Jim gently pulls Pam close to him and kisses her forehead. He wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow, it just...did. They had decided to watch the documentary of “The Bad Time”, as they both refer to it. “You sure you're up for this?”

Pam sighs as she tears the plastic wrap from the DVD case. “Yeah. I just can't believe we haven't done this already.”

“Well, it's not the happiest of times, y'know? But...you're right, it'll be good. Help us talk some stuff through.”

Pam gets up and pops the first disc in the DVD player. “Okay...so this is called...'The Dundies'. Oh my god, it's the year I got drunk and was banned from Chili's. Can we skip this one?”

Jim laughs, “No way, Beesly! This was your idea; you're sitting through this.” He grabs the remote from her as she settles back in, pressing the play button before she can say anything else.

“I don't know how this is a show. I mean, people actually want to watch Michael be an idiot?”

“Hey, you watch 'Jon and Kate Plus 8'. People will watch anything.”

Despite feigning offense, she realizes he has a point. And as they watch the show, she realizes that their office actually makes for some decent TV.

“The sad thing is,” Jim laughs, “I think Kevin did actually win a contest at Dunkin' Donuts one time.”

“Oh, I forgot about that nickname. I have to start calling you Fat Halpert now.”

Suddenly, the laughing stops as they get to a part of the episode that reminds them why they call it “The Bad Time”. They sit on the couch, totally rapt as on-screen Pam is pained by Michael's insensitive award-giving. But then real-life Pam can't help but smile as she sees something new. On-screen Jim is her knight-in-shining-armor. “You...I didn't know...thank you.”

A few minutes later, Pam turns bright red as she watches herself shout at Roy. “Okay,” she half-whispers, “Here's where it gets interesting.”

“How much of this do you actually remember?”

“Uggh,” she groans. “Enough to know it's not good. I remember...second drink. I remember falling down. And, unfortunately, I remember shirtless Dwight. I don't remember this spee---” she stops dead.

“Didn't remember that, huh?” Jim isn't sure whether to smile or not. “It was our first first kiss, actually.”

She smacks his arm. “Why didn't you tell me about this?”

He shrugs. “I don't know...uh, it was just kind of...”

“Wow.” She's quiet for a while as Jim holds his breath. Finally she says, “How was I?”

He smirks. “Not as good as our second or third first kisses. But I have to go easy on you due to the amount of alcohol in your system at the time.”

“That's very generous of you.”

They watch the rest of the episode in silence, except for an occasional burst of laughter. As the credits roll, they sit up and Pam turns to face Jim. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“You were always so good to me. And I so didn't deserve it. But I thought I should say it....when I wasn't drunk.”

"So what's up next?" Pam sits up on the couch as Jim settles in and hands her the bowl of popcorn.  She lays back down, resting her head on his chest.

"Office Olympics."

"Ooh, how fun!  That was such a great day." She hits play and instantly Michael is saying something stupid.  "Wait, Micheal has worms?"

"Apparently."

As the opening titles run, Jim goes over the rules they had decided on.  "Okay, so...no apologies."

"Right.  I mean, we've done enough of that already, right?"

"Oh yeah. Definitely."

"And, most importantly, be honest."

"I think I can do that.  So I should, honestly, tell you how beautiful you look right there?"

Pam blushes.  "So, um, you...you haven't died of boredom in a while."

He's not letting her get out of things that easily.  "Well, what can I say? You keep things interesting."  He leans down and kisses her neck gently.

"Hey Jim?  Have we used Dwight's farm for sex yet?"  Jim visibly shudders and Pam laughs.  "Okay, scratch that idea."

They're silent for a while, reveling in the memories of that fun-filled day.  Finally, Jim speaks up. "In the spirit of honesty, I do have to tell you that I absolutely love how you can come up with stuff like that, just, totally spur of the moment."  He was referring to Pam naming the box of paper race, Flonkerton.

"Thank you.  Honestly, I love that name myself."

"And...what was it you called it...throwing stuff in Dwight's cup?  Skeet Schruting?  Genius."

Pam smiles during her talking head. The thing about Jim is, when he gets really excited about something, like the Office Olympics, he gets really into it and does a really great job.  It's Jim's turn to blush.

The documentary switches over to Michael, freaking out about his condo payments.  Pam sighs.  "I almost feel bad for Michael."  Where are all the hot people? "Almost."

Back at the office, Angela was explaining the rules of Pampong.  Jim speaks up, "I would love to see that scoresheet these days. It's gotta be a binder-full by now."

When on-screen Jim sees the 'doves', Pam has to mention the way his face lights up.  "Look at that smile.  You are so in love with me."  She's trying to tease him, but he just grins. 

He returns the 'teasing' when on-screen Pam ignores 59 voicemails to help on-screen Jim with closing ceremonies.  "See, you love me too."

"I do. I also love that you pronounce 'athletes' with three syllables."

The credits roll at last, and Jim echoes Pams words from the start. "That was such a great day."  He loves this feeling, wishes they could stop the DVD right there.  But he knows the bad times are coming up soon.  He hugs Pam tight and waits for the next episode.

It had been a long day. Jim had made a stupid remark about Roy, and Pam had retaliated by making a stupid remark about Jim. They had spent the rest of the day drastically ignoring each other by actually working. When they got home, of course Jim apologized, and Pam apologized, but she really wasn't in the mood for this type of trip down memory lane. But Jim had insisted. So here they were. Pam was on the floor, still not quite happy enough to snuggle, while Jim was stretched out on the couch.

“What's this one called?” Pam asked in a virtual monotone as the titles started.

“The Fire.”

The two sat in an unusual silence for most of the show. Near the end, just as Katy and Jim were getting in the car, on-the-couch Jim heard a gentle sniffing from the general floor area. He slid off the couch, putting his arm around to his teary-eyed fiancée. She sunk into his arms. “That was awful,” she whispered at last.

“Because you got called out on the rules of Desert Island?”

“I was so jealous and catty.”

Jim was quiet for a moment, and his face turned very serious. “I...I wanted to hurt you.”

“What?”

“With Katy. You know that, right? That's the only reason I ever dated her.”

She shook her head in confusion. “You wanted to hurt me?”

“Yeah. Not consciously. But I realized that, watching this. I'm sorry.”

She was silent for a long time. “I was trying to hurt you when I kissed Roy like that.” After another brief pause, she added, “Also, you broke the rules. No apologies allowed.”

He smiled slightly. “That was a new apology though.  Doesn't count.  I will never do anything to hurt you again.  Ever.”

“Me either.”  Pam stuck her hand out, pinkie extended.  Jim linked his pinkie in hers, smiled, and pulled her close for a kiss.  Soon, their awful day was long forgotten.

It had only been a few days since Jim and Pam had opened the DVDs they had gotten from the production company that filmed their lives.  But already, they had settled into a nice routine of watching a few episodes a night.  It was weird, but good.  They both loved revisiting all the good times they had had when they were "just friends".  And, even though it was hard, they were also enjoying how they could really talk about the bad times as well.

"Okay, so this is...ooh it's your party!  The one Michael crashed," Pam was grinning ear to ear.  They were cuddled up in bed, Pam curled up with her head resting on Jim's chest.  She hit play, and soon they were watching their entire office having a lockdown...for the IT guy.

"Michael is..."  Jim tried to find the right words.

"Hopeless?"

"Yes.  I was going to say clueless, but your word is better."

As had become their custom, they had something of a Mystery Science Theater atmosphere while watching all the stupidity of the office.

I think "Wow, I love my Big Brother!"

"That's what she said!"

"Gross.  Beesly, you are gross."

I've got to erase a lot of stuff.  A LOT of stuff.

"I know what you're thinking, but I'm pretty sure Kevin was erasing his recipe for Office-made beer."

"Oh yeah, can't let that secret out.  Then everyone will want some."

Probably...because we're downriver from that old bread factory.

Even Jim couldn't come up with a response to Dwight's insane speech.  Him and Pam both just laughed hysterically for a solid minute.

As on-screen Pam conspired with the camera crew to expose Dwight and Angela, Jim couldn't help but grin and kiss his Pam on the top of her head. She just looked up and motioned for him to keep watching as Angela bought a second candy bar for Dwight.

They both stared, dumbfounded at Michael's "improv".  And, after what seemed like an eternity to Pam, they finally got to the actual party.

"Jim, your room looks like your in college.  I'm surprised there wasn't a futon."

"Well, that's why I have you now." Pam smiled at his remark and took his hand in hers.

     Islands in the stream
     That is what we are
     No one in-between
     How can we be wrong
     Sail away with me...

They both sang along as the episode ended.  "Oh..." Pam sighed as the credits rolled, "I'm so in love with you."

Jim grinned in classic Jim fashion.  "Let's start the next epsiode."

"Let's start the next episode."

Pam agreed whole-heartedly.  The next "episode" (it was definitely still weird to apply that word to their lives) was the Christmas Party where Jim had bought her that beautiful teapot.

The first part was a general Michael moment with the way-too-tall tree.  Then, Pam got the special treat of seeing Jim tell the crew all about her gift. "I have to say, this was the second-best present I ever got."

Jim put one hand to his heart, "Ouch, second best?"

Pam wiggled the fingers on her left hand, indicating her stunning engagement ring.  "Yes, second-best."

"Well, if it's so great, how come you never use it anymore?"

"I use it!  Just..not for tea,"  she got up with an exaggerated sigh and walked to her side of their closet.  She reached up high and pulled down the teal ceramic teapot.  Jim smiled.  He knew where she kept it, of course, but he had been trying to distract her from that embarassing speech he just gave about Christmas being the time to say your true feelings.  Yikes.  And it worked, by the way.  By the time she sat back down, the show had moved back to the much more comfortable topic of Michael's stupidity.

"See," Pam declared proudly, pulling the top off the teapot.  "Here's the yearbook picture, you dork, and the boggle timer, everything.  Plus some stuff I've sort of...added to it."

"A price tag?"

"From that lamp we bought during the fun run."

"Oh, you mean that ridiculously heavy lamp I had to carry around all day?  And...a dried up flower?"

"A pressed flower from the bouquet you bought me on our first date."

"Ah, and what's this receipt?"

"Um, from our shopping trip to Sav-On that time we thought Kev had skin cancer, and you bought fabric softener."

Jim's grin grew as he realized the time line on that.  She had been collecting stuff in that teapot since before her and Roy had broken up.  She must have known what he was thinking because she suddenly blushed and focused her attention back on the TV.

I only care about you a home-made oven mitt's worth.

"Oh no, here's when Michael started White Elephant."

"It's called Nasty Christmas."

"No, Jim, Todd Packer crashing your party is called Nasty Christmas."

To think that my gift for Pam will be used for that, it's a little too much to handle.

"Aw, what a jerk," Pam whimpered.

"What? Who, me?"

"Me.  I let Dwight take my teapot!"

Jim shrugged, "It worked out in the end, though, right?"  he said.

Pam nodded, knowing he didn't just mean this one Christmas.  She held the gift in her lap, absently drawing circles over the lid with her finger as they continued watching.

Yeah, I think I made the right choice.

Jim visibly tensed and Pam's jaw dropped open slightly as on-screen Jim slyly pulled the mysterious white envelope out and slid it into his pocket. Pam hit the pause button.  "What was that?"

"What?" Jim tried sounding innocent.

"That!  What did you take?"

"Oh, uh..." he tried to come up with a casual way of saying it, "just, you know, another failed attempt to...declare my love for you?"

Pam laughed slightly, "Oh another one of those, huh?"

"Yeah, it seemed to be a pattern back then."

"So..."

"So?"

"So what did it say?"

"You know, just the usual.  Nothing special really."

"Jim, I won't quit until you tell me."

He raised his eyebrows to see if she was bluffing.  At last, he sighed as if to say "okay, you win."  He got up and went to his side of their closet this time, reaching to the highest shelf where he knew Pam couldn't get to, and pulled down a tattered envelope.  It had coffee stains splattered on it and was bent at the corners, but it was still sealed tight.  He handed it to her, remaining standing as if afraid of her reaction.  Pam cocked her head slightly as she sat up and tore it open.  After all this time, how could he be nervous about a card? It was a very basic card; it had a holly leaf on the outside, where it said "Merry Christmas".  The inside had the words "And A Happy New Year," printed on it, though the words got lost in the sea of Jim's chicken scratch that literally covered every inch of the inside.

Pam, it began simply, don't forget to open the lid for your bonus presents.  Each item is something that has a great memory, something we shared together as friends. Pam could see the writing get more and more rushed, more and more desperate as the note continued. Choosing the card was definitely the hardest part.  You know that there are three kinds of greeting cards, right?  There's the kind that try and fail to be funny, the kind that try and fail to be sentimental, and the kind that don't even try at all.  I ended up getting the kind that has quit trying at all. Because, well, that's kind of how I think of you.  That sounds harsh.  Sorry.  I don't mean it to be rude. The writing was barely legible at this point, What I mean is, you're so great Pam.  You are brilliant and creative and hilarious.  But I don't think you realize it.  And every time I see you, I just want to make you wake up and see how absolutely wonderful you are.  I love you Pam.  I...I really love you.  I'm in love with you.  And I definitely didn't plan on saying that in a christmas card, but I think I may never get the courage to otherwise.  I love you, and I never want you to stop trying, because you deserve the best.  I don't know what I expect you to do with this, but please...just...I don't know.  Whenever you use this teapot, I hope you'll remember what I said.  Never stop trying, never give up.  You deserve the world.  All the love in my heart, Jim, he ended, snagging a line from what he knew was Pam's all-time favorite movie.

Pam's cheeks were soaked in tears by the time she finished.  She got off the bed and threw her arms around Jim's neck, pulling him down into a kiss.  They never did finish watching that episode.