119 
We came back stronger than a 90's trend
Oh Sprinkles, I am in love with this story from the very first sentence. To open with Dwight is genius and you wrote him so very well here!
For like, 2 seconds, you had me feeling a little guilty about being a super fan but then I remember that I've never actually thrown lingerie at Jim... I'm not saying I wouldn't have, if given the chance, but the point is, I haven't. So I don't feel so bad anymore.
Mark is such a dude here and I kind of love and hate him for it. I'd say poor Jim, but then I got to Pam's section and ugh.. poor Pam! I'm really sad that Jim didn't reach out to her through all of it.
"The camera zoomed in on his face, and Pam got lost in a well-worn fantasy of Jim’s arm around her shoulder as they walked somewhere by the ocean, him looking down at her with those eyes, and smiling…" Ooof, that line killed me.
"Jim hung up the phone and paced his apartment, his thoughts racing. Was she ok? Was she freaking out? What would Roy do when she told him?
He thought he should call her. Or at least text. Just to check in and make sure she was ok in all this insanity." Okay, I'm not quite so mad at Jim anymore.
Love Isabel here - you know how I feel about Pam's Wild Summer.
I don't know why, but knowing that Karen fast forwarded through the Scranton parts of the show and only watched the Stamford parts made me laugh - it's so perfectly in character.
"“Why did you break up with Roy if you weren’t interested in Jim? ‘Cause watching the show, it seemed to me like you were pretty into Jim all along.”" DANM KAREN. Okay. I love this.
Michael's "Family Dinner". You nailed every single personality at that table.
Ooh, the idea of a fan catching Jim and Pam having this fight? I'm sad we didn't get that on the show now, but this entire scene more than makes up for it.
You write angry, pining JAM so well and I never want you to stop because we're so lucky to read these gems you keep coming up with.
"It wasn’t long before they were in a dark room being shown footage of Pam on tiptoes kissing Jim on the cheek by the vending machine in the break room." One of my all-time favorite scenes of the show, I'm so glad you added it here.
"Ready?" No ma'am. No, I wasn't ready for this story to hit me in all the feels.
Author's Response: I was here to enjoy the reviews on your chapter and then I saw this. You are so kind and I'm happy that you loved my quirky take on this. Thank you for giving me the gift of a long review!
1 "He thought about a shower but dismissed the idea, not quite ready to let go of the fingerprints she had left all over him." So you're not even easing us into this story, you're just taking direct shots to the heart right from the start. Cool.
I know we've been preparing for Paris Jim since we met London Jim but the thing is that I still wasn't ready. Bored, he's absolutely perfect.
I'm not letting this go: "Flashes came back occasionally of things he would rather forget like a particular evening of intemperance with a friend of Danny’s in her apartment off the Rue de Rivoli; the blurred vision of Danny sandwiched between two half-dressed women and a third nameless face unbuttoning his own pants caused him to shift in his uncomfortably in his chair." Hey, never stop sneaking these little moments in, okay? Okay.
Back to Paris Jim. "I can definitely imagine." "and the city around them sighed in relief at another love story reaching its natural end." "She sighed at him exasperatedly, but her smile told him he still got to go home with her." This last one in particular - I just need you to know that the relationship you've built between these two in this universe is maybe one of my favorites; it's so efffortless and romantic and real and you could probably show them grocery shopping and I'd have the same reaction but let's keep them here in London and Paris for a bit still.
"But he settled for just holding her as she fell asleep." How dare you.
"Weekend getaways to Paris and amazing shower sex before work were not things she would have ever imagined for herself even a year ago, and sometimes she felt like she was holding her breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop." Is it your goal to get me to copy and paste the entire chapter into this review? Because I'm fine with that but come on. Perfect line is perfect.
"You saw me put it on, don't act surprised." Okay, I laughed.
The crazy guy at the laundromat. Jim casually asking her to move in and her not saying no. Listen, I just really love and am in awe of how you managed to portray the timeline of this relationship in under 10,000 words.
Was I expecting Karen? I was not. Was I expecting to feel a little bit of sympathy toward Karen once she realized she'd wasted her time? I most certainly was not, but I am and I guess that's on you for writing three dimensional characters.
"She knew she would find him on the other side, the same way she knew she would have returned those missed calls before she went to bed." I just really love this.
They love each other! This ending...
You did good, Bored. You did really, really good.
Author's Response:
Haha, yes, I adore London Jim too and I just want to keep putting him delightful circumstances. Also, I'm glad you felt sympathy towards Karen too. I wanted there to be some complexities in the ending of it for her (and him) and, as those things usually are, not very black and white emotions.
Thanks, friend, for all the lovely compliments! ;)
1 "On June 10th, she had one canceled wedding, zero best friends, and twenty-four nonreturnable bottles of champagne." On January 17th I have zero words to describe at how much of a punch of an opening sentence this is. Fuck, BT. This is going to hurt, isn't it?
"It was weird, kind of, to drink champagne without something celebratory happening, but it was cheap and available and it helped her relax and she liked the way it felt fizzy on her tongue, so really what was the problem? There wasn’t one. No problem at all, not here, not even as she finished one bottle and reached for the next." Yeah, this is definitely going to hurt. I'm not mad about it though... not really.
" and her only reaction was to take a swig right from the bottle." Roy has that effect on me too.
Hey speaking of Roy and this whole scene with him. Ma'am? How dare you. I don't at all want to feel bad about him but what else am I supposed to feel when he has to give this ring back to his mom?
From that scene on, I really love the way you write the countdown of the bottles; and also Pam's progress in buying first the flutes and then the ice bucket. Those are things that you absolutely didn't need to include in the story, but they really say So Much about her and her state of mind and how she's doing and I'm really glad that your brain works the way it does and you felt it necessary to throw these details in.
"She told herself it was the champagne, as it so often made her weepy. Or maybe she just mostly drank it when she was sad. In either case, she convinced herself it was the feeling of coming back to something you knew really well, even if it didn’t feel like coming home." I...no really, just how dare you come at me like this with all these feelings?
"“A toast to us. Unless you were saving this for something. Do you mind?”" Do you mind? Do YOU mind, BT? Honestly.
I love this, I really, really do but now I feel like I need my own bottle of champagne.
1 Oh AG. No lie, I've had to stop and take a break from reading this through to the end so many times because you wrote it so beautifully and realistically that it hurt too much to read in one sitting. It's so, so good though.
I was hooked the minute you used "he was so much older and wiser" which is quite possibly the only time the word wise was used to describe Roy.
"She sits on the edge of the bed, after dressing in tight fitting leggings and a shirt that is a size too small, clothes that are difficult to remove. She does so strategically." This line kills me every single time. I just need you to know that.
Oh and then there's this: "ut that’s what you do in a relationship, right? You tolerate the few traits that you don’t quite agree with because the good outweighs the bad. It’s what she knows, anyway. She’s seen her mother put up with her father’s distaste of household chores because he does in fact handle all of the yard work. She’s watched her father bite his tongue when Mom goes on one of her rants, because in the end, her sweet words are what he fell in love with in the first place. Relationships are a compromise. And she’d been in what felt like a mature, adult relationship for over a year now, which meant making mature adult decisions.
And besides. He’s mentioned tolerating a few of her quirks, too." OOF. I'm not okay. I'm really not.
"But a blow to the cheek didn’t exactly spell out love, and she found herself spending more and more time trying to figure out what had taken their perfect little puzzle and scattered all of the pieces." Hey, when are you going to stop killing me with the way you string words together so beautifully and perfectly? Just wondering because I'd like to live.
I just -- the progression this takes, from telling the slow decline of the Roy/Pam story and the slow build of the Jim/Pam story -- for real, I ask once more, how do you do this?
"Hey, that yougurt is expired." FINE. This is where I fall in love with Jim in this story too. I hope you're pleased wih yourself.
AG. He. Took. Her. To. His. Parents. Again, how dare you do this to us.
I'm really sorry that I'm just spitting my favorite lines of yours at you here, but there's just so many in this story and honestly, you've destroyed my brain with it and I can barely form coherent and original thoughts when you write things like, "She sits next to him on the couch, not quite touching, but not quite far away either. Her savior sits in blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt, the gold in his green eyes swirling tentatively as he waits for what comes next."
June 10th. I hate you. No I don't. I love you.
The thing I’ve been thinking about since the last chapter is what an incredible slow burn you’ve created here. Like, as I’m getting back into the second part; we’re still barely into the slow burn, and it’s killing me in the very best of ways.
Pete’s the true MVP here, with his (okay, for mostly selfish reasons) sending Roy away so that Pam can go with them to Newport. I love that set up a lot.
Hey, these beach scenes? “Charm and humor go a long way in concealing the truth in you.” What even is this line? How do you define the very essence of Jim Halpert in 13 words? That’s incredible.
Honorable mentions for lines during the second beach scene go to:
-The contrasting cold water on the sun-kissed heat of his skin was intoxicating and a dangerous desire began to pool heavy inside her.
-“I don’t want to let go. Do you want me to let go?”
Oops. I really liked Pete until he ruined this moment.
-There was supposed to be a rhythm to their dancing, he was sure of it, he just couldn’t exactly remember the steps so they just swayed. You know what? You’ve very rude with how masterfully you incorporate these little easter eggs the way that you do. But don’t ever stop, okay? I also really love the parallel between a speakeasy and Casino Night – intended or not, this was a very good choice to make.
Also this? “She and Isabel lounged leisurely on the deck, soaking in the intense sun and making suggestive comments, all while watching the Halpert brothers expertly navigate the boom and mainsail.” It’s. So. Good.
And the whole scene in Pam’s bedroom when they get back? It’s all giving me Wildest Dreams feels and I wouldn’t be mad at all if we got another glimpse of these two completely based around that song. Just saying.
I have to laugh at Roy’s dislike of Isabel, considering his own behaviors. The complexity you give these characters with so few words – again – I don’t know how you do this so freaking well.
“I’m just saying that, officially, I shouldn’t be here.” “And I’m just telling you that, officially, I don’t care.” I love this exchange a whole lot.
Also? I want more of Pete, Jim, and Roy trading veiled insults and threats across a table. That’s just a really great scene and again, how do we make this a movie?
“I’m really sorry I didn’t come to your art show.” Oh. It’s fine. I’m fine.
“It’s 1923. People get divorces all the time.” I don’t know why, this line made me giggle. A lot.
Jim setting Roy up was a plot point I didn’t see coming and actually gasped at. And it’s so perfect? And I’m not mad at him at all and Roy had it coming and between this and Aeternum; can you always just write period pieces that pit these two men against each other? Please and thank you.
Hey, let’s have a chat about this ending. I know you, and I know *you* probably have a very good idea of who Pam is saying “I can’t” to, but here’s the thing: I’m scared to ask. I desperately want to know, but again – I think maybe that I don’t.
And this really is the beauty of your writing, you know? In less than 20,000 words you made me run a marathon of emotions and while I’m a bit exhausted from the shenanigans of these two (in only the best of ways) I still want more. I’m not ready to be done with Gatsby Jim and Pam ruining me and/or possibly each other. I especially want them to ruin Roy. And I need Pete and Isabel to have a happy ending.
What I’m asking is – sequel? Pretty please?
Author's Response: Okay so, there are reviews and then there are *reviews.* This one falls into the latter. I wish I could express what it means when someone really appreciates and loves something that you pour your heart and soul into but then again you probably already know. And when all you want to do is delete everything and run, this sort of thing keeps you hanging in there a little bit longer. Thank you for this.
1 I...you're right. You are cooler than me. Jokes on you though, because it's a pretty low bar to begin with.
This entire thing is brilliant. I laughed out loud so many times, and I'd love to copy and paste the whole thing as my favorite (imagine if I just copy and pasted the entire fic in a review?) I'm going to narrow it down to my top 5 moments. In no particular order.
1. Salad eyes.
2. "So stop it."
3. The scene beginning with "Roy Leslie Anderson" and ending with "Bye Roy," Jim said.
4. "Pam I have a package for you." When I say I choked...
5. And then they banged.
Jesus Christ, Aly. This was comedy gold. Michael Scott would be proud. I'm proud.
4 out of 5 jellybeans for you. I'm holding one back for the lack of a trampoline.
1 Oh fine. Here's the 5th jellybean. Because you're so cool.
1 "It’s silly and irrational and I know I know I know that it is, but I really don’t see that until Dwight is sexually harassing him for the cameras and suddenly we’re standing in a Rite-Aid in the middle of a work day because somehow, this blood pressure machine will make a fine lie detector test." I love how succinctly you summed up Pam's state of mind and made me laugh at the same time. I'm already in love with this story.
"He doesn’t ask questions when he sees me. He doesn’t even miss a word in the book. I’m sure he has it memorized by now. He simply glances up at me with those bright green eyes, winks, and tilts his head subtly at the footrest of the glider chair as he shifts his feet to the floor, knowing I probably wouldn’t make it up off the ground with our son at this point.
I wonder, as our daughter’s bedtime comes and goes, if he gives in to her request for four more books for her benefit or for mine. He does it all with a smile. With his dress shoes still on, his tie only a little bit loosened due to Cece fidgeting with it as she falls asleep." This entire dinner/bedtime routine scene is adorable and lovely, but this particular moment is a real punch to the ovaries. I can't even pretend to make fun of the term "dress shoes" like I've been planning since Friday night because this moment is so perfect and I kind of want to hide out in the hallway and listen to Jim read bedtime stories, even if that is a little creepy.
Pam's slow realization through the evening that Jim has been doing more and more of the work at home and at work and just -- Stop this. Stop making me feel all of these swoony emotions over a fictional character. (Just kidding, please never stop.)
This ENTIRE conversation in their bedroom is just so, so perfectly done. I'm continuously impressed with how you can take a scene from any episode of this show and turn it into something so real and true to the characters and to real life. And his asking what is he's not enough here just makes her asking if she's not enough that much better.
"And I know that the way he is making me laugh right now, echoing beneath our bedroom sheets that smell like his cologne and my perfume and our daughter’s stale Cheerios, quietly so that we don’t wake her, is so much better." Way to really get in one last punch on your way out the door.
I'm so happy you decided to write this! Please keep writing all the one-shots based on all of the random scenes. We need them. And now I guess I have to go see what Farmer Jim is up to.
"He doesn’t want to be presumptuous but all he’s been thinking about for the past twelve minutes as the car sped away from the restaurant is how much he wants to kiss her again; how much he wants to keep on kissing her until he either dies from happiness or wakes up."
My (canon-compliant) take on Pam and Jim's romantic journey, beginning with their first date. Includes flashbacks.
1 I should be working right now, or at the very least working on my own updates but instead I spent the morning reading all 7 chapters you've posted of this and it's been time absolutely well spent.
You're so good at this. I'm in love with the cozy world you've built for Jim and Pam. The flashbacks perfectly provide backstory as needed, and I'm always a sucker for seeing them outside of the office.
Okay, I didn't hate seeing them IN the office in that PDA chapter. Didn't mind that at all.
And that line you wrote a few chapters back? The one about him kissing her half a decade deep? That's going to ruin me for at least another 3 hours.
I really want to end this review with "this was great, babe" but I also don't want you to think I'm creepy. I promise I'm not - ask almost anyone here. But I am now a big fan of this story, so I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next chapter.
Author's Response: Thank you so much, your review made my day!
We had made a life behind fortified walls, protecting from the depthless sorrow, and containing the glimmer of hope within. What was worth fighting for was buried in our bones, a cry from our souls, and it was louder and clearer every day.
"What was worth fighting for was buried in our bones, a cry from our souls, and it was louder and clearer every day. The fight to survive was always that, to claim and conquer needs before, or in spite of, someone else. The enemy to come was more than any monster, the human kind far more nefarious."
You. You are the monster here.
Just kidding. Sort of. I should be used to the way you make me feel about fictional characters, but well, here I am. Still surprised. And still loving every single second of it.
Author's Response: There is so much about this that made me laugh. I know you know why. Thank you though for encouraging me with this. It won't be too terribly painful...maybe? ;)
1 "The birds had stopped singing." This is where I realized I'd been holding my breath as I read the paragraphs before it and remembered to breathe. That sentence is absolutely devastating.
"It all fell apart so fast, he thought bleakly. Lawless survival had overtaken every part of civility; how fragile their sense of control on things was." It's fine. We're all fine. I hate the punk-ass kids who robbed them, but I also kind of appreciate the way you wrote something like that happening so quickly. A lesser author would have made this journey easy on Jim and Pam, but you're putting them through it right from the start and while I hate it, I appreciate it.
"Migrations from places that were gone had continued on; yellow skies and poisoned waters driving people in the direction of the untainted." I have nothing to say about this except that I'm seriously so envious of the way you string words together.
"She kissed him like she had done a hundred times but this time lingered a little longer, pulling him a little tighter to her for good measure. It couldn't hurt, she reasoned." I really love the bit of symmetry between this goodbye and the one in the scene before it. Also, I'm just really glad that they're still really in love with each other.
Thank you for the bit of humor between the guys in the truck because I really needed a moment to breathe properly because knowing you, I knew that they're trip wasn't going to be quick and easy. And you didn't disappoint. Ugh, I can't wait to see what's going on here. Also, they're rebuilding the government, you say? President Halpert has a nice ring to it.
I am so, so glad you decided to treat us to a sequel! I'm already worried for a few Farm dwellers but it's so good to see everyone's living as best as they can right now. Can't wait to see how you ruin that.
Author's Response:
I really love that you liked the bird sentence. I wasn't sure if that would translate the feeling of her noticing something so small and yet significant and the foreshadowing of how bad it would eventually become. And oh yeah, I wanted to put them through it right away and by doing so conveying the surreal feeling of 'this can't be happening' that you know they would have.
In the present, you know when they get happy and comfortable, shit is about to get worse. That's just the way it is. Lol. I love your reviews as always! Thanks!
24 1 Oh, I really love this. Like, a lot.
The tension between Pam and Larissa is so real and so very plausible. I really like that Larissa is trying to maintain her coolness against Pam, even if she slips a little here and there. I genuinely laughed at the part where Pam tells Larissa she has a good brother and immediately realizes what a mistake that was.
And even though everyone else has said it, I also agree that “Jim (had had this exact nightmare)” is now frontrunner for best line of 2021. Perfect stage direction is perfect.
Oh Karen. Oh sweetie. This is just painful and I am here for it but with a side of also feeling really bad for her. Well, as bad as I can, ya know?
“Figured I’d stop by. You know, see if Kelly’s single yet.” This is also golden.
This might be one of my favorite iterations of Larissa yet. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Author's Response: Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. Thank you for taking the time to say so!
I have a fairly extensive head-canon (which may or may not come to play in this story) about Larissa's attitude towards/relationship with Pam, which is part of what I wanted to write this to explore - I'm glad to hear it read true. I just think their relationships with the people in each other's lives would have been interesting.
*Does dance of the line that started this clicked*
I have... complex feelings towards Karen. But this part of Season 3 just must have been awful and constantly humiliating for her, and the fact that so many people were around to actively watch it seems like it must have been salt in the wound for a logn time to come.
Lol. Sometime I will empty my headcanon for Larissa's backstory. It's fun.
All credit to Comfect for rewriting the version of Larissa in my head. Thank you! I'll try not to leave y'all hanging for more than like... six months tops.
1 Here, have an extra jellybean because in my mind, Larissa is a grown up Spinelli from the cartoon Recess and that strangely delights me. Almost as much as the fact I’ve had the Clarissa theme song stuck in my head for 3 days.
Author's Response: Yay for callbacks to the pop culture of our youth! Huh. The Spinelli thing kinda fits perfectly.
1 “And boy, did Kelly cling.”
Every single word of this story has been delightful and I’ve laughed so many times (and maybe I also have a crush on Cupid and will fight BT for him) but this chapter might be my favorite so far.
1 Between “I wish that the things that made you happy smile blush (in the middle of the day, even) still included me.” and “I wish that I knew how to say this to you. Speak my truth without having to “speak my truth.” Because maybe if— But I have tried. And so have you” I’m not convinced that your entire goal for 2022 isn’t to emotionally ruin me at every turn.
But also, never stop. This is gorgeous and raw and beautiful writing and I am both proud of and love seeing you try new writing things. If this is just the beginning of what you can do, I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Author's Response: coley how dare you make me emotional with your words I CANT HANDLE IT
1 Hey, Hi, Welcome back! Please continue to write all the country music-related, bar-frequenting, angsty-Jim fic you can because I love them all. And I'm not even a country music fan. You just always pick good songs. And plots.
Tequila was for college Jim. Well, I don't hate that.
He didn't care about being her first. He just wanted to be her last. Oh it's fine. I'm fine. We're all fine over here.
I hope their breakfast tomorrow lasts until dinner. And then even longer.
Author's Response: I absolutely will. I love writing about country music and drunk Jam. When I wrote the line about her being his last I was like, "wow, that's good." haha. I'm glad other people enjoyed it!
1 This is one of my biggest fears (office cast members discovering this corner of the world) and one of my biggest joys (your April Fools Fic Tradition) combined and you know what? I love it so freaking much.
You’re a genius, plain and simple. I was dying at all of the nicknames Michael had for Jim and Pam. I literally laughed out loud at everyone sitting crisscross applesauce on a carpet that still smelled like chili. It’s so good. I’m laughing all over again.
“They like making Jim different things, I’ve found.” LOL Aly! How dare you. But also, it’s true. We do.
Michael’s fanfic - just… yes. All of it. Tongues and all.
Thank you for continuing this tradition! TEAM ALY!!!
1 Okay well. I adore this,
Pam's buying all the Instagram things and knowing she's a sucker for it? Too relatable. As is Jim's bare bones backing for a weekend away compared to hers.
You know how we love maternal, cozy Betsy? I think I love floozy, jetsetting Helene just as much and even just this tiny mention of her made me giggle.
""So, when should we get some?" I ask, wondering when the appropriate time to smoke a joint outside of a house party is. He lifts his eyebrows to me in question. "The weed," I whisper." 'The weed.' took me out here - I genuinely enjoy the Pam/Jim dynamic you've got going on here, and how you've really managed to convey the relationship between them with actually very few words exchanged between them.
"As the waiter leaves, I realise how full I am already from the bread, but I can't tell Jim that. I think he's only had like two pieces of the bread, and I'm kinda mad at him that he stole my bread away from me." Pam has never been more relatable than she is in this moment.
"And then I see a Target and it's like all my dreams are coming true and I head towards it, but Jim stops me." Okay now this is the most relatable Pam has ever been.
"This is my life forever now. How did I get it all so wrong?" This killed me. All of these quick little moments you threw in are delightful.
""I think the ball is gonna fall on us," he says more seriously than I think I've ever heard him say before." Paranoid high Jim was not on my 2024 Bingo Card but you know what? I'm here for it.
Hahahahahaha. The morning after. Poor Jam. Love that it's just another day for Isabel and John.
This was a treat to read! I hope it was as much fun to write, because comedic chaotic writing can be hard to do but you did this one really well and honestly, imagine how they could spend Groundhog Day?
Here's some (straight) jellybeans. Happy New Year!
Author's Response:
Ah thank you so much for such a lovely review! This was a lot of fun to write and I'm glad it worked so well! Groundhog Day you say? Come back next month and I'll see what I can do
Thanks again!
