9

Love Karen and her Blackberry fetish! That was an easy visual!

Author's Response:

I know I'm late in replying to this but thanks so much s_t_r!   The idea came from a deleted scene where Karen was engrossed in her blackberry.   Glad it worked for you!

Oh, I am so rooting for this to turn out better than when Jim spilled it to Pam on Casino night. I like how Josh contrasts with the ever sensible Jonathan.

The scene with Jim/Roy was brilliant. Jim feeling guilty when Roy didn't even know was so appropo. And, did he bring that extra hoodie for Pam?

p.s. Saran wrap traps in the deli was LOL funny!

Author's Response:

While I can't guarantee a set-in-stone happy ending (or rather, a clearly defined happy ending), I can tell you that this will end better than CN.  (Seriously - I am constitutionally averse to writing Pam as accusing Jim of "misinterpreting" her.  No freaking way.  ...Not that I fault Steve Carell, whose script was brilliant.  :o)

It's great to read that you like the contrast between Josh and Jon, because that's exactly what I had in mind -- two people who're very close to Jim that represent vastly different perspectives.  (And I must admit that, much as Jon is influenced by Scott Foley's Noel from "Felicity," Josh is every bit as much inspired by Zach Levi's "Chuck" -- right down to the optimism when it comes to love.)

I'm rambling yet again.  :o)  Thanks so much for your review -- glad you liked the Saran wrap traps joke (seriously - I steal dialogue straight from my husband whenever I can because I'm generally inept at witty reparte & jokes, LOL). 

Also -- the extra hoodie?  Yep, totally for Pam.  :o)

Thanks again for reviewing!  :o)

Um, hello! Why am I getting butterflies in my stomach at the thought of Pam going up to Jim's room to look at baby pics? Me thinks that baby pics are not all she is going to see!! OK, whoa...x-rated review in the works.
Obviously I am eagerly anticipating the next chapter! Keep up the great work, girl7!

Author's Response:

Why are you getting butterflies about that?  Why, my dear, because it's a confined space, and they've got unresolved tension out the wazoo!  :o) (I'm laughing still at your comment that baby pics aren't the only thing you'll see -- hee!)

Next chapter is up - hope you like it as well!  Thanks so much for reviewing!

Roy deserves it. He also said he'd "do" Angela when they played Who would you do in the parking lot. Ugh!

I think Mariah works just fine in this story - no need to apologize!! I still have tapes (no CDs back then) from HS so it totally makes sense that Pam would have a Mariah CD in the glovebox.

You know I am loving this story and really enjoying the anticipation between chapters (though you've been spoiling us for a few days here). This *should* be a short chapter b/c it is about THE CHANGE (dun, dun, dun).

Even though I'm eager for JAM action, I will admit that when Pam left the house I blurted out loud, "You should go to your mother's." Of course that is not where she ended up and not where I would have gone, but the maternal side of me was talkin'. See how wrapped up a person can get in a girl7 story?!

You are a master.

Next chapter, please!!

Author's Response:

Ah -- you make a good point about the "Who Would You Do" response!  I'd forgotten about that.... :o) And re: your maternal side talking: She'll be heading there soon enough, I promise.  (Because I agree with you that she'd need to sort of close ranks and get some distance & perspective.)

You are awesome.  :o) Thanks so much for reviewing!

10

OMG, the way you wrote Roy I don't think I would have been able to leave. It was nice to see him so human, though I guess his imperfections have proved all along that he is inarguably human. Well, I like how you're taking this one b/c it seems very real.

Author's Response:

Really?  Yay, because that's exactly what I was going for!  I really didn't want to gloss over the breakup scene too much (no matter how tedious it felt to write for some reason); it would've been very difficult, I think, for her to have broken things off, especially if Roy -- for the first time in ages -- was actually showing emotion and expressing that he needs her. 

And as for your comment that this seems very real -- wow.  Couldn't get a higher compliment, really.  Thanks so much for reviewing!

10

girl7...I apologize for not reviewing this chapter sooner. Of course I read it as soon as you posted it b/c I, like Colette, check for updates at a ridiculous rate. It's a wonder I get anything else done (which is probably why I left off quickly w/o reviewing last time I read this chapter).

But, in light of the negative 'formulaic' review you got, I thought I'd read it again. I have to say, if there is a formula to your stories then it is a formula for SUCCESS!!! You give us what we want, which is why we keep coming back. I personally don't really like the stories I've read where Pam ends up with Ryan or Jim just drowns in his own misery and never gets to be happy. Those just aren't satisfying, ya know?
You were correct in your advice to that reviewer - for people who really do want to see fanfic deviating from "reality" there are other authors out there to read. I think what that reviewer wants is complete AU coupled with your writing skills. And maybe they're just upset cause no one writing such deviant stuff has the mad skills you do :) Am I right? (Actually I have little idea about the skills of those bigtime AU writers cause I just don't read those stories much!)

Anyhow, this chapter was great - I did like how you worked in the scenes in Drug Testing. Definitely made the Hi/Hey sooo much more tense and now, hot! And the internal dialogues were awesome. Here's my favorite thought from Pam:

Him. Oh my god...he's, like, something I have to...figure out; I've got to figure out how to...how to handle him now.
...Handle him. Like, he's waiting for me to...handle him. Oh god.

Can't wait for the next chapter - shouldn't that be up TODAY?!?! Tell Mr. girl7 to go IM somebody - you've got adoring fans to satisfy!

Author's Response:

As I said to Catie9 -- you owe me no apologies!  :o) I really appreciate your kind words -- so glad to know you're enjoying this.  I hadn't intended to work in the Drug Testing stuff, but as I was writing, it just seemed to work, so I included it.  As for AU stuff -- there are loads of authors here who write absolutely amazing AU stuff (stablergirl's latest, "I just wanted to be famous" immediately comes to mind).  I've written some AU things, but I much prefer sticking closer to canon; it's what I get the most enjoyment out of writing.  Occasionally I'll get a wild hair and decide to write something that veers away (like the Jim/Jan one) or something from a different perspective (wrote "Come Undone" about Jan & Michael, and "Unravel" was a Karen-centric fic).  But yeah, while I totally admire authors who can go waaaayyyy AU (and like to read those types of fics occasionally), it's not what I enjoy writing the most. 

Anyway -- thanks so much for your feedback!  (And Mr. Girl7 is going out of town in a few days, so I'll be writing away....)  :o)

10

girl7 you just made a delayed flight a much more bearable experience! I can't believe I just read this in a public place - so hot! You kept it really believable, though - I can totally see Pam wanting to wait. However...I am wondering if we're gonna have magic week now (the one that leads up to Jim feeling like he should buy a ring) where things just crescendo to complete awesomeness between them (not that you aren't already there, really). Or is that another story? I was already so happy about JAM this week and this only made it better. Thanks for posting!

Author's Response:

Eh, I'm sorry your flight was delayed!  (But I'm glad I was able to help you pass the time....)  It's great to hear that you find it believable that Pam would want to wait; I mentioned in an earlier response that I know the opinions on that vary greatly, and I worry about writing her as too naive. 

It's funny that you asked whether or not this was intended to chronicle the infamous week leading to the ring -- actually, no, I hadn't planned that, but I have been batting around the idea of reviving my first date fic, "Stolen," which sort of chronicles in great detail their first date.  And it actually could set the stage for me to pick it up and continue on for the remaining week.  I haven't decided yet whether or not to do that -- I'm not sure anybody would be interested in reading it, as the story was finished (technically) months and months ago. 

But I'm definitely interested in exploring that week in some fashion.  :o)

Thanks for reviewing!

9

Ai yi yi!!! That is a cliffhanger if I ever saw one! Looking forward to more. It seems like the drawing out of the breakup is about the cruelest way to do it...
I love the way you've written Pam so noble - it completely makes sense that she'd be concerned about Karen's feelings. Can't wait for more!

8

Brokenloon, you write the best chapters! Long and with lots of detail! I like where you've taken this story and Jim's realization that it is futile to try to get over Pam. Can't wait to see where you are going with this. One question: what happened to the note Jim put in the teapot box? Did Dwight read it, did Jim somehow get it back, or should I just forget it was ever there for the sake of this story? Thanks for posting!

8

I like the style a lot more than the outcome :P

Oh, that clavicle...

10

Callisto, I am really loving your stories. I was happily surprised to find them! I really like how you work the episode in and then add more detail, even in the midst of what happened in the ep. You also do Jim and Pam's characters quite well - their dialogue seems very true to canon. And I like how you're telling this from Pam's POV. Looking forward to more!!

Author's Response: Thanks! I was really worried that I took too much out of the episode so I\'m very glad to hear it worked. I think I\'m almost done with Ch. 3...just depends on if I want there to be 4 or not. will be updating soon...

9

I just love your THs. Too funny and believe me, from someone who can find herself reading waaayyy too much fanfic, the short simple but hilarious format is much appreciated!

Author's Response: Thanks. I sometimes am tempted to put something in the summary like "If you are looking for a romantic epic, this isn't it" so that people won't be disappointed.

10

I really like this story and this is my favorite chapter so far. The parallel dreaming was kind of heart wrenching, ya know? Great job!

Author's Response: Thanks rabid! These were the hard times, for sure. Rewatching season three is always a little heartwrenching.