"[quirky music]" "♪" " previously on dexter..." " what do you think we're up against?" "i mean, leaving the intestines on the scale wasn't done by accident." " the body part removal could be drug-related." "it could be santeria, voodoo." " attendance in our preschool guarantees your child admission to our secondary school." "so you are catholic?" " actually, i'm not." " what do you believe in, mr. morgan?" " nothing. i don't believe in anything." " you can believe whatever you want to believe, but it's not just about you anymore." " what kind of father keeps blood slides in his apartment?" " ladies and gentlemen, i give you captain laguerta." "[applause]" " it seems smaller without your stuff." " i had to make room for you." " but i'm acting lt only." " not if i recommend you for the position full-time." " what is going on with you?" "you're acting so weird lately." " debra... will you marry me?" "god, i sound like a fucking idiot." "[gunfire] - get down, get down!" "everybody down!" "[gunfire, screams]" " [grunts]" " what have we got here?" " floater." "washed ashore." "some lady called it in." " it doesn't look like somebody was trying to hide him." " more like they wanted the body to be found." " there's something inside." " holy frankenfuck!" "snakes!" " this is no amateur." " so it's begun?" " yes." "it's begun." " until a few days ago, i was convinced there was nothing i believed in." "but i was wrong." "there is something i truly believe." "everything's better after a bubble bath." "rituals are important." "not just for a serial killer." "but also for a two-year-old if you want him to go to bed on time." "[gasps]" " [laughs]" " here, put him back." "not that i mind." "this ritual has become my favorite." "bedtime." "alone with my son." "being myself." " monster story, daddy." " again?" "okay, i may have told him this one before." "once upon a time there was a little chino, scaring everyone who lived in the hood." "nobody knew what to do." "but daddy did." "he would slay that icky monster, hiding what was left of him in a special place that no one would ever find." " daddy's box." " you know about daddy's box?" "i always knew this day would come." "just not so soon." "i'm not sure how this next chapter goes." " is that the last of them?" " just one more to go." " we'll be ready soon." " i may be a little late tomorrow." " and you tell me that now?" " can't help it." "it shouldn't take long." "nothing's changed." " travis, we have to find another." " don't you think i already know that?" " now look what you've done." " i'm sorry." "i didn't mean to." " no, it's okay." "it's okay." "these things happen." " [mutters]" " i just want to make sure that, uh, i can rely on you." " of course." " good boy." "hello." " wow." "full-on breakfast." " yeah. uh, juice is in the fridge." "freshly squeezed." " fresh squeezed." "well, aren't we the fucking kennedys." " a good breakfast is a good way to start the day." " yeah, another day of sitting on our asses, waiting for ois to clear us on the restaurant shooting." "pancakes?" "you do realize the bar is set very high with me and pancakes." "my dad's were the best." "what the fuck?" "what are you doing?" " i wanted to do this the other night, but the shooting sort of messed everything up." "debra morgan, will you--?" " are you insane?" " come on, deb." "i'm trying to be fuckin' romantic here." " romantic isn't springing something like this on me." "when--when have we ever talked about marriage?" "will you get up?" " come on, deb, we've been at this for a year." "you--you make me happy, i make you happy." " so?" " so...i love you." " but... this is huge!" " you don't like the ring?" "is it the ring?" " no, it's-- it's beautiful." "it's just... i just need time to think about this." " take all the time you need." "[kiss] i'm not going anywhere." " pancakes are burning." "quinn just fucking proposed to me over fucking pancakes." "what the fuck is wrong with him?" " he's quinn?" " i never said i wanted to spend the rest of my life with him." " i take it this means it's a "no"?" "i can only hope." "quinn as deb's boyfriend is one thing." "uncle to my son, over his dead body." " maybe." "i don't know." "i mean, i guess quinn makes me happy." " really?" "'cause there's a vein in your forehead." " quinn and i, we get along great, and there's no drama." "and after the last couple years, that's kind of nice." " but?" " but i'm not sure i want anything more than no drama right now." " sounds like you have your answer." " but if i tell him "no," then it's over, right?" "and i'm not sure i want that either." "god, why can't things just stay the same?" " tell me about it." " come on, we're gonna be late for the briefing." "[gunfire and screaming]" " watch this." "she totally decks him." " she flattened that guy." " where was quinn?" " she's already got 500,000 hits." " hey, hey, she's coming." " nice." "[applause]" " yeah, yeah, i'm a hero." "fuck you very much." " you've totally gone viral, morgan." "you're an internet sensation." " give it a rest, man." " what?" "dude, she's a superstar." "i mean, have you guys read the comments on here?" " oh, she has, and if you're the one that wrote the poem about my ass-  i know not of what you speak." "and it was a limerick, thank you." " can we get started, please?" " all right, everyone, settle down." "where are we with ballistics from the restaurant shooting?" " uh, all casings and bullets are accounted for." "all the victims were shot by the shooter's gun, and no stray bullets from morgan or quinn." " the shooter talking?" " he was pissed off the restaurant fired him." "the manager was the first to go down." " two dead all because this asshole wanted his job back waiting tables." " all right, with the shooting behind us, we put everything into finding out who did this to omar rivera." "dex, the m.e. report come back on the fruit vendor?" " nothing we didn't already know." "the stitches and the snakes are definitely post-mortem." " i and my lovely new intern ryan are still waiting for the medical examiner to return our snakes." " keep me updated." "yale is looking into our vic." "rivera had ties with the salas cartel." " you still thinking this is drug-related?" " well, to a cartel, a snake is a snitch." "if this wasn't a warning to others to keep their mouths shut, i'm not sure what the message is." " maybe because the message is in a language only i understand." " what is that holy piece of shit doing here?" " i know that piece of shit." "or at least i did." " rivera worked at brother sam's garage after he got out of jail." "hey, i don't like it any more than any of you." "maybe the padre points us in the right direction." " guy like that and his ex-con fucking friends can go to hell for all i care." " brother sam?" " one big, bad ex-con turned minister." "runs an auto body shop using former inmates." "and, as you can see, some of our brothers in blue think it's a sham." " they may be right." "that can't be a man of the cloth." "that's a killer." "[gunfire and screaming]" "[knocks]" " settled in next door." " well, that would explain the smell of perfume." " i was wondering, have you gotten around to finalizing sergeant batista's paperwork?" " i'm on top of that." " because i haven't seen anything come across my desk." "i think the sooner the department has a full-time lieutenant, the better." " i could not agree more." "is that all, captain?" " that's all." "[gunfire and screaming]" " when's the last time you saw rivera?" " a few months ago." "he came in." "he needed some brakes for his pickup." "he brought, uh... ripe grapefruits and oranges." "it was a good day." "[clears throat] so are you-- are you guys any closer to finding out who did this to him?" " well, that's why you're here." "but i need something to go on." " when i knew brother sam, he was samuel wright." "a string of holdups led to the inevitable." "one of his victims fought back and wright killed him." "i was ready to make my move until a drug bust took wright off my table." " and you never saw rivera hanging out with any of his old crew?" " no, i didn't." "omar had moved past that world." "he was on a righteous path." " [chuckles] it's--it's funny, 'cause i remember you saying the same thing about the last ex-con you vouched for." "remember victor torres?" "he gets paroled and goes out and kills a 19-year-old girl." " there's not a day that goes by that i don't pray for that girl or reach out to her family." " well, her blood's on your hands." " there's a lot more than that girl's blood on my hands." "my past, the things that i've done, the life that i lived, is haunting me to this day." " bullshit." " i don't give a rat's ass what you think about me, you understand?" "or the work that i do or the men that i do it with." "what i do know is this." "omar did not have this coming." "his demons were gone." "men can change." " men maybe." " are we done?" " yeah." "thanks for coming in." " okay." " but what about a monster?" " you wanted to see me, sir?" " i remember when i had this office." "miami was a different place." "corruption was everywhere." " my dad said you never knew who you could trust back then." " harry was one of the good ones." "and so are you." " thank you, sir." "that means a lot." " it's why i'm making you homicide's new lieutenant." " [laughs] me, right. lieutenant." "fuckballs, you're serious." "oh, f--sir." " you're exactly what this department needs." "a fresh face, new ideas." " wait, really?" "you want me in charge?" "i don't even know what to say." " well, yes would work." " but this is batista's job." "he's expecting it." "he's earned it." " well, sergeant batista's a fine officer, but he comes with certain, uh, baggage." "besides, he's not a hero." "you are." " why does everyone keep saying that?" "i was just doing my job." " that's not how i see it." "that's not how the city sees it." "no. this office needs someone like you." " oh, my god." "dexter would flip out." "and poor masuka. i'd be that little fuck's boss." "i'd be everybody's boss." "this is an honor." "do you really think i'm ready for something like this?" " listen, i know this is a lot to take in." "we can talk about it more tomorrow, okay?" "congratulations, lieutenant." " lieutenant." "what the fuck is going on today?" " keep your eyes on the bouncing ball and not on daddy's bad pictures." "samuel wright killed this store owner in cold blood." "bashed in his head with a bottle." "now he's calling himself brother sam, professing to be a changed man." "but i can't tell if i'm seeing a man who's changed for the better or just a better cover." " daddy's box." " you want to put this in daddy's box?" "thank you." " it seems like yesterday he was just learning to crawl." " daddy's box." " or he's putting all the pieces together." "what i say, what i do." " where things go." " i'll be more careful." " is that gonna be enough?" "[knock on door]" " you're looking at homicide's new fucking lieutenant." "i know, right?" "got any beer?" "[door closes]" " that's quite the day." "lieutenant." " nope." "two beers in, and it still sounds fucking weird." "i can't do this." "and it totally dicks batista." "what could matthews possibly be thinking?" " that you're smart, you're driven, you're a great detective." "who'll be leading the department that may hunt me down one day." "[sighs] you should give yourself some credit." " you should give me another beer." "i'm empty here." "you ever wonder why dad never made lt?" " he had his hands full." "with me." " everyone talked about him like he was some super cop, but he stayed in the pen his whole career." " maybe he never wanted it." " you know, after his funeral, a tiny part of me was relieved." "i tried so hard to get him to pay attention to me." "and i thought with him gone, i wouldn't need his approval anymore, but... [laughs]" "20 years later, i still do." "he's still up here in my head." " you don't say." " the weird thing is, if i take this job, i'll have achieved more than he ever did on the force." "and that's the part that scares the shit out of me." " not sure i follow." " dad was my litmus test for what a real cop is supposed to be." "and if he never made lieutenant-  then you have no one to compare yourself to." " and i don't want to be fucking laguerta." " [laughs]" " so how would i even know if i was doing a good job?" "i'd be totally all on my own on this." " well, if you don't want the job, don't take it." " fuck you." "of course i want it." "[laughs] holy shit, i really want it." "[phone ringing]" " quinn again." "what the fuck does he want?" " out on a limb here, but maybe an answer as to whether you want to be debra quinn?" " jesus h. fuck, i totally forgot." " [laughs] debra quinn." "your initials would be dq." "like the-  i will kill you." "i have no idea what to say to him." "i've got to stall." "can i sleep here?" "about one life-altering decision a day is my max." " yeah. i'll sleep on the couch in the other room." " that's why you don't suck as a brother." " yeah, but what about as a father?" "[water running]" "[dishes clatter]" " aah!" "oh, travis!" "god damn it." " really wish you wouldn't use that word." " well, maybe i wouldn't if my brother would use the doorbell." "[sighs, then laughs] you really scared me." "slow down." "and save some room for dessert." " i told you i have to work tonight." " you're working too much." "i can see it in your face." " i like to keep busy." " you want busy, try keeping a bunch of fifth graders focused on art." "today, all they could talk about was, they found another flock of those dead birds up north." "they think it's the end of the world or something." " what if it were?" " uh, then i'd say we better eat this ice cream fast." " no, i-i-i can't stay." "i have to go." " oh, come on." "blow off work for once." "for me." "i barely get to see you anymore." " well, that was before..." " before what?" " [sighs] it's nothing." " travis, we used to be so close." "we used to talk and do things." "now it's like pulling teeth just to see you for an hour." "i miss you." " i miss you too." " then let me spend an evening with my baby brother." "please?" "[crash]" " now, who put that there?" "[groans]" "good thing i have just the place to get this fixed." "[chatter] [both speaking spanish]" "if brother sam believes in giving men like this a second chance, who am i to deny him one on my table?" " you here about eddie?" " what?" " eddie." "you here about eddie?" "his parole agent." " oh, no, i'm just a customer." "i dinged my car." "is, uh, brother sam here?" " he's out back." " can i help you?" " yeah. i was hoping to get an estimate." " you're not from around here, are you?" " your shop came highly recommended." " by who?" " co-worker." " you out front?" " mm-hmm." "was that the holy spirit?" "or his dark passenger checking out mine?" " yeah, my guys can have this out in a day or two." " good shepherd." "what's that mean, exactly?" " well, uh, the men you see here, they're like my flock." "and, uh, my job is to make sure that they don't wander." " that's a lot to take on." " yeah, well, i got a lot to answer for." " [speaking spanish]" " nothing broke that can't be fixed, right?" " [speaking spanish]" " [laughs] lord have mercy." "no car is ever totaled." "yeah, it's like a man's life." "like a man's soul." "i oughta know that." "you know, i once killed a man and walked off scot-free?" "for that i need..." " to pay." " to pay." " i'm surprised to hear you say that." " don't be." "the spirit moves me to tell my story and share." "i was facing death row." "the judge presiding over my case suddenly dropped dead." " mistrial?" "[laughs] yeah. it sounds like divine intervention." " yeah." "oh, god was playing me all right, you know." "i had to go out here and get good and high before he just said, son, that's enough." "and, uh, i get stopped." "possession charge." "i go back to jail." "but hallelujah, praise god, that's how i got saved." " so that darkness inside, it's gone?" " no." "it's still there, but i'm fighting its ass every day." "i really don't have much of a choice, you know?" "i sacrificed that bad part of my soul to make up for some of the pain i caused." " nick still hasn't showed." " you find him and you tell him i'm coming for him, you understand?" "now." "tell him now." " one of the flock get lost?" " yeah, something like that." "[clears throat] so, uh, what do you say there, brother?" " guess i'll be seeing you soon." " all right." "you have a blessed day." " once we work our magic, we put it up on the board here." " what are the abbreviations?" " what was run." "uh, tr is trace." "tx, toxicology." " so where does everything go after it's been run?" " inquisitive." "i like." "[both laugh] evidence, down the hall." " whoa. cool." " oh, yeah. medical examiner finally sent 'em over." "they don't make you squeamish?" " are you kidding?" "i love this." " me too." " vince." "hands off." " she's my student." " yeah, and a lawsuit landing on my desk if she catches you staring like that." " sounds like someone's expecting to make lieutenant buzz-kill." " take these files down to central booking." "have them cross referenced with the ci lab and get back to me right away." " yes, sir." "[pouring coffee]" " wow." "you really drink that swill?" " keeps me young." " how about we go around the corner and i buy you a real cup of coffee?" "my treat." " okay." " dexter, you got a minute?" " yeah, i need to get to my lab." " has deb mentioned anything to you, you know, about us?" " she, uh, said you proposed." " and?" " the pancakes weren't bad." " aw, i fucked this up royally, didn't i?" " i wouldn't know." " look, i know you and i have had our differences, but it would really mean a lot to me if you could help me out here." " well, this is between you and deb." " no, i know." "it's just, i don't want her to feel like she has to, you know, choose between you or me." " she doesn't." "because it is never going to be you." " no, i got it." " i said it was my treat." " i got it. here." "i can afford it." "what is it?" " i just wanted to let you know that i'm the detective i am because of you." " thank you." " and you have always, always had my back." "and, more than that, you're like family to me." " where is this going?" " don't look at me for a second." " deb." " angel, matthews has asked me to be the new lieutenant." "i'm sorry. i know how much you wanted this." " what did you say?" " that you should be the new lieutenant, not me." " what did he say?" " he wouldn't listen." "i could never, ever do this job without your blessing, so you just say the word, and i'll tell matthews to go fuck himself." " this... is really great." " you mean that?" " damn right." "it's about time a real cop had that job." "i couldn't be happier." "come here." "i'm gonna need that money back, though." " [laughs] okay." " angel." " it's been a long day, maria." " i just found out about morgan." "i'm so sorry." " there's nothing to be sorry about." "i was on the fence about this whole lieutenant thing anyway." " look, this has nothing to do with you." "matthews is just using morgan to get back at me, but it won't work." "i mean, she's barely out of diapers." " don't do that." "deb's a good detective." "better than you ever were." " look, you're angry, and you have every right to be, but i will fix this." "i-- - enough, maria, enough." " angel, i'm so sorry." " how come if matthews hates you, i'm always the one paying the price?" "[engine starts]" "[engine starts]" " the good shepherd has fled his field for seedier pastures." "the question is, why?" "[arguing in distance] [gunshot]" "[door slams]" "it seems old habits die hard." "brother sam's not a changed man after all." "hallelujah." "i can't come back for brother sam until i make sure he killed that man." "but while i'm checking, better safe than sorry." "i was right all along." "brother sam is no shepherd." "he's still a wolf." "[dog barking]" "well, it is an animal tranquilizer." "good doggy." " who the fuck is out here?" " sam, it's me." "i was here earlier. the suv." "i left my clicker for my garage in the glove compartment." "i thought it was too late to call." "do you mind?" " sit!" "eli!" " [exhales] sorry. i didn't see anyone here." "i thought i would be in and out." " your car's inside." " maybe i should just come back tomorrow." " no." "we can get it over with now." " okay." " eli!" "[dog barks]" " appreciate it." "this isn't how i envisioned taking down brother sam, but it's either him or me if i want to stay... alive?" " get off the man's damn car." " can't believe you hit me, man." " i can't believe you took a shot at me." " now i'm confused." "take eli out back and don't you think about running off." "i chased your ass down once." "i'll do it again." "you understand?" " come on, boy." "[garage door opens]" " your missing worker." " you know, the bible says david broke a lamb's leg to protect it from wandering off." "i have to tend to my flock any way i can." " drugs?" " yeah." "i knew when he missed his shift, he was just holed up in his house, getting high." " the good shepherd." " yeah, when i have to be." "it's open." "the clicker." " oh, right." "i got it... all wrong." "is this what the power of belief is all about?" "knowing a dead fruit vendor never strayed." "tending to a lost member of your flock." "the ability to change." "what is it?" " nothing good." "stay back." " where's our boy?" " safe. please get off the property." " fuck you." " is there a problem?" " this is you staying back?" "this is not your fight." " hey, you deaf, pendejo?" " [groans] [bat clanks on pavement]" " [inhales deeply] you should pick up your friend and leave." " oh, we're goin'." " [groans]" " but not without our boy nick." "[tire iron clatters]" " i'm not afraid of you, son." "and i damn sure ain't afraid to die." "i know what's waiting for me on the other side." "do you?" "hmm?" ""mark the perfect man" ""and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."" " shut up." " what you waiting for, son?" " he can't tell if brother sam is bluffing, crazy, or a true believer." "join the club." " you don't want to do that." " faith, brother." "god is in control." " miami metro." "you kill him or me, you'll have the whole department after you." " yo, julio, let's get the fuck out of here." " this ain't over." " well, until it is, i'm praying for you, son." " well, you best be praying i don't put you down like the last fuck-up that crossed me." "remember hector nunez?" "they never found his body, did they?" "[engine starts] [engine revs]" " that was-  that was a miracle." "miami metro?" " forensics department." "lab geek." "they didn't need to know that." " you don't fight like no lab geek." "[laughs] lord have mercy." "it's just an evening full of wonders tonight, huh?" "praise god. the lord works in mysterious ways." " you don't say." " where were you last night?" " my sister's." "she was worried about me." "i couldn't get away." " you know that she can't be saved, right?" " she is a good person." "she's all that i have." " you know that isn't true." "you have me and you have god now." "but i see you have to be reminded of that." "is this what you want, travis?" "[groans] to hurt me." "you see how i suffer for your sins?" " stop!" "i won't see her again." "i won't." "i swear." " it's my job to take care of you." "not hers." " forgive me." "i will do better." "i will show you that i'm worthy." "[crying]" " [sighs]" "oh, fuck me." " hey." "so..." " you shouldn't have." "really." " you know, i figured if, you know, we're gonna talk, then why not over chinese from that place you like?" "beer's in the-- - i can't marry you." " fridge." " i'm sorry." "you're so good to me, but i can't." " well, if you don't want to be with me, then why are you with me?" " because... it wasn't... this." " oh." "i'm sorry for wanting to be an adult here, deb, but-  i never meant to hurt you." "or lead you on." "i just like things the way they are." " yeah." "that's, um, not good enough, you know?" "i want more." " that's the problem." "i don't." "you are a great-- - you know what?" "just don't." "don't be here when i get back, all right?" "[door slams]" " oh, and i'm your new boss." " just tell the little guy a story?" " jamie put him to bed." "[typing]" " looks like brother sam's a changed man after all." "he was true to his word about being a good shepherd." "he put his own life on the line to save that kid from a pack of wolves." " and here's the leader of the pack." " harrison eventually is going to need a good shepherd too." " i'll be there for him." " and what about him?" " [takes deep breath] i was set on proving brother sam still deserves to be on my table, but miraculously, julio goes and vets himself to take his place." "hector nunez was a barber in julio's neighborhood." "went missing six months ago." "no body." " the almighty at work?" " i'm not ready to call julio a sign from god, but i am thankful for the bounty i am about to receive." "[water running] [dishes clatter]" " i have any clean shirts?" " your room." "or former room." " deb being here is temporary." " who doesn't rinse out their bowl?" " temporary, i promise." "deb." "[knocks] i need a shirt." " what do you think?" " dad would be proud." " thanks again for letting me crash here until i find a place." " it's why i don't suck, remember?" "just help jamie out when you can." " am i making the biggest mistake of my life?" " [sighs] i don't know, deb." "as harrison gets older, i've been thinking more about what i believe in." "i'm coming to find that the list is kind of short." "[laughs]" " what do any of us really believe in?" " that you'll be a great lieutenant." " [laughs] screw dad. i'm gonna make you proud of me." " dissected all seven baby snakes." "stomachs were empty." "they didn't come from a pet store." "most likely the wild." "back to square one." "[click] [sighs] remember barry manilow tickets." " toxicology's back." " on--on what?" "the board is clear." " the snakes." "i hope you don't mind, but i ran tissue samples." " uh, wh--which i, uh, would have done." " and look." "heavy metals." "if there was nothing in the bellies of the snakes, where did it come from?" " uh, from mama snake." "who had to have been living in a toxic environment to pass it on to her young." " you wanna look up epa cleanup sites or should i?" " i'd rather look up your-- i mean, i didn't-- i wasn't-- please don't sue." " you like to watch." "good to know." " [exhales]" " what the hell do you think you're doing?" "morgan as lieutenant?" " yes. i was just sending over the paperwork." " fuck you, tom." " you get one of those as captain, but don't push your luck, maria." " we agreed the new lieutenant would be batista." " i agreed to nothing." "and need i remind you that all personnel decisions are ultimately my decision." "if they weren't, your little plan to blackmail me wouldn't have worked." " this is gonna be a fucking disaster, and i won't take the fall for it." " well, we'll see, won't we?" "oh!" "better hurry." "don't want to be late." " for what?" " your first official task, captain." " the everglades?" "all 4,000 square miles of it?" "that's your big break?" " oh, i never said the everglades." "i said hazardous waste sites near or around the everglades." " it would explain where the pollutants in the snakes came from." " yeah." "we narrowed this down." "someone could have seen the bad guys coming or going." " [sighs] i suppose it's a start." " what gives with all the reporters?" " we're getting a new lieutenant." " what the fuck did you say to deb?" " good morning to you too." " you know, everything was fine until she spent the night at your place." " you know, she's made her choice, but it's not you or me." "press conference is starting." " everyone, thank you for coming on such short notice." "you're here today because it's my privilege to introduce an officer who-- well, under my watch has proven herself to be one of miami's finest and a true friend." "ladies and gentlemen, i give you the youngest officer ever to make lieutenant in the history of miami metro homicide-- debra morgan." "[applause]" " i gotta hand it to you, julio." "you ran quite a racket." "i read all about how you were shaking down local business owners like hector nunez." " you." " you recognize this shop, don't you?" " fuck you." "my boys will fuckin' kill you for this." " let me guess." "with your history of violence, hector stood up to you and your gang and that's why they never found his body." "just the way they'll never find yours." " yeah, i killed him." "so what?" "you're a dead man." "my boys will f-- [muffled shout]" " will miss you, i'm sure." "so i'll make this quick." " [muffled screams]" " i have to get home." "i have a much more important ritual to tend to." "you must be thinking "why me" right about now." "[laughs] hands up, and..." "[imitates explosion] good job." "the good thing about the mind of a two-year-old-- it's easily distracted." "you want to roll it?" "ooh." "he won't remember daddy's box if he has one of his own." " monster story, daddy." " how about a new story?" "[gasps]" ""once upon a time, there were three little pigs." "the first little pig built a house of straw."" ""the second, a house of sticks." "and the third, a house of bricks."" ""but along came the big, bad wolf."" "wolves come in many forms." "some have big eyes, the better to see you with." " you want to connect this part." "that's the joiner." " others huff and puff..." " hey, you all right?" " [sighs] no." " while others hide in plain sight." " i think i sprained my ankle." " really?" "here, let's take a look at it." " i heard something snap." " what, did you fall down or something?" " yeah." " i should know, because like it or not, i'm one too." "that's never going to change." "and neither is the fact my little lamb is becoming a little boy." "walking. talking." "listening." "as much as i want harrison to stay this way forever, from now on, the only wolves in his life have to be the stuff of fairy tales." "i can no longer allow him to see the real me." "only the version that's make-believe." "it's the only way this story gets to have a happy ending."