Jim had put the ring away. He thought that two foiled attempts at a proposal was probably some sort of cosmic sign that he was trying too hard, pushing for too much too fast. Deep down, he knew there was some truth to it. He'd spent so much time wanting her that part of him couldn't tear himself away from running straight to the finish line: to marry her, to spend the rest of his life with her, with a legal right to look after her, and one for her to take care of him. It sounded as cheesy as all hell, he knew. But it was what he wanted, and it was hard to not want it all Right Now.

He knew he already had so much to enjoy. So he spent time focusing on what they already had. Things between him and Pam were perfect in their own way. They woke up together each morning and fell asleep in each other's arms every night. There was plenty of laughter, late night talks about future plans, and the occasional heated disagreement that almost always seemed worth the strife when the time came to make up again. Jim knew that being engaged wouldn't change much on a daily basis anyway.

There would then be a wedding to plan, of course - but Pam was doing that now anyway, sort of. As Emily's Maid of Honor (Juliet was Matron of Honor), Pam started carrying around bridal magazines, catering menus, and lists of things to do. So many things to do. He was actually kind of surprised how quickly Pam had fallen back into the arena of wedding planning.

“I guess it's different when the wedding you're planning is for someone else,” she shrugged as she tried to explain her enthusiasm one evening. They were sitting on the living room floor, with clippings of bridesmaid dresses strewn across the coffee table. She leaned against him giving him a glance that almost looked shy. “Or maybe I'm starting to believe in the whole institution again.”

He carried her comment in his heart as October turned into November. As the signs of the holiday season approached, he started thinking about proposing again. He couldn't help himself. This was the most romantic time of the year, wasn't it? It seemed especially so since this was the first time they would be able to share the holidays as a couple. He knew Pam was a kid at Christmastime, and with her at his side it seemed certain this was going to be his best holiday ever.

“So did you sign us up for Breakfast with Santa yet?” Jim teased her one morning, standing at his usual post at the side of the reception desk, hand in the jelly bean container. She had just replaced the standard fare with a holiday mix of red, green, white Jelly Bellies. “I hear this year it's been held right after the Santa Claus Parade.”

“Be careful,” she warned him. “Some of those green ones might be jalapeño. And no, I did not sign us up for Breakfast with Santa, seeing as we would be the only childless table there."

“I'm surprised you're letting a little thing like that stop you,” Jim laughed. “How else are you going to get your list to Santa?”

“I have my ways,” she grinned. “Though I guess I could ask Juliet if we could borrow Stephen and Jon.”

“That's quite okay,” Jim interjected. “I promise I'll get you in to see Santa some other way.”

“You don't like my nephews?” Pam pretended to be shocked. Though she loved the boys as a good aunt should, she did share Jim's feelings that those two were, well, a bit too boisterous - even for boys.

“Oh, I like them - mostly when they're asleep.”

“We could sedate them before the breakfast,” she offered.

“And that, Pam Beesly, is why Lackawanna County Children's Services is never going to allow you to have children.”

“If only it were that easy.” She laughed. “Anyway, we don't have to bother with the parade this weekend.”

“No? Why?” Jim seemed truly surprised. “I thought you liked the Santa Claus Parade.”

“I do, but what I really wish they would do was hold it in the evening. I mean, they light up the Christmas trees in the daylight - what fun is that?”

Jim chewed thoughtfully on a jelly bean combination of coconut and cherry. “Well, there are other cities around here that do evening tree lightings. Wilkes Barre's downtown square celebration is usually this coming weekend.”

“I didn't know you were such a wealth of knowledge on local holiday festivities.”

“Mark's family is all in Wilkes Barre,” Jim explained. “So I've seen my share. We should go.”

Pam's eyes lit up at the idea. “Oh yes, that sounds like fun.”

Saturday afternoon was chilly and overcast when they arrived in the public square. There were three large Christmas trees erected close to each other in the center of the open area in front of the courthouse, each heavily decorated with giant shiny baubles and gold ribbons. Strings of lights were draped everywhere still awaiting the power to be turned on to start their glow, and Pam hadn't stopped smiling since they got out of the car.

“It looks like the tree lighting is going to be done before it's good and dark,” Jim said as he read the flyer a volunteer handed him.

“That's okay, It's already nearly three, and with all this cloud cover it's going to feel like night.” Pam hugged his arm tight. “This was such an great idea. Thanks for bringing me here.”

“You don't have to sound so surprised. I don't know what you've heard but I'm hardly the Grinch,” he teased her. “I wanted to be here, too.”

“I know,” she nodded. “I guess I'm still getting my head around the idea that we really are spending this year together.” Jim pulled her against a building and out of the flow of people wandering around the various food stands and craft vendors.

“Just the first of many years,” he said seriously. Before they'd left his apartment today Jim had slipped the engagement ring into a black velvet pouch so he could carry it less conspicuously in the front pocket of his jeans. As he looked at Pam, her cheeks flushed from the cold and her eyes glistening with excitement, it took everything he had not to pull it out and propose right there. “And I want them all to be perfect for you.”

“Not perfect for me,” she replied. “Perfect for us.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “Perfect for us.” They exchanged a quick kiss, and then one more.

“You know what would be perfect for us right now?” Pam asked.

“What?”

“Funnel cakes.”

Jim laughed and pulled her close. “My thoughts exactly.”

They wandered around the downtown streets, sharing food and drinks and holding hands whenever possible. Jim bought Pam a glass Christmas ornament from an artisan, and they debated the merits of having a Christmas tree at her apartment or his, or maybe even both. The ringing of church bells from St. Stephen's were soon filling the air, the cacophony a reminder that the lighting ceremony was about to begin. Pam cuddled up against him as the mayor took to the stage to read a prepared speech, and Jim kissed Pam's temple and nuzzled his face into her hair.

The feedback from the microphone made the mayor's words garbled, but it wasn't as if Jim was listening anyway. He was trying to decide if he should walk her up to the lit trees and then propose, or maybe walk around the trees first, then back up to the courthouse steps and have them sit there, then propose. He felt a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold, and the reality hit him: I am really going to do this. Tonight. Finally.

The sound of polite applause brought Jim's attention back to the ceremony and he hugged Pam tighter as she excitedly counted down with the rest of the crowd. At zero the mayor flipped a big switch a councilman had presented him, and the multicolored lights all along the square came to life. A high school band started playing Jingle Bells, and Pam stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

“I love you,” she said, her voice hardly loud enough to be heard over the band.

He reached for her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, even though it was wrapped in a pink woolen glove. “Let's get a closer look at the trees,” he said.

They were strolling toward the Christmas trees when a deafening crackling sound was heard. The band ceased playing and everyone in the square looked to find the source of the noise. It was like the sound of a gun shot, or a close bolt of lightening. Then it was heard again and a commotion sprung up on the platform where the the mayor had just been standing.

It would be explained later, after a full investigation by the Wilkes Barre Fire Department, that the lighting switch made for the mayor had been improperly grounded, and it was that connection that caused the sparks that ran across the electrical lines that would eventually start the fire that burned all three Christmas trees down. Fortunately the officers on the scene had cleared everyone out of the square so fast that no one was injured. But at the time all Jim Halpert knew was that the elaborately decorated pine trees were not the only things going down in flames, and the only person who would truly appreciate the insanity of the situation was the very woman he couldn't yet let in on the secret.