One week later

Pam stood in the shower letting the warm beads of water begin to wash over her. Closing her eyes she tried to relax all her muscles and let all the stress of the last seven months slip away from her.

That's when the shower curtain was pulled aside and Ryan stood only in his dress slacks for work. A grin appeared on his face as he watched her. Slightly caught off guard Pam looked and on pure instinct crossed her arms over her breasts. Finding this funny, Pam laughed looking out at him. Even though they had slept together now as a couple for the last couple of months, and both had seen each other naked more on more occasion Pam still felt slightly awaked and embarrassed. Nervously laughing, she couldn't believe it. Here they were about to have a baby and she still really hadn't seen him naked up close. Their lovemaking was usually at night with the bedroom lights off. The more the months past in the pregnancy, the more Pam became more self-conscious about her body. Often she poked jokes at herself saying it looked as though there were a perfectly shaped basketball under her shirt and how huge she looked whenever she waddled into a room. Ryan as always as a gentlemen and told her she was beautiful.

Pam felt color fill her face as she smiled.

"Hi."

Ryan smiled back.

"Hey."

It had been a week since that horrible day after hours in the office. Pam stayed an extra day at the hospital and everything seemed fine. The doctor ordered bed rest and plenty of time off her feet. Ryan was there with her the whole time. When she was released they went back to the condo with a whole different outlook on this pregnancy. Now that they had come forward with their feelings Pam never felt so lucky before in her entire life. Somehow Ryan seemed different now. Jim was a faint image she was trying her hardest to push away. Ryan meanwhile was real. He was the person who loved her…and she slowly began to see how much she really loved him.

Also…they were going to have a little girl.

Ryan told Pam he knew they wanted to wait, but at that point in the hospital he just needed to know. Pam asked if that's what he wanted and Ryan told her the truth.

"Yes. At first I thought a boy would be easier but the more I thought about it…I wanted a daughter."

The day they left the hospital he proposed the name Ginger.

Pam loved it, and so this baby began to get into better focus in their minds. It was a girl, and it now had a name.

Ryan had returned to work three days before. By the time he arrived there were plenty of rumors that some of the warehouse workers had seen an ambulance and Pam being taken out. The second Ryan walked through the door he was overwhelmed by the millions of questions being asked and Michael asking straight up front if Pam had lost the baby. Ryan told them in a calm, yet somewhat annoyed voice that no Pam was perfectly fine and so wasn't the baby.

"Was it because of Jim…you know him visiting?"

Kevin asked in his slow paced voice. Ryan stared at him before shaking his head and lied.

"No…Jim had left before this happened. I ran to get us coffees when I came back she was having cramps and we called 911."

Kelly listened, her arms crossed.

"Oh my God you must have been so scared."

Ryan shrugged.

"The second we got to the hospital they said the baby was fine but they ordered her on bed rest."

Michael sighed with relief before patting Ryan's shoulder.

"Good, that's good. Also you tell little Ms. Pam that we'll all be looking forward to her baby shower…and that she better pop this kid out fast…Toby sucks at answering phones."

Toby looked up.

"What?"

Since then Pam had been just laying around the condo trying to find ways to pass the time. Yesterday her parents came back and right away rushed there to see if anything was wrong. They got Ryan's messages once they came home. Pam was happy to see them and explained the baby was fine. The rest of the afternoon she spent of the sofa talking and laughing with her parents before Ryan came home.

During dinner, Pam noticed how both of them left out the major detail of Jim being there when it happened.

Now Pam stood in the shower, certain that she had made the right choice. She loved Ryan, and she loved this baby they were having. Looking into his big blue eyes she smiled and was glad their baby was okay. Just then she knew…they would make amazing parents.

"Wanna come in?"

Ryan checked his watch.

"I guess I could always be a little late coming in…"

Pam laughed and felt this dancing feeling deep inside her. The baby began to kick as Ryan began undoing his slacks.

For a whole half an hour the two of them stood in the shower until the water became icy cold. For the first time ever, Pam felt herself letting go. This time it wasn't awkward and she didn't pretend it was someone else. Now as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, watching his hair get matted down with the water, she saw him just as Ryan. The simple temp who had walked into their office one day and into her life.

He gentle nuzzled her neck as she kissed him.

Once they got out of the shower, both dried off and Ryan laughed looking at the time.

"I'm suspired Michael hasn't sent Dwight out looking for me."

Redressing, Ryan helped Pam into some comfy sweats and onto the sofa. Bringing her over a few things, he gave her magazines he had picked up for her, a few books, her cell phone, and a DS. Pam laughed.

"What the hell is this?"

Ryan smiled.

"Picked one up for you…thought you might want one while passing the time."

Pam hadn't played anything like this since they released the first game boys back in the early 1990's. Turning the box over in her hands she smiled at the fact he got her one in pink.

"You're sweet."

Ryan smiled leaning over before kissing her.

"Now I want you to stay off your feet…if you need anything and I mean anything call me. I'll be here right away."

"Okay, thanks Ryan."

Ryan smiled again before kissing her forehead. Just then the baby began kicking even harder. Taking his hand she slipped it on her stomach.

"I think she knows your leaving."

Ryan kissed her deeply this time, for a second Pam thought he might just call the office and take a sick day. Instead he smiled through the kiss and told her to relax, he would be home at five. Leaving, Pam felt for the first time a tiny bit of sadness seeing him go.

Was she really falling this fast?

Smiling she laid back before flicking on the TV.

Nearly two hours past in which Pam tried her hardest to stay put and keep busy with all the things Ryan had left her. First she watched morning television, mostly talk shows and soap operas she couldn't follow. Afterwards she made a quick call to her mother who was doing some gardening out back. The two chatted for nearly a half an hour and Pam made plans with her for lunch later this week. Her mother filled her in on all the usual stuff going on with her and Pam's father and as always asked how the baby was doing.

Pam said fine and that she was taking the doctor's orders and hardly getting up at all.

"What about the baby shower?"

"Well Ryan talked with Angela and their going to have it Sunday here."

"Really?"

"Yeah Ryan said he wanted to call you to fill you in, but he thought it might be better then bringing me all the way to the office."

"And that's why I'm glad he's going to be my son-in-law, he cares about you and your baby so much."

Smiling Pam laid back and filled her mom in on the rest of the details. It would be a small shower, thirty people at the most. Ryan was all ready clearing out space and everyone was pitching in to help. Pam felt guilty sitting back doing nothing but Ryan told her he wanted it like this. He wanted this day to be special for her. But Pam knew better…she knew Ryan still felt guilty and uneasy about what had happened. She remembered his yells and how scared he looked as they raced to the hospital. She honestly didn't know what he would of done if she had lost the baby.

They talked a little while longer. Pam's mother had been beyond thrilled with the idea that she was having a granddaughter. They talked about clothes and stuff for the nursery before they said their goodbyes and hung up.

The rest of the time Pam flipped through her forth baby book she had been reading up on before feeling a little nervous when she got to the birth chapter. Closing it she waddled into the kitchen and fixed herself a quick snack before trying to figure out the DS Ryan had bought her.

That's when the doorbell rang.

Going to the door, Pam felt her back ache. Answering it she felt her heart jump down into her stomach.

Jim stood there.

"Jim…"

"Hey…is Ryan here?"

"Ummm, no…he's at work."

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah….sure…"

Pam felt in another daze. Letting him in, he walked into the living room and stood there with his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. Walking in, Pam felt her heart rate begin to dance. She knew this wasn't good.

"Jim…how did you know…"

"I looked up Ryan's address. I thought it wouldn't be such a good idea going by the office again."

"Oh…"

Pam slowly walked over to the couch where she had been nesting. Taking a seat Jim sat beside her. The two sat in silence for a few moments before Pam finally spoke up.

"Jim…what are you doing here?"

Jim looked down at his hands and sighed.

"I didn't want…things to end like they did. I just wanted to explain myself."

"You don't need to."

"I do."

They sat there for a second before Jim looked over at her.

"It was a mistake…me stopping by last week. I had finally moved on and started a new life. I felt free. I mean…timing just wasn't right for us Pam. I really hadn't had much contact with you guys and once I found out things had really ended with Roy I thought maybe….just maybe…"

Pam felt herself shaking but listened as he went on.

"I have a girlfriend now…Karen. She's great…and I'm really happy. I have been for awhile now but I thought what harm would it do if I made some stupid mistake to make the drive out here and…well check up on things."

"On me?"

"Yeah."

They locked eyes.

"I have to admit, the last thing I expected was to see you seven months pregnant with Ryan's baby and engaged. I mean…it was a lot to take in."

"I know…"

"I never would of thought you two…but honestly I felt jealous. My first thought was it was just your way of getting back at me for leaving…trying to move on in your own way. Then it hit me…it wasn't about us or me. You had finally moved on for real. You had this whole different life and I saw you were happy and I hated it."

Pam tried to control her tears, she hated her hormones.

"Jim…"

"I love you Pam…I always will. But I now know for sure it wasn't just bad timing or bad luck that didn't have us get together. It was just life. I think it was supposed to happen this way…"

"Jim, I'm so sorry…I know how that must have been when you walked in."

"I never expected you and him, but I can see he really cares for you."

"Wanna know something?"

"Sure."

"This was unplanned…in fact it was a huge mistake and I came this close to getting an abortion."

"Really?"

"But something told me it wasn't right so I ran out and Ryan followed. He's been following me since then. I admit he wasn't in any way the sort of man I thought I would end up with. In fact I thought it would be you…"

Jim looked at her, his eyes filled with pain.

"But the second I saw that blood and thought I was loosing the thing that had thrown my life out of whack this entire time…I was terrified. I love Ryan Jim…I don't just love him because of the baby or because of how good he was to me. I love him because I know it's right. Like you said…it's almost like it was supposed to happen."

"Yeah."

"I'm glad you stopped by."

Jim tried to smile.

"I just wanted to tell you how happy I am for you…and that I think your going to make an amazing mother."

Pam blushed.

"You think so?"

"Yeah…"

Pam sniffled in.

"We're having a little girl."

Jim's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yeah, we're naming her Ginger."

Jim smiled.

"That's nice. I'm sure she'll be beautiful just like you."

"Thanks Jim…"

"No…thank you."

"For what?"

"For being such a great friend."

Both smiled before hugging each other. Nearly a half an hour later she walked him to the door.

"I'm never going to see you again am I?"

"Never say never Pam."

Kissing her on the cheek, Jim winked and left. Pam stood in the doorway feeling shivers before turning around and going back inside. Relief spilling over her she shuffled back to the sofa and stared down at her ring.

She had made her choice.

And she was happy with it.