1 [Report This]Date: December 28, 2020 08:29 am Title: Chapter 1
So I've been following your content for a while now, and I've been enjoying it! I'm a sucker for Hurt/Comfort stories and this throughline of Pam having anxiety is not only interesting but makes sense given the character's history.
The episode drove me to write my own follow-up for it on this site as well, since... yeah, S7 as a whole is really weak to me except for some key moments, Michael's story and "Threat Level Midnight" notwithstanding, and this episode is the pinnacle of that. Not a bad one by any means, but it definitely is one of my least favorites (Then again I can sit through "Scott's Tots"). Though I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'll definitely say one of the things that saved the episode for me was, ironically, Dwight, whose talking heads are some of the best in the series.
You use a more realistic approach to Jim's response, the "I just want it to stop" hitting much harder after reading this. The possibility of a concussion makes sense considering the constant thousand-yard stares during the episode, and it's more than reasonable that he got PTSD after even the initial attack (and his coworkers laughing and playing along AGH hate it). His response - being in a very dark and emotional place right now - is more than reasonable, and I'm glad you didn't sugarcoat things.
My favorite aspect of this though is Pam. Throughout your stories, she's had to experience panic attacks, Jim by her side to comfort her. Now, after maturing and becoming an Office Admin and a mom, she's much more attuned to this sort of outburst, and her being there for Jim because she understands what he's going through is *very* heartwarming.
(Also, considering the intensity of Jim's condition, I can visualize a threat of *pressing charges* coming in. He injured a coworker and drove him to desperate acts (lacrosse stick), so much so that he probably couldn't work the next day. No doubt Holly's gonna be involved.)
Much like your other pieces, a simple one-shot dealing with unseen moments where they grow as friends and a couple. Well done!
1 [Report This]Date: December 28, 2020 07:55 am Title: Chapter 1
Yeah, their experience in Classy Christmas does feel like it merits some follow-up. It seems very likely that as you noted this would have been traumatizing for Jim, and the idea that he got seriously injured and just no one but Pam really noticed in spite of him wandering around with blood on his shirt all day is disturbingly plausible.
I really love Pam getting to be the strong one for him this time, stepping up and taking care of him and reassuring him and talking him through the anxiety the way he's always done for her. It's sweet, and given the history in your universe a really nice character moment too.
1 [Report This]Date: December 28, 2020 12:14 am Title: Chapter 1
Seems like a very real reaction to the events of that episode. I always thought Dwight went just a touch to far and this brings that out. The after effects of the concussion really resonate well. You wrote the sense of Jim's panic and anxiety in a way that we really feel what he's going through. Pam is wonderful in being a supportive wife here. She's calm and has the sense to get things looked at. When Jim is at his worst, she's at her best and I love that.
Nice job.