Disclaimer: I own nothing except the lovely little laptop I typed this up on. I’m just a poor grad student with a slight addiction to one of the funniest shows on television. I wished I owned The Office but I don’t. Oh the possibilities if I did…
Pam slowly made her way up the front walk, the streetlights having come on not an hour earlier, bathing her path in the soft orange light. With her portfolio slung over a shoulder, the latest project in one hand, and her box of art utensils in the other along with her purse, Pam struggled to get her key in the lock without dropping anything. Though her time at Pratt hadn’t ended the way she’d wanted it to, Pam hadn’t let it diminish her love of art. In the last three years she had continued taking any and every art class she could, everything from ceramics to pottery to portraits, even wood-working. The studio they’d converted together was filled with her hard work and it was her pride and joy. Well, it was her second pride and joy. There was something else she’d created, with Jim’s help of course, that was a tad more important. Pam couldn’t get to wait to get inside to kiss her good night.
For a moment she contemplated ringing the bell to get Jim’s attention, but thought better of it. Olivia should have been asleep by now and she didn’t want to wake the baby, not to mention Jim himself was probably passed out on the couch in front of the Sixers game with the baby monitor lying in his lap. Quietly Pam opened the door and slipped inside, instantly dropping the large portfolio case to her feet and using her heel to close the door gently behind her. Setting her utensil box on the end table by the door, as well as her purse, Pam peered into the living room. No Sixers, no Jim, just Sports Center. Pam kicked off her shoes and tossed her jacket over the arm of the couch, leaning down to press the power button on the remote. The screen went blank and silence filled the room only briefly until it was replaced with what Pam found to be one of the most beautiful sounds in the entire world: the sound of a baby’s – her baby’s – laughter. A grin spread its way across Pam’s lips as she followed the sound down the hall and came to a stop at the bathroom door which was halfway open.
Gently pushing the door open further, Pam crossed her arms in front of her and leaned against the frame, heart melting as she watched the scene taking place. Jim sat on the bathroom floor up against the edge of the tub, Olivia in his arms as she splashed her chubby little hands in the water and giggled with delight as it sprayed in all directions, including on her father. Jim’s shirt was off, thrown haphazardly on the floor beside him, sopping wet no doubt from Olivia’s water show.
“Dadadadada…” Olivia babbled happily as she continued splashing her hands wildly while Jim kept one hand on her back and reached for the bottle of baby shampoo. He’d become quite skilled at being a one-handed parent, always holding Liv in one strong arm while using the other to cook dinner, vacuum the living room, throw the laundry in, and so on. That’s not to say Pam didn’t do any of those things, it just worked out that with most of her classes being at night, a lot of the regular mundane household activities fell to Jim. Consequently, so did caring for Olivia in that time, but as he’d said what now seemed like so many years ago, he wasn’t a complainer. Besides, the moment the nurse had first placed Olivia in his arms, Jim had fallen in love again. He had no problem going from Dunder-Mifflin by day to Dadadadada by night – even though that sometimes also meant being cook and maid.
Pam watched, her smile spreading even further until it looked as though she’d spent the entire day with a clothes hanger in her mouth. Keeping one hand on the eight month old’s back, Jim carefully squeezed a small drop of shampoo atop Liv’s brown curls. Upon her birth, Olivia Halpert had come screaming into the world with a full head of hair and it had not stopped growing since. The soft curls were filling in quite nicely and Jim was certain she’d have hair just like her mother, albeit a darker shade.
Gently Jim massaged the shampoo into his tiny daughter’s hair, and she squealed, squirming in his grasp to get away. Olivia hated this part already, she was much more content to continue splashing and drenching her father with the bath water.
“Now Liv, I know you can’t understand me right now, but you gotta relax. I promise, you’ll be just fine. I’d never let anything hurt you, you’re kind of a keeper.” Jim successfully continued to shampoo his daughter’s hair, then reached for the large glass sitting on the edge of the tub. He cradled Liv in one arm, leaning her back so the water and shampoo wouldn’t run down into her eyes when he rinsed it away. Jim gently poured the water onto her, and Olivia shivered as it cascaded down her back. Pam watched this beautiful sight, her husband and daughter together in this simple activity that was so loving and tender that she couldn’t help but sigh.
Startled, Jim jerked his head around, dropping the empty cup into the water. Olivia reached out her chubby hands and picked it up, fascinated by her ability to move the water by scooping it up and dumping it back out again. Her shrieks of annoyance with being washed were now replaced with shrieks of laughter as she watched the water pour out over and over again.
“Geez Beesly, you scared me!” Jim cried, unable to stop using the nickname, despite the fact she’d been a Halpert for a fairly significant amount of time. Pam only smiled, and grabbed the soft pink towel from its place on the rack and knelt beside Jim, ready to take Olivia from the water and prepare her for bed as the last of the suds were washed away. Jim once again had a firm two-handed grasp on Olivia’s slippery little body as she swatted at the remaining bubbles, quickly losing interest in the cup.
“Well, what can I say, I guess I just have that effect on you.” She leaned over, kissing his cheek before turning her attention back to their daughter. “What is she still doing up Jim, it’s almost 9…”
Jim chuckled to himself. It had been clear from the moment they brought her home that Jim was the relaxed one and Pam was the one who would be constantly fluttering about, worrying about every cough or sniffle. Sensing what he was thinking, she continued, “I just want her to have a routine Jim, something she’s used to. I’m NOT crazy.”
He chuckled again, lifting Olivia slowly from the water, something sure to make her fuss once again. Reaching out, Pam wrapped the towel snuggly around Liv to keep her from shivering and hugged her close to her chest. They stood at the same time, their movements almost identical to the point it appeared as if it was on purpose, though neither noticed. They walked from the bathroom, Jim’s hands at her waist as he walked behind her, and he replied, “I never said anything of the sort, Beesly. Never insinuated, never implied, never – ”
She rolled her eyes at him but looked back, smiling. “Oh stop, you’re just using the same word over and over. Why don’t you clean up in there and I’ll be the responsible one and put her to bed like she should have been half an hour ago.” She stuck her tongue out at him, then flipped on the nursery light when she entered the room. Jim grinned as he watched her go, disappearing into the room they’d spent so many hours decorating together in the soft pinks and yellows in preparation for Olivia’s arrival. Jim Halpert had never known that there were quite so many shades of yellow to choose from and he thought fondly of those memories as he headed back into the bathroom to clean up his and Liv’s mess.
Meanwhile, Pam was secretly elated that Olivia was still awake. Say what she might about keeping Liv on a schedule and half-scolding Jim for being the ‘fun one’, this quarter she simply hadn’t seen her daughter nearly as much as she wanted or needed to. Though Pam only had class Tuesday and Thursday nights, at least a portion of her time had to be devoted to projects and assignments for those classes. Needless to say, she was more than happy to be a part of Olivia’s bedtime routine tonight.
Gingerly Pam laid Olivia on the changing table, relieved to see Jim had already set out her pajamas and a diaper. He never forgot anything and as much as she chided him for being too laid back in the raising of their daughter, they both knew she wasn’t serious. He was amazing with Olivia and such a calming presence – especially when they’d first brought her home. Pam had no nieces or nephews, while Jim already had more than a few. And being a 12 year old in a just-over-30-body made him pretty much still a kid himself. He was at ease from the start; Pam had been a little terrified, but adjusted quickly and they’d settled happily into their life as a family.
“I missed you all day, Livy,” Pam told her daughter as she proceeded to powder her and put on the diaper, playfully tickling her round little belly. “Mommy sat at work all day wishing she was home with you. I’m so glad I got to see you tonight.” She leaned over, dropping a kiss on Olivia’s tiny nose and the cooing baby reached up her fist to tangle it in her mother’s hair. Pam let out a surprised yelp when Liv tightened her grip and waved her arms wildly, taking the strands of hair with her. The infant looked startled by her mother’s reaction so Pam smiled quickly as she gently pried open Olivia’s fingers and continued speaking in a soft soothing voice. “Even when you pull my hair, you’re still the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“And here I thought I was the only one you said that to.” Jim was leaning in the doorway suddenly, warm bottle of milk in hand. As Pam briefly struggled to get Olivia’s kicking feet in the footie portion of her pajamas, she cast a sideways glance at him. He’d put on a fresh t-shirt and Pam didn’t doubt that the one he’d had on pre-bath was still lying on the floor in a wet heap.
“Well, you’re in different divisions, you know.” Pam smiled again as she sat Olivia up on the changing table and slid each arm in next, finally zipping up the pajamas and taking Liv in her arms, pressing a soft kiss to the baby’s temple.
“There are different divisions of cute?” Jim stepped into the room, handing off the bottle to Pam as she moved toward the rocking chair in the corner and took her seat. Jim switched on the lamp, soft light washing over his two favorite girls.
“Absolutely there are.” Pam’s voice was softer now as she brought the bottle to Olivia’s mouth and the infant began drinking quickly, her eyelids beginning to droop soon after her meal began. “There are all sorts of factors, age groups, height, basketball skills. Lots of criteria contribute to creating these divisions.”
“Huh. Who would have thought.” Jim leaned down and kissed the top of Pam’s head and gently brushed a loose curl back from Olivia’s forehead before kissing her too. “You’ll have to make me some kind of chart, so I can keep it all straight.”
“You know, I could probably get Dwight to whip one up real fast tomorrow morning. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind at all.” Pam winked at Jim as he headed for the door, shaking his head at the mention of Dwight and one of his charts. He shut off the bright overhead light so the soft glow of the lamp was the only light in the room. Olivia snuggled up against Pam, her tiny mouth still working furiously on the bottle though her eyes were completely closed by this point.
“Oh Beesly, the things I put up with…” Jim’s voice softened too, as it was clear by Olivia’s breathing that she was well on her way to being fully asleep after consuming only half the bottle. Maybe Pam was right about this ‘routine’ thing after all. “Anyway, once you put her down, meet me in the bathroom.”
Pam narrowed her eyes quizzically, rocking the chair gently with her feet and patting Olivia’s bottom. “I’m not sure that’s an invitation a wife wants from her husband. Ever.”
Jim grinned. “Trust me, Beesly,” and with that he closed the door.
Pam shook her head, wondering what her husband could possibly be up to. Olivia’s eye lashes fluttered suddenly and she began drinking from the bottle once again. Pam would just have to wait a little bit longer to find out.
Twenty minutes later, Pam finally laid the sleeping Olivia in her crib and tucked the blanket in around her. She stood there for a few moments, watching her daughter sleep, once again marveling at how perfect she really was. Perfect in an ‘Oh my God, how did we end up this lucky?’ kind of way, in only the way it could be for Jim and Pam. Olivia’s skin was creamy and soft, just like her mother’s and the dark curls Jim loved to twirl whenever he was holding her were growing longer every day. Her lashes were long and thick, and Pam watched as they fluttered against her cheek, though her emerald green eyes remained closed.
Lost in thought, admiring her most precious creation, Pam almost forgot about Jim’s cryptic invitation until she heard the sudden gush of running water from across the hall. She grasped the edge of the pale pink crib for just a moment, absently tracing an outline of a star that she’d painted in a pattern with moons and suns in the weeks leading up to Olivia’s birth. Smiling for what seemed like the millionth time that night, Pam finally left the sleeping baby with a whisper, “I love you baby girl,” when she heard the water turn off, her curiosity getting the best of her.
The bathroom door was wide open waiting for her; Jim’s time had been well-spent as she’d been taking care of Olivia. Pam gasped when she saw the scene laid out before her. The floor was littered with rose petals – various shades of pinks and reds, starkly contrasting the white tiled floor. The lights were off and yet the room was completely illuminated by the flickering candles of all sizes that had been carefully placed across the counters and floor. A path was clearly set for her by two rows of tea lights that led directly to the bathtub filled with water and bubbles where Jim was already comfortably seated, his arms outstretched and resting on either edge of the tub. His eyes were closed as he rested his head against the back wall, but he knew she was there. He always knew.
“Jim…” she trailed off, not even sure where to go with it. It was all just so sweet, she thought she might actually start to cry.
Lazily he opened one eye, extending a hand to her. “Come on Beesly, before it gets cold.”
That was all Pam needed to shake her from her frozen state. Jim never took his eyes from his wife as she quickly discarded her clothing in a pile beside his, then took his hand and slipped a toe in the water first, testing it. When she found it to her satisfaction, Pam stepped in and settled into the mass of bubbles, each of Jim’s long legs outstretched on either side of her. She leaned back against him, enjoying the slippery feel of his chest against her back. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes as Jim wrapped his arms around her and she rested hers atop his own.
“Have I told you recently that I’m pretty much the luckiest woman alive and I love you very much?” Pam asked after a few moments, lacing her fingers through his in the warm water.
“I think a while ago you mentioned something about me being kind of cute but I don’t know for sure…” he murmured into the soft skin behind her ear.
“Well if I haven’t said it then I probably should…I love you James Halpert.”
Jim tightened his hold and smiled into her hair. He could tell by the tone of her voice that the day’s events of work and class were slowly catching up to her and sleep was going to come very soon as they sat there together, skin to skin, in their own little cocoon without a thought of the outside world. This really was the life and despite the fact that sometimes – a lot of times – his job drove him crazy, coming home and being able to do this, to spend time with two of the most important people in his life, was all he needed.
“I love you too Pamela…” he paused momentarily, then finished with, “…Halpert.”
Story Notes:
Big thanks to BigTuna for being awesome and encouraging, and especially for beta-ing this for me!
I took a little liberty with the layout of the house since we really haven’t seen it yet. As we find out more I might go back and change some details, more so because I am a stickler for making sure things are exactly correct – hence why I have such an issue sometimes with the writers messing up the details, like the fact that Pam has actually worked there longer than Jim, or that Michael has only really worked there 14 years and not 15, and the official Office website spells it Beesly but the MySpace page says Beesley…and so on. But I’m done ranting now :) Read and enjoy!
I took a little liberty with the layout of the house since we really haven’t seen it yet. As we find out more I might go back and change some details, more so because I am a stickler for making sure things are exactly correct – hence why I have such an issue sometimes with the writers messing up the details, like the fact that Pam has actually worked there longer than Jim, or that Michael has only really worked there 14 years and not 15, and the official Office website spells it Beesly but the MySpace page says Beesley…and so on. But I’m done ranting now :) Read and enjoy!
Chapter End Notes:
So this was my first fanfic ever. Please don't crucify me completely, although like Angela, I kind of enjoy being judged. Be honest because that's the only way we will all get better at this, but 'constructive compliments' are especially welcome. I couldn't help it, I really am THAT BIG of an Office nerd.
IThinkWeBrokeHisBrain is the author of 10 other stories.
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