Jim pulled his long legs as close to his chest as possible, while at the same time trying to secure the down comforter that Pam had insisted on buying and was now hogging. The chill of the early March air was seeping through the windows of their house, and he silently cursed the loose window.

Pam shifted again in her sleep and the blanket was once again pulled off of Jim’s shivering body. Shaking his head, he flung his legs over the side of the bed and quickly and quietly tip-toed out of the room. The house was silent in the early morning, and Jim debated on whether or not it would be worth it to try and sleep for another hour or just stay up and go for a run.

He flipped on the small TV in the kitchen and tuned it to ESPN as he started a pot of coffee. The ring on his finger sparkled brightly under the light from the TV and a smile broke out on his face, just like every time the ring caught is glance. It had been two years since he’d seen her walk down the aisle towards him, and he wouldn’t change a minute of that for anything.

It easily was the best two years of his life.

He smiled as he tied his gym shoes as he thought about the red-headed beauty that slept just up the stairs from where he was sitting now. He scribbled a quick note, just in case she woke up, and headed out of the back door.

The chill hit his face with an unsurprising jolt as his legs carried him down the driveway and out into the street of their neighborhood. He’d been so nervous when he’d first shown Pam the house he’d bought. She’d been there before of course, but it was different showing it to her as their own.

It had taken a lot of time and energy, but the house was now suited to them, from his old basketball hoop that was screwed back into place in front of the garage, to the art studio Pam spent as much free time as possible in.

It was their home.

Scranton was beautiful at sunrise. It always had been. He glided easily through the streets of their neighborhood on his long legs and let the morning stiffness ease it’s way from his muscles. He took a deep breath of morning air and assured himself that he’d do this more often for himself. It was a good to start the morning off on a positive note.

He turned the corner and headed back towards the house. He wanted to make sure that Pam was settled before he had to leave for work. He knew she was having a hard time to adjusting to bed rest and he was trying to make it as easy as possible.

It had been months of cravings, mood swings, morning sickness, and raging hormones and there wasn't anything he would think about changing.

A grin spread out over his face as he remembered when Pam had broken the news to him.

“I can’t go to lunch with you today,” he told her approaching the reception desk with a frown, “Michael scheduled a sales meeting with the library and I have to go.”

“It’s okay,” she said with a sly grin, “I’ve got some errands to do anyways. Will you be back here before I leave for the day?”

“Not sure,” Jim answered with a groan, “knowing Michael we could be there all afternoon. It’s probably a good thing we took separate cars this morning. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry Jim,” Pam comforted him, “I really don’t mind. Go and do your thing. I’ll see you tonight at home.”

“Love you,” Jim said, jumping slightly over the corner to place a gentle kiss on her lips, “and I’ll see you later.”

“Love you too,” she answered, “and don’t worry about dinner. It’ll be ready when you get home.”

“Okay Jim-bob,” Michael exclaimed enthusiastically, “enough with the kissy-face. It's time to knock the socks off these guys! You ready?”

He nodded solemnly, threw one more desperate look to Pam, and followed Michael out of the office.

It had been a long afternoon, filled with senseless jokes from Michael and feeble attempts to convince the Scranton Public Library that they were the paper company for them. Luckily they had closed the deal,and when he got back to his car, Jim laid his head against his steering wheel in relief. It would mean a substantial commission for him, and it could be even more useful in paying off the mortgage.

His phone chirped in his pocket, and he pulled it out and smiled as he read the text message from Pam.

Hurry home hubby! Dinner is on the table and I’ve got a surprise for you…see you in a few?

He typed a quick response and made the quick fifteen minute drive home. When he pulled up everything seemed normal, as did it when he walked through the front hallway. It wasn’t until he reached the dining room that he started to notice the difference.

Pam had set their normal places at the table, and the aroma of whatever she had made filled his nostrils and made his mouth water, but there was something different. An extra piece of furniture that hadn’t been there that morning.

“I went and got that from my mom’s house as soon as you and Michael left the office today,” Pam’s voice started talking behind him. “My grandfather made it for her when she was pregnant with me.”

“Pam?”

“She promised me that when I was pregnant, it could be mine,” she continued, ignoring his pleading look. “You have no idea how excited she was when I called her today and asked for it.”

“You’re…we’re…us, we are going to have a baby?”

Pam nodded, her smile growing with each passing second, “I know that we had planned on waiting a little longer, but…”

“We’re pregnant?”

Pam nodded again and suddenly he was picking up her and spinning her around in the air, “We’re pregnant!”

“Jim,” Pam scolded with a laugh, “please put me down.”

“Oh my god,” Jim exclaimed and jumped back from her, “did I hurt you? Did I hurt the baby?”

“No, you didn’t hurt us Jim. I’m just a little nauseous. I thought morning sickness was supposed to be just a morning thing, but nope. Not for me. Little Halpert here has had me nauseous for a while now.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before? I had no idea…”

“I wanted to have it confirmed before I told you.”

“Confirmed?”

“I took the at home test on Saturday while you were playing basketball with Mark,” Pam explained with a smile, “and that ‘meeting’ I had yesterday with the school, yeah, it wasn’t a meeting. I was at the doctor's.”

“I would have gone with you if I'd known.”

“I know that silly,” she assured with a peck on his cheek, “but I had my own idea on how to tell you if I was. And this was so worth it.”

“We’re going to be parents.”

“Yup.”

“Michael is not going to be my child’s godparent, I’m just making sure you know that now.”

“So Dwight would be acceptable.”

“Hell no.”

Pam giggled and wrapped her arms around him. He grinned into her hair as he brought one hand around to graze her stomach, this was a perfect moment.

He rounded the corner, and their little house came into view. Both of their cars sat in the driveway, and the bushes that Pam had planted right after they moved in lined the walkway. He smiled as his eyes found the window that housed the nursery Pam had been working on for months.

When he walked through the front door he quickly slipped off his running shoes and was about to take the stairs back up to their room when he heard a crash and a curse coming from the kitchen.

“Pam?”

“Damn it Jim,” Pam was yelling, “where in the hell have you been?”

“I couldn’t sleep and went for a run, are you okay?”

“Does it sound like I’m okay?” she asked, and when he rounded the corner to the kitchen, he just about passed out from the sight of his wife doubled over pain. “I’m in labor Jim. Pick up your jaw, grab my bag from the front closet, and get me to the hospital.”

“Got it,” Jim mumbled in a frenzy and ran up the stairs. He pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed an old sweatshirt. Slipping it over his head, he grabbed his wallet and car keys from his dresser before running back down the stairs, Pam’s hospital bag in hand.

Carefully he helped her into his car, threw the bag in the backseat, and called Toby as he took the winding roads to Scranton Memorial Hospital.

“Nobody from the damn office better show up before I’m ready to see anyone,” Pam said through clenched teeth as the pulled up to the hospital.

“Toby knows not to tell anyone until I’ve called him back,” Jim assured her. "Don’t worry…”

“Shut up Jim and get me a freaking wheel chair!”

Jim nodded silently and grabbed the bag from the backseat as a nurse helped Pam into a wheelchair. About an hour had passed until they were comfortable settled into a room, Pam threatening the nurses with bodily harm if she wasn’t provided the drugs she wanted.

Jim stood by her faithfully, holding her hand and doing whatever she asked to keep her calm and comfortable.

“I should probably call our families,” Jim suggested after about an hour of waiting. "Your mom and sister will want to be here.”

“Yeah,” she nodded during a calm moment between contractions, “and they’ll have to make a bit of a drive. I want your mom and sister here too. Please Jim…”

“Sure thing honey,” Jim agreed and placed a kiss on her forehead before sneaking out into the hallway to make the calls.

“Hello?” Emma, Pam’s sister, greeted after a couple rings.

“Hey Emma, it’s Jim. Pam wanted me to call you…”

“Oh my god,” Emma screeched, “she’s gone into labor hasn’t she? I’ll be right there.”

“Good guess," Jim replied, impressed. "We're in room three thirteen at Scranton Memorial,” he told her, and she screamed with delight again. “I’m calling your mom next…”

“Good,” Emma told him. “Tell her I’m on my way to get her, and we’ll be there as soon as we can. Let us know if anything changes, okay Jim?”

“Yeah,” he nodded even though she couldn’t see him, “see you in a bit.”

His conversation with Annette Beesley was very similar. Lots of squealing and laughing and her promising that she’d be there just as soon as she could. Phone calls were made to the rest of her family, including her dad.

Jim knew he didn’t have to be nervous about having Annette and Dave together, but he still was a little apprehensive. The last time that they were together had been at Emma’s wedding a few months ago. It had been tense, but even through the divorce they had managed to stay friends.

Jim shook his head to clear his thoughts and pulled his phone back out.

“Jimmy,” his mother greeted, and he groaned. “That’s right, sorry. I’m not supposed to call you that anymore, am I?”

“I’m thirty two years old mother,” Jim answered, “I think my childhood nickname should be long retired by now.”

“I’ll try harder,” she promised. “Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of talking to you this morning?”

“Well,” Jim teased, “I thought you might like to know that your youngest son is about to become a father…”

“WHAT?” Larissa exclaimed, much like Pam’s own mother, “she went into labor? When? How far along is she? Why didn’t you call me sooner? I’m on my way…”

“Mom,” Jim scolded, “calm down. She went into labor this morning, she isn’t very far along, we wanted to get settled before we called any family, and we would like for you and dad to be here…”

“We’re coming,” she answered, “bye.”

Jim let out a strangled laugh as he heard the click of his mother’s phone.

“Jim?” one of the nurses questioned coming up beside him, “Pam is asking for you.”

“Coming,” he answered with a smile and headed back into Pam’s room.

“Did you call everyone?”

“I still need to call my siblings,” Jim told her with a kiss, “but I called your dad too. I hope that is okay…”

“Of course,” Pam nodded before tensing a little. Jim could sense another contraction coming on and grabbed her hand, and when the pain subsided several minutes later, they went right back into their conversation. “I want him here too. He should get to meet his grandchild on its birthday.”

“Okay,” Jim smiled, “good. I’m going to call Kara. She’ll kill me if I don’t call her and let her know.”

“Oh I know,” Pam agreed. “She’s been a great help and I promised she could be here. Are you going to call Pete and Tom too?”

“Yeah,” Jim nodded, “I’ll give them a call in a little awhile. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing better,” Pam assured him. “The contractions are hell, but it’ll be over with soon enough with amazing results.”

“Are you still happy we decided to wait to find out the sex of the baby?”

“Of course,” Pam told him, “I’m glad we don’t know. It makes it more interesting that way…”

“Even though you had to paint the nursery in ‘neutral’ colors?”

“Yes,” Pam rolled her eyes, “even with the nursery painted in neutral colors. I love the Winnie the Pooh theme we went with. I love classic Pooh, I always have”

“I’m glad you’re happy…”

“I am. Jim this day is going to be great. I’m so excited.”

“Me too Pam,” Jim said as he kissed her forehead. “Though, I don’t know if I should say this now, but I’m a little nervous. I mean, we’re going to be parents…”

“You are going to be an amazing dad, Jim. I know it.”

“You think so?”

“No,” Pam told him, “I know so. Now, go call your siblings so you can get back in here. And I want to know when our families are here, got it?”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll be right back. I love you Pam.”

“I love you too Jim,” Pam whispered. “Hurry back.”

---

Jim was pacing around the floor of the delivery room, unable to keep still.

“Jim,” Pam yelled, “you have to calm down. We’re fine, I swear.”

“This seems to be taking a lot longer than it should,” Jim argued, and the doctor chuckled a little. “What doc? It does.”

“I love first time parents,” Pam’s doctor commented and a nurse smiled. “Don’t worry Jim, Pam is right, everything is going fine. Usually the birth of the first child takes longer. Pam is progressing along fine. Why don’t you step out into the hall for a second and calm down. Maybe update the family?”

“Pam?”

“Go Jim,” Pam moaned, “I’ll be fine and someone will come get you if the baby starts coming. My mom is probably freaking out.”

“Sure,” Jim reluctantly agreed and took a deep breath when he stepped into the hall. Kara was right there handing him a lukewarm cup of coffee.

“Here,” she said with a grin, “I thought you might be able to use this if you ever came out.”

“Thanks sis,” he said, and wrapped a arm loose around her shoulder. “Thanks for being here, I know it means a lot to Pam and it means a lot to me too.”

“No problem Jim. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. How is she doing?”

“She seems to being good,” Jim said, “I think I’m more of a mess than she is. I’m freaking out.”

“That is understandable Jim,” Kara assured him, “this is your first time, but hopefully not your last.”

“I can’t think about that yet,” Jim laughed, “we have to get through this one first.”

“Sure,” Kara nodded. “Are you out here to update the family? Mom is going crazy.”

“Yeah,” Jim told her. “Pam wants to make sure that everyone is staying informed. Do you know if Pete or Tom knows?”

“I talked to both of them a little bit ago. Pete was going to get Lindsey when she got out of work and head up here. Tom wasn’t able to get away that minute, but promises he’ll get to see his niece or nephew as soon as he can.”

“No problem,” Jim shrugged, “I wasn’t at the hospital when Anna was born, or Luke for that matter. I get it.”

“Well you have a excuse about not being at the hospital when Luke was born, you were on your honeymoon. Not your fault he came almost a full two weeks early.”

“Jim!” his mother exclaimed, “Is everything okay? Why are you out here?”

“Pam suggested that I come out here and just fill everyone in on what is going on,” Jim told the families, “and I think I was stressing everyone out a little. I’m nervous.”

“No reason to be nervous Jimbo,” his dad laughed. “Worst thing to do is make Pam even more uncomfortable than she already is.”

“Yeah,” Jim nodded, “I’m learning that. She just wanted to let everyone know that she is going good and everything is progressing great.”

“Good,” Annette smiled, “and you should probably get back in there.”

“Certainly, “ Larissa agreed, “we’ll see you again soon. And you’ll be a daddy.”

A huge smile broke out over Jim’s face and he just chuckled. “I will. Crazy.”

Eleven thousand, eight hundred, and fifty-six

I became a father today. To a beautiful, angelic, baby girl. She’s perfect, absolutely perfect. Pam was amazing. I just can’t believe it. It was insane. There were so many emotions going through my body that I wasn’t sure what was happening.

Then she was here.

Marissa Amelia Halpert.

My perfect little girl. She has Pam’s eyes and, unfortunately, my ears. And I’m hoping that her hair is curly like Pam’s, and that she has her artistic talent. Though, I have to say I hope she has my sense of humor. Well, Pam and I really do share a sense of humor, so I guess that is something she can get from both of us.

Pam is resting right now and I’m just watching them both sleep.

There really is nothing like this feeling.

I can’t wait to show her off to the world and watch her grow up and teach her all the amazing things that only a father can teach her.

She’s already got me wrapped around her little finger.

I’m a dad.

Holy crap.