A/N:I know, I know, late update... It's just that I have lots of schoolwork and everything, and I kinda got the writer's block on this one. But I managed to keep it going. Here it is!
Dexter was sitting on a passenger seat while Debra was driving the car. They were heading toward a crime scene.
Debra wasn't driving too fast but something seemed wrong. The way she had her hands pressed against the steering wheel, so hard like she will rip a leather of it.T he way she was looking through a front car window. She was angry. Very angry. Maybe not even so angry than frustrated.
Although he still couldn't understand all that feeling thing, he understood why. This was fifth and sixth murder so far, and there was no evidences, no witnesses, no leads. More innocent people are dying, killer could strike anytime, and press are already all over the case.
Suddenly, he felt one of the rare feelings he was able to feel and process: responsibility. If he managed to find a guy and "take care of him", life will be much more easier for all of them. But even he had to admit: this guy was good. He left behind no evidences. He didn't even try to contact tge police or victim's families and friends. And, although he was often killing in broad daylight, he never left any witnesses who could provide any detail description. And if he done that kind of stuff before, he changed his M.O., because it didn't match to any M.O.s of convicted violent criminals in the closer area or to any unsolved cases. It was like guy was a ghost.
He shifted uncomfortably in the chair, trying not to look at Debra, making everything in his power not to experience feeling that he experienced that morning. It was wrong, and sick, even by his standards-but again, why did it feel so good barely seven hours ago?
Debra briefly glared at her brother. He was sitting there, expressionless look on his face, looking through the window on passenger side doors. Who knows what is he thinking right now. Maybe he is thinking about what will he have for lunch, or maybe he's trying to figure it out how to track down this killer before the police does, kill him, dismember his body and dump it in the ocean. Sometimes she washed to be like him. Not all the time, of course, but she wished she could "turn off" the emotions once in a while, and be like him: calm, steady and professional. And, when she finishes her work, turn them back on.
She felt something, out if blue-at first she wasn't sure what was it, good or bad, but soon she realized. Immediately afterward, she shook her head, trying to clear her head. Did thought of her brother being sonehow... attractive... in physical way? She almost smiled in desperation. How can she have such crazy thoughts at such hard times? She sometimes things that she is crazier than... that she is crazy.
She decided to just drive and not to think about that. She was already stressed out and she knew that thinking about such ridicilous thing will only unnecessary stress her out more. Soon enough, they arrived at the crime scene. Again, it was ordinary suburban house, pretty nice actually, last place you would expect to found evidence of a violent crime. Debra pulled over, and car with Quinn, Batista, pathologist and Masuka inside pulled over behind them. Debra sighed, like she was preparing herself for battle with dozens of news reporters already in front of the house, and for whatever she may see when she comes inside.
"Let's do this", she said. Having no idea how to reply on that, Dexter nodded his head and they both walked put of the car, closibg the doors behind. They took latex gloves and plastic shoe covers from Dexter's forensic briefcase and put them on, then they headed toward the front doors, Dexter holding said briefcase in his right hand, followed by Quinn, Batista and Masuka, who were also wearing latex gloves over hands and plastic shoe covers over shoe bottoms.
It didn't take long for them to get toward the front doors, but it wasn't easy, either. It was enough time for every reporter to ask five different questions-in the same time. Dexter, being Dexter, found that annoying and distracting, but didn't give it much thought. Debra, Quinn, Batista and Masuka all had their ways of ignoring them, perfected over the years. Debra was repeating, over and over in her head, what she needs to do next, what will she say to reporters after they finish processing the crime scene and interrogating the neighbours, what will she have for dinner tonight etc. Quinn was reminding himself that he exerienced even worse things than that, Batista was doing pretty much the same thing as Debra, while Masuka was counting all Asian porns he ever watched (which he knew wasn't the best thing to do while standing straight and walking, but for him, there was no other way).
They walked in the house, Masuka being the last one and the one closibg the doors behind. They did that as fast as possible, not alouding news reporters to even sneak a peek inside, even less snap a photograph.
Although two dead bodies were on the floor, uncovered, in plain sight, first thing they noticed was young male patrole officer standing near a couch in living room near by, and woman sitting at the couch. Her eyes were wide opened and redish, she was shaking, hold wet wipe in her hand. She didn't cry, her face was experssionless: like her mind went totally blank. Even Dexter shivered when he saw her-although he felt nothing more than that.
Police officer noticed them and walked toward them, trying not to step in any blood.
"Victim one is Jon Prentiss, forty five, psychiatrist" he said, silently. "He ran a private ordination here, at his home. Victim two is his daughter, fifteen year old Rebecca. His wife, Julia, forty two, found them when she came home from work. She... she is not in best condition right now. She isn't talking much, but it seem" that whoever did this was already long gone when Julia arrived."
They all walked toward the Jon's body and looked at it.
"He has necklace around his neck", Debra said. "It looks like Melany's."
Pathologist lay on his knees, next to the body.
"Multiple fractures on the skull, leg and arm area, most likely caused by some sort of blunt object, and multiple stabbing wounds, caused by sharp object, most likely knife", he deducted. "I would say that he was killed between two and four hours ago."
When he moved toward Rebecca's body, Dexter started studying blood splatters-making them, measuring them, photographing them, making swabs. Soon enough, he came to conclusion.
"Most likely right handed, between 5'9 and 5'11 tall, standing up straight while killing him, like in previous cases... By amount of blood and strength used in murder, I think he was intended target."
Quinn, Batista and Debra glared at him in surprise.
"Well, it makes sense", Batista finally said. "He really... took his time whike killing he put the necklace around his neck."
"But all other victims were women", Quinn noted. "Why would he kill middle aged man?"
"He doesn't have to have a reason", Debra said. "Guy is crazy."
"Crazy guy who manages to leave behind no evidences or witnesses", Quinn couldn't help but notice. Debra gave him a look, but said nothing. Dexter simply started studying blood splatters around girl's body without engaging in discussion.
"Victim number two... few stabbing wounds around the stomach and chest area... He only killed her to eliminate her as a witness. She caught him in the act."
"Well, he is psychiatrist", Quinn said. "Maybe it's one of his patients."
"Unfortunatelly, we can't access the files", Batista said.
"Wait", Debra said. "You are telling me that this guy had bunch of informations about possible suspects, something that could help us clear this case, and we can't access it? Are you fucking kidding me?"
"That's the rule", Quinn calmly stared.
"Six people are already dead. This could save human lives. It's not like we are going to publish what we found out about innocent people who were his patients or that press will get hold of it!"
Hearing the footsteps behind them, they stopped argument and turned around, seeing Masuka standing there. After some awkward silence, he coughed a little and started talking.
"I found about ten usable fingerprints and few partial palm prints on both door knobs on front doors and one palm print and two fingerprints on front doors itself", he explained. "I vacumed door mat for trace and I also found seven types of usable latent shoe prints leaving from front doors. I'll need to take elimination samples from both victims, wife and patrole officer."
"OK, you take them after you finish, and powder file locker for fingerprints", Quinn agreed, then continued talking with Debra. "I'n sorry, but we can't access those files. We will interrogate neighbours, family members and family friends, forensics will try to colect and analyse as much as evidences possible, we will come up with something."
Knowing that there is no point arguing, and that it is not smart to get in a fight with police captain, Debra just took a deep breath and walked in ordination, passing near Dexter without even glaring at him. He stopped doing his work for few moments, looking after her. He felt something strange: like discomfort, but not a bad one. Maybe... a concern?
Sure, he is... unpleased because he can't track down the guy and "take care of him". And he understands that she, as person with emotions, can feel feelings which she feels at this moment. But that's it. Maybe even close to compassionate, empathy, but not it.
"We can't go through the files", Debra commented while carefully searching through victim's desk, "but maybe we can found something that can lead us to a killer and in same time can legally be colected as evidence."
"I don't see any signs of anybody forcing open the file locker", Masuka said while powdering the said locker for fingerprints.
"That doesn't mean that one of the patients didn't do it", Debra replied, trying to hide frustration in her voice, still searching the desk before finishing.
"Nothing here", she said, dissapointed. She walked toward the trash can and looked in it, but found nothing more than few tissues and remains of some food.
"Fuck", she said under her breath and walked back into the living room. Batista walked toward her.
"Debra, we need to talk with the neighbours? Are you coming?"
"Yes", she replied. "I didn't found nothing usefull here anyway."
"We better walk out through the back doors", Batista said.
#
Michael was sitting in his car, driving back home.
She didn't suppose to die. She didn't deserve to die. All other victims did, but she didn't. Now he actuually feels bad about killing her. Her heart is beating fast, he feeld pressure in lower part of his stomach.x Damn it! But he will make up for it eventually. He needs to keep going. It's what Vanessa would want.
#
When Dexter and Debra finally arrives home, it was close to seven pm-little later than usual. This time Dexter was driving. Debra didn't say a word during ride home, and she went to use a toilet as soon as she walked in. She didn't go out till almost half an hour later.
"Sixth murder was pretty sloppy",Dexter said in his usual cold, professional tone, trying to break the ice. "Forensics found skin under victim's fingernails. Masuka will perform DNA analysis. It may belong to her killer..."
"It doesn't", Debra cut him off. "And even if it does, it won't be enough to perform the testing, or something will happen during fucking testing and samples will be ruined completely without DNA profile even being made, or he won't be in the system."
She threw herself on couch in living room, staring blankly at the black TV screen, breathing heavily. Dexter glared at her in surprise. He knew that she was angry and frustrated and disappointed, but he didn't expect something like that.
"You know that w... you dealed with hard cases before. And you always catch them. This guy just has some luck right now, but he will screw up, eventually. He already did, when that girl confronted him. Just... don't be so upset about him. He is not worth it."
Debra swallowed hard, slowly opening her mouth, thinking of a reply. At first, she wanted to say something nasty about him trying to rationalize feelings and try to comfort her with his sociopathic crap, but second later she realized that what he said was anything but that. Actually... it was probably the most... human-like thing he ever said.
"Thank you, Dex", she said. "I can't believe I couldn't think of that myself."
"It's OK", he assured her. "I don't... can't feel, but I know how people that can feel, how that affects them. It's normal."
She nodded her head, feeling much better, but still almost shocked by what he said. She couldn't believe he could actually talk with her like other non-sociopathic persons. But she knew that she can't hope he will change, that his sociopathy will disappear. It was simply impossible, and hoping for that to happen would only hurt her more later.
Maybe he can't feel, but at least he is trying to understand how and why other people feel, and how it affects them.
But again, if he can't feel and she already knows who he is, why is he even trying?
Shut up, Debra. He is not going to change. Stop hoping for something that won't happen. You don't need more disappointment in your life.
"But enough talking about that guy", Dexter said. "Would you like to watch TV? I hope program is not so bad today. We can order a pizza or Chinese food... we didn't have that in a while."
"Sure", she said, finally forming a small smile. "I would like that."
A/N: There are rumors spreading on a and on Tumblr that SOPA (Stop Online Privacy act) is back and that it will take down fanfiction and YouTube if online petition against it doesn't get at least one hundred thousand signs till 21th September 2013 etc. That IS NOT true. Tumblr user pseudofolio detaily explained it on his Tumblr page. SOPA is not back, and even if it is, it won't affect fanfiction. You can read it on his Tumblr page, but I won't re-post it here, because I am (I admit) lazy.
So, I know that most of you are probably dying to read an actual Debster. Well, things will happen in next chapter, chapter nine, on the end of it, but even more will happen in chapter ten. When I say "things will happen" I am not talking about smut (sorry), I mean: Dexter and Debra will finally come clean with their feelings for each other.
Also, this story is my take on season eight, since I don't like the original one. And by so, it will focus on other characters more, especially Masuka. But don't worry, it will still be very Debster-centric.