Dexter sails off after another wonderful season!

We open with the discovery of Miguel's body in a park. Vince notes that he's had some skin removed from his torso, leading the cops to believe that he was another of the skinner's victims. Quinn told Deb that King probably killed Miguel because he felt he knew something about Freebo. Ramon glared at Dexter while he took photos of the body. Angel told Dexter that since Miguel was his friend, that he could find someone else to handle the investigation, but Dexter said he would stay on. He was playing "the grieving friend who buries himself in his work." As Miguel was loaded into the ambulance, Dexter went to touch him, to say goodbye (for appearances' sake, I'm sure) and as he reached in, Ramon grabbed his arm and told him not to touch his brother. He vowed to find out exactly what happened to Miguel.

When we last left Dexter,he was tied and bound in the trunk of a car. Dexter picured his end a thousand ways, but it was never like this. As he tried to make an escape, Harry showed up for "moral support." Dexter told him he was right about Miguel and said he only had himself to blame. harry said he didn't blame his son for wanting a friend and a normal life and said he was proud of him for trying and said "it was brave." Dex said he should have killed Miguel when he had the chance and Harry said he still could, adding "don't give up." Dexter managed to unbind his hands from the tape.And when the car stopped and the trunk opened, Dexter clocked Vince in the kisser. It was his bachelor party (who saw that coming? That was good!)

Dexter and Miguel were yukking it up with the ladies at a fancy-schmancy restaurant. Dexter (sarcastically) said the dinner was just what he needed "feigned civility with a heaping side of betrayal." He knew he had to "deal with" Miguel and weighed his options. Option one - he could kill him, but Miguel is too "high-profile" - and he's Dexter's best man (he'd be "expected to grieve.") Option two, getting Miguel out of his life isn't so easy either. Miguel showed Dex how to play golf and in exchange he showed Miguel how to kill - and now Dexter is now responsible if Miguel takes another innocent life. Miguel got Rita and Dex a lavish wedding gift - he hired the chef at the elegant restaurant to cater their reception. Dexter said it was "too much" but Miguel insisted. So much for option two, Miguel managed to find a way to keep their partnership intact by dragging Rita into the situation. Dexter's third option was to get Miguel "under his thumb...and keep him there."

Dexter

Dexter woke up and went through his usual, pretense-filled routine (kissed the wife-to-be, fed the stepkids-to-be and dressed himself.) The night before there had been no pretense, as he and Miguel took the life of Billy - together. "Today", Dexter says, "someone knows my truth and shares my reality. I'm not alone." A distressed-looking Sylvia came over and asked Dexter about Miguel, who was out until all hours the night before. Dexter said Miguel was with him and that they were "hanging...being guys." Rita said Dexter did get in until late himself - midnight to be exact. Syl said Miguel had gotten home about an hour ago. She feared her husband was having an affair. Dexter said he didn't know where Miguel went after leaving him but said he had an important case and probably headed to his office. Rita tried to console Syl and Dexter wisely headed off to work, with a detour on the way. Dex immediately Went to Miguel's house. Miguel emerged in an extremely chipper mood, whistling "Camptown Races." Miguel says he feels real for the first time in his life. Dexter tells him that if they're going to continue with their extra curricular activities, that he's going to have to work on his alibis. Miguel said he went to Jack's Hideaway because he was so wired after the previous evening's activities. Dexter nabbed one of his victims outside of Jack's Hideaway and knew it closed at 2am. Dexter wondered if Miguel just lied to him.

Dexter noted that everything is connected to everything - "The Butterfly Effect" (which is more than a mediocre Ashtion Kutcher movie.) Dex and Miguel are sharing pizza and watching sports. Well, Miguel's into the sports - Dexter, not so much. He's more of a National Geographic kinda guy, "You know, sharks, bears, the occasional penguin." Miguel asked if he had other interests and Dex replied, "I suppose I do." Miguel went over to log in to Dexter's computer ("Ummm...boundaries") and pulled up information on a man named Billy Fleeter, a former football player who never went pro and is now working in "enforcement" for a bookie. Miguel has been trying to convict him but doesn't have the evidence. Dexter was waiting for Miguel to ask him to off the guy, but Dexter was surprised when Miguel said he wanted to do the deed himself. He says he's ready to "get his hands dirty." Dex isn't quite ready to share the reins with him. Harry (from beyond the grave) says Dexter shouldn't even think about it. The next morning, Dexter is making waffles for the kids. Rita's "pregnancy hormones are ganging up" on the family and she's mondo cranky. Her beef today is Dexter's lack of involvement in the wedding plans, the fact that he hasn't bought her an engagement ring yet (even though she says she didn't want one) - and that someone drank all of the orange juice. Deb and Anton must have had a big night, as she was hanging around Anton's pad the next morning. She found a bag of weed in a box of his breakfast cereal (saves a step, doesn't it?) but doesn't say anything.

In an (obvious) dream sequence, Dexter is busy dispatching his latest victim when he hears someone approaching. He thinks it's Harry and has a sick bag at the ready (again), but it's Miguel, ready to play a round of golf with him when he's done "working." Dexter wakes up from his nightmare...or something...in Rita's bed. he asked Rita if she had ever had a dream where she felt "exposed." Her dreams of showing up to school bottomless aren't exactly the same kind of dreams Dex is having. Rita assumes Dex is having bad dreams due to the stress of the impending new arrival. It's not really that, and it's not really Miguel for that matter. He hasn't turned away from Dexter's true nature - he's actually embraced it. Rita is on the fast track to get their wedding ceremony out of the way before she begins to show and she needs Dex's guest list. well, there's Deb...and...ummm...Deb. That's it. Dex adds Miguel. Well, that's two. Dex heads off to visit Camilla, whose now been moved to hospice. Dex is trying to get used to the fact that not everyone close to him simply resides in "a box of slides."

Dexter took Miguel fishing on his boat. Dex said he could get used to "the simple joys of male bonding", drinking brews and chatting about women with his new buddy. Miguel asked Dexter about Bimini and what it felt like to take Ethan out. So much for the simple joys of male bonding. Dexter told Miguel he should know what it feels like, since he's put his share of bad guys on death row. Miguel said he had to go through lots of paperwork and red tape to put the baddies away and really wanted to know what it felt like to snuff someone out with his own hands. Dexter said it felt "right...like justice." Miguel said Dex came through for him (he almost sounded jealous that Dex was able to do what he did.) Miguel went on to say that he felt they were like-minded and that together they could make a difference. Dexter is starting to think that Miguel may actually "know" him, but Harry shows up in Dexter's daydreams to disagree. Harry says Dexter's new BFF has no idea what's going on inside of him. Dex said Miguel went out of his way to understand him - something his step-father never did. Harry insisted he understood, but couldn't accept it. He suggested that Dexter put Miguel's claim that they were "like-minded" to the test. Harry adds that every tme Dexter has let someone get close to him that it's ended badly. Dexter decides to show Miguel the risks of his life - he may want to rethink his previous statement.

Dexter went with Rita to the doctor and saw the image of his baby for the first time on the sonogram. Dex was used to stopping hearts, not starting them. Rita was "gushing" with emotion, but the only thing Dexter can feel is Rita's hand clenching his. He can no longer deny that he's going to be a father. The doctor tells Dexter that "everything looks perfectly normal." Little does she know. Dexter hit the links with Miguel and he asked to see the picture of the unborn kid (which he knew Dexter, like all expectant fathers, would have in his pocket.) Miguel tells Dexter that his life is going to change forever and goes on to tell him about the latest case he's working on - a man who killed his wife on a cruise ship. He's got no jurisdiction because the crime was committed in international waters. His only hope is federal intervention. He knows the guy's guilty because five years earlier the guy killed his first wife with a drug overdose and was able buy a "legal dream team" with his late wife's money to fool a jury into letting him go. Dexter says he may do he and his new BFF a favor and look into the case.

Do you really need a reason to look at Michael C. Hall? Dexter and Rita were watching the kids play. Dexter said role-playing was important growing up and that he always played the evil monster to Deb's good guy - and he played the role to perfection. Rita thought they should tell the kids about the upcoming arrival and Dexter blurts the news out. It's obvious this isn't the way Rita wanted to let the kids know that they were going to get a new brother or sister. Cody said he wanted a puppy. Astor was disappointed because they weren't married - or planned on getting hitched. Dexter thought that "family man, husband and father" sounded much better than "lives alone, keeps to himself." Dex asked Rita if they should get married and Rita shot him down. She said it wasn't something she was going to decide today and told Dexter he was being "ridiculous."

Dexter was on the hunt - for groceries with Rita and the kids. (Fun fact: Dexter alphebetizes his grocery list. I definitely could see that.) Dexter finds Rita's daughter Astor talking to a creepy older man. He just wanted to know where the Cheerios were. Sure he did. As they left the parking lot, Dexter spied the wannabe predator getting into his car and jotted down his tag number, "just in case." Back at Miami Metro, Vince was delivering (autographed) copies of "Forensics Quarterly" (featuring the article he penned) to all of his co-workers. Deb told Angel and Quinn that Jane DOe was still Jane Doe and that Freebo was still M.I.A. Miguel entered and Angel told everyone to get back to work. He told LaGuerta that he missed his brother and was glad to have Dexter working on the case. Dexter can't understand why Miguel is trying so hard to be his friend. Miguel tells LaGuerta that she's tying way too many of her people up in the case - obviously trying to wrap the case up, since he knows Freebo is gone for good. LaGuerta tells him not to give up. Miguel invites Dexter out for a little beer and medianoches after work. Dex says he's not sure Rita would be up for it, but Miguel already had his wife Sil invite her. Angel asked LaGuerta what Miguel was going to do about the Chickie Hynes case, because he still had a witness in custody. LaGuerta was surprised that Miguel hadn't questioned the witness.