They needed a new plan. 

Progress on Operation Kurt and Noelle stalled after Jim’s barbeque redo.  So, they spent a lot of time thinking up silly sitcom inspired ideas, like locking them in the supply closet over night. 

“I think I saw that on Friends once”, Pam had said scooping the last of her yogurt from the bottom of the container. 

“I think that would be a very bad idea.  And I really hate that show so . . .” Jim had said. 

Or setting them up on a blind date where they would be forced to talk things out. 

“No way are we going to be able to get Angela to go anywhere.” Jim had said as he refilled her wine glass. 

“We could kidnap her!”  Pam replied her tipsy hiccups making him smile.  He liked it when she was a little bit tipsy.

 Jim kissed her on the nose.  “Try again.”   

Or sending flowers anonymously to Angela, or maybe getting Dwight to quit again so that Angela would remember how much she missed him. 

But in the end nothing seemed right, or plausible, or even doable. 

Pam spent most of Thursday searching the internet.  Typing in phrases like How to get back together, how to fix a relationship, and saying you’re sorry.  She read a couple of funny articles on LovingYou.com until she realized that they weren’t supposed to be funny. 

She had tried to get Jim’s attention all day, but ever since Michael left to go into the woods, Jim had seemed stressed out. 

Finally, at the birthday parties, she had given him firm orders to talk to Angela about giving Dwight another chance.  They were going to go big.  Drop all pretense of pretending they didn’t know about the clandestine affair. 

Her mission?  Derail Andy’s affection for Angela, causing Angela to tailspin back towards Dwight. 

She took a deep breath and headed in Andy’s direction.  She had no idea what she was going to say.
 

"Hey Andy.”   She couldn’t help thinking about how icky he was sometimes. 

What's up?

Me. All night. Dreaming about Angela's smoking hot body.

You're being gross.

Not from a male perspective. 

“Pam.  Have you tried Fudgie?  My girl really outdid herself.” 

“Hmm.  So how’s that going?”  

I don't know if I really see you two together. 

“It’s great.  I mean we are still working out the details, but she is coming around.” 

“Coming around?” 

“You wanna know a little secret?” 

“Umm, is it a private kind of secret?  Cause I don’t . . .” 

She looked past Andy at Jim who had plopped down next to Angela. 

 “I have gone through her trash.  The dumpster outside her apartment to be more precise.” 

“Why would you do that?  That’s just . . . ewww.” 

“I am committed to finding out what makes Angela Martin tick.  By any means necessary.” 

“And conversations are out of the question?”

 “Angela, isn’t really a talker.  At least not to me.” 

"Do you really want to be with someone how you have work so hard just to talk too?  Do you even like the same things? How do you feel about cats?” 

“I got her a new one didn’t I?” 

“Oh Andy, sometimes we want something to work so badly, that we ignore all the signs that tell us that the person is the wrong person for us.  It could go on for years and years before you realize that you aren’t happy with them at all.” 

“Pamela, what are you saying?  You lost your chance with me.  Besides I couldn’t do that to Tuna.  We’re bros.”

 Pam sighed.  Andy wasn’t getting it.  He was still talking about the rules of bro-hood, but she was looking past him. 

Jim was talking to Michael instead of working on Angela.  He was laughing, but his eyes were serious.  Things were weird today and maybe she had picked the wrong time to continue their plan. 

“Well, that was a waste” she said pulling on her coat.  “You didn’t even get to your part of the deal.” 

“That doesn’t mean that I didn’t come up with a plan.” 

“Really?  Come on Halpert spill it.  I ended up with a big old goose egg with Andy.” 

“Dwight has to make Angela jealous.  It’s the only way he will climb out of the abyss.”  

Pam stopped in her tracks, considering. 

“Drastic, I know.  But we have to do something.  I caught him staring into the vending machine today near tears.” 

“I am taking it you know this will work from experience.”  Pam said, her cheeks blazing as soon as the words were out of her mouth. 

“Unfortunately I may have some experience is this field.” Jim said softly, tipping her chin up so that their eyes met. 

“Well, if she sees him with someone else maybe she will realize what her real feelings are for him and that she has to fight for him.” Pam said taking his hand as they made their way through the lobby. 

“Then I guess it is time we found him a new girlfriend.” Jim said, turning to her with that smile that still made her all melty, whatever weird conversation he had had with Michael already almost forgotten.  They walked toward her car, the chill of November tickling his cheeks, her warm hand in his.