Disclaimer:  Still don't own em, still wish I did.  No copyright infringement intended, not for all the jelly beans in scranton. 

As she pulled into the parking lot, Pam took a quick look around.  Roy wasn’t there yet.  She breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she got her things together to go inside.  Despite her little rebellious act with the phone, she felt quite like a house of cards. If Roy pushed her too far in person she was afraid she would crumble, and she didn’t want to do that, not again. 

She also looked quickly to the area where Jim usually parked, and thankfully he wasn’t in either.   She flat out could not deal with watching Jim be all lovey-dovey with Karen without a full pot of tea.  She had tried to be strong, be indifferent about the fact that Jim and Karen were dating.  But at this point, her life was such a mess that she was barely holding on.  She could deal with Roy, but Roy, Jim and Karen, that was too much.  She needed a little time to regroup. 

She walked in the office, grateful that only a few people had made it in already.  She put her things away and went into to the break room to start the coffee.  As she started the machine brewing, she reached for her teapot and heard someone behind her clear his throat.  Her stomach knotted up with nervousness as she turned to see who it was that wanted to talk to her.  For once, she was actually relieved that it was Dwight.  After all, he wasn’t there Friday night, he wouldn’t know to ask her about Roy.

“Good Morning, Dwight.”

“Good Morning, Pam.  May I speak with you privately?”

“Well we’re in the kitchen, so that may be as private as we’re gonna get.”  She laughed under her breath at his formal tone.

“I have a delicate matter I would like to discuss with you.  A private matter.”  He whispered the last part to her, and her skin started to crawl.  She worried he was going to open up to her about Angela and she really didn’t want any intimate details there.  If it wasn’t about Angela, she was even more worried about why he would take such a familiar tone with her.

She turned to face him.  “Um, okay.  Is this an appropriate workplace conversation Dwight?  Would Toby approve?  Should we check some kind of handbook?”

He stepped closer to her and she was surprised at the look she found in his eyes.  He looked worried, maybe even fearful, but why?  Then she connected the dots.  Angela was at the bar and she told Dwight what happened.  Her stomach turned again as he leaned in close so no one else could hear his words.

“A, um, “friend” told me what happened at Poor Richards on Friday.  Did he harm you?  Did he strike you?  Domestic violence is a serious issue Pam, and I do have extensive martial arts training, as you know.  Should I go make sure that he knows not to come near you again?”

Pam was shocked and had no idea how to respond.  She knew that Dwight was a good guy somewhere deep deep deep down under all the awkwardness and annoying tendencies.  But to have him stand there, concerned about her, ready to defend her virtue…. it was just too much.  She started to cry, again. 

“Thank you, that’s sweet.  But I’m fine.  Can we just drop it?”  She choked out.

Without hesitation he pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her.  As she saw Jim walking into the office with Karen, her house of cards crumbled a little, and she leaned into Dwight's shoulder.

"Pam?"  Dwight started but Pam put her hand up to silence him. 

"I'm just PMSing again."  She said quietly.  And he understood.