Author's note: Okay, okay, I know it's short, but I don't care (: I have like three extra flashback posts written, so I've been trying to catch up with the present posts like crazy, and ugh. It's been a ridiculous week. Plus I have like three papers due on Friday, so. I don't know how much more I'll get done before then. I can probably get a flashback post up, since I've got so many written already, but that'll probably be it until sometime next week. Sorry /:
Anyway, thanks for the reviews! I got some new story alert things after the last chapter, so I hope all you newbies like this one too! hahah.

"You better hurry, Pamcake," Michael called as she strolled out the office door. "People aren't going to like eating our pancakes without plates!" She barely heard his exclamation of "Hey! Pamcake's gonna be makin' pancakes! What a perfect day!" before she exited the lobby and was headed toward the uninviting elevator.

She walked into the Dunder Mifflin office, letting the warm, familiar air wash over her before taking a step inside. "Hi, may I help you?" the shy new receptionist asked, flooding Pam's mind with recollections of her former job. Dwight's stapler in jell-o, her first Christmas gift from Jim, the day Ryan found her in the break room… She shook her head, dumping the memories onto the hard floor beneath her. She meekly waved to the waiting receptionist before heading for her fiancé's desk.

"Hey," he replied, looking up at her with wide eyes, pleasant surprise on his face. He grinned before leaning up to peck her on the cheek. "What's up?"

"Well," she began, but was quickly interrupted.

"Jim!" Charles called, appearing out of Micha-- out of his office. "Do I need to remind your girlfriend about our 'no-visitors' policy, or are you going to?"

"I can do it… sir," he cautiously replied, turning toward her.

She smirked. "You were right. What's with that guy?"

"What are you doing here?" he cut her off.

"Oh," she responded, startled. "Um, Michael's sending me on a supply run, and I think I'll need a shopping buddy."

"Supply run?" he questioned, his eyes dancing with curiosity.

"Uh-huh," she mused. "For our pancake luncheon."

"Oh my--"

"Jim! Do we still have a problem here?"

"Uh, no sir," Jim stuttered, turning toward his boss. "Pam was just, uh… just leaving." Charles glared before ducking back into his office. Pam waited for the door to slam before speaking again.

"Okay, you really need this break. Come on, I'll drive."

"Pam," he sighed. "I can't."

"What? Of course you can. Come onnnnnn," she stood, tugging on his arm. Instead, he reached into his coat pocket and slid his keys across the table.

"If Charles sees me gone, that'll be the end of it. I'm already screwing everything up here, something like this, and I'll be…" he trailed off, turning back to his computer screen.

Pam stood beside his desk in shock. "The Jim I know wouldn't blow off something fun for work. Or care about what his boss thinks of him. The Jim I fell in love with cares more about goofing around and having fun with me than about his job. I mean, where's that guy?"

"Pam, don't--" he started. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I just…"

"Jim," Charles sighed. "I thought you said you could take care of this."

"Pam, I think you should just leave," Jim shouted with final authority.

"What?"

"Go," he sighed, nodding toward the door. "Now." She begrudgingly grabbed the car keys off his desk and headed for the hallway. Jim's voice called out to her as she reached the elevator, but she ignored him and pressed the "lobby" button.

"Stupid, lousy Jim," she muttered as she headed across the parking lot. She couldn't understand why her fiancé was being such a jerk about his job now. "Stupid, stupid Jim. 'I this you should leave!'" she mimicked. Poorly. "Stupid." Her incessant ramblings were interrupted by a voice shouting in front of her.

"Hey, beautiful!" She looked up to see who it was, and the answer sent a batch of new angry mutters through her mind. Stupid, stupid Ryan. Stupid Ryan. God.

"What do you want, Ryan?" Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Whoa, hey," he yelled, throwing his arms in the air. "No reason to get all testy." His voice lowered as she got closer. "I just thought that we could drive around the city that is Scranton together. Only, you know. Wasting your gas this time." She rolled her eyes, angry with him for remembering yet another piece of their past.

"Where's Michael? Shouldn't you guys be YouTube-ing something right about now?"

"Well, I'm not sure he knows I'm gone. But, what's he going to do, right?"

"See, that's all I wanted from Jim. But would he do that? Nooooooo," she muttered as she got in the car. Ryan stood bewildered on the other side of the door. "Are you going to get in, or what?"

He snapped out of his daze and instantly followed her command. "Okay, first of all," he began, clicking on his seatbelt. She pulled out of the parking lot, a subtle angry demeanor taking over the steering wheel. "Are you really letting me come somewhere with you?" She thought about his statement, and was a little surprised herself with her reaction.

"I… I guess."

"Cool," he grinned. She couldn't help but smile back, which in turn made the corners of his mouth reach his eyes. "And second? Did I just win in a comparison with Jim?"

Oh my God, he did. She had just compared Jim with Ryan, and Ryan came out the victor. "Uh…"

"I'll take that as a yes," he smirked. She rolled her eyes and pressed the gas pedal more firmly.