"Sam." I called quietly as the three passed. Sam stopped and turned to face me.

CJ and Toby stopped slightly down the hall and looked back at us. "Go 'head guys. I'll be there in a minute," Sam called distractedly, not taking his eyes off me. "So what brings you by?"

"Nothing really, I just...What's going on?"

"They found Galileo V."

"That's great."

"Yeah. The president's gonna make remarks."

"So you've gotta go."

"Yeah." He didn't move.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I could've just as easily called you, I just...I didn't, and I'd been holding against you instead."

"It's fine."

"I exagerated my relationship with Richard Anderchuck."

"What do you mean?"

"We went on one date, that was the end of it."

"Oh." he tried not to let his face light up so much. "Um, okay."

"I'm not blaming you for the picture."

"Thank you."

"Or for not calling me afterward."

"Good."

"But you should've let me know you were okay."

"When?"

"You know when."

"Things were crazy around here, Mallory...with Josh being...and the President..."

"I was just sitting there, worrying...And Dad said you were okay but I wanted to hear it myself. From you."

"You...you were worried?"

"Of course I was," I whispered.

He looked surprised. "Really?" I nodded. He smiled and gently cupped my chin, thumbing my cheek. "Sorry I worried you," he said quietly.

"...It's okay..." it was unbelievable how caught up in The Moment I was, lost in his eyes.

"...I should probably go this thing..."

"Yeah...."

"Wanna come? It's not like a Senior Staff thing, reporters and other people are allowed, so, y'know." He smiled and shrugged, and I found it hard to believe he'd been hired because of his writing ability.

"Absolutely." I grinned at him. He placed a gentle hand across the small of my back and guided me to the briefing room.