Jim and Pam and two telephones, post-Season 3.
10 Oh, snap! This is such good stuff. You do dialogue really, really well. I'm with you for whatever ending you choose.
6 A teenage Pam goes to meet up with Roy at his summer job at the Home Depot, and while waiting for him she runs into Jim for the first time.
A response to the summer job challenge. Part 1 of my "Construction of the Heart" series.
9 Awww! Home Depot Jim breaks my heart. Pam, dump Roy while you still can! I loved how you described the Home Depot. You got it right on:
...boy things just lying around with names that read like a bad porn magazine: coupling, female receptacle, male receptacle, screws, wood
Great job!
Hehe. Fun idea! Of course Josh Lyman and David Wallace are old college buddies. I'm interested to see where you go with this!
Author's Response: Thanks! I had a lot of fun writing this first chapter. I love West Wing and the Office and I love writing fanfic, so for me this is totally a win-win-win situation!
A few fuzzy, fluffy one-shots that form a loosely connected story. Based around the idea of this quote by Germaine Greer:
"The essence of pleasure is spontaneity."
Yay! I had hoped that this was where you were going with this story, and I'm glad I'm right. This is such a fun story. Your details of Vegas are great and remind me of the times I've gone there!
Author's Response: oh good - can you tell I'm a vegas fan, too?? :-) Thanks for the review!
That's so freaking adorable that Jim told everyone in the office about the art show. You really have their voices down, the dialogue is very realistic. Great job!
Author's Response: Glad you found it realistic. Thanks!
I really like this story! It's a fun twist on the whole angel vs. devil thing. Also, it's very funny - I loved the section where Pam went through her various excuses to skip the meeting. Andy playing Enya on his banjo? Priceless. Nice job!
Author's Response: Thanks. I actually added the list on my last pass through the story, so my finishing touch on this chapter was, in fact, "acute photophobic jellylegitis". Thank you for the review.
Wow! That was really good! So many details that flesh out the Beach Games story in a really great way. The pink cardigan, the two piece, Dwight and Angela in the parking lot! Loved it :-)
Author's Response: Thank you, I tried to give some details and back story to how Pam was feeling during the day. I'm a fan of the pink cardigan, so that made its way into Pam's head. Thank you for the review supergirlsudz.
Wow. That was just 100% made of awesome. I've often wondered what happened between "I wish you would," and the awkward hug, and you've filled in the blanks perfectly here. I know much is made about how Jim diffuses emotional moments with jokes, but Pam does it too, and you captured that perfectly. I loved how they referenced some of their best pranks...it was like "see, this is why you guys at least have to be friends!" I also really loved the moment with Michael. I can totally imagine him saying just those words. And I hope he did :-) Anyways, great job. I can't wait for your next installment!
Author's Response: It was definitely challenging to basically extend scenes that are written by really, really talented writers and make them realistic. So, I'm glad that you found the Jim/Pam talk believable. As for Michael, I basically copied the writer's habit of making him an ass, then redeeming him with these talks. Plus, I truly think he feels like Dunder-Mifflin is a family (sans Toby). Thank you for your review supergirlsudz.
Wow - can I tell you how much I love this story? Pam's worries that Jim had outgrown her were so poignant my heart hurt. But I think I know that he hasn't. It makes total sense that Pam thinks that Jim is really happy with Karen. It will be so great when she realizes that he isn't! I also loved the moment with Toby when Pam finds the medal. So perfect! This is just so awesome. I can't wait for the rest!
Author's Response: I just tried to get into Pam's head for this, and while there wasn't really much in the episode to point to it, it seemed to be logical that Pam would worry about that. Jim was interviewing, getting a haircut, and just becoming more adult. So, why wouldn't Pam be both proud and sad? Yeah, poor Toby, even Devil who is all about it, couldn't figure out that he likes her. Sad. Thanks for your review supergirlsudz and congrats on your first fic. I haven't reviewed it yet, but I will.
I'm always happy to see an update to this story! Is it sad that I was hoping you'd get to the date in this chapter? Since it was so long, I thought there might be a chance! Haha. I honestly can't wait to see what you have in mind. Reading this story is almost better than re-watching these episodes, because you provide such a realistic and fun spin on things. One really minor thing - it kind of bugged me to see the titles of the HP books underlined. I think it's kind of standard to use italics for titles of books, magazines, etc. But that's extremely, extremely minor. Looking forward to reading more!
Author's Response:
Thank you for the comment on putting fun spins on things. I try to flesh out what we see in the episode with inner monologue and actions off-camera. So, I"m glad that you liked that.
About the underlining of the book titles, as far as I know you can either do italics or underlining. I too, normally would italicize book titles, but because italics are reserved for Angel, I chose to underline. Thank you for your review supergirlsudz.
I'm so glad you're still sticking with this story. It's one of my favorites. I think that if Jim and Pam talked about their issues (and I freaking hope they did) that it went a lot like the way you portrayed it here. Also, you are good at leaving the reader hanging at the end...that's pretty cruel if you're not going to update for such a long time! :-P
Author's Response: I'm glad that you felt that Jim and Pam's honest made sense. I was kind of nervous about the level that they achieved in this chapter, but I wanted to try and capture the emotion of it, and I was confined to their first date....so there you go. And I love to end on cliff-hangers...I can't explain it, it just makes it more fun. Thanks for the review supergirlsudz.
3 Pam enters her freshman year at Marywood University. Will she run into Jim? A continuation of "The Shortest Distance Between Two Points is Under Construction"
Ahhh! So glad you decided to keep going with this fun AU you have created! Although I am sad to see that this is just a one shot. I like how Roy was so excited about frat parties even though he didn't go to college. And also:
If I pretend the moment didn’t happen, does that make it true?
Pam's got those defenses up, even at a young age! And, of course Jim works for Safe Ride! Love it.
Aww! I am such a cheeseball, reading this story hoping that they get back together before number five is done. But even if you don't choose to go that way, I will be reading, even if it breaks my heart. That was such a cute idea about the underwear!
Author's Response: Aww, thanks for sticking with it! Thanks for reading!
Awww! What a nice, heartwarming ending. I'm glad that the last thing they returned to each other was themselves! Great job :-)
A first fight and a bowl of make-up spaghetti. (No spoilers.)
Honey, Greg Daniels should be calling you - for TIPS! I will add to the chorus of praise, what an amazing story. There is something so minimalistic (in a good way) about your prose. It's like every word and every sentence was carefully crafted. Every single word was chosen for a reason. And "Can I kiss you for a little bit?" Melts my heart...
Author's Response: Hee (hey, GD, have your people get in touch with my people. We'll talk.) Thrilled by what you said re: word choice - that, and phrasing, are really important to me when I write (sometimes to an insane degree) so it means a lot. And, as I said below, that's kind of the line that hits me too. So glad it resonated with you too. Thanks so much, supergirlsudz.
Mid-season 3, Michael takes the staff out for some much-needed fresh air.
I read this story way back when but never reviewed. I'm so glad you reposted! This is such a wonderful story. The part that stuck with me was this:
"No, bad start. Forget that. I need nothing. I love you."
Sigh. Perfection!
Aww, that was nice! Cute touch with the Elton John song at the end. I definitely would have rather seen their conversation in Chili's rather than just getting a recap, though.
I really liked this! I've always wondered how Pam came to drop out of school and this is a certainly plausible explanation. I loved how you mentioned certain details from the show (the terrace, the yams) but in such a subtle way. I hate talking to strangers on the phone, too.
He laughs, and she knows right away that she won't really quit.
Nice line there. :-)
Jim blogs on Livejournal...This will be an ongoing story, for as long as I have the patience and inspiration to sustain it.
To try make it more of an interactive experience, any and all comments will be responded to in character as if it is in fact, Jim's Livejournal (from the 8th entry on.)
Good for you Jim! Stay away from the drink. You don't want to turn into Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan or something. And don't worry, you could kick my ass on the basketball court any day.
Author's Response: I\'m staying, I\'m staying. Back to the gym tonight. I want my two dollars back. And yeah, big whoop, I can kick your ass. You\'re probably 4\'11\" and 98 pounds soaking wet...
Awww, congrats, Jim! I had a feeling something good was going to come your way. Now, stay away from the beer as I bet this Pam person doesn't want to marry an alcoholic.
Author's Response: Dude, if drinking is the difference between her being in my life and not in my life, I'm done with the booze as of today. God, this is insane. I've never been so nervous to ask a girl out in my life...
Ahh, now things are really cooking! And your explanation for the yogurt lid note was absolutely spot on. I think it's so realistic that they're both kind of holding their cards close to the chest, not wanting to come totally clean yet. After all these years of keeping things hidden, I don't think they're going to be able to start being honest with each other instantly! Great job, I will be checking back for more :-)
Author's Response: lol oh thank you. Your review made me really happy...idk why. Anyway thank you!!!!
As always, so well done. I loved that them coming clean to each other was slightly awkward but that it gave them both that sense of calm that I bet they've been lacking for a long time. And this line was so, so good:
But this was new, they were older and she was being more honest and he was being less desperate and he was trying so hard to just tell her things without pausing to feel the knife slip into his back.
thanks! I'm so glad you liked it, and yeah I mean how could it not be awkward realistically? I think this story is a little bit accidentally about their awkwardness just in general lol.
This is what they call a sloooow burn. You are so great at setting the mood. I probably shouldn't have read this chapter at work. *blushes*
Author's Response: lol been there.
AU Jim/Pam. Alternate ending to A Benihana Christmas.
Oh, this is so sweet. This is exactly what fanfic is for - to give every episode a happy ending. I swear, I have read a story about Pam and Jim getting together after every single season three episode! But I never get tired of it. The voices were perfectly in character. Pam's "Do you still love me?" was cringeworthy and heartbreaking at the same time. Mmm, peppermint!
Author's Response:
Thanks very much! I love hearing that the voices are in character...that is so important to me. And alternate endings definitely helped to get through Season 3!
Wow, what a creative idea! I can imagine Grace telling this story to her friends over dinner or something. Sometimes, I think Jan's recent storyline was a little strange and out of nowhere, but hearing Grace's observations of Jan helped it seem more sensical. "This wasn't a rebound, this was psychosis," indeed! And I loved all the little things Grace noticed about Karen. Great job, I'll be checking back to see how it all ends! :-)
Author's Response: Oh, thank you! My biggest hurdle was getting a good voice for Grace- chatting to friends over dinner is such a great description! I have part of the conclusion written- I hope you enjoy!