Pam's eyes were twinkling. "Are you sure you're ready?"

 

Jim sighed and opened up his laptop, his position now a mirror image of Pam's at the other end of the table.

 

"Let's do it." He gave her a patented Halpert smirk as he waited for the IRC connection. "Are you already in there?"

 

The sound of Pam's quick typing was her first reply. "Yeah," she nodded. "Give me a minute to set you up."

 

"Oh, I'm sure you will," he replied. "Hey, just try to remember that you love me. You don't want to see me killed."

She looked up. "You'll do fine," she winked.

"Said the lion to the Christian," he muttered.

==

Over a month had passed since the Squirrel McPants façade came tumbling down. Approximately five weeks gone by as Jim and Pam spent days working as friends and colleagues in the office of a paper company, and spent evenings and weekends as friends and lovers, carefully and tenderly putting the pieces of their relationship back together. They took great care in making sure no one at work suspected their burgeoning romance. It was something they wanted to keep extremely private, especially given the ever-present documentary cameras. There was still so much to adjust to, to compromise on, to make amends for, but most importantly to forgive and move forward together.

Pam had not, however, forgotten about her plans for Jim's reparations. Jim had asked on several occasions when she was going to give him the list so he could get started, and each time she replied that she was still working on it. The smile she inevitably gave each time she made this reply started to make him worry just a little bit. The one task he expected she'd want him to complete immediately was his appearance and confession in the chat room, but even that was put off. Too many people off on vacation, or away from school, she claimed. But she assured him that his time would come, and this Monday seemed to be the day.

Their day at Dunder Mifflin had been even crazier-than-normal. It started off with the news that Michael had hit fellow co-worker Meredith Palmer with his car, which resulted in a lunchtime field trip to the hospital. The work day ended with Michael's big plans for a charity fun run, for which a large portion of planning responsibility fell naturally to Pam. Nevertheless, she still insisted that Jim stop by the IRC chat room. She first drove them to dinner at the diner around the corner from work, then afterwards picked up Jim's car and followed him home. Though they had originally split their time between both apartments, Jim's apartment was bigger, and had the added bonus of his oversized HD television. As a result Pam was starting to spend more and more time over there. Her things - toiletries, clothes, art supplies, even her newish laptop computer - also began migrating to Jim's. He didn't mind in the slightest.

It was already nearing eight o'clock by the time they were ready. Jim finished his Coke as he waited for the nod from Pam to log into chat. As he crumbled the can in his hand, he was reminded of the fact that the last time he frequented the #Love_Stinks chat room, his beverage of choice had not been quite so benign. He smiled as he sunk the can into the trash bin from across the room; lots of things were different since the last time he'd been on IRC.

He was lost in those thoughts when Pam cleared her throat loudly. He looked over and found her staring at him, her amusement plain.

"What?" Jim asked.

"Do you want to come back from daydream land and join us in chat?"

"I wasn't daydreaming. I was thinking."

"They must have been happy thoughts from the look on your face."

Jim pulled his laptop closer and began typing. "They were," he admitted, glancing up at her briefly. "And if you're nice to me maybe I'll share them with you later."

"I certainly hope so," she replied ever so softly. He didn't respond, but his smirk told her he'd heard every word.

MairzyDoats> What? How is it possible those photos STILL haven't been uploaded?

Leikha> Hey, she's a busy woman, Mairzy.

Vexin> I swear they will be up tomorrow!

MairzyDoats> I know. ;-) Just giving her a hard time.

WalkingDisaster> Well look who's here!

Leikha> Squirrel!

Vexin> Squirrel McPants has returned!!

Squirrel_McPants> Hey guys. :-)

Lokien> So the rumors of your death were greatly exaggerated then?

MairzyDoats> Hi Squirrel!

TooMuchTrouble> wb, McPants.

Squirrel_McPants> Only slightly exaggerated, Lokien.

Vexin> How are you, Squirrel?

Lokien> What brings you back?

Squirrel_McPants> I'm doing really well, actually, Vexin. How are things with you?

TooMuchTrouble> You missed Vexin's Hollywood Adventure.

MairzyDoats> Not that any of us have seen the photos yet! ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, sorry about that, Vexin.

Leikha> Shut it, Mairzy. :-)

Vexin> Oh, I can tell you later. Walking told us you were going to be around tonight with some big news.

SaintSimon> Yeah, where have you been, McPants?

sholva> Are you here to finally confess to that sex change?

TooMuchTrouble> Hey, that was my guess, sholva. No fair stealing.

Squirrel_McPants> She said it was big news?

SaintSimon> Nice, sholva. I'm not sure it would be big news here if he did get a sex change.

TooMuchTrouble> It might matter to WD.

WalkingDisaster> I did say it was big news, Squirrel. The BIGGEST. The most exciting thing to hit this IRC channel EVER.

SaintSimon> Ooh - why would it matter to WD??

Squirrel_McPants> Thanks, WalkingDisaster. Thanks so much for that lovely build up.

Vexin> Okay folks, let's calm down and let the man talk.

sholva> Or woman, if that's now the case.

*WalkingDisaster* No trouble at all. :-) *kiss*

 

Jim immediately glanced up at Pam, whose eyes remained glued to her monitor. So that's how she's going to play it, hmm?

Squirrel_McPants> LOL - I didn't have a sex change. Let's just clear that up right now.

TooMuchTrouble> Damn. :(

Squirrel_McPants> Sorry if that's upsetting for you to hear, TMT. ;-)

Leikha> LOL!

*Squirrel_McPants* Wow, Beesly. Can't control yourself even in cyberspace?

TooMuchTrouble> It's okay. I'll get over it. ;-)

Lokien> Good lord. 8^P

MairzyDoats> Hey, I have class in like an hour - is this going to be a long story?

WalkingDisaster> No, and I'm sure Squirrel will get to the point. :-)

Squirrel_McPants> I'm not quite sure where to start, to be honest.

*WalkingDisaster* Heh. Is that going to be a problem for you?

Vexin> Well, where have you been??

Squirrel_McPants> Um, nowhere exciting, really.

WalkingDisaster> Oh, really? Nowhere? ;-)

*Squirrel_McPants* No problem at all. At least now you know who you're kissing.

Lokien> Then why haven't you been around?

Squirrel_McPants> Well, I mean - I've been busy. Lots of changes in my life.

*WalkingDisaster* I always knew it was you, dork. *kiss*

Vexin> Good, I hope?

SaintSimon> Nothing bad, is there?

Squirrel_McPants> Oh no. Completely 100% fantastically good. :-)

Lokien> Uh, oh. It's a woman.

*WalkingDisaster* Nice! Thanks! :)

SaintSimon> a new girlfriend, perhaps?

sholva> Pfft. Gotta be a girl.

*Squirrel_McPants* Just the truth. :-)

Leikha> Great, Squirrel!

Squirrel_McPants> *grin* Yes, it's a girl. A woman, really.

SaintSimon> Awesome! How'd you meet?

MairzyDoats> Where did you meet her?

TooMuchTrouble> You should bring her around. :-)

*WalkingDisaster* *kiss*

Squirrel_McPants> Well, here's the thing: you already know her.

WalkingDisaster> Squirrel, I think you are telling this story a little backwards, don't you??

Squirrel_McPants> Would you rather tell them, WalkingDisaster?

Leikha> Wait - are you and WD together???

*Squirrel_McPants* :-P

SaintSimon> Tell us what?

Lokien> Oh, this looks like it's going to be good....

WalkingDisaster> No, by all means, Squirrel McPants, go right ahead. It's your story.

Squirrel_McPants> Okay, fine. I'm just going to come out and say it and get it over with.

TooMuchTrouble> ...?

sholva> Go on

*WalkingDisaster* Hey, where's my kiss?

Squirrel_McPants> I've been away from chat all this time because I needed to make a confession and it was important that you all be here to hear it.

Leikha> Wow.

*Squirrel_McPants* Not now. :P

TooMuchTrouble> For what?

Squirrel_McPants> Well, it would be fair to say that I joined you guys under false pretenses.

Lokien> What does that mean?

Squirrel_McPants> I acted like a stranger to everyone in the room, when in fact I already knew one of you.

*WalkingDisaster* later then? *kiss*

Leikha> who?

WalkingDisaster> He knew me.

TooMuchTrouble> Okay, so.....

SaintSimon> Did she know she knew you?

Squirrel_McPants> Um, no - she didn't. She didn't realize who I was until some time later. Which is kind of why I disappeared.

sholva> And this effects me how?

TooMuchTrouble> Wait.... who are you?

*Squirrel_McPants* maybe. Do you mind if I get this over with first?

WalkingDisaster> He's someone you've known about for a while....

Squirrel_McPants> And, as I discovered, you even had a pet name for me.

 

TooMuchTrouble> The plot thickens....

MairzyDoats> Pet name??

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, I'm the one you guys like to call "Mister Wonderful."

Leikha> What???

sholva> Get the hell out.

*WalkingDisaster* *kiss* You're doing great. :-)

Lokien> Hey - didn't I tell you the very first day he arrived that that's who he was??

Vexin> Yeah, but you didn't really know that, Loki. Doesn't count.

MairzyDoats> You're kidding, right?

SaintSimon> Wow - really?

Lokien> I still knew something was up.

Vexin> Liar. ;-)

sholva> So why is this such a big deal?

MairzyDoats> Why?? Are you serious?

Leikha> Walking - is he really telling the truth?

WalkingDisaster> Yes, he really is.

MairzyDoats> How did you find out?

WalkingDisaster> Well, things just started adding up, and then I had some good advice on how best to proceed with my suspicions.

Squirrel_McPants> You knew, didn't you, Vexin?

Vexin> LOL - How could I? It was more of a guess. Let's just say I thought you seemed pretty taken with a women you'd just met on line.

Squirrel_McPants> Heh. And here I thought I was playing it cool.

Vexin> Not a chance in hell, Squirrel my dear. ;-)

*WalkingDisaster* Hah. If by cool you mean dorky.

TooMuchTrouble> So why did you come here if you know her in real life?

MairzyDoats> You were here just for WD?

*Squirrel_McPants* Looks who's talking. :-P

Lokien> Of course he was. That much should be obvious.

SaintSimon> How did you know about the chat?

WalkingDisaster> Tell us the WHOLE story, Squirrel!

Vexin> Yes, Squirrel - tell us how you came to join us. :-)

*Squirrel_McPants* I thought you were going to help me. :-P

sholva> Wait. So WD didn't know you were that guy from work?

WalkingDisaster> Not at first, no.

Squirrel_McPants> I heard about this place when she told a friend at work about it. About how she had been spending time chatting in here with you guys.

*WalkingDisaster* Trust me, I am. :-D

SaintSimon> Wow. So you came in here to spy on her?

Squirrel_McPants> Well, I wouldn't call it spying as such.

MairzyDoats> What else could you call it?

Squirrel_McPants> Listen, you guys have a pretty good idea of how screwed up things were between us. At the time it seemed like a perfect way to get to talk to her.

MairzyDoats> You have a weird sense of perfect, Squirrel.

*Squirrel_McPants* Yeah, I can completely see that. Don't encourage them!!

SaintSimon> It's a novel approach, I'll grant you that.

Lokien> But certainly questionable methods, Squirrel - don't you think?

TooMuchTrouble> You couldn't just approach her in real life and say you wanted to talk to her?

Leikha> If you wanted to talk to her, shouldn't you have just said who you were right from the start?

*WalkingDisaster* You're really doing fine. *kiss* :-D

Squirrel_McPants> I know it seems easy from your viewpoints. But trust me, I wasn't. It was a nightmare.

WalkingDisaster> To be fair, things *were* pretty messed up between us at that point.

MairzyDoats> I'm surprised you're defending him, WD!

WalkingDisaster> You guys know what it was like from all the complaining I did!

MairzyDoats> That would have freaked me out to find out some guy I liked was spying on me.

WalkingDisaster> Oh, freaked out is a very good description! And defending him was definitely NOT what I wanted to do when I first found out.

Squirrel_McPants> I'll admit it was somewhat of a desperate measure.

Lokien> Somewhat?

sholva> I don't know. I gotta give you points for trying.

Vexin> I have no doubts your heart was in the right place, even if your actions were dubious.

*WalkingDisaster* See? Told you I was helping you.

Squirrel_McPants> Thanks. At the time it really did seem like the only way to find out what was going on with her.

Leikha> So everything you told us about yourself - was that all made up?

Squirrel_McPants> Some, but not all. Not the core of it.

TooMuchTrouble> The breaking up with the girlfriend?

Squirrel_McPants> That happened.

Lokien> So the Glenfiddich consumption was accurate?

Squirrel_McPants> It was indeed, Loki. I had the headache on Monday to prove it.

WalkingDisaster> Which, btw, turned out to be a big tip-off to me. Kinda odd how the both of you were out sick on Monday morning. ;-)

Vexin> Were you trying to get caught?

Squirrel_McPants> I didn't think I was.

SaintSimon> So you saw her during the daytime right?

*WalkingDisaster* I think you WERE trying to get caught.

Squirrel_McPants> I did.

WalkingDisaster> Yep.

MairzyDoats> And you didn't say anything?

*Squirrel_McPants* You might be right. Still don't think it was a conscious effort, though.

SaintSimon> That must have been surreal.

Squirrel_McPants> Oh, it was.

Lokien> Were you ever going to tell her?

Leikha> WD, did he act differently at work? How did you know it was him?

WalkingDisaster> tbh, Leikha - we just hit it off too well for it not to get my attention. I'd never connected with someone so immediately like I did when I first met Jim, so meeting a total stranger in a chat room and getting that same feeling? That was totally weird. So unlike me.

Squirrel_McPants> I was going to tell her. I just had some things that needed taking care of first.

*Squirrel_McPants* *kiss*

Vexin> I guess you can't mask chemistry, huh?

Squirrel_McPants> And I did feel guilty about deceiving her - and you guys, too, I guess.

TooMuchTrouble> But mostly her, I imagine. ;-)

WalkingDisaster> oh, so now you admit to feeling guilty, huh? ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> Well, I wasn't lying to you as much as just leaving some important facts out.

Lokien> a fine line, McPants.

*WalkingDisaster* Finally, a kiss! Took you long enough! *kiss*

Vexin> Why do you say that, WD?

Squirrel_McPants> I know - but once I got here I couldn't keep away. It was the only time I felt like I was really with her again.

Leikha> This could have gone so horribly wrong you know.

*Squirrel_McPants* Well, don't get used to them. They're more than a bit silly.

WalkingDisaster> He's been claiming all this time he doesn't feel guilty at all for doing it.

MairzyDoats> I'm still not sure I would have taken it well. It's just so manipulative.

SaintSimon> What?!

Squirrel_McPants> Well I don't feel guilty in the sense that I wouldn't do it again, especially now that I know how things turned out.

TooMuchTrouble> Drastic times, drastic measures?

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, something like that.

*WalkingDisaster* *pout* I don't think they're silly at all.

Vexin> So why did this have to be a big confession to us? I get the impression you two have worked things out.

WalkingDisaster> We have, almost. :-)

Squirrel_McPants> I just thought I should tell you guys the truth about Squirrel McPants. I thought you deserved that much.

WalkingDisaster> YOU thought?

Squirrel_McPants> Fine - WE thought. But I told you I expected I'd do this. :-P

TooMuchTrouble> So what *is* the deal with Squirrel McPants? Where the hell did that name come from?

*Squirrel_McPants* That's because you're silly.

Lokien> I often wondered that myself.

Leikha> Me, too. :-)

WalkingDisaster> Yes, Squirrel - tell us. You promised to tell me and you still haven't.

Squirrel_McPants> Ha. It's not a very exciting story.

*WalkingDisaster* Hey! I'm not silly! You're not calling me Kelly, are you??

Vexin> tell it anyway.

sholva> You could always make up a better one.

Squirrel_McPants> Ha! Well, first off - Squirrel was one of several names that kinda got stuck to me in college.

MairzyDoats> why?

SaintSimon> Really?

*Squirrel_McPants* That can't be a serious question. Would I BE HERE if you were anything like Kelly?

WalkingDisaster> You never told me that before!

Squirrel_McPants> It was a stupid thing - from way back freshman year.

sholva> Is this going to degenerate into an obscene story about your nuts?

Leikha> LOL!!!

*WalkingDisaster* Sorry. You're totally right.

Squirrel_McPants> No, I'm afraid not.

sholva> damn.

TooMuchTrouble> Ignore him....

Squirrel_McPants> Anyway, I guess I got in the habit of throwing trash under my bed. Pizza boxes, scrap paper, soda cans -

SaintSimon> Nice.

*Squirrel_McPants* I am, and don't you forget it. ;-)

MairzyDoats> Eww. I bet that place smelled good.

Squirrel_McPants> It wasn't anything dirty or gross - honestly.

Squirrel_McPants> Anyway, one day my roommate wants to move the beds around, and he sees all this trash, and made some comment about my "squirreling away" things under the bed.

SaintSimon> Sure

Squirrel_McPants> And his buddy was there and found the term "squirreling" to be the funniest thing he'd ever heard. So he started calling me that.

*WalkingDisaster* Don't get too cocky. Nothing says I have to stay here tonight.

 

TooMuchTrouble> And so did your roommate?

Squirrel_McPants> Yep.

Vexin> And I bet that didn't get old fast?

Squirrel_McPants> Only after they encouraged everyone to start calling me that.

WalkingDisaster> I can't believe I didn't know about this!!

Squirrel_McPants> After a while people would use it but not even know why. Fortunately people finally stopped using it.

MairzyDoats> And the McPants part?

Squirrel_McPants> Oh, that came from a name generator I found on line.

*Squirrel_McPants* Wow. Bringing out the big guns right away, huh?

sholva> A name generator?

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, a band name generator, actually. I gave it Squirrel and it spit out a list of options.

TooMuchTrouble> And McPants was the best you could do?

Squirrel_McPants> Hey, it sounded like a name. Which was better than some of the other options they gave me.

SaintSimon> Like what?

*WalkingDisaster* Just saying. ;-)

sholva> remember any of them?

Squirrel_McPants> I don't remember all of them. I think the other one I was considering was Squirrel Jerky, but that sounded a bit obscene. ;-)

Lokien> and a bit cannibalistic.

Squirrel_McPants> Another favorite was Squirrel Baggage. Oh and there was Flannel Squirrel And The Malicious Frenzy.

Vexin> Sounds like you spent a bit of time on that. ;-)

Leikha> Now that would be a cool band name.

Squirrel_McPants> Maybe. ;-)

*Squirrel_McPants* Well for the record I'd prefer you to stay.

 

TooMuchTrouble> So now what?

Squirrel_McPants> What do you mean?

TooMuchTrouble> I mean, you're here, we know who you are, and you two are talking so it must have ended well.

Leikha> Hey - you didn't finish telling us what happened when you found out, WD!

SaintSimon> Did you confront him?

*WalkingDisaster* Your preference has been duly noted. :-)

Vexin> Yes, details please!!

MairzyDoats> I hope you gave him a good beating. ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> Oh, I did not escape unscathed.

WalkingDisaster> Liar. ;-)

WalkingDisaster> He did better than he should have, I'll admit. But I'm not quite through with him.

*WalkingDisaster* My preference is to stay, too. :-)

TooMuchTrouble> Oooh. Do tell.

WalkingDisaster> Well, long story short, I did confront him in chat - I invited him over to a private chat.

MairzyDoats> Did you just come out and accuse him?

*Squirrel_McPants* :-)

Leikha> What did you say?

sholva> Did you freak out when she said she knew, Squirrel?

Lokien> I bet that wasn't awkward at all. ;)

WalkingDisaster> I don't really remember what I said, Simon.

*Squirrel_McPants* Liar.

WalkingDisaster> We chatted for a while and then I just sort of led up to it.

Squirrel_McPants> What you did was entrap me!

*WalkingDisaster* Now who's lying??

WalkingDisaster> I did not!

Leikha> LOL!

Squirrel_McPants> You did. You said we should change to our real names instead of IRC handles, since we knew each other's name.

Vexin> Clever one, WD.

*Squirrel_McPants* You completely set me up, Beesly. You know that.

TooMuchTrouble> Nice - I like that.

WalkingDisaster> Okay, I remember that part. Because you first changed it to what you had told me your name was.

Squirrel_McPants> Well, I didn't realize you knew at that point.

*WalkingDisaster* Who set who up?? You just can't get over the fact that you're not as clever as you thought you were.

SaintSimon> What name did he tell you, Walking?

Lokien> Man, Squirrel - how deep did this deception go??

WalkingDisaster> Oh deep, Loki - deep! He even sent me some other guy's picture claiming it was him!

*Squirrel_McPants* I make no claims to cleverness. If I did, we would have been together a lot sooner, I assure you.

MairzyDoats> NO!

SaintSimon> Get the hell out.

Squirrel_McPants> Okay, I don't think we need to spill all the details...

*WalkingDisaster* Oh sure, completely throw me off my game by being sincere.

Vexin> Oh, I completely disagree. This is fascinating. :-D

*WalkingDisaster* You suck. ;-)

WalkingDisaster> He said his name was Matthew, btw.

Squirrel_McPants> Which wasn't too far off. It is my middle name.

Lokien> I'm not sure if that makes it worse or better, McPants.

*Squirrel_McPants* And as I have discovered, so do you. ;-)

sholva> And who's photo was it?

Squirrel_McPants> I don't know - I found him on line.

SaintSimon> Wow.

*WalkingDisaster* OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim couldn't contain his laughter and looked up from his screen. Pam glanced up as well, and tried to give him a dirty look, but her rising blush made it less than effective.

"Evil," she muttered as turned her attention back to her computer.

TooMuchTrouble> LOL

Leikha> *laugh* Too much!!

Squirrel_McPants> I had to do something - I was shocked when she asked for a photo!

Leikha> Why did you ask for a photo, WD?

MairzyDoats> That wasn't a clue you should just tell the truth, Squirrel?

WalkingDisaster> Vexin suggested it when I told her of my suspicions. :-)

TooMuchTrouble> Nice work, Vex.

Vexin> Thanks. :-)

Squirrel_McPants> Oh yeah - thanks so much, Vexin.

MairzyDoats> Hey, you have no right to complain about anything. :-P

Squirrel_McPants> Hmm.

SaintSimon> So did you guys get together right after this?

WalkingDisaster> We met the next day before work and talked.

Squirrel_McPants> We talked a lot that night, and then some more the next day.

sholva> Just talked? ;-)

Vexin> I'm not sure that's any of our business, nosy.

sholva> Sure it is. :-)

Lokien> I hope you didn't let him off the hook too easily, Walking.

TooMuchTrouble> So are you guys dating now, or what?

Leikha> You obviously seem to have worked it out.

WalkingDisaster> I was probably too easy on him, I admit.

Squirrel_McPants> I disagree.

Vexin> Of course you would.

*Squirrel_McPants* No more secret messages for me? ;-)

WalkingDisaster> But! I do have future plans.

TooMuchTrouble> Oh?

SaintSimon> Like what?

*WalkingDisaster* No more secret anythings. You disgust me.

Squirrel_McPants> She had an idea based on a Hercules movie.

WalkingDisaster> Don't sound so dismissive, Squirrel. I'll just make your tasks harder. ;-)

MairzyDoats> What tasks?

TooMuchTrouble> This could be fun....

*Squirrel_McPants* No I don't. :-D

WalkingDisaster> I told him that Hercules had to perform 12 tasks to make up for killing his wife and kids. I thought since he had been so deceptive and sneaky, the least he could do to make it up to me was complete 12 tasks of my choosing.

Vexin> Nice.

SaintSimon> Clever!

*WalkingDisaster* Hmmm. Well, you're very rude. Definitely NOT a gentleman. ;-P

Squirrel_McPants> Did you have anything to do with that too, Vexin?

Vexin> No, but I wish I had - that sounds very interesting.

*Squirrel_McPants* Did I disparage you in any way? I was merely pointing out a fact.

Leikha> So what are you going to make him do??

MairzyDoats> Yes - make them good.

*WalkingDisaster* Hmmm.

WalkingDisaster> I'm still working that out. I've got a a few, but not all twelve yet.

Lokien> Are you talking suggestions??

Squirrel_McPants> No.

WalkingDisaster> As a matter of fact, I might be. What do you think?

*Squirrel_McPants* And you know I have nothing but praise for your skills. ;-)

Lokien> I think that he deceived us too. We should give him the tasks to do.

Leikha> oh, definitely!!!!

MairzyDoats> Excellent idea, Loki!

TooMuchTrouble> All of us?

*WalkingDisaster* Hmmm.

Squirrel_McPants> Now wait a minute...

WalkingDisaster> I really like that idea. Really, really like it.

Squirrel_McPants> Uh-oh.

SaintSimon> LOL

Lokien> I think uh-oh would be the appropriate response.

*Squirrel_McPants* I know you aren't really upset, btw.

TooMuchTrouble> How torturous are we allowed to get?

Squirrel_McPants> Whoa!

SaintSimon> Be nice, TMT.

*WalkingDisaster* Oh really?

Leikha> I think the tasks should focus on Squirrel having to do nice things for Walking.

MairzyDoats> Yeah, literally make it up to her.

WalkingDisaster> I like your thinking, Leikha.

Leikha> Thanks. :-)

*Squirrel_McPants* Yep. :-)

Vexin> Hmm....I'm going to need some time to come up with something.

WalkingDisaster> Oh, there's no rush. He's not going anywhere.

MairzyDoats> Okay, I'm in then.

*WalkingDisaster* And how do you know that?

sholva> I still don't think he did such a bad thing.

Squirrel_McPants> Thanks, sholva.

sholva> But I want to think up a task, too.

*Squirrel_McPants* You're swinging your foot. You always do that when you are in a good mood. :-)

SaintSimon> So do we all want in?

TooMuchTrouble> Absolutely.

Vexin> Yes

Lokien> Yep.

*WalkingDisaster* Damn foot. ;-P ;-)

Leikha> I do!

MairzyDoats> Yes!

WalkingDisaster> Great!

Squirrel_McPants> Oh yeah, great.

MairzyDoats> I think WD should have to approve them though.

TooMuchTrouble> Aww.... where's the fun in that?

Squirrel_McPants> TMT, you're really starting to scare me.

TooMuchTrouble> :-D

SaintSimon> Def. let Walking approve.

Leikha> Who wants to go first?

Lokien> Eh, just submit your ideas to WD and let her choose.

WalkingDisaster> Yeah - you guys have my email right?

sholva> But how will we know if he does them?

WalkingDisaster> Don't worry - I'll make sure you guys get a full report. :-)

*Squirrel_McPants* I can't believe you are going to let them choose!

Leikha> Yay!

MairzyDoats> With photos??

Squirrel_McPants> You guys are enjoying this way too much.

WalkingDisaster> We'll see.

Leikha> Wait - but what if I want my task for Squirrel to be a surprise for Walking?

*WalkingDisaster* Worried?

SaintSimon> Oh, that's a good point.

Vexin> Send your tasks to me, peeps - I'll sort them out and give them to Squirrel

Squirrel_McPants> I had a feeling you'd be in on this sooner or later.

Vexin> :-)

TooMuchTrouble> So you didn't answer me earlier - are you now dating?

Squirrel_McPants> Yes, we are.

WalkingDisaster> Yes.

MairzyDoats> Dammit - I have to leave for class now. I'm already late.

*Squirrel_McPants* uh, yeah - and rightfully so.

Leikha> Have fun, Mairzy!

SaintSimon> Since when?

sholva> Bye, Mairzy!

MairzyDoats> I'd rather stay here!

Squirrel_McPants> A bit over a month.

Leikha> I'll let you know if you miss anything...

*WalkingDisaster* Haha - I'll protect you from the mean IRC people. ;-)

TooMuchTrouble> So right after you found out?

WalkingDisaster> Yep.

SaintSimon> See ya, MairzyDoats!

TooMuchTrouble> Bye Mairzy.

SaintSimon> Walking you ARE too easy! You didn't even let him sweat it out??

MairzyDoats has left the room.

WalkingDisaster> I did!

SaintSimon> Doesn't sound like it!

*Squirrel_McPants* See that you do. ;-)

Vexin> Aw, cut her some slack. She's been all googly-eyed over him for ages. I'm sure he turned on the charm and she just couldn't fight back. ;-)

WalkingDisaster> That doesn't sound like you're really defending me, Vex!

*Squirrel_McPants* Googly-eyed, huh?

Vexin> I am, dear. You know I am. :-)

Lokien> Yeah, I suppose when you disregard the fact that he pretended to be someone else, it's almost romantic.

Squirrel_McPants> Thank you.

*WalkingDisaster* Shut up.

Lokien> Not that I condone the idea, McPants.

Squirrel_McPants> Well, you do teach ethics, so I guess I'll take what I can get.

Lokien> Fair enough. ;-)

Vexin> So what does everyone else think?

Leikha> About what?

Vexin> At work - what do people think about you guys finally being together?

WalkingDisaster> Oh, they don't know.

Squirrel_McPants> We figured it was better if they didn't know.

SaintSimon> Really?

Lokien> Probably a good idea

Leikha> Isn't it hard to pretend you're just friends?

Squirrel_McPants> Not at all. I've had years of experience. ;-)

Vexin> I can't believe no one suspects, though.

*WalkingDisaster* I had a bit of practice with that too, you know!

WalkingDisaster> I really don't think they do.

Squirrel_McPants> You underestimate the cloud of apathy we work under every day. ;-)

TooMuchTrouble> Why are you keeping it a secret?

*Squirrel_McPants* I never said you didn't.


Vexin> Are you ever going to tell them?


sholva> I think it's a good idea to keep it on the low down.


Squirrel_McPants> I can't speak for WD, but I would rather not tell people at work if we didn't have to.


SaintSimon> Why?


WalkingDisaster> No, I totally agree with that.


Squirrel_McPants> It would just be awkward.


*WalkingDisaster* Good. Just wanted to make that clear. Last year totally sucked.


Vexin> Never?


WalkingDisaster> Vex, remember how I told you about our boss, Michael?


Vexin> I do.


WalkingDisaster> Well, imagine the craziest story I've ever told you about him, then times it by one thousand.


*Squirrel_McPants* I couldn't agree more.


Vexin> Gotcha


Squirrel_McPants> No, at least one hundred thousand times.


Squirrel_McPants> Inappropriate is his middle name.


Vexin> Ah, I think I understand.


Lokien> Better to keep work and personal life as separate as possible.


WalkingDisaster> Exactly. Nobody would care anyway.


sholva> Hey I just thought of something -


Lokien> It's about time. ;-)


sholva> Where are you guys? (Funny, Loki.) :-P


Squirrel_McPants> At home.


sholva> Are you guys together right now? I mean, at the same place.


Squirrel_McPants> Yeah....


WalkingDisaster> He wanted moral support.


WalkingDisaster> And he's the one with WiFi. ;-)


TooMuchTrouble> So you're in the same house, and you're both chatting on IRC?


SaintSimon> Good to see you've got the priorities covered, WD. ;-)


WalkingDisaster> We both have laptops, yes.


sholva> Tell me you are at least talking to each other during all of this.



Jim met Pam's gaze and they grinned at each other.



Squirrel_McPants> Sure.


SaintSimon> He means real talking, not IRC talking.


WalkingDisaster> Why does it matter?


sholva> Man, you two are dorks.


Vexin> Which is probably why they are perfect for each other. ;-)


Squirrel_McPants> Hey, if you guys are going to start hurling insults, we've got better things to do.


TooMuchTrouble> I'll bet ;-)


sholva> You guys aren't sitting there naked are you?


Leikha> LOL!


Vexin> ROFL!!!


*Squirrel_McPants* Why did I expect that question from sholva?


Squirrel_McPants> Um, no. :-P


WalkingDisaster> Maybe we are. ;-)


Squirrel_McPants> We're NOT.


*Squirrel_McPants* What???


Lokien> Okay, someone's lying.


*WalkingDisaster* ;-) Sorry, maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part.


Squirrel_McPants> On that note, I think I'm going to say goodnight.


SaintSimon> Coward. ;-)


Lokien> So does this mean we'll be seeing you again, McPants?


*Squirrel_McPants* Far be it for me to ignore your wishes then.


Squirrel_McPants> I guess it does.


Vexin> Good.


WalkingDisaster> Maybe not quite so often.....


TooMuchTrouble> Yeah, yeah. Rub it in.


SaintSimon> Not all of us have lives, you know.


*WalkingDisaster* Very true.


Squirrel_McPants> Oh trust us, we don't either.


WalkingDisaster> Hey! Speak for yourself!


Squirrel_McPants> Oh, I'm pretty confident in speaking for you as well.


Lokien> Ah, young love. What a beautiful thing to witness.


Vexin> Okay - well, everyone get their tasks for Squirrel to me ASAP.


WalkingDisaster> And make them GOOD.


Leikha> Absolutely.


SaintSimon> Better than good, I promise you. :-D


TooMuchTrouble> Hey, Squirrel - are you afraid of heights?


Squirrel_McPants> I'm more afraid of what you are planning, tbh.


sholva> LOL


Squirrel_McPants> Night all!



Jim logged out of the chat and closed his laptop, his head resting in his hands while he waited for Pam to do the same.

"That went well," she finally said, turning her computer off.

"Really?" Jim smirked. "You're not in the least bit worried what these people are going to come up with?"

"I'm not worried," she paused. "But then again I'm not you."

"Nice." Jim stood up and stretched. "So I guess you made your decision?"

Pam cocked her head, her expression confused. "Decision about what?"

"You staying or leaving?"

Pam stood up and walked over to him. She braced her hands against his chest as she stood on tiptoes and gave him him a quick kiss.

"Staying. Definitely staying."

For some reason, Jim was actually surprised when his next task came from Pam. Maybe it was because their on line friends had expressed such enthusiasm at the idea of choosing his 'punishments' that every time he logged in he half-expected to receive one. But nearly a week had gone by since the night of his confession, and while they had all taken their turns teasing him over what dire consequences were sure to come, Vexin still had not presented him with an assignment.

He was pulling the popcorn out of the microwave when he heard Pam chuckling softly.

“What?”

She grinned and rubbed her hands together. “I think I know what I want you to do next.”

“Do next for what?”

“Your penance, silly.”

“Right,” he rolled his eyes. He opened the steaming bag and poured the popcorn into the bowl. “Do you think we'll need one or two bags for the whole game?”

Pam frowned. “They're playing the Seahawks, Jim. We'll probably get through two bags by halftime.”

“You don't think it will be an exciting game? It's like the Super Bowl rematch.”

“Hardly,” she snorted, reaching around him to grab a handful of popcorn. “Though I do think seeing Ben on the field will make it all worthwhile.”

Now it was Jim's turn to sigh. “You and your quarterback obsession. I'm beginning to wonder if I should be jealous.”

She followed him into the living room, curling up next to him on the couch. “Are you jealous?”

“Don't be silly. Of course not.” He clicked on the television and turned to the NFL pre-show. He pulled the bowl away from her as she reached for more popcorn. “But that doesn't mean I don't know you're just sitting close for the snacks.”

“I am not!”

“Right, and as soon as Roethlisberger appears it'll be 'Jim who?'”

Pam leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder and looking up at him. “Oh, but you're so not jealous.”

He briefly stared down at her, his lips curling ever so slightly at the sight of her amused expression. "Didn't you have something else to tell me? Some silly endeavor so I can make it all up to you?"

"I do," she nodded, "but if you are going to mock it before you even hear it I'll make it something different. Something different and worse."

"Like you didn't already have something horrible in mind."

Pam was distracted as the TV announcer introduced the teams onto the field.

"Told you," Jim remarked, opening up his first beer of the afternoon.

Pam elbowed him. "I know you're still here." She gave him a sideways glance, only to look back at the screen as Pittsburgh's offense took the field. "And don't drink too much; you're going to have to drive later."

Jim frowned. "Why?"

"You've got some shopping to do."

"Wait. Now I'm your errand boy?"

"No," she giggled. "But that's actually not a bad idea."

"Please. You're clearly not taking full advantage of my skill set if that's all you can come up with."

"Oh, trust me. I'm well acquainted with your skill set."

Jim laughed. "How is it that you can make anything sound dirty?"

Pam took a handful of popcorn out of the bowl and began to eat it one piece at a time. "I guess it's just the company I've been keeping these days," she said lightly, her attention still focused on the television. Jim said nothing, but continued to stare at her until she noticed and looked back up at him.
"What?"

"Nothing," he mumbled, turning back to watch the game.

Pam bumped up against him. "No you don't. What are you thinking?"

"Why don't you tell me what your new idea is?"

"After you tell me what you're thinking."

"It was nothing," Jim shrugged, looking more at the tv than at her. "Just something stupid."

"Oh, good. Now I really need to know." She sat up a bit straighter, expectantly awaiting his reply.

He looked at her like she'd lost her mind, and felt himself beginning to blush ever so slightly. "I was thinking how glad I am that the company you are finally keeping is mine." He saw her start to grin. "I told you it was stupid," he said brusquely, and turned the sound up on the tv.

She slouched back down against the couch. "It's not stupid," she replied quietly. "I think it's very sweet." Jim said nothing, but shifted position so that he could put his arm around her shoulders and pull her closer. They watched the game in relative silence, apart from Pam's sometimes vigorous outbursts at an exceptional or devastating play. Jim loved how animated she could be just watching football.

They were back in the kitchen at halftime when Jim remembered. "So are you ever going to get around to telling me about my new task?" He asked, leaning into the refrigerator. "Because I'm going to need a very good reason not to open another beer."

She plucked the bottle from his hand as soon as he'd closed the door. "I told you," she said, popping off the cap and taking a drink, "you'll need to go shopping."

"Hey!" He reached for his beer but she sidestepped out of his way. "Thief. Give me back my beer."

She tried to maneuver around him on her way back to the living room, but he pinned her against the breakfast bar. "Beer or task," he told her. "Your choice."

"We're going to miss the start of the second half."

"We're up by seven and Seattle hasn't made a decent play yet." He placed his hands on her waist to secure his hold on her "It can wait."

"You're a bully." she tried to pout, but it sounded more like a giggle.

"So what's with the suspense? What do you want me to do?"

"It's not a big deal."

"No? You're making it out to be big deal."

"I'm not."

Jim leaned in closer, realizing he was quickly losing interest in watching football. He pressed his lips to her temple, brushing them along the side of her face. "I'm waiting," he murmured.

Pam wrapped her arms around his waist, Jim's pilfered beer still firmly in her hand. She tilted her head back to invite him to continue. "Well," she said, her eyes closing as he continued to kiss her, "I've decided I am tired of making lunch."

Jim pulled back, not certain if he was more amused or puzzled. "You're tired of making lunch?"

"Yeah," she nodded slightly. "How many years have I had to make my lunch every day for work? I don't want to do it anymore."

"Okay," he replied slowly. "So this means....?"

 

"You are now responsible for it."

"I am?"

"Yes."

"And that's it? That's your idea of a great burden of penance?"

"I told you I was going to go easy on you at first."

"Wow. And here I was actually worrying about what you'd come up with." He snickered. "I gotta confess, Pam. That's pretty lame."

"Oh really?" She smacked in on the back with her free hand. "Shall I come up with something else then? Something more worthy of you?"

"No, no - this is good," he replied. "You said it, so we'll go with it. Task number two of twelve is making you lunch. Got it." He took a small step back. "Can I have my beer back now?"

"No, because you'll have to do some shopping for this week's lunches after the game. I didn't buy anything for them when I was out yesterday."

Jim shrugged and placed his hand over hers as she continued to hold onto the green glass bottle. "Not a big deal. I can pick up yogurt and salad on the way in tomorrow."

"Oh, it's not going to be that easy."

"Why not? That's what you usually eat, isn't it?"

"That's because I'm tired of having to make it every day. Now that someone else is taking care of it, I'd like a little variety. A little spice."

Jim tilted his head thoughtfully. "A little spice, huh?"

"Yes," she smiled up at him.

"I might be able to come up with something." He took the beer from her hand and took a long swig. "We can still stop at Giant tomorrow morning. It won't take long."

"Hmm," she replied, moving to the fridge to get a drink for herself. "Well, you better make it good."

"And how long do I get to play sous chef?" He asked, turning toward her. "A week?"

Pam laughed loudly. "A week? You wish."

"What then? Two weeks? A month?"

"Until further notice."

Jim's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"

She shook her head smugly. "Not even in the slightest. Every Monday through Friday until further notice."

"Pam – no. You gotta put a deadline on it."

"Why?"

"Because - " Jim took another drink of his beer. "Well, because it's just not fair."

"Awww, poor baby." Pam brushed up against him. "Doesn't sound like a such an easy task now, huh?"

"It's not that it's hard, it's just.....excessive?"

"Extreme?" She suggested helpfully.

"Right," he nodded. "It's a bit extreme, don't you think?"

"Kinda like you inventing a whole persona just to listen in on me in a chat room, huh?" she retorted, quite pleased with how she tricked him that reply.

Jim let out a long sigh and rubbed his eyes. "You are - "

"Amazing? Wonderful? The best thing that every happened to you?"

Jim couldn't help but laugh. "All of those things," he admitted, "but almost more trouble than you're worth."

"Fine," Pam conceded. "You'll only have to do it for a year. From now until the end of next September."

"Wow. Only a year?"

"Are you still complaining?"

"Would it help if I was?"

"Nope," she replied. "And I'd like to make it clear that you still have to do it even if we break up before then."

"Like hell I do," Jim retorted, finishing the rest of his beer and tossing the bottle in the recycle bin. "Eating lunch would be the least of my problems at that point."

Pam grabbed his hand. "Shall we get back to the game?" She asked, pulling him out of the kitchen.

"I don't feel like competing for your attention anymore today," he said slyly, directing her away from the living room and up the stairs towards his bedroom. "Let's find another sport to entertain us."

==

Their lazy Sunday afternoon rolled into a lazy Monday morning, and it wasn't until after they'd arrived at work that Jim remembered he was the one responsible for lunches now.

"Nice start," Pam teased as he stood at her desk, picking out a random selection of jellybeans from the container. "My empty stomach feels so confident in your hands."

"Thanks, Pam. That is a seriously disturbing image," he grinned. "But don't worry. I'll run out and get our lunch in a little bit."

Unfortunately 'a little bit' turned out to be much later than expected. Between being outed as a couple to the rest of the office (thanks, Toby,) to living through the first visit by Ryan as their new corporate master, it was well after their usual mealtime by the time Jim came back from picking up lunch.

Pam waited expectantly in the break room. "It took you long enough," she complained with a wink.

"Good food takes time, Pam," Jim gently scolded. "Did you get drinks yet?"

She shook her head firmly. "Not my job."

"Of course not,” Jim rolled his eyes. "So it's gonna be that way, huh?"

She nodded sternly, but they both smiled when their eyes met.

"Such a dork," Jim sighed as he walked over to the soda machine.

Pam had unpacked the grocery bag by the time he sat back down. "Hmm, this doesn't look half bad," she admitted, opening up a container of mixed salad. “Did you put this together yourself?”

"I did. Amazing to think I could handle a salad bar, isn't it?" Jim replied. "And if you'll look closely, you'll see I even included dried cranberries and sunflower seeds.”

She examined her salad closely. “Is that feta cheese?” She asked hopefully.

“It is.”

“You're awesome,” she admitted, putting a forkful of salad into her mouth. "I could really get used to this."

“Here are some grapes, and fresh carrots, and despite your comments last night, I still bought you mixed berry yogurt.”

"Thanks," she smiled.

"Well, at least we won't have to worry about people wondering what's going on between us if I'm bringing you lunch every day," he said bemusedly.

Pam sighed. "I can't believe Toby busted us like that."

Jim nodded then gave her a confused look. "And what was that all about with him not letting us sign the HR papers?"

"I know! That was so weird. He's usually so by the book with that kind of stuff."

"Weird," Jim echoed. "Maybe he knows something we don't."

"Like what? Like the secret wife you've been hiding from me?"

"Yeah, so secret even I don't know about her."

"Wow, now that is secret." They grinned at each other as Pam's leg brushed against his.

"Dork." Jim whispered.

Pam rolled her eyes. "Please. Pot, meet kettle."

They ate their lunch in companionable silence, but Pam noticed Jim seemed to be lost in thought. "What's the matter?" She finally asked.

"I was just thinking that now that the office knows we're dating, there really aren't any more secrets to worry about."

"None?" Pam sounded surprised. "No skeletons in the closet I've yet to find? No heartfelt confessions? No shocking surprises?"

"Afraid not. You already found out the biggest one," he admitted, "and I really didn't do the greatest job hiding that, now did I?"

"So you're just one big open book to me now, huh?" Pam teased.

"Yep."

"So boring," she complained.

"I know. Do you want to break up now?"

Pam chewed her salad thoughtfully. "No, not yet. I want to see what other lunches you come up with."

"Okay, fair enough." They both smiled briefly as their hands brushed together. It might have bloomed into full hand-holding if they hadn't noticed the documentary crew had spotted them together and were now filming them from across the hall.

A few minutes later Jim cleared his throat, causing Pam to look up expectantly at him.

"I swore I wouldn't tell anybody this, but in the interest of revealing secrets - oh my god, this is going to make your brain explode..." Jim paused. "Um, Dwight and Angela...dating. Have been, for six months."

Pam grin grew larger as she shook her head. "No...."

"Swear to God," he insisted. "Oh, this is great! I was actually going to wait and tell you on your birthday, but this is much more fun."

"No," Pam continued, "they have been dating for like two years. Since before your barbecue."

"Wait. What?" Pam nodded while Jim's face fell. "You knew? And you didn't say anything??"

"You didn't say anything to me!" Pam countered. They stared each other down for a moment, neither sure whether to pout or laugh. Jim looked away first, unable to believe they had kept this information from each other for so long.

"Fair enough," he grudgingly admitted. "Wow - we should have started dating like a y-- long time ago," he exclaimed.

Whatever Pam's response to that might have been was lost as Phyllis entered the break room. Their interaction with her was yet another example of why they had wanted to keep their relationship a secret from the rest of the office. The comments they had received seemed to fall in one of two categories: either completely inappropriate to borderline offensive, or not-so-thinly veiled predictions of a relationship crash-and-burn in the very near future. They shared a sigh of relief when five o'clock arrived and they could escape the madness for another day.

==

Jim was feeling the overcast of a headache as they walked through the doorway of his apartment, so he decided to take a shower to loosen up his aching shoulders. Pam nodded her head in approval and said she'd find something to throw together for dinner in the meantime.

"You don't want to join me?" He asked, putting on what he was sure was his most pleading, take-care-of-me look.

"You'll be faster if I don't," she called as she headed toward the kitchen.

Jim grumbled and he tramped heavily up the steps. "Yeah, but who said I wanted to be faster?"

Thirty minutes, a hot shower and a change into comfortable clothes later, Jim was in a much better mood. The aroma of cooking food was nearly as inviting as the sight of Pam sitting at the kitchen table, typing away on her computer. She smiled up at him as he walked into the kitchen.

"Headache gone now?"

"Mostly," he admitted, leaning down to kiss her. "I would have felt better with your assistance though."

"And who would have made our meal?"

Jim peeked inside the oven. "Yeah, I can see how opening the boxes for the frozen lasagna and garlic bread needed your complete attention all this time."

"It's a skill," she replied, then turned back to her keyboard.

Jim glanced over her shoulder as he opened the fridge for a drink. "Who's there?"

"Just Vexin right now."

"Do you want some iced tea?" He asked. "Tell her I said hey."

Pam nodded as she typed, then moments later grinned. "She said for you to come in and tell her that yourself."

Jim chuckled as he placed Pam's glass next to her laptop and took a seat across from her. "Nice. Tell her I'll be in after dinner, if that's alright with her."

"She said you better be. Apparently she has a present for you."

Jim's eyebrows rose. "What does that mean?"

"It probably means she has a present for you."

He narrowed his eyes at Pam, looking for some hint of a reaction, but she just smiled back. "Should I be worried?"

"I have no idea. She didn't tell me what it is."

"Well, can you find out for me?"

A moment later, Pam laughed. "She said it's not very nice of you to make me do your dirty work."

"I was just asking," he replied. "It's probably a task anyway."

"Could be," Pam mused. She typed for a little while longer, until the timer announced dinner was ready. She set her laptop aside and set the table as Jim pulled the hot food out of the oven. By the time he'd served, he was surprised to see that Pam had dimmed the overhead light and lit candles.

"What's the occasion?" He smiled as he set the plates on the table.

"Does there have to be?"

"No, of course not. It's nice."

"It is," she smiled back. "Oh, I completely forgot to make the salad!" Pam was about to stand when Jim reached across the table.

"Don't bother, there's plenty here."

"You sure? It will only take a minute."

He brushed his hand down her arm and curled his fingers around her hand. "It's fine. We'll have salad tomorrow."

She squeezed his hand and smirked a little. "Just as long as you don't try and pass it off as my lunch."

==

MairzyDoats> But from what I hear, it's not as depressing as their last album.

Leikha> No, I heard that too. But I kinda liked the last one, so we'll see how it goes.

MairzyDoats> Hey, Squirrel

Vexin> You sure know how to keep a woman waiting. Where's WD?

Leikha> Hi Squirrel! :)

Squirrel_McPants> Ladies – how are you all?

Squirrel_McPants> WalkingDisaster is cleaning up after dinner.

Vexin> What? I thought she made the dinner?

Leikha> Aw, you guys had dinner together? ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> She did, but she insisted I come see you. I was told I have a present?

Vexin> Nevermind that for now – how are things with you two?

Leikha> Yes, you certainly have a present tonight. :-D

MairzyDoats> Nothing new with me but a cold I can't seem to shake. :( *achoo*

Squirrel_McPants> Sorry to hear that, Mairzy. :-(

 

**Leikha hands Mairzy a tissue**

 

Squirrel_McPants> Things with us are going very well, thanks.

MairzyDoats> The Puffs with the lotion, I hope?

Vexin> What does that mean?

Leikha> Of course – what kind of friend do you take me for!?!

Squirrel_McPants> I don't know – we get along, we have fun, life is good.

MairzyDoats> :-) Thanks.

Squirrel_McPants> Or are you fishing for specifics, Vex? ;-)

Vexin> I just think it might be nice to hear your side of the story more – I mean we've had months of her going on about you.

Leikha> Yeah, so how long have you liked her?

Squirrel_McPants> Liked her? From the first day I met her. :-)

MairzyDoats> And when did you know you more than liked her?

Jim looked up at Pam, who's back was to him as she stood at the sink. He watched how she was biting her lower lip in concentration as she scrubbed sauce off a plate, rinsed it off, then placed it in the dishwasher.

Squirrel_McPants> About five seconds after I knew I liked her.

Leikha> Awww.

MairzyDoats> Smooth, McPants.

Squirrel_McPants> It's the truth. Really.

Vexin> I believe you. :-) How long have you guys known each other?

Squirrel_McPants> Over five years now.

Leikha> Wow!

MairzyDoats> You've been in love with her for over five years??

Vexin> I had no idea it had been that long. WD never said that.

Squirrel_McPants> Yes, I have. Even if she sometimes she says she doesn't believe it. ;-)

Vexin> I wasn't even aware you'd known each other that long. She'd said once it was years, but I thought maybe 2 or 3....

Squirrel_McPants> Nope. 5+

MairzyDoats> I might have to rethink my whole position on you, Squirrel. Not that I approve of your deception.

Squirrel_McPants> I appreciate that, Mairzy.

MairzyDoats> I mean five years? Unrequited?

Squirrel_McPants> We've had some special moments. And we've always been best friends, so there's something to be said for that.

Vexin> Well, not always.

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, maybe. But let's just leave it at that. We're both more aware of how things were on the other side of the fence back then. Things are working out.

Vexin> Glad to hear it. :-)

Leikha> Yay!!

MairzyDoats> I can't imagine being in love with someone for that long though, and just not giving up one day. How did you do that?

Squirrel_McPants> LOL – you say that like I had a choice in the matter. I did try to walk away from it.

Leikha> Yeah, remember Mairz – he moved to CT last year?

MairzyDoats> Oh right – sorry. I forgot that part.

Squirrel_McPants> I think you're allowed not to have my life story memorized. ;-)

Leikha> But you came back, so obviously it wasn't successful.

Squirrel_McPants> Well, coming back was not entirely my choice. The branch I'd relocated to was shut.

MairzyDoats> But you could have found work elsewhere, right?

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, I could. I'm not denying that part of me wanted to come back – even though it didn't make sense to. I mean, she'd never contacted me at all while I was away, so I didn't have any reason to think anything was going to change.

Vexin> Oh man, I remember the argument she and I got into shortly after she started coming here.

Squirrel_McPants> Oh?

Vexin> She told us about you, and what happened, and how she didn't think it was up to her to make the first move. I told her in no uncertain terms that she was wrong.

Squirrel_McPants> But she still didn't.

Vexin> I know – but to be fair, Squirrel – I also know how much she wanted to. She really struggled over it. She was just too stubborn and too scared.

Squirrel_McPants> So I've been told. :-)

 

WalkingDisaster has entered the room.

Squirrel_McPants> And here she is. :-)

MairzyDoats> Yay, WD!

WalkingDisaster> Hey guys!

WalkingDisaster> Squirrel has been sitting at his computer with a grin on his face – so what did I miss??

Leikha> Talking about you :-)

MairzyDoats> Oh, he's just being all smushy over how much he luuuuuuvvvvvvs you.

Squirrel_McPants> Shut up.

Leikha> It's true! He's so smitten it's adorable!

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, thanks guys. :-P That's the last time I tell you anything.

WalkingDisaster> Well, I'll admit that he is rather adorkable. ;-)

Vexin> Oh hush you two – we'll never get the good stuff later if you carry on that way.

 

Vexin> Squirrel was just telling us a little of your back story. Like how you've known each other for over five years!

WalkingDisaster> We have.

MairzyDoats> I still can't wrap my head around how long it took you two to get together. Honestly.

Squirrel_McPants> Tell me about it. ;-)

Vexin> This is why there should be congressional medals of honor for stuff like that. It's worse than the horrors of war.

Leikha> So Vexin – can we tell him now??

Squirrel_McPants> Tell me what?

Vexin> You mean his present?

Leikha> Yeah – I've been dying all afternoon to hear his reaction.

Squirrel_McPants> Uh-oh.

WalkingDisaster> Oooh – what is it?

Vexin> Okay, Leikha – I'll send him the email now.

Leikha> Yay!

Vexin> But I'm afraid you can't find out just yet what it is, Walking.

WalkingDisaster> Why not?

Leikha> It's a surprise.

Vexin> Because it's Squirrel's task from Leikha and it's to be a surprise to you.

Lydia Mills closed her eyes so she wouldn't be tempted to hurl her coffee mug at her boss's head. She'd been the assistant to the station director at KNPR for not quite a year yet, but certainly long enough to know how scatterbrained he could be.

"Lyd," he complained, using a derivative of her name she'd asked him time and time again to please not use, "I need that report today."

"I put it on your desk yesterday," she replied much more calmly than she felt. "But I'll print it out for you again right now."

As her boss Craig nodded and walked back into his office, Lydia pulled up the IRC screen she'd hidden behind a spreadsheet.

Leikha> Still there?

MairzyDoats> Yep. What did he want this time?

Leikha> The usual. He lost the report I put on his desk yesterday.

MairzyDoats> You staple this one to his shirt. :-)

Leikha> Don't tempt me.

Working in an office setting was definitely not Lydia's dream job - even if it was at a radio station. Maybe that's one of the reasons she'd connected so immediately with WalkingDisaster in chat; both of them were artsy people trapped in the dull world of business. The big difference, WalkingDisaster often reminded her, was that Lydia was years younger and therefore could get out before it pulled her under forever.

She was joking, of course, but Lydia saw the truth behind the jest. Music had always played an important part in Lydia's life. She started playing piano at the age of four and never looked back. When other kids were outside playing on warm spring days, Lydia was inside practicing Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14 over and over again. Summer time didn't mean hours splashing at the swimming pool; it meant hours in air conditioned rooms at music camp. When she graduated high school there was only one thing Lydia wanted to do: play piano professionally with an internationally recognized symphony orchestra.

Despite being on the other side if the country, she applied to her dream school: the New England Conservatory of Music. After months of waiting she was delighted to find she'd been accepted. She walked around in a dreamlike state for days over the news, until harsh reality stepped in: she found out she could not afford to attend.

Well, afford really wasn't the correct term; it was more that her parents decided that it was not a realistic career for her to follow. They also had issues with her moving so far away, and their fear translated into their need to control her. They said they would be happy to pay for her to attend the local university if she wanted to study to become a music teacher instead of a performer. That was a sensible career that still let her do what she loved, they argued. She couldn't believe they knew her so little as to think teaching music would ever be enough to make her happy. Even her boyfriend Derek didn't see what the fuss was about.

But with few options and only a partial scholarship, she turned down the spot at NECM with a heavy heart, and registered for full-time studies at Northern Arizona University in music education, hoping that something would happen to make her dreams still come true. After a semester of still living at home, having her mother remind her at every turn how right Lydia was to follow her advice, she shifted down to part-time studies, found her current job at the radio station, and moved out. It wasn't her ideal life by any means, she knew. But whose was? As time went by, it became comfortable. And safe. And she stopped questioning her decisions until she found herself in the #Love_Stinks chat room.

Lydia discovered the chat room one night after fighting with her boyfriend Derek. She'd been a regular IRC'er for a while; a few friends from high school had moved out of town for college and it was the easiest way to stay in touch. But that night she was scrolling through the lists of open chat rooms and was taken by the room's name. Love certainly was stinking for her lately, so she joined. In retrospect that night was the start of a lot of good things for Lydia Mills.

====

Jim groaned slightly as he splashed more cool water on his face. The fact that he could have mistaken Michael's offer to go to the New York launch party as an actual invitation for him and Pam to get away just proved how off his game he was these days. Happiness was starting to make him soft, he thought to himself. But he couldn't find it in him to care.

He was surprised by his interest in taking Pam to New York when the offer first appeared. He never expected he'd want to visit that city again any time soon, but the thought of seeing it with her, through her eyes, made such a trip full of possibilities. Since tonight wasn't going to work out, maybe he'd take her some weekend soon. He remembered the task Leikha had given him, and thought maybe going to New York could be the 'scene of regret' she'd talked about. But for now he was leaving for the city on the arm of Michael, not Pam. The fun would have to wait.

====

Lydia couldn't get home from work soon enough. She had a music theory class she knew she should attend, but the bombshell that went off during last night's chat was sure to still be the focus of discussion, and all Lydia wanted to do was get on line and see what everyone else had made of Squirrel McPants' confession.

 

TooMuchTrouble> and then he said he's pay me back at the end of the week.

Vexin> and did he?

TooMuchTrouble> *raises eyebrows* need I really reply to that?

MairzyDoats> Hey Leikha!!

Vexin> Ouch. Sorry about that, TMT.

Leikha> Hey guys! :-)

TooMuchTrouble> Hello Leiks - what's up?

Vexin> Hi Leikha :-D

TooMuchTrouble> Eh, brothers. What can you do?

Vexin> Still - well, just remember karma.

Leikha> So what are you guys talking about?

TooMuchTrouble> Why it's not good to be related to anybody ;-)

MairzyDoats> Not much, Leikha. What's new with you?

Leikha> Not much?? I can't believe you guys aren't talking about Squirrel and WD!?!

Vexin> LOL - oh, we have been. Just not right this moment.

MairzyDoats> Trust me, I've already had a conversation about that with Loki and SaintSimon earlier today.

TooMuchTrouble> What's there to say about it really?

Leikha> Aww, I knew I'd miss something not logging in from work. But we had some big NPR guys in today. :(

Leikha> What is there to say about it? EVERYTHING! I mean - wow!

Vexin> Well, feel free to re-start the conversation, Leikha. :)

TooMuchTrouble> What did you want to say about it?

Leikha> What do you think of what he did? I mean really?

Vexin> Are you suggesting we didn't tell him the truth last night? ;-)

Leikha> No, I guess I just thought that thinking about it overnight might have changed your opinion.

TooMuchTrouble> I maintain there are two schools of thought on this.

MairzyDoats> I still think I'd be freaked out if I was WalkingDisaster.

Vexin> What two schools, TMT?

TooMuchTrouble> One - he's got balls of titanium.

Vexin> LOL - and number 2?

TooMuchTrouble> Two - he's totally insane.

Leikha> haha! Or both!

TooMuchTrouble> True. Or both. :-)

Vexin> You forgot the third school of thought.

TooMuchTrouble> Oh?

Vexin> He's in love. :-)

MairzyDoats> *rolls eyes* Please.

Vexin> Why are you so cynical, Mairzy?

MairzyDoats> The claim of "being in love" does not excuse everything.

Vexin> No, it doesn't. But it worked out for them.

MairzyDoats> Luck.

TooMuchTrouble> Or - he knew her well enough that it was a risk worth taking.

Leikha> Have you guys given any thought to the penance tasks we get to assign him?

Vexin> I've got a few ideas, but nothing definite yet. What about you?

Leikha> I'm not sure.

MairzyDoats> Hey, no fair - Vex! Spill your ideas!

Vexin> I will, in time. I'm afraid to hear what you're going to come up with, Mairzy.

MairzyDoats> There shouldn't be any permanent scarring.

Leikha> Good to hear!

MairzyDoats> Hopefully, anyway. ;-)

Leikha> I don't think anything I come up with will be bad.

MairzyDoats> Sissy. :-P

TooMuchTrouble> I haven't the foggiest idea what to tell him to do.

Leikha> Well, I'm kind of impressed by what he did, tbh - he had to really want to be with her to do that. I mean how many people take chances like that?

Vexin> True, Leikha. So very true.

====

Pam expression was one of calm disinterest as she put her coins into the soda machine. "So, did you enjoy your New York party?" She asked Jim, who was putting his coins into the vending machine.

He didn't even look over at her. "Immensely. You should have come. It was awesome."

"It must have been," she replied, retrieving her Coke. "I thought you'd never get home." When she straightened up, Jim was standing in front of her, blocking her exit. "I hope those are Sun Chips," she said, glancing down at the bag in his hand.

"What else?" He grinned, popping the bag open. He tilted the now open bag towards her, and instead of reaching for a chip she took the entire bag out of his hand and headed out of the break room. "Hey!" He said, his surprise evident.

"Thanks," she called back to him.

He shook his head as he watched her walk back to her desk, and fished into his pocket for more change. He'd get her back later for her theft, he smirked. Or not. In the scope of things, a few stolen snacks was a fair price to pay for what he got in return. He had no regrets on that front at all.

As he walked back to his desk with his second bag of chips, he remembered that with them both staying in Scranton tonight, he had the perfect idea on how to complete the task Leikha had given him after all. He just needed to make a plan.

====

It was several days later when Lydia finally came up with a task to give Squirrel. Each night she talked with the other chatters about how amazing what he did was, and each night it became apparent that she was becoming his chief supporter. These conversations were mostly held when neither Squirrel nor WalkingDisaster were around, so as not to embarrass them. But as surprised no one, those two's visits were few and far between that week. At least one of them would pop in each night, but only for a short while. Marathon chatting sessions seemed to be a thing of the past for them, and while Leikha could totally appreciate why that would be, she did miss them.

But being aware of their absence had benefits for her. She started to reflect on the path her own life was taking, and how happy she would be to continue this way. She had at least another four years of college since she was only attending part-time, and that meant at least another four years at the radio station. After that she'd be teaching music - which, granted would at least make music her number one focus again. And then there was her relationship with Derek: they'd dated since high school, but while she felt she'd changed in that time period, she didn't think the same could be said of him. Where was this all leading?

If she was being honest, Lydia was most impressed by Squirrel McPants' impulsiveness - of not settling for the conventional approach. It was the antithesis to everything she'd done in her life to date. He took a huge gamble that pretending to be someone else wouldn't push him out of WD's life forever. But it worked. That was the fact Lydia kept coming back to, over and over again. What made him want to put so much on the line like that? What tipped the scales away from safe and toward the uncertain? And when did he know he'd do anything - including something this crazy - to be with her?

She sent off an email to Vexin late that night, outlining her thinking about what she'd like Squirrel to do. She decided not to make his task not too hard; she figured he'd get tackled by at least one of the chatters later on. Besides, it was near impossible not to like the guy, and just from that one evening of conversation, it was apparent to her how happy the two of them were, how WalkingDisaster clearly wasn't holding a real grudge over what he'd done, and how much his gamble had really paid off.

==

Jim was standing in the conference room, pretending to listen to the random conversation in front of him while in reality he was focused on following Pam's movement around the room, getting everything ready for the video conference. When he saw her walk over to Michael, he knew his moment to put his plan in action had arrived. He walked up behind her, and when it looked like she was done talking to Michael, he reached out and gently grabbed her wrist, moving them both away from Michael.

"Hey - quick question," he said, wondering why he suddenly felt breathless.

 

"Yeah?"

"If I take a pizza, do you think you could take some sodas and some napkins up to the roof?"

 

Her reaction was quick and her tone told him she approved entirely. "I'm all over it," she replied.

Jim nodded. "Oh, good." He turned toward the stack of good pizza that had just arrived from Alfredo's Pizza Cafe. "What do we got here?" He asked no one in particular, though Kevin, Oscar and Creed were standing nearby.

"Good pizza," Kevin enthused, taking another bite of his.

"Yeah?" Jim replied, lifting up the top box. "Cheese? Or we have other flavors, or....?"

"Different stuff," Kevin said helpfully.

Jim pulled the second box from the stack. "Which one's this?" He asked, barely giving the pizza a glance. "Perfect." He turned and headed out of the room before anyone could ask him why he was stealing a whole pizza.

He found Pam waiting at the foot of the roof ladder, her items neatly waiting in a box at her feet. "Good idea," he nodded, picking it up and resting the pizza box at an odd angle inside. "I'll go first then you can hand this to me." When she didn't immediately reply he turned towards her and found her staring at him, a bemused expression on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head. She looked back up at him and smiled sheepishly. "I'm guessing there won't be fireworks tonight."

Jim smiled broadly. This was the reason he loved her so much. Without a word they always ended up on the same page. He didn't need to remind her that this was the first time they'd been up there since before. That it meant something - it mean a lot of something - to be able to go back up there. His task tonight was about looking back. Looking back but moving forward.

"There might be," he mused, quirking his eyebrow to mockingly leer at her. "Depends if you play your cards right later."

She laughed and smacked his arm. "Get up there. The pizza's getting cold."

Once on the roof, the old chairs were retrieved and set up. The lap blanket Pam had snatched from the closet in the kitchen was wrapped around her legs, and Jim served the pizza and opened the drinks. They sat in silence at first, alternating between picking at their food and sneaking glances at each other, grinning inanely all the while. It was if neither wanted to ruin the moment by talking. It was nice just being them, alone but together.

"Can you believe that pizza kid is still downstairs?" Pam finally said.

"Shhh," Jim interrupted. "We are not allowed to talk about anything that's going on in the building below our feet."

Pam chuckled. "Really?"

"Really," he insisted. He waved his hand in the small space between them. "This is a happy place. I intend to keep it that way."

"Okay," she grinned. "What should we talk about?"

Jim took a sip of his Coke and set the can on the ground. "Well, I guess I could tell you about the task I was given by Leikha."

Pam's eyes grew round with excitement, and she leaned slightly closer to him. "Yes, please do. What's the surprise?"

"Eh," Jim tilted his head, "I wouldn't get too worked up over that part of it. I think she said it was a surprise because she didn't give me exact instructions on what to do."

"Oh?"

"It's a more a mental task than a physical task."

"I see," she mused, taking another bite of pizza. "And what mental task did she want you to accomplish?"

Jim paused for a moment. Even as he'd thought about what he'd say he was still faltering to begin. "I remember the moment I first knew there was something really special about you. The moment I knew I was really going to like you."

"I remember the moment I knew I really liked you too."

"Really?"

Their eyes met. "Really," she said. "I even remember what it was you said that made me think that."

"No you don't," he teased.

"I do!" She insisted. "I remember things like that. Was it something I said that made you know you liked me?"

Jim nodded. "That was part of it."

"Then tell me the moment and I'll tell you what I said."

"There's no way you'll know that."

"Try me."

He took a deep breath and said, "Do you remember what you said to me on my first day of work, just before you walked me over to my desk?"

Pam smiled. "Yeah."

He gave her a challenging look, daring her to prove it.

Pam didn't even hesitate. "Enjoy this moment," she said, "because you're never going to go back to this time before you met your desk mate Dwight."

Jim gave her a nod. "And that's when I knew. You?"

"You came up to my desk and you said 'This might sound weird..."

"mm-huh..." Jim murmured encouragingly.

"...and there's no reason for me to know this, but that mixed berry yogurt you're about to eat has expired.'"

"THAT was the moment that you knew you liked me?"

"Yep," she grinned, looking down almost bashfully as she picked at her pizza.

"Wow." Jim thought back to that moment. He remembered how he had debated with himself as to whether or not he should say something when he saw the yogurt was out of date, or if pointing that out to her would make him look weird. In the end his concern for her not to get salmonella poisoning overrode his worry that she would think it was a dork. "Can we make it a different moment?"

"Nope."

Jim grinned ruefully. "No...."

Pam laughed softly. "Was that your task?"

 

"No," Jim replied, "Well, partly." He ran his hand through his hair then turned slightly in his chair to face her. Even in the shadows of the parking lot flood lights she looked beautiful to him. "Leikha wanted me to tell you when I knew that I wouldn't regret doing whatever it took to be with you. I guess she saw the whole Squirrel McPants thing as a the equivalent of jumping out of an airplane without a parachute and she wondered what drove someone to do that."

"Insanity?" Pam offered helpfully, her eyes crinkled and twinkling.

"That too," he nodded. He stared down at his hand resting on his leg, and tried to decide what to say next. It wasn't that talking to Pam was hard, or that they hadn't talked about their relationship before. But he wanted to take the question seriously. He wanted her to understand just how deeply she was loved, and for how long he had loved her like that. He knew that despite everything, she really didn't know.

"So when was it?" she prompted in a near whisper.

"Well, the other part of the request was that I try to recreate that moment when I knew." He reached over and put his hand on top of hers. "And here we are."

She shifted her hand so she could thread her fingers through his and squeezed his hand. "That was a good moment," she agreed.

"It probably wasn't the absolute first time I knew I didn't want to live without you," he continued, "I think I felt that way from the first day we met."

"Liar," she joked.

He squeezed her hand back. "I'm not lying. Meeting you changed everything for me."

"That was nearly six years ago, Jim."

"I know." He smiled tenderly at her. "Trust me, I know."

"Yeah," she replied, unable to meet his gaze. She stared down at their intertwined hands. "I'm so sorry for all that wasted time."

"Hey," he replied quickly, leaning over to touch her face with his free hand. "I'm not telling you this to make you sad."

"I know," she nodded. "But I put you through so much."

"Not intentionally," he added. "Besides, that's kind of the point. Despite everything, I have no regrets whatsoever about what it took to get us here." He cleared his throat and sat back in his chair. "I brought us up here because even though I've always been in love with you, it was here I became convinced we'd be good together. And I realized that I wanted that more than anything."

"Falling in love with you wasn't a choice, Pam," he continued. "But everything that came afterwards was: wanting to be with you, fighting not to tell you how I felt, and then doing so anyway, running away, coming back, realizing that I couldn't stop loving you and that I needed to do something about that - all choices I made."

"And you really don't regret them at all?"

Jim shrugged. "If I could do it all over again, I would have told you sooner and not run away. But the rest I can live with."

====

It was after nine o'clock by the time Jim and Pam made it home from Dunder Mifflin. Jim immediately headed toward his laptop.

"What are you doing?" Pam asked, semi-pouting as she leaned against the wall. Their rooftop dinner had been under observation by the documentary crew, so nothing more demonstrative than hand-holding had occurred. Given the intensity of their conversation at times, Pam had been eager to get home and quit talking.

"I just need to check into chat and tell Leikha I finished the task."

"And you can't do that tomorrow?"

"It will just be a minute, I promise."

Pam sighed and slumped down into the chair across from him where she'd left her laptop. "I might as well log in too and see what they say."

 

Lokien> I really don't know.

Vexin> Let me know when you do find out okay?

Lokien> Sure.

WalkingDisaster has entered the room.

Squirrel_McPants> Hello

Lokien> Hey squirrel!

Vexin> Hi WD! Hi Squirrel!

WalkingDisaster> Hi everyone!

Squirrel_McPants> What going on?

Lokien> The usual. Nothing. :-)

sholva> Hey.

MairzyDoats> What's up with you guys?

Squirrel_McPants> I just came by to let you know I finished the task Leikha requested.

Leikha> Awesome!

Vexin> So, how did it go?

Squirrel_McPants> Good. :)

Lokien> What was the task?

Vexin> Good? That's all you're going to say?

MairzyDoats> I think we need to know what the task was and what you did, and we'll decide if it was "good" ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> Hmmm. I wasn't expecting to have to give a play-by-play.

Leikha> I asked Squirrel to try and recreate the time and/or place when he knew that he'd do anything to win WD's affections. He had to tell her about that time/place and also what regrets he's had or not had since then.

sholva> cool

Lokien> Good work, Leikha. :-)

Leikha> Thanks. :-)

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, so that's what I did.

MairzyDoats> What did you say?

Squirrel_McPants> I don't really have to divulge that do I?

Vexin> No, I don't think so. :-)

MairzyDoats> Awww...

Squirrel_McPants> Good. Thanks.

Vexin> But I do think we need to hear from Miss Silent over there. How did he do, Walking?

WalkingDisaster> We had a very nice conversation. I learned a few things I didn't know before. :-)

Leikha> Nothing else to add?

WalkingDisaster> No, I don't think details are necessary. I think he did was he was asked to do.

sholva> spoilsport

Vexin> Shush. This isn't the Penthouse forum. ;-)

Leikha> Oh, I forgot to tell you guys my news!

MairzyDoats> What?

Leikha> I'm quitting my job at the end of the year.

Lokien> Really? Why?

Leikha> Well, as evidenced by the task I gave Squirrel, I've been thinking lately about regrets and taking chances.

sholva> Yeah?

MairzyDoats> Okay....

Leikha> so I got in contact with the New England Conservatory of Music.

Vexin> That's where you applied to after high school, right?

Leikha> Applied and was accepted, yes.

Squirrel_McPants> Accepted? For what?

Leikha> Piano. I've played the piano my whole life.

WalkingDisaster> Leikha - that's awesome! I didn't know that about you!

Leikha> Yeah, well I got a call this morning and if I go out for a follow-up audition and I haven't lost my ability, they'll be happy to accept me again.

MairzyDoats> WOW!

Vexin> But isn't it $$$? Didn't you have trouble with $$ before?

Leikha> It's going to be very tight, and I'll probably have to give in and get a few loans, but I decided I can't let that stop me.

Lokien> That's great news - congratulations!

MairzyDoats> What did Derek say?

sholva> Who's Derek?

MairzyDoats> Her boyfriend.

Leikha> My boyfriend. He wasn't nearly as happy as I was.

Vexin> No?

Leikha> He thought it was crazy. Well, that I was crazy, actually.

WalkingDisaster> Oh no. :-(

Leikha> Yeah he ranted on about it, but then he shut up when I said I was breaking up with him.

MairzyDoats> Leikha!

Leikha> Fresh start all the way around. :-D

Vexin> Impressive. Good for you!

Leikha> Thanks. You can blame Squirrel McPants. ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> If this makes you happy, I'll take all the blame in the world.

Lokien> But will you let her crash at your place if she can't get a job when it's all said and done? ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> She won't need to. But yes.

Squirrel_McPants> (as long as WD says it's okay!)

WalkingDisaster> LOL - like you need my permission to do anything. :-P

WalkingDisaster> (But yes she can stay if need be.) ;-)

Vexin> That's so exciting, Leikha! I just hope you don't forget about us when you become famous!

Leikha> Never - you guys are the best. :)

MairzyDoats> So have we agreed that Squirrel has successfully completed Leikha's task?

Vexin> I guess that's up to her. Leiks?

Leikha> I'd say definitely, but WD's got the final say so. Do you think he explained himself well enough?

WalkingDisaster> *thinks* Well......

Squirrel_McPants> Hey!

WalkingDisaster> You did forget the fireworks. ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> Says who? Is the night over yet?

WalkingDisaster> True. ;-)

Vexin> LOL !!

Lokien> Do you guys need a private room?

WalkingDisaster> haha - no, I'm just teasing him. It's a private joke.

sholva> So is he done or not?

WalkingDisaster> Yeah, he's done with that one.

Squirrel_McPants> Great - 3 down, a million more to go?

Vexin> Not quite that many, Squirrel - but are you ready for me to send you the next one?

WalkingDisaster> Oh, hold off on that, Vex - I've already got an idea for his next task.

Vexin> Oh?

MairzyDoats> ooh - do tell. :)

WalkingDisaster> Well, it probably won't mean much to you guys, but I know it's going to be the toughest task he'll ever have to do.

Lokien> sounds intriguing.

WalkingDisaster> Squirrel's next task has to do with improving his interpersonal skills.

Squirrel_McPants> Pam, no. You don't mean the one I'm thinking of.

WalkingDisaster> Oh, yes. His task can best be described by three words: Dwight K. Shrute.

Leikha> Who?

Squirrel_McPants> No!!

Lokien> Who's that?

sholva> Who's Pam??