"Stop whatever you are doing there, Jimbo, just stop. If that's some kind of work just let it go. We have real work to do. We are going on a major coup. Word is that Dunder Mifflin is going to be the suppliers for PP and S. So you me, Dwight, we're going on a road trip."

Jim leaned back casually. "Word?" he said suspiciously.

Michael beamed. "Oh yes. We're going to make a monster sale. Yes. We are going to kill it and set fire to the ashes. Only we won't because we're a paper company and we can't be the paper company who are also arsonists. That's not our slogan. Leave that to Corcoran."

"Hmmm." Jim mused. "Really. PP & S just decided they want to switch to Dunder Mifflin. No pitch, no deal? That's.. interesting."

Tapping the younger man on the shoulder, Michael turned to face reception. "Pam, Pam, my right hand Pam; take a memo. We are leaving today as salesmen and we will return as salesheroes. We are going to tear PP & S apart. Pun intended."

"Uh, okay." Pam said, humoring him.

Michael leaned over the desk to whisper confidentially to her. "Have you got the incentives?"

Pam nodded at him, stretching down and picking up two small silver gift bags. "Want them now?"

"I trust you told no one?" said Michael, reaching to take them from her.

Pam visibly struggled to maintain a straight face. "I was very vigilant. I don't know what anyone might conclude from me going into the bath-"

"Good work, Octopammy." Michael interrupted, spinning round on his heel. "Come, boys, let's go become men."

Pam couldn't help but laugh at the identical expressions that both Jim and Dwight had. Michael's eyes were bright, alert, his body agile and excited. Whatever his crazy plan was, he sure was fired up about it.

"Oh please," Michael said, catching sight of Jim's look of distaste. He rolled his eyes. "Take your mind out of the sewer, Jim."

Dwight immediately jumped to Michael's side, giving Jim a stern look. "That's right, Jim, this is a place of business!"

"We're taking our own cars, right?" Jim asked, lazily wheeling side to side on his chair.

"We are not. It's the journey, not the destination, Jim. Us three men, out on the open road-"

"For the half hour it takes to get there." Jim pointed out.

Michael pointedly ignored Jim. "Embracing the unexpected-"

"Gatecrashing a private office."

"-Broadening our horizons-"

"In unplanned sales calls."

"-Renewing our faith in the world, Jim. A la the Griswolds." Michael said, irritated. "On your feet."

Jim rolled back on his chair. "Oh, we're going now?" he said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Walking to the right of reception, he reached up for his jacket. "As long as we're clear on this, this is a really bad idea."

"Just get moving, Jim. Dwight, come on. No man left behind." Michael said, waving them forward.

"The Griswolds left the old lady behind." Jim pointed out, winking at Pam as he walked by.

"And the dog too." Pam added unhelpfully.

"Just shut up and get out!" Michael uttered hastily. "Bunch of morons." he grumbled to himself as he followed Dwight out the office door.

-TO-

"A toilet roll?" Dwight said, putting his head between the two front seats. Jim turned to look at him.

"What?"

"Incentives." Michael said, looking straight ahead. Jim prodded his own bag open and got a glimpse of white tissue paper before he set the bag down by his feet.

"Ah. Very practical. Important to establish a system if the worst happens." Dwight said approvingly.

Michael pulled out of the parking lot. "What? No." He said, looking at Dwight in the mirror. "The toilet rolls are to inspire you."

Jim groaned, not for the first time that day wishing he'd stayed home. He had his own sales call to make, one that really counted for his commission and yet, here he was. "Toilet paper?"

Michael nodded sharply. "Yes. Do you know why? It's representative. Because we are either on a roll or we're taking shit from an asshole. Which do you wanna be, Jim?"

Jim couldn't answer. "Oh come now." Michael said. "Every time you are about to do something stupid, I want you to look at that toilet paper, and remember we are here to take no crap from anyone. We are going to flush this one out of the park. We stand our ground and get the sale."

"Right. Especially since Corcoran already has a supplier-"

"For now, Jim." Michael interrupted.

"-that they are perfectly happy with-"

"They just don't know it yet." Michael added.

"-and have no plans to change." Jim finished.

"They just don't know how much they need us. Yet."

Jim sighed. "Just so we're agreed this is a really bad idea and I am not onboard with this at all?"

"Be a team player, Jim." Dwight added.

Jim shook his head and made a point of staring out the window at the moving cars. He'd had a great weekend, mostly spent with Pam, who was warming up to him much quicker than he expected. She had looked out for him while he was sick, he had found himself really touched by the care she put into looking after him. Things were on the right path and he knew it. He could be patient with her, he was happy to let things go at her pace. The way he saw it they had their whole lives to work on their relationship, to enjoy every moment and be there for each other. So it was hopeful thoughts of his future with Pam, the only woman he knew for certain he ever loved with all his heart and soul, that he drifted into; drowning out the foolishness beside him in the form of Dwight and Michael.

In his mind, he was back in his bedroom, a sleeping angel pressed up against him, trusting him. In his mind she was in the car with them, her sweet delicate fragrance drifting into him, reminding him he could deal with anything as long as he knew he would see her again at the end of the day.

-TO-

Pam was carefully carrying a steaming cup of cocoa back to reception when she spotted the lady struggling into the office. It was a warm day out and this woman looked absolutely shrivelled, dehydrated even. To Pam's growing consternation, she could see her face reddening as the woman leaned against the wall for balance. Quickly dropping her cocoa onto Jim's desk as she hurried by, she approached the lady, who was quietly drawing in deep, controlled breaths and sweating profusely.

"Hi," Pam said, somewhat nervously. "Erm are you okay? Would you like to sit down a moment?" Pam motioned to the grey chairs reserved for visitors. The woman nodded gratefully and allowed Pam to take her arm kindly to lead her to one of the chairs.

"Would you like some water?" Pam asked once she was seated. The woman nodded again. In quick fashion Pam was back with a cup of cold water, handing it to the trembling hands of the lady in front of her.

"Thank you." The woman breathed. Pam could see relief flood across the red face and felt herself relax a little.

"Do you feel sick, or dizzy?" Pam said, looking at her with concern. She sat herself down next to the woman. "Should I call somebody for you? Do you need medication?"

The woman lifted her head. Pam instantly noticed the pretty hazel eyes she had – sort of a sea green hue – an almost perfect mix of blue-green. She thought they were the prettiest eyes she had even seen before. She felt mesmerized by them. The woman was taking small sips from the cup, her color slowly fading back to what passed for normal. She looked at Pam curiously, dropping the hand with the cup to her lap.

"Oh." Pam stuttered, realizing that she'd been staring. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you. Can I do anything for you?"

The woman appeared touched by her kindness and managed to draw a smile. Now that her color was fleshing out again, Pam could see she was younger than she had initially thought at first glance and really quite attractive.

"Bathrooms are over there if you feel sick." Pam said helpfully.

Shaking her head carefully, the woman smiled again. "Oh no, dear, don't you worry about me. I'm feeling much better now, thank you very much. I'm afraid I didn't realize it was going to be so hot out today and I've travelled a bit of a distance this morning."

Pam smiled in return, immediately liking her. The woman had a charming, light way of speaking, her voice soft and appealing. "Please, just take your time. Ask me for anything you need, okay?"

"You're very kind." The lady said genuinely.

"How are you feeling?" Pam asked, eyeing the woman worriedly. Despite the overheated color fading from her red cheeks, she was still drawing in slow deep breaths – Pam certainly didn't want to have to leave her while she called for first aid.

"Much better now I've had the time to sit and cool down." she replied.

"Are you sure?" Pam pressed. "I can get you some more water or…." she trailed off.

"Please don't put yourself out. I really am feeling much stronger now. Happens all the time. My fault for wandering around in this sun like I did."

Pam nodded sympathetically.

"Who have you come to see?" she asked, racking her brain. She couldn't remember that Michael had any appointments that morning. It was possible Toby might be interviewing someone for Ryan's job, she supposed. "Michael, our manager, is out of the office at the moment but you can wait here or reschedule if you want?"

The woman shook her head, tiny beads of sweat dripping off her face. "No, thank you. I came to see my son actually. He's a salesman."

"What's his name?" Pam said, grateful to have something she could do for the woman. "I'll go find him for you."

The woman coughed into her hand, her face flushing again. Pam waited while she sipped some more water and got herself under control.

"Jim." she replied, her voice husky. Delicately the woman cleared her throat. "His name is Jim."

Pam hesitated, reeling back in surprise. "Jim Halpert?" she asked, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Jim hadn't mentioned his mother coming to visit him. Maybe he wouldn't want her and Pam to meet this way, without him there to introduce them properly. Surely he wouldn't have gone on a sales call knowing she was coming?

Another thought struck her, filled her with a little horror. Suppose Jim did know she was coming, suppose he did want them to meet?

Wait, she told herself. They'd only been dating a very short time. Jim wouldn't be so presumptuous as to think he could do something so momentous as introducing her to his mother so early on.

"Yes. Jim Halpert. My son." the woman told her proudly. "I'm Betsy, his mother, of course."

Pam's own face burned as she face her partners mother. "Oh, I'm really sorry, he's out on a sales call with Michael, our boss, they are trying to make a big client and I'm really not sure when they'll be back." Pam said, knowing she was rambling.

"I could try to reach him, if that would help?" Pam said, taking in the woman beside her. Now she felt a fool for not seeing it straight away, the hairline, the same dark shade of hair, the same wide shape of the mouth. The calm, gentle manner Betsy displayed – it was so characteristically Jim that she kicked herself.

"Oh, no, let's not disturb him while he's working." Betsy said. "My fault for not telling him I was coming. I wanted to surprise him. He's been sick recently and I knew he'd tell me not to fuss if I said I wanted to come visit."

Pam smiled. "Well, that's his desk right there." she pointed.

Betsy closed her eyes, giving a small amused shake of her head. "Messy as always."

Pam laughed a little, feeling herself more at ease with the woman. "Yeah." she agreed. Betsy turned to her, placing the cup on the seat beside her.

"I'm just wondering…" she said. "Are you Pam, by any chance?"

She didn't think it was possible for her face to burn with heat any more than it was already. She met the woman's kind eyes and nodded slowly. "Yes… yes I am."

"It's a real pleasure to meet you." Betsy said happily.

Pam felt her face crack into a wide smile in response.

-TO-

It was an hour or so later when the three men came grouching back into the office, grumbling at each other. Pam had moved back to reception, leaving Betsy with a whole mess of magazines, fresh coffee she had made in the kitchen and directions for the coffee house down the street if she didn't feel like waiting in the office.

Jim came in second, behind Michael. Spotting Pam he drew a quick line across his neck with his finger, rolling his eyes in silent communication. Pam got the message and wisely chose to keep quiet as Michael went past. It was then that Jim spotted his mother sitting on the couch wondering if her son was going to walk right past her obliviously.

A spark of warmth filled up in Pam as she watched Jim happily welcome his mother. Something about how pleased he was to see her touched Pam in a way she couldn't have expected. His happiness was important to her, his happiness, his joy became hers. She smiled widely, quietly watching the scene between them.

Betsy went on to tell her son how she'd felt sick coming up the stairs in to the office. Too much sun, she repeated.

"That lovely young woman there was very kind to me. A real nice girl." his mom said, her eyes twinkling. Jim, for his part, looked shocked firstly, then his face broke into a happy smile. Pam, hearing everything from her desk, flushed again and turned away, shuffling some papers in attempt to look busy.

"Pam." Michael whined, sticking his head out of his office door. She turned, eyebrows raised. "If corporate call, if Wallace calls.. tell them I'm dead, okay?"

"Uh...okay." Pam said. "And what did you die of?"

"Being fragged by my subordinates." Michael muttered.

"What?" Pam said, confused.

"Nothing. Just get in here." Michael said, ushering her to come into his office. Pam flicked on the answer machine and made her way over, giving Jim a knowing shrug and a half smile as she passed.

"So." Betsy said meaningfully. "That's Pam."

"Err, yes, yeah that was Pam." he replied. A goofy smile flushed over his face. Betsy studied him knowingly.

"Have you both finally got yourselves together?" she said bluntly, going straight to the point as always.

Jim flushed a little. "Mom. Really."

"I know you, my son. I know that girl means the world to you."

"Um, yeah – actually okay, yes we are together." he admitted. "I would have preferred this moment to have gone differently but, I guess now you know."

"It was meant to happen." Betsy said softly, mirroring her son's look of joy.

Jim shook his head, laughing and slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, mom, I'll take you out for an early lunch."

"Shouldn't we wait for Pam?" Betsy pointed out.

"She has an appointment she's using her lunch break for." Jim said, knowing Pam had another counselling session that afternoon. "But we can bring her something back."

"Okay." Betsy said agreeably, walking towards the door with her son.

Picking up her purse off the couch, she sauntered through the door Jim held open, clearly much recovered from her earlier sickness.

"And Jim," Betsy said as they stepped outside. "I like her. I like her a lot."

Jim wore a huge smile all through their lunch, returning to the office feeling happy and confident.