Disclaimer: I don't own The Office….

AN: So I'm officially the worst updater ever. I apologize. Again. But life just keeps throwing me curve balls, ya know? Anyhoo, thanks so much for all your awesome reviews! I got so many for the last chapter, it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Yall are truly wonderful. Well, without further ado...

Ch. 5

Pam fidgeted on Jim's couch while she waited for him to emerge from the kitchen. She realized that today, that this moment, was pivotal. From this point on, her life could get better. No more pain. No more suffering. Just….complete happiness. Something she hadn't had for a long time now.

Or, it could get worse.

Roy was going to be pissed when he found out she wasn't home. It probably wouldn't take him long to figure out where she went. And then…she shuddered at the thought of Jim trying to protect her from Roy's fury. Roy was brawny, Jim was lean. Roy was violent and loud. Jim was gentle and calm. She didn't think Jim would be able to hold his own against Roy, and she didn't even want to see him try. Jim resorting to violence just…..just seemed wrong.

She glanced up from her thoughts when Jim reentered the room, a cup of tea in hand. She smiled gratefully when he handed it to her before taking a sip of the comforting warmth. He had fixed it just how she liked it. When was the last time Roy had made her anything?

She felt the couch shift as Jim sat down beside her. Pam refused to look at him, choosing instead to stare at the liquid swirling around in her cup. She didn't want to have this conversation.

For a moment, Pam thought Jim might actually let her continue to ignore him. But that hope went out the window when she heard his soft question.

"How long?" He asked in a whisper.

Pam stole a quick glance at Jim. He was staring at his clenched fists, which rested on the top of his thighs.

Pam sighed, trying to prepare herself for this conversation.

"Too long."

"How long, Pam?" He asked again quietly, not letting her get away with that vague answer.

"I dunno. Six months maybe?" She paused when he cursed, surprised to hear an expletive come from Jim. "But, but it wasn't always….this bad."

She didn't think it was possible, but Jim's fists clenched even tighter, causing his knuckles to turn white.

"So….so he's been…been doing this to you….for half a year?" Jim struggled to get the sentence out, trying to keep his anger under control.

Pam closed her eyes, ashamed.

"Yes."

The pain behind that one word caught Jim's attention. His eyes flew to Pam's face, where he saw the shame she was feeling clearly etched across her features.

His anger blew out of him like a balloon that'd been popped.

"Oh Pam." He draped his arm around her carefully, pulling her into his shoulder.

Pam couldn't remember the last time someone had offered her comfort. The tears began to roll down her cheeks, followed quickly by sobs, as she released all her pent-up emotions on a kind shoulder. She cried for all the months of pain and suffering she had been through. For all the feelings of worthlessness she had felt. But most of all, she cried for the hope of a new beginning, one that was within her grasp. If only they could survive through the next few days.

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An hour later, after all her tears had been shed, Pam found herself leaning against a kitchen counter while Jim cooked macaroni-and-cheese. He had sheepishly admitted that it was really the only thing he could cook, then had adamantly refused to let her whip up anything else when she had offered.

He wouldn't even let her stir.

Pam had to admit that it was nice to let someone else take care of her for a change, even with something so simple.

Pam put her dish in the sink after they had finished their late lunch, and was surprised to find Jim standing right behind her when she turned around.

He pulled her into a hug, trying to avoid any of her injuries. But when his hand pressed against a particularly nasty brush on her lower back, she couldn't hide the flinch enough for him to not take notice.

He released her abruptly, apologizing profusely.

After she had finally convinced him that she was fine, Jim's face took on a determined look.

"I want to see," he finally said.

"What?" Pam asked, confused.

"I want to see every mark that monster inflicted on you."

Pam's eyes widened in shock, before she shook her head no and tried to leave the room.

But Jim took advantage of his longer legs and reached the kitchen entrance before her, blocking her escape.

"Pam, please show me?" He begged. "Let me at least doctor some of them, ok?"

"Jim, I really don't want anyone to see them. I-I…they're hideous. They're my problem. I'll deal with them on my own."

"They're not anymore. Don't you see that Pam? I'm with you, all the way. We're in this together now. You're not alone anymore," he said vehemently. Then, in a whisper, he added, "I'm here for you. Always."

Pam stared at him speechless for a moment, before nodding slowly.

Jim reached for her hand, before leading them both into his bedroom. He left her sitting on the edge of his bed to duck into his bathroom for his first aid kit. When he reentered, Pam was standing across the room, examining her face in his mirror on the wall, a sad expression on her face.

Jim walked up behind her to look at their joint reflection.

"You're beautiful."

Pam gave a half smile, not believing him one bit, before turning around to face him.

Jim gently traced the bruises on her face, sweeping his fingers down her cheek to the edge of her turtleneck, a questioning look in his eye.

Pam sighed, then reached for the hem of her sweater, pulling it over her head.

She heard Jim's gasp before she even had the turtleneck off completely.

She glanced down at his response and cringed herself.

Her entire stomach was a patchwork of bruises, some very faint or even beginning to yellow and fade; others deep, angry shades of blue and purple. She had a shallow cut running along her left side that she vaguely remembered getting from being knocked into a side table. And her arms. Her arms were covered with hand-shaped bruises from every time Roy had grabbed her that night. Jim reached out and traced the finger-length bruises on one arm, before gently laying his hand on one print, lining up his fingers to match the bruises.

When Jim dropped his arm and moved to sit on the edge of his bed, Pam finally looked up from the spot on the floor she had been staring at during his inspection. Jim was hunched over, his arms leaning on his knees, his head in his hands.

"Jim?" Pam asked tentatively as she took a step toward him, one hand outstretched as if to reach out to him.

She gasped when he finally looked up at her.

His eyes were shining with unshed tears.

Pam was too startled for words. Was he crying for her?

"How did I not notice? How could I miss something like this for half a year? How did I let this happen?"

Pam didn't think he was even talking to her, but regardless, she was not about to let him feel guilty about this.

"Jim."

She had to repeat his name twice before he finally acknowledged her.

"Do not, in any way, try to take the blame for this Jim. It was nobody's fault but my own. I did my best to hide it from everyone, everyone Jim. You wouldn't have noticed anything, even if you had been looking for it. Okay? Do not feel guilty about this. It is my fault, and my fault alone."

Jim stood up again, snapping out of his weird trance.

"This is not you're fault either Pam," Jim shoved a hand through his hair in frustration as he began to pace. "God, I can't believe you would even think to hold yourself responsible for what he did to you. The one person whose fault this is, the only person to take the blame, is Roy. Got that?" Jim took two deep breaths before turning to face Pam. He was getting worked up all over again, and needed to maintain his control for Pam.

"Pam, please tell me you know this is in no way your fault. Please. I need to hear you say it," Jim said softly, as he reached up to gently stroke her cheek.

Pam slowly met his gaze, before reaching up to cover his hand with her own.

"I know it's not my fault," she whispered.

"Good," Jim smiled tenderly as Pam leaned into his touch.

They remained that way for several moments, neither moving, neither saying a word, until Pam shivered. Goosebumps began to cover her arms, and Jim let his hand fall back to his side, the moment broken.

Pam blushed and looked away, crossing her arms in front of her chest once she remembered that she was standing in Jim's bedroom – in a bra.

Jim reached for the first aid kit, and set to work doctoring her injuries as best as he could. Neither one of them said another word for a long time.

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Well there ya go. Hope yall liked it! I know its still pretty angst-y and all, but there will be some more cute Jim/Pam moments ahead, I promise. And I'm ahead of the game and have already started writing the next chapter so it should be up sometime soon, or at least sooner than I've been updating. : ) Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Western