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.

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He took another sip of his beer and stared at the game. Darryl elbowed him in the side.

“So, what are you gonna do about it?”

“I don’t know, man. She came home late last night and this morning she’s all distant but I don’t know why and she keeps telling me nothing’s wrong.”

“I was gonna tell you something but now I’m not sure…”

“No, look, Darryl, if you know something you gotta tell me.”

“Well, my cousin is dating one of the girls who works for the production company and she said…” he hesitated.

“Come on, dude, don’t leave me hanging!”

“Well, she said that Pam kissed Halpert last night. Like, up in the office, alone. They got it on tape.”

“WHAT??????? Why the hell didn’t you tell me before!”

“Cuz I knew you’d just freak out, man! This girl also said that Pam ran off afterwards so it wasn’t like they hooked up or anything. That Halpert just made a play for your girl and it didn’t work out. Chick said she heard he’s transferring anyway, man.”

“Jesus Christ. No wonder she was all weird. You think I should let Halpert have it? I mean, I fucking asked him to keep an eye on her!”

“Man, that’s messed up. What happened to honor?”

“No shit. Well, if he’s leaving, I guess it doesn’t really matter too much but she’d better tell me.”

“Yeah, it’d be hard to trust her again if she doesn’t tell you.”

“What if - what if she liked it? Maybe that’s why she’s being all weird!”

“Man, you thought Halpert was gay up until he kicked your ass at basketball!”

“But girls like that sensitive crap. I’ll tell you one thing, she is not fucking leaving me for THAT guy!” Roy pounded a fist on the bar.

Darryl looked around the bar before leaning in and saying, in a low voice, “Look man, I got a cousin who’s got a friend who can maybe help you out with that.”

“Like how?”

Darryl looked at his watch. “Shit, it’s late. My old lady wanted me home. Let me drop you off and we’ll talk on the way.”

“Sweet.”

Pam was sitting on the couch a few days later when he got home from a night out with Darryl. She was confused that he didn’t smell like smoke and beer but it passed quickly through her mind and she thought no more about it.

In any case, her bags were packed and she was just waiting up for him to give him a courtesy notice that the wedding was off and she was moving out. If she could have gotten away with leaving a note, she certainly would have handled it that way instead.

She hadn’t spoken to Jim about it yet but he was all she’d been able to think about for the past few days and she had decided that she needed to give herself a chance to be with him. She just wanted to end things with Roy first and make a clean start.

When he saw her sitting on the couch in the dark he immediately started to suspect what was about to happen. He needed to stall her as much as possible to do what he needed to do.

He went right past her into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water.

She called after him, “Roy? Where did you go? We need to talk!”

“I’m in here, babe! Just a sec. I need a drink cuz my throat is real dry!” he stirred the powder into the water and as instructed, he waited until the purple color faded to clear before walking back into the living room.

She had a few tears in her eyes but there was a determination in her face he hadn’t seen in months – possibly years. He swallowed hard, knowing what was coming but waiting to hear before taking action.

“Roy, listen. I’ve been thinking a lot lately and we really need to talk. I need some space and I…” she exhaled in a rush, “I don’t want to marry you anymore.”

He took a deep breath, “Pam, are you sure about this?”

“Yes, really sure. I’m sorry but we’re just not the same people we were and we’ve grown apart.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

“Yeah. It’s fine, Pam, whatever you want. Here have a drink of water. You’ve been crying - you sound a little dry.”

“Yeah, okay, thanks.” She took the glass and took a long drink. Suddenly her eyes grew wide and she looked over at Roy, closed her eyes and slumped forward.

Roy gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He took out his cell and dialed a number. “You can come on in now. She’s under.”

Darryl entered the apartment with the stranger who had given him the powder. Roy didn’t want to know his name and the stranger hadn’t offered it so Roy called him Mr. X.

Mr. X hadn’t said much at all to Roy but he did ask, “You get what I needed?”

“Yep, got it all right here.” He handed the stranger a small bag containing 2 pictures, a lock of hair, and a small vial.

The stranger took the bag and said only, “Go. Leave me with her for one hour.”

Darryl and Roy went to the living room.

“Xbox?” Roy asked.

“Yeah. Halo 2, all rocket launchers?” Darryl offered.

“Sweet!”

Pam couldn't really articulate to her parents why she didn’t want to marry Roy. She just knew that the thought of it gave her a sick feeling in her gut. Not really the feeling you want to get about someone you promise to spend the rest of your life with.

She was at her parents for 5 nights. Each night, she had the most amazing dreams about a strange man. After the first night, the dream so moved her that she had to paint.

The blank canvas lay before her as she struggled to remember the details of the man's fingers. The next night, not knowing if it was even the same man, she took another blank canvas and painted his lips. Each night she recalled more and more vivid detail.

After the fifth night, she saw a whole face. It was clear that she was not dreaming about 5 different men, but was recalling parts of the same man. She assembled her canvases and combined the features to create a portrait of her dream man.

His eyes were kind and expressive with long lashes.

His hands were graceful yet manly with long fingers, capable and sturdy.

His lips were full and sensuous.

His hair was a bit wild and unruly.

When she finished, she stared at the painting long and hard. There was something about him that was so comforting, so familiar. The eyes of the painting seemed to burn into her soul. Looking at it made her inexplicably happy.

Her mother came into the room to tell her dinner was ready. She caught a glimpse of the painting and her jaw dropped.

"Pam, do you know who that is?" she asked cautiously.

"No mom, but I had a dream about him. I've been dreaming about him every night. Does he look familiar to you? I feel like I've seen him before..."

Her mother was mesmerized. How did Pam not remember Jim? What the hell had Roy done to her daughter?

After dinner, her mother made sure Pam was fully engaged in a movie with her father. She crept upstairs to her bedroom and started making some calls.

Even though he had recently moved and had an unlisted number, it was surprisingly easy to track him down.

And she never noticed the odd clicking on the phone line.

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Roy was quick.

He was also lucky Pam's mother was able to talk Jim into waiting until the weekend to make the long trip from Stamford.

He was there when Jim opened the door to leave for work the next day. He knew Jim wouldn't drink the powder willingly so he had an injection prepared.

Mr. X got right to work.

And the next day, Jim Halpert awoke with a slight headache and no memory of Pam Beesley.

Pam's mother was astonished when Jim didn't show up that Saturday. He had been ready to jump in the car five minutes after she called him. What the hell was going on?

Telling her husband and daughter she was going to visit her sister in Philadelphia, she headed for Stamford. When she got there, he didn't recognize her. When she explained, he seemed to have no recollection of speaking to her.

And he had no idea who Pam was.

Pam's mother wasn't about to give up. Not when her daughter's happiness was at stake. And not when that asshole Roy, who had come distressingly close to being part of her family, had clearly gone and done something foolish.

She was clever enough to leave Jim's apartment and knock on the door again 5 minutes later. Just as she suspected, he didn't recognize her at all. Like Pam, he acted somewhat like a child. It was easy for her to tell him she was a friend of his mother’s. He let her guide him to her car and went along for the ride without another question.

When they arrived home, she brought him into the living room.

Pam looked at Jim. Jim looked at Pam.

Pam's mother held her breath but they didn't recognize each other right away. Suddenly, Pam grabbed his hand and led him upstairs to the room that had become her makeshift studio. Silently, she led him around and he stared wide-eyed at her paintings.

After viewing them all, Pam turned to look at him, enchanted. When he gazed back at her, he felt caught up in a spell. Unseen forces seemed to push them towards each other.

When their lips touched, it opened a floodgate of memories. Suddenly she knew him and he knew her. They kissed and kissed and remembered everything.

Jim didn’t notice the faint clicking on the line when he called his mother. He was too caught up in telling her had found Pam again and they were in love and he was happy, happy, happy...

Roy was livid.

He threw things around the apartment, punched a wall, and drank a whole bottle of whiskey that night. When he woke up in the morning he had the worst headache. He knew Pam kept aspirin in her nightstand drawer so he barely had to move to reach it.

He opened the nearly empty drawer and fumbled around until he found the bottle of aspirin. His curiosity was aroused by the feel of something smooth underneath the bottle. He pulled it out. It was a photograph. One that Pam kept hidden but which made her happy to steal glances at every morning.

A photograph of Jim.

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Mr. X had told him twice now not to ever call again. Roy made the grave mistake of ignoring that request.

"They're together! They're in love! You told me you never made a mistake!"

"Must be something you did. I don't make mistakes."

Roy didn’t tell him about the photograph. And he certainly couldn't have known that Jim kept his aspirin in the same spot in his apartment alongside a picture of Pam. That it was the first thing he looked at every morning upon waking and the last thing he gazed at before falling asleep.

Mr. X wasn't the type of person who liked to be questioned about his practices. He also appreciated prompt payment for services rendered.

"Mr. Anderson, I have not yet received my fee."

Roy was incredulous. "Your fee? You didn't even do what you said you were going to do! I told you if it didn't work I was NOT paying you."

"And I told you I expected payment."

"Not happening, buddy. Not ever. You ruined my life!"

Mr. X’s tone softened a bit. "I understand and I am not an unreasonable man. Perhaps I can give you something to assuage the situation?"

"Now you're talking! Let's fix this problem. You got another powder or something?"

"Yes, something like that. I'll meet you at your apartment. Say nine o'clock tonight?"

"You'd better make this right!"

"Of course, sir."

*******************************************************

Darryl didn't hang out with him at bars anymore. Nobody did really. He had developed an odd quirk that most folks found rather off-putting.

He couldn't stop himself from talking to any unaccompanied woman who walked into the bar. He was good at breaking the ice by buying them a drink. Skilled at making a little small talk. When the women showed an interest, then the problems began.

Pam and Jim didn't harbor any animosity towards him at all. In fact, they were quite generous in their forgiveness of Roy.

Mr. X, on the other hand, was not. And that's the real reason why Roy wasn't invited to their wedding.

Whenever a woman began to return Roy’s attention, he began clucking like a chicken. Then he felt compelled to do a little chicken dance.

True selfless love, like the kind that Pam and Jim shared, could have broken the spell.

But Roy was a selfish man who had gone to extraordinary lengths to keep Pam from her true love. And he wouldn’t find true love with another woman as most didn't get past their first encounter with the chicken man. Even the freaks didn’t make it past the second.

Pam and Jim lived happily ever after.

And Mr. X was never heard from again.