Chapter 1

"Road Trip"

Everyone is at Bastista's restaurant "Papa's." Dexter, Debra, Harrison and Jaime are having lunch there.

Bastista greets his friends and family at their table, "Welcome again to Papa's. It's good to see everyone as usual. You should know we added a few new dishes to the menu."

Jaime says, "Well I hope that includes a vegan dish. I'm getting pretty tired of the salad selection here."

Bastista grimaces as Jaime opens the menu.

Jaime looks at the new dishes that her brother's restaurant has to offer. She slaps the menu face down on the table.

Jaime folds her arms and groans, "Bastista! More roasted pork dishes. Come on!"

Bastista slaps his hands together and shrugs, "Well the roasted pork is a restaurant favorite."

A familiar geeky laugh erupts from the bar. Everyone looks over to see a familiar face to go with the well known laugh. Vince is at the bar with his girlfriend Hilda. Hilda is the amazon tall woman that was Vince's date at the "New Years Eve" party a several months back. Vince and Hilda are at the bar. They're joking around about the best way to do teguila shots with salt and lemon. The conversation mostly entails how to use various body parts in new and creative ways.

Jaime calls out, "Hilda, Vince, come join us." She waves the two bar flies over to the table.

Hilda and Vince oblige and walk over to join everyone. As the amazon and the geek approach them, they making shushing gestures to each other. Since they will be joining the "kiddy" table with five-year-old Harrison.

Vince says, "Salutations." He does a couple of mini bows in one direction then another.

He greets everyone, "Gentlemen, ladies."

Hilda chimes in, "Vince and I are here celebrating our six months anniversary."

Jaime seems impressed. "Nice." Jaime nods and says, "Hilda I'm surprised you stuck so long with this fiend of a man. When I saw Vince wear nothing but a diaper on 'New Year's,' I thought, 'He can't possibly be on only his second date with this woman.'"

Vince scoffs at this remark and says, "Oh please. Like that was the first time Hilda ever saw me in a diaper. Jaime, you know nothing of my love making."

Vince shakes his head and says, "Speaking of that 'New Year's,' Bastista, that new neuropsychologist, Dr. Evelyn Vogel, she says she's found new evidence that suggests Estrada and LaGuerta didn't shoot each other that night, in the shipping container. Dr. Vogel says there was a third person responsible for staging that whole scene. And that this person is still at large."

Bastista hits his fist to his other open hand. He says, "I knew it. I'm glad I hired that private eye, Jacob Elroy. I'm gonna get to the bottom of this. I'm gonna get that 'Boe-dee-hoe' that did that to my Maria."

Debra and Jacob had been together the past few months. More recently they broke up. Debra had murder LaGuerta and Jacob was now investigating LaGuerta's murder. Dexter had previously fixed the evidence in Debra's favor. But now the 'fixing' of that evidence had started to unravel. All this had caused a lot tension in Debra's and Jacob's relationship. In the end that's why they broke up.

At hearing Bastista call her a bastard, Debra gravely stares into the air.

Dexter looks at Debra with concern.

Debra says, "I'm not feeling well. Dexter, Jaime, I think I'm going to just go home. I gonna call it a day."

Debra gets up to leave.

Dexter stands up too. He offers, "I can drive you home. Jaime could take Harrison to the beach without me."

Debra replies, "Oh, no thanks. Don't let me ruin your good time." She goes to kiss her nephew on the forehead. She says quietly in Harrison's ear, "Love you." Tears well up in her eyes. She tries to hide her tears by turning away quickly. She then walks out of the restaurant.

Dexter watches Debra as she makes her exit. He's worried about her but isn't sure what he should do.

Vince and Hilda join everyone for lunch. Everyone finishes up their meal. At the end of it the waitress takes the dishes away. That's when Jaime notices Debra's cell phone.

Jaime tells Dexter, "Debra must of forgotten her phone." Jaime hands the phone to Dexter. She says, "I'm not surprised she forgot it. She seemed upset and left in hurry."

Dexter agrees, "Oh yah I agree. Debra did seem upset,"

Jaime says, "I know it was because Bastista mentioned Jacob? The two of them were pretty serious and they just recently broke up. My brother can be so insensitive sometimes?"

Dexter says, "Yah, I'm sure that's why she got upset and left. I'll bring the phone down to her now. It'll give me an excuse to check in on her. Why don't you take Harrison down to the beach without me. I'll join the two of you later."

With the phone in hand, Dexter walks briskly to the car. He's glad for the excuse, in hand, to check up on Debra.

Dexter arrives at Debra's beach house.

He rings the doorbell. No answer.

He knocks on the door. No answer.

He uses the spare key to the beach house Debra gave him. He unlocks the door and opens it. He sees Debra lying on the couch. At first he thinks she's sleeping.

Dexter nudges her and calls, "Deb." No response.

He calls louder, "Debra!" He grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her roughly. Her head flops backward. He lets go her and she lies limp on the couch, unresponsive.

Dexter realizes she's not breathing. He checks her pulse. It's weak. He uses Debra's phone to dial 9-1-1. He pulls her body down to floor and starts pounding on her chest.

Debra wakes up in the hospital with Dexter sitting next her.

"What?" Debra grumbles, "What the f*** am I doing here?"

Dexter says, "I found you at home. You weren't breathing. The doctor says you had a massive amount of Xanax in your system. Do you know how that happened?" Dexter asks.

Debra darts her eyes around the room. As if an explanation may lay buried in the wall paper. With a furtive look on her face, she offers, "It must of been Hannah poisoning me again."

Dexter scoffs and says, "Hannah did this? Is that what you're telling me? And she what? Stuffed your breakfast burrito with crushed Xanax pills."

Debra insists, "Again, I don't know how she did it. But she must of done it... again."

"Maybe," Dexter murmurs. He asks, "Are you sure you didn't try to harm yourself? I mean you seemed pretty upset at lunch today."

"F*** no!" Debra shouts, "Don't you see! Hannah strikes again! We know she's out there, somewhere. We know she's none too happy with us."

"Well," Dexter lectures, "Your doctor says he wants to keep you here for observation."

"F*** that." Debra declares, "I just wanna get outta here. I think I've spent enough time in hospitals lately, thank you very much."

Dexter says, "Well your doctor wants to keep you here. It's just to make sure..." He trails off.

Debra points out, "I wouldn't lock you up in some f***ing hospital."

Dexter counters, "What if something happens again? What if you hadn't forgotten you phone at lunch today? You'd be dead by now."

Dexter folds his arms and looks around the room. He thinks over his options.

"Okay." Debra concedes, "How about you and Harrison just stay at my place for a while."

Suspiciously, Dexter squints his eyes at Debra. He asks, "Are you sure you don't wanna tell me something? Are you upset about breaking up with Jacob?"

Debra scoffs and says, "Oh f*** Jacob."

Dexter asks, "Is it because of LaGuerta?"

Debra nervously looks around the room.

Dexter further asks, "Did you try to hurt yourself because... "

Debra jumps in and blurts out, "Dexter, I'm fine. You and Harrison can just hang at the beach if you're so concerned."

Dexter concedes, "Alright, I guess either way that'd be safer at least."

Dexter has Debra released from the hospital. He assures her doctor he'll keep an eye on her.

It's a week later. Dexter and Harrison have been staying at Debra's beach house during that time. This past week Dexter tried to arrange it so that Debra was never alone. He solicited the help of their friends to accomplish this task. He told Jaime, Bastista, and Masuka, in secret, that Debra seemed depressed about her, and Jacob's, recent break up. He asked that everyone hang out at the house, and take Debra out, as much as possible. Debra knew what Dexter, and everyone else, were pulling. But she let it slide. Their friends, and co-workers, were, nonetheless, pleased with how recently hospitable the Morgans were being. Even given the pretense behind the abundant get-togethers. Bastista, and Masuka, noticed that get-together hosting duties seem to mostly fall on Debra and Jaime. Dexter would frequently call to check in but, the past week, Dexter seemed especially preoccupied with his extracurricular activities.

Dexter approaches the beach house's front door. He reaches for the doorknob. Harry appears before Dexter. Harry's standing in front of the door. He blocks Dexter's from entering the dwelling.

Harry says, "Don't do this, Dexter. You'll make things worse."

Dexter says, "What happens when they go to arrest Debra for LaGuerta murder? Debra will sooner eat a bullet than face Bastista as LaGuerta's killer."

Harry says, "You don't know that'll happen."

Dexter says, "No. But I'm not finding out when its too late to stop it."

Harry says, "Okay, so bring her to a facility. Do this legally."

Dexter says, "I'm not doing that to Debra unless I'm absolutely sure I have to. And I'm not letting her spend the rest of her life in prison either. And that's just what'll happen. What if she's already in a facility when they go to arrest her. I won't be able to grab her and run then. It'll be too late.

Harry asks, "Is it better she's your prisoner?"

Dexter says, "I have to make sure she's okay."

Harry asks, "Why do you 'personally' have to make sure your sister's okay?"

Dexter says, "Because this is all my fault and my responsibility. I don't want history repeating itself all over again."

Harry asks, "Is this because of what happened to your mother?"

Dexter says, "Or maybe it's because of what happened to my father? Debra's you all over again."

Harry asks, "You can grab Debra and run, but that still might not stop anything. This could all still end with her lips wrapped around a revolver. "

Dexter says, "If it's gonna comes down to that I'll take care of it." With a hard look on his face he finishes, "Just like you did."

Harry disappears.

Dexter again reaches for the doorknob. He opens the door to Debra's beach house.

Inside the beach house. Debra's relaxing at home in her palatial surroundings. Her feet are kicked up in her breakfast nook. She sips decaf while flipping through a magazine, "Tough Lady Cop Quarterly." She never misses an issue.

Suddenly Dexter bursts into the beach house. Startled, Debra lets go of her coffee and magazine. She holds her hands up as if she's being arrested.

She sees Dexter barge through the front door. She yells, "Dexter what the f***!"

In a panic Dexter blurts out, "We have to leave immediately! They're about to arrest you for LaGuerta's murder."

Debra jumps out of her breakfast nook. She exclaims, "No! You told me you fixed the evidence in my favor."

Dexter shoots back, "My plan backfired. We have to leave right now! Grab your things."

Debra stammers, "Uhhh...okay."

She goes to the closet to get her to-go bags. Dexter had instructed her to have them ready in case things went wrong. While Debra runs to get the bags, Dexter seizes this opportunity. He lifts Debra's cell phone out of her purse and tosses it. Ever since LaGuerta, Dexter was far more careful about cell phone traceability. He had many back up phones but Debra did not. He didn't wanna argue about it with Debra, but he needed her phone gone in a hurry.

They get in Dexter's car. Dexter deftly weaves in and out of traffic.

Debra asks, "So wait a minute. So you and me, we're just going to live on the run the rest of our lives?"

Dexter asks, "It's over anyway between you and Jacob right?"

Debra asks, "Yes, it's over between us, thank god. But that's not the point. You and me, on the run? We'll go where? Do what? You'll what? Never see Harrison again?"

Dexter shakes his head and says, "Jaime is meeting us at the doughnut shop with Harrison. She just picked him up from preschool. Harrison's coming with us."

Debra dismisses away this plan with a swipe of her hand. "No f***ing way!" she exclaims, "Have Jaime take Harrison to Orlando. It's unfair to have your son 'Running On Empty' like that."

Dexter's confused. He asks, "'Running On Empty' what does that mean?"

Debra rolls her eyes and says, "It means Harrison shouldn't have to live on the run the rest of his life."

Dexter firmly states, "I'm not giving up my son."

Debra shoots back, "Then f*** all this! I'm not running! It's unfair to make your child pay for your life choices."

Dexter counters, "Well I don't want you to pay of them either." Dexter darts his eyes around the dashboard.

Debra states, "Just f***ing forget it! Stop the car. It's over."

Dexter states, "No, I won't let it be over."

Up ahead a traffic light turns red. Dexter reluctantly brings the car to a stop.

Dexter rubs his eyes. He says, "Okay let me think."

Out of the corner of his eye he spies on Debra.

Debra looks out the passenger side window as if weighing her options.

Dexter also weighs his options. The M90 is in his pocket. He fears Debra will try and make a break for it while she can. He represses the urge to lock the car's doors. Instead he settles for ringing out the steering wheel with his hands. If worse came to worse he didn't count on "Stock Home Syndrome" taking hold anytime soon.

He takes a haggard breathe and says, "Okay, maybe you're right. I'll call Jaime and tell her to bring Harrison to Orlando. I'll tell her there's a family emergency. But one I can't get into right now."

Debra blurts out with a painful laugh, "'family emergency' you got that the f*** right."

The traffic light turns green as Dexter dials Jaime.

After the call Debra simple says, "Good."

Dexter then unclenches his fists from the steering wheel and sighs. He decides he could always come back for Harrison later. He wasn't even sure if he should take his son with them or not. He wasn't sure how things would play out with the evidence at work or with Debra. For now he decides to monitor the situation. But first things first, he had to make sure Debra would never be arrested for murder. And also secure against certain other eventualities. He takes a sharp left turn towards their new destination.

Dexter and Debra drive on for a ways. They reach a wooden area.

Debra looks around at the trees. She asks, "So where are we heading anyway?"

She looks down at the street or lack thereof. She also asks, "And what's with the dirt roads?"

Dexter says, "Well there's an APB out on the two of us. Soon our photogenic faces will be displayed all over the news."

Debra gasps and says, "F***. My P.R. interviews as Lieutenant. They'll replayed for all of posterity."

Dexter says, "We have to get off the streets of Miami as soon as possible. We'll be spotted if we skip town by either plane or highway. Taking a boat to Mexico will be the most secure way to get out of the country. It will take me a few days to get the paperwork together so we can do this. I need a place for us to hide out at in the meantime. I know the perfect place to do this."

Debra asks, "Oh, where's that?"

Dexter says, "Our family's old hunting cabin."

Debra exclaims, "What?! Only an idiot would go there! Of course they'll find us there."

Dexter says, "No they won't. A long time ago I switched the title of cabin and land over to an alias of mine. Miami Metro won't trace it back to us in time to stop us."

Debra scoffs and says, "Still, they might trace it back to us. You could take me anywhere. Why here? Seems like a stupid f***ing place to hide."

Dexter looks dubious and says, "I know what I'm doing. And this is a great to hide for a ton of reasons. I know the area well. There are multiple ways to enter and exit the area undetected. The whole area is remote and unpopulated. We can live off the land if need be."

Debra turns her head and looks at him sideways. She says, "You said we were only staying there a few days. You know, while you get the paperwork together. What are you saying? What? We're gonna... get so hungry there by day two you're gonna take down a gazelle?"

Dexter shrugs and says, "Well you never know."

Debra scoffs and says, "Oh come on."

Dexter drives them to the cabin. He sticks to back dirt roads he knows well. Their car trip ends at the beginning of a trail through the woods. At the end of this trail, on the other side, is the Morgan family cabin. They're new home sweet home for a few days at least. He parks the car well into the trees.

Dexter uses this opportunity to follow through on a little plan he cooked up. He's going to lift and toss Debra's gun. He'll do this all without her knowing it. Debra has been more than unstable lately. Also he feels that his blade will far better protect them from any danger they may face.

Dexter parks the car and they unload their luggage.

Debra gets her bags out of the back seat of the car.

Dexter walks over to Debra. He's standing behind her. She's leaning into the car. He points inside the car and asks, "Deb, could you get that bag out for me? It's wedged behind the passenger seat."

Debra says, "Sure." She half crawls into the car to get at it. While wiggling the bag out, she says, "It's kinda stuck." Under her breath, she angrily mutters, "F***-luggage."

Dexter has a bag slung over his shoulder. He accidentally/on-purpose bumps his bag into Debra from behind.

Dexter says, "Oh sorry Deb. I didn't mean to bump into you like that." While Dexter's apologizing, in one swift motion, he unlatches and lifts Debra's gun from it's holster. He then goes to put a bag down behind himself. While he's bent over he tosses Debra's gun well into a bush. And "Valla!" Debra's gun. Now you see it. Now you don't.

Dexter and Debra finish getting their stuff out of the car. After that they drape branches over the car to camouflage it from view. All of their remaining possessions are now slung over their shoulders, minus of course Debra's gun. They look down the trail. The trail they're following looks more like a narrow dirt path. Dexter and Debra have to walk down it single file.

Dexter offers, "Ladies's first."

Debra responses blandly, "Great. Here we go."

The trail is quite a hike with all their bags to tow. It goes on for about a mile. But it will get them to their new sanctuary with no one laying eyes on them. Before they start down the trail Dexter darts his eyes one last time to the bush he left Debra's gun in. The greenery looks like a much better home for the weapon than on Debra's hip.

They finally reach the end of the trail. It's dusk by the time they can see the cabin. It now seems like quite the haven for their sore feet and aching backs. Debra puts her belongings down on the ground to give her poor shoulders a break. Free of her weights, Debra puts her hands on her hips in a triumphant gesture. She waggles her hips. They feel different somehow. She feels for her gun.

"F***! Where's my gun?!" Debra exclaims.

Dexter feigns surprise, "You're kidding? You lost your gun?"

Mystified, Debra further exclaims, "But I've never lost my gun? And now of all times? And what? I just dropped it somewhere? When?"

"I know." Dexter agrees, "Well it's too late now." He shrugs, his acting as good as ever.

Dexter starts walking up to the cabin. Debra does a 360 look at the ground around herself, hoping to find her weapon.

Then she looks back at the endless trail they just walked. Feeling defeated and exhausted, she follows Dexter up to the cabin.

They reach the front steps of the cabin. Next to the front steps is a pile of rocks. Dexter bends down and starts sifts through the pile. He tosses one rock after another over his shoulder. He then seems to settle on one rock, in particular, he deems as being "special." His fingertips encircle the perimeter of the stone. He then splits the rock in half with his hands. A key is revealed inside. Dexter uses the key to open the front door. It opens with a "screech." Debra winces at the sound.

Inside the cabin Dexter and Debra see a fair amount of dust and cobwebs covering the place. The cabin has gone unused some time now. Still the place seemed adequate to provide them with shelter for a few days. They both unburden themselves with their luggage. They leave the bags heaped in a pile near the front door.

"Uhh." Dexter exhales. He flops onto the squeaky couch and lies limp.

Debra on the other hand is motivated by hunger. She was used to carbing up for her marathon treadmill runs.

She tells Dexter, "I'm going to see if there's something editable in the kitchen."

Dexter replies, "Good luck."

In the kitchen Debra opens up mystery cabinets, one through ten. All with disappointing results. An odor emanating from the fridge tells her some mysteries are best left unsolved and in this case unopened. The cupboards contain little else than sparse cans of spaghettios and clam chowder. Debra picks up one of the can of spaghettios. The can leaves a circular footprint of dust behind it. She feels no need to check the expiration date. She drops the spaghettios on the

counter with no intention of eating it. The can leaves dust residue on her fingers. With disdain she wipes her hand on her striped shirt.

Debra asks, "How long will we stay here?"

Dexter replies, "Just for a few nights. We have a long trip ahead of us. We should get some rest while we can."

Debra asks flatly, "You said once we leave here we're going to Mexico?" She says not look forward to their life on the run.

Dexter's still slumped on the couch, he sighs, "We'll take the boat I have docked here to Mexico. It'll be quite a long trip that way. But that's really the most secure way to sneak us both out of the country. Once we're in Mexico we'll have a number of different options. We'll go over them tomorrow."

Debra asks, "Should we get false IDs and so forth?"

Dexter explains, "I already have all that."

Debra follows up, "Yah but I don't have that stuff. Don't I need an alias with a driver's license, passport?"

Dexter assures her, "I already have all that stuff for you. Don't worry about it."

Surprised, Debra simple responses, "Oh." This was all news to her. She gives the man on the couch a sidelong look.

With a suspicious eye, she joins said man on the couch. Droopy eyed Dexter lets out a sigh. With a heavy arm, he points the clicker at the less than stellar entertainment center opposite the couch. The obnoxious blaring of "Inspector Gadget" hits the air. The show's theme song rings out a verse before Dexter finds the news. On the news a painted face in a blazer reads from a teller prompter. The painted face reads out loud, "And today, in the news, Miami's own lieutenant of homicide Debra Morgan is wanted in suspicion of murder. The murder of no other than Maria LaGuerta, the captain of Miami Metro. Dexter Morgan, Debra Morgan's brother, is also wanted in suspicion of aiding and abetting his sister Debra. Dexter Morgan also works for Miami Metro as a forensics expert. He's also wanted in suspicion of tampering with evidence..."

Debra gasps from between spread fingertips and gawks at the screen.

Debra's horror tells Dexter, his sister's had enough of the programing he's selected for her.

With a click of the remote Dexter makes the painted face shrink to a dot and then the dot blips to blackness.

In vexation, Debra runs her fingers through her hair as she stands up off the couch. She ardently paces across the room.

Dexter looks around the cabin as if trying to find something to change the subject and raise Debra's spirits. He asks, "Deb, you said you were hungry right?"

A gaped mouthed Debra stammers, "Uhh...uhha."

Dexter offers, "The convenience store at the gas station will be closed by now. Let's say we do a little breaking and entering. We'll get us something to eat. I need to get us some supplies there anyway."

Debra mindlessly responses, "Yah okay." In a zombie state she walks into the bathroom. Then, wide eyed, she immediately walks back out of the bathroom. More alert this time she says, "Maybe I'll use the store's bathroom while we're there."

Dexter says, "That sounds like a good idea."

They head over to the convenience store at the gas station. The whole front side of the store has a glass wall. Three metal pull down grates cover the glass. Dexter walks them both over to the middle grate where the front door is. A padlock and chains lock the grate down. Dexter puts on a pair of gloves. He hands Debra a pair as well.

Debra takes the gloves Dexter hands her. She says, "Oh, thanks." She puts the gloves on. She fans out her hands admiring the fit. Curiously she remarks, "They're just my size."

While looking away Dexter says, "Oh Good." He then reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a small black case.

Debra grabs the locked grate and shakes it in frustration.

Dexter looks at her and shrugs. He flips open the case in his hands. Inside is revealed a roll of lock picking tools. The tiny package of tools look like a mani/pedi kit.

When Debra catches sight of the utensils, she raises her eyebrows. The moonlight glints off the metal. Each instrument has it's own pocket, neatly packed in a row. These smaller implements look like miniature versions of her brother's knives. Her memory ventures back to Dexter's larger roll of shiny metal tools.

It flashes back in time. It's almost a year ago, back in Dexter's apartment. Debra alone in her brother's home. She just sent Jaime packing with Harrison in tow. Debra asked the nanny to take her nephew away for the night. Right before Debra came over, Jaime told her, over the phone, that Dexter's usual curfew was three or four a.m. It's now not even midnight. Debra knows she has time. But she's on pins and needles to get her proof. The proof of her brother's misdeeds. She came over armed for business. In her right hand she banishes a crowbar. Weapon in hand, she makes a B-line for the bedroom. She's out for blood and she wasn't holding back. Not this time.

She throws open the closet. She yanks the trunk out and crowbars the lock on it, mangling the metal. The lid comes ajar. Their father's shotgun is revealed inside. This is not the secret she wants to discover. She kicks over the trunk in frustration. The trunk flips over. The false bottom to the trunk is knocked open. A large black case falls out of it. The case lands on the carpet so that it flops all the way open. And there they are, sharpened, gleaming, so neatly packed away. They seem to quietly scream, "Dexter." The knives, a whole roll of them. She thinks, "Travis Marshall's possession my ass. Lets see you explain this away."

It flashes back forward in time to the current day. It's now back outside the convenience store.

Dexter's on the ground, kneeling. Lock picking tools in hand, he picks the padlock chained to the store's grate. Debra's standing next him, looking down, watching him work.

With a twist of Dexter's wrist, the lock pops open. It surprises Debra how smoothly and swiftly he is able to get past the locking device. The tools of his trade, the skill with which he uses them, all of this was always kept hidden from her. It hits her all over again how in the dark she was about everything her whole life.

Dexter pulls up the grate and they go inside the store. Once inside, Debra mulls over her editable options. She settles on some salsa and chips. Dexter zeros in on some supplies they will need later. He zones the merchandise as he goes, leaving no sign they were ever there. Across the shelf Dexter presents Debra with a box hair dye.

"How do you feel about going blonde?" he offers.

Debra suggests, coily, "I could be a redhead."

Dexter shakes his head and says, "There are far more peroxide blondes walking around out there. Blonde will be less noticeable."

Debra smirks and says, "Are you going blonde?"

Dexter shakes his head, "I'll go to the dark side. Black hair will blend in better for me. It's all about blending in."

Debra smiles and says, "I could chop my hair short again."

Dexter smirks back at her and councils, "We'll keep scissors and red hair dye on hand in case we need to change our looks in a hurry."

Debra laughs, "We could wear wigs and glasses."

Dexter snickers, "Well that would just look stupid. Wigs tend to look fake. We may need to keep up these appearances for quite a while."

Debra rolls her eyes and says, "I guess you've thought this through already."

She stops smiling and says, "I guess you've thought through every possible scenario."

She stares gravely into the air and mutters, "I'm just a pawn in all your plans. Aren't I?" Tears well up in her eyes as she thinks of how and why she killed LaGuerta.

Without thinking about what she's doing, Debra reaches behind the cash register's counter and grabs the key to the ladies room. With the key in hand, she marches towards the front door.

Dexter calls out after her, "Deb?!"

Debra doesn't respond. When She gets outside, she brakes left. She heads to the ladies room that's around the right side of the building.

Dexter looks at the cash register's counter top. You hear Dexter think, "She knew exactly where the key was." After a minute, Dexter follows Debra to around the right side of the building. He stops outside the ladies room door. He hears Debra crying inside.

Dexter says, "Deb." He says this to himself, too quietly for Debra to hear. He raises up his hand to knock but then pauses his fist mid air. He stands there, staring blankly at the door. He presses his ear to the wood. From Debra's crying he can tell that she's well inside the room, a fair distance from him. For a second he wrenches around the doorknob. He then steps back to kick in the door.

Debra's standing in the middle of the bathroom crying. She hears the clanging of metal and sees the knob turning in the door. She takes a step towards the door and opens her mouth to speak. But before she can respond, the bathroom door suddenly bursts open. It gives way with the cracking of wood. A piece of door frame rips from the paneling and goes clattering to the floor. The caved in entryway reveals Dexter. He's left standing there, looking back at her. The splintered wood, by the lock, frames him in the doorway. Debra's hands cup her face of tears. She looks up at Dexter over her hands. They both stare at each other blankly for a minute. Debra slowly lowers her arms as it all comes rushing back to her. This was not the first time they were both here, doing the exact same thing...

As I said in the summary, this story is basically my take on season eight, the conclusion of the show. I borrowed names of characters, and certain lines, from previews of the up coming season. There are certain things I want to play out later in the story. This first chapter more just sets things up for things to come. Chapter two involves a hidden-back story. I believe something like it will be revealed late into the show.