"If this was what Socrates was like, Pam could understand why the Athenians gave him hemlock." Great line. That you reference one of the most well known philosophers during this section great. Adding in Pam's sense of sarcasm to it, also great. I really liked how you had Penny as Pam's sounding board here. It makes for a wonderful dynamic in their sisterhood. Also we have a double confirmation now from the sisters. First when Larissa told Pam that Jim's hers. Also now here with Penny not only being seen as cold toward Roy, but encouraging Pam's feelings towards Jim.

I also liked the use of Pam's line from the Beach Day speech there as well. That speech is a big moment for Pam. In canon it took her a while to get there. Here it's taken time too but she's come to a lot of the same conclusions. Roy's not right for her and there is something better out there for her.

Oh what else did I like about this chapter? Oh yeah! The conversation she has with Jim. The tension on his end is still there. As far as he knows, she's still fully committed to Roy. That he gets quiet when she starts probing deeper than the safe waters of friendship makes sense. Jim has no idea she's had the revelations she's had. I did like that he is honest with her in telling her he's in love, but it makes complete sense that he still can't bring himself to tell her who he's in love with. After all he's still probably beating himself up for taking back the teapot card at this point.

In this case, to keep using my fire starting analogy, it feels like she's not so much using the flint and steel here. Rather she's resetting the kindling and tinder. I'm not sure how much she's really aware that's happening, but it's there. In order to have a good campfire, one needs a good base from which to build said fire. Pam seems to have cleared away the old dead fire that wasn't going anywhere that was her relationship with Roy. Now it seems she's built up or is almost done building a base for a romantic relationship with Jim. Maybe a few more adjustments with how she holds the flint and steel and that fire will catch.

Great chapter.

Author's Response: Wow, thanks for the even-more-in-depth-than-usual response! I appreciate hearing about each of these things, they help confirm that I'm on the right track here and that the story is communicating what I want it to. To borrow a phrase from Churchill (and thus the setting of your current AU) "this is, perhaps, the end of the beginning": Pam has an idea now of what she wants, but now she has to put it in practice.

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Can't wait to see what happens next! :) Love this story!

Author's Response: Thank you so much! That's wonderful to hear.

Yes, yes and yes. An enthusiastic yes to everything about this chapter. I very much loved that Larissa was back, & that she’s a bold & lovely version of Larissa. Although, I’m itching for Pam to have some of these conversations with Jim himself. I’m still dying for the “save the receptionist” line to be overheard in a little more context. It was nice to see Pam helping out her colleagues - sweet little twist there with Toby & Brenda. I’m sure her being absent would dull down the Michael factor every so slightly. As per usual, I can’t wait for the next installment.

Author's Response: Thank you thank you thank you! I assure you we will get more save the receptionist, and generally more JAM as things go forward!

I love this story so much! I can’t wait to see where it ends up!!!

Author's Response: Thank you! I'm enjoying taking you on the journey, and I'm glad you're aboard!

This was so much fun!

Author's Response: Thanks!

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Karen and Pam are friends (ish) and I’m here for it! Short and sweet is what you could call their interaction, and it’s everything I could’ve asked for. It’s interesting to see Karen pre-season 3 because we get to see what her and Pam could’ve been like if it wasn’t for the awkwardness of the whole Jim situation.
I’m excited to see the next groundhog! Keep it up

Author's Response: I feel like this is the kind of thing they should have done with Karen. Well, not this specifically but it would have been so nice for Pam to have a real female friend she could talk to in the office. Thanks for the review!

The second I saw the title for this chapter I thought, “oh my goodness, it’s going to be Karen!” and I was not disappointed. She’s so much more likable when she isn’t dating Jim/crushing everyones hopes & dreams for an entire season... I really loved the way you’ve used her here. I also love that Pam’s beginning to dwell on Jim much more! That bodes very well for what’s to come. Your explanation of how Pam’s friendships have disintegrated over the years felt very true to character - you know I feel for her about that. I know I’ve said this many a time, but I’m very much looking forward to seeing where you go next!

Author's Response: I'm so glad you weren't disappointed! I love Karen as a person; I just hate how the show used her, so I try at every turn to get a glimpse of the person behind the narrative obstacle. I'm glad this worked for you!

It’s nice to see Pam digging deeper into everything happening during the Booze Cruise - especially what’s going on with Jim. I’m hoping the unexpected source is Larissa back on board? But that’s a wild guess at best. I love that the highlight of all her repeating days is the prank on Dwight. That itself is telling enough (to everyone except Pam apparently...) I wonder if the Jim stuff will pique her curiosity enough to repeat a Booze Cruise day instead of an activity from her brochure pile? I’m sure the next update will answer that one for me.

Author's Response: You'll 100% see Larissa again, but I'll be interested to see what you think of Pam's mystery confidante. Thanks for reading!

I get where you'd say that Pam is a little further away from Jim here. After all if she thinks he's about to propose to Katy it makes sense she'd be hesitant to delve deeper into anything Jim related. However she also has a potentially huge new piece of information here. I'm sure you're going to have her over analyze it in the coming chapter, but that's all part of figuring this whole thing out.

Also confession from me. I've never seen "Groundhog Day." I know the gist of the movie obviously, but I've never actually seen it. That being said you're doing a great job here because for someone like me who hasn't seen the movie, I'm able to follow along with the parallels you're drawing between this story and the movie. Bravo for that.

Author's Response:

She'll get there pretty quick ;) but it is important I think that her initial instinct isn't "he's into me."

 I cannot recommend Groundhog Day enough, but I was trying to write this so you didn't have to have read it--I'm glad so far that's working! Thanks for the feedback. 

Well, I wondered what trouble Pam would get up to with Stamford as the destination. Poor Karen? On another note, I love that Pam is thinking of life beyond Roy & seems resolved to ditch him, no matter the outcome of all this groundhog-ing.

Author's Response: Thank you! I appreciate your continued feedback along the way :)

What would I do? Check for any problems with airway, breathing, or circulation. Check for any life threatening injuries, check for broken bones, try to splint what I could, prep for transport, and then transport to the nearest ER, in case you're wondering. Thanks for the shout out there. You didn't get anything wrong with just having Pam stand there and watch.

Lots of great stuff this time, even for a non-Booze cruise cycle. I really liked how Pam made breakfast for herself this time. She's not only thinking of what would make her happy, but doing things as well. In this instance regardless of what Roy might say. It's great to see her growth show with a scene like that.

Dwight going off on his heritage like that was also fun. Hey if I'm not going to have German Dwight in "Silver Wings," feel free to use that for your own. You did a great job with it.

Going back to my flint and steel analogy from a couple chapters ago. Seems like Pam was getting closer igniting some better sparks here. The line with, "This feels right, Pam though. Nothing else in this stupid day goes right, but playing pranks with Jim always feels right." Hopefully she remembers that feeling and decides to investigate that a bit more.

Author's Response:

I figured you'd have a full panoply of directions for those EMTs ;)

Thanks for noticing the details of the non-BC cycles as well as the BC ones. To translate (via Google) what Dwight says in German here: "beet farmer," "maternal grandfather," "groundhog handler." And Pam is definitely getting closer on the Jim front...though also, as you'll see in the next chapter, further away. 

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I am very excited about Pam overhearing the save the receptionist line! I can’t wait for her to figure that one out... Oh Roy. Truthfully, I think deep down he means well. He just hasn’t “evolved” from his teenage form as much as Pam has. But, this whole engaged without setting a date doesn’t count thing is very unfair to Pam. Looking forward to seeing where Pam makes it to in the next installment.

Author's Response:

She will definitely think about it and figure it out...eventually ;). Next installment is a little bit of a vacation from her actually figuring things out, but she will be back at it in chapter 9 for sure. Thanks for the review! 

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I like that Pam is still gaining things from the non-booze cruise days. Some thing I always think about watching The Office is Pam’s lack of good female friends - which seems pretty natural given her relationship with Roy. Jim really is her best friend, I wonder if she will talk to him about this repeating of her days at all... I keep thinking that if it were me, I would have a few friends that I would trust enough to talk to them about what was happening (even if they thought I was insane, I know/hope(?) they’d still listen). I kind of feel for Pam reading this - she considers talking to her parents, but in a way I feel like it highlights that she doesn’t really have anyone to go to... (except maybe Jim). On another note, I apologize for turning this review of your lovely chapter into my ramblings!

Author's Response:

Thank you! I agree firmly about Pam's lack of female friendship, and we will see some improvement in that in this fic (I suppose we already have with Melanie). Also, I think she's going to be very chary about telling Jim about this because I think Pam is more self-contained than that: but certainly, he's going to be the only one she does talk to, and it will probably happen in the next few cycles.

Never apologize for ramblings! I really like hearing what you're thinking about where this story is going, should go, might go...so I enjoy reading whatever you have to say.