Randall. Saving. The. Damn. Day. Love it.

This description of Michael's car is fun. "If Michael thought a lake cruise was a good idea in early January, he may have also hit the beach on an unseasonably warm day in December." Write THAT fic.

Lol. The chewed seatbelt. And nice to see a nice moment between OG Pam and New Michael.

THE NOTE FROM JIM. Too sweet. Ugh. I am very nervous as to how the next steps will proceed.

And I love that Michael's first thought upon seeing that room is ALWAYS a cafe disco.

THIS SCENE IN THE KITCHEN. THE CALLBACKS. THE KISS. I AM OVERWHELMED.

Author's Response: In lieu of a lengthy response I'll be working on next chapter but as always thank you!

Well. What an ending!! 😬😬😬
Loved the reference to Michael chewing his seatbelt. Nice touch!!
Looking forward to the next chapter!!

Author's Response: In the interest of getting to the next chapter, I'll be brief....THANKS a lot.

Feels like a lot more set up for when the timelines finally merge. Good job Pam trying to keep everything in line. However, as with anything there are just some things you can't control. Jim being on a sales call or Vicky calling. It's one thing to break up with Roy, but by now she's also breaking up with what she thought would be her extended family. No surprise that there would be a lot of emotions involved.

So someone else is also tracking Pam. Interesting. I don't know if Matt here has the same time travel sense that Randall seems to, but it's defiantly a point to consider.

Also, yes Pam, get clothes with ALL the pockets. Functional pockets for all! It could be the secret to world peace, who knows?

Author's Response:

You are right that things are coming together so of course there would be a little angst to possibly put a wrench in all of it. 

Thanks as always for being with me as this story comes full circle.

THE SARA BAREILLES REFERENCE. HEART EYES.

You did well establishing the tension in the early going here... and Pam taking time out of this tense moment to worry about being rude to Hank very in character.

"A new version of Pam Beesly, one who had a chance to start over and rewrite her story with someone who made her feel important and smart and talented and loved... Herself." LOVE this line, and very much in keeping with the Sara Bareilles song referenced.

Pockets remain a time travel necessity.

Her knowing instinctively that of course Jim would recognize her wardrobe had changed is such a sweet moment. "Even if she wasn’t going to declare her love, she just wanted to be near him, make things right again and tell him what she had just done." That's so THEM.

EEEEEP. The documentary staff is definitely going to suspect SOMETHING is up after all this... I'm sure they've got some weird stuff.

The Vicky talk is one we don't see enough in Jam fanfic. It seems like that would be a fraught and interesting relationship, especially knowing from the superfan episodes that Vicky is definitely a "call Pam at work" kind of future mother-in-law. This characterization of her fits, I think.

THE RECONTEXTUALIZED I CAN'T.

Author's Response:

Well I know you are a fan and I love that song and have listened to it enough that it kind of took over as I wrote. And I kind of love that line too. I'd like to think that this journey was not just about finding the right partner but about finding herself again.

I'm really glad you mentioned the Vicky talk. To me that is real and something I wanted to bring into play in this piece. There's no way Pam did not have a hard time losing people that I'm sure had been so much a part of her life, no matter how that relationship was.

As always, I appreciate you and thank you. 

Loved getting a Jim POV here!

*--Get Pam’s masterpiece framed at my new favorite store, Michael’s--

“I’m, ah trapped in an oil painting.”

“Really Michael, you’re trapped in a painting? I’m hanging up.”*

This is a great nod to his list of excuses. Also I love that you worked in Michaels craft store... props to you.

*She had been on the phone but it never stopped him before, in fact it was a game of theirs, he would whisper silly words like ‘gingersnap’ and ‘cornucopia’ that she was supposed to use in her conversation. Not once had she succeeded, his words were always too trivial, but she was determined to get a win in soon.*

Aw, this is cute. Don't know if you intended it but it made me think of the "birdcage" bit.

*Only the bottom of her three was secured with a key. This was the one where she kept the teapot and the doves and the French Onion chips she couldn’t bring herself to ever eat.*

The way she's keeping Jim locked away (even subconsciously) is a nice touch.

*she’d just wasted close to a decade on the ground when she could have been flying.*

Um, ouch.

*"I wouldn’t want you to lose a sale because of me. You know it is your career."*

WHOA, is that Fancy New Beesly peeking out? Ouch again.

Author's Response:

Yeah, it's been too long since heard from Jim. Hope it came across they are both worried how the other seems to be holding onto the fight and they are both feeling guilty for it.

Not sure if you remember that Michael's first came up in No Place Like Home chapter. I do think he'd love that place on multiple levels. Glad you mentioned the excuses- it was a bit of last minute layering that I was unsure if it felt a little forced in as opposed to organic...but that canon line about the oil painting just tickled me.

The words bit was inspired by a deleted/superfan scene where they make faces at each other. This a similar Jim-created game they could play he's deemed a challenge but really he's just trying to get her to laugh (as he always does) with the silliest words he can think of. 

Like I said in response to W - F Pam has no idea but her very presence and the changes she is making to the past are having a bit of an effect on P Pam - making her a bit steelier (even though I feel she always had a bit more with Jim because she felt safer to).

Thanks much for the review. It's always great to hear what parts you most enjoyed.

Get in! GREAT chapter, the chickens have finally come home to roost for Roy - well done Pam in keeping her head and her resolution! Really looking forward to the next chapter!

Author's Response: Well thanks lady. Glad you enjoyed. Happy to have Pam make her best move yet. 

HOLY CRUD. THAT MUSIC VIDEO. THAT IS THE MOST SERENDIPITOUS THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED. (I am forced to admit I was unfamiliar with this Ingrid song, which is too bad since it's a BANGER video or no video.)

"Toby stayed behind, muttering to himself as he stared at the image of a beach on his computer’s screen saver." *sigh* Poor Toby.

I continue to really love the whole premise of this fic being "what if Pam could see herself the same way the audience sees here?" It really is such a different perspective, and her being able to see the cracks in the concrete around her here is a well-chosen metaphor.

Oh, CRUD. Some base level time travel problems here (although it's interesting to see how much altered-timeline Pam is finding herself thinking much the same way...) And having to witness a Dwangela make-out session is just the cherry on top.

Props to Pam for pushing through it all at last... and to Roy, I guess, for doing his best to make it the obvious choice. Look up from the magazine, doofus, and pay attention to what she's saying and not just the measly details you're capable of picking up on.

LOVED her interior monologue here...

Author's Response:

THe song - right? The video- double right?

Toby, at least he can dream- but could you imagine his reaction had Pam come out from her hiding spot upon him?

Thank you for always coming to share your enjoyment of this fic - I know its dragged on so long but we are in the home stretch and many of the the throughlines are about to resurface (and that is a hint).

Thanks again always. 

Talk about self-reflection! Future Pam being able to see all the cracks around Past Pam was incredibly telling. We really get the sense that Future Pam is ready to move on from where she was to where she wants to be. Her confrontation with Roy shows that in superb form. If feels like she might have broken and caved to Roy like her past self did last night. However, Future Pam isn't the pushover she once was. She's had the steel in her spine forged and tempered to withstand the hardships now facing her. It's amazing all that's she's found out about herself and more importantly who has and who hasn't been there to help her along. Jim, Michael, Randall, Gabby, friends who have been there to walk along side and help her grow all in different ways. Yet Roy, the person who is supposed to be all that for her in one, treats her simply as his maid, cook, and bedwarmer. It really feels like the innocence of her youth has left her. She sees that Roy was attractive to her younger self, now as a more mature adult he fails the tests that will really bring her happiness. So yes it's still hard for her to end things, for both of them, but once more Future Pam is standing up for herself.

I also find it really interesting that it's not a big scream of fury that is what finally gets through to Roy. Clearly, he had been expecting a fight there at the end. When Pam changes tactics on him and ends things calmly, it hits him in a way he can't deal with and can't recover from. Nice job bringing that out.

So, the plan is in motion, and it seems like the first and biggest part is complete. Now to see how all the rest unfolds. Can't wait.

Author's Response:

Yup, Yup, Yup, and Yup. Breakup scene was one of the hardest parts in this to write (if you don't count keeping track of the different versions and the easy to mess up continuity and remembering which Pam experienced what) so I'm grateful for your review.

Thanks again. Looking forward to sharing how the rest turns out. 

This was all so beautifully written, loved it.
You wrote the break up so well here. Roy just doesn’t get it at all, and at the end he still says boyfriend. Amazing work.
The reference to Pam’s blue shirt was a great call out as it’s so strikingly different to her normal clothes.
Looking forward to the next chapter!

Author's Response:

The breakup scene was one of the hardest parts for me to write so thanks for the kind words. You noticed the blue shirt - good!

TY again. 

This sort of cascading anger feedback loop is a very real thing and well described. Also, again, the detail of Roy being a road ragey-style terrible driver (and responding to criticism of it by driving even worse) is spot on.

This feels like some progress for Pam... maintaining her rage instead of letting it morph into sadness is important to defeating her passivity. Even if she's not quite prepared to keep it up. And it's good to see her, even without being able to have some perspective on herself from time travel, entertaining these doubts.

And our current timeline Pam seems like she's finding her footing, maybe for good! Might not be coming as fast as she would like, but she's making moves in a way that works for the long term.

Author's Response:

Cascading anger feedback loop - This is precisely what I've been trying to convey this whole time and here you put it words I couldn't have said better myself. 

Close but no cigar for past Pam, but with new Pam's influence she's at least had the thought and made an attempt.

Good thing New Pam will be taking the reins with the next chapter which I can't wait for you to read!!!! 

Oh Past Pam. So close and yet so far. I mean that was probably the closest she's come to really breaking it off. Replaying all the ways he's not good for her, how she knows she wasn't really angry at Jim but that Jim was just a target of opportunity. A little bit of steel there from her by yelling at Roy, but Past Pam is still Past Pam and can be easily swayed by the same old routine that Roy has always pulled. So, instead she's just left feeling sad again. Oof.

Future Pam seems to be lining her ducks up a little more. Good! Make sure she's got everything ready and set. After all she's about to make a pretty big change in her life.

Though we're still left waiting to see how it all finally pans out. REALLY looking forward to that.

Author's Response:

Yeah, well the new incidents occurring to Past Pam because of changes made by future Pam are hitting her, just not quite enough...good thing future Pam is getting those ducks lined up.

Thanks as always for your review.

Things are moving apace. It’s delightful for Pam to finally have some self-awareness AND some drive to change things. Looking forward to the home straight!

Okay, we've got Pam moving forward here, but I'm concerned about Randall AND Gabby's health now. And I'm wondering about the long-term ramifications of Pam's choice to stay with Michael instead of going with Randall... feels like a possible fork in the road.

Good lorde. I hadn't even thought of what happens after with Michael going through the rest of his life knowing he's time traveled. That could be a story in and of itself. I like that you're giving him something of a journey here too.

Michael both not really getting Pam and Roy and being HEARTBROKEN about Brad and Jen is peak Michael, and if it wasn't his promptly taking credit for Jim and Pam is.

Eeeep! I'm nervous about the next chapter.