10

I am far too drunk on this update to be reviewing right now- HOLY CRAP that was good.  So much I loved about it.  I'll just have to reread.  And reread.  And reread.  Two quick things though:

When Pam did the u-turn, I clapped and cheered.  Alone.  In my apartment.

This description of Jim: His profile was illuminated by the streetlight as he deposited her gently onto his bed, leaning over her and resting on his forearms, looking like some sort of vision she'd conjured - his chest bare, jeans resting loosely on his hips.  

Yeah... I'm pretty sure I won't be able to get that image out of my head for a long time. 

When I finished this chapter (this story, ultimately) I let out a huge sigh.  I guess I must have been holding my breath the entire chapter! lol  When Pam took off, I was secretly willing her to turn around and just say "fuck it", so I was pleasantly surprised when she DID turn back.  A great story, as always.  I continue to enjoy and marvel at your talent and your workmanship.  The bottle of wine you used was worth it. ;-)

Author's Response: Wow - thanks so much!  I'm glad you liked that part, because I struggled with the whole "should they or shouldn't they" thing, so I thought that might be the most effective way to address it.  As usual, you are such an awesome reviewer!  Thanks!

Holy Mother of all that is good and pure in this world.

 If I promise I'm not crazy, will you give me your address.  I have a case of wine to send you.

Anytime they are lying on top of each other on a kitchen floor is good, good, good.  And I loved Pam's realization that it could have gone another way, the merger might not have happened, they might not have happened.  And going back to him.  They had waited long enough.  And when he realized that she was back, and he just knew why....  And the kicking the door closed as he pulled her in, I just love that move. 

Finally, the mere thought of Jim whispering "com.e" in her ear, Oh. My. God.  That was aaaaamaazing./kelly.

 Good things come to readers who wait.  You are beyond awesome!

9

Wow...this was amazing.  Pam's toast was perfect, I loved the kitchen banter, the awkwardness at the office (last chapter maybe...I read 2 at once).  Just wonderful happy Jamness.  When's the smut coming? ;-)

Author's Response: I'm really glad you enjoyed it - and the smut is up as we speak.  :o) Thanks for reviewing!

okay, so I went back and figured out the problem:
The unexpected wave of feeling was much like the kind of inexplicable, irrational emotions that out of control hormones could produce...only this wasn't hormonal.

It was simply life: real, a miracle...a blessing, really.

for some reason these lines kinda bother me. I think it's the wording. i understand what you're saying, but the actual paragraph seems...awkward.

and, just for the record, Jim's forearms are just about the sexiest things ever.

and if you ever need feedback that's brutally honest, come find me. ^_^
email me any time amalia_kensington@yahoo.com or find me @ LJ amaliak.

cheers.
--Lex

Author's Response:

Gotta agree with you here - an awkward sentence, totally.

And I also agree that Jim's forearms are the sexiest things evah.

Hear Hear!!!
*raises beer bottle* (so, I'm a little uncouth. Sue me.)
Yey for dinner together!!! Damn, the idea of Jim is just so hot. *drools*

Although, I gotta say that I feel like a lot of their emotions are...unexpectedly unexplained. Does that make sense? It's like they're acknowledging them, sure, but not the reason for them (it's just mentioned a little too often). I'll have to go back and re-read it, but that's my initial impression (will you hate me terribly if I think that this chapter feels a little rushed? Hmm...maybe it's just because I'm reading it in a hurry...)
Anyway, the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook is the BEST COOKBOOK EVER. I have one, and I've given it away to two of my friends that have just gotten married (we all SWEAR by it). It's like an idiot-proof guide to cooking. have you looked at the glossary? Now I know what all those weird looking things at the store are!! And I know the difference between long grain and short grain rice! Yey!
btw, the apron is like this: http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/laraines_1940_26975540

Also, I'd like to mention that I love you.

^_^
Thanks.
cheers.
--Lex

Author's Response:

Beer, wine - it's all good!  And no, I do not hate you for offering constructive criticism - please, I would so not get fussy over that!  (Now, if you said Jim's forearms aren't that great - well, then you'd have a problem on your hands.  :o))  Actually, I do see what you're saying here - even though they (sort of) acknowledged where they are weeks earlier (in this fic, I should clarify), it might be weird that they'd be cooking dinner together without having gone back to that conversation.  And to be totally honest (embarrassing writer confession here): There are times when I'm writing these two when I get all emotional; like when they're sort of wrestling over the cook book - it was meant to be a funny/sexy scene, but all of a sudden I thought, wow, this would be amazing for them, given the distance between them now (on the show) and given the fact that they're taking conscious steps toward one another (in the fic, heh).  So I got sort of teary thinking about it and that's where some of the unexpected emotions came from (in the story). 

Did that make any sense at all?  Probably not. :o)

Anyway - you are awesome for reviewing so faithfully and honestly! 

He'd also extracted the splinter almost painlessly, talking to her in a low voice the whole time - about stupid things, like whether or not Dwight used any kind of product in his hair, or if Kelly drew hearts around her signature.

In doing so, he'd successfully deflected her attention from the pain - something he'd do again and again in the months to come until he couldn't handle it anymore. And ironically, that was when his pain became hers.

BEAUTIFUL. Just so completely true to the characters. Lovely.

10

You are SUCH a tease!  Now I'm dying for the next chapter.  And this: 

As her eyes flicked to his forearms - his sleeves rolled up in a way that struck her as oddly sexual - she was convinced that maybe there was something wrong with her.

Aw hell yea. The most perfectly crafted forearms in the history of humans.

girl7 -- don't you dare end this story until it is ready to be done!  Pam & Jim clearly have more thinking dirty thoughts about each other to do.... "it was a mystery to her now just how she'd fought this for so long" -- damn straight, woman!  Don't fight it!

And the red & white checkered BH&G cookbook?  Freaking classic.   

Okay, first of all, I loved, LOVED, the splinter story.  So much double meaning in that whole conversation.  Of course he would never hurt her.  And she so knows that, and always has.  Then, I loved how she realized he was more of a man than the boy he was when he started DM.  Because he so is. And the slinging of the dish towel over his shoulder, so hot.  And I have that cookbook, and am so going to look up that recipe.  And as for the smut, please sir, may I have some more.  Okay, yeah, that's for gruel, but it works here too :)  Loved it!

Author's Response:

Yay - glad you liked the splinter story!  (I just thought that'd be such a Jim Halpert thing to do.)  The boy/man thing is something that strikes me whenever I watch season one - he seems light years away then from the man we see on Casino Night.  Not to say he's nothing in season one, but...he strikes me as more boyish (except in "The Alliance" when he's leaning on her desk rubbing his hands over his face - guhhhhhh). 

The spinach lasagne thing is actually stolen from my real life - on our first date, my (now) husband & I made that dish, using that cookbook.  It's actually a great recipe.  :o)

Thanks for reviewing!

Beautifully done.  My favorite line:  The look on his face was so...amazing: completely open adoration with a hint of veiled sadness, speaking of the lengths they'd traveled to get here.  Yes indeed.  Your stuff is just absolutely great.

Ditto the splinter story - you have Jim down exactly there! And I'm so glad that Pam finally asked Jim about Stamford.  It was such a painful and confusing time for both of them.  I'm glad your Pam realizes that.  Thank you!

Author's Response:

Thanks - all of a sudden I was thinking that Pam would probably want to know what his apartment in Stamford was like and it occurred to me that to ask him about it would've likely brought back bad memories for him.  Strange train of thought there, but...there it is.  :o)

Thanks for reviewing!