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** 2nd Pam, Beach Day Chapter tomorrow sometime...

Here we are again, love

Here we go again...

By your side I can't pretend anymore.

Now, everything starts where it ends.

Lovedrug, Everything Starts Where It Ends

He'd seen her, over Ryan's shoulder, as she darted across the coals, and when she flew into the circle, amazed, exhilarated, a glimpse of the girl he knew (wanted) - a smile found its way to his lips.

Later, after it was all said and done, he remembered feeling proud when she began to speak her mind, almost laughing when she told Michael she'd take his job...

Why didn't any of you come to my art show? I invited all of you. That really sucked. It's like sometimes some of you act like I don't even exist...

It's a funny thing, emotion, because even though Pam hadn't looked at him then, he knew those words - all of them - were meant for him. And he realized, all this time, she might have been - might be - hurting, too. He felt dumb and childish and full of so, so much regret.

But then her eyes found his, and the world went white.

Jim, I called off my wedding because of you. And now we're not even friends...

His mind screamed, pleaded: yes, no, why now, why here, you can't, I can't, finally, what in the hell, please...

He didn't know, couldn't think. She wasn't letting up and he only caught glimpses.

I miss you... were my best friend... really miss you...

Her confessions felt like needles, sticking him in places where wounds were still raw, open. He wanted to look away, make sure he was still awake, but he couldn't pull his eyes from hers. Knew this couldn't really be Pam... but she was there and solid and making him hurt in that exquisite way she always did.

There were a lot of reasons to call off my wedding, but the truth is I didn't care about any of those reasons until I met you.

He'd heard of individuals drifting outside their bodies, watching things happen from afar, but he'd always attributed it to people like Dwight who met up in groups and discussed alien encounters or the 10th dimension.

He took it all back in that instant.

She was gone before he ever found thought, dancing in the water like a siren, luring him to his death... or maybe she was just standing there, cooling off her feet, but heat and energy and truth were falling out of her, all over him and it broke him in two a little.

It had been too long, he decided. She was too late. There was... it was... they were... he didn't even know what she was saying, what she wanted, what she meant by doing this now.

But it was her and he was... him. And he wasn't sure it was ever too late. But he wasn't sure it was time.

In the distance, the fire cracked and he finally took a breath, wiped the wetness from his cheek. No one spoke when he walked away, words littered around him like leaves.