A/N: Okay, so let's just get this out the way now... I am sosososososo sorry for the unexpected hiatus. I'm sure I mentioned this before, but this story was originally meant to be a oneshot and I ended up getting carried away, which of course, means that I didn't really plan the ending ahead of time. I had a general idea of where I ultimately wanted to take this but when it came to putting my fingers to the keyboard, for some reason I kept drawing a blank. But we've finally reached the end point and overall I'm pretty happy with where we've ended up.

Tom, It's great to know that you were pleased by the last chapter. After all, that's the goal :) As for your suggestions for my next story, thank you so much! I don't want to spoil how that one is going to end up, but just know that I love your idea and I may or may not be going in that direction... (okay, I totally am) badkidoh, thank you so much, I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! ROSEY cheeks, I always appreciate your kind words, so thank you for always sharing them with me! I love to hear what specific parts people enjoyed, it's nice to interact in that way. I hope you love the final chapter!

One last thing before I go; I've been working on my next fic, and of course, what was initially supposed to be a re-write of Argentina has gotten a little out of control. It's probably going to be pretty long and I'm hoping to have it up as soon as possible, but I think I want to get the whole thing written before I start to post it here, just to avoid the long waits between chapters that I've unfortunately been leaving you guys with with this story.

Reviews are love! Oh, and there will be a few more notes at the end ;)

"Do you think daddy will let me see his scar soon?" Harrison asks, his eyes beaming with a look of childish glee. "Maybe even let me touch it?"

"Well, buddy, he actually doesn't have one yet. Scars take a little while to form, and he only just got out of surgery yesterday." Deb answers. "But he'll have one eventually, and I'm sure he'd be happy to show it to you."

"Oh. That makes sense, I guess."

"Here, how about you eat your banana now?" She instructs him, attempting to place the troublesome fruit in the toddler's hands. He'd been evading it for almost twenty minutes now; extending what was supposed to be a brief pit stop to the hospital's cafeteria into a bit of an ordeal.

"No, I told you I don't want it." Harrison replies. He takes the banana from his aunt's hand and places it down triumphantly on the table, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest.

Deb feels a tantrum brewing. At the end of her rope, she decides to try out a good old fashioned guilt trip. She was a rebellious child herself, but there were days where Harry managed to keep her in check with the same tactic. "If you don't eat it, your dad will yell at me, and you wouldn't like that. Would you, Harrison?"

"No. But it can be a secret, Aunt Deb." He suggests. "Just for us."

Are little kids even supposed to understand the concept of secrets? The thought of Harrison already growing accustomed to lying, to hiding things from those closest to him, is a weight that Deb doesn't wish to carry. She tries to tell herself that it's stupid, that she's overreacting – it's just a fucking banana, for Christ's sake – but she can't help but wonder if this is where it all starts.

Sure, just a few little white lies, a couple of hidden truths here and there. But how many times had Dexter lied to her when they were kids? It started out with irrelevant shit like this, but somewhere along the way, childish lies became secret serial murder. Harrison isn't her son, but he might as well be. She'd have no one to blame but herself if he ended up going down the wrong path later in life and she'd done nothing to try to stop it.

"No, we don't keep secrets from each other, Harrison. So either eat it, or explain to your dad why you refused." Deb orders him, pressing her lips together in an authoritative scowl. "I'm not fucking kidding."

A frown forms on Harrison's face but he nods at her, reaching out for the banana and holding it in a closed fist. He looks terribly upset and Deb can't believe that she actually cursed at her nephew over a slimy piece of fruit. Of course the boy wouldn't understand what has her so upset.

Just as she's about to apologize to him, Harrison's frown melts away and a small smile takes its place. "Okay, so daddy doesn't have a scar…then how about a hole?"

The relief washes over her like a tidal wave. It's easy to forget how quickly kids tend to get over things sometimes.

"Nope, no hole. The doctors sewed him up good as new. But I'm sure he'll show you his stitches once he's all healed up. Those are pretty cool." Deb answers, returning her nephew's smile. "Come on, he's probably already awake and waiting for us."

She takes Harrison's hand and they make their way to Dexter's new room. After yesterday's successful follow up surgery, he was moved to another room and officially declared to be in stable condition. He'd spent most of the day sleeping, and truth be told, she was already starting to miss him.

Harrison takes off running just ahead of her, placing the unwanted fruit in her hand so he can turn the knob and let himself into the room. He immediately runs to his father, climbing into the bed next to him.

"I was beginning to think that you two got lost on your way back here." Dexter says, pulling the child closer to him. "It's been a while since you left."

"Yeah, I hope you didn't miss us too much." Deb replies. "Your son was being kinda difficult. But on the plus side, I brought you a present."

She settles down in the empty chair beside him, dramatically placing the banana in his hand, expectantly outstretched towards her.

"Seriously? It's a banana." He acknowledges as he starts to peel it, his lips twisting into a playful half smile. "It's nice to know that you were thinking of me, though. How unusually sweet of you."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't get too excited if I were you, brother." Deb smirks at him. "I tried to force Harrison to eat it…you know, for the vitamins and shit, but no dice. He even suggested that we keep it a secret. It was very 'you' of him."

Dexter turns to his son, inquisitively raising his brow at the uncharacteristically shy boy. "Harrison, is that true?" He asks between bites. "Did you really try to get your Aunt Deb to lie to me?"

"Yeah…" He admits. "Please don't be mad at me, daddy."

"I'm not mad at you. We all make mistakes. What really matters is that we learn from them." Dexter replies, flicking the banana peel into a nearby trash can once he's finished with it. "So I want you to promise me that you won't lie again. Lying isn't a good thing to do. I know it might not seem like a big deal to you now, but secrets can hurt, Harrison. Take it from me."

"I promise I won't lie again." Harrison says. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I know you are. I love you, Harrison. So much." Dexter adds, gingerly running his fingers through the boy's hair.

Suddenly, Deb's phone buzzes to life in her left pocket. She reaches for it with the corresponding hand, cursing to herself when her cast restricts her movement. She brings her other arm across her body to grab the phone, half expecting Dr. Vogel's name to flash onto the screen. She hasn't been back to visit yet today, but she made it abundantly clear that she wants to have a talk with the Morgan siblings sooner rather than later.

"Who's that?" Dexter asks, his face dropping. "You only just got here."

"Now you know how I've felt all these years, with you always running off." Deb mumbles.

Dexter looks hurt by her rebuttal, knowing damn well that he has no right to be. But like always, Deb feels bad about it anyway. She cringes, muttering a quick apology before turning her attention back to the vibrating phone.

"Ah crap, it's Elway. The fuck does he want?"

Her eyes dart to Dexter, then the screen, and then back to Dexter again as she wages an internal war with herself. She and Dex have only just now found their way back to each other. Leave it to Elway to find a way to ruin everything without even knowing it.

"Whatever, I'm sure he doesn't have anything important to say. I can just send him straight to voicemail." She decides.

"No, take it. You've been dodging the man long enough, Debra. I mean, he is your boss."

"Yeah, so? He's not going anywhere."

"And neither am I." He replies, lifting both of his arms to gesture towards all of the shit he's currently hooked to.

"Well, when you put it that way…" Deb sighs. "Ugh, fine. I'll be right back."

She ducks out of the room to accept the call, watching through the window as her brother and nephew erupt into a fit of giggles. She wishes that she could be a part of it.

"Hey, Jake. Listen, I'm really fucking sorry for randomly going M.I.A. on you these past few days. I wasn't trying to avoid you on purpose or anything, I swear. It's just…"

"I don't want to hear any of your excuses, Morgan. Just get your ass down here, now. It's important. It's about McKay. I think I've finally got something."

"W-what? You're saying that you've got news on Hannah McKay?" Deb asks, disappearing further down the hall just in case Dexter is still within earshot and can figure out that something's wrong thanks to the rapidly increasing pitch in her voice.

Great, just what she needed, another problem. And so soon after the last one? This must be some sort of record. If Deb ever had any doubt that the universe hated her, it was definitely short lived.

Elway sounds discernibly disappointed by her response. He sighs. She pictures him running his fingers through his overly gelled hair, angrily pacing back and forth around his office with one of his shit shakes in his free hand. "Why aren't you jumping for fucking joy right now? Aren't you the one with the vendetta against her? Because of your dumbass brother?"

"Hey, don't talk about my –"

"I mean, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you were the one pushing me to look into Hannah McKay in the first place. Give me something here, Deb." The man interrupts. "A thank you would be nice, for starters."

"Uh, yeah I guess I thought I was on to something before. But I'm over it now. I was…misguided. That sighting before…it probably wasn't her. And even if it was, I'm sure that she's gone by now." Deb explains. It's one of the most truthful things she's said in a while. "You know I can't stand her, but I have to give credit where it's due. Hannah is a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them. Why would she bother staying in Miami where she knows that someone is bound to recognize her?"

"I think you're giving her too much credit here, Deb" He chuckles. "Not all criminals are as cunning as the Zodiac. And thank God for that, because if they were, I wouldn't be in business. Sometimes, a blonde is just a blonde."

"Yeah, whatever, I guess." Deb says, rolling her eyes in agitation. "Look, I'm gonna need you to stop jerking me around here. What exactly is your lead? I'm smack dab in the middle of some heavy family shit right now, and I have more important things to do than stand around gossiping about some bitch that's ancient history. So if this turns out to be nothing, I swear I will tear off your balls with my bare fucking hands and deliver them to your mother through priority mail."

"Alright, Debra, Jesus." The man acquiesces. "But just a little word of advice, you might want to ease up on the violent threats. I am still your boss."

"Fair enough. So, come on…what have you got?"

"The bitch was fucking spotted!" He declares. Deb can practically hear his Cheshire smile through the phone. "The photos aren't on my desk yet, I'm waiting for my guy as we speak, but I have it on very good authority that it was her. Hannah fucking McKay, can you believe it? How much do you think we can make off of this one? She's still on the FBI's most wanted list, isn't she?"

"Don't cream your pants just yet, Jacob." Deb says. She hopes that she doesn't sound half as anxious as she actually is. If someone managed to snap a picture of Hannah lurking around the Keys – or even worse, a picture of Hannah and Dexter lurking around the Keys – it might be time to start digging both of their graves. "When were these pictures taken?"

"One of my guys caught up to her last night, somewhere around Coconut Grove. He didn't approach her, thought it was best to keep his distance. He followed her back to her hotel, though. Got the room number and everything. He's a fucking genius, to be honest. But I've been waiting for you, thought you might want to be the one to take her in, seeing how personal this thing was for you."

Deb exhales the breath she'd been holding in in a whoosh. She stopped listening after 'last night'. Nothing past that even matters. "That's impossible."

"You know something I don't, Morgan? Why would that be impossible?"

Because I killed her.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that. I guess it isn't impossible, but Coconut Grove? That's a hotbed for tourists. Do you really think she'd be dumb enough to try and hide out there?"

"What better place for a criminal to hide than in plain sight?" He asks.

It's a reasonable enough question. One that Deb can't really offer a response for. After all, he isn't wrong. She knows a guy who's been successfully hiding in plain sight for about twenty years now.

"I guess you've got a point." She replies after a few more seconds of silence. "What time should I –"

"Oh, perfect. My guy just walked in. You've got twenty minutes, Debra. Hurry up, I really think this could be it!"

Elway sounds absolutely giddy, no doubt already mulling over what he's going to buy with the sizeable reward he'll receive in exchange for one of the most wanted women in America. He hangs up before Deb can squeeze in another word to bring him down from his high.

"Awesome. Fucking awesome." She mumbles to herself.

Deb lingers in the hall for a while, taking her time on the walk back to Dexter's room as she thinks on what just happened. She doesn't know why she's even bothering to let this get to her – Hannah McKay is dead. She should know, she fucking killed her. Still, this definitely wouldn't be the first time a ghost from her past came back for another round.

But the thought of Dexter actually setting Hannah free again is one that she can't afford to have. Even if the woman managed to miraculously survive a headshot from a trained cop, would Dexter really have betrayed Deb in that way? It wouldn't be the first time he let Hannah slip away.

No. Hannah McKay is dead. She watched the life drain from her eyes. It was real. Elway just has his head shoved so far up his wallet that he can't accept the fact that he's wrong about this.

"I must be crazier than I fucking thought." Deb mutters, taking a few deep breaths to compose herself as she prepares to face her brother and nephew again.

"Hey, look who's back." Dexter greets her once she pokes her head back in the room. "We're watching The Young and The Restless, and it isn't half bad."

"Unbelievable. That shit is still on?" Deb chuckles, moving to take a seat beside her boys. "I remember mom used to watch it religiously when we were kids."

"Yeah, this one guy has a twin, except I don't think they're actually related…" Dexter chuckles. "It's nice to know that there's someone with a crazier life than us, even if they are fictional. Speaking of crazy, what did Elway want?"

"Oh, it was nothing really. He just needs help tracking down a potential mark and he wants me to go and meet him at his office now. I think I'm going to stay here with you guys though. Like I said before, it's nothing important."

"Deb, go. We'll be fine here for a little while."

"I don't know if I believe that. Who is supposed to watch Harrison while I'm gone?"

"Hey! I think I've done a pretty good job of that these past few years, thank you very much." Dexter says, clutching his chest as if offended. "I can hold my own."

"Hmm, that's debatable." Deb laughs, clearly in a teasing mood. "I'm kidding. Of course you've done a good job. I really mean that, you know."

Their eyes meet and her brother actually looks grateful for her words; surprised, even. But truthfully, he has no reason to feel that way. The Morgans have made their fair share of mistakes over the years, but Dexter becoming a father was not one of them. He loves his son more than anyone, and it shows. Harrison couldn't have asked for a better dad. Obviously things would've been much better with Rita still around, but so far, Dex has managed to raise a son that his former wife would certainly be proud of.

"What are you waiting for?" Dexter asks, immediately tearing her away from her thoughts. "I don't want to be held responsible when Elway wises up and finally decides to fire your ass."

"Okay, okay, I'll be back in half an hour. Forty minutes, tops. Try not to miss me too much."

"I'll try, but I'm not making any promises." Dexter answers, extending a hand to her.

She ignores his offering, instead leaning down for a hug. Deb covers his body with hers and he wraps his arms tightly around her. Harrison, feeling left out, struggles to wrap his short arms around the both of them.

The three of them stay like that for a while, no one quite brave enough to be the first person to pull away from their embrace. Finally Deb is the one to end it, offering them both a wave goodbye on her way out of the door.

Deb arrives at Elway's office in record time, unceremoniously letting herself into her boss's office and plopping down on the chair directly across from his desk. Annoyingly enough, the man is nowhere in sight. Did he go off in search of the elusive blonde without her?

"Deb, there you are." He declares, bursting into the room right on cue. There's a man with him that Deb doesn't recognize, and she assumes that it's the 'genius' who thinks that he randomly stumbled across Hannah McKay in a particularly fabulous stroke of luck.

"Debra Morgan?" He asks. "So, we finally meet. I've heard a lot about you."

"Yeah? Not too much, I hope." She sociably replies. "Okay, look, as much as I'd love to stand around and chat, I really can't right now. My brother is in the hospital and I really need to get back there. What's all this about Hannah McKay?"

"Dexter is in the hospital?" Elway questions, still as nosey as ever. "What happened to him? Nothing too serious, I hope."

"I don't want to fucking talk about it!" Deb snaps. "Sorry, fuck, I didn't mean to yell at you. But long story short, it is serious, so I would appreciate it if we could stop dragging our dicks here and just get straight to the point. Hannah McKay."

"I like her." Elway's comrade chimes in, taking the time to look Deb up and down in the creepiest way possible. She takes a few steps away from him and closer to Jake, already thoroughly pissed off. "Anyway, I've got the photos right here for you, boss."

He presents a yellow manila envelope to the two of them, taking his time to open it and remove the contents for everyone to see.

"Jeez, have you ever heard of a digital camera? Or a fucking cell phone? I mean no offense but…why waste time getting pictures developed?" Deb wonders.

"I did use digital…." The man replies, dumbfounded. "I just had to print the pictures out first, is all."

"Fine, forget I even said anything. Let's just see what you've got."

The man takes three photos out of the envelope and spreads them out across Elway's desk. He takes a few steps back to stand confidently behind Deb and her boss, no doubt anxiously awaiting the praise he thinks he should be showered with for a job well done.

Though Elway can barely contain his excitement, Deb takes her time studying each of the photos. The first picture is of a woman with her back turned to the camera. It's blurry, but still clear enough to make out her approximate height and weight. So far, so good. Her glossy blonde hair cascades slightly past her shoulders, and though Deb knows that the woman in question can't possibly be Hannah McKay, she can't deny that she's a damn good look-a-like.

The second photo is of somewhat better quality, but it still leaves a lot to the imagination. It's easy to see how this guy could've thought that he hit the lottery with this one, but unlike Deb, he didn't have the pleasure of spending significant amounts of time with that poisonous bitch. In this picture, the woman is slightly facing the camera, and though it's still pretty blurry, it's obvious to Deb and anyone who isn't concerned with seeing what they want to see that this woman's nose is completely different than Hannah's. The nostrils are much too wide and the bridge is much too crooked.

The last photo is the most damning for Elway and his lackey. The woman is turned completely towards the camera, and most of her features can be made out clearly now. The lips are too big to be Hannah's, and she looks shapelier than one would've originally assumed she was from behind. It should be obvious to everyone in the room by now that the woman in the pictures is not who they thought she was.

"Really?" Deb snorts. "This is what you dragged me down here for? Some random blonde woman trying to enjoy her fucking vacation?"

"What are you talking about, Debra? This woman is a dead ringer for McKay!" Elway insists. His voice is self-assured but the look in his eyes tells her that in reality he's anything but. He knows just as well as she does that his cash cow has just left the pasture.

"I'm sorry, but anybody with a working pair of eyes will tell you that the woman in those photos is most definitely not Hannah McKay. I think it may be time to kiss this one goodbye. I'm sorry, it sucks, I know. I want her behind bars just as much as you do, but right now it's just not gonna happen."

"No, absolutely not. I won't accept that." He says, shaking his head in disbelief. "Jerome, why don't you take Deb down to the hotel where you saw McKay with your working pair of eyes? I'll be following right behind you. There's no way she can escape when it's three against one. She may be a murderer, but a gun beats poison every time in my book."

"Jake, this is ridiculous!" Deb says. A laugh falls from her lips, and though she didn't mean it in an insulting way, that is exactly how it must sound to the men standing before her. "Why the fuck would you waste time and valuable resources chasing down a woman who clearly isn't the one you're after? You'll just end up running back home with your tails between your legs and nothing to show for it. I don't know about you, but I'm not in the business of hunting ghosts."

"Alright Deb, you know what? That's enough fucking disrespect for one day. I am your boss, and I am telling you to get your ass down to Coconut Grove and apprehend the suspect. That wasn't a request!" Elway barks at her, trying (and failing) to scare her into falling in line.

"Fuck you. I'm not going anywhere except for Jackson Memorial. My brother needs me. Clearly, you don't." She replies. "Call me when you have an actual job for me to do."

"Yeah…well, you can forget about that now." He says, his jaw clenched in anger. "I have had it up to here with your bullshit. I gave you a job when you were a complete mess, knowing full well that no one else would ever be willing to hire you in that condition. I stood by you for months, through all of the constant disappearing acts, the lateness, the lack of professionalism…hell, even when I found out about your nasty little habit of fucking your marks –"

"So I'm the one that lacks professionalism, but you, the guy who is supposed to be running this place, think that it's completely appropriate to call me a whore in front of one of your employees?" Deb interrupts. "Fuck you, I don't have to put up with any of this shit."

"Shut up and let me finish." He says, latching onto her arm when she tries to turn away. "Despite everything, like an idiot I still stood by you, because you managed to get the job done. But lately all you've done is dodge responsibility, and I'm not going to continue to let you take advantage of me like this. I've given you enough chances."

"Let's not pretend that you're so innocent in all of this." Deb retorts, her voice all venom. She snatches her arm out of his grasp and steps closer to him, undaunted. "Call me what you want but the fact of the matter is…this whore never wanted anything to do with you. And I'm sure that has something to do with this little bitch fit."

"Take your shit and go. I want everything cleared out of your desk by tomorrow morning." Elway orders her. He's the first to back down, collecting his precious pictures of 'Hannah McKay' and taking off towards the door. Jerome follows closely behind him, stealing one last glance at Deb before leaving.

"Fucking asshole." Deb mumbles to herself.

She doesn't bother to stop by her office on the way out of Elway Investigations. He can keep all of that shit; it's nothing but staples and loose leaf anyway. Consider it a parting gift.

Even though she'd never admit it out loud at the risk of hurting her own fragile pride, Elway wasn't exactly wrong about everything he said. She had been a shitty employee, and it's because of that that she doesn't much mind being fired. What hurts the most is the fact that she thought she actually had somebody. Not even a friend, exactly, but someone who didn't mind being around her. That is a rarity these days. She had that, once upon a time, but of course she found a way to fuck that up, just like everything else.

Maybe it truly is just her and Dexter against the world now.

Deb drives back to the hospital as quickly as possible, actually managing to arrive within the forty minute time limit she'd set for herself before she left. Dexter's entire face lights up as if he's surprised to see her back so soon, but his cheery expression quickly falters as soon as he takes note of the scowl etched into her features.

"Oh no, what happened?" He asks, his voice in a hushed whisper so he can avoid waking his son who has already fallen asleep in the chair beside him.

"Well…it turns out you aren't the one that has to be held responsible for me getting fired. I made sure to handle that one all by myself."

Dexter sighs, but he doesn't look all that shocked by this recent development. "Jesus Deb, how did you manage that? I thought Elway liked you?"

She shrugs. "Yeah…I thought so, too. But he was on a power trip or something. Whatever, it doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters. What are you going to do, just not have a job? I love you, but I don't know if I want you to have to give up your beach house and move back in with me. We almost didn't survive the last time." He chuckles. "Do you want me to talk to him, help convince him to change his mind?"

"And say what?" Deb snorts. "You better hire my sister back, or else!"

"I mean…there are other methods that work just as well."

"Not fucking funny, Dexter."

"Sorry, I know." He cringes. "Okay, so no scare tactics with Elway, I promise. It's fine, you'll find something new eventually. But in the meantime, we'll get through this together, same as always."

"Damn right." Deb nods. "Now scoot over."

He shifts as much as possible, leaving her just enough space so she can sit down on the bed and face him. He wraps an arm around her waist and brings her in closer, and in one languid motion she leans down to capture his lips with hers. His hand then cups the back of her head, migrating across her face until it finally comes to rest against her cheek. As his thumb tenderly rubs along her smooth skin they deepen the kiss, losing themselves in each other.

Deb's eyes flutter open and the bright beaming lights bring her back to her senses. She reluctantly pulls away, leaving her and Dexter panting as the two of them desperately try to catch their breath.

Dexter moans and it takes all the strength Deb has left in her to refrain from kissing him again.

"Harrison is literally right there…" She mumbles. He ignores her, reaching out his arm so he can grab her by the back of the neck and bring her back into his personal space. "Anyone could walk in…"

He presses one quick kiss to her lips and another to her forehead, his lips lingering there for a few moments before grudgingly pulling away.

"Hey, Deb?" Dexter asks with a smile on his face. It's a small smile at first, but it blooms into something more. He looks at her like she's the world, and that deep, aching love still manages to awaken something deep within her.

"Yeah, Dex? What is it?"

"I think I've got an idea…."

The time spent in the hospital crawls by in a blur of physical therapy and cheesy daytime soaps. On the eve of month two, Dexter insists that he's made a complete recovery and all but begs the doctor to let him go home. It's obvious to Debra that Dexter has been growing more restless with the passing of each day, caged in like an animal and confined to his bed for hours on end. Still, no matter how much she may want the chance to really hold him again, she has to be completely sure that he's completely on the mend before the idea of him leaving the hospital becomes a good one in her mind.

Deb hopes that the doctor will take her side on this, but instead he surprises her by agreeing with Dexter's assessment of his health. As she stands at her brother's side to watch him sign the countless release forms piled on the desk in front of him, Deb still can't help but wish that she could find some sort of loophole to keep him from checking himself out so soon.

"You sure you're feeling one hundred percent?" She asks, making sure to speak loud enough so the doctor can hear her too. "I mean, that cough earlier…it wasn't sounding too hot, Dex. Another day here won't hurt, right? You know, just to be sure you're really okay."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't want me home." Dexter replies, his mouth upturned in a playful smile.

"Jesus fuck, Dexter, of course I want you home." Debra says, snaking her unrestricted arm around his waist to bring him in closer to her. He leans into her touch and her breath quickens as a result. It should be strange, the fact that he can still have this effect on her after all of the years they've spent together; but to Deb, it feels like the most natural thing in the world. She can't believe she came so close to losing him. Never again.

"…but in case you fucking forgot," she continues, whispering in his ear. "...you've only just barely recovered, and there's no way I'm gonna let you die on me. So I'm worried about you. Sue me."

"No dying." He replies, pulling away so he can pick up a single sheet of paper and wave it in her face. "You're looking at a clean bill of health. The doctor wouldn't have given me the okay if he could find anything wrong. So could you do the both of us a favor and please stop worrying about me? There's been enough of that to go around lately."

"Alright, I'll dial it back. But only because –"

"Daddy, Aunt Deb, can we go now?" Harrison interrupts, tugging impatiently on the leg of Deb's jeans. "I don't like it here."

"Yeah, buddy, neither do I." Deb agrees, bending down to scoop up the toddler. She tries to balance him on one hip, ignoring the strain his weight puts on her. "I promise that us Morgans are never setting foot in a hospital ever again, okay?"

"I don't know about that, Deb. I think we have a few more hospital visits left to look forward to." Dexter chimes in. Deb shoots him a nasty glare and he defensively raises his hands out in front of him. "No, come on, I just meant that when Harrison gets married someday and goes on to have kids of his own, we're probably going to find ourselves right back here, fighting over who gets to hold the baby first. Who knows, maybe you'll actually beat him to the punch and pop out another Morgan or two."

"You're funny, brother." She snorts. "But yeah, sorry. Not likely."

The three of them fall into a companionable silence as Dexter finishes up with the last of his paperwork. Deb places Harrison back down on the floor when carrying him becomes too much work, and Dexter signals over to the doctor. He signs off on each required dotted line and voila, Dexter is a free man once again. The doctor shakes his patient's hand and wishes him luck before disappearing further down the hall.

They set off for the parking garage with Deb holding one of her nephew's hands and Dexter claiming the other. Harrison asks about Dexter's scar again, and he proceeds to go into uncomfortable detail about the formation of scar tissue and other medical shit, successfully buying Harrison's silence if only for a moment.

"So, you got any plans for your first official day of freedom?" Deb asks once she finally gets Harrison settled in his car seat.

"What do you think you're doing, Deb? Get in the passenger's seat, there's no way I'm letting you drive."

"I've been driving up here to see you every day for almost two months now, so don't even start with that shit."

"You've been driving yourself all this time? With only one working arm? And with my son in the backseat? Really? I thought you'd been catching a cab!"

"Yes, really. And would you look at that, both of us are still alive and in one piece! It's a goddamn fucking miracle."

"That's good to hear…but I'm still not going to let you drive."

"You don't have to let me do anything. I don't remember asking for your permission. Besides bro, you're the one with the heart murmur. Should you really be lecturing me about public safety? I mean, you're practically a ticking time bomb." She teases, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You heard what the doctor said, Deb. The heart murmur is nothing serious. I just have to take it easy for a bit but driving is not out of the question. So…keys."

Dexter holds his palm out expectantly towards her and she rolls her eyes. "Get out of my way, Dex. As much as I just love arguing with you, Harrison is gonna be late for school if we keep this shit up."

Dexter ignores her words, brushing past her on his way over to the driver's side door. But his extended hospital stay has weakened him, which as a result, leaves Deb with the upper hand. She is able to easily intercept him halfway there. Placing her palm flat against his chest and gently pushing, she starts to walk him further backwards until his back connects with the concrete wall a few feet away, just out of Harrison's line of sight.

"I don't think you want to try me on this one, Dexter. I have a way of getting what I want from you." She whispers, her lips brushing temptingly against his already inflamed earlobe.

She can feel him shiver involuntarily due to their contact and decides to take advantage of that flaw, leaving a trail of kisses from his neck down to his collarbone. As soon as she pulls away from him he quickly recovers, spinning them around so that she's the one who's now pinned against the wall. He then starts to grind up against her; his motions slow but still precise enough to ignite the flame low in her belly.

"Hey, that isn't fair." Deb replies, reaching down to ghost her fingers along his crotch. She pulls away after a few feather light touches, just enough to give him a little incentive to finally do as she says.

"Deb…" He groans. "Now that wasn't fair."

"I know." She says, flashing a smug grin as she slips away from him to make her way back to her car.

Deb slides into the driver's seat, checking her mirrors before calling out to Dexter; still shell shocked and standing by the wall. "Come on, I can't tell you how tired I am of this place."

He swallows his pride and gets settled in the passenger's seat. On the entire drive to Harrison's school, his hand is glued to her thigh, occasionally drifting a little too far north.

Harrison is all too eager to get back to school after missing quite a few days to visit his dad in the hospital. After they both say their goodbyes to the little guy, Deb is hesitant to pull out of the parking lot. Pulling out of the lot means starting the rest of her day, and the more she thinks about it, the more today seems like an awful fucking idea.

"I'm scared, Dexter." She says, latching onto his hand.

"Why? There's nothing to be scared of. You're making the right decision here."

Her eyes fall down to her lap, staring at their joined hands as if it's the most interesting thing she's seen in her entire life. "I can't believe I actually let you talk me into going back. What if I can't do it? What happens if I can't face them?"

"Miami Metro is where you belong, Deb. You were always meant to be a cop. It's in your blood."

"I don't know how you can still manage to say that with a straight face…" Deb sighs. "After everything I've done? What makes you think I even deserve to be there?"

"Deb, you are the best person either of us knows. You deserve everything you could possibly want, and no matter how much you may try to deny it, I know how much you want this. I've been thinking a lot these past few months, remembering how things used to be…and no matter how hard I try, I can't recall a time where you were happier than when you finally made detective." Dexter explains, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "If you're not going to do it for yourself, then at least do it for me. Call me selfish, but all I want is for you to be happy again. No more pain from now on, Debra. I promise."

"When are you going to learn to stop making promises you can't keep?" Deb smiles weakly, a single tear dripping down her cheek. "I want to believe you, but we've been here before."

"Okay…so it isn't exactly a promise, then." He admits, leaning closer to wipe away the wetness that stains her cheek. "But it's something. I wasn't lying to you before, Deb. I want to try to stop, not just for you, but for me this time, too. For us. So please, just give me a chance."

"Of course I'll give you a chance, idiot. I've given you so many already, what's one more?" Deb says, laughing as she wipes the final remnants of tears from her eyes. "Is it stupid that I'm still nervous, though? About going back, I mean. How is it that I know practically everyone there but somehow I still feel like a foreign exchange student?"

"Well the good thing is, you won't have to face it alone."

"What do you – wait, Dexter, no! You can't seriously be considering going back to work so soon. You literally just got out of the fucking hospital!"

"I'm fine, Deb. How many times do I have to tell you that before you actually believe me?"

"I don't know. We'll see."

"Come on, Debra. I've already checked in with Batista and he's excited to have the both of us back on the team. You don't want to let down Batista, do you?"

"Fine, you win. You're lucky that I'd be a complete and utter wreck without you there to wade through this massive pile of shit with me. To be honest though, I still have half a mind to drive you back to your apartment and handcuff you to your bed…in the most nonsexual way possible, of course." She winks.

"Oh, yeah, of course." Dexter replies, erupting into a fit of giggles.

His laughter is so infectious that Deb finds herself cracking up right along with him, and goddammit, even though Dexter may have been right when he said that she has never again been as happy as when she finally accomplished her childhood dream, he somehow failed to realize that this, these moments with him, are the glue that has been holding her together all of these years. Making detective was amazing, but if he hadn't been there to share it with her, all it would've amounted to was an empty sort of happiness. Even despite all that came after. It scares her sometimes, just how much she loves this man. But as long as she has him, she can never truly be unhappy.

"So what do you say, detective?" Dexter asks after he finally regains his composure. "You ready for the rest of your life?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

She doesn't know why she expected anything fancy. Maybe it's because she knows these people and has been putting up with their constant begging for her to come back for the better part of a year now. Thankfully though, there are no party streamers, or banners, or fucking piñatas to celebrate the highly anticipated return of the Morgan siblings. Angel does have a cake with him, however, and Deb manages to eat two whole slices all on her own.

"I can't tell you how great it is to have the two of you here with us again." Angel says, wrapping both Deb and Dex into a warm hug. "The dream team is finally back together."

"Thanks for taking me back, Angel." Deb replies. "Because honestly, you really didn't have to do that. The way I left was kind of sudden, and that wasn't fair to anyone, much less you."

"Don't thank me, Deb. You know there's always a place here for you." He insists. "Maria's death was hard on everyone, so trust me; I understand why you needed a change of scenery for a little while. What matters now is that you're back."

"Yeah, well, it turns out the grass isn't really greener on the other side." She says. "It's brown, and rotten, and definitely needs to be watered. There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here, Angel. I really mean that. Sure, we let our lawn get kind of overgrown sometimes, but it's nothing we can't fix."

"Are we still going with the whole shitty grass thing, or were you being serious?" Angel wonders, laughter erupting from the base of his throat.

"I was trying to be deep, dumbass."

"Oh…You might wanna work on that."

Deb glares at him, pretending to be angry as she swats her friend playfully on the shoulder. "Looks like you're running a pretty tight ship around here, boss. I think this is the most productive I've ever seen some of these guys."

"Yeah…I guess I'm doing alright so far." Angel acknowledges, lifting his arm to rub awkwardly at the back of his neck. He's always made a habit out of being way too modest. "And please don't call me boss."

"Fine, but only if you stop downplaying yourself. You aren't doing just alright. You're doing great. Lieutenant looks good on you, Angel. This job should've gone to you in the first place. I wasn't ready to step up, and it showed."

"Oh no, not this again. Deb, stop being so hard on yourself. I thought this was supposed to be a party? Please, promise me you'll find a way to enjoy yourself."

"Okay, I'll try."

Angel presses a quick kiss to her temple before disappearing into the crowd to mingle with a few of his coworkers, leaving Deb and Dexter alone together. He starts toward his lab, no doubt sick of all the festivities, and she follows, because she has nothing else to do. Since it's her first day back she's been pushed off to desk duty, and truth be told, she doesn't mind it. She doesn't think that she could handle going back out there so soon.

Closing the door behind them, Dexter pulls the blinds closed, giving them some much needed privacy.

"So how are you doing so far?" He asks. "Handling everything well?"

"Surprisingly…yeah, I think I am, actually." Deb answers, sitting down on top of Dexter's desk. He shakes his head, tells her to find somewhere else to rest her ass. She settles on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in closer. "Thank you."

His lips find hers in one fluid motion and she breathes him in, rocking her hips against his as they desperately deepen the kiss. It feels too damn good to hold him like this again after going without for so long, but the thought that maybe this isn't the best time or place to be doing this immediately crosses her mind. Knowing that she still doesn't pull away, instead she chooses to lick across his bottom lip with her tongue, begging him to grant her access to the inside of his mouth. He gives in to her, allowing one of his hands to slip underneath her shirt so he can press his palm flat against the warmth of her back. His wicked hand stops just short of the clasp that holds her bra together and she bucks up against him faster now, her rhythm furious as she feels him pressing himself up against her clothed core.

"Fuck, Dex…" Deb moans between kisses. "Hold on…"

She turns away for just a second so she can be sure that no one is coming, and her heart drops low in her chest when she sees a shadow approaching the door, closed but still unlocked. The last thing she needs is for one of her co-workers to catch her in a compromising position with her big brother.

Regrettably Deb climbs out of Dexter's lap, using her palms to smooth out her blouse so the approaching visitor won't have any reason to be suspicious. She assumes that it's Angel, or even worse, Masuka, coming to find out why they decided to ditch their own welcome back party. But when door swings open, in walks Joey Quinn, much to Deb's surprise. He clutches something small and square in one hand, and though she can't see it completely, she does recognize the box.

"Hey Deb, figured I'd catch you in here." He starts. By the way he shifts his weight from one leg to the other, Deb can tell that he's nervous. She hopes to God that he isn't about to do what she thinks he is. "I didn't get to welcome you back earlier…so…you know…welcome back."

"Joey…w-what the fuck do you think you're doing with that?" Deb stutters, taking a few steps back until she feels Dexter's firm chest pressing against her. He reaches around to possessively clutch her by the waist, holding her there as if he's afraid of her walking away, over to the other man.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I can't believe you thought…no." He says, laughing as if she's somehow the stupid one in this situation for daring to assume the obvious. "That's not what I'm here for, Deb. I'm not about to propose to you again. Believe me, I learned my lesson the first time you turned me down."

"Oh thank God." She exhales in a single breath, her posture more relaxed now.

An awkward silence lingers among the three of them, and it lasts entirely too long for Deb's liking. Is there a polite way to kick your ex-boyfriend out of your foster brother's lab so you can get back to making out with him?

"Wait…you weren't planning on proposing to me, were you?" Dexter interjects. "Because I hate to say it, but my answer would have to be a reluctant 'no'".

His joke remarkably serves to lighten the mood in the cramped space.

"You're funny, Dexter." Quinn replies, taking a seat on top of her brother's desk. "Actually, I'm here because I'm planning on proposing to Jamie tonight and I'm kind of scared out of my fucking mind to float the idea by Angel. Hell, I'm scared of this entire thing, period. Please tell me I'm not making a massive fucking mistake. You guys have known Jamie longer than I have. I trust your opinion so just give it to me straight…is she going to laugh me out the door as soon as I get down on one knee?"

"I don't see why you're scared, Joey; I think that it's a great idea. I've seen firsthand how happy she makes you." Deb says. "It's nice to see you smiling again."

She can feel the kiss he'd forced on her a little over two months ago hanging in the balance. It was a mistake, something that never should've happened…so why does it feel like Quinn still hasn't gotten over it? Though she hopes that she looks calm cool and collected, fearful of giving her jilted ex the wrong idea, on the inside she's screaming, silently begging him to just let it go. She wonders if they'd be having a different conversation if Dexter weren't here to witness it. The truth is that she loves Joey, just not in the way that she thinks he wants her to. She wishes she could make him happy, but it's not like she can magically change how she feels.

"I just want you to be sure that this is the right choice, not just for you, but for her, too." Deb continues. "Don't drag Jamie along just because you're afraid of being alone, or because you can't have what you really want. I made that mistake with you and I'm still sorry for it. But you have to learn from my mistakes. Jamie is a great girl, and she doesn't deserve to be anyone's second choice. If this is what you really want, you have to go for it. But only if you're sure."

Dexter looks confused as he stares at the former lovers, knowing that something has clearly been left unsaid; but Deb knows that he understands what she's saying and why she's saying it.

Quinn nods to himself, knitting his brows together as if deep in thought. His lips curl into a warm smile, the kind someone gets when recalling a fond memory. He clutches the ring box a little tighter now, looking up to meet Deb's gaze once again.

"I love her." He mumbles, more to himself than the other two occupants in the room. "Shit, I really fucking love her. Just now, I tried to imagine my life without her in it…and all I saw was darkness. It's like she's this light, and just being in her orbit makes me feel like maybe I'm not so bad after all."

"I know the feeling." Dexter agrees. His hazel eyes find Deb's and they exchange a loaded look that is so typically them, and oh God, there goes that fire again, burning bright in her belly.

If Quinn finds it strange he doesn't say as much. "I'm thinking Jamie might be my Rita. Is this how she made you feel, Dexter?"

"That's exactly how she made me feel, actually. And right now, I feel like Jamie couldn't ask for a better boyfriend." Dexter says. Deb can tell that he doesn't believe a single word that comes out of his own mouth, but he almost seems relieved at the news of Quinn's planned proposal. He cares a lot about Jamie, and though the same can't be said of how he feels about Quinn, he'd rather the man go after his nanny than his…Deb.

"Actually, I guess boyfriend isn't the right term. Should I say fiancé now?" Dexter continues. "Welcome to the family, Joseph." He hesitates but eventually extends a hand to the smaller man, and Deb's mouth nearly hits to the floor when he takes it, giving it a firm shake. She hasn't seen these two really get along since…well…never.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here man." Joey chuckles. "I have to ask her first, and then she's gotta say yes. Who knows how that's all gonna go down…"

"I'm proud of you, Joey." Deb declares, closing the distance between them so she can give the anxious man a hug. "Of course she'll say yes, who would let such a great guy get away?"

"You're hilarious, Deb." He deadpans, pulling away from their embrace. "Well, I guess it's time to go grovel at Batista's feet. Maybe I should bring my gun, I don't know if I'm quite ready to face off with two hundred pounds of angry Cuban."

"Joey!"

"Fine, he isn't that fucking bad. But if you hear screaming coming from the Lieutenant's office…please send help."

"Deal. Now, go!" She uses her good arm to gently push him towards the door. He takes off, armed with a newfound sense of confidence and purpose.

Once he's out of her line of sight, Deb leans up against the door, exhaling a massive sigh of relief. "Man… I really thought that he was about to go there for a second, Dex. Jesus Christ, that was terrifying. I definitely was not prepared to break Quinn's heart for a second time."

"Way to jump to conclusions, Deb. Maybe you should stop thinking so highly of yourself." Dexter replies, his tone lacking any type of seriousness.

"Fuck you, loser. You fell for it too." She says. Dexter agrees, nodding in response. "I just hope he isn't dumb enough to cheap out on Jamie and recycle the ring he used when he proposed to me…who am I kidding, of course he is."

"Hey, it's none of our business, right?" Dexter asks, inching closer to her.

Deb shifts so she no longer rests against the door and Dexter then grabs her by her shoulders. His lips find hers as their feet start to shuffle; and he guides her backwards until she's trapped in a small corner on the other side of the room. He breaks their kiss without warning, redirecting his lips to her neck, an area he seems to be particularly drawn to whenever they manage to find some alone time.

They don't hear the turning of the knob until it's too late. In barges Masuka wearing a terribly goofy grin on his face as he turns his head to find Deb and Dexter all over each other in the near corner.

Deb quickly separates from her brother, pushing harshly against his bicep until he wakes up and finally backs off, leaving a proper, familial amount of space between the two them. But it's not like it matters now. The damage has already been done, judging by the way Vince's eyes are currently amplified to roughly three times their natural size. She wonders if it's possible for them to burst right out of their sockets as he continues to stare, his emblematic snicker so loud that it echoes throughout the lab.

"Vince…" Dexter says, starting towards the man with both hands raised, his palms up.

"Dude!" Masuka exclaims, practically vibrating with sheer excitement at this point. "Dude, you were just making out with your sister. And I saw it! Tell me, is this what dreams are made of?"

"Ew, gross." Deb says, cringing as she forces herself to look him in the eye. She tries her best to appear disgusted but of course it's to no avail. The dirty little perv has probably been waiting for the moment that Debra and Dexter would act on their feelings for each other long before either of them even realized that there were feelings to act on. "I don't want to know what goes down in any of your fucking wet dreams, Vince; but I swear to God, you better not even fucking think about spreading any disgusting rumors about me and my brother. Whatever you think you just saw happen, you're wrong."

"Why deny it, Deb? You're only lying to yourself. I just got a new pair of specs this week; we're talking superhuman vision here, baby. And what I just saw was you and Dexter going at it like a couple of horny college kids. I bet if I hadn't walked in when I did, you guys would be in the middle of making sweet, naked love right here on this very floor. Damn, if only I had better timing. O, the Gods, why must they be so cruel? They giveth, and they taketh away."

"You're such a pain in my fucking ass, Masuka!" Deb screams, advancing on him with rapid speed. She grabs onto his shirt collar with her good hand and yanks, pulling him so close that he can probably feel her literally breathing down his neck.

He simply chuckles and raises his eyebrow at her suggestively. "Threesome? Count me in."

"Fuck!" She shouts, releasing him so roughly that he actually stumbles back a few paces.

"There's no use getting all worked up about it now, Deb." Dexter says. There's a smile on his face that definitely shouldn't be there, and Deb is just about ready to blow up at him next until he inches closer to Vince, mirroring his cocky stance. "Even if Vince tries to tell anyone what he thinks he saw; which is something he definitely won't be doing… " Dexter steps even closer to him, driving his point home by pressing his index finger threateningly against the man's chest. "…he's been saying this type of shit for years to anyone who'll listen. It isn't like people are going to start believing it now."

That really knocks Masuka for a loop. He stands in quiet consideration for a moment, pondering the weight of Dexter's words. "Well, he's not wrong."

Deb sighs as something resembling relief begins to wash over, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to crouch underneath Dexter's desk and hide; nor does it stop the red heat of humiliation from creeping insidiously along the back of her neck.

Of course Masuka would be the one to walk in on them. She doesn't know how she'll ever be able to live this one down. His constant use of sexual innuendo at any given moment was an annoying habit at most – maybe it was even funny, on the rare occasion – but she has a feeling that things are about to get a whole lot worse.

"But come on Dexterous, there's no need for all of this hostility. We're all friends here. You know I'd never think to betray you guys, especially after you've given me such a beautiful gift. Whatever goes on between two consenting adults is their business. Well, it's also the business of whoever may walk in and see what goes on behind unlocked doors. I guess that's sort of an unspoken rule. Anyway, what I'm saying is, your secret's safe with me, Morgans."

Deb rolls her eyes. "Gee thanks. Now I can finally sleep at night."

"Curled up next to Dexter, I hope." Masuka replies, never one to take a hint and actually quit while he's ahead. "Which one of you is the big spoon? See, most people would probably assume that it's Dexter, just because he's the biggest…but my money's on you, Deb. You're the type that likes to take control…"

"Masuka…shut the fuck up." Dexter commands him, clearly no longer in the mood to play around.

"You got it. Consider these lips sealed."

Deb expects him to turn around and leave but instead he continues to stand there and stare at them like a kid in need of directions to the short bus. "Uh…Vince. Is there a reason you're still here?"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot why I came here in the first place. There's a crime scene a few blocks from here, and there's blood, lots of it, apparently. So you better bring your kit, Dexter."

"I'll be right behind you." Dexter answers, rubbing at his temples as if he's trying to soothe a headache.

Once the door closes behind him Deb spins around to face Dexter, swiftly punching him in the shoulder. He looks surprised and so she punches him again, stomping down hard on his foot just in case he didn't get the message.

"Ow, Deb, stop it. I just got out of the hospital, remember?" He says, rubbing the spot on his arm where she decided to take out her frustrations. "And that definitely was not my fault."

"It totally fucking was. Learn how to lock your fucking door next time, Dex. It's not that hard."

He simply shrugs, turning away from her so he can get his kit together.

"I'm surprised you're not freaking out about this too." Deb adds.

"Why? There are worse things." Dexter replies, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he prepares to head out. "If anything, we got lucky. If it had been anyone but Masuka, then maybe I would be in meltdown mode right now, but it wasn't, so there's nothing to worry about."

"I know…but fuck, Dexter, I've got enough of a reputation as it is. I don't really want anyone to know that I regularly do…things with you."

"Deb…" Dexter starts, placing one hand on her shoulder to steady her. His eyes lock on hers and suddenly he's all she sees, his gaze slowly but surely guiding her safely back to the shore. "Relax."

He presses his forehead to hers, resting there for a moment before pulling away and leaving her with an ardent kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you at Vogel's." He says, waving his goodbye on his way out the door.

The rest of the day crawls by as Deb sits at her desk doing busywork. Angel eventually swings by and brings her up to speed on the cases the department has been fixated on as of late, with one in particular standing out from the rest.

Deb begins to flip through the crime scene photos that depict the brutal murder of a woman and her two young children as Angel explains to her that the case has been haunting him for a little over a week now. The fact that the woman was pregnant at the time of death and pretty far along at that makes the scene that much more horrific, and she can hear Angel starting to choke up beside her when he shares that the mother's body was found in the nursery she'd been putting together for the kid.

"That's fucking terrible." Deb sighs, putting the photos down in disgust. She's never been the type to let bloody crime scene photos faze her – she could never afford to be, given the line of work she chose – but this is particularly disturbing. She wants to blame it on being away from the job for so long, but it's more likely that one of the victims being so close in age to her own nephew has something to do with it. "Any suspects?"

"Yeah, just one. Dresden Moore. He's the husband, of course." Angel says, presenting another photo to her. It's a mugshot of a reasonably attractive young man with a glint in his eye and a shit eating grin on his face, and one look at the picture already has Deb convinced that he's guilty. "The mugshot's from a few years back. He was booked on a domestic, but unfortunately Pam, the wife, dropped the charges."

"Well why the fuck isn't he being prepped for a new mugshot? Slap some cuffs on this joker, he's as guilty as OJ."

"He's already lawyered up." The lieutenant replies. "And we don't really have anything in terms of evidence."

"So we'll find something." Deb insists. "The wife was stabbed fifteen fucking times, Angel, and the wounds run deep. Anybody can see that this was personal. It's a textbook crime of passion. And the kids died of suffocation, which means that it was quick, and relatively painless. I'm guessing it was their dad's idea of a good death. The fucking psycho probably used their pillows to do it. We just have to find some evidence and make it stick."

"We've already searched the home top to bottom, and nothing." His sighs, holding his head in his hands.

"So what, you're just gonna let this fucker walk!?"

"Of course not, but you know how this works, Deb. We can't search his car or any other properties he may own without the proper warrants, and two judges have already turned me down. His alibi actually checks out, so there's not much we can do at this point but wait."

"Wait for what?"

"For him to slip up, give us an opportunity to finally nail his ass to the wall."

"For him to do it again, you mean." Deb states.

Her mind starts to drift and it feels like she's traveling back in time. She's transported back to the moment where she first learned that her brother hunted killers in his spare time, back to when that secret went off like an atom bomb between them, the effects of the catastrophic detonation so massive that they threatened to swallow her whole, eventually becaming her world. She remembers Dexter using her rightful concern for him against her, tricking her into meeting him at some random bar in the hopes of bringing her around to his way of thinking. She was so desperate to catch Speltzer way back then, she would've done just about anything, and Dexter knew that. He tried to take advantage of it. He'd been in the middle of his latest attempt to convince her to let him be free to do what he does, tugging on her heartstrings like he could somehow convert her into a champion of his unique brand of vigilantism.

"…there is a legal system for that, and just because Speltzer got off, that doesn't mean it doesn't work."

"If it worked as well as you think it does, I wouldn't be so busy. Dad knew that. Dad taught me that."

"What is it about your personal law that is so much better than the one that the rest of us agree to live by?"

"Sometimes it is."

"How?"

"Speltzer would have to murder somebody again for you to arrest him. I can stop him before."

Her brother's words ring in her ears, the implication of them stinging in her eyes as she clutches the crime scene photos in her trembling hand.

"You alright, Deb?" Angel interrupts, saving her from being eaten alive by her own traitorous thoughts. "You're shaking."

"I've been drinking too much coffee lately." She lies, forcing a smile to her face to appease the man. "I'll be alright."

"Perks of the job, right?" He chuckles, elbowing her playfully in the ribs. "Why don't you just take the rest of the day? You're supposed to be off in about an hour anyway, just head home and get some rest. I know it takes a while to get back in the swing of things."

"Thanks Angel, but trust me, I'm already back." Deb smirks at him, standing up and out of her chair. "I think I'll take you up on that offer, though. I've got therapy in a bit."

"You're still in therapy? Good for you. Tell Dr. Vogel I said hi, I haven't seen her since we closed the Brain Surgeon case."

"Yup. See you tomorrow, boss."

"Stop calling me that!" Angel calls out after her.

Deb heads straight home, hoping to catch a quick nap before it's time to come face to face with Vogel again for their first official therapy session after everything went down. But of course, she can't bring herself to shut her eyes for longer than five seconds before her thoughts return to the Moore family. Pam was butchered like an animal, and her killer deserves to fry on the electric chair for what he did to her and her kids.

She wants to smack herself for even considering it, even if it had only been for a second. She'll bring Moore down on her own. She won't give in to the darkness.

Deb pulls herself together and drives down to Vogel's. She notices that Dexter's car is already parked on the street, which means that he somehow managed to beat her here. She takes a deep breath before starting up the steps towards the house where she almost lost him two short months ago. It almost feels surreal to be back.

"Hello Debra, please come in. I've got tea on the stove, if you're interested." The doctor greets her.

Deb moves past her and steps inside the house, finding Dexter sitting down in his usual chair. "Hope you've got something a little stronger." She mutters, taking a seat next to her brother.

"I've got Pepsi." Dr. Vogel answers, sitting down directly across from the Morgans.

Deb can't help but smirk at the woman. "You know that's not what I meant. Whatever, let's just get this show on the road, yeah?"

"Excellent." Evelyn replies, crossing one leg over the other like a proper lady. "It's been entirely too long since we last spoke, and I'm sorry for that. I had to take some time away from my practice after what happened to Daniel. You understand. You two lived it as well, and you'll always bear the scars."

"Of course." Dexter nods. "It was hard on all of us, but I'd like to think we've moved past it now. Deb and I are in a really good place, actually."

Deb turns to her brother and snorts with laughter. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Dex. This was only our first day back at work and you see how that went."

"Would you like to talk about it?" The doctor asks, flipping open her notepad.

"When in therapy, right…" Deb sighs. "I don't know where to start. With my ex-boyfriend slash almost fiancé asking me for permission to propose to Dexter's nanny? Or maybe with my co-worker – who's a total fucking deviant, by the way – walking in on me and my brother making out in his lab? No, how about the fact that I was so fed up with a case today that I actually considered asking Dexter to help me take out the bastard?"

"What!?" Dexter snaps, sharply turning to face her.

"You're not the therapist here, Dex. I was talking to her."

"I thought you were against me killing. You know what happened the last time you asked me to do what I do."

"Of course I fucking hate it, Dexter! And of course I remember. Jesus, that's why I didn't fucking ask." She answers. "I never seriously considered it, okay? I was just…fed up. This guy, Dresden Moore…he killed his kids and his pregnant wife, and it looks like he's going to walk. I thought I was ready to be back but all of this death and destruction…it's hopeless, and I don't know how much more of it I can take."

"Deb…"

"Look, can we just drop this? Please? I'm the same as I've always been. Nothing's changed, Dexter, so don't you dare start worrying about me now."

"I always worry about you."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to…at least not when it comes to this. Moore's not going to walk, and you're not going to kill him, but he is going to pay for what he did to his family. I've just got to find something and make it stick, that's all. I'm a detective, I'll find a way. It's what I do."

Dexter reaches for her hand, warming it in between the two of his. She sees something in his eyes, and though there's no way to know for sure, she thinks it means that he's proud of her. She feels her cheeks reddening in spite of herself. No matter what their relationship has become now, he's still her big brother, and she's sure that he knows how much she's always yearned for his approval. It feels good to know that he no longer fears that she'll lose herself to the darkness. Come what may, she'll always strive to be that light.

"It's fascinating." Vogel says, earning a pair of matching glares from the Morgans. "The cycle. Sometimes I wonder if you two even need me at all. It seems like you always find a way to solve your problems on your own."

"Yeah, and then we create six new ones." Deb replies.

The woman chuckles, low and guttural. "That too. But please, don't take my previous statement as a desire to no longer continue with our sessions. I was wrong about you two, and I'm still very eager to learn more."

Deb looks shocked, her mouth widening in surprise. "Fuck me, a doctor who actually admits that she was wrong. Never thought I'd see the day."

"Hubris is not a good trait for anyone to have; especially not someone who claims to specialize in the human condition. What does it mean to be human, really? There are so many different variables that must come together to make us who we are, so how can any of us ever be sure if we fall under just one specific label? I was wrong about you Dexter, and I apologize. It wasn't wise of me to make such a rash rush to judgment when it came to you and what makes you so special. I failed your father but most importantly I failed you, and I can't apologize enough for that. You aren't a psychopath, Dexter. You're so much more than that, and I'm honored that we get to experience this learning opportunity together."

"So am I." Dexter answers, "I –"

His sentence is abruptly cut short by his phone's technical sounding ringtone and he reluctantly answers it, mumbling a quick "one second" before dismissing himself to take the call. Deb and Dr. Vogel sit in peaceful silence for a minute or two before Dexter returns to the living room, looking as if he's bracing himself to share some bad news.

"That was Jamie. She and Quinn are going out for dinner to celebrate their engagement, so she can't stay with Harrison tonight. Sorry to cut this session short. Deb, I told Jamie you'd be there in fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, of course. Jamie deserves a day off to celebrate." Deb answers. "Wait, why just me? Where are you going?"

"Uh, I'm actually going to head back to work for a bit. I need to finish up some blood reports from that crime scene today. I was meant to have them on Batista's desk hours ago."

Deb's heart falls to her feet. She can tell that he's lying but she doesn't say as much, choosing only to wish him good luck on his work and pat him on the shoulder before saying goodnight to Dr. Vogel and heading back out to her car.

She tries not to think about what Dexter is really going to do as she drives over to his place, even though it's crystal fucking clear to her. She gave him the man's fucking name for Christ's sake, all he has to do is stop at the station and go through his records to track him down and do what he does. It's been months since his last kill, how could she be so stupid to think that he'd give it up that easily? Especially after the mini breakdown she had in front of him and Vogel. She's got no one to blame but herself if things go the way they inevitably will.

Playing with Harrison manages to ease some of the stress, but as the minutes tick by and quickly turn into an hour, she decides that she really needs a fucking drink.

She puts Harrison down for bed at 8:00, trying not to think about how Dexter has been gone for almost two hours. She thinks she's earned that drink now.

Deb raids Dexter's cabinets and finds a half-empty bottle of gin; a rarity, considering the fact that her brother has never been much of a drinker. She pours herself a generous amount and settles down in front of the TV, clutching onto her glass with one unsteady hand.

Ten minutes into a Syfy movie chock-full of terrible CGI, Dexter shows his face again. He holds one of his hands behind his back, his face unreadable as he takes a few hesitant steps toward her. She notices that he's wearing the infamous green Henley and then proceeds to down her glass in one shot, preparing for their first big fight since leaving the hospital. She sighs. Well, it was bound to happen eventually, and now's as good a time as any.

"I brought you something." Dexter declares, successfully catching her off guard. She expected him to apologize, or to pretend that nothing's happened. Why does he seem so excited?

Deb decides to play along. "Why? It's not my birthday, is it?"

"No. Now close your eyes, give me your hand, and hold still."

"I don't know, Dex. That's a lot of instructions right there."

"Deb!"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh, tough crowd."

She holds out her hand, not really knowing what she expects to feel. Whatever it is, it definitely isn't… "A necklace?"

"It belonged to the victim. Pam Moore."

"Why are you giving me this?" Deb asks. "Moore…did you kill him?"

"No." Dexter answers. She isn't sure if she believes him, but she decides to hear him out anyway. "But I found the necklace in his car, along with a few other things."

"By a few other things, you mean…"

"The murder weapon." He nods. "You said you needed something that'll stick, and I wanted to help. I guess I just got lucky. I did some digging, and it turns out that he's got himself a whole other family on the other side of town. So I called in an anonymous tip about my neighbor, Dresden Moore. I let them know that he's been acting very suspicious lately, and that I just saw him burying what looked to be a rather large knife. I explained to them that I feared for his girlfriend's life, because he's a violent guy. The girl on the phone even patched me through to Batista, and he had no clue it was me. I suspect that you'll be getting a call any minute now to help bring Moore in. I buried it behind the rose bush."

Deb stares at him for what feels like hours, her mouth hanging open in shock. She flings her arms around him, cast be damned, holding on to him like he's her only lifeline. She never wants to let go.

The tears fall from her eyes in a steady stream, trickling onto his neck as he pulls her in closer. "You did this for me?" She breathes against his skin.

"Mostly…" Dexter replies. "But I did it for me, too."

"I'm so proud of you." She says, pulling away so she can look into his eyes. What she finds staring back at her is the man she's known all her life, but there's something else, a flicker, a gleam, a promise of what lies ahead. And for once, Deb isn't so afraid of the future anymore.

A/N: And there you have it. I know the idea of Dexter quitting is a controversial one among Dexter fans, so I wanted to leave it open ended. I know that Deb and Dex were never meant to have the definition of a happily ever after, but I couldn't help but leave them with some hope at the end. I think they deserve as much.

Until next time!