2035

"Well.  It's finally over."  Jim sighed as he walked into the room and sat down in a chair beside his wife.

She was hunched over a sketch pad, drawing furiously.  "Huh?" She asked absentmindedly.

"The longest running prank in history has come to an end.  It's a sad day actually - nearly thirty-five years in the making.  And to think – twenty-seven years ago when we were snowed in all day that it would come to this."

Pam looked up and wiped at her nose, leaving a smudge of charcoal across her cheek.  "What are you babbling about?"

Jim blew out a breath and rubbed a hand over his heart.  "Kurt just asked me…"

She put down her pad.  "No."

"Yes."  He chuckled back at her.

Pam's eyes were wide and her cheeks flushed.  Jim gazed at her, noticing not nearly for the first time how beautiful she looked when she was really excited about something.

"NO."

"Yes."  He nodded.

"Oh my God."  Pam squealed.

"I know."  Jim sighed heavily again. 

Her heart broke a little bit even as she was filled with joy.  Pam knew exactly what her daughter must be feeling right now.  "Jim.  This is so exciting.  Janie must be thrilled."

"Pam.  Seriously.  Calm yourself down - he only asked me - he didn't ask her yet."

"Oh c'mon.”  She dismissed the thought. “She knows its coming."

"And what makes you think I said yes anyway?"

She gave him a look.  "Because I know you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah.  And I know your main goal in life is to do things that you think will make me happy."  Pam bent down and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips.

"I think you have a very high opinion of yourself."  He muttered.  “You’re way off base, Beesly.  This is all about me.  I’ve been setting Dwight up all along.”

Pam ignored his sarcasm and settled onto his lap.  "Actually - it extends to the kids - especially Janie.   So I know that you wouldn't deny Janie something that would make her this ecstatic."

"You're so onto me."

Her only response was a huge grin.  Her eyes sparkled as she reached up and ran her hands through his hair.   It was still pretty thick - but was now threaded with gray.    She thought it made him look very distinguished.

"So are you excited?  Now you get to plan another wedding…with Angela no less."

Pam's face fell.  "UGH - wedding planning.  I forgot that part."  She shuddered.  "This is why we eloped."

"No.  We eloped because you realized Michael became an ordained minister online specifically so he could officiate the ceremony."

"No.  We eloped because you told me one night that you couldn't wait another minute to marry me and why should you?"  Her eyes welled up a bit at the memory.

"Oh that's right.  I did say that didn't I?" Jim pulled her close and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.  "God.  I'm so good at that "sweeping you off your feet" stuff."

"And it's so refreshing.  You're not the least bit cocky about it."  She laughed. 

His voice and his gaze turned serious as he reached out and ran his hand gently through her curls.  "Hey.  Pam.  Do you ever wish…"

Her heart skipped a beat.   It thrilled her that he could still make that happen, after so much time.   "No.  Never."  She promised.  "Please - don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining.  If I'd wanted something different I'd have told you." 

He knew he was crazy for even bringing it up and the look in her eye confirmed it.  "OK."

"Good."  She smiled as he kissed her again.   "Oh and Jim?  Just one more thing."  He looked at her curiously before she added.   "You'd better check our credit line.  I'm warning you now - Jane's going to want a spectacle."  

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"I don't think I'm ever going to get used to this."  Janie sighed.

"I don't blame you."  Kurt laughed as he knocked on the door.

Having dinner with Kurt's parents was not something Jane ever looked forward to - even after all this time.  After being together through four years of college and then grad school you would think she’d be an old pro by now. 

But something about the disapproving glare Kurt’s mother always gave her kept Jane perpetually off balance.

Kurt’s father, however, was proving to be a piece of cake.

Before Kurt could knock again the door flew open.  “Kurt.  Jane.  It’s about time.  I’ve been waiting.”

“Hey Dad.”  Kurt replied with a shake of his head as he watched Dwight grab Jane’s hand.    She quickly thrust the serving dish she’d been holding at Kurt and chuckled.

Dwight ignored his son’s greeting as he dragged Janie down the hall.  “I’ve set everything up to your specifications.”

“That’s great, Mr. Schrute.”  Jane smiled back at Kurt over her shoulder.

“Now.  I know that you said it doesn’t always work.”  Dwight began as he stopped in front of a display of small household items.

“That’s right.  It’s not something I can really control…”

“You need to fine tune your powers.”

“I know.  And trust me, sir.  I’ve been trying.”

“I’m just glad that you’ve been able to trust me with this.  Your father really never gave his abilities the respect they deserved.”

Jane sighed exaggeratedly.  “I know.  And it’s always brought a degree of shame to the good Halpert name.”

“When you’re a Schrute you’ll be able to rid yourself of that stigma for good.”  Dwight replied, matter-of-factly.

Jane was torn in that moment – between sticking up for her father, and dancing with glee.  She knew it was coming, he thought he was being sly, but she knew without question that Kurt had stopped by her parent’s house earlier in the week.  She knew, finally, her dreams were becoming a reality.

Mrs. Jane Halpert-Schrute

It was about time, was all she could think.

The sound of her future father-in-law’s voice broke through her daydream.  “Now.  Concentrate.  Try to move the toaster.”  He commanded.

Janie made a face.  “Hmmm.  The toaster is kinda tricky.”

Dwight shook his head.  “No excuses, missy.  I once saw your father move a coat rack with the slightest of effort.”

Jane bit back a laugh.  Yeah well.  Hmph.  She thought.  Slightest effort, my ass.  Her father had always had a secret weapon.  It’d be a piece of cake for her to move any of the items on the table too if her mother were sitting next to it, ready to assist.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately she was saved by the appearance of Kurt’s mother. 

“Jane.”  She said wearily.   Angela always sounded surprised that Jane actually showed her face in the house again.

“Mrs. Schrute.”  Jane replied with a smile.  Every time she was near Angela, she tried to remember that there must be something pleasant or kind about her.  After all, she’d been partially responsible for creating the love of her life.

And suddenly, he was standing right beside her, curling his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

“Hello, Mother.”  Kurt smiled.

“Hello, Kurt.”

His voice filled with pride as he handed the serving dish to his mother.  “Janie made some Lemon Garlic Roasted Beets for dinner.”  He smiled as he pressed a kiss to Jane’s temple.

Lemon Garlic Roasted Beets.  Always had to be so fancy.  Angela lifted the tin foil and made a face.  “Did you purchase these beets yourself Jane?”

She was sure that she was walking into something, but she also knew fighting it was futile.  Her spine stiffened as she met Angela’s disapproving gaze.  “Y-y-yes.”

“From a supermarket or farm stand?”

“Umm..supermarket?”

“Is that a question or an answer?”

Jane took a deep steadying breath, only able to reign in her temper due to Kurt’s soothing touch as he ran a hand over her back.

“It’s an answer.  I bought them at the supermarket.”

Angela shook her head.  “It’s because of people like you that there are people starving in Pennsylvania.  You have no respect for your local merchants.”

“Actually, Mom.  Our supermarket gets their produce from local farmers.  And it’s mostly grown organically.  Jane is nothing if not socially conscious.”

Without a good comeback to that, Angela turned on her heel and brought the dish to the kitchen.  “Hmph.”

As they watched her go Jane turned to Kurt and smiled widely.  “Can I just tell you how much I love you?”

“Trust me.  I know.  There is no way anyone would put up with this otherwise.”  He laughed as he kissed her softly.

“So.  Now you tell me something.  Is this some sort of milestone?  Your father is fascinated with me and we’ve rendered your mother speechless.”

Kurt pondered for a second and then readily agreed.  “Yeah. I think you’ve finally arrived.”

“Good.”  She smiled widely as she settled in his arms.  “So you agree I’ve passed the test?”

“With flying colors.”  He laughed kissing her again.

Jane’s eyes shone brightly as she gazed into his.  “So where’s my prize?”

“Huh?”

“My prize.”

Kurt stared at her, completely confused.

Janie blew her unruly curls off her face with a huff of breath.  “Seriously, Kurt.  Do I have to do everything in this relationship?”

Her tone of voice made him nervous.  “I d-d-don’t…”

She cut him off quickly.  “Question.  When are you finally going to ask me to marry you?”

“I-I-I…”

Jane waited a beat, then two, just staring at him and grinning widely.

Kurt calmed down considerably as he focused on her smile.  He took both of her hands in his and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.  “Right now.”

Jane’s heart beat frantically, but her voice was calm and sure.  “So.  Go.”

“OK.  Fact.  Janie, you’re amazing.”

“I am.”  She agreed.

“Fact.  You’ve put up with more than anyone should ever have to…”

Jane laughed again and blinked back tears.  “I’m just glad your father didn’t try to teach me sales tactics – because there’s no way I’d ever get in a coffin.  Not even for you.”

“So.  Even though it means you’ll have to eat beets at every family meal.”

“I can handle that.”  She promised with a nod.

“Even though it means you’ll never be able to wear green again without being called a harlot…”

Jane sighed.  “I’d actually be called a whore, Kurt – but it’s OK.   I can deal.”

“Even though my father is convinced our children will possess super-powers capable of saving the world as we know it…”

Jane gazed at him incredulously.  “What are you saying?  You mean – they won’t???”

And there it was.  The reason they were made for each other, because who else would be able to really understand and appreciate their twisted family history. 

Kurt’s voice got soft and serious.  “Fact.  I’ve loved you for almost my entire life.  And I don’t want to live the rest of it with anyone else.”

And with that Jane sniffled, gave his hands a reassuring squeeze and whispered.  “Me either.”

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

2036 

On a sunny day in July, (because her mother was diametrically opposed to June weddings of any kind), in an ivory colored dress (because his mother told her that she wouldn’t be fooling anyone by wearing pure white) with an array of bridesmaids wearing the palest green gowns (because her mother had insisted that there’s no way in hell that lunatic would dictate what color dresses they would wear) by her side, Jane Anne Halpert married Dwight K. Schrute, IV.

And though her new father-in-law had an extremely difficult time locating his car keys after the reception (due to the fact that they mysteriously wound up suspended in red Jell-O as part of the elaborate dessert buffet) they ultimately, most certainly, lived happily ever after.

The End.  :)