Pam slept poorly through most of the night, waking often to check on Jim. He mumbled nonsense every so often, but never awoke again. She shifted around to her nightstand, watching indignantly as the clock blinked 3:45AM at her. They had their first prenatal appointment at in less than 4 hours. In disgust, she turned the clock around and rolled over to Jim's slumbering figure.
She watched him, gently trailing her eyes from his face to his chest, breathing evenly in and out. She felt soothed then, watching him sleeping peacefully. The last few weeks she's noticed the change in him, noticed how his face turns ashen when he looks at her or his shoulders slump when he watches her try to walk. She just wants to feel normal again- like she's not some kind a freak with a limp or a hideous scar. She's ready to be Pam again. And she's ready for him to be Jim again- the Jim she fell in love with.
She rested her left hand on his chest, feeling it rise and fall with every breath he drew- and her eye caught the glint from her finger. The diamond that sat there stared back at her. Pam's lips pulled up into a sad smile, remembering when Jim had finally presented it to her. It was very unceremoniously- after a particularly difficult session with her physical therapist. She was had just finished her last set and was exhausted- shifting herself with some help from the beams to her crutches. She was covered in sweat and moody- the crutches digging into her armpits as she swung her legs towards the door.
Jim had been quite during the whole session- an odd response considering how vocal he'd been during all the others- and Pam felt her stomach drop slightly at the awkwardness that shrouded them in the car. They sat in silence as he thumbed at her steering wheel, not even putting the keys in the ignition yet. She felt the air turn still as she anticipated the worst; the "we need to talk" talk.
Finally he turned to her and smiled, "I think you forgot something inside." He said coolly. Irritation filled Pam's chest as she made a scowl- trying to remember what she'd forgotten and have to retrieve from the pits of hell. She was about to say something, but Jim raised a hand to stop her.
"Lucky for you, I found it." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar black box. He cracked it open and Pam felt her lungs give out. It was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen, glittering in the box- looking up at her. She felt her grin return- her irritation disappearing.
"I thought we needed to make it official." He grinned as he pulled the ring onto her finger. He reached over and kissed her- smiling like he pulled off the greatest prank ever.
The memory filled Pam's chest with warmth- seeing the spark of old Jim-however briefly- filled her with a little hope that he was still somewhere tucked inside his body, waiting to come back to her. She shifted closer, laying her head cautiously on his shoulder, straining her neck not to disturb him. She felt him stir underneath her, his arm swinging around her waist and pulling her protectively into him. She peered up at him to see he was still asleep- smiling, she softly buried her nose against him and fell into sleep. Tomorrow would be better, all she had to do was wait out the night.