Karen froze at the door to the break room. Neither of them saw her, and she pulled back just a little (ashamed of doing so) so that they wouldn't.

Jim had been noticeably distant toward Pam all week, but that had apparently changed. Their bodies were both leaning slightly toward each other in a comfortable, almost intimate posture. Jim was looking down at Pam in unmasked shock, like a child who has been granted his wish for a pony or a spaceship. Pam, on the other hand, was smiling that soft, deep smile that comes from knowing you've made someone you love very happy.

Karen closed her eyes so she wouldn't see that smile and merely listened.

"Really?" Jim's voice echoed his facial expression- total surprise coupled with an extreme desire to believe.

"Yes, really."

"I can't- are you sure, Pam?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"When? I mean, for how long?"

Pam's reply was quiet and Karen had to strain to listen. "I'm not sure exactly. I mean, I suspected back when...well, you remember. But it was complicated and I didn't think it was right to say anything. And then I wasn't sure, but by the time I was sure you were gone and I didn't think you'd care even if I did tell you. And when you came back things were so different..." Pam's voice trailed off and there was silence. Karen opened her eyes and peeked around the corner.

Jim's face had broken into a smile Karen had never seen. Pure joy shone from his eyes and his teeth and the tiny creases where his smile pushed against his cheeks. Pam, too, was smiling widely. Karen felt like being sick.

"This may be the best present anyone's ever given me, Pam." Laughter spilled out between Jim's words.

"Consider it a belated Valentine, then," Pam replied softly.

Karen crept back to her desk. She watched as Jim moved swiftly out of the break room and sat down, picking up the phone in one motion. He had mentioned several conference calls this morning, so she assumed that's what had ended the scene she'd witnessed. She forgot to even pretend to be working as she watched him. He spoke smoothly and professionally to his client, but kept turning his eyes toward the reception desk and grinning at a chuckling Pam. Eventually, he turned his gaze to his computer.

*ding*

Karen's Instant Message alert rang, and she saw the message from Jim. when i'm off this call, can u take a break? i need to tell u something.

Anger blazed through Karen. He was going to break up with her for Pam in the break room? After all she'd put up with, all she'd tried to do to make this work, this was how it was going to end? No. No. No.

Karen watched with satisfaction as Jim's face registered the content of her reply while he struggled to continue his conversation with the customer. She met his questioning eyes briefly, then started swiftly packing the few personal items she had on her desk. She felt his eyes on her as she stalked over to Toby's desk, to announce that she was resigning, effective immediately.

Jim had ended the call when she came back to grab her purse and coat. "Karen, what's going on? Where are you going?" He followed her to the elevator, past an obviously-interested Pam.

"I'm going home. To Connecticut. My cousin will give me a job at his design firm or I'll go back to school or I'll stay with my mother. At least I will know where I stand. I hope you and Pam are very happy together, Jim Halpert." The elevator door opened and Karen stepped inside, leaving Jim staring blankly at her. She didn't let the tears come until she'd reached the ground floor.

Jim never did get a chance to tell her that he'd just learned that Dwight and Angela were an item.