So sorry for the wait! But this is the last chapter and I wanted to do it right. I hope you enjoy it!
Things were better. Pam started sleeping well without waking up in the middle of the night. Still, Jim would lie awake until he heard her breathing turn regular. Then he would relax and let himself sleep. After a few months Pam cut back on her therapy sessions and started a garden. Leah said something about it being soothing and something about new growth. Mainly Pam just liked the colors. She planted bright, happy flowers like tulips, daisies, daffodils, sunflowers, bluebells and sweet peas. The happiest flowers she knew. She planted snap peas, tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce just for a balance. She'd never gardened before but she loved it, much to her surprise. Whenever she had stressful thoughts, once she started digging and pruning it was as if all the negative energy left her body. And she liked caring for the plants. It was something to do. She liked seeing the small green tufts sprout from the earth, a breath of fresh air.
Jim woke up before Pam on Saturday and cooked waffles and bacon. He wanted to surprise Pam with breakfast in bed but within minutes she had woken up and dressed and followed her nose downstairs.
"Aw, I wanted to surprise you." He frowned, kissing her good morning.
"I was surprised! Thank you, you didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to. Sit down and I'll finish." He flipped a couple of waffles onto her plate along with some crispy bacon strips.
"Thanks." She buttered the waffles and filled each square with syrup. Perfect.
"You know, I never really saw the difference between pancakes and waffles. Aren't they the same thing?" Jim asked from the stove.
"No. Waffles are way better." She answered, taking a bite of her own waffles.
"I always liked pancakes. They are a cake in a pan. You can't get better then that." Pam laughed.
"Uh, I don't think that's how it works. Besides, waffles are pancakes with syrup traps. Beat that."
"I can't."
"I rest my case."
"Congratulations." He sat down across from her with his own plate of food. "Hey, what do you want to do today?" She shrugged.
"Hm, I don't know. Whatever you want to do."
"I was thinking a picnic on the beach."
"Really?" She smiled.
"Yeah, I thought it could be nice."
"Yeah, that sounds good."
"Do you want to leave after breakfast?"
"Sure, I guess so." She usually didn't make such impulsive decisions but she was getting better at it. They finished breakfast and cleared the dishes.
"I'll make the picnic basket," She offered. "You can get ready." He kissed her cheek soundly and went upstairs to shower and change. Humming to herself, Pam began to move around the kitchen finding snacks to pack. She was happy. Things were finally getting better. For lunch, she packed chicken sandwiches, potato chips, berry yoghurt, a salad and some drinks. As a last minute thought, she threw in some cutlery and napkins. Still humming she walked outside and put the basket in the car trunk. Her smile and song faded as her gaze fell upon a blue van parked across the street. An all too familiar blue van. And an equally familiar shaky, sick feeling washed over her.
Jim dressed in his old faded blue jeans and a tee shirt. He threw loose gray jumper over that and jammed his feet in his sneakers. He ran his hands through his hair, still wet from the shower, as he walked across the room and peered out the window. His smile faded quickly when he saw what was happening. Roy had his hand wrapped tightly around Pam's arm. Pam seemed to be frozen. Anger vibrated through Jim's entire body as he watched.
"Holy crap," Jim muttered under his breath and in 4 wide strides he was out of the room and down the stairs. He threw open the front door and marched over to Pam's side.
"What the hell do you want?" He spat at Roy. Roy furrowed his brow like he wasn't quite sure what Jim was doing there. He stepped back from Pam carefully. Pam moved closer to Jim, her eyes wide with fear and shock.
"I'm here for Pam." Roy said slowly.
"She wasn't waiting for you." Jim said. Roy looked from Jim to Pam and back to Jim.
"You guys...are still together?" He asked. He laughed shortly. Jim stared him in the eyes. After a moment Roy seemed to realize Jim wasn't going to back down.
"Oh, right. Halpert, I own her." He said, teeth gritted. Jim felt his face heating up and he clenched his fists.
"You do not own her, you -" He cut himself off, remembering Pam. Quick as a flash Roy's hand flew out to punch Jim. And just as fast Jim caught his hand easily and threw a punch straight in Roy's face. The crack was deafening. Roy staggered and fell, blood gushing from his face and mouth.
"Sonnofa-" Jim clutched his own hand which felt like it had been broken a thousand times. Pam gave a squeak of fear and clutched Jim's arm, pulling him back from Roy. Jim gently detached himself from her and strode over to Roy. He hovered over him, voice harsh and unforgiving.
"Don't. Ever. Touch. Her. Again." He said slowly and clearly. Roy shrunk under Jim's gaze.
"I don't ever want to see your sorry face again, you son of a bitch." He walked back to Pam and led her gently back to the house without looking back. Roy slowly got to his feet, got in his truck and drove away. That was the last time they ever saw Roy Anderson.
He led her over the couch and made her a cup of tea. She was quietly crying when he came back.
"I thought he was gone. For good." She sniffled.
"He won't come back. I won't let him." He said fiercely. He wrapped both arms around her and she rested her head on his chest, saying nothing. She felt safe in his arms but she couldn't stop shaking. Seeing Roy brought back a flood of memories she had pushed away.
"Remember when we met?" Jim said softly. She nodded against his chest. "I knew you were the one as soon as you said 'Enjoy this moment, because you're never going to go back to this time before you met your desk mate, Dwight.' And I followed your gaze and I just...knew. That somehow you would be a special part of my life." She smiled slightly, remembering.
"And then, I don't really know Pam. It was like everything was just better after that. I started seeing things differently and thinking differently. You just made everything brighter and better and...perfect. I was falling in love with you and I didn't even know it. My day only ever started when I saw you and it ended when I left the office. I planned every time I would see you, weekends were useless if I couldn't see you. I kept telling myself you had a fiance but finally I just had to face the fact that I was completely in love with you and that was never going to change."
Tears she didn't know she had in her leaked out and soaked into his jumper. She felt his warm breath on her hair, soothing her. "I really thought you were happy. I thought you were happy with Roy for awhile. And I hated the fact that I hadn't met you earlier, hated that I wouldn't get a chance with you. But you were happy and I couldn't – I couldn't stop that. I didn't want to ruin your relationship with...him."
He really, really did not want to say Roy's name ever again.
"And then you were sad, somehow. When...he...came into the office you would sort of deflate. You weren't really the person I saw every time, bright and funny and, God, Pam, just so perfectly you. And he didn't see that and I hated that. And I started wondering if I had a chance. I told you on casino night. It felt so good to tell you that I love you." She noted he said love and not loved. More tears fell and she didn't try to stop them.
"And that kiss. Was...everything and more. It was like my whole life, whatever I had been waiting for was there. I made a huge mistake when I ran away Pam. That was the stupidest thing I've ever done and I knew it every time I woke up and walked into an office where you didn't work. Sometimes I looked up and you weren't there and I kind of got a shock. I realized the only reason I got up every morning was to see you. I left you with him and I'll never forgive myself for that. I left you unhappy and confused." He swallowed hard and blinked quickly. He pulled her closer and was quiet for a moment. Their breathing was in perfect time.
"I know you needed me a lot of the time and I wasn't there. I'm so sorry, Pam. I shouldn't have left. I'm so, so sorry. But I'm never going to leave you again. Never. No matter what happens, I love you and I'm here for you. All the time, anytime." He stopped and shifted slightly, so that he could cup her face in his hands and look at her. Their eyes locked and they held each others gaze, their eyes wet. She saw the love and compassion in his eyes. Her eyes returned the same feelings.
"I never stopped. I never stopped loving you. And I never will." He smiled lightly at her.
"I'm not him. I'm not...Roy. I'm in this relationship 100%. I'm not looking for anything other then you, you are the most important person in my life. I will never hurt you. I will never lay a finger on you. I only want to love you and protect you." She smiled softly. She wanted to tell him she felt exactly the same way but she couldn't form the words.
"I love you." She finally said, softly and clearly. He kissed her softly but firmly, never wanting the moment to end.
Okay. Well. Wow. I think that's the end of Black and Blue. I was planning on writing on more chapter but I think I kind of put it all into this chapter. For me, I feel like this story is finished but if you feel I should write one more chapter, let me know and I'll do my best. Anyway, thank you all for reading this story and reviewing. =] It means a lot to me.
P.S I don't know about you guys when you were reading this but when I wrote 'That was the last time they ever saw Roy Anderson' I had the biggest smile on my face. I'm so lame. =]