𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐈𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ━ 𝐉𝐢𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭

- 4 | finding her place -

Finding Her Place

The next morning, Marceline woke to the sound of her alarm. The hotel room was still dim, the early morning light just beginning to seep through the curtains. She lay there for a moment, letting the familiar exhaustion settle in before pushing herself out of bed. The first day had been a whirlwind, but today, she felt a little more prepared—at least, that's what she told herself.

After a quick shower and a lukewarm cup of hotel coffee, Marceline dressed in a simple blouse and slacks. She stared at herself in the mirror for a long moment, taking in the circles under her eyes and the slight tension in her jaw. Forcing a smile, she gave herself a little nod. "You can do this," she whispered to her reflection.

By the time she arrived at Dunder Mifflin, the office was beginning to buzz with activity. She greeted a few of her new coworkers as she made her way to her desk, feeling a small but comforting sense of familiarity with the surroundings. The camera crew was already there, capturing the morning rituals of the office—the pouring of coffee, the casual conversations, and the quiet clatter of keyboards.

Pam was the first to approach her, a warm smile on her face. "Morning, Marceline. How was your first night in Scranton?"

"Good, actually," Marceline replied, returning the smile. "I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as I got back to the hotel."

Pam chuckled. "Yeah, first days can be exhausting. But you survived, so that's a win."

"Definitely," Marceline agreed, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease a little.

"Do you want to grab a coffee with me in the break room?" Pam offered. "It's kind of a tradition to take a break before diving into the workday."

Marceline hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Sure, that sounds nice."

They made their way to the break room together, the camera crew following at a discreet distance. The small space was quiet, with only the hum of the vending machines and the faint sound of someone's music playing in the background. As Pam poured herself a cup of coffee, Marceline leaned against the counter, feeling more at ease in Pam's presence.

"So, how are you settling in?" Pam asked as she handed Marceline a cup.

"Better than I expected," Marceline said honestly. "Everyone's been really welcoming, which is nice. It's a lot different from my last job."

Pam nodded, her expression sympathetic. "Yeah, Dunder Mifflin's definitely its own kind of place. But once you get used to it, it's not so bad. And the people here... well, they kind of grow on you."

Marceline smiled at that. "I can see that."

They sipped their coffee in comfortable silence for a moment before Jim walked in, looking like he hadn't quite woken up yet. He greeted them with a sleepy smile.

"Morning, ladies," he said, reaching for the coffee pot.

"Morning," Pam replied, her tone teasing. "Late night, Jim?"

"Just the usual," Jim said with a shrug, though there was a playful glint in his eye. "Stayed up too late watching TV. You know how it is."

Pam rolled her eyes, but there was affection in her voice. "You really need to start going to bed at a decent hour."

"I'll consider it," Jim said with a grin, then turned to Marceline. "How about you, Marceline? Did you get some rest?"

"I did, actually," Marceline said, feeling a bit of the morning fog lift as she spoke. "But I think I'm still adjusting to the new routine."