DISCLAIMER: Still don't own The Office. Sigh.

They shared their first birthday. There was a big cake with blue frosting and frosted pink flowers and frosted red balloons. There were multicoloured streamers strung from the ceiling and a big bunch of balloons. Pam wore an adorable blue dress with white spots. Her mother tried to strap her into some white sandals but Pam kicked them off each time, giggling. Jim was supposed to wear a mini tuxedo but after about 15 minutes of crying and gnawing on his tie, Lucy changed him into a simple blue t-shirt and overalls. They didn't invite many people, just some relatives and friends.

"Next time, we'll just get them the wrapping paper." Christopher commented, smiling, as the 2 babies rolled around in the strewn bows and wrapping paper, their new present ignored. The party was quiet and fun, but when Pam and Jim started to smear birthday cake on each other, it quickly ended.

As soon as Jim and Pam learned to walk steadily, they never stopped. They climbed on the sofas, crawled onto kitchen chairs, toddled all around the house and kept their parents very exercised. They passed the terrible two's, had their 3rd birthday and age 4 seemed to fly by. It was age 5 that both mother's dreaded. The year that they would go to school. Mr Beesly and Mr Halpert laughed and pointed out it had to come sometime, but Lucy and Charlotte prepared and packed lunches; bought new lunchboxes and backpacks and freshly sharpened coloured pencils. Also, they hugged their children a lot and fussed over them. But by Monday morning, neither mother was ready to say goodbye.

"Mum." Jim said in a strangled voice as Lucy desperately tried to flatten his tousled hair with a wet comb. He was wearing jeans, a new blue t-shirt with a penguin on the front and new sneakers. His backpack was orange and even though his father had tightened the straps twice, it still hung halfway down his back. In one hand was a green dinosaur lunchbox. Jim, trying to pull away from his mother, was the opposite of Pam, who was clinging to her mothers legs and crying.

"I don't want to go, Mummy! Let me stay here with you for another year. You need me here, who will help you?" She sniffled and looked up at her mother with big, green eyes framed by wet eyelashes. She was dressed in a new, navy blue dress with a square white collar and red trim. Her curls were loose, but pinned to the side was a red ribbon, now slightly undone. She looked like a little sailor and carried a light pink lunchbox with the Jetsons on it.

"Oh, honey, be brave for Mummy, okay?" Charlotte pleaded, near tears herself.

"Don't worry." Her father consoled, crouching down to eye level. "School is only 3 blocks away, if you really hate it, we'll come and get you. Okay?" Pam considered this silently for a moment.

"Okay." She sniffed at last. Her father kissed her nose.

"Good girl." Pam took her time, making sure her black, 'fancy' shoes were still shiny and that her red pack back still held her pencils and doll.

"Come on." Jim said patiently, holding his hand out. Pam took it and with one last worried look over her shoulder, they trotted down the street to school.

School, Pam had to admit was fun. Their teacher was nice and sweet and the subjects were okay, especially when they were allowed to colour stuff in. But best of all was lunchtime. They were allowed 20 minutes a day, not including free time in class. Pam and Jim sat under the big oak tree and swapped sandwiches.

"I have PB and J." Pam said, handing hers to Jim.

"I have ham and cheese." Jim said, handing his to Pam. They took a bite at the exact same time, and sipped their juice.

"You know what?" Pam said contently.

"What?"

"School is okay."

"Yeah. It's okay. I guess."

"Except for bullies." Jim looked in surprise at Pam.

"There are no bullies!" Pam's eyes widened and she put her sandwich down.

"There are! I heard some second grade girls talking about it!"

"What did they say?"

"That they had to watch out for Bully Jackson and that meanie Ashley."

"I don't know them." Jim said suspiciously.

"Me either," Pam admitted. "But they were big girls, so it has to be true."

"Well don't worry about any bullies. I'll protect you." Jim said bravely. Pam smiled. And for the rest of lunch, Jim looked over his shoulder almost every 5 minutes.

"Mum!" Pam flung herself at her mother who was watering the flowers in her yard.

"Hey Pam!" Charlotte swung the little girl in the air and hugged her tight. "How was school?"

"Good. Miss Johnson is so nice and she let me clean the board. And Jim sits right next to me in class and lets me borrow his red crayon."

"Well, that's very nice of him. Were the other kids nice?"

"Yes. Except for I heard there were bullies at school."

"Bullies?" Charlotte panicked a little.

"Yup. Only don't worry, Jim's going to protect me." Charlotte smiled, amused.

"I'm sure he will, sweetie. Now come inside, I have some cookies and milk waiting." On the other side of the street, Jim was eating a banana and telling his mum about the first day of school.

"Our teacher is Miss Johnson." He said between bites. "She's pretty nice, I guess. And she was so happy when she learned I could count all the way to 20. You should've heard her she kept going, James I am so improsed! I am just so impreased!" Lucy stifled a laugh.

"I think you mean impressed."

"That's what I said. And then we got to go out to lunch and me and Pam swapped lunches and I protected her from bullies."

"Bullies? There were bullies? Did they tease Pam? What happened?" Lucy asked quickly.

"Yes…yes…no…I don't know." Jim said slowly. "Pam heard big girls talking about bullies, 'n she was worried so I kept an eye out for 'em."

"Oh, you were so brave." Lucy grinned and Jim puffed his chest out in pride.

"Yeah." He agreed.

"Well," Lucy said, clearing the table. "At least no matter what, you'll have each other."

So, what did you think? Please review and let me know! Thanks for reading. xx