Close To Me - Norman Jayden x OC, WIP

Detox Shower

She finished off the last of her dinner, letting the barman take away the plate she left on the bar and returning with another drink for her; Vodka Cran, like every seasoned woman. He walked away from the bar to approach Norman who was sprawled out on top of the piano he had been playing moments prior and lamenting on how Ethan was not the killer...but he also had no fucking clue who it was. He took his vodka from the barman and sighed, standing from the piano and taking a seat beside Natalie at the bar.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help make the arrest." She muttered, nursing her drink. She felt guilty for putting up a fuss but she would not arrest an innocent man, let alone an old friend. She kind of deserved getting suspended for a few days, but still felt she made the right decision. After all...he did escape.

"You made a moral decision, and I agree with you. Don't apologize. Just means I have to work the case alone, or share when I can." He took a sip of his vodka, finishing the rest of it off and placing it back on the bar. Norman removed ARI, tucking the glasses away in his suit jacket before standing from the bar. 

"I'm going back up to go over a few things."

"I'll come up shortly, 701 right?"

Norman hummed a 'yes', and left the open area. Natalie sighed, finishing off her own drink and stretching herself out. Norman seemed to have become a little more reserved and depressed after the attempted arrest of Ethan Mars despite his protests. He was going through some mental and emotional changes, understandable. It was hard to see, and something just seemed to be eating away at him. 

She wished she could help, truth be told, but there was only so much you could help when you've known the man for a few months. He already seemed to trust her like a good friend after their work in Washington, but she chalked that up to him not having many friends in the first place. This was new to him, and frankly intimacy at this point would be new to her as well, since she hadn't been in a relationship in a while and despite subtle flirting back and forth she wasn't sure what her next step should be. 

Well, she'd be no help down here. The redhead gathered her purse and coat and made her way to the elevator.

Natalie arrived at the hotel room Norman had booked for himself, opening the door and hanging her belongings on the hooks by the door. It wasn't the first time she had been here, albeit for all good reasons, but it still felt weird and almost clinical coming to a bachelor's hotel room.

When she actually looked at the room, she was surprised to see the state of it. There were papers strune from the desk and furniture had been knocked over. Something didn't feel right.

"...Norman?" 

No answer. She stepped in further. The shower was running, the bathroom door was wide open and the light on, the only thing lighting the dark room. There was a bright blue something that caught her eye on his bedside table, and when she got closer to the object it all started to make sense. He hid it well, and as Natalie prepared herself for what she was about to see she prayed for Norman, and slowly placed the vial of Triptocaine back on the nightstand before entering the bathroom.

Natalie entered hesitantly, worried about what she might be getting herself into. 

"Norm? Are you okay?"

She turned the corner, and there he was. His face was gaunt and sickly white, a small trail of blood under his nose and blood along his hands and stubble. He was soaked and shaking like a leaf from head to toe, still fully dressed in his suit. He had his knees up to his chest, and as he slowly looked up at her from the shower floor, she could see lifelessness in those once beautiful, steel blue eyes. They were practically grey, no emotion left to show.