Her Eyes

Chapter 77: Eternity

It was midafternoon when they got the call stating that Norman had left the sanitarium unannounced. Norma glared at Alex from across the room, and immediately he knew—it was always Norman. Apparently Norman had been missing since morning; they hadn't bothered to call until they were completely sure. Norma hung up the phone, reaching for her keys.

"I'll drive," Alex stated, stopping her halfway.

They spent hours driving around the outskirts of town until the finally arrived at the motel. This was there last stop. The moon had already risen, and Alex was becoming too tired to drive safely.

Norma glanced up at the house as they parked in her usual spot before the steps. "It seems like forever."

"It has been forever," Alex echoed back. "We should go inside and look around. I'll check the motel rooms first and meet you up at the house."

She glanced at him hesitantly. "Okay."

He could see the worry in her eyes, and he wondered if maybe she should stay with him. "Are you scared?"

She scoffed feignedly. "Of course not. He's my son."

He glanced at her, nodding before opening the door and stepping out. "I'll be up in five minutes."

He did a quick search of all the rooms and the brush around the house but he knew Norman wouldn't be there. If anything, he'd be in the house waiting. Part of him regretted sending Norma up by herself, but Alex knew deep down the Norman would never have purposefully hurt his mother.

It didn't take long for Alex to make his way up to the house. But the darkness that consumed him when he stepped inside was all too much to bare. "Norma?" he called into the dark air. "Where are you?" A rustling came from the basement, which he assumed was her—or at least he hoped. "Norma?" he called out again once he reached the bottom of the wooden steps. "Are you down here?" His heart rate picked up as he spotted a shadow coming around the corner, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun.

"He's not here," Norma stated, coming into the light.

The pout that grew on her face disappointed him. "I'm sure he'll turn up. Let's just go upstairs and get into bed. It's been a long day."

Alex set his gun down on the nightstand beside him and climbed into bed. It was best to keep it close at times like these.

"He's probably out there in the cold scared and alone," Norma muttered climbing into the bed beside him. She had called her son thirty times in the past five hours and still no answer. "I'm worried, Alex."

"I know you are. And you have every right to be. We just need to be patient. He's not gonna run off without saying goodbye...he loves you too much." He tried his best to comfort her. He knew what it was like to care for someone who didn't want to be fixed. He knew what it was like to lose someone because of it.

She sighed, glancing down at their hands that lay entangled together. "I really do love this ring," she told him softly.

He smiled back at her, his heart warming. "It was my mother's."

She smiled proudly, gently resting her head on his shoulder. "Do you think it's all going to be okay in the end?"

His eyes drifted to the vanity across for them, and he smiled at the image of them together. "Yeah. I think so."

Her voice came through a little gentler now as she began to drift to sleep. "No matter what happens. I want you to know that I love you. And that you are the only man that I have ever truly and deeply loved...and who was brave enough to love me back. And for that, I am forever grateful for you and everything that you have done for me and been to me. I don't think I would have made it without you."

His eyes started to well at her confession. "I would have never made it without you either," he laughed a bit, his eyes starting to close as he nuzzled his nose in her hair. "And I love you madly."

They were both already fast asleep when the front door creaked open. The sound of footsteps was deafened by their sleep. He had expected to see the former sheriff with his mother. But the sight of them together flamed something deep inside of him. He crept over to his mother's side of the bed, gently pushing the strands of hair from her face. It was then that he noticed a small glisten in the moonlight. His eyes looked down to see it. His heart beat faster, his eyes changing color at the thought of his mother marrying this man.

He could barely control his anger when he spotted the gun that lay on the nightstand beside his mother's lover. And he knew there was only one option. His body moved on its own accord, his hand mindlessly reaching for gun, his fingers tightening around the trigger until it popped.

The sound had jolted Norma awake. Her mind immediately racing to the thought of Alex shooting at her son, but when her eyes opened she discovered that her mind and her heart had betrayed her. Her throat began to close as she glanced between the two men who loved her dearly. A sob escaped her lips as she began to realize the reality of it all. It wasn't a nightmare. The blood that stained her hands as she clutched at the man she loved was indeed real. The warmth left her stone cold. Tears clouding her eyes as she glanced over to her son.

Suddenly a surge of energy came over her and she leapt out of the bed, stumbling over to her son and desperately trying to rip the weapon from his hands. But the force of it all pushed her back and fell as the gun fired one last shot into her heart.

And perhaps it was for the best. A part of Alex always knew the truth. Their souls could never truly be content on earth. The weight of life was just too much for fragile fouls. And maybe in the afterlife, once searching through the sea of emptiness he will again find...her eyes.

I know it has been a while since I've updated either of my stories. I lost my inspiration to write this story a long time ago. But my intention for writing this fic was to help me deal with their deaths when they would eventually happen on the show. And since the show ended the way that it did—this is my way of giving these characters justice and peace again. This is obviously the end of Her Eyes, but I will be continuing The Things You Did For Me.