Date: June 06, 2021 05:18 am Title: Fight
The Pam an Jim arc in season 9 to me seemed both real in that yes they might come to a place where they weren't on the same page but also not as simple as who was right and who was wrong. I see a lot of I was on her side or his side when really I feel like it wasn't about sides...it was about communication and compromise. I think you did a great job showcasing where both fell apart and why they both lost way.
Right in the flashback you showed Pam both expressing the importance of going for the things you want and being happy with the status quo. I would have been confused as Jim.
There was also this.... He knows with absolute confidence he would have loved her in every single one of her iterations, but by the time she’d gotten together with Jim, she’d begun to undergo such a transformation all on her own. The experience of watching her grow and become the person she was meant to be, all while being right by her side, is an extremely special gift that Jim will always be grateful for. Now I loved this paragraph- so beautifully written.
And through that and the conversation with Toby you showed that he believed that sometimes Pam needed a little push to realize what she wanted or go for change. However by the end maybe he realized he had overstepped this time.
your writing really puts the reader right in the middle of all the emotions of this time and my heart was hurting in the reading. You are canon compliant so I know you come to a happy resolution but oof I know there's going to be more hurt to read before the happy again. Ok deep breaths, I'm going on to chap 16
Date: June 05, 2021 02:35 pm Title: Fight
Well, you've really done a lot of work to fill in the gaps during the cuts to black here, where we missed an awful lot of dialogue in Season 9. Pam's laying out for Jim everything that she's taking on and what it's costing him being gone is really powerfully written, and you've captured the vibe well of a Jim who is just starting to catch up with how much trouble his marriage is in.
The "Roy magically cleaned up his act offscreen" thing is one of my least favorite parts of this, my least favorite season, but I thought you did well bringing that flashback up, and identifying the very different take-aways the two of them had from Roy's Wedding, and how they end up reflecting on this conversation.
This conversation with Toby is BRUTAL. You did really well with him - not an easy character to write, but you've managed to capture both his quiet insight and the fact that he's kind of a smug douchebag throwing popcorn from the cheap seats. He does his job here in making Jim answers his own questions better than I think he intended to.
Date: June 04, 2021 01:39 am Title: Fight
Another big heavy chapter, but right in the wheelhouse of their S9 struggles. In one sense I'm glad they're at least talking about this. Even if the conversation hurts and Pam has to remind Jim of some of the things he's missed. I've said for a long time that Jim and Pam's biggest issue has always been lack of real honest communication. It feels like even if they're trying there's still a few roadblocks in their way.
Bringing up the comparison with Roy was a shot to Jim I'm sure. Like you said he's tried to be everything Roy wasn't. Which I'm sure is among the reasons why you had him agree to counseling so readily here. Still I'm sure that was a hit to him.
Their feelings after leaving Roy's wedding felt like more of the same, even if they were earlier in the timeline. There's just something off that growing between them. Nice way to bring that in.
Jim talking to Toby here makes sense. I get the sense that Toby put his own counselor hat on here with Jim. He made Jim really think about things and answer his own questions. So kind of a pre-counselling session for Jim. It does feel like Jim and Pam are not on the same page here. Yeah it stings but that means your writing was really good.
Author's Response: Yes, I agree everything in S9 stemmed from miscommunication and their inability to figure out the right way to navigate a situation where there is really no middle ground. It's real and difficult and thank god they make it through. Thanks so much for your reviews!
Date: June 03, 2021 02:27 pm Title: Fight
I had to just sit and stare off into space for a few minutes before I could even try to write a review that expresses how much this chapter hurt me. Ugh.
“If you have something to say, Pam, by all means, say it.” He doesn’t mean to utter the next part, but it slips out anyway. “Or you can just air it all out to the boom guy tomorrow.”
I don't think I've ever gasped so loudly while reading. Damn. DAMN. And then how you have Pam apologize for all those moments that Jim wasn't there. Just fuck me UUUUUUP.
“You guys did couples’ counseling?”
He’s slightly surprised, wondering at what point in their relationship that conversation came up and why.
She looks right at him, eyes narrowed. “No. We didn’t.”
WOOOOWWWWWWW. I mean. Ugh. It takes guts to compare your man to your ex, and it also takes guts to write about that. I can't imagine either, so major props to you.
Jim's conversation with Toby made me come *this* close to crying. You made me feel sympathy for Jim even though he's in the wrong. Idk how you did it.
My heart hurts. So, so much. I haven't felt this much unadulterated, heart-stopping panic since I was rear-ended, lol. Please update soon! (though I know there's still more angst)