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Story Notes:
I don't own any of this. If I did, I sure as hell wouldn't be sitting in my bedroom at 2 a.m. writing a crappy fanfiction. I'd be rolling naked in a big pile of cash.

They talked on the phone for nearly an hour, chatting about everything and nothing at the same time. He chided her about not having three kitchens and Pam jokingly commented that she got screwed over on this rental deal.

"So...." Jim started slowly," when do I get to see this fancy new apartment?"

There was a slight pause as Pam tried to collect herself. Jim! In MY apartment! She surpressed the urge to squeal aloud like a giddy teenager, answering, "Whenever you're in Scranton again, silly."

Jim smiled and made a mental note to take an unplanned trip down to Pennsylvania.

* - * - * - * -

The knock on the door came as a total shock to her and she cursed the unseen guest as it caused her hand to jerk, just as she was finishing up one of her latest paintings that she had planned to submit in another contest. She humphed loudly and decided to name it "Shattered Dreams", as it was probably the best painting she'd done to date and now her chances of achieving artistic superstardom were blown to hell.

Wiping her hands on her smock, so as not to mess up the shiny brass doorknob, she carefully opened the door.

"Jim!" she exclaimed, forgetting about her paint splattered front and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. The heat of his cheek against hers sent her brain into a tailspin, so she had to shake her head and pull away quickly to avoid any awkwardness. As she did, she noticed that his suit now carried the remnants of her artistic flair--flecks of blue, gold and orange spattering the coat and tie.

"Sorry about that. It's water soluable though. If you could just take it off......." her face flushed a deep shade of crimson at the thought of Jim removing any of his clothing, not to mention the fact that she'd made the request.

"Wow, Beesly. I barely get in your apartment and already you're ordering me to take my clothes off. I had no idea I had this kind of effect on women."

He winked at her and waited for her eyes to avert to the floor, but Fancy New Beesly didn't react in her typical fashion. "Well, what can I say? I've evolved," she responded with a wink, walking away with his coat and tie in hand and heading towards the kitchen sink.

She worked for a few minutes, scrubbing and wiping at the stains on the coat. They mostly came out, though one was a bit more stubborn and he would end up having an eternal mustard stain on his tie. "Sorry, it's the best I can do. I'll pop them in the dryer and then they'll be ready to go."

Jim joked back and forth with her, eventually getting her to loosen up and give him the grand tour. He made special note of the colors and fabrics she had chosen, each room blending perfectly into the next in a comforting flow. She chatted about feng shui and home decorating for a bit before switching gears and asking him if he'd eaten yet. Of course, he hadn't thought about it on the way out there, so Pam got on the phone and ordered a pizza.

Soon, they were laughing and joking over food and beers as they watched one of Pam's Netflix rentals. When the movie finished, the space was left in an awkward silence.

Pam decided to be the first to break that silence.

"Look, I just wanted to apologize for not telling you that I didn't go through with my wedding."

Jim looked at her quizically, "Um...I thought it was odd that you hadn't mentioned it, but I figured you had your reasons. I mean, it's not like we were going out or anything. Not like you owed me any explanation."

"Yeah....no, I mean....well, I did owe you an explanation, Jim." Pam's eyes fell to the floor, ashamed. "It's just that....well, I wanted to learn how to be me for a while. You know?"

Jim nodded and let her continue.

"I mean, I'd been with Roy for nearly 10 years. I didn't know anything else. We'd been together since high school, you know? And well, it wasn't the healthiest of relationships. I was so dependent on him and focused on what he represented: every girl's dream of marrying their high school sweetheart. And what we were together was not healthy in the least."

"I get that, Pam. I totally do," Jim empathetically agreed, placing his hand on hers.

"After I called off the wedding...." she continued, "I went to a therapist, hoping she could tell me what I needed to do next. And we spent the next few weeks figuring out what I should do with my life. One of those things was to finally break free by getting my own place, my own car and making my own choices. So, as you can see, I've got the fancy new apartment, the car I can barely afford on receptionist's wages, and I've enrolled in art class....soon to be followed by an internship in New York for graphic design."

She paused and waited for the smile. When he heard she was finally doing what he'd always hoped she would, he beamed from ear to ear. She reached her free hand to cover his and savored it's warmth and gentleness.

"I just wanted to find out who I was and get healthy before drowning myself in someone else....."

Jim raised an eyebrow, "So, have you found out who you are?"

Pam smiled, "Yes, I think I have."

"How healthy are you now?"

"Scale of one to ten?" Pam responded, her grin growing wider, "I'm nearing eleven."

"Is that ten being best or worst?" he joked, inciting a light smack on his thigh.

"Best, silly."

"All sounds very reasonable, Beesly......"

Pam gazed into his eyes, her cheeks beginning to hurt from the constant grinning.

"So, Fancy New Beesly....who are you planning to drown yourself in next?"

She paused, then kissed him chastely on the lips.

"If you have to ask, I may have to do more than splatter paint on your suit."

Chapter End Notes:
One of those stories that just had to come out before it got bottled up in my constipated brain. I love Office enemas!


officefreak is the author of 3 other stories.
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