Jim opened the door and stepped out onto Pam's small front porch. “Fuck, it's cold out here!”

“Don't be such a baby,” Pam teased, following him out the door. “Welcome to winter in northeast Pennsylvania. You act like you haven't lived here your whole life.”

“I usually dress a little better for the cold,” he replied, indicating his bare feet.

“I told you you to put your shoes on.”

Jim pulled her in front of him, the ends of the crocheted afghan he wore around his shoulders stretching to cover both of them as they stood looking north toward downtown. He kissed her temple as she snuggled back against him. “I'll be fine,” he said. “But we could have gone to First Night if you'd just said so.”

“I didn't want to go to First Night,” she murmured. “I just want to see the fireworks.”

“Well we're five minutes early,” he reminded her. “We're going to be icicles by the time they arrive.”

“They don't always start them right at midnight,” she replied. “Sometimes they start them earlier. Why that is I have no idea, but I don't want to miss them.”

“Well, this is the Electric City, not the Timex City,” he joked. “Maybe they just forgot to synchronize their watches.”

Pam laughed but said nothing. They stood in silence staring at the outline of the downtown, light up a little more than usual on a late Monday night. Through the storm door they could still hear the muffled voices of Dick Clark, Ryan Seacrest, and the other random reporters and entertainers. Jim and Pam had spent the evening in their own little cocoon, watching movies and eating pizza and snuggling up together on the couch. They both admitted it was the best New Year's Eve either had had in a long, long time.

“I'm surprised you didn't want to go somewhere,” Jim finally said. “Didn't you usually go out on New Year's?”

Pam shook her head. “Not my idea,” she said simply, and Jim knew he didn't need any further explanation. He leaned down to kiss her shoulder as she continued. “And this one's too important. I didn't want to share it with anyone or miss a minute of it.”

“Um, I feel I should inform you that you are actually sharing it with someone,” Jim grinned. “I mean, maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's still a bit soon for you to start acting like I'm just not here.”

Pam giggled and gently elbowed him. “I didn't mean you. You aren't just anyone.”

“Thanks,” he replied, “that's good to know.”

“I just mean that this is the start of something really, really important.”

“A new year?” He thought he knew what she was trying to say, but couldn't resist teasing her.

“A whole new year of you and me,” she replied softly. “This will be the first full year with nobody between us, no misunderstandings, and absolutely no regrets.”

Jim nodded and hugged her tighter. “Absolutely no regrets.”

They could hear the sound of countdown beginning on the television.

Ten...

Nine...

Eight...

Seven...

Six...

The first firework light up the sky. “See?” Pam said smugly, tilting her head up to look at Jim. “I told you.”

Three...

Two...

One!

Pam turned around in his arms and smiled brightly. “Happy New Year, Jim.”

“Happy New Year, Pam,” he replied, as they sealed the celebration with a kiss. Pam stretched up on her tiptoes, her arms around his neck as she continued to kiss him. Jim held her so close the proverbial camel would have fit through the needle sooner than a single molecule could come between them. They kissed to express their feelings for each other, for the celebration of the night, and for all the hopes they had for the future. It might not have been the greatest kiss ever shared, but it was pretty close. Pretty damn close.

When they finally parted, Jim looked over her shoulder toward Downtown Scranton. “You missed your fireworks,” he smirked.

“No I didn't,” she smiled.

“Can we go back inside where it's warm now?”

“Yep.” A mischievous look stole across her face. “Hey, do you know what my grandmother always said about New Year's Day?”

“No idea at all, I'm afraid.”

“She said that what you do on New Year's Day sets the pattern for the coming year.”

“Did she?”

“She did.”

“And so what do you think we should do today?”

Pam grinned devilishly. “Oh, I have a few ideas.”

“Really?” Jim grinned back. “Care to share?”

“Definitely. But let's get inside first.”

Jim pulled away to open the door and let Pam go in first. As he shut and locked the doors, Pam turned off the television. She grabbed his hand and started to lead him back toward their bedroom.

“Hey,” he commented as he willingly trailed behind her. “Have I ever mentioned what a wise woman your grandmother was?”