Jim was bursting with excitement. He knew he was acting like a teenager, but he didn't really mind. A week after Pam's interview, he was finally going to ask her out on a date. It had been one of the most difficult things in his life, but he had managed to make himself wait a whole week, for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, he didn't want to be the guy who dated the new girl. He had met a lot of those guys; people who capitalise on the disorientation and insecurities of a person in a new group people, for whatever reason, and he knew for a fact that he didn't want to be that guy. It was hard for people to turn down the offer of any kind of friendship when they were knew, and Jim wanted to know for sure that he wasn't forcing Pam into anything.

Secondly, as much as he felt like he had known Pam all of his life, he had met her barely seven days ago. Although he had spent all of his work hours with her and what seemed like all of his waking hours thinking about her, it was quite possible he didn't know her completely. However, any quirk he had yet to discover would likely not be important enough to get her out of his mind. Indeed, every time he tried to imagine her flaws, they just seemed endearing on her. He could imagine waking up to her snoring, and finding her sleeping face so cute he wouldn't have the heart to tell her, and would just drift off to the gentle rhythm of her breathing...

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, he held back because of her. Because every time he was on the brink of asking, she would change the topic, ruin the moment, or begin to look sad. He didn't know if he was being paranoid – he suspected that he was – but he was beginning to think she could read his mind, and didn't want him to ask her. He knew it was crazy, but she did read him pretty well. For example, every time he couldn't handle Dwight, she would seem to sense it, and would sent him a conspirational look. Then again, he had caught her staring at him at times she thought he wasn't looking; and they definitely had fun together.

After a week of fighting internal battles over this question, he decided that he was just going to bite the bullet and get it over and done with. He figured that the worst case scenario was she would say no for whatever reason, things would be awkward for a while, and they would go back to being friends. He wasn't looking forward to that happening, but he had more than two decades without her. At least, that is what he told himself.

Jim and Pam had become close friends very quickly. It wasn't just their shared appreciation of the quirks of their co-workers and boss; although, they did supply the two with an endless source of amusements. It was also the way they seemed to be able to communicate a lot without words. So much of what Jim felt could be conveyed to Pam with one look, or a sigh. There were a lot of things that remained unsaid between them, he was sure, but it seemed like Pam already knew all of his secrets.

Like the sweets that were on her desk. The first day she had worked, there had been a mixed assortment on her desk, like usual, and Jim had snacked during the day (with hindsight, he realised he had been favouring the jelly beans). The next day, there were only jelly beans in the container. As per usual, neither of them mentioned it, just shared a look. The jelly beans remained there for the rest of the week.

Pam had learnt to handle Michael quite well, too. To be truthful, he had been relatively mild this week. Pam had easily handled his uncomfortable jokes with deadpan looks and firm tones. Jim smiled inwardly: it was kind of amusing watching Pam with Michael. Sometimes is was like a mother with her child. That evoked a peculiar feeling in his stomach. It has only been a week! he told himself resolutely.

And Dwight no longer bothered Jim at all. Whenever he became too obnoxious, or meddling, Jim and Pam would share a look, and it would begin again. He would feel sorry for him, if he didn't know how much the guy deserved it. And he honestly asked for it sometimes. Jim wondered if he was a little too mean sometimes; but generally remembered something Dwight had done to him or a co-worker. Like the time he had bought Kevin a three dollar 'diet kit' from the dollar-store. Or when he had claimed Phyllis was the office 'elder'. Yes, Jim thought, Dwight did ask for it sometimes.


Jim's mind snapped backed to the present. It was almost five o'clock. He had a mission, and he wasn't about to back down now. He was feeling strangely confident. He thought it might just be in the air. Everyone he knew was in a relationship. His room-mate, Mark, had recently moved out to live with his girlfriend (Jim was only just able to afford both rent payments on his own measly pay cheque, but he was happy for the guy). Kevin had been bragging yesterday about how serious he and his girlfriend Stacy were getting. Even Michael announced he was dating again, although Jim was naturally sceptical.

Pam looked especially cute today, in her trademark black skirt and uncharacteristically flattering white blouse. Jim had been sneaking glances at her all day. He had even been caught a few times, earning himself a couple of strange smiles in reply. It was time, he told himself. He grabbed his big, and sidled up to her desk.

She looked up expectantly. He grabbed a jelly bean, in an unsuccessful attempt to look casual.

"Uh, Pam, I..." he trailed off. This was not the place to do it, he realised. He was suddenly adamant that he didn't want the rest of the office to know about it, however she replied.

"Well, aren't we eloquent today?" Pam quipped, smirking at his pained expression.

Jim desperately searched for an excuse that would allow him to sneak away somewhere with her without looking suspicious. To his relief, he realised he had been sneaking off with her all week without arousing anyone's curiosity.

"Pam, do you think you could help me with a little project?"

"It's almost fiv-" Pam stopped when she noticed his obvious wink. "Oh, yeah, sure."

Jim led her up the staircase, onto the roof. It was a little chilly; they weren't far enough into spring for late afternoon trysts on the rooftops, Jim joked weakly to himself. Not that this was one of those. Yet.

"So what's the plan?" Pam asked, cutting into his thoughts. "Because, you know, we are going to have to make it snappy. I mean, I am super fast, but Dwight is going to be out of here in a couple of minutes."

Jim struggled with himself for a while. Just do it, he told himself. Like a band-aid. Pull. "Pam, actually, I didn't really call you up here about Dwight."

"Oh, we are going to branch out, are we?" Pam seemed to sense his awkwardness again, and began blabbering to fill the spaces in the air. "So who is it? Michael? Kevin? Angela?" Jim wondered if she really was trying to sabotage any attempt he made to have a 'moment'. Well, there was only one way to find out.

"Pam. I know this may be a little strange, with working together and all, but... I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner with me on Friday night?"

Pam flinched and looked away, as if he had threatened her. Before her face turned, Jim caught the sadness on her face. Fuck! he yelled at himself. What had he done? There was a long, awkward silence. Fuck. What was he going to do? He thought they had connected. Was she going to say anything? Or just stand there? Should he say something? "Umm... I'm sorry. Just forget about it. I shouldn't have eve-"

"Jim." Pam's voice cut him off, almost a whisper. "I have a boyfriend."

"What? But you never said anything-"

She interrupted again. "I know. I... don't know why. I am sorry."

"Who is it?" Jim said rudely, clutching for some semblance of normal conversation, and failing miserably.

"Roy, from the warehouse," Pam said simply.

"Roy?!" Jim exclaimed automatically. He was the last person he could see Pam with. He wasn't exactly the 'witty banter' type. "I'm sorry," he added, realising how bad he had sounded. "I don't mean it like that. I really don't. I was just a little surprised, is all." Pam was still looking away. If he thought hard enough, he could remember her mentioning Roy as a 'friend' at the interview. He could remember her waiting for a lift, not out on the footpath, but in the car-park. He could even vaguely recall Roy mentioning a girlfriend when they had been exchanging pleasantries a few months ago. He might have even named her; Jim probably hadn't been listening intently.

Jim wanted to break the silence, but he couldn't think of a safe way to start.

"So how long have you guys been together?" he said lamely.

"Seven years last month."

"Congratulations," he replied managing to sound reasonably sincere. "Look, I really am sorry about this. Do you think we could just forget it? I mean, I am sure that I would never like to relive this experience."

Pam had an unreadable expression. Was that disappointment? No, he told himself. That was his over-active imagination. He could tell his attempt at a joke had fallen flat. He made a last ditch attempt to salvage things. "Do you think Angela is free on Friday, then? Because, I am a pretty confident guy, so I already booked the restaurant."

This time, Pam's lips twitched. "Oh, really?" she said. "Are you implying that you thought I would be easy?"

Jim could tell her heart wasn't in it. Neither was his, to be truthful. He wanted nothing else than to go home and try to get her out of his head. Maybe he could go to a bar tonight, and use one of his spare sick days tomorrow to ride out the awkward period. He hoped he hadn't screwed anything more than his chances for a date. "Definitely not," he said. "Anyway, I better be heading off. Do you want me to walk you to your car?" He realised how stupid he sounded. To Roy's car, he amended himself silently.

"I'll be fine," Pam said, with a grimace. "Look, don't worry about this, okay? We're friends, right?" There was an air of finality to her words Jim didn't particularly care for.

"Right," he agreed over-enthusiastically. Friends. Well, it was something, he told himself.

As he walked slowly down the stairs, the wind picked up. It suited his mood he thought.

The sound disguised the quiet sobs coming from above.


A/N:Sorry for the time jumping. There will be another jump next chapter, and then we will get right into the thick of the story. I am excited! Aren't you? ;)

And quickly: the point at which this became an alternate universe was when Pam introduced Roy as her friend instead of boyfriend. Therefore, all of the differences are because of that decision. I would go back and make it more clear, but I don' t like altering 'after the fact'; and besides, I am reasonably sure it would come off incredibly cheesy.

The point is, that because of that, Jim asked her out. All of the other consequences of that little decision will become evident as the story progresses.

Thanks! See you in a day or two.