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Author's Chapter Notes:

Angst hard. Jen no like hard, make head hurt. So, a bit of fluffiness in its place. I didn't beta this one, so if there are any glaring errors, feel free to let me know.

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.

          

Jim sighed, stuck out his lower lip, and leaned back in his chair.  He had just finished his fourth sales call that day, and the commission from it had already put him well over his normal daily amount. He stared vacantly at his desk, trying to think of something to keep his boredom at bay. He briefly considered browsing the internet to find a website dedicated to pranks, but he dismissed it quickly.

Come on Jim. You’re better than that. What would Pam think if she knew you got your ideas from some dumb ass website called Pullmyfinger.com?

Thinking about Pam caused his eyes to shift slowly towards her desk. He was going for nonchalance bordering on disinterest, so as not to provoke unwanted attention from his fellow office dwellers. His eyes softened at the corners, and the tension in his brow released when he finally settled his gaze on her face. Pam was concentrating intently at her computer screen, and her eyes lit up briefly. Jim pressed the knuckle of his forefinger to his mouth to stop the chuckle that threatened to release itself. 

Playing solitaire again, Beesly? That’s terrible. I think I might just have to go over there and remind you of your duties.  

Jim moved to shuffle some papers back into a more orderly stack, as he really didn’t feel like hearing Dwight bitch and moan about errant paperwork accidentally crossing into his territory. He patted the new pile he’d created; when he pulled away, his hand caught the edge and the top sheet sliced through his finger.

 

A little “Ow!” bubbled through his lips and Jim stuck his finger into his mouth, frowning at the stinging sensation. He glanced up and caught Pam’s eyes; her eyebrows were raised in question. Jim shrugged his shoulders, lifted himself from his chair, and made his way over to Pam’s desk, his finger still entrenched beneath his lip.

 

“I know that nail biting is a sign of stress. I can’t imagine what finger biting means.” Pam giggled.

 

Jim pulled his finger from his lips and pointed it at her, showing her the paper cut like a small child proudly displaying his newest injury to mommy.

 

“Thank you for your concern. I’ll have you know I just seriously injured myself.”

 

Pam gently grabbed his finger and inspected it, ignoring the little zing in her chest that always accompanied even the smallest of contact with him. “Oh my god. I’ll be sure to have the paramedics on standby in case there’s internal bleeding.”

 

“Hey, this is serious! I use this finger to type with! Oh no, I just realized this is my dialing finger. I may have to go home.” Jim leaned over Pam on his elbows and smirked when she rolled her eyes.

 

“Yeah right. Be a big baby about it, why don’t you?”

 

“Wow. Great beside manner, Nurse Ratched.” Jim frowned and pretended to be insulted. “No, for real, do you have a band-aid or something? I know I could go to Angela, but, well, I don’t want to.”

 

“How bout some scotch tape? Simple, sticky, and it’s clear so no one can see you’ve been hurt. You know Dwight’s gonna see a band-aid as a sign of weakness. He’ll probably give you some long story about how his ancestors used to just amputate whatever was injured, then go right back to the beet fields.” Jim let out a snort and clamped his hand over his mouth.

 

Pam loved to see the way his eyes sparkled when he laughed, or when he was trying to hide his laughter, as he did now.

 

She reached under her desk and pulled out her purse, rummaging through it to find the small stash of bandages she kept for emergency. “Ok, so, I don’t have normal band-aids. I have some cute ones, cause really, the regular old Johnson & Johnson ones are just lame.” She pulled one out and waved it in Jim’s face. “You a big fan of Hello Kitty?”

 

“You have got to be kidding.”

 

“Hey, Angela is right over there,” Pam motioned in the general direction of Angela’s desk. “And these are really cool, and you have to be a super special kind of person to get one of these from me. So what’s it gonna be, Halpert?”

 

So you think I’m special, huh? Interesting. Jim thought to himself and continued to grin at her.

 

“Oh, all right. And thank you, even though these are really better suited to 14 year old girls.” Jim shook his head and pulled the bandage from her hand.

 

“Who told you that? Michael?” They shared a smile, remembering one of Michael’s comments. “Here, let me. It’s impossible to put on a band-aid the right way on your own finger.”

 

Jim felt her cool, soft hand slide around his own, as Pam deftly opened the wrapping with her other hand and teeth. His heart started to beat more rapidly, and he felt his skin go feverish.

I wish it didn’t feel like this when you touch me. Or at least I wish you felt it too. God, what kind of shampoo do you use? Coconut? Please be quick, this is killing me. 

Pam stretched out the bandage and pulled it around Jim’s finger, and attempted not to notice how lean and powerful his hands were, or  wonder how it might feel if he just reached up and cupped one around her jaw.

 

She quickly finished wrapping his finger, and looked up at Jim, lifting her shoulders.

“Well, alright. I think you’re good to go.”

 

Jim put his hand out at arms length and assessed the job she had done.

“Hmm, yea, this’ll work. So what? No kiss on my boo boo?  When my mom used to do that, I always thought that was when the healing began.”

 

A worry line formed in Pam’s forehead, but she tried to play it off “Oh, please. Like I want Jim cooties.”

 

Jim noticed Pam’s expression and plastered a fake grin on his face, feeling like an idiot.“Ok…that was a joke. But I’ll have you know there are probably lots of people who would like to share my cooties. So, there.” He winked at her and turned away, making the short trek back to his own space.

Ok, that was supremely stupid there, guy.  Next thing, you’ll be pulling a Packer and asking her to kiss your boo boo with a band-aid over your fly. 

Jim knew he would never, ever do something like that to any woman, much less Pam, but he still felt like a jerk. Dwight noticed Jim’s return and glared at him suspiciously. His eyes narrowed when they found the bandage on Jim’s finger. “You cut yourself? You would do something like that, the way you never take precautions.”

 

Dwight leaned back in his chair and folded his arms at his chest. “You know, I use a bowie knife everyday, and I have never cut myself, not once in 20 years. And even if I did, I could sew it up myself. The Schrute men have a long tradition of being able to suture their own wounds. We became experts at it during World War II and-,”

 

“Rather not hear about it, Dwight, thanks. The Halpert men have a long tradition of going to the doctor and getting proper medical care. We’re crazy like that.” Jim began to tap away on his keyboard, hoping to get Dwight to shut up. “I’ve got work to do here, so, yeah; need to get back to that,”

 

“Fine. It’s not like I would teach you anyhow.”

 

The next couple of hours passed relatively painlessly, but Jim was glad when five o’clock finally rolled around.  The skies had suddenly become dark, the clouds purple and thick with an impeding storm. Since the day had started out fairly clear and mild, Jim assumed everyone probably didn’t have umbrellas, and would be in a hurry to get to their cars before the rain began. He himself didn’t mind getting a little wet; it wasn’t like he had anywhere important to be.

 

Jim heard the first droplets begin to plink along the roof as everyone filed out. He saw happily that Pam was still at her desk. He relished the chance to talk to her alone; he just had to be careful to watch the door for Roy. He didn’t want to start trouble, especially between Pam and Roy. She had enough to worry about already.

 

 He finished closing down his computer and went to the coat rack. He pulled off his coat and slid it over his arms, trying to figure out a subtle way to get her attention, anything besides having to say goodbye. Then he saw her hand, and noted the Hello Kitty bandage wrapped around her pinky.

 

“What’s that about?” Jim gestured toward her hand. “I didn’t know paper cuts were contagious.”

 

“Oh, yes. This is nothing. This is actually a sign of solidarity for a fallen soldier here in the office. He was such a big baby about using a band-aid with little cartoon cats on it, I figured this might comfort him.” Pam chuckled and her mouth split into a wide, devilish grin.

 

“Ok, harsh. And you sound a little like Dwight, with all that ‘fallen soldier’ stuff.”

 

“No, that’s harsh. I’ll never let you have one of my band-aids again. Comparing me to Dwight. Ugh.”

 

Jim was willing to admit that probably went too far. “Yeah, ok. Point taken. So…what’s the deal, why haven’t you left yet?”

 

“Roy left earlier with Darryl, so I’ve got the car. I was waiting for you actually. Thought we could walk out together. Thought you might even be chivalrous enough to lend me your coat so I could put it over my head, and not get all wet.” Pam playfully toyed with the lapels on Jim’s coat.

Do not tear off your coat and give it to her, dude. Have some backbone. 

“Sure, that’s gonna happen. Women, all your assumptions about knights in shining armor. Only in fairytales, Pam. Only in fairytales.” He smiled sweetly at her. “Ok, come on, let’s get out of here.”

 

They walked side by side through the doors, down the elevator, and out the entrance, and their silence was not an indication of awkwardness. It proved just how comfortable they were with one another, not needing to fill the space between them with meaningless small talk.

 

Thankfully, the rain was not a torrential downpour, just big, fat droplets slowly falling to the ground. Jim felt her warmth beside him in the slightly chilled air, and he didn’t want it to go away. So he pulled off his coat and offered it to Pam, feeling goofy.  He wanted her to believe he was that kind of guy, actually. At least he would try to be for her. “Here, you can use it till we get to your car. I don’t mind the rain. And I’m sure it’s hard to imagine, but this hairstyle really doesn't take that long to recreate.”

 

Pam paused for a moment, and felt a lump grow in her throat. Sometimes he could just be to much, just to perfect to be real.

 

“I was totally joking about that. You know that. Don’t be silly.” Her voice sounded a little raw, and she prayed the hot, stinging tears in the corners of her eyes wouldn’t fall down her cheeks.

Am I imagining things? She looks like she might be crying. No, must be the rain. 

“Seriously, not a big deal. And we’re walking. We’re walking.” Jim lifted his coat over her head, and led her to her car, one arm slung over her shoulder protectively.

 

When they arrived at her vehicle, Pam opened the door and cautiously wiped away a tear that had managed to escape. She quickly pulled off his coat and shook away the excess water. She tried to sound casual.

 

“Thank you, Prince Charming. You may now have your armor back. I also think I owe for your good deed. Give me your hand.”

 

Jim knew what she meant, and his heart felt like it might burst inside his chest. He wordlessly placed his bandaged hand in hers. Pam pressed her lips against his finger and kissed it delicately.

 

“Now we can be sure it’s going to heal.” She gave him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen, and climbed into her car.

 

He wasn’t sure he could trust himself to speak, so he just waved his arm as she closed her door, and drove away. He watched the red glimmer of taillights fade into the dark.

Maybe it can work. Maybe just one kiss can heal us both. 

 

 

                         


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