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

"What did you want me to say? I couldn't say no," Jim whispered to Pam as they stood outside waiting for Michael to gather his things. Pam agreed begrudgingly, only because she knew first hand how hard it was to say no to Michael at times. Actually, their inability to say no was exactly what got them into this mess in the first place.

"Well, you can drop me off at my apartment on your way home," she said. Jim's eyes widened and he shook his head a few times.

"Oh no, if I have to bring Michael back home with me, you have to come too," he insisted.

"Why? You were going to abandon me here," Pam gestured back to the condo behind them. "You were totally ready to jump ship and leave me to sink."

"I wouldn't have left you there," he dismissed the idea with a wave and a scoff. "I would have called back and found someway to get you out. And besides, if you would have just let me go then we wouldn't be standing here, arguing about bringing Michael home with me." He wasn't sure how exactly he had gotten conned into allowing Michael to stay with him that night, but Michael was amazingly tricky when he put his mind to it. Jim had to hand it to him, not only had he gotten Jim and Pam to come to dinner, but somehow he had weaseled his way onto a spot on Jim's couch.

Pam sighed and kicked at an invisible rock. Jim was smiling at her in a way that she knew she couldn't say no to, and she threw her head back dramatically.

"Fine," she huffed. "I won't leave you alone with him tonight. But you know he's going to be relentless with the sexual innuendo if I stay." Jim rocked back on his heels and rocked forward and placed a kiss on her lips.

"Thanks," he said. She was about to respond, but the door flew open and Michael stood with a suitcase in his hand. Jan stood behind him, crying and begging him to stay.

"Lead the way Mr. Halpert!" Michael exclaimed, somehow still cheery despite his live-in girlfriend falling apart behind him.

"Michael, please!" Jan sobbed as Jim led Pam and Michael to his car.

What a sorry trio we make, Pam thought as Jim opened the passenger door for her and she climbed in. Her stomach growled and she remembered suddenly how hungry she was. She never did get to eat anything, although she was kind of glad now. Jan was crazy, and Pam wasn't entirely sure just how crazy she was. Surely not crazy enough to poison food, despite Michael's suspicions, but Pam was sort of glad she didn't have to take that risk.

Michael climbed in the back with his suitcase, rambling on about how it was like a sleepover! And Jim started the car, sharing a look with Pam as he backed out of the parking spot and onto the road.

"Can I put the window down?" Michael asked.

"Sure," Jim answered, and Michael stuck his head out and breathed in the fresh air. Pam felt a pang of sympathy, but then wondered if it was just a pang of hunger that she was mistaking for sympathy. Jim's hand somehow found hers and she glanced over at him and gave him a small smile.

The ride to his apartment was short, and Jim flipped on the lights as Pam kicked off her shoes and threw her coat and purse over the arm of the chair.

"I'll go grab the sheets and extra pillows," Pam said as she disappeared down the hall.

"You two are like..." Michael gestured with his hands and Jim looked at him quizzically. He wasn't sure how Michael was going to finish that sentence, but he pretty sure it was going to be inappropriate. "So domesticated. She's got you pretty whipped, huh Jim?" He grinned at Jim, and Jim got the impression that Michael found being whipped a good thing.

Pam reappeared with her arms full of bedding, and she started to make up the couch for Michael.

"The bathroom is down the hall on the left," Jim pointed. "And there's food and drinks in the kitchen if you get..." he didn't finish his sentence as Pam's stomach made a loud grumbling noise. She shrugged sheepishly.

"I'll make us something to eat," Jim offered.

"Good, and while you do that, Pam and I are going to have a emergency session," Michael said, pulling Pam to sit at the kitchen table.

Jim busied himself in the kitchen making grilled cheese sandwiches for three as Pam consoled Michael and counseled him on the whole Jan situation. It was late, and he could see that Pam was tired, but she was doing her best to be understanding as Michael talked about his three vasectomies. Jim slipped the plates in front of Michael and Pam and sat down next to his girlfriend, slipping an arm around her shoulder.

"What should I do?" Michael asked.

"If you are that unhappy, and it's clear you are," Jim said. "You should end it."

"But Jan..."

"Jan is a grown woman. She's also not your responsibility," Pam said. Michael nodded gravely.

"She ruined my television," he said with a sad shake of his head. "And, oh! My Dundie! I forgot about my Dundie! God, could it get any worse?" Michael dropped his head into his hands, and Pam leaned forward.

"Michael, why don't we all just go to bed? Things will seem better in the morning," she consoled. Jim raised an eyebrow, and she punched him lightly in the stomach.

"Thanks so much," Michael said, lifting his head. "You guys are the best! Seriously, a guy couldn't ask for better bff's."

"Well, goodnight Michael," Pam said climbing to her feet and gathering the dishes and placing them in the sink. "We're just down the hall if you need us."

"Do you feel like this is what it's going to be like when we have kids?" Jim asked when they were alone in his bedroom finally. She was slipping off her dress, and it fell to the floor in dark blue puddle. We, Pam thought giddily.

"Oh absolutely, I think of it as good practice," she said as she unclasped her bra and let it fall to the floor with her dress. Jim stopped and stared at her for a good minute, the only good thing about this night was that he spent it with Pam, and she had looked amazing. She caught his gaze and blushed a little.

"What?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking that as beautiful as you looked with that dress on, you look even more beautiful without it," he said. Her face flushed and she reached for the pajamas that she kept in the drawer that Jim had cleared out for her. He reached for her, and stilled her movements.

"Nope," she said with a small smile. "Not with Michael down the hall."

"Oh come on," Jim argued, dipping his head to kiss the underside of her chin. "After the night I had, I deserve a little something. Make me a man, babe."

"The night you had?" Pam asked incredulously. "You weren't the one who was accused of sleeping with Michael, and holding onto his faxes, nearly abandoned, and almost poisoned babe." But she was grinning, and she snaked her arms around his torso. "But seriously, not with Michael down the hall." She gave Jim a kiss before throwing on her pajamas and climbing into bed. She threw her head back on the pillow with a sigh. "I thought that this night was never going to end."

Jim finished getting changed and flipped off the lights as he climbed in next to her.

"Well, it's over. At least, we're home. I mean, Michael is on my couch, but at least he's all the way down the hall," he reached for her and wrapped his arms around her as he breathed in the scent of her hair. He was nearly asleep, happy to be in his bed with Pam in his arms when they heard Michael's voice from the living room.

"Jimbo? Pam-a-lama?"

"Oh God," Pam muttered, burying her head in her pillow.

"Yeah, Michael?"

"I just wanted to say if you wanted to have sex in there, you should feel free to, and not worry about me being out here or being too loud," Michael called. Jim closed his eyes and wondered how he was supposed to respond to that. "Plus, I brought my camera with me in case you wanted to borrow it!" Pam's eyes flew open and her mouth dropped.

"Uh," Jim ran a hand through his hair. "Thanks?"

"No problemo, buddy," Michael said. "Okay, goodnight."

"Goodnight," Jim called.

"Seriously," Pam whispered. "This night is never going to end."

"Oh, Pam," Jim said with a grin. "It's just one night. One night that made everything all right." He was silenced by Pam hitting him in the face with a pillow.

"Watch it, or else you'll be going out to share that couch with Michael," she threatened. "Do you think he's all right out there?"

"I think he's fine," Jim said. "I'll make him chocolate chip pancakes in the morning. And we are never getting ourselves roped into dinner with any of our co-workers again."

"Definitely," Pam agreed. She was quiet for a moment and then let out a large sigh.

"What's the matter Beesly?"

"I just keep thinking, as terrible as this night has been, and it's been awful, Michael is going to be on your couch when we wake up tomorrow."

"Let's not think about that," Jim said. "We have eight blissful hours without him. Tomorrow, we'll deal with him." He paused, and then with a smirk added, "Babe."

"Oh God!" Pam moaned.

"I can't hear a thing! You two just keep on expressing that love!" Michael called from the living room.