“I can’t remember ever seeing Michael this happy,” Jim remarked.  He was leaning in front of Pam, who was sitting down at her desk.  The Goodbye for Good Toby! Celebration was in full swing and they were watching  Michael act like a kid in a candy store.

“Yeah.  I still can’t believe Toby is leaving.  Or that he had a crush on me for like two years,” Pam replied.

“It’s not that far-fetched Pam,” he countered, smiling.  “I hear some guys have had a crush on you for a lot longer than that.”

Pam blushed and returned his smile watt for watt.  “It looks like Toby has had a bit too much to drink.”

Jim shrugged slightly.  “How could you tell?  Is it the staggering or the touchy-feely hugging?”

“Both actually.  I need to find somewhere to hide.  The last thing I want today is a long drunken embrace from the HR rep who by the way also has been secretly stalking me,” Pam murmured.

“Roger that.  Roof?” Jim asked.

“Roof,” Pam replied.  She hesitated a moment.  “Maybe we should not be seen leaving together.  Ryan may use that to fire you or something.  Or at the least give you another verbal warning that you love so much.”

Jim rolled his eyes.  “Let’s see.  Would it be such a terrible thing to be fired from a small failing paper company with Michael as the boss and Ryan as the boss’s boss?  But I see your point.  I’ll go first.  Make sure the coast is clear and follow when able.  Good luck soldier.”

Pam gave Jim a small salute and watched him ease out of the office.  Not two minutes later Michael appeared at her desk, grinning like it was Christmas.

“Miss Pamela Beesly!  What a fantastic day.  They joy I feel is much like what I felt the day I first got to see Jan’s ladies if you know what I mean,” Michael said as he leaned over her desk.  “Why do you have your purse out?  You aren’t ditching the bash of the century are you?”

She shook her head.  “No Michael.  I was getting my keys.  I left my…pen…in my car.”  She gave Michael her most serious look in hopes he would buy her lame excuse.

Michael’s snort of laughter indicated that he would not.  “Oh Pam, you have like fifty pens right here.  Besides, there will be no scribbling or tracing or whatever you do done today.  Like the Bible says ‘And on the fifth day we rested’.”

“I don’t think that’s quite right,” Pam replied without much enthusiasm.  He was a lost cause as usual.  For the next twenty-eight minutes she listened to Michael detail every single thing he hated about Toby and what he loved about the new HR lady God help her.  He finally got bored and meandered back to the party.  Pam snatched up her purse and quickly left.

A large hand reached down to help her up onto the roof.  The first thing she noticed was that Jim didn’t seem annoyed with her taking so long.  In fact he was smiling.  In a tuxedo.  Wait.  What?  She was at a loss for words and could only raise her eyebrows at him.

If anything his smile widened further.  Jim’s eyes darkened as he grabbed both of her hands in his.  “The first time we were up here, you told me how no one ever cooks for you.  When you said that, I knew.  You don’t even know how close I came that night to letting you know that if you let me, I would cook for you every night for the rest of our lives.”  He slowly sank to one knee.  Jim gently released one of her shaking hands and removed a small black box from a jacket pocket.  He cracked it open and held it up for her to see.  “Pam, I am so in love with you.  There is nothing I want more than for you to be my wife.  Marry me?”

Time stood still for Pam.  Jim knelt before her, ring outstretched, eyes glassy and large.  Every shaky breath she drew was accompied by a memory of their past together.  Yogurt lids.  Vending machines.  Fabric softener.  A teal teapot.  A fireworks display.  A phone call.  A speech.  A date.  Her feelings overwhelmed her voice.  Through blurred eyes she nodded her head and managed to hiss out something resembling the word ‘yes’.

Jim nodded calmly back and managed to slide the ring onto her unsteady finger.  “Told you it would kick your ass Beesly.”

A laugh escaped from her mouth.  “Consider my ass kicked.”  She drew him up to his feet.  She kissed him then.  He kissed her back and they didn’t leave to roof until everyone, even Dwight, had gone home.

***

“You have to tell me,” Pam said.  The night stretched out before them as they drove back from dinner.  She fiddled with her brand new ring trying to catch a sparkle from the overhead streetlamps as they whizzed by.

“Normally an awesome magician such as myself never reveals his secrets.  However since the person asking just agreed to marry the previously-mentioned magician, an exception can be made.”  Jim glanced over at Pam with a serious expression.  “What I say now must never leave this car.  Agreed?”

She solemnly nodded.  “Agreed.”

Jim drew in a deep breath and continued, “My plan first started to come together that lovely night where you had locked us out of the office.”  Pam’s nudge caused Jim to recant his last words.  “I mean the night where I got us locked in of course.  When Toby decided to announce his resignation and make like a kangaroo I knew Michael would not let his departure go without some sort of celebration.  For good or bad, I seem to know our esteemed leader fairly well.”

“It’s a good thing to me,” Pam chimed in with a gentle smile.

Jim grinned back.  “Good to hear Beesly.  Anyway the rest of it was fairly simple.  Once Michael had decided which day he would throw his little shindig, I arranged to get a tux.  Which I might add looked absolutely stunning on me.”

Pam scrunched her nose.  “It wasn’t Dwight’s tux was it?”

A gasp of astonishment whooshed from Jim’s mouth.  “Eww gross.  I wouldn’t wear regular clothing from Dwight much less anything off of a dead relative.  Focus with me Pam.  So I rented the tux and picked it up this morning.  Then all I had to do was wait for the right time to make a run for it.  I figured it wouldn’t take that long.”

Pam nodded her approval.  “I must say, nicely done Jim.  But how did you know that I wouldn’t follow right away?  I’m sure it took some time to get the tux from you car, climb up to the roof, and completely change from Jim Halpert to Sean Connery.”

He shook his head in mock-disappointment.  “Pam, I expected more from you.  You obviously mean Pierce Brosnan.  This morning I mentioned to Michael that once the party starts I may have to leave.  Turns out I had a proposal to make to a very important client.  I asked him to protect you from Toby at all costs.  His promise of defending your womanhood – hey his words not mine- gave you what, half an hour?”  Jim explained with a perfectly straight face.  He slowed the car down in front of his apartment building and turned to face her.

Defeat was evident on her face.  “Some of your best work Jim.  You have earned my respect.”

“It was all for a good cause.”  He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.  She squeezed back.  “C’mon let me escort my fiancée to my humble abode for an excellent glass of vastly-overpriced wine.”  Hand-in-hand they strolled up the cobbled walkway.  He unlocked the door to his place and with a bow allowed Pam in.

“I really like what you’ve done with the place,” Pam said in a sweet tone.

Jim followed her inside and smirked at her.  “You were just here yesterday.  It’s the same- “ His mouth stopped working as Jim noticed a stack of cardboard boxes in the middle of his living room.  He heard himself say, “That isn’t my couch.”

Pam grinned and patted him gently on the shoulder.  “Of course not.  It’s mine silly.  As are all of these boxes.  But hey don’t worry Jim.  You have all weekend to get these unpacked.”

“But-ahh I mean-uh, how?  You said-“ Jim had such a look of bewilderment that she almost lost it.  Almost.

“I said what?  That I wouldn’t move in with anyone until I’m engaged?”  She held up her hand.  “Jim, this is what you call an engagement ring.  You just gave it to me remember?  I hope you haven’t forgotten already.”

He shook his head quickly.  “Of course not.  It’s just- you know- I mean HOW did you know I was going to ask you today?”

Pam smiled and wrapped her arms around her stunned yet adorable fiancée.  She extended her toes so that her mouth was right next to his ear.  With a victorious whisper she said, “A magician never tells her secrets.”