I do not own Bates Motel or Dylan and Emma, I wish but alas I do not.
Summery: He says Thank you a lot to her, but this time meant so much more. What Dylan is thinking during 3x09
Pairing: Dylemma obviously
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The first time he should have thanked her, he was at his lowest.
After finding out about his parentage, he completely lost it. He drank himself to the point where he was almost always completely numb. It was as if a light went off in his head. Everything in his life finally made sense to him. Why Norma, his own mother never fully loved him, while the man he always thought was his father would always give him funny looks, everything was in complete clarity, and he hated himself for it. He was an abomination, and he thought he would never be able to be anything more.
It took him a long time to finally accept that he was who he was and no one could change that. The only thing he can do now, was try and be a better person. He may be unwanted by his mother and society but he vowed to be better than he ever was before he knew the truth. To not be the little arrogant asshole he showed the world. He could be better if he tried, he knew he could. So when Norman went missing, he knew he had to save his little brother.
He found out months later, when he was apologizing to Norma about being passed out in front of the motel and her moving him into the motel room when she said, "I didn't move you. Emma found you and called Norman." She gave him an odd look mentioning the girl but said nothing further.
The pretty girl with such a limited life span helping a piece of shit like him. That shocked him more than he thought it would. It was not too long after she helped him, she tried to help him again and he blew her off. She was so sweet, she never even told him to throw it in his face. He was horrible. He always wanted to thank her but he was too embarrassed that he acted like a dick to someone who was too nice for her own good. He promised himself he'd thank her next time.
When September hit and Caleb came back into town, he knew he was playing with fire letting him stay while him and Norma were finally getting along. He knew sooner or later someone would find out and shit would hit the fan. When he hears her pumpkin bug stroll to his farm, filled with his supplies, he thought he was done for. He knew she always had a thing for Norman and thought of Norma as a mother figure, so he was positive she would mention Caleb to one of them.
But she surprised him. He found out she was one of the few people that was capable of surprising him in a good way. He was always used to being disappointed. Instead, she compliments his new land, and promises him she won't say anything to anyone about his uncle (father) staying with him.
When he thanks her, he is hesitant. It was the first time he was able to thank her and he felt better finally getting a chance to. She smiles at him and he felt a tug on his heart. He ignored it.
Weeks later, when he finally gains the courage to come clean to his mom about what he was hiding, she freaks out and leaves him and Norman, who was just trying to grow up and help his older brother. When she leaves, Norman blacks out and when Emma offers to stay and help; he could have hugged her.
"You don't need to be alone through all this." She says giving him a sympathetic look. No one has ever cared about the weight on his shoulders before. It was so refreshing to have someone try and help him for once. The tug on his heart this time is much stronger than last time and it's harder to ignore.
He didn't thank her then, but he wanted to; he was just too shocked.
That night he finds out not only was this girl saint like, but she was so much more. Helping her with her breathing, he couldn't imagine the struggles she must face every day just to breathe. Yet here she was asking him what she can do to help him! It made him want to do something to make her life better. He wanted to get her away from his messed up family, but to be honest, he was too selfish to take this ray of sunshine away from such a shadow of a family.
Not only that, but she feels like an outsider just like himself. When he looks into her eyes, he wonders how he went over a year with her so close, yet not fully seeing her until that moment.
After that night he finally thanks her. "I can't thank you enough." He says. Not with words anyway. He promises himself he will do something to make it up to her. Maybe he will take her dinner. That way he can spend more time with her.
When he finds out about the donation to move Emma up the transplant list, he knows he has to do this. Not just for her, but for him as well. He realized after that night she stayed and helped him with Norman, he needs someone pure and sweet like her in his life. He wants her in his life for a long period of time.
Even when things go south, Emma could see how upset he was about not getting the money and wants to help him. The thought was almost laughable and if he wasn't devastated at failing her, he would have cracked up. Here he was, trying to get her her lung transplant and failing, and she comes and tries to help him so he could feel better.
He wasn't lying when he tells her it was for something important; she was more important than she realized.
It took a bust of a gun run and a beat up Chick but in the end Caleb comes through for him and gets him 50k. It costs Dylan the chance to spend more time with his father, but it's a trade he was willing to keep. If it meant Emma would get her lung and would live long than 27, that was good for him.
This last time he thanks her, is the most important.
He goes up to her room to see her, so thankful he was able to get the money that could save his life that he had to see her face. When he sees her lying there on her bed, not moving his heart stops. Fate couldn't be so cruel to take her away from him, would it? When he sees her move he was so relieved. She jokes about looking bad and it takes all his will power not to tell her exactly how amazing he thinks she looks all the time.
He tells her about Caleb leaving and he expects her to be supportive of his feelings. However, when she tells him she knew about Caleb being his father, his heart stops.
She knew this whole time? How can she be so nice, so amazing to him, knowing he was this disgusting human being and nothing could change that?
"I can't imagine what someone like you must think." He admits and he sees her shake her head before moving closer.
"No. We come into the world the way we come into the world. It's not our choice, but at least we're here." She tells him and he knows she isn't lying to him. How is it possible for her to accept the thing he hates most about himself?
He wanted to kiss her then and there. He's been pushing these feelings for her to the bottom of himself for too long. She knows exactly who he is and accepts him. He's never going to find someone like her again. It was in that moment he knew she was the one for him. He doesn't care if she was with Norman, he knew he would fight for her. He couldn't lose her now. Not after he went through to make sure she was around for a long time.
"Thanks Emma." He mutters and when he says it, he's thanking her for so much more than she knows.
THE END!