AN: So I was totally joking about the 20 reviews! But I love it anyway. Well, since everyone has been so cool about reviewing, I decided to write again and get another chapter up today. Thank you so much for reviewing!



Normally Pam hated airports. They always smelled slightly off, the lines were huge and everything about it was just so horribly bland. You essentially had to fight your way through check-in (Michael, since he knew what was going to happen and had come prepared, had managed to pack three full suitcases). But somehow, being with Jim made it not so bad. When he noticed her stretching her tense neck muscles, he lifted her duffle bag from her shoulder and rested it on his own without saying a word.



Pam smiled up at him gratefully, slightly flustered. “Thanks.”



“No problem. Just know that I expect you to carry all of my luggage for the rest of the trip.”



Security was even worse than the check-in. The camera crew had decided that they couldn’t miss whatever kinds of office escapades that might occur in Florida, and they had paid for their own last-minute tickets. Pam didn’t mind the camera crew; she was pretty good friends with some of the camera guys. But it took forever to get the equipment through security. The officers had made everyone take off their shoes, and Pam had unfortunately caught a glimpse of Creed’s infamous, four-toed foot. She was pretty sure that she could have died happy at never seeing that. However, both Jim and Pam agreed that when security confiscated Dwight’s spud gun, it totally made up for it.



“Hey,” Pam’s eyebrows furrowed “Did Dwight know about Florida?”



“Nope.” Jim replied. “Michael actually managed to keep this a secret.”



“So…that means that Dwight just brought the spud gun to work today. For no reason.”



Jim was silent. Finally, he just started to laugh. “Yes.” he said. “Yes he did, Pam.”



Once they had made it to their gate though, Pam really began to have fun. Jim taught her the game “Hot Potato”, and soon Pam was giggling uncontrollably. Kevin whipped a pack of cards out of nowhere, and soon several of the office mates and a few of the camera guys were involved in a high-stakes game of poker. So far, the pot consisted of Meredith’s hairbrush, one of Phyllis’ half-used lipsticks, a pack of gum and a handful of change. But as soon as Dwight threw in one of his socks, everyone folded.



“Hey, you wanna run get some magazines before the flight or something?” Jim asked, getting to his feet. Pam nodded, and offered her hands to Jim so he could pull her up. He grasped both of her hands in his and pulled, but a little too enthusiastically. Pam was drawn up and directly into Jim, their faces mere inches apart, her body suddenly flush against his. She suddenly found it very hard to breath.



Jim decided that he never wanted to move again. He just wanted to stand there forever, looking right into her eyes. He suddenly realized that she could probably feel his heart pounding inside his ribcage, thrilled beyond belief at this rare contact.



“Hey Jim!” a voice broke the two out of their reverie, and they shot apart, each coughing or adjusting their outfit. It turns out the voice was Michael, who had not looked up from cell phone and remained totally unaware of the awkwardness that now hung heavily in the air. “When you go to the magazine cart, do you think you could grab me some Big Red and a Maxim?”



Jim rebounded quickly, refusing to show the others how much moments like that meant to him. He would dwell on it later. “Um…” Jim pretended to consider Michael’s request. “No, Michael. You’re a big boy, get your own Maxim.”



Michael groaned. “God!” he said. “I get everyone a free trip to Florida, and no one is even grateful!”



“Wasn’t it Corporate that did that?” Jim asked, mock confused. He chuckled to himself as Michael slouched down in his chair, crossed his arms and proceeded to sulk.



“I’ll get it for you Michael!” Dwight yelled before rushing off to the magazine cart. Pam giggled, and she and Jim followed at a more leisurely pace.



xxxx



As it got closer and closer to time to board the plane, Pam noticed that Jim was becoming more and more agitated. By the time they had gotten in line to have their boarding passes checked, he was nearly jumping out of his skin, constantly fidgeting with his cuffs and picking at his fingernails.



“Hey,” Pam whispered “are you okay?”



“Yeah, yeah, I’m totally fine. Awesome.” Jim said hastily, his eyes glued to the planes that were taking off outside.



Something suddenly occurred to Pam. “Jim? Are you afraid of flying?” she asked.



Jim sighed. “Don’t say anything, okay? It’s really stupid.” he winced, expecting her to laugh at him.



Under regular circumstances, Pam might have teased him a little bit, but she could see right now that he was legitimately scared. “It’s not stupid!” she reassured him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. Her heart broke a little bit when she felt him trembling slightly. “Want to hear something stupid?”



Jim nodded desperately, crossing his arms over his chest. Anything to take his mind off of boarding that plane. The line was getting shorter, and he could feel himself start to sweat.



“Well,” Pam’s voice turned into a whisper. “I used to be afraid of…dolphins.”



Jim couldn’t help but laugh outright.



“It’s not funny!” Pam protested, but she laughed along with him anyway. “Everyone sees a dolphin and thinks ‘oh, how nice!’! But I just don’t trust their beady little eyes. And why are they smiling all the time anyway?! Oh God, don‘t even get me started on that creepy little noise they make!” Pam shivered.



“It sounds to me like you still have yet to overcome this fear.” Jim said, still chuckling, and he felt himself relax a bit. He was still a far cry from okay, but he was no longer about to run away. They were next in line to get on the plane.



Pam slipped her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. She felt a pleasant tingle deep in her stomach at how well their hands fit together, her thumb caressing the smooth skin on the back of his hand. “Deep breaths.” she whispered, before handing the smiling flight attendant her boarding pass.



If anything, her touch made his heart speed up instead of calming it down. But his breaths evened and steeling his nerves, he handed the flight attendant his boarding pass before following Pam onto the plane. He realized then that he would probably follow her anywhere.



xxxx



Jim was hit with a blast of cold air as he entered the plane, and he could feel his arms spike with goose bumps. It smelled, and the pilot looked more like Ken the doll with his plastered-on smile, instead of like a man who could land a 747. He didn’t realize that his hold on Pam’s hand had become a death grip, his fingers locking tightly around hers, but she didn’t say anything. She smiled at him reassuringly. “I don’t know why they always make it so damn cold.” she said, making a face. Jim managed a smile that was more of a grimace.



They found their seats in a row for three. Kevin had already claimed the window seat, looking out of the window onto the tarmac gleefully. “Do you want the middle or the aisle?” Pam asked softly.



“Aisle, if you don’t mind.” Jim said shortly. Deep breaths deep breaths deep breaths, Jim kept telling himself. Nodding, Pam threw her bag in the overhead bin and scooted in next to Kevin, who didn’t so much as glance at her. Jim sat and immediately buckled his seatbelt, looking around him nervously at each noise the plane made. He had let go of Pam’s hand in order to get settled, but he quickly found it again. He didn’t care what anyone thought at this point, he needed her touch to keep him grounded right now. He flinched as he heard something whir deep in the belly of the plane.



“Hey,” Jim could feel Pam’s breath hot on his ear. “Do you have your iPod?”



Jim nodded slightly. “It’s in my bag.” he said, turning to look at her. Just looking at her calmed him down.

“Do you want to listen it so you don’t have to listen to all that technical stuff?” Pam asked. He was surprised that she had noticed how much the noises bothered him. He nodded again, and she smiled. She felt around on the floor until she found Jim’s messenger bag and lifted it into her lap. Discovering the iPod, she slipped the bag back onto the floor, handing Jim one earbud and keeping the other for herself.




“Let’s see…” she muttered to herself, scrolling through his music. She loved his taste in music. Everything from Johnny Cash, to Modest Mouse. Her eyes lit up when she found Neutral Milk Hotel, and she carefully selected her favorite song. As the music flowed through the wires that connected them, Jim sighed, letting himself fall into the song:



What a beautiful face I have found in this place


That is circling all round the sun,


What a beautiful dream that could flash


on the screen in a blink of an eye


and be gone from me soft and sweet


Let me hold it close and keep it here with me.



Pam felt her eyelids grow heavy, and she was vaguely aware of her head drooping to rest upon Jim’s solid shoulder. Already half-asleep, she nestled against him, trying to get comfortable in the confining airplane seat.



Jim let his eyes close as well, focusing on the music and not the feeling of his stomach dropping as the plane took off. He rested his head gently on top of hers, the smell of strawberries overwhelming the stale smell of the plane. He smiled, letting himself drift off to sleep, knowing he would wake up in Florida with her.



AN: It’s funny isn’t it, how Jim Halpert’s taste in music is identical to mine? Coincidence I guess. Anyway, the song is In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk hotel, an amazing band. I also have included the rules of Hot Potato, for those of you who are unfamiliar.



Rules of Hot Potato: Okay, so Person #1 holds both of their hands out in front of them, palms facing upward. Then, Person #2 places their hands facing down on top of Person #1’s hands. Then, Person #1 had to try and slap the back of Person #2’s hands before Person #2 can pull their hands away. Once Person #1 gets Person #2, their roles switch. Got it? Good.