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Story Notes:
I was inspired by the Moving On - Karen challenge. A huge JAM fan, I obviously wanted to kill Karen off during S3, but I feel for her. It was never her fault that she was in between them. SO, that being said, I want her to be happy. Hence, this story.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I wrote this super quickly, during a break from "He Didn't Need To Know". Short and sweet. Enjoy!

The usual disclaimers apply. IE, not mine. Even though I wish they were. I don't own "Near to You" by A Fine Frenzy, either... But it is a kickass song.
She had a habit of dating guys with three-letter names. Tom, Ben, Sam, Pat… For some reason, she felt this simple named guy could be different.

He had brown hair. Not surprising. Half the male population had brown hair that probably badly needed a haircut.

He had a wide smile.

He had an infectious laugh.

He called her by her last name, which both annoyed and delighted her. Because really, Filapelli was a great last name, but she wasn’t some schmuck.

The way his eyes crinkled in the corners, the way his hands were strong and tanned, the way that suit jacket hung off his lean shoulders… He was just…. Wow.

He drove an economical car. Really. He had a good job, and could have been driving something fancier, she guessed. But he drove a nice, safe, reliable car. It was understated and clean, had dozens of CDs in a simple black case, and had a green tree air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. It was almost enticing.

He asked her out with a quiet kind of confidence. He wasn’t cocky, or shy, or indifferent. He was poised and careful. She dared to refer to it as being graceful.

He bit his lip when he concentrated. He was sitting in her bed upright doing the Sunday morning newspaper crossword puzzle when she noticed it, and it was endearing and sweet. His brow was furrowed, clicking the cap of his mechanical pen back and forth. She turned from her dressing table, watching him intently. And she knew.

The first time they’d made love, he kissed her softly on the forehead. No one had ever done that before.

The first time they slept in the same bed, she’d awoken in the middle of the night when his elbow flung into her face. No one had ever done that before, either.

He had a great family. Not Italian, but still great. They made her laugh, and she felt at home.

She was in love. Karen Marie Filapelli. In. Love. It was surreal to her. She’d thought she was before, but… It had never been like this. Like, he knew what she was thinking before she’d even said it. Like he knew how she felt before she’d even felt it. Like he loved her before she’d even known she could love like that. Surreal. And amazing. And humbling. And it was everything to her.

He was tall. She was petite. He laughed when the pictures were taken because of how he had to lean over so they could both be in the shot.

He was romantic. He never failed to open her door, or pull out her chair. It was little things like making sure her wine glass was always filled and her shampoo and conditioner were always stocked at his place and always having kettle corn… it meant something to her. A lot of something.

He smelled like Tide. It was a simple scent, one that was achingly familiar to her. Her mother had used it all her life, and it reminded her of catholic schools and weekend trips into the city and college vacations.

His eyesight was phenomenal. He could see a dot from a mile away.

He was scared of bugs. Legitimately. Hated them.

He was in love with her, too.

His name was Dan. He picked her up when she was down, held her when she was pushing away, wiped away her tears and gave her a reason to smile.

And when she married him? She knew for certain that it was for real. She loved him, he loved her. He’d given her a fairytale. He always made her feel as though she deserved it.

And finally, she believed it.
Chapter End Notes:
StJoe + Reviews = Love.

Need I say more?

Yes?

John Krasinski. There. I said it.

Obviously I couldn't write an entire fic without mentioning the LOML. Don't tell my fiance'.

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