It was a chilly Saturday morning in November. Karen woke up early to walk her dog, Bob. She had adopted him soon after she had moved to New York and he was like a baby to her. He was a little black pomeranian who was all personality, and she loved every bit of him. Unfortunately though, dogs are not generally welcome as wedding guests, so she was leaving him with Amy for the weekend while she went away for this wedding, which was something that she was dreading.
It would be the first time she would see Jim in six months, and although she felt she was mostly over him, she knew it was a reality that she would always have feelings for him. So it helped that she had a date.
Amy stopped by to get Bob at 8:30, and Karen kissed him goodbye and told him she would see him tomorrow night. Then she went into her bedroom to get ready for the wedding and pack her overnight bag. At 9:15 she heard her intercom buzz. "Hey, it's me," she heard her date say when she answered it. She pressed the button to let him up.
A minute later she opened the door to let him into the apartment. "Hi there," she said. "Let me just grab my bag and my coat."
"No problem," Ryan replied. She smiled at him as they headed out the door. She had really been the only person he knew when they both started working at Dunder Mifflin's corporate headquarters, so they started eating lunch together a few times a week. Eventually they became pretty good friends, and she found he wasn't really the jackass she always thought he was when they were in Scranton. They had slept together a few times, but it was really casual and neither of them were ready for another committed relationship. This wedding would be the first formal function they would attend together. And while the bride and groom knew that Ryan was bringing a guest, she had asked him not to tell them who the guest was. She shamelessly wanted to see the look of surprise on Jim's face when he saw her walk in with Ryan.
They started the long drive to Kevin's wedding, but halfway to Scranton they were delayed in a big traffic jam, so they missed the ceremony and instead headed to the reception hall, which was in the hotel where they were staying. They decided to check in first, since it looked like most of the wedding guests had not yet arrived anyway. While she was in the room she double checked herself in the mirror. Ryan caught her and was somewhat amused.
"Trying to impress someone?" he asked.
"Yes. You, of course," she retorted.
He chuckled and said, "So this is going to be weird. Kelly is going to freak."
"I think you're right," she said as she straightened his tie. "Let's go. Show time."
They walked down to the reception arm in arm. Most of the guests had arrived by that point, so the place card table was mostly bare. She quickly found Ryan's and checked the table number, which was 8. And of course, table 8 was entirely full of Dunder Mifflin, Scranton, employees. She felt her heart race as she saw Jim and Pam, sitting together, talking quietly to each other. She walked behind Ryan as he approached the table and greeted everyone. He turned to her and said, "I think you all know my date, Karen." Jim just stared blankly, mouth open.
"Hi everyone," she said with as much warmth as she could muster. "It's been a while."
Ryan stood there smirking as Kelly shouted, "You bastard!" and ran from the table, leaving her own date, who apparently didn't know anyone, sitting there awkwardly. Jim just continued to stare, and Pam poked him on the arm and whispered something in his ear. He stood up and stepped toward Karen.
"Hey," he said. "What a surprise."
"Hey yourself," she smiled back at him. "Well, you know, Ryan didn't want to come alone and I thought it might be fun to see everyone. How've you been, Jim?"
"Good," he said. "Great, actually. How about yourself?"
"Couldn't be better," she replied, and sat down next to Ryan. Jim sat back in his seat and uncomfortably took a drink of water. Luckily for him that was when the band leader decided to announce the wedding party. Karen was really surprised to see that Michael was one of the groomsmen, considering the disaster that was Phyllis' wedding. But she figured he probably bribed Kevin into it just as he had done with Phyllis.
As the food was served and the alcohol started flowing, Jim seemed to relax more. Karen had even had a polite conversation with him and Pam about her dog, but she didn't press for details about their relationship. She could tell, however, that they were happy. There was a spark in Jim's eyes that she had rarely seen when she was with him.
A little while later she watched him from a distance as he slow danced with Pam. He was holding her close and whispering in her ear, laughing, and they seemed like they were in their own little world. He didn't even notice Karen staring at them from the table. She thought back to Phyllis' wedding, which seemed like a lifetime ago now, and how that had marked a turning point in their relationship, and how that was the first day she really thought they may have a wedding of their own someday. It was only much later she figured out that it was also the day Pam got back together with Roy, and that was the reason for Jim's sudden interest in their own relationship. She sighed out loud at the recollection, but her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her shoulder.
"Wanna dance?" Ryan asked, and she happily accepted.
A few hours later the reception was over, but the party continued on in the bridal suite, where Kevin's band Scrantonicity was replaced with an ipod and some speakers, and everyone was pretty drunk. Michael and Andy were both singing loudly. Dwight and Angela were off in a corner looking like they were arguing sternly about something. Ryan, her supposed date, was being yelled at by Kelly over near the balcony. And Jim and Pam were, well, being Jim and Pam, on the couch, joking about what was going on around them. Karen figured this was probably a good time to make an exit and go back to her room to lie down for a while.
She had just slipped out the door when she heard a voice behind her.
"Karen, wait!" Jim caught up to her in the hall.
"Oh, hi," she said. "I was just going back to my room to rest."
"I won't keep you," he replied, and then said, "It was really good to see you. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry about the way things ended between us." He looked at her expectantly. She could tell he really wanted her to accept his apology this time.
"It's okay," she said. "I am totally fine now. I was really mad at you for a long time, but I'm over it now." She smiled at the relief in his eyes, and hesitated before asking, "So... was it worth it?"
He looked at her for a moment before he answered, "Well, that sounds like a trick question, but if you're asking me if I'm happy, the answer is yes."
She didn't need any more details, so she simply said, "Good. Then I'm happy for you."
He grinned, and then asked the question she knew he had been dying to ask all day, "So you and Ryan..."
She chuckled. "Oh, we're just friends," she said, and then added under her breath, "With benefits."
Jim was mock-aghast. "Filippelli! Wow."
She grinned back at him and pulled him into a hug. He hugged her back, and said, "Take care of yourself, Karen."
She nodded as she pulled away, turning to continue to her room, but she stopped herself. "Hey Jim," she said, as he stopped in the doorway to the suite.
"Yeah?"
"If she ever hurts you again, I'll kick her ass."
He laughed, and replied, "Somehow, I don't think that will ever be necessary."
She smiled and gave him a wave, and walked away. And at that moment she knew that everything had worked out for the best.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Last Chapter!
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.
Chapter End Notes:
The End
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