-1Title: The First Times from Michael's P.O.V.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: All episodes up to date, ending with The Deposition of Season 4 (eventually - right now I'm on season 3 in this fic)
Disclaimer: I don't own The Office or its characters.
Author's Notes: This will be updated with more first times from Michael's P.O.V.'s. After I finish the fic, I'll write all of the sections from Jan's perspective. Each section sort of ties into the previous, hopefully you'll like.

New Author's Notes for this section: The timeline may be slightly off, but we aren't exactly told dates in the episodes, so deal with it. ;) Also, I wanted to bring back the light fluffiness to the fic from the last section, so you'll see Jan being more domestic and happy, because well, we all know what happens in The Deposition. I'm kind of really happy with how this section came out - it started with me not knowing how to incorporate Michael saying I love you to Jan, but then it started flowing, and well, here we are. I'm happy with how I bounce back to Cocktails a few time. Hopefully you will be, too.

The First Time Michael Said I Love You to Jan

When Michael initially said "I love you" to Jan the night of David Wallace's party, he had to admit, he wasn't sure if he felt that serious about Jan, so he did what he always does when confronted with an uncomfortable situation: Over emphasize that very thing that makes him uncomfortable with humor and exaggeration. At that time, Michael was certain that he loved Jan, but he wasn't sure if he was "in love" with her, and there was a difference. Michael felt that if he was "in love" with Jan, he wouldn't feel uncomfortable telling her "I'm in love with you," or for that matter, telling other people, that they were "in love." "They were in love," that was the other key part to being in love. For him, it had to be mutual. To say "I'm in love with you" without Jan reciprocating was the equivalent of saying "I love you" at the party. It didn't mean nearly half as much.

It hurt when Jan remarked that she never "said she loved [him". For her to blatantly point that out made him feel as if she was making it clear that there was no way she was in love with him. Left without a response, however, there could've been a chance that maybe she was in love with him but didn't feel comfortable saying it yet. Nonetheless, he tried not to let it get the best of him, and it didn't, as despite the fight they had that night, their relationship was going stronger now, especially after their break up and make up later that spring.

It was now early May and Mr. and Mrs. Bob Vance were celebrating their 3-month anniversary with a "small" celebration, according to Bob, which everyone knew, was really over-the-top (TWSS). Upon being questioned about why they were celebrating so recently after getting married, Phyllis replied that "This was their 2 year anniversary of first becoming a couple, and Bob insisted on celebrating this, as well as every milestone, in their relationship."

Michael and Jan, of course, were invited to the party, which was a backyard barbecue followed by a star gazing party in the evening, complete with some fireworks brought by Dwight. This also happened to fall on Cinco de Mayo weekend, so Bob insisted on having a Mexican theme, with sombreros and everything else Mexican under the sun.

Michael was excited – aside from David's party a few months ago, he and Jan had never gone together to any social event. He liked the fact that he could say to people that Jan was his date. It made him shutter to think that two years prior he and Jan would never have been heading to any of the same social occasions at all, going together or separately.

Now they were a couple bringing seven-layer bean dip and wearing matching sombreros (the former, Jan's idea, the latter, Michael's).

"Babe you have your sunglasses?" Jan asked as she took out the seven-layer bean dip from the fridge. The seven-layer bean dip. Boy, was that an experience Michael wouldn't mind reliving over again. The night before, Jan insisted that he help her make the dip.

"I don't want to be one of those wives who does all the cooking for these events, then goes to the event and stays in the kitchen with the ladies while you men go and drink beer while watching tv or playing basketball or whatever it is you men do. I want you to help, Michael," she said, becoming more sincere and less cynical as she finished what she was saying.

Michael was overjoyed. Jan had just used their relationship in a husband/wife context and hadn't even realized it…yet…yet. Michael couldn't stop waiting for her to realize it or else she would think he had no response to her stereotypical accusation of the roles husbands and wives have at social gatherings. He just couldn't let it go, he had to call he her out on it, so he said bashfully, "Wives?"

"Hmm?" Jan asked, mixing sour cream and guacamole together in a bowl.

"You said you 'don't want to be one of those wives'."

With that, Jan turned right around to face Michael, her face blushing as she realized her mistake, or as Michael hoped, her "Freudian mistake." Dollops of sour cream fell onto the floor.

Michael felt awkward for embarrassing Jan and not knowing how to respond, so he did what he knew how to do best – made it into a humor-filled situation.

"Admit it Jan, you want to be my wife," he said in a teasing voice as he made his way over to her, trapping her against the counter.

Jan was speechless, so she did what she knew how to do best in an awkward situation with Michael – she kissed him, just as she had the night of David's party when she couldn't find the words to be mad at him for embarrassing her there. When they broke apart, Jan said, "Now hand me the cheddar from the fridge."

It was the day of the party.

"Your sombrero is in the car. I don't know why you wouldn't walk into the party wearing it like me," Michael commented as he walked into the kitchen with his sombrero on.

Michael looked over at Jan, clad in a white halter, skinny light blue jeans, and flip flops. Her hair was pulled back into what Jan would call a "sloppy pony," which Michael never understood because with Jan, her hair always looked good. In this particular style, he found her hair looking cute the way that a few aimless strands didn't make the pony tail and the little curls that were at the nape of her neck were exposed. When he saw those little curls he couldn't help but think of what Jan looked like as a child. He wondered if she had curly hair, considering these little strands were always in the tightest of curls.

He watched as Jan reached for the dip in the fridge, exposing a sliver of stomach where her halter ended and before her jeans began. Michael couldn't help himself as his mind drifted to seeing more of her exposed body. He still wasn't over the fact that he was with Jan, let alone intimate with her. He was quickly brought back from his thoughts as Jan, now balancing the dip in one hand, a bag of Tostito's in the other, and the directions in her mouth, mumbled to Michael, "Do you have your sunglasses?" as she tried to close the fridge with her knee. Despite all she was doing at the moment, she was concerned if Michael had his sunglasses.

"Yeah, I do," he said, coming over to her and taking the chips from her hand. "But thank you so much for your concern of my pretty little eyeballs."

"Thanks," she said smiling as she turned her head to see him and hand him the chips. He loved that Jan had softened so much, which was surprising after she had been fired. That isn't to say that Jan didn't face any difficulties, because she did, but she'd gradually accepted what happened as her frustration turned into anger and passion with the date of the deposition coming nearer.

In combination with this softening, he noticed the other changes Jan had made besides the boob job. Those changes included being more understanding of Michael, taking on this relationship in a more serious way, expressing her feelings to Michael more clearly, and showing him on a usual basis that she appreciates him. He was proud of Jan for the changes she'd made in her life, especially after she stuck to them after getting fired. He knew she was hostile toward Dunder Mifflin but she never let that get in the way of often coming to see Michael while he was at work. Even if she hadn't expressed her feelings through the typical words those in love do, he could tell that she felt that way about him. As these thoughts came through his mind on this particular day, he realized that it was time to say those words to Jan, because even if she wasn't ready to, he knew that they both felt it, and for now, that was enough for him.

"I love you Jan," he said as they left the kitchen together. With that, Jan stopped dead in her tracks, looking up at Michael with a warm smile outweighing the shock and aw her expression displayed.

"I love you, too, Michael," she replied back barely above a whisper, looking at his eyes only for a second before nodding toward the door to get going.

It was a fleeing moment, but thrill-worthy for Michael. He hadn't expected her to say it, but she did. He now knew that despite their rocky beginning, they were definitely on the right track.