I can’t even begin to tell you how much I loved this chapter... but I’ll try! I’m so glad Pam finally found a way to end things with Roy & have it stick. I wondered how you would deal with that, considering it was clear in earlier chapters that Roy was not going take it lying down. I found it a pretty natural fix - I can see Pam turning it around like that grinding Roy’s gears & making him think it was more of his idea. That logistical nightmare solved & we’re on to the good stuff! I adored the more confident, says what she’s really thinking version of Pam in this chapter. Plus, the Jim in this chapter was just a delight. I loved how you used Michael to save them from the Booze Cruise. Oh, and the inclusion of the art class/Melanie as part of the day was also great to see. I know you’re setting up for a happy ending, but boy oh boy am I nervous after that last line!

Author's Response: I'm really glad you loved it! This was a chapter that took me quite a bit of time to write, so I'm glad that the solutions I presented seemed to work for you. Thanks for reading!

1

*cracks neck and fingers*

Let us begin.

Starting out, Pam standing up to Roy. I was wondering how you'd handle that and you did a masterful job. It feels a lot like how you had Pam break things off with Roy back in "Morning After." However this time the writing is a lot more fleshed out. I actually kind of enjoyed that Roy didn't just back off and whimper at Pam. He's still completely clueless about everything, but the more he fights the more wrong he is. Which in turn adds even more confirmation to Pam about the need to get out of that relationship. The last thing Fancy New Beesly (because lets all agree she's FNB now) needs is an angry man-child for the rest of her life. She's done letting him take her for granted and he has no reply. Other than knee-jerk anger that is, which of course is typical. I did really like it that because of all this, the way for Pam to break up with him is for him to break up with her. I can see in the future how that would hopefully prevent Roy from trying the whole Season 3 chicken-or-fish do everything I can to get her back routine that just annoys everyone. It's the hard clean break that everyone needs. Pam's ready for this of course by now which of course leaves her free.

Now, onto Jim. Once again Jim is great here. He's just there for her. Well done Jim, good boy. Have a Scooby snack, or maybe a few more jellybeans. In fact have all the jelly beans. Even Bertie Bots earwax flavored ones. You can use them as prank ammo I'm sure. Seriously though, your Jim and Pam banter remains on point here.

Pam's wonder and delight as the day progresses was a joy to read. She's really got the feeling that this will be the last cycle, and she's reveling in it. Granted so much of that is because of the uptick in her friendship with Jim. They always bring out the best in each other and you show that brilliantly.

Still tons of great things from the show. Jinx, 'more than that,' and of course their Casino Night outfits. I loved the image of them at the fun center in their "fancy clothes." Who cares if they're overdressed. They're on a date and having fun and that's the only thing that matters.

Now one thing, I was kind of hoping their fist kiss would be on the deck of the boat. Very VERY minor critique there. The actual kiss itself had me grinning from ear to ear. Especially after I googled what a monkfish really looks like. Good god man! That's the basis for comparison? Yeah, nothing but positives for that.

No you're not a sadist for ending the night the way you did. After how many cycles she's gone through, it makes complete sense that Pam would still on her guard. Especially after the night she just had.

From sparks comes coals. From coals comes smoke. From smoke comes fire and Pam's fire is blazing away like a beacon here. Jim's too. They've got the kind of bonfire here that after it gets going, and I mean really going, one steps back and admires with pride. One looks around and silently dares anyone to try and put it out. Hell, you'd challenge even the Forest Service with one of their water scooping planes to try and tame this bad boy. It may have taken a while to ignite, but there's no stopping this fire.

Longest chapter for you, quite probably the longest review I've ever written. *high five* I've been saving this jellybean for this moment. Well earned my friend. This was superb.

Author's Response: Let's start by pointing out that there's no way I'm going to do justice to all of this review in my response, but I'll start off by saying thank you--this review is the sine qua non of your reviews, in that it manages to give specific, helpful commentary on detailed parts of the chapter while also giving an overview, and I appreciate it immensely. I know you and a few others were hoping they'd end up on the boat, but I think from my own perspective part of Pam's discovery here and in the whole cycle is that she doesn't actually need to be on that boat: that she needs to go after what's important to her and not what everyone else (in this case Michael) sets up for her. Thanks, as ever.