Four months later

Pam stood underneath the shower head letting the warm beads of water fall down on her as she slicked back her hair and closed her eyes feeling completely relaxed. Today had been a stressful day at work. She had put up with Michael and Pretzel Day, and then right before leaving received a very awkward call from Jim who had left the day after Pam refused his kiss. Both hadn't said goodbyes, nor were able to talk about what happened. Instead Jim just left and went to Stamford and Ryan received his desk and old job. Thinking back at how Pam had said goodbye she cringed. Ryan was gone on a sales call with Dwight and the entire day she had worried about him. Lately Ryan had been working and studying non-stop.

Jim and her had spoken briefly, hardly filling each other in on anything before saying goodbye. Driving home, all Pam wanted was to find Ryan all ready home and fill her in on his crazy day. Lately he had been pushing himself so hard to prove something, she knew how badly he wanted to make a sale and gain a little respect at work. But Pam didn't want him to stress, she knew he was trying and loved him just the way he was. Feeling a little uneasy after hearing Jim's voice, she came home to an empty apartment and decided to take a nice long hot shower and then slip into bed.

Just then the curtain of the shower was pushed back and Pam's eyes snapped open as her heart jumped into her chest. Ryan stood there, his lie loosened and his face exhausted.

"You wouldn't believe the day I had."

Pam put her hand to her chest before laughing.

"Oh my God, I didn't even hear you come in."

"Yeah Dwight made me go for some after drinks with him…"

Ryan rolled his eyes before taking his tie off and starting to unbutton his shirt. Pam laughed again before throwing her hair back over her shoulder, the water still falling down on her.

"So how did the sales call go?"

Ryan's eyes dropped before he shrugged.

"I didn't get it."

Right away Pam felt terrible, This entire week he had been so nervous about it.

"That's too bad, maybe next time."

"Yeah maybe…"

"I'm sure having Dwight with you didn't help either."

Ryan slid his shirt off and placed it on the hamper before undoing his belt buckle.

"Actually he gave me some pretty good advice…well besides the stuff he tried to tell me at his beet farm."

Pam laughed, trying to hide it.

"No way!"

Ryan shook his head before tugging off his slacks and shoes.

"You have no idea…"

Pam kept laughing, but wanted to tell him it was okay about the sales call. Instead he pulled down his boxers and Pam smiled as he stepped inside.

"Move in, I need to unwind."

Pam smiled stepping back as Ryan stood in front of her, right away the water making his hair flat. Pam then reached up behind him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. Moving in behind him, she gently kissed his back, moving her lips up against his skin before reaching his shoulder. Tilting his head back, he deeply sighed before Pam playfully nipped his earlobe.

"Don't let the sales call get you down, you're great at business."

"Yeah…I guess."

Pam could tell by the sound of his voice he was tired. Just then Ryan turned, his eyes meeting hers. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he seemed serious.

"I'll make you proud Pam, I'll show you I'm not just a temp."

"Ryan, I don't care about that. I'm all ready proud of you…I'm in love with you."

"Really?"

Pam smiled.

"Really."

"I promise though, I'll give us a good life…no matter how hard I work."

"Ryan, we do have a good life."

Ryan smiled before Pam's eyes drifted down, her smile getting bigger. Ryan's serious gaze was broken when his old smile appeared.

"Maybe we should move this to the bedroom."

Pam smiled still looking down. Ryan laughed as the water poured down on them.

"Impressed?"

Pam smiled, holding back from laughing.

"I guess so…"

Ryan smiled.

"You guess so?"

"Yeah…it's cute."

"Cute! Puppies are cute!"

Pam kept laughing before looking down.

"Okay, okay fine. It's huge!"

Ryan laughed before wrapping his arms around her and playfully putting her in a headlock. Both laughed before he kissed her.

Afterwards Pam dried off and was finishing blow drying her hair while watching Ryan at the sink. Only in basket ball shorts he stood by the medicine chest, she watched him pinch a tiny flab of his almost perfectly flat stomach before injecting his insulin. Seconds later he turned and smiled.

"Ready for bed babe?"

Pam smiled before following him.

That night Pam slept with Ryan's arms tightly around her. Laying awake, she took one of Ryan's hands and slipped hers into it. Holding his hand, Pam smiled at the size difference and how nice and smooth his fingers felt against hers. Laying against their bed, Pam thought back at the past four months and all the happy memories she all ready had. This past summer the two had gone up to Ryan's family for his birthday at his brother's lake house. The two spend the week boating, laying on the beach, and making love. Pam liked Ryan's family so much better then Roy's. Even though they weren't that close with him, they were more then welcoming. The two had enjoyed working so close together now and it seemed as though every second she would be looking up and catching him staring at her with a smile on his face. She loved getting these cute little emails from him, or how they couldn't keep their hands off each other when they got home.

Laying there, Pam knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Pulling out from Ryan's arms slowly, she heard him mumble in his sleep before rolling over. Softly walking to the other side of the room, Pam flicked on the light on their desk and took out her sketchpad.

Staring at Ryan she smiled and went back to working on a sketch she had been wanting to surprise him with.

One month later everyone at the office learned the Stamford branch was closing and coming here. Pam was met with mixed feeling about this news. Part of her thought it was for the best since their branch didn't close, but another made her nervous since Jim would be coming back. She didn't want things to be awkward, or have Ryan and her feel guilty. When the day the Stamford people arrived things got off to a rocky start. Jim tried sitting at his old desk before Ryan made it perfectly clear he was now sitting there. Pam meanwhile watched without saying a word. Jim tried to make it out to be a big deal and just shrugged before going to his old desk. Pam felt weird and after a few hours learned he was seeing the new girl Karen. Hoping this would take the heat off Ryan and her, she exchanged a few words with him, mostly just saying hello and asking how things were. Before the end of the day Jim asked the million dollar question.

"So your still with him huh?"

Pam crossed her arms, she didn't like the sound of his voice.

"Yeah…I am."

Walking to Ryan's car that afternoon, Pam made sure Jim could see her holding Ryan's hand before they drove away. The next few weeks were strange, but every time they all sat together in the meeting room, she focused on Ryan and laughed with him while Jim watched from afar.

Then Christmas happened.

Ryan was working extra hours and still taking his classes at night. Pam saw as winter began to wear on, Ryan was getting more and more exhausted. Planning on staying the holidays at Pam's parents, Pam had saved up some money and bought Ryan an X-box and brand new watch her mother helped her buy while they were shopping in New York. A small mini tree in their living room, Pam spent most evenings either waiting for Ryan to come home from school, or sketching and wrapping gifts. She felt like a little kid again watching it snow and couldn't wait to see Ryan's face on Christmas morning when he opened his gifts.

Then the Christmas party happened.

Pam was trying to be friends with Karen and both were having fun going against Angela with making two different parties. It was a little after five when Michael and Andy arrived with their two new waitress girlfriends when Pam noticed Ryan sitting in the back break room. His color was slightly off, and he looked to be sweating. Walking up, she right away felt worried.

"Hey, you okay?"

Ryan looked up, he had been fetching things for the girls to set up their party. So far everything was a success and people were starting to have a good time. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she studied how badly he was sweating.

"Yeah fine, just tried."

"You want to leave?"

Ryan forced a smile before shaking his head.

"No I'm fine…come on let's get some drinks."

Pam smiled before taking his hand. Earlier Karen had commented on what a cute couple they made. About an hour later everyone was drinking and having a good time when Pam noticed Ryan was missing again. Walking past Jim who was watching, she found Ryan sitting in the kitchen, his collar undone and breathing heavy.

"You okay?"

Ryan looked up, his hands shaking.

"I don't feel so hot…"

Right away a horrible feeling of panic leaped into Pam's chest. Kneeling down beside him, her hands went into his.

"Ryan?!"

"Get me some juice…my blood sugar…"

His voice was barely above a whisper. Just then Karen walked in, a drink in her hand and giggling as Jim followed her. Right away both stopped in their tracks. Jim made a face.

"What's wrong?"

Pam ran to the fridge and grabbed the apple juice, nearly falling she ran back to Ryan.

"Here Ryan, take a sip!"

Ryan grabbed the bottle, nearly spilling it before taking a huge swig. Karen walked over, her eyes big.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He has diabetes, something is wrong…"

Pam sounded scared to death as Ryan took another swig. Helping him loosen his tie, she watched with him terrified eyes before he gulped and set the bottle down, out of breath and drained.

"I'm okay…just give me a second."

"I'm calling an ambulance…"

Pam went to get up before Ryan reached out and gently took her hand. Shaking his head he tried to smile.

"I'm okay Pam, really. This happens sometimes when I don't eat for awhile. I'm fine."

Karen and Jim watched without saying a word. Looking down at him, Pam fought back on crying, she had never seen Ryan like this before and was scared to death seeing it. A half an hour later she forced him to go home with him. Before leaving, the party had really started picking up and nearly everyone was drunk. Only Jim and Karen had seen what had happened.

Ryan slipped on his coat and Pam told him to wait. Karen and Jim leaned against one of the desks.

"How's he doing?"

"Better, his blood sugar was just low. I'm going to get him home before the snow gets any worse."

"You need anything?"

Pam was stunned to hear this from Jim but shook her head.

"No, we're fine. Thanks guys. And if you don't mind can we keep this to ourselves?"

Karen and Jim nodded.

"Of course."

Giving a forced smile, Pam grabbed her coat and left just when Angela began singing Christmas songs. Taking Ryan's arms she insisted on helping him to car and drove as snow fell from the sky above. She couldn't believe nearly a year had past since they were together.

Once inside the apartment Pam forced Ryan out of his slacks and shirt and into sweats. Helping him check his blood sugar he seemed fine and set him up on the couch. Feeling still slightly shaken over what happened, Pam nervously paced the living room floor as Ryan laid on the couch and petted Rusty before looking up at her.

"Thanks."

Pam stopped, their tiny Christmas tree's lights were twinkling. Snow fell outside now and it looked as though there would be a pretty bad storm for tomorrow morning. Feeling better that it would be Christmas eve day and that Ryan and her had a couple of days off, she felt nervous about taking him up to her parents after what happened.

"What?"

"For helping me out back there, I knew it was stupid to go without eating that long, sometimes my blood sugar gets so low I start feeling sick."

Pam went over and sat on the edge of the couch before sighing.

"You scared me."

Ryan frowned.

"Sorry I ruined your party."

Pam reached over and gently touched the side of his face.

"You didn't…I was just so scared…I started thinking if something had happened…"

Ryan took her hand, meeting her eyes and giving her comfort.

"Pam, nothing is going to happen. I promise."

Pam tried to smile before Ryan kissed her hand.

"Now let's not have such a stupid little thing ruin our holiday okay?"

Pam sniffled in before laughing.

"Okay."

"Well, I was waiting to give you this tomorrow night, but I think this might cheer you up."

Ryan dug into his pocket of his sweatpants before taking out a tiny little black box. Right away Pam's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened before she stared at him.

"Ryan?"

Ryan smiled, his eyes sparking.

"I know this is fast, but I've never been so much in love then I've been with you Pam. You make me feel so much better about myself, and you make me want to try harder…you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

That's when he opened the box and Pam gasped.

"Pam, will you marry me?"

Pam stared at the sparking diamond ring and was completely speechless. Looking at Ryan's big blue eyes she knew he wasn't joking. Right away the most overwhelming feeling of happiness over came her before she laughed as tiny little tears fell down her face.

"Of course I will."

Ryan grinned before reaching over and with his thumb wiped her tears away. Gently slipping the ring on her finger, he sat up before Pam started laughing and crying at the same time. Ryan gathered her up in her arms and held her tight as the snow kept falling outside.

"I'm going to give you a good life Pam…I promise."