As September turned into October Jim and the kids got closer. They had all adjusted to school and JJ had even made the junior basketball team. When he found out the news he had called the office and told both Jim and Pam about how he drove passed the tallest kid and sunk the basket. That night Jim, the kids and Pam went out for a celebratory dinner. Even Jim had a little success in school one of his professors had published a short story of his in the school paper, Jim brought it in a showed it to Pam who cried when she read the story because it was about his feelings the night he found out his brother had died.
As October drew to a close Jim had to go to a convention in Philadelphia. Pam had offered to look after the kids Thursday night, Friday and Saturday.
“Ok so I will probably be back Sunday morning if the traffic is good, afternoon if it sucks.”
“Ok that’s fine. I know where everything is and I’m sure the three of us will have a good time, we don’t need Jim Halpert to do that.”
“Please Pam, there is never any fun with out me.” Jim gave her a wink and then squatted to talk to JJ and Lizzie, “Now you two have to be good for Pam. I don’t want to hear that you were tobogganing down stairs, eating just junk food or fighting.”
“We won’t Uncle Jim. Plus we like Pam more than you, so we would never do anything to make her mad.” JJ joked and Lizzie let out a small giggle.
“Pam said that if we were good she would teach JJ some art stuff and show me how to make pigtails.”
“Ok well just have fun.” He opened his arms and both kids hugged him.
Pam walked him to his car and they were joking and flirting. “So are you excited for the paper convention?”
“A little, but since Michael isn’t going to be there I am going to have to host the party for all the ladies.”
“Of course. You can’t deprive the ladies of the dorky paper salesman Jim Halpert.”
“Pam I would have you know that women can’t resist me, they find me charming and sexy.”
“I seem to be pretty good at resisting. I mean I haven’t jumped your bones yet.” Pam slapped her hand across her mouth and her eyes were wide.
Jim saw her reaction and smiled. “I know you have thought about it.”
“Yeah I need you, I want you. Oh Baby, Oh Baby.” She responded sarcastically.
Jim changed the subject, “I can’t believe my own niece and nephew like you more than me.”
“Well that’s because you don’t have my skills Halpert.”
“What skills?”
“My skills at getting people to fall in love with me.” The minute the words left her mouth, Pam knew it was going into dangerous territory. Jim looked at her with a shocked expression unsure what to say he countered with a joke.
“JJ said liked Pam not loved so you still have a ways to go.”
“Oh just go to your convention Halpert.”
Jim was pulling out of the driveway and he heard Pam yell towards the house, “Ok guys he’s gone. Time to party!!” She knew that his window was down. He chuckled and headed to Philly.
Thursday night Pam cooked dinner and then the three set out to do some work. Pam was finishing up a piece for her art class, it was a portrait of JJ drawing and Lizzie looking through a Dr. Seuss book on the couch behind him. JJ cleared the kitchen table and worked on his English homework and Lizzie pulled out her numbers book that she loved practicing in. After everyone finished their work they settled on the couch and watched Pirates of the Caribbean. At 9 Pam put the kids to bed and went back to the living room and pulled out her copy of Atonement, after seeing the film she wanted to read the book. It was 11:30 and Pam’s eyes were heavy, it was then that she realized she didn’t know where she should sleep. She could sleep on the couch, but she didn’t know where the blankets or pillows were, so she made the logical choice to sleep in Jim’s bed. When she was changed and crawled into his queen bed she didn’t think it was logical anymore. It smelled like him and she thought of him sleeping between these sheets wearing nothing but boxers. She blushed feverishly at the thought and felt a heat in her stomach, but she didn’t want to leave the bed. She fell asleep to the thought of sleeping in the bed with Jim.
Friday night was pretty much a repeat of Thursday night all of them worked and Pam finished her painting. JJ and Lizzie stayed up a little later tonight and by 10 were falling asleep leaning on Pam who was watching 20/20; it was as if Pam was in a flashback, she could remember doing the same thing on Friday nights when she was still in elementary school. She picked up Lizzie and gently woke JJ and put them to bed. She then went into Jim’s room and read for a bit before falling asleep in the Jim scented sheets. Saturday morning Pam woke up a little earlier. She went to grab the news paper and started making bacon and eggs for breakfast. JJ and Lizzie joined her in the kitchen at 10:30.
“'Morning you two. So I have to drop off my painting at the school today. So we can all go and then do you guys want to see a movie and go for dinner?”
“Can we see The Game Plan?” Lizzie asked excitedly.
“JJ you in for Game Plan?”
“Sure. I heard it was really good and really funny. Can I see your painting before we go?”
“Of course, I’ll show it to you after we eat.”
They made quick work of the breakfast and Pam promptly put the dishes in the dishwasher and then bought out her canvas.
“Ok so I did this for class, but when it’s done I want you two to have it.”
She pulled back the cover and looked expectantly at JJ and Lizzie. They were silent just admiring the image that Pam had painted. JJ looked at it really closely and examined the brush strokes and the colours.
“Wow, this is amazing. I wish I could do this.”
“Hey when we go to the school I can ask about summer art courses for you.”
“You would do that?”
“Absolutely. Ok now let’s get dressed and then we can go.”
They dropped off the painting at the school around and Pam was able to grab a few pamphlet describing different summer art courses for youth. JJ was particularly interested in the animation course and the graphic design course. By the time they reached the movie theatre it was 12pm and the movie started at 1:30pm. They got their tickets, drinks and a large bag of popcorn and went to get good seats. Pam had to admit that there were funny parts of the movie and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson did a good job. When the movie finished it was close to 4. Pam took them back to Jim’s where they changed clothes and got ready to go out for dinner. Pam took them to Applebee’s and they shared fajitas and a brownie for dessert. At home JJ and Lizzie both took showers and instead of going to their room they joined Pam in Jim’s bed.
“Pam are you and Uncle Jim going to get married?” Lizzie asked Pam paused French braiding her pig tails; she was startled by the question.
“Well Lizzie I’m not even dating your uncle so I wouldn’t know.” Pam had no other way to respond.
“Well I want you to so that you can be my Aunt Pam.”
“Lizzie you can’t just say things like that.” JJ cut in.
“It’s alright JJ. But me and Jim are just friends.” Even though in her heart Pam wished she could be more.
“I agree with Lizzie, but I know that it’s still kind of weird. I overheard Uncle Jim talking to Aunt Larissa on the phone about it. He says that he’s worried that if you two did go out and then break up it would be too hard on me and Lizzie.”
Pam was shocked at the revelation from JJ; Jim was feeling the same things she was. “Hey I just want to let you two know that I will be here for you always. Whether Jim and I date or we just stay friends. I love you guys and spending all this time with you has made me a better, happier person.”
That’s when they heard sniffling coming from Lizzie. “Hey Lizzie what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Come on, I’m a good listener you can tell me.”
“Sometimes it’s like I forget Mommy and Daddy when we do things and that they would be mad at that.”
“Oh no sweetheart. Come here,” Pam pulled her under her into a hug. “Your Mommy and Daddy would never be mad at you for having fun and not thinking about them all the time.” She wrapped her free arm around JJ before continuing. “They would want both of you to do the things you love and to move on with your life. It may feel like you are forgetting about them, but you aren’t. You just have to think about the things you do and how that would make them proud. They loved the two of you more than anything in this world and they wouldn’t want you to be sad thinking about how they aren’t here. They would want you thinking about all things in life that they wanted you to accomplish and how happy you will be. And if you ever feel like you are forgetting them and you feel sad here is something I do that will help remind you of them, talk to them. I know that you can’t see them, but if you talk to them in your head it’s like they are there and that way you never forget them”
Lizzie stopped crying and JJ was now hugging Pam. She kissed both of them on the head and then moved down the bed to snuggle in. She felt that after this they could sleep with her in the bed. The next morning around 11 she was woken up by someone tapping her feet. She opened her eyes and saw Jim; he put his finger to his lips to keep her quiet and then signalled to meet him in the kitchen. Pam gently removed herself from the bed and joined Jim in the kitchen.
“Hey how was the convention? Any ladies?”
“It was good and no there was no one. Was there a slumber party last night?”
“Sort of, we were all in your bed talking and then Lizzie got a little upset, thinking that she was forgetting Jon and Lily. So I let them stay with me.”
“Oh. Is she ok?”
“Yeah they both are, and they both are going to be ok.” Pam smiled, “Oh but you might want to talk to Lizzie about asking certain questions.”
“Why what did she ask?”
“If we were getting married.”
“Huh. I hope you set her straight” Pam nodded and Jim blushed then changed topics. “So what are we going to about brunch?”
“Well how about we do a picnic brunch out at the park. The leaves have mostly fallen and since it’s still warm outside it will be nice.” Pam responded. She was a little disappointed that they hadn’t really addressed Lizzie’s comment.
They woke up the kids, made the food and packed everything into Jim’s car. They made it down to park, and found a place close to the basketball court that was not covered in leaves to lay down the blanket. They ate their food in amiable silence, with the sound of a bird every so often breaking through. When they were done Jim brought out the basketball and all of them headed for the court.
“So how do you want to play this? Boys vs. Girls or each girl gets a basketball star?” Jim asked dribbling the ball
“Well if you put it that way I am going to have to go with the real star and play on JJ’s team.” Pam retorted sneaking the ball away from Jim.
“Fine I get the all star Lizzie.”
They played quite a fun game for half an hour. The score was tied at zero, but everyone was having fun. Jim now though was showing of some of his dribbling skills that he did not notice Pam sneak off and grab a handful of leaves. She put her finger to her lips to keep JJ and Lizzie silent and just before Jim launched the ball she flung the leaves at him. He turned at look right at her.
“Oh you are so dead Beesly.”
“Only if you can catch me."
Pam took off running. Jim quickly caught up to her and pulled her into the nearest pile of leaves. Jim was practically on top of Pam, their faces mere inches apart and they both were breathing heavily from the exhilarating chase. Jim looked into Pam’s eyes and then down at her lips. Pam wanted Jim to close the gap between their mouths but she couldn’t wait any longer and raised her head crushing her lips against his. She pulled back and looked in his eyes and before she could say anything he lowered his head to kiss her again. In that moment or minutes that they kissed they effectively forgot about JJ and Lizzie until they heard giggling coming from above them. They both looked up into the smiling faces of the kids. Jim pulled Pam up from the ground, but she didn’t let go of his hand. He looked at her and just smiled, his thoughts were interrupted by Lizzie,
“Are you going to get married now?” They all broke into a laugh.
