Pam stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she walked through the doors. “Tell me again what you had to do to get this place?”

Jim laughed at Pam's expression of wonder. “Hey, just because I turned down the corporate job doesn't mean Wallace still doesn't like me.” His hand rested against the small of her back as he walked her over to the love seat. He tipped the staff member who had placed their suitcase in the bedroom, then sat down next to Pam. “I mean, there are still perks for being part of Dunder Mifflin management.”

Pam was unable to tear her eyes away from the floor to ceiling windows that ran along one whole side of the room. “Yeah maybe,” she finally said, “but I'm pretty sure it was not your position as Assistant Regional Manger to Dunder Mifflin Scranton that let us in here.” She turned back to face him, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. “You didn't do anything illegal did you?”

“Not yet,” he grinned, pulling her in for a kiss, “but we just got here.”

She was right of course. Jim hadn't had a chance in hell of getting use of the Dunder Mifflin corporate penthouse on his own name or title. But fortune had smiled upon him under the guise of David Wallace, the company's CFO. Wallace wasn't someone Jim would have spotted for a fairy godmother (or godfather, for that matter), but at this point Jim was willing to take all the help he could get in finally finding a perfect way to propose to Pam.

Jim was truly depressed in the days that followed his last attempt. The disaster at the Christmas tree lighting had caused Jim to despair that he'd ever get his chance. He was only able to shake off his dark mood because Pam put so much effort into reminding him over all of Thanksgiving weekend how grateful she was to have him in her life. It was impossible for Jim to feel down when he was being smothered in that much true affection. He felt the nudge to not give up from other sources as well. Every time he saw how happily engaged Pam's sister and Benjamin were, random wisps of envy weaved through his heart.

It wasn't that he didn't want to give her the ring. He was dying to give her the ring. It just mattered so much that he do it in a special place, in a special way. She deserved that. So he tried to take a step back and analyze what had happened during the previous three attempts. He could see that everything that had gone wrong the last three times were due to elements that had been out of his control. From interruptions by people at the wrong place and wrong time to freak disasters, Jim thought if he could put themselves in a situation where nothing or no one could interrupt them he could finally get his chance.

His first decision was that he needed to get her out of Scranton. Take her somewhere nice, somewhere it could just be the two of them. Maybe get away for the weekend at a resort or hotel. He immediately ruled out anywhere near the Poconos, because he always associated that entire mountain range with the time Pam went there with Roy. The Catskills were rejected as well, mostly because they were too near the Poconos. That's when he started to think about maybe going somewhere more cosmopolitan, maybe somewhere like New York.

A weekend stay in New York City might just be perfect, he thought. There were so many things they could do, yet still be anonymous among the millions of other people there. He knew Pam would be open to just about any idea he had. They could take in museums or art galleries, or he could suggest the most ridiculous, touristy things to do and Pam would have the same sense of excitement he had about the city. It was a far cry from the slightly jaded familiarity that Karen had expressed, and in thinking of Karen wondered how he could have let himself be blinded for so long. The association he now automatically made between Karen and being in Manhattan was the one thing that nearly talked him out of that destination, until that email from David Wallace at the beginning of December changed his mind.

“I know it's been a while since we last spoke,” Wallace had written, “but there are some new opportunities opening up down here and I can't help but think we could really use you. What would it take to lure you down here?”

Jim was flattered but he replied without a moment's hesitation. His life was in Scranton, and for now that was enough. Wallace responded soon afterwards, and as the messages passed between the two men, the tone shifted from professional offers to friendly exchanges and advice. Jim had felt an unexplainable connection to Wallace ever since the night they snuck out to play basketball at the company cocktail party, and when their email conversation turned at last to 'The Story of Pam,' he found Wallace to be a surprisingly sympathetic ear.

Maybe that's why Jim only hesitated slightly when he emailed David Wallace the next week, asking for suggestions on where he should stay in the city if he planned on being there with Pam for New Year's Eve. Where he'd suggest as the best place to stay if Jim just so happened to be thinking of proposing to her. Within ten minutes of sending his email, Wallace had him on the phone, saying nothing would make him happier than if Jim would let him make all the arrangements.

Which is how Jim and Pam ended up in the Dunder Mifflin penthouse suite making out on the velvet love seat at eleven o'clock in the morning on the last day of the year for 2007. They might have spent the rest of the day like that had the telephone not interrupted them about fifteen minutes into their lovemaking. As Jim stood up and went for the phone, Pam started rebuttoning her blouse and walked over to the windows. She discovered to her delight that there was a sliding glass door, and passed that door, a balcony that overlooked Central Park. Despite the chill of the December day, she couldn't resist heading out and taking in the view.

Jim joined her on the balcony. “That was the concierge. Apparently David Wallace not only got us this place, he also arranged for dinner at the Rainbow Room for eight o'clock.”

“Wow,” Pam marveled. “What is the special occasion?”

Jim bit back a smile and shrugged. “It's New Year's. He knew I wanted to make sure we started 2008 off right.”

Pam wrapped her arms around his waist. “We're together,” she sighed. “How could it not be starting off right?”

They spent most of their day exploring The Museum of Modern Art, where they could be found taking long, lingering breaks over coffee and fine pastries in the museum's cafes between the times they wandered the galleries. When they were taking in the exhibits, Jim found himself staring at Pam more than anything on the wall or on a pedestal. She just glowed with happiness as they walked around, and they found themselves giggling over the slightest provocation.

“We are going to get ourselves thrown out of here,” Pam whispered, trying with great difficulty to stop laughing.

“Speak for yourself,” Jim corrected her. “I'm not the one that nearly ran into that boulder suspended from the ceiling.”

“That was Medusa's Head, and it was your fault for distracting me.”

“Whatever. We should get a miniature one on a key chain or something as a souvenir.”

At which point the giggles began in earnest yet again. Jim couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun at a museum. He had high hopes that today was the day things were finally going to fall in place. They stopped in the gift shop for a copy of the museum's highlights book and a set of colored pencils (no key chain versions of Medusa's Head, however), and headed back to the penthouse.

Once there they found a voice message from the concierge, reminding them of their dinner reservations, and asking that they contact his desk when they return for the evening as there had been champagne placed on reserve for their room. Since neither would be driving, Jim rang back and had the champagne sent up immediately. Another surprise from Wallace, the staff member handed Jim an envelope as he delivered the iced sparkling wine.

I married my Pam, the note read. Here's to you marrying yours in 2008.

“What does it say?” Pam asked, startling Jim out of his reverie.

“Oh, it's just a note from David Wallace wishing us a Happy New Year,” he said, slipping the note into his pocket. He quickly grabbed the bottle of champagne. “Let's open this up, shall we?”

A few sips of champagne later and the pair decided to take the bottle back to the bedroom. Their second glasses of champagne sat untouched on the side table as they instead turned their attention to each other. They were half undressed and fully reclined on the bed when Jim looked at the clock.

“How the hell did it get to be seven o'clock already?” He asked incredulously.

Pam sat up, at least as disappointed as he was. “I guess we better focus on putting clothes on if we're going to make it to dinner in time.”

Jim lifted their suitcase onto the bed. As he opened it, Pam flicked on the light in the bathroom. “Wow, that's a shame.”

“What is?” Jim asked.

“That we have to get dressed. We have a whirlpool tub in here.” She stood in the bathroom doorway in nothing but her bra and panties and smiled invitingly. “Are you sure you want to go out?”

“Yes,” Jim laughed. “It will still be here when we come back, you know.”

“True,” she sighed, sitting back down on the bed. “I just hope my black velvet dress is classy enough for the Rainbow Room.”

Jim flipped open the suitcase lid and lifted her dress off the top of the pile. “You will be just fine,” he assured her. “Now I better get a quick shave so they let me in.”

“Oh, you don't need to do that,” she said. “I like you with the stubble. I was hoping you'd keep it.”

Jim pulled out his suit and laid it on the bed. “I'll just do it for dinner and then I'll let it go until we have to go back to work on Wednesday, okay?” Jim shifted around the other clothes in the suitcase, looking for his black shaving bag.

“Really, you don't need to bother,” Pam said. “You look just fine.”

Jim frowned as he continued to sift through the suitcase. He clearly remembered putting his shaving bag in there, but damned if he could see it. This fact was starting to stress him out, because he had something much more important than just his electric razor in the bag. Since he had expected them to share a suitcase for such a short trip, he had hidden Pam's engagement ring in that shaving bag.

“Do you see my shaving bag anywhere?” he asked, trying not to sound as anxious as he felt.

“Um, no,” Pam said slowly. “And you aren't going to find it, either.”

Jim froze. “What do you mean?” He asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

Pam smiled, albeit a bit guiltily. “Remember how I mentioned this morning that I really was hoping you wouldn't bother to shave this trip?”

“Yes.” Jim already knew he didn't like where this was going.

“Well, I kind of left your shaving bag at home. Accidently on purpose.”

Jim was certain his heart stopped beating in that moment. He felt it stop, and then he felt it fall through his chest and onto the floor. “You what?” His voice was barely more than a whisper.

Pam could see he was upset. “I'm sorry,” she said, standing up and walking over to him, “I figured if you didn't have your shaver, you couldn't shave. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal.”

Jim had no idea what to do, what to say, what to think. “I need to use the bathroom,” he said brusquely, walking past her and closing the door behind him. He sat on the edge of the tub, and rested his head in his hands. He was about as close to crying as he had been in a long time. How could she have done that? He thought miserably. What the hell was she thinking??

This was it. As far as Jim was concerned, the whole evening was ruined. All the trouble David Wallace had gone to for him completely wasted. What in the hell was he going to tell the guy when he asked how it had gone? He was grateful that at least he had refrained from telling Wallace about the three other missed opportunities. He felt enough like a failure without anyone else knowing how impossible it was for him to sort out a simple marriage proposal.

He must have been in the bathroom for for nearly ten minutes when he heard a timid knocking on the door. Now came his second problem - how was he going to explain how he was acting? Who in their right mind would be this upset over leaving a shaver behind?

The bathroom door opened slowly, and Pam stuck her head it. “Are you okay?”

Jim rubbed his hands across his face. “Yeah, I'm okay.”

She took another step into the bathroom. “I am so sorry if I upset you by leaving your things behind. I understand if you are mad at me. I had no right to do that.”

Jim looked up at her. When he saw the look of genuine distress on her face, it reminded him of what really was important about that night. “It's fine,” he said, standing up to reach for her. “I'm not angry with you.”

Pam hugged him tightly. “I am really so sorry. I was just being silly...”

“Shh,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. “It's not a big deal. There will always be another time. Let's get dressed and celebrate this new year.”