Disclaimer: I don't own the Office. Never have and never will.

A/N: I finished this thing... FINALLY!!!! It has been over a year, but it is finished. And I really like the way it turned out. I hope you do too!

4:06 pm

The camera panned the parking lot, showing a burgundy Trans Am driving up. It zoomed in, seeing Pam and Dwight sitting in the car. As several employees of the business park walked out to their respective cars, the two stayed inside.

Pam looked over at Dwight nervously, watching him look straight ahead with his hands still gripping the steering wheel. She inhaled. "Dwight -"

"Pam?" He took off his glasses, wiping them off on his tie. "What happened on that farm... stays on that farm." He sighed, "I understand that we might have abandoned Michael -"

"Might have?" Pam rolled her eyes. "What we did -"

"Will stay between us... and Mose... and Michael. Maybe Jan." Dwight shook his head. "No matter what happens when we leave this car, we cannot tell the outside world. They simply wouldn't understand." He turned to Pam, putting a friendly hand on her shoulder. "I stand corrected. You are a capable woman. No matter what anyone else says."

Pam smirked. "Thanks, Dwight." She looked at Dwight's hand, which still remained on her shoulder. "Dwight?"

"Right.. sorry." He nodded. "Let us start the rest of our lives." With that, Dwight got out of the car, heading toward the building. Pam got out immediately after, walking a reasonable distance from Dwight.

Dwight was the first to enter the office, looking toward Accounting as he locked glances with Angela, who had an annoyed expression, eying the kitchen. He dubiously walked into the kitchen with Angela following behind. Angela went to the sink, cleaning a mug. "Where have you been?"

Dwight went into the cabinet and rearranged the contents. "I had to go on a few errands."

Angela spun around. "You're lying."

"No I'm not!" He shifted his eyes, knowing that Angela was boring holes into his back. "Monkey..."

"Don't lie." Angela crossed her arms. "Does this have anything to do with Michael and his evil predictions?"

Dwight turned slightly. "Yes."

Angela walked closer, speaking in a lower voice. "Is it taken care of?"

Dwight smirked. "Yes."

She nodded curtly, walking toward the annex. "That's all I need to know." She walked toward the break room, the camera catching a small smile on her lips.

Pam walked into the office, seeing most everyone was there, with the exception of Dwight and Angela, which was expected. She looked down at her phone, seeing the voicemail box light flashing. She rolled her eyes, pushing the button as the automated voice announced, "You have... 43 new messages."

Pam sighed, "Perfect." As the first one started, her face slowly lit up.

"Hey. It's me, Jim. Just wanted to leave a quick message telling you that I hope your time as a super-secret agent for Dwight was as awesome as it seemed. I want details." Beep. "Hey. It's me again. I was just seeing if you were finished... I hope everything went well and if possible, pictures would be beyond amazing." Beep. "Hey. I know I should stop calling, becoming borderline stalkerish, but I was wondering if you knew anything I could use to scratch my ankle. I used a pencil before... didn't work. So my itchy ankle is in your hands. Hope to hear from you soon." Beep. "Hello, again..."

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Pam smiled at the camera, "As hard as it is to believe, I think that was the highlight of my day." She shook her head, "I know... such a dork."

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Andy walked up to reception, drumming on the counter. He started to hum, when Pam finally looked up. "Yes, Andy?"

Andy nodded smugly, "Where have you been?"

Pam looked around nervously, "Nowhere... you know... running errands."

"With Tuna. Nice." He proceeded to give her a wink, causing Pam to recoil. "I mean, really.... could you two be anymore clingy? You gotta let your mate breathe."

"Like you did with Angela?" Pam smirked at the camera as Andy scoffed, turning toward his desk. He stopped short, knocking over the jar of jellybeans. Pam rolled her eyes. "Nice."

Kevin walked over to Toby's desk, clearing his throat. "Uh.. Toby?"

Toby turned in the chair, smiling, "Hey... did you call Phil?"

Kevin smiled. "Yeah, man. Thanks... thanks a lot."

"No problem." Toby stood up, patting Kevin on the shoulder, "Anytime."

"Michael always says you're a creep...." Kevin nodded, walking toward the break room. Toby watched, wondering if Kevin was ever going to finish his sentence. Finding that he wouldn't, he went back to his seat.

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"Turns out Phil needs a bartender for several gigs he holds every week. The pay is insane... so yeah, I get to keep my legs."

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Darryl walked into the office, seeing that Pam had returned. "Hey, is Kelly back there?"

"I don't know. I just got back." She offered a smile, seeing him holding a small pink bag. "Got something for her birthday?" She nodded approvingly. "It's pink, she'll love it."

Darryl chuckled. "I figured as much. I'll just go back there and see." He nodded his head slightly, walking with a bit more confidence than the pink bag perceived him to have. Upon entering the annex, he noticed Ryan in the break room. He gave a quick head nod as he preceded to Kelly's desk. "Hey."

Kelly turned. "Hey." Her smile widened when she saw the pink bag peeking from behind Darryl's back. "Is that for me?"

Darryl shrugged. "I know it's early, but--"

Kelly yanked it from his hands, ripping the bag in the process. "I don't--" A small box flew out of the bag, landing a few feet from Ryan, who had just walked toward the kitchen door. He looked down at the small box, cursive letters printed on the top spelling out "Links". He picked up the box, watching as Kelly walked over. She looked down at the box. "Um..."

"Here you go." He handed it to her, their fingers touching slightly. Ryan pulled his hand back, feeling Darryl's eyes on him. He couldn't find any words to say, so he left the room, trying to ignore the squeals of joy as he could only envision her arms wrapped around his neck instead another's.

Kelly attacked Darryl with kisses, completely surprised by the gift. "It's perfect. Oh baby!" She kissed him again, feeling exhilarated. "How did you know?"

Darryl shrugged. "I just know my girl." He kissed her one last time. "I'll see you later tonight. You got some making up to do." He chuckled as he walked back to the warehouse.

Kelly looked down at the necklace again, not sure how he seemed to get the perfect gift. She watched as the small pendent sparkled, feeling a slight plunge in her stomach. She couldn't believe it took her so long to recognize the shape from a time where she only had eyes for the wide-eyed temp. She felt her hands shake, not sure how to react. She turned and walked through the office toward reception. "Pam?"

Pam looked up wearily, hoping that her remaining few minutes in the office couldn't be more trying. "Oh, hey Kelly."

Kelly twisted her fingers, avoiding Pam's eyes. "Um... hey." She leaned over her desk, barely speaking over a whisper. "Have you seen Ryan?"

Pam blinked, clearing her throat. "Uh, yeah. He left about five minutes. I--" She watched Kelly walk out the door before she could say another word.

Dwight walked into Andy in the kitchen, trying to avoid him. "Bernard."

Andy crossed his arms. "What did you do to Michael?"

Dwight shifted his eyes, proceeding to walk toward the annex. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now, if you excuse me--"

"You think you have everyone fooled." Andy smugly blocked the entrance, shaking his head. "You have misunderestimated me greatly." He blinked, feeling the force of Dwight pushing him out of the way.

"You know nothing!" He moved swiftly to the break room, attempting to rid Andy's taunting.

Pam followed Dwight, walking around Andy. "Dwight."

"What do you want?" He opened his soda, appearing to be fascinated by it. "I told you--"

"I think Jan might come up here. This is bad. I mean... what we did... what happened--"

"Nothing happened. Okay?" Dwight continued to look at the glass panel of the vending machine, talking to Pam's reflection. "We are never to discuss what happened out there. These walls have ears, Pam." He looked toward Andy, who still remained in the kitchen. "Just forget it ever happened. Michael will be fine." He walked out faster toward the office, leaving Pam worried.

Kelly walked out into the parking lot, looking around for Ryan's car. She scanned the lot, seeing most of the spaces still occupied. She shook slightly from the cold, feeling tears form in the corners of her eyes. As she watched a car from the far end back up, she found the blue BMW behind it. She walked slowly, feeling her feet seem to swell with anxiety. She stopped when she saw Ryan staring ahead, not blinking. She didn't want to disturb him when a dog barked from somewhere over the hedge. He turned to the sound, noticing Kelly outside. He looked at her, sighing as he rolled down the window. "Get in." He unlocked the door, watching Kelly enter the car.

The two were silent for several minutes, only the sound of their breathing. "Ryan." She fidgeted, twirling her ring around and around her finger, as if it would spin right off if she went any faster. She had to say his name, just once to get it out of her system. Ryan took her hand, stopping her shaking hands.

He continued to look forward, not able to bring himself to look at her. The simple gesture as taking her hand made him just that more nervous. He cleared his throat, feeling slightly more confident. "Kelly, I--"

"Why did you do that Ryan?" Kelly snatched her hand away, scooting as far away from him as possible. "Why are you trying to torture me? You broke up with me, remember? You told me I wasn't right for you. And than you go and get the guy I'm seeing a gift that I had told you to get for me? What the hell, Ryan?!" She fumed, shaking with anger she had no knowledge she could still summon. She looked out the window, diverting any chance to look at him again, considering to just leave the car all together, but she knew that she couldn't leave without a proper explanation. "Just... why?"

Ryan gripped the steering wheel, watching as his knuckles turned white from the pressure. He wanted them to bleed, rip through, anything that would change the subject, take him mind off the fact that she was only a few feet from him. He couldn't tell her the truth, not really. How could he? He felt Kelly shift in her seat, reaching for the door handle. "Kelly." He smiled slightly saying her name, wishing that his heart could agree with his brain. He had ended their relationship for a reason. She was clingy. She was over-affectionate. She was talkative. She was everything that he wanted to leave here in Scranton. And yet, her trembling figure only made him ache for the strength to be the kind of man that didn't feel sympathy for her, that didn't allow himself to advice her new boyfriend ideas to make her smile, that made it possible not to want to touch her again. "Did you like it?"

Kelly scoffed. "Of course I liked it. I love it. It's... perfect." She threw her hands in the air, trying to shake off the tension. "I don't get you Ryan Howard. I thought I might have, a long time ago. Or maybe I never did. It's... whatever. I have to go." She opened the car door, feeling a gusty wind through her hair. She folded her arms, bracing herself when she felt Ryan's hand on her shoulder.

"Don't." It was a singular word. A word he wanted to say during so many moments in their relationship. Don't get so close to me. Don't reorganize my CD collection in levels of hotness. Don't wait up for me after I'm out all night. Don't leave little notes on my computer telling me you love me. Don't ask me questions in the middle of the night. Don't. But for the first time, that word wasn't the escape clause it had always been. It was the only thing that was keeping her inside the car, keeping her by his side, keeping Kelly. He felt the tension in her shoulder tighten, knowing she was still deeply hurt. He didn't like the hold he seemed to have over her, even if it meant he could still have a few moments with her.

"Let me go, Ryan." Kelly didn't look at him, fearful that she might cry in front of him. She had cried far too many times in the past months to dispel anymore in front of him. She needed to be strong for once in her life.

"But I don't want to." He meant those words, no matter how foreign the words were to him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten involved. Darryl asked me, I was just trying to be helpful. That's all."

Kelly spun around, nearly falling out of the car. "You know that's not true. This is just another ploy for you to make me still..." She bit back the rest of her words. She was determined not to let him weaken her more than he had already in the following months of their breakup. She couldn't turn away though, feeling a slight pull that was beyond her control.

Ryan looked at the pain that she held in her brown eyes. She looked completely miserable, recognizing those looks of pleading helplessness when he would see her months ago, standing there and feeling trapped. He, more than anyone, couldn't partake that kind of torture to anyone, even if that meant losing something he never appreciated until he threw it away. He pulled his hand back, running a hand through his hair. "Go."

Kelly crossed her arms. "Listen to me, Ryan. I'm tired of you thinking that you can just tell me what to do. Always thinking that you can be the person to make the final decisions. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of you. I'm tired of us. Just make your mind up already. You act like you don't give a crap about me and than you pull this out of left field." She chuckled, shaking her head. "Look. I'm leaving, but don't think I'm leaving because you said so." She opened the car door, rushing out and running to the building. She tired not to look back, not wanting to know what she'd find.

Ryan slammed the steering wheel repeatedly, frustrated by the fact that he couldn't run after her. Any decent human being would tell her the truth. That he loves her. That he was stupid and made a mistake. That he knows that Scranton was only tolerable because she was part of it and that the only reason why he broke things off was that he thought he could have better, never taking the time to realize that he had everything he could ever want in front of him. He looked at the door, seeing Jan Levison pull into the parking and march to the front door. He knew that Michael left for the rest day, but figured she was here for something he might have forgotten. He breathed through nose, blasting some Coldplay album he had in his player and speeding down the parking lot. He drove past the door, hoping to see a glimpse of Kelly, but nothing. He sighed, turning when he caught something in the rear view. And there she was, tears shrieking her face. But he knew she never looked more beautiful.

4:53 pm

Jan walked into the office, as a few others walked past, leaving for the day. Pam was shutting down the computer when she caught sight of her. She wanted to duck, catching Dwight's eye. He seemed calm enough, but she suspected he was just as nervous. Jan looked at Dwight, flinching her fists. "I want to know that the bleep happened this afternoon."

Andy looked over at Dwight, smiling victoriously. "I knew it."

"Quiet you!" Dwight looked at Jan, straightening his jacket. "Jan, if you will just follow me into the conference room." He forcefully pushed in the direction when Jan pulled away.

"I will not follow you anywhere. What the hell did you do to Michael?"

Oscar came out of the kitchen, looking at the spectacle. "Oh hey Jan. Um, did you get Michael to the doctor yet?"

Jan looked over at Oscar. "Why would I have taken him to the doctor?" She looked at Dwight with a hard glare, trying to see if he flinched or reveal something.

Oscar rolled his eyes. "You don't know? He bumped his head really bad downstairs in the warehouse. We would have sent an ambulance but the hospital burned down so..."

Pam intercepted. "Me and Dwight brought him home to you. He had fallen asleep on the way there, but I wasn't sure if you answered to door or not."

Dwight looked as Oscar and Pam seemed to settle Jan's nerves. He cleared his throat. "He was really heavy and wouldn't cooperate. I had placed him on the doorstep, since he said he would go in on his own time. He didn't want to bother you." He looked to Pam, who nodded briefly with approval.

Jan looked at Oscar and Pam and than at Dwight, seemingly suspicious. "I don't know what happened, but I will find out. Michael's still asleep, but I know you have something to with it." She gave him another long glare, walking back out of the office.

Dwight sighed as he heard the door close behind her. He proceeded to walk to his desk, giving Pam a signal to follow him into the hall. Pam grabbed her belongings, waving at Oscar and Andy. "Night, Oscar."

Oscar looked confused, shaking his head as he grabbed his briefcase and jacket. Andy stood up, slamming his chair into the desk. "Dude!"

Oscar looked around, realizing they were the only two left. "What?"

Andy scoffed. "Why did you help Dwight?"

"I was just telling Jan what happened to Michael. Why are you--"

"Dude... I had him. Right there, man. Way to sound the alarm." He snatched up his jacket, leaving the office with the slam of the door.

Oscar looked at the camera, rolling his eyes. "And that is why I didn't put him in the Finer Things Club." He sighed, walking toward the door.

Pam followed Dwight until he stopped abruptly. "Pam?"

Pam stood up straighter. "Dwight."

"Very good work today. You have really proven yourself worthy. Be proud." He turned around, giving her a forceful pat on the shoulder, walking back to the elevator.

Pam looked around the hall, shaking herself. Seeing no one around, she dialed on her cellphone. "Hey. Are you busy?" She smiled, heading down the stairs. "Good, 'cause I have plenty to tell you."

The next chapter is the epilogue. Again, thanks to everyone who has supported this story over the past year. You are all very wonderful. :D