Disclaimer:  I do not own these characters, and no copyright infringement is intended.   

Pam walked out of the break room, trying to calm her nerves.  She had just started to tell Jim everything; she had finally worked up the courage, when Roy showed up.   Seriously, was the universe against her telling Jim how she felt?   

Now she had to face Roy, standing territorially over her reception desk with a banker’s box presumably full of her things.  Never did she think it would all come down to angry words and the hostile exchange of her personal belongings.   Roy had always been solid, predictable (even if in a bad way), but never did she expect that he would want her out of his life.  There was something vaguely comforting to her knowing he was always there, willing to take her back.  It was her choice.  Even though she knew she didn’t want to be with him anymore, she always knew she didn’t have to be alone.  All she had to do was say the word. 

But now the damage was finally done, and it brought with it a strange combination of relief and sadness.  This really was so over.  Looking at him, his features still hardened in anger, it was like looking at a movie theater once the lights finally come up.  It just wasn’t the place it once seemed to be; Roy wasn’t the person he once seemed to be.   

As she closed the distance between them, she took a deep breath, slowly exhaling through her nose, willing herself to calm down.  She had to get Roy out of this office.  She didn’t want her last words to him, angry or otherwise, to be in front of Creed and Kevin, and everyone else.  And more than that, she didn’t want him to see Jim and get any crazy ideas.  This whole thing was her fault and if it wound up hurting Jim she’d never forgive herself. 

“Roy.”  As she stepped closer to him she lowered her voice, “I told you that I’d meet you outside.  I don’t want to do this here.” 

“Tough Pam. As much as you don’t want an audience of your coworkers, I don’t want an audience of mine.  You know the guys have a pretty clear view of that parking lot.”   

She shuddered a little at the very idea that the parking lot was within such a clear view of the warehouse.   

“Are those my things?”  She walked around to her desk, not realizing that by moving out of the way, she revealed to Roy the one person he was really interesting in talking to.  She was looking down at her desk sorting through the messages and smiling at Toby’s note, when she realized that Roy hadn’t answered her. “Roy?” 

She looked up at him and saw that his attention was focused on the doorway to the break room.  Following his line of sight, she saw Jim walking toward them.  She shut her eyes tight and thought, “Please don’t let this be happening, please make it stop.” 

Jim was intent on making his way to Roy, although he was very unclear as to what he planned to do one he got there.  He hadn’t gotten in an actual fight with another guy since sixth grade gym class.  But he was not going to let Roy come in here and screw with Pam anymore.  Whether he was just her friend, or if he was more than that, he was tired of this guy.  Tired of the way he carelessly treated Pam.  Tired of this whole ridiculous situation and if Roy was spoiling for a fight, he would be ready.  His eyes drifted for just a moment and caught Pam’s face, horrified and frightened, and he paused.  He didn’t want his selfish need to pummel Roy to hurt Pam, and he could visibly see the stress this was causing her.   

Jim consciously placed his hands at his sides as if to tell Roy, I’m just here to talk.  In fact he didn’t want to talk, but out of respect for Pam he would try. “Everything ok here Roy?” 

Roy leaned in close practically spitting his words at Jim, “Yeah big fucking joke, everything’s great.  Fucking terrific.  I knew it, knew the first time I saw you with her, it was no good, but you make a pass at her a freaking month before our wedding?  You’ve got a lot of nerve, Halpert!” 

Jim took a deep breath and responded calmly and quietly, “Roy this isn’t really the place to do this.   Yes, you’re right it was rotten timing and I’m sorry for screwing things up for you.    But Pam works here, so why don’t we move this outside.” 

Jim kept his voice low and glanced over his shoulder long enough to see that Karen had in fact taken notice of the situation in reception.  He never told her that Pam was engaged, or that she was engaged to Roy.  He sensed that there would be another series of late night conversations, assuming they were still together at the end of all this.  Jim noticed that he was no longer sure he cared if they stayed together anymore. 

“We were happy, we had 10  years!  How dare you!  So you weren’t happy with your little cheerleader girlfriend, huh?  Why did you have to go after my Pammy?  You and your silly office pranks!  What’s wrong with you?  Seriously Pam, what were you thinking cheating on me with this twerp?” 

“It wasn’t like that Roy.”  Pam said in quite possibly the smallest voice Jim had ever heard her use.  It broke Jim’s heart. 

“Pam would never do that.  She’s too good for that.  C’mon, I really think that you should just get out of here.”  Jim watched as the color was draining out of Pam’s face, she had surveyed the office and everyone was watching.  She wanted to crawl under her desk and die of humiliation and heartache.       

Roy had stepped right up to Jim at this point, certainly invading his personal space.   “How can you stand there and act like you know her better than I do?  What do you really know about her?  About making her happy?” 

Jim looked him straight in the eye knowing that he should just back away.  However, his competitive nature wouldn’t allow him to do it.  He couldn’t resist telling Roy the truth.  Very deliberately he said,  

“I know more about making her happy than you ever did or ever will.” 

This was not the best thing to say and he knew it.  But he had heard enough of Roy’s insults.  He didn’t care about what Roy said about him, but to hear Roy insult Pam made him feel ill.  Pam had a lot of faults but she was not the kind of person who would cheat on her fiancé.   She always treated Roy with respect, and this was how she was rewarded!   

Jim’s words had their desired effect, Roy was furious.  The next thing Jim knew, Roy’s fist crashed into his jaw as he fell backwards towards his desk.   

“Jim!  Roy stop it!”  Pam ran from around the desk.   

“Jim!”  Karen ran up, “What are you doing?” 

From here, everything seemed to move in slow motion.  Jim pushed back into Roy knocking the wind out of him temporarily as they fell toward Michael’s office.  Each scrambled around to get a better hold on the other.  Jim managed to land a punch or two, but Roy clearly had the upper hand.   

People were scrambling around in the office to figure out what to do, an actual fight in the office was a first.  Dwight tried to lend Jim a hand at some point, and he became a temporary casualty as Roy hit him on a back swing sending him reeling back into the conference room.  Angela ran to check on Dwight and in her anger grabbed a pitcher of water and threw it at the fighting men.  Ryan went to help Jim, but Kelly grabbed him around the waist and wouldn’t let him go near the fight for fear he would hurt his “adorable face”.  The others watched speechless, only Stanley stayed at his desk unmoved by the whole scene. 

“Let him have it Johnny!” Creed cheered from the sidelines.   

Roy landed a punch to Jim’s right eye, which dazed Jim, giving Roy time to grab his collar and push him hard against Michael’s door.   “What is going on?”  Michael opened his door to the sight of Jim and Roy each falling into his office, neither expecting the door to open in the first place.  

“Dwight, do something!”  Michael said as he headed to hide under his desk.   

Dwight ran around the corner to try to pull Roy off Jim.  Creed rounded the desks to help out and together they grabbed Roy by both arms and pulled him up off the floor.   

“That’s quite enough of that Rob, you need to leave our little Josh alone.”  Roy looked at Creed utterly confused.   

“Yes, get out of here this minute you social deviant, before I call in a favor from the Lackawanna sheriff.  I have pull with the local authorities, considerable pull.”  Dwight said with a maniacal smile on his face, enjoying that he got to escort Roy out. 

They let him go close to the door and gave him a little push to encourage him to leave immediately.  Roy had not vented his anger by a long shot and he rounded on Pam, “I can’t believe you have done this to ME!  Bitch!”

In an instant, Kevin and Toby came out of no where to close ranks between Roy and Pam.   “I think you should, um, leave, um before, you know, I have to write you up.”  Toby got out shakily, while Kevin clumsily held up his fists to protect Pam.    

“This place is a fucking nuthouse!”  Roy screamed out when he finally turned to leave.   The entire office let out a collective sigh of relief as Roy left.   

“Pam, are you ok?”  Toby said shyly - he was visibly shaken. 

“Yes, I’m fine, I’m so sorry everyone.”  Pam was in shock – her worst nightmare had happened.  She just wanted to run to Jim, hold him, kiss it all and make it all better.  She hung back because she noticed that Karen was headed into Michael’s office. 

Karen hovered by the door and stared down at her boyfriend.  Dwight was kneeling over him holding up two fingers. 

“Jim, are you unharmed?  Are you in need of medical attention?”  Dwight asked his questions like he was an emergency technician.  “How many fingers am I holding up?” 

“Should I get the first aid kit?”  Angela asked. 

Jim finally roused himself, “I think I landed on Michael’s Dundie!  Seriously I’m ok, help me up will you?”  Dwight grabbed Jim’s arm and helped pull him up.   

“Are you ok? And what was that all about?”  Karen rushed to him with fear in her eyes.  She clearly had a million questions, and one couldn’t wait anymore.  She asked quietly, “Was it about Pam?” 

“Karen, it’s a long story and my head really hurts.   Can we just not talk about it right now?”  Jim said weakly, holding his head in his hand.  He had a pretty nasty bruise on his right cheek and his eye was starting to swell, he also had a split lip that was bleeding a little.  He wiped the blood on his sleeve. 

Noticing that Pam was walking toward the office to check on Jim, Karen put her arm around his waist and said loudly, “I’ll take you home and get you cleaned up.” 

Pam stopped and hung back by her desk.  She had already gotten Jim in a nasty fight with Roy, she didn’t want to ruin everything for him and Karen.  Ok, maybe she did want to ruin their relationship, but she fought the urge.   

As Karen collected Jim’s things, Jim leaned on Michael’s doorway looking at Pam.  She looked so small and frightened and all Jim wanted to do was hold her and take her home with him.  He wanted Pam to take care of him, not Karen.  They locked eyes for a moment, and he saw a heartbreaking emotion in her eyes, shame.  

“I’m so sorry Jim.”  She said meekly as she averted her eyes from him.  He could see a single tear run down her cheek.  She wiped it away quickly with the back of her hand. 

“It’s ok, it’s not your fault.  Really Pam, it’s ok.”  Jim said sincerely, hoping that his words would comfort her.  He hated seeing her blaming herself for Roy’s idiotic behavior.  Jim was already mad at himself for provoking Roy, but to see Pam so upset made him feel worse. 

“Ready Jim?”  Karen said sternly to him bringing him back to reality.   

“Yeah.”  Jim knew that when they got to his apartment, they would have one last conversation.   Then he would have to figure out how to get Pam to open up to him again.  

As everyone went back to work, Pam heard Michael shout from under his desk, “Is it over?  Can I come out now?” 

Pam rolled her eyes and went over to shut the door to his office saying, “Better stay put a little while longer just to be sure.” 

She went back to her desk and put her head in her hands wishing the day would just end.  And somehow, someday she’d have to finish what she was trying to tell Jim before Roy showed up.