It took me nearly the entire fifth season, but I'm finally on board with the Dexter/Lumen relationship.

Thanks to the two major developments that concluded "In the Beginning," I'm suddenly fascinated by the bond between this pair and the intrigue over how everything will end. Will Dexter somehow be forced to kill Lumen? Will someone else, such as Liddy or Jordan, take her out? Will Dexter propose?

The possibilities are endless and, with just two episodes remaining, that means we're in for a wild, suspenseful, surprising ride to what's been a generally slow season.

The overall creepiness of this episode is a major reason why it kept my captivated. Merely hearing the screams of those brutalized women was stomach-turning, as they did more than prove that Lumen isn't playing some long con with Dexter, which some viewers believed.

(Major Stretch of the Week: It was a bit too easy for Dexter to swap out a huge piece of evidence such as the 13th DVD. Would the force really not have noticed different hand-writing on the one disc that was damaged?)

The photos and DVDs and Deb's subsequent reaction - combined with her lack of remorse over killing that Fuentes brother - helped to plant the seed for when Deb begins to suspect Dexter is a killer.

My guess is that this starts to take place next season, but might Deb actually understand or sympathize with her murderous brother once she discovers the truth? That was my first thought when we watched her study those tapes. How can anyone hold a grudge against the person responsible for killing the men that took part in such actions?

Or people responsible for killing them, I should say. Lumen and Dexter are team now, after all. The small touches here helped sell the idea of Dexter truly letting Lumen into his world, as long-time viewers must have been shocked to watch him teach her how to position the knife and even how to dress. If there's been one thing consistent about this show, it's been this ritual, always one conducted alone by the series' title character.

So it was fascinating and chilling to watch Lumen embrace it so thoroughly that she then approached Dexter afterward and took off his shirt. I really didn't think the show would go there, but I'm now glad it did. The bond between these two is unlike anything we've seen yet and unlike anything Dexter has experienced before.

In the minds of each of these characters, the other is a savior. But we all know the season won't conclude with them lying in bed, gazing happily into one another's eyes. Something major will go down soon and I can't wait to find out what that will be.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.