Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

The gentle clinking of knives against champagne glasses was almost deafening as Michael stood to face the crowded hall.

“For those of you who don’t know, I am Michael Scott, Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.  I’ve known these kids for quite some time.  I watched them meet in our building, watched them fall in love, watched them do the deed under the stairwell during lunch hour…don’t try and deny it you two rascals! No, but seriously, it has been a joy watching these two come together, and even more so when I think that I may have had a little something do with it.  To the bride and groom!  Mazeltov!”

Bob and Phyllis shared a small kiss at the head table at the conclusion of Michael’s toast as the other guests cheered for the newly married couple.  Jim sat back, bemused at his boss’s predictable antics and smiling warmly at the adoration with which the newlyweds looked at each other.  And as he surveyed the whole room, he saw that weddings could indeed bring out sides of even the most hard-shelled and emotionally frigid co-workers.  Stanley had left his trusty crossword puzzle at home for the occasion, looking genuinely happy for his desk mate.  Angela even sent warm and supportive looks toward Phyllis while tenderly holding Dwight’s hand.  And perhaps the most surprising was Ryan’s attendance and sincere emotion during the ceremony, a weeping Kelly clinging to his arm.  The staff had unexpectedly bonded under the consensus that it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving couple.  

Well, Jim thought as he stared into his champagne, not necessarily.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to start getting sappy on me,” Karen said with a smirk, as she sat down beside him, handing him a plate of wedding cake.

“You’re one to talk, I saw you dabbing your eyes during the ceremony.”

“I’m a girl, I’m allowed to cry,” Karen stated, taking a triumphant bite of cake.  She had curled her hair for the occasion. Jim pushed down the uneasy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach to see her normally straight hair bouncing in loose curls, half of it pulled back in a barrette.

“Are we going for a Shirley Temple look today?” he teased as he gently pulled at a curl, letting it go and watching it spring back into place.

“Yeah, but I left my bloomers at home and the tap shoes are in the repair shop so the look isn’t complete,” she quipped back.  They certainly worked well together; like an Abbott and Costello who just happened to sleep in the same bed and try to get ready in the same cramped bathroom the next morning.

Jim felt an all too familiar tug at his heart as he watched Bob and Phyllis make their way to dance floor to have their first dance as man and wife.  He admired their love for each other: simple, quiet, and completely boundless.  He felt Karen’s hand intertwine with his, giving it a small squeeze.  He looked to see her gazing at the couple, lightly biting her bottom lip and her eyes plagued with a question.  A question he already knew and wasn’t sure he was ready to answer.  For as much as he wanted to assure her that it would someday be them dancing with noses touching and a mile-wide grin, he was tired of making half-hearted promises.  Because when you’ve had a fantasy for four years of a petite, pale brunette dancing with you in a cream colored dress and a look of utter joy in her eyes , it’s not easy to suddenly replace her with a Mediterranean beauty who could easily wound you with the right glare.  So he resigned to squeezing her hand back, keeping his eyes focused on Bob and Phyllis so that she wouldn’t see the uncertainty in them.

The DJ signaled for other couples to join the new “King and Queen of Refrigeration” on the floor, and with a pang of guilt for his previous thoughts, Jim led Karen onto the dance floor.  She nestled her body against his as he began to move their bodies to the slow rhythm.  He breathed in the smell of citrus from her hair; it’s how his bathroom smelled after she had taken a shower.  It was strong and vibrant, just like her.  And on those rare occasions when she didn’t sleep over, he could still smell it on his pillow, and it gave him enough comfort to lull him into sleep.  

He lost his train of thought as a pair of timid green eyes locked with his across the room.  With no daughters and only one sister, Phyllis had asked Pam to be a bridesmaid.  And he thought he could hear God laughing at his fun joke when she brushed her now straight hair back from her face.  The simple green dress fit in all the right places, cascading down to her bubblegum pink toenails.  She was dancing with a groomsmen, keeping a safe distance between their bodies and moving rather stiffly.  When they made eye contact, his breath hitched and he was quite glad Karen had her cheek against his, unable to see what he was now blatantly staring at.  

Pam gave him a small smile while she danced with the groomsmen who, by the way he kept stumbling and looking down at the floor, had two left feet.  He returned it, still not taking his eyes off of her.  How could he?  She looked like art, like a portrait he’d seen in countless museums but would still take his breath away every time he saw it.  

Then the whole room started to slip away into haze, and soon it was just the two of them, with locked gaze, being able to move with each other even in the arms of another.  And it was almost too much for Jim to take.  The song ended, quickly turning into “Celebration” and Jim was grateful for the excuse to get away.  He started to leave when a small hand grabbed his.

“Hey, where you off to in such a hurry?” Karen asked with concern.

“Just, uhh, going to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a bit,” he said moving quickly towards the back of the reception hall, not bothering to look back at her undoubtedly worried face.  The route to the bathroom led right past Pam, and he tried desperately not to look at her as he sprinted into the men’s room.  Sink to the left, toilet to the right.  He could either dunk his head in cold water or throw up.  In the end he settled on splashing his face vigorously, rubbing his face to get the vision of Pam with straight hair and a dress the color of her eyes out of his head.  He wondered how it could be that even after six months of being with an intelligent and beautiful woman, one look from Pam could reduce him to the weak and frail boy he saw in the mirror.  Jim wiped his hands across his tie and jacket where water had been stained before finally dismissing it.  People were handling Michael’s powder blue tux, they could handle a few water spots.

He was greeted with the sight of Pam and Karen chatting over champagne as he made his way back to the reception hall.  Karen had said something to make Pam throw her head back with laughter, her nose slightly scrunching and eyes shut tight with happiness.  Ever since they had planned the alternate Christmas party together, he had felt uneasy seeing their comradery.   The two women represented such two different points of time in his life, and coming together created an ambiguous entity where Jim couldn’t tell where love began and lust ended.  He mustered up some bravery and forced a smile as he walked toward them.

“Nothing good or innocent can be coming out of the conversation you two are having,” he said as light-heartedly as possible.

Pam and Karen shared a look and for a moment Jim thought he could see something the tiniest bit of guilt in Pam.

“She wants to steal you away from me,” Karen said nodding her head in Pam’s direction.

Jim’s mouth went dry and he barely managed to squeak out “What?”

“To dance.  I was telling her to try at her own risk because let’s face it Halpert, who wants size twelve dress shoes crushing your feet?”

Pam looked at him expectantly, biting her lip, as he knew she always did when she was worried but trying to keep calm.

“Yeah, sure…uh, why not?” he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling his feet onto the dance floor.  They stood there in the middle of the room, laughing a little as they figured out which hands go where, how close is too close, and silently wondering if it’s a good idea to be in such close and intimate proximity.  Jim lightly placed his right hand on her hip as she let her hand rest on his shoulder.  Their free hands linked and eyes locked while the soft music crooned from the speakers.  It was a love ballad, that much Jim could tell, but he wasn’t focusing on the lyrics.  He was focusing on how to will his heartbeat to slow down in fear that she could feel it thumping from his chest.

“Thanks,” she whispered, and he realized this is the first thing he’s heard her say all night.  “You saved me from yet another dance with Joe Vance, Vance Plumbing,” she said with a laugh.

Jim smirked.  “You’re telling me you didn’t want to be dazzled with the details of clogged pipes?  I’m shocked.”  He looked down and smiled seeing that he had gotten another laugh out of her. She was absolutely stunning, her hair shining with honey highlights that stood out with the lack of curls in her hair.  He breathed in and caught the smell of lavender and jasmine.  Soft and comforting, just like her.  

“You look…” he paused, trying to find a neutral adjective, one that didn’t scream, “I can’t take my eyes off of you.”  She looked up at him, patiently waiting.  “Beautiful,” he finished.  Pink rushed to Pam’s cheeks as she averted her gaze to the floor, a smile playing at her lips.  So not as neutral as he had hoped, but it was the truth and even that word didn’t do her appearance justice.

“Thanks.  It’s weird seeing everyone outside of work isn’t it?  Especially at something like this, if I didn’t know better, I’d say everyone was pretty…”

“Normal,” he finished her thought and they both laughed because they both knew the Dunder Mifflin co-workers were anything but.  Maybe they would have had a shot at being average employees at any other company, but when Michael Scott hired them, none of them stood a chance.  And though he wasn’t ever sure he’d admit it, Jim wouldn’t have it any other way.

Bob and Phyllis were dancing to their left, completely giddy and unable to stop smiling.  Phyllis glanced at Pam and Jim and gave them a shy wave before turning back to her husband.  

“I’m happy for them,” Pam said sweetly. “You know, when Roy and I were engaged, I never really thought about the wedding day.”

Jim knit his brows together.  “What do you mean?”

“I thought about the day after.  When there would be no more wedding plans to be made, no arrangements, no more waiting.  We would just be married, and ready to start the rest of our lives together.”

Jim nodded his head, unsure of what to say.  He was afraid that if he spoke, what would come out is how he had imagined that day too many times than he’d care to reveal.  Waking up with her head on his chest, a ring glimmering on her left hand, knowing that from now on, she was his.  

The song ended and it killed him to stop the fluidity of their movement together and pull back.  Pam held onto his forearms, looking up at him with her mouth slightly open as if about to say something.  But he had to beat her to it.

“That’s going to happen someday.  The day after, I mean.”  With me is how he silently finished the thought, and he wondered if she had filled in the blank the same way.

“I hope so,” she said quietly, her eyes still fixed on him.

“All right, if I could have everyone’s attention please?” the DJ boomed through his mic.  “The new Mrs. Vance will now be throwing the bouquet so if we could have all the eligible ladies make their way to the floor…”

A herd of manic women pushed their way to center of the room in an attempt to find the most ideal spot.  Jim and Pam had still maintained eye contact even as they had been edged out from the dance floor when Kelly suddenly sprang up beside Pam.

“Pam! Come on, this’ll be so much fun!  Oh my god I hope I catch it, wouldn’t that be amazing?”  Pam shot a desperate look at Jim as if to say, “Help me” and he merely grinned at gave her a big thumbs up as she was dragged into the crowd.  He even saw Karen make her way over to stand next to Pam.  When he looked at her questioningly (he thought she hated these silly wedding traditions), she merely rolled her eyes and shrugged, trying to convey apathy.  But Jim knew better as he could see a bit of anxiousness in her demeanor.  

Phyllis made her way to the elevated stage, looming over the throng of women.  She turned her back and heaved the bouquet of lilies behind her. Jim heard it land in someone’s hands, but couldn’t see amongst the grappling of shrieking women.  When the floor cleared, he felt his heart drop.  Pam held one end of the now crumpled flowers while Karen held the other.  

And as if on cue, they both turned toward Jim.  

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N:  You guys, your feedback has been amazing and is seriously what is fueling this story.  You rock.  I struggled a bit with this chapter and so a huge thanks goes to Cousin Mose for helping me out.  This chapter wouldn’t be up right now if it weren’t for you.  And of course thank you to all who’ve been following this story, it means a lot.  Enjoy this chapter, and keep those reviews coming!

Disclaimer: If I ever own The Office, it’ll probably be a sign of the apocalypse.

Jim watched Karen’s taillights disappear from the parking lot, and was overcome with mixed feelings of hurt and relief.  His relentless love for Pam had hurt yet another woman, another woman that he had thought maybe he could move on with.  But there was a bigger part of him that had stopped him from doing it.  And at the moment, Jim was glad it did.

He looked at the ground for a bit, shuffling his feet, listening to Pam’s shallow breathing next to him. 

“I’m sorry,” she said after a couple minutes of silence. 

“Don’t be.”

“No, that was…I was her friend, you know?  Or at least I tried to be, and then I just let myself…” Pam rambled, beginning to pace by her car.

“Pam, calm down…” Jim grabbed her bare shoulders gently in an effort to make her sit still.

“Why didn’t you go after her?”

He certainly wasn’t expecting that question, especially from Pam.  Wasn’t it obvious?  Then again, Jim thought, nothing had really been said aloud.  It was a multitude of inside jokes, glances, and touches that when put together clearly spelled out why Jim hadn’t gone after Karen.  He knew Pam wanted to hear him say it, yet he still didn’t have the heart.  She needed to take this one, and if it meant giving her a little nudge in the right direction, so be it.

Jim looked at her earnestly.  “Why didn’t you marry Roy?”

Pam opened her mouth, her eyes wide with fear.  “That’s not fair.”

“Neither is watching my girlfriend/ride drive away from me, Pam, but I’m still here.  Neither is finding out from Michael of all people that you called off your wedding, but I’m still here.  Neither is physically removing myself from the state when you turned me down because I was in so much pain.  And yet I’m still here.”  He wasn’t completely comfortable with his tone of voice, but he was so scared of losing the momentum they had been building up that night, a little tough love was necessary.

“How the hell was I supposed to tell you that I didn’t get married?  Send you a quick e-mail saying ‘Hey Jim! How’s Stamford?  By the way, I called off my wedding!’”

“Which is so much worse than the e-mail I got from Michael saying ‘Jimboree, your Pamorama view is now single.  Why don’t you get on that like white on rice?’”

“Right, because you’re so great at communication.  You didn’t even tell me you were transferring, Jim!  You left without even so much as a goodbye!”

“You broke my heart!” Jim shouted but then grew quiet as his words echoed in his head.  He looked down when he spoke again.  “I could barely look at you, let alone say goodbye to you.”

He looked up and saw Pam’s eyes glistening with tears.  Jim swallowed hard to keep the lump from rising in his throat. 

“I have to go,” she said quietly.

“Pam, wait—“ Jim croaked.  But before he could stop her, she climbed into her car and sped off.  For the second time that night, Jim watched a pair of taillights pull away from the parking lot.  The difference was, his heart trailed after the second car.



xxx

And just in case Jim didn’t have his fill of humiliation, he was forced to ask Michael for a ride home.  He briefly thought he’d be able to go the fifteen-minute ride back to his apartment without being interrogated.  But Michael wanted, as he put it, “the dealio.”

“Karen and I broke up tonight…sort of.” 

“You gave her the axe huh?  Kicked her to the curb?  Left her high and dry?  Hit it then quit it?”

“Wow, okay, stop.  I didn’t plan on it ending tonight, it just happened.”

Michael eyed Jim.  “This wouldn’t have anything to do with our little Pamwich, would it?”

Jim pulled at a thread coming loose on the passenger’s seat.  “Yeah, it did.  We had this, moment I guess, in the parking lot and Karen saw it.”

“Well if you two had a moment, why didn’t she drive you back to your place to…” Michael wagged his eyebrows.

Jim rolled his eyes.  “Things just got weird, we started yelling at each other, and she just left.  I don’t know, I thought that after Karen left, it was clear where we stood.  And she just ran away…again.”

“Did you try and stop her?”

“No! I’m tired of running after her!” Jim shouted.  He took a deep breath, frustrated with allowing himself to be vulnerable again, and of all places, in front of Michael.

“Sorry, I’m just frustrated,” Jim said, shaking his head and staring out the passenger window.

“No problem, Jim Bean.  And listen, don’t be so hard on Pam.  She’ll come around, and if you really love her, you’ll wait.”

Jim was taken aback at his boss’s oddly logical advice.  For all of Michael’s immature and often-inappropriate behavior, he had a good heart and Jim was grateful for it.  He gave a crooked smile.

“Thanks Michael, I’ll see you on Monday,” Jim said as the car pulled up in front of his apartment.

“Yes indeedy.  Hey do you want some company?  We could open a couple of brewskies, play some X-Box—“

“You know what, sounds tempting, but I’m pretty wiped out.  Take a rain-check though!”  And before Michael could say another word, Jim shut the passenger door, giving one last wave before sprinting upstairs.

The apartment felt cold, and for the first time since he’d moved in, he wished he still had a roommate.  Karen had been over so much that she had started to feel like one and Jim was used to having the company.  It hadn’t been a bad relationship at all, one of his healthiest in fact.  They had fallen into a comfortable routine that Jim was sure that he could get used to.  Eventually.  After work she’d come over and make dinner for the two of them, which Jim didn’t mind at all since she made incredible Italian food.  They would talk for hours over wine, or watch mindless reality TV.  Then they’d retreat to bed, holding each other close till they drifted away to sleep.  It had never gone beyond that, and as Jim thought back on it realized that it should have been an indication of him still loving Pam.  Every time things seemed to be leading to something more intimate with Karen, he’d stop it.  In his gut he knew it would be taking advantage, and he refused to let himself be that kind of guy.

A curling iron was strewn about the bathroom counter next to a can of hairspray and some makeup.  It was all that was left of a relationship based on denial and his desperate need to move on.

xxx

Jim groaned as he heard a loud pounding on his door the next morning.  It was Sunday, and the thought of doing anything other than drinking beer, watching football and wallowing made him sick.  By the ferocity of the knocking, he knew exactly who was on the other side of the door.  He threw on an old t-shirt and shuffled his way over to the door, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to wake up. He opened the door to reveal a tired looking Karen, holding a single cardboard moving box.

Jim leaned against the doorframe.  “Hey.”

“I just came by to pick some stuff up.  I brought over the few things you left at my place.”  Karen’s voice was stiff, trying not to show any emotion.  Jim knew she worked hard to maintain her tough exterior, and he felt pangs of guilt knowing that he had caused that exterior to crumble the night before.  Karen looked over Jim’s shoulder.  “She’s not…I mean, is she…”

“No, she’s not here.  Come on in.”  Karen walked briskly into the apartment, heading straight for his bedroom.  He could hear whatever items were in the box being dumped forcefully onto the bed.  Jim groaned, knowing he was in for a rough morning.  He found that being emotionally drained was a lot like a hangover: a dull pain resonating throughout his body that could be slightly cured with either time or more alcohol.  Since he had neither, he opted for coffee and moved to the kitchen to make the strongest pot possible.

He heard Karen move on into the bathroom, rummaging through cabinets and carelessly tossing them into the box.  She finally emerged back into the living room, placing the box on his coffee table with a sigh. 

“I think I got everything.  If you find anything else, bring it to work tomorrow,” she said as she looked in her purse for her keys, not looking up at Jim.

“Wait, Karen, stay for a minute.  I’ve…got coffee,” he offered weakly.  She finally turned her head to him.  Yep, he thought, there’s that look: the one that could wound.  He’d been on the receiving end of that look in a teasing way before, but this one was for real. 

Karen nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table, drumming her fingers softly against the wooden surface.  Jim poured her a cup, making it the way she knew she liked: black with one packet of Splenda.  He didn’t particularly like the sweetener, but he’d started buying it for her when things had gotten more serious. 

“Thanks,” she said softly as he handed her the cup, taking the chair across from her.

Jim stared down at his own mug of coffee, unsure of how to begin.  He didn’t know how much of his past with Pam she wanted to hear, and was terrified of upsetting her.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?”  she asked finally.

Jim sat thoughtfully for a moment, figuring out where to begin.  He proceeded to tell her the entire story: how they’d met, her dysfunctional relationship with Roy, the friendship they created, and how he’d finally told her of his feelings only to be turned down.  He explained that that was his reason for the transfer to Stamford.

“Then I met you.  You were beautiful and intelligent and kept me from losing my mind at work.  And I thought that it was something I could get on board with.  Finally being with someone who actually wanted to be with me too.”  He paused before continuing.  “But then the merger happened.  And seeing her again made me realize that I only thought I had moved on.  One of those ‘out of sight, out of mind’ things, you know?  Like if I was somewhere else where I didn’t have to see her everyday, it meant that I could get past her.  But it turns out that wasn’t the case.”  He reached out and took her hand, holding it gently.

“I’m so sorry I put you in the middle of this.  It was unfair and I’m sorry you had to find all of it out like you did.”

Karen gave a small smile.  “Well, thank you for coming clean.  It explains a lot.”  She took a final sip of her coffee before getting up from the table.

“Congratulations on getting her, Jim.  I know she’ll make you happy.”

“A little too soon for congratulations, I think.  We somehow got into a fight last night after you left and I have no idea where we stand.”

Karen looked puzzled.  “Well, did you tell her how you feel?”

Jim was starting to grow tired of that question and sighed in exasperation.  “No, but I thought it was pretty obvious.”

Karen shook her head with a smile.  “Halpert, every time I start to think you’re different from other guys, you reassure me that you aren’t.  You can’t expect her to just assume how you feel just from last night.  She needs to hear it.  Now I know you’ve already put yourself out there once,” Karen held out a hand as Jim began to protest. “But you’re the guy.  You need to initiate these things.  At least make an attempt to see her, and I bet you she’ll open up.  She just needs to know you want to hear it.”

Jim was in awe of how adult Karen was handling this.  They had just broken up and she was giving him advice on how to get the woman he loves.  He opened the front door for her and smiled.

“You’re great, Filipelli.  You’re going to find someone a lot better for you than I ever could have been.”

“Yeah, I know,” she winked at him.  “Good luck.”  They exchanged a hug before she carried her now-full box down the stairs to her car.  Jim closed the door, breathing a sigh of relief and mustered up some courage as he grabbed his phone and dialed Pam’s number.

 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Monday mornings were never something to look forward to, especially if what you’re going to is an eight-hour day of selling paper.  It wasn’t exactly a huge motivator to get out of bed.  But that particular Monday, when Jim’s alarm sounded promptly at 6:30 am, he gladly opened his eyes and stretched in his bed.  He reached his arms behind his head, gazing at the ceiling and remembering the night before.

Pam let out a huge yawn, her head resting on the end of her couch and her eyes blinking slowly.

“Tired?” Jim asked with a laugh.

She shook her head defiantly, a few curls falling in front of her face before she tucked them away.

“You’re a very bad liar.”

But before she could protest, her mouth opened into another yawn. 

“Okay, I give,” she said with a pout.

“Well, we do have work in…” Jim glanced at his watch.  “…Six hours.”

Pam groaned before her face suddenly brightening with a smile.  “So, then I’ll get to see you again in six hours,” she said while moving to the front door with Jim.

He took her hand, swinging it gently at his side.  “I guess that’s true.”  They reached the door, hands still clasped and eyes locked on each other.  Jim looked at the perfection in front of him and decided she was worth another risk.  He bent his head toward hers and was met halfway with her lips gently pressing into his.  It lasted for only a moment, but in that instant, time didn’t matter.

Jim sighed as he replayed the night over and over in his head.  Thought it had gotten off to a shaky start, they had managed to pull through and make it an unforgettable night.  He hoped there were many more nights like that to come. 

It was the first time since starting there that Jim was actually excited to pull into the Dunder-Mifflin parking lot.  The thought of seeing Pam had always been a perk in his years there, but had its obvious drawbacks since she was at the time taken.  Now he could freely spend time with her at work without worrying about certain beer-gutted warehouse workers beating him to a pulp.  Though considering recent developments, that might still be the case.

Plus there was Karen to think about.  They had ended on good terms and yet he still had to be sensitive to the fact that she was still working there and would observe any interaction between him and Pam.  Jim had been on that end once before and knew it wasn’t the most pleasant feeling.

He pulled open the heavy door to the office expecting to see the sight that had greeted him every workday for five years.  Instead, he saw Ryan sitting at the reception desk.

“Hey man,” Jim said, trying to sound casual.  “Where’s Pam?”

“She called in sick,” Ryan said flatly, not looking up from the computer.

“Is she okay?” Jim’s eyebrows furrowed in worry.

Ryan merely shrugged and continued to click away at the keyboard.  Jim quickly went to his desk, a flurry of insecurities racing through his mind.  Maybe she wasn’t really sick, maybe she didn’t want to come to work because she was having second thoughts, maybe she felt like she couldn’t face Karen…

“Hey,” Karen’s voice brought Jim back from his thoughts.  He looked up to find her leaning against his desk.

“Hey,” he said, running a hand through his hair.

“Just thought you should know that I worked all the paperwork out with Toby, so if you need to…you know, whatever, with Pam, you’re good to go,” she smiled weakly. 

“Oh, thanks…you didn’t have to do that.  I could have…”

“No, don’t worry about it.  Granted, it was one of the more humiliating moments in my life, but I was due for one of those anyway.”

Guilt tugged at Jim,  “Anything I can do to make it up to you?”

Karen thought for a moment.  “A bag of Herr’s chips and all is forgiven.”

Jim smiled.  “You got it.”  He gave her a high-five causing both of them to laugh and silently agree that though it might be difficult at first, an eventual friendship between the two was in the works.

His attention turned back to his computer as a “ping” sound indicated that there was e-mail waiting for him.  Jim felt his whole body relax as he saw the single item in his inbox:

To: jhalpert@dundermifflin.com
From: pbeesley@dundermifflin.com
Subject:  Pepto Bismol is gross

I’m hoping you’ve figured out by now that I’m not at work, and if you haven’t, that means we have bigger problems on our hands than me being sick.  Yes, you read correctly, I am truly sick.  As it turns out, that burger and I didn’t seem to agree.  I was throwing up all night (sorry for the gruesome mental image but it’s true).  Anyway, while I can’t complain about a day off, I can complain about not getting to see you.  Last night was perfect (besides the whole leg injury, my now-red dress and evil burger thing) and I was looking forward to seeing you, even if it was at work and I would mainly be looking at the back of your head.

But I think I’ll be well enough to come in tomorrow. Start thinking of a good prank to pull on Dwight so my immune system will have some incentive.

Now get back to work, slacker.

-Me

Jim was relieved to find that she hadn’t regretted their date but continued to worry, as he thought of her home alone and sick.  He made a mental note to swing by her place after work.

The day wore on more slowly than usual.  Jim trudged through his list of sales calls, working on autopilot the entire time.  Make the call, give the pitch, close the deal, and start all over again.  He’d had little to no interaction with anyone for most of the day, seeing as how Dwight had been sent on an errand by Michael and his only real ally was at home cursing fast food.  So he was actually grateful when he saw Toby approach his desk, a few sheets of paper in his hand.

“Hey Jim,” he said in his timid voice.  “I’m going to need your signature on these papers saying that you and Karen—“

“Hey hey hey,” Michael barged out of his office, pointing at Toby.  “Why are you talking to him?”

“It’s just some HR business, Michael, it’s really none of your concern,” Toby spoke slowly, an edge of annoyance creeping into his words.  Jim sighed as he waited for the argument that would inevitably come.

“Oh, I think it is my concern.  Jim is my homie and anything he has to say to you, he can say to me…even though he’s probably already said it to me…because we’re homies,” Michael concluded, folding his arms across his chest. 

Jim rubbed his forehead in exasperation.  “Look, let me just sign these things and then I’ll come to talk to you—“ Jim stopped mid-sentence as Michael snatched the documents from Toby’s hands.  “Or you can invade my privacy, sure.”

Michael scanned over the papers.  “Well, well, well, it looks like you and Ms. Fillipelli are no longer registered as a couple.  I think I know what that means, you dog!”  Michael rustled Jim’s hair and laughed maniacally.  Jim was incredibly grateful Karen had left for lunch and would be spared the humiliation of seeing their breakup celebrated by the most tactless man in the world.

“I guess we know why Pam didn’t come in to work today, probably too sore to walk…” Michael muttered, playfully jabbing his elbow into Jim’s arm.

“Michael, that’s really inappropriate,” Toby weakly chastised.

“Shut it, Toby.  Just because you’re not getting any doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate those who are.” 

Jim dropped his face in his hands, lacking the energy to argue.  Toby merely rolled his eyes and took the papers back from Michael, handing them to Jim.

“Just have them signed by the end of the day,” he said dejectedly as he walked away.  Jim nodded in compliance before looking back at Michael who held out a clenched fist, waiting for Jim to hit it with his own.  Instead, Jim turned back to his computer, concentrating hard on the work in front of him until he heard Michael finally walk back into his office.  

xxx


“You brought me soup!” Pam took the grocery bag from a smiling Jim at her front door.

“And,” he said, reaching into the other bag in his hand.  “Gatorade.”  Pam made a face as she shuffled back into her bedroom.

“I know you don’t like it, but you can’t get dehydrated.  Besides, I got you the Very Berry flavor,” Jim said following her, holding up the bottle with pride.

Pam nestled back into her bed with a smile.  “Well I suppose if it’s Very Berry…” she winked at him.  “So how was work?”

“Let’s see, where to begin,” munching on a bag of chips he had picked up for himself.  “Karen took the initiative to deal with HR about us not being together anymore.”  Pam winced at the sound of her name.

“Don’t worry, she’s actually handling it really well.  We talked a bit today and I think we’re on good terms,” Jim reassured.   “But Toby also needed my signature on the whole thing and of course who should appear just as he walks over but…”

“Michael,” Pam finished for him, shaking her head in dismay. 

“You bet.  He made this huge deal about it and speculated that the reason you didn’t come in today was because you were ‘too sore to walk.’”

Pam scoffed.  “Don’t I wish.”  Jim nearly choked on a chip and looked at her incredulously.  What little color she had left in her face had drained and her eyes were wide.

“I didn’t mean—no, I meant that—instead of me throwing up—“ Pam buried her face in her hands with a groan.

Jim smiled and rubbed his hand across her back.  “Don’t worry about it.  Though I must say, I’m glad you have enough confidence in my skills to think that I could actually do that…”

Pam grabbed a pillow and hit him playfully.  “Not funny!”  Jim just laughed more before holding up his hands.

“Okay, okay, I surrender.  I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Tell you what, I’ll go make this soup for you.  When I get back, I’ll tell you what I have planned for Dwight tomorrow.”

Pam’s face brightened.  “Deal.”

Jim fumbled his way around Pam’s kitchen, trying to find bowls and silverware without having to disturb her.  It made him feel good to take care of her, as he had always promised himself that he would if he ever got the chance.  Now that that chance was here, he had no intention of letting it slip away.  He made his way back into her bedroom, soup in hand, to find her fast asleep.  Though he could see that her sickness had taken a toll on her, she still looked angelic with her brown curls framing her face as they splayed out across her pillow.  Jim set the bowl down on her nightstand and kneeled down so he was at eye-level with her.  He stroked her face lightly and kissed her on the cheek causing her to stir. 

“Jim?” she whispered, her eyes still closed.

“It’s okay, go back to bed.  Your soup is next to you when you’re ready for it.  Get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow.”  He got up to leave but felt her hand grasp his.

“Stay with me?” she asked quietly, now looking at him in a way that let him know she didn’t just mean for the night.

He smiled and nodded.  “Of course.” 


 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Weddings do funny things to people. Maybe it’s the champagne, or the traditions, or nieces throwing rose petals as they walk down the aisle, but weddings have this way of shedding light on a rare side of the human race. They make assistants to the regional manager blink back tears, they make uptight accountants unwind, and make human resources employees crack a smile.

And they especially make a paper salesman and a receptionist burst with joy.

They had snuck off to a hallway when the DJ had the audacity to play the Bunny Hop, grabbing two plates of wedding cake as they scurried off. Pam leaned against the wall and sunk down to the floor, her veil sliding over her head as she did. Jim sat against the opposite wall, kicking off his too-tight dress shoes and loosening his tie.

“The Bunny Hop?” Pam asked in between a fit of giggles.

“It wasn’t my idea…though I’m still waiting for the Macarena I requested.”

Pam took off her veil and used it to hit Jim playfully in the arm. “Hey, where did Michael and Jan run off to?”

Jim shrugged taking a bite of cake. “I think after she caught your bouquet she ran for the nearest exit and Michael wasn’t too far behind her.” He paused and smiled at her. “You and your dad looked good dancing out there.”

Pam smoothed out a wrinkle in her white satin dress and pulled her knees to her chest. “I think he’d been practicing, he was so scared of stepping on my feet.”

The two simultaneously let out a huge sigh, causing both of them to laugh.

“Weddings are exhausting,” Pam said while stifling a yawn.

“Good thing this is the only one you’ll have to go through.”

“Promise?” She asked, her voice timid.

Jim gave her a smirk. “Isn’t that what I just did about a half hour ago? You know, on that altar, with all those people watching…”

“Alright, smart guy, I get it.”

They continued to sit in the hallway, savoring their time alone since they had barely been able to see each other during the reception. Numerous women, with Kelly leading the pack, had been fawning over Pam the entire time, and Michael had dragged Jim aside to give him advice about the wedding night. And while the newlyweds appreciated their friends’ and families’ support, they were happiest in that hotel hallway, laughing as they fed each other wedding cake.

“Well, Beesley, we did it,” Jim said, taking Pam’s hand in his.

She grinned at him. “Yes we did, except you know you can’t call me that anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not Beesley anymore,” Pam stated, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.

“I don’t know if there’s enough room in Scranton, PA for two Halperts. Besides, I fell in love with you calling you Beesley, it brings back good memories,” he said leaning forward, kissing her on the forehead.

“Well then I suppose it’s okay,” Pam said with a wink. She scooted across the floor to sit next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Jim laced his left hand through hers and gazed at the two glimmering rings before him.

“This was a good day,” Pam sighed with contentment.

“I should hope so. But you know what will be a better one?”

Pam looked up at him and frowned. “What?”

He bent his head down till their noses touched. “Tomorrow,” Jim said, kissing her softly. “The day after.”