Date: August 13, 2007 05:35 pm Title: *Chapter 11: Sometimes You Can't Make It Best You Can Do Is To Fake It
ROY! Well, I wasn't expecting that! Not that it's out of character or anything, and I'm glad that it will hopefully give Pam the kick in the butt that she so desperately needs. I love how Pam was mad/sad when Jim was ignoring her, such a totally human reaction to the whole situation. Can't wait to see what else you've got cooked up! :-)
Author's Response:
Heh! Yeah...I tend to write Roy sympathetically most of the time (because I really love David Denman), but I don't know.... I'd been talking with Starry Dreamer about where this could possibly go, and she suggested Pam & Roy have an argument about something -- then it was like, ding! ding! ding! We have a winnah! :o) Honestly, even though this is technically the AU version, I still want to make it as plausible as possible - and I think Roy having a one-night stand and confessing would be absolutely necessary for the direction in which I want to take this to be plausible. (Wow - if one of my students had written that sentence, he/she would've gotten a big fat AWK notation, hee.)
Anyway - you've been so great with your feedback; I really, really appreciate it!
8 [Report This]Date: August 13, 2007 05:22 pm Title: Chapter 1: Content to Compromise
Cute idea for a camaderie trip - I'll be anxious to see what the lounge Kevin is so excited about is all about! And thanks for the link, Whenever I think of a Poconos resort I think of heart-shaped beds and huge champagne glass soaking tubs.
Author's Response:
kaystar!!!!!!! Hey, girl! :o) I'm laughing at your description of the heart-shaped beds and champagne glass soaking tubs - hee. We rent a cabin in the mountains every year, and until we found the one we've settled on, we were subject to all sorts of brochures with alarming things -- like heart-shaped hot tubs, for example. :o)
Thanks for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: August 13, 2007 04:27 pm Title: *Chapter 11: Sometimes You Can't Make It Best You Can Do Is To Fake It
Yay!! The return of Jonathan! As much (mucy?) as I knew that the Roy reveal was coming, it still comes very slyly and surprisingly. Poor Pam- having just about the worst week ever, no? But this can only bod well for our favourite boy ;-)
Author's Response:
You and Mucy can shut it, LOL. :o) Glad the Roy reveal still packed a punch -- thank you for giving me the idea, BTW. And yeah, poor Pam indeed -- whatever will she do? What's that you say? Jim? Bwah!
Thanks for everything!
Date: August 13, 2007 04:24 pm Title: *Chapter 11: Sometimes You Can't Make It Best You Can Do Is To Fake It
First off, missy...Jonathan is played by Ron Livingston. How many times do I need to tell you? Seriously, I was SO crazy glad to see this update. And the plot thickens, to put it mildly. How do you even conceive of these long sagas, much less with alternate endings?
Roy! That cad. And my heart aches for Jim - you are truly the queen of Hurt!Jim. Okay, I just finished this and I'm already jonesing (ahem) for more. Drop everything!
Author's Response:
For you, my friend, Jonathan can be Ron Livingston -- did I tell you I finally watched "Office Space" a month or so ago? (Yes, the awesomeness that is that movie earned my husband the right to say "I told you so" for the rest of our lives - he's been hounding me to watch it for years and years and years.) Anyway...yes, Ron Livingston has my stamp of approval as Jonathan -- actually caught myself watching Arrested Development the other day and thinking about how awesome it would be if Jim had three brothers -- one Scott Foley, one Ron Livingston, and one Jason Bateman (who reminds me of JK for some reason).
Anyway - rambling! Yeah, I had to come up with a way to make what Pam will ultimately do here (*cough*) plausible, and in order to do that...had to make Roy a cad. What can I say? A means to a happy ending, LOL. :o)
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: August 13, 2007 04:05 pm Title: *Chapter 11: Sometimes You Can't Make It Best You Can Do Is To Fake It
awwww... i LOVE scott foley :)
Author's Response:
Listen, I am unhealthily in love with the idea of him as Jim's older brother. Of course, I write Jonathan as a version of Noel -- only less dorky (though seriously, I adore Noel Crane). So I'm always happy to hear that someone else loves good old Scott Foley, too. :o)
Thanks for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: August 13, 2007 03:44 pm Title: *Chapter 11: Sometimes You Can't Make It Best You Can Do Is To Fake It
Another great job!
At first I wasn't too sure - who the hell is Elizabeth? ;) But, I came to my senses and realize that you never disappoint.
Beautifully written installment. Can't wait for more.
Author's Response:
Well...don't you worry about Elizabeth, trust me. :o) And she was a lot of the motivation for the choice of chapter title -- specifically "best you can do is to fake it" -- let's just say that's what Jim would be doing with Elizabeth. Wait...I do not mean that in a sexual way at all -- because that is soooooooooo not happening here. Wow, I'm really saying a lot of things. [/Pam] :o)
Thanks so much for the review (and seriously -- no worries about Elizabeth!) --
Date: August 13, 2007 03:29 pm Title: *Chapter 11: Sometimes You Can't Make It Best You Can Do Is To Fake It
ooh interesting! I never expected Roy to mess up like that too! I love having a choose your own ending story and it being from you? Ten times better t oo. Love it! Can't wait to see where else this leads us :)
Author's Response:
Yeah, I debated about that -- but honestly, even though this will fully be AU, I still find myself needing to present a scenario in which Pam's later actions in the story (ahem) could be justifiable -- or perhaps plausible is the right word.... :o)
Thanks so much for reviewing - hope to get the update posted soon!
10 [Report This]Date: August 11, 2007 12:01 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
Ahh...so NOT the ending I was preparing myself for. Its really perfect as it stands...but I still can't wait for the AU chapters! Yay!
Author's Response:
Hee -- well, the AU may take you in the direction you were expecting.... :o)
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: August 09, 2007 11:35 am Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
Le sigh. You integrated this perfectly with what we saw on screen. Amazing!!!! Perfect execution. Am I looking forward to the continuation in a different direction? Of course. But this definitely left me satisfied and smiling.
Author's Response:
Yay! I'm repeating myself in these responses, I know, but honestly -- I was so worried people would read this ending and be kind of..."meh." It's a little anticlimactic, I suppose, but I was so taken with the notion of exploring how the events in this story could work with canon.
It's also a thrill to hear people say they're looking forward to the AU version, because let me tell you -- I am loving writing it! :o)
Thanks, as always, for reviewing!
Date: August 08, 2007 02:56 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
This was a brilliant conclusion to your story. I just loved all the interweaving with the canon that we've seen. It is totally realistic to me, that with all the tension between the two of them, that there could have been a moment like that between them, that henceforth would have to be kept secret.
Makes the kitchen conversation in "The Secret" and the long silence during the booze cruise seem a lot more meaningful!
You're just brilliant and I'm looking foward to the ahem, AU stuff as well.
Author's Response:
So, so, SO glad to hear that the interweaving with canon worked! I keep saying that I had a few initial motivations for this story: 1) the notion that they could've shared a moment like this one but tried to kind of bury it in the past and 2) that I could somehow make the idea of that plausible according to what we've seen on the show. And it's funny -- "The Secret" was something I was going to work in here, too, but I was afraid of losing readers' interest if I lingered on too many moments from the show. But I'm glad to hear you were thinking of it (and BC), because I was too!
AU stuff (chapter one, anyway) is up -- hopefully I'll update again soon. Thanks so much for the review!
Date: August 08, 2007 12:34 am Title: Chapter 8: The Lights Go Out and It's Just the Three of Us: You Me and All That Stuff We're So Scared Of
oh, one more thing: the "i'm sorry" before he kisses her...PERFECT!
Date: August 08, 2007 12:31 am Title: Chapter 8: The Lights Go Out and It's Just the Three of Us: You Me and All That Stuff We're So Scared Of
bahhhhhhhhhhhhh! this just tore me up! i love how Pam kept kissing him to delay the inevitable onset of reality. and then her freak out was so. frustrating. but so spot on for Pam. such a smart move making Jim get angry at her first when she was going the denial route, because it made his eventual agreement to just forget about it that much more heartbreaking.
this is great angst, but that said, this story better end happily! i'm too emotionally invested! (so emotionally invested, in fact, that I just had to finally give in and register on this site so I could leave a review.)
keep up the good work!
Author's Response:
Gah -- I am *so* sorry! I'm realizing that if someone reviews an older chapter, it falls back in the rotation when I'm responding to reviews, so I don't see it -- and thus end up responding to 98% of the reviews and appearing to randomly just ignore the other 2%. (Seriously - I'm kind of horrified that someone would take the time to review, see that I respond to most reviews, but find that her review was ignored!)
All this to say: I am so sorry I didn't respond to your review(s) sooner! And oh my god - you registered just to leave a review!
Okay, I'm done freaking out now. :o)
I'm really glad you enjoyed this chapter; angst whore that I am, I think it's my favorite of this story (and was definitely the most fun to write). And yeah, I was trying to capture the fact that Jim's just willing to do *anything* for her - even if that means sacrificing himself/them.
As far as the happy ending outweighing the angst: I've had the ending written for several days now and was about to post it but couldn't bring myself to -- because I didn't feel like it delivered enough of a happy ending. (Or rather, it ended pretty abruptly after said happy ending, LOL.)
So it's back to the drawing board (or the laptop, as it were); I promise to make up for the angst (and for inadvertently ignoring your review!) --
Thanks so much for taking the time to register and review!
Date: August 07, 2007 08:15 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
Wow! This story is awesomeness incarnate. I'm so excited to see what you have planned for the AU chapters. Thanks for writing such a great story!
Author's Response:
You are too kind, my friend! And I have to admit that much as I was taken by the idea of this as the ending, I'm equally looking forward to exploring a very...er, different route. ;oD
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: August 07, 2007 07:47 pm Title: Chapter 1: Content to Compromise
that was really beautiful! Im just sad that it's over! Cant wait for the AU stories!!!
Date: August 07, 2007 11:38 am Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
That was perfect. It was exactly what I was envisioning. I loved how seemlessly you carried their feelings and the emotional echo of that night through to keystone moments in the series. And it was a beautiful ending. (Though I do look forward to the AU stuff, I'm satisfied with this.)
Author's Response:
Wow, really? I'm so glad you saw this as an ending, too, because really...it's what drove me to start writing the thing in the first place (the idea of there being this "lost" night). I'm glad, too, that you're looking forward to the AU stuff -- can't wait to get it all written and posted!
Thanks so much for the review!
Date: August 07, 2007 11:35 am Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
I actually loved this chapter as an ending...it left me satisfied and smiling (TWSS!) In all seriousness though I think you did an excellent job of weaving in all of the major Jam moments and tying everything together. I never would have guessed that this story would lead us right to the season 3 finale. So perfectly JAM - thanks for this great story. I look forward to your alternative ending as well.
Author's Response:
It's so surprising to hear people say they liked this ending - yay! The promise of writing the AU stuff is something I'm really looking forward to fulfilling, but this was my original vision - to take it and somehow try to make it plausible. Glad you're looking forward to the AU stuff as well!
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: August 07, 2007 11:24 am Title: Chapter 9: Running To Stand Still
Confession: I took a big huge long break in the middle of this chapter, just after they went to sleep. I'm not sure why I needed it. It certainly wasn't as painful as the previous one. But I am holding you to your promise of smut and a happy ending! That said, I really liked the flashback history of Pam and Roy and how you've managed to bring this up to a point where we can actually see a glimpse of how Pam and Jim are at the beginning of the show.
Date: August 07, 2007 06:43 am Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
You really did seamlessly integrate this storyline like another thread weaving through what 'actually' happened on the show. Pam's 'what are you doing' takes on a whole new resonance. Honestly though - I'm not surprised you pulled it off - it's just what you seem uniquely able to do (are you good at jigsaw puzzles too?)
Do I need to tell you how much I liked Pam just laying one on him when he arrived at her door? Thought not. Do I need to tell you how much I'm looking forward to the AU ending, Tttthhhhhiiiiiiiissssss much.
Author's Response:
Sooo glad to hear you say that it worked for you -- and that it made Pam's CN response (indignance?) resonate more; that's exactly what I was going for (and why I was so loathe to just scrap this ending and go AU).
Speaking of AU, though -- yeah...the thought of writing an AU ending as well is just too, too much fun. :o) Hopefully it'll be worth the wait for you (and, uh, them too...heh heh heh).
Thanks for the review!
10 [Report This]Date: August 07, 2007 12:40 am Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
*gasps* You're brilliant! You took your story and seamlessly blended it with the show, and now every time I watch The Dundies I will definitely think that a trip to the Poconos is what they're hedging about. Amazing.
I adore this story, and I can't wait for more from the AU chapters. :)
Author's Response:
Okay, that? That is exactly what I was going for, seriously (the idea of writing something that could be plausible enough to potentially be hovering in the background during some of the moments we all know so well). So, so glad you experienced it that way!
I'll get the AU stuff up as soon as I can -- and thanks, as always, for reviewing!
Date: August 06, 2007 08:52 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
Beautiful ending. I loved how you weaved all the real events in with your story. Heartbreaking and wonderful.
I'm looking forward the the AU endings!
Author's Response:
So glad to hear you say that! There were, believe it or not, a few more moments that I wanted to work in here, but I didn't want to get too bogged down in what we've seen on film (mainly because - for season two at least - I've already written about all of it).
Anyway - thanks for the review! Will get the AU stuff up as soon as I can --
Date: August 06, 2007 07:11 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
I was so excited to see you had updated and I absolutely loved this chapter! It tied everything together. I really felt their heartbreak! And I loved the ending! Superb! Thanks for the awesome read!
Author's Response:
Thanks so much - glad to hear that this tied things together; I really wanted to provide some kind of resolution for all that unresolved angst & tension. (Poor, poor JIm, LOL.)
Thanks so much for reviewing!
Date: August 06, 2007 06:52 pm Title: Chapter 1: Content to Compromise
Another great chapter, pulling it all together. If you look at S2 with the thought that Jim really knows that Pam feels more for him, it's really so much more painful to think about.
I think your parallel does ring true-I think Pam's "What are you doing?" during Casino Night really shows how they had an agreement not to talk about their relationship. In canon, this agreement is tacit of course, but you can really understand how she seems initially a little betrayed by Jim's confession in this version of events. I think it also makes S3 Jim's actions make more sense, because he already sublimated and let things get back to normal once, and couildn't make himself do it again.
Great job as always. I really look forward to updates way too much.
Author's Response:
First: I read your review late last night and was just thrilled by it (and amazed - yet again - at how succinctly you put it, how well you articulate exactly what I was going for). I didn't respond last night, thinking I'd come back and respond this morning -- but when I went to respond to my reviews, I noticed that yours was missing! So I did this search, wondering if I'd lost my mind and made it all up (the review was that awesome, seriously) -- then realize that it wasn't showing because I was looking only at the chapter 10 reviews. Sigh. :o)
That said....this story originated from two central ideas with which I was fascinated: the first was the idea that they could've shared a moment -- crossed some lines -- years before the cameras came, but have been struggling to forget it. The second was to somehow weave that backstory into some of the moments with which we're all so familiar. And the more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that both The Dundies and Casino Night could lend themselves to such a scenario. So it's really good to hear you say that it reads true for you and adds another layer. (Because Pam's "What are you doing?" ....YES. That and the whole sober vs. drunk issue as well.)
THanks so much for your thoughtful feedback -- so appreciate it!
Date: August 06, 2007 05:58 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
wow. that added SO MUCH to all those JAM moments... awesome! WRITE MORE!!! and quickly!
Author's Response: Yay - so glad to hear you say that! I'm writing more and will get the AU stuff posted as soon as I can manage it. :o) Thanks so much for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: August 06, 2007 05:12 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
So sweet! It's amazing to me that even after the numerous times that you've captured CN, you still manage to bring freshness to the episode. You've ended the story beautifully and with such hope for the future. Another amazing girl7 creation!
Author's Response: Yay - glad to hear you say that (because god knows, I have written Casnio Night seven ways from Sunday...ur, I'm not sure what that means, but....). Thanks so much for your input and help with this chapter; you rock!
10 [Report This]Date: August 06, 2007 04:26 pm Title: Chapter 10: Doors You Opened I Just Can't Close
Oh, girl7, you talented soul! I really like the way you've taken bits of canon here and made them play so differently because of all the backstory you've created. It's smart, and it works really well, especially Jim's elation when Pam admits she's sober. I'm looking forward to alternate endings, too, but I suspect this one's going to be my favorite!
Author's Response:
Well again - always such amazing compliments coming from you, given that I'm such a fan of your stuff. :o) I'm glad you liked this -- and yeah, I think the AU stuff will be lots of fun to write, but I was really attached to the idea of creating a situation that could have possibly happened, you know?
Anyway - thanks so much for the review!