Pam suddenly untangled her arms from Jim's warm embrace. She backed away, fear written on every line of her face.
"Jim, I c-can't do this," she sobbed and ran from the room, leaving Jim standing in an empty room with an equally empty heart.
Charlotte broke away from Tom, grinning. "Hmm...that was nice," she said, casually.
"Yes it was, do you think we could do it again sometime?" Tom replied, equally as nonchalant. Charlotte let out a girly giggle and gave Tom another peck on the lips.
"I've got to go. I can't imagine what is taking so long in there," Charlotte said, referring to her mom and Jim's conversation in the other room.
Tom raised his eyebrows and false suspicion. "Maybe a little hanky-panky is going on in the sitting room." He gestured to the room where Charlotte just referred to.
"Ew, Tommy. You know what? No," she frowned, furrowing her eyebrow in mock disgust. She rose from the couch and made to walk out of the room when a strong hand around her wrist stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Tommy teased, pulling her back on the couch.
"Well I was going to see what my mom and your dad were doing, but since you seem to need all my attention now it will just have to wait." She sighed sarcastically. "The world doesn't revolve around you, you know?"
"I may be aware of that, but I just don't care," he simply replied. Charlotte giggled again and leaned in, kissing him once more.
Pam was running. To where she was going, she didn't know. She had taken off through the back door, leaving Jim in the sitting room, bewildered. A wave of guilt washed over her. It was not polite or courteous to leave after your old crush just kissed you. Especially since it was Jim. At this point, she didn't even care if she was polite or not. She knew it wasn't Jim's fault. He probably felt confused and hurt that she had left so suddenly. She mentally cursed herself, reminding herself to apologize later, when she had pulled herself together.
The tears were streaming down her face as she ran down the street. Finally she made it to the park a couple blocks down where she could be alone. It had rained that evening, while they were all in the house, making the playground soaking wet. She hesitantly wrapped her hand around the cold, wet metal and climbed her way up the bars, onto the bridge. The air smelt fresh and damp like only the rain could make it. It was chilly out and Pam shuddered from the cold, rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm them up. She felt her wet tear-stains grow icy in the chilly air and she touched her hand to her cheek. She had been running and her face was numb from the harsh winter weather. Her fingers lightly stroked under eyes hazel eyes, wanting the tears to stop, and fast. She quickly searched for a spot where she could sit without getting soggy. Her eyes locked with one of her favorite childhood hideouts: the tunnel.
She was shaking by the time she got to the tunnel as she blindly made her way in. She felt a slight static shock from entering the yellow plastic tunnel, but it was a bit warmer in here. Her petite arms found their way around her knees as she squeezed herself in a ball, hugging herself. Why did he have to show up? Why? It made things so complicated. As if they weren't already. She shivered and buried her head in her knees tiredly.
A shock ran down her body when she felt an arm wrap around her small shoulders. She jumped and looked up to see Jim, a look of uncertainty on his handsome face. She started to cry harder, the silent tears cascading down her already wet face.
"Shh, shh..." he whispered, and continued to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. Anything to reassure her. Although he was slightly hurt that she had run off, he had to comfort her.
They were squished inside the tiny tunnel, Pam's head resting on Jim's shoulder. Jim absentmindedly played with a stray curl of her hair, running his fingers through it. Pam closed her eyes contentedly when she finally calmed down.
He was waiting patiently for her to tell him what was wrong. Just waiting. A heavy silence overtook them as their hearts harmonized as one. Pam was warm now, from Jim repeatedly rubbing her arm while still wrapped around her. She fit so perfectly in his arms, it was meant to be. Their steady breathing and his sweet scent was intoxicating and she felt like she wanted to drift off into a peaceful sleep.
"Pam?" Jim asked, cautiously. He didn't want a her to run off again. "You can tell me if something is wrong. You know that, right?" Pam squeezed her eyes shut as a new wave of tears threatened to fall.
"Yeah, Jim. I know."
Jim waited to hear her explanation, but it never came. She desperately wished he would drop this subject and move on.
"Pam?" Jim inquired again. Pam took a deep breath.
"Hmm?" she mumbled, her lips pressed tightly together,
"Why did you run off? Why?" His curiosity got the better of him and he gently shrugged his shoulder so that Pam was sitting up. He maneuvered himself to face Pam, so that he was leaning on one side of the tunnel and Pam was leaning on the other. They were facing each other, knees touching, sending that newfound electricity throughout their bodies. She averted her eyes and bit her lip to stop the tears from flowing down.
"Please Jim. I don't want to talk about it," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear.
He put his hand under her chin, making her look at him. "Pam. Please tell me what is wrong. I lost you before to Roy. I'm not going to lose you again."
Pam took a shaky breath to steady herself. "I promise with all my heart that I will tell you when the time comes. Just not now. Please, Jim. Please," she pleaded, her voice cracking on the last word.
"Pam why did you run off like that though?" He was starting to get frustrated. She ran off from him and she just expected him to be alright? She told him she couldn't do it and expected him to be okay?
She didn't answer but looked down, taking an extreme fascination with a crack in the plastic.
"Pam-" he started.
"No, Jim. No," she said more forcefully. Jim didn't say a word but crawled out of the tunnel, heartbroken. She wouldn't tell him what was wrong. Why?
When Jim finally got home it was nearly midnight. He felt horrible for leaving Charlotte and Tom all alone, but he was sure they were fine.
Yeah, fine alright. Probably giddy with joy that the parents are gone, He thought bitterly.
He quietly creaked open the back door and walked into the living room. His eyes bugged out of his head to see Charlotte and Tom horizontal on the couch, in the middle of a heated make-out session.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that both teens were still fully clothed. The relief he felt was obviously short-lived and he cleared his throat loudly.
Tom and Charlotte jumped apart, blushing madly. "Hey, sport what are you doing?" Jim asked, raising his eyebrows.
"I...um...well," Tom stuttered, still beet red.
Charlotte fidgeted and sprung up from the coach, nervously wringing her hands. She swallowed loudly and cleared her throat. "Erm...hi Mr. Halpert...um...I've got to go to my room, to uhh...go to sleep now...bye," she sprinted upstairs, not daring to look back.
Jim was glaring at Tom, a furious expression written on his face. "Get in the car, sport," He spat.
Tom bit his lower lip anxiously and looked down. He swiftly got up from the couch and speed-walked to the car. Jim fumed behind him. He would not have wanted to be Tom right now. He was still a bit angry from his mini dispute with Pam, and now he was doubly angry with Tommy.
What a day today was. What a day, He thought, shaking his head from the irony.
AN: Oh my gosh, I am so sorry I haven't updated in forever! Forgive me, please! I made this chapter extra long. I was going to stop after Pam goes to see Jim, but I couldn't bear to make you readers read so little. Again, sorry for the long wait, but you got a longer chapter!
P.S.: For all you that watch Gilmore Girls, (I don't know if many of you do) I got the idea with Tom and Charlotte from the episode with Rory and Jess upstairs in Luke's apartment while Lorelai goes to check on them.
