"Ready?" She asked entering the room to lean one hip against his desk.

"I'm sorry I have an appointment with my girlfriend. You'll have to find someone else to all elf up." Sam stood and invaded Mallory's personal space.

"Too bad there, Grinch. You are my assignment for the day." Mallory laid a hand on Sam's deep green Henley.

Sam pulled her closer, her face close enough to see the flush rise along her cheeks. "Just for the day there, Red?"

"Don't call me Red, Grinch." Mallory swayed away from Sam leaning back over his arms.

"Coppertop?"

"Nope."

"Bunny?"

Mallory looked at Sam curiously. "Bunny?"

Sam leaned closer to her, his cheek brushing hers. "I'm referring to the pink bunny that keeps going and going." Sam sighed as Mallory leaned even closer to him, the way her body fit along his perfectly.

"Are you both insane?" Josh asked as he walked in. "Cause I'm pretty sure it wasn't that long ago that Leo was pissed at both of you for that little stunt in your office." Josh leaned against the wall by the door, crossing his arms over his chest, a small smile chasing across his face.

"It wasn't about the office, Josh. It was about-" Sam trailed off as Mallory elbowed him. "Nothing." Sam finished lamely.

"Yeah, what'd he do catch you in bed." Josh's face lit up. "You're joking. Oh god, why are you not dead, Sam?"

"Shut up, Josh. We're going Christmas Shopping and you aren't on my list." Sam informed him gathering up his jacket and escorting Mallory out of the office.

"That's good because I'm Jewish." Josh shouted after them.

Toby opened the door to his office and looked out at Josh. "You do realize every year you run around the hall shouting out, 'look what Sam got me.'"

"Yeah, but it's the whole, you-got-nothing-on-me, thing."

"Only in your sad little brain, Josh."

"Okay."

Toby rolled his eyes and headed toward the coffee pot.

@@

Mallory and Sam were winded as they walked through the doors into the Pentagon City Mall. Sam looked out on the sea of cars and squinted.

"Is that my Jeep?" He asked pointing to a car in the furthest row.

"Worry about where we've parked later. We're on a mission today, Grinch." Mallory pulled Sam out of the way of a large family bickering on their way to the parking lot. "Do you have your list?"

"Yes." Sam pulled out a piece of paper. "I already got Toby's gift. He wanted tickets to Gallagher in March."

"Did you get good seats?"

Sam smiled in glee. "Front row."

"You do realize that Gallagher is the comic that sma-Never mind." Mallory chuckled. "Let's see who else you have. Josh, CJ, Dad, The first family, Kathy, Ginger, Bonnie, and Charlie."

"Put down Margaret, Mrs. Landingham, Ainsley and Donna." Sam pointed out helpfully.

"Turn around." Sam did as she asked and felt the familiar poke of a pen on his back.

"Okay. By the way, you aren't getting Josh what you put down."

"Why not?"

"Cause you only buy acquaintances the Singing Fish."

"He really wants a Singing fish."

"No he doesn't, Sam. We'll get him something better, trust me." Mallory folded the list back up and put it in her pocket.

@@

Sam could swear that this was the fourth rendition of Sleigh Ride he had heard in the past hour. "Doesn't anyone play White Christmas, anymore?" He asked suddenly looking at Mallory.

"Traditionalist." Mallory complained as she held up a sweater. "What do you think of this?"

Sam looked at her warily. "Who for?"

"My dad."

"I've never seen your father in anything but a suit, so maybe a tie would be better."

"You're such a guy." Mallory folded the sweater back and put it down. Sam sighed in relief. "Don't sound so relieved."

"Sorry."

"Grinch."

"Bunny."

Mallory slid her hand along Sam's back and settled under his arm. "Why don' t we try the next store?"

"Thank you." Sam pulled her tighter beside him and they walked out the door.

@@

Mallory saw Sam's eyes wander as they stood near the carolers in the center of the mall. She followed his eyes to a jewelry store window. Absently, they both clapped despite the bags that hung from their arms.

"Is there something you want to see, Sam?" Mallory asked gently. Sam looked at her guiltily.

"I . . . Yeah. Just a second."

Mallory's eyes opened wide as Sam dragged her toward the store. The glitter of diamonds and gold twinkled brightly in Mallory's eyes and she saw Sam digging around his body for something.

"Honey, can you read that price tag?" He asked, pointing with one hand to a set of gold earrings.

"A Hundred." Mallory said as she watched Sam pull out his cell phone.

With a punch of the buttons he held the phone to his ear. "Hey, Toby, is Josh still around? He is? Right there? Good, put on the speaker phone." There was a pause in the conversation. "I'm at the mall and I'm looking at a gift for CJ. Shut up, Josh. Toby, you know CJ's necklace, the one she lost after the shooting. No, no she has it back. I had it. Well cause I didn't want her to feel-never mind. I'm looking at a pair of Earrings that match it perfectly. How do I know? Because Josh, I stared at it for hours while you were having surgeons digging around in your chest." Sam sighed. "I'm sorry, Josh. Just trust me. It's a little expensive for me, but I thought if the three of us went-- Yes I realize you're both Jewish. You do realize I care about that about as much as I care that the Roosevelt Room is named after Teddy, right?"

Mallory smacked Sam's arm before walking away.

"So I figure between the three of us, it shouldn't be more than thirty-five dollars. Josh? Can you breath now? Is that a yes?"

"Alright." Sam hung up the phone to look for Mallory, only to find her in the store, already talking to a man behind the counter. She pointed to the case Sam was drooling at and gestured. The man disappeared into the back as Sam walked up to her.

"You were pretty sure of them." He commented taking a seat on a stool, dropping the bags he was holding.

"You weren't going to get off the phone til they said yes, just thought I'd save you some time." Mallory sat down next to him, staring at the rings in the case beneath her elbow. Sam looked at the rings amazed at the different selections. Mallory pointed at a ring towards the back. "That one is like my mother's engagement ring."

"It's pretty."

"Yeah." Mallory sighed. "I wonder what she did with it."

"It's probably tucked away somewhere."

"Yeah."

Sam's fingers doodled on the case, stopping over another ring. "My mom's looked like that, only not so fancy."

"It's pretty." Mallory leaned over to look at ring.

"Yeah, she wore it everyday of her life." Sam smiled at the memory. Mallory's hand covered Sam's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

The man returned, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the two hands joined over the engagement rings. "Here you go, Ma'am. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

She rolled her eyes as she took Sam's wallet from her purse. "No thank you." She plunked down one of his credit cards and waited patiently for Sam to sign the slip. She put his wallet back in her purse and waited for Sam to gather the bags before moving on to the next store, her mind already on the task of Josh's gift.

@@

Sam struggled under the weight of the bags as they walked out to the car, but he didn't complain because Mallory's arms were equally as full.

"Did we park at the White House?" Mallory asked stopping suddenly.

"No, but we're in the last row."

"We should have stalked somebody."

"Yes, dear." Sam didn't mention that she said anywhere would do.

"You owe me a bubble bath and dinner for this."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Slippers and a massage."

"Yes, dear."

"Your first born child."

"You may have all my children, my dear." Sam said with a grin. "I don't do the whole nine months and labor thing."

"You're asking for it, you know that."

"Yes, dear."

@@

Sam looked at the mangled paper in front of him and the tape dispenser next to his leg.

"Mallory!!!!" He called urgently. She came out of his kitchen already in her pajamas. "Help. I can't reach the tape."

Mallory sat down in front of him and surveyed the semi wrapped gift in his hands. "Here let me see that." She took the box from him and in a few minutes had the paper smoothed to perfection. "Put the tape on, Sam." She instructed. Between the two, the remaining gifts became wrapped.

As a final addition Mallory stuck a Martha Stewart Bow to Sam's head. "You are my present, right?" She asked as she moved closer.

"Go ahead and unwrap me." Sam said before kissing her slowly, the soft sounds of a jazzy carol on the stereo.

@@

Sam walked out of the bathroom, dressed for work in his gray suit. And was met with a scowling Mallory.

"What?" He asked looking down at his suit. It looked fine, creases straight.

"Tell me what day it is today."

"The twenty-third."

"When do you go back to work again?"

"Assuming nothing happens, the twenty sixth."

"So tell me again, why aren't you wearing Christmas Clothes?"

"Mallory, nobody else will be wearing Christmas stuff. What I'm wearing will be fine." Sam explained gently.

"Well that's where you're wrong. See I told my dad that I would be by, so he'll be wearing the tie that I bought him last year."

"You went back and bought that sweater for your dad, didn't you?"

"Yep." Mallory held up a new suit for Sam.

Sam looked at his suit, and then looked at the black suit and Santa Claus suspenders and tie Mallory held out. Sam turned around to change clothes.

@@

"Wow! Look at Santa Jr. Just strolling into town." Shouted Bonnie as she saw Sam with his tie, suspenders and embarrassingly Santa capped. Sam sighed as he made his way to his desk with his armload of presents. Inside he found, Josh waiting eagerly.

"So where's my present?" He asked.

"Good morning and Season's Greetings to you too, Josh?"

"Get to the good part. We've been friends for years, hand over the gift." Josh caught the gift that Sam tossed his way. "Mallory helped with the wrapping, didn't she?" Josh eyed the bows and ribbons covering the present.

"Mallory helped with everything this year." Sam waved his tie at Josh and sat at his desk.

"Cute tie. Looks just like Leo's."

"Oh, joy. We match."

"Not quite." Josh finally found the wrapping paper and dug his fingers into paper. Unpeeled the paper to reveal-"Um, Sam?"

"Yeah."

"What's this?" Josh looked at the coffee mug in the box.

"A coffee mug that you won't have to refill nine times a day." Sam said. "Read the card."

Josh dug around in the discarded paper to find the card. It read, "Love "Mallory" and Sam, now ask for your real present."

"Can I have my real present now?" Josh asked curiously.

Sam handed him a clumsily wrapped gift. Josh tore into the paper in seconds jumping up when he opened the box. Oh this is great, Sam." Josh took off out of Sam's office screaming, "Look what Sam got me. All four of the singing seafood things. Donna look, a lobster, a shark, a trout and Billy Bass."

Sam smiled looking at the coffee mug still sitting in his office. A second later, Donna poked her head in.

"Thanks a lot, Sam." She screeched as a present came at her. She looked at the present in her hand. "Thanks, Sam." She left for her desk to open her present.

"KATHY!" Sam yelled out to the bullpen.

"You rang, boss?" Kathy said in a sweet tone.

"Are you feeling all right?" Sam asked suspiciously.

"Yes, Merry Christmas, by the way. Would you like some coffee?"

"No thanks, I got some on the way to work." Sam gave her three gifts. "For you, Bonnie and Ginger."

"Thanks Sam." Kathy leaned over and kissed his cheek, and taking off out of the room with the presents. Toby knocked on the door.

"Sam? The President would like to see us."

"Okay." Sam gathered several presents and started after Toby. "Hey Toby. Here." Sam handed over a card, which Toby opened as they walked toward the Oval Office.

"Thank you, Sam. But front row wasn't necessary."

"Only the best for you, Toby." Sam smiled at him innocently.

Toby walked faster to get away from Sam.

Sam smiled at Mrs. Landingham as they came into her domain. "Morning Mrs. Landingham." Sam handed over a gift to her.

"Good morning, boys. He'll be ready for you in a minute."

"Thank you, Mrs. Landingham." Toby said and leaned against the desk.

"Ah, Sam can I have a minute?" Charlie asked from his desk.

"Sure." Sam walked over set a wrapped gift on Charlie's desk.

"I-about your gift, Sam. I mean I appreciate it. But Man, really. It's a little personal." Charlie said hesitantly.

"I don't understand. You haven't opened it yet." Sam looked at the present on the desk.

"No, man. I was talking about the envelope."

"What envelope?"

"This envelope, you left on my desk last night." Charlie held out a large white package envelope to Sam. Sam opened it and turned bright red.

"I didn't . . . I mean . . . This wasn't me." Sam stumbled over the words as Toby came to look over his shoulder. The door opened to the Oval Office.

"Good morning, Toby, Sam. What's that you got there?" The President moved out and took the envelope from Sam's frozen fingers. He looked inside and smiled benignly.

"Well, just don't let Leo see this." The President handed it back to Sam, who took it mutely. The President moved back towards the door intent on moving the conversation to the Oval Office.

"Well Mr. President," Toby smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "It isn't Sam's gift. It's Charlie's."

The President turned to look at the three men standing around Charlie's desk. "Excuse me?"

"It's Charlie's." Toby smiled slowly.

"Someone sent Charlie a package of Condoms?" The President walked towards them, his face scrunched up in anger.

"Sam, sir." Charlie said.

"Not me. Your gift is right there. Mallory helped me buy it and wrap it."

"Mallory?" The President asked, his face lighting up.

Sam looked like a deer in headlights. "Yes, sir."

"Give me those."

Sam handed over the contraband. "Do you know who they're from, sir?"

"Leo." The President looked past Sam and Toby to the door.

"Good Morning, Mr. President." Leo grinned.

"Charlie got your present."

"That's nice, but I warned you." Leo joined the group and took the package from the President. "Here you go, Charlie, enjoy." Leo handed Charlie the envelope.

"Ah, Leo, man. I-"

"Don't worry about it, Charlie. The President is cool with the fact that you're having sex with his daughter."

"What'd I miss?" Josh asked as he came into the room.

"The President has no problem with Charlie sleeping with Zoey." Toby drolly replied.

"Since when?" Josh asked looking at the four people in the room.

"Since he said it was no big deal that I caught Sam in bed with Mallory." Leo said.

"Sam is sleeping with Mallory?" CJ asked as she too, walked in. Sam's face turned a deep crimson.

"As much as I'd like to see Sam turn purple, can we please move on?" Toby asked before pointing at the door to the Oval Office.

@@

The senior staff sighed as the chopper carrying the President and first family took off. They were free to take off their ties and their holiday cheerfulness.

"Thank god they're gone." Toby announced as they moved indoors to clean up.

"I don't think I could handle another discussion on the inaccuracies of White Christmas." CJ sighed.

"Wasn't he running late?" Josh rammed a hand through his hair.

"When is he not?" Leo loosened his tie slightly.

The rest of the senior staff looked at Sam. "Well?" Josh asked impatiently.

"I don't officially become a Grinch until after midnight."

"My daughter got you didn't she." Leo looked at him sympathetically. The staff followed Leo into his office.

"We're going Christmas Caroling with my neighbors, who I didn't know until a week ago." Sam leaned against on of the straight chairs in front of Leo's desk.

"Ouch." CJ slumped onto the couch and took off her glasses.

"Does anyone know what Wassailing means?" Sam asked suddenly.

"To give a toast of good health." Toby said patiently.

"You're a freak. You know that?" Josh said suddenly.

"He did know that, cause I told him that earlier." CJ put in.

"I don't know about you, but I'm headed home to sleep and hide from Christmas until Mallory comes. I will see you in a few days folks." Leo got up and shooed them out of his office. "Margaret, I'm leaving now."

She poked her head into his office and smiled. "Have a Merry Christmas, Leo."

"Yeah, you too."

@@

Mallory laughed as the light dawned in the foyer of Sam's home. "I can't believe you needed cheat sheets for Christmas Carols. Everyone knows the words to Jingle Bells." She pulled her jacket off and smiled at Sam as he struggled to get the code punched into the alarm. The annoying beeps stopped chiming in the empty hall and Sam closed the door.

"It's been a few years, Mallory. And my family was never big on carols to begin with."

Mallory helped Sam off with his jacket. Sighing she rested her cold cheeks against his warm body. Sam folded her into his arms and snuggled close.

"This is nice." Mallory slid her hands under Sam's sweatshirt, making contact with his warm skin.

"Cold hands. Remove the cold hands." Sam tried to escape the icicles that clung to his back. Mallory backed him into the door, and reached up to gently kiss him. "That's not going to work young lady." Sam said sliding out of Mallory's reach. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Sure, Sam." Mallory followed Sam into the Kitchen. She hopped up on the counter to watch as he made the coffee pot. When the water was steaming and dripping into the pot, Sam looked at Mallory.

"So, are we in for the night?" Sam asked, staying where he was.

"Yes, Mr. Anti-elf. We are in for the night."

"Do you want your presents?"

"There's more than one?"

"There is one in every room of the house for you."

"You're joking."

"Nope, go look." Sam smiled as she looked around the kitchen, spotting the open cabinet door and the present inside.

"Do I have to collect them all, first?"

"You can do whatever you want, Mal. It's your Christmas."

Mallory looked at the small package in her hands. She ran her finger along the taped edge and split the tape and paper in two, revealing a music box. Mallory opened the small circular box and smiled at the twinkling sound. Irish Lullaby.

"How did you know this was my favorite?" Mallory asked.

"Took a chance. Go find the others." Sam poured two cups of coffee as Mallory rounded up the three gifts from the first floor. Sam moved to the couch in the living room and relaxed. Taking off his shoes and leaning back he watched as Mallory found a teddy bear, a key chain and a key.

"Your house?" Mallory asked, looking at the key.

"Just don't tell your mother." Sam said as Mallory curled up beside him and took a sip of coffee.

"I have to be at her house tomorrow at ten, so don't let me sleep in."

"I'm not waking you up. You're grouchier than Toby." Sam told her.

"Am not."

"Yes, you are. I had to share a room with him for the first part of the campaign and trust me when I tell you that you both put Oscar the grouch to shame."

"So, are you coming with me to find the rest of the gifts?" Mal asked, standing up and holding a hand out to Sam.

Sam said not a word but went straight to work, leading Mallory up the stairs where she found another gift, opening it on the stairs, Mallory's lit on the eighteen pack of candles. The guest bedroom, she found a robe, warm and flannel. The guest bathroom had a Victoria Secret gift pack of lotion, in her favorite scent. The hall had a pair of pajamas. The master bath, which Sam led her to, first had bubble bath and a pair of Opera tickets.

"So what's in the master bedroom, Sam?" Mallory asked. "And can it wait for later?"

"It'll wait as long as you want it to, Mallory."

"Cause I was thinking, we could maybe put this bubble bath to good use."

"You want me to smell like a girl?"

"I want you to join me in a bubble bath, Sam. I'm sure your brain can wrap around the idea of you, me, water, and not much else."

"Okay."

@@

Sam set the coffee cup down on the table beside the bed, and just watched Mallory sleep. Her soft skin flowed gently over her bones, and he could feel the petal softness even an hour after he had woken. Her hair clung to her head, and stuck out, curling slightly from the moisture of last night's bath.

He could slide under the covers, and just hold her for hours. But then he'd have to deal with Leo and Jenny, so he reached gently to tap Mal on the shoulder.

"Honey?"

"Go away."

"You have to get up."

"No, I don't."

"It's eight o'clock. If you want to be at your mother's at ten, you need to get up."

"Go away, Sam. Last night was great and if you want another night like it, you'll go away."

"In two hours your mother's going to realize your not at her house, and then she's going to call your house, and get the machine, then she going to wait half an hour and call again, and then, do you know what she'll do?"

"Do I care?"

"She'll call your dad, who will know that you're here. And they will ring my doorbell and yell at us all over again, even though we're in our thirties."

Mallory opened her eyes. "You're right, she will."

"Yeah. I want to eat today."

"Did you bring coffee?"

"Do I look stupid enough not to?" Sam leaned down and gave Mallory a kiss. "Get your shower, get dressed."

"Are you taking control?"

"Only until your brain is functioning again." Sam got up, and started towards the door.

"Sam? Thank you for the locket."

"The First Lady helped."

"I need a picture of you in it though."

Sam looked at her deeply. "Check the jewelry box again Mallory." Mal got out of bed and walked to where she had set the box her locket had come in. Under the velvet box, sat a picture of her parents from some fundraiser, and a picture of Sam, both perfectly cut to fit the locket. She felt Sam's arms around her. "That's what Mrs. Barlet helped with."

"Picture obtainer. She had good taste."

"She cut out Toby and Josh though."

"Smart woman. I don't love them." Mallory set both the pictures down and turned to Sam. "Come to Midnight Mass tonight."

"Mal."

"Please, dad's coming. I want you there."

"You should be spending time with your family. They don't want me there, and I'm not Catholic."

"So? Sam, please."

"I get to be a Grinch and sleep the rest of the day?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Sam relented.

"I'll be by to pick you up at 9 o'clock." Mallory left him standing by the dresser by himself, wondering what punishment Jenny would have for ruining her Christmas.