What if Pam confronted Jim a little sooner than on Beach Day? A S3 AU angst-fest, complete with uneaten pizza. Spoilers up to/around Business School....Awww. Their zero anniversary! That brought tears to my eyes! I loved the imagery of Pam sneaking around in the dark, trying to be quiet but hoping that she wasn't.
Ah, if only all crises of career were so easily solved! I still love Pam's speech. The difference between "going to be" and "where you work" is too easily forgotten.
Author's Response: Our culture equates your career with your character, especially for men, and it isn't true. I think Jim needs to make peace with his job so he can enjoy his life. Thank you so much!
Interesting. I don't know that I would have known that it was Toby if you hadn't stated that in the description. But it was still extremely evocative.
Author's Response: Thank you so much!
Oh ouch. The fun thing about this piece is that while I don't believe it could have happened to these particular characters, I believe it totally could have happened. Does that makes sense? So intense.
Author's Response: Yeah, that makes sense. Thank you!
The moving from place to place like a boat with no anchor doesn’t get to her anymore.
How Karen's childhood as the daughter of a military man has left its imprint.
That was gorgeous. So evocative and true and I really felt the gut punch by the commendations and wooden box line.
Author's Response: Thank you so much! I've always had the feeling that Karen has some painful pieces to her past that we never saw.
A red M&M! That's so clever and very Pam.
Excellent use of Greek mythology. The creation of Venus is such a great one, very vivid.
Oh man. Not that I wish harm on Jenna that would cause the writers to have to cover for a real-life injury but dude, I have to see the Dwight-breaks-Pam's-arm episode now!!
Oh the cameras were on strike! Nice. Very clever.
Jim and Pam are Jim and Pam, only...not really.It's not just you. I was giggling like mad. It's definitely getting really fun!
And I love how this sentence can work for both the Jim and Pam that you've created here and also the Jim and Pam that are on the show: She wonders why she hadn’t figured out before that sex between them would be a game of chicken.
Do I know what's coming? Either a, ahem, happy ending or else you're going to rip these two apart callously! Incidentally, I've been loving all the little glimpses into the other cast member's real personalities. It's so fun to imagine them!
Awesome. That was awesome. What a fan-frickin-tastic way to ruin his night. So utterly unexpected and real. Hee!
Gods, I can't even process this right now. I think I already told you this could be published with just a few names changes. I mean it more even now. It's that good.
Whoa. I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing there during this chapter. I mean, my gods, talk about palpable tension! So intense.
What a fascinating premise! I love it, too! It's so interesting that Real Pam likes Fake Jim, too. I think you'll be able to do a lot with this one!
Ooh, I love how you're subverting so many of the show's relationships - like having Ryan hero-worshipping Jim. And tantalizing glimpse of Michael Scott! Woo!
The interesting thing about this chapter is that it allows you to understand this character with absolutely zero previous show knowledge. In fact, with just the barest reworking, you could probably submit this as unrelated to the show at all.
Ooh, I love the Omarosa comparison! But even better is the idea of a soap star referring to themselves as a "celebrity". Hee!
Ooh I love the fan interactions! The confusion continues...
BWAAHAHAHAA!!! That's awesome. I find it completely believable that a guy like that, just looking to get laid to distract himself, would find in that moment of supreme distraction the truth he's been hiding from.
How genius is it that Jim called Roy for advice? Man, I love this madness. It's totally compelling.
Penis penis penis penis penis.
HEE!!!
Saved and doomed. That's so lovely.
It's hard to exist. "Situation". Beef - n - cheddar single entendres. Wow. Just wow.
*squee!* Oh man. Love this Dwight. Love this story. Love "30 percent sure". BWAH!
How could she not indeed? Oh that was a wonderful reaction from Miss Pam Beesley. This is such a fantastic story. I can't say it enough. What a fun thing to catch up on!
Oh Iove the journey. The angst doesn't bother me at all because of how you've structured this. Damn that list of Jim's faults was cold! Yowza!
OK honestly, now I know why I tend to save fic reading for at work: it took me 4 tries to get through this chapter with all the toddler- and husband-related interruptions!
That was a great apology/confession from Pam and I really like how Jim's starting to both come to terms with his cad-self and realize that he's, ahem, more than that. Plus, who doesn't love a few good Shut Up Kelly fantasies?!
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