Dwight was doing an interview in the conference room shortly after the IT guy managed to fix Pam’s computer. Jim took the opportunity to visit reception.
“So, Beesley, care to explain your attempted purchase this morning?” Jim said with an eyebrow raised.
“No,” Pam said, trying to hide her blush and moving her jellybean dish off the desk to refill it.
“Come on,” Jim pleaded. “I need details. Can you at least give me initials?” Pam shook her head. “Hair color?” another shake. “Girth?” with that, Pam let out a loud snort. Did he actually think she was buying the tape for herself? No, the teasing look in his eyes gave him away. Thank goodness.
“If you must know,” Pam said softly, “I’ve always had a thing for Screech on Saved by the Bell.”
Jim whispered back, “Always good to know what I’m up against.”
The camera crew interviewed both Jim and Pam later that morning. Jim tossed Pam a small smile when he left the conference room.
A few moments after Pam finished her interview, Michael arrived at the office and announced that he had hit Meredith with his car. After Michael and the camera guys went into his office, Jim returned to reception, a serious look on his face. “Hey, do you remember our plan about what you should do if we were walking together and you saw Michael’s car?”
Pam nodded, “That I should push you into the bushes and pretend you were a mugger.”
“Well, after the Meredith thing, maybe it would be best if you ran and hid in the bushes and left me to fend for myself.”
“So you think that the Sebring may have developed a taste for blood?”
“I don’t want to risk it. I mean Michael was complaining about a speed bump on the highway last week…”
“I see your point,” Pam agreed. The camera crew was just leaving Michael’s office. Pam sighed, “I have to go tell Michael what happened with my computer this morning. Wish me luck.”
Jim nodded. “I’m sure Screech will be worth it.” Pam made sure that no one was watching and slowly extended her middle finger towards her secret boyfriend.
---
After the staff met to discuss the hospital visit to Meredith, the documentary director asked if everyone could meet for a brief discussion in the conference room. Jim and Pam sat beside each other.
“Okay,” the tall, quiet man said, “I wanted to talk to you guys for a minute, just to make sure that we remember the ground rules.”
“Not again,” Stanley groaned. “I’m still amazed that Michael was able to talk Corporate into letting you guys film us for five years. I don’t need to go over anything.”
“Still,” the director cut in, “We have a new soundman, and I want to make sure we’re all on the same page. We aren’t trying to intrude in your lives.”
Angela exhaled loudly, letting it be clear of her opinion on that statement.
“Okay, so we are intruding, I admit that,” the director said with a rueful smile. “Still, as per your contracts, all we ask from you is your honesty. If you don’t want to answer a question or have us involved in something, just say so.” He looked at Jim and Pam as he spoke. They were careful not to look at each other.
“Alright,” Jim said, slowly standing up. “I admit it. I’m from outer space.”
“I knew it,” Dwight shouted as he got up and took a step towards the door (he wanted to get to his throwing stars, just in case…).
“Sit down, you idiot,” Michael snapped. “He’s obviously kidding.”
“Oh,” Dwight said, dejected.
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Andy replied. “He fooled me a couple of times and I went to Cornell.”
“Really?” Pam asked. “I never knew that. You should have totally let us know. That’s something to be proud of.”
“Why thank you,” Andy said.
Pam looked at Jim and they shared a grin.
----
Just before leaving for work, Jim strolled by Pam’s desk and picked up one last jellybean, “for the road.” As he did so, he left a Post It note on her desk. Pam looked around and, seeing the cameramen occupied, grabbed the paper. It read. “Garage 5:15.”
As Pam left the office, she giggled as she saw Kevin trying to hide in his car. He was even worse at being a private eye than he was as an accountant. Agent Michael Scarn clearly had no competition in the Scranton office. She was so busy laughing at Kevin that she didn’t notice the film crew following her.
Kevin smiled as he watched the cameraman’s truck drive away. It was fun being a diversion. He couldn’t wait to tell Stacy about his day. And if he won his bet with Oscar, he might even be able to afford a night out with his fiancée.
Pam pulled over and unlocked the passenger door. Jim hopped in and eagerly kissed her before they drove away.
“So, why do you think he went over the documentary rules again today?” Pam asked.
“Because they had a new guy,” Jim offered, but he knew it was a poor excuse.
“And he was staring at us because…”
The smile that Jim had worn since kissing her faded. “Yeah, that had me a little worried, too. What did you say during your interview?”
“That we had gone out a few times. I’d helped you get through the breakup and we were back to being good friends. Just like we agreed. What did you say?”
“Well, I said I’d broken up with Karen and how she left.” After a brief pause, he continued. “And I said that I was single and looking, so if they knew anyone, they should let me know.”
Jim was worried that Pam would be upset. He didn’t want to imply that he wasn’t happy with her. He wasn’t prepared for Pam to start laughing hysterically and pounding the steering wheel. Fortunately, they had stopped for a traffic light.
“What?” Jim asked.
The question only made Pam laugh harder. Finally the light changed and the driver behind them beeped his horn. Pam stilled her laughter and started driving towards her apartment.
“Why is that so funny?” Jim asked, clearly not understanding the joke.
Pam had calmed down by the time they reached her apartment. She got out of the car and took Jim’s hand as they walked upstairs. “Jim, who were you dating two years ago?”
“Katy. You know that.”
“And last year?”
“Karen.” Jim still had no idea where this was going.
Pam smiled warmly at her boyfriend. “And who did you reduce to a happy, speechless puddle when you asked her out last May?”
“You?” he asked, not knowing that had been her reaction after he shut the door.
“Would you describe these girls as attractive?”
“Well, yeah.” He opened her door for her and followed her inside.
“And you really think the camera guys are going to believe that you can’t get a date?”
The realization finally hit Jim. “So I overdid it?”
Pam nodded and pointed her finger to her nose. Jim knew that the look meant that he had blown it big time. It was also clear that she didn’t care about it nearly as much as he did.
Jim collapsed on the couch. “I thought it was a normal thing to say. I mean it’s not like …”
“Jim, one day you’re going to have to admit to yourself that you’re hot,” Pam laughed as she sat down beside him. “Or do I have to lock you in a room with Phyllis and Meredith? She saw Jim’s slightly panicked expression. “So you’ve noticed?”
“Yeah. Once or twice.” Jim tried to change the subject, “I’m just glad Meredith is going to be alright. So what are the odds that she gets the full Oscar treatment?”
“Vacation, company car, and raise?” Pam asked. Jim nodded. “I don’t think so. After all, Michael only hit her with his car, he didn’t kiss her.”
“So that’s the standard?” Jim asked.
Pam said, “If Michael hits you with a car, you get one extra week of vacation. If he burns down your house, you get the vacation and a raise. If he outs you in public and kisses you, that’s a raise, a vacation, and a car.”
“Wow, if that’s the case, what happens if you see him naked?”
“You get free therapy for the rest of your life.” Pam said. “Some things, you just never recover from.”
----
The next morning, Pam and Jim were talking about the craziness that had evolved from Michael’s new obsession, turning Meredith’s accident into a rabies fun run.
“Can we get out of this?” Jim asked. “Ryan is going to flip out when he hears that we’ve shut down the office for rabies.”
“Yeah, but Michael’s been a little down,” Pam countered. “Besides, it’s a nice day out. We have to take advantage while we can.”
“Well, there is that,” Jim said, willing to be persuaded. Pam had just started to detail her strategy for winning the race when the camera crew showed up and asked them both to go into the conference room.”
As soon as they saw the television and video display, they knew that they were in trouble. They saw the tape of them kissing in Pam’s car. Pam kind of enjoyed watching Jim try to explain the footage. After all, the whole secret thing was his idea. She let him talk to see if there was any way he could get out of this. Finally, she took pity on her boyfriend and said, “I gave him a ride home because...we're dating.”
She saw Jim’s expression go from shock to happy acceptance. Pam could tell that Jim was relieved. When he agreed that things were going really well, neither of them could stop smiling and blushing.
The camera crew agreed to keep things under wraps for the time being. The happy couple didn’t know that the director had a bet with the new sound guy that the whole office would know inside two weeks.
The director shrugged his shoulders toward Kevin as he left the conference room. The accountant sighed; this meant he had to cook for Stacy this Friday instead of going to the Outback Steakhouse.
After they could get away from the cameras, Pam turned to Jim and said, “Are you okay?” She was relieved to see the easy smile on Jim’s face.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice a little deeper than normal. “I mean at first I was like, if only I hadn’t kissed you as soon as I got in the car.” He chuckled to himself before continuing, “But then I realized what it would have meant if I didn’t want to kiss you as soon as I got in the car, and I’m much happier this way.”
“Sometimes I like the way you think, Halpert.”
---
Later that afternoon, Pam was taking something to Michael. Jim was on a sales call, trying to keep the day from being a total waste, when he heard his girlfriend scream. He hung up the phone and followed Pam into the break room, closing the door behind them.
“What happened?”
“I just got therapy for life,” Pam said as she paced.
“What?”
“I went into Michael’s office and he was naked from the waist down.”
“Oh my God!” Jim said. “Is there anything I can do?”
“We should have never said it out loud...” Pam said, her voice breaking. “It’s like in a horror movie. If you mention the terrible, hideous thing, it happens.” She continued pacing as Jim tried to calm her down.
Their conversation was interrupted as Michael knocked loudly on the door of the break room. When Michael compared his naked form to an artist model’s, Jim had to bite his cheeks to keep from laughing.
Once their boss left, Jim turned to Pam and asked, “So does this mean I’m no longer your exclusive male model?”
“Shut it, Halpert,’ Pam warned with an arched eyebrow. “Remember I have complete control over just how…heroic…you look when I sketch you nude.”
“You wouldn’t,” Jim said with mock outrage.
“I’m just saying, women know that big feet don’t necessarily mean…”
“Okay, I won’t mention it again.”
---
Jim changed and walked down to the parking lot for the race. Pam was right; it was a very nice, sunny day. He stretched, prepared to run if that’s what Pam wanted to do.
After an oh-so-pleasant exchange where Jan accused Pam of peeking at Michael, the receptionist found Jim as he was talking to a girl in a nurse’s uniform.
“Hey Pam,” Jim said with a smile. “This is Elizabeth.” The two ladies shook hands.
“You look familiar,” Pam started to say.
“Elizabeth was here earlier this year when Michael ordered a dancer,” Jim explained.
“Oh, right,” Pam said, her eyes widening slightly as she recognized her.
“When Michael said he needed some one with a medical background, or at least a uniform, to take the check, I remembered her,” Jim continued.
“Well, you certainly look the part,” Pam said, hoping she sounded polite. She refused to play the jealous girlfriend, not after her encounter with Jan. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Oh my gosh, you’re THE Pam,” Elizabeth said. “You know Gordon, the guy who did Ben Franklin that day, couldn’t stop talking about you.”
It was Jim’s turn to smile back at Pam.
“How do you two know each other?”
“Well, there aren’t too many people that do the costume thing,” Elizabeth explained. “We do colonial days things together all the time. Nice guy, but he can be a little grabby.”
“Good to know,” Pam replied.
---
As the race started, Pam stayed at the starting line.
Jim looked over at her, curious.
Instead of running, Pam walked over to him and began to slowly walk the course. She noted, “Oh we’re in last place.”
Jim agreed, “Ow, would you look at that,”
“Darn it,” Pam said and they strolled along. Pam felt Jim take her hand. She looked down, surprised. Jim had to know that the camera crew behind them was recording their every move. She cut her eyes over to him and saw his happy smile. He had taken another step towards her. She moved towards him slightly as they continued on their lives together.
