It all began with a simple contest.

“Truth or dare, my darling,” Jim proclaimed mockingly, handing Pam a can of Grape Soda. “Ah, yes, the terms of endearment…that’s always a plus with your girlfriend,” she giggled. “You didn’t answer the question, oh lovely Pamala,” he continued to jest. Pam knew he was up to something no good, and she was definitely loving it. “Dare, your annoying Jimness.” He smiled over his own can of soda, and after taking a swing, dramatically placed it on the table and said “I dare you to…” he laughs, losing his dramatic effect. She laughs with him, just because she can. A quick thought enters her mind, and she acts upon it before he can issue her challenge.

“Wait! Terms and conditions, oh mighty challenge…issue…er…” The both continue to laughing, bathing in the happiness that is them. Finally, regaining composure, Jim says seriously “I realize that we haven’t talked…about us.”

The once completely relaxed vibe that had been floating around the room quickly left; in it’s place a thick, stuffy silence ensued.

Jim looked to Pam’s nervous face and sensed that he needed to clarify. Taking her hand quickly, he said “I’m not breaking up with you. All of this…us…is real. And I don’t want it to change at all.” She looked up and smiled at him, but let him continue. “But I know there are both things that have been unsaid, and I think…actually, I know….that this will be a much funner way to do this.”

Pam still grinned, agreeing with him mentally, but saying “Funner isn’t a word, Jim.” Jim took this as his invitation to complete the rules. “A Truth means that you must answer-completely truthfully-a question that pertains to anything involving us, what has been or what will be,” Jim said mock-seriously, returning to his goofy attempt at being sage. “Punishment if not being truthful?” Pam mused. “There will be one,” Jim said, “and it will be horrible. So horrible, in fact, I can’t even speak of it. And that’s partially because I don’t know what the consequence is. So…just be truthful. Deal?” Pam nodded vigorously.

“Now a Dare,” Jim said, “is a challenge. Between us. And it is the ultimate showdown between pranksters.” Pam giggled at his intensity, but he continued on. “Whoever wins gets ultimate title. If the person who is issued the challenged completes it successfully, they pick a dare for the person who issued it. Once both persons do their challenge, they must revert to truth.” Pam nodded but then added “But you can stay on truth for as long as you like-like, you can do round after round of truth without switching back to dare, but once I chose to switch to dare, you have to complete one.”

Jim said “Well, Pam, who said you get to go first?” He smiled at her, but Pam said in all seriousness listed “you issued the challenge, so that means I go first. I’m the girlfriend, which means I go first, And…I know when enough is enough with dares. So…I need that special power.” She takes a sip of her grape soda. “I’m very competitive,” she grinned sheepishly over her grape soda.

Jim smiled. “I know…this whole truth thing is gonna be pretty hard. I’m sure we’ll get creative.” He cleared his throat, and said in a stage whisper “Truth or dare, Pam?”

She got shivers at his intensity.

He cleared his throat, and said in a stage whisper “Truth or dare, Pam?”

She got shivers at his intensity.


“Well, obviously dare, Jim, What kind of whimp do you take me for?”
Jim grins-he can’t get enough of her. “Oh Pam, you will be begging for my mercy at the end of this.” He utters his dare, and Pam looks up at him, eyes wide. “You’re issuing me a death threat, not a dare!” Jim just shrugs his shoulders. “that’s not my problem. Your problem will be you dealing with me when you inevitably back down and I gloat the entire day.” He knows Pam will never admit defeat, so it’s no surprise that, just to spite him, she gets up and walks toward Michael’s office.

Pam knocks on the door, “Michael?” she calls.
“Oh, Pam! Pam-a-lama-ding-dong! Pammy-“ Pam quickly enters so that the rest of the office doesn’t have to hear Michael destroying her pride into lousy pet names.
“-lammy! What can I do for you?” Michael, the grown-up four year old. Minus the “grown-up” part. “Michael, Jan called.” He sobered instantly. “What did she want? Did she buy the couch? Pam, what is it with women and couches? I mean, I have a great futon in the-“ Pam cut him off quickly. “No…but she bought something I think you might be interested in. But you are SWORN to secrecy…ok?” Michael stuck out his pinky, and Pam seriously hooked her pinky on, and they shook.

“Michael…Jan bought a pregnancy test. Jan’s pregnant.”  Michael slammed his head against the keyboard. After a second or two, he raised his head and screamed “WHAT?” Everyone in the office looked toward Michael and Pam behind closed doors.  Noticing that he completely had disturbed the office silence, he whispered “WHAT?” Pam nodded and smiled. As Michael began to list baby names (all variations of the name “Michael”) Pam turned around, and Jim gave him a thumbs up sign, but then he waved his hand, summoning her to go on with her mission. She grinned, and quickly turned back to Michael.

“I mean, it’s probably just a precaution…she’ll still have to see a doctor first…but I wanted to let you know. Do you have finances saved? I mean, the baby needs to go to school, and needs clothes, food-and Jan’s gonna want to have a real commitment, right?” Michael’s face fell.  He was suddenly groaning, and fell of his chair onto the floor. “Pammmmm...what am I gonna DO?”

Pam felt bad. She felt that she had completed the first part of her task, so she turned around back to Jim with a questioning look. He gave her an ok sign, and she turned around again. “Michael,” she said seriously. “You need to watch Oprah.” Michael groaned from somewhere under his desk “Pam, you know I already do…why is Oprah going to help me?” “Michael, Oprah said the number one strategy to thinking about things in life were to apply them in real life when you’re least expecting it. Jan’s not pregnant.”

Michael was silent. Finally, he uttered “…which episode was this Pam?” Pam suddenly got worried, but quickly recovered. “It was on the super-extended version of the Season Four DVD. They only made like, 8 copies.” Michael continued to be silent. Suddenly, he got up and back on to his chair, and said “Oprah is amazing, Pam. I’m glad that you learned from my devotion to her…to go out and follow my opinion…and watch my favorite show.” Pam nodded slowly, trying hard not to laugh. “Ok Michael, I’m going to go back. You, uh, passed your test.” Michael nodded, breathing hard still. Just as she was about to leave he called “Wait-Pam-just to be clear-Jan’s not pregnant, right?”

Pam shut the door before he could see her laughing.


“I can’t believe you are making me do this.”
She looks up from her monitor, smiling at Jim. “No one can make you do anything. You’ll just have to admit your absolute defeat by me.” Jim gawked at her, playfully not amused by the thought of losing his title to Pam. “I would rather eat beats, while watching Battlestar Galactica”- he stopped while Pam laughed-“for the rest of my life, than admit defeat to you,” Jim stated proudly. Still smiling sweetly at him, he continued. “All right. But only in the name of the Prankster gods on Prankster high am I doing this.” Pam walked around from the reception desk, grabbing Jim’s coat from the stand. She stood in front of him and pressed the jacket to his chest, giving it to him. “Admit that you’re so excited for your first date with Dwight.”

He was still not amused.

She kissed him on the cheek, bade him good-bye, and walked back around to her desk.

It wasn’t long before she looked up from her monitor and looked thoughtfully at Dwight’s desk.