Pam and Jim had only been back indoors around ten minutes when the doorbell rang, heralding Toby's prompt arrival. Jim opened the door, bemused on seeing at the man's appearance. Toby was carrying a thick folder and a somewhat dismayed expression, clearly having not expected Jim to be there.

Pam stood up when Toby came into the lounge, smiling nervously at him. Her hair was loose and curls framed her face, hiding some of the damage imparted by Roy. However in spite of her effort to conceal the tell tale signs that were now turning a distinct bluish-purple shade, Toby stopped sharply, obviously startled by her appearance. Pam flushed a deep red and sat down on the couch.

"Oh, wow." Toby muttered with alarm, openly staring at her. "Uh…" The sight of Pam's bruised and mottled skin had thrown him off balance. He rubbed his neck, sitting down on the adjacent chair and putting his folder on his lap.

"You can see why Pam wanted you to come here," Jim started quickly, wanting to turn Toby's attention away and stop him gawking at her like she had grown an extra head. "Rather than her go to the office."

"Oh, yeah.. I see." Toby looked back at Jim expectantly. "Uh, I, I think it might be better if," he drawled in a low voice, lowering his gaze to the floor. "Pam and I did this alone."

Pam spoke up with surprise. "Oh, no, it's okay. I want him to stay." she nodded, her expression serious. Jim only stared back at Toby, perplexed by the mans nervousness.

"I just thought," Toby mumbled, looking down sheepishly, "It might be better if…" he trailed off. "That's a great view." he said, tilting his head towards the garden quickly before lowering it again.

Jim raised an eyebrow, moving to sit on the couch beside Pam. Toby regarded them quizzically, glancing back and forth between the two.

"So you're living here?" he asked, looking at the folder on his lap. Both Pam and Jim shook their heads.

"It's just temporary." Pam said. Toby's face broke into his first smile since he'd arrived, causing another look of confusion from Jim.

"Oh. It's just these… forms. Lotta forms to fill out." Toby mumbled, catching Jim's eye. "Change of address….."

All in all under the circumstances, it was an uncomfortable meeting. Toby knew the basic details – he was already aware that Roy had been arrested, but for drink driving. Assuring Pam that Roy was suspended already, he practically tripped over himself trying to guarantee that the security team would put extra measures in place to prevent any 'unauthorised' access, including Pam notifying them if Roy tried to contact her in the office. He assured her she would be agreed any time off she needed for court or medical appointments and gave her a copy of office policy. Toby asked her what she was doing to keep herself safe.

"Oh...uh…well I have a temporary order now. He isn't allowed to try to contact me, and he's not allowed to go back to our house while the order is in place." She said, caught off guard by the question.

Toby eyes drooped a little. "So… you can go home?" he said hesitantly. "I mean…. you staying with Jim… one might think…" he added, sensing Jim's impatience with his questioning. Pam frowned and dropped her head low.

"I don't really want to go back there, um, right now." She stumbled, thrown by the insinuation. Jim shook his head.

"We're talking about what Roy did to her. " Jim reminded him gruffly. Toby looked ruffled, quickly skimming through his paperwork. A moment later he was standing, saying he had everything he needed and would be in touch. Pam reminded him he could reach her on Jim's cell.

"Jim's cell." Toby said, more to himself than the two of them. "I can see myself out." he said. Turning back at the doorway, he looked at Pam longingly.

She was uncomfortable. "Um, thank you, Toby." Unexpected tears sprang into her eyes. For the second time that day she had had to rehash the details – intimate details – of the relationship between her and Roy, and having the same looks of pity and worry cast at her. Talking about it was reliving it. She had already lived it once. She knew it would not be the last time either.

"You know, there's no shame in getting beaten up. My ex wife used to demolish me." he said glibly. Jim threw him a look of pure contempt, seeing Pam's weary expression and tell tale watery eyes. "Not that it's the same.. she was very good verbally… " Toby flinched and bid an hurried goodbye.

Both of them stared after him, wearing identical expressions of astonishment.

-TO-

Later that afternoon, Jim and Pam were having a different kind of discussion.

"You'll be okay? You're sure?" Jim said, pacing around the room. Pam hurried to assure him, feeling guilty for being the cause of his indecision.

She nodded confidently. "This is your biggest sale of the year. Don't mess it up because of me."

It was his biggest sale this year. She encouraged him towards the door guiltily, knowing she was the reason he had almost forgotten the meeting. He'd given up his time, his space, his home to her and she was damned if she was going to watch him lose a sale that would add up to twenty five percent of his commission for the whole year.

"I need to call my mom and then I want to take a nap. Don't disturb me when you get back." She joked half heartedly.

Jim lifted his jacket off the hook by the door. "I just don't like to leave you alone, Beesly."

"I'm okay, really." she was persistent. Jim frowned, but didn't say anything further. He smiled at her.

Pam felt the silence thicken around her once he had left. Still standing by the door, she looked longingly after him with all the vulnerability of a woman who is really alone for the first time in her life. She hadn't really wanted him to go, even though he was only going to be an hour or two; just the thought of being alone had touched her with an exposed feeling that was alien to her. There was a certain kind of comfort about Jim's unmistakeable presence, a rare quality that made her feel secure around him. People noticed him when he walked into a room. She found herself struck with a desperate aloneness, the silence around her filled with the noise of her screaming thoughts eating her up from the inside.

Pam abruptly turned and near ran into the living room. Without hesitation she seized Jim's cell phone and called her mom.

-TO-

Hearing her mom's kind voice in her ear, sounding so close, filled her with a great relief. She hadn't registered how much she had missed her. She almost felt normal again. They had made usual mother daughter jokes and stories for the first few minutes, Pam enjoying the comfort of talking about something other than Roy, talking to her Mom who didn't know about everything that had happened and wasn't treating Pam like she felt, broken. She was a little sad her father was not home. Then, of course, Helene Beesly brought up the inevitable.

"How's that handsome man of yours?" She trilled casually into Pam's ear. Pam shuddered a moment.

"Oh er… he's.. not… I'm actually not at home right now, Mom." she said, losing her nerve.

Helene laughed. "Don't tell me he's got a hot date, now!"

"What! No!" Pam was vehement.

Silence on the line. "Okay, okay." Helene replied. "Are you okay? You sound a little funny."

Pam paused, her breath hitching. "I was just thinking, Mom. Maybe I would come out and visit you and Dad for a week."

More silence followed before Helene spoke again. "Pam? Are you okay?"

The kindness radiating from her Mom's far away voice touched Pam in a way she didn't expect. Emotion welled up through her.

"I just haven't seen you in a while." Pam said with a voice that wasn't quite steady.

"Is Roy there?"

Hesitating, Pam took several quiet breaths, attempting to keep herself calm.

"Pam?"

Pam started. "I'm here, Mom." Her voice cracked. "Roy and I are over."

Helene let out a surprised gasp. "Oh, honey, no? I'm so sorry."

"It's for the best." Pam said briefly, a rebellious tear slipping down her face. She hated disappointing her Mom, she hated the whole situation.

"Roy's such a great guy. What happened?" Helene was genuinely confused. Pam flinched.

She rubbed at her eyes wearily, exhausted. "Oh you know… things… I was thinking I could come visit you in a couple of weeks? I just figured...I'm kinda tired right now."

"Say the word and your Dad will meet you." Helene said. "Or… would you like me to come stay with you there first and come back with you?"

Pam shook her head to herself. "Oh, um… no.. it's kinda awkward. I'll let you know when I'm coming."

Helene sighed. "What aren't you telling me?"

Sniffing back tears, she closed her eyes. "Everything's okay, Mom." she said with a fair degree of guilt. She almost never lied to her Mom. But if she was seeing her soon she wasn't really lying, she thought. She wasn't going to have this conversation on the phone, where she knew her Mom would be frantic and feeling utterly helpless and she didn't want to leave things that that way, before she drove up there to visit.

"You said you and Roy-"

"It's over. I'll talk to you when I see you." She hoped her Mom would take her not so subtle hint.

Helene wasn't convinced, but reluctantly accepted her daughters refusal to talk. "Okay. As long as you're alright."

Pam felt warm tears running down her face, she couldn't hold back any longer.

"I gotta go, Mom." She said softly.

Helene's voice was kind and warm. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Thanks. I love you."

"Love you too, Pammy. So much."

The heartfelt words wrapped around Pam like a comfort blanket. One thing in her life she'd always been able to count on was her Mom and her unwavering love for her.

"See you soon, Mom."

"Sooner, please." Helene responded, then added. "It's a shame, really."

"What is?"

"Roy. He's such a great guy."

Pam squeezed her eyes shut, feeling a sharp pain stab her forehead.

"Yeah, Mom. Roy's a great guy." She said disingenuously.

-TO-

The phone call with her Mom had left her drained. As the call ended, she let the tears she had been holding back free. She was miserable. She was alone. She actually missed Jim and he'd only been gone a short while. She didn't want to go back to her own house. She'd never feel safe there. She'd knew she'd flinch at every corner, memories, terrible emotions would haunt her every breath. She was very grateful to Jim for letting her stay. He had truly been a harbor in her storm. She felt an incredible neediness inside of her, she didn't want to be alone, couldn't be alone. Suffice it to say, Jim's friendship meant a great deal to her, at that moment he was feeling like the most important person in her life, simply due to his being the one person who had given her some hope and had truly been there with wide open arms. Thoughts pummelled her as she climbed up the stairs and into the little bedroom. Dejectedly she eased down on to the bed and curled up in a ball, feeling heavy with exhaustion. She drifted off.

A short while later, she was lifted unwillingly out of her slumber to the harsh tones of the doorbell. Pam hesitated, unsure, then forcing herself up, she wandered downstairs sleepily to the kitchen window, which overlooked the front drive. Leaning forward she couldn't see anyone. She was beginning to think she had dreamed the bell when it rang again. She leaned forward again, trying to see the path to the door.

It didn't take her long to recognize the scratchy beard on the man's face, or the light brown jacket – after all she had bought that jacket herself as a gift. Before she had time to recoil, he was at the kitchen window.

Roy didn't look angry, or upset. He wore a kicked puppy expression, looking like he'd last slept a decade ago.

"Pam," she heard him say calmly through the window. "We need to talk."

Pam stood frozen for several moments, face to face with Roy. Then she abruptly turned her back and fetched Jim's phone from the living room.