What You Don't See
Summary: Set before, during, and after "Fun Run". This is what happens when the cameras aren't on Jim and Pam as they settle into their new relationship.
A/N: This is not my first Office fic, I have to get around to posting some of the earlier ones. It is, however, my first one in awhile, so reviews and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.
This is a one-shot for now, but I'm considering making doing multiple chapters – one after each ep this season. Please let me know what you think about that. Thanks!
What you see: "What was the exact order?"
"Um, it was for a video."
"Yeah, what kind of video?"
Pam pauses a moment before admitting, "A celebrity sex tape."
Jim raises his eyebrows and turns towards her. "Really, what kind of celebrity?"
"Not relevant," she says, looking down. The tech guy just watches
There is no way Jim is letting this one go. "How much did you pay for it?"
"Not relevant."
'You paid for it?!"
"It all happened so fast!" She looks at him and they both smile a second. They seem happy and comfortable and completely non-platonic.
What you don't see: Three hours earlier…
Jim feels the sun on his eyelids as consciousness begins to take over. This has always been his favorite time of day – when you were just awake enough to know you were alive and comfortable, but the pains and fears that made up day-to-day living were still at bay. He yawns and stretches, pausing when his hands encounter nothing but sheets. "Pam?" he murmurs drowsily.
"Yes?"
He finally opens his eyes and sees her standing by the side of his bed, hair wet and clad in a towel. She is watching him with an expression that he is just starting to get used to. He suspects that it might be love, but he doesn't want to be presumptuous. They're not the types to exchange dramatic declarations of love. He's content with just her being her e and he's not going to push it. Yet.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"You showered without me."
"I woke up about an hour ago. You just looked so peaceful sleeping, I didn't want to disturb you."
"For future reference, you waking me up to get me into the shower with you is not something that I count as a disturbance. What time is it, anyway?"
"8:30."
"8:30?!" He jumps and scrambles out of bed. "So I only have a half hour to shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, get my car, and get to work?"
"Sorry. I was going to wake you up in a minute!"
"But you just stood here instead? Stalker."He smiles to himself and he goes into the bathroom and gets in the shower. A few minutes later, Pam, dressed now, comes in and begins to dry her hair. "Hey, Jim?"
"Yes?" he calls back.
"Are you completely sure about this keeping our relationship hidden thing? Because it might make things easier if we could just drive to work together."
He stops the water and grabs a towel. "How do you figure that?"
"Well… Okay, I don't know about easier but it would definitely make it more enjoyable for me."
"Me too, but do you really want the cameras following us around everywhere? If they knew we were together you can be sure they would."
"Maybe, but…"
"And Michael."
"Michel?"
"Could you imagine if Michel knew?"
Pam, pauses and contemplates this for a moment. "Okay, you have a point."
Jim shakes his head as he pulls on clothes. "Yeah, the commentary, the sexual innuendos, the winks…"
"The thumbs up, the telling us we should make out in various locations…"
"It's a little much."
"Agreed."
"But, still, I know what you mean. It would be great if we could just be open about this."
"Right, but we can get through it." She exits the bathroom and grabs a coat, he follows suit. "Plus, you have something to look forward to. I'll have a surprise for you at the end of the day."
She grins and kisses him, trying to prolong their time alone together for as long as possible. He pulls back for a moment to just look at her, and realizes that he was wrong. This was his favorite time of day.
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What you see: Pam pulls her car over to the side of the road and ducks her head down. Jim wals up alongside it and gets in. He touches her face and gives her a quick kiss. They both smile happily as he puts on his seatbelt and she drives them away.
What you don't see:They get out at her house and head inside as she apologizes for forgetting her bag. Jim still insists on paying for their expensive dinner dates, but she is adamant about splitting for lunches, at the very least.
"So, we only have an hour before we have to go pick up Michael's race day flyers. Where do you want to go get dinner?"
He shrugs and looks at her as if he's hungry for something else. Pam blushes a little, he's still not used to seeing open desire on his face like that. She sees her bag on the kitchen counter, but makes no motion towards it. Instead, she walks up and kisses him. He pushes her back against the wall and starts kissing down her neck. She sighs. "Hmm, then again, maybe we could just stay here and… hang out? Grab some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the way back to work? You want to do that?"
He pauses and looks up at her. "Hmm, let me think about that. Yes."
He starts kissing her again and she walks him backwards until they tip over onto her couch.
"We have a whole hour to ourselves…"
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What you see: "Ooh, an estate sale. Want to go in?"
"I don't know, I'm really committed to winning."
"Okay, well what if I told you that all the money you spend here will go to fight a disease that has already been cured?"
"Hmm, yes."
"That's what I thought. Let's do some good."
What you don't see: "Yeah, seriously, Jim. We deserve the break. I can't believe the camera guys know about us!"
"What do you mean you can't believe it? You told them!"
"It all happened so fast…"
"That can't always be your excuse, Pam."
"I know, I know…" She laughs and fingers a crimson throw rug . "But it's not like your response was exactly brilliant. Can you explain to me precisely how one would go about making two people kiss solely through editing?"
"CGI?"
She laughs and slaps his arm playfully. "What do you think of this?"
He shakes his head solemnly at the powder-blue, trophy-shaped lamp. "No. that looks like something Michael would buy and tell everyone that he won it performing some athletic and/or heroic feat."
"Do you get a trophy for being a hero?"
"I'm sure Michael would give himself one. Ooh, how about this?" He picks up a large, yellow-green bonnet from a hat rack and puts it on his head.
"Oh, you look lovely!"
He grins and goes over to a wicker mirror hanging in a corner and twirls around. Pam doesn't even try to hold back her laughter. He stops abruptly and comes back to her, shaking his head. "Seriously, this might be the most hideous piece of apparel that I have ever seen."
"Excuse me!" They turn to see an angry-looking elderly woman wearing a dress the same shade of green as the bonnet. "Would you mind giving me back my 'hideous' hat?"
Jim meekly takes it off his head and hands it to her while Pam interests herself in a clock shaped like a cat. The woman walks away shaking her head and murmuring about "kids these days". It takes all of thirty seconds after she leaves for Jim and Pam to start cracking up.
"Wow," he says. "Oops. I think I'm ready to get out of here."
"Okay, go ahead. I just want to look for one more minute – I'll be right out."
He nods and walked out of the garage. Soon after, she comes running out behind him, blue trophy lamp in hand.
"Whoa, wait a second. You bought that? Like, you actually paid eight dollars for that? Are you insane?"
"I don't know – it all happened so fast…"
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What you see: They look on, smiling, as Michael proudly declares that he didn't vomit up his heart.
What you don't see: It starts with a little giggle. Then, it's a guffaw and soon it crescendos into a hysterical laugh.
Jim adjusts the sheets and looks over at her in concern. "Pam? Um, Pam? Is everything okay?"
She nods, then rolls over to bury her face in the pillow, laughter still streaming out.
"Are you sure? Because, I have to say, this wasn't quite the reaction I was going for."
She stops finally and looks up at him, her hair falling in her face, and he is once again struck by just how beautiful she is. He had thought that these moments of awe would happen less often as the relationship went on, but this had not proven to be the case. He truly loved her and he wanted to show her that and really make her feel it and now she was laughing at him and…
"Jim."
"Yeah?"
"You asked me a question. I am in a place to respond to it now."
"Oh, yeah. Was there a problem?"
Pam sees the genuine concern in his eyes and is touched. She can't, however, resist messing with him just a bit. She forces the smile off her face and says, "No, no. It's just… Well, it's Michael."
"Michael?" Jim chokes out.
"I was just thinking about him. I mean, I really got to know him in a more… intimate way today. You know how it is."
Jim sits up straight and looks at her in horror.
She can't help it. She cracks up again. "Man, you're easy."
He slowly sinks back down to rest his head on the pillow next to hers, caught between relief and annoyance at being taken in. "One day, Beesly, one day…"
"One day what, Halpert?"
"I…" He can't help starting to grin. "Hell, I don't know. Maybe I'll try to set you up with Michael."
She shivers dramatically. "God, did you really think that I have been thinking about Michael this whole time?"
"Well, hey, how am I supposed to know? Contrary to popular belief, I'm not mind reader."
"And by popular belief, you mean Dwight, right?"
"Exactly."
"Well, Karnack, I actually was thinking about Michael, but trust me, not in that way. I was thinking about what an amazing day I had even though I saw more of my boss then anyone ever should and I watched him throw up the pasta alfredo he was carbo-loading and hold up that silly $8 lamp as if it were an Olympic trophy… And all of a sudden it just seemed so crazy and I thought 'Damn, my life is like a tv show.' And then I realized that my life is a tv show and…"
She trails off as Jim starts chuckling. "Okay, fine, you have the right to laugh at that."
"It's either that or start crying."
"I'm glad you went with the first option, then"
"Me too."
She shifts so that her body is against his and his arm curls around her. She rests her chin on his chest and smiles up at him. He smiles back before asking softly, "So we're good?"
"Trust me, Jim, you don't have to worry. You always leave me smiling and satisfied."
Jim raises his eyebrows and Pam nudges him. "Come on, isn't your line here 'that's what she said'?"
"Um, Pam, I hate to break this to you, but I'm pretty sure that joke doesn't work in this situation, because you are indeed a woman lying in bed with me talking about sex. Therefore, the humor of relating two unrelated situations is not present, and…"
She moves up to interrupt him with a kiss. "Okay, enough, I get the point."
"Are you sure? Because, you see, the concept of the joke…"
"Okay, seriously, shut up now."
He grins and mouths "okay" silently. She watches him for a few more moments and then, smiling contentedly, she snuggles against him and goes to sleep.
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