Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Jim was having a dream.
He was on the roof with Pam and there were fireworks but he didn't see Dwight anywhere below them. No, these were big Fourth of July fireworks. Loud and crashing overhead with sparks trailing down and Jim could see the spent ash drifting down all around them. They were sitting at a huge table set with candlesticks and laden with food. How it all got there, Jim hadn't the foggiest idea. But Pam was taking little bites and smiling at him and she kept saying how nobody had made her dinner in years and years. Jim opened his mouth to tell her that he hadn't made the dinner but it was too late because she was right in front of him and she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered "Thank you, sweetie. That was so thoughtful of you." and then she was kissing him when the scene changed.
He was playing basketball and dribbling down the court. He faked Roy damn near out of his sneakers and went in for a layup. As he ran up the court, Pam was smiling at him, mouthing the words "I love you" and blowing him a kiss. He looked back to see Roy's reaction but he was still picking himself up at the top of the key where Jim had blown by him. As time ran out on the clock he glanced over to see her charging across the floor and she jumped into his arms. He twirled her around a bit, laughing with her and she said, "I love your moves, Halpert." He wanted to tell her that he had some moves for her later on at home but she had faded out of sight and he was....
....on the deck of a ship. It was cold and quiet. He felt her approaching from behind him and he forced himself to stop from turning to face her. She pressed herself against his back and slipped her arms around him as he leaned into her. "Michael is giving his motivational speech so we have time before anyone wonders where we are. I'm cold - do you wanna warm me up?" Jim turned around with a smile and asked her what she had in mind. "C'mon, Halpert. I know you can think of something to make me hot," and he pulled into a scorching kiss. But then she was gone and he walked around to the bow of the boat to search for her. Michael was there instead and all he seemed to be able to say was "Never, ever, ever, ever give up, Jim!"
Then he was in the Dunder Mifflin offices. Jim couldn't quite make out what the... oh, the Christmas tree! It was the Christmas party. Dwight was holding Pam's teapot and Jim kept trying to take it back but his hands didn't seem to be able to grasp anything and Dwight couldn't hear his voice. Pam was dancing around with her iPod saying, "Where do you put the tea in this thing?" Jim was trying to talk but nothing was coming out when suddenly she was sitting at her desk again and she opened the teapot and was taking out the surprises within. When she held up the envelope with his card inside, Jim had his voice again. "Christmas is the time to tell people how you feel," he said softly. "Open it up Pam!" And she pulled out the card and started reading but after only seconds she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She came around from behind her desk and into his arms sobbing, "I love you too, Jim." And he pulled her close and felt a wave of relief wash over him.
But Pam was gone again. It was dark out and he saw bright lights coming towards him. A pickup truck pulled up next to him and Roy said, "Hey, Halpert! Keep an eye on her, okay?" "I'm in love with her you know, Roy," Jim heard his dream self blurt out. "Sweet!" and Roy pulled away. This was so familiar but Jim was confused - that wasn't how that conversation went, was it? No, that was definitely odd. And where was Pam? Hadn't she been there? He looked around but there was no sign of her. Then she was there in that blue dress - Jim smiled thinking about the blue dress - and when he said "I'm in love with you." Pam said, "I can't." And he apologized and walked away, numb and crying. He wanted to yell to dream Jim and tell him to go back and fight for her. Make her see that she loved him too but he couldn't seem to bring the volume of his voice above a whisper. Then he heard Pam talking again. He was walking into the office and she was at his desk, on the phone, and he heard her say, "Yeah, I think I am." He thought there was a little smile in her voice and when he came around the corner he walked straight towards her and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Kissed her like it was the last chance he would ever have to kiss her. And then amazingly, she was kissing him back and it was everything he ever wanted it to be. He could feel the want and need in her and he loved her always, always. But then she pulled away and she cried, "I can't, Jim. You know I can't!" And she ran away from him.
There were bright lights again. Was Roy coming back? No - it was definitely a car and not a truck. And what was that noise? Then Jim felt something wet in his eyes but it was okay because he felt himself start to wake up. And he thought he heard....Pam? Was it really Pam? Was she there in his bedroom? Did she come in while he slept? It was so hard for him to wake up. He must've been hung over because he was really out of it. But he made a concerted effort and then he felt his eyes flutter open and sure enough, there was Pam! He smiled at her and said, "Hey!" but just like in his dream his voice didn't seem to work.
Pam was staring at him like he was a ghost. Did she look - thinner? Or really tired? Something wasn't quite right about her. But she seemed real enough - he could see every detail of her face. Why didn't she say something to him? He tried to lift his arm to touch her and prove to himself that she was really there and suddenly she grabbed his hand and then he heard her speak - she sounded frightened. Why? Damn, he still felt like he had cotton in his mouth. He wanted to say something so badly and then he heard her. "Jim? Are you really...if you can hear me squeeze my hand!" And he smiled and squeezed it. There, that wasn't so hard! Why is she being all weird? Pam started sobbing and she reached past him to grab something lying on the bed. She was pressing something and talking to someone else and he heard her shouting, "Come quick! He's awake! I think he's really awake!"
The Waiting by Par5
