Title: Passing as Friends.

Setting: Season 5, the day after "The Duel."

Summary: Pam doesn't want to be the one to comfort Andy after he breaks up with Angela. And yet, there she is. Set-up for the "Stress Relief" Andy/Jim/Pam friendship.

Notes: As of July, changed some inconsistencies and clarified a few points. The Office belongs to NBC. And feedback, as always, is appreciated!

Sometimes Jim felt more like a therapist than a salesman. Though really, wasn't there a connection between the two? Sales people looked for what the customer desired, and showed how their product could serve those purposes. Therapists found what their clients wanted, and helped them achieve it. Pretty similar roles, when it came down to it. Maybe that was why Jim was getting so sensitive to other people's emotions. In theory, that kind of intuitiveness should make a sales job easier. And it usually did, with clients. But not with the typical inter-office relationships.

It was easier to brush things off. To not get involved. And it made sense on paper, but then you had situations like Dwight—Dwight, who for all intents and purposes was Jim's nemesis—crying in the stairwell over Angela. Because he loved her, and she was with someone else. That hit a little too close to home for Jim, who had eventually found himself sitting with a blubbering grown man, spilling his own guts about how he knew what it felt like to get passed over for someone else.

"It was something that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. And that includes you."

After that, apparently he just couldn't get out of that triangle. The day after Andy had broken up with Angela, Jim watched him closely. Typically, the rule-of-thumb was that the "dumper" was the one who could handle the situation. He or she had made the decision to end the relationship, and while it was difficult, it was the "dumpee" that usually reacted badly, because they were the ones who were blindsided.

In this case, even though Andy had broken up with Angela, he was the one who was caught off guard. Having no knowledge of her affair with Dwight, Andy had proceeded to propose to Angela and plan their wedding. While Jim knew Angela wasn't really good for anyone, Andy seemed to really care for her…hell, if not actually love her, in some weird way. And in one day, that was all gone.

At work the next day, everyone walked on eggshells around the trio. Andy wasn't known for his cool exterior, but for his part he had so far maintained a calm disposition. He didn't call anyone by their nicknames or sing his favorite alt-rock songs, but he showed up on time, made some sales calls, and typed up his reports. And he made it a point not to acknowledge Dwight or Angela.

So by all accounts, Andy was coping. But Jim sensed otherwise, and so when Andy took his second break of the day before 10 a.m., he called Pam into the hallway.

"What's up?" Pam grinned, grateful for the break.

"You noticed Andy today?" Jim replied, speaking quietly so their voices didn't carry back into the bullpen.

"I've noticed he didn't bring a gun out so far."

"Yeah, that's what concerns me," Jim admitted. "He's acting…normal. Which, for Andy, means anything but. It's not even lunch and I'm worried he might snap again."

"Well, Assistant Manager Halpert, what are you going to do about it?"

"Uh…well, Andy's in the break room right now, and I was thinking someone should talk to him," Jim paused, and raised his eyebrows hopefully at Pam. "And…I was thinking I actually might not be the best one to field this."

Pam was silent for a moment, staring at Jim and hoping she was misinterpreting his hint. "Oh no," she said finally. "You're not asking me to…"

"Pam, you've gotta do it," Jim pleaded. "Andy tried to run Dwight over with his car yesterday. I didn't even expect to see him today, so I need to know he's not planning something worse."

"And you think I'm the best one to do this?" Pam asked incredulously. "It's because of us he punched a hole in the wall, remember? I was in on that!"

"Yeah, but…" Jim sighed. "I kinda think…you and I are maybe the closest thing he has to friends here."

"God, that's depressing," Pam muttered. "Okay, fine. I'll do it. But you're buying my drink." She held out her hand expectantly.

Jim grinned and fished a dollar out of his pocket. "You're the best, Beesley, you know that?"

Pam gave Jim a quick kiss on the cheek and smiled. "Oh trust me, I know."

As soon as she walked into the break room, Pam knew instantly that things were not right. Andy sat at the back table, leaned forward in his chair, looking at something nonexistent on the floor. He generally didn't take breaks without other people around, so the sudden isolation was disconcerting.

"Hey Andy," Pam called as she made her way to the Coke machine.

"Hi Pam," came a mumbled reply. That was it. No singing. No nickname. No fake accent.

Pam bought her drink and walked over to his table. "Mind if I join you?"

"Ah, actually," Andy raised his head slightly, but didn't meet her eye, "I kinda want to be by myself for a little bit."

She had already used Jim's dollar to buy the drink, so there was no going back. Regardless of what Andy said, Pam was involved now, so she ignored his request and sat down next to him. "Look, Andy, I'll leave you alone in a minute, but first I just want to make sure you're not…" she paused, trying to find the words she unfortunately hadn't rehearsed, "…going to hurt anyone. No matter how much they might deserve it," she added quickly, seeing him flinch at the memory.

"No, I'm not," Andy replied softly. "I was angry yesterday, but…I'm not anymore." With that, Andy leaned back in his chair, glancing briefly in Pam's direction. He quickly refocused on the Coke can in his hands, but not before Pam saw unshed tears in his eyes.

"You wanna talk about it?" Pam asked softly. Andy shook his head 'no' once, eyes still on the floor, jaw clenched.

Pam closed her eyes and sighed to herself. Andy drove her crazy most of the time. Even more than Michael, which was saying a lot. She really did not want to do this, but Jim's words repeated in her head: "We're the closest thing he has to friends." Yeah, some friends. But then her memory skipped to another time in what could be another life, when she was crying over Jim in the stairwell and of all people, Dwight had comforted her. Well, as best as Dwight could comfort someone.

"So you're PMS-ing pretty bad, huh?"

At least he had tried. And really, she hadn't cared it was Dwight who had sat with her.

Maybe when you finally had to break, anyone could pass as a friend.

"Listen, Andy," Pam began. "I know you don't want to hear this right now. I know you're trying to figure out what you did wrong, and I know you'll be wondering that for a while." Andy didn't respond, but Pam knew he was listening. "I know," she repeated. "But someday, at some point, you need to admit that this wasn't your fault. And you need to know that no one here thinks it is."

As she spoke, Pam realized she actually did understand. She remembered all the years she had wasted with Roy. He was no Angela, certainly, but he had strung her along for far too long. Made her question for years why they weren't married yet. Made her wonder what she was doing wrong. Caused her to blame herself for someone else's issues.

"It's not your fault," Pam repeated softly, and with that she reached over and put her hand on Andy's arm, giving it a gentle, friendly squeeze. That was all it took. He dropped the empty Coke can, leaned forward, buried his face in his hands, and began to tremble.

Forgetting that maybe they weren't close enough for this kind of situation, Pam slipped her arm across Andy's shoulder and pulled him into a halfway embrace. Andy kept his hands over his eyes, but allowed himself to slightly lean against Pam while he quietly wept. Pam didn't say anything, knew there was nothing to be said, but she moved her hand to Andy's head, gently stroking his hair. Silently letting him know she was there, that he wasn't alone. And in her mind, Pam could picture the moment in third-person: they could pass as siblings. Or maybe even friends.

After a few minutes, Andy pulled away and wiped his face in one movement. "Sorry about that," he chuckled softly as he fumbled for a handkerchief in his pocket.

Pam shook her head. "Don't be. It's okay," she replied. "You gonna be all right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Ah, thanks, Pam." Andy sounded better now, albeit slightly embarrassed. He stood and pointed to the men's room. "I'm gonna get cleaned up, and go back out there." Despite watery eyes, he still gave her a sly smirk. "We've been in here a while. You'd better go check in with Big Tuna. He's probably thinkin' you're my rebound."

Pam rolled her eyes and smiled as Andy disappeared into the men's room. He wasn't back yet, but he was getting there.

On her way back to reception, Pam stopped by Jim's desk. She typically tried to keep their PDA at the office to a minimum, but sitting with Andy and remembering her own past had made her so grateful for the present. Pam leaned down and gave her fiancé a long hug, murmuring "I love you" in his ear.

Jim beamed from ear to ear. "Love you too," he replied with a wink.

Andy didn't say anything to Pam for the rest of the day, but before they left for home, both she and Jim received the same IM:

To Big Tuna and soon-to-be Mrs. Tuna – thanks for your support. I'll make it up to you sometime.

-Nard Dog

"I guess he knew I was in on it," Jim remarked on their way home. "I'm a little concerned on how he plans to 'make it up' to us, though."

Pam smirked. "It was all your idea. If he serenades us with a banjo rendition of 'Wind Beneath My Wings,' be aware that it's absolutely your fault." Jim laughed, and Pam continued. "You know, I think you were right about what you said. About us basically being the closest thing Andy has to friends. " She paused. "So...maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to voluntarily eat lunch with him. On a trial basis, of course."

Jim smiled at his fiancee. Maybe there wasn't a difference between therapist and receptionist either, he thought. Or maybe they were doing more than just passing as friends to the people they worked with. "You're good people, Beesley, you know that?" he remarked.

Pam grinned back and squeezed his hand. "Oh trust me, I know."