6:46pm

He has no idea why he's doing this

Well, that wasn't totally true, he wanted to see this prank through (this brilliant, perfectly executed prank), and he did want to see what Dwight would wear to an ice cream social at Langley. But Jim would be lying if he said those were the only two reasons he was riding his bicycle back to work at nearly 7pm the Friday before Christmas.

All afternoon he had been thinking about where the CIA prank could go next, and decided the next logical step was they would want to bring Dwight in and officially meet him. Still, it took all the courage he had to turn back to Pam at her desk as he was leaving and offer up his plan, though when she smiled at him he wondered what he had been so scared of. Once they agreed a helicopter would pick Dwight up, the next step was to figure out how to relay the message.

"We could text him," Pam suggested.

Jim shook his head, "He's got my number memorized by now."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure he knows mine also." She frowned but then her eyes lit up and she sat straight in her chair. "Oh! Wait, I have..." she pulled a box out of her desk drawer and turned back to Jim, "...this phone."

Jim knitted his brows, "Is that your burner, Beesly?" and he had to pretend he didn't still think she had cutest laugh he'd ever heard.

"No, um, this is going to my mom for Christmas." She opened up the box and took out the shiny new flip phone, "They already activated it and everything at the store, I'll just have to make sure I deleted the texts." She opened a new text and started typing up a message. Jim tried to keep his eyes on the phone in her hands, but they kept wandering. First to her left hand, where the lack of a ring on her third finger gave him more relief than he would ever admit, then up her slender arm to her shoulders, where he let himself think for just a second that red was a lovely color on her. "What time do you think? 7, 7:30?" she said.

His eyes returned to the phone in her hands quickly. "How about something really specific, and also in military time. Like 21:21."

She smiled, and made the change. "Okay how about this?" she asked, lifting the screen to him.

He read it over, "Looks good, sounds very official. Send it."

Pam giggled as she clicked the button, but then her brows met, "How will we knew he gets it?"

"Um, next text: 'Reply Y to Confirm or N to decline,'" Jim suggested.

"Oh, nice," she said with a smile and typed up the next message quickly. Within seconds the phone chimed and Dwight replied with a 'Y'.

Jim pumped his legs hard hoping it would warm him up, then stopped just before turning onto Slough Avenue and jumped off his bicycle to walk it slowly towards work. He checked his watch, they agreed to meet a half-hour before Dwight's "departure" time in alleyway next to the business park, and he was right on time. Should he have been right on time, did this make him look too eager?

"Psst, Jim!" He heard the stage whisper behind him and spun around, attributing his sudden heart rate increase to the cold air. Pam briskly walked over to him, her hands in her coat pockets and nose buried in her scarf. "You rode your bike here?"

"Well yeah, kind of gives away the game to have my car in the lot," Jim said with a half grin.

"Why didn't you just drive then park your car down the street?"

Wow, dumbass, why didn't you? "Well because…" He looked to her smirking face and he shook his head laughing, "Because that would have been the smart thing to do, and therefore the obvious thing."

Pam smiled, "Well anyway, if we go inside the gates there's a little clearing in the hedges, we can hang there and see Dwight come in." Jim nodded then looked to his bike. He was sure it would be fine but he was still hesitant to leave it. "Just bring it, we'll find a spot." Pam said, and Jim smiled a little at her reading his face so well. It's nothing, he quickly told himself as he started to follow her, wheeling his bike along. They walked inside the gate and Pam turned left. "It's between the 3rd and 4th parking spot," she said quietly, and when Jim caught up with her, she pulled a couple branches aside and he saw it, a gap between the hedges big enough for an adult person to stand in. But maybe not quite two adults and definitely not two adults and a bicycle.

"Probably should have left this in the alley, huh?" Jim said.

"Here, there's another smaller spot," Pam walked back a parking space and pulled the branches to reveal and second smaller gap, just wide enough for a bike.

But when Jim rolled his bicycle in, back wheel first, they could see there wasn't quite enough depth for a bike. Jim turned the front wheel to wedge the bike in, managing to get it not totally hidden from view but hidden enough for a dark night.

A car started slowing just on the other side of the hedge. "Someone's coming," Pam said, rushing back to the gap.

"Shit!" Jim said through clenched teeth as headlights started to shine into the parking lot, but he was pretty sure he was in the hedges and Pam let go of the branch before the car was even halfway into the lot.

Before Jim got a chance to process how they were standing face to face and awfully close, Pam tilted her head to look through the leaves. "That's Angela's car," she whispered. Jim turned and sure enough it was Angela's little nondescript sedan. It pulled up just a bit past the entrance and the petite blonde jumped out.

"I just don't understand, it's Friday Night, Christmas is in two days. What on earth does Michael need you here for?" Angela spouted off, walking to her trunk.

"It's not my place to question him, Monkey," Dwight said, grabbing a duffle out of the back of Angela's car.

"Monkey?" Jim whispered, he looked to Pam expecting her to be as confused as he was, but she was still watching intently.

"And what is even in that bag?" Angela asked incredulously.

"Same thing as always, Michael's laundry, this way it's waiting at his desk when he gets back." Dwight slung the black bag over his shoulder, "It's just this one night… at least no more than 24 hours."

"24 hours!" Angela turned on her heels and started back to the car. She glanced in the direction of the hedges and Jim was sure she was looking right at them. He drew his breath in and instinctively put his hand on Pam's shoulder to pull her back. Angela turned to Dwight, and Jim looked down, finding Pam's eyes wide and shiny and looking right at him.

Jim blinked and suddenly it was seven months ago in in the office, the dull roar of a makeshift casino under their feet, her face lit by the dimmed lights and her small warm hands in his and he wondered how a broken heart could beat as fast as his was.

He blinked again and took two deep breaths before lifting his hand from her shoulder, "Sorry." She smiled politely and shrugged, though her eyes were still wide, and returned her attention to Angela's car. After a moment Jim managed to turn his head back also, and could see Angela had calmed down.

"You're right, Dee, it's only one evening. It is just nearly Christmas and, well, Christmastime should be spent with those you truly love." Jim's eyes flicked back to Pam for a second, and he told himself it was silly to hope she'd be looking back at him.

"Don't worry, Monkey, we'll be spending plenty of time together this Christmas." Dwight leaned down and pulled Angela into a kiss. Jim looked to Pam, expecting a look of revulsion, but she was actually maybe smiling? "Okay," Dwight practically dropped Angela, "I should really go."

Angela nodded and wistfully watched Dwight walk to the office doors, like a military wife sending her beloved off to war. Once Dwight was out of view and Angela's car out of the parking lot. Jim snapped his face to Pam, "What the hell just we just witness?"

Pam shrugged, "I guess they're together."

"Well that's obvious but 'Monkey'? And how were you not repulsed when they kissed?"

"I thought it was kinda sweet," Pam said with a small smile. Jim had no idea how to respond to that, and Pam took advantage of his speechlessness. "Alright, we need a better vantage point so we can see him on the roof." She started towards the gate and Jim followed behind, sure his bicycle would be fine in the hedges.

Once across the street they stood in the shadow of a building, able to see the roof clearly. Jim reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of binoculars.

"You thought to bring binoculars but not to park your car down the street," Pam teased.

"Shush," Jim replied, smiling as he brought the lenses to his eyes. "Look, there he is, the CIA's newest top agent."

"Lemme see." Pam gingerly took the binoculars and aimed them towards the building. "That hat definitely says inconspicuous."

"I'm sure he thinks bad guys can't see orange, like deer." Jim said, smiling at Pam's giggle. "What is in that bag do you suppose?"

"My money is on three days worth of clothes and some candied beets to give to his new agent friends."

Jim chuckled, "You're probably right." He flashed back to Dwight and Angela in the parking lot. "Do you know what that line about Michael's laundry was about?

Pam grinned, "Yeah, about three months ago Dwight went behind Michael's back and tried to get Jan to make him branch manager. Michael's making him do his laundry for a year as punishment."

"Oh, I think I remember when that happen. Yeah, Jan came in and caught us all playing Call of Duty and I thought we were gonna be in trouble but she just brushed it off and then said something about Dwight being ridiculous."

"You were playing Call of Duty at work? That sounds fun."

"Well it wasn't, I was so bad at it and no one wanted me on their team. Karen would track me down and kill me every time, but I'm pretty sure it was just because she…" He felt his eyes widen and stopped himself before he said 'had a crush on me'. "...because she wanted to haze the new guy." He looked to Pam, half kicking himself for mentioning Karen, half extremely curious how Pam would react.

"I see", she replied, giving a quick smile. Jim assumed she'd change the topic but she took a shaky breath (or maybe he just wanted it to be a shaky breath) and said, "Karen seems really nice, we had fun today with the Margarita Christmas."

"Yes, that was fun," Jim said. He glanced over to Pam and smiled, "It was really nice of you to convince Karen to merge with Angela's party though."

Pam's eyes snapped to his and a nervous look passed over her face before she smirked, "That was unanimous decision from all members of the Committee to Plan Parties."

Jim half-smiled, he couldn't say he knew Karen that well but he knew doing something like that wasn't in her nature. "Whoever made the decision, it was a good thing to do." Pam kept her eyes on the rooftop and despite the dark Jim was sure she was blushing.

"Well, speaking of good things to do," Pam turned to Jim, "we should probably extract Dwight from his mission."

Jim sighed, "You're probably right."

"Do you wanna do the honors?" Pam pulled her mother's cell out of her pocket and offered it to him.

Jim smiled and flipped open the phone, scrolling to messages. He started the message, vague but still serious sounding, then smirked when he added the last bit and pressed send. "There, you should watch and see his reaction."

Pam arched an eyebrow then put the binoculars back to her eyes. Even without help, Jim could clearly see Dwight wind up and then throw something, and Jim sputter laughed.

"Wait did he just…?" Pam looked to Jim with wide eyes, "What did you text to him?"

"Just 'Mission compromised'."

Pam snatched the phone out of his hand and looked at the messages, "'Destroy phone'?"

Jim feigned ignorance, "I didn't think he'd throw it off the roof."

Pam shook her head but she was still smiling, "You're terrible, and you owe him a new phone." Jim was about to protest but she started down the street, "C'mon, we should hide before he leaves the building."

She led them to her tiny hatchback and after climbing in, Jim kept his eyes on the business park gate. "You don't think he's gonna walk this way and notice us?"

Pam shook her head, "Both he and Angela live north of here, and the nearest gas station is up on Birch, he has no reason to come this way."

"Wow, why am I getting the feeling this isn't your first stakeout," Jim teased and Pam just smiled at him. They kept their eyes on the business park gates but Jim could see Pam shiver a little out the side of his eye. He fought the sudden urge to rub her shoulder. "Why don't you start the car, get the heat going?"

"Surely you know better than to have your car running during a stakeout," Pam retorted, and Jim shook his head. "Oh there he is." Dwight emerged from the gate and looked around for a moment before turning to his left. "What I tell ya, going north," Pam proclaimed.

Jim grinned widely but then felt it fade, "So what now?"

Pam shrugged, "I suppose we get your bike and say Mission Accomplished."

Jim had no idea what he hoped Pam would say, that wasn't it though. But he just nodded and Pam waited for Dwight to be completely out of view to start her car. She made the short drive to the parking lot, stopping about where Jim's bike was hidden. Jim climbed out of the car, expecting Pam would stay seated, but she stepped out of the car as well. They stood for a moment, and Jim wondered if she was as reluctant to have the night end as he was. "Agent Beesly, a pleasure working with you," Jim finally said after much hesitation.

She smirked, "Yes, good work as Dwight's handler tonight."

Jim's lip curled at the word 'handler' and she giggled. Once the laughter faded they were back to standing in awkward silence. "Well, the ride back is not gonna get any warmer," Jim said, started towards the hedge.

"Now you know for next time you should park your car down the street," Pam called after him.

Hands on his handlebars, Jim looked back at her, "Next time, huh?"

That clearly caught Pam off guard and Jim felt his smile fade along with hers, they both knew how likely a "next time" was, at least a time that's just the two of them.

Jim turned back, pulled the bike out of the hedges, and immediately could tell something was off. "Shit." Pam asked what was wrong and Jim reached down to pinch his front wheel. "Either both my tires popped a leak or Agent Schrute participated in a little intra-departmental sabotage."

Pam shook her head, "Well now he's definitely not getting invited to an ice cream social at Langley." She then looked back to her car, which was much too small to fit the bike. "We can go find a bike pump, or do you want to call someone?"

He of course knew who she meant by "someone" and even if Karen didn't immediately head out to her parents place back in Connecticut after work, he would hardly be eager to call her. "Tell you what." Pam looked to him and Jim took a breath. "I think warming up inside somewhere would be good, we can tackle the bike later."

Pam's eyes widened, "Oh yeah, um…"

Jim felt his heart sink at her hesitancy, "Unless it's not a good time."

"No it's fine, Christmas cookie baking can wait till the morning. Or…" Jim tilted his head at her and she took a breath. "How are you at cookie decorating?"

Jim furrowed his brows and pretended to ponder for a moment. "Average, probably. Though I'm at least the second best cookie decorator standing here now."

Pam laughed, "Well you can have cocoa and supervise."

Figuring they should go before either if them lost their nerve, Jim circled the car until he was at the passenger door. "First day and promoted to supervisor, nice!" Pam giggled and got in to start the car.