Title: Last Night.

Continuity: 'Diwali'. (Season Three's 6th episode.)

Song: 'Yesterday', by The Beatles. (Fragments.)

Feedback: Of course, reviews are highly appreciated.

Warning/Comments: A/U. Jim's POV. Some of the things that we never know in the show are what happens between Jim and Karen after she gives him a ride home, and what did the message that Pam sent Jim say. In this chapter, I tried to explain both 'mysteries'.

Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be.
There's a shadow hanging over me.

The alarm clock went off and I suddenly woke up. Grumbling, I managed to reach a hand and hit it until it stopped sounding. Making a great effort, I opened my eyes and sat on my bed. I had an awful, pounding headache, and I felt terribly nauseous. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the heaviness in my eyelids, and that was when I realized that I was still wearing the clothes I had worn the previous day. I smelled alcohol and sweat and I looked around in confusion. For a second, I stared blankly at the floor while I tried to remember why I was in that state and what had happened last night.

What's going on? What happened? What-

And then, all of a sudden, everything came rushing back and the memories and flashbacks filled my head like snapshots. And I remembered everything.

I remembered drinking that liquor with Andy, glass after glass.

I remembered watching (and listening to) Andy sing, totally drunk, from his spot on the floor where he laid. I saw myself in the same state, making the choirs to his song, while Karen tried to hush us down.

I remembered laying my head (which had started to ache) down on my desk and feeling something vibrating next to my ear, but not paying attention to it.

I remembered walking hesitantly towards the exit and falling down to the ground while attempting to ride my bike to go home.

I remembered Karen helping me up and offering me a ride home, since I was too drunk to get back on my own. I remembered saying yes and getting into her vehicle without giving it a second thought, while she put my bike on the back of the van.

I remembered getting out of the car when we got to my house, taking my bike and thanking Karen for the kindness of her gesture. I remembered us looking at each other in silence for a couple of seconds, until I leaned in and kissed her, not knowing exactly why.

I remembered waving at her and whispering a shy Good night while I stumbled along the way into my house and closed the door behind me.

I remembered feeling something vibrating once again, this time, inside my pocket, realizing that it was my cell phone and grabbing it. That was when I focused my exhausted eyes on the screen. There was a notice on it.

You received one new message, the notice said. I looked through the Inbox for the text message until I found it. Then I opened it, and it took a few seconds for my alcohol-dazed mind to read the words and understand their meaning.

Hey, how's everything? Just thought I'd call to say hello, but I thought you might be busy, so I'm texting. (It's okay if you're busy.) You have no idea what Michael has put all through today. You wouldn't believe it if you didn't know him. Anyway, I don't wanna bore you. I hope you're okay. Guess I'll call some other time. Good luck.

Pam.

I remembered that when my brain finally put all the information together and understood what was in front of my eyes, I was so surprised that I dropped the phone, which hit the carpet with a deaf noise. I quickly knelt down to pick it up and I looked for the time of reception of the message. 7:50 PM. I looked the time in my wristwatch. 1:30 AM.

Damn, damn, damn, I mumbled angrily as I got up.

I remembered putting the phone on the nearest table and then walking into my bed room and collapsing onto the bed, where I instantly fell asleep.

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play.

Now, I sat on my bed, fully awake and completely overwhelmed by my actions and how the events had taken place the night before. Oh, no, I whispered in horror when all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. What have I done?

I covered my face with my hands as feelings of guilt and shock washed over me. I felt nauseous no more, but the headache was still torturing me, making it hard for me to think straight, and my thoughts came and went , chaotically repeating without coherence or logic.

Karen… Pam… I kissed Karen… Pam wanted to talk to me… Karen… Pam…

The worst part was feeling that I had got myself into trouble and messed things up, and not knowing what was going to happen next. I had allowed things to get out of control. In just one night, everything had become much more complicated than it was before. It was my entire fault. And I had no idea of how I was going to fix it.