The words of her impetuous confession hanging in the air, Pam darted out of the circle and headed for the water. She left behind her a stunned silence that only Michael had the temerity – or the cluelessness – to try to fill. Without a word, not meeting anyone’s eyes, Jim slowly stood and left the warmth of the circle, too.

He headed the other direction, away from where Pam stood in the water.

He heard the whispers behind him, Phyllis’ murmured “Oh my,” and Kelly’s shrill and inarticulate babble about the drama that had unexpectedly been dropped in her lap. Dwight ordered everyone to focus so they could once and for all settle the issue of Michael’s replacement. The voices faded as he moved farther away, away from his coworkers. Away from her.

As he expected, Karen didn’t waste any time catching up with him, matching his long strides away from the group with her own.

“Oh my God, can you believe that? When she started talking, I didn’t know what to expect, and then –”

“Don’t.” Jim cut her off. “I can’t do this right now.”

Karen stopped walking and looked up at him, a frown darkening her features. Jim stopped, too, and turned to face her.

“I knew it.” The words exploded out of Karen. She wasn’t yelling, but emotion made her voice thick and unsteady. “All the talking, all the promises. You never stopped caring about her, did you?”

“I did,” Jim protested weakly. “I tried. I thought I did. I –” He broke off with a frustrated groan and scrubbed his face with his hands. “I need time. I need to think.”

“If you really cared for me, you wouldn’t have to think,” she said slowly. “You wouldn’t need time. So do you care for me at all, Jim? What about our New York plans? Are you going to toss all that out because someone you told me you didn’t care about anymore wants to be your friend?”

“Karen, I don’t know. I just need –”

“No, Jim. If you don’t know, if you need time to think about this, then that tells me all I need to know. You never stopped caring for her. Nothing changed after Phyllis’ wedding after all. I’ve been wasting my time.”

Jim was silent, looking at his feet.

Karen prompted him. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

After a moment, he looked up, regret in his eyes.

“You’re not wrong. You’re amazing. We really could’ve … if it hadn’t been for Pam, if I hadn’t been so …” his voice trailed off, and he gave a short bark of laughter. “I don’t know what I am, actually.”

Karen looked past him for a second, focusing her eyes on the moon’s reflection on the black surface of the lake. She inhaled shakily.

“That’s it, then. I wish I could say I was surprised. But I’m not, not really,” she said, dashing at a stray tear with her wrist.

Jim raised his arms as if to hug her but hesitated when she stiffened. “I’m so sorry, Karen. So sorry.” He dropped his arms to his sides.

She sniffed once and lifted her chin. “It’s OK. Well, it’s not. But I will be.” A beat, then, “I’m looking forward to kicking your ass in that job interview next week.”

They both laughed. It was weak, but it was something. Jim reached out and squeezed Karen’s arm.

“Thanks for everything. And I am sorry.”

“I know,” she smiled. “I’m going back to the bonfire. What should I tell them about you?”

“I can’t deal with them right now,” Jim said. “I’m going to call Mark for a ride home. Do you mind telling them to get on the bus without me?”

“No problem,” Karen said.