Dexter: Guardian Angel

Title: Guardian Angel

Rating: Fiction T

Chapter: 1 of 1 (one shot)

Summary: Dexter shouldn’t take Batista for a fool, because god knows, he isn’t. He’s just a hell of a friend.

Disclaimer: If Dexter had been mine, it would have ended differently.

Author Note: I know I should be working on my (overdue) Arrow fanfic, but since I watched the final episode of Dexter today I just couldn’t get this idea out of my head. I can’t say I’m a fan of the last season of Dexter, but I loved this scene. This is my take on what is on Batista’s mind when he is confronted with Saxon’s death. Enjoy and don’t forget to tell me what you think of it!

Guardian Angel

Batista couldn’t have been more surprised when he was called down to deal with an incident involving Saxon. Not only had the sorry excuse for a human being been stabbed to death with a pen, apparently Dexter Morgan was somehow involved. At first Batista had thought he had simply misunderstood and the officer at the scene had mentioned Dexter in some other context, but that feeling had faded fast when he found Dexter sitting in a corner of the interrogation room. He felt a knot form in his stomach, what had Dexter gotten himself into?

The footage of what had happened was shocking to say the least. It was almost like he wasn’t looking at Dexter, but at somebody completely different. Quinn stared blankly at the TV screen, his mouth curled into a deep frown. Although the officers on the scene had said it looked like self-defense that wasn’t exactly what the footage was showing. Of course, Saxon had launched at Dexter first, wounding him in the left shoulder. But what happened then looked more like a premeditated murder, like it had all been part of a plan. He moved fast and with a deadly precision, much like somebody who had a lot of experience in killing.

Dexter was still sitting in the corner of the room, leaning against both walls. Batista could be mistaken, but he didn’t seem particularly sorry about what had happened, nor did he seem to be in shock. He slowly let his head rest against the wall and let out a small sigh as he looked away from the screen.

Batista looked back just in time to see how Dexter calmly pressed the alarm button after observing the scene for a few moments. There was something eerie about the way he pressed that button. Batista paused the tape and put the remote back on the table. He took a moment to order his thoughts before speaking. “Dexter…” He looked at the man he had called a friend for so many years, and then looked back at the paused image on the screen. “Help me out here. What, what were you doing with Saxon?” He tried to look Dexter in the eye, but Dexter avoided his gaze.

 “I went in to do a GSR test.” He stated in a matter of fact tone, like he was pointing out the obvious. To Batista it was anything but the obvious. 

“But you don’t even work here anymore, how are we gonna explain this?” He made a helpless gesture at the TV screen. He understood Dexter, why he had done what he had done. Like hell, he would have liked to do it himself after what the bastard had done to Deb, but how was he ever going to explain a former employee walking in to do a test that hadn’t even been ordered yet and then ending up stabbing the suspect to death with a pen? Even if Dexter wouldn’t have had a motive this would have been suspicious at best.

“I’m officially here until the end of the week.” Dexter looked at Batista from the corner of his eyes.

Batista couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There was no doubt left in his mind that Dexter had murdered Saxon, and that he had planned the whole thing. He had counted on Batista to deal with the incident and letting him off the hook. Batista threw Dexter an annoyed look. Did he even realize what kind of moral dilemma he was facing right now? Why did he have to go and take matters in his own hands while Saxon was going to get a well deserved death penalty anyway? It seemed so pointless.

Not that it mattered anymore. Turning back time so that he could smack some sense into Dexter wasn’t exactly an option, so he had to go with second best: Covering up what had happened in that cell and hope it would never see the light of day. “Okay. But why would you personally do this test? After what he did to Deb.”

“It’s exactly because of what he did to Deb that I went in there. I wanted to make sure everything was handled perfectly, by the book. No mistakes.” He looked at Batista from the corner of his eye, as if he was checking to see whether Batista was going along with his story. “And I wanted to look him in the eye.” He added after a pause as his eyes narrowed.

Batista could feel a chill going down his spine. This was a side of his friend he had never seen before, but somehow it felt like it had always been there, hiding in the dark. He threw Quinn a questioning look, before he was going to do this, he needed to know whether Quinn was going along with this.

Quinn had been quiet during the whole thing, he never said a word. Batista knew Quinn and Dexter didn’t exactly classify as friends. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Quinn questioned Dexter’s actions. Quinn briefly glanced back before going back to staring at the screen. He didn’t seem interested in punishing Saxon’s murderer for his actions, not after what the man had done to Deb.

He glanced briefly at Dexter before focusing on the still image of Saxon bleeding to death while Dexter watched. Finally he nodded. “Okay, I get that.”

Quinn shrugged slightly as he looked from Batista to Dexter. “It’s obviously self defense.” He finally spoke. Dexter eyed him suspiciously. Quinn just nodded at him.

“Yeah…” He added in a low voice. “We got everything we need.” He knew he made the right call, Dexter deserved better than going down for murdering a serial killer. He looked back at the screen.

“I’m glad he’s dead. I wish I could have done it myself.” Quinn spoke up, Batista nodded in agreement as he clenched his jaw. The world was a much better place without Saxon.

He got up before turning to Dexter again. “You should go Dex, I know you have a lot to deal with.” Like getting out of the country, in case somebody not as understanding would lay eyes on this tape. Cautiously Dexter got to his feet, like he didn’t quite believe they’d let him walk.

“Yes.” He straightened his back and quickly walked across the room. His shoulder didn’t seem to bother him that much as he opened the door to leave.

“Hey…” Batista stopped Dexter in the doorway. Dexter turned around with a questioning look on his face. Casually he slipped his hand in the pocket of his pants as he held the door open. There he was again, the Dexter Batista knew, like nothing had happened. He let out a sigh before continuing. “I’m praying for her.” He simply said. Dexter looked at him with a face that looked like a mix of sadness and regret. He let out a sigh. Batista wasn’t sure what to think of it. Without saying another word he nodded and turned around.

Batista watched him leave the station. There was no doubt in his mind he had done the right thing letting Dexter get away with murder.