"What?"

"You know that coup, we were watching?"

"Yeah. State said-"

"State was wrong." Josh said flatly. He hadn't moved from the doorway. "Leo and Toby are in the air. CJ is getting ready to brief the press."

"What do you need me to do?"

"We need a statement and you need to go be with the President." Josh looked happy to hand off the job of the President to Sam.

"Tell CJ five minutes. And Send Kathy in please."

"Sure. And Sam? Keep his blood pressure down."

"Yeah, Charlie went home."

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Yeah." Josh stood in the doorway and Sam looked at him.

"Josh?"

"Yeah."

"Leave."

"Okay."

Josh moved out of the office and a few minutes later, Kathy came in. "You needed me, Sam?"

"Call State and find out everything you can about the-"

"I'm on it."

"Thanks." Sam watched as Kathy moved out to phone and started giving instructions to Bonnie and Ginger. Looking at the clock at the wall, Sam sighed. He didn't figure he'd get home before three am.

@@

Sam was thankful for the quiet that seeped from every corner of his home. After hurried conversations and lengthy trivia with the President, it was nice to just be silent and still. Outside the street even fell silent, three am being too late and too early all at once.

Dropping his briefcase in the hall and dumping his trench coat on the rack, Sam started for the stairs, pulling off his tie and laying it on the banister. His jacket was dropped on the newel post at the top of the stairs. He made it to his room before kicking off his shoes. He didn't bother with the light, merely sitting on the edge of the bed and untucking his shirt. He dropped the white wrinkled fabric to the floor and lay on the bed, opening one eye to check the alarm on his beside table. He sighed softly and closed his eyes.

The bed wiggled. Sam opened his eyes and waited. The bed definitely wiggled. Sam jumped three feet when a hand came to rest against his shoulder blades.

"Oh God!" Sam turned on a light to see Mallory smiling at him from the bed. "Mallory, you scared me."

"I gave up on you after one."

"There was a coup."

"Really? But the President is alright now?"

"Not here, it was in Burundi."

"I know, I saw on the television."

"Oh." Sam still looked at her from his place on the bed. "Did I forget a date? An Anniversary?"

"No, Sam. I just thought since we haven't seen each other much since Christmas, I'd come surprise you." Mallory moved closer to Sam.

"I'm sorry. I've just been really busy."

"I know, but don't worry about it. Turn off the light, close your eyes and go to sleep."

"I was just going to take a catnap."

"Go to sleep, Sam."

Sam reached to the light and flicked it off and lay down again.

"Under the covers, Sam." Mallory helped him wiggle under the covers and then she snuggled up to him, watching as his eyelids slid shut. His body gave a sigh and fell silent with only the gentle breathe on her cheek.

@@

The annoying beep of the alarm woke Mallory, and she tried to block it out. After thirty seconds though, she was just pissed. She opened her eyes and stared at Sam's slack face. His face didn't twitch at the level of noise being made. Mallory leaned over him and hit the snooze button, hoping that he would wake up to turn it off in nine minutes.

Nine minutes later she reached over to hit the button again. Sam still showed no signs of waking.

"Sam, honey?" Mallory asked, shaking him lightly.

"Hmm? Yeah?" Sam asked without moving anything but his mouth.

"Your alarm went off."

"It'll go off at five."

"It already went off. It's time for you to get up."

"No it's not, I just laid down."

"Sam, it's five. Time to get moving."

"I'll get up when the alarm goes off."

"It's already gone off. It's Five Fifteen."

"I don't have to be at work until Five thirty."

Mallory sighed, looking at the obviously still asleep, Sam. "SAM! GET UP NOW!" Mallory screamed at the top of her lungs smiling at the way Sam's eyes popped open.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey." Mallory shifted away from him. "Your alarm went off."

Sam turned away from Mallory to look at the alarm clock and hurriedly got up. "I have to be in the office in fifteen minutes. Mallory laid her head back down and closed her eyes, listening to Sam's hurried movements. She heard the spray of the shower and the bumps as Sam moved around trying to get ready.

When she felt the bed dip beside her, she opened her eyes to see Sam in pants and an undershirt putting on his shoes and socks. When he had them both tied, he looked at Mallory, savoring her soft face and gentle smile.

"Thank you."

"Well the alarm woke me up anyway."

"No, well yes for that. But for being here. For not killing me for getting you up early. For just. . . "

"Don't worry about it, Sam."

"So if I get out of there before eight, can I call you?"

"Yeah."

Sam leaned down and kissed Mallory's lips lightly, before caressing her cheek and getting up to put on the rest of his suit.

"I love you, Mal."

"Love you too." Mallory closed her eyes and heard the faint footsteps on the stairs, the beeps of the house alarm and savored the taste of Sam in the early morning. She crawled over to his side of the bed, where it was still warm, where the scent of him still lingered. Silence seeped back into the corners of the house as Mallory slid back to sleep for a few more minutes.