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Story Notes:

Really had fun doing this. Thanks to PuffingNoise for my prompts! Tunkahannock Koa is a real place about 16 miles out of Scranton (according google), but I have no idea if it is near a forest or if its even big enough for this story to legitimately take place there. So if you live in Scranton, and you've been to Tunkahannok Koa, please forgive any inconsistencies with real life.

Reviews are always appreciated!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own these people. But I do own a "I heart Jim Halpert T-Shirt", so there.

It was that time of year again.  Michael sent out a cryptic email setting the date for Dunder Mifflin's annual motivational event, this time telling everyone to pack water skis, a sleeping bag, three forms of identification, and pancake mix.  The office was a flutter with speculation.  Where in God's name was Michael taking them this time?  For once, Pam couldn't care less.  Jim and Karen had broken up almost two weeks ago, and for the first time they were both going to be single at Michael's big motivational outing.  The fantasies that ran through her mind as she sat at her desk were outrageous, but she just couldn't help herself. 

Everyone filed into the conference room that morning and eagerly awaited Michael's big reveal.  

"This year's theme is, drum roll please..."

Dwight, of course, obliged. 

"It's only natural!" 

Ridiculously proud of himself, Michael went on to explain that sales, and the process of selling things, are a lot like nature.  People naturally want to buy things, and as a result, other people naturally want to sell them.  Nature is also full of wild, untamable beasts, just like a business.  You never know when a mountain lion is going to come out of its den and rip you to shreds while you're sleeping, just like you never know when the copy machine is going to jam."

"So where are we going you ask?" 

Michael let the anticipation, or lack thereof, build for a few seconds before giddily exclaiming, "CAMPING!  Ladies and gents, please form a single file line and make your way to your vehicle transports for we are going to, drum roll please."

Dwight obliged.  Again. 

"The Tunkahannock Koa Campgrounds!"

Several groans were heard spreading through the conference room.  Michael pulled out a large bag and began throwing Tunkahannock Koa branded mouse pads at everyone.  "Nature may have mice, but we have mouse pads!"  

Stanley asked if that meant this was an overnight event.  Michael replied that yes, it was, and added with a wink that whatever happened in Tunkahannock, stayed in Tunkahannock.

Soon after, everyone began filing out of the office and heading to the campsite.  It wasn't very far away, and Pam rather enjoyed the short drive and the opportunity to be alone with her thoughts.  Jim had flashed her a big goofy grin on his way out, saying he'd save a place for her in his tent, if she were interested.  They'd been flirting like mad ever since Karen got herself transferred out of Scranton after the break up.  It was like old times again, only now there was nothing holding them back from acting on their flirtations, which somehow made them much more exciting. 

Pam pulled into the parking lot at Tunkahannock Koa and got her camping gear out of her trunk.  She was glad she'd taken Michael's sleeping bag suggestion seriously, although it hadn't been too hard to guess which of the items listed in his memo were, as he would say, "For realsies", and which were red herrings.  He had written the words ‘sleeping bag' in bold, and underlined them.  Twice.  That's why Pam found it so funny when she saw Dwight trekking across the parking lot.  He was carrying water skis and what looked like a box of Aunt Jemima, in addition to his sleeping bag.  Pam would have put money down that somewhere in one of his bags there were also three forms of identification.

She reached the campsite and looked around at her co-workers.  This actually wasn't too bad of an idea, she thought to herself.  The weather was beautiful, as were the stars that were already starting to poke through the sky.  Even though Scranton wasn't a big city itself, the air was still fresher out here away from all the traffic and businesses.  She spotted Jim under an oak tree and headed over in his direction. 

"Hey Halpert.  Nice sack."  She coyly pointed at his knapsack.  His reaction was adorable, and she thought she saw his cheeks redden a little. 

"Well, that's what she said," he quipped back, as straight faced as possible. 

Michael had rented small tents for everyone in the office with the money he saved by not renting some outlandish meeting space, like the back room at Chili's.  Pam had stopped by the grocery store on the way over, per Michael's orders, and picked up several camping staples: hot dogs, marshmallows, beer.  The campsite came with a fire pit and a picnic table, and she made her way over to them to arrange the food and get the beer in a cooler. 

She saw Ryan heading toward the fire pit as well, only to be stopped by Kevin who proudly smirked, "Not so fast, fire guy," and then turned to her and exclaimed, "That's twice I've gotten to use that line!"

"One more for the hat trick, Kev!" she shouted back.  Her co-workers might be a bit eccentric, sure, even bordering on scary at times, but it was nights like this that made her realize just how much she loved each of them.  Although one in particular seemed to consume the majority of her love... 

Later that evening they all sat around the fire, talking and drinking and genuinely enjoying each other's company for once.  Even Stanley was in a good mood, with his arm around his wife and a beer in his hand.  Pam's eyes scanned the crowd.  Ryan and Kelly, her head on his shoulder, Michael and the framed picture of Jan he had sitting next to him, since she couldn't attend in person, Dwight and Angela sitting a good two feet away from apart, but sneaking telling gazes at each other as often as they could.  Pam sighed and turned to look at Jim, who was sitting beside her. 

"Hey," she said. 

"Hey."

"This has been a pretty great night." 

"Yea, you know what?  I'm actually having a good time.  At one of Michael's motivational retreats."  He made sarcastically puzzled face that caused her to erupt into giggles.  "Hey, you know how this night could get even better?"

Her heart stopped.  Or at least, it felt like it did. 

"How?" she squeaked.

He grinned and held up a thick brown hair.  

"EW." She was grossed out, and disappointed that Jim clearly hadn't been suggesting what she hoped he'd been suggesting.  Unless he was planning on doing something sensual to her with that hair which was just silly and well, gross.

"Relax Beesley.  It's a bristle from my hairbrush.  Or..." he looked mysteriously into the forest behind them, "Is it the hair of a Sasquatch?" 

Pam covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.  She whispered through her hands, "Oh that's perfect!"

She and Jim stood up and slowly worked there way over to grassy area behind Dwight.  

"Jim, I'm telling you.  I saw it with my own eyes!  Look, I found one of its Sasquatch arm hairs on the ground." 

"Pam, there's no such thing as a Sasquatch.  You probably just saw a bear." 

Dwight stood up immediately and quickly turned around.

"Where." 

When Pam couldn't help herself and turned away giggling, Dwight stepped toward her and grabbed her arm.

"Bear attacks are no laughing matter Pam." 

He turned back to the group and cleared his throat.

"Announcement.  While it is highly unlikely that we shall face a bear attack this evening, everyone should be educated on what to do if said bear does attack.   What you must do is simply lie still on the ground and cover your face and head with your hands. When the bears finish batting you around and mauling you, find me immediately and I shall contact the U.S. Forest Service." 

Finishing his speech, Dwight turned back to Pam and Jim and pulled them further away from the group.  He whispered seriously, "You said something about a Sasquatch."

Pam presented the hair and Dwight stared at it, practically salivating.  He asked if he could have it, and Pam handed it over.  After assuring them that he would handle the situation, Dwight ran to his car and returned a few minutes later with his spud gun, walking past them and saying, "Everything is under control." 

Pam and Jim reclaimed their log by the fire and happily watched as Dwight spent the rest of the evening staring into the forest like a mad man, clutching his weapon. 

Michael coaxed everyone into a round of "Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore," because, as he said, duh, it had his name in it, and it was also ‘metapherorical', as last year they were on a boat for the booze cruise, and this year they were ashore, camping. 

The singing turned into telling ghost stories which turned into a game of Desert Island favorites and eventually everyone started heading off to their respective tents to call it an evening. 

Pam looked up at Jim only to find him looking down at her.  

"So," she said.

"So."  He was grinning.  There wasn't a doubt in either of their minds as to what was about to happen.  "Just so you know, I saved that place for you in my tent." 

"Oh you did?"

"Yes Beesley.  I'm a man of my word." 

She grinned and followed him back to the oak tree where they had set up camp earlier.  He crawled into the tent first and then stuck his hand out the opening flap and reached for hers.  Pulling her inside, they both began quietly laughing.  The tents were very tiny and obviously meant to only house one person at a time.  Pam had to lay half on top of Jim in order to fit.  Not that she minded.  Cause she didn't.  Not one bit.

They laid there in the tent for awhile, simply holding each other and listening to the crickets chirp outside.  Pam's head was comfortably rested on Jim's shoulder, her hand on his chest and his arm around her back.  She was enjoying being able to hear his heartbeat.  It was a pleasure she'd never gotten to experience before. 

At least an hour had gone by and she wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep or not when she felt his hand sneak up under her sweater.  He began softly stroking her back, lightly exploring the curve in the small of it with his fingers.  It was such a simple touch, but it was completely turning her on.

She looked up at him just as he was leaning down to kiss her. 

Jim rolled on top of her and held her face as he pressed sweet kisses on her mouth, cheeks, and neck.  She didn't make a sound for fear that one of her co-workers might hear.  She closed her eyes and breathed in the feel of his hands on her body, under her clothes, over her breasts.  She managed to find the hem of his sweater and swept her arms up and underneath.  She grinned and began gently tugging at the hairs on his chest. 

After making out for what seemed like several hours, Jim rolled off of her and onto his side, spooning her from behind.  He wrapped his arms around her tightly and pulled her into him.  Her hands found his and their fingers became intertwined.  Resting his face upon hers, Jim whispered into her ear. 

"I love you Beesley."

She smiled, and turning her face up to his whispered back. 

"I love you too."

Early the next morning, Pam awoke to the smell of something cooking.  She wished she had a clock or a watch or something to look at to see what time it was.  She peeked her head outside the tent and saw that the sun was just barely beginning to rise.  It was casting beautiful shades of red and orange over the entire campsite.  She sighed happily. 

Looking over at the fire pit, her smile widened.  Dwight and Angela where sitting at the picnic table holding hands and eating pancakes.  I guess it was a good night for everyone, she thought to herself, crawling back inside the tent and reassuming her rightful place in Jim's arms.  

Chapter End Notes:

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