5 years earlier

It had been the longest, and possibly the worst 3 months of Jim’s life. He felt empty, alone, and lost. It’s not so much that he missed her, he got to see Pam every weekend, but it just wasn’t the same. You shouldn’t have to say goodbye to your fiancé, and go back to your boring, uneventful life without them. Pam didn’t know this, but Jim lost it every time he had to say goodbye. This time was definitely no exception. The tears usually didn’t start until he was on the expressway, as the thoughts of spending another lonely and monotonous week without her began to resurface. He would never tell her how much it hurt, knowing that this internship meant the world to her. She was doing an amazing job in New York, and he was so proud of her. He made sure to tell her this every time they talked, and that’s what kept her going.

Pam leaned back against the front door of tiny studio apartment, and slowly slid down its length before settling down on the ground, her knees up to her chest, her hands covering her face as the sobs racked through her body. The places where Jim’s hands had lingered just minutes before were now aching from the absence of his touch. She hugged herself in an effort to feel the comfort that she needed. Her sobs eventually slowed, and she was just about to get up off the floor when she felt a quiet knock on the door.

Her breath stopped when she looked though the peep hole and saw Jim’s face. She frantically wiped the tears away from her eyes, but she knew he’d be able to tell she had been crying.

Pam opened the door, but kept her head down, in an effort to hide her distraught face.

“Hey.” she said, “Did you forget something?”

When Jim didn’t answer, Pam looked up and saw a face that looked very much like her own. Jim’s eyes were red, and he wasn’t smiling. The sad look they exchanged when their eyes met made the new tears start. Before she could open her mouth, he strode forward and enveloped her into the type of hug that made all the pain go away.

They stood there together for a few minutes before Jim’s lips brushed her cheek and he whispered, “I can’t leave you again.”

Pam pulled back to look him in the eyes.

“I know.” She tried in vain to wipe the tears away from her cheeks while she spoke, “but you have to go back to work, and I have class all day, every--”

“No, Pam.” He stopped her mid sentence, and grabbed the hand that she was using to wipe her face, and leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m not leaving you again.”

Pam didn’t speak, she didn’t want to say it, and have it not be true. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to make it the last week (and most stressful week) of school without him, and truth be told, she couldn’t do it without him.

“I called Michael and told him I wasn’t coming in this week…at all.”

“You did that, for me?”

“No, Pam. I did it for us.”

--------------------------------

Pam leaned her head against the window as she replayed the memory. It happened years ago, but it felt like it was just yesterday. She remember all that Jim had sacrificed for her for 3 months to get her through her own internship, and she decided last night, after Jim called her about his meeting with Keith and Bill, that she needed to do the same for him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now beginning our gradual descent into Phoenix. The weather is a cool 119 degrees. The skies are clear, and we should not be experiencing any unexpected turbulance. We will be landing in about 30 minutes. Thank you."