Three little facts about me:
1) I'm a work-from-home mom from Kyiv, Ukraine.
2) I'm super late to the party, but I do my best to turn my excitement with the show into the content (hopefully, qualitative).
3) I care about Pam Beesly more than about any other fictional character in all the existent fandoms.
Post Casino Night AU where Jim goes to Australia, and Pam follows.
Oh, insistent Pam is something incredible! And it's nice that she can be honest with Jim and tell about her own thoughts about dates numbers 1 and 2.
Oh, and 'Campbell's Condensed Soup of Wonderfulness' is a fantastic comparison.
Can't wait to see the dinner :)
Author's Response: I hope you liked the dinner! Thanks :)
I don't like angst for the sake of angst, but this is an important one. I wonder how they sort things out and hope for better.
Oh, and that moment, when Pam noticed how crushed Jim was and how she reacted to it. She is so understanding, and it's melting my heart.
Thank you!
Author's Response: Plot angst it is! And soon to be over. I like understanding Pam, and I think she makes the story better. Thank you for the review!
Things I like:
1) Lists;
2) Pam being not ready to move immediately after Jim, and Jim understanding that;
3) Pam's worries about holding Jim back from better career and life;
4) The amount of time between Jim ate ice cream and noticed its taste.
5) Cliffhangers and anticipation of what will be next!
Things I dislike:
1) This chapter ended.
Author's Response:
Things I appreciate:
1) This format
2) Your review
Things I hope you'll enjoy:
1) The next chapter.
Ah, the way they two switched their conversation from intense and serious to silly and light is so endearing. And the whole 'lost in the city and don't care about it' thing is sweet.
I like this line: 'even that minor honesty with Jim was somehow a relief of the years and years of repressed feelings and unclear expressions.' Perhaps, I like the way Pam is free (kind of?) from things that hold her back at last. Perhaps, I just like them both happy :)
Author's Response: I like that too :) Glad you think this is delivering!
Okay, one of the first things I've done after reading this chapter was googling 'Waltzing Matilda' and listening to the song. This is what I love about this story - it doesn't just entertain, but educates. That's great!
Also, though Pam disagrees with me, I think it would be cute if the first night together they spent just sleeping :)
Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying all aspects of the story! And I might agree with you, but trying to figure out Pam's POV I think she wouldn't...
I knew it! Knew it!
*repeat the kitchen jig*
And I'm very curious about how do you play out this trope :)
Oh, and this direct side of Pam is a little bit scary. Nice and thrilling, but still scary...
I'm excited to see what happens next!
Author's Response: Good guess! I'm glad you're enjoying! And this will stay T-for-Teen, but I do promise there will be Implications down the line
Wait, wait, wait... So, are they actually going to spend their first night together sleeping? Hold on, I need to celebrate that!
*rising a mug, dancing dance and scaring a cat in the process*
Also, I like Jim's book preferences :) And the thing that both of them didn't know what time/date is - that's so, so relatable...
Excellent chapter, fantastic story and I'm dying to see what happens next :)
Author's Response: Maaaaaaaaaybe. Though technically this is their second night dating ;). Thank you!
Go, Ryan, go! Ang oh my gosh, I'm so in love with the way they acted when they're up to something! Is there something that could stop 'Team Jam'? I doubt it.
'I always choose you, Halpert.'
Awwww. Just awwww.
Author's Response: Thank you!
I hope he really found something useful in these mails!
Oh, a little funny thing I noticed: just a previous day Pam wasn't ready to move after Jim, and now she made plans on how to replace Polly. That's the power of love!
Author's Response: Thank you for taking that as the power of love and not an error ;). I do think she's evolving there though, now that she's realizing what being with Jim really means for her. Thanks for the review!
That's a shame that Dwight's sacrifice won't work :( Hey, maybe they take Ryan instead? He's fancy enough for Stamford...
Anyway, can't wait till morning to see what happens next!
Author's Response: Yeah, but what would this hypothetical S3 be without Dwight? Thanks for the review!
1 It's an amazing start! I like their inner monologues, the idea that they need to understand themselves better. Especially these lines 'was he really Pam’s best friend, or just a guy who wanted to get into her pants?' and 'he was the man she’d actually been in relationship with (in the sense that her childhood pastor had meant when he’d talked about “being a church in relationship with the community,” responsive to its needs and concerned about its concerns).' They are fantastic!
Can't wait to see more!
Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the introspection; I think this will be a slow-paced one in terms of action, so that's very important.
Aww, I also always buy sweets in foreign stores. Or, rather, always bought...
*sobbing quietly*
Anyway, I like how Pam and Jim continue to discover little things about each other. It feels like a ground (already quite a solid ground) for their further relationships.
Thank you for the story!
Author's Response:
SAME! So much so, and I'm so sad I can't right now. Living vicariously...
Thank you for reading!
Oh, I have a feeling there is the sword of Damocles above Pam's head... poor girl...
But. But! Even more than The Conversation (if it would be The Conversation and not just talk), I'd like to see what they found in the mall!
Author's Response: I think she'll survive somehow. But the mall is up!
I can't get tired of admiring how happy and carefree both Jim and Pam are! I wish they had as much lovely time as they could before the shadow of Stamford appears again.
Oh, and the fact that Jim (in a little twisted way) kept the promise to Roy... that's so good!
Author's Response: I promise it will appear but also dissipate eventually. This story has a happy ending in as many senses as I can make it do so. Thanks so much for the review!
I like that despite Pam and Jim are together now and have four (disputable, but let it be four) dates, they are still nervous and don't quite believe that this is all for real.
It's adorable and touching... well, I love everything about Jam, but this fragile stage of their relationships takes a special place in my heart.
Author's Response: Thank you! It's a lot of fun to write--most of my stories hit that fragile time at least once. This one of course is deep in it.
Awww, Jim's thoughts about Pam's beauty are so sweet!
And I hope they'll see kangaroos after all :)
Author's Response: Thanks! They will, though it might take a couple of chapters to get there.
Oh, it's so nice to see how comfortable Pam feels around Jim. That she can be concentrated, silly, playful, and it won't cause her to feel guilt or something like that. I think this 'spring feeling' was something that they both needed so much in their lives.
Lovely, lovely, lovely!
Author's Response: Thank you, thank you, thank you! I think this is the time that if it had happened Pam would have felt best about it--fresh off the strength of breaking up with Roy (the way I describe it at least, where it's a good faith effort and a fairly reasonable break).
I had to google Kelly green - it looks nice and suits Kelly as well.
And - yay! Kangaroos (or, rather, wallabies) at last! And it's great to see the thoughts that Pam had when she drew these lovely creatures; I like that confidence in her so much!
Other very-very endearing detail Jim's reaction to the word 'posterity.' He's adorable :)
Author's Response: Thank you! I appreciate that you're still enjoying both characters :)
Awww, it's so sad that this perfect idyllic mood was ruined by this lady. But I hope they'll have (apart from necessary angst) some meaningful conversations and more happy fluffiness!
Author's Response: Well, the conversation will wait a bit, so more fluff to come. Thanks for the review!
The final line is killing me. It's sooo good... almost as good as the whole "That's not a... - THAT is a…" game.
I'm a little worry about Pam's feet (after THAT walk they must be sore as hell), but I have a feeling that this journey will totally pay off :)
Author's Response: Thank you! I think she'll manage but yeah, it's not great for her.
Pam calls off her wedding. Roy goes from zero to "I'm going to kill Jim Halpert" in a second.
Note: no Jim Halperts were harmed in the making of this fic.
1 I'm not sure if I mentioned it previously but: I'm in awe how wonderful you turn the canon moments into the deliciously angsty and infinitely happier AUs. And this one is amazing! I like so much protective Michael (I think his role as the office 'father figure' is underrated) and the jigsaw analogy. And especially Jim's knee-jerk reaction 'something happened to Pam -> I need to help her! -> I made a rash decision -> oh, wait, is this a good idea?..' Perfect, just perfect.
Author's Response: Thank you, Dernhelm! This is such a lovely review. I love protective Michael too - I think he definitely wants to think of himself as a father figure.
Pam's father is leaving her mother. Somehow, Jim is to blame.
Set Season 3, sometime after The Merger.
(Don't ask me why I took a perfect canon moment, put it in Season 3 & sprinkled in some angst, but I did...)
1 Oh. Wow. Just wow.
It's lovely, it's steamy, it makes my knees weak and it has so many moments I love it 'The Office' fics. The delicate transformation canon into something new and awesome? Check. Angry Pam? Check. Helpful Dwight? Check. Believable awkwardness? Check. Tenderness, love, lust? Check, check, check.
And... here is my ultimate fetish. Jim didn't sleep with Karen! Aaaa! I love you for this moment so much!
I can't give you any advice about writing smut (I still don't have enough confidence in my language skills for this), but I beg you, write more. Any rating. Your stories are wonderful!
Author's Response: Oh Dernhelm, thank you! This is such a lovely review! As you know, I think your language skills are wonderful and I’m sure you could pull off anything you tried to write!
"I wanted you to fight for me and you didn't."
A deeper look into "Benihana Christmas" and "Back From Vacation" with an AU at the end of Jim and Pam getting together.
1 This is such an amazing story! You did a great job mixing canon with your ideas. And here... I didn't think I could love Dwight and Pam's friendship more, but I was wrong. You wrote it perfectly and I wish we saw something like that in the show.
I always feel bad for Karen (right after I stopped hate her for not being Pam), and I feel bad for her here, but I'm glad she also found herself. I hope she'll be happy... eventually.
And, by the way, how could Phyllis know??? This lady starts to scary me...
Thank you again for the story!
Author's Response:
Thank you so much! I also love, love, love Dwight and Pam's friendship and wish we got more heartfelt moments between them in the show.
I also find myself just hating Karen because she's not Pam, then I have to remember that she's actually pretty nice and a pretty good character, she's just in the way lol. But that's partially why I had her break up with Jim instead of Jim breaking up with her. I feel like she deserves a little justice lol.
Phyllis is just the type of woman who looks sweet and innocent but is really just scary lol. The only thing I could think of is that maybe Pam told her since Phyllis has been kind of rooting for Jim and Pam since the beginning, and Pam needed someone to talk to for encouragement. Or maybe Phyllis is just a psycho who made the camera crew tell her what she wants to know lol. Thank you for the review!
1 Oh, such a lovely chapter! Especially these parts with getting warm (excellent surviving skills indeed!) and Dwight. Can't help it, I like him so much :)
And why do I have that feeling that Pam is going to have a big surprise at home?..
Author's Response: Thank you! And I'm glad you like my Dwight here. He's fun to write. Chapter 6 is up now.
1 Oh boy...
Your writing is amazing and sensual, but the way they communicated... okay, I'm locked inside my apartment for almost a month, so I can relate. But still... it's sad.
But hey, at least Jim gained some memories to keep. And I hope that they could talk to each other and sort things out. Please?
Can't wait to see what happens next!
Author's Response: Yes, I did throw in some angst, which I actually always hate doing yet find myself in the middle of all the time. I think it's just the entire Jim/Pam relationship is just so sad in the early days that it lends to angsty storylines. Thanks so much for the kind words about my writing. Chapter 5 is up now!