Very interesting. No time for a proper review now. More later!

Author's Response: Hmmm...Would love to hear your thoughts VB if you ever get time to share them. :)

I kind of don't get why Jim isn't just talking to Pam at this point. I know that's how they did it on the show, but I'm not seeing any reason why he hasn't told Karen about the baby. Hell, she's the one who was suspicious in the first place. If he's looking for an 'out' from that relationship, which it seems evident he is, this is pretty much the perfect reason. And why hasn't he asked about the baby's health, offered to go to a prenatal visit, etc.? I know he's freaking out, but he's concerned about all that, right?

I'm still enjoying this but I hope it doesn't drag out too long. I'm starting to wonder if they're not going to even bother to have a proper date until the baby is born. :(

Author's Response: Okay, so I know I have about 80 of these to get to, but I need to address this one. First of all, I'm so glad you're pointing this stuff out because it's basically questions I'm asking myself as I'm writing. Please don't stop trying to challenge me or feel that you can't bring up concerns, I really, really appreciate it. I don't want to give much away but let me say this, I think Jim just needs to get a good knock on the head to wake up a little, get over his selfishness, and start focusing on what matters. And...I think there's someone out there willing to give him that knock on the head. ;)

Jim, instead of asking the mother of your child to fax something for you, TALK TO HER!! I love that he went to her art show, it always really bothered me that Jim didn't go, so I'm glad you had him there, even if it was awkward and tense. I'm glad she said "At least he's helping with the baby." Maybe that'll be the kick in the butt he needs to man up and start talking to her again. And I'm so sorry I missed two updates again. The weekends keep me away from here usually but I'm so happy that I get to click the next button! :)

Author's Response: Yeah, I know, I felt like him not going was always a bit out of character. But that whole time period he seemed out of character. Ah well. I wanted to change that up in this chapter. And yes, while it was a bit harsh, I really wanted Pam to give him a sort of a wake up call, that her lame ex fiance was out doing him. It's all good about missed reviews. I know people are busy and I update fast. So glad you're enjoying, appreciate the review so much!!

P.S.  Sorry, forgot to mention how much I enjoyed this:  “I think I’d want to raise my kid in a place where they can run around and get dirty. And I’m not sending my kid to any place that enforces school uniforms. Besides, I think the kid should be close to family, so I’d want to stay close to Scranton.”  Zzzzing!  That was a close call, Jimmy boy!



Author's Response: Lol, yeah, not only was it a close call but it definitely showed how on two different pages Jim and Karen are. :)

I liked the chapter without Jim/Pam interaction. The story moved along well without it. I am so happy for Jim, that he was finally able to tell someone his news and get some good advice about it. Poor Pam, she tried to ignore the fact that Roy was tryna get back together and so she let him be there for her and that bit her big time. But I was proud of her for staying strong and not getting back with him just because he wanted her, and for kicking his sorry self out of her house when he threw his big giant hissy fit. I know we still have to get through Sunday before we get to Monday, but I am looking forward to more Jim and Pam stuff and the office seems to be where that happens. I think Monday could very well be tricky.... I can't wait for it!

Author's Response: Yeah, when I original wrote a draft, I was going to try and force some JAM interaction, but I found that this chapter just works well without it. Yeah, I have to give Pam a lot of credit, she's slowly becoming a very strong person it takes guts to throw Roy out like that. I think the whole thing was a learning experience for her. Anyway, thanks so much for your review and your kind words, hopefully get more out to you soon! :)

10

Ahhhhh... so I admit, I was really jonesing for interraction between Jim and Pam and was REALLY sad to not get any at all, but it was stil a great chapter, as they all are. SO, I was glad that Pam was standing on her own two feet, proving first and foremost to herself that she can fix things like the garbage disposal but even better, she proved to Roy that she doesn't need him, or any guy around for those things, she's quite capable herself. I was disappointed, afraid she was falling more into things with Roy with him just casually stopping by and bringing dinner, but wow the tide turns quickly. First of all, what a moron. He knows she shouldn't have caffine but he actually thinks she should have a beer instead? AND he wants to be back with her so much yet he can't do something as simple as stopping to get her juice which is good for the baby. NO, if it doesn't benefit Roy, he won't do it. The food, well, Roy needs to eat. Beer? Roy LOVES his beer and probably thought he was making the ultimate sacrifice getting lite beer. @@ But juice, nope, he's not going to have any of that so he can't be bothered to pick it up simply for Pam or the baby. It didn't surprise me that Roy FINALLY started to show that he wasn't simply being there, he wasn't interested in being Pam's friend and he never was. He had an ulterior motive all along, that was gettng in Pam's good graces and getting back together with her so then he wouldn't have to take care of her any longer and she could return to taking care of him. Oh and I'm sure he would expect her to take even better care of him because after all, he was putting up with someone else's child. I'm SO glad he showed what he was all about and I am even more glad that Pam acte quickly and decisively in telling him first to stop and when he wouldn't ordering him to leave, letting him know that she wouldn't hesitate to call the police! GO PAM GO! Thank God that pest is gone! I was REALLY surprised first tat Kelly's rumor had spread even to the warehouse. I wonder if Danny has heard the rumor yet that he's going to be the father of a child by a woman who he not only didn't have sex with but that I am sure that he has probably figued out by her being pregnant and having thrown up twice on the date, she as already pregnant when they went out. I was shocked that Pam simply blurted out to Roy, of ALL people in the world, that Jim is the father. I am really anxious to see if this is going to somehow play out like the episode on TV after Roy found out they kissed. I'm not real sure what to expect since Roy honestly has no right to be upset with Jim. Jim didn't do anything wrong to Roy since they were broken up, she was free and Jim and Roy did't know each other at all. Interesting to see Roy's violent tendencies, throwing the glass, come right back in spite of Pam being pregnant. Hopefully that's it with him.

Onto Jim... first and a minor point that doesn't mattr but I was shocked that Jim would have even introduced Karen to his family at Christmas. I have always just thought of Jim as being a guy that wouldn't bring a girl aroud his family unless it was something that he knew was going to last and at Chistmas he and Karen were stil relatively new AND there was the added fat that by then he knew that there was the possibility of him having fathered Pam's baby so it just really surprised me. I really liked the interraction between Jim and his sister in law. I like how much his niece and nephew obviously adore him and I really wondered if maybe at least a part of Jim's reason in going there was his SIL being pregnant and maybe he could get some perspective on pregnant ladies if that makes sense. Maybe something that would help him understand a bit more what Pam is going through, what she is thinking a little bit. I liked that his SIL knew instinctively that something was going on and that's why he was there and she was able to get him to open up to her about it. It was great how she laid out to him the options of being an deadbeat dad or being involved, pretty much showing the choices in black and white and I think helping to really show Jim that he already KNOWS what his choice is going to be. I like that she showed him that he simply has no idea what is going on with his child, she just seemed to ask all the right questions that I think would really hit Jim, ending with pointing out in her way about the baby being part of their family and growing up with it's cousins including the one she will soon have that will be close in age to his baby. What I really liked though is that she seemed to get that Pam herself would end up as part of the amily. I think she got that Pam isn't just some girl that Jim got pregnant but cares nothing more. It seemed to me that she could sense under the surface that Pam is going to be very important in Jim's life and will be part of their family. I also found it interesting that Jim didn't take Karen with him for this visit. I just wondered how he got away from her for the weekend. Obviously he wouldn't want her there because if she was he wouldn't be able to talk about what was on his mind.

I'm SOOOOOO anxious to see what is next. I'm wondering if there will be a Roy explosion and that's how Karen finds out, I can think of so many ways this can go and I can't wait. I just really hope that Jim can rally try to see what Pam is going through and maybe, just maybe he'll finally step in and be what Pam needs him to be for bot er and is child. I just wonder with his hesitation if he does finally start trying to step up if Pam will question his real dedication to being there because the last thing she needs is someone else with ulterior motives. She needs someone that just really wants to be there for her to help out with all she is going through and dealing with. Her life has just changed so drastically so quickly.

You are really reat at this. You bring so much realsm into it. Oh and BTW, thanks for always being nice about my long rambling reviews. I love the 'discussions' you have with me in this section. I'm pretty much stuck in my bed most of the time because of my illness so I think that's why I write such long reviews and I really enjoys so much the way you really take your time in responding so compltely to what I have to say. I DO understand that while time is something I tend to have lots of, for other people they have to make time so thank you for doing that and putting such an excellent story out there for us. (Now bring back Jam interration for us in the next chapter... grrrr... just kidding... bit not really!! )

Author's Response: Hey, thanks again for your lovely insight. Yeah, I think Roy, here, is working off of selfish intentions and as Roy and Pam go down a familiar path, old patters are picked up again. For Roy, this is how he's always wanted it and that's why he flips out at the end because, finally, it's getting to him that he and Pam's relationship really is over. I'm proud of Pam in this chapter, she is growing and learning that she can do things on her own, not to mention that finally standing up to Roy is huge movement forward for her. Despite how much of a mess she feels she's in, she's headed in the right direction. The small point on Karen and Christmas: The way I saw it was that they both went back to Stamford (because in this story they're both from Stamford) to visit family. In my head, Karen only popped in to the Halpert's for about five minutes just to be greeted, tortured by Jim's brothers, and say hi before she headed back to her own family. I didn't really see them as actually spending Christmas together since their relationship was only months old at that point. Yes!! Jim's entire reason for visiting his brother was to not only be in contact with his niece and nephew, so that he could try out parenting skills, but to talk with his SIL, who happens to be pregnant. I always imagined Marcie to be like Jim's Isabelle, a person he could talk to about the entire situation. And Jim doesn't take her advice lightly, I think the stay with family does much good in getting him out of his rut and focused on the important things, like being a good father. Thank you again for your kinda words and lovely review, it's always a joy to have these discussions with you, too! :)

Do you pinky swear that we are getting closer? That soon each chapter won't continue to leave me feeling so sad for Jim and Pam. I just want them to be a happy family. Soon, please.

But I think you are doing a good job making me feel thier angst. I'm enjoying feeling the pain with them.

Author's Response: Lol, I pinky swear. ;) Angst can be fun but, you know, if it goes on too long, it feels contrived. Thanks for the review!

10

Great chapter and finally something to give us hope!

Before anything else I want to appologize for my assumptions in my last review. I just thought based by some of your comments in response reviews that you had kinda hinted that there would be a happy resolution. I am etremely sorry if I came to that conclusion on my own, I truly was not trying to push you towards anything in your story. I really REALLY hope that I didn't offend you because I certainly am not out to do that and I truly DO know from all the reading I do that an author CAN indeed do anything, including things that aren't popular. Again, I am really sorry for the assumptions I made.

In the beginning of this chapter I was thinking 'Oh Pam, now why would you actually go and spend the night at Roy's house. He is looking for ANY little thing to give him hope and spending the night probably, in his mind, has her one step away from moving home with him. I wouldn't be surprised if he were to beg her to come over and him show her that he has set up some form of a nursery because he's asuming with the help she is asking for, her leaning on him in difficult times and then her speding the night, in is mind he probably thinks he almost has her back. Anyhow, in thinking more about it, I realized that for her and the path she was seeming to go down which was the asiest and would have involved Roy, her staying there actually WAS a good thing. I mean really, like she was thinking, who in the word DOES leave a pregnant woman to sleep on a couch while you sleep in your comfy bed. THANK GOD she did not make the mistake of joining him in the bed. That would have been a mistake of HUGE proportions! Just thank goodness that Pam is being able to see that no matter how Roy is packaging himself, at the end of the day, the important things about Roy just haven't changed. Besides, I think that even if she feels pretty hopeless about things with Jim, Jim IS still there and I think Pam knows that all he would have to do is snap his fingers and she would come running. Funny thing is, I think the reverse is true of Jim but the two of them seem to be so caught up in the fear of rejection and this game they are playing that they are both far too scared to say the word.

It's interesting that Jim is still letting Karen influrnce him. Not sure why if he has plans to stay in Scanton that he would look for a new job, one away from Pam because I would think he would HAVE to know that if he makes the choise to stay in Scranton, there is almost NO chance that Karen is staying there with him. I can only wonder if he is going through putting the resume up partly to appease karen, keep her of his back, and partly because in his mind he is thinking that Pam is back with Roy and he has already quickly grown to despise Roy and if they are going to be together I just don't think Jim could stomache being arount to see that.

I adore how you did the redo of the art show. Jim NOT showing up for her art show on the actual show always REALLY hurt my heart so I love this. It's interesting how eveything is turned around... on the show there was an expectation because he always seemed to think that she was the next great artist, that he would put aside his feelings and would be there no matter what. It seemed to be a pretty hard blow to her when he didn't show. Here she (and I'm sure none of us) really expected him to show. Like he said, he didn't really expect to be there himself. With the way it all went, it made me really think that him showing up was really less about the art show and supporting her and more about the fact that he really wanted to get the chance to talk to her, to ask her some questions and he wanted todo it in a setting where the otheres, mostly Karen, wouldn't be watching and scrutinizing. I liked that when he saw Pam flinch when he began to talk about Karen, he stopped. I did notice that this Jim seemed much less enthused by Pam's art than Jim on te sow. I noticed that he said, you gotta start somewhere like he's almost afraid to encurage her too much in anything. I say that because he KOWS she is much better than what he was seeing displayed and he has what sounded like a really great piece of her art, something that I'm sure she doesn't even know just how much he treasures it, to prove that she really is quite good. I DID really like that he gave one piece of his feelings away when he said, 'but I think everything that you do is great.' What made me think that he was there more to talk is that without any prompting and in a complete change of subject he asked wat I think he was really tere to find out, 'why did you go back to him, why Roy?' I was glad that this first off gave Pam the chance to clear the air and clear up that no matter how much Roy is making a pest of himself showing up at the office to see Pam constantly (and really I think this is good for jim. Maybe it will light a fire under him. I think it's probably what got him to the art show and without karen. Something Karen will probably make him pay dearly for if she finds out!) I LOVED that Pam told Jim first that it's nice to have someone there, letting him know that she needs someone and if Roy is the one offering, and she's lonely, she's not passing it up because of Jim. Like se said, he isn't one to Judge. He has Karen that is keeping him company and keeping him warm at night so why should he deny Pam someone to bring her comfort? That's just wrong and I'm glad she basically called him on it. Second, what I was thrilled that she said was 'at least he's been teying to help me with baby stuff.' Yhat was great because it let him know that hey, he isn't stepping up, he isn't showing a willingness to do anything to father this baby but you know what, Roy isn't only beig there for Pam, he;s being there for the baby, Jim's baby, even before it's born. I would think that THAT should play in a loop in Jim's head and I would hope it would spur him to ask what HE can do to help. Let Pam know that HE wants to be the one helping her, not Roy. Somehow I don't think it's going to be that easy with these two. It was disappointing that just when they began a good, open, honest dialog, Roy has to show up. I WAS really glad that Pam made it clear to Roy that he shouldn't feel so comfortable and just put his arms around her basically claiming her as his. Maybe THAT will show her that she needs to set things straight with him and make sure he understands he is just a friend. Then I was disappointed that when things got a wee bit uncomfortable for Jim, his did what he seems to do best, he basically ran away.

This was such a fantastic chapter. It really moved the story forward I thought because at least with Jim, rather than sitting and stewing, e acted. He wanted answers and he went to get them. Thank God they are taking steps in the right direction. Thanks for taking us on this exciting journey.

Author's Response: Again, my apologies for taking so long to respond, time, ack! First of all, I was never offended by anything you've ever written, I was more so just trying to make a joke. ;) I very much have been enjoying your reviews and I hope you feel that you can continue to communicate with me. No harm, no foul. :) I think you're spot on about Roy and how Pam going down that path with him does wake her up to the fact that he's never had innocent intentions. It was good that she stayed with him so that she could see that returning to where she once was is not an option. I think Jim is definitely going through the motions with Karen at this point. She says jump, he jumps, moreso because its easier to let her do the talking so he doesn't have to do the thinking. But yes, you are correct, Karen will definitely not stay around once her last tie to Scranton is severed. Why would any one want to torture themselves that way. Interestingly, I think one reason Karen clings to Jim is so that she doesn't have to face the reality of being alone, which is something I think she fears and which is why, despite knowing the ship is sinking, she stays on. I do think, and the misinterpretation is probably from my writing, that Jim does enjoy her art as much as his canon counterpart, just that there are so many other things going on, it takes a backseat to what is going on presently. Yes, I do think it's great that, to an extent, despite the fact that she's basically in love with him, she can stand up to Jim and she's grown enough in the story that Pam can say, hey, look, I'm okay doing this, but you need to step it up if you want to help. And yes, how frustrating, they were on the verge of some great opening up, but unfortunately Roy mucked things up, again. Funny how he kinda helps to rectify it later. Anyway, thank you so much for your kind review and your insights, I always enjoy hearing from you!! :)

Aw, Jim came to her show. I'm glad. That has always been something that physically pained me about S3, that he didn't show up.

I like that she said that to him-- that at least Roy was trying to help with the baby. Even if it's a little harsh, it may work as the wake-up call he needs to let her know that he does want to be involved. He's not really in any position to judge her when he's not doing anything, is he? Is that a light I see at the end of this tunnel? Or is that a train...? :)

Author's Response: It's always bugged me as well. In fact, Jim's actions between Ben Franklin and the end of The Job have always felt slightly OOC for me, not the guy who said he's always been waiting for his wife. So, I thought I'd do something about that in this fic. ;) I think Jim needs a few wake-up calls, hence Pam's harsh words. Though, part of me doesn't think it's completely fair of Pam, since he's only known that it's his baby for about a week. Anyway, I think it's safe for me to say that it is indeed that it is a light at the end of the tunnel. ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing, much appreciated!!

Oh no! She left with Roy? You're killing me here! Make Pam come to her senses! lol (good story)

Author's Response: Yeah, both of them are really going to need knocks on the head soon, huh. Glad you're enjoying the story, thanks for the review!! :)

BTW... I meant to add this to one of my reviews, I saw you said somewhere omething about if things were resolved or you got them together too quick, the story would soon be over. Just wanted to say, I hope maybe you will stick with it for maybe a bit after things are resolved. Maybe let us see them settling down a bit into yourversion of their lives together. I always really enjoy seeing those aspects and with your talent I'm sure it would be really interesting. Just a thought.

Author's Response: Well, first of all, you can never assume happy endings, I could kill Jim off or have Pam leave Jim for New York. Okay, okay, I kid, I kid. Here's the thing, I have something incredibly special planned for the end of this story and I hope that it will leave you satisfied and smiling. ;)

Swaying isn't dancinnnnnnnnnng! I think you're trying to kill me with the suspense. She left wth Roy, but GO AFTER HER JIM lol.

Author's Response: I think he has some stuff in his life that he needs to get figured out before he can really go after her but it will all come together. Thanks for the feedback!!

10

WOW... just... so so sad after reading this. I KNEW it was going to break my heart, but wow, it REALLY broke my heart.

Jim's reaction to the baby... I know... I didn't see that coming. First let me say, I was glad that he found athe strength (and I get the idea it takes a great deal of it) to tell Karen he had other things to do the night he found out so that he was able to be alone. The LAST thing Jim needed that night, the very night that Pam actually told him that he was in fact the father, is Karen browbeating all her ideas for them and fleeing Scranton and bigger and better things and such. Jim needs the time to wrap his mind around the idea that he is in fact going to be a father and he just doesn't strike me as the type to be an absentee or long distance dad. I have the feeling that even if Jim and Pam ended up not going the relationship route (and dear God... PLEASE I pray ON'T let THAT happen) but if that were the case, I think Jim would still stay put in Scranton because I cannot imagine him allowing ANY real space between himself and his child. Anyhow, I digress... I was glad that he was able to explain it more, that he had obviously suspected it and even more I was VERY glad that Pam was able to explain the position that he had put her in that made it darn near impossible to actually tell him, them being almost strangers, him coming to Scranton with a girlfriend in tow. Her explaining that she wasn't sure she should even do that to his life. I don't know how I would have been able to do it. I like how she was able to explain to him that all the feelings he was currently having she understood because she went through them already months ago but I'm really glad that she put in there that the big difference is that she is the one that is actually having the baby.

I don't get why in the battle of you never called me, well you didn't call me either (which I was SOOOOO glad she put RIGHT ack on him. Would have been SO Pam to just take the blame! A business card with his number is no excuse when he could have EASILY called her and it's not like he would have even needed to track her down. He KNEW where to reach her, would have been eas. And she knew that he knew that.) Anyhow, why didn't she point out to him that she DID in fact call him. I think she called several times. The fact that he deleted the messages without listening because he ASSUMED they were from his boss, ot her problem. He missed what was a very important phone call because of that and I just really feel that she needs to call him on that. Heck, eve if she didn't leave a message (but I thought that she did) he NEEDS to know that she didn't totally drop the ball on the phone call thing. Even if it was some time after the fact. She called and he didn't get it because of HIM!)

Anyhoe... the wedding... so so sad You know, so he watches her the entire time. He KNOWS that she is sad. He knows because she told him that less than a year ago she called off her own wedding so my goodness, one would think that he could have some consideration of the fact that she is sitting there pregnant with his baby, going it alone while everyone has pretty much beat her up about it, he is unscathed because no one knows his involvement. So she is pregnant, probably nostalgic for the fact that this was suposed to have happened to her, no matter how happy she may be that she called it off, it's still something that she dearly wanted for a very long time. Then she has to live through a replica of what she called off last year. Granted, e doesn't know that but then again, he doesn't even take the time duing the wedding/reception to ask how she's feeling. At the reception she has Kelly all over her badgering her and she gets to watch the guy she cares very much for and is carrying his baby share warm, tender, intmate moments with his girlfriend not seeming to care that she told him just two days before that his baby is inside of her. Seems pretty callous of Jim to me even if he is o autopilot he should at least uunderstand ESPECIALLY since he HAS in fact been following her through the entie thing. He KNOWS she is sad. He KNOWS all is not well with her yet he carries on. He looks up and shares what I assume is a sad wistful look with her and he I am thinking is getting it. He then realizes that he actually has fallen in love with Pam but for the first time since that night, Jim actually gets off his ass to make a move ad he's too slow. He sees her leaving with Roy and it makes him upset and suddenly he's happy with Karen again?! Unreal, but VERY Jim! I mean, he REALLY couldn't see that after watching her sad, upset, parading around with Karen all nigt, holding Karen close and tight in his arms while Karen snugles up to him dancing, he couldn't understand that pam needed comfort and who is she going to look to for comfort? The only guy who has REALLY been in her life. The ONLY guy who has been there at all through the pregnancy. Did Jim ever offer to help with baby things? Hell, he suspecte he could be the father, seems reasonable to say, if you need help with anything, you know I'm a phone call away. Roy OTOH (BTW, don't get me wrong, I sound like a Roy suporter here and that could not be further from the truth. Can't stand him. Just stating the facts of the story) so Roy, KNOWING there is no chance he is the father has offered to help and has done it. I understand that Roy has big ulterior motives and I'm sure Pam does too, but it seems to be getting him somewhere. If Jim doesn't step up and decide to take some action, his baby is going to be calling Roy daddy and he won't have anyone to blame except himself. (and maybe Karen because I'm always up for blaming Karen for whatever.) That last paragraph just really hit me in the gut. The way he could simply watch her all night while playing the game with aren and forcing Pam to watch, KNOWING she was sad. Then he gets so upset because she finds someone to comfort her for the evening (he sure as hell wasn't available and excuse her if she wasn't privy to the fact that he had unearthed some real actual feelings. There was NO reason he couldn't have pulled her aside and talked to her anyway! May have changed the course of the whole mess! I wonder if he understands that she told him that being involved with the baby is his choice and the signals he is sending her is saying a great big o thank you. My baby is going to need a different daddy!!!) Okay... I need to go read some happy fics... I'm just too upset now....

BTW... excellent job on this. I may hate the way it is going but freaking season three will do it to you! Ironically I just replaced my season three DVDs because I couldn't find my 4th disc. That has the only two season three episodes that I like... well, LOVE! Like you, I wasn't a fan yet during that time though I did watch all the discs in order so I saw them the same way the fans did having no way how it would turn out. Thankfully for me I was able to watch one after the other and know quickly that it would be okay rather than slow and tortuous! Oh, I did like the return in season three and some of Ben Franklin. Anyhow, can't wait for the next chapter. I was spoiled before this so I kept checking and checking for a new one and started thinking something was wrong with my darn computer!

Author's Response: I hope you didn't think I was ignoring your review, I just had limited time and I like to respond to reviewers in full, so I saved yours until I had more time. :) No, Jim will be a good father, no doubt. But unlike his canon counterpart, this Jim does not have a stable relationship nor did he know from the pregnancy from the beginning. He'll need a little time to adjust to the idea of being a father before he can really step up. And interestingly, yes, Pam can say she has already been there but I think the point can be argued that since she has, in a way, gotten past that, that she's a little less tolerant of Jim's need of time to process. I answer your question about the phone call in NanReg's review of this chapter. If it's still confusing, please let me know and I'd be happy to explain more. :) The thing about Jim at this point in time is that he's being selfish (possibly rightfully so). A logical Jim may understand Pam's positioning and her issues of the wedding but since he's so wrapped up in his own issues, he misses what's truly bothering Pam, and therefore, they start another dance of miscoummication. I also don't think that he's happy with Karen. He's again using her as to mask reality because he's too scare to take a chance. It's easier for him to hide behind Karen and let her dictate his life than for him to make his own decisions and attempt to be with Pam--he's afraid with Pam because the risk is greater with her. I'm so glad you understand why Pam would go back with Roy, you hit the points wonderfully. No, he'll show his true colors soon, but Roy has been trying to do better by her and since that is all she has ever known, it is appealing. Thank you for such lovely insight and kind words. I do appreciate the reviews, it's fun delving into like that. :)