27 Seconds

Summary:

The story takes place in the middle of the booze cruise episode. In the original episode, Jim and Pam have a moment. They are out on the deck of the boat, and Jim had a chance to tell Pam how he felt, before Roy set a date for their wedding. In the original episode, Jim doesn't say anything, and there is an awkward silence for about 27 seconds. But before Pam can go back inside, Jim shows her how he really feels, and it changes everything.

"It's getting kinda rowdy down there." Pam said, as she walked onto the moonlit deck with Jim. He nodded in reply. "Darrel, Darrel, Darrel." Jim said, imitating Roy, Pam's fiancé. "Sometimes I just don't get Roy." Pam said, as she looked at her feet. "I mean… I dunno." She said. "So…" She said. "What's it like dating a cheerleader?" She said, in reference to Jim's new girlfriend Catie. Jim paused for a moment, before saying, "I'm not sure if she's really my type." Jim finally replied. "What is your type?" Pam asked. "Blondes… girls that are tall?" She asked, with a joking smile. Jim paused and looked at his feet, awkwardly. "Have you ever…" Jim said. He took a deep breath, and then looked at Pam. "Have you ever wondered… what it would have been like if you were with me… instead of Roy?" Pam then looked away, and to Jim's surprise, she nodded, as she looked out into the ocean. They didn't say anything, for 27 seconds. For 27, there was total silence. Pam then broke the silence, "I'm cold." She said. She started to walk inside. Jim then reached out, from behind her, and he grabbed her hand. "Wait." He said. At that moment, he leaned in, and he kissed her. After a second or two, Pam pulled away. Without a word, she walked inside.

Jim stayed outside, kicking himself for what he did. He was glad he was alone, cause tears rolled down his cheeks. She hadn't said anything. Not a word. He felt that he had ruined their friendship. "She's gonna stay with Roy, and never even be able to look at me again." He said to himself. He rested his head in his icy hands, as tears continued to fall.

At another part of the boat, Pam sat alone. She was on the floor, by the bathroom. She felt so confused. She held her knees, and it made her look like a child. She had always felt something for Jim, but she had no idea that Jim liked her enough to kiss her while she was with someone else. Then from the main room, she heard Roy, over the microphone, yelling her name, and asking for her. She rolled her eyes, since she could tell by his voice that he was drunk, and she walked into the tiny bathroom, and slammed the door. Once in there, she started crying herself. She realized that she liked Jim more than she liked Roy. Pam looked at her face in the small mirror, and at that point, she couldn't control her tears. And for the rest of the trip, she stayed in that little bathroom, crying her heart out.

With the help of Oscar and Creed, they got a drunken Roy from the boat to Roy's truck. Pam drove home, in total silence, and after she listened to Roy ramble on about Captain Jack for awhile, she noticed he had passed out. Pam just rolled her eyes and continued crying. She knew that she deserved better than Roy, but with Roy she felt safe. Like she was never gonna be surprised. With Jim it was open waters, but she knew that Jim would treat her right. As she pulled into her driveway, she noticed that Roy was still passed out. Normally she would have tried to help him out of the car, but this time, she just slammed the door. She walked up the staircase to her apartment. As she walked inside, she threw her keys on the table. As she walked into her kitchen, she noticed the teapot that Jim had given her for Christmas. She held it in her hands, and she took the top off. She took out his yearbook picture, and a smile came across her tear stained face. She took out the golf pencil, and she laughed and set it on the counter. She then took the tape, and put it in her tape player, in her bedroom. As the sound of his voice filled the room, it sent shivers off her spine. And she fell asleep, to the soothing sound of Jim's voice.

The next morning, Pam awoke to the sound of Roy snoring beside her. It was early, and it was still dark outside. She was still in her clothes that she had worn to the cruise. She got up out of bed to change. As she grabbed pajamas out of her dresser, she noticed her face in the mirror. It was smeared with makeup. After a moment, she remembered why she had been crying, and she felt a huge pit in her stomach drop. She looked at her engagement ring on her finger. She twisted it nervously. She looked at her face again, and then looked at Roy. She put her pajama's back in the dresser. She went to her closet, and she took out her suitcase. She walked back over to her dresser and opened it. But after a few moments, she returned it to her closet. Pam then put on her shoes and coat, grabbed her keys, and walked out the door. She knew there was something she had to do, and it just couldn't wait.

-I hope you enjoyed it. It's my first fanfic ever, so please feel free to give me constructive criticism. A chapter two will be coming soon, I promise.