Jim's dream about Larissa was a little heartbreaking, however it did give some nice foreshadowing without giving anything away. Same goes for Angela's story. Everyone in this world has lost someone they've loved. You're doing a great job at exploring how people deal with that loss.

Now however, Jim and Pam have found something. Not only their love for each other, but a new life. I know they're both scared right now. For good reason too. However I get the feeling that this time Jim with maybe some help from a a certain beet farmer will be able to protect those they care about.

Glad you were able to update. Now like I said in a chat a while back, you can reward yourself by getting caught up on all the other wonderful fics being posted right now.

Author's Response: Yes, as far as post-apocalypse teams go Dwight is a first round pick ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

"He was sure he didn't look handsome at all, he looked like a dumb office worker who couldn't stop gawking at a pretty girl." This was my favorite line out of the entire chapter - its so good!

"Jim couldn't resist a little teasing, lifting his head and putting his finger to his lips to shush her. Pam pressed her lips together in a tight smile and lifted a finger of her own, her middle finger" is a close second in favorite lines. That one made me laugh out loud.

As for that final scene, I mean, it was perfect and lovely and steamy and all the right things.

I'm very worried about Angela, though.

Author's Response: Thank you so much Coley, this was a fun chapter to write. We should start learning about Angela soon...

NLM, reading your stories so completely sucks me in that it leaves me incapable of reviewing. It truly creates such a 3-D picture in my mind, that I find myself just sitting there, looking upstream, watching for the fox, peering to see what Jim is up to in the stream . . . it is literally difficult to leave and write a review. I had to read this chapter three times before I could extricate myself enough to write this. As much as I LOVE JAM, (and I do), this little paragraph is such a perfect example of the exquisite detail you use to paint a glorious picture:

Sitting back on her heels, she wiped her cheeks and nose and looked across the pond to see two shiny dark eyes looking back at her. It was a deer, completely frozen save its big ears rotating around its head. Pam didn't dare move, and the deer tilted its head for a drink from the pool. There was another movement and Pam gasped slightly when she saw it, a fawn, all spindly legs and lightly dotted with white. The mother lifted its head and began licking the fawn's nose, and when the fawn squinted its eyes Pam felt a smile break out, imagining a small child scrunching up their face and pouting as their mother tried to clean smudges off their cheek. 

Such quiet beauty, and I swear you share exactly what Jim and Pam feel for each other.  It is so soft and warm and joyful and tender.   Just amazing.  Sigh.

See, I try not to bug you about updates, but then you go and write something like this and I almost can't help myself. First things first, that playlist is wonderful! I read the last chapter and then this new chapter twice while listening to it and, oh, it is so perfect. I mean, the Civil Wars (especially Safe and Sound with Taylor Swift!) music is just so perfect and so fitting for this story, especially.
I think this capture caught every nuance and emotion that makes this story unique. I am thoroughly impressed with how you keep them in-character (Jim being so protective, silently withdrawn, etc.) and the relationships canon (you are weaving that Dwight and Pam friendship beautifully) but it is still completely applicable to this world. There are also great moments from the movie (the discovery about the frequency, the waterfall) that aren't overdone, but help move the story along.
Part of what I love about this story (I mean, other than scenes like the stream, um, encounter) is how these characters have such great relationships but are also on their own journey with the Before. You've done a great job with all four characters, but this one was about the girls for me.
I'm worried about Angela! You've written her grief in such a delicate, hands-off way, but you've kept her, her. So I feel like you are going to have her crack or have a major badass moment (I'm hoping for the second!) But I'm worried with what she's carrying around. Bravo to you for making me feel real things for these fake people! :D
Pam's backstory in this chapter is written beautifully. I love her admission about Roy and how she handled Jim's confession about the guilt he carries with Larissa. That was a nice moment. Pam's wandering through the woods until she comes across the mailbox was great. I appreciate that tone of understated fate that she would come across it. Oh, and the connection to Penny and Larissa! So nice!
Way to go! This really is one of my favorite stories on this site; it's unique and familiar at the same time in all the right ways. Thank you for the update!

Author's Response: Thank you for the great review! Yes one thing I’ve enjoyed is getting to do these flashbacks and explore how Pam and Jim got to this point. We will learn more about Angela soon, but she is small yet fierce, she’s not as delicate as Dwight paints her. I had a few ides for the last scene but I like the mailbox, it was a I hope non cheesy way to have Larissa be the reason Jim’ and Pam met. I will try to get the next chap out sooner than 2.5 months from now XD

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I'm hoping that feedback discovery can be used to somehow keep our heros alive. I'm honestly even attached to the goats at this point. This is really great though. Thanks for the update!

Author's Response: You are talking to the queen of “gets way too attached to animals in movies” so yes I’m pretty fond of Hilde, Hans and Miss Grayson now. We will see about the feedback ;-)

NLM, the way you let us join Jim and Pam on their journey of discovery is so natural. You don't hit us over the head with anything: So they are married, they just don't wear rings while working, Jim thought walking to the Night Time room, that's understandable. But they also clearly slept in separate bedrooms, and there was definitely a distance when they interacted. Jim had a feeling the boy Angela was holding in the picture in the basement had something to do with that.  So wistfully sad!

The references back to canon are delightful: 

"Then we must be staying at The Embassy Beets," and "It's called Sing,".     You elicit a familiarity and the warmth of our recognizable friends.

The hot stuff is pretty darn hot (how's that for stating the obvious - ha!). And it ends with fun stargazing, that is easy to picture in the mind's eye of Schrute Farms.

You clearly research so many details . . .  it adds to the sense of adventure, and in this chapter in particular, the sense of danger has fallen away to the distant background. 

Okay, I have to go back to the kitchen at the Farm to wait for the next chapter.  I hope they don't sleep too long --- I am anxious for the next day!  :) 

NLM - in order to review this, I have to acknowledge your existence, meaning acknowledging that there is an author, meaning that I am reading something that is not actually happening. I haven't arrived there yet. As soon as I do, I will write a review. :) Preview:

Oh my goodness this was amazing! I’m new to the site and this has to be one of my favorites so far! It’s a fun twist to both The Office and AQP. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for no angst but I know I’m probably wrong. Eeeek!

New reader, love this fic!! Love the AQP tie in with the Office

So happy to see our friends again and find out what they're up to. Love how the sign language allows them to communicate privately, without Angela and Dwight knowing what their saying. It heightens their intimacy. Love the MeeMaw reference! Just giggled when I read "I still think a 1 in 6 chance of getting murdered, but if it happens they'll be nice about it."  Your attention to detail, the cat, the goats, the child's drawing, the sound-proofing to the garage, the clawed sign and solar panels, Dwight's detailed contract, all those details paint a beautiful, vivid picture!  And this chapter is fun!  I smiled through so much of it, visualizing our beloved characters (including D and A) in this familiar, but altered setting.  I love how you keep the characters true, regardless of what they are doing.

Still smiling, thinking about the chapter to come!  Love it all!  :)

Oh! I also loved that dream. Well written, believable, and gut-wrenching.

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Wow! This is amazing!
I got my earbud sharing (oooooohhhhhhh that song choice had me rolling on the floor and I had to go listen to it again for old times sake) and a little Jam snuggling. Woohoo! Love the calendars Pam is painting! That little domestic bit where they are cleaning dishes was blissful!

Author's Response: I'm a huge fan of Domestic JAM so writing that in this story is fun. And yes deciding on songs has also provided a few trips down memory lane for me.