that Norman wasn't himself. He was becoming secluded unable to go outside anymore. He was accused of being an abuser, although many of his fans were with him. They fought for him and it warmed my heart but the negative was beginning to outweigh the bad. He was all over the tabloids and newspapers, the gossip sites were positing about him and it was annoying. I couldn't look anywhere without seeing his face and the title behind it. I was seeing red. Even though I told them it was me, there were many speculating that I was just covering for him. I rubbed my face as I had to quit my job at the diner with all the accusing glares and now I felt like I had nothing to do anymore. Nothing left. I wasn't pulling in any money and it made me feel useless then I have ever felt before. I lay on the couch, curled into a ball as Norman sat with my feet in his lap, Mingus having came to visit it but we didn't do much. He sat and played his video games, but I could tell he wanted to do more. I felt bad but we were stuck inside. I don't want to live like this, but I don't know what to do. Norman's phone hadn't stopped ringing and he stopped answering it. Unless it was numbers he knew.

"I can't keep living like this," I mumbled and pushed myself up from the couch, rubbing my face and looking to the paper that sat on the coffee table. I sighed and wondered if I should get a job, Norman still sat there and I moved towards him. "We can't keep living like this," I corrected myself. "This is what she wants. Katrina wants us to hide. She is going to win and we can't let that. She is going to become this wedge," as I spoke I turned towards him and cupped his cheek, gently making him look at me, "your fans know you. They love you and support you. I am sure others see through her. We can get through this baby." I pulled him to me and pressed my lips to him, wanting to feel something again. Wanting him to feel like he will be okay. I got up and pulled him up, although he was fighting me on it. I groaned and lead him to the room, "We're getting out. I don't care right now, Norman." I threw some clothes at him and grabbed my own clothes, dressing. He slowly dressed and I knew he was trying to take his time but I wasn't backing down. We were going to face this together and the truth will come out. I just hope that his fans will come back, the ones he had lost.

Once we were both dressed, I grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door. I could feel my heart stuck in my throat and I was nervous but I was holding it in. I was hoping that he wouldn't feel that and insist we go back. "We can do this," I whispered to him and pecked his lips gently. His hand was shaking in mine and I squeezed it gently as I pulled him towards the elevator. The hallway was empty, we didn't pass anyone and no one was in the elevator; this has helped me a lot. I could feel Norman becoming somewhat relaxed as the doors shut and it began its' decent to the bottom floor. I leaned into him and his arm wrapped around me, my eyes closed. I could smell his musky scent and the corner of my lips tugged up a bit. I loved his smell and wish that I could bottle it. I knew he wore a musk cologne, but there was another underlying scent, a scent that was just him. I felt his lips on my head and smiled more as I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist. Before we knew it, the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open. Norman and I stepped out of them and looked towards the door that would lead us outside. I could feel his body tensing as he swallowed hard. My fingers splayed across his back, gently moving back and forth as I try to comfort him. I feel bad that he had to feel this way. He was so scared when we stepped out the door and an amazing thing happened, no one stopped and stared at him. No one ridiculed him or even said anything. They just pushed their way by us and went along their business and it was a relief. I could feel Norman relaxing.