"Jim?"

He turned to look over his shoulder at the call of his name, and gave a lopsided smile. "Katy?"

She was a bit tired, his long legs had carried him farther down the aisle than expected, and now she had exhausted herself trying to keep up. She gripped her basket tighter at the sight of his face. She always loved that smile. A few years ago, seeing him would have made her want to punch him, but oddly, here she was, mesmerized by him, wondering if they could reconnect in some way. Deep down, despite his 'assholiness' to her, she had really liked Jim.

"Oh my god, this is-how are you?" She looked up at him, remembering vaguely when she used to wrap her arms around his neck and run her fingers through his frazzled hair. It seemed so long ago.

He just nodded his head, turning fully to her now. She could see his face had thinned out a bit, and she actually liked the haircut. All she could do was stare straight into his bouncing green eyes. "Oh, I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm...well you know... I left to go to Philadelphia. Some modeling agency wanted to sign me-"

"Wow, that's great," he smiled wider.

She nodded and continued, "I stayed with my sister for awhile, got to go to a few Eagles games..." she trailed off and looked down at her feet. She had no desire to talk about three years of hell she went through living in Philly in her sister's little apartment, barely getting any modeling shots. Where she was just considered another pretty face but still, according to them, "average".

"Sounds like you did well for yourself," Jim replied, and she could tell he sensed her discomfort.

He always was pretty good at that, the sensitivity stuff. Well...at least she thought so up until the night he just up and broke up with her with little explanation or discussion. She still had no idea what was with him. His best friend had just gotten engaged, and he acted like the world ended.

She had no idea why. She wondered how that girl and her fiancee' Roy were doing. She'd be sure to ask him. They must be married by now. Maybe that's why the air felt like tension. They never really talked about what set him off that night, she never saw him much after. Maybe she had been too clingy, maybe she had been too obvious. Guys like it when you act aloof. Before, she was too into him, too willing to be whatever he wanted. Men liked it when you play hard to get. And even if Jim was a good guy, evidently he was still a man. Maybe that receptionist told him that Katy had said she wished she was engaged and that scared him a bit. Part of her had hoped she could have talked to him before she left. Surely Jim Halpert would have talked her out of moving to Philly.

"Just trying to, you know...it was good. God, Jim Halpert. It's funny running into you here." She chastised herself immediately.

She sounded so stupid. She was never really a brainiac but right now she sounded like a ditz acting like it's a surprise to see Jim shop. Of course he shopped. He also washed and folded his own laundry, did the dishes, and vaccuumed his apartment...from what she remembered. Her memories were assaulted by the smell of his fabric softener on his sheets on those very rare occasions when he would call her to come over to his place. When she thought she had really found a decent guy and would get all giggly when he would let her cuddle.

"Yeah, I figured, if I wanted to eat, I might need some food to help me with that process."

She laughed, because Jim could always make her laugh. He was such an honest good guy, even if it seemed like his mind was a million miles away when they were together. She took it as part of his slacker charm, his hesitancy to commit or let her meet his family or friends. But he looked past all that now. The Jim she saw now seemed more grounded. She would ask him out to dinner tonight, she would ask him did he want to meet for drinks. Because she was a new Katy, more confident, more secure, more mature. Part of her knew she could get any guy she wanted, so it baffled her when Jim walked away from that.

He was an enigma to her, and she wanted to figure out how to make him fall for her this time. Why not? He looked damn good still, and they were hitting thirty soon. She could get over the fact he sold paper at an office full of insane people. Or that his roomate Mark could be a douche sometimes when he saw her leaving early in the morning. And she was sure Jim had matured in some ways too, given the haircut and the weight loss. The New Katy and the New Jim. Maybe they could work. She would ask him why he dumped her that way, and maybe...just maybe she's get to inhale that scent of fabric softener again.

"I like the hair," she said in a flirty voice, smiling and swaying in a shy like way. She would ask him out, and then go to Victoria Secret's to buy some...reconnection outfits.

Jim gave a throaty laugh. "Yeah, I got it for an interview a few years back and it just stuck."

"Hey, this may sound weird, but I mean, I think running into you is just...you know," she tried not to notice Jim cock his head with an odd look. "Do you want to go to Poor Richard's and-"

"Oh, um, see..." Jim said suddenly and before Katy could respond to his hesitation, a whimper came from behind him.

Katy frowned and watched as Jim spun around back to his cart, and the flash of a plaid covered carrier seat caught her eye. "What-?"

"Alright buddy, we talked about this in the car, no crying. Obviously you weren't listening to me. And I don't want to hear that 'I dont understand English' excuse anymore either. Oh what's with the face? Fine, come here..." she heard him say.

Before it could register to her, Jim turned back around, cradling a baby in his arms.

"Sorry, he gets fussy when he spits out his pacifier."

Katy tilted her head, and her eyes roamed from the baby back up to Jim. She blinked her eyes in rapid succession. "Uh...wow...is he...yours?"

Jim nodded, not looking at her at all as he made faces at the baby. "Yeah. This here, is Jonathan. He's 5 months old. And very gassy today. Hence his attitude problem."

Katy looked down at the whining baby squirming in Jim's arms, and watched Jim coerce a pacifer back in his mouth. Jonathan sucked at it and  then spit it out again, fussing more. He tried again but the baby spit it out and poked out a lip, causing Jim to give a throaty snort. " You sure you don't want it? Positive? What's with the pout, huh? You didn't get that from my side of the family."

She watched the man she was about to reconnect with, as he placed a baby that came from nowhere, on his shoulder and pat his back until the baby calmed himself. All her thoughts of Victoria Secrets flew out of her head.

When Jonathan was quiet, Jim rolled his eyes mockingly and smiled. "So overdramatic."

Katy couldn't speak. Jim Halpert, the man who she wanted to re-connect with, had a baby. What did she do to deserve this?

"Wow...Jim, you're a dad."

Jonathan was eating the side of his face now from his position on Jim's shoulder, and Jim was clearing enjoying it. "Yep. Scary isn't it?"

She frowned at the big wet spot on his jaw. And that's when she noticed the big gold band sitting on his finger. He was married. With a kid. She felt devastated. And stupid. A few moments ago, she attributed to their meeting at the Super Walmart as fate, a destiny that could bring them back together. But it was neither of those things. She had simply run into an ex boyfriend, and his new life.

Her face must have flushed of color but she had her foundation to make it look better. She'd run to the bathroom or her car and reapply after she was able to make her legs move from this spot.

"He's....beautiful." She said almost quietly as she tried to muster the strength to piece her heart back together. "I mean...wow, Jim. Married and a baby. Wow. That's really, something. Yep..."

"I know, it's surreal to me too."

"I feel so...stupid. I was going to ask-"

"It's okay, I mean, I can't but-" he cut her off but she kept talking.

"Oh I know, totally-" Katy said solemnly.

"Yeah," he said flatly. She could tell he felt awkward.

Just then, Katy looked up to see another familiar face, the one of the receptionist girl. And for a moment she wondered if the whole office was coincidently shopping in Walmart. She surely hoped she didn't run into Michael. Her hair was back in a curl pony tail, she had a faded Shins tshirt on that looked oddly familiar, and a pair of jeans.

"Katy?"

Katy smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. What was her name? Patty? No, Pam.

"Hey!"

Pam walked up beside Jim and smiled. "Wow, it's so good to see you! You look great!"

"Thanks you do too! And look at Jim, all thin..." Katy's eyes went from Pam to Jim and back to Pam. Something was, different.

He chuckled and turned his face to the baby who then tried to eat his nose. And the look of adoration and love spread across his face and Katy suddenly felt like a trapped animal wanting to tuck her tail and escape. He hadn't even looked at her in surprise, like, he knew Pam was in Walmart...no, like he came with Pam to Walmart. Well they were good friends before, maybe she was here to help him watch the baby.

Pam turned to Jim and reached out for Jonathan. "Is he wet?"

"Naw, but he's making sure I have slobber all over my face." Jim replied, cooing at him as he handed him to Pam. "It's like Slimer off the Ghostbusters."

Katy watched the scene as Pam took the baby and kissed his cheeks, the baby gurgling to her.

Katy cleared her throat. Something was clicking. "Um, he's adorable. He looks like Jim. Green eyes and everything."

Pam smiled genuinely at Katy. "He had his moodswings too. And he's developed Jim's need for a midday nap."

"Wait, are you guys-?" Katy bobbed her head up and down, processing...processing...

Jim and Pam looked up at her and then to each other before Pam spoke up. "Oh yeah, um...we've been married a year and a half. Jonathan came right away."

"We don't like to waste time..." Jim said, chuckling nervously and scratching the back of his head.

"Oh!" Katy replied and let out a fake hearty laugh. The nerve to punch Jim came flooding back, even though he did nothing wrong. "Wow. You guys!!"

"Yeah," Pam said, glancing over at Jim.

Part of Katy wanted to sting her, like Pam had just yanked all of Katy's hopes and stepped on them. "I thought you were engaged that Roy football player guy."

"Um," Pam replied, as she turned to place Jonathan back in his seat. "Yeah, that...uh, didn't work out."

Katy cleared her throat and watched Jim focus on something beside him, as if he knew the awkwardness had come crashing down on them all. "Well, I mean, it's so cool to see you, both of you...." she chuckled nervously again, "I mean, ALL of you. Take care."

"You too!" Pam replied.

"Good to see you too, Katy." Jim stated, as she walked backwards slowly before turning and heading towards the chekout lines. She could barely breathe and part of her didn't even want to torture herself by waiting in line. Did she really need this stuff right now?

She got in line anyway, reading an Us magazine as she waited. As she looked over two lines down, she saw Jim pushing the basket while saying something to Pam, causing her to laugh. Her head tossed back as she placed two cans in the basket. They looked disgustingly, all american happy. Katy slammed down the Us magazine. Then she watched him reach down and wiggle the little blue shoe coming out of the caseat that held his baby boy and make funny faces. Pam grinned and cooed the baby as Jim walked to load the conveyer with groceries. And she wondered how something so heartbreaking, can feel so honestly right, deep in her heart.