Date: December 04, 2007 10:53 am Title: Chapter 3
Oh man. This is so tense. I am completely sucked into this world you've managed to illustrate so fully. Jim's mother's humor was fabulous and I adored the description of Frank Jr. as being stuck between worlds. And the reactions of everyone to the stress of holidays multiplied by the stress of terminal illness is amazing. Nothing I've been through but it all seems so real.
Date: November 30, 2007 01:54 pm Title: Chapter 3
Oh, Jim. And Pam, who is pushing him away because if she lets herself lean on him she's afraid she won't be able to hold herself up. So spot-on and just...pristinely sad. Still, Jim's pretty much perfect.
8 [Report This]Date: November 20, 2007 06:25 pm Title: Chapter 3
"Roy who felt like maybe he was a well-worn part of the upholstery here in the Beesly household. While I felt...I felt like a brand new piece of furniture that they'd picked - that they liked even...but they were still getting used to it. They still weren't sure it was quite as comfortable as their old furniture. Weren't sure it quite meshed with all the rest of the knick-knacks."
What a perfect analogy of what Jim is going through.
Date: November 19, 2007 12:37 pm Title: Chapter 3
I really like the idea of Jim dealing with Roy being there, and the family dynamic is really interesting, too!
I have an awesome little brother named Frankie, so I can relate to that ;-)
Date: November 17, 2007 05:38 am Title: Chapter 3
This is just unbelievably, subtly perfect. Of course, Allison can make everything okay by making a ton of food and Frank is going to make really awful jokes about dying. Because that's how real people deal (and don't deal) with huge emotional issues. Poor Pam. She can't face it and she can't walk away from it, either, even if it's only for awhile. This is just unbelievably well done. The characters are staying true to themselves in a difficult situation and you've pegged that situation perfectly.
10 [Report This]Date: November 16, 2007 10:25 pm Title: Chapter 3
This one is making my heart hurt a bit. Such a tough spot for Jim. He's in a situation where his thoughts and feelings have to take a back seat to what Pam needs, but of course those thoughts and feelings are still there, and to have to deal with Pam not letting him in and Roy's lurking presence...it's tough stuff. You've crafted this so well that it's really got me invested. I'll be checking frequently for updates.
Author's Response: Hey Brokenloon!!! Thanks so much for reading, so so glad you're enjoying this. Jim is in a really tough spot. Part of what inspired Jim's thought process in this story, was the idea of him "maturing" or coming into his own on the show (not that we'll actually SEE that arc...grrr), but I was was thinking of how this sort of situation would jumpstart that process even more. Stay tuned for more! :-)
Date: November 16, 2007 05:30 pm Title: Chapter 3
Lovefool -- wow, I am SO sorry I missed this so far. (You do non-fluff great BTW)
I love how you have captured the sheer awkwardness of being at your SO's family's for the holidays the first time.
A favorite part: I was a part of something bigger now. It wasn't just - ‘what am I doing for the holidays' anymore. It wasn't just assumed that I'd be at my parent's house. I'd been welcomed to adulthood - real adulthood - in that instant. I was now a member of a committee that made decisions that had nothing at all to do with myself or my own comfort or well-being. I was a part of the Pam and Jim committee.
Gah. Loooove that -- such an odd time when you are transitioning into that stage of forming a family of your own and trying to figure out how that fits with the family you grew up with.
Cannot wait to read more. Obviously.
Author's Response: Aw, Lisahoo! Well at least you found it! So glad you did! And thanks for the non-fluff compliment!!! It's so, so nice to hear that. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE ME SOME FLUFF...but it's nice to dabble in other things from time to time and have people still read it! lol. Anyway, Jim realizing that he was part of a new family now and REALLY a part of Pam, was one of my favorite parts too...thanks so much for letting me know!
Date: November 16, 2007 10:56 am Title: Chapter 3
This is seriously, seriously great, and it just keeps getting better and better. I read chapter three about ten minutes ago and I still am feeling all sad and conflicted and guhh! Can't Roy spend Thanksgiving with his own freaking family? But this feels like something that totally could happen. Can't wait to read more...but when you're done, can you write some patented LoveFool fluff to make me a little happier? :-)
Author's Response: hahaha! I think I might be in the mood for a little fluff myself after this is over. I'll see what I can do! BabyTalk is long overdue, I'm thinkin'. Supergirlsudz, thank so much for the review!...You know, I think for Roy, Pam's family is still a huge part of him and he's probably feeling some grief of his own...so we'll see what happens!
Date: November 16, 2007 10:27 am Title: Chapter 3
I really like this story. Keep up the good work
Author's Response: Thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it! Keep reading!
10 [Report This]Date: November 16, 2007 06:37 am Title: Chapter 3
This is so great. It's like Jim is closer and closer to his breaking point what with Roy being there and Pam breaking down, and the tension that is keeping him from meshing, but he doesn't feel like he has the right to break down because of what's going on. This is so fabulous; I'm really really excited to see how this develops. :D
Author's Response: Grandmutter what nice reviews you have! ;-) Thanks so much, I'm glad you've stuck with it from the beginning, so awesome. Jim is being pretty strong through all of this, we'll see if he can keep it up and if Pam let's him in...
10 [Report This]Date: November 16, 2007 06:13 am Title: Chapter 3
My heart hurts a little right now. Poor Jim. He feels so left out and he's being so patient. I feel horrible for Pam that she feels she's got to keep it together and keep it all in when she probably just wants to scream at the top of her lungs. I really hope she lets him help her. PLEASE!
Seriously though - this is so good. I can actually feel how Jim must be feeling and what he must be going through - you're so good at this. More, soon, please :)
Author's Response: Aw, Kells! Thank you! Poor Jim is being really patient, isn't he? Well, we all know that will pay off in the end for him, so rest assured of that. I don't think Pam can even fathom letting her guard down right now...but maybe soon. Thanks again for the review!
Date: November 16, 2007 05:53 am Title: Chapter 3
I am loving this my friend. First, even in your 'fluffy' fics, you always have moments that reveal these characters' more serious emotions. You never do mindless cute for cute's sake, even in your sweetest, funniest pieces. Jim's sense of missing Pam; needing to be 'them' with her for just a moment to feel normal; hurt at her withdrawing from him; reawakened resentment of Roy; feeling horribly out of place; not knowing how/who to be in this situation is all so PALPABLE. Whether in fluff, or here, the way you KNOW these characters always comes through. Oh, a great detail - the way Jim's mom's inadvertent comment galvanizes for him that he and Pam really are a unit now. Terrific.
Author's Response: Colette thank you so much for this review! First, I just want to say that what you said about my fluff, means a lot to me...thank you for that. I appreciate it. Secondly, I'm so happy to hear that I've managed to convey all of those emotions! I think this is exactly why this story was begging for the first person. I did not originally write it that way...and it didn't have the same emotional punch as I think it does now...so thank you, thank you so much! These two characters are so much fun to get to put into different scenarios and experiment with...
Date: November 16, 2007 01:51 am Title: Chapter 3
Super...no, great...no, terrific...no, wonderful. Ok how about all of them. Frank Sr. and Frankie are just funny. And although this story has a real angst tone right now, they crack me up. Jim's thoughts are right on. You have to feel for the guy, being all alone in this akward situation without having someone there to confide in. And I know Pam would usually be there by his side, but she's so torn between what's going on with her dad and trying to help her mom, it's a lot to handle. And now you throw Roy in the middle of it, which was brilliant, this is good drama. Wow, I love this.
Author's Response: Aw, Kgarrett! Thanks for being such a loyal reader/reviewer! You rock! I accept and appreciate super, great, terrific, AND wonderful. Ain't nothing wrong with any of those! I'm glad you're enjoying Frank Sr. and Frankie! I think there's something a little tragic about their dynamic, but you're right in that they've also got some tit for tit <Dwight> going on. Thanks again for the review!
Date: November 16, 2007 01:19 am Title: Chapter 3
I am ridiculously in love with this story, I'm telling you. I've tried imagining Jim meeting Roy again, and I've tried imagining Jim meeting Pam's parents, but I've never tried imagining Jim meeting Roy again and meeting Pam's parents at the same time [which is silly because obviously it's a possibility - they were part of each other's lives for so long], without Pam as support because she's going through a phase where she wants her dad to be alright and maybe that would involve going back to a time when she was still with Roy. Obviously she still loves Jim [like when she clearly considered taking that walk with him for a nanosecond] but right now she's more comfortable with Roy, and as much as that hurts, and as much as I want to punch his face in, I think this is good. Maybe I just like the idea of angst with a clearly fluffy ending...somewhere.
I love that the people Jim is most comfortable with at this point are Pam's parents, who I would expect would be a little tighter about this new guy. I like that it's not what I expected. I love how Allison Beesly is, in general, especially how she makes Jim miss Pam who's right inside. Oh, my heart; this is wonderful. I love it. [apparently I like pain in my heart, which is what this show has done to me.]
Anyway, you're doing an amazing job, and I feel for Jim. [who you've mentioned as Jim instead of in first-person a couple of times in this chapter, I think.] I can't wait to see where this goes. Please make Roy even more of a douche and Pam be Pam again, because I miss her almost as much as Jim does. Yes, that much.
Author's Response: Moofoot thank you, thank you for such an awesome review!! I think you're right...I did flub some of the first person in this last chapter...that's what I get for posting so late at night. I'll go back and fix that soon.
I think you are ABSOLUTELY right on about how Pam is feeling in regards to Roy being what's "comfortable" right now. Clearly in love with Jim, but Jim represents at least to some degree "newness" and Roy is a throw-back to her dad being A-ok. ...I too want to bash Roy's face in however, and Jim seemed pretty damn close at the end of Chapter 3 there! I suppose we shall see....maybe he's a sympathetic douche...a douche -- but perhaps a sympathetic one...time will tell.
Thanks again for reading and reviewing. So, so awesome!