Chapter Two

He needed a drink. He needed many drinks.

It's Wednesday. It's late. He's been here a while and now he's practically at the bar alone. And he's overjoyed by that fact.

The rest of the office had ventured to Poor Richard's. He went to Chili's instead because he knew she didn't like to go there. They didn't believe she'd truly been banned but he knew Pam was too mortified to take the chance.

Which is why he was completely shocked when Angela brought her in.

Pam sways as she walks towards him and he could see that she'd had twice as many drinks as she should. She grips the edge of the bar and stares at her feet.

Jim tears his eyes from her and glances at the woman standing beside her. "Hey Angela."

"Hello Jim." She says her clipped, school-marmy tone.

"What brings you here?" He says idly as he takes a long pull from his beer, as if that'll fix things.

"It's not what brings me, it's what I bring." She replies nodding her head in Pam's direction.

"She's had too much to drink." Jim sighs. "You should just take her home." He says softly.

Its then that Pam finally finds her voice. "No. Not goin' home." She says a little too loudly.

He shakes his head as she stumbles toward him. He catches her arm and sets her back on his feet. He looks over her head and pleads. "Angela. C'mon."

"Office romances are no one's business." She replies as she turns on her heel and leaves them alone.

Pam moves to sit on the barstool but her foot slips as she attempts to climb on. He catches her before she can fall.

"Pam." He takes her hand and leads her to a booth. He orders a large glass of water and a plate of fries and sits on the other side of the table, unable to take his eyes off her.

Her eyes are bright, her cheeks are flushed. Her hair is unpinned and curling about her face. His heart beats faster and his palms begin to sweat. Damnit. He bites his lip and shifts in his seat.

"What are you doing?" He asks her then.

"I needed to talk to you." She replies as she takes a long gulp of water. Her mouth has gone dry as she looks at him.

"Not like this, Pam." He says softly.

"No." She looks up at him, her bottom lip trembling. "Don't worry. It's good. I have something to say. I just…"

He cuts her off and shakes his head. "Not like this. I don't want you to have to drink yourself into a stupor to be able to face me."

"Jim." She pleads.

He pushes the plate in front of her. "Eat something before you get sick."

She nods and begins to nibble on a fry. As he watches her, he actually finds the way she does it to be erotic.

You're pathetic. He thinks with a sigh. Why do you do this to yourself?

"I have to…" She tries again.

"Don't." He warns her.

"I'm so tired." She says her voice full of exhaustion. "I'm so tired of everything."

He takes out his wallet and pays the bill. "I'll take you home then."

She shakes her head, her eyes filling up and spilling over. "I'm not going there. I can't stay there with him." She says desperately. "Don't make me."

"Pam." He breathes her name, suddenly exhausted himself.

"I can't." She pleads.

He can see he won't be able to get her out of the car if he tries to take her home. "Where do you want me to take you then? Do you want me to drive you to your mother's?"

"No. I want to go with you." She says, her voice getting stronger.

He moves to stand. "I'm not doing this."

"Why won't you let me talk?" She whispers as she stares at her lap.

He leans close, his voice dangerous. "Because when you say whatever it is you're about to say I don't want you to be able to have an excuse."

"Jim..."

He cuts her off. "I don't want you to tell me tomorrow that you were drunk and it's a mistake. I…" It pains him to be this vulnerable but lately there's no other way he can be. "I wouldn't be able to take it."

She stares up at him and sniffles.

"Do you understand?" He asks, his voice full of sadness, tears shining in his own eyes. "I can't take it."

"How did this happen?" She asks him then, her voice breaking on every other word. "I don't want it to be like this."

"Me neither." He says as he holds his hand out to her and helps her to stand. "But you're the one who has to change it." He says softly.

"I'm not sure how." She admits as she sways into him, still unsteady on her feet.

He catches her before she can fall, his arms curling around her and he holds her for a few long moments. She sinks into him easily and he closes his eyes. It's complete torture - because all he wants to do is keep her there forever.

"It's simple." His lips graze the top of her head as he whispers almost too low for her to hear. "Choose me."

xoxoxoxoxo

She gets what she wants anyway, and he's not at all surprised. As if he could ever say no to her. She falls dead asleep in the front seat of his car. He knows he can't keep her there - it's hot and it's muggy and he just…can't. So he does the only thing he can think of. He pulls into his driveway and scoops her up and brings her inside.

He can hear Mark's girlfriend giggling down the hall. Sighing, he shifts Pam in his arms and brings her upstairs, placing her gently on his bed. He tries not to wake her as he slips her shoes off her feet.

He sits at the chair at his desk and watches her sleep. An hour goes by before he even realizes it. He gazes at her as she stretches a bit and moans softly. She turns on her side and her skirt rides up on her thighs. Only one thought fills his mind then, okay, maybe two. But the one that wins out is…

I've got to get out of here.

He slips from the room as quietly as he can and tiptoes down the stairs. He turns the TV on, puts the volume on mute and stretches out on the couch, his feet dangling over the side.

Though he couldn't be more uncomfortable - finally he sleeps. And as he does he's desperately trying not to dream.