Gahhhhhhh!!!! Killing me!!!!!

Author's Response: Hahaha sorry - next chapter is coming!  Thanks for reviewing :)  

Hi I just want to say I love this story, I’ve been reading each chapter as soon as you post it. Usually I’m not a fan of mean Karen and its always so exasperating to watch Jim and Pam make themselves miserable by not being together, but this story has kept me on my toes and given me all the feelings. Thank you for updating so frequently! Can’t wait to see what happens next.

Author's Response:

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review - that's really incredible to hear! (I'm also not a fan of mean Karen haha - I *slightly* feel like I should have invented a new character altogether to be Jim's awful girlfriend. But I was being lazy...) 

I'm so glad that you're enjoying it, thanks so much for reading! :)  

OMG! Finally! It's really great how you adapt the scene of something borrowed but in a JAM way. It felt so real to them, so i love it!

Please get Karen out of the picture !!

Author's Response: Thank you so much! That's really so great to hear :) And haha, I can't make promises on Karen yet... 

YOU MADE CHILI'S-DENIZEN MICHAEL JAN'S BOYFRIEND AFTER ALL. That's amazing. I would love a side-story about how the two of them got together in this universe. (Did she say she was ashamed to be seen with you in public? Because you can come back from that, you know.” Oh, Michael. This is a good use of him, too - Jim's sad recognition that his relationship is more like Jan and Michael's than is at all healthy is a gut punch.)

It's really nice seeing Pam's growth continue here. This move to Stamford may be separating her from Jim, but it's also been good for her. (And maybe separating from Jim is a part of the reason why? She has to make a real life for herself as opposed to her fake one?)

Flip side, the fact that "trying" with Karen for Jim means pulling away from Pam a bit, and he hates it, is... telling.

Also, looks like it hasn't gone unnoticed. Pam's fire at the engagement party seems to have woken Karen up a little bit. And she handles it... poorly. So poorly. If she had stopped and listened to what Jim was saying she might have spared herself a lot of trouble. (I do feel for her here, even as I still dislike here. This time her insecurity is totally valid.)

Ugh. Ryan. Of course it takes him getting publicly smacked down to get the message, and of course he decides to embarrass everyone when it happens. Because he is the worst.

Between her wearing THAT dress and them going onto the roof, I am hoping you are sending us signals that the next chapter is going to lead to something good.

Author's Response:

Haha, thank you! I felt like we were missing some Michael. And Michael/Jan backstory - he is definitely a salesman in this fic too, so I think his superior sales skills must have been involved in the wooing. And almost definitely alcohol, again. So I'm going to go for some kind of sales convention that he and Jan just happened to be at.

On Pam's growth: so I think part of the reason why she can continue to develop here is because of the years she spent living with Jim, and his support, which was what she needed at that point in time. But you're right: she is past that now, and continuing the fake life with Jim wasn't going to get her (or him) there.

I also definitely feel for Karen here. 

Hehe, there will be *something* happening in the next chapter... 

Thank you so much for reviewing!  

Wow. I can literally reach out and touch the tension between all of these characters.

I mean... at least Karen’s finally starting to see Pam as the threat she is. All of a sudden, she wants to set Pam up with Ryan, and snaps at her about dealing with employees.

Don’t even get me started on Ryan. In the show, I love him. He’s such a disastrous character that has no idea what he’s doing. But I hate him in this. He’s so full of himself. (Also, what the fuck was up with him making comments about Pam not being ‘model-thin’? That’s so rude?)

And, of course, Michael. The hero we all needed. He’s definitely a big part of why the night was so explosive.

Lastly, we’re getting the dinner on the roof scene! I just know Karen will be pissed.

I feel like we’re getting closer to Jim and Pam getting together. And I, for one, am ready for all hell to break loose. (You’d better have Isabel punch Karen - or Pam; that would be even better). Yes, I condone violence.

BlindManCassidy

Author's Response:

Thank you! And haha, I'm basing a lot of this on season 4 Ryan to be fair, who was at his most awful/full of himself before he, you know, got arrested for embezzlement. The model-thin comments are also inspired by his bagel scene on the show (although I also think he thinks he's being smooth here).  And yes lol, adding Michael to any situation = guaranteed results! I can't confirm whether anyone will be getting punched...

Thanks so much for reviewing!  

Karen is THE WORST!!! She has this really annoying habit of only seeing what she wants to see. Jim is her boytoy to do with as she pleases. Ryan is cute and needs a girl so there! Use Pam. I just really hate they way she just steamrolls over everything. She wants Jim to work on their relationship but she's not doing anything to work on it. She just has her plan and Jim better be there like the good dog she's trying to train him to be.

However Jim is starting to rebel and I love that. He's not even hiding it in public anymore. His distain for her antics is really coming through. Keep it up Jim!

Ryan is a sleezeball end of story.

Pam's getting more confident in herself too. Taking classes, being there for Jim in a situation that's clearly uncomfortable for her. Doing everything she can to make moments with Jim. Love that.

Micheal was a fun addition.

Now for a "date" on the roof. Dear god you two, you've come a long ways already. Get it together!

Author's Response:

Thanks you! And haha, I really am generating a lot of hate for Karen. And Ryan. Sleazy Ryan is always fun though. 

Pam and Jim are slowly inching there... 

Thanks for reviewing! 

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Michael returns!!!! So, remember how I said I wanted you to write me into the story so I could punch Ryan? Request still stands. Also, I don’t think I have hated Karen in a fan fic more than this one. Does she not understand that Ryan and Pam literally broke up for a reason, therefore forcing them on a date isn’t the best idea? Oh, and Karen 100% knows about Pam’s feelings. She is completely onto her. But Karen is in for a rude awakening that Jim shares those feelings. Also I love the touch of Isabel saying she wouldn’t want to think about Jim in that way, clearly showing how she obviously does not have feelings for him.

Author's Response:

Haha, got to have some Michael. And lol! Your request has been noted. Poor old Ryan. And Karen. And yep, she is 100% onto Pam now...

Thanks so much for reviewing! :)  

In my best Dr. McCoy voice "Damnit Jim!"

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Love that Jim stands up to Karen at the start. He has plans and he's not going to break them. It really felt like Karen knew he had plans to leave that night, made the dinner date plans and expected him to fall in line. Really glad he didn't. Karen is just so wrong for him in so many ways.

Then we get to the party. There's so much to love about the party. A return to what feels like, this is how Jim should be. Surrounded by friends who REALLY care about him. He's loose, he's easy, he's thinking about Pam. It's great. Athleap! Now that brings in a new angle. It also probably torpedoes the theory I had with the appearances of Micheal. I thought there would be some mention of Micheal starting his paper company and needed top people. Thus Jim and Pam can get away from Dunder-Mifflin and finally pull their heads out of their butts about each other. However now we have an angle about Athleap. That could prove very interesting going forward.

Big progress for Pam. She's also more loose and easy. Clearly she's more than a little affected being so close to Jim. Also two HUGE things from where I sit. One, she admits she loves him and tells the truth about their night together in college. And two, she really stands up to Karen there. Holy crap and hell yeah Pam! She starting to get some steel in her spine and I'm here for it. Also with her admission about her feeling and the past she may have a new ally on her side to encourage her to go for Jim some more because he needs it.

Now Karen. Hoo boy. I means it's not so much she's waving red flags, it's that she has an entire color guard of them! I mean seriously! Not listening to Jim. Dismissing his feelings. Turning his words around! She does not care about him as a person, only as a status. Her line that relationships take work is proof of that. It feels so manupulative. Yes, relationships take work, but a in a good one, the two parties will WANT to work to make it better. Not get browbeated into it. I mean this is getting towards emotional abuse levels of things.

Now, like I said earlier. Damnit Jim! You were so close. All those thoughts and feelings you've been having about how Karen's not right for you. You even told her! And you still go back. I really hope he starts to see the light some more.

Helluva chapter.

Author's Response:

Thanks so much! :) 

Haha, it is definitely a Damnit Jim moment. And ooh that is a good Michael theory! So I will say: he is going to be playing a slightly bigger role soon. And it will be paper related. And I'm going to leave it there. 

And lol - Karen and a color guard of red flags! I think I've said it before, but I do see what Karen's doing as emotional abuse. I don't think it's intentional (as in, she's not deliberately trying to manipulate Jim: I think she has convinced herself it will work if he just puts some effort in), but that doesn't change the fact that it is. Jim actually telling Karen how he feels is a (very) small bit of progress for him though.   

Thanks for reviewing!  

So... I don't hate you. But I kind of do. Ughhhhhh. I was SO excited when they were dancing and when his hand was on her back and then freaking KAREN shows up and I got SO MAD. AND THEN KARENS COMMENTS ABOUT ISABEL AND JIM AND I WANTED TO PUNCH HER. Pam standing up for Is was the best thing to happen though. And thennnnn I thought Jim and Karen were going to break up. I was SO excited, this was it. It was the moment we've been waiting for. And... then it's not. But that's not even the best part. Because Pam FINALLY admits that she loves Jim, and Is is telling her to go after him, and maybe she will, but now Jim is saying he's going to actually try with Karen and I swear to everything that is holy if Pam admits her feelings to Jim and if he even for a *fraction* of a second pretends he doesn't feel the same, I'm throwing my computer out the window. (but then ill go pick it up because I need this story to just be constantly updated, I love it so much, please don't forget that)

Author's Response:

Hahaha - thank you (and sorry, I can only apologise for the Karen).   Jim is sort of getting there by finally saying out loud to Karen that there's a problem...two steps forward, one step back? Please don't throw you computer out the window haha. One thing I will say is that Jim and Pam are different people, so I don't think Pam would necessarily do the same things/react in exactly the same way to everything as Jim - and vice versa. (I think that's suitably vague...)

Thanks so much for reviewing, I really appreciate it!  

So, you ask me to not hate you? Thats a tall task to ask. And I won’t beat around the bush, I think I do. But on the other hand, this was the best chapter yet. It was incredible even though the ending destroyed me. I have to complement you on how you are doing the Pam pines after Jim instead Jim pining after Pam. Because in canon Pam is just like this Jim, crawling back to Roy because of familiarity and she see no other option because Jim doesn’t show her that option. And you do the other way around in this perfectly. And finally, I gotta say that you are doing a good job of using every chapter to make us hate Karen more and more and more.

Author's Response:

Haha, I'm sorry - but thanks so much, that's really nice of you to say! (and sorry for the destroying, lol). Yeah, I think I'm guilty of a bit of character assassination on poor Karen here...but making her hateable is also quite fun. 

Thanks very much for continuing to review! :D I promise Jim will get there in the end, just like Pam did eventually in canon...  

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UGH.
How have you written just a day of PACKING with such emotion and depth?--- JUST BRILLIANT WRITING AND BRILLIANT STUFF
This chapter has blow me away with its subtlety, meaning and the most amazing writing. From packing a home together to having the most banal yet cherished memories associated with every other object, to the bowl which is very intelligently green in colour and symbolic of EVERYTHING so far- precious, broken, damaged, cherished and preserved. UGH
Both the crying scenes - amazing. Pam's is self aware but reluctant, and Jim's is frustrated and unknown. The contrast yet juxtaposition is amazing!
Kudos Kudos Kudos

Author's Response: Thank you so much - that is so kind of you to say :)  I’m so thrilled to hear that. And yeah, I liked the idea of them both having a sort of breakdown - but Pam’s actually in a slightly healthier (or at least more honest/self-aware) emotional space than Jim is. Thanks very much!! 

“Karen gives her a look of disbelief. ‘You?’ Then she shakes her head. ‘As if you’d come up with something like this.’ (Like what, Pam thinks?) ‘I know you’re his friend, but you don’t have to do this for him.’”

I’m just gonna say it. Karen’s a bitch.

Like, I can understand why she would be upset. Andy broke the computer. But Pam literally had nothing else to do because Karen won’t let her join in.

Also? I hate how she thinks Pam is so incompetent. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; she’s an idiot. If there’s spelling errors, I’m sorry. I’m literally shaking, I’m so mad at her(Karen).

What happened to not making excuses for Karen? Why won’t she tell Jim what happened? Obviously he’d be mad, since Karen threatened to fire Pam(over nothing, in my opinion) but it’s not her job to sort out their relationship. She said that before.

GOD

BlindManCassidy

Author's Response:

Haha, sorry - I didn't mean make her quite so hateable. (Well, only a bit). To be fair, Pam is also feeling guilty at this point because the prank was her idea, and she encouraged Jim to do it. So she wasn't going to let him take the fall for that.

I will also say that Karen may have taken something out of that conversation with Pam that Pam didn't entirely pick up on...

Thanks so much for reviewing!   

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First of all, Ryan is a giant prick. Basscop, if you could, could you write me into the story so I could punch him? Because I really want to. Also, I cannot wait for Karen finding out about Pam and Jim because the belittling of Pam from her is absurd. It’s like she thinks Pam is incapable of anything remotely smart. I can’t wait to see Karen’s smug little smile get wiped off her face. And I gotta say, I love how you made Karen like this in the story. It is so different from canon. In canon, Karen is always on guard to watch Jim and Pam because she knows Pam is a threat. But here she has no clue and it is very refreshing. I cannot wait for the engagement party. I have feeling that it is going to be the climax and something big is going to happen. Still loving the story.

Author's Response:

Hahaha that would be something to see! Poor Ryan. Well, not really. I am really enjoying writing Karen like this, lol. I will say that she might be starting to get a bit more wary shortly, at least about Pam. 

Really glad to hear you're still loving it! And I hope the engagement party delivers, gulp. Although I can't confirm whether it's going to be the climax of the story...  

Thanks so much for reviewing! :)