I am very excited to get this next chapter out to everyone! Two stories in one night, not too shabby. Oh and for those of you who have no idea what I am talking about "Savin' Me" is the other story I was referring too. Which in case you haven't checked out you definitely should! You guys are awesome!

Extraordinary Measures part 8

It was close to being pitch dark by the time I actually left Ben. I felt a huge lump in my stomach as I walked away from his pen. I was just watching him sleeping sucking his thumb like his life depended on it. It was really the cutest thing I've ever seen. I decided to stop torturing myself and finally tip toe out of the door finding my way back to the front of the building saying my goodbyes to Lisa and the rest. I wipe the tenderness from my eyes and find myself meeting the dark night as I walked out to my car. I hear something moving behind me and I jump

"Hey, whoa I'm sorry." I turn towards the familiar voice and it was indeed Alex once again.
"Are you stalking me now?" I find myself on the middle line between teasing and seriousness. He shakes his head laughing. "No. Well yes." My silence and curiosity bulge out a little which causes him to laugh inexplicably. "I mean, I was just wondering how it went in there..." His voice trails off and I see the tiny smile wrinkles next to his lips jolt a little. "Oh... it was fine. I mean great." He shakes his head. "That's great." I mock his head shake back at him. "So are you and your husband adopting?" I shake my head almost instantly not really sure what this guy wants, but not so much afraid of him as I thought I should be. He reminded me so much of Jim. He was so comfortable to be around, so comfortable that you almost want to spill your guts out all over the table. I feel my finger playing with my engagement ring and he catches it.

"Umm no. I'm not married I'm engaged. And that's my sister's kid. The look on his face gave more reason than justice. "Oh wow, I'm sorry." I feel myself almost jerk back from the concern in his voice. I tilt my head, "Why are you sorry?" I watch as he fidgets. "Well either your sister has passed on….." He looks at me making sure my eyes were still intact. "Or she's not allowed to be with her kid. Either way I'm still sorry..." I feel anger bursting through my veins. How dare he make an assumption about someone he doesn't even know?

I shake my head trying to hide my fury trying to push away the burn in my throat. "Okay, well I gotta go." I turn to leave and I feel him move closer in regret. "I'm sorry I wasn't…"

"No it's okay." I shake my head. Of course leave it to Pam Beesly to just try to avoid instead of stand up for herself. I should have said a lot of things, but looking at him now, the deep regret soaked into his features, I actually felt guilt. The madness!

I start walking away again and his voice interrupts me again. "So I guess I'll see you in about twenty seven hours?" I quirk an eyebrow. "You're pretty sure of yourself aren't you?" He smiles smugly.

"Oh yeah. I am." His smile a little too contagious. I chuckle inwardly as his expression changes. "See you very soon Miss Beesly." A part of his voice I've never heard before. "Wait, how did you know my last name?" My mind juggling a plate full. "It's a small building." I nod as he walks away. "That was something." A whisper caught between the street light and the cars surrounding the parking lot.

Before I know it I'm in my car watching the reflection of the streetlight against my hood. I feel my phone vibrating inside my pocket, but before I can stop it, it retracts; the bright white letters defying my thoughts.

3 missed calls. Two from Jim and one from Roy. One text message.

I sigh hearing his voice soaking into my being. "Hey it's me. I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry for earlier. I shouldn't have barged into your business. I uh... I wanted to make sure you were okay. Hope to hear from you soon.

I close my eyes and the repeat the message letting it flows through my system as if fighting away all of my dark thoughts. I shake my head awake, from the trance and pull the phone away from my ear. I look down clicking the "Inbox" button and finding another message from Jim.

If found please call 1-800-animal control.

And down below was a picture of Dwight with his elf ears on who had just tripped and fallen into some mud.

I snort letting my head fall back against the seat my giggles dancing around my shoulders. I close my phone fighting the urge to call Jim and have him explain how he is able to make my day so much better in a matter of moments.

I shake my head forcing my phone into my pocket finally pulling out of this parking lot. My nerves bundle at the thought of talking to Roy again. A huge milestone hits me in the face as I watch the road now darkened passing me in the window. What have I gotten myself into?

I force myself to stay on the road as I head back towards Roy. From this moment I knew, was going to change everything. I glance down at the clock blaring its green tenacity all over the passenger seat. 8:30. I push the gas down a little harder hoping this would all just go away, like some sort of fog in an abandon parking lot.

I finally arrive home about 9:15 walking inside the mundane house only with a few lamps to light the way. I take another look around and I find the house spotless. My eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. Looks like Roy is working this forgiveness. Maybe if I if I stayed mad at him for a little longer the house would be clean for a week. I hear footsteps and see Roy walking out of the kitchen. "Hey Pam" his voice turning into someone I haven't heard from in years. "Hey Roy." He catches my confusion and comes over to kiss my cheek. "I made dinner" he whispers in my ear and I'm completely flabbergasted. It usually means he "bought out" dinner but all the same of something he never does. Before I can say anything he walks me into the kitchen and I see his masterpiece. Candles lit dimly and just a few rose petals on the floor with dinner under two silver covers. This was something I was not expecting. Maybe Roy can really handle this.

"What…" I start but Roy cuts me off. "I'm so sorry about what I said today. You're going to be a great mom." He maneuvers me to my seat and I sit in stunned silence. He pulls the plate off and the aroma hits me like a thousand buckets of water splashed on me. "Wow…this is great." My first words said after my first bite. He smiles blush rupturing his cheek and just like that it's like we are back in high school having our first date. Him smiling at me over spaghetti and meatballs; both of us blushing like well, a couple of high school kids on their first date. "You bought out didn't you?" He laughs and replies, "Yeah." We both find ourselves laughing and it feels good for once, my head was swarming in the clouds. I came down pretty fast as my smile denigrates feeling a rush of something heading straight to my stomach, but I can't pinpoint on what it is. I feel my nerves get the best of me halfway through dinner and our timid talk and burst out completely unaware of my mouth actually moving.

"I'm picking up Ben on Friday." The words suddenly shut my mouth as I look up to catch his reaction. "What?" His voice breaks the bubble that was wrapped around our quite little table. Why would I start off so impetuous? I put down my fork as Roy gets up from the table. I follow in suit. "Roy I'm sorry please don't be mad, but I have to do this." My voice is no longer confident; reaching out to try and grab an answer from Roy that I'm going to like.

"Pam, come on. How can you say that? We are not even ready to raise a kid!" His voice becoming a dark negative streak against the candles. "We don't have the money or the room to have a baby. I'm never going to be able to go out with the guys." I scoff crossing my arms. "That's so tough Roy, I'm so sorry that you would actually have to stay home with your fiancé instead of getting drunk with the guys." His eyes burn with anger. "Don't start with me about that again Pam." I shake my head in anguish. He takes my silence to push it even further. "And have you even thought about health insurance, we'd have to buy a house, get married…" My eyes bulge out of anger. "What you don't want to get married? Then why the hell are we engaged?" I snap back. "I just don't want to get married just because we are getting your sister's baby. I mean didn't you want time to plan the wedding? We wouldn't even have a honeymoon if we got married now." A soft pause makes me want to release my anger. "I'm going to have to be a dad for a baby that's not even mine." The words coming out of his mouth were starting to make me feel insignificant. Maybe he was right maybe we weren't ready. Maybe I was just pulling on straws I didn't have. "Then why did you say *you're going to be a great mom?* Just saying it to make me happy?" The caustic look in my eyes makes him shift with caution.

He comes closer to me and grabs my shoulder. "We can have a baby, just not right now okay?" He pats my shoulder completely avoiding the question and walks towards the bedroom. I follow him and watch as he shreds his clothes. "Just like that?" I query as I stand against the door frame.

He looks towards me as he sits down on the bed making it squeak. "Yeah Pam, just like that." He stares at me for a moment. "Don't do this again." He mumbles. I walk out of the bedroom and find myself in the kitchen cleaning up the mess of a sixteen year old girl's hopeless dream. I put away the leftovers and wash the dishes. Several minutes later, the kitchen was finished and I was heading in the living room with my almost full glass of wine.

I stare at the blank television as all the doubts I had from the beginning started falling into my lap one by one. Tears filled my eyes as I pictured Ben's face. Roy was right. He deserves better. Ben deserves a real family. I feel myself sobbing as I lay down on the couch staring at the dark red liquid reflected itself off the glass. I push my face into one of my softest pillows to muffle my sobs. Soon I feel my eyelids giving out as I floated out onto a gloom river hoping the cold air would wash my tears away.

***** (A/N—I was going to end the chapter here, but you guys really deserve better than that! Am I right?)

Suddenly I feel myself shaking awake as if I had fallen off that raft that had put me to sleep. I watch the sun blind me with its talons as I force myself to sit up. I look at my phone staring helplessly at me from my barely drunken wine glass. I shake my head trying to wash away this growing pain inside of my stomach. I pick up the phone and text a short message to Jim. Wished I'd been there to see that. It was very short leaving me hopeless for the morning to come. As if he'd been waiting my phone made a sound. Me too it read and I felt as though for a moment I had forgotten how to breathe. Another message jumped in front of that one. You would not have been disappointed. The irony in that sentence almost made me burst into tears again but I held back trying to smile. Oh, I know I wouldn't have. I sigh getting up tiptoeing in the bedroom to find my clothes as I see Roy turning over in his sleep. I bite my lip to keep the disappointing sigh away from my lips and down my throat. I grab my work clothes and head into the bathroom for a quick shower. I let the warm water wash away the harsh tears that wash their way out of my eyes as I let myself drown in it for a good few minutes. When I'm finished I walk in front of my foggy mirror wiping away just enough to see my face. I see my eyes still a hint of red painted on the white.

I close them feeling them already exhausted for the day. I open them and precipitously I'm in my work clothes and I'm in the car driving down the main road. I feel my phone vibrate and at a red light I open my phone. You should come to Monday Mornings I have a surprise for you. I'm almost smirk as I reply. You don't have Michael or Dwight with you do you? I can almost hear his chuckle as he replies. No way Beesly. If I was going to do that I would have you meet me at Shrute Farms... Meet me there, I promise it will be worth it. I fight my emotions as I stop at another red light. Duly noted. Okay, I'll be there in 15. It wasn't long before I got another vibrate breaking into my Future Leagues song on the radio; making me think of Jim. See you soon Beesly.

The clouds above me seem to mock me as I finally make my way turning into the coffee shop the sky a little darker than before. I see an open spot a couple cars down from Jim's car and I pull in abruptly. I sigh hoping that the miserableness surrounding my face doesn't show. I walk inside for the second time that week letting the smell of coffee wake me up to the gift of life. I see Jim sitting by the window talking to a blonde waitress that has a very good potential to be my worst enemy. Her hand on his shoulder makes it hard for me to concentrate on walking around the tables. I almost feel the need to turn around and get back in the car, worsening my mood. I shouldn't be feeling this way but why today? Before I can even turn around Jim reads my mind clearly as his eyes meet mine. "Hey Pam." His grin pushing the waitress out of the way to come greet me. She looks at me as he gives me a small hug that I make me almost grunt in amazement. How did he know I needed a hug? I hug him back with full force suddenly feeling my sadness burst to the surface.

He pulls back seeing my tears jumbled at the corner of my eyes and the worry on his face are quite evident. "Are you okay?" Damn, didn't even make it to our seats yet. I shouldn't be surprised; Jim has always been the one to drag my emotions out of me. "Yeah, yeah. What is this surprise?" I leave as much emotion as I could out of my voice as I could. He sees right through me but I shrug him off. He shakes his head and smiles softly. "After you." He holds out his hand for me to pass him and I do trying not to smell his wonderful cologne. He grins as he sits on the other side of the booth definitely looking mischievous.

I smile back feeling my emotions dialing down. "What are you hiding?" I give him my best (trying to figure you out face) and he laughs. "You'll see. Hang on one second." I watch as he gets up and heads to the counter where he talks to an older gentleman that had Manager for a nametag. I quirk my eyebrow as he turns to look at me. He quirks one back making me giggles as if I were in school again. He grins then turns back around handing Jim something that I can't see. He walks towards me hiding whatever it is behind his back. His teeth I notice seem whiter than they were before as he shows them to me walking up beside me. "Close your eyes Beesly." I look up at him in disbelief. "How do I know you're not going to shove a straw up my nose or something?" His smile remains gentle as he says, "A little too juvenile for me Beesly, now close'em." I finally shut my eyes expecting to feel something but instead I feel nothing. And then I hear his voice. "Open'em." His voice sounds giddy and when I open my eyes I know why. "Oh my gosh! The Gingerbread Latte? But this doesn't come out for two months!" My grin effectively taking up my whole face. Then I look down finding a cup holder with the words "World's Best Mommy" on the front and I just lost it. The sob breaks out entirely and I put my face into my hands. Jim automatically comes around and wraps his arms around me. I find myself moving over in the booth letting him completely absorb in my space.

"Pam, I'm so sorry. I went too far..." I cut him off. "No, no. it was really sweet." The words making me go into tears again. "Pam what is it?" His voice fumed with apprehension. I turn and give him the second hug of the morning. He hugs back holding me tightly to his chest as if I were going to fall to pieces in this little coffee shop. He pushes my hair softly behind my ears. I let out a small smile at the gesture. He tries to get up and move to the other side, but I pull him back down. His laugh occupies my ears. "Trying to keep me captive Beesly?" I grin slowly still feeling the ten pounds of water inside of my eyes. "Yep." An answer that I think shocked us both, but he just grinned back and reached over to grab his coffee pushing mine in front of me. "I'm all yours." His eyes sneaking up to mine, dropping briefly to my lips making me tremble deep inside of my throat, leaving me unable to say anything.

I turn away the sensation of the tears tearing me apart from the inside as I take a slow sip of my latte. It tasted just as good as I remembered it. I let a small tear escape following the condensation from the cup against the table. "Hey..." His voice delicate as his soft lips evading the hold on his straw. "I just…" I start wiping the tears off my face. "Thank you …" I sniffle giving him a small smile. Trying not to pour my heart out onto the table. He grabs my hand and rubs his thumb lightly over top of it. "You are very welcome." I can see right through his eyes into his mind, but I'm forced to turn away once again to avoid seeing the high on cloud nine feeling.

"So what's on…" I intrude once again.

"I saw Ben yesterday." His face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really? How was it? Was it everything you dreamed it would be?" I coughed trying to cover my laughter while pure sincerity lies all over his face. "Well Rapunzel" I pause pretending not to see the shock on his face. "It was amazing actually. I mean when I held him he just felt…" My mind flashes back to last night. The way his fingers wrapped around mine, the way his head felt on my shoulder. Then comes Roy suddenly bashing all those dreams down, those little hopes and dreams that would follow me to bed every night since I talked with Mr. Garrison. How I would help him learn how to walk, talk, learn his ABC'S. It was something so impulsive that just wouldn't leave me alone. I wanted that dream to stay alive, I kept feeding it and feeding it until it got so big I couldn't see the doubts I had pushed underneath. I pushed away reality. I hear my name being called in the fury of trickery.

"Pam…?" I shake my mind away from it all. I meet his eyes again. "He felt perfect." I nod pushing back more tears. His smile cautious of mine, deliberating my next move. "That's so great Pam." His voice so full of genuineness that it almost makes me breakdown again. Before I could finish my thoughts I hear his voice again. "And just so you know…Rapunzel wondered what if it "wasn't" everything you dreamed it would be. He shook his head and made a sound with his tongue. "Tsk tsk, so positive Beesly." I burst out laughing just from the insanity of it all. "What? I have a niece!" I hold my stomach trying to force out words, but nothing happens. Unexpectedly Jim is much closer to me and his fingers are tickling my every tender spot. "Jim no stop!" my hush whisper violating people's tables from a distance causing glances. His laughter makes mine go on even longer until I can't breathe. He pulls away as if he knew my lungs were starting to close up on me. Finally, we collapse into silence, taking it in.

"What was he like?" his voice just a hair line away from my ear. It was then I realized he never moved back over. I close my eyes and take in his warm breath against me cheek. "Everything about him was so pure, so full of hope, love." I start looking up to see him listening intensely. Our eyes hold each other for a few seconds longer than it should have. I turned away. "He was just…" I let a small laugh take over me, and then my eyes signal the mistakes from last night. The words, the broken 16 year old girls dream left on the kitchen floor, the tears flooding the pillow on the uncomfortable couch.

I blink my eyes continuously trying to stop my eyes from swimming, getting a little aggravated by how much I seem to be crying these days. "Pam, what is it? What's going on?" His hands lean over to touch my skin. I almost jump, his touch suddenly burning me. He must notice because he pulls back taking in my features. "I won't be picking him up Friday." My eyes only spreading misery as I stare at the table. "What…why.." I cut him off. "Because I can't. " I snap, my eyes finally lifting to his, tears blocking the anger. "Pam…"

"Please let me out." My voice pleading, begging not to see his disappointment. That Pam Beesly pushes everything she wants on the back burner. He doesn't budge. "Is it Roy?" His head looking at the table, then glances at me. His sudden disappointment made me angry. "He's right. I mean I've been pushing all of the doubts I had about myself raising Ben under the table. And he's my fiancé. How can I make a decision like this without him?" Suddenly the word Fiancé tasted bitter on my tongue. He gets up and sits on the other side. I can see his anger disappointment hidden underneath his eyelids.

"Jim.." He suddenly cuts me off. "How can you do that? How can you just give up everything you've been hoping for, for a…" I watch as he clenches his jaw and inhales. "For a guy who doesn't even care?" "He does care." I snap again, feeling guilty almost immediately. "He wants me to have time to plan the wedding…"

"A wedding that has been "rescheduled" like a dozen times already." I feel the tears bursting out of my skin. I get up leaving my almost empty coffee and walk my way out of the coffee shop as fast as I can ignoring his voice calling my name. I run to my car rushing to find my keys, almost letting out a scream when I can't seem to find them. I am still scrambling to find my keys when Jim runs out to me, blocking my door. "Pam, I'm sorry. I'm just in awe, because all week. All week you've been talking about things you can do for Ben, with Ben, and for yourself. It was just...I can see that it's something you want. And Pam you deserve him. You deserve to keep that piece of Penny into your life. Especially when he obviously makes you so happy." Tears are running faster now as he finishes his speech that touches me to my very core. I let my eyes harshly breathe out tears. I look him deep in the eyes and reply softly, "We can't always get what we want." His eyes search mine as they fill up with tears again and before I know it he's stepping back and I'm in my car driving away keeping everything in me to not turn around.

I know it seems like poor Jim keeps getting left in the dust but don't worry, Nice Guys always win!

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have an awesome Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

-Jamfan2000-