DISCLAIMER: I own zero, zip, zilch.

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I know I haven't updated in a little while, I honestly meant to, but then exams came up and seeing as I've only drawn on my book for all of semester 2 science, I figured I should study. But it's my study break, so here I am! Again, sorry. Enjoy!

Pam waited impatiently outside the building, her breaths making puffs of mist in the frosty air. It was surprisingly cold that morning, and between all the trees stretched tangles of lacy spider webs, glittering and sparkling. Pam checked her watch – why couldn't Karen have suggested meeting inside somewhere? And God, she set up the meeting, why was she so late?

"Pam! Sorry I'm late." Karen ran up behind her, wrapped in a coat and scarf.

"Hey." Pam said, teeth chattering slightly. "What's this all about?" Karen rolled her eyes.

"3 guesses." She raised her eyebrows.

"Tess." Pam sighed.

"Got it in one. Okay, so enough games. Now we go in for the kill!" Karen jumped right in. "Were not bothering with making her day bad and blah, blah, blah. We've really gotta sabotage their relationship. Heres the plan. I'll start crying over something – we'll say…I don't know, I'll say my dog died. Anyway, I'll get Jim to comfort me, and then you somehow get Tess to see us hugging and you say…"

"Hold on!" Pam interrupted. "You want to make Tess think Jim is cheating on her? She'll never believe it. She's crazy about Jim; she knows he'd never do that."

"Well, its only part 1." Karen explained. "Later today, you get a flat tire! You ask Jim…" She was off again, chattering away and planning (well, scheming really) leaving Pam lost in her own thoughts. Because Pam wasn't really sure if she wanted to do that. At lunchtime, Pam sat alone in the break room, stirring her yoghurt around absently.

"Hey Pam." Jim said casually as he walked in, heading for the soda machine.

"Hey…" Pam replied. She watched him, playing ever move over again in her head. He studied the selection drinks, but she knew he knew already what he wanted – grape soda. The way he slipped the coins in the slot one by one, and punched in the numbers gently. The way his hair fell a little in front of his eyes as he bent to pick up the can.

"Can I…ask you something?" She felt her hands get clammy and her throat starting to ache. She was going to cry and she had no idea why. He paused.

"Sure." Now she wasn't sure what to ask. She wanted to know but she didn't know how to ask him.

"What's it…you know, like? Being with Tess?" She asked, very aware that her voice was wobbling. He looked a little taken back but he considered the question. He ducked his head a little, smiling.

"Well…I don't know exactly how to explain it." He was looking warily at her now. "Try." She choked out. He looked at her carefully for a moment and knew she wanted more of an answer.

"Okay. It's like…it's like when I'm not with her its okay, but everything is kind of…padded. Cloudy? It doesn't feel exactly real. And then when I see her, its like everything lights up and everything seems somehow better. I feel empty without her and…yeah. She's like…" He took a breath. Pam wondered if he knew she was still there. "Sunshine." He shook his head a little.

"I know, I didn't explain it very…well." He said, shrugging. Pam shook her head and tried to find words. She couldn't get her voice box to work. He was in love. He was in love and it wasn't with her. She felt an ache in her chest and throat.

"No." She said. "You explained it perfectly. He nodded and started to walk away.

"Jim?" She found her voice somewhere.

"Yeah?"

"Does she make you happy?" Every single noise, every scent, every feeling flooded out of her. Nothing mattered. Just this one, tiny thing and it would determine everything. She felt like she was underwater. Jim looked at her silently for a minute.

"Yeah. She really does." He spoke softly. She understood then. She knew she had to stop.

Karen smiled to herself. Pam hadn't been so sure about the plan, but Karen knew it would all be worth it. Of course, it wasn't over yet. She still had to wait for Tess to come. She wondered of there was a way she could speed this up…hmm. She felt a little (okay, a lot) bad, but she really could not sit back and watch him get away. She hummed under her breath as she walked back to her desk. Suddenly she stopped, a sharp pain in her side. She stifled a gasp. A memory flooded her head. God, it was so stupid. But she was remembering a time in 4th grade. 4th grade of all things! She sunk into her chair, keeping her head down, remembering how Aaron Dallas had randomly claimed she was his girlfriend one day. They held hands sometimes and he chased her on the playground, but to her it was love. She'd told all her friends. Karen smiled slightly, remembering how Stephanie Sutton's eyes had grown wide with awe and respect. They were 'boyfriend and girlfriend' for almost 2 weeks until one Thursday, Lisa something offered him half her sandwich. After that, he was chasing her on the playground and pulling on her braid. Karen had held her head high, ignoring it.

"Were just having and little break from each other." She told her friends with dignity, even at 9 years of age, pretending her stomach hadn't dropped and her heart wasn't sinking. Pretending she wasn't about to burst into tears or smack him, or better, that stupid Lisa. Was she about to do that to Tess? No…that was ridiculous, Karen tried to shake the thought out of her head. God, she was 9. She was just a kid. This was different. Totally different. Or was it?

"Maybe its worse…" Karen muttered to herself. Was it worse? She considered, feeling that forgotten stomach drop. This was more serious, wasn't it? She was just a kid then, Aaron Dallas was only 9! Lisa was probably just 8! Jim was an adult, Tess was an adult…they knew what they were doing. Jim wasn't chasing Tess on the playground and she wasn't bribing him with half a sandwich. Karen felt beads of sweat popping up on her forehead and tears behind her eyes. Oh, God! And she, Karen, she was Lisa! She raised her head and was greeted by a post it on her computer, from Pam. It said only 2 words. It's over. And Karen knew it was.

It had been a weird day for Jim. He'd woken up on the floor beside his bed. He hadn't fallen out of bed since he was 6. He actually found matching socks which was definitely weird, especially since he'd found them under 1 minute. He saw a guy who looked like Dwight on his way to work, which almost gave him a heart attack. And then there was that conversation with Pam. Like things could get any weirder. But despite the weirdness, it had been a good day and it was only going to get better. He could feel it. And he could feel the small ring box in his pocket. He couldn't help smiling every time he thought of it, although he was incredibly nervous. He swallowed hard as he walked out of the building. And there she was. Talking to Andy. In a simple, sleeveless white sundress with an empire waist, she looked gorgeous.

"Cornell?" She was saying. "That's great."

"Yeah, I get that all the time." Andy bragged.

"Hey." Jim smiled as he walked up.

"Hey." Tess smiled sweetly.

"Oh, hey Big Tuna." Andy grinned and punched him on the shoulder. Well, tried to. He actually sort of slapped his elbow since Jim was so tall. Jim smiled but said goodbye.

"C'mon." He said to Tess, smiling. His heart was pounding, his hands were clammy and he couldn't keep a goofy grin off his face. He took her by the hand and led her to the car, driving to a large field. The grass was a little bent and just bit brown but pretty wildflowers made up for that. Tess smiled, looking confused.

"Where are we?" She asked. "I mean, not that I'm complaining. It's really pretty; I just don't know were we are."

"You don't recognize it?" Jim asked. She shook her head no. "I guess its looks different without the rides. This was where that fair was." She looked shocked and happy.

"Aw!" She cried excitedly. "That's so nice!" She stood silently, surveying it. And when she turned around, Jim got down on one knee…

Okay. This was the second last chapter! GASP! I hope that all made sense. Karen and Pam just decided not to break them up and then Jim proposed to Tess. I really hope you liked this chapter, please let me know! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed. Xx