A/N: This was a totally unplanned scene. I started to write what I meant to, and this came out instead, so I hope you like it.

"Jim, get down here!" Jim heard his roommate yell out.

"I'm busy!" He called back, aggravated enough from the grief his heart was giving him.

"Too busy for me?" This time, instead of Mark's voice, it was a woman's that filled his ears. A particular woman...

"Pam?" Jim asked in surprise, turning around quickly.

She grinned. "Hey. Thought you might want some one to accompany you to the airport."

"Aren't you pretty busy with your plans right now?" He inwardly cringed. Why couldn't he just learn to say thank you and be grateful from offers like that? Perhaps because it was killing him to see her there, standing in the doorway with a sweet smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. Her eyes were mischievous, as always - for such a good girl next store type of person, she sure was always ready enough to pull some prank or another. But soon that wouldn't matter. What were pranks to him now? He didn't even know how he'd be able to look at her after he came back from Australia.

"Sure are packing a lot. Just how long did you say you were leaving for? A few years?" She teased, looking at his three already packed suitcases and another filling up on his bed.

He shook his head lightly with a side grin. How could he tell her that just that had crossed his mind more than once already? Except, perhaps a few years could expand in to forever? It didn't have to be Australia...just not Scranton, PA.

"When's your plane?" She asked, feeling like the conversation was quickly sliding in to a one person type.

He looked at his watch. "Hour and a half. Got to get there in a few minutes."

She quirked an eyebrow. "You're not even finished packing yet!"

"I'm working on it!"

Pam shook her head. She was just about to add something witty to his racing around and fretting when Mark yelled up again. "Phone, Jim! Mommy's calling to wish her boy a good trip!"

Jim's cheeks were bright red when he looked back at Pam. "I'll be... right back." He said, biting the inner part of his cheek.

"Of course. Mommy-son relationships are very important after all." She said, suppressing a giggle.

He tried to give her the evil glare, then after failing, gave up and started to run down stairs.

Pam sighed, walking around the room. She hadn't been here since right before last Christmas, yet it seemed so much longer. This time she had to let out a laugh when she remembered Jim and Michael singing Islands In The Stream. Jim had taken pity on his boss, which was more than she could do. She didn't have that much courage!

Glancing over at his bed, she decided that she would help him. After all, a time cautious person would have been at the airport long ago. But just as she started to put a pair of jeans in it, she stopped, something shiny catching her glance.

Curious and knowing that Jim wouldn't mind, she pulled it out slowly. After all, she was Pam. Jim never seriously cared about anything she did. Thinking more on that, she wondered if that was such a good thing.

And then she saw what she was now holding in her hands. A framed picture of the two of them. It had been taken years ago at an office outing to some park or something. The two were in front of a glistening lake, Jim's arm around her with a goofy smile, her tongue stuck out, nose wrinkled. She didn't even remember the picture until now.

And then it really hit her - why take her picture to Australia? More curious than ever, she started to carefully look through the suitcase. Perhaps there were more pictures of people in the office. Who knew? He could be weird like that. But there was none. Instead, she found an envelope...with her name on it. Tilting her head to the side, she slowly started to opening it with great caution, and then stopped. Maybe she shouldn't look. For deep down, didn't she already know what was deep within him? Had she not seen the words written in his eyes for so long?

But she had to know, know for sure. She couldn't keep wondering. Thinking that maybe her thoughts were just a bride's cold feet.

She ripped open the letter in urgency now, knowing that Jim wouldn't stay gone for long.

It was a letter, dated Decemeber twenty third - the day of the Christmas party.

Pam,

Guess this is as good a time as any to tell you. I mean, I'm not really sure when the 'right' time for this stuff is. I never did it before.

Yeah, I know. I'm a total coward - taking the easy way out by writing it. But you have no idea how much I've tried to tell you and it just not happening. I guess I can be the funny guy when it comes to anything - but this. This...this is just nerve wracking.

But don't get angry at me. This letter, I know, has the potential to ruin our great, quaint little office friendship/prank team that we have right now.

What I'm trying to write here is...that I really like you. I do. I have, for a long time.

God, even writing I cant do this right. Cant say it.

So I'll just do this really quick and then it will be all over and out. Okay, here's goes:

I love you

-Jim

The letter fell to the floor in her frozen hands. With mouth ajar, she stood, in shock. Why in shock, she had to wonder? She knew, didn't she? Wasn't this why they had shied away from each other since that Booze Cruise? Because they both knew but refused to see it?

"Sorry, Pam, my mom can be-" Jim's next words died upon his lips. It took a few moments until Pam could turn her head and look at his over her shoulder, jaw still quite ajar.

He was standing in the doorway, his shoulder's slumped forward, a frightened and defeated look written clearly on his face. Neither knew what to say, so she quickly shoved all the things on the bed back in to his suitcase, including the picture and letter.

"You have to get to the airport or you'll miss your plane." She said in an emotionless voice, zipping up the case.

"Pam..." he said in heartbreak and shock.

She shook her head. "You don't have time to talk - you got to get going." And with that, she grabbed the handle and started to bring it down the stairs and in to her car.

Slowly, Jim started to recover. Grabbing his other suitcases, he followed her out.

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