There it was. Everything, black and white, all he'd ever wanted, in his hands, sitting beside him. Eyes damp, vision blurry but paradoxically so clear, he looked over at her. 

Everything, she was just… "You're right," he breathed.

She gasped on a sob, hands over her mouth, perched on a precipice, unsure whether he would knock her into the pits of perdition or lift her to paradise. "About what?"

"I've never kissed myself." He stood abruptly, holding his hands out to her. He felt like the least worthy man on the planet, yet somehow determined to prove the universe wrong. She hadn't kissed anyone since the last time he kissed her. My god. He could hardly comprehend it. He couldn't believe she'd referenced that line from V for Vendetta. Jesus...

She placed her hands tentatively in his, not daring to hope, but unable to stop herself from praying all the same.

He hauled her up and nuzzled her cheek. "I wanna kiss you like crazy. There's just a few things I need to say first."

Heaven. She gasped, grateful beyond words. Fat tears erupted from her eyes, sliding slowly down her cheeks.

He looked at her, hard, as though committing the moment to memory. Which is exactly what he was doing. "I'm so sorry, Pam," he whispered. "For everything."

"I'm sorry, too. I love you so… so much, Jim."

He closed his eyes as a warm frisson ran up his spine, letting her words wash over him. Momentarily, he placed his fingers over her lips. "I know. You said that already. My turn, okay?" He brushed one eyebrow with his lips, then the other.

She gasped at the sensation, eyes shining up at him, wordless.

"I'm so sorry. For every time I turned my back when you needed me. For every mean thing I've said since coming back. For every good thing I wanted to tell you, but wouldn't let myself. About how amazing you are, the way I feel about you. For every time I wanted to kiss you, but didn't. I love you so goddamn much, Pam. Never--" His voice broke. "Never stopped loving you. I--" Out of words, overcome, he feathered his lips over hers.

She had dreamt of this moment since their last kiss, so long ago. She'd spent so many lonely nights afraid that she had already experienced the taste of him for the last time. That she would never feel his mouth against hers again. Never so thankful to be wrong, she parted her lips, inviting him in.

Sharing her breath, he thought his heart would burst with joy. The memory of the kisses he'd stolen from her last year had consumed his waking hours, haunted his dreams nightly. Yet they didn't begin to hold a candle to this. For all that they had previously kissed, he still had yet to feel her tongue against his. He drank from her mouth with soft, sure strokes, searing her flavor into memory, drowning in her scent.

His tongue danced against hers, wreaking utter havoc on her senses, making it impossible to think. Swept away by emotion, she felt cherished. Dizzy, she clung desperately to his neck to avoid falling or floating away. She wasn't sure which was happening, because her eyes were closed. Maybe both.

In silent awe, he pulled back slightly, his gaze roaming her face. He swept his thumbs over her cheekbones, brushing away her tears as he watched her eyes flutter open. He smiled tenderly down at her, tucking away her dazed, dreamy look to keep.

"Holy… god," she breathed, brushing his lips with her fingers.

"Jesus," he agreed emphatically, tucking an errant curl behind her ear.

They contemplated each other for a silent stretch. "Can I… talk now?" she murmured.

"You can try." Chuckling, he swooped down to recapture her lips.

She sighed happily against his mouth, losing her train of thought all over again. After a minute, she pressed her hands against his chest. "What about Karen?"

He lifted his brows quizzically. "Karen who?"

She rolled her eyes with a smile.

He relented. "We broke up last night."

"Some timing."

"Pretty much," he agreed, stroking the small of her back with his fingers. "Any other questions?" His gaze fell to her lips. "I've got some lost time to make up for, Beesly."

She grinned. "So many questions. Starting with your John Hughes moment at my art show. Because that was amazing."

He buried his face in her neck and groaned. "It's kind of a long story." He began pressing a chain of kisses along her collarbone.

"And… what you were… gonna say… before you left," she breathed, threading her fingers through his hair.

"I was gonna ask how much."

"How much… what?"

He kissed his way up her neck. "For the drawing."

"Jim… mmm…"

"Does it come with the bowl?" he whispered hotly into her ear before worrying the lobe between his teeth.

She gasped involuntarily. "W-what?"

He kissed his way across her cheek. "Jellybeans."

"I--Jim… can't think…" she trailed off as he recaptured her lips.

After a moment, he stood back, holding her at arm's length. "I know," he chuckled. "It's very cute."

She pressed her hands to her cheeks. "Why are we talking about jellybeans?"

"I would like to buy your Jellybeans drawing," he explained, a smile playing around his lips.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?" He nodded. "That particular piece isn't for sale. Sentimental value. Although I maybe could be convinced to let you display it in your home, for an indefinite period of time."

He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "I can be very convincing."

"Don't I know it," she murmured in agreement.

He ran his thumb over her lower lip. "Hey, I have a big responsibility when it comes to these."

She flushed. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"'Fraid not." He sighed ruefully. "I mean you pretty much said your lips belong to me, so…"

"Don't let it go to your head," she warned him playfully.

"You love it." He tipped his head down to prove his point.

When they resurfaced, she replied dreamily, "Yeah, well…"

He nodded sagely. "Yes, yes. Very good point you're making there."

She rolled her eyes. "Are you done?"

He shook his head with a grin. "Not for a very… very long time. But I'd kinda like to take you to dinner now. Unless you already had plans tonight?"

Her eyes softened as she shook her head. "Let's do it."

He grinned cheekily. "Okay. After dinner, though."

She scurried for the ladder, bright red. "Oh my god, you did not just say that!"

He followed, his laughter echoing down after her. "You said it! I just agreed."

"Suck it, Halpert."

"After dinner," he promised earnestly, following her down the rungs. 

She let out a frustrated sound, some kind of cross between a squeak and a grunt. "I hate you so much."

"Aww, I thought you were telling the truth now," he needled her affectionately.

"Do you have a serious bone in your entire body?"

He snickered, letting that one pass by with effort. "Come on Beesly, you make it way too easy." He hopped down and tugged her into his arms. She avoided his gaze, letting out a long-suffering sigh. He tilted her chin up. "Hey," he said solemnly. "I seriously love you. Sorry if I took that too far. I'm not going to ask you to do anything before you're ready."

She smiled sweetly. "I love you too, Jim. And don't be sorry. I like it when you flirt with me." She shrugged. "Just, you know... not used to it yet."

"Oh, in that case..." He waggled his eyebrows lasciviously. "I'll take you places you've never been before."

Blushing furiously, she nudged him playfully with her shoulder. "What about Benihana? I've never been there before."

He nodded, grinning. "Let's do it."

She stood on tiptoe to whisper into his ear. "After dinner."

Holy shit.