What did it say about her that she cried more over a man who she’d never ever had a romantic relationship with only an hour after ending a relationship with a man she’d been with for over 10 years?

Pam leaned over, laying her head against her knees. What it said was that there was more romance in four years of office flirting than there had been in 10 whole years of being her high school sweetheart’s girlfriend.

It was a great realization to have, now that Jim care about her anymore.  She’d always had less than stellar timing.

Jim had moved on. Really – moved on. Not just towards Karen, but away from her. He was happy with Karen. He was happy with the way things stood between he and Pam and the head’s up about Roy had been just that – a head’s up. Nothing more, nothing less.

It made her ache beyond measure. The phone made her jump.

Startled, Pam stared at the phone on the end table until the third ring. She stood up then and stared at it some more until the answering machine made the choice for her. If it was Roy she didn’t want to talk to him. She couldn’t hear anymore of the screaming tonight…or the crying.

After the sound of the beep, however it wasn’t Roy’s voice that she heard.

“Hey…Pam?…I’m in your parking lot and I see your car out here so I’m hoping your home. If you’re not home then that’s…well that stresses me out a little after your message…So if you’re home pick -”

Pam yanked the phone off of its cradle, so fast she nearly dropped it. “Hey!...Jim…hey, it’s me. I’m here!”

“Oh…hey, you ok? I thought maybe you weren’t home or  -

“Yeah, no I’m good! I’m good….I just wasn’t expecting you – that’s all.”

“Right…Well obviously. It’s not like I called to say I was coming or anything…”

Pam held her breath during his pause.

“Do you mind if I come up?”

Her mouth hung open wide as she shook her head. She realized after two seconds that he couldn’t see her. “Oh…no, yeah of course…come on up.”

“Ok, see you in a sec.”

Pam dropped the phone on the couch and looked around the living room. She knew that wine was still splattered on the floor. The glass still broken…

A knock on the door told her there was no time to clean it up. She’d just have to keep him out of the kitchen. Damn, he was fast! She ran to the door, flinging it open.

It wasn’t Jim.

“Pam…I need you. Can’t you see that I’m…we need each other,” Roy said, stumbling into her, past her.  

“Roy you have to leave.” Her voice came out weak even to her own ears. “How did you…you left. You were gone…” 

“Pam, don’t tell me to leave…I can’t leave,” he said barreling towards her  loveseat. He sat down, and tried toeing his shoes off, but in his past drunken state he couldn’t quite manage it. “Babe…can you help me with my shoes?” 

“No! No I can’t help you with your shoes!” She shouted the words and instantly felt better. It felt better just to raise her voice. She was so, so sick of being polite. So sick of doing the best thing for everyone! “Roy get out of my apartment or I’ll call the police…I swear I will.” 

Roy let his head drop against the back of the loveseat. “I’m just gonna take a nap Pam, and then when I wake up…you and me…we’re gonna have this thing out just like we have every other time. I was wrong to tell you it was over…I was wrong to yell at you…ok? Can we just be ok now?...Kenny paid Poor Richard…” Roy said with his eyes closing. He was going to pass out on her loveseat. “I already forgive you for fucking around with Halpert.”  

Pam plunged her fingers into her hair and ran back towards the front door at the sound of Jim coming up the stairs.  He saw the panic on her face, a newly formed sheen of tears in already puffy eyes. 

“Hey, what’s the mat - 

She put her hands on his chest and kept him at bay, not letting him cross the threshold into the apartment. “Roy’s inside. You can’t come in.” 

“What? I thought you said he was gone. Pam what’s - ”

“He was just…waiting on my porch,” Pam said at a loss then. “I – I opened the door thinking it was you and…Jim, you have to go. He’s not thinking clearly…” 

Jim continued up the stairs towards the apartment. “Well that’s good…I’m not either, so…”  

Pam once again put her hands on his chest. “Jim. You can’t be here right now. Maybe we could just…go somewhere or –  

“Is that little Jimmy Halpert I hear out there?”  

“Oh God…see, just go…Jim…he’s pretty drunk, and just…” 

Jim stopped on the landing, and his fingers found hers on his chest. He looked down at her, actually smiled a little. “Hey…calm down ok? I’m not leaving.”  

Roy came stumbling towards the front door and Pam turned instantly, pushing him back towards the apartment. If Jim wasn’t going to listen maybe she could just get Roy back into the seat. She’d rather have him pass out in her apartment than whatever was about to happen. But he was like an elephant that hadn’t quite had enough tranquilizers to knock him out fully. 

“Pam, it’s ok,” Jim was saying as he stepped dangerously close to Roy. “If Roy wants to talk about this…we can talk. I don’t – 

Pam turned to glare at Jim. A glare that read ‘you clearly don’t understand’.  “Jim. Don’t.” she demanded.  

Roy grinned and slurred. “Yeah…Jim ‘don’t’…Man, this is hilarious. I wish Daryl were here…Halpert thinks he’s the shit now,” He laughed so hard he doubled over. “Halpert…listen, I am seriously going to kill you as soon as I can…feel my fist,” he said and laughed again at his own joke. “And I’ve thought about it…I have,” Roy said. 

In the midst of the hilarity, Jim gently nudged Pam towards the apartment. She reluctantly moved to stand in the doorway. Still pleading with those eyes, that he just turn around and go back down the stairs.

Not a chance. How long had he wanted to do this? Win or lose he’d still get a couple of good hits in and that was all he wanted. Besides the guy was drunk off his ass, how good could his aim be? 

“Yeah Roy?” Jim said moving down a step. If he kept moving down maybe he could get Roy down the steps and back into the parking lot. Fighting atop a flight of cement steps wasn’t ideal. “What was that?…You had a thought of some kind?” 

“Yeah – yeah…I had a thought that maybe it’s not all your fault. It is definitely partly Pam’s.” 

“Roy, leave him alone,” Pam said from behind. 

“For the love of God, Pam…” Jim sighed. He’d almost had him coming down the stairs. 

Roy turned on her. “Shut the hell up Pam! I’m talking to Halpert! Ok…that alright with you, Beeswax?” 

Jim pursed his lips and nodded. “Roy come on…turn around and talk to me.” 

“God…I’m so gonna kick your ass,” Roy said, following Jim down the stairs again.  

Jim nodded. “Great…let’s just get down to the parking lot and you can kick it there. We wouldn’t want this to be any less cliché than absolutely necessary.”  

“God you can’t even trash talk the right way,” Roy said laughing again. “Are you sure you made it with this guy Pam? He’s so gay.” 

Pam wrung her hands together as she watched Jim continuously move down the steps. Once they got down to the parking lot, he was toast. She spun around and grabbed the phone just inside the living room and dialed 911. It was busy.    

Groaning, she ran back outside, they were more than halfway down the stairs now, Roy getting closer and closer to Jim. Just then Roy must’ve been tired of moving because he took a swing at Jim. Jim ducked and the momentum of Roy’s fist cut through the air so quickly that it took the rest of his body along for the ride. He landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

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