Chapter 2

'Cause it's you and me...

"So, we're throwing a party. You're the first to be invited, seeing how close your desk is to mine. See how privileged you are?" Pam asked with a teasing smile, her eyes glowing.

" And who's all invited for this party?" Jim replied with an interested look, his fingers supporting his jawline.

"Everyone. I thought it went off nicely at your house. This time it's at mine."

"Michael coming?" Jim asked with raised eyebrows.

She cringed, wrinkling her nose. "Only if he must, if he somehow finds out." She threw a look over at Dwight. "Which means probably."

...And all of the people

Jim looked up at her in curiosity then, it only now hitting him. "And what is the cause of this party, Beesley?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I need a break from all this stress. Though it's the stress of this wedding that makes up my life. Without it, I dare say that I'd have quite the boring life right now! And therefore..."

With nothing to do...

"Ah...I see. Good luck then. And if Michael does come, don't set up a karaoke machine."

"Will remember!" She assured with a laugh that forced Jim to smile.

Yet just then the phone rang at the reception desk. "Shoot." Pam said in annoyance, and ran over before Michael or Dwight had a chance to criticize her.

"Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam speaking." She said in monotone, then sighed, rolling her eyes. "Mom, I really have to work right now! If my boss found out...or even his little elf..."

Meanwhile, Jim glanced up at the clock. One month, thirty days, four hours and nineteen minutes to go. He put two fingers to his neck and felt his pulse go wild. Still no courage mustered up. But that party...

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He had planned to tell her that night. To do anything to make it easier to slip out. He tried being too tired to be embarrassed, yet at just the thought of Pam having a party woke him up considerably. Then he thought a few drinks would lubricate those words that were stuck in his throat. The first part happened, regrettably not the second.

Checking his watch, he looked not to continue the countdown, but for the reference of what Pam Beesley was doing at this moment. Her party had started an hour ago. It was said that it would begin with food, which was probably what was still happening. And while she and her fellow office workers were living it up for the night, Jim sat in this empty, musty smelling bar with a bartender that looked ready to fall off his feet from weariness. Lonely...alone...no courage.

Nothing.

Nada.

Strange, how a hole, an emptiness in the heart can weigh so heavily.

"Bottoms up." He said with a grimace, realizing that such a feeling of heavy emptiness would stay with him if he didn't stop it now.

And nothing to lose...

Putting down his glass, he picked up his coat and headed out the door.

XX...Meanwhile...XX

Pam walked back and forth, wringing her hands and chewing her bottom lip in despair.

Roy came up to her from behind, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Come on, Pam! You're dragging the mood of the party down. What's wrong?"

She looked away from his prying eyes. How could she tell him? And tell him what? How disappointed she was? How her heart refused to lift from the floor? How Jim Halpert hadn't appeared and was the cause of these feelings?

Why hadn't he come?

It was the only reason why she had agreed with Roy to throw the party. And now he wasn't here...

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Jim tried to focus. Dwight had caught him off guard twice now, actually falling for his lame teases.

But today...today there was something about Pam that he couldn't help but feel absent minded off all the world that didn't surround her. When she sighed, turning her chair so she wasn't facing him, he understood what was different. She was clearly upset and disturbed, not her normal happy-go-lucky self that he so often knew her as.

The party of the night before...the one he didn't show up for...could that have moved her so much? Couldn't be, as he convinced himself. No, it was probably something about her wedding dress, or the flower arrangements again. Jim had always been eager to be the first to help Pam, yet anything to do with the wedding was one thing he refused to be apart of. Surely she must understand.

Yet even though he was upset with her for always playing it safe, for marrying a man that clearly didn't deserve her, for making all these plans in his ear shot, he couldn't help but feel for her. Today was the first that he didn't stare at the clock or the calander. No, today he could only stare at her, trying to sort out this thoughts, imagining how she'd react if he ever dared to go out of his own comfort zone to tell her all his thoughs of late.

Her phone rang, forcing her to turn back around.

He noticed her eyes were now rimmed with red.

And I don't know why, I cant take my eyes off of you...