Disclosure: These characters belong entirely and completely to somebody else.

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She couldn't sleep. So many things were running through her mind. So much had changed. She tossed and turned for a good hour before she finally gave up. 

She shuffled her feet in the dark trying to land them in her slippers. When she found them she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She did what she had always done when sleep eluded her, ever since she started living alone again for the first time in 9 years. She put the tea kettle on and rifled through the cupboards searching for the chamomile. 

As she waited for the water to come to a boil, she paced back and forth. Not nervous, just a little unsettled. Thinking about all the events of the last 6 months. Her life had changed in so many ways.

Some of the changes were scary but she had spent too much time being scared of change and frozen in place by inertia when she could have acted. Some of the changes brought so much freedom and joy to her life. She was painting up a storm these days.

Even with the same job, with him back, it was like a new career. Being free to be with him was like having a whole new life. She thought back to the day he came back into her life. The new people came through the door one by one and then, suddenly, he was there. She couldn't hold it in for another minute. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Only for a second, then feeling shy, she pulled back, so used to not being able to touch him or show her feelings for him. Then she met Karen. 

At first she shook her hand, just thinking she was meeting a new co-worker. But she knew immediately when she saw Karen sneaking glances at Jim from her desk. Oh, she had certainly been in her shoes before. 

Before she had too much time to think about it, she noticed she had a new email. 

"We need to celebrate this merger", it said. "Meet me on the roof at noon." 

She glanced up and met his eyes. The slow burn started. He raised his eyebrow slightly. She swallowed hard and nodded slowly. 

The minutes dragged by. At quarter to twelve, she slipped into the ladies room to straighten her hair. Her cheeks were flushed and her head was buzzing.

When Karen walked in, Pam jumped. "Oh! You scared me!" 

"Sorry." Karen shrugged. "Hey, can I ask you something?" 

"What?" Pam's curiosity was piqued by Karen's tone. She sounded a little shy and scared. 

"About Jim..." 

Pam gulped. Oh god, she was right. There was more there. 

"Did he... I mean... was he seeing anybody before he left for Stamford? Because I just can't get a read on him. He's been friendly but there's, I don't know, like a wall around him sometimes." 

Pam shook her head. He's been friendly. That didn't sound like he'd returned Karen's attention, but she still wasn't sure.

“I don’t know,” she said. “We didn’t really hang out much besides at work.”

All she wanted to do was get out of there. The only place she wanted to be was on the roof. With him.

“Oh. Well, I just thought maybe you’d know. The receptionist always seems to know all the gossip in the office.”

“Nope!” she replied brightly, edging towards the door. “I actually have to meet a friend for lunch. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Cool!” Karen replied. But Pam was already gone.

He wasn’t there. She walked to the edge to look down at his car to make sure he hadn’t left or changed his mind. Then she heard him coming across the roof. She felt him somehow – she didn’t know whether it was the vibration of his footsteps but she swore she felt the air move.

She turned slowly and he was already right there. She looked into his eyes for the answer to a question that never made it to her lips and then waited only seconds before her arms were around his neck and her lips were seeking his.

He finally pulled back to look into her eyes. She saw a mix of emotions there but mostly she saw that she had correctly guessed his answer to her question.

“I didn’t know what would happen today, but I’m glad it turned out this way,” she murmured.

“Was there ever any doubt?” he whispered.

She laughed. “Well, for a minute there, I saw Karen looking at you and I got a little worried…”

He silenced her with a kiss. “Yeah. Karen's great - but she's just not you..." 

“Jim?” 

“Yes?” 

“Just shut up and kiss me.” 

“Will do.”  

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She heard footsteps on the stairs as she stirred her tea. A smile crept over her face as she felt him moving towards her. Then she felt his arms wrap around her and she leaned back against him. 

“What’s the matter. Couldn’t sleep?” 

She turned around, smiling. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten!” 

“Forgotten what?” 

“Our anniversary! As of today, we’ve been married for a whole six months!” 

“Wow! Beesly, are you one of those high maintenance gals? Do I have to run out to the jewelry store and buy you a pretty shiny thing?” 

She kissed him lightly on the lips and smiled. "How many times do I have to tell you, it's Halpert?" 

He grinned back and ran his thumb lightly over the platinum band on her finger as he replied softly, "You'll always be Beesly to me."