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Story Notes:

A/U. You know that scene in Booze Cruise right before Roy sets a date when Jim is about to bend down and tell Pam something? Yeah. That's where we lead off.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Both titles are from Something Corporate--I Want to Save You. Nothing is mine. I stake no claim.


The boat was circling back to the docks, slowly making its way towards the shore. The orange lights of the city beyond twinkled, offering a warmth that was unfamiliar in the biting wind that was cutting across the deck of the ship.

Pam pulled her jacket around her, and Jim noticed her pink nose and pink cheeks. They were out here moments earlier, standing in silence, listening to the whir of the boats motor and the undoubtedly chaotic stream of consciousness that was floating in each of their heads. But Pam had left him on the deck, where he calmly rested his hands on the rail and gazed out to the water.

When he was inside, listening to Captain Jack tell the story of his first wife, he couldn’t help but watch her. She looked uncomfortable next to Katy, who was a little buzzed and entirely too chatty. When he was pulled back into the conversation, being asked who he would save first if Dunder Mifflin was a sinking ship (wasn’t it that already? He had thought), he caught her eye. She was looking towards the bar, whether it was at him or Roy he couldn’t tell. But he caught her eye, and in that moment knew—this was it. It was time.

He hastily retreated to their little table in the back, giving the cameraman a hurried answer to the previously unanswered question, and reached Pam. He bent down to her ear, resting his hand on the booth behind her, and asked her to come outside with him, just real quick, one more time, please.

And so here they were again, fighting off the cold with jackets pulled tight.

She was hesitant, but she spoke first.

“What was the deep conversation at the bar about?” She smiled up at him.

“Captain Jack was just telling us about his numerous ex-wives, nothing too bad.” He avoided her gaze, looking towards the dock that was moving closer.

“He has more than one?”

“Yeah, apparently he was big during Desert Storm.”

She laughed, finally.

“Michael decided that Dunder Mifflin is a ship.” He blurted it out, not having time to filter his words. He knew where he wanted this to go, but wasn't willing to take the steps to get there.

“A ship?” She cocked an eyebrow. “Interesting. I thought he would have picked a high school from an MTV reality show, or an amusement park or something."

Silence fell again. Tension built. Jim was this close, he could feel it. The cameras weren’t here to hold him back, yet he was hesitating, searching for a signal.

She looked up at him again, catching him openly staring at her. He gulped.

“I would save you first.” Not forced, not insincere. It was complete, a full statement that was whole in all its parts.

She fuddled her eyebrows, not understanding his statement.

“It’s just…I want to save you. If Dunder Mifflin were a sinking ship, I’d save you before saving myself.”

“I don’t…”

“Michael’s stupid analogy." A pause. "Pam, I want to save you.”

He turned, slowly, as the boat pulled into dock. She was left, standing there.



upsidedown is the author of 1 other stories.
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