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First off thank you for the whole conversation with Pam and Roy. A lot of times, not always but a lot of times, the actual break-up scene will be glossed over. I kind of like reading all the different approaches writers will take on the scene.

Good for Pam to follow through on her feelings and have Isabel there to lean on right away. Roy's reaction seems to ring true. For him, I'm sure it was right out of the blue. Why would he think anything was wrong? Shows that he and Pam weren't in the best place since they're nowhere near on the same page about their relationship.

Again you did a great job about getting into Pam's feelings. The relief and guilt she's feeling at the same time for instance. It's probably one of the hardest decisions she's ever made so it makes total sense that there would be a lot of emotions involved.

And there at the end, she's already taking baby steps on getting what she wants. She wants ice cream so they're going to get ice cream. It may be a little thing, but it shows she's taking more control of herself. And of course who wouldn't want a theraputic Dilly Bar or Blizzard in that situation?

Looking forward to where we go as always.

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TPB. Are you sure this wasn't an actual episode? This was an actual episode. It felt so real. Pam's sudden realization that she didn't want to marry Roy, let alone BE with Roy, was just as refreshing and heartbreaking as I'm sure Pam felt. But then Fancy New Beesly standing up for what she wants after they're home and not letting Roy talk her out of it. Ugh. And she already had a plan for Isabel to come get her, so she couldn't back out. Ten years gone, but a lifetime more in front of her (hopefully with Jim.) Amazing job, TPB

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Another great chapter even if it's hard to write and read. You really did a great job at getting into Pam's headspace. The roiling sea of emotions she must be going through. I really find it interesting that she crumples up the picture. Seems a very real reaction to the anger she feels. Also I know they both don't know it, but that they have the same reation is very telling to me.

Really looking forward to seeing where we go from here.

Angst on Casino Night is a requirement. If it's not codified somewhere beyond The Office's writer room, it should be. The word, angst, as I define it is a succinct way of including self-doubt, fears, insecurities, self-loathing, pessimism, indecision, misinterpretation, and missing information.

I like angst but don't want to live there forever. A nice thing about angst is all you need to do to get out of it is change one thing on the laundry list (make a decision or add information are the two easiest and quickest). Stay in angst and say hello to depression.

You have a wonderfully unique spin on similes and analogies to describe angst. Examples: child hell bent on using every crayon to describe Jim's whirling confused thoughts. “...his legs heavy and his chest shaking”; it's a shakeup from how we normally see lovesick described. “...house of cards when the bottom row was well on its way to collapsing.” to show Jim's view of his and Pam's relationship. Big props on the crayon reference as a nice artistic Pam subtle reference. Pam is indeed every where for him.

Good onya

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You really know where to hit readers in the gut, TPB. This was brilliant, even if my heart is hurting from Pam ripping the yearbook photo. I get her feelings, I honestly do. Poor thing
Great update, can’t wait to see what’s next!

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Your chapter endnotes. OMG, too funny.

A few places you decided to kill me:

1)"The look in Jim’s eyes, the aching tone in his voice, the way he tenderly held her against him as though she was the most precious thing he had ever seen had struck a thousand major, minor, and dissonant chords in her heart."

2)"When she pulled over to park, she saw a couple smaller, older pieces of furniture on the curb, and she recognized them immediately. Jim’s desk chair, the dingy lamp that had been on his dresser, and the little TV stand all sat next to each other by the trash and recycling bins. She glanced at the driveway. Empty, open garage. Jim’s car was gone.

She was too late."

3)"She hadn’t stuck the pin through the photo itself because she had wanted to keep it nice. But she plucked the photo from under the pin and crushed it in her fist before chucking it into the bottommost desk drawer. Throwing it away was too kind. She wanted to abandon it."

This. Was. So. GOOD!

I don't blame Pam for being confused, hurt, and angry. I feel for her, and these pieces break my heart even more.

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Yeah, I've got a lot of questions. First of all, how dare you?

Pam, baby, my poor baby. Ugh. Her head overruling her heart is so on point. She felt like she needed to make the smart decision, not the one she wanted to make. Her not even being able to sleep next to Roy killed me. And then realizing that Jim was the last person she kissed, so she kisses Roy? Perfection. I can't put it any other way.

Michael's bit made me crack up. The ring bearer of bad news. That is SO Michael. I can see why you crush on him. But his humor only makes Pam's heartbreak even more crushing. Her driving to his house, finding out she's too late, and then coming back and abandoning the photo because throwing it away would be too nice? My funeral is scheduled for Saturday, hope you can make it.

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Y’know how I said I would just drop a jellybean and no review? I lied.
TPB WHY HAS IT TAKEN YOU THIS LONG TO WRITE ANGST? WHEN YOU TUG AT EVERYONE’S HEARTSTRINGS SO MUCH WITH THIS!
This is utterly amazing, I have no words. Excuse me as I cry in the corner the rest of the day

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I know you hate angst, and that's okay. Fluff is much easier and more fun to write sometimes, but this is...wow. You did an incredible job capturing his emotions. It's realistic because where I go overboard thinking how dramatic it *could* have been, yours seems very close to canon.

Then we have the gut-wrenching destruction of the photo, and it feels so final, but I'm sure, for Jim, it's the one thing he imagines he can control.

One thousand more chapters of this, please, TPB. I'll jump on that harassment train with WW and NMT LOL.

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Ok, listen here and listen close. I have read probably about every casino night fic out there, hell I have ever written one. And yet this one right here hit me in places I didn't know I could be hit anymore. That part about him playing alternatives of what he said in his head? It had me gasping out loud at its brilliance. The imagery of Jim sobbing in the car on the way home... The fact that he somehow yet again ended up blaming it all on himself, the realization that imagery Pam was all he was gonna have, the photograph (which I can 100% see in my head as we speak) and him actually THROWING IT in the trash... Blow after blow, painful hit after hit. I'm a member of the "We Hate Angst" club as well. And yet I don't hate you. Oh, if you only knew how much I don't hate you right now... I literally cannot wait for the next chapter of this. Straight to my favorite stories, and how many jellybeans can we leave again? Lemme use them all up cause DAMN girl I can hardly breathe right now and this is exactly what I'm here to feel. Thank you so damn much for this high!