Dwight stood at the door of one of the busses with his clipboard in hand.
“Barton, Andrew!”
A tall redheaded boy walked to the bus and climbed the stairs.
“Cutler, Sophia!”
Now a blonde girl followed suit.
It was time for the annual PTA sponsored senior trip to Washington DC for ET Memorial. Seniors who qualified (GPA above a 3.75 and at least 95% attendance record) were given the chance to spend three days and two nights in the nation’s capital, visiting museums and historical sites.
Jim and Pam had jumped at the opportunity to be chaperones together, even if they couldn’t let on to anyone that they were a couple. When the chance arrived to go, they decided they would try to trick themselves and call it their first trip together. It just happened to be a trip that included 50 teenagers as well. And Dwight. And Michael.
After all the students had been accounted for and boarded on busses, Jim and Pam hopped on one bus with Oscar and Jan, while Dwight, Angela, and Michael took the other. There were also six parent chaperones who dispersed between the two busses.
“Remind me again why Angela is coming?” questioned Pam.
“PTA president. PTA sponsored trip. And it’s just another reason for her to control a situation,” Jim smirked.
It was 6:00 in the morning and the early December air bit at them until the bus finally pulled away from the school and the heat began circling through the inside. Jim and Pam sat together on one of the front seats across the aisle from two of the parent volunteers and Jan and Oscar were in the back to make sure the students back there weren’t getting into any trouble.
It was only about 30 minutes into their 4 hour drive and nearly all of the students had fallen back asleep, as had the two moms next to them. Jim had spent the night at Pam’s house the night before and despite his many attempts at keeping her up, she had put her foot down and insisted they get a decent night sleep because they had to leave so early the next morning. She had said something about REM sleep? He wasn’t sure. So instead, he held her close and breathed her in, feeling her chest slowly rise and fall under his arms, until sleep overtook him as well.
Now he was (mostly) grateful for her insistence because he didn’t feel tired at all, even with the 5:00 wake up call. Pam had her ET Memorial blanket he had given her on her lap and she pulled out a book to read. It was a book he had suggested she read and something about seeing her with her nose in it made his lips turn up. He kept his eyes forward, but slowly crept his hand under the blanket and rested it on her inner thigh. Through the corner of his eye, he thought he saw her eyes widen and then a smile came to her lips as well.
“Mr. Halpert…” she playfully scolded with a whisper, eyes on her book.
He turned his head to her and lowered his voice. “Everyone’s sleeping.”
And truthfully, who cared anymore? Jim had grown tired of hiding their relationship from everyone. It had been exciting at first, being the only two people at the school who knew they were dating. But now he just wanted to be able to drape his arm over the back of her chair at faculty meetings, or hold her hand, or carpool together without questions. And as much as he liked Toby Flenderson, he could only watch him try to court Pam for so long before it got to him.
Pam smirked at him, turned back to her book, then slipped her hand under the blanket and placed it on top of his. He slid his fingers just a little higher and she jumped.
“Okay, I have to draw the line somewhere,” she chuckled. “There are children here, Jim!”
“Fine,” he droned sarcastically.
Her eyes quickly surveyed their immediate surroundings and then she quickly leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
“How dare you?” he joked. But he caught her eye and his heart did that involuntarily swelling thing that happened so often when he was with her. He cupped the side of her face with his free hand and placed a loving kiss on her lips.
He pulled back and smiled at her, then quickly whipped around to make sure everyone around them was still sleeping.
“I think we’re safe,” he winked.
He had had the words “I love you” dancing around on the tip of his tongue for weeks. By this point, he was certain he meant them if they happened to slip out, but he wasn’t certain Pam was ready to hear them. Granted, she hadn’t done or said anything in particular to make him think that, but even still, he was nervous.
As the sun emerged from beneath the horizon, Jim reluctantly removed his hand from Pam’s leg in anticipation of people waking up around them. They spent the next few hours of the trip talking about everything from music, to family, to the best kinds of bread ranked from worst to best. He learned Pam was very passionate about her carbohydrates. Finally, they arrived at the hotel in DC and everyone stood and stretched. Jan walked to the front of the bus.
“Alright, students! Please stay seated while we unload your bags from under the bus. When we are done, you can come out, find you bags, then get your room keys from Mr. Schrute. Proceed to your rooms, drop your bags off, and meet us in the hotel lobby at 11:30. You have the phone numbers of all our parent chaperones, so call them if you need anything.”
Jim and Pam exited the bus to help with the unloading. Dwight was authoritatively standing watch, key cards in hand.
“You going to help, Dwight?” Jim asked.
“I was given one duty, and that was to administer the key cards to the students. That is what I will do.”
Jim rolled his eyes and grabbed another bag from the bus.
Pam eyed him. “You’re plotting a prank, aren’t you?”
“Pam,” he stood up and put his hands on his hips, slightly out of breath from hauling suitcases. “Give me some credit.” He smiled. “Of course I am.”
*********
Luckily, it was set to be an unseasonably warm weekend in Washington D.C., which made for perfect conditions to walk and explore with the group. The plan was to tour the Capitol and the Library of Congress the first day, see some museums the second day, and walk around the monuments at the National Mall before leaving Sunday.
There were perks to taking the ”good” students on trips like these. Most were very well-behaved, which made chaperoning a little less stressful. Jim had had some of them in his classes multiple years and had really grown to like them, and a few of his basketball players were there as well.
They walked the stairs to the Library of Congress around 3:00 that afternoon. Jim was in a heated debate with one of the students about the current NBA season, but he continually kept his eye on Pam. She was with a group of students about ten feet ahead of him and they were all laughing about something he couldn’t hear. He smiled to himself, feeling grateful she was bonding with the students. She had let on a few times that while she loved teaching, she always worried her students didn’t like her. He had told her that was impossible, but to see the physical proof that he was right was definitely rewarding.
As they entered through the doors, you could hear the “oohs” and “ahhs” from the students and teachers alike. It really was beautiful.
Their guided tour began and when the tour guide said there were over 38 million books housed there, he felt a student’s hand on his shoulder.
“Welcome home, Mr. H.” he whispered to Jim. “This is like your dream come true.”
Jim chuckled. “Think they’ll let me move in?”
Then he found his eyes on Pam again, as usual. She was staring at the ceilings and walls, wonder and awe on her face as she took it all in. She had told Jim that despite living just hours away from D.C., she hadn’t been here since she was in elementary school and hardly remembered it. He couldn’t help but smile while watching Adult Pam experience it. He made a mental note to tell her that they needed to take a real trip together soon, sans teens and teachers. He wanted to discover so many new things with her.
After their guided tour, Jim made his way next to Pam as they exited. They hung back from the group a bit, watching the students joking with each other, Michael joining in with them, and Jan glaring at Michael while unsuccessfully trying to get him to stop.
“Have I told you the theory that a bunch of us have? That Jan and Michael are secretly doing it?” Jim asked.
“What?!” Pam whipped her head to him. “No! How? Why?!”
“Oh man. The sexual tension is palpable. Gross and weird, but palpable.”
Pam looked revolted. “Really?! How have I not noticed this?”
“Give it time, Beesly. You’ll see what I mean soon enough. Oscar, Darryl, and I all have a bet on how long it takes Michael to crack and tell everyone they slept together.”
Pam visibly shuddered. He chuckled and fought every urge to wrap his arms around her or grab her hand. He had never felt this way about anyone and it almost physically pained him to refrain. But if Michael Gary Scott could keep from the entire school that he was banging the principal (because, c’mon...he’s totally banging the principal) he could keep his hands in his pockets too.
******
The time came to have all the kids return to their rooms for the night. The teachers had gotten together and painstakingly arranged which students would be in which rooms together so they could cut down on any potential problems. Each of the teachers and chaperones were assigned two rooms to be in charge of, making sure they knew the rules and the expectations for the night.
Jim knocked on his first door. It opened and gratefully, he saw it was four boys who he knew to be straight-laced. No problems here. He gave them the run-down, then closed the door. He pulled out a piece of tape and put it on the crease of the door. This was their solution to avoid any sneaking around among the students after curfew. Any tape broken in the morning meant those students would be confined to their room the rest of the trip with Mr. Schrute as their chaperone. None of the students wanted that and Jim didn’t blame them.
He went to the next room. This one was filled with two kids on the basketball team and two other boys he had together in his AP Language class. They were good kids, but they reminded him of himself as a teenager. Clowns, sure, but hopefully they wouldn’t pose too much of an issue for him.
“You going to tell us a bedtime story, Coach?” one of them joked.
“Uh, here’s one. Once upon a time, don’t try to pull anything stupid tonight because we’ll know about it and you’ll have to spend two whole days with your German teacher while the rest of us do cool things...the end.”
The boys rolled their eyes but smiled. “Fine.”
Jim pointed to the TV screen. “And you better be rooting for the Sixers or I’m docking your grade.”
One of them clutched his chest in mock pain. “Halpert, you wound me. Who else would we root for?”
“Dang straight. Now keep the noise at a reasonable level, stay in your rooms, and wait until we knock on your door in the morning before you come out. Deal?”
The boys mumbled in agreement. Jim waved at them and taped their door as well. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket.
My rooms are all locked up. Want to join me for some hot cocoa in the lobby? :)
He smiled to himself and replied.
Absolutely I do.
He exited the elevator on the ground floor and saw Pam sitting in a chair by the fireplace in the hotel lobby, legs crossed with her book laying on top of them. He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked over to her.
“This seat taken?” he asked, motioning to the chair next to her.
She raised a finger to him without looking up from her book. “Shh…”
He frowned. “Oh, are you at the part where…”
“Shh!!”
He put his hands up and sat down, resting his chin on his fist, staring at her intently.
A few minutes passed as he watched her face her go though a myriad of facial expressions while she read. She looked up at him.
“What?! THAT’S how it ends?!”
He laughed. “Yup.”
“Why would you make me read that?! It’s so sad!”
“But you loved it.”
She scrunched her eyebrows. “I really did.”
Again he laughed and felt the extreme pull to have her next him, feel her touch. “What do you say we take a brisk winter walk and talk about it. Do you have your coat?”
She patted it next to her and her knitted eyebrows relaxed as she smiled at him. They grabbed two cups of complimentary hot cocoa and walked through the doors of the hotel.
Once outside, he pulled her off to the side of the entrance and put his lips to hers. She smelled like lavender and tasted like chocolate and his shoulders relaxed as they melted into each other, careful not to spill their hot cocoa. He pulled away and smiled, losing himself in those green eyes. She beamed back at him and took him by the hand.
It was cold, but not cold enough to deter them from taking the 20 minute walk from their hotel to the Washington Monument. Jim hadn’t really planned to end up there, but as it came into view, lit up in the winter night sky, they decided to stop there.
Sitting down on the nearby bench, Pam nestled herself under Jim’s arm, resting her head on his shoulders. He turned and kissed the top of her head as they both looked silently at the glowing obelisk towering beside them. Suddenly, feeling the familiar swelling in his chest, he couldn’t help it any longer.
“I love you, Pam,” he whispered against her hair.
She sat up and looked at him, grinning. She pressed her lips firmly against his and ran her fingers through his hair. Her lips and her nose were cold against his face and his head swam with intense adoration and love for her. Finally she pulled back and put her head on his, their breath visible in the winter air between them.
“I love you, too. So much.”
He couldn’t tame the smile spreading on his face and he didn’t want to. He kissed her again. And again. And again, until she admitted she couldn’t feel her toes anymore and they walked back to the hotel together, grins still ever-present.
They got back to the hotel and Jim walked Pam back to her room. Luckily, they had opted to let all the teachers and chaperones have rooms to themselves instead of sharing. Jim was grateful because once he had to share a hotel room on a field trip with Dwight and he was still trying to block it from his memory.
They turned toward the hallway where her room was, but Pam suddenly pulled him back around the corner, covering his mouth with her hand. She poked her head around the corner and then looked back at Jim, eyes wide.
“Michael,” she whispered, “is going into Jan’s room!!”
Jim’s eyes widened equally as wide and he grabbed Pam’s wrist to uncover his mouth.
“What?!” He peered around the corner himself just in time to see Michael go inside a hotel room and shut the door behind him. Jim looked back to Pam.
“How do we know that’s Jan’s room?”
Pam was still whispering. “I had to grab my roll of tape from her before checking on the kids tonight. That is 100% Jan’s room.”
“Wow,” Jim marveled. He shrugged. “Administrator meeting?”
Pam looked at him flatly. “At 11:30 at night?”
“True. Holy crap, we were right! I was mostly joking when I said I thought they were sleeping together but...I gotta call Darryl.”
Pam’s brow furrowed slightly. “Maybe we shouldn’t. I know it’s Michael and he’s...well, Michael. But…what if it was us who was caught sneaking around, like, you know...we’re doing right now?”
Jim thought about it for a second. “You’re right. I guess.” He pointed a finger at her. “But I can’t keep it to myself forever.”
“Fair enough,” she smiled and kissed him.
They walked to her room, and Jim sarcastically plugged his ears as they passed Jan’s room.
“Just in case,” he whispered.
They stood outside room 304, where Pam was staying and he pulled her closer by her waist. He kissed her gently.
“I love you,” he whispered against her lips.
“I love you too,” she smiled back. “I would invite you in, but I’m so exhausted. They don’t tell you how draining extended field trips are in school. Rain check?” she said apologetically.
He kissed her again lightly. “Rain check. Get some rest, Ms. Beesly. Long day tomorrow.”
She hugged him and entered her room. Jim took the stairs to the next floor up where his room was. He closed his hotel room door and put his back up against it, grinning like an idiot.
Not a bad day.
Author's Chapter Notes:
This is most likely a two-part chapter. Special thanks again to those in the chat who give me ideas and feedback. You know who you are! You’re all wonderful humans.
Chapter End Notes:
The tape on the door thing was really what my teacher did when we went on orchestra trips in high school. It was pretty darn effective!
I think I will do a part two of this field trip because I think it needs some more from the other teachers. And Jim did plan a prank, after all...
As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. It makes this whole writing thing a lot more fun. :)
I think I will do a part two of this field trip because I think it needs some more from the other teachers. And Jim did plan a prank, after all...
As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. It makes this whole writing thing a lot more fun. :)
