Pam and Jim

Philly Jim

NOTE: This story comes from episode 4:5 of The Office (Local Ad) in which Pam discovers Jim's 'second life' on Dwight's game. They've only been dating for a couple months.

Jim lay on the couch, his hands under his crossed arms as he watched the TV. His brows were furrowed in concentration, even though he was watching some stupid show on TLC.

"What's up?"

Jim, his face still squished in concentration, looked to his right over the back of the couch.

Pam stood there, a mug between her hands. Her cardigan sleeves were pulled over her hands and she held her berry-scented tea with both hands. Her head was tilted a little bit to the side with a small smile.

Jim frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You're watching TLC."

Pam move around the foot of the couch. She stood momentarily in front of his feet and leaned back slightly to nudge the cushions. Jim, looking back at the TV now, slid his knees up to make room for her.

As Pam plopped onto the couch, Jim kicked his legs up and crossed his ankles as he lay them on her lap. Pam, in turn, rested her wrists and steaming mug on his legs.

"Okay. What's wrong with me watching TLC?"

Pam took a sip. "I don't know. It's not your usual choice I guess."

Jim picked his head up and propped himself back on his elbows so that he was more upright. 

"Maybe... something SOMEONE ELSE would watch."Pam looked at him, her mug close to her big grin. "Remember... Philly Jiiiiiim?" She wiggled her shoulders back and forth as she said Jiiiiim, her grin huge.

"Aaaaah." Jim smiled. He leaned back down, his hands behind his head as he looked back at the TV. "So THAT'S what this is about."

Pam giggled. "What? I wanna know!"

Jim kept his eyes away and shrugged. "What more is there to know?"

"Come on! Philadelphia sports writer / electric guitar star / hot bod Jim!"

Jim tilted his head and looked at Pam with a small grin. "Are you saying I'm not a 'hot bod' Jim right now?"

Pam shrugged casually and looked away. "Well..."

Jim propped himself back onto his elbows to look at her, eager to see where this took them. "Is that right Beesly?"

Pam tried to hide a smile.

Jim sat up and leaned forward. He moved slowly and waited for her neck to twitch ever so slightly as his warm breath reached her ear. "Are you sure?" he whispered.

Pam inhaled and looked at him, his grin inches away from hers.

Jim took her chin with his right hand and brought her lips up to his, kissing her softly. Right as Jim decided to bring his other hand up, Pam pulled away just enough to move her lips. "Tell me about Philly Jim."

"Oh come on!" Jim lay back down, frustrated now.

"Don't try to avoid it." She grinned, but he didn't respond. Instead, as he stared at the TV, her smile faded.

"Jim," she took a deep breath "Is that, all of it, really something you want to do?"

He kept looking at the commercials playing quietly in front of them.

Pam looked down. "I mean, if you want to go to the gym more often or buy a guitar I'll support you." Another deep breath. "And if being a sports writer is your dream then maybe we can have a conversation about it."

"Pam-"

She looked up to see that he was sitting up again staring at her.

"You're my dream."

Pam looked away. "No, I meant-"

"Pam listen to me." He held her chin and moved her face gently to look at him again. "I couldn't be happier just living the rest of my life with you. You have no idea how much you mean to me. Your laugh, your sense of humor, your love and passion and care, the little grin you have when you say 'Halpert' and even the sound of my name on your lips is all I need. You are everything to me, and even saying that isn't enough because I have so much to say about you. I still pinch myself because I can't believe that I'm yours and I am the happiest man on earth just being yours. All yours. I don't care about my job and I don't care about where I live and I don't care what I do unless I'm with you. Pam, I love you so, so much."

He looked down, eyes sparkling as much as Pam's. He held her hands with his own and kissed her hands gently. Pam's mouth was open ever so slightly, and she could barely see through the tears welling slowly in her eyes. She was speechless, and now it was her turn to hold Jim's face and bring him to look at her.

"Jim, I love you too." 

It was the first time she had said it to him, and as she smiled at him he squeezed out a single laugh and took her face in his hands, bringing her face to his.

They held each other, kissing more passionately than they ever had before yet so gently and carefully, both simply in awe of the fact that they were all the other's and that the other was all theirs.