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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here is the first chapter/Prologue

 

Prologue: 16 months ago

 

Pam sighed as she tucked an errant curl behind her ear. She was ashamed to admit it but a part of her really wished that it had been the Scranton branch that had closed down instead. Not that she would want her friends and co-workers to be unemployed but maybe if she was out of her cushy receptionist gig she would be forced to look for something different. something different  she sighed as she looked down at her tiny engagement ring. Pam’s life had been utterly stagnating over the last year or so. She had gotten engaged her junior year of college when she had casually mentioned to Roy about maybe going to grad school to get her MFA. He had responded with a proposal instead of encouragement and somehow she had ended up here after graduation.  She had taken the job under the guise of earning some extra cash for the downpayment on a house and to pay for the wedding- so far she had been the only one contributing to either of those funds. Roy’s money seemed to always get spent on jet skis or beer or trips to Atlantic City. 

 

Whenever she would bring this up he’d always roll his eyes and throw his arm around her shoulder, “Geez, relax Pammy we’re only 23.” She had wanted to retort back, “Oh yeah, then why am I not in New York starting my career or going back to school, why am I stuck working in a dead end job I hate?”

 

So far she hadn’t worked up the nerve.

 

Today was the merger between the branches and the thought that maybe she might meet some fun new people had been all that had been keeping her going all morning. It was almost like the first day of school, the excitement that maybe your new best friend, or better yet, Prince Charming was going to transfer into your homeroom.

 

When the door to the office finally did open, Pam was momentarily taken aback by the giant lumbering man who walked in first. As Michael rushed to welcome the first of the new transfers, Pam busied her self with introductions and handing out ‘welcome bags’ to the others. A handsome young black man introduced himself as Martin and the smile he gave her was genuine enough to make her smile back at him broadly. The two women were well dressed and seemed pleasant enough, Pam did a quick inventory check on hands and noted that they both sported rings. The older woman was married, but the younger prettier girl with the tan skin and dark hair only wore an engagement ring. But what a ring it was, the diamond was easily 3 times as big as the one on Pam’s ring and was set in a rather ostentatious diamond encrusted band.

 

Pam felt a genuine burst of excitement at the thought of someone her age starting to work here and as she began to ask Karen some get to know you questions, Karen smiled at her broadly and pulled the last new transfer over towards her by his sleeve.

 

“Pam I want you to meet my boyfr…well I guess fiancé now, Jim. Jim this is Pam.”  The tall, rather lanky young man extended out his hand to shake Pam’s before squinting at her in recognition.

 

“Pam?” Moving around her desk, “Pam…Beesly?”

 

Pam gasped and her hand flew to her mouth, “Jim Halpert!” She squeeled as she launched herself into his arms, “Ohmigod I thought I was never going to see you again.”

 

Jim turned towards Karen after squeezing Pam back, “Pam was like my best friend growing up, and my partner in crime when it came to pranks on all the obnoxious kids…”

 

“…it started when we were in pre-school I think when one of the other kids took Jim’s mat at nap time…”

 

“God we were such bullies,” he said as squeezed Pam’s shoulders once more.

 

Pam’s face had lit up at the sight of her old friend, even though he looked almost entirely different, he still felt like the old Jim.

 

“So what have you been up to?” Jim asked as he ruffled her hair, “Are you still creating masterpieces Picasso?”

 

“Jim, not cool when we were 12, not cool now,” she said with a smile as she smoothed her hair back, “well, as you can see I’m busy climbing the corporate ladder,” she said as she pointed towards her reception desk. Earning a laugh from Jim and a tight smile from Karen, “Actually I graduated from Penn State last year, since I was an Art major and Scranton isn’t exactly the fine arts capital of well anywhere, I got stuck working here to make some extra cash for the wedding.” With that she grinned broadly as she held up her left hand.

 

Karen’s smile which had grown tighter and tighter as Jim and Pam had wandered down memory lane finally relaxed, “Oh you’re engaged too!” she said with genuine enthusiasm.

 

Pam bobbed her head and her curls flew around her shoulders endearingly, she turned to Jim and asked, “Do you remember Roy Anderson?”

 

“Roy? Big burly Roy? Who used to shoot spitballs in your hair and who locked me in the girls bathroom after Gym class, that Roy? Jim asked with raised eyebrows.

 

Pam let out an embarrassed chuckle, “The one and the same, he matured a lot…well he matured during high school and we dated all through my college years,”

 

“Listen,” Jim said as he pointed towards Michael Scott gesturing wildly at all the new transfers, “I think we have to go listen to this but the four of us should totally get together and hang out.”

“Yeah, I mean we don’t know ANYONE in Scranton so it would be fun to hang out with another engaged couple,” said Karen with a smile as she tapped on Pam’s desk.

 

“Totally,” said Pam with the grin still plastered on her face, and for the first time since she started working at Dunder Mifflin, Pam was actually starting to get excited about what tomorrow might bring.

 

 

 

 

Chapter End Notes:
If I owned them they would be pranking up a storm and making babies, since I don't they're stuck in denialsville. Reviews = crack

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