Chapter Text
February 2nd, 4:34 A.M.
Location: Gobbler's Knob
It was truly freezing outside. Anyone from out of town probably thought the folks around here were nuts, dancing and singing, throwing beach balls around, and just celebrating out in the cold. It was easy to see who lived here and who was just visiting for the holiday. A woman in a pink snowsuit was standing off to the side, shivering alongside her husband, another man walking around, cursing the numbness in his fingers.
The latter soon found himself cursing out a rogue beach ball that bounced off the top of his head.
“Oops,” said a young woman donning a fluffy groundhog hat, “Sorry!” The man scowled and she smiled at him as he’d walked away. She’d had like…three drinks by now? Probably. She couldn’t really tell, but the buzz sure was nice, and she felt light as she walked over to pick up the ball. “Kendraaa,” she called to another woman in a similarly themed hat. “Watch where you’re throwing this thing, you hit that poor tourist.”
“Whoops,” Kendra said, her grin not remotely sorry as she took the ball back, promptly tossing it again to bounce it off her companion’s head “I was aiming for you, Pammy.”
Pam laughed, playfully shoving the other woman “You’re the meanest sister ever.”
She certainly wasn’t mad; how could she be? It was a few hours past midnight on the greatest day of the year, and Pam couldn’t possibly be upset in the middle of the best party of them all.
“Thought you didn’t like her calling you Pammy,” a deeper voice teased from behind her.
Pam turned around to face the source of the voice, forgetting her twin who was now off to find her next target, in favor of pulling her boyfriend in for a brief kiss.
“Yeahh, but I’m having so much fun, so who cares?”
“Especially since your favorite guy is here with you,” he teased, kissing her cheek.
Pam looked at him blankly. “I left Hamlet back at the barn. Did he get out?” A stunned look crossed over his face, and Pam broke into giggles, hugging him closer. “Just kidding. You know I love you, Jare-bear” A kiss to his nose “and besides, I could never choose a favorite pig.”
Standing there, the chill of the early morning was beginning to bite through her shoes. Luckily, a great song was starting.
“C’mon, Jare, let’s go dance. I’m getting too cold just standing around.”
Jared smiled and took her hand, ready to return to rejoin the celebration.
“Yo, Jared!” One of Jared’s friends, Adam, Pam recognized, ran up to catch up with the couple. “Hey, man, Mike was wonderin’ if you had the ID for his cousin?”
“Oh yeah man, I totally forgot to get that to him. I definitely got it.” He looked around. “Where is he?”
“Uh…” Adam trailed off, struggling to remember, “think he’s at the diner? Maybe the bar by now, I dunno.”
Jared groaned “You couldn’t have brought him with you?” He looked to Pam “I’ll be right back. Can’t trust this guy to bring me back my money”
Pam frowned and hugged Jared’s arm “Aw, nooo, come on, Jare-bear, you said you’d dance with me.”
Laughing, Jared kissed her cheek. “It’ll only take a few minutes, then we can dance all you want, Baby. Promise.”
Rolling her eyes, Pam let him go. “Okay. I’ll be here.” She kissed him. “Love you”
Jared hugged her to his side, kissing the top of her head before letting go. “Be back in a few.”
Pam sighed and returned her attention to the crowd. The party was really starting to pick up the closer it got to morning; she saw Fred and Debbie laughing and dancing along to the new song the band had started up, and Jonathan had even gotten his aunts to join in the fun.
She’d just begun to watch Kendra sneak up behind Nancy, ready to strike with the beach ball, when she felt the weight of a hand on her shoulder.
“Oh, Jare, you’re-“ Not Jared, but a familiar face all the same. “Ah, jeez, sorry, thought you were-“
“Nah, not Jared,” the man agreed “But Pam, I was walking by and y’know, you don’t look so good. Maybe we should get you home.”
“Um, I dunno, I feel fine. Plus I told Jared I was gonna wait here for him, so..”
“Don’t you worry,” he insisted. “I’ll have someone let him know you were starting to feel sick and needed to head back home.”
Pam considered this. She felt just fine, but the rational part of her nagging at the back of her mind reminded her that come prediction time, she’d be well on the way to hungover if she didn’t get some Advil and water into her system soon. She looked at the man and…her brain was too fuzzy. Why couldn’t she remember his name? If she was this far-gone, she probably should go home for a little bit.
“Okay, sure. But I gotta be back in time for Phil’s prediction.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” the man assured her. “Let’s just focus on getting you home.”
“All righty then. Thanks for walking me home”
The man smiled. “Not a problem, Pam.”