Author's note: this chapter is super-cute and I kinda almost wish I could see it on the TV show. You know what I asked Santa for Christmas? I asked for the writer's strike to be over. FF will have to suffice for now.. stupid network executives. Read, review, and enjoy!

The next Monday at work, Pam seemed to notice Angela around every corner. She felt like she was a science experiment that was up for observation, and it made her extremely uncomfortable to be constantly watched. It didn't help that with every interaction she made, Angela scribbled down notes in a small, pink notebook; whatever kind of experiment this was, she was likely to have it published in a scientific journal with her diligent note taking. By lunchtime, she finally decided to confront her.

"Hey, Angela," she started, handing her a red folder, "Here are those expense reports you asked for."

Angela stared at her with an incriminating look on her face. "Thank you," she said coldly. She turned to her desk, but Pam reached out for her arm.

"Hey—um, would you like to go out to lunch? We could just grab coffee.. I feel like we need to catch up." Angela raised her eyebrow at the suggestion, curious both as to why she was being so friendly and what details she could get out of her if they did go to lunch.

She finally gave a smirk, "Yes. I would like that. I do want to catch up."

"Good. Just, let me get my purse." Angela watched as she walked to reception, interested to see if she gave a signal to her man that she wouldn't be able to eat with him. Sure enough, she did, and so she thought for good measure, she would bring her notebook along. She joined Pam at the front of the office, and together they walked out the doors.

…

"So," Pam said as they sat down at a booth of the coffee shop, "I know you went to the Pocono's a couple weeks ago.. How was it?"

"Relaxing. There was a gentleman friend with me who took good care of me."

"Oh really?"

Angela took a sip of her iced cappuccino, "Yes. We camped out, and so he built a lean-to out of tree branches for me, he took me on nature hikes, and he even shot his own dinner." Pam's eyes widened as she shuddered at the thought of Dwight with a loaded gun.

"Wow.. How interesting. He sounds like a very handy man to have around.."

"Yes. He is the most stalwart man I have ever known…"

Pam rolled her eyes and decided it would be all right to probe her a little more. After all, she had been writing notes about her all day. "I would love to meet him sometime—" She started, but then Angela shot her a dirty look.

"Well, everyone would love to meet yours too."

"What does that mean?"

"I think you know." Angela took out her pink notebook and began flipping through the pages. She cleared her throat and started to read: "9:07 am; Curly Sue is late and Big and Tall looks worried; he takes out his cell phone, then puts it back as she walks through the door."

Pam crossed her arms and sat back in her seat, stunned and angry with what Angela had been doing all morning. She wondered how she could've possibly figured this out, especially since they had been trying to be careful. Angela continued, "9:24 am; Big and Tall scribbles on a sticky note and casually drops it at reception after taking some jellybeans; Curly Sue reacts with fervor. 10:02 am; Curly Sue talks with the Alchy in the kitchen; has glanced at Big and Tall exactly 11 times. 10:14 am—"

"Okay, that's enough!" Pam whispered harshly to her with a vengeful look in her eyes. "I know about you and Dwight, okay? I have known for a very long time, and as far as obviousness around the office goes, the two of you may as well swap saliva every time you cross paths."

"Excuse me?" Angela's eyes were wide with fear; perhaps, she thought, she had pushed to far.

"You heard me. The fact that no one but me has figured out your secret after so long is astonishing, but you should thank your lucky stars that they haven't. And what you're doing to me—" She picked up the pink book that now lay on the table between them, "—is hypocritical. So.. cease and desist. Please." She handed the book back to her and gave her a judgmental look, indicating that she wanted it to disappear.

Angela gave a sigh, knowing if she exposed Pam to everyone, then she would have no hesitations about turning the tables on her. "We.. have a détente then," she said with a tone of uncertainty in her voice.

"Yeah. We do." She held her hand out, and Angela shook it, keeping a watchful eye on her for any signs of bluffing. "So.. can we start over?" Pam asked her.

"Yes."

"How was going to the Pocono's with Dwight? What.. did he shoot for your dinner?"

She flashed her a genuine smile as she thought of her man in hunting gear; even though she didn't like that he hunted, she did like when he dressed in any kind of uniform. "I did not eat what he killed, but he shot and ate a ruffed grouse."

"What.. what is that?"

"It's like a partridge… Apparently they are rare in summer. Their hunting season begins in September."

Pam looked at her with confusion, "Wouldn't it be illegal to shoot one now then?"

"Oh.. I suppose it would be." The girls laughed and sipped their iced coffees, happy that they both now had secrets to bond over. Pam was especially relieved that she was no longer under investigation, and that she had sworn Angela to secrecy. With all this in place, she felt comfortable divulging every detail about her and Jim to her, and Angela stealthily ate up every word.

"So, you've met his family?" she asked casually. "The only family of Dwight's I've met is Mose.. Mose is very interesting."

Pam smiled at her and answered, "Yeah, I met them over Fourth of July. They are so nice.. It was great just being open about our relationship. That's the one downside of work, is we have to sneak around and stuff."

"That is your one downside?"

"Well, what would your one downside be?"

Angela cocked her head to the side and squinted at the ceiling, her mind pouring over the endless amounts of possible downsides of work. Finally, she came up with an answer: "Kevin." Pam tried to stifle her laughter, but Angela smiled and shook her head, knowing that her constant banter with him was somewhat humorous. "Well, I applaud you for not sneaking around after-hours.. That's actually how I found out about the two of you: I saw you in the park on Saturday."

"Oh, you did?"

"Yes. I thought it was terribly romantic to go on a picnic."

"Well, that's Jim's creativity for you—"

"Wait," Angela interrupted, "He planned the picnic?" Pam nodded, and she clutched her hand to her heart and continued, "Oh, that is wonderful." She had never pegged Angela for a hopeless romantic, but Pam was glad they could gush over Jim's caring gestures together, and she thought maybe a new leaf was turning for their friendship.

"He's actually planning to take me to a baseball game soon.. I don't know how I feel about it though."

"Why? What's the problem?"

"Well," Pam thought about how to explain. "Roy left me at a hockey game on our first date.. And it's one of those things that seems insignificant, but you have bad feelings attached to it, so it kind of.. scars you."

Angela nodded sympathetically, "Everyone has those. I, for instance, had to change carpet cleaners because the one I used to have made a snide comment about how many cats I own." Pam furrowed her brow and gave her a nod, wondering what a carpet cleaner could have possibly said to make Angela that mad. "But Jim and Roy are very different," she continued, "Jim is the kind of man who is excited about introducing you to his family and plans picnics in the park. That kind of man would never abandon you at a sporting event."

"True." Pam ran her fingers around the edge of her cup, which was now empty. "Thank you. I really appreciate talking to you about this."

"Yes, it's been enjoyable." They exchanged a cordial glance and then Angela noticed the clock on the wall, "Oh gosh, it's already one. We should go."

"Oh wow, yeah we should." They both stood up and threw out their coffee cups, and then made their way back to the office.

…

Pam sat down at reception and began to catch up on a large stack of files that had been placed on her desk when she heard the phone ring. She picked up the receiver and gave her usual greeting, "Dunder-Mifflin, this is Pam," and was surprised to hear a child's voice on the other end.

"Pam! Pam! I played in da pool!" She immediately recognized Thomas' voice, and then heard Rachel on another receiver, "Hi Pam, it's Rachel. I told Thomas I was calling Uncle Jim and he asked about you, so we decided to call the main line."

"Oh, hi there Thomas! You went to the pool today?"

"Yeah."

"Did you have fun?"

"Yeah!" he shouted, and Pam couldn't help but laugh at his energy. Rachel then asked, "Thomas, what did we do at the pool?" After a few seconds of silence, Rachel gave up and decided to just tell her herself, "Thomas played in some fountains."

"Oh yeah? Did you like the fountains, Thomas?"

"Yes."

Pam giggled at Thomas, and then noticed Phyllis coming toward her desk, so she decided to stop the conversation short. "Ok, Rachel? I have to go, so let me patch you through."

"Okay. It was great talking to you! Say goodbye Thomas!"

"Byebye!"

"Bye.." She hung up and began talking to Phyllis, and then Jim's line rang and he picked up, knowing from overhearing Pam's conversation that it was his sister-in-law on the other line.

"Hey sis, how's maternity leave treating you?"

"Technically Jim, I'm still working on my column. I can just work from my laptop as I chase Thomas around and go to the bathroom every five seconds."

"Alright. That is good information to know.."

"Very funny," Rachel told him flatly as she imagined his wide-eyed expression on the other end; she was used to the Halpert sense of humor. "Do you still even want these amazing tickets I scored for you? I had to bribe the sports columnist with a batch of my famous oatmeal cookies to get my hands on them."

"Yes, please."

"Okay. I'll send them out to you by mail. They're a few rows behind the Phillies dugout, between home and first."

"Perfect. Thank you so much Rachel."

"Oh please. Just have a great time and give Pam our love."

"I will. Bye Rach." Jim hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair, glancing at the reception desk. Pam looked up and smiled at him, and he smirked back and went back to his work.

At the end of the day, Pam watched as Angela and Dwight timed themselves perfectly so they could walk out of the office together, and she smiled at her as she passed her desk. They were both glad for their conversation at lunch, if not for anything else then for a secret ally at work, and Pam sighed as Dwight reached out for Angela's hand and she recoiled. She wondered if they would ever be comfortable to tell people they were dating.

"So what are you up to tonight?" Jim asked her as he put his messenger bag over his head.

"Um, well it's Monday, so Heroes is on."

"Oh yeah, fun. I might watch that." She smiled at him and then looked around for any witnesses. They were the last ones left in the office.

She smiled at him coyly, "Wanna come over and watch it with me?" She grabbed her purse and they walked out the door to the elevators, his arm around her shoulder.

"I.. might want to do that." They got in the elevator and she slipped him a kiss on the cheek as the doors were closing. Today had been a good day.

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