"You're early." She said as she walked in the office. "You don't have anything until five."

"What's at five?" Sam pulled the sheets of paper out of the printer and stapled them.

"Senator Rallings." Kathy took the papers from Sam and started clearing the desk of paper debris, picking up the rolled up balls surrounding his waste paper basket.

"Anything after that?" Sam picked up the books that lay on the side of his desk and walked out to put them away. Kathy followed him.

"The President would like you to stop in at the reception." Kathy said taking the book out of his hand and putting it in its place.

"What reception?" Sam asked walking back towards his office.

Kathy followed him inside, smiling. "White House Historians."

Sam looked up from the papers he was reading. "They study the policies of each administrations?" He asked hopefully.

"No, they study the changes to the building over the centuries." Kathy smiled at her boss again.

"Why?" Sam looked at her in surprised fear.

"The President said." Kathy turned to walk out of the room, turning back to Sam. "By the way, Records would like to know where the over two hundred files you have checked out are."

They heard a soft knock at the door and turned to see Mallory.

"Hey, Mallory."

"Sam? Are you busy?" Mallory's voice seemed small and timid and Sam walked towards her.

"No, What's wrong?"

Mallory took the few strides to Sam and threw her arms around his neck, burying her head into his neck. Sam's arms encircled her and brought her closer to him.

Kathy's eyebrows rose slightly.

"One of my students was killed." Mallory sobbed into Sam's neck.

"Oh Mal." Sam moved one of his hands up and down Mallory's back, not knowing how to comfort her.

"Sam?" Kathy questioned him with her eyes.

"Would you?"

"I'll take care of it." Kathy backed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"What happened?"

"His dad beat him to death over the weekend. I didn't see anything, Sam. I didn't see anything."

"Shhh, Mal. It's not your fault. It's okay."

Mallory's body hitched against Sam as she sobbed. "I'm supposed to look for these things, Sam. It was my fault. I should have seen it. The kids trust me to see it."

Sam pulled away from Mallory. He led her to his chair, sitting and pulling her into his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder and accepted his arms encircling her.

"Mallory, you have twenty kids, yes you try to look, you try to find the symptoms, but some times they just aren't there. There are a hundred other people who are in a better position to see the problems, to report the problems, but no one wants to see. You can't save the world."

"I don't want to save the world, Sam. I want to save my children. I want to be able to go to their high school graduation. But I can't go to Kenny's graduation because I missed something. I missed it." Mallory moved a bit to get comfortable.

"Do you want me to be quiet now?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to take you home?"

"No, can we just stay here for a while."

"Yeah." Sam pulled Mallory closer to him. Outside the office Sam watched as his staff moved along, heard the bellow of Toby, the smart mouth of Bonnie, the complaints of Ginger. The phones rang, but inside Sam's office the only sound was of Mallory's tears.

"He was really good at Math." She said finally.

Sam stayed quiet wondering what he could say to her.

"He didn't like reading but he like comic books."

"Comic books are reading." Sam smiled.

"Only to little boys."

"Nope to big boys too. I still like the occasional Batman."

"You've always struck me as a Superman kind of kid."

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't."

"He was a good kid. Not too loud, not too quiet. Smart, athletic. I don't know what I missed, Sam."

"Mallory, are you sure there was something to miss?"

"Parents do not start out beating their kids to death. They start small, Sam."

"I know that, Mallory. Did he have older brothers and sisters? Was he the youngest?"

"I don't know. He was only in the class for a month. He started late." Mallory took at deep breath, her body shaking with the effort. "I don't know the answers, Sam."

"You aren't suppose to know those answers, Mallory."

"Yes, I am. I'm his teacher, Sam."

"Okay, teacher. Why did those three boys shoot at the President and us at Rosslyn? Why did those kids throw rocks at Lowell Lydell? Why did Simon Cruz kill those people and why did the judges decided he had to die?"

"I don't know, Sam."

"No one will ever know those answers, Mallory. We have to accept that some things can't be predetermined, that no matter what we do, some things are out of our control. The most powerful man in the world works down the hall and he can't stop the deaths that happen in this country, all he can do is remember them. Accept them. Try to do better next time."

"I don't want there to be a next time." Mallory snuggled closer to Sam.

Sam kissed the top of Mallory's head. "No one does."

"Thank you, Sam."

"I love you, Mal."

"I love you too."

Silence descended on the office til there was a discreet tap on the door as it opened. Charlie stood in the doorway, unsure whether to enter or not.

"Yeah, Charlie?" Sam asked.

"Sorry to disturb you, Sam. But the President would like to know when you' re going to make an appearance at the reception. He's been hyping up your knowledge of the White House and -"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, is there something I can get you Mallory?" Charlie asked, his face concerned.

"No, I'm fine." Mallory got up off Sam's lap and brushed her hand across her cheeks. "I'm going to go wash my face."

"I have to go be humiliated for ten minutes."

"Can I come watch?" Mallory asked with a smile.

"Just ask someone where the reception is, they'll let you in." With a quick squeeze of her hand, Sam was up and out of his chair, straightening his shirt and putting on his jacket.

The communications bullpen ground to a halt as Mallory walked along the corridor. Kathy got up and followed her, with a bag. Sam came out of his office a second later and headed towards the reception with Charlie.

"So." Charlie stated.

"You know, when you say that, it can mean a thousand things."

"You're dating, Mallory." Charlie smirked at Sam.

"Yes."

"Does Leo know?"

"I haven't asked this time, so I have no idea."

"She was crying on you." Charlie smiled again.

"She had a bad day."

"She's a mighty fine lady."

"Charlie." Sam looked at Charlie who merely smiled at him.

"She was crying on you."

Sam stopped in the hallway.

"Sam?" Charlie looked in askance. "The President's waiting."

Sam continued walking. He shot a probing glance at Charlie.

Charlie smiled back before stating, "She was crying on you," as they entered the reception. Sam could only smile at people as he made his way toward the President.

"Ah Sam. Everyone, I'd like for you to meet my Deputy Communications Director, Sam Seaborn." The President addressed the large group gathered around him. "Sam has a special interest in the history of the White House. For instance, he is convinced that the Roosevelt Room was named after Franklin Roosevelt, the eighteenth President."

The group laughed as Sam waved and blushed. The president leaned closer, whispering at Sam. "You'll think twice about answering a trivia question, won't you?"

"Of course sir." Sam smiled as several men walked up to him and began to engage him in conversation. Sam felt his eyes glaze over as they told of the various happenings over the course of two hundred years.

"Did you know that the Oval Office was actually a stable until the Twentieth Century."

"Really." Sam replied.

"Taft had to have a new bath tub put in because he was so big."

"I knew that one." Sam said with a smile happy that he wasn't a complete idiot.

"Really. Which book did you read?" Another man asked.

"Actually, I believe I saw it on a TV program once." Sam started to sweat.

"Oh really was it Taft: A Large Legacy? Or perhaps Taft: Dramatic or Daft?"

"It was Histeria, wasn't it?"

Sam turned and stared a Mallory, a fearful expression on his face.

"I make Sam watch it when I dub out the commercials." Mallory smiled at the men surrounding Sam.

"Let me introduce you to Mallory O'Brien, Leo McGarry's daughter."

Sam's face flushed as Mallory's hand came to rest on his lower back.

"Did you say Histeria?" A man started uncomfortably.

"Um. Yes, that must have been it." Sam muttered. "If you'll excuse us, I need to speak to the President." Sam grabbed Mallory's hand from his back and pulled her after him through the crowd.

He turned to look at her suddenly. "What was your price?" He asked.

"I serve at the pleasure of the President." Mallory said with a small grin.

"Charlie?"

"No actually, the President came and got me at the door."

"You realize that next time you come to cry on my shoulder-"

Mal stepped closer to Sam; up close he could see the tear tracks on her cheeks, the redness in her eyes.

"Don't bother to knock." Sam finally finished softly. He raised his hand to her cheek, giving her a soft caress.

"I'm ready to go home, Sam." Mallory said quietly.

"Okay, Mal." Sam spotted Charlie near the door and headed towards him. "We 're leaving for the night, Charlie. Goodnight."

"Night, Sam. Mallory."

"Night, Charlie." Mallory said quietly. Sam put his arm around her and steered her toward the West Wing.

"Charlie, was that Sam and Mallory I saw leaving?" The President asked.

"Yes, Sir. I don't think Mallory was feeling very well, sir."

"Should I have Abbey go look at her?" The President asked concerned.

"I don't think it was a medical problem, sir."

"Then how did she not feel well?"

"Well, Mr. President. I can't be too sure, but I think she was crying earlier."

"Mallory was crying?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Well Sir. Sam seemed to have it under control."

"Mallory was crying on Sam."

"Yes, sir."

"Mallory was crying on Sam."

"Yes, sir."

"Does Leo know?" The President asked quietly.

"I don't believe so, sir."

"Let's just keep this between the two of us, okay Charlie. I'd like to see Sam married to Mallory, before Leo kills him."

"Yes, sir."

"Tell me, Charlie. Has anyone else perturbed me recently?" The President's tone echoed evilly.

"Besides, Mrs. Landingham. I don't believe so, sir."

"Well she doesn't count."

"Yes, sir."

"I think it's time for that show I wanted to watch."

"Yes, sir."

"Excuse me, Folks. I'd love to stay around and chat some more, but I'm afraid I have some phone calls left to make. So thank you very much for attending and I hope to see you again some time." The President waved as he and his aid walked out of the reception.

@@

Sam put his arms around Mallory and pulled her against him. The bedroom was dark except for the soft orange of the streetlight below. Sam watched the shadows of the curtains swaying and listened to the sound of cars on the road below swishing along the asphalt.

"I don't want to have to go to school tomorrow."

"Do the kids know?"

"No, they didn't inform the school til this afternoon." Mallory lay quietly for a minute. "They're bringing in a psychologist."

Sam kissed Mallory's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against her in silent support.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow afternoon?" She asked.

"Do you want me to come pick you up after work?"

"Yeah. I don't want to be alone tomorrow." Mallory pulled Sam's arms tighter around her.

"I'll work something out with Josh and Toby. Don't worry."

"Thank you, Sam." Sam felt her sigh and her body relax. He held her gently, the pounding of her heart, the wetness of her tears as they dribbled down her face onto his arm.

"Tomorrow will be better, Mallory." Sam said softly.

"That doesn't make today any better, Sam."

"It's not supposed to. It's supposed to make tomorrow better."

"That makes no sense, Sam. No wonder you're only the deputy." Mallory huffed turning over to face him.

"Do you have a retirement fund?"

"Yes."

"But you could die in the next minute."

"You can't live your life for the next minute. You have to plan for the future."

"So why not plan for future emotions. Tomorrow will be better."

"Your mom tell you that?"

"Grandma, after Mom died."

"Smarter than you, right?"

"Most people are smarter than me, Mallory. I just hide it well."

"Yeah."

"Thanks for agreeing."

"You'll be there tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise. Come rain, shine, or nuclear attack I'm there."

"What if my-"

"Doesn't matter what Leo says and if I talk to Mrs. Landingham and Charlie early in the day, I can fly low on the President's radar."

"You really are planning a strategy."

"It takes one to get out of the West Wing before sunset."

"Don't you think-"

"I'll be there, Mallory. Now close your eyes and go to sleep."

"Don't forget you promised."

"I won't, honey."

"Night."

@@

Mallory looked around her classroom and sighed. It had been a long hard day, trying to make nineteen kids understand the stupidity of adults. With a sigh she turned out the lights and closed her door, locking it behind her. walking towards the parking lot, she saw Sam's Jeep. But Sam wasn't in the Jeep. Her dad was.

"Dad."

"Hey baby." Leo got out of the car and pulled her into an embrace.

"Sam couldn't make it?" Mallory asked forlornly.

"He had to take some kid to the office, fell and hurt himself."

"Okay."

"You know I would rather not have to grill Sam to find out why my baby was crying."

"Yeah."

"He didn't tell me until I threatened to tell the President."

"He had a plan." Mal said softly, pulling away from her father.

"Yeah. Pretty good, except Margaret saw you in the Ladies Room yesterday." Leo looked at her more intently. "Bad day."

"Yeah. I just want to go home and cry."

"We stopped at the store, we have food, bad movies and a few boxes of Kleenex." Sam said from behind her.

"Bad movies?" Mallory asked.

"The Heroes all get screwed in the end." Leo smiled as he climbed into the back seat of the jeep.

"I'm just saying we should affirm her belief in happy endings." Sam helped Mallory into passenger seat and shut the door.

Leo waited til Sam was in the car before asking. "Sam, we work at the White House, how do you still believe in happy endings?"

"He's a Superman kind of guy, Dad." Mallory said with a smile.

"Sign me up for Batman any day." Leo muttered from the back.

Sam smiled over at Mallory. "This from the man who had issues about strong arming Congress."

"He's a Superman kind of guy too, Sam." Mallory leaned back as Sam started the car and pulled out of the school parking lot.