Fact: I had to use Find/Replace to spell "Lackawanna" correctly.
I sat down to write Jim/Pam fic, and instead, I wrote about Dwight. Don't ask. Also, um, yeah.
TITLE: Burden of Proof
AUTHOR: daygloparker
FANDOM: The Office (US)
PAIRING/CHARACTER: Dwight, Jim, Pam
SPOILERS: "Casino Night"
RATING: G
SUMMARY: Dwight suspects Creed of cheating.
--
Dwight is determined to get back on Angela's good side, which he probably needs to do after tonight's unfortunate outburst since she's also his designated driver (you can never be too careful), and also because he wants to prove to her that though he may no longer wear the uniform, he still has the integrity of a Lackawanna County Volunteer Sheriff. Angela thinks that Creed is cheating. (Actually, what Angela said was, "Creed's been stealing chips all night. I saw him. He doesn't deserve that refrigerator," but even to a man with his kind of law enforcement experience, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.)
"I have discovered that cheating has been going on the premise. I need whatever photographic evidence you may have obtained and I need it now."
The cameraman (whose name might be Ace, Dwight thinks) stares blankly at him.
"Fine, you're invoking. That's your right." Dwight straightens up in an attempt to intimidate 'Ace' with his own physical superiority. "Just to let you know, I still have friends in the police department. I can make things happen."
'Ace' looks uncomfortable.
"I could make a call."
'Ace' points up the stairs and says that he's only filling in for Billy, who went outside and then radioed that he was going back into the office. He adds that he doesn't know why he's up there, and then 'Ace' just walks away, saying something under his breath that's probably offensive. But Dwight doesn't care; he knows whose side is Right.
Dwight checks out his surroundings to make sure he hasn't been followed, then slips up the stairs to the office. "Trying to erase evidence now, aren't you, Mr. William Rose Mary Woods."
*
So apparently Jim and Pam are in on the whole thing, too, because when he arrives upstairs there's actually a light on (what a great way to attract attention to yourself in the middle of the night!). Not to mention that both look uncomfortable that he's standing there, like he just interrupted something, and they both do a terrible job of pretending to be shocked and appalled when he points to the cameraman "hiding" in the kitchen.
Billy is immediately jumping to their defense, looking at them quite strangely like he's trying to get their cover story started and he wants them to just play along. "Look, guys, this is all a big misunderstanding--"
"I'll bet it is," Dwight interrupts. Oh, as if he were dumb enough to fall for that kind of misdirection. "I'll bet that joint was yours."
Jim makes a face and says in a very quiet voice, "What?"
"I know what you're doing up here. What you've all been doing," Dwight continues. "Don't think that I don't."
Pam hasn't said anything yet, has just spent her time staring guilty at the floor and probably trying to find a way to get herself out this and frame the two men in the room. Dwight knows how a woman's mind works.
"Creed has unlawfully obtained that mini-frig and as a Lackawanna County Volunteer Sheriff--"
"Former," Pam whispers, still looking at the floor.
"Whatever. Cheating has occurred within these walls, and if I have to break a couple of knuckles or smash a few kneecaps to find out just how high this conspiracy goes, I will. Any questions?"
Jim still looks stunned. The deer always does before it is rammed into by a very large sports utility vehicle. "Dwight, you do realize that this isn't actually Vegas, right?"
"Yes, of course, Jim."
Billy clears his throat and Pam smiles a little at him and that is definitely a sign for something, although Dwight can't know for sure what it's for. That's when the guilty cameraman volunteers to show him the footage, which is on a different tape on the table in the kitchen.
Jim and Pam are this close to sneaking away quietly when Dwight asks, "What's on the tape you have now?" They both freeze and he knows that they're guilty.
"Uh, nothing."
"I don't believe you."
"Really, it's nothing. Just a couple of... light tests."
"I still don't believe you."
"It's true," Pam says. "Billy just wanted us to stand around so he could test the light."
Dwight looks at Jim and then at Pam and then at Billy, and then back at Jim. They're all lying, Dwight knows this, but he'll never be able to prove it. This is the unfortunate consequence of completely circumstantial investigations.
"Fine," he says through his teeth.
Billy points to the kitchen, and Pam is immediately out the door before Jim can even react.
In the dim light, Dwight can see that Jim's cheeks are-- what, is that what he thinks it is? "Jim, are you crying?"
"No." He stares back at the door, which is clicking shut at the moment.
Dwight puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I understand. You can come clean to me, Jim. I'll completely understand. Did Creed threaten you? Did he threaten to hurt your family?"
It takes him a moment. "Yes. God, Dwight. He said he would... hurt my mom if I didn't help him get that frig. I didn't know what to do."
Dwight sighs. "You should have said something."
Jim sniffles. "I couldn't. I didn't know who I could trust."
Deciding that this was the time to appear amiable, Dwight hugged Jim. He could see that Billy was trying not to laugh. A sociopathic liar, that's what he is.
TITLE: Burden of Proof
AUTHOR: daygloparker
FANDOM: The Office (US)
PAIRING/CHARACTER: Dwight, Jim, Pam
SPOILERS: "Casino Night"
RATING: G
SUMMARY: Dwight suspects Creed of cheating.
--
Dwight is determined to get back on Angela's good side, which he probably needs to do after tonight's unfortunate outburst since she's also his designated driver (you can never be too careful), and also because he wants to prove to her that though he may no longer wear the uniform, he still has the integrity of a Lackawanna County Volunteer Sheriff. Angela thinks that Creed is cheating. (Actually, what Angela said was, "Creed's been stealing chips all night. I saw him. He doesn't deserve that refrigerator," but even to a man with his kind of law enforcement experience, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.)
"I have discovered that cheating has been going on the premise. I need whatever photographic evidence you may have obtained and I need it now."
The cameraman (whose name might be Ace, Dwight thinks) stares blankly at him.
"Fine, you're invoking. That's your right." Dwight straightens up in an attempt to intimidate 'Ace' with his own physical superiority. "Just to let you know, I still have friends in the police department. I can make things happen."
'Ace' looks uncomfortable.
"I could make a call."
'Ace' points up the stairs and says that he's only filling in for Billy, who went outside and then radioed that he was going back into the office. He adds that he doesn't know why he's up there, and then 'Ace' just walks away, saying something under his breath that's probably offensive. But Dwight doesn't care; he knows whose side is Right.
Dwight checks out his surroundings to make sure he hasn't been followed, then slips up the stairs to the office. "Trying to erase evidence now, aren't you, Mr. William Rose Mary Woods."
*
So apparently Jim and Pam are in on the whole thing, too, because when he arrives upstairs there's actually a light on (what a great way to attract attention to yourself in the middle of the night!). Not to mention that both look uncomfortable that he's standing there, like he just interrupted something, and they both do a terrible job of pretending to be shocked and appalled when he points to the cameraman "hiding" in the kitchen.
Billy is immediately jumping to their defense, looking at them quite strangely like he's trying to get their cover story started and he wants them to just play along. "Look, guys, this is all a big misunderstanding--"
"I'll bet it is," Dwight interrupts. Oh, as if he were dumb enough to fall for that kind of misdirection. "I'll bet that joint was yours."
Jim makes a face and says in a very quiet voice, "What?"
"I know what you're doing up here. What you've all been doing," Dwight continues. "Don't think that I don't."
Pam hasn't said anything yet, has just spent her time staring guilty at the floor and probably trying to find a way to get herself out this and frame the two men in the room. Dwight knows how a woman's mind works.
"Creed has unlawfully obtained that mini-frig and as a Lackawanna County Volunteer Sheriff--"
"Former," Pam whispers, still looking at the floor.
"Whatever. Cheating has occurred within these walls, and if I have to break a couple of knuckles or smash a few kneecaps to find out just how high this conspiracy goes, I will. Any questions?"
Jim still looks stunned. The deer always does before it is rammed into by a very large sports utility vehicle. "Dwight, you do realize that this isn't actually Vegas, right?"
"Yes, of course, Jim."
Billy clears his throat and Pam smiles a little at him and that is definitely a sign for something, although Dwight can't know for sure what it's for. That's when the guilty cameraman volunteers to show him the footage, which is on a different tape on the table in the kitchen.
Jim and Pam are this close to sneaking away quietly when Dwight asks, "What's on the tape you have now?" They both freeze and he knows that they're guilty.
"Uh, nothing."
"I don't believe you."
"Really, it's nothing. Just a couple of... light tests."
"I still don't believe you."
"It's true," Pam says. "Billy just wanted us to stand around so he could test the light."
Dwight looks at Jim and then at Pam and then at Billy, and then back at Jim. They're all lying, Dwight knows this, but he'll never be able to prove it. This is the unfortunate consequence of completely circumstantial investigations.
"Fine," he says through his teeth.
Billy points to the kitchen, and Pam is immediately out the door before Jim can even react.
In the dim light, Dwight can see that Jim's cheeks are-- what, is that what he thinks it is? "Jim, are you crying?"
"No." He stares back at the door, which is clicking shut at the moment.
Dwight puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I understand. You can come clean to me, Jim. I'll completely understand. Did Creed threaten you? Did he threaten to hurt your family?"
It takes him a moment. "Yes. God, Dwight. He said he would... hurt my mom if I didn't help him get that frig. I didn't know what to do."
Dwight sighs. "You should have said something."
Jim sniffles. "I couldn't. I didn't know who I could trust."
Deciding that this was the time to appear amiable, Dwight hugged Jim. He could see that Billy was trying not to laugh. A sociopathic liar, that's what he is.