| TITLE: This Hal#lowed Night AUTHOR: Kasey SUMMARY: Though it may sound like Halloween, I mean it more like sacred…and in a Valentine’s Day sort of way. (Don’t ask, it came to me in a vision! Okay, or not.) RATING: Definitely Sam-Mal, PG-13 AUTHOR NOTES: “Donnatella Moss!” Josh called as he walked through his bullpen area. “Why is there so much red around here?” “Because Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching.” “It’s rapidly approaching?” “Yes.” “A day’s the same amount of time still, right?” “Yes.” “So it’s approaching no more rapidly than any other day.” “Showoff.” “Yes indeed.” He walked into Sam’s office, where his best friend was hard at work on a speech for some organization or another which had absolutely no point or spark of interest, but the President had to speak for. “Samuel.” “Joshua.” “What are you up doing three days from now?” “Today’s Monday…Three days from now it will be Thursday…I’d guess that I’d be working.” “What’s the date today, Sam?” “February 11.” “So what would three days from now be?” “February 14th,” he answered, not looking up, then it hit him. “Valentine’s Day is Thursday?” “Yes.” “THIS Thursday?” “Yes.” “How did I miss this?” “Sorry, I guess I forgot to get you a copy of the memo.” “This Thursday!” “Yes, it’s rapidly approaching.” “Dammit!” “I guess I would be right in assuming you haven’t asked Mallory out to dinner yet?” “What makes you so sure I was GOING to ask her?” “Maybe because you’re in love with her?” “Fair point.” “You haven’t asked her?” “No.” “Because you didn’t know Valentine’s Day was this Thursday?” “Right.” “Want my advice?” “What?” “Ask her before Thursday.” ~*~*~*~ Sam picked up the phone only to set it back down again. It was the same routine he’d been doing for at least an hour. Get pumped up, pick up the phone, be about to dial, chicken out, hang up. It was actually a pretty good system – he figured he’d built a decent amount of muscle in his arm, at any rate. Cathy poked her head in. “Sam? Are you on the phone?” “What? No, I’ve just been –“ “Too chicken to call Mallory?” “Of course not –“ “She’s on line two.” Sam immediately snatched up the receiver. “M-Mallory? Hi…” “Hello, Sam.” “How are you?” “Okay. So listen. Do you by chance have plans for Thursday evening?” “Thursday evening?” “Yes.” “You mean Valentine’s Day?” “Yes, Sam.” “Because, see, I didn’t know that Thursday WAS Valentine’s Day until like an hour ago.” “You didn’t realize Thursday was Valentine’s Day?” “Not until an hour ago.” “Okay, Sam.” “Why do you ask?” “Because I was wondering if you had plans.” “No, no I don’t.” “Would you like to go to dinner, then?” “Dinner?” “Yes.” “With you?” “Yes, Sam.” “O-Okay…I’ll pick you up at seven?” “Provided there’s not a birthday message to be written?” “I’ll check in advance.” “Good then. I’ll see you then.” “Yes…Goodbye.” ~*~*~*~ “Okay, guys,” the President said as he walked into the 5:00 Senior Staff meeting. “I’m gonna do my best to keep it short as I’m sure all of you attractive young men and women have plans for Valentines Day this evening.” “Why do I get the feeling it’s more that YOU have plans, sir?” Josh asked. “Are you implying that I, the president of the United States, believe that my social life is more important than the running of this country?” “I would,” Leo piped up. “Damn straight. So. Let’s get it over with.” The meeting continued in its usual fashion, but Sam couldn’t shake the idea that Leo kept staring at him. As soon as they adjourned, he found he was right as Leo approached him. “I assume you and Mallory have plans.” “Yes, we do,” he answered uncertainly. “Where are you taking her?” “Um…Dinner at Chez Michele, followed by a walk through the park.” “Nice.” He paused. “Look, Sam, I know you like her a lot and that’s great. But if you ever do ANYTHING to hurt her, I will personally ensure that your life becomes a living hell.” “Y-yes, sir.” “Okay then. You can go.” “And have a nice day to you, too,” Sam muttered as he left, heading to the gym to ride the bike before going back to his apartment to shower, shave, and shine his shoes. ~*~*~*~ He reached the door of Mallory’s apartment at exactly 7:00, but it took him until 7:05 to be able to knock. She smiled at him as she opened the door. “Hey, there,” she said, opening the door. “You ready to go?” “Absolutely.” She was dressed in the cranberry dress she’d planned to wear on their non-date to the opera, her hair held back slightly with a silver clip containing a crystal on the closed end. She grabbed her purse and long black coat before locking up her apartment and heading out with Sam into the chilly night. The atmosphere in the restaurant was magical, but what else could be expected of a small French restaurant on Valentine’s Day? The food was delicious, but for all Sam cared, it could’ve been sawdust on his plate. All of his attention, emotions, senses, and desires were on Mallory, and the fact that, even after all the things he’d screwed up, she was sitting across from him on the most romantic night of the year. She smiled shyly when he complimented how beautiful she looked, especially in the candlelight, and told him that maybe he should’ve been a poet, which made him smile and blush in return. They turned over their table at a little before nine o’clock and headed to the park as it started to snow. “Great,” Mallory muttered. “I knew I should’ve worn my warmer coat.” “You’re cold?” “Kinda, yeah,” she said quietly. “Here.” Sam started shrugging out of his trench coat. “Sam! You’ll freeze!” “No, no. I insist.” He wrapped the coat around her shoulders and she smiled up at him. They stopped walking and their eyes met. Sam paused, unsure of whether to take over or let her lead. “Sam.” “What?” “I’m standing here…” “You – You want me to kiss you?” Mallory fought the urge to knock on his head and say “Hello!?” but instead said in a very quiet voice, “If it’s not too much trouble.” “…Okay…” Hesitantly at first, Sam leaned down and covered her lips with his. It was a brief kiss, then he drew back, reading her reaction. She smiled at him, so he kissed her again. |