She crept to her bedroom door and softly opened it. Jim was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. He saw her out of the corner of his eye and, startled, banged his head against the headboard.

"Sorry," Pam called. "I wasn't sure if..."

Jim was rubbing his head, "If you could make me hurt myself without resorting to putting nickels in my cell phone?"

Pam giggled, "Something like that."

Jim tried to look mortally wounded. "And the sad part is that I can't even complain. After all, I did force myself into your apartment and stole your bed. I'm not exactly operating from the moral high ground here."

"I invited you,' Pam corrected as she approached the bed, "so some complaining is allowed. Couldn't sleep?"

"I slept most of the afternoon," Jim explained. "I woke up a couple hours ago." He reached out for her and took her hand, leading her to sit on the bed. "I've been thinking and there are some things I need to say."

"Okay," Pam said, his tone making her a little anxious.

"You've had a couple of days to adjust to my...condition. If you want to just be friends I ....."

"Jim, we've been through this," Pam cut in.

"But that was said in the heat of the moment," Jim still held her hand. He looked away for a moment. He turned his head back to Pam and said, "I just don't want you to have regrets later."

Pam looked into Jim's eyes and saw how sincere he was. She nodded, bowed her head, and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "This is the second time you've asked me about this. It's kind and considerate and sweet and if you do it again, I'm going to hit you in the head with a frying pan." She kissed him on the cheek and pulled away from him.

Jim started to say something, but wisely closed his mouth. He looked at her, surprised. Finally he regained his composure and said, "Okay, moving on. Here's the deal. I spent five months in Stamford and it was the most successful I'd been since I played basketball. I made a lot of money for the company and I got two raises."

"I saw," Pam said.

"And I've never been so miserable," Jim said. "Without you, it really didn't matter. There was nobody to cheer me up when the job was boring, nobody to confide in when I was scared, nobody who made me feel special. I need you in my life and I want you to be happy."

"Well, I'm a big fan of being happy," Pam said, still not sure where this was going.

"Then promise me that you'll keep following your dreams. If your art takes you to New York, fine. If you want to go to Europe, I'll find a way to get there."

"I'm not even sure how good I am," Pam said.

"That frying pan thing works both ways," Jim warned with a smile. "I don't want to hear you doubting yourself. There are times I really wish you could see yourself as I see you." He reached out and softly touched her cheek. "You can turn scraps of paper and yogurt lids into doves and gold medals. You're a wonderful artist and you make so many peoples' lives better."

"What's brought this on?" Pam asked.

"I saw it, Beesly," Jim said. "I saw all those years when you put Roy's happiness first in your life."

"Jim..."

"No, I'm not talking about Roy, I'm talking about you. I know you, but I can't read your mind. I know I'm not the only dream you have in your life and I'm actually pretty happy about that."

"What about your dreams?" Pam asked.

"The dreams I had as a kid are gone," Jim said with a shrug. "They died when I was a freshman in college. Maybe one day I'll come up with another, but for now, if it's okay, I'll just share yours. Because I like the person I am when I'm with you."

Pam could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks. She always knew that Jim had said she was talented, but this... She swallowed hard and said, "Nobody ever said anything like that to me before."

"Well they should have. Pam Beesly, I believe in you." He kissed her on the nose.

"Jim, I love you," Pam said as she pulled Jim down onto the bed. Remembering his condition, she quickly sat back up. "Sorry, just got carried away for a minute."

"Believe me," Jim replied, "you weren't the only one. This will definitely continue later." Pam heard Jim whisper, "at least I hope it will."

They stayed in bed, holding each other. Finally, Jim turned to Pam and asked softly but with great intensity, "Where are my pants?"

Pam, after repeated begging, told Jim where his pants were, on the condition that he only come in for a few minutes around lunchtime and that he let his mom drive him. She left shortly after Larissa Halpert arrived.

Shortly after Pam arrived at work, Phyllis, Dwight, and Andy approached the reception desk. "We were just wondering," Phyllis asked, "if you thought Jim would like flowers or something."

"Flowers are for women," Dwight cut in. "Although Jim is weak like a woman sometimes..."

"Nice respect for your boss," Andy interrupted the interruption. "There's nothing wrong with a get well card. Maybe a box of cigars...."

"Jim has a heart condition," Phyllis reminded him. "He shouldn't smoke."

"I think a card would be fine," Pam said.

Michael had crept out of his office during the discussion. He bellowed, "A card? Are you kidding? I mean Jim has stared death in the face and all we're going to do is give him a card. I mean something like this deserves..."

"Strippers?" Kevin volunteered from his desk.

"Deviant," Angela muttered.

"There will be NO STRIPPERS," Pam said as loudly as she could.

Michael turned to Dwight and said, "We can talk about this later."

Pam called out as the crowd dispersed. "I mean it. No strippers."

Karen dropped by Pam's desk later. "I just heard Andy leave a message for Jan. It's time to set things up."

Pam called Jim's cell phone and set up a second line for a three-way call via Karen's phone. Soon Jan called for Andy and Pam sent the call to Karen, who remained silent at her desk. Five minutes later, Jim called Pam and said that everything was set up for tomorrow at 10. "So she really thought you were Andy?" Pam asked.

"Seems that way," Jim replied. I guess all those months I was forced to listen to him weren't a total waste. Are you sure about this?"

"Hey, fancy new Beesly here," Pam insisted. "I can do it."

After hanging up the phone, Pam scribbled a note and left it on Andy's desk. It said that Jan was going to be out of the office until next Monday due to a family emergency.

Jim arrived in the office around noon with his mom in tow. He smiled at Pam and Karen and assured everyone that he was fine. He kept his word to Pam, staying only for an hour or so as he called clients and dealt with paperwork.

Michael had been at lunch when Jim arrived, but he hurried over to the salesman's desk when he saw the younger man in the office. "Hey Jimmy cracked corn, how's it going?"

"It's fine, Michael," Jim said patiently, looking beyond him to Pam.

"Please note that everyone is still here," Michael said, his voice a little strained. "I haven't made anyone quit yet today."

"Michael, please," Jim asked for his boss's patience. "Jan was just mad. We just need to get through the next few days."

"It's just..."

"It'll be okay," Jim said.

"So, you're almost back to normal, right?" Michael asked. "I mean it's been a couple days now and that's how long I was on crutches after the thing with my foot."

"Well, the doctor wants me to take it easy for a while, but yeah, I'm good."

"Cool," Michael said, trying to sound nonchalant. "So, you're going to be in the office tomorrow, right?"

"I'll probably do what I'm doing today. You know, come in around noon and stay for an hour or so." Jim was puzzled by the question.

"Great," Michael said as he spun around, flashing a grin at Dwight and Andy. "So, I guess I'll be in my office. See you tomorrow, Jim."

Dwight and Andy both got up and raced each other to Michael's office. The Stamford employee just edged out his beet farmer rival, much to Dwight's annoyance.

Jim looked over at Pam and shrugged.

After Jim left, the day dragged for Pam. A couple of times she looked over and saw Karen talking to Andy. Jim called around three, telling Pam that he had the key to the empty office on the second floor. At five, Andy and Karen hung back after everyone else had left. The Stamford twosome approached Pam's desk.

"So," Karen said, "Andy told me that Michael's going to have a stripper show up at work tomorrow for Jim."

"Oh God," Pam sighed. "That's awful. Jim is going to be so embarrassed."

"Yeah," Andy agreed. "And it's not like he can even do anything, not with his condition."

"What do you mean," Pam asked, blushing.

"Karen told me about the Tuna's problem," Andy replied.

Pam remembered that it was part of Karen's cover story. She stood as she looked over at the slim brunette. "I don't want to talk about this..."

"It's okay Pam," Karen said as she drew the receptionist into a hug. "Andy said he'd bring a camcorder with him to work tomorrow so he can tape what Michael's doing."

"Stupid Jan is out of the office until Monday," Andy complained.

Karen continued, "Dwight made the call to order the stripper, so he'll be out as well. Then we'll have Andy in charge with Jim safe as his Number Two. It's really for the best." Karen was now gently stroking Pam's shoulders.

"I don't know," Pam was hesitant, as they had discussed. Her head rolled to the side in response to Karen's caresses.

"Look, do you want Jim to have to constantly worry about what Michael's going to do next?" Andy asked. "He'll have so much less stress once I'm in charge."

"But I've worked with those guys for so long," Pam protested, her voice coming out almost as a sigh as Karen's hands move to her hair, removing the clasp that held it up.

"Hey Andy," Karen said. "I think Pam and I need a girls' night out. I think once we've had a chance to talk this through, everything will be clear to all of us. Who knows, you may even have another use for the camcorder."

Andy's mouth hung open.

"See you tomorrow Andy," Pam moaned as she turned in Karen's arms. As she lingered in the slim woman's arms, Pam heard a dull thump.

"Andy just walked into the door," Karen whispered, stifling a laugh.

They parted and Pam went back to meet Jim at her apartment. Jim had made dinner and they spent the evening together watching Jim's Dazed and Confused DVD. He had brought over some movies and his DVD player with his mom's help. Pam also made a green bean salad for the Friday potluck that the office was having.

The next day, Karen came over to Pam's desk when she arrived and pocketed the key Jim had given the receptionist last night. Karen returned at 9:30. "Okay, I told Andy that you and I did it last night."

"He believed it?" Pam asked, still surprised in spite of what she'd seen yesterday.

"Are you kidding? I thought he was going to hyperventilate." Karen replied. "I told him that you were, how to put this, really visual. Once you saw something, you just had to have it."

Pam lowered her head to her desk. Taking a deep breath, she asked. "What's next?"

Karen purred into Pam's ear. "I gave Andy the key and told him to be in the empty office at five minutes till ten. I told him I'd persuade you to join me there for some break time fun. He's supposed to have to door unlocked and all his clothes off before we get there."

"This better work," Pam whispered. "If it doesn't..."

"It's all worked so far, right?" Karen asked.

"So we have nowhere to go but down," Pam observed.

"That can be arranged," Karen snickered. Pam smacked her hand.

Karen went back to her desk and nodded at Andy. The salesman seemed to pale at the gesture. For a second, Pam almost felt guilty. Then Andy noticed her look and winked at her. "So much for pity," Pam thought.

At 9:55, Pam and Karen walked into the conference room with yogurts. A minute or so later, Jan's car drove up. They walked to the stairs and descended to the second floor, leaving the door cracked. They heard the elevator ping and the sound of heels on tile as someone walked towards them. Pam and Karen stared at each other in anticipation. They both held their breath until they heard...

"What the Hell!?!" Jan was screaming. "What's the meaning of this?" There was a sound of crashing. Pam suspected that it was the sound of a camcorder hitting the floor.

Then Andy's voice rang out. "I was expecting someone else. You were supposed to be in Phoenix."

Jan's heels were now heading back to the elevator. Pam and Karen peaked out, seeing Andy trying to pull on his pants as he followed Jan.

"Please, I can explain," Andy said. As she approached Jan, she hit him with her briefcase.

Pam and Karen ran back up the stairs, just getting back to their desks before Jan stormed in. "Where's Michael?" Jan screeched.

"In his office," Pam replied.

Jan went into the manager's office and slammed the door. Within a minute, Tate and Dwight were leading Andy out of the office and toward his car.

Jim showed up shortly afterwards, bringing along some chicken for the planned potluck lunch. His mom smiled at Pam and said, "I'm going to do some shopping while I'm in town. Keep an eye on him for me, okay?"

Pam said she'd make the sacrifice and Larissa left with a smile.

Jan saw Jim as she left Michael's office. She sat at Jim's desk. Pam heard her say softly, "Well, I told you to get control of your branch, and you obviously have."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about?" Jim asked, trying not to smile.

"Sure you do," Jan replied smoothly. She waved over Karen, then led the group to Pam's desk. "One thing you need to know," Jan said, including Pam in the conversation, is that in the New York office we have a Caller ID built into all the phones. So I knew who was speaking to me yesterday and that it wasn't Andy. You three are good. Almost as good as I am."

Jim, Pam, and Karen looked nervously at each other then back at Jan. "I hope you get well soon, Jim," the New York executive said, relishing their discomfort. "I think with you three here I'll have a lot fewer problems with this branch." She waltzed out of the office. It was a minute of two before Jim, Pam, or Karen could speak.

"Wow," Pam finally managed.

The lunch, complete with a dancing teddy bear instead of a stripper (Pam had gotten the phone number that Dwight used from Angela and with the blonde's full approval, had changed the request) was a success. Angela even ate a little of what Pam had made for her, although she complained about the amount of pepper the receptionist and Jim had used.

Jim moved back onto his apartment over the weekend. The next month went slowly as Jim worked through his physical therapy. Karen and Pam became good friends, and the salesperson began to enjoy her time in Scranton, even as she constantly complained about the small town.

Jim told Pam that in confidence that he was happy with the changes he saw in the city girl. Being in Scranton seemed to knock off some of the hard sheen from her. She wasn't as visibly restless. She was even trying to get along with Michael and Angela.

The three young people often went out to lunch together, ignoring the whispers of Kevin. Once, the accountant had asked Pam, "So, are you three like, doing it?"

Fancy new Beesly was up to the task. "No Kev, if we ever do a three-way it would have to be with another guy. So, we haven't had you over for dinner yet, have we?"

Kevin backed away with a deer-in-headlights look. Kevin didn't speak to Jim or Pam for the next week.

One month later, Jim was released from physical therapy. He drove over to Pam's apartment with flowers and Chinese food. She greeted him in the blue dress she had worn to Casino Night.

"So, how did the doctor visit go?" Pam asked, her voice higher than normal.

Jim looked away and said, "It went great. The doctor said that I was cleared for all normal activities."

"Great," Pam agreed. "Really, great." She stuck her fork into her noodles (she had never quite gotten the hang of chopsticks). She put the fork down and asked, "So when he said normal, did that include..."

"Uh, yeah," Jim said. "It did. I made sure."

"Oh. Great." Pam said again. She took a sip of wine. "Do you think this could be any more awkward?" She asked.

"Well, I think the last time I was this nervous was my first day at kindergarten," Jim replied.

"You know we don't have to..." Pam started.

"Easy for you to say," Jim chuckled.

"Believe me, it isn't," Pam corrected her boyfriend.

"Whatever happens," Jim started, "You know I love you, right?"

"I know," Pam said. "And I love you, too. Of course, I'll love you more if we...."

"Beesly?" Jim asked, smiling in spite of himself. "How could you?"

"I learned it all from you," Pam said with a slight bow. "So Halpert, what are you gonna do?"

Jim took a sip of wine and stood up. "I think I'm going to kiss the girl and see what happens."

Monday at noon, Karen was away on a sales call and Angela had left for lunch. Dwight left a minute or so after the blonde accountant. Pam plugged in the iPod Jim had given her into her computer and downloaded a song. As Kevin got up to go to the break room, Pam turned up the speakers and let the familiar power chords of Angus Young fill the air.

"She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean
She was the best damn woman that I've ever seen..."

Kevin looked from Pam to Jim and saw the salesman blushing with his head on his desk. Kevin decided he needed to find someone else to joke with about sex. Pam and Jim, especially Pam, didn't play fair.