Jim turned onto Quincy Ave and saw the "EMERGENCY" sign that was lit up in bright red. He quickly drove into the parking lot for patients close to the hospital, got out of the car and rushed towards the hospital.
He was out of breath by the time he reached the front desk. "I'm here for Pam Beesly."
“One moment please.” The receptionist typed in the information. “I’m sorry she’s in ICU, only family members are allowed in.” She looked up to Jim. "Any relation to the patient? What is your name, sir?"
“Jim Halpert. I’m um…” he trailed off, the sound of someone calling his name taking his attention from the lady behind the desk.
"Jim!" A voice called out from a few feet away.
"Hey." Jim looked over to the woman walking towards him.
“I’m Pam’s sister, Penny,” she said, shaking Jim’s hand.
"Excuse me?" The receptionist tried to get Jim's attention.
"Sorry," Jim looked over to her.
"Are you related to the patient?"
"He's her fiancé." Penny interrupted.
Jim looked over to Penny in surprise. Just go along with it, he thought and looked back to the receptionist. "Yeah I am. I'm her fiancé."
"I know where she is, so I'll take you to her," Penny said and led him to the elevator. "Pam told me about you."
"Really?" Jim looked over to her.
"Yeah," Penny nodded. "She said that you are one of the people that she can't live without at work. She told me all about the pranks. And how-” Penny swallowed and held back her tears as she looked down before looking back to Jim. “Every time she called me, she would have a new ‘Jim story’ to share about the things you and her had done and how you guys are such good friends, how much you mean to her..."
"Yeah," Jim said sadly as he looked up at the glowing numbers on the elevator.
"We're here." Penny led him to where her parents were. “Mom, Dad, this is Jim. Pam’s friend from work.”
"Jim!" Helene stood up and hugged him.
"Jim?" William frowned in confusion.
"Sir," Jim shook her father's hand.
"I'm so glad you're here," Helene hugged him.
“What happened?" Jim asked.
"I'll let you see her," Helene began to walk with Jim. "Well, the police say that her car hit the guard rail before flipping over onto its roof. They took her out of the car but she passed out and stopped breathing in the ambulance." Helene wrapped her one arm around herself and the other hand wiping her tears. "Her skull was fractured and had surgery right after they worked on her in the trauma. They had to put a metal plate to hold the skull in place. Her surgery went well, but they don't know when she's going to be awake, she's in a critical condition."
“God,” Jim muttered as he ran his fingers through his hair.
As they walked down long hallway in the hospital, it seem an eternity to Jim. He had been in a hospital twice before. Once when he was 7 when he got stitches due to a prank that his brothers played on him and when he visited his newborn nephew. But he had never been up in an intensive care unit before. As he passed by patient’s rooms, there were old and young people lying still with tubes everywhere.
Helene spoke softly as they approached Pam’s room. "The nurse is in there at the moment but you can go in. You two need to spend time together." She looked back to Jim and then to Pam.
Jim gave a brief nod and gulped before turning into her room.
"Oh my god," he whispered at the sight. Jim went forward slowly to her bed and touched her hand. It was a little cold.
"Can she hear me?" Jim asked as he looked up to the nurse.
"Probably not but you can still try," the nurse said as she pushed the liquid through the syringe into her IV.
"Pam, it's me, Jim." He held her hand.
With a shaky sigh he sat next to her. "Is she going to be okay?"
"She's definitely improved from when she was admitted last night," she said as she checked her vitals. "Her vitals seem to be okay, her oxygen is a little low for her to breathe on her own. That's why we have the tube in her mouth." She pointed to Pam and then looked back up to the monitor next to her bed. "Her pulse is not too rapid or slow.”
Jim put his face in his hands as his forehead sunk to the bed, a whimper escaping.
The nurse gently said, "Don't worry, we're going to watch her closely. I’ll be right outside if you have any questions."
Then Jim looked at Pam who had a small band and tape around her face to support the blue tubes in her mouth that connected to the ventilator machine next to her. That’s what’s keeping her alive, he thought.
He felt tears brimming as he looked back at her. He thought about the times he'd wished he'd never met her, how much simpler life would've been, how he'd give anything to have never felt the pain of heartbreak. And as he saw her lying pale and broken in the hospital, he couldn't imagine a life ever without her.
"Please wake up, Pam. I need to hear your voice and your laugh again.” Jim brushed his fingers against her face gently. I miss hearing about what you did on the weekend with your mom,” He sighed. “I miss everything about you. You need to come back, I need you." He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her hand tenderly before holding it against his cheek, "I love you." He began to sob quietly as he put his head back down beside her.
***************
Moments later, Helene came to Pam's room to check on Jim and Pam. She saw Jim's body slouched forward and had his head by her arm, holding her hand securely. By the dim white light, she could still see the dampness of tear tracks on his cheek. She closed her eyes as she wished Pam would wake up right now, happy and healthy again, to see Jim right there at her bedside. Helene looked over to Jim and thought it must be uncomfortable for Jim to sleep that kind of position. So she shook his shoulder to wake him up.
"W-wha-" Jim lifted his one eye opened. “What’s going on?”
“Shhh,” Helene hushed. “I want you go lie back on the chair,” Helene said pointing to the chair. “You may be more comfortable.”
“Okay.” Jim sighed deeply as he leaned back. "Anything yet?" He looked over to Pam.
"No." Helene brought the blue cotton blanket over and covered him.
"Thank you." Jim closed his eyes and then took one arm out of the blanket to hold Pam's hand.
"Hmm-mmm." Helene smiled at the gesture and headed back out to the hallway where Bill waited for her.
"Where did he come from?" Bill pointed toward Jim through the window.
“I’ll tell you,” Helene said as they walked back to the room that was connected to Pam’s.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to all three betas pamelamorganhalpert,Deedldee and MilkandSugar for helping me with this chapter!
