Disclaimer: I don't own The Office. Or Jim. Or any of its characters.....
AN: So I think this will be the last official chapter, and only an epilogue left. I'm so sad it's almost over—this has been my favorite story to write and you guys have been the best audience! Your reviews were so wonderful to receive and really kept me motivated and inspired! So a huge thank you goes out to everyone who's read and/or reviewed this story. And now, without further ado, on to (sadly, the last official chapter)....
Ch. 11
Jim shut the door as the last of the police officers left. Everyone had given a statement after they had loaded Roy onto a gurney—handcuffed to it. From what the officers had said, it sounded like Roy would be behind bars for a long time.
Pete had arrived ten minutes ago, and after Cindy had finally convinced him to let go of her, that she wasn't going to disappear, they had started to set the room back together. Trying to erase the events that had taken place there as quickly as possible.
Jim gazed at Pam from across the room. She was sitting quietly, her hands wrapped around a new mug of tea that she sipped from every now and then. Her eyes were distant.
He had just taken a step to go to her, when he found a petite blonde in his path, blocking him.
"By the way mister, you owe me a new window," she said with mock anger, poking his chest for emphasis.
Jim smiled before looking over her head to the woman on the couch.
"I owe you a lot more than that," he said softly.
Cindy followed his gaze and smiled tenderly.
"Go get her. She needs you," she whispered as she stepped out of his way.
Jim didn't need to be told twice.
He sat beside her, taking the mug from her grip and setting it on the side table.
Pam's gaze focused on him, offering a tired smile.
Jim scooped her up in his arms and pulled her into his lap. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of vanilla, before placing a tender kiss on her forehead.
"It's really over," Pam whispered.
"Yes. He's never going to hurt you again."
Pam pulled back so she could face him. Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.
Jim panicked.
"Don't worry Pam. He's not coming back. Please don't–—"
He was cut off mid-sentence as she leaped forward and hugged Jim to her fiercely.
"I'm so happy. I can't believe I'm free," she got out in between sobs.
They held each other. Minutes could have passed. Or hours. The only thing Jim noticed was that Cindy and Pete had excused themselves at some point and left the room.
Finally, long after her tears had subsided, Pam pulled back in his arms and looked at Jim, her eyes shining.
"Let's go home."
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The next morning, after several rounds of hugs and tears from Cindy, and after Jim had helped repair the window he had crashed through, Jim and Pam were heading back to Scranton.
They had both fallen into a comfortable silence a half hour into the drive, wrapped up in their own thoughts. Pam was still trying to adjust to the notion that she was free. That Roy was no longer in control of her life. She could do whatever she wanted, anytime she wanted. The possibilities were endless.
Meanwhile, Jim was trying to figure out how to broach the subject of where she was going to live. He wasn't clear on what "home" was to her, and hadn't asked her to elaborate at the time. He wanted to offer the idea of moving in with him, but wasn't sure how that would go over. Yes, he loved her, and he was pretty sure she loved him too, but they'd never really said the words to each other. And technically, they had never even been on a real date before. Where did moving in together fall on that scale?
"Jim, I—"
"What do—"
They both fell silent and shared a smile.
"Ladies first," Jim said, nodding in her direction.
"I just," Pam's gaze fell to her hands in her lap for a moment, before meeting his gaze again. "I don't feel like I've said it enough, that I'll never be able to say it enough, but thank you Jim. For everything. You saved me."
"Pam," Jim said softly, with a tender smile. "I'd do anything for you. You're everything to me. I just wish I'd been able to help you sooner. But that's behind us now."
"Yes, it's in the past." She paused, before asking what he was going to say.
A sheepish look crossed Jim's face. He lifted one hand from the steering wheel and rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture she had come to realize he did when he was nervous. She remained silent, giving him time to get whatever he was apprehensive about out. Jim focused his gaze on the road before he began.
"Well, I know you said you wanted to go home. But I figured you wouldn't want to go, well, back there," he said, referring to Roy's house. "And I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything, and it could just be as friends if you want, I mean, I have a spare bedroom so you could take that, but I was going to ask if you would like, I mean, you can definitely say no, but—"
"Jim?" Pam interrupted, a wide grin spreading across her face from his adorable rambling.
Jim turned to meet her gaze. "Um, yeah?"
"I'd love to move in with you, if that's what you were going to ask."
Jim's face lit up. "Really?"
"Of course. I don't really want to live alone…with the nightmares and all…and you make me feel so safe. Like nothing could ever hurt me."
Jim reached over and took her small hand in his own, squeezing it gently.
"And nothing ever will."
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They stood side by side in what used to be her living room. Now it looked like a natural disaster had swept through.
"Wow," was all Jim could say about the state of her old house. They had come by to pick up Pam's stuff and take it to his place. But they were not prepared for this wreck.
"I guess Roy did stop by here at some point," Pam said hollowly as she bent down to pick up an intact lamp from the floor that had somehow escaped the rampage. Setting it on a side table, she sighed.
"This will be easier than I thought. But I'm glad he destroyed most of it. I didn't really want to take much with me anyway. All of the things from this life can stay right here." She gingerly picked her way across the floor, weaving among the shattered remains of what had belonged in her life with Roy. Jim followed behind her, still amazed by the amount of damage to the room.
Pam reached her bedroom—their bedroom—and paused at the doorway. It was even more demolished than the rest of the house. She shuttered, remembering all of the awful things that had occurred within these four walls. She felt a warm presence behind her, and a comforting had on her shoulder.
Jim.
That was all the strength she needed.
She reluctantly stepped away from him and entered the room.
Her clothes were strewn about, many of them completely ripped in half. The mirror over the vanity was shattered, pieces of glass scattered about the room. It looked like someone had taken a butcher knife to the bed, as the sheets, mattress and pillows were sporting several long gashes.
Pam glanced around the room and sighed. Picking her way across the floor, she reached the dresser. All of the drawers had been pulled out and dumped on the floor. One glance at the bare wooden top of it indicated that everything that had lain on it had been swept off onto the carpet.
Pam bent over while Jim watched curiously from the doorway. She pushed some clothes and other random trinkets around until her fingers brushed against a smooth wood frame.
She smiled.
She picked it up and examined it. The glass had broken but the picture was still tucked safely within the wood, undamaged.
Her fingers ghosted over the image, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. It was taken last year, at the office's holiday party. Everyone was in the photo—Michael in his ridiculous Santa suit, Dwight with elf ears, Meredith already wasted, Phyllis with her homemade Christmas tree pendant on, Angela with that snooty look on her face—everyone else too, the whole dysfunctional gang.
But what made her smile were two people standing off to one side.
Jim. And her.
They had their arms slung around each other's waists and Pam was bent over slightly, laughing hysterically at something Jim had said. And Jim, Jim was gazing at her with that perfect grin on his face, and what she now recognized as love in his eyes.
Yes, it was a happy moment. One of her favorites. One she would treasure always.
She stood up abruptly and spun around, clutching the frame to her chest.
Pam met Jim's gaze and smiled. He grinned in return, that same perfect grin from the picture she held, with that same exact look in his eyes.
She crossed the room and stood beside him, casting her gaze once more across the damaged remains of her old life.
"Let's go. I have all I need right here," she said, as she reached down with her free hand to lace her fingers with his own. "Besides, I could use a shopping trip. New things to go with a new life," she said with a teasing tone to her voice as she pulled him towards the door. "And I know how you just love shopping."
Jim groaned at the word shopping.
Laughter bubbled up from some forgotten place within Pam. She couldn't remember a time when she had felt so happy, so carefree. Pam paused by the open front door and turned to face Jim. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned into him, giving him a spontaneous kiss.
When Pam finally pulled away, she giggled like a teenager at his dazed expression. She spun away from him and headed out the door, throwing Jim a playful grin over her shoulder as she stepped from the shadows of the house and into the brilliant sunlight.
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And there it is. I hope y'all enjoyed it and that it wasn't too cheesy. Thanks so much for reading! The epilogue will be up next, and soon! Happy a wonderful day!
Until next time,
Western