I've been lurking around MTT for a while now, meaning to join, but this chapter finally broke me down :-)

I so enjoy your take on the "reality" factor of these characters. In fact, it's something I enjoy about a lot of your stories. I'd love to see it addressed on the actual show. Because of the set up of the program, as fans and writers, we're offered a plethora of scenarios and possibilities you don't necessarily get in other shows. The places you're going here are great.

The framework as a study for a graduate student is a particularly nice touch. I love the set up for each chapter; it gives the reader a kind of "teaser" into what they're reading, effectively building our suspense. As a writing technique, I think it's fantastic.

I also think you're doing a good job capturing the various "voices" of the characters. I hear the phrase "in character" applied to a lot of fiction, some of which I'm not sure ... works for me, personally. In your case, however, I feel like you've captured the cadence and feel of Jim and Pam's on-screen voices. You've written these lines that I swear I could see/hear John and Jenna delivering. I can see their facial expressions and body language. Your dialogue in this story is great.

Finally, what prompted me to join and review ... The line, "I keep messing up and you keep doing everything right and she’s still with me," was phenomenal. Seriously. Really fantastic turn of phrase. It so neatly summed up Jim's insecurities and Roy's thought processes. The whole Roy and Jim fight was also really well done, and I'm glad to see you had them make up at the end. I don't like when Roy is made out to be some sort of complete, bumbling idiot; he's a smart guy, occasionally sweet, and, I think, genuinely loves Pam. But he doesn't, as Roy put it in this chapter, always "get" her like Jim does. I love that you had Roy acknowledge that. Additionally, the comment you had Roy make about how he says things without thinking about how they will sound and how he doesn't always know or understand why Pam gets angry.... pure genius. I'm just blown away by the insights you've offered here, and they're insights that apply, not just to the world you're creating in this story, but can also apply to the actual show.

Author's Response: Cedar—I can’t begin to write what your review meant to me…but I’ll try. I have to be honest. I was so completely unsure about this chapter. My outline only said “Roy and Jim fight”. I knew I needed to have some tension and doubt to set up what comes next. I was so very worried that the fight would seem out of the blue and out of character for both of the guys. I told myself, though, that a testosterone fueled sports show would be a good backdrop for that sort of thing to happen. That’s why I’m so relieved to see you articulate exactly what I wanted to show about both Roy and Jim’s characters. Thanks so much for that.I’m also so grateful for your comments about the “voice” of my characters. I really do try to hear them saying the things I want them to say and sometimes don’t think I hit the mark. Thank you so much for your feedback on that.Again, thank you so much for your review. It really helped set aside the doubts I had when I pushed the submit button for this chapter.

I appreciate the quietness of this chapter. One can express so much in the quiet.

I really felt for Jim in this chapter. The image of him watching Pam and Roy cuddle on the plane was very painful, because, I think, of its simplicity. The normalcy of it made it hurt. I think about the Jim we see on the show, and that Jim doesn’t really get to experience “Pam and Roy” much, and the few times we have seen him witness it, his feelings are all too apparent. I always feel like, on the show, seeing them together is something of a shock to Jim. He lives in this world 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, where Pam is kind of, in a way, his. When Roy intrudes on that picture, he always seems like he’s been rudely awakened from a really good dream. I think you’ve done such a great job of showing how painful it’s going to be for him to see them together for a long period of time.

I also enjoyed your thoughts on the Booze Cruise and how that is now affecting his behavior toward Pam. I think Jim is doing the right thing, or is going to try to do the right thing, in attempting to stop having feelings for Pam. It won’t work, but I like seeing that attempt. With the networks blatant attempts to manipulate things and Pam’s double seeming-rejection, it’s really the only thing he could do.

Anna is also such an interesting character. You could have made her despicable or a stereotypical corporate/media-type person, but I am really liking the fact that she cares for these people and that she’s seeing them as people and not as story lines. Her straightforwardness is great.

The schedule at the beginning was interesting. I look forward to seeing how this trip plays out. I have to wonder if Roy will notice or comment on the fact that Beesley and Halpert are a very common name combination in the itinerary. The Late Show should be awesome. I’m really looking forward to reading it.

Again, you’re doing awesome things here and I’m looking forward to more!!

Author's Response:

Cedar--I can't tell you how much I appreciate your reviews...or maybe I already have.

I agree with you about Jim and normalcy. I think that what probably gets to Jim more than thinking about Pam and Roy having sex (though I'm sure that gets to him as well) are things like knowing that her clothes are next to Roy in the closet or that they have a bill paying routine or that Roy knows things about Pam (color of toothbrush, what side of the bed she sleeps on, her family) that Jim doesn't know. That's where the torture of seeing her everyday comes from...knowing that at the end of the day she has a whole other life.

I'm always pleased when people respond well to original characters, so yeah...for what you said about Anna.

Thanks so much for your feedback and encouragement.

I was happy to see this story back. I hope you’re feeling better!!

The cliffhanger from the last chapter was awesome, and this chapter certainly delivered. I liked the new beginning with the Perez Hilton blog. It was written really well, spot on voice.

I have to say, I absolutely adore that Pam’s immediate response to “I’m in love with you” was, “I know.” I think that has become my new favorite thing about your whole story. It is so perfect with where you’re taking this character and even the character on the show. Something that comes out so quickly is something that’s true. She does know, thought she may want to deny it and pretend she didn’t know. There have been so many clues in this fic that she certainly knew (and relished) that Jim’s feelings for her went beyond friendship. That automatic response was great. At the same time, the quick denial that came on the heels of his confession and her acknowledgment of it, was the perfect representation of Pam. We’ve seen her on the show blurt things out and then quickly back track when it’s too honest (i.e. asking Jim out for coffee or confessing to Karen that she still wants Jim). I almost feel like this should have been on the show – the idea of her quickly say, “I know.” I love it that much :-)

I also liked that you stayed close to the dialogue from Casino Night, but also veered off. I’m glad Jim told her he was leaving. That burst of honesty from her deserved another in return. We’re also starting to see how much this whole “reality star” thing is affecting him. Pam’s desire for normalcy is almost as heartbreaking as Jim’s rejection.

Finally, the description of what Pam was thinking when they were kissing and the last thing Pam said in this chapter was great. I loved that her thoughts were so disjointed, and that one little comment sums up all of Pam’s problems. She’s worried about what Roy will be thinking, not why she’s kissing Jim, or if she’s hurting Jim and Roy by doing it. It’s interesting. It’s a gut reaction: “Crap! I’ve been caught.” But I have to wonder, based on her thoughts when she’s kissing Jim, if she’s being caught not just by the cameras but also by herself.

In a previous chapter Jim mentioned “the basis of season 3” to Anna, so I’m curious how far you’re planning on writing it. All of season 3? I would certainly read :-)

Author's Response:

Cedar--  You don't know how much I appreciate your reviews and feedback.  I think it's kind of obvious from reading some of my review responses that I worry a lot about how my choices will go over and whenever i read your feedback, I know if I've hit the mark or not.  In your review you addressed all of my little worries...does it make sense that Pam told Jim that she knew?  Does it make sense that she'd try to waffle out after that admission? Would Jim really have told her he was leaving?

As always, thanks so much.  And as for your question, there will be some season 3 here and I think that will be a little clearer after i post the update I'm working on now.

I’m not going to lie and say that I’ve never gotten teary-eyed or emotional over a particularly well-written piece of fan-fiction. However, those pieces have always been ones that deal with death or just overwhelming angst. In fact, I got a tad emotional the first time I read your story Observer Effect. Nevertheless, is the first time I’ve actually shed an honest to goodness tear because a piece of fan-fiction has made me just bursting with happiness. There was something about the way you wrote Jim’s anxiousness to get back to Pam, the way they just sat there at the counter together, the fact that Pam was so brave – it … as silly as it may sound … touched me. I just feel so darn glad that they’re together or working towards being together. From the beginning of this story, you drew your readers by creating such an interesting and compelling alternative to the original. You made Pam and Jim seem all the more real by examining the effects the documentary has on them and using different formats to present their story (I particularly recall us not knowing what happened in the hotel room). When you finally brought them together it became even more real through Jim’s realization that “he was still Jim Halpert. And she was just Pam Beesly and it was all going to be okay.” I love that they didn’t rush into each other’s arms. I love that there wasn’t some sort of big public kiss. It was just him and her being them, drinking coffee and talking. It’s perfect.

I’m anxiously awaiting Abby’s conclusions and Jim and Pam’s happily ever after.

Author's Response:

Wow.  I am truly humbled by your comments and I'm so glad that you enjoyed this.  This chapter was such a strange one for me to write. When I started outlining this story so very long ago...the ending was what I had in mind.  I actually could best see the scenes at the NY Press junket. My intentions there went back and forth. There was going to be a joint Pam/KAren interview...Jim and Pam were going to fight on camera. You name it, I thought about it.

The last scene, too was something I had thought about for a long time.  Originally, Jim was going to get to the diner and have this long heart-to heart with Pam. When they were leaving, the guy was going to stop Jim and recognize him from DM and then Jim and Pam were going to talk (and maybe kiss) as they walked out the diner door and into the sunset.

When I started writing it, though, that all didn't feel right.  I decided to have Jim get recognized before talking to Pam and then when I started writing the big heart-to-heart it just seemed off. Part of me felt like this was something else we shouldn't see and hear and I finally had this revelation that I didn't HAVE to write the heart-to-heart.

So...I'm so glad you pointed out that you liked how it all played out. Thanks so much for your long-term support of this story!