Not Until After Dinner

This is a companion piece/follow up to It Was My Fault Paul, set a few months after Della was injured. It's random but it was an idea I had floating around my head. I hope you enjoy.

Thanks again to CaptainChaos for letting me use the AU Mason children. I know I've grown them up but don't worry, the Cap'n will put them back to kids I'm certain in the next Mason ficlet.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. I make no money and will return them unharmed.

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It had been six months since Della had been injured in the halls of the court building and now she was on the mend, Perry had decided they were both in need of a getaway. A reaffirmation of life for Della. An opportunity to cherish his wife more than ever for Perry. When they announced a nice ten day cruise to the Hawaiian Islands, they didn't count on the whole Mason brood and a best friend joining them.

Della had just shrugged as first Perry Junior and his new wife decided it was a perfect time to have the delayed honeymoon they had planned but never found the time for in the year since they had married. Besides, Della reasoned to her disgruntled husband, it might be an opportunity to start carrying on the Mason legacy within the following year if all went well between the young couple.

Lily and her soon to be husband David, thought it would make a great dry run for after their own impending nuptials causing Perry to frown at the idea of his unmarried daughter sharing a bed with a man. Della scoffed at that grump and reminded him of the pre-marital nooky and countless times they had woken up naked in each others arms before they tied the knot. Perry maintained that was a different scenario but had no argument to justify his stance on the matter.

Tom invited himself and his girlfriend along for an overdue vacation. They'd been working flat out in the crime lab for months and he'd thrown himself further into work after his mother had been injured. Tom asked his father for advice on proposals. He even asked his mother advice on diamond engagement rings, just in case the mood was right one night he assured them both.

George had spent his time commuting back and forth between L.A and New York as often as his schedule allowed since the shooting, and finally decided he needed a well earned break. He also wanted some quality time with his mother, whom he loved more than anyone, to reassure himself she really was getting better and there were no lasting effects. Having no time in his busy life to cultivate anything more than a flirtation, a cruise ship was the perfect setting to potentially meet someone or at least have a dalliance or two.

Paul as he had done for the last forty years plus just invited himself and his wife. Della just chuckled when he said they had the stateroom next to theirs. Perry frowned when Paul followed the announcement with ' Just remember the walls are thin and I'm impressionable,' before with a twinkle in his eyes, he cursed the P.I and unceremoniously told him to get lost.

And so here they were.

The ship had spent the day pottering around in the Pacific in between stops. George spent the morning in the Spa with his mother and Aunt Jo. Perry and Paul availed themselves of the new golf simulated driving range. A marvellous innovation they both agreed. The other three couples were nowhere to be found. Afternoon found Perry and Della alone in their stateroom, each of them gently exploring well travelled territory. Indeed, the walls were thinner than they looked as Paul would quietly attest to Perry later when he teased him.

Now it was just before dinner. Formal evening wear. The gentlemen had arranged to meet in the bar early enough to give their ladies time to dress in peace and quiet. Della suggested it knowing if her husband caught a glimpse of the new gown she had bought, it would have been doubtful they would have made it to dinner on time, if at all. No he was best out of they way, and as it happened, the other ladies in the party agreed. The other reason she had suggested the men meet first was her own thoughts on reaffirmation in her own life. Perry as expected had barely left her alone since the hospital. Although she never for one second doubted he loved her beyond reason, and appreciated her physically, her own confidence had dipped alarmingly. Her husband had not flinched at her new scars, but unreasonable doubt crept in that a less scarred, more beautiful woman would throw herself at him in the office and he would succumb. It was unfathomable why she felt like this, but the thoughts had persisted and she invested in the most daring new evening gown she believed would suit her given her age.

The men, dressed in dinner suits, now toasted the evening again with their second glass of expensive scotch as the ladies began arriving at the bar. Sarah, Perry Jnrs wife came in with Paul's wife Jo first. Junior coughed as he brought the glass down from his lips at the sight. Paul smacked him on the back, eyes twinkling in appreciation as he perused the long gown his own wife was wearing.

'You ok Pal?' he smirked. Junior merely nodded as he straightened his jacket and swallowed at his wife wearing a formfitting black evening gown that left little to her new husbands imagination.

'Dad,' Junior bit out.

'Son?' Perry senior allowed an amused smile to play about his lips.

'She looks amazing Dad. If all goes well, in about nine months you and mom might just get your first grandchild afterall.' Junior grinned and started towards his wife to escort her to the high table they were all standing around.

Tom began fumbling through his pockets.

'What on earth are you doing?' George scowled at his brother.

'Just checking I brought something with me.' The normally level headed, cool calm and collected member of the Mason progeny seemed suddenly out of sorts.

'What?'

'It's ok,' Tom said almost relieved. 'I have it. Excuse me.' Tom started towards the entrance as his girlfriend Sophie entered. The transformation of the scientist took George by surprise. He liked Sophie but thought she was a little plain for his taste. Now she was nothing like plain, with her hair swept back and woven into what his sister had once referred to as the long 'Prom' style. Her figure was encased in a black one shoulder maxi dress that showed under those lab coats she wore at work and the jeans and baggy jumpers for family BBQ's there was a svelte, curvy figure, and George suddenly realized he would never see his potential future sister in law in the same way again. Then he swallowed hard and decided to keep those thoughts hidden well away.

Lily entered just in front of her mother. Wearing an emerald green boat neck, split thigh dress, with her six foot ever taller in high heels, it made her look like a glorious statue and more than a few heads turned as she entered the room. Her fiancé David, looked as if his eyes were going to pop out of his head, causing George to snigger and her father to glower in a silent warning at his future son in law. Perry knew they were happy together but still found he had a hard time letting go of his only daughter to another. Grousing at David to behave himself around Lily, had become a favourite pastime of the big lawyers and he wasn't in any mood to give that sport up until that gold band was in place after the vows had been spoken. Then she appeared.

Perry lent against the high table as his eyes focused on his wife. In a sleeveless midnight blue velvet, the double V neckline plunged tantalisingly lower than he had ever seen on one of her dresses. The tight bodice left nothing to his imagination as the mermaid tail style material flowed out from around her knees just off the floor thanks to her high heels. The outfit was topped off with the diamond drop earrings and diamond pendant that nestled lightly between the valley of her breast. Perry had no idea his mouth had dropped open until George who had been standing next to him, gently pushed it closed with his fingers.

'Dad,' he said, his own eyes fixed on his mother.

'Son?

'You're drooling.' He absently stroked his beard around his mouth which made George chuckle.

'I know.'

From his peripheral vision George watched his father's hands open and close unconsciously in an attempt to stop himself fidgeting. The young Mason smiled enigmatically to himself. He knew these signs well and witnessed them more times over the years than he cared to admit to. He was also well aware what usually followed.

'Dad.'

'Hmmm?'

'You know you're not allowed to touch her how you want to right now…..well not in public anyway right?' Paul who had been standing to the other side of Perry suppressed a laugh.

Della felt her husbands desire darkened eyes on her and blushed as she reached him and stepped into his embrace. Suddenly her unreasonable doubts and insecurities about Perry's continuing attraction for her, faded into obscurity. Her life with this man reaffirmed fully in that instant.

'You know Uncle Paul,' commented George watching his parents nuzzling and whispering sweet words to each other, 'Now he knows how I always felt.'

Paul raised an eyebrow with a smirk. 'What's that kid?'

George gave the full million dollar Mason smile complete with inherited dimples. 'Now he doesn't get to play with his favourite toy until after dinner.'

Fin – Thanks for reading