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Story Notes:
Just a little drabble based on my favorite of the S4 Deleted Scenes, from “Branch Wars,” with a shout out to another favorite from “Local Ad.”
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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“So, I was worth it, huh?” Pam asked, trying to fight back the smile which threatened to overwhelm her again. Stupid Kelly!

Jim pondered a moment, or pretended to, and then nodded slowly. “Yep, Beesly, you were.”

“Worth breaking up with the future Regional Manager of the famed Utica branch of world-famous paper supplier Dunder-Mifflin? A rising corporate star and exotic beauty?”

“You know, I think her dad was a G.I., so…” Jim gave her his ‘pensive pirate’ look and she lost the battle. Her smile was not only victorious, but infectious and his eyes glowed as he continued. “But, yeah, totally worth it.”

“Worth driving all the way from New York City to Scranton in rush hour traffic just for Chinese take-out and a cheesy 80’s movie marathon?”

He pretended to do some calculations on his fingers while staring up at the ceiling, before meeting her gaze. “Yes, yes, and yes. It was all worth it, Beesly, so… get used to it.”

Suddenly, her eyes grew a bit more guarded and he could sense the slight change in mood. He’d done this often enough, in the early years, to be able to recognize the transition from joking towards serious.

“Was it worth waiting so long for her to figure out what you meant to her? For the years watching her with someone else, not knowing how much better her life could be, if she’d just admit to herself how she really felt?” Pam’s voice dropped to a whisper and she clenched her hands to her sides, unable to look into his eyes. “Was it worth having her turn you away, twice, when you opened your heart to her?”

He looked at her, standing before him, shrunken into herself in a way he hadn’t seen in a long time, since before dinner, even before the beach. Back then, before he’d finally let himself understand how he felt, before he finally accepted how she felt, before he’d just stopped fighting against his own happiness; back then her words and the memories behind them would have driven him into a shell, would have prodded him to throw up walls to protect himself from the depths of emotion she provoked. Now, though…

“Hey,” Jim whispered, gently prying her hands into his own and pulling them toward him, “Pam.” He waited till she finally lifted her eyes to meet his. “All those years, the ‘not being with you’ part, well, that part sucked. But I never, ever regretted loving you. Not back then, not when I was in Stamford, and certainly not now. Loving you helped define who I was. It still does. It’s a part of me. And, no, I don’t wish things had gone differently, because all of that led us to here, to what we have now, and what we have now is simply the best and most perfect thing that has ever happened to me.”

He could see the tears spilling gently down her cheek, though his own blurred his vision somewhat. Carefully, she raised a finger to caress and dry his eye.

“So, I was worth it? Because you were, you know. So unbelievably worth it,” she breathed, lifting her lips up to meet his.

“Absolutely, you were.”

And their kiss finished the discussion far better than words ever could.




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Chapter End Notes:
My first Office Fanfic, and first fanfic in over a year. Hope you enjoy.


Desslok is the author of 1 other stories.
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