Can't Forget You

By Carrie

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Thanks everyone for reviewing! I appreciate it so much. Sorry this one took a few days, but I think there are going to be probably two more chapters and I'll try and post them before Thursday. Enjoy!

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Chapter 3: Bombshells

Jim sat in his meeting absentmindedly tapping his pen on the table. Josh was mentioning something abut the rules against alcohol consumption in the office. Apparently the cleaning crew had found Andy earlier this morning and weren't too happy.

He caught Karen's eye as she mouthed "How do you feel?" He motioned "so-so" with his hand and she smiled. For a moment Jim thought how nice it was to just have a normal friend in the office. Friends, he thought, like he and Pam had been friends?

Josh interrupted his thoughts as he changed subjects. "Okay, so I didn't want to have to drop this on you guys today, but I got a call from corporate. They're planning on finally taking decisive action with either closing this branch or Scranton."

There was murmuring around the table before Josh quieted everyone. "Okay, okay. I know that there's been talk of this for awhile, but now it's crunch time. We need to prove that we are much more capable of absorbing Scranton than they are us. The decision will be made in three weeks after presentations in New York."

Jim listened intently, shaking his head as he pictured Michael fumbling anxiously as he broke this news to the Scranton branch.

"Jim—" His attention snapped back as Josh called his name.

"Yeah," he replied.

"I want you to head up this project," Josh informed him.

"Really?"

"You have the most experience with Scranton," Josh explained. "You'll be able to construct the most convincing argument."

"Okay," he said, not really sure he was up to this. "Thank you."

Josh nodded. "We'll talk strategy after. I want to get started on this right away," he said in his typically authoritative, yet friendly way.

"Great," Jim said, wondering what this really meant.

Josh closed the meeting and beckoned Jim into his office. Two long hours later, Jim emerged feeling completely drained. He did have enough energy, however, to make a phone call.

A hundred a fifty miles away, Pam smiled as she recognized the area code that flashed on her phone. "Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam."

"Dunder Mifflin, this is Jim." Pam smiled again at how their relationship as finally through that awkward phase.

"Two phone calls in one day? What's the occasion?"

"Actually, this is a business call," Jim replied, "sort of."

"Okay…"

"I was just wondering if Michael had talked to you guys today," Jim asked vaguely.

"Well, unfortunately he has, but not about anything relevant," she joked. "Why? What's going on?"

"Corperate's going to make the decision about which branch is going to close."

"Oh my God, really?"

"Yeah. Presentations are December 5."

"Wow—soon. Michael hasn't said anything. What do you think is going to happen?"

"I have no idea. I'm coming next week though to talk to Michael," Jim told her.

"You're coming?" She asked, confused.

"Yeah, on Monday. Josh put me in charge of convincing corporate that we can absorb you guys."

"Oh, so that's how it is," Pam said dauntingly. "You realize that you've become the enemy?" If she cared at all about her job, she thought she'd be upset by this news. Luckily, she didn't.

"I guess I have," Jim agreed before dropping his voice an octave. "You scared, Beesley?"

Pam's stomach fluttered. "Terrified."

"As you should be," Jim quipped.

"This is crazy! I can't believe you're coming back."

"Yeah, I know." A silence heavy with possibility hung between them. "Actually, it's pretty good timing. My old roommate, Mark, is having a party this weekend so I was thinking about coming for that anyway."

"That's cool," she laughed, "I forget that you still have friends here," she rolled her eyes as she realized the stupidity of her statement.

"Seriously, where do you think I am? Siberia?" Jim asked.

Pam laughed. "I don't know. I guess. It does get pretty cold there right?"

"I'll keep you posted."

"Thanks," Pam said, her laughter settling. "So do you have a weekend full of fun Scranton things planned?"

"Oh you bet. I'm definitely going to have to hit all the old haunts. Chili's, the dojo, Hooters, of course."

"Of course."

"Actually, I think the party is about the extent of my hoppin' Scranton weekend."

"Well, the Hooter's girls will miss you, but I'm sure you'll have fun anyway."

"Thanks." He couldn't resist: "Hey – the party's on Saturday night, why don't you come?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, definitely. I mean, you've met Mark, and his girlfriend Sarah, and well, that's probably it, but it'll be fun," he told her, wondering why he was trying to convince her.

"Okay," she said tentatively.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, I'll come."

"Great!"

There was sort of an awkward pause as both thought about the fact that they'd see each other—in a non-work scenario—in two days.

"Well, I'll see you then I guess," Pam said.

"Yeah. Uh—anytime after 8."

"Okay."

"Alright. Bye, Pam."

"Bye Jim," Pam hung up the phone just as Michael came out of his office.

"Jim?" he asked. "Jim Halpert?"

"Yeah," Pam answered regretfully.

"Pam! Why didn't you put him through?" Michael wined.

"Oh. Well, he had to go. He wanted me to tell you that he's going to be here on Monday though," she lied.

"Here?" He asked, before a knowing smile came to his face. "They always come back to the Godfather, don't they?" Michael tried out a new nickname.

Pam just stared at him blankly. "Did you need something, Michael?"

Michael looked confused for a moment, obviously not actually having a purpose for leaving his office. "Well, now that you mention it, I wanted to talk to you."

"Why?" Pam asked, suspicious.

"Well," Michael leaned over Pam's desk and lowered his voice. Pam leaned away from him. "With Jim's return, I think there are some things we should talk about."

"That's okay," Pam said, wanting at all costs to avoid this conversation. "And Jim's just coming for the day."

"We'll see…" Michael said pointedly. Pam sighed and looked at her computer, hoping that he would leave. "You know, you could have something to do with this," Michael said, coming even closer to her and lowering his voice to a whisper, "seeing as how you played such a big part before…" He trailed off, raising his eyebrows.

"What are you talking about Michael?" Pam asked, exasperated.

"Well you know that I am Jim's most trusted confidant, and he told me," he looked around to make sure no one was listening in, "that you rejected him and that's why he left," he told her, looking extremely proud of himself.

"What?" She was shocked. "He told you that?"

"He sure did. So I was thinking, you're single, he's single…maybe it's time to rekindle things?"

"I really don't want to talk about this, Michael," Pam said firmly.

"Okay, okay. Just tryin' to help out my bro." Michael said as he retreated to his office, leaving Pam completely frozen at her desk, trying to process what he'd just said.

Was it true? If it was, why had he told Michael? She didn't know whether to be sad or angry. She was both, and confused. She couldn't believe that she was the reason he'd left. Of course she'd suspected it, but to have Michael, of all people, confirm it, left her feeling completely disillusioned.

There were so many things running through her mind right now. Jim, Stamford, Saturday. Branches absorbing, working together again? Leaving because of her, coming back because of her? More than that…

She felt tears coming to her eyes as she had worked herself up just with her own thoughts. Five minutes ago, she'd been ecstatic at the promise of seeing Jim in two days, now she was laden with guilt, anger, and sadness knowing that she'd been the one to push him away.

Most of all, she wondered what she'd say when she finally saw him.

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TBC…Review please!