Disclaimer: I do not own The Office or any of the characters.
A/N: This is my attempt at something with humor in it. Though like all my stories, it's serious in the end. I hope it makes someone laugh or at least smile.
They rode the elevator together as usual. Pam especially liked having someone walk her out at night, but she enjoyed it even without this bonus. "Oh no!"
"What's the matter?"
"I forgot I don't have a ride home and I forgot to ask Angela."
"I could take you home."
"No," she stated quickly. Somehow, she felt Roy would not like Jim driving her home. She saw the expression on his face and reassured him, "You know, because it's out of your way."
"Oh, okay. I'll call you a cab." He dialed the number and told them they were at Dunder Mifflin. "They said it would be 45 minutes." She sighed. "I'll wait with you."
"You don't have to."
"Yeah Pam, I'm going to leave you here after dark, by yourself. Sit down. You are my prisoner for the next 45 minutes."
"Yes sir," she said militantly as she sat on the curb. He sat next to her letting out a breath of air. "I'm sorry. I'm so stupid."
"No, it's alright. Hey if you can stand me 8 hours a day 5 days a week up there," he pointed at the building behind them, "You can suck it up 45 minutes longer."
She was laughing, "Are you kidding me? If not for you, I'd have gone crazy years ago."
She rubbed her arm trying to keep warm in the fall weather. He saw her, "Now's who stupid. Here." He removed his jacket.
"You don't…"
"Pam really. I'm fine. Take it." She wrapped it around herself. It was already warm from him and made her feel better instantly. She breathed in deeply and found the coat smelled just like him. She looked at him and found him already staring at her with a hint of a smile on his face. "Buy yourself a coat, but preferably smaller than this one."
She looked down at herself and realized how ridiculously baggy the coat was on her. Her hands didn't reach all the way to the end of the arms. She was laughing again. This is why she spent so much time with Jim. She never laughed this much at home. Plus, he was always nice and protective of her, hence the coat. An idea popped into her mind, "Let's play a game called 'what does Jim Halpert keep in his pockets.'"
He had a dumbstruck smile on his face, "What?"
She did her best game show host voice, "Pocket number one contains absolutely nothing ladies and gentlemen." She saw him laughing and shaking his head playfully. Yet another reason she liked spending time with him, she could be herself freely. If she'd tried this with Roy, he would have told her she was strange and turned up the volume on the game. Jim always paid attention and played along. "Number two, drum roll please, a gum wrapper. Jackpot. Pocket number three, oh a wallet." She opened it, "And I thought my driver's license picture was bad."
"Hey."
"A coupon, a movie ticket stub. Exciting life we're living Halpert."
He could barely contain himself. "I'll bet you wouldn't like it if I went through your purse."
Her jaw dropped, "You wouldn't dare."
She had hardly gotten the words out before he grabbed it. "Rose lipstick," he pretended to apply, "How do I look?" and batted his eyelashes. "Breath mints." In mock horror, he said, "I thought your breath was naturally fresh." She was too busy giggling to stop him. "I bet you license is in here."
"Oh no you don't."
"It was too late, "Wow, you're older than I thought."
"Excuse me."
He reached his hand back in and pulled out a yogurt lid attached to a paper clip chain.
She looked embarrassed. "I meant to throw it away. I don't know why I haven't."
"Pocket number six." She looked at him quizzically then down at the bottom pocket of his jacket. She took out a piece of paper and a yogurt lid attached to a paper clip chain. She smiled at it and then at him. "I don't know why either. Although, it's not everyday one wins a bronze metal." She stared back at the yogurt lid for a while. Suddenly, she remembered the piece of paper in her other hand. She slowly unfolded it. Her smile faded, "Where did you get this?" Jim looked at the piece of paper in her hand. He hadn't thought about that when he told her to look in his pocket. "Where did you get this?" she repeated, her voice eerily even.
"I took it out of your trash can," he spoke in a defeated voice. "The day Jan came for the girls only meeting, I saw you come out of the conference room after talking to the camera, and throw it away. I was curious so I looked and I didn't think it belonged there. It's really good Pam."
She couldn't understand why she felt mad at Jim. She should have been flattered. "It wasn't yours to take."
"I know. You should keep it."
She became defensive, "I don't want it."
"Why?"
"It's not as if I'm ever going to have this. Besides, Roy always says…"
He couldn't help himself, "Roy's wrong!" She looked at him; she was on the verge of tears. He continued in a softer tone, "It's good. Look at it Pam. If I had half your talent…" he shook his head, "Let's put it this way, the best I can do is stick people and flat clouds." A tear fell onto the picture. "You're smudging my picture," he uselessly joked. He gently removed it from her hand, folded it up, and went to stick it back in his pocket, "Let's leave it there."
She watched him as he bent to put it in the jacket. He looked up at her noticing how uncomfortably close they were. She didn't take her eyes off him so he looked away acting as if he were expecting the taxi right then. He could feel her eyes burning a hole into him. If she kept this up, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to ignore her. He'd have to say something. He'd have to say how much he wanted to give her the house in the picture; he'd have to tell her he loved her. He gave in and turned toward her. They stood both looking as though they wanted to speak but were afraid to. It was time, "Pam I…" the taxi interrupted him.
"Hey, who's gettin' in?"
Pam went for the door, remembered the jacket, and handed it to him, knowing Roy would not like her coming home with his jacket either. "Thanks."
Jim grabbed the jacket, "Next time you want to forget your ride, I'll be here." She didn't even acknowledge him as she climbed in the back seat. Jim pulled out some cash and handed it to the cabbie, "This should more than cover her ride."
"Thanks man." He looked at Pam. "Nice," he smiled and nodded at Jim.
When he arrived home, the light on his answering machine was blinking. "Hi Jim, this is Pam," as though he would not recognize her voice, "I wanted to tell you I was home. Thanks for the fare and for sitting with me. You really didn't have to. Bye." She was always saying things like that. Like being with her was a burden. He wondered if she had always been that way, or if it came from Roy. He didn't want to think about it now; he was tired. All he cared about was on Monday it would be as though nothing had happened. It was better that way, wasn't it?
fin