Pam was in Jim’s apartment; they were sitting on the couch and watching a movie.  Pam had brought a comedy, but it hadn’t seemed to help.  Jim was quiet, clearly apprehensive.

“It’ll be okay,” Pam said, trying to soothe his nerves.

Jim’s hand passed over his face as he put on a small smile.  “I know.  It’s just the last few months have been really good and now they’re coming back…”

“We’ve been through this before,” Pam said softly.

“Yeah, I’m just being…but I just don’t want a camera stuck in my face every time I look at you.  They’ve already seen so much.”

Pam had to grin, in spite of her boyfriend’s discomfort.  “Well then, I guess it’s a good thing you didn’t give them any hint we might be dating before they left in May.”

Jim groaned.  “Don’t remind me.  I really wish I could have controlled myself until you’d finished your interview.  I was so stupid…”

“No you weren’t,” Pam said, brooking no argument as she took his right hand in hers.  “And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Jim’s eyes partially closed as he relived that moment for the hundredth time.  It had been great for both of them.  And they had worked all summer to put the past behind them.  And now the camera crew would be back; asking questions, catching every glimpse and small moment, peeling back the private shell they’d developed over the past few, blissful months.  It had been his idea not to tell anyone in the office that they were dating.  At first, it was just to protect Karen’s feelings.  But after Karen left, it just seemed easier to just keep things under wraps.

“What do you want to do?” Pam asked.

“I don’t want to talk to them about it,” Jim confessed.  “I’m happy we’re together, you know that, right?”  He looked over at Pam, wanting to be sure that she understood.

“I know,” Pam answered; and she did.  She could tell by the smile he wore at work how happy he was when they were together.  And things were going really well.  But she also knew that while Jim was trying, he still hadn’t come all the way back, not yet.  The way he didn’t want anyone to know they were dating, the way he was still somewhat shy with her even months into their relationship.  He was still afraid. 

Last year she had experienced so much change and pain.  She felt that she had pushed through a barrier that night at the beach.  She had never felt stronger or more confident in her life, and that confidence had extended into their relationship. 

It hadn’t been until they were dating that Pam realized how much the past year had damaged Jim.  Initially, he couldn’t even talk to her about what happened after Casino night.  There was this huge gap between that day and when he had broken up with Karen.  But with time and a lot of patience on her part, they had finally started talking.  And each day, he seemed a little more like the man who had been her best friend, the man she’d fallen in love with without even realizing it.  And every piece of his heart that he recovered, he gave to her unconditionally.  She had never felt more loved.  She had faith that in time he would come all the way back and she was willing to give him that time.

Jim stared off into space and whispered, “I just don’t want to share our relationship with those guys.”

“Then we won’t,” Pam said.  “We’ll say that we’re back to being really good friends and leave it at that.”  They turned back to the television and focused on the movie they were watching, Borat.  Pam got a little annoyed with the Pam Anderson subplot.  She’d never been a big Baywatch fan.

Jim whispered to Pam, “Did you ever consider that if you’d married Roy, you’d be Pam Anderson now?”

“Oh my God!”  Pam’s eyes went wide, making Jim laugh.  “How did Michael never notice that?”

Jim’s expression changed.  He looked a little too smug for Pam’s liking.

“What?” Pam asked.

Jim’s grin grew wider.  “Michael joked about it once, right after the Dundies three years ago.  Toby and I drafted a letter from corporate, telling Michael that any mention of Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee, or about Pam Anderson sex tapes at the office or in front of you would be grounds for immediate termination.  We faked the CEO’s signature.”

Pam contemplated this while watching the movie.  When the film reached the point where Borat saw the Pam Anderson/Tommy Lee sex tape, Pam turned to her boyfriend and asked, “So, did you ever see the tapes?”

Jim looked over at Pam and replied, “What kind of guy do you think I am?”

Pam didn’t buy Jim’s sense of outrage.  “I’ll take that as a yes, then.”

“Actually, I never did,” Jim admitted.  “Even though I knew it wasn’t you, the name hit a little too close to home.”

“You know, that’s kind of sweet,” Pam said.

“And possibly pathetic,” Jim continued, laughing as he turned back to the film.

As Pam looked at Jim, she could tell that he was another step closer to being "her Jim" again.  For the first time since they’d been together, he’d mentioned Roy and it wasn’t a big deal.  She smiled and leaned against his shoulder.

The next morning, before the cameramen arrived, Pam looked through the spam file on her computer.  She remembered seeing something…  There it was... An offer for a Pam Anderson celebrity sex tape.  She would give it to Jim for his birthday.  Just a couple of clicks and nobody would be any the…

Why was her screen suddenly blue?

Pam thought, “This is going to really suck.”

She tried to reboot, and just got the blue screen.

Maybe, if she was really lucky, the IT guy could fix it before Jim or Michael found out.