AN: God, these chapters are tiny, you'd think I'd be able to upload faster. Sorry! There will probably be one or two this week and then none for the next two weeks as I'll be overseas. Alright, I'm gonna stop now. Here's some Pam. Reviews are like one billion Shrute bucks.

She blames the day of the week for why she's noticing things she's probably not supposed to. It's a Monday evening and so her brain is probably sluggish and full of Monday evening haze, or at least that's what she tells herself after she imagines running her fingers down the lines on Jim's palm.

They'd stayed slightly later than everyone else to finish preparing their latest prank on Dwight, she'd briefly wondered if it was kind of sad that she (a grown-up with a grown-up fiancé and grown-up responsibilities) was staying back at work to perfect pranks. But that thought had quickly been discarded when Jim had handed her some masking tape and she'd found herself laughing at his facial expression.

And then she'd wondered if it was kind of sad that she was having more fun in a Scranton paper company planning pranks than she'd had in a long time.

When they'd finished all the setting up that was needed in the office Pam had gone to her desk to grab her things and Jim had stood patiently, holding out her coat. She'd thanked him as she took it but something about the polite gesture (and honestly, his rolled up sleeves and bare forearms) kind of made her stomach knot. The elevator ride down had been weirdly tense and when they'd gotten to the parking lot she'd felt relief with the sudden fresh air and the distance she could now put between them. It felt something like exhaling.

And now here she is, watching Jim hiding quest notes and the last of Dwight's things in the parking lot. She can't quite stop, something about the way his brows crease as he fixes one of the notes, the way he sticks his tongue out slightly as he tries to better position one of Dwight's bobble heads. He's thorough with his pranks, works slowly and methodically, and she finds it interesting watching him be serious. She wonders if he had made the same faces as a child and affection settles inside her at the thought.

"You never ended up telling me what was so funny when I handed you the masking tape." His voice startles her, but he's still crouching by a bush with the bobble head so he doesn't notice.

"Oh, it was nothing. Did you need any help?"

"Pam, you can't just laugh at me and then not tell. I'll assume the worst, think of my self esteem. I really think you should just tell."

"Well then, I guess you and your self esteem will just have to deal. Sorry, Halpert."

"You're killing me, I hope you realise that." His dramatic tone makes her laugh softly, she can see her breath turning into faint clouds in the cold air.

"It was really nothing. You just have a very expressive face, I guess. It's amusing." Her ears feel hot as she says it. Is she noticing more than she should be? Is he noticing that she's noticing? She feels shy, kind of like high school shy, and she ends up looking at the floor instead of him.

He's laughing now, and she feels even more embarrassed. "Faces are meant for expressing, aren't they? Well, I guess it's nice you can find amusement in mine."

His laugh is affecting her and she's picturing his teeth when he smiles and it's making her flustered so she shoves him a little and he turns towards her with his palms up in mock surrender.

"Hey, hey, no need to get violent. God Beesly, you're a safety hazard."

"Suck it up. Now seriously, did you need any help?"

He looks around before answering her. "I think we're good. Just help me up and then we can leave."

She reaches out to him and when he takes her hand and allows himself to be hauled up, she is set on not noticing how frazzled her nerves are. He lets go of her a little too fast and she doesn't know if she's hurt or relieved. She tells herself it's the latter.

After congratulating each other on a job well done, they finally part ways. She almost runs to her car, eager to be in the familiarity of her own space. Thoughts of Jim evade her until she begins to drive home. She thinks of his palms and his forearms and his kind smile. She blames Monday evening haze when she admits to herself he's an attractive guy.