Jim's Best Friend: The Office AU

New Opportunities

September, 2007.

It was time to come home, you knew that. You had spent the last few months traversing the country without a care for yourself. You had lost too much weight, you had drank one shot too much, smoked a cigarette too many, you had slept with one too many people before realising that avoiding your problems would never work. It had never fixed anything before, but it was easier to hope than to face your fears head on.

A part of you knew you'd come back, of course you would. You had left the camera in your car the documentary crew had provided, kept your microphone in your purse for 'sentimental value'. And as you drove into the early morning, now two hours into the 13 hour drive home, back to Scranton, you were more than positive this was your first good idea in months. It was long overdue.

–

"Oh, yes! Good news! Y/N finally phoned." Pam spoke to the camera, a massive smile on her face. "I get she needed time to process, and she's texted me occasional updates, but she's finally coming back to Scranton. I think..." Pam glanced out the window, looking over at Jim's empty desk. He was out on his corporate interview that day, with Karen and Michael. "She chose the right day to pop in." She leans forward to listen to the producer's question.

"A letter? What letter?" She asked, her head whipping to look at Dwight by the copier, Andy following the 'new regional manager' like a lost puppy. "That ass... Give me a minute."

–

"Where is it, Dwight?" Pam asked, marching out the conference room with folded arms. He didn't respond, walking past her to his new office, now half painted black, with Andy following. She took a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm. She had agreed to a secret role as Dwight's Assistant, per Jim's advice to answer any mission Dwight asked of her with "Absolutely, I do", and she cleared her throat. "Sorry. Andy, could I speak to the Regional Manager in private?" Pam asked sweetly, and Dwight looked back with a smirk, beckoning her into the office, and Andy out.

"I see your emotions are interfering in your work as Secret Assistant to the Regional Manager." Dwight commented, beckoning Pam to take a seat across from him. "I feared you would cripple to your feminine ways like you did at the beach."

The beach was a whole other story. Forced to take notes all day, Pam was cast aside by Michael for the opportunity to join in, and decided to take a chance and walk over the fiery hot coals no-one else had dared to go near. She had rushed over to the team, explaining that she was feeling far too good to keep it in anymore.

"None of you came to my art show, and I invited you all... That sucked, it really sucked... And Jim..." She took a shaky breath,bouncing from foot to foot. "I cancelled my wedding because you made me realise I didn't love Roy. But you are so stupid you don't even realise who you love, and it's unbelievable." She smiled as she spoke, getting it all off her chest. "Y/N left because of you, you know, and now... And now I'm going to run into the water because my feet really hurt."

"Dwight, I realise I let my..." Pam took a breath to prepare for the next words. "My womanly wiles get the best of me, but this is important." She apologised, hoping it was enough. Dwight took a second, then nodded.

"Proceed."

"The camera crew were talking about a letter left on my desk from Y/N?" Pam questioned, and Dwight let out a laugh.

"Ah, that's where you are wrong. The letter was made out to Jim, so I moved it to his desk." Dwight corrected her, and Pam nodded.

"So, where is it?"

"How should I know?" Pam forced a smile, quickly walking out and beginning to search around Jim's desk for a letter with Y/N's handwriting on the front. dwight followed her, watching, and when five minutes of ordered combing through Jim's desk led to nothing, Dwight spoke up again. "It's probably in his bag, he usually clears all his paperwork into that thing in one go. At the bottom of his bag... Or in a recycling centre somewhere."