Story formerly known as Spring Cleaning. When he realizes she's asking him a serious question there is not even a moment’s hesitation before he answers. “Sure. What do you need?” Future fluff. Spoiler free, non-fat, as light as airy spun sugar. ;)
You know, as sweet and delicious as the fluff is, it's the other elements that make this so *actually* believable. For one thing, they way they give each other shit is just spot on. It's not vindictive but it's also direct and to the point. As much as they aren't currently meshing on the show, they really do know each other so well. Which is why it's so beautifully poignant and honest to have Jim be jealous of Roy. Still.
This feels whole and complete to me so I can't wait to find out where the following chapters will lead!
Thank you belsum. I have to say I just love your reviews. They are always so insightful. I really do think when they are together they will act just like this. The insecurities will still be there, just not all the time.
The rest of it is just as fluffy...so stay tuned. :)
Oh my dear god how did he ever manage to get secret video footage in a strip club?! BWAH!
There are just so many things that resonate with my memories of the early days of my own relationship with Mr. b. I can remember the painful, irrational jealousy and the painful, irrational fights because of it. So real. It took a lot longer to go away than I ever would have dreamed or admitted.
With a very tiny camera belsum. A very tiny camera. ;)
I know just like in life - it's not going to be flowers and chocolates when they finally stop kidding themselves but I'm (obviously) incredibly impatient and need to fast forward. At least in fanfic. :)
Thanks muchly for your review. I'm so glad it rang true for you.
I admit it; I'm a little too tipsy right now for a coherent review. But mostly, I'm just wondering where you're getting your information from about my life and conversations with Mr. b. This is the second time you've totally nailed my own past! (Pssst, Pam, I finally broke down and had a kid and...it's awesome.)
Author's Response:
Belsum - I swear I am not stalking you. I think this is part of why we love Jim and Pam - their imagined insecurities are so true to life.
I have no doubt Pam will break down in the end. Probably won't see it in this fic...but you might see them um...practice. :)
Yay! I love that they're going to have lots of sex and babies!
It was such a natural progression. I really liked this whole story. It just felt *right*. How the jealousy was mostly faded. How the pet peeves had begun to change. How the teasing was so much more domestic. It was comfortable and warm.
Well that was what I was hoping for when I started. I wanted to work in the domestic-ness but still tell a story. So happy that came across.
Have lots of sex and babies??? Well - they will...at least in fanfic. ;)
Yay! That was better than I could have ever dreamed of. Tons of new stuff for me to be surprised about, too. (Thanks for the shout-out!) I loved Pam's dad being clueless, Jim's dad being crass, and the silly sex talk - both uncomfortable and funny. Very real, all of it. Even the worries and hopes at the end. And still, through it all, this remains my favorite line: "This morning they'd come to the unfortunate realization that Pam and maple syrup were no longer friends." It just sums everything up so perfectly!
Author's Response:
LOL! That line is totally something I would say - so I'm glad you liked it. I'm sorry I'm so impatient - but am happy to surprise you.
PS - re: your email ? - Larissa is Jim's emergency contact. Schools of thought include the theory she is his mom or perhaps his sister. I'm of the mom variety. :)
Dammit, now I'm dropping tears all over the keyboard. Way to hit all my Mommy Buttons! Of course at the beginning of the story I was just worried about how old Janie was, because, you know, you can't do anything for 6 weeks. But four months? Yikes. Excellent portrayal of good ol' post-partum insanity. You've either got some great resources to interview or else you've got some 'splainin' to do!
Author's Response:
I have excellent resources. ;) And it's been 4 mo. but it's not been 4 months since they've been "together" just 4 (or more) months since it's been anything to write home about.
And now that I've revealed just how much I think about the private lives of two fictional characters I'm gonna go. :)
Thanks as always for the sweet review!
Jim should go play basketball, dammit! Honestly, it's selfish of him to deprive himself of stuff like that - he's got to remember who he is as an individual! I like the inversion and having a typically "mom" problem fall on the father.
And I was just wondering if you were taking the summer off from writing when I got the next chapter notice in my email. Yay!
HE SHOULD. LOL!
Nope not taking the summer off - just being lazy and unmotivated. This one went a lot differently than I intended but I'm glad you liked the result. :) Thank you as always for the lovely review.
Jan could use a few pointers. Fortunately, Pam has been taking notes. Spoilers up to Cocktails. Hiatusathon request for Moxie. First of all: Can I please get a Fed Exed copy of the User's Guide, too?
Wow. That was really amazing. I stumbled over a couple of spots where it seemed the verb tenses were changing but honestly, I loved this. I'm a major Jan and Michael fan anyway. But it was so nice seeing Fancy New Beesely offering actual, real, constructive advice to Jan; they were on the same level as women, if not as co-workers. And Michael does love his employees like family, such a profound revelation.
Yikes, verb tense problems? If you have a minute sometime, I'd love you to point them out!
Thanks for commenting, belsum!
Ooh burn. Nice. I didn't even remember that he was supposed to get Karen anything either!
I really liked the interaction between the two men; it's not something we often see, either in fic or on the show. Yeah, Ryan's a bit of a tool, but I still think you accurately captured him. He's just on his own mission in life and I think that affects how he deals with his co-workers. And good bit of Jim-denial. Kee-rist, how long that that possibly last?!
It seems like it's lasting forever so I don't know belsum. I. DON'T. KNOW.
Glad you liked it.
Nice. Short and sweet and to the point. I actually like that she wanted that piece of film - both as a reminder of when it was good and a reminder to never to let that happen again.
Author's Response: Thanks belsum! Hope she's learned a valuable lesson.
Five different scenarios in which our man finds out Pam is pregnant.YAY!!! Fluff, she is good. Wow. I really want to see them film this episode!
(Am I supposed to feel something at 32? I hit that earlier this year. Heh.)
My SIL found out she was preggers with their second on my brother's birthday this year. It was indeed a very good present.
Oh I adored this one! So many families have an "oops"; why not them? Seriously, I love that you're not doing anything typical with this series of reveals.
*sigh* Ah, what might have been. That was a lovely chance meeting.
Ouch. Wow. But thanks for linking this in as a challenge response or else I never would have gotten to it! :-)
That was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes! Even though I don't have personal knowledge of difficulty conceiving (quite the contrary, heh) I'm really glad that you gave them this issue to deal with. Poor Jim, carrying around that self-guilt.
What might cause someone to quit Dunder-Mifflin? Finding out they're related to Michael.
Awesome. Kissin' cousins. Very nice. And an awesome challenge - glad you submitted it!
Ouch. Karen is definitely seeming more and more defeated. I think not making the basket is a perfect indicator that she's loosing her will to fight to keep him.
Author's Response: Karen will always be defeated in my fic, so that might be why you're picking up on that! Hee.
Oh my dear god that was effing priceless! I was laughing so hard it was hard to focus on the screen to even read the last few sentences! Genius. Dwight's percentages were spot on - especially "It was closer to 98% certainty but he wasn't going to admit that to Jim." Hee!
Gould won't... communicate with Jan. Five conversations that answer the question: Why Michael?Michael Scott makes Jan be a better woman. Loved this. She was so strong and centered at the end, compared to desperate and self-loathing with Robert. Very, very nice.
Author's Response:
It's interesting you would say that, belsum, because I really believe that: what's important in a relationship is the person you are with your loved one. (Awkward phrasing, I know.) I think both Michael and Jan could really become stronger, better people because of their relationship.
Thanks for reviewing!
Everyone's favorite orphan girl comes to Avonlea! Pam, Jim and Roy are Anne, Gil and...Roy. Now complete.Brava!
That was absolute magic. Nqllisi has been on me for months to read this story and I'm so glad I finally did. Now I need to reread Green Gables!!
Oh wow. Chills. Such perfect parallels to both adult Jan and Michael Scott himself! Can't wait to see where you're going with this.
Author's Response: Thank you:) I hope you won't be disappointed with the next chapters:)
That was cute. Such a seventeen year old! And a little bit familiar since I was vehemently anti-kid for most of my life (and of course now I have an almost 2 year old...). Good mother-daughter dialogue.
Author's Response: Thanks:) Yeah, I think we all go through anti-kids phases:)
General season three spoilers for The Office. Takes place sometime between Exodus part II and Maelstrom in BSG time.
This is where Pam's new strength really shows through. Strength from carrying a new life. Strength from being a survivor. Strength from having total confidence in someone else's love. Ah Kara, you frakked up both of 'em on your own.
Author's Response: Poor Kara. I'm not sure she ever had a chance (until now, of course, but we don't know who/what she is now, quite yet). As we discussed, I wanted Pam to be strong because of what she's been through, and who she's been with. I love the idea that they are thriving together.
Beautiful. Truly lovely. And honestly, I could see RDM himself weaving in second chances as a theme in his own storytelling. It fits so perfectly with what we've seen this last season.
Author's Response: I'm almost more invested in seeing Pam become the person we see here- strong, assured, happy even in dire circumstances. I think she has so much potential. But I love Starbuck and can't wait to see what her special destiny really is! Thank you, thank you- for your insightful help and for your wonderful comments!
Man. It's just such great characterization for Kara to find prenancy to be arrogant. Nice. And this, too, "Kara felt some of her tension seep away into trust. It was an unsettling feeling" was just so Starbuck.
Author's Response: I adore that you can come up with little things to comment on after you've already read the whole thing. Thank you!
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