I really REALLY hope you will come back to this story! So far it's made me mostly pretty sad but it's certainly looking up! For now I'm feeling cheated out of a proposal and them being stable and happy. I'm thrilled that Jim made the move for her. REALLY hope there will be more!

Author's Response: I'll definitely come back to it. I just need to figure out where the heck I was going with this again.

Okay... I have to say, (please no onr throw stones) I don't read badfic, I just kinda find them pointless but something about this made me stop and read and I must say, it made me laugh and my life is petty cappy right now so I REALLY needed that laugh. I still probaby won't read badfics or become a fan of them but in all sincerety, THANKS for making me laugh when I most needed it! :o)

WOW... sooooo good! I have to say, I'v forgiven their mom. To me, in the previous chapters, she was just coming off as, well, willing to sacrifice Jim and his feelings and future happines for Roy. I guess I should have realized that it just isn't that easy and as a mom she just found herself between a rock and a hard place and most probably simply wasn't sure what was right. I guess it seemed that if Pam was going through with the wedding then presumably Roy was what Pam wanted so maybe she actually was thinking she was sparing Jim's feelings not to mention if Pam and Roy had gone ahead and gotten married after Jim had confessed, would have made for real akward family dynamics so she may have really thought it was in the best intrest of both boys. In any case, she really makes up for it here. I truly like how you have this chapter play out and honestlly, I just didn't see any way you were going to be able to untangle this whole thing without it being a mess of gigantic proportions but you really handled it so perfectly. Having the dad, who I am certain is the stronge of the parents and probably the one that would make the biggest immediate impact on Roy, take him outside and talk to him, and I would assume he was in some way or other backing Jim, not completely, not the way it was done, but just letting him know that Jim wasn't completely wrong and his parent's still love him, I think THAT is SO instumental to all of this working out with the family being able to work through this eventually and also being able to open their minds to still one day welcome Pam as a menber of the family one day, under other circumstances, because I think it's inevitable and very important. More than that, I just adored Jim's mom finally telling him her thoughts and feelings. Telling him that she knew as soon as he had told Pam and that she was so afraid that she had broke his heart. It showed me how much Jim's mom really does care about him and I'm so glad because I've just always pictured in my head Jim having a very close relationship with his Parents, and even being a bit of a mommy's boy which is why I think I took her actions to heart so much. I LOVE and think it was SO important that she confessed to Jim that she regrets not saying anything to him when she found out because she could have stopped it all, she feels blame. So there is both his father in the last chapter and his mom here confessing to the guilt they feel for letting this just go and I am just so glad to see this. They let Jim suffer in silence for too long. They let him cover for Roy and lie for him and really, they let Jim make Roy's relationship work when it had to be obvious that the real reason he did it was that he loved Pam and he just simply couldn't stand the thought of her being hurt. I'm glad that they see this and hopefully they WILL make it up to Jim by accepting him and Pam as a couple togethr, making them feel as comfortable as they can, when the time comes that they are ready to be around people as a couple.

ou now, backing up to the beginning of the chapter, it doesn't surprise me that it didn't take long for Jim to tell Roy I just think e's the type of guy with a guilty conscience and it would really be eating at him, always there with him worrying that Roy would find out some other way and I think Jim would certainly have wanted Roy to have heard it coming from him. VERY smart for Jim to tell him while they are at their parent's house. I mean, as we saw, things could have easily spiraled out of control physically (and there's no Dwight in this story to swing in and save the day!) so what better than to have it where there are a few punches thrown and then the parents break it up.

It is really so Roy, and speaks of really why things didn't really work out with Pam, that he just doesn't get it. Hopefully on reflection he'll be able to see some things, like the fact that his brother has had a better relationship with Pam, and he was always asking his brother to save his relationship with Pm and oh, if his brother and Pam hadn't been best friends, where he had a lot of influence over her, Roy and Pam's relationship would have almost certainly ended long before it did. Instead Roy seemed to get in this comfort zone of at best indifference and at worst plain neglect and figured (even if he wasn't aware that he thought this) that he coud screw up because if e did he had ole Jimmy boy on hand to go in there and clean up any mess he had made.

Finally, I like that Jim called to warn Pam about what was going on before Roy got back there (of course one would expect no less of him! Oh and as a side not, LOVE how the dad told Jim that e and Pam shouldn't go walking around town together just yet!) Very good to have Pam's dad there when Roy gets home, that would be a sure way to make sure things won't get out of hand. Anyhow, it's kinda sad for Roy that he just can't get it, seems to think that he and Jum should be interchangable. I think what he's probably missing is that the love between Pam and Jim wasn't a high school fell in love type thing but rather something that came from time and years spent building a solid friendship. Learnig each other and caring. I like to think it's the more mature type love that there are a few high school relatonships can translate ad become that type of love, but just not many. I eally hope when Roy thinks and reflects he'll be able to see so many of these things. I'm sure it will still sting, having lost Pam, especially how he did and especially to his own brother, but hopefully if he really tries to understand the why of it all he'll be able to see and there will be some valuable lessons he'll be able to take into his next relationship that will make it more successful.

I'm excited for the next chapter, heck, I'm excited for EVERY. SINGLE. CHAPTER! Seriously, I check over and over every day, even when I am sure there won't be anything new that day. I just can't seem to help myself. Anyhow, I can't wait to see what more goes on between the brothers and I'm kinda wondering if we'll hear Tom's reaction. He seems like a bit of a wild card to me. Then of course I'm SOOOOO excited to get these two started on the path to dating and happiness! You. Are. Awesome. Thanks for keeping this going and keeping it fresh and exciting. Also, thanks for the time you take with your responses to my reviews. I'm pretty embarassed that they are always so long and boring so, I'm sorry about that. I just seem to start and all my thoughts come pouring out. Again, sorry.

Author's Response: I adore your reviews. Sometimes you point out things that I barely remember writing. I'm convinced you have a wicked awesome memory or you take notes. Super impressed. You hit the Mom right on the nose and all the parents for that matter. It was a less about them meddling and ignoring and more about them trying to let these 3 figure out what and who they wanted to be with. Now that you mentioned Dwight stopping the Roy punch I feel slightly sad that I didn't manage to bring him into the story some how. I guess there's always the next AU. Tom is definitely a wild card. I will tell you that there was something to be said about his dance with Pam at the dinner.

I forgot to say in my review, THANK YOU for answering my inquiy about Mifflin Designs. I am extremely happy to know that after this story, hopefully you will be working on that again and I will still have more of your fics to read. I am very serious, each of yours has a special place in my heart. I just finished Leaning to Love Again yesterday for at least the 6th time. I'm getting ready to reread Dunder Hall again, just love it so much! I used to not like AUs now I can't get enough of them and I can't find enough of them either! Keep up the great work. Your mind + your talent + your writing style= a whole lot of enjoyment for your readers. THANKS!

Author's Response: I have some more AUs planned! One is started already so I might go with that one first, but Mifflin Designs is first on my list if I can get back in the groove of writing it. That means so much to me that you reread my stories. Thank you!

10

The way you wrote this chapter was unexpected and absolutely awesome! You know, the reaction of Mrs Halpert was really a disappointment to me. I mean, she knew... REALLY knew as in Jim admitted it to her, knew and was 100% willing to completely turn a blind eye to it and allow his feelings to be trampled on for Roy. Honestly, because of the way mothers love their children, especially their sons, the person she should be disappointed in is herself because rather than exploring Jim's feelings and the fact that I think they probably all knew that she returned them, at least to a degree, she was willing to sacrifice the happiness of one son AND her future daughter in law for the sake of the other. You know, I just wonder, did they think that the marriage happening ws going to fix things? Would it wipe out Jim's feelings? Make Roy an attentie husband though he couldn't quite get being an attentive boyfriend? Would it wipe out Pam's doubts and obvious feeling towards Jim? The unexpecte and SO wonderful part of the chapter is Jim and Roy's dad and the things he has to say. They were basically how I would have expected their mom to react but it was for some reason so much more delightful coming from the dad, maybe because I expected him to be upset with Jim. I just LOVE that the dad not only takes the blame but comes clean saying that they all knew including himself and his wife, Tom, the Beeslys, all of them, yet were ready to turn a blind eye. I love that he is supportive and encouraging and fully expecting Jim and Pam to not only have a relationship, but not to hide it. LOVED the remark about how if things go bad with Jim and Roy, two Christmases. I STILL just can't wrap my mind around the actions and reactions of their mom, being the mom of three children, two of them grown, I simply cannot see ever sacrificing the happiness, especially when it comes to a matter as delicate and permanate as love, of one of my children for the sake of the other. I would kinda love to hear the interraction between Mrs and mr Halpert about all of this. I mean, did she tell him what Jim told her at Christmas and the fact that she expected him to smply keep his mouth shut? Based on the things he said to Jim on the phone, it just makes me wonder exactly what his reaction to a confession like tat would have been. It seems to me ike he would not have been very happy with her and probably would have said some of things to her that I have been thinking like, how coud you just sit back and let this happen when you KNEW to the extent that her had actually TOLD you! Also, in thinking back to all that happend at Christmas (it was Christmas, right? I think you MAY have referred to it here as Thanksgiving but maybe there was something on Thanksgiving I'm forgetting about. I just remember Jim's fould mood on Christmas and helping to unload the truck, the gift of the ugly sweater from grandma and gifts between Jim and Pam) anyhow, thinking back to that day, Roy should have SOME kind of a clue and when I think of that it makes me feel a little less sorry for him because of the way he walked by the door with Jim and Pam in the room and was making fun of Jim's feelings.

Anyhow, I also really loved the way you did the second part of the chapter. I knew it was unlikely that Jim and Pam would be able to stay apart for long, but SO like Jim to totally respect hr request for a few days so it was simply perfect for her to show up to see him. I cannot imagine how much of a relief it was for Jim to see her there. I also loved that she not only esentially asked him out, she also let him know WHEN she felt it would be okay to make that move and really, I think it's a good idea for them to wait a month. It really WOULD seem disrespectful to all that has happened for them to dive right in immediately. Then there is the hanging out just as best friends... pERFECT! I mean, they've done it for years, why ot now when she likely needs her best friend more than ever and frankly, so does he. The observation that in their 'Would you still love me' game, that he had never said he wouldn't love her, that was just brilliant because really, I don't know that there's much of anything that Pam could do that would cause Jim not to love her. Actually, in thinking about it, she questioned him back a couple chapters about him saying he would still love her if she married is brother but the thing is, it was true and that was the really sad part of it all. Even her marrying his brother would not cause him to not love her, and honestly it wouldn't have stopped her from loving him either.

Just another in a series of amazing chapters. This story, while I thought it always pomised to be good, has exceeded my expectations by so much and just keeps getting better and better.

Oh, I keep thinking about something the dad said if I can go back to that for a minute, when he said, that girld had your heart and held 'Roy's life together' it seems that the fact that they felt that Pam was what was holding Roy's life together, that's probably exactly why they were willing to turn a blind eye to it all. I mean, as long as Pam was there, holding Roy's life together, and honestly, by extention in so many ways, Jim was the one holding Pam's life together, well, then they didn't have to worry. I just don't get how any of them could ave seen this, no matter how vaugely, ad not gotten that it wasn't a recipe for a marriage tat would work. Honestly, the marriage would have just made things worse I would think.

I CANNOT wait to see what happens when Roy and Jim talk and then when Jim and Pam start dating. You are just making this story sooooo great! Thanks!

Author's Response: It was Christmas, you're right. I must have been hungry when I was writing that, still kind of hungry now. Think about Mrs. Halpert's disappointment more in a timing way. She never actually says that he was wrong to do it. She's only upset that they did it two days before the wedding. We will explore all of their parents' expectations when we get to the chapter when Roy finds out. And those expectations will have something to do with Mrs. Halpert's personal disappointment.

10

:::::fanning self::::: That was really HOT! Smuttiest you've ever written? Who cares?! It was great, well written and believable, to me THAT'S what matters! I really like that you gave this an entire chapter of it's own because I really think it needed it. Also, I like the uuummm... let's say, false start, where they couldn't go any farther in the last chapter because to me that really set this one up well. It let us know that reguardless of their intentions, which are admirable though not really realistic, they are honestly ready to take the leap into a physical relationship and really, there isn't a lot of reason to just keep dancing around it. I hope that although they've really jumped ahead of themselves here a bit, and I really think that's fine, I would still like to see him ask er out and take her on a proper date(s) because she deserves that and so does he. I think they both need and deserve the fun and courtesies of a new relationship even if some things can be dispensed with because of the situation. I just love each of their deep declarations of love at the end here. I just get the sense that it's such of a relief to each of them not only to be able to say it out loud to each other but even just to truly admit it to themselves, especially for Pam.

Just curios, during this break up, moving out, dividing the household thing, has Pam had contact with the Halpert parents or is that something that we will see her first contact with them? I'm just curious because we know that they handled things really well with their boys but otoh Pam IS the one that while she made one son the happiest he has probably ever been, she hurt their other son. Just wondering what their reaction is and if they will be resentful about her waiting though they should understand since it kinda went according to Jim's timing. She was obviously prepared to marry Roy, right or wrong.

Shorter review this chapter but WOW, what a fantastic one! Oh and thank you SO much for the quick updates. Because of my health a lot of times reading these fics truly are the highlight of my pathetic life so it's like getting a little gift when I check in and see another brand new chapter. SOOOO cannot wait for more! Keep it coming!

Author's Response: Thanks ftmill16! Smut isn't my strong suit, but I just can't help myself in adding it to stories. Pam hasn't had contact with the Halperts yet. I don't have it planned that you will see the first contact (I'm always changing my mind though), but you will see them meet up before we end the story. And Pam and Jim will be doing regular people dating stuff soon.

10

::::breathing huge sigh of relief while trying to swallow past the lump in my throat:::: OMG I am SO invested in this story. I honestly sighed in relief when he finally confessed his love and also when they finally allowed themselves to admit both to each other AND to themselves that they belong together and sealed it with a long awaited kiss. You know, in this scenerio, Pam kinda makes me mad She takes tiny steps then backs WAY off expecting Jim to do all the hard work. Meanwhile, It doesn't seem that she has any real appreciation for the horrible situation that Jim finds himself in. I believe that Pam is smart enough to know that Jim has had to cover for Roy all those times. Also, she HAS to know that it seems that Roy appears to be the 'golden child' in his family. It just seems that Pam would have to see hints that Roy and Jim's family are not only okay with, but even expect Jim to ignore the feelings for Pam that I believe had they gone unspoken they would have eventually destroyed him and probably her too. I mean, it's been in my head since the last chapter, how in the world does she ignore how Jim HAD to feel when his brother tells him that she is the only good thing in his life? I would think she would unerstand that those words, without a clear signal from her, would prevent Jim from speaking up. I just really understand in this situation what an absolute impossible place Jim found himself and the fact is, he may well be making a choice between having his family or having her and while being truly in love and esentially knowing that she IS 'the one' for him, there is just NO WAY he can take that step without knowing that she feels the same and in the process lose evrything in the process. I know that most of this really applies to the chapters preceeding this, but this chapter, and particularly Pam's anger at Jim, really got me thinking about it all and just how much Jim could lose. I hope his family will see when they find out, that this is right. It seems like they kind of like Pam being there to steady Roy and really so he can be her problem rather than theirs, but it's selfish and I really do hope that in the fallout that is certain to come, they can see that they expected both Jim and Pam to ignore their true feelings so that she could be whatever Roy and his family wants her to be for Roy. I am holding my breath SO excited for the next chapters! I can't wait to see how it all goes when Roy is denied what hec wants. I thought it was great insight into the mind of Penny and probably her family as well when Penny danced with Jim and said she thought it would be him. (and immediately after he professed his love to Pam no less! Makes me wonder if it was maybe even some sort of a last ditch plea, you know, "wake up Jim! You are better for my sister, you belong together and you're going to lose her forever!" I also noticed (unles I somehow missed it) that Pam didn't tell Jim that she also loves him, though I'm sure it is implied. Maybe she feels she needs to have things over with Roy before she actually says it! I just cannot wait to see what comes next! Good luck with your family stuff but PLEASE, hurry back! You can't leave us hanging here! :o)

Author's Response: ftmil16, I absolutely love your long reviews! I can see how invested you really are. I get being mad at Pam, but remember way far back in chapter 4 when she was ready to let it all go to be with Jim and then he called and let her down and he never brought it up again. So give her a little slack. For her she was ready for that big step and it didn't happen, so now she's going to be more cautious. The family stuff will be more tricky than his parents liking Pam with Roy. There was a reason his mom only consoled Jim but didn't tell him not to say anything. And Pam didn't say I love you, she's still coming to terms with calling off her wedding but we will get to that. It will be a big thing for her and them as a couple. Again, thanks so much for the review. I love hearing all of this.

10

WHEW! What Jim and Pam went through was agonizing and I'm thinking most of the time 'Jim you're blowing it BIG TIME.' He could cearly see her frusration and hurt not to mention it was a bit frustrating how often he left her alone rather than go on things she wanted to go on or pass on things she couldn't but thankfully in the end he came through, though THANK GOD he got assistance! Always like a happy ending for this fantastic couple! :::::sigh::::: I am SUCH a JAM fan! GREAT job on the story. Also, I'm hoping that your knowledge of Disney is what it seems to be in the story because we are taking our daughter there in a month and hoefully some of this will come in handy! Thanks again for a great, well writen story!

10

Okay... I've read SOOOO many srories where Jim proposes but tTHIS is without a doubt my favorite way. What a great idea andI could SO see him doing this! What a really REALLY great story! I totally was sucked into it!

10

October, 2008


Tonight, I was making dinner for Audrey. The only thing I know how to cook is spaghetti, because the way I see it, that’s the easiest food to make that contains at least one thing from the food pyramid. So the reason why I’m cooking for Audrey tonight is because…she’s ready to, as she likes to put it, take our relationship to the next level. Yes, I have dated Audrey for a year and a half but we have yet to have sex. Which is, and I’m being serious, fine by me. She just wanted to be sure that she’d lose her virginity to someone she truly loves, so when she told me she was ready, it made me feel all kinds of special.

Okay... I know this review is WAY after the fact so it will probably never be answered BUT... here as i show it says that it is Oct 2008. it says Jim is making dinner for Audrey because she is ready to have sex with him and goes on to say that they have dated for over a year and a half. Problem is, the thing that seems to be anything that could maybe possibly be considered their first date, and I'm not even sure about calling this a first date since Jim sent pam flowers and they BOTH felt bad about kissing because of Pam, but that was dated in your flashbacks as Valentine's day 2008. SO, if you would consider that as the first date, and I don't think you could consider anything before it as one because otherwise jim would not have been sending Pam flowers or even considering it, so that makes it 8 months from the first date. also, you said in a reply to a review that you wanted to show that Jim wasn't pining for Pam and that he was in fact in love with Audrey... I should first say, it's your story so obviously it's how you say it is. However, Jim's actions totally seem to go against what you are saying here. If jim had not been pining and especially if he HONESTLY had been truly in love with audrey, there is NO WAY that a phone call from Pam, after so long apart would have stopped the relationship dead in it's tracks like that. Hoestly I believe he felt love for Audrey and whatever other girls, same with Pam and Alex, but I think both the actions of Jim, dropping Audrey the way he did and also right after he saw Pam again he dropped Karen, though it was made clear that he KNEW there was no love there, but also Pam, after a night with her fiance, all Jim has to do is tell her that he isn't over her and she is at his door the next morning. I think that due to unfortunate circumstances the two were kept apart, I think they mostly stayed apart fearing that each time they had to part with each other again would be more painful than the time before. I think they each also took turns fearing that they themselves HAD to move on because they felt the other person was past it. I honestly don't think that either of them fell in and out of love with each other, i think they just pushed it way far back so it wouldn't hurt and tried real darn hard to get other people to fill the gaping hole that was in their heart. I think when Jim looked at Mecheal and Holly and saw soul mates, he KNEW that he and Pam were the same way but he was so afraid that there was no way they would end up together that he refused to see it.

Oh, and I know that Audrey seems to be a kinda popular character in this fic but honestly, I thought she was underhanded and scheming. She KNEW at the beginning of her friendship with Jim that he had a girl he was madly in love with but she went for him anyhow, just in a very understated way. I think she counted on something that ended up working in her favor, she was there, Pam wasn't. Of course she saw in the end that it was Pam that Jim was actually in love with. Okay, far too long winded but I just really feel that this actually is a piece that shows perfectly that Jim and Pam wee soul mates and really were in love from the start. To me, looking from that angle it's very sweet.

10

GREAT chapter! I REALLY love this story and I can't tell you just how happy I am that even though you took a long break from it, you came back to continue it rather than leaving us hanging like so many stories that remain unfinished do.

I have to say, you show Alex for the creap I always thought that he was on the show. Good job with that. I mean, who is Alex to, after just meeting Pam n hour or two before this, give her a big speech on what she should do with HER life, something he knows NOTHING about. I thnk we all know that Jim will be the first one to insist that Pam go to Pratt (if that's what SHE wants to do) and he'll be the one to ease her fears and show her their relationship will work just fine long distance.

I love that you are showing that unlike on the show when it took Jim and Pam FOREVER to get things together in their relationship, you are showing an instant connection, like they know they are soul mates and are already taking each other into consideration when thinking about future plans. Let's face it, Pam has time to think about Pratt but I can see why after dealing with a horrible relationship and first marriage, why when she finds a man who she not only has an instant connection with, but he also treats her fantastic, well I can see why she would feel the need to consider that when making plans for her future. Also, I think at the beginning of a relationship when everthing is new and you can't get enough of each other, it would be VERY disappointing to find out that your new love has to cancel plans and be away a few days, ESPECIALLY when you are having a bad day AND the festival, somethimh you worked so hard on, feels like it's falling apart. I sense that from close to the time Pam met Jim in this story, he became her rock. I mean, she was disappointed he had to go but she accepted it, she never asked him not to.

I love that Jim decided to not take the Toronto assignment because he wanted to be with Pam. I'm sure that it shows her just how much he cares for her even here at the start of their relationship. Also, it was a great way to improve Pam's mood and day also putting to rest any even tiny doubs she may nave had because of what that twerp Ryan said.

I cannot tell you how glad I am that Jim's phone went dead and he didn't hang up on her.

I'm eager to see if Pam introduces Jim to her parents. I hope she does and she takes him to lunch with them. I'm also hoping that Alex get the opportunity to see Jim and Pam together and see what a great connection they have and therefore see that whether she goes to Pratt or not, he has no chance!

This was another fanastic chapter. I absolutely cannot wait for the next one. I swear, this story is so good it feel like you could take to 100 or more chapters! (Though I suspect you probably won't want to do that!!!) REALLY GREAT!

Author's Response: Hey there, thanks so much for the lovely review! I'm glad you've gotten so much out of it and from what I can tell, you've really nailed what I've been trying to present on the head. I'm not sure if I"ll have 100 chapters, doubt the show will last that long, but I'm going to try to keep going until the series ends. Thanks again! :)

10

This story is awesome. I kept debating if I wanted to keep reading because I really thought it was headed towards a Pam/Toby connection and nothing against Toby but I am hardcore Jim/Pam and even if noy, to me Toby is just WRONG for Pam! Anyhow, SO glad I kept going because this was a Beach Day spin I haven't seen and I just loved it! Thanks!

Author's Response: Thanks :) This is my favorite story that I've written here. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for letting me know!