[Like a good sister, Deb had remembered to pick up beer at a corner liquor mart on the way over to Dexter's house. It wasn't any particular brand name, just a beer that you'd grab just because it was there and you didn't give a shit. Which, coincidentally, was exactly how Deb felt about it.
Why was she doing this--so Dexter could evade her from two feet away some more? It apparently wasn't enough that she got that every fucking day of the week at work--she had to bring it on herself on her off hours, too.
It was worth a try though, because as much as she hated how he'd been acting lately, he was still her brother, and as much of an idiot as he could be sometimes, she still loved him and wanted to understand where he was coming from. So with her usual show of annoyance that he didn't just have the door open for her, she banged on it a few times to let him know that she was out there.]
[She didn't say anything at first--just gave him a tense half-smile--because... this seemed like a situation where small talk would just get in the way and be awkward. It wasn't until she got comfortable by leaning against the edge of the counter that she finally let out,]
[Well, now she knew--and she didn't know why she asked in the first place. It wasn't like it made a big fucking difference how long he'd been keeping this from her.]
Alright, now that that's out, is there anything else you'd like to share about this? And I mean anything--I've got all goddamn night, so lay it the fuck on me.
[To make this point more effective, she sat in a chair and tried to look like she was getting comfortable, even though this conversation was anything but.]
[ Dexter nodded, bringing their plates and a beer opener over to the table, and sitting across from his sister. He was going to bite the bullet and .. try to open up. If he was still screwed after then so be it, he was screwed right now. ]
I... I've been trying to overcome my differences with him.
Mainly, that he tried to kill you.
[ a beat ]
He's my only living blood relative. Even if he's not .. supposed to be living. It's not everyday you get a second chance like that. [ Dexter made a face; that hadn't come out at all how he wanted. He reached over, grabbing a beer and opening it, taking a slow sip as he waited for Deb's reaction. ]
[Deb couldn't believe her ears. She'd been reaching for a beer herself when he started talking, but by the end she'd completely forgot about that and just stared at him.]
Over... That's not something you overcome, Dexter--I almost died. Because of him. Would you have tried to overcome my fucking corpse if he'd succeeded? Oh whoops, you killed my sister, but you're my real brother so that shit's okay.
[She didn't mean to sound so harsh--well, she rarely means to sound harsh--but that was a little outrageous.]
[She already knew that Dexter has issues with wording, so she moved on.]
Yeah, well it's too bad that I'm not the only one in danger here. He tried to kill Claire, too--a fucking teenager who has nothing to do with anything. And this wasn't years ago like it was for me--this happened a couple months ago. Are you gonna make him pinky swear never to hurt a single person ever again? It doesn't fucking work like that.
He needs serious help, Dex, and at some point you're going to have to realize that you can't be the one to give it to him. He's important to you, I know, but there's a bigger fucking picture here.
It's not like he's going to agree to therapy, Deb. [ Dexter dropped his head on his arms, wishing it would be acceptable right now for him to eat before his food got cold. That was why God invented microwaves, he supposed. ]
I wasn't expecting you to ask, but you know what, it probably wouldn't hurt. In fact, why don't we all go--hop over to some place where they don't give a fuck who we are and have one big screwed up family session. [She hoped that he picked up on the sarcasm that went along with her phony smile.]
That's beside the fucking point and you know it. Claire didn't deserve that, and no one does.
Why was she doing this--so Dexter could evade her from two feet away some more? It apparently wasn't enough that she got that every fucking day of the week at work--she had to bring it on herself on her off hours, too.
It was worth a try though, because as much as she hated how he'd been acting lately, he was still her brother, and as much of an idiot as he could be sometimes, she still loved him and wanted to understand where he was coming from. So with her usual show of annoyance that he didn't just have the door open for her, she banged on it a few times to let him know that she was out there.]
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Hey. Come on in. [ Dexter gave a smile he didn't feel and gestured for his sister to come inside. ]
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So. When was he here?
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Do you mean 'here' as in...here here?
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Unless he sent that Wii through the magical world-hopping post office--yes, I fucking mean here here.
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Alright, now that that's out, is there anything else you'd like to share about this? And I mean anything--I've got all goddamn night, so lay it the fuck on me.
[To make this point more effective, she sat in a chair and tried to look like she was getting comfortable, even though this conversation was anything but.]
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I... I've been trying to overcome my differences with him.
Mainly, that he tried to kill you.
[ a beat ]
He's my only living blood relative. Even if he's not .. supposed to be living. It's not everyday you get a second chance like that. [ Dexter made a face; that hadn't come out at all how he wanted. He reached over, grabbing a beer and opening it, taking a slow sip as he waited for Deb's reaction. ]
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Over... That's not something you overcome, Dexter--I almost died. Because of him. Would you have tried to overcome my fucking corpse if he'd succeeded? Oh whoops, you killed my sister, but you're my real brother so that shit's okay.
[She didn't mean to sound so harsh--well, she rarely means to sound harsh--but that was a little outrageous.]
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Really wrong.
[ he took a deep breath, trying to steel himself into starting again. ]
He apologized. He - He agreed not to hurt you. I'm making progress.
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Yeah, well it's too bad that I'm not the only one in danger here. He tried to kill Claire, too--a fucking teenager who has nothing to do with anything. And this wasn't years ago like it was for me--this happened a couple months ago. Are you gonna make him pinky swear never to hurt a single person ever again? It doesn't fucking work like that.
He needs serious help, Dex, and at some point you're going to have to realize that you can't be the one to give it to him. He's important to you, I know, but there's a bigger fucking picture here.
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And Claire's fine.
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That's beside the fucking point and you know it. Claire didn't deserve that, and no one does.
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