Jim and Pam are faced with the uncertainty of a future at Dunder-Mifflin. This is about the problems this might occur for our favorite newlyweds under these circumstances. I may or may not have but definitely did let out a little whoop when I saw this update this morning, and I was not disappointed.
Shew Lawdy! Now that's the way to get a day started - sure warmed up my ten degree morning. I started picking out parts to quote and say I liked, but there were too many. I did especially the paragraph where he ends up telling her he feels like a failure. That's so perfectly Jim Halpert - he holds back and holds back, and then it all just slips out.
This is one of those stories that I can't wait to read the end of it to see what happens, but then I'm sorry it is over. Your characterizations of these two people have always been phenomenal, and I loved that you've written their "serious" sides for us in this piece. Well done, in every way.
Author's Response:
Shew Lady! Now that's a review! lol. I so agree with your assessment of our Jimmy...holding back and then probably just lets it all go. It felt particularly important to me to show that Jim had reasons other than "protecting pam and the baby from stress" (although that was a big one) for keeping things to himself. I feel like this is a guy who's probably been at least moderately (if not better) good at everything his entire life without really trying all that hard...just one of those guys who is naturally charming and smart enough to make a good impression. But I also feel like there's a large part of him that is sort of traditional in how he views his role in the family as a husband and father...so of course if things aren't going smoothly he'd put that on himself. Regardless of the crazy situation.
Well, obviously I could talk forever about this, but I won't. Thanks so much for being such a loyal reader and responder. You rock.
I don't usually read much AU, but I am now totally sucked in on this one. I thought you did an especially good job with the Jim/teenager conversation.
Please continue.
Author's Response: Thanks jazzfan! I'm so glad you're liking it, I appreciate the review. I also enjoy writing Jim/Claire's conversations..it's interesting to see him deal with that as a character, and I like delving into it.
7 will be up soon!
I'm enjoying seeing how Pam and Claire's relationship will evolve. Please continue.
Author's Response: thanks jazzfan! Claire and Pam's relationship is going to get a little complicated, so be prepared for a slightly bumpy ride!
You could not have picked a better song for Seasons 1 and 2 Jim Halpert.
Author's Response: I know, right?!? This has always been one of my favorite songs and every time I listen to it, I'm reminded of early seasons Jim. Thanks, jazzfan!
I like how you ended the sexual fever with the real thing. Very cute.
Author's Response: Hee, thanks jazzfan! It was bound to happen what's with all the exchange of saliva between these two ;o)
My favorite scene of these was the computer scene. It felt very real and organic Jim and Pam, and incorporating the Ferrari from the registry was a stroke of genius. Nicely done.
Author's Response: Thanks jazzfan! I loved their wedding site so I was excited to write something about that.
Season two angst? Yes, please! A retake on "Boys and Girls" from season two, had no cameras been present. So, spoilers for that, obviously.Wow, how do you do this so fast. TWSS.
I really like this and you've captured that season 2 awkwardness very well. Love Jim's voice in this. I liked the same parts that Nan liked, so just ditto those. And also, this:
I smile as she flutters her hand like by "drawing" she means painting by numbers or something. If this was my girlfriend, I would grab her hand and tell her to stop telling herself short. And kiss the hell out of her. Do the thing where I hold her so tight and ask her to draw me a picture, because I love everything she makes.
"Yeah," I say, my voice still rough. I refill my cup because that will fix everything.
That's season 2 Jim Halpert, poor baby.
Author's Response: It might seem fast, but it was pretty hard (twss). I do love a "poor baby" season two Jim Halpert. God, watching Boys & Girls over again was just torture. I had that overwhelming heneedsahug sensation I tend to have for Jim during that season. Thanks for reviewing!
Funniest line I've read in awhile: "Roy thinks Michelangelo is a turtle with nunchucks" I laughed out loud.
Also, I loved Jim's hands in that first section.
Interesting AU take on this.
Author's Response: Ha, I love Pam being a little bitter and pissed off. Thanks for the review!
I hope you don't mind if I am completely honest here. First and foremost, I really, really liked this last chapter. I loved the way it ended, and the things it chose to be. I don't need a sequel (though I'm sure I'm in the minority) because I like open endings like this. You did a great job with the characters - I knew these people. But I have to admit - chpater 4 didn't grab me - not that it wasn't good smut - it was. But I just couldn't buy that Jim and Pam would have done that at that point, especially with Stanley there, so it felt OOC to me. So that's my two cents worth. And I'll be happy the rest of the day thinking about how they end up in New York.
Author's Response: Thanks for the review jazzfan! And the honesty, for sure. I guess in a way it was the hardest part of the story to come up with. Because I wanted something desperate enough, and humiliating enough, and dangerous enough for Jim to have even more fucked up things to deal with in the last chapter, basically. And I needed a really, really big reason for Pam to both avoid Jim and call it off with Roy. Not that getting groped by Jim Halpert was her motivation, but maybe it was like the worst possible wake up call for her? But, yeah, I agree. As I even said on the boards, I felt like it was a little much when I was writing it. I do love that you like the way I ended it, though. I haven't decided if that's where it stays for sure, but thanks for saying that. :)
Oh Flonkerton Champ, I like you. Thanks for the belly laugh.
Set between S2 and S3 - fallout from Casino Night.This is extraordinarily good, and will be forever more in my mind, exactly what happened that day. I would quote things, but I'd have to quote something from nearly every paragraph. I truly loved how you brought the yogurt lid into the story - and this makes that later scene from The Job all that more meaningful. Man this hurt, but it hurt really really "good."
*standing ovation*
Author's Response: Oh thank you, that's a real compliment. I'm so pleased this feels like it could have happened! Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment. :)
Oh this was lovely. Very very cute and well done. Loved the turn around on the Casino Night dialogue. *claps loudly*
Author's Response:
Oh, thank you! Once I had the idea to get them to the point where Pam was saying those words to Jim, the rest sort of fell into place. I'm really glad you liked it. Thanks, again!
Not stupid. Really sad though. I'm glad you left it on a note of hope and recovery.
Nooooo. Not Jim and Jan. Now I have to see where you take this. Please, not...there. lol
Author's Response: Lol. Yeah, when I first read 'Comfort' I was kind of shocked and horrified of Jim and Jan together. It then grew on me - especially considering the circumstances - as they were both so weak and desperate. They just really needed someone else to unload their misery on at Casino Night, therefore, ta da! I'll be continuing soon, but I'm not sure which way I want to go... any ideas? Conversation? Eh hem... sex? Throw ideas at me, I'm all ears!
Thing To Do:
-my wife
Okay, that made me laugh for a ridiculously long time. Thanks, bkwrm.
Author's Response: Aw shucks! Thank you for reading and commenting, jazz! Glad it made you laugh ;o)
Snow, wine, Bolsheviks, but no marshmallows. A cold night in Scranton. Set sometime during the winter of S2I'll admit, you had me at Dr. Zhivago, which will always be one of my favorite movies. This was lovely though, and I cannot wait to see how the evening goes.
The language was wonderful, as usual, but this description stood out: He’s learned to tread lightly around the ever-shifting boundaries of what’s acceptable to say when Pam is angry with Roy. Unwittingly slipping from sympathetic to judgmental is far too easy, the ensuing unspoken tension too hard to bear. That is perfect.
Author's Response: Does Dr. Z ever get old? I think not. Many thanks for you comment about the language, jazzfan - for me that's the most challenging part of writing, so it means a lot.
This is truly beautiful, but that last line would be too freaking painful to read if we didn't know how it all turned out. You've captured their little dance of "pretend we're only friends" so well. The pasta conversation was perfect. Pam giving Jim the tiniest glimmer of hope by buying pasta to rebel against the generic Roy, and his tiny message of encouragement by picking the curliest. Wow, that's good stuff. I also especially liked this line: "It would steady nothing, just dissolve the fragile glue that holds them in the same orbit at all." How true.
And then there's the perfect choice of the right movie...Awesome job.
Author's Response: You know, that pasta bit was originally just a line, that I expanded upon late in the game because I wasn't sure the meaning would 'read'...so glad I did! Also, pleased you picked that particular line - it was one I fretted over (wasn't sure about the word 'glue'. Yes, I'm obsessive ;-) Thanks much, jazzfan - much appreciated.
Oh, this is fun and so different hearing it from Michael's POV. Nicely done. This line I could just hear come out of Jim's mouth:
"Michael," Jim says, smirking. "Gotta quit telling people my kid is yours. That's borderline creepy."
I love Michael on the occasion he has these lucid thoughtful moments.
Am I bleeding?! Oh my sweet Lord, that was painful. But in such an awesome way, lady. I'm not sure exactly why, but this was the line that really killed me dead: His eyes met hers then. They were glassy. So simple, but it cuts right to the heart. Gawd, the poor man is an open wound.
Booze Cruise is still my favorite episode ever, and as far as I'm concerned, this is now canon.
Author's Response: Ugh, that line did it because seeing Jim cry is TERRIBLE! LOL. I'm so glad you enjoyed this Jazz and that it was a "good hurt" ;-) I love Booze Cruise too...in a terrible kind of way. lol
The rolling up of the sleeves was glorious, wasn't it? I especially liked "and he won't have to buy you a mockingbird to do it."
I really enjoyed this Steph, and I laughed out loud several times. Oh Kelly. This was my favorite line - I could just hear Kelly saying it:
"Kelly didn’t want to be like Meredith. Because ew." And the thought of a Mrs. Nard Dog made me giggle. Very cute.
Author's Response: Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Motherhood.You do a wonderful job of describing the tedious soulsucking parts of motherhood. I do hope the "real" Pam has a balance of more moments of joy and fewer doubts than the scenario you've written here. Nice work, though.
It's great to see you writing again JAMhands! I loved your descriptions of the little things, smells, touches,how things feel - it made the piece so very intimate. So...swell. Lovely.
Oh my word, that was so sweet. I feel like I just ate dessert (in a good way). Very in character - nicely done. Not much longer to wait now... *tick* *tock*
Author's Response: Writing this was very helpful in getting through the hours before the episode. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!
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