His self imposed exile was destroying him. When he thought about what Deb wanted for him, to have a happy life. She wouldn't want this. Surprisingly the work was good. It wasn't as much he enjoyed it rather than it kept him calm. Life as a lumber worker in Portland was different. No friends. No family. No Harrison. No Hannah. When he thought what he hated most about his new life it was probably the sheer loneliness. Considering there was a time in his life where this would have been perfect for him. Now though for the most part he was like other people. He hadn't killed anyone since Saxon. That was two months ago. He found it comical that all that was in his way now, from his perfect life, was himself. Hannah and Harrison were waiting. He wondered if Harrison knew he was dead. He would see him again. May not be for a while but his son was out there and he would be reunited with him. It was his fault. If he had only killed Saxon when he had the chance all this would have been avoided. But he chose Saxon to prove to Deb and himself that he had changed. As if he needed to prove it. He knew it as best as anyone. He knew he should probably reach out to Hannah. Considering he was possibly the only person who knew Hannah's new fake name. Arlene didn't. The law didn't. He also wondered if Miami Metro had pieced together his life of serial killing. Maybe they had just forgotten him after his death. Looked into him no more. Maybe him killing Saxon in the cell had given Quinn and Angel the insight into his life they needed to unravel his lies. He longed to hear his families voices again. Especially Harrison's and Hannah's. He had told him he would see him again. He had never broken a promise to his son. The Lumber work had made him put on a bit more muscle, he had also lost a bit of weight. However his was no longer a fine physical specimen. His face was puffy. His usually perfect hygiene was lax and despite losing weight his diet was as unhealthy as ever. He had nothing to prove. He didn't have anyone to hide from. He could be himself but he didn't know who that was. He wasn't Dexter Morgan family man. He wasn't Dearest Daddy Dexter. He wasn't Dexter Morgan friendly neighbourhood Serial Killer. He was lost. He wanted some sense of achievement a goal. He wasn't killing any more so he didn't have anything no wife, family were supposed to help replace the need to kill and Hannah and Harrison had and still did. He hated it now. Miserable. Solely because he thought it was what he deserved. He wanted to be with Hannah. What man wouldn't? He wanted to reunite with his son. Living the entire rest of his life alone and inside his head was unimaginable. He needs people. Just two months of this and he thought he would prefer prison. At least in prison there was a goal, an endgame. The electric chair or lethal injection. So at the end of the second month, he stopped paying rent on his little hovel and travelled down the west coast. Slowly. Of course he had a passport, an identity. It was all that was needed. He began talking to people again, it wasn't something he usually did but speaking to people in the towns he passed through gave him something he had missed.

He flew out to Buenos Aires after about a week of travelling from town to town. He set about searching for Claire Thompson (Hannah's new identity). He managed to track her down with relative ease. Following a trail of motel's and hotels she and Harrison had stayed at. He travelled south, like Hannah had said eventually finding her at a small but beautiful house near Comodoro Rivadavia. Tracking her down was fun. Gave him a purpose. Like he was stalking one of his victims.

Here he stood outside the house ready to end his exile. So far as he could tell it was just Hannah and Harrison. There was no new man in her life. Not that he minded as such. She thought he was dead, he would forgive her. He could see them eating lunch, talking and smiling at each other. It was what he wanted, she was a great mother. He continued watching as Hannah collected the plates and walked over to the sink. Her hair flowing around her making her look angelic. She was so beautiful. And Harrison looked as though he had grown about a foot since he saw him last. Harrison came running out of the house to play in the garden and saw him. Dexter froze unsure if he would be recognised. Harrison yelled "Daddy" and he ran towards him. Dexter heard a loud crash from the kitchen as he scooped up Harrison. He squeezed him tight kissed him all over his face. Dexter realised it was the first time he smiled in ages. Hannah appeared at the doorway looking furious. She walked towards him in a way that made him think she had a knife or other weapon (a syringe of poison) hidden somewhere on her person. "Put him down" she hissed and he realised she didn't recognise him. He knew exactly when she figured it out. Her eyes widened and he mouth fell open. "Dexter.." Hannah said quiet and voice quavering "Hannah I.." but she interrupted "But you were dead I saw it on the news" "That was the plan" Then a loud smack and the side of his face stung. "How could you not tell me, I thought you were dead, you made me think, you could have called!" she yelled Harrison looked on in shock Dexter knew she was right. "I'm sorry" He said weakly but she continued to look at him angrily "Harrison can you go inside please" Hannah said and Harrison scurried off inside. "Debra's dead" Dexter said "I know and I'm sorry but I love you Dexter how could you make me think you were dead?" "I..I was trying to protect you" "How?" she said her voice finally calm "Every person I have ever cared about have ended up dead, because of me, my Dad killed himself, I had to kill my brother, my sister died because I let Saxon walk free, the two protege's I have had have both been killed Jeremy and Zach, my wife Rita, my friend Miquel Prado and Brother Sam, Vogel. All these people died in one way or another because of me, because they are associated with me. I'm what's wrong. I wanted to stay away so you two wouldn't end up the same way. Hannah was staring at him, she looked dumbfounded. "Dexter you fucking Idiot" Then she kissed him and they carried on kissing for quite a while. Dexter realised just how much he needed her in his life. He couldn't stay away. He couldn't go back to that shell of a life. And he was a changed man. He hadn't one day woken up with a heart, it was always there. He only needed the right people to help him change. "Come on, lets get you cleaned up" Hannah said breaking the kiss "Your breath stinks" Dexter chuckled. He sat with Harrison in his arms as Hannah told him all about what her and Harrison had done since they saw each other last. The happiness and excitement she had made him think what a fool he had been, trying to give this up. Harrison soon fell asleep in his arms and together they put him to bed. Hannah pushed him in the shower soon after that and when she considered him clean enough she joined him. It was better than the first time and the second first time when they were reunited. He held her close and could barely believe he was here. His dream. She asked him where he had been when he replied "Lumberjack" she burst out laughing "Dexter that's ridiculous" Dexter watched Hannah sleep, her beauty. He had thought it was just him that cause everyone all this pain and death. But it wasn't him it was what he had been doing. He blamed it on his dark passenger, but if he was living a normal life doing normal things nobody would be put in danger. Deb had called him a magnet. Fucked up shit is gonna find you. It had.

He quietly got out of bed, Hannah moaned in her sleep and rolled over. He smiled and walked into Harrison's room. His son. Their son. He didn't want to kill anymore all he wanted was to live out the rest of his life with his family and he would protect them for as long as he is able. Epilogue - Twenty Years Later Dexter sat in his garden watching his children. His daughter Debra chatting on with her mother, Harrison on the barbecue. He was an old man now gone Sixty. Hannah was about fifty she had aged very gracefully and to be honest didn't look much different. She was always beautiful and after all this time they were still in love. She was his family. Their children had grown up. They would never tell them that their parents were both serial killers. He hardly dwelled on the past anymore. His life in Miami would never be forgotten but his new life was where he was now and where he had to be. Hannah came over and sat next to him. "Hey" She said smiling "Hi" They pressed their heads together in a way that had become second nature to them over the years. They looked at their two children and he kissed Hannah quickly before they saw. He put his arm around his wife and held her close. As he always would.