Shortly after Pam returned, she noticed Karen leaving. At the same time, Phyllis slowly approached the reception desk. "So, did you go to see Jim at lunch?" the salesperson asked.

"Yeah, he's doing better," Pam said. "He asked if I could drop off his cell phone and a couple of files."

"He isn't trying to work, is he?"

"I think he just doesn't want to sit around and worry," Pam replied.

Phyllis leaned forward and said even more softly than normal, "Bob Vance had a heart attack two years ago." Phyllis' eyes became distant, and Pam saw her look away. "We were just friends then, but he acted so strangely afterwards. He started working even longer hours, like he had something to prove. We...we finally had a fight about it. That's when we...." She looked back at Pam and offered her a shy smile. "He really needs someone to look after him, you know?" Pam wasn't sure if she was still talking about Bob or if they had shifted the topic back to Jim.

Neither of them had seen Kelly approaching. "Oh my God," Kelly exclaimed, "Are you guys talking about Jim? Because Pam, I know you're crazy for him and all, but can you really be with someone who could just die on you? I mean I don't let Ryan do anything that might hurt him. There was this time when some of his friends were going skydiving and I totally told him he couldn't do it. He ended up visiting his mom that weekend, which was so cool. I wished I could have gone along."

Normally Pam would have just let it go, but something about the way Kelly had just dismissed Jim forced her to reply, "So, instead of leaving you alone for the weekend to go skydiving, Ryan left you alone for the weekend to visit his mother...who lives in town...about five minutes away from him." She had to admit that Michael was right; there were times when having up to date emergency contact information was extremely beneficial. "Was that the weekend he came back with a twisted knee?"

Phyllis gave Pam a scandalized grin as realization finally swept over Kelly. The customer service rep turned around and yelled "Ryan, you did NOT just go skydiving behind my back!" Ryan decided it was time to get a coke. Kelly followed after him, her voice never dropping in volume as she demanded an answer.

Shortly after that, the former Stamford employee Pam could only identify as "the new mommy" stormed off to Toby's cube after Creed managed to take a picture of her as she attached her breast pump. Five minutes later, she had packed up her few personal items and was out the door.

Pam was always a little scared of Creed so she couldn't bring herself to look at the old man. She wondered how Jan would react to losing two valued employees within two days of the merger. Would it make Jim look bad? Could he have done anything if he'd been in the office?

The office phone rang. It was Jan, asking to speak with Andy. After a few minutes, she called again, asking for Michael. Five minutes later, Jan rang again. "Pam, how is Jim doing?"

"I visited him during lunch and he seemed much better. The doctors say he should be able to come home tomorrow."

"Good. Michael said that you took his cell phone to him, can I have the number?"

Pam didn't like the sound if this, but knew she had to do what Jan had asked.

As she was thinking about what Jan could be talking to Jim about, Karen returned from lunch and asked Pam to meet her in the break room. Pam entered and said, "I went to see Jim at lunch, and..."

"I know," Karen said. "So did I. He mentioned you'd dropped off his cell phone and some jelly beans. He seems better than I thought he would, I mean considering."

"Yeah," Pam agreed. "He looked terrible last night, but the doctor said it was because they had to cool his body for the surgery. When I saw him I..."

"Look," Karen interrupted again. "I know this probably is rude as hell, but I already took a long lunch and I've got to get something done today. I like Jim. It doesn't matter because he's got a thing for you and I won't be anyone's second choice. He didn't say anything when we talked today, but I know him pretty well and I can tell he's almost as scared about the thing with you as he is about his heart. You really did a number on him."

Pam took a deep breath. Karen was nothing if not direct. "He's not the only one who got hurt," she said softly.

"I believe you," Karen said. "But Jim's my friend. It was hard to get through to him, though. You need to understand how much power you have over him. If you break his heart again he'll never got over it; and that would be a shame."

"I know." Pam said.

Karen nodded. "Good. Now that that's out of the way, Jim says that you're pretty great and that we could be friends. I'm willing to try." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Karen."

Pam smiled and did the same, "Pam, pleased to meet you." They shook hands and Karen went back to her desk.

When Pam returned to reception, she had a voicemail from Jim. He sounded falsely cheery. "Hey, it's me. I spoke with the doctor and I'm getting out of the hospital today. Time off for good behavior I guess. Anyway, my mom is taking me home and I'll probably just sleep tonight. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Anyway, I love you...bye."

Pam remembered the doctor telling Jim he could be released tomorrow. Why had they moved it up a day?

She walked over to Karen's desk. "Did Jim say when he was getting out of the hospital?" Pam asked.

"He said tomorrow," Karen replied.

"That's what I thought," Pam said. "I just got a voicemail saying that he was getting released today and that his mom was taking him home..." She trailed off. It was probably nothing. "Anyway, I was wondering since you're new to town and staying in a hotel, I thought you might like someone to show you around a little."

"I'd like that. So far the only place I've been to is Chili's and I'm not really the biggest fan."

"Me neither," Pam said, not mentioning her lifetime ban from that restaurant chain. "We don't have the greatest variety around here, but there's a pretty nice Thai place."

"I love Thai food," Karen said enthusiastically.

Andy walked past at that moment. "Sounds like you two are going on a date," Andy said with a laugh.

Karen gave Andy a passing glance then looked at Pam. The receptionist had tried not to flinch when Andy arrived, but she could tell that Karen noticed her reaction.

Karen said, "Yes Andy, I want Pam to know that she has options." She let her hand slide slowly down Pam's arm as she winked at Pam. Pam, used to playing along with pranks, gave a visible shiver of anticipation.

When she looked back at Andy, she could see how flushed his face was.

Pam actually ended up having a good time with Karen that night. She seemed to be in almost constant motion even when sitting in the booth at the restaurant: commenting on the food and decor, the people, the office. It was a long, noisy conversation. It was different than hanging out with Kelly because with Kelly you could just start her talking and let your mind drift for a while, confident you wouldn't miss anything. With Karen, you had to be constantly engaged in what was going on. Pam hadn't been around anyone with Karen's intensity and it was fun, though kind of exhausting.

The next morning, Pam sleepily entered the office and was surprised to see Jim in the office. "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

Jim looked guilty. "I'm not going to do much, I promise. It's just that Jan is worried because of what happened yesterday so I said I would come in and talk to Michael and the folks who transferred from Stamford, just to try and stabilize things."

"You should be at home resting...Or in the hospital," Pam said.

"Everything in my apartment is still in boxes. Believe me, I'll do less work here."

Pam wasn't happy about this, but it was his decision. "Here are your messages."

Jim looked through the items while he was standing at her desk. Some of the messages he kept, others he crumbled into a ball. He turned and flipped the first one towards the recycle bin. It fell several feet short.

"Smooth move Tuna," Andy said from his desk.

Jim picked up the crumbled papers from Pam's desk and the one from the floor and placed them in the container. Pam saw the slump in Jim's shoulders as he sank into his desk chair.

Kevin approached Jim at his desk soon afterward. Pam tried not to listen in as the accountant said, "Hey. I know you and Pam are like, together now, right?"

Jim tensed. "I'd really rather not talk about this, Kev."

"Well, it's just that with your heart thing and all, I know there's a chance that you two could be...doing...it and you could just die."

"Kev..."

Kevin brazened on, "When I had my...thing last year, I thought of the music I wanted them to play at my wake. I made a list. Maybe you should, too. Here's some songs that I came up with." He handed Jim a piece of paper.

"Kev, I really don't think," Jim's eyes accidentally looked at the first name on the list, "All Things Must Pass, by George Harrison. Wow. I really like that song."

"It's...Classy." Kevin agreed in his slow cadence. "I like the version off the Beatles Anthology. It's acoustic."

"Full Force Gale by Van Morrison, I like that one, too. Johnny Was by Bob Marley; Kevin this is really..." He trailed off and looked up at the accountant and said, "You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC?"

Kevin giggled.

Jim's glare was broken by the smallest of smiles as he sneaked a look at Pam, who was conspicuously looking away while drumming along to a rock beat with two pens.

The mood was broken when Michael walked through the door. "Jimbo, what are you doing here? Was the hospital food that bad?"

Jim slowly got out of his chair and approached his boss. "Michael, we need to talk in your office."

"If this is about Jan's call yesterday, I..."

"Michael, please," Jim said.

Michael nodded and they went into his office. Jim, walking slowly, closed the door as he entered.