A/N: This fanfic was a collaborative effort between myself and flatnumberseventeen. We wrote this story together over the course of 2019, each of us contributing parts and working out details together. We hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

Lucy drew in a deep breath, her fingers pushing and grasping at the pillows. Her sigh came out as a strangled, guttural moan. She writhed in her position, breasts heaving, as her legs tightened their hold around her husband.

Lee steadily increased his tempo, shoving her further against the bed's headboard with each thrust. Sweat poured down his brow and dripped onto the top of Lucy's head. His deep grunts came faster in time with his movements, emanating from his diaphragm. He winced at her increasingly frantic cries; he knew she was close, but she needed still more from him. Reaching around, he grabbed her ankles and pulled them farther up his back. "Come on!" He bellowed.

With a small scream, Lucy's torso sank further down into the bedding. She was nearly perpendicular to Lee, her feet soaring far above her head. She gazed up into his face and an exhilarated thrill raced through her veins at the sensation of him filling her deeper still. "Yes! Oh, yes, darling! Yes!"

His broad, strong hands ran down along her legs and locked themselves underneath her bum, anchoring him to her. The sight of her tossing her head about and calling out his name was nearly too much to bear. His vision began to blur as he rammed against her harder still, willing her over the edge.

Lucy suddenly felt as though she were spinning through space. Each rippling wave of her orgasm accentuated her spiral. Stars hurtled past her eyes and she felt euphorically free. She was so lost within the domain of her own pleasure that she failed to feel Lee release her and pull out. Her legs slowly lowered themselves out of the air onto the bed as her high gradually began to fade.

Once the ceiling had sharpened into focus, Lucy turned head to smile at her husband. Lee was already softly dozing beside her, as he usually did after their rigorous afternoon delights. She grinned, love surging through her like aftershocks as she gently shook Lee's shoulder. "Hey."

Without opening his eyes, he slowly rolled towards her, smacking his lips in satisfaction. "Mmm?"

"That was incredible."

A flush of high colour appeared across his face as a smile slowly curled his mouth. "The old man's still got it," he growled.

"I doubt a man half your age could do better." She lifted her hand and slowly began to run it through Lee's hair, pushing at his limp, dishevelled fringe. Her fingers caressed the short white strands, her eyes twinkling affectionately. "Or look half as good doing it."

He groaned as he pushed himself onto his elbows, opening his eyes to look at her. They took a few moments to adjust, the powerful bifocals of his thick black frames bringing Lucy into sharp focus. Even after thirty years of marriage, his heart still leaped a little out of his chest every time he saw her. He couldn't even remotely detect the signs of aging she fretted over every night at her vanity, save for the crows' feet that had begun to crinkle the corners of her eyes. And, truth be told, he thought they made her look even more beautiful than she'd been before. His fingers reached up to stroke her smooth jaw, following the line all the way up to her ear. He tucked a few short strands of her hair back behind it, shaking his head. A very small part of him still couldn't help but feel astonished that someone still so seemingly youthful and vivacious could consider him a satisfying lay. "You're joking," he teased, a wolfish expression alighting his face.

"I'm not, and you know it!" Lucy giggled, one hand curling around to massage the back of his head while the other played with his beard. "You, Lee McKinnon, are one very handsome devil."

A laugh of pleasure rumbled in her throat at the sight of him puffing up with pride in response. Her fingers abandoned his beard to dance along his stout neck and broad shoulder before wrapping themselves around his bicep and squeezing it gently. Lee's burgeoning sexual liberation had been one of the most satisfying changes she'd witnessed in him over the last decade. His lack of reliance on tablets and other stimulants and his startling supply of stamina made him feel particularly potent in his twilight years, lending him a refreshing confidence in his own abilities. The older he got, the less inhibited he became when it came to talking about sex; as a result, the pair remained as sexually adventurous as ever. And, as their children began to frequent the house less and less, Lee's affections outside of the bedroom had become increasingly frank. He now spoke, moved, and touched like a man acutely aware of his own immense power. And Lucy could hardly bear to keep her hands off him.

"Well," Lee braced himself over top of her, one arm firmly enfolding her into his grip while the other reached up to cradle her face in his palm. "You deserve nothing less."

Her lashes fluttered. She whimpered at the sensation of his thumb brushing against her cheek and parted her lips hungrily. "Is that so?"

He nodded, lowering his face close to hers. "You're a goddess," he breathed into her mouth before roughly covering it with his own.

Lucy moaned, reaching up to take his face in her hands. She felt his girthy, prodigious tongue fill the expanse of her mouth, stretching back towards her throat. Her own tongue curled up around his, seeking more. The pair danced together, their kiss punctuated only by the briefest of separations as Lee and Lucy gasped for breath. Her fingers caressed his wiry whiskers, savouring the feel of his beard bristling against her face. Her body flushed with renewed heat as he pressed against her and she pulled his head tighter to her still. Lee's hands began to travel down her body, his fingers pushing into her flesh with the same sense of ownership reflected in her own touch.

Lucy's mobile phone buzzed from the bedside table next to her head. She ignored it, curling herself tighter against her husband and kissing him feverishly. It lit up a second time, inviting a pang of duty into her conscience. When it insistently dinged for the third time, she reluctantly removed one hand from Lee's face to scoop up the phone and hold it aloft. She opened her eyes to read the message over Lee's shoulder and almost immediately tried to disentangle her mouth from his. "Lee…Lee…we need to stop."

"Never," he murmured truculently, peppering her mouth with kisses.

"I mean it!" She teasingly whacked him in the side of the head with her phone, causing him to lower his head and begin sucking at her neck. Lucy reached around to hold her mobile aloft with both hands, typing a response to the text message over her husband's white crown. "Charlie's on his way. They'll be here in a minute."

"Already?" Lee lifted his head in dismay. "They can't be!"

"Yes, they can. It's nearly four o'clock!" Lucy crawled out from under him and made her way over to the wardrobe. "We got so carried away this afternoon, we let the time get away from us!"

Lee sat up and pouted. His eyes studied her bare bottom as she faced away from him. She accidentally dropped the blouse she'd taken off its hanger and stooped to pick it up from the floor. Lee took advantage of the opportunity to lean out from the edge of the bed and give her bum a satisfying wallop with his palm.

She squealed and whirled around to face him. "Lee! You animal!"

He popped his tongue out between his teeth, grinning cheekily.

Lucy shook her head and gave a short, insistent tug on his tongue before turning away. Her eyes sparkled regretfully. "Oh, if only we had more time!"

"We will have time." He stood and slowly walked over to her as she hurriedly stepped into a skirt and began buttoning her blouse. He stopped just behind her and nuzzled her neck. "What did I tell you on the day I took out my pension?"

Her giggles rumbled in her throat, her neck curling in response to his whiskers tickling her skin. "I can't really remember. Something about you spending the rest of your life treating me like a queen or some such rubbish?"

"Summat like that," he breathed, pressing his lips against the small of her neck.

Lucy closed her eyes as a powerful shudder rippled through her body. "You're right." Summoning her last reserves of willpower, she walked over to her vanity, breaking his contact. "It won't be long before we're alone again with nothing but sex to keep us occupied."

"You what?"

Lucy picked up her brush and began hurriedly running it through her hair. She gazed at his crestfallen expression in the mirror and shrugged nonchalantly. "There's nothing wrong with that, darling. Everyone's got to have a hobby at our age. Some couples like to travel, others join clubs or take up sport or spend their time at the seaside. We like to have lots of sex."

He lifted a brow coolly, moving over to stand by her chair. He stood so proudly, framing his nudity in such an empowered way that it arrested her, leaving her breathless. He knowingly cradled her chin in his hand and tilted her eyes up from his cock to his face. "You wouldn't have it any other way, would you?"

"You know I wouldn't," she whispered, trembling visibly.

A knock on the front door shattered the spell. "They're here!" Lucy stood up and hurried towards the door. "Make yourself decent," she said over her shoulder, shooting her husband one last loving look before disappearing down the hall.

Lee smirked and strolled over to the wardrobe. He pulled out the short, silky robe Lucy had given him for his seventieth birthday. The royal purple garment was no larger than a smoking jacket, the hem falling just below his hips when he tied it off. She often referred to it as his "playboy robe," and adored seeing him in it.

He slipped the silken fabric over his shoulders and knotted it closed at his waist. He stooped down to study his reflection in the vanity mirror, his fingers encouraging his limp fringe to stand back upright. The lines on his face may have deepened with age, but Lee never fretted over his prominent wrinkles. His eyesight had deteriorated so woefully over the years that the only way he could see at all was through his strong prescription bifocals, encased as ever in a pair of stylish dark frames. His hair and beard were now completely white, a development that had, surprisingly, made Lucy go wild. Though he'd initially been alarmed by the increasing number of grey hairs he'd found in the sink, Lucy's enthusiasm for his silvering head had reassured him at every stage of his transformation. When he'd been greying, Lee had wondered how Lucy could still find him so attractive and supposed that he should simply count himself lucky that he wasn't losing his hair instead. Now, as he gazed at himself in the mirror, he saw exactly the same man his wife could always see. "You, Lee McKinnon," he murmured softly as he carefully styled his hair, "are one very…handsome…devil."

The sound of footfalls on the stairs brought him out into the hall. He lounged against the doorframe and watched his eldest son slowly ascend into view.

Charlie wrinkled his nose and looked away in embarrassment. "Oh, god, Dad, that's gross!"

Lee shrugged. "What?"

Charlie stopped in front of his father, gazing into his eyes. He was every bit as tall as Lee in his adult frame and cursed with the same poor vision. With his glasses, Charlie very much resembled a lanky young Lee in decades past. His expression curled into one of disgust. "I get it: you and Mum like to fuck. But do you have to parade around like some sort of demented Don Juan?"

Lee smirked slyly as Charlie moved past him to place his bags in his old room. "I can't help it, son. Your mother is a very powerful woman with powerful needs. What sort of man would I be to deny her those needs?" He listened to the sounds of Charlie noisily unzipping his bags and bit his lip, an evil glint in his eye. "A pussycat's got to have her cream."

"Dad!" Charlie reappeared in the doorway, looking green under the collar. "You know that every time you talk about yours and Mum's sex life, a fairy dies, right?"

Lee chuckled, shaking his head. He pulled a cigar and a book of matches out of his breast pocket and casually lit up.

Charlie watched Lee's grizzled white head stretch back against the doorframe as he puffed away, narrowing his eyes at his father's obvious enjoyment. "You know those are bad for your health."

"Ooh, are they, doctor?" Lee rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Then it's a good thing I only ever smoke them when I've just had a grandchild or a particularly satisfying shag." He blew a few puffs of smoke in Charlie's direction, causing his son to cough and back away from the door.

Lee took the cigar in his fingers, trailing his gaze down to his feet. "How is the little blighter, anyway?"

Charlie gestured towards the stairs. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Izzy had ascended the top, a radiant smile on her face. She proudly held a bulky baby carrier down by her side, containing Lee's first grandson.

The old man's eyes visibly lit up. He hardly even registered his wife squeezing past the young mother to join their son by his room. "All right, Arthur Lee!" He bent over the bassinet, peering at the tiny infant face just visible among the many snug blankets. "It's your favourite Granddad Lee!"

"Oh, Christ!" Charlie whirled away, holding a hand up in front of his face. Lucy clapped a hand to her mouth to keep from giggling at her son's expression of horror.

"What?" Lee shot an annoyed glance over his shoulder. He was hunched far enough forward that his robe had ridden up, exposing his bare backside to everyone standing behind him. Even his undercarriage could be glimpsed from the high angle. Lucy, who'd always found his naked arse quite adorable, struggled to quell a rising tide of excitement at the sight.

Charlie doggedly stared in the opposite direction, fighting back the urge to vomit. "I did not ever need to see your withered cock and balls, Dad!"

"You sprang from that withered cock and balls, son, and don't you forget it!" Lee lowered his head back down in front of Arthur's. "Isn't that right, grandson?" He babbled and cooed softly in a high-pitched voice. The infant opened his bright blue eyes and gurgled in response. The lines on Lee's face creased into an even wider smile, his heart surging with love for the tiny child.

"Has he been sleeping any better?" Lucy glanced from Charlie to Izzy, her cheeks still flushed bright red.

Izzy nodded, her short, tight brown curls bobbing in time with her head. "A little. I think last night was the first time he stayed down for a full five hours."

"Oh, dear, you two must be exhausted!" Lucy placed a sympathetic hand on Charlie's shoulder.

"Have you tried putting Calpol in his milk?" Lee murmured as he blew air gently on the infant's face. When Arthur smiled, he could hardly contain his delighted gasp.

Charlie rolled his eyes, still refusing to turn around. "That's a great idea, Dad. I'm sure drugging him out of his mind will put him right to sleep – permanently!"

"Don't knock it right off! We did it to you lot when you couldn't go to sleep!" Lee had picked up one of the baby's tiny hands. He turned it over between his fingers, marvelling at its delicate construction.

Charlie furrowed his brow. "Really?"

"We ended up trying just about everything." Lucy smiled softly. "None of you were very good sleepers at first. Remember, Lee?"

He didn't hear her, suddenly letting loose a delighted, raspy laugh. "He's got hold of me nose!" His face crumpled into a wide grin, holding still as he felt the miniature fingers latch firmly around his large beak.

Charlie's expression softened for the first time since he'd arrived home. "Well, it's a pretty hard target to miss, eh, Dad?"

"Easy," Lee growled warningly.

"He has a point, darling." Lucy walked over to stand behind Lee, obscuring his exposed bum from view. She leaned over his shoulder to stare down into the bassinet, running her hands along his broad back before giving his shoulders a sensual squeeze. "You certainly have a lot to hold onto."

"Mum!" Charlie froze in incredulous shock. "Not you, too!"

Lucy and Lee shared a soft giggle. Lucy pressed against her husband, smiling adoringly down at Arthur Lee McKinnon. Not since the days when her own children were tiny had she seen such a beautiful baby. "Have you been able to sit him up yet?"

Izzy shook her head. "That video I sent you was our last attempt. Charlie tried to keep him propped up with nearly every pillow in the house, and he still found a way to fall over. Didn't ya?" She cooed at the baby, bouncing his carrier gently.

Arthur relinquished Lee's nose and his grandparents slowly straightened to a stand. "Well, he's got time. He's only three months still." Lucy held out a hand to take the large diaper bag from Izzy's shoulder, which her daughter-in-law gratefully surrendered.

"How are you holding up, love?" Lee moved to embrace Izzy.

"Not on the lips!" Charlie warned. "God knows what you've been into."

Lee grinned over his shoulder. "Your mum." He turned back around and kissed both her cheeks in greeting.

"Fine, thanks." Izzy smiled. "Tired, hungry, a bit smelly. But enough about him." Her eyes danced laughingly. "I'm hanging in there."

"This one still giving you grief, then?" Lee nodded back at Charlie.

She giggled. "He's been lovely, really. Still knows how to put a smile on my face, even when the baby's nearly driven us mad!"

"I suppose he's a keeper." Lucy re-emerged in the doorway to Charlie's room and affectionately touched his arm. "Did you have a nice journey?"

Charlie shot her a teasing look. "Mum, we live two streets away."

"Still, you must be gasping!" Lucy turned towards her husband. "Lee, go to the kitchen and fix up some coffee and tea, would you? We'll let these three get settled in."

"Actually, if you're heading that way…" Izzy set the carrier down on the floor and rummaged around in her purse. She pulled out a couple of bottles and handed them to Lee. "I've got some milk already expressed for Arthur. Can you put these down in the fridge for me?"

"Of course." Lee paused in front of his son and held one of the bottles out. "Have you ever tried your wife's breast milk?"

Charlie took a step backwards, frowning at his dad as if he'd grown a second head.

Lee chuckled darkly. "Cor, you're missing a trick." He turned his gaze on Lucy, remembering the bygone days when her breasts had been full and heaving with sustenance for their young children. "Take it from someone who knows; Arthur's eating very, very well for himself."

"I think I'm actually going to be sick." Charlie brushed past his parents and shut himself up inside the bathroom.

Lee sauntered downstairs, depositing the cigar that had long-since flickered out in an ashtray as he passed through the living room. He started the kettle boiling and turned the Nespresso machine on. As he was bent over in the fridge, tucking Izzy's bottles onto one of the shelves, he heard a key turn in the garden door. He straightened up to see Benji burst through the door, a laundry bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hey, Dad!" He grinned as he took in Lee's robe, shaking his head. "Just having a visit to Ikea, were we?"

"Don't you know it!" Lee laughed, enveloping his son in a large hug. "Please don't tell me you brought that all the way over on the train!" He gestured to the sack of dirty clothes.

"Why not?" Benji shrugged. "I was coming home anyway, so I figured I'd save myself a trip to the laundromat."

"Of course, you did!" Lucy, having just entered the kitchen, took the bag from Benji and threw her arms around him. "Hello, darling!"

"Good to see you, Mum." The young man, who now, like Charlie, towered over his mother, patted her back lovingly.

She pulled away and frowned at the overnight case slung over his other shoulder. "Don't tell me you've forgotten to bring your suit."

"Erm…sure, I didn't." Benji coughed uncertainly.

"Oh, Benji, not for your sister's wedding!"

"It's fine! I'm sure there's one in there somewhere!" He nodded at the pile of laundry Lucy had now dumped on the kitchen floor.

"Oh, thank God!" She pulled a rumpled blazer out of the pile and blew a long sigh of relief. "It'll have to be pressed first, but at least you've got something to wear."

Benji shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry about that, Mum."

She stood, tucking her hair back behind her ear. "I swear, you're getting to be as forgetful as your father these days."

"Oi! I am still stood here!" Lee cried woundedly.

"Make yourself useful and hold onto that," she retorted, throwing the blazer over her husband's shoulder. "I'd hate to see the state of your flat right now if you've got this much laundry backed up," she murmured to Benji as she gathered the rest of his clothes in her arms.

"Aw, Mum, it's not that bad." He watched his mother walk them over towards the washer and dryer, pulling a banana from the fruit bowl on the island and peeling it. He took a large bite before speaking again, his mouth full of the mangled fruit: "But since you brought it up, do you think you can come out next weekend to help me clear away a few things?"

"Benji, stop pestering your poor Mum to clean up after you all the time." Lee folded his arms, shooting his son an exasperated look. "You're twenty-seven years old now. Can't you hire a cleaner?"

"Well, as you and I both know, a good cleaner is hard to come by in central London." Lucy removed the jacket from Lee's shoulder, beaming at him. The days when Barbara, their clumsy cleaner, had broken their possessions every week seemed so very distant now; the days before she and Lee had become lovers. She involuntarily wrapped her arm around his and squeezed it, glad that the time before she'd loved Lee was nothing more than a fading memory. She turned her happy gaze towards Benji, who was now nearly halfway through an apple. "I don't mind a bit of a tidy, darling. Your father can come, too, and we'll have the job finished in no time at all."

"Cool." He nodded. "Just, uh, maybe don't have sex in my cupboard this time. That was weird."

Lucy reddened, slinking away with the blazer to find her iron. Lee lifted his head proudly, looking down his nose at his son with a roguish expression. "I make no promises."

Benji rolled his eyes. "I swear, you two are worse than a pair of rutting foxes!" He tossed the apple core in the sink with the banana peel and opened the fridge.

Lee frowned at him. "Is that cupboard still bare, Mother Hubbard, or do you just like to empty ours, too?" His eyes suddenly widened when he saw his son straighten, taking a large swig of milk. "Benji, wait!"

"Ugh!" The young man held one of Izzy's bottles out at arm's length, regarding it suspiciously. "Dad, I think your milk's gone off."

"That was for Arthur, you bonehead." Lee shook his head.

It took a moment for Benji to process what he'd just done. Suddenly, a look of ghastly horror spread across his face. "Oh, God!" He quickly slammed the bottle down on the counter and started retching into the sink.

Lee watched him and shrugged. "It's an acquired taste, I'll give you that."

A short while later, Lee was sat in the living room with his wife and adult sons. He'd donned a collared blue shirt and a pair of jeans because Lucy had insisted he wear some actual clothes to the wedding rehearsal. He leaned back in his seat, smiling softly at the sight of Benji and Charlie together once more on the sofa. The pair were discussing the footie from the night before, with Lee only dropping an occasional comment into their dialogue. Behind them, Lucy stood with Arthur in her arms. She bounced him gently, holding him against the spit-up blanket over her shoulder. She spoke quietly to Izzy, who stood right beside her.

"Charlie never moved very much in his crib, either. He pretty much stayed on his tummy, even when he was crying for Mummy and Daddy." Lucy peered down at the baby's face and smiled. His brilliant eyes, thin mouth, and long lashes reminded her a lot of his father, and, by extension, her husband. "He's such a handsome little dear, isn't he?"

"I think so." Izzy looked over Lucy's shoulder at him. "I see a lot of his dad in him."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Lucy smiled at Izzy, her eyes lighting up excitedly. "I went through my old photos and found some terrific shots of Charlie at Arthur's age I wanted to show you..."

She made a move to pull her phone out of her pocket when Arthur's face scrunched up and he started crying. "Oh, no!" Lucy murmured softly, patting his back. "Don't cry, darling!"

Izzy smelled his bum. "I don't know what's wrong. He doesn't need a diaper change, and I only fed him a few minutes ago." A weary expression passed over his face. "I can't bear it when he cries like this!"

"I know what's wrong," Lee boomed, holding out his arms. His hands beckoned them over. "Gimme the lad."

Lucy leaned down and carefully passed the baby over. Once Lee had firmly grasped the infant in his broad hands, she pulled off the blanket and tossed it at his face.

"Look, Arthur!" Lee cradled the whining child tightly in his arms, leaving the blanket over his face as he moved his head from side to side. "Where's Granddad? Where'd Granddad go?"

Arthur's cries faded to a concerted murmur. To Lee's delight, he felt the tiny fingers reach up and tug on a corner of the blanket. He gasped, letting it fall from his face. "You found him!"

The baby quieted, gazing wide-eyed up at Lee. His grandfather replaced the blanket over his face. This time, when the baby touched the blanket and pulled it away, Lee had crossed his eyes, scrunching his face up into a silly expression. Arthur gurgled happily.

Lucy watched them play, shaking her head. Lee still innately knew how to make even the tiniest of humans laugh. It was one of his many qualities that she absolutely adored, and one of the rarest gifts she'd ever witnessed. Tears sprang to her eyes at the sight of him with his grandson, actively fighting the urge to place a tender kiss on his wrinkled brow. When Izzy touched her arm, she quickly turned her head away from Lee, busying herself with the pictures on her phone.

"See, you just wanted time with your granddad," Lee murmured lovingly as the baby placed his chubby fingers on his glasses and pulled them down his nose. He lifted his elbow to raise Arthur's head, propping him up into a supported sitting position. "Still can't lift that big old noggin of yours, hey?"

"Not yet." Charlie turned towards the pair, smiling softly. "But we keep trying. He hasn't got the upper body strength yet."

"Have you been doing sit-ups with him?" Lee asked, laying the baby flat on his lap before pulling him up into a sitting position by the arms.

"No, we've been making him do chin-ups with the towel rack." Charlie rolled his eyes. "Of course, we have. He's not going to get it overnight, Dad."

Lee ignored him, continuing the gentle exercises with Arthur. "You need to work out, like Granddad does," he cooed softly. "You'll be able to keep that head up with guns like Granddad's." He grinned, flexing one of his roped, sinewy arms.

Benji looked up from the packet of Quavers he'd been munching. "Oh, come on, Dad, don't start trying to sell him on a gym membership, too!"

"It keeps me young, son. I still feel like I'm fifty-five." Lee regarded Benji sternly over his glasses. "And I'd probably be in even better shape if I'd spent more time exercising at your age and less time sat on the sofa eating crisps!"

Benji sat back and shrugged. "Whatever," he mumbled through a mouthful of Quavers.

"Not everyone's got hours and hours to spend at the gym." Charlie fixed his dad a knowing look. "You didn't start going every single day until after you'd retired."

Lee narrowed his eyes at Charlie as he sat the baby up and began bouncing him on his knee. "I have to stay fit to keep up with your mother, don't I?" He shot a glance at Lucy, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. "She needs a big, thick, vital, strong man to hold her down."

Charlie buried his head in his hands. "I'm not listening to this," he croaked.

"One who can keep going…and going…and going…and going…" Lee leered at his son, bouncing his grandson faster and faster.

"That's enough!" Charlie reached forward and snatched Arthur out of Lee's grasp. "I think you've spent enough time with your randy old granddad for one day." He knocked the Quavers away from Benji and thrust the baby into his arms. "Visit with Uncle Ben instead."

Lee chuckled, placing his hands behind his head as Lucy strolled over towards him. "Yes, I'm plenty fit enough to keep your Mum satisfied. But even the gym hasn't done much for me old gut, though." He glanced sadly down at his small paunch.

"Stop that!" Lucy perched on the arm of his chair and playfully punched his shoulder. "You know I wouldn't prefer you any other way."

"That's right." Lee growled lowly. He craned his head up to touch noses with her. "You like your thick daddy…"

Charlie abruptly stood up from the sofa and walked over to Izzy, his hands clapped firmly over his ears.

"Hey, speaking of your old gut…" Benji looked up from rocking Arthur, grinning at his dad. "Will having this little guy around mean you're going to finally dress up like Father Christmas for the family holiday party?" He grinned. The topic was a sore point with his father that Benji loved to tease him about every December. "You've already got the snow-white beard and the bowl full of jelly. How's Arthur to know his granddad's not actually Father Christmas in disguise?"

Lee huffed in frustration. "Because I don't look like Father Christmas!" He glanced up at Lucy for affirmation. "Do I?"

She hesitated. "Well…only if Father Christmas had been given a very stylish makeover." She stroked his beard, relishing the contented smile spreading across his face. "And after all," she purred, lowering her voice, "it wouldn't be the first time I've seen you in a Santa suit."

Lee's eyes lit up. "Oh, yeah!" He turned his head towards his sons, smirking proudly. "How could I forget about our reindeer games?" He lifted a hand and squeezed his wife's thigh, his voice booming resonantly. "Your Mum makes a cracking Mrs. Claus!"

Charlie cringed, his loud conversation with Izzy failing to drown his father's voice out. Benji's jaw had dropped, his expression one of shock and betrayal. "Oh, I get it! You'll play Father Christmas for your sordid little sex games, but not to amuse your own son?"

Lucy giggled, burying her face in her husband's white hair. Lee's hand travelled higher and higher up her hip. "Trust me, son, there's plenty to amuse you in this Santa's sack of toys…"

A knock on the door sent Charlie eagerly scrambling for it. He threw open the door and cried out in relief. "All right, everyone, the bride is here!"

Lee, Benji, and Lucy leapt to their feet as a laughing, vibrant young woman enveloped her older brother in a hug. "Sorry I'm running so late! There was a terrible mess with the catering!" She moved to embrace Izzy, her blonde hair bobbing behind her.

Lee watched her greet the others, suddenly having gone very, very still. All his previous playfulness had deserted him. His lower lip quivered, his eyes filling with tears. He'd hardly been able to stand to even look at her these last few weeks. He trembled; there was no way of avoiding her any longer.

"Daddy!"

His face crumpled at the old, familiar cry as his daughter threw her arms around his neck. "Molly," he croaked, clasping her tightly to him. He squeezed his eyes shut, letting the tears that had been building there slowly slide down his grizzled cheeks.

She knowingly hugged him tighter, burrowing her nose against his neck. Lee looked down to plant a tender kiss on the top of her head. He rested his face against her hair and drew in a long, broken sigh. She was the only one who could still do this to him; the only one who could completely shatter his composure and leave him a sobbing mess.

"Oh, Daddy…" She pulled her head back to face him. She gave him her customary kisses on each cheek, nose, and forehead, smiling brightly. "Don't start crying yet! The wedding isn't until tomorrow, silly!"

"I know," he sniffed, doing his best to return her happy gaze. His fingers pressed harder into her jacket, drawing her as close as he possibly could.

"It's okay, Daddy," she whispered, fingering the white hair at the base of his neck. "It's okay. It's going to be okay. I love you, too, Daddy."

Lee drew another shaky breath and sighed, relaxing his hold on her. Molly planted another kiss in his bristly beard, lowering her arms to wrap them around his chest. She turned her head to talk to the others, resting it contentedly against his sternum. Lee held her to him gently, trying to regain his self-possession. He gazed down at the top of her head, not hearing a single word of the catering disaster she was relating to the family. All he could see when he looked at this beautiful young woman was his little girl; his little girl, who no longer needed her Daddy.