Future. It's a time to think about the past.

- "Future" by Cut Copy

"Morning, David," Holly said as she passed his office.

"Hi Holly," he greeted her, "Why don't you come in for a second? Fill me in on next week's ethics seminar?"

"Ok," she said, entering. They proceeded to discuss the details of the event.

"David?" she asked tentatively, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he replied.

"This is going to sound terribly blunt, but it's been on my mind for awhile: why did you hire me?"

"Why did I hire you?" David repeated, "Because I needed someone to act as a human resources manager, and I knew you were qualified for the position. I've worked with you before, Holly. I know that you're competent and reliable."

"It just seemed sudden, I guess."

"I guess it was. I hadn't even sent out any notices that we were hiring when I ran into you that night."

She hesitated and then nodded, "Anyway, I'd better get to my desk. Let me know if you need anything."

"Hey Zeke," Andy greeted his coworker as he stepped into the Lacuna Clinic.

"Hey man."

"So, any consultations today?"

"Nope, so Doctor Waterstein just wants to organize these old case files."

"Right-o," Andy replied. He and Ezekiel got to work.

"Hey, Holly!" he said cheerfully that evening after she'd picked up the phone on the first ring.

She smiled into her phone, "Hi Michael."

"So, how's it going? Do anything exciting today?"

"Nah, just the usual. Went to work and then to yoga class."

Michael smiled, "You still do yoga?"

"Yeah. So how was your day? Where do you work?"

"Well, after the great downfall –"

"The great downfall?"

"When the Scranton Branch closed. The day-that-must-not-be-named. Anyway, after that happened, I moved here and got a job. And I'm thinking it might be cooler to show you what it is instead of telling you. Are you busy right now? I mean, if you are, it's fine, I know this is pretty spur of the moment."

"No, I'm not doing anything right now. Where should I meet you?"

Michael grinned and gave her directions.

Andy stepped into his apartment after getting home from work that night. He set his back down on the sofa and headed into the kitchen. A minutes later, he returned, glass of water in hand. He sat down next to his bag. Opening it, he realized that he had inadvertently taken some of the files that he and Zeke had been working on that day.

He glanced down at one. He frowned when he say the names.

"What the heck?" he wondered incredulously.

The names on the file said A. Bernard and K. Kapoor.

Michael arrived a few minutes after Holly did. He was wearing another turtleneck, purple this time. She made eye contact with him and waved.

"Hi," she greeted him.

"Hey," he smiled at her, "So, we've got about half a block's walk – I wanted to keep it secretive rather than giving it away in the directions."

She laughed, "So many secrets."

"Keeps things exciting. Anyway, here we are."

"You work at an ice-skating rink?"

"I'm the marketing and sale's team's go-to guy."

"We're going inside?" she asked, seeing him fiddle with a set of keys.

"Yeah," he explained, "I thought it might be a good way for you to remember some things."

They stepped inside, and he led her towards a rack of skates.

"You still size six?" he asked.

She nodded in response.

"Ok…here you go, Hollygram – gah, sorry!" Michael realized his mistake the moment the nickname escape from his lips, remembering how she had reacted to it before.

"It's ok," she replied, seemingly calm, "So tell me – how did I get that name?"

Michael smiled, "Well that, m'lady, is quite the story. I coined the term the very first day I had the pleasure of meeting you. Waaayy back in the day, when you'd just transferred to Scranton. It was your first day in Scranton, and you were meeting everyone and getting settled in. So, I asked you if you were real, or a Hollygram…Hollygram, hologram, get it?"

Holly laughed, "That's good. Definitely a good one."

"Yeesh," Michael replied, "It was kind of the start of everything…got you all settled into the office, you know? Anyway, on our second date we went ice skating. It was at a place back in Scranton, but I figure this would work to recreate it."

They stepped onto the ice, Michael with confidence and Holly taking tentative glides.

"So what was it like?" she asked suddenly.

"Our second date?"

"Well, I was thinking of Scranton, but that, too."

"The Scranton Branch was everyone's ideal job, I think," Michael grinned, "Maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit, but it was pretty good. Until the company shut down, that is. Man, I never thought I'd live to see the day where a paper company got shut down. It's freakin' paper. Essential to practically everything. Anyway, we were like a family."

"The Scranton family," she said in a sing-song voice.

Michael grinned, "Yeah. And I mean, we weren't without our dysfunctions – we had Toby Flenderson, after all, and Jim probably drove Dwight just a little bit crazy, and people had conflicts – but I think it was pretty good overall."

"Who's this Toby?" Holly asked.

"He's nobody, but I'll tell you about him later."

She couldn't help but smile, "Ok."

"So anyways, date number two. We went to this nice little Italian and had dinner. Candles, the whole works. And then, I taught you to ice skate."

"Was I any good? Cause I can hardly go without falling now," Holly chucked.

"You were a fast learner. Here," he said, taking her hands in his and pulling her along the ice.

"You're really good at this."

"Yeah, I was almost in the NFL."

"What? Really?"

"Well, I mean, I seriously considered it, but you're on the road so much, and I really, really wanted time for a wife and kids. Still do."

"Yeah," she said softly, remembering AJ and the future that they had wanted.

"You ok?" Michael asked.

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good to know, Hollypop."

She smiled, "Hollypop?"

"Yup. Just another nickname. Do you mind…I mean, should I not…"

"No. Don't worry about it. I think it's sweet."

Suddenly, she lost her footing and caused them both to stumble. He regained his balance quickly and caught her before she fell.

It was the closest to him she remembered being to him – but then again, she didn't remember much. He, on the other hand, was realizing just how much he had missed holding her.

"Hey, you still ok?" he asked her, reluctantly getting her settled on her feet and out of his arms.

"Mhm," she nodded as her mind raced. Being close to Michael had felt so natural, so right. Almost on par to what it had been like with AJ. She couldn't deny how odd this was, but he felt like home to her.