DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Office or the rights to its characters.

Three hours ago, Karen had walked this very same road. She could still see the two sets of footprints in the otherwise pristine blanket of snow. They had ducked out of her parents' crowded house, pleasantly stuffed from her mother's Christmas dinner offering, taking a walk through the snow to catch up, away from the raucous, incessant noise of the nearly 40 friends and family gathered at the Filippelli house. It was great seeing him. The handsome, idealistic boy she'd whimsically planned her future with in high school. Her first crush. Her first kiss. They sat on a snow bank under a giant barren oak, shivering and catching up for as long as they thought etiquette would allow them. He told her about California, about finding his footing, finding his place in the world. She talked about her hopes and dreams, about Utica... about Jim, about ignoring her better sense, overcommitting, getting her heart broken.

He'd told her Jim Halpert was the price she'd pay for being Karen. He'd told her that her passion and fearlessness backfired on her, but they wouldn't always. He'd looked at her. They'd stared at each other for a long moment, before he'd reached behind her and pulled her head into his own, holding her forehead against his and embracing her. They'd held out as long as they could before the cold sent them scampering back to the dinner party.

Her thoughts returning to the present, Karen stopped short, staring nervously at her destination, her face burning despite the efforts of the freezing air to make her shiver. There was more there then they were letting themselves admit. There had to be. She'd felt it in his stare. She'd felt it in her chest as well, that same sweetly nervous feeling that had gotten her in so much trouble before. He was just being practical, as she should have been. He lived in California, returning to Connecticut every Christmas and maybe once more at most each year. She lived in Utica. It was stupid. She should let it go, the odds were too long for a game with stakes this high. Jim should have taught her at least this much.

But this man was no Jim. Gathering her strength, Karen scampered the last several steps. His window was on the first floor, set several feet off the ground. Standing on her tip toes, she tapped it and waited nervously. Finally, the window slid open. He leaned out. She stepped into his offered arms and allowed him to pull her up as she climbed inside. Not a word was said. Something wasn't right. In his bedroom, he was dressed in full winter gear, but still completely warm and dry... Karen put the pieces together and nearly burst into tears as he finally spoke.

"Looks like you saved me the trouble of freezing my ass off."

It would be complicated. Things worth fighting for always were. Right now the only complication was the sheer amount of clothing that needed to be removed. Fast.

**********************

She had sworn off of men several times, but at the end of the day her childlike faith in love had always pushed her back into the pool. Her modesty prevented her from ever realizing that her beauty was as much a liability as an asset. Her beautiful face and firm, toned body made her a constant object of desire, and she had never really developed the ability to distinguish the men who were genuinely interested in her from the ones interested only in an unforgettable roll in the hay. So the bottom line was that the combination of all these factors had seen her hurt many times. Too many times. That lanky paper salesman was just one of many. The fact that her current boyfriend held him in such low regard was practically irrelevant to her. That guy was just another face in the crowd.

This boyfriend was different, though. She'd met Andy nearly a month ago at a girls' night out at Scranton's largest indoor mini-putt course. He had been flying solo, and managed to charm his way into playing a round with her party of three. They'd gone back to his place that night and he'd gone down on her for almost a full hour, skillfully sending her over the edge repeatedly. The fact that she'd fallen asleep after her fifth or so orgasm, and he'd been content to sleep beside her without waking her up to get his had been the first sign that this man was different. Over the next few weeks, he'd made her feel truly alive, treating her like a queen, talking to her, listening to her every word, treating her on the nights they spent together to all manner of skillfully delivered orgasms. Life was good.

She slowly opened her eyes. It was December 27. Having spent Christmas with their respective families, this was the day she and Andy had earmarked as their Christmas.

"Aah!" He started her. She thought he wasn't getting into town until later. He was straddling her chest, pushing a nicely wrapped gift into her still sleepy face. Smiling at him, she slithered back a bit, propping her head against the pillows and pulling the ribbon off the box as he looked on excitedly. She popped it open.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS KATY!"

He screamed in concert with her surprised shriek. She couldn't believe she fell for it. The old "cock in a box." He'd even tied a ribbon around his penis. No wonder he'd chosen such a strange manner to deliver his present.

Sitting up, she was pretty sure he'd also gotten her a real present, but she'd enjoy this one for now.