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Oh, this is such a unique idea! I'm not a fan of abusive Roy (a little of hypocritic of me to say that, but oh well), but I adore protective Jim, and I'm curious beyond measure to see where this story leads.
Thank you, and I'm looking forward to the next chapters!

What a fantastic start!
I like this so much, and I ADORE Jim's inner gremlin! I was smiling reading it, and laughed aloud at the 'thick walls' line.
Thank you so much for writing this (and especially for sending Karen to the Corporate!)

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Jenna. Oh, Jenna. I'm typing this on my phone riding the bus, because I can't wait to express my emotions and I have an access to my laptop just tomorrow.
So.
I have a terrible lump in my throat, (slightly) teary eyes and a wide grin (no one can see it behind the mask, he-he). This story broke my heart and mended it again.
I love that Pam is both scared, depressed (I know I'll go the hell for that words...), and yet, at the right moment she's so unbelievably strong and brave!
"She kisses him back because what the hell else is she supposed to do." Yeah, I also don't think there is another option...
"If this is the only chance she gets, she’s still going to take it. Even if it destroys her in the morning." Oh, my heart.. I feel that despair so much.
"She closes her eyes and pretends that this isn’t the end. She lets herself believe it’s the beginning, just for a moment." Okay, here I cried for real.
"She’ll be living with this forever. He can at least live with her scratches in his back for a couple of days." Both fantastically sass and heartbreaking.
And the ending. I'm simply in love with it.
To sum up: god bless friends like Isabel and Marcie, idiots like Pam and Jim, and writers like you. Thank you!  

Author's Response: Dernhelm! You’re so very lovely and kind. I always love hearing from you - you always manage to pick out some of my favorite pieces and this is no exception. I thought about leaving this story to a miserable end (I feel like it fits the song better that way) but I’m glad I decided for the cheesier, happier ending and left you with a smile instead of tears!  

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This story is so beautiful that I feel I can never praise it enough. I'll try, though.
Her courage. Her blunt honesty and goodbye that (luckily) didn't happen. The whole thing between the fight and awakening — I felt somewhat weird and awkward reading it, but your descriptions, your word choices are so captivating that I couldn't stop reading (and I think that I need more! Honestly, I'm in awe how you choose words and build sentences; there is something magical in the way you paint the three-dimensional picture, it's a true mastery!). And I love that their reunion happened when the relationship with Karen had been already over. And honesty again, and I love it, love it, love it!
I officially depend on your stories, and that's the nicest addiction I've ever had.
Thank you!

Author's Response: Oh Dernhelm, I love your reviews so much. Thank you so, so much! <3

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Usually, I cry when I feel sad or heartbroken, but now I have teary eyes because this story is so, so sweet! This idea of visiting places with so many unsaid words is amazing, and your realization is outstanding! As usual ;)
I think I like the first part the most (maybe, because it's raining outside and that gives me the Mood), but this line:
'That the simple fact that you exist is the first thing I think of in the morning,' was the one that killed me. So, so beautiful, and I'm here for the tenderness, longing, bittersweet taste of past regrets, and eventual happiness.
Thank you so much!

Author's Response: Aww, I’m glad they were happy tears! And believe me, rain gives me the Mood too. :) I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Dernhelm! Thank you so much! 

I woke up in a terrible mood (courtesy to my cat and a headache). I did my usual morning routine, and that included checking updates on MTT. And I saw your chapter.
Oh my, I thought and brewed some coffee. And I started to read. And then I made a couple of agitated circles around my room. Then I finished the reading and made some more circles.
And now, I have a cup of tea and writing this review.
Where to start? What words to choose? How to describe everything that this chapter made me feel? I don't know, truly, because it's so, so great, and I don't think I can do justice to it.
I can't even pick the thing I love the most? The fact that it's Jim's POV? The way you weaved together the memories of the first meeting, the first date, the first time with the current worries? That feeling that these characters felt like absolute canon Pam and Jim and your story could easily be a part of offscreen scenes? That feeling of fragility and tenderness that radiated this story? Humor that you so naturally sprinkled your story with? Your writing style? All of that?
I'll end with the latter.
And I was having a hard time picking favorites line, because, yeah, I wanted to copy and paste the whole text. But these were outstanding:
"Christmas isn’t a time for magic. Christmas is a time for encroaching loneliness and reminders that the people you love don’t feel the same way. Christmas is a time for reality." Gosh, it hurts so much...
"She seemed to understand, that after years of no’s he needed each and every yes underlined and bolded." YES! That's them so much!
"He had never been enough for her before. And yet there she had been, saying that he was. It was everything." Just no words, it's perfect.
"He stretches out the bundle of flowers in his hand, a bright smattering of color which he totally didn’t just pilfer from his mother’s beloved front garden." a) I like the humor! b) I love awkward, insecure, romantic Jim so much and see him so rarely. Thank you for showing him like that!
“I’m trying to save you.”
He shrugs. “I’ll take my chances.” Awww, if only he knew back then... fantastic!
"That everything in his life since the very first day he met her has orbited around her. She’s the very fabric holding him to the earth." Oh, she is, she is. It's so desperate yet romantic. And I love it!
And the whole metaphor of a house and rebuilding is so, so good!
Your story made me very happy, and thank you so much for writing it!

Author's Response: Oh Dernhelm, I can’t even begin to tell you what this review meant to me! I had so much trouble writing this chapter - I think it was trying to write it from Jim’s POV that I found so hard. For you to say that you liked it means so, so much. 

I'm speechless.
I was going to write a long and profound review (because I feel that it's the only way I can do justice to your stories), but I'm teary a little, and it's hard to see letters on the monitor well.
I love this story, I love your Pam and Jim, I love this London aesthetic. I love rain and the line 'in a way that tasted like midnight and deep green, soft skin, and home' (among many, many, many others).
I'm happy so much that you're writing these fantastic things, and honestly, I wish to be as good as you.
Thank you so much!

Author's Response: I am so thrilled you had such powerful emotions reading this, Dernhelm! I think that is truly every author's goal, to illicit powerful feelings. I love that you love this Jim and Pam and I had a lot of fun putting them in this universe (as you can tell, with this chapter being over 11K.) Thank you again, sincerely, for your lovely reviews. :)

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Oh, I like it so much! It's funny, it's silly, and it's entirely in character of all the office inhabitants. I've never heard that song before, but I enjoyed it.
You nailed the office atmosphere perfectly. Thank you!

Author's Response: I'm really happy to hear that from someone who doesn't know the song - I kinda felt like Destiny's Child nostalgia was what made a lot of the fic, and it's great to know it worked even without it. (You'll have to take my word for it that this song was stuck in the head of almost everyone in the United States for months when it first came out and that a sing-along where everyone knew the words was plausible in far more professional offices than Dunder Mifflin Scranton in 2010/2011.) Thanks for your kind words and the review!

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I really like this story. It feels so real, like something that might have happened in the show. And, despite all the questions, angst, and Pam's state, I like the comforting part. I like that Jim was here for Pam and with her.
Thank you so much for sharing this story with us, and welcome to MTT!

Author's Response:

Thank you!

Wow, thank you so much for that statement! I always try to make stuff like this as real as possible, and with heaps of personal experience I feel like I can.

Hurt/Comfort is my favourite troupe, and a lot of things I write include it. I couldn't help but make my first Jim/Pam fic hurt/comfort too.

Thank you again! 

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This little story made me quite emotional. That feeling of loneliness and losing touch with friends that Pam experienced here are too familiar to me (unfortunately...). You captured them so well!
'They're allowed to have their own things. There's nothing wrong with any of this.' I like this line. This statement is right, but knowing the backstory added a slightly different tone, and it feels like the first sign of grand changes...
And the ending is so, so sweet, with the hint of bitterness — perhaps, my favorite taste. I hope you'll right more Jam content because it's awesome.
Thank you!

Author's Response: Yeah, I know exactly what you mean - I tend to relate a lot more to Jim than Pam, but she is just so palpably lonely in the first few seasons that it's hard for me not to identify with her. It's a hard thing, I'm glad you feel I did it justice. I'm glad you picked up on that line - that sense of being prematurely defensive, and knowing on some level that something here doesn't quite fit with what she's consciously aware of, is I think really important in this part of their relationship, and I wanted to make sure it came through. Thank you for your kind words and for reading! There's definitely (well, hopefully) more Jam content from me in the pipeline.

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Lovely story! I like that Pam didn't blindly justify her husband's behavior and could call him out on his action, but at the same time - remained a supporting and loving wife and friend.
And further discussion was also great. I like it when Jim and Dwight could be... well, not actually best friends forever, but on good terms and allies. Thank you!
P.S. I watched this episode just once, and my brain mercifully erased most of the episode from my memory, leaving only a soft and fluffy JAM gift exchange. Maybe, that's for the better.

Author's Response:

Thank you very much!

Yeah, it was... not a fun one.  But that, Erin and Jada made up for it.  And as much as I hate the prank... good Lord, Dwight had some great moments during that.

As much as Dwight postures that they're enemies, they're technically allies, and I'm really happy that shone through in this.  Also, I doubt Pam would in canon either.  She's the only one not laughing and is actually shocked by Jim's actions in that scene, and I wanted her to call him out on it, albeit gently.

Thanks for the review!

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Aww, that was incredibly sweet! Thank you for sharing!