Chapter 6

"Hello Hannah"

Dexter opens the door to Hannah's angelic face. She beams a smile at him. They look at each longingly for a moment. Dexter takes a step closer and reaches out to her. Stepping forward herself, she meets him inside the cabin. He holds her arms.

Hannah holds his arms back and gives him a squeeze with her hands. She then playfully pushes him away and steps back outside the door.

She squeals with excitement, "Eeee... " She jumps and down, clapping, giggling.

He asks, "Won't you come in?" He gives a wave, and steps back, in a welcoming gesture.

Hannah remains in the doorway and keeps beaming at him. She says, "Oh Dexter, I have a couple of surprises for you. You'll never believe it." Doleful tears well up in her eyes. She leans down and to her side. She whispers to someone very short, who's right outside the cabin doorway.

Harrison then runs into the cabin up to his father. Harrison calls out, "Daddy! Daddy! I missed you!"

Dexter kneels down and Harrison leaps into his arms. Dexter joyously hugs and kisses his son.

Hannah smiles and stays in the doorway. She sings, "That's not all." She leans down, to the side, again. She picks up something that's right beyond the cabin's front door. She carries up in her arms a newborn baby.

She tearfully says, "It's a girl."

Dexter picks up Harrison and walks over to Hannah.

Dexter says, "I don't believe it."

Hannah says, "I told ya."

Dexter, Hannah, Harrison and the baby all sit around the kitchen table. Dexter has Harrison in his lap. Hannah sits at the table while nursing their daughter.

Hannah says, "I'm sorry Dexter. But before any of your questions I have got to know. What is with that?" She points to Debra, who's still horse tranqued, in a straightjacket, and sleeping on the couch.

When Hannah points to Debra, Harrison stands up on Dexter's lap and peers over at Debra on the couch.

Harrison asks, "Why is Aunt Deb asleep on the couch? Why is she in that funny shirt?"

Dexter smiles nervously. He looks at Harrison then back at Hannah.

Dexter says, "Well Aunt Deb needs to take a nap right now. She was getting fussy and I had to swaddle her up." He smiles at Hannah with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

Hannah says with a frozen smile, "I take it Aunt Deb is here involuntarily."

Dexter also says with a frozen smile, "That's right."

Hannah says, "Oh, what an interesting time you must of had here with Aunt Deb."

Dexter raises his eyebrows and nods. With a voice higher in pitch, he says, "You could say that."

Harrison says with distress, "Why was Aunt Deb screaming like that?"

Dexter says, "We were just playing 'Cowboys and Indians.' That's why she's all tied up. She got so tuckered out from playing she had to take a nap."

Hannah covers her mouth, stifling a laugh. As she does the baby unlatches. Hannah resnaps herself together and takes off the nursing cover.

Dexter says, "Harrison, Daddy wants to hold your sister, could you sit with Hannah a while."

Harrison says, "Okay. Can I go see Aunt Deb? She looks funny."

Dexter says, "Aunt Deb needs to rest. Just leave her alone for right now."

Harrison says, "Okay." He jumps off his Dexter lap and goes over to Hannah.

Dexter picks up his daughter and holds her in front of him. The baby opens her eyes and yawns. He asks, "What's her name?"

Hannah says, "Laura."

Dexter gushes, "Awwe... that's so sweet. Thank you." He cradles Laura and asks Harrison, "Harrison, do you mind if I talk to Hannah alone. Why don't you play out on the porch for a little while?"

Harrison says, "Okay Daddy." Harrison jumps off Hannah and runs outside to play out on the porch."

Dexter asks, "Hannah, how did you get Harrison here? I had Jaime take him to Orlando yesterday."

Hannah says, "I got back to Miami a few days ago. Ever since I got back to town I've been keeping tabs on you from a distance. I saw that you were having Jaime take Harrison back to Orlando. You know my friend Arlene. She has two daughters Harrison's age. Arlene, her kids, and I, we all went to Orlando. There's a children's park near the house of the grandparents there. Well this morning we all went to the park. We waited there in case Harrison happened to showed up. Soon after we arrived there, we see Harrison. Harrison was accompanied by his sister Astor and their grandmother. The grandmother went to the bathroom. She asked Astor to watch Harrison while she was gone. The grandmother is really old and sick. She took a long time in the bathroom. While grandma was indisposed, Astor starts texting on her phone. We had Arlene's kids lure Harrison to her car. The rest is history."

Dexter says, "I feel bad for Astor and their grandmother. But it's wonderful to see the kids."

Hannah says, "I thought it'd be great if Harrison were here too."

Dexter asks, "But why did you bring Harrison here?"

Hannah says, "I wanted him here for when you saw Laura for the first time. I wanted you to see your whole family together."

Dexter says, "It's okay. I'll call the grandparents and tell them I have Harrison and not to worry. I'll tell them there was some sort of mix up. So where did you give birth to Laura? That must of been difficult. Since you're a fugitive from justice and all."

Hannah says, "I just went to hospital in Mexico. I know of a certain place down there. It's a place where you can pay them to do you a service and they'll keep quiet about it. They'll forge documents for you. Whatever you need."

Dexter says, "Oh, I know well about how that all works. You said you kept tabs on me. But how did you know I was here? I was so careful about coming here."

Hannah says, "When we were together you love to tell me about your kills. You even told me about kills you were planning on doing in the future. You were always such a good planner. Never making a mistake. One killer you planned on killing was a woman by the name of Emelie Hiesenburg. I got back from Mexico a few days ago. I had Arlene watch Laura while I tracked you down. You previously told me about Hiesenburg. You said how she was due to be released from prison soon. So I tracked down Hiesenburg. Hiesenburg lead me to you. I watched you capture her and then bring her here. I assumed you used this cabin for her kill room. You also seemed to be preparing this cabin for something. I figured it might be a refuge of some kind. When you up and vanished I figured you went here. And I was right. Then Arlene and I went to get Harrison this morning. I wanted to surprise you with the kids. I thought if I came here with both Laura, and Harrison, you'd see how wonderful life could be. You know, having all of us together as a family."

Dexter asks, "I have to ask you something. Debra had a Xanax overdose ten days ago. She insisted that she didn't try to kill herself. She insisted that you must of somehow poisoned her again. Did you poison Debra with Xanax ten days ago?"

Hannah says, "I was in Mexico until a few days ago. I have records, video footage on my iphone. I can prove this."

Dexter says, "At this point I know Debra was lying. I just wanted to hear it from you, since you are here and all. Hannah, you did admit to trying to kill Debra six months ago. You said as much when I visited you in prison. Debra's suicidal right now. That's why I put her in a straightjacket. I'm having a hard enough time trying to stop Debra from harming herself. I don't need you here trying to do the same. You would never try and harm Debra again. Would you?"

Hannah says, "You know how I work. I don't enjoy killing. I do it because I have to. I take out people who are a threat to me. Debra used to be a threat but she's not anymore. She's gone from being the lieutenant of homicide to a suicidal psych patient. And her own brother has her kidnapped, horse tranqued and in a straightjacket. I have to ask though. What's with the scar on her face. You said she tried to kill herself. How did she get that scar on her face exactly?"

Dexter says, "She tried to shoot herself in the head last night. I knocked the gun out of her hand at the last second. The bullet grazed her face.

For the past six months Debra hasn't been doing well. Six months ago she killed LaGuerta. I put her in a tough position and she wound up shooting her. I fixed the evidence in Debra's favor. As far as how the cover up went, things seemed to be going well. But then at work they uncovered new evidence that seems to be leading them to the truth of what happened. This only made Debra more upset. Ten days ago she overdose on Xanax. I suspected she attempted suicide but she denied it. She kept saying you must of poisoned her again somehow. The police might soon arrest Debra for murder. When that happens I fear Debra will shoot herself. So I brought her here to this cabin to prevent all that.

Debra's been suicidal before. She got raped when she was nine. I walked in on her being raped and I killed her rapist. I hacked him to death with an ax while Debra watched. After that she kept trying to kill herself. Our father took her to get electroshock therapy in Mexico. After the therapy Debra stopped trying to kill herself. Now that Debra's suicidal again, I'll take her to get more of the therapy. She has an appointment for her treatment already. It's, again, at a mental institution in Mexico. We'll start traveling there tomorrow. The treatment will, again, hopefully, stop her suicide attempts.

After Debra's Xanax overdose I prepared this cabin complete with a rubber room and straightjacket. The police were zeroing in on Debra being LaGuerta's killer. Debra was already suicidal. I didn't know how things would play out. I didn't want to take any chances. So I decided to take her to a controlled environment where I could monitor her reactions to certain revelations. As you can see from Debra's scar, things played out very badly here. But I'll try to fix things with the therapy."

Hannah just sits back and gawks at Dexter. She says, "Well, that's a lot to take in all at once."

Dexter says, "I know you were mad I turned you in for Sal Price's murder. I know you're in love with me but I also know you bear a grudge against me."

Hannah says, "I did try and take out Debra back when she was a threat to me. But she obviously is not a threat to me anymore. And I also know how much she means to you. I don't blame you for trying to protect her. With everything you been through with her, it all seems like punishment enough. All I've ever wanted was to be with you. All I've ever wanted was for us all to be a family together. We'll just go to a new place and start all over again. I'm sure you can fix this problem with Debra. You seem quite the force to be reckoned with when it comes to getting what you want. And as long as I'm with you I'm happy." She holds his hand. "I just want us to be together forever. I love you."

Dexter says, "I love you too."

Hannah asks, "But what are we going to do with Debra right now. We have to think of the children here."

Dexter says, "I've got a plan."

A couple of hours go by. Dexter knows Debra's tranquilizers will wear off soon. Dexter and Hannah setup the dining area. They extend the flaps on the kitchen table to make it bigger. They get out a couple of extra folding chairs for more seating. Dexter carries Debra over to the table. He places her in a chair. He puts a pillow on the table, under her head. Dexter's on one side of Debra. Hannah's on the other side her. Harrison's across from Debra sitting in a chair. Laura's napping in the stroller. The stroller's near the table.

Debra starts to wake up. She's facing Dexter. She her eyes flutter open. She sees Dexter smiling at her. She widens her eyes in terror. She jolts up into a sitting position in the chair. Hannah takes away the pillow that was under her head and tosses it on the couch. Debra wildly looks around the table, shaking in terror. She sees Hannah smiling at her. She sees Harrison looking at her with worry. She sees the baby in the stroller near the table.

Dexter says, "Deb." She whips her head back to stare, bug eyed, at Dexter.

Dexter says, "Deb, Look down at my hand."

Debra looks down at Dexter's cupped hand that's resting on the table. In Dexter's cupped hand she sees that Dexter has a syringe covered up with his palm and curled fingers.

Dexter whispers in her ear, "Don't scream. Behave."

Debra nods.

Harrison asks, "Aunt Deb, why are shaking?"

Debra smiles at Harrison nervously. She says in a quivering voice, "I'm cold. It's good to see you Harrison."

Hannah reaches over to the couch and pulls off an afghan. She covers up Debra's shoulders with the blanket.

Hannah says, "See Harrison. Now Debra will be warmer."

Harrison asks, "Aunt Deb, your face as a boo-boo on it." He points to his own cheek, tracing the line of the scar.

Debra nervously smiles and says, "Your Dad and I were playing cops and robbers. I played the cop with the gun. I missed unfortunately."

Harrison says, "Cody has a bebe gun too. You gotta be careful careful with those things."

Debra says, "You're right Harrison. In the future I'll be more careful with my aim."

Harrison asks, "Did you have a good nap?"

Debra says, "Sure."

Harrison asks, "Are you done playing 'Cowboys and Indians' with Daddy?"

Debra looks confused.

Dexter interjects, "We're not done playing quite yet. Aunt Deb is going to be tied up a little bit longer."

Debra says, "oh," and nods her head in understanding.

Dexter smiles and says, "Aunt Deb, would you like to meet your niece Laura?"

Dexter gestures to the baby sleeping in the stroller.

Debra looks at the baby then looks at Hannah.

Hannah gives Debra a knowing smile and nods her head.

Again Debra says, "oh," and nods her head in understanding.

Hannah smirks at Debra and says, "It's too bad you can't hold Laura right now because you're all tied up."

Debra says, "That's okay. I'm good here."

Unfortunately I thought a lot of this chapter got weighed down with discussions, explains, and rehashing. That happens a lot in this chapter and in chapter three, "My Sister's Keeper." It seemed necessary for characters to know certain things and to explain why things are the way they are. But the plot devices are more just to get to the juicer parts of the story, that are more entertaining.