Disclaimer:

1. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners (Showtime, Jeff Lindsay). The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

2. All characters, events etc. portrayed in this story are fictional and any resemblance to real persons or events is purely coincidental. Also locations, legal procedures etc. described in this story are not necessarily factually correct neither are they intended to be.

3. If you see anything that you think is out of place, let me know. The story won't change but there may be minor corrections.

4. Expect major spoilers from the first 4 seasons.

Synopsis:

An alternate ending to Season 4. Rita is alive, but things will never be the same.

And now, on with actual story…

3rd of December, 2009
11:19 PM
Off The Coast of Miami

I wonder if Rita's looking at this same moon at this same moment. I like that. Connected by light. The Dark Passenger's been fighting against it, trying to keep me all to himself. But, it's my turn now. To get what I want. To embrace my family. And maybe one day not so long from now, I'll be rid of the Dark Passenger. It all begins with a getaway. Time away from the old me.

With Trinity finally disposed of once and for all, I head home. Nice night. I would get a good night's rest and head for the airport first thing in the morning. Soon, we'll be reunited.

3rd of December, 2009
11:48 PM
Morgan Family Residence

As I walk to the front door I open my cell phone and notice a missed call from Rita.

"Unheard Message. Hey sweetie, I'm a dope, was in such a rush to get Harrison organized I forgot my ID for the plane, so I'm zooming home for it, which means we'll be on a later puddle jumper, but we'll still be there waiting for you. Oh, and I know you're not into this stuff, but the moon tonight is going to be amazing. So take a moment, you deserve it. I love you, bye."

I call back but then I realize… it's ringing from the inside of the house. Nobody's picking up. Something doesn't add up. I rush to open the door…

I find Rita in the living room on the couch, all alone in the dark… Her facial expression filled with a mixture of deep sadness and terror, as if she had just seen a monster. Tears are in her eyes, I can tell she has been crying for hours probably.

"Why are you crying, Rita? What's wrong?" I ask. This can't be good. I turn on the light and notice some very familiar objects spread all over the table. She found my kill tools, all the different sizes and shapes on my knives. Perhaps this is something I can explain somehow. Collector's knives from my father Harry. But… oh God, she found the box as well. No, not the blood slide box, she'd probably dismiss that as work-related. I mean the other box. The one containing my multiple credit cards and fake IDs I had always kept in case of emergency. In case I ever needed a quick getaway. What else does she know?

"Dexter," she said angrily "who is Arthur Mitchell?" she asked. I didn't answer.

Earlier that day…

3rd of December, 2009
3:12 PM
Morgan Family Residence

"…I love you, bye." she said as she finished her voice mail to Dexter. Then she heard a knock on the door. She opened. It was a seemingly nice old man to her.

"Can I help you, mister?" she asked.
"Hello, my name is Arthur Mitchell. I'm a friend of Dexter Morgan. And you must be Mrs. Debra Morgan correct?" he asked as he smiled in his usual charming way.
"Oh no, that's Dexter's foster sister, she doesn't live with us. I'm Rita, I'm the wife." she said.
"Ah yes, Rita, of course, silly old me. He told me a lot about you." he lied.

Rita… here she was at his mercy. He could kill her right here, right now, teach Dexter a lesson for interfering with his plans. For a second he contemplated it. But she was clearly not part of his cycle, it just wouldn't work out for him. No, he had something far more sinister in mind.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid Dexter's not home and we're just about ready to leave on our honeymoon. But, I'll tell him you stopped by." she said.
"Alright, my apologies for coming at such an inopportune time. But I just wanted to let him know that we at Four Walls One Heart really appreciate his help." he said.
"Four Walls One Heart, what is that?" she asked puzzled.
"We're a private charity. We build homes for the homeless all around the US. Dexter has been quite active both as a donor and builder, we are very thankful for that." he said.

Rita was surprised. Why had he kept all of this from her?

"I never knew that…" she said and Trinity had guessed that whatever double life Dexter Morgan lead it was probably a well-kept secret from his spouse.

At that moment he dropped his fake smile and got serious.

"That's because there's actually quite a lot you don't know about your husband. He's not the man you think he is. He's the devil in disguise." he said.
"Okay, what's this really about, Mr. Mitchell?" she demanded to know.
"I met him a while ago when he came to my church and introduced himself using a fake name. At first, he seemed to be genuinely interested in Four Walls One Heart charity work, but then the problems appeared." he said.

Rita didn't respond.

"Mr. Morgan has been harassing me over the past couple of weeks. I've been assaulted in my own home and threatened with a kitchen knife, I've been blackmailed for 50.000$, I've been threatened with being slandered publicly as a pedophile, I've been kidnapped and drugged with some unknown tranquilizer and… I was almost killed. And I would have been killed had Dexter not been taken into custody from that hit-and-run." he said.
"No… no… You're out of your mind. Dexter is a gentle man and he'd never do anything like that." she said. "Why should I believe any of it?" she demanded to know. She knew Dexter had kept secrets from her… but extortion and attempted murder? Him, the mild mannered middle class lab geek and family man? Impossible.

Trinity looked to the shed Dexter had built.

"That shed… I'd bet he uses it as private personal storage and never tells you what's inside. Am I right?" he said as he smiled again. "Take it or leave it. But if I'm right, I think you'll find more than enough answers in that shed."
"Go away! Now! You are not welcome here!" she raged.

And so he did. He walked away.

Back to the present…

"Tell me who is Arthur Mitchell and what is your true relation to this man." she demanded again.
"Rita, calm down." I plead.
"And what about these? Why do you need so many knives? Why do you store extra garbage bags apart from what we already have in the basement? Why do you have fake passports and driver's licenses? What's Four Walls One Heart to you? Who is Patrick Bateman? Who is Stanley Foyer? Who the fuck are you, Dexter Morgan?" she asked.
"Please, Rita, it's not what you think." I plead again but to no avail.
"I should have seen this before. Those late nights pretending to be working overtime, the apartment and shed, the way you framed Paul, the way you pretended to be a heroin addict to conceal darker secrets… Lies… It was all lies!" she yelled as she starting crying again. "How could you do this to me?"
"Rita, please, I know there are some things you don't know about me, but I've always been good to you." I said.
"And that's what saddens me the most. You know I had a total stranger come to this door saying you attacked, kidnapped, blackmailed and threatened to kill him." she said.

Damn you, Trinity. Before I could get to you, you spilled the beans.

"You're a mobster aren't you? Organized crime?" she asked. "But I'm not going to tolerate another Paul in my life, I'm not going to tolerate lies nor am I going to live in constant fear that your associates might come after me or my kids when I least expect it. We're done! Take everything you have and leave! First thing in the morning, I'll speak to my attorney about a divorce. Just… get out before I call the police!" she said.

I can't speak. I have just passed the point of no return. Though Rita hasn't yet figured out the full picture she knows far more than I want anyone to know. Harry was right. I thought I could change what I am, keep my family safe… But it doesn't matter what I do, what I choose, I'm what's wrong.

This is fate.