so, this is it. in case you missed it, the final chapter was posted a couple days ago; this is the epilogue. title taken of course from "Like Real People Do" by Hozier.


It was the after-party. Pam was - Well. She wasn't drunk exactly. Jim wouldn't even go so far as to say she was tipsy. But she'd had a couple of drinks, enough to make her a little loose-lipped and giggly. Jim on the other hand hadn't drank anything - or eaten, for that matter, when was the last time he had eaten? - and was relying on the just-graduated high to pull him through the rest of the night.

Tomorrow they were to start the packing-up process of the apartment. They had almost the entire summer before their flights out, but for some reason it hadn't quite seemed real to Jim until now.

They were moving. To England.

Only for a year, yes, and then it would be (presumably) back to Pennsylvania; (definitely) back to America.

Everything was all set up in advance, so there was really no reason to worry - the apartment (or, flat) would be fit to move in when they got there, and they were due to start working a week after they moved in. It wasn't a particularly exciting job, but it was something, and Jim guessed it could count as work experience in his field. Pam was due to work there also, though only on a part-time basis - the rest of the time would be spent studying art. There was a seemingly-highly-esteemed art course for adults based just outside London. It was only 20 minutes away by train.

Slough didn't seem to be the most glamorous town in the country, but it was cheap, and close enough to London to be interesting. Wernham-Hogg also didn't seem to be very exciting - it was a paper company of all things, still chugging along in the digital age - but it was work, and work meant experience, as well as money.

Jim was broken from his thoughts when Pam made her way across the room towards him. Her black gown hanging haphazardly from one shoulder, hat long since put away. Her eyes were bright and shining, though if it were from the sharp lighting or unshed happy tears, Jim couldn't be sure. She reached for his hands before they were a foot away from each other, and he took them, kind of pulling her the rest of the way.

"I'm so excited." She half-yelled over the music.

Not knowing what to say, Jim just nodded in agreement.

They stood, staring at each other, for another long moment.

"Are you ready?" He asked, and didn't even know what he was asking about.

Neither did Pam, it seemed, though she answered anyway. "Yes."