For some reason, Jim was actually surprised when his next task came from Pam. Maybe it was because their on line friends had expressed such enthusiasm at the idea of choosing his 'punishments' that every time he logged in he half-expected to receive one. But nearly a week had gone by since the night of his confession, and while they had all taken their turns teasing him over what dire consequences were sure to come, Vexin still had not presented him with an assignment.

He was pulling the popcorn out of the microwave when he heard Pam chuckling softly.

“What?”

She grinned and rubbed her hands together. “I think I know what I want you to do next.”

“Do next for what?”

“Your penance, silly.”

“Right,” he rolled his eyes. He opened the steaming bag and poured the popcorn into the bowl. “Do you think we'll need one or two bags for the whole game?”

Pam frowned. “They're playing the Seahawks, Jim. We'll probably get through two bags by halftime.”

“You don't think it will be an exciting game? It's like the Super Bowl rematch.”

“Hardly,” she snorted, reaching around him to grab a handful of popcorn. “Though I do think seeing Ben on the field will make it all worthwhile.”

Now it was Jim's turn to sigh. “You and your quarterback obsession. I'm beginning to wonder if I should be jealous.”

She followed him into the living room, curling up next to him on the couch. “Are you jealous?”

“Don't be silly. Of course not.” He clicked on the television and turned to the NFL pre-show. He pulled the bowl away from her as she reached for more popcorn. “But that doesn't mean I don't know you're just sitting close for the snacks.”

“I am not!”

“Right, and as soon as Roethlisberger appears it'll be 'Jim who?'”

Pam leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder and looking up at him. “Oh, but you're so not jealous.”

He briefly stared down at her, his lips curling ever so slightly at the sight of her amused expression. "Didn't you have something else to tell me? Some silly endeavor so I can make it all up to you?"

"I do," she nodded, "but if you are going to mock it before you even hear it I'll make it something different. Something different and worse."

"Like you didn't already have something horrible in mind."

Pam was distracted as the TV announcer introduced the teams onto the field.

"Told you," Jim remarked, opening up his first beer of the afternoon.

Pam elbowed him. "I know you're still here." She gave him a sideways glance, only to look back at the screen as Pittsburgh's offense took the field. "And don't drink too much; you're going to have to drive later."

Jim frowned. "Why?"

"You've got some shopping to do."

"Wait. Now I'm your errand boy?"

"No," she giggled. "But that's actually not a bad idea."

"Please. You're clearly not taking full advantage of my skill set if that's all you can come up with."

"Oh, trust me. I'm well acquainted with your skill set."

Jim laughed. "How is it that you can make anything sound dirty?"

Pam took a handful of popcorn out of the bowl and began to eat it one piece at a time. "I guess it's just the company I've been keeping these days," she said lightly, her attention still focused on the television. Jim said nothing, but continued to stare at her until she noticed and looked back up at him.
"What?"

"Nothing," he mumbled, turning back to watch the game.

Pam bumped up against him. "No you don't. What are you thinking?"

"Why don't you tell me what your new idea is?"

"After you tell me what you're thinking."

"It was nothing," Jim shrugged, looking more at the tv than at her. "Just something stupid."

"Oh, good. Now I really need to know." She sat up a bit straighter, expectantly awaiting his reply.

He looked at her like she'd lost her mind, and felt himself beginning to blush ever so slightly. "I was thinking how glad I am that the company you are finally keeping is mine." He saw her start to grin. "I told you it was stupid," he said brusquely, and turned the sound up on the tv.

She slouched back down against the couch. "It's not stupid," she replied quietly. "I think it's very sweet." Jim said nothing, but shifted position so that he could put his arm around her shoulders and pull her closer. They watched the game in relative silence, apart from Pam's sometimes vigorous outbursts at an exceptional or devastating play. Jim loved how animated she could be just watching football.

They were back in the kitchen at halftime when Jim remembered. "So are you ever going to get around to telling me about my new task?" He asked, leaning into the refrigerator. "Because I'm going to need a very good reason not to open another beer."

She plucked the bottle from his hand as soon as he'd closed the door. "I told you," she said, popping off the cap and taking a drink, "you'll need to go shopping."

"Hey!" He reached for his beer but she sidestepped out of his way. "Thief. Give me back my beer."

She tried to maneuver around him on her way back to the living room, but he pinned her against the breakfast bar. "Beer or task," he told her. "Your choice."

"We're going to miss the start of the second half."

"We're up by seven and Seattle hasn't made a decent play yet." He placed his hands on her waist to secure his hold on her "It can wait."

"You're a bully." she tried to pout, but it sounded more like a giggle.

"So what's with the suspense? What do you want me to do?"

"It's not a big deal."

"No? You're making it out to be big deal."

"I'm not."

Jim leaned in closer, realizing he was quickly losing interest in watching football. He pressed his lips to her temple, brushing them along the side of her face. "I'm waiting," he murmured.

Pam wrapped her arms around his waist, Jim's pilfered beer still firmly in her hand. She tilted her head back to invite him to continue. "Well," she said, her eyes closing as he continued to kiss her, "I've decided I am tired of making lunch."

Jim pulled back, not certain if he was more amused or puzzled. "You're tired of making lunch?"

"Yeah," she nodded slightly. "How many years have I had to make my lunch every day for work? I don't want to do it anymore."

"Okay," he replied slowly. "So this means....?"

"You are now responsible for it."

"I am?"

"Yes."

"And that's it? That's your idea of a great burden of penance?"

"I told you I was going to go easy on you at first."

"Wow. And here I was actually worrying about what you'd come up with." He snickered. "I gotta confess, Pam. That's pretty lame."

"Oh really?" She smacked in on the back with her free hand. "Shall I come up with something else then? Something more worthy of you?"

"No, no - this is good," he replied. "You said it, so we'll go with it. Task number two of twelve is making you lunch. Got it." He took a small step back. "Can I have my beer back now?"

"No, because you'll have to do some shopping for this week's lunches after the game. I didn't buy anything for them when I was out yesterday."

Jim shrugged and placed his hand over hers as she continued to hold onto the green glass bottle. "Not a big deal. I can pick up yogurt and salad on the way in tomorrow."

"Oh, it's not going to be that easy."

"Why not? That's what you usually eat, isn't it?"

"That's because I'm tired of having to make it every day. Now that someone else is taking care of it, I'd like a little variety. A little spice."

Jim tilted his head thoughtfully. "A little spice, huh?"

"Yes," she smiled up at him.

"I might be able to come up with something." He took the beer from her hand and took a long swig. "We can still stop at Giant tomorrow morning. It won't take long."

"Hmm," she replied, moving to the fridge to get a drink for herself. "Well, you better make it good."

"And how long do I get to play sous chef?" He asked, turning toward her. "A week?"

Pam laughed loudly. "A week? You wish."

"What then? Two weeks? A month?"

"Until further notice."

Jim's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"

She shook her head smugly. "Not even in the slightest. Every Monday through Friday until further notice."

"Pam – no. You gotta put a deadline on it."

"Why?"

"Because - " Jim took another drink of his beer. "Well, because it's just not fair."

"Awww, poor baby." Pam brushed up against him. "Doesn't sound like a such an easy task now, huh?"

"It's not that it's hard, it's just.....excessive?"

"Extreme?" She suggested helpfully.

"Right," he nodded. "It's a bit extreme, don't you think?"

"Kinda like you inventing a whole persona just to listen in on me in a chat room, huh?" she retorted, quite pleased with how she tricked him that reply.

Jim let out a long sigh and rubbed his eyes. "You are - "

"Amazing? Wonderful? The best thing that every happened to you?"

Jim couldn't help but laugh. "All of those things," he admitted, "but almost more trouble than you're worth."

"Fine," Pam conceded. "You'll only have to do it for a year. From now until the end of next September."

"Wow. Only a year?"

"Are you still complaining?"

"Would it help if I was?"

"Nope," she replied. "And I'd like to make it clear that you still have to do it even if we break up before then."

"Like hell I do," Jim retorted, finishing the rest of his beer and tossing the bottle in the recycle bin. "Eating lunch would be the least of my problems at that point."

Pam grabbed his hand. "Shall we get back to the game?" She asked, pulling him out of the kitchen.

"I don't feel like competing for your attention anymore today," he said slyly, directing her away from the living room and up the stairs towards his bedroom. "Let's find another sport to entertain us."

==

Their lazy Sunday afternoon rolled into a lazy Monday morning, and it wasn't until after they'd arrived at work that Jim remembered he was the one responsible for lunches now.

"Nice start," Pam teased as he stood at her desk, picking out a random selection of jellybeans from the container. "My empty stomach feels so confident in your hands."

"Thanks, Pam. That is a seriously disturbing image," he grinned. "But don't worry. I'll run out and get our lunch in a little bit."

Unfortunately 'a little bit' turned out to be much later than expected. Between being outed as a couple to the rest of the office (thanks, Toby,) to living through the first visit by Ryan as their new corporate master, it was well after their usual mealtime by the time Jim came back from picking up lunch.

Pam waited expectantly in the break room. "It took you long enough," she complained with a wink.

"Good food takes time, Pam," Jim gently scolded. "Did you get drinks yet?"

She shook her head firmly. "Not my job."

"Of course not,” Jim rolled his eyes. "So it's gonna be that way, huh?"

She nodded sternly, but they both smiled when their eyes met.

"Such a dork," Jim sighed as he walked over to the soda machine.

Pam had unpacked the grocery bag by the time he sat back down. "Hmm, this doesn't look half bad," she admitted, opening up a container of mixed salad. “Did you put this together yourself?”

"I did. Amazing to think I could handle a salad bar, isn't it?" Jim replied. "And if you'll look closely, you'll see I even included dried cranberries and sunflower seeds.”

She examined her salad closely. “Is that feta cheese?” She asked hopefully.

“It is.”

“You're awesome,” she admitted, putting a forkful of salad into her mouth. "I could really get used to this."

“Here are some grapes, and fresh carrots, and despite your comments last night, I still bought you mixed berry yogurt.”

"Thanks," she smiled.

"Well, at least we won't have to worry about people wondering what's going on between us if I'm bringing you lunch every day," he said bemusedly.

Pam sighed. "I can't believe Toby busted us like that."

Jim nodded then gave her a confused look. "And what was that all about with him not letting us sign the HR papers?"

"I know! That was so weird. He's usually so by the book with that kind of stuff."

"Weird," Jim echoed. "Maybe he knows something we don't."

"Like what? Like the secret wife you've been hiding from me?"

"Yeah, so secret even I don't know about her."

"Wow, now that is secret." They grinned at each other as Pam's leg brushed against his.

"Dork." Jim whispered.

Pam rolled her eyes. "Please. Pot, meet kettle."

They ate their lunch in companionable silence, but Pam noticed Jim seemed to be lost in thought. "What's the matter?" She finally asked.

"I was just thinking that now that the office knows we're dating, there really aren't any more secrets to worry about."

"None?" Pam sounded surprised. "No skeletons in the closet I've yet to find? No heartfelt confessions? No shocking surprises?"

"Afraid not. You already found out the biggest one," he admitted, "and I really didn't do the greatest job hiding that, now did I?"

"So you're just one big open book to me now, huh?" Pam teased.

"Yep."

"So boring," she complained.

"I know. Do you want to break up now?"

Pam chewed her salad thoughtfully. "No, not yet. I want to see what other lunches you come up with."

"Okay, fair enough." They both smiled briefly as their hands brushed together. It might have bloomed into full hand-holding if they hadn't noticed the documentary crew had spotted them together and were now filming them from across the hall.

A few minutes later Jim cleared his throat, causing Pam to look up expectantly at him.

"I swore I wouldn't tell anybody this, but in the interest of revealing secrets - oh my god, this is going to make your brain explode..." Jim paused. "Um, Dwight and Angela...dating. Have been, for six months."

Pam grin grew larger as she shook her head. "No...."

"Swear to God," he insisted. "Oh, this is great! I was actually going to wait and tell you on your birthday, but this is much more fun."

"No," Pam continued, "they have been dating for like two years. Since before your barbecue."

"Wait. What?" Pam nodded while Jim's face fell. "You knew? And you didn't say anything??"

"You didn't say anything to me!" Pam countered. They stared each other down for a moment, neither sure whether to pout or laugh. Jim looked away first, unable to believe they had kept this information from each other for so long.

"Fair enough," he grudgingly admitted. "Wow - we should have started dating like a y-- long time ago," he exclaimed.

Whatever Pam's response to that might have been was lost as Phyllis entered the break room. Their interaction with her was yet another example of why they had wanted to keep their relationship a secret from the rest of the office. The comments they had received seemed to fall in one of two categories: either completely inappropriate to borderline offensive, or not-so-thinly veiled predictions of a relationship crash-and-burn in the very near future. They shared a sigh of relief when five o'clock arrived and they could escape the madness for another day.

==

Jim was feeling the overcast of a headache as they walked through the doorway of his apartment, so he decided to take a shower to loosen up his aching shoulders. Pam nodded her head in approval and said she'd find something to throw together for dinner in the meantime.

"You don't want to join me?" He asked, putting on what he was sure was his most pleading, take-care-of-me look.

"You'll be faster if I don't," she called as she headed toward the kitchen.

Jim grumbled and he tramped heavily up the steps. "Yeah, but who said I wanted to be faster?"

Thirty minutes, a hot shower and a change into comfortable clothes later, Jim was in a much better mood. The aroma of cooking food was nearly as inviting as the sight of Pam sitting at the kitchen table, typing away on her computer. She smiled up at him as he walked into the kitchen.

"Headache gone now?"

"Mostly," he admitted, leaning down to kiss her. "I would have felt better with your assistance though."

"And who would have made our meal?"

Jim peeked inside the oven. "Yeah, I can see how opening the boxes for the frozen lasagna and garlic bread needed your complete attention all this time."

"It's a skill," she replied, then turned back to her keyboard.

Jim glanced over her shoulder as he opened the fridge for a drink. "Who's there?"

"Just Vexin right now."

"Do you want some iced tea?" He asked. "Tell her I said hey."

Pam nodded as she typed, then moments later grinned. "She said for you to come in and tell her that yourself."

Jim chuckled as he placed Pam's glass next to her laptop and took a seat across from her. "Nice. Tell her I'll be in after dinner, if that's alright with her."

"She said you better be. Apparently she has a present for you."

Jim's eyebrows rose. "What does that mean?"

"It probably means she has a present for you."

He narrowed his eyes at Pam, looking for some hint of a reaction, but she just smiled back. "Should I be worried?"

"I have no idea. She didn't tell me what it is."

"Well, can you find out for me?"

A moment later, Pam laughed. "She said it's not very nice of you to make me do your dirty work."

"I was just asking," he replied. "It's probably a task anyway."

"Could be," Pam mused. She typed for a little while longer, until the timer announced dinner was ready. She set her laptop aside and set the table as Jim pulled the hot food out of the oven. By the time he'd served, he was surprised to see that Pam had dimmed the overhead light and lit candles.

"What's the occasion?" He smiled as he set the plates on the table.

"Does there have to be?"

"No, of course not. It's nice."

"It is," she smiled back. "Oh, I completely forgot to make the salad!" Pam was about to stand when Jim reached across the table.

"Don't bother, there's plenty here."

"You sure? It will only take a minute."

He brushed his hand down her arm and curled his fingers around her hand. "It's fine. We'll have salad tomorrow."

She squeezed his hand and smirked a little. "Just as long as you don't try and pass it off as my lunch."

==

MairzyDoats> But from what I hear, it's not as depressing as their last album.

Leikha> No, I heard that too. But I kinda liked the last one, so we'll see how it goes.

MairzyDoats> Hey, Squirrel

Vexin> You sure know how to keep a woman waiting. Where's WD?

Leikha> Hi Squirrel! :)

Squirrel_McPants> Ladies – how are you all?

Squirrel_McPants> WalkingDisaster is cleaning up after dinner.

Vexin> What? I thought she made the dinner?

Leikha> Aw, you guys had dinner together? ;-)

Squirrel_McPants> She did, but she insisted I come see you. I was told I have a present?

Vexin> Nevermind that for now – how are things with you two?

Leikha> Yes, you certainly have a present tonight. :-D

MairzyDoats> Nothing new with me but a cold I can't seem to shake. :( *achoo*

Squirrel_McPants> Sorry to hear that, Mairzy. :-(

**Leikha hands Mairzy a tissue**

Squirrel_McPants> Things with us are going very well, thanks.

MairzyDoats> The Puffs with the lotion, I hope?

Vexin> What does that mean?

Leikha> Of course – what kind of friend do you take me for!?!

Squirrel_McPants> I don't know – we get along, we have fun, life is good.

MairzyDoats> :-) Thanks.

Squirrel_McPants> Or are you fishing for specifics, Vex? ;-)

Vexin> I just think it might be nice to hear your side of the story more – I mean we've had months of her going on about you.

Leikha> Yeah, so how long have you liked her?

Squirrel_McPants> Liked her? From the first day I met her. :-)

MairzyDoats> And when did you know you more than liked her?

Jim looked up at Pam, who's back was to him as she stood at the sink. He watched how she was biting her lower lip in concentration as she scrubbed sauce off a plate, rinsed it off, then placed it in the dishwasher.

Squirrel_McPants> About five seconds after I knew I liked her.

Leikha> Awww.

MairzyDoats> Smooth, McPants.

Squirrel_McPants> It's the truth. Really.

Vexin> I believe you. :-) How long have you guys known each other?

Squirrel_McPants> Over five years now.

Leikha> Wow!

MairzyDoats> You've been in love with her for over five years??

Vexin> I had no idea it had been that long. WD never said that.

Squirrel_McPants> Yes, I have. Even if she sometimes she says she doesn't believe it. ;-)

Vexin> I wasn't even aware you'd known each other that long. She'd said once it was years, but I thought maybe 2 or 3....

Squirrel_McPants> Nope. 5+

MairzyDoats> I might have to rethink my whole position on you, Squirrel. Not that I approve of your deception.

Squirrel_McPants> I appreciate that, Mairzy.

MairzyDoats> I mean five years? Unrequited?

Squirrel_McPants> We've had some special moments. And we've always been best friends, so there's something to be said for that.

Vexin> Well, not always.

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, maybe. But let's just leave it at that. We're both more aware of how things were on the other side of the fence back then. Things are working out.

Vexin> Glad to hear it. :-)

Leikha> Yay!!

MairzyDoats> I can't imagine being in love with someone for that long though, and just not giving up one day. How did you do that?

Squirrel_McPants> LOL – you say that like I had a choice in the matter. I did try to walk away from it.

Leikha> Yeah, remember Mairz – he moved to CT last year?

MairzyDoats> Oh right – sorry. I forgot that part.

Squirrel_McPants> I think you're allowed not to have my life story memorized. ;-)

Leikha> But you came back, so obviously it wasn't successful.

Squirrel_McPants> Well, coming back was not entirely my choice. The branch I'd relocated to was shut.

MairzyDoats> But you could have found work elsewhere, right?

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, I could. I'm not denying that part of me wanted to come back – even though it didn't make sense to. I mean, she'd never contacted me at all while I was away, so I didn't have any reason to think anything was going to change.

Vexin> Oh man, I remember the argument she and I got into shortly after she started coming here.

Squirrel_McPants> Oh?

Vexin> She told us about you, and what happened, and how she didn't think it was up to her to make the first move. I told her in no uncertain terms that she was wrong.

Squirrel_McPants> But she still didn't.

Vexin> I know – but to be fair, Squirrel – I also know how much she wanted to. She really struggled over it. She was just too stubborn and too scared.

Squirrel_McPants> So I've been told. :-)

WalkingDisaster has entered the room.

Squirrel_McPants> And here she is. :-)

MairzyDoats> Yay, WD!

WalkingDisaster> Hey guys!

WalkingDisaster> Squirrel has been sitting at his computer with a grin on his face – so what did I miss??

Leikha> Talking about you :-)

MairzyDoats> Oh, he's just being all smushy over how much he luuuuuuvvvvvvs you.

Squirrel_McPants> Shut up.

Leikha> It's true! He's so smitten it's adorable!

Squirrel_McPants> Yeah, thanks guys. :-P That's the last time I tell you anything.

WalkingDisaster> Well, I'll admit that he is rather adorkable. ;-)

Vexin> Oh hush you two – we'll never get the good stuff later if you carry on that way.

Vexin> Squirrel was just telling us a little of your back story. Like how you've known each other for over five years!

WalkingDisaster> We have.

MairzyDoats> I still can't wrap my head around how long it took you two to get together. Honestly.

Squirrel_McPants> Tell me about it. ;-)

Vexin> This is why there should be congressional medals of honor for stuff like that. It's worse than the horrors of war.

Leikha> So Vexin – can we tell him now??

Squirrel_McPants> Tell me what?

Vexin> You mean his present?

Leikha> Yeah – I've been dying all afternoon to hear his reaction.

Squirrel_McPants> Uh-oh.

WalkingDisaster> Oooh – what is it?

Vexin> Okay, Leikha – I'll send him the email now.

Leikha> Yay!

Vexin> But I'm afraid you can't find out just yet what it is, Walking.

WalkingDisaster> Why not?

Leikha> It's a surprise.

Vexin> Because it's Squirrel's task from Leikha and it's to be a surprise to you.