It had been over a year since they both had addressed their feelings for one another. With a series of ups and downs, highs and lows, the good and the bad, and even the serious and hilarious, their friendship had been good over the years. Pam had someone to talk to at work, to share her thoughts and feelings with, and Jim had someone to joke around with. Overall, they had a pretty solid relationship.

Then, things changed. Pam became single and it was partly because of him. He made her see what it feels like to be truly loved. Then, he left for Stamford and left her shattered. When Jim returned with another woman on his arm, Pam struggled to pick up the still slightly broken pieces of herself off the floor.

They tried to rekindle their friendship after his return. For some reason, the flame had burned too low to shoot those hot flames again. For the past year, they tried to throw some more wood on the heap of ashes but nothing seemed to reignite the fire that used to be present in their lives.

When Pam got back together with Roy, she noticed that Jim had given up. There was no going back to the way things used to be. Even when she told him that Roy knew about their kiss and freaked out because of it, he didn’t seem affected. He was completely numb now. To Pam, it seemed like Jim was done with her. Like his heart was calloused and there was no turning back and fixing things. They were through.

---

Pam had made a decision to move. It was her turn to take a step out of the office and find herself. She debated leaving with the way things were going. He would talk to her, pay her some attention, laugh at a joke or prank, but he wasn’t giving in anymore. When Pam came to that realization, she knew it was her time to bow out.

She called Jan and Jan relayed the message to Michael. Pam asked that they not spread the word so Pam could leave gracefully without causing too much commotion. She didn’t need a party but a public announcement had to be made. Pam also requested that they only give the office one day notice of her leave so she wouldn’t have to explain her motives.

Once Michael received Jan’s call, he asked Pam to visit with him in his office.

“Why are you doing this to me, Pam?” Michael choked out between sobs.

Pam’s face fell. “Oh, I just need to get out. I need to move on. Being a receptionist for the rest of my life isn’t what I really had planned. It’s not you or the office….it’s just…”

Michael interrupted. “Do you want more money? Do you want your own office? Do you want the keys to my Sebring? What is it?”

“No, no, no. First off, I don’t need an office to answer phones all day and secondly, it’s not the pay that’s driving me away. I just need time off.”

“We can give you time off. How long? A week? A month?”

“I’m not coming back Michael,” she said as she shook her head. Michael rubbed his face and reached over his desk to grab her hand. Pam jerked it away and placed her hands in her lap.

“Is it me?” Michael said, continuing his search for the answer.

Pam rolled her eyes and shook her head again. “No. It’s personal stuff. You know, I need to spread my wings out in the big world. Just be happy for me. I’ll miss you guys, but it’s something that I need to do. Stop…Michael, stop crying.”

Michael blatantly cried. Whether or not it was fake, he turned on the waterworks. Pam felt sorry for dropping the bomb on him but knew he would recover like he did with all his other problems.

“Listen. I’ll always remember my years here. So…”

“Don’t leave….Pam, don’t leave,” Michael said, moving from behind his desk and pulling Pam into an embrace.

Pam’s eyes widened and leaned into his hug. All of sudden, her strong and emotionless persona crumbled. She let out a few tears and quickly sucked them back up. She didn’t want anyone to see her pain in leaving. Not even Michael Scott.

“I need to get back to the phone. Please remember you don’t need to tell anyone today. I don’t leave until Friday, so keep it hush-hush until then. Okay?” Pam said as she walked towards the door.

“All right. I’ll keep this on the D.L.”

Pam looked confused. “Come on, Pam. The down-low. Gosh, you have a lot to learn in the big bad world.”

---

“Do I think Michael will keep this a secret? No. But, if he does, then he’ll shock even me.”

---

“Pam is a quitter. Of course, I didn’t say that to her face. She would probably leave today if I told her that so, I kept that little slur to myself. Other than her leaving, I think things will run the same. She didn’t do much anyways. Well, let me take that back. She did stuff. Like date and dump Roy three or four times and throw my faxes in the trash. So, I guess I will get the pleasure of hiring another receptionist.” Michael said into the camera before breaking into tears. He waved his hand in front of the camera for them to leave.

----

Pam exited the office and went back behind her safe reception fortress. Her phone was lit up and she went back to answering and taking down messages. She wanted to do anything that away took the thought of packing up her things and leaving on Friday. Something about Michael’s concerned questions made her feel uneasy about it. But in the end, she knew it was the right thing to do, no matter what the cost.

During lunch, Pam grabbed an empty Dunder Mifflin Paper box and discreetly placed a few personal items in it. She kicked the box under her desk when she saw that Kelly was entering the office. She didn’t want any little blip to get out about her leave. She wanted to keep everything a secret. No one would know she was leaving until she had to stand in front of the office with Michael. No one would suspect anything.

-----

Pam had no idea what she was going to do on her journey. She had made a few plans to visit Europe and another trip in the US. She had always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon and other landmarks such as that. Subconsciously, Pam had been saving for this for the past year. She would save some money back from each paycheck. She wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do with the money until the idea of traveling popped into her head. After her travels, it would be time for her to find a new home, a new life, and a new job, far away from Scranton. Even, Pennsylvania for that matter.

Friday was fast approaching and Pam got more nervous after each work day ended. She would shut down her computer and then take something from her desk. She was slowly, but surely taking everything about her from the office. She didn’t want anyone to remember her time there. Once she was gone, she wanted her image to be erased from Dunder Mifflin.

---

----

On Friday, Pam pulled the candy bowl off the counter and trashed the jellybeans. She placed the dish in the box stored under her desk and hoped that no one noticed. She didn’t want to even give a hint until Michael made the announcement.

When Jim entered the office with Karen, Pam smiled. She knew it would be the last time she would welcome them into the office. She knew they sensed her awkwardness by their response.

“Good morning!” Pam said with a smile.

Jim and Karen looked over at each other and then back to Pam.

“Good morning to you too, Pam.” Karen responded. Jim hung their coats and turned with a look on his face.

“Hello,” he said.

“Hi,” Pam replied.

Jim walked past the desk and then paused. He back tracked to her desk and stopped.

“Where’s the candy dish?” Jim asked, pointing at the counter.

Pam froze and then quickly made up a lie. “I thought I would clean it.”

“Oh. Good thinking,” Jim said as he took the last few steps to his desk. Pam watched him walk to his seat and finally broke her gaze when she realized it would be her last time to see him do that. No matter how insignificant it was, it was what their relationship had dwindled down to. He came in, smiled, and sat down. That’s all that kept them linked anymore-his entrances and exits from the office. That’s why she made a decision to leave.

----

---

After the first eight calls of the morning, Pam put some picture frames into her stashed box. Every so often, she would find something in her desk then sneak it under her desk to where the rest of her personal effects were hidden. Her desk was already looking bare and it was just now creeping up on eleven o’clock.

At lunch, she decided she would eat one last time in the break room. She sat next to Phyllis, Toby, Creed, and Meredith. Across the room Jim, Karen, Ryan, Kelly, and Kevin sat at another table.

Pam put on her happy face for lunch and made small conversation with her coworkers. She enjoyed her last lunch in the break room.

She finished eating early so she went to take a walk around the office. She shuffled past Stanley’s desk, then Phyllis’ and towards accounting. She made her way past Jim’s and then her last stop was by Jim’s old desk. She paused and rested her hand in the place where she sat that night he kissed her. She snapped out of her trance when the kitchen door swung open. Pam retreated back to her desk and answered the phone, “Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam.”

---

Towards four thirty, Michael came out of his office and leaned over Pam’s desk. His eyes were puffy and red. She smiled at him because she knew it was time for him to break the news. It was so hard not to tell him that she would stay, but then again, she so desperately needed to leave. Michael whispered, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Pam nodded with a slight smile on her lips. She felt her tears wanted to break free but her lashes held them tight. No turning back from this point forward, she thought. When Michael turned to face the office, Pam swiveled in her chair to face the office as well. Michael cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Okay. Announcement everyone. Stop what your doing. Karen, would you get everyone from the annex, please?” Karen obliged and went through the door to the hallway. Everyone sat in silence as the other employees entered the office.

“So, I have an announcement to make. Please focus up and don’t take any calls during this meeting. It’s very pertinent to our office.”

Pam sat hiding behind her desk with butterflies in her stomach. She was excited and nervous and sad at the same time. All these emotions made her sick to her stomach. She gripped the desk to keep herself from passing out or vomiting.

“Jan called me the other day…”

“Did we get shut down?” Stanley asked.

“No, just listen.”

“Because if we did, then I’m leaving right now,” Stanley continued.

“Come on, Stanley,” Michael said as he scratched his head. “It actually pertains to someone leaving. That’s what I need to tell you all.”

Jim glanced over at Karen and then around the office. Pam saw him eye everyone, except for her.

“Jan called me and informed me that one of our very own has decided to resign from Dunder Mifflin. This person has worked here for almost five years and has been a valuable help to us all. I know that they didn’t want any party or hooplah about their resignation, but I think we all need to tell her how much we appreciate her before the day is up. Why don’t I let her explain…” Michael turned and Pam knew she had to address the office. She stood and Kelly gasped. But Jim’s face wasn’t out of the ordinary.

“Um, I’ve decided to move forward and see what else it out there for me. My first few weeks will be spent traveling and then I will be moving from Scranton.”

Kevin’s voice was heard from across the room. “What?”

“I just think that it’s the best for me. So, thank you all for your kindness over the past few years. I will miss you all and I wish you the best of luck.”

Pam quietly sat back down in her chair, staring at the faces in front of her. Creed looked like he could care less, Dwight seemed stunned, Karen looked sympathetic, Phyllis was crying, Toby had his arms crossed over his chest, and when her gaze fell upon Jim, his back was turned away from her. She made a small sigh and stared at Michael.

“So, there won’t be any party or farewell gathering before she leaves,” Michael continued.

“Michael, we can throw something together before she goes.” Angela said.

Pam shook her head and her eyes pleaded with Michael. He cleared his throat again.

“No, there isn’t any time for that. Uh, Pam’s time here ends today. She won’t be back after she clocks out today.”

A loud gasp came from the office. Michael turned to Pam with more tears in his eyes.

“So, before you all leave, give Pammy here a hug. She won’t be gracing us with her presence anymore. Um, and Pam, thank you for your years of service here at Dunder Mifflin.”

Pam nodded and smiled at the office. A few people went back to their work. Kelly and Phyllis approached her desk to give her hugs right away. Toby followed.

“Anywho, everyone can get back to what they were doing,” Michael said, shutting his office door slowly.

In the midst of Phyllis, Toby, and Kelly’s attention, her phone rang and had to refocus on her work for the last thirty minutes of the day. She took a few more calls, put the rest of her stuff in her box and cleared personal files off of her computer. Soon, her desk was barren and empty of everything Pam.

---

---

“Shocked. That’s all. Just shocked,” Jim said.

---

Kevin came over to her desk as he was leaving for the day, gave Pam a hug and asked, “Do you want to get some people together and go to Poor Richards?”

Pam smiled. “Nah. I have some stuff I need to take care of before the weekend is over so, I need to pass. Sorry.”

“It’s the last time. Come on,” he pleaded.

“Sorry Kev. Thanks for everything though. Take care,” she said as she waved.

When Angela left, she shook Pam’s hand and when Dwight left, he gave her a tight squeeze. Everyone else was turning off their computers, putting on their jackets and filing papers. Pam grabbed her coat, purse and box and headed towards the door. She turned to wave at the rest of the office. Michael ran out of his office, handed her his coffee mug and embraced her.

“I wanted you to have this.”

“It’s your favorite ‘World’s Best Boss’ mug. You don’t need to….”

“Please take it. I want you to have it…to remember me by.”

Pam waited and then accepted his gift. “Thanks Michael.”

“You be good and call us when you have time,” he said with another hug.

“Will do.”

“Hey everyone, Pam’s leaving. Tell her bye,” Michael said hollering at the rest of the stragglers.

A large warm ‘goodbye’ was given and she turned to walk out the door. She noticed before she turned that Jim was still busy doing whatever it was he was working on. Her heart sank knowing that it would be the last time they saw each other.

As she pressed the elevator button, she heard him behind her. With his eyes furrowed he said, “Please don’t go.”

Pam looked into his eyes and sighed. “Michael, it’s final. I have to go. Now, leave me alone before I change my mind about calling you.”

“Okay,” Michael said with another hug.

The elevator doors opened and she pushed the down button. She felt like she wanted to go back and tell Jim goodbye, but knew that it was too late to fix anything. There was no way to appease their heartache. She made it to the bottom floor with her box in tote. She lowered her box into her trunk. She heard footsteps again.

“Michael, I’m not staying. I already told you!” Pam said with a laugh. When she shut her trunk she saw Jim standing there.

“It’s not Michael,” he said, with his hands in his pockets.

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Nah, don’t be….I just didn’t say goodbye and I would kick myself if I didn’t.”

“Oh. Well, thanks,” she said, jingling her keys in her hand.

“So, where are you traveling to?”

“Um, I’m going to Europe then coming back to the states to see some sights.”

“Cool. That sounds like fun.”

“Yeah. I’ve always wanted to travel.”

“What are you doing after you get back?”

“I don’t know. I feel like it will all fall into place when it’s supposed to. I haven’t ever done this before so, I guess I’m playing it by ear.”

“Oh. So, you’re moving?”

“Uh-huh,” she said with a nod.

“Where to?”

She smiled. “Don’t have a clue. I need out of Scranton so anywhere is better than here.”

Jim gave a laugh. “I know what you’re saying.”

“Yeah, you do don’t you?”

“Listen, before you drive out of here, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for the way this all turned out. You know, I didn’t mean for us to end this way. If I had known that you were planning on leaving, I could have fixed this a long time ago.”

“No, I understand completely. Things change. People change. We aren’t the same people we were a year ago.”

“That’s true. I just… never thought it would end like this, you know?”

“Yeah,” Pam said as she swallowed.

“You’re really leaving. I mean, you’re gone…forever.”

“Jim, I’ve been gone for a really long time. This time, I’m actually…physically leaving.” Jim nodded. Pam walked over to her car door and unlocked it. “So, you have a good life.”

“Well, I hope to hear from you soon.”

Pam looked down at her feet. “Um…I don’t know if that’s going to happen.”

“Why?” Jim said, shifting his weight and leaning with his arms on the roof of her car.

“I mean, I’m getting away from Scranton…to…”

“Forget Scranton and everyone involved with it?”

“Exactly.”

Jim’s face looked like he was hurt. He nodded anyways and looked back up at her. “I understand.”

“I hope you do.”

“I mean, I don’t know how long I can take it without you here.”

Pam gave a little laugh. “Oh, you’ll be fine.”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Don’t….” Pam said, shaking her head.

“No, I need to…”

Pam let a tear slip from her eye. She didn’t want to cry about this. She had told herself that she needed to be strong and not regret anything.

“Jim, please…”

“What?”

“I don’t want to hear what you have to say.”

“Okay, fine.”

“You moved on and it’s time for me to now.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s what you’re trying to do here and I’m ruining it.”

“You’re not. I just don’t think I can handle anymore drama. It’s not they way I wanted to leave.”

“Okay,” he said, stepping away from her car.

“So…bye?”

Jim swallowed hard. “Yeah, goodbye,” he said, nodding.

“Thanks for everything.”

“Oh, yeah, back at ya.”

Pam smiled and got into her car. With Jim’s lips tightly pressed together, he stepped away from her car and back towards the building.

Pam gave a little wave as she pulled towards the exit. In her rearview mirror, she saw him watching her leave. He stood with his hands in his pockets next to the doors. Her heart sank.

----

“I guess people come and go. I mean, the people you work with…you didn’t really choose to work with them, did you? You’re kind of forced to spend eight hours a day walking on the same patch of carpet with these people," Jim said, scratching his head and then looking back into the camera. "In the end, you don’t really know each other but yet, you spend more time with them than with your family or friends. So, when someone like Pam enters your life in this boring and mundane job, you learn to love it. The workday seems so much more bearable with someone you have things in common with…”

---

Pam entered her house with her box. She put it on her table and decided to drag her trash can over to throw a few things out before putting most of her belongings in storage tomorrow.

She found the candy dish. She pondered over whether to throw it out or not. I don’t really need it, she thought. Pam took the dish and tossed it into the trash.

---

Jim leaned forward with his eyes glistening. “I never really thought that it would be a happy ending between the two of us. For some reason, I kind of prepared for it. But, life isn’t about endings. I mean, when you don’t see someone for a long time, it’s not like they’re at a stand still, it just means they have continued life in another direction. If the camera goes off, I‘m still here. I’m not ending anything. If you came back in ten years, I might be engaged or married with kids. You just never know...”

----

Pam took her picture frames and placed them in another box of storage stuff. She found a few mugs, her teapot, some papers she drew on, a couple cute notes from employees, and her yogurt lid medal. She struggled with what to do with all of it. She packed the teapot into a box, put the mugs next to it, threw the drawings and notes in the trash, and held on tight to the yogurt lid. She knew it was pointless to keep it. She knew that it would get torn up in the box and that it was a waste of space.

Pam held on to the paper clip chain and let it dangle from her hands. Tears poured from her eyes and she thought about the memories between the two of them.

On her first day at the office, when he took her to lunch. When she fell asleep on his shoulder, their drunken kiss during the Dundies, their many pranks, his confession, and their kiss in the office.

She shuddered and felt chills crawl up her spine. Jim was with Karen and had obviously moved on. He hadn’t paid much attention to her in the last year. She felt like she needed to stop thinking about what could have been and think about the future.

No Scranton or Dunder Mifflin. No ex-fiancé or irritating coworkers. No more nights alone in her dark apartment or regrets about the past. No more “Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam” and no more faxes or copies. No more pranks or longing glances. No more Jim.

She sobbed some more. Her heart was heavy. Pam was conflicted. She had left because of him and yet, it was the thing that made her want to crawl back. She wanted him to know that she was all his if he wanted it. Pam knew her one way ticket out was the next step. ‘Farewell’ would have to be her last word in Scranton. With how much she wanted to go, she didn’t really want it. She wanted to forget about leaving and sit all alone for the rest of her life. She didn’t care if she was never with Jim, she just needed to be around him.

----

“...Life doesn’t just stop when someone walks out of your life. Life just goes on….” Jim said, looking into the camera.