For The Week
EhCanadian
A/N: Jim asks Pam to spend Christmas with him. JimPam. I know it's a bit late… But that's life.
Disclaimer: I can never think of a good witty disclaimer to display… So I'm not. The joke that Jim and Pam play on Dwight is one I read on the internet…
A little Jam fluff to repair all the Jam fans hearts out there, when the Jim/Karen coffee shop scene occurred.
This story has a prologue, seven chapters (each a day, and its respective night (if needed), long), and the epilogue to finish it off.
Prologue
Their once-thriving friendship has diminished into oblivion. Jim thinks of this as he passes by reception everyday. A million thoughts of how they could repair it go through his mind constantly, but then he reminds himself that the reason why their friendship has turned into nothing was because of him. He needs to get over her. He has Karen now.
He can't help that every time Michael makes some inappropriate joke, he turns around in his chair to look at Pam and her strained half-smile. Jim's pretty sure that Karen notices this behaviour, that she'll probably approach him about it soon.
But she hasn't yet.
Sometimes he gets daring and heads up to reception to pop a couple jellybeans in his mouth. He can cover easily, saying his blood sugar was low, or the generic "I was hungry." But the office knows that isn't the real reason.
Jim isn't kidding anyone.
Including himself.
But that doesn't stop him from pretending to.
One day, the day before they all leave for the holiday break, it's snowing and Jim is feeling nostalgic. He's sick of the fact that every time he enters a room, she leaves it. To even get his messages, it's a game of cat and mouse. He's sick of the fact that she doesn't help him out pranking Dwight anymore. Last time, he got Kevin, of all people, to help him. Unfortunately, halfway through the prank, his minion saw a package of Ding-Dongs and off he waddled. But what Jim's really sick of most is the fact that Pam used to be his best friend.
'Used' being the keyword. Now she's a former friend. A friend of the past. No more funny e-mails or inter-office phone calls. No more saving seats for each other at the Dundies, or going for drinks after work that turned out to be more talking then drinking.
Then comes the day that Pam suddenly came careening back into his world. They both have gotten sick of Andy, and both conspire against him. Like old times. Them versus the world, or more like the general Office. Later, Karen asks Jim if he still has feelings for the receptionist.
Jim takes a moment to think this over. With guilt in his voice, he finally manages to get out "Yes."
For a minute, Jim Halpert feels glorified. He's finally voiced the truth, gained the upper hand in knowing what was what.
But then he realises he's gone and said it to the wrong person.
Mentally berating himself, he watches as Karen leaves the conference room, upset. Looking down at the floor, he wrings his hands as the thoughts go berserk in his mind.
They're all thoughts on how he and Pam can get together. Be best friends again, maybe more.
And then he knows he's made the right choice.
Jim's sitting at his desk when Dwight comes up to him, grinning like a maniac.
"What do you need, Dwight?" Jim arched his eyebrows, confused at the look.
"Knock… knock…" Dwight answers back, slowly. Actually, it was more of a statement.
"…Who's there?" Jim replies, uncertainly.
"Interrupting cow…" Dwight can't stop smiling, in fact, he's giggling a little. This freaks out Jim entirely.
Jim rolls his eyes when he hears 'who's at the door'. "I've heard this one before…"
Dwight temporarily pauses. Then "Knock, knock."
Looking at the camera, then a quick peek at Pam, Jim sighs, and replies "Who's there?"
"Interrupting cow…" Dwight has that manic grin back on.
"Interrupting cow w-" Jim gets cut off.
"Moooooo…" Dwight barks out a laugh as he walks away.
Jim shakes his head and gets back to work.
Break comes along and Jim enters the lunch room, hoping to catch a bag of Doritos before Kevin buys them all again.
Pam's sitting with her back to the door, finishing up a phone call. "Oh… Okay. Well… I guess you won't be home for Christmas… No, mom, seriously… It's fine. Go and have fun in Florida… Okay, I will. Love you. Bye."
Jim knows how much it sucks to spend Christmas alone. He's done it too many times before. This year, his sister is finally hosting it over in Massachusetts.
But this year is going to be hard for Pam… It's the first time she's spent it alone, probably ever. It's always the first Christmas that gets you.
"So, Fancy New Beesly, any plans for Christmas?" An idea was forming in his head, but he didn't want to open up a can of worms unless completely necessary.
"No, actually." She turns around, and he can tell her eyes are starting to leak from holding in all the water. "My dad rented a condo in Florida for three weeks for my Mom as a Christmas present."
"Really, now? Wow, your Dad sure knows how to woo a woman." Jim smiles that lopsided smile of his.
"Yeah. That he does." Pam starts to leave.
"Pam, wait. Since Dwight is back and all… I think it's time for a little prank. He thinks he's escaped us… But I think Andy was just an early Christmas present, yeah?"
"Definitely."
The two sit down to talk when Dwight enters. "Jim!" That grin is back on his face.
Jim sighs and turns around. "Yeah, Dwight?" His face falls when he notices the familiar grin.
"Knock knock."
Pam looks between the two, confused.
"Who's there?" Jim looks up at Dwight, who is now standing beside his chair.
"Interrupting sloth." Dwight replied, gleeful.
"Interrupting sloth… who…?" Jim stops for a second to look at Dwight's finger coming towards him slowly. "Oh, you're going to poke me now…" He forced a grin. "That's a really great joke, Dwight."
"Really?" Dwight asks.
"No." Jim turns back around, only to see Pam's mind working.
"I've got an idea…" Is all she says.
Later, Jim is leaning on the water cooler, waiting for Dwight to come around. He smiles at Pam when Dwight gets up and heads for some water. She returns his smile and gives him a thumbs-up.
"Hey Dwight." Jim nods. "Noticed you'd get thirsty."
"…Yeah… The human body is made up of over seventy percent of water… I get dehydrated fast." Dwight answers as he gets a cup of the cool liquid.
"I got a joke for you." Jim says, acting all casual.
"Yeah? I bet it isn't as cool as my two jokes." Dwight rolls his eyes.
"I think you're gonna like this one…" Jim grins.
"Fine, what is it?"
"Knock, knock." Jim starts.
"Who's there?" Dwight asks.
"Interrupting completely uncalled for." Jim says quickly.
"What kind of name is that?" Dwight questions.
"What kind of name is 'interrupting cow' or 'interrupting sloth'?" Jim shoots back.
Dwight shakes his head. "Interrupting completely uncalled for w--" He gets cut off as Jim slaps him in the face, and takes off.
Pam bursts out laughing as Dwight bellows "Jim! JIM, DAMMIT!"
But Jim is already safely stowed away, behind Pam's counter.
Karen's the only one who sees where Jim got off to. And inside, it's practically ripping her heart in two.
Jim smiles as he looks up at Pam, and quietly puts a finger to his lips, motioning for her to keep quiet.
"JIM! I'll call Michael if you don't show yourself now! Worse yet, I've got my potato gun in the car. I'm not afraid to use it!"
Pam keeps a straight face, complying with Jim's wishes.
Jim looks up at her, and he can't help but think that he's thankful for this morning's nostalgia.
"Pam?" He asks quietly, still hiding from Insane-o Man and his possible Potato Gun o' doom.
She looks down as Dwight enters the conference room. "Yeah?"
"Spend Christmas vacation with me." He says breathlessly.
It's not a question.
It's a request.
A/N: Ah, so the Prologue is done. Next chapter up soon! It's title: Day One of the Halpert/Beesly epic Christmas mission/quest/vacation.