A golf pencil, two hot sauce packets, a Boggle timer, a mixtape, a high school yearbook photo, a card, and a teapot. Yup.Yep. You killed me.
Guh. I don't think I've ever read a more heartbreaking look at Pam, post-calling it off. It was tragic but beautiful.
This is one of my favorite things I've read:
Pam told herself the whole story for the first time.
Author's Response: *nudges flonk with her toe* Great. I wonder if Dwight has room in the family plot? Thank you for your review. The section with the power outage and the walk down the street was the first thing I wrote for this chapter. In a way, it\'s autobiographical, as are quite a few things I included here. I\'m glad you enjoyed it, even if it means I have blood on my hands now.
10 I'm SO upset to see this finish and can't wait for your next one!
This chapter was sweet and a really nice way to end the story. I liked that you still kept the contents of the card a mystery, because I tend to cringe when people try to write it.
Also, love this line..
Pam rarely said hello when she called. It made him want to take her pretty face between his hands and kiss her.
Author's Response: You found one of my favorite lines. Thanks so much for your review, flonk. Like I told Callisto, I *did* write the card, and I spent a long time trying to decide if I should include it. As always, less seemed liked more. I\'m glad others are agreeing with me.
(or, Everyone Else Wrote It, Why Can't I?) If you aren't sick to death of tales about such an historic event, here's one more version - told to you by the daters themselves.9 That was seriously an ADORABLE fic. It was so completely in character and sweet and I loved it =)
Author's Response: Well thank you, Flonkerton! I\'m so thrilled that it was a worthwhile read! I\'m not often fluffy...maybe I should try that more often. Or quit while I\'m ahead. :)
10 Gorgeous. I was very excited to see that you've ventured back over here, and this didn't disappoint in the slightest. It was so Jim, and in particular, the part about seeing the city in Karen's eyes but it never comparing to Pam's eyes on the beach.. LOVED that.
Author's Response: I am a bad person who forgot my review responses :( Anyways thanks for such lovely comments, this was just a way to get back writing JAM so I\'m glad you liked it. I am most definitely back :)
10 GORGEOUS. And terribly sweet. Any time you describe Jim's voice, I pretty much have the same reaction as Pam, haha.
Author's Response: Thanks so much flonkerton. I don\'t do a lot of out and out fluff so this was a fun to write, I\'m so glad people have enjoyed it. And yeah. Jim\'s sexy voice should be carefully rationed, I can\'t be held responsible for my reaction to it in high doses.
I'm so happy you haven't forgotten about this story! I was really excited at the idea before and I still am. Can't wait to see what you come up with!
It's weird. Ryan never struck her as a friend. To anyone, really. It's a surprise.
Ryan/Pam Season 3 AU.
I don't know that I have anything constructive to say, but I'm absolutely adoring this story. Its so real and nonconventional, and I looved the weaving of the past in between what's going on.
Author's Response: Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you thought it felt real. :)
Jim Halpert is a high school English teacher starting a new life at a new school in a new town.
10 You have to be the most unique writer on here. This story is so captivating and you've brought these characters - in a way that doesn't feel forced, it's just REAL - into an entirely different world but kept everything that makes us love them. This was just wonderful to read, and so gorgeous, and God just that John interview in itself makes me swoon and seeing it all fleshed out... coherency isn't one of my strong points in my reviews, obviously. Just know that this story is perfect in about ten different ways.
Author's Response:
The JK interview is indeed swoonworthy, isn't it, flonkerton? It's easy to imagine him like this after he pretty much laid the character out for me! Thanks, John! Call me!
All your comments here, wow. They make me feel great. This is the first real AU story for me, so I wasn't sure at all if it was going to work - taking the characters completely out of their context and creating a new one? But the picture I had of Jim as a teacher was so clear in my mind - I just wanted to make it real. So when I read this, yeah, that's a big smile on my face.
I've not written a ton of stories, but I'm trying to challenge myself. I'm evolving! Well, maybe not so much. I'll be back in the smut saddle after this. :-) Thank you for such a great review!
9 I thought this was a really well written piece =) I'm terrible with like, helpful reviews, but I loved the dialog between Jim and Pam, and her thoughts in the first chunk. I hope you get more reviews because this was really sweet!
10 Still love it =)
10 you know how much i love this and it makes me want to cry. ilu
9 Perfect, as always. I basically love that it was her idea to do it in the car, haha. It was very cute and sweet and kinda had me just as elated as Jim was =)
Author's Response: Yeah, I love to think Pam is not as shy as she seems... glad you liked it! :)
9 I really, really loved this. I wish Karen had gotten cut some slack on the show; after The Job, she really wasn't shown in the best light, and that makes me sad. I hope we get to find out on the show that Karen gets her happy ending too =)
10 The combination of you two on one story is going to kick my ass, for sure. I can hardly wait to see where this goes. The detail about the beet farm is beautiful (imagine that- Schrute Farms sounds amazing in your words), and I'm eager to see what you two make of Andy, Angela, and Dwight. And the detail of Jim playing with Pam's wedding ring is something I've secretly hoped they'd do in the show, it's very sweet and intimate. This is, as usual, wonderful so far.
Author's Response: Living where I do, I can assure you that farm country can be both crushingly beautiful and straight out of Deliverance at the same time. Since Dwight seems to love it so, I\'ve always assumed that Schrute Farms is striking that particular balance. We\'ve got some big, hand-rubbing plans for Dwight, Andy, and Angela, and, of course, Pam and Jim won\'t simply be left to drink moonshine and enjoy the evening. That wouldn\'t be fun for anyone. Thanks, flonk.
10 God, this makes me feel better about the episode a bit. It was such a scary moment and I hate that they don't show things that obviously would have happened- like Jim and Pam's dual voice mails that would have prompted them to call each other right away, or them discussing this. I hope something like this has happened and is talked about in the next episode.
That was a lot of rambling. Long story short, I loved it, thank you for writing it and upholding my sanity =)
Author's Response: Don\'t worry, flonkerton. All will be well, I just know it. At least... I think so. I wish they\'d let us in on their conversation, but since they no doubt won\'t, I hope it went something like this. Glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing!! :)
One part for each season. Pam's p.o.v. Nothing could be more innocent than a freckle, right?Just seeing a new story by you has me practically salivating with anticipation- and this chapter didn't disappoint! I'm really excited to see what you come up with for every freckle each season =)
Author's Response: Wow, so glad this didn't disappoint! Thank you so much, flonkerton. Hope the rest works for you too!
I don't know how you manage to convey so much sexiness when nothing physical happens at all. I'd like to see JKras mowing the lawn, now.
Author's Response: Just close your eyes...all you need is a vivid imagination, and there he is ;-) I'm so pleased they're non-interaction felt sexy - I never know if that kind of thing will come across anywhere but in my own head. Thanks so much, flonkerton!
10 That last line was heartbreaking. Ugh, season 3 is not good for my heart, but I do love it. This was perfect, I loved the contrast between what Karen wants/has and who Jim is/was.
This sexiness better be headed in the direction I hope it takes in the next chapter ;) Haha
Author's Response: Glad that contrast came across - S3 was really about everyone misreading everyone else, wasn't it? So frustrating. But in a good, take your medicine kind of way, lol. Thanks, flonkerton!
10 I'm fairly certain you killed me with this one. I think your fics that are just them waking up together in the morning are my favorites- they're never really sappy, but filled with so much wonder and comfort. They're really sweet and make me melt =)
Author's Response: I have to admit - the waking up together thing is a personal fave of mine too. Glad I have company! And that you didn't think this was too saptastic....many thanks, flonkerton!
10 God, so beyond perfect. I am melting. I just want to get married in love and pop out a million freckled kids now. I'm going to miss this fic a lot but it was brilliant while it lasted =)
Author's Response: That's quite a compliment! This was a fun one to write (well, most of it, anyway) - so glad you enjoyed. Thanks, flonkerton for all your great feedback!
7 Sox > Cubs. Pam needs to convert completely.
Author's Response: I\'m with you on that one. It\'s war at my household. My husband is a Cubbie and I\'m a Sox fan. And then there are my parents. My dad\'s from Boston and has been a loyal Red Sox fan for years. My mom? Yankees. Opposites attract? Haha. Friends know to stay away from my household April-October.
10 I'm really going to miss this story. It was nice to have a stress-free, long story that was just about two people meeting and how their relationship develops without unnecessary angst and things. It was refreshing. And of course, it was about where I'm from, and I've loved imagining Pam and Jim in the same places I've been.
This ending was so, so sweet and hot and great =)
Author's Response: I\'m so happy you enjoyed it, and that you were able to relate to some of the images in this story. Gotta love the Mid-west! Except right now, because it\'s a wee bit cold today, and expected to get worse by the end of the week. Agh, I can\'t take it anymore. I want a winter home in Florida where I can hibernate and write. Write, write, write.
Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I\'m glad you were pleased with the ending. :)
9 My grandpa worked at the Drake when I was little and we used to go there the Saturday before Christmas every year- it's so gorgeous =) Unfortunately, the last time we did that was 10 years ago.
Anyway, I really love this story so far- a lot! It's really sweet and I think my favorite part is just how all the places they're from and visit really hit home for me.
Author's Response: That\'s so cool. I love The Drake. It\'s so magical, especially around the Christmas season. I just hope I did the hotel some justice with the descriptions. Thanks for the review!
8 Woww, where are you from? I'm guessing you're from somewhere in Chicagoland, you know everything so well! (I'm from the south suburbs). This is an interesting story, I love AU. Can't wait to see where you take it =)
Author's Response: I used to live in Chicago where I attended Columbia College, but now live in the west suburbs. Are you as miserable in this cold weather as I am? :( I\'m glad you\'re enjoying the story so far!
An AU look at what might have happened, had Pam really thought about Jim's decision to go to Australia.love love love. I wish you were continuing, but at the same time, I like where you're ending it. The first two chapters had me incredibly frustrated but this third one gave me shivers. It was perfect.
Author's Response: Thanks flonkerton! I know, those first two chapters irritated me too, but I wanted to try to be true to the \'oh for God\'s sake say something\' thing they had going on at that time. Glad you enjoyed it, and I think it\'s safer to stop while ahead. :)