Variation on the Case of the Hesitant Hostess
A/N: What if Biggs had fired upon Perry instead of just taking the postcard and going back to LA?
The shot rang out and Della's heart stopped for just a split second. She heard the sickening thunk of Perry's body hitting the floor then the slam of the door as Biggs left the room. Tears splattered down her face as she raced to Perry from behind the door where she had been hidden. As soon as she was close enough to see that he was still breathing, her confidence began to return. Carefully, she rolled him over hearing the vaguest of gurgling sounds.
"Perry!"
He was gasping for air, "Della, get a towel. Quickly!"
She grabbed a towel and returned.
"Put it on the wound and press as hard as you can," he was still panting. "Control the bleeding with pressure."
She tore frantically at his coat, jacket, and shirt. The towel was folded and placed directly atop the wound. Della applied as much of her weight as she dared.
"What next, Perry?"
His face was becoming ashen with sweat beads across his brow.
"Cigarette," he instructed. "Shrinks the blood vessels."
She freed one hand and pawed through his pocket. She lit one and passed it to Mason, who puffed cautiously on it. She returned both hands to the towel, which was beginning to turn to a deep red colour.
"Good girl, Della. You'd have made a good Army medic," he tried to chuckle.
"Perry, this is no time…" Della began but was cut off by a wave of his hand.
"Della, I love you. I've loved you for years," he began.
"Perry…"
"Sh. Della, I need to tell you this," he continued. He drew a little more on the cigarette, and then began again, "I should have married you years ago. But I was too afraid of losing you at the office if you decided to go domestic on me."
Della shook her head, her eyes were again filled with heavy tears, "Perry, no…"
"Yes, Della. I was selfish in the extreme. Always have been when it comes to you," he stopped to pant a little more. "Before we go back to Los Angles, I want to make that right. I want to marry you, here, now."
Della sniffled, "Perry, you know how I feel about you. I have loved you forever."
"Good, then it's settled," he grunted.
Della lifted her hands to stroke his face, causing him to moan. She whispered, "Yes. It's settled."
"Pressure."
The manager came bursting through the door, "I heard a shot!"
"Get an ambulance!" shouted Della in his direction. "He's been shot!"
Somewhere along the way to the hospital, Perry lost consciousness. Della turned loose of his hand only once they arrived at the Emergency Room door. One of the nurses, a gentle grey-haired lady, promised to let her know as things developed. For now, however, she was relegated to the waiting area – all alone. When Della stopped heaving, she asked directions to the restroom where she tidied herself up some. Finally, once she stopped shaking, she steeled herself for the call she must make.
Della picked up the receiver and dialed the number, "Person-to-person for Paul Drake. This is Della Street."
"Hi Beautiful!" Paul's chipper greeting sounded across the distance.
"Perry's been shot. I need you here," Della said flatly.
"Which hospital?"
"Memorial."
"I'm on my way. I'll take a charter out and be there in a few short hours," Paul promised. "How bad is it, Della?"
She heaved a sigh, "Don't know. He passed out on the way here, presumably from the blood loss."
"Okay. Hang in there, Della. I'm leaving for the charter right now. I'll see you sooner than you can imagine," Paul reassured his friend. "Perry's tough, Della, I don't need to tell you that. He made it through D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, and he can get through this."
Della's head nodded, "Thanks, Paul."
The connection was broken, and Della returned to the waiting area. Her emotions spent, she tried to hide in a corner away from everything. The smells and sounds of a big city emergency department chased her down and haunted her, nonetheless.
The nurse came to Della with a cup of coffee, "Honey, you look like you could use this."
Della looked up and smiled, "Thanks."
"Your husband?"
Della's eyes filled with tears again, "Almost."
"They've taken him up to surgery – which is a good sign," the nurse offered.
Della nodded silently.
"You know you could wait up there as well as here? It's not as noisy there."
Della looked up hopefully, "Where?"
"If you go down this corridor and turn right, you'll see the elevators. Surgery is on the second floor," the nurse said.
"Thanks. I'm expecting our friend Paul Drake in a few hours. He's flying up from Los Angeles…"
The nurse smiled kindly, "Not to worry, honey, we'll redirect him. Now go on."
Hours later, Paul and Della sat waiting for Perry to awaken in his room. Perry was restless and muttering just under his breath. Two IVs hung from poles – one was blood, the other fluid. A chest tube extended to a small suction machine on one side of the bed. Then he grew quiet.
"Della?" Mason whispered in a hoarse, barely audible voice.
She scooted closer, "Perry!"
"Welcome back," came Paul's voice from the foot of the bed where he sat.
Perry's eyes opened a crack, "Don't cry Della; I'm fine. But I do have a splitting headache."
Della smiled through the tears, "Of course."
Perry shut his eyes again, "Glad you're here, Paul."
There was a hush in the room before Perry began again.
"Did somebody ask for a continuance?"
Paul laughed and Della smiled.
"Not yet, Counselor," Della finally got out as she wiped her tears off on his free hand.
"I think a week or so should do it," Perry opened both eyes again and smiled at her, his hand grazed her cheek.
Della and Paul shook their heads simultaneously.
In a few days Biggs had been picked up and returned to Nevada to face arraignment on "assault with intent to kill" charges. Lt Tragg had accompanied him and stopped in to see his best sparring partner.
"Well, Counselor, how is life on the wild side?" Tragg asked in his usual wry tone.
Perry smiled at him, "Tragg, so nice of you to come calling."
"Yes," he crooned. "I escorted Biggs back for his arraignment for assaulting you. Then I'll be taking him back to Los Angeles to complete testimony in our current trial."
"Why I'm touched, Lieutenant. Any of your underlings could have seen to it, but you came yourself."
"Mr. Burger couldn't believe it either. So I had to see for myself. The picture of the great Perry Mason flat on his back just…" he choked up.
He began again after clearing his throat, "Seriously, Perry, we are all glad that you'll be okay."
Mason nodded, "Thanks Lieutenant. And thank Hamilton for me, will you?"
After a week in hospital, the doctors deemed that he was well enough to return home by car. They did not want him flying since there was still some lingering damage to his lung where the bullet had nicked it. Della had packed up their things while Paul hired a car.
"We've got to make a couple of stops before heading back to Los Angeles," Perry told Paul.
"Okay, Perry, where to first?" Paul asked as he pulled away from the curb.
"Jewelry store," Perry directed. "The first one you come to will do fine," he commented as he squeezed Della's hand and smiled at her. He leaned closer to her, "I meant what I said, Della."
Della selected twin simple gold bands for them, "Perry, I don't need a big, fat diamond. These will do nicely."
Mason simply smiled at her. He had never loved anyone more than he loved Della. The wedding before the judge was equally understated.
Perry slept most of the way home; head nestled in Della's lap.
Paul puffed on a cigarette, "I always wondered when, or, if he'd ever nerve up and marry you, Della."
"What do you mean, Paul?" she queried.
"He's been in love with you for as long as I can think," Paul stated matter-of-factly. "I guess it took him a near death experience to finally figure it all out."
Della laughed softly and shook her head, "You've known that long? So why did you always flirt with me?"
"I was just hoping to jog him into acting," he replied. "Guess he did not really need my help after all."
"Mister PI!" she joked.
"I've also known that you've had eyes for no one other than Perry for as long as I can remember," Paul reflected. "What took you so long!"
Della laughed again then sighed, "I guess I was waiting for him to figure it out."
"It takes some of us guys longer than others, you know."
"Mmm. You know what he said to me, Paul?" Della began. "He was afraid I'd go 'domestic' on him as he put it. Now I ask you – can you see me 'domestic"?"
"Not in this lifetime. I guess Perry was just…you know, Della. I don't have to tell you, do I?" Paul fussed.
Della laughed and stroked her husband's head tenderly, "He looks so vulnerable like this, doesn't he?"
"Perry Mason is never vulnerable," Perry chimed in with a big grin on his face. "But, dearest wife, you can keep on doing what you're doing."
The car sang with their laughter.
A/N: Now you can go back to the courtroom scenes from the episode, only add a mental ring to each left hand of our favourite couple.