A/N: Well, here it is! Officially the longest chapter EVER! LoL! I don't know what came over me but it's like the ideas wouldn't stop. Don't hate me for the first half of this chapter. As much as we love them, Jim and Pam aren't perfect people so I had to make them a little unlikeable for a bit. And yes, I pulled a season 4 and jumped ahead a few months. This story's gotta end sometime you know? And yes, this will be the last official chapter. There's an epilogue coming though so don't feel too bad. This story's been quite the adventure! Hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I did!
JinxCokeJam - Yes, vacation was a valid excuse last week although I blame writers block for this chapter. But at least I made up for it with it being a super sized chapter
waiting4love - I agree, that would be adorable. She was only 7 months old though so I thought it might be a little too soon for her to be talking. Keep reading though!
Little Sparrow - I couldn't decide on what kind of animal to get. I thought snakes would be too gross for Pam but a dog was a little too high maintenance. The hamster seemed pretty perfect
tophet - Yay! I'm glad you liked it. Hope you enjoy it 'til the end!
Aivilo - Well, I touched on that a bit in this chapter. Calm your nerves! Our lovebirds are tough enough to handle anything!
prudence - Thanks so much! I would like to think that they would be trying their best to push Roy out of their minds so I try not to bring him up too much.
lulupanda - A giant fluff filled river? I like that! LoL! More fluff soon to come!
ktface - Yay for all those things! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I love the idea of them being a small, if not unconventional, family at the moment. More good stuff to come!
princessdeleon - Yeah, I try not to throw too much heavy stuff at them at once so I try to mix the light hearted stuff in with it. Thanks for the review
PrimaryColors - Your wish is my command
jgrrl - Thanks! Here's the next chapter for you!
Shorty - Thanks so much!
JimPamJAM - Yeah, I never understood the comment she made in Take Your Daughter To Work Day about not being great with kids. To me, Pam seems like the kind of person that would be great with kids as long as they weren't brats. LoL!
Five months later…
"Jim! Where on earth did you put the tablecloths?!"
The lanky salesman just smiled as the frustrated voice drifted up the stairs to where he sat in the living room, watching the last few minutes of the Patriots game.
"They're in the bag with the rest of the decorations, babe!" he called back, shaking his head with amusement.
"Well, I just looked through there and they're not there! Are you absolutely sure that's where you put them?"
Jim was about to respond when he heard a loud banging noise downstairs, followed by Pam's scolding voice. "Abby! Put those down!"
Jim knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help but laugh at the commotion coming from downstairs. Tomorrow was Abby's birthday party. He, Pam and Abby had been out shopping all day, picking up decorations, food, and some folding chairs that they were borrowing from work. Once they had gotten back to the house, Pam had insisted on setting right to work putting up decorations so they would have less to do tomorrow. When Jim had brought up the Patriots game, he had received nothing less than a disgusted glance from his girlfriend. Seeing that she wouldn't be pacified unless he completely gave in, Jim had promised to help her with the decorations as soon as the game was over, suggesting that she work on some of her sketches until then. She had agreed for a little while, sitting Indian-style on the loveseat with her sketchbook in her lap, working away while Abby played with the large pile of toys that had collected in the living room. After about thirty minutes, Pam looked up from her work to see Jim completely absorbed in the game. "How much longer is this game going to be?" she asked, a level of annoyance creeping into her voice.
"It's the end of the third quarter," he said simply.
Pam rolled her eyes and tossed her sketchbook on the coffee table. "C'mon Abby. Let's go downstairs and try to do something productive." She scooped the child up in her arms and made her way down to the kitchen.
Jim began to open his mouth to protest but decided to be quiet for his own safety. He couldn't understand why she was being so adamant that they start decorating right away. They had all night in his opinion. He merely shrugged and focused his attention back on the game.
His amused state didn't last much longer when Pam's voice got louder and more irritated. "Jim! Will you please come down here?! Your daughter just pulled half of the pots and pans out of the cabinet and I still can't find the damn tablecloths!"
Jim took a calming breath before pulling himself off the couch and making his way downstairs. "Hey sweetie, how about we put these up and play with your magnets instead?" he asked his daughter as he began to pick up the scattered pots and pans that lay around the kitchen. He reached his hand out to Abby and helped her to her feet. The little girl had taken her first steps a couple of weeks ago and was still a bit unsteady. Jim held her hand until she was standing in front of the refrigerator. He lowered a collection of alphabet magnets to her level before turning to meet the glare of a very frustrated Pam. "Now, how about we find those tablecloths?" he asked, trying to act nonchalant about the angry stares she was shooting at him.
"Don't think you're going to charm your way out of this one Halpert! All I ask is for a little help with setting up your daughter's birthday party and what do I get? You sitting like a bump on a log watching some stupid football game!" she angrily threw the towel she had been using on the counter and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
"Come on Pam! I told you I would help you as soon as the game was over! There's no reason for you to be in such a hurry to get all of this done. We have all night and what we don't get done tonight, we can finish in the morning. It's not that big of a deal."
Pam narrowed her eyes at him, her anger bubbling just below the surface, ready to explode at the least little comment. "Fine! If it's really not that big of a deal then handle it yourself! Go finish watching your stupid game! I don't care!"
Jim caught her arm as she tried to storm past him, holding her firmly enough that he wasn't hurting her but she wasn't going anywhere either. "Pam, what is going on with you?" he asked. "I've never seen you act like this."
Jim saw her face soften for a moment but her determination held strong. "Let go of me Jim," she said simply, jerking her arm free when he didn't respond.
He watched her as she stormed through the dining room and up the stairs. He could hear the door to the terrace slam a few moments later. Jim looked down at Abby, who was now sitting at his feet on the kitchen floor. "What just happened here?" he asked the little girl, before reaching down to lift her up into his arms. He decided to start making amends by finding the tablecloths Pam had been searching for. He dug through the bags that were sitting on the kitchen counter, coming up empty-handed. Deciding that they had possibly fallen out in the car, Jim toted Abby outside with him, wrapping her in a thick blanket to protect her from the fierce winter cold. He finally found the tablecloths, peeking out from under the passenger's seat of his car where they had obviously fallen out of the bag. He tucked the tablecloths between himself and Abby and began to head toward the front door when a faint voice caught his attention. He turned slowly and tiptoed down the driveway until he could hear the voice clearly. It was Pam, still outside on the terrace, talking to someone on the phone. After listening for a few moments, Jim deduced that she had called her mom after their argument. As he caught her half of the conversation, Jim instantly felt horrible.
"I know he's not Roy, Mom. But sometimes he does things and it just reminds me of how Roy used to be."
"I know, I know. And I love him too but he can just be so irritating sometimes!"
"Well, why do all men have to be like that? I mean, is it really so much to ask?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"I will, Mom. I promise."
"I love you too. Bye."
Jim crept back around to the front of the house and slipped quietly in the front door, setting Abby down once the door was safely closed and tossing the tablecloths onto the table in the hallway. Abby instantly began to head in the direction of the stairs, with Jim right behind her, matching her step for step as she crawled up to the second floor. Once she was in the living room, Jim closed and locked the safety gate he had installed on the living room door. For a moment, he debated sitting down to finish watching the Patriots game, which he could see from a brief glance at the TV was now in the end of the fourth quarter. Fortunately, he was a smart enough guy to know that a move like that would probably cost him one of the two people he loved most. "The Patriots really aren't worth it," he said to himself, picking up the blanket that Pam kept stored on the back of the couch. He ushered Abby into the rec room which now housed most of her toys and closed the door to the living room, securing it with an extra latch he had installed once Abby learned how to operate the levers on the doors. He kissed her quickly on the head before cautiously stepping out onto the terrace, making sure Abby was occupied and that the screen door secured behind him. Pam was huddled up on one of the lounge chairs under her heavy coat. Tear tracks stained her cheeks and it pained Jim to know that he had been the cause of those tears. Without a word, he stepped up next to the lounge and draped the blanket around her shoulders.
"Where's Abby?" she asked, her gaze averted to anywhere but where Jim stood.
"She's right inside. I've got her locked in the rec room so I can keep an eye on her while we're out here."
"You can go back inside. You don't have to stay out here."
"I know. But it doesn't feel so great sitting inside when I know you're out here freezing because you're mad at me."
"I'm not mad at you."
"Really? Well you could have fooled me."
Jim instantly regretted the words as soon as he said them. He had merely been trying to lighten the situation but he realized his words could easily be taken the wrong way, and that was exactly how Pam took them.
"Okay Jim! You want me to be mad? Fine! And if that bothers you, I don't really care right now!"
Jim fought his knee-jerk reaction to snap back at her, knowing that would do more harm than good. He stood silent for a few moments, collecting his thoughts before approaching her again.
"What I meant to say," he began, "is that I get that you're not happy with me right now. And I know it's because I was watching the game rather than helping you. And I'm sorry if that upset you. What I don't get is why you're so worked up about it."
Pam finally turned to look at him, noticing for the first time that he wasn't even wearing a jacket, just the hooded sweatshirt he had put on when they got back to the house. She instantly yanked the blanket from around her shoulders and tossed it to Jim. "Here! You need this more than I do."
Jim tilted his head at her in thanks, peeked inside the door to check on Abby, and took a seat on the lounge across from her. "So, do you want to tell me what's got you so worked up?" he asked.
Pam sat silently for a few moments, trying to collect her thoughts into exactly what she wanted to say. "I guess I was just remembering back to all the times Roy would do the same thing," she finally admitted. "I mean, I would ask him to do something and it would always be 'after the game' or 'the guys are coming over, I'll do it after they leave' and then it would never happen. I always felt like such a nag because I would have to ask him to do things three or four times before they would ever get done. And even then he would grumble and complain about it the whole time saying that he wished he had never gotten married and all of this other stuff. And I know you're nothing like him. I get that. I guess it's just hard to get past all the bad memories and realize that not every guy is like Roy."
Jim finally understood all of her frustration. As much as he hated being compared to that man, he knew it was going to take a long time for Pam to finally accept that he wouldn't be the horrible monster Roy had been. "I'm sorry, honey. I really wasn't trying to get under your skin. I guess part of the reason I've been putting off this party is because a year ago tomorrow wasn't just the day Abby was born. That was the day Karen died also. And I know I shouldn't let that cloud hang over the celebration of Abby's birthday but it's kind of hard not to."
Now it was Pam's turn to be understanding as she watched the man she loved sitting across from her, doing his best to not let the tears escape the corner of his eyes. She watched as one single tear managed to break free and run down his cheek. She gently ran her finger across his face, catching the tear before it could completely fall and placed a loving kiss on the spot it had vacated. "I'm sorry too. I guess I didn't really think about how hard tomorrow was going to be for you. Call it selfish, but sometimes I try not to remember that another woman once held your heart. And I know I shouldn't feel like that. I guess I'm a little jealous that she got to experience what real love was like while I dealt with a man who only kept me around to take care of him. I know it's my own fault but sometimes I wish I knew then what I know now."
"We've both done things we're not proud of, Pam. The important thing is that we have no regrets. If things hadn't happened the way that they did, we probably wouldn't be sitting here right now. And that amazing little girl wouldn't be in there waiting for us to come back in and play with her."
Pam's eyes followed the trail Jim's finger pointed out to see Abby standing up just inside the door, her tiny hands smacking the glass. The two of them looked at each other and smiled.
"So am I forgiven?" Jim asked.
Pam simply smiled and pressed her lips firmly against his. Once their kiss broke, the pair stood up and made their way back into the house.
When Pam awoke the next morning, she rolled over only to collide with a large hump right beside her on the bed. She smiled, tracing the contours of his face and body with her eyes. She had agreed to stay over the night before after Jim had pleaded the argument that it would save time on decorating for the party if she were already there rather than having to get out of bed and dressed before driving over to the house. As he lay asleep beside her, Pam studied his face carefully. He looked so peaceful and content. She could swear she had never met anyone that slept with a smile on their face until now. Even in his sleep, his goofy, lopsided grin was endearing. Pam sighed with contentment, feeling completely at peace with the world as long as Jim was right beside her. She snuggled closer to him, placing soft, fluttering kisses on his bare chest until he finally stirred.
Jim let out a low groan as he stretched his long limbs, using one arm to circle around the woman at his side. "Good morning beautiful." His voice was raspy from just waking up and Pam thought he never sounded sexier.
"Good morning," she answered, her kisses making a trail from his chest up to his neck and finally across his jaw line to his waiting lips.
"And…a good morning…it certainly is," he managed to get out between kisses. As she leaned further into him, Jim circled his arm around her waist flipping her onto her back while still not breaking the kiss. No sooner had his hand begun to trail under the t-shirt Pam had worn to bed, than a series of babbling came through over the monitor. Jim let out a frustrated groan as he dropped back to his side of the bed. "Good morning Abby," he said sarcastically while Pam giggled beside him.
"I'll go get her," she offered. "Why don't you go ahead and hop in the shower? You probably need it worse than I do right now," she teased with a wink.
"Very funny Beesly," he said before kissing her one more time.
Pam reluctantly rolled out of the bed and padded down the hallway to Abby's room. She poked her head in the door to find the little girl holding onto the railings of her crib as she bounced up and down excitedly. "Good morning baby girl!" Pam greeted her cheerily. She held her arms out to the little girl who responded with the same gesture. Pam lifted her from the crib and settled her onto the changing table to change her diaper and dress her in some fresh clothes. "Guess what," she said to Abby. "Today is your birthday! You're one! Can you say one?" Pam held one finger up in front of the little girl's face and wiggled it as she tapped her gently on the nose.
Abby giggled in response and reached up to grab Pam's finger.
"Hey! I need that if I'm going to get you dressed!" Pam said playfully, carefully wriggling her finger free from the little girl's grip. Once Abby's diaper was changed Pam put her in a long sleeved red t-shirt and a pair of jeans with little ladybugs near the bottom. She figured this would work as a temporary outfit until they put her in the dress that had been picked out specifically for the party. It was a long-sleeved pink dress with the words "Birthday Princess" written across the front with a little silver crown underneath. Pam had loved it the moment she saw it. However, it had taken some convincing to talk Jim into making the purchase.
Jim and Pam had been out all day running errands together when Jim had suggested stopping at the local baby store to pick up some necessities. While Jim debated the pros and cons of doorway gates vs. the SuperYard with the salesgirl, Pam had wandered over to look through the sea of little girls clothes in the middle of the store. What she had found on the rack at the front of the store had made her day. The little pink dress was absolutely adorable. If Abby were with them instead of spending time with her grandparents, Pam would have insisted that she put it on right then. She found the dress in the appropriate size and skipped to the other side of the store where Jim was still deliberating about gates. "Jim!" she called to him excitedly.
Jim turned to face her and instantly averted his eyes to the hanger in her hands. "Pam, what have you found this time?" he asked with a concerned tone, knowing she had a tendency to get carried away over little girls clothes, insisting that Abby "had to" have it because it was "so adorable".
"It's a birthday dress! Every little girl has to have a birthday dress!"
"Pam, she has tons of dresses she can wear for her birthday dress."
"Yeah, but this one says 'Birthday Princess' on it! And you know her Pop-Pop always calls her his little princess!"
"Okay, but seriously, this is a dress she will wear once and then be put in a closet only to be dug out years later for a garage sale."
"Welcome to the world of women, Halpert! Wait until she's old enough for school dances and prom. There will be more of your money spent on dresses that are worn one time. You might as well get used to it now."
"First of all, let's not talk about her and school dances when she's not even one-year-old yet. Second of all…" Jim looked at her sternly. "Put it in the cart."
Pam threw her arms around him excitedly and kissed him noisily on the cheek. "And that's why I love you, Halpert. You're always so reasonable." She dropped the dress into the cart, admiring it as it lay across a box of diapers and a new humidifier to replace the one that had quit working a few days before.
"I hope you remember that one day when you're begging me to buy you a new pair of shoes that are just like the ones you already have," Jim teased.
"Seriously Jim, do you think you're talking to Kelly here or something? I don't even buy myself new shoes. I just have a soft spot for adorable little girls named Abby."
Jim slid an arm around her waist and drew her to his side, kissing her lovingly on the temple. "I know you do. And I have a soft spot for beautiful women named Pam Beesly. They happen to be my favorite."
Pam smiled at the memory as she finished putting a pair of tiny Keds on Abby's feet. Jim had insisted on buying those so she could be just like Pam. Once Abby was successfully dressed, Pam held her hands and allowed her to walk cautiously down the hallway and into Jim's bedroom. While Abby played with the TV remote, Pam set about straightening up the room. She picked up the clothes that were randomly tossed around the room and threw them into the hamper inside the closet. She was working on getting Jim's unusually large collection of sneakers into some sort of order when he emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered with a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Shower's all yours," he announced to Pam before kneeling down in front of Abby. "Happy birthday sweetie!" he said, pulling her toward him and kissing her on the cheek. "I can't believe you're one already."
Jim and Pam watched with awe as Abby held up one of her tiny fingers.
"Did you see that?" Jim asked, proudly.
Pam knelt down beside him on the carpeted floor. "Abby, are you one?" she asked the little girl.
Again, Abby held up her finger.
"Good job sweetie!" Jim cheered her while clapping his hands. Abby returned the gesture by clapping herself.
"That's a smart little girl you have there Halpert," Pam informed him. "I just taught her that while I was getting her dressed."
Pam crossed the bedroom and dug some clothes out of one of the dresser drawers Jim had cleaned out for her a few months before. "See you two in a minute!" she said before disappearing into the bathroom.
When Pam felt she looked presentable, she wandered out of the bedroom and down the hallway to the living room. Jim and Abby had been nowhere in sight when she had finished her shower so she figured he had taken her downstairs for breakfast. Pam stopped by the living room to drop some food in Izzy's food dish. The hamster had become one of Abby's favorite toys, giggling with glee every time he climbed into his exercise wheel and made it spin. She heard Jim clanging around in the kitchen and made her way in the direction of the noise. "What's for breakfast?" she asked, as she skipped into the kitchen and settled onto one of the stools positioned in the corner of the room.
"Well, I was going to make eggs so Abby can have some and I figured I could throw on some sausage too," Jim answered, turning from his task of beating eggs for a brief moment.
"Sounds great!" Pam chirped. "I think I'm going to start on hanging up some more of these decorations."
With Abby's birthday being so close to Christmas, the house was already pretty thoroughly decorated with wreaths and holly and candles and garland and whatever else Pam had thought appropriate. Jim had never really helped much with Christmas decorations when he was younger. He had left that to his mom and sister, although he always enjoyed helping to decorate the tree every year. Jim had reluctantly agreed to let Pam be in control of decorating the house for Christmas, drawing the line when she had insisted on the lighted sled with reindeer for the front yard. She had settled instead for icicle lights around the porch, red ribbon wrapped around the support poles, and a wreath on the front door.
Jim had picked the Mickey and Minnie Mouse theme for the party. Luckily, there were several Christmas and birthday decorations showcasing the famous duo. Pam was currently unfolding the crepe paper decorations which were to go on the table on either side of the birthday cake. While Jim continued working on breakfast, Pam set to work inflating balloons with the small helium tank they had purchased from the party supply store. Once she had a sizeable collection, she tied three pink balloons together and toted them down to the mailbox where she secured them with a tight knot and an old hairclip. By the time she returned to the house, Jim had breakfast on the table and was working on getting Abby to eat her eggs.
Just as they were finishing their breakfast, the chiming of the doorbell could be heard ringing through the house. While Jim loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, Pam swung Abby up onto her hip and made her way to the front door. She was greeted by Jim's sister Emily and her new boyfriend Nathan.
"Hey Emily! Hi Nathan!" Pam welcomed them as she opened the door a little wider.
"Hey Pam! And hello to my precious little niece! You want to come see Aunt Emily?" she asked, extending her arms to the little girl. Abby gladly went to her aunt while Pam set about taking their coats to put in the guest bedroom.
"We figured we'd come by early to help out with party decorations. I hope that's okay," Emily explained.
"Absolutely!" Pam agreed. "Putting up decorations with a toddler around is quite a chore. I'm going to put your coats in the guest room. Jim should still be in the kitchen if you want to go say hi."
"Awesome! Thanks Pam!" Emily and Nathan set off in the direction of the kitchen while Pam made her way to the guestroom. By the time she rejoined the group, Jim had already set Emily to work making punch while Nathan helped him hang a banner above the doorway. Abby sat in the middle of the floor with a couple of pots and a plastic ladle, clanging them all together noisily.
For the next few hours, the four of them worked on getting the house set up for the birthday party. Around 11:30, Jim took Abby upstairs for her afternoon nap so she would be awake and in a good mood for her party, which was scheduled at 1:30. When the last decoration was finally put up, Pam and Emily set to work on getting all of the food ready while Nathan and Jim set up extras tables and folding chairs. Pam quickly went over the list she had made the night before of all the things they needed to do. "Okay, it's 12:30 so the cake should be ready. We need someone to go pick it up and get some bags of ice."
"Oh, Nathan and I can do that!" Emily volunteered. "I'm sure you and Jim already know how things need to be set up here so it would make more sense for us to go."
"Awesome!" Jim answered, pulling his debit card from his wallet. "The cake is at Becker's Bakery under Halpert. Just make sure it looks okay and everything is spelled right."
"No problem. We'll be back in a little while!" Emily called over her shoulder as she and Nathan slipped out the front door.
"Ah! Alone at last!" Jim whispered as he slipped up behind Pam, wrapping his arms around her waist and placing soft kisses on her neck.
"Jim, come on! Focus, please!" she pleaded half-heartedly as his arms wrapped tighter around her. "We have to have everything ready by the time our guests get here."
"Don't worry. It will be," he whined, turning her slowly so she was facing him and bringing his mouth hungrily down on hers.
Pam lost herself in his kiss, slipping her arms up around his neck and toying with the loose hairs that hung just above the collar of his green polo shirt. They were interrupted once again when Abby could be heard over the monitor Jim had brought downstairs.
"Have I mentioned that my daughter has impeccable timing?" he asked with a laugh. He reluctantly disentangled himself from Pam's arms and jogged up the stairs to get Abby.
While he was up there, he decided to go ahead and get her dressed for the party. He made quick work of changing her diaper and slipping her into the pretty pink dress. Once all the buttons and zippers were secured, Jim stood Abby up on the changing table in front of him. "I can't believe it's been a year already," he said as he admired his beautiful little girl. "I know it's cliché but it seems like just yesterday I was in the hospital holding you for the first time. And now here you are walking and learning all these new things. You're growing up too fast on me, kid."
Abby grabbed his face between her tiny hands and giggled, rolling her tongue as she did so. Jim put his arm securely around his daughter as he turned to face the mural Pam had painted on the opposite wall. "I'll bet your mommy is up in Heaven right now watching you and being so proud of you. I wish she was here to see you today." Jim carried Abby over closer to the wall with the mural. "I miss her so much," he whispered. Abby once again reached out her hands, but this time she placed them over the face of the angel that was painted on the wall. Jim choked back his tears as he watched Abby blow a kiss at the picture of her mother before beaming her famous smile. He kissed her repeatedly on the head before repeating her gesture and blowing a kiss to the angel. "Don't worry Karen. I haven't forgotten you and I never will. I know you've been looking out for us every step of the way for the past year. Sometimes Pam will say or do something that reminds me of you and I'm always wondering if you were behind it somehow. It wouldn't surprise me. You always were a sneaky prankster. I miss you, Karen and I wish you were still here to see your little girl grow up. Don't forget, I'll always love you."
Jim smiled to himself before toting Abby out of the room and back downstairs.
The doorbell began ringing promptly at 1:30 and continued for the next half hour. Pam and Jim were constantly running back and forth, answering the door, putting away coats, and setting gifts on their designated table. On Pam's sixth trip to the door, she was greeted by a group of people she knew she recognized but couldn't quite place them. "Hi! I'm Pam!" she greeted them warmly.
"Ohhh…so you're the famous Pam!" the younger woman piped up. "I'm Erin, Abby's aunt. This is my mom, Tina and my dad, Harold."
Pam suddenly recalled them from the pictures Jim had brought back from Stamford. "Oh! You're Karen's parents and sister! It's so good to finally meet you! I've heard nothing but good things about you!" Pam began collecting their coats as Jim wandered into the hallway.
"Hey! How is everyone?" he exclaimed, enveloping each of them into a warm hug.
"Great!" Tina finally spoke up. "And there's a carload of presents out there if you want to help Harold unload them. When everyone heard we were coming here for Abby's birthday party, the presents started rolling in."
"Awesome! Pam, will you show Tina and Erin here where they can find the food and everything while I help Harold with the gifts?" Jim asked.
"Sure. Right this way," she gestured with her hand as she led them into the dining room. All the food is in here along with the punch. If you don't particularly care for punch, there's also soda in a tub of ice in the kitchen, which is right through that door. I'm going to put your coats and things in the guest room and if you'd like to see the guest of honor, the last time I saw her she was in the living room with Jim's sister Emily."
Erin smiled warmly back at Pam. "Thanks Pam! We're dying to see Abby so I guess we'll go try and hunt her down."
Pam noticed Tina studying her thoroughly. She's probably thinking I'm some kind of home wrecker or something, Pam thought to herself as she carried their coats off to the guestroom.
By 2:30, most of the guests had arrived and Pam and Jim were busy mingling with everyone, trying to make sure everyone had a chance to see Abby for at least a little while. Jim searched through the downstairs until he spotted Pam, who looked almost pained, sitting across from Kelly, who was jabbering away about anything and everything. "Hey Pam, I need your help with something. Kelly, can you excuse us for a minute?" he asked. Before Kelly could respond, he tugged playfully on Pam's arm and led her to the other side of the room.
"Thank you so much! I'm not sure how much more pop culture I could ingest in one day," Pam groaned.
Jim laughed, imagining all of the things Kelly could have possibly been talking about. "Well, you're welcome, but I really did need you for something. Is there some kind of plan for this party or are we just going to go with the flow? Because I know we still need to do the cake and the presents and all the other stuff you do at birthday parties."
Pam checked her watch. "Well, I was going to save the cake for later since she's probably going to be an absolute mess after she eats it but I want to make sure everyone gets a piece too. Why don't we go ahead and do the presents, and by the time she finishes those I guess we could do the cake? That way we get everything out of the way before she gets too tired and cranky."
"Sounds like a plan," Jim agreed and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "You're the best Beesly."
Pam smiled happily as she turned back toward the guests, only to be met by the unhappy face of Tina Filippelli. She quickly turned her attention to straightening the decorations on the table in front of her. Her distraction only worked for a few moments until Tina stepped up beside her. "Pam, do you mind if I speak with you in private for a moment?" she asked.
Pam's eyes widened and she nodded solemnly in agreement. "We can go upstairs. I don't think anyone's up there."
The two women climbed the stairs and Pam fiddled with the latch on the gate that was blocking the living room door. When it finally released, they stepped into the room and Tina instantly began admiring the hamster cage. "Jim never mentioned he got a pet," she noted, tapping on the plastic cage.
"Oh, yeah, I got that for him and Abby when they came back from visiting you guys in Stamford. It was all part of this inside joke Jim and I had," Pam waved her hand dismissively. "You want to have a seat?" she asked the older woman as she gestured toward the couch.
Tina nodded and took a seat on one end of the sofa while Pam took the other. Pam sat silently, waiting for Tina to say what she needed to.
Tina sat wringing her hands together, finally speaking up a few moments later. "Pam, did Jim tell you anything about the conversation we had during his last visit?"
Pam nodded, knowing exactly where the conversation was going. "Yes. He did. He said that you were a little upset about our relationship and that you thought things were happening a little too fast."
"And what was your reaction to that?"
"Well, I have to be honest. At first I was a bit upset about it but at the same time I saw where you were coming from. I mean, it hadn't even been a year since everything happened with Karen and he was still grieving her. I just want you to know that it was never my intention to fall in love with Jim. It just kind of happened. He was my best friend for years before he moved away and when he came back I thought that's how it would be again. But somewhere in the middle of it all, I fell in love with him. He just has that kind of charm that loves to sneak up on you I guess."
Tina actually cracked a smile at Pam's comment. "That he does," she agreed. "I remember when Karen first called to tell us about him. She was never the type to get flustered over a guy so we knew he was something special. And when she brought him over for dinner that first time, I could see why she was so crazy about him. You're right, he is a charming guy. And I knew it wouldn't take long for another woman to notice it. I just never thought it would be the woman whose husband was responsible for taking my daughter away."
Pam jerked her head up, stunned by the woman's statement. "How did you…" she started.
"We saw you at the sentencing. We found a broadcast of the news story they did on the hearing on one of the Scranton TV station websites. They were mentioning everyone that was present and they panned over to you when they mentioned the man's wife. I saw Jim standing there next to you and didn't put two and two together at the time. But when you answered the door, I recognized you right away. I guess that's why I was a little standoffish when I first got here."
"Wow. I am so sorry."
"It's alright Pam," Tina said gently. "None of this was your fault. I see that now. I really just wanted to make sure that this thing with you and Jim was the real deal, from both sides. Anyone can see that he's crazy about you. I just wanted to make sure the feeling was mutual. He's a great guy and he doesn't deserve to be hurt again."
Pam smiled thoughtfully at the woman who had every reason to hate her, but instead chose to give her a chance. "Thank you Mrs. Filippelli. And I can promise you that I will do everything within my power to make sure that Jim is happy and taken care of. And that goes for Abby too. I would walk through fire for that little girl."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Now why don't we get back downstairs before we miss all the festivities? We're only here for one night and I want to make sure I get every second I can with my granddaughter."
"I completely understand. And again, thank you for giving me a second chance. I promise I won't let you down."
Tina tipped her head in acknowledgement before leaving the room to rejoin the party. Pam followed a few moments later, only to be met at the base of the stairs by a tall, floppy haired father in a Mickey Mouse party hat.
"Hey! Where've you been? I've been trying to round up everyone to watch her open presents but they're all strangely fascinated by some story about a bear that Dwight insisted on telling."
Pam giggled and reached to straighten the hat on top of his head. "I was actually upstairs talking to your mother-in-law."
Jim's eyes widened with surprise. "And…"
"And we've come to…an understanding," Pam grinned up at him before rising on her tiptoes to give him a quick peck on the lips.
"Okay, I'm not going to ask. But now that you're down here can you please help get this party under control? I don't want my daughter having nightmares about bears."
Pam saluted him playfully. "Absolutely I will."
A few moments later, Pam had everyone gathered in the downstairs living room to watch Abby open her presents, or rather, Jim opening Abby's presents with a little help from the distracted toddler. Harold sat nearby, proudly working the video camera while Pam sat next to them on the floor, writing down all the gifts for thank-you notes to mail out later. By the time they reached the bottom of the pile, Abby had an abundant collection of toys and clothes scattered around her. "Well, between today and Christmas coming up, I don't think she's going to be needing much of anything else," Jim teased as he began piling the open gifts in the corner to be sorted through later.
"So who's ready for cake?" Pam announced as Jim helped her up off the floor.
"I do! I do!" Toby's daughter Sasha piped up.
Everyone laughed politely as Pam tried to herd everyone into the dining room. Jim toted Abby in right behind her. "Okay, first we need to get her out of that dress if you don't want it ruined," Pam whispered to him. She ran toward the laundry closet and dug through the dryer until she found an old Care Bears t-shirt that had been handed down to Abby from one of her older cousins. By the time she returned to the kitchen, she found Jim and Tina both struggling to get Abby out of the party dress and her shoes. Pam lent her pair of hands to help out and slipped the t-shirt over the little girl's head once she was out of the dress.
"Alright baby girl, time to let you make a mess!" she announced. At that moment, Emily emerged from the kitchen carrying the small chocolate cake that the bakery had included as part of their first birthday package. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday", with Michael taking the high harmony as usual, and watched Emily place the cake in front of Abby, who was starting to get sleepy and cranky.
"Okay, sweetie. Time to dig in!" Jim told the little girl as he knelt beside her high chair. Abby just stared quizzically at the cake for a few moments before Jim took her hand and placed it in the gooey mess. Once she figured out what she was supposed to do, Abby reached both hands in and grabbed as much cake as her tiny fingers could hold. Within a few short moments, she had cake all over her shirt, her face, and even in her hair. Harold continued with the video camera while Erin snapped pictures with the pile of cameras that sat on the table in front of her.
"That looks yummy. Can Daddy have some?" Jim asked as he leaned over Abby's high chair. She responded by putting a chocolate covered hand in his face, getting more on his nose than in his mouth. "Oh, thank you!" he said before planting a kiss on her cheek, which only proceeded to get more cake on his face.
Meanwhile, Pam had been cutting the larger cake into small squares to serve to the guests. "Okay! Anyone who wants cake, come and get it!" she announced to the group. As everyone began picking up the small plates of cake, Pam slipped back around the table to stand by Jim and Abby.
"Okay, I think you're more of a mess than she is right now," Pam teased him.
"Really Beesly? Well, I think I know of a way to remedy that."
"Don't you dare!" Pam managed to squeal before Jim had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a chocolate-filled kiss. He proceeded to brush his nose against her cheek, just to make sure she got plenty of cake on her face as well. "I hate you," she said through a playful glare.
At the end of the day when Abby was bathed and put to bed, Jim and Pam dropped exhaustedly on the couch. The Filippelli's had already excused themselves for the evening with Harold and Tina settled downstairs in the guestroom and Erin on the pull-out sofa in the rec room. "What a day!" Jim commented, propping his feet up on the coffee table.
"You're telling me! I thought Michael was never going to leave! And I swear I heard him say something to Dwight about a sleepover!" Pam exclaimed.
"I wouldn't put it past him. Thank God Jan called or we never would have gotten rid of him."
Pam yawned noisily and curled up at Jim's side, laying her head on his shoulder.
"So does this mean you're sleeping over again tonight?" Jim asked playfully.
Pam slapped him playfully on the chest. "Do you really think that's a good idea when you already have company here?"
Jim hung his head and answered, "No. I guess not. Do you think you'll be able to make it home okay? I mean, you've been going non-stop all day. I know you have to be tired."
"Yeah, I think I'll be alright," Pam managed through another yawn.
Jim laughed at her feeble attempts to humor him. "Okay, but you'd better go now. Otherwise I think you'll fall asleep at the wheel before you even start the car."
Pam groaned playfully as she stood up from her place on the couch. "Okay, walk me out Halpert."
Jim took her small hand in his as they made their way down the stairs and out the front door. "Call me when you get home okay? Otherwise I'm going to be worried."
"I will. If you don't hear from me, I guess you can assume I ended up in a ditch somewhere."
Even through her hazy cloud of drowsiness, Pam winced at the words that had just left her mouth. "Jim, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that!" She watched as the shadows of pain rolled over his eyes and it broke her heart to know she had caused them. "Of all the stupid things I've ever said, I think that is now at the top of the list. Especially considering what today is. I'm so, so, so sorry Jim!"
"Pam," he choked out, willing her to meet his gaze. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize a hundred times. Just promise me that you'll be careful okay?"
Pam nodded solemnly before turning to walk toward her car. Jim watched her walk away slowly. He could see that she still felt horrible about what she had said. He instinctively jogged after her. "Pam!" he called.
She turned just in time for Jim to swoop her into his arms for a deep, passionate kiss, which she responded to eagerly. When he could no longer breathe, Jim pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. "I love you Pam. And I never, ever want to lose you," he whispered with jagged breaths.
"You won't Jim. I promise. I love you and there is nothing on this earth that could take me away from you."
Jim pressed a loving kiss to her forehead before reaching around her to open the car door. She slid in carefully and cracked the window once she turned the engine on.
"Goodnight Jim," she said, blowing him a kiss through the crack in the window.
"Goodnight Pam. Drive safe!" he called after her as she backed down the driveway. He watched her car drive down the street until her taillights faded in the distance. Shivering from the winter cold, he made his way back into the house, not able to relax until he heard his cell phone chirp from its place on the end table. He hurriedly grabbed it, realizing it was a text message.
Too tired to call but I'm safe at home. I'll call you tomorrow morning. I love you!
-Pam
Jim smiled with contentment as he closed his phone. He tiptoed down the hallway and checked in on Abby before slipping into his bedroom. He smiled as he noticed the little touches of Pam that sat around his room. A hair clip on the dresser, a half full sketchbook on the nightstand, one of her shirts hanging on the back of the door, everything about this room reminded him of her. He remembered nights when they would lie in his bed, talking until early the next morning. He remembered waking up on countless mornings to find her lying next to him, the early morning sunlight shimmering across her hair like flecks of gold. He remembered the gentle touches and whispered promises from the first time they had made love. Yes, this room held many happy memories for the two of them. Jim silently hoped that there would be many years of happy memories to come. He crossed the bedroom and opened the top drawer of his dresser, digging until he found the pair of old gray ones he was looking for. He unfolded the pair and withdrew the small velvet box he had hidden inside them. Jim slowly raised the lid on the box until it revealed the diamond ring that lay inside. A broad grin crossed his face when he thought about one day when Pam would wear that ring on her finger. It had taken everything within him not to give it to her yet. He had bought it two weeks after his trip to Stamford and had been hiding it in his sock drawer ever since. Even after a couple of close calls when Pam surprised him by putting away his laundry, she thankfully hadn't discovered the ring. He snapped the box closed again and tucked it back inside the socks. "Soon," he said to himself. "Very soon."
A/N: How's that for a cliffhanger? Haha! Holding true to my title! Review please! I really want to know what you guys thought about this chapter!