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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. The disclaimer doesn't belong to the author, either.

 

The rush of adrenaline leads to one brilliant, soul-searching glance with Jim, the real Jim buried inside James Halpert, Assistant Regional Manager, Dunder Mifflin Scranton, before the pain in her feet finally overwhelms and she flees to the shallow waters of the lake. She plunges her feet in, letting the water absolve her past failures and follies.

All it took was a (literal) walk through fire to change someone permanently. All it took were a couple of (actual) hot coals to burn away indecisive and timid scabs. All it took were a few (real) flames to edge off the impurities and let her emerge, sparkling.

She leans back on her hands and sighs, dangling her feet and giggling to herself. For a few minutes here, on a beach on Lake Scranton, she has a five year old spirit, fearless and lighthearted. Jim could follow her or reject her, but for now, for these few minutes among the tall reeds and wet, mushy sand, it doesn’t matter.

“Pam?” A voice, not Jim’s, calls from the lake.

“Hello?” She asks, and peers into the darkness, hoping that her eyes adjust to night vision quickly. A couple yards off she sees a giant reflective orb with flailing appendages. “Andy?!” She asks, incredulous, and moves closer, the water rising to her knees.

When she reaches him, Andy’s almost crying. “Pam! Oh, thank God! I’ve been out here for hours. I’m hungry, I’m wet, I…this day has been awful.”

She tries to hold it in, she really does, but the scene is just too hysterical for her to not laugh. Once she starts she can’t stop, and she has to take deep gasping breaths to bring oxygen into her lungs.

“Pam.” Andy’s trying to sound stern, “Pam, it’s not funny. Pam, it’s no…” But then Andy’s laughing and crying and it’s impossible to feel guilty.

So she laughs even harder, and then she’s off balance, falling into the lake, the water surrounding her completely, drenching her hair, her clothes, her skin, and she’s never felt so alive.

She catches a glimpse of the stars before she lets Andy out of his sumo suit, and he hugs her and cries into her shoulder, babbling something about Angela and misinterpretations. She muffles her giggling and pats his shoulder reassuringly, making a mental note to tell Jim about this if he’s ever hers again.

Jim’s walking to the bus next to Karen, neither of them speaking, when he turns his head and sees Pam emerging like Venus from the water, dragging behind her a sopping Andy and what appears to be an exploded parachute. He recognizes her, the person he always wished she would consistently be. He smiles ruefully, because he’s never seen her like this without him.

Karen coughs beside him, glaring, and Jim knows he’s in for another five hours of conversational hell. At least.

On the bus home to Scranton, he purposely pretends to fall asleep so that he can escape from the situation. Though his arm is around Karen and her head is on his shoulder, an obvious declaration of the steadfastness of their relationship, her voice rises above the rest, resonant. It beats out Michael and Andy and Kelly and everyone else who always provided an appearance of neutrality. He can’t block her out anymore.

Chapter End Notes:
The warnings are pretty much just there in case I decide to continue it. Any thoughts are very much appreciated.

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