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Did feel sorry for Karen here, but we know Jim handled things with her badly from start to finish in canon. But Karen also was a bit weak too, in that she knew Jim's heart was never with her truly, and she chose to stay with him anyway. I think it's true to form she didn't put up much of a fight in this story either. She knew she wouldn't win.

Author's Response: And a double review! I felt a little bad for Karen too. But at the end of the day, she's just not Pam. There actually is a bit more to this version of Karen, but that's in a different story. Thanks for the additional comment. 

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Love this!! What a sweet meeting. They are still in character, it feels like they are destined no matter how they would meet. d84;

Author's Response: Thank you! Glad you're here for this one. And yes, soulmates like Jim and Pam would always be destined to be together. 

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I love this back story for Pam. Roy is still thoughtless and self consumed like he was for most of the series. It's actually how I imagine their first time would have been too. I'm glad she has such good people around her in this story. The foreshadowing with her connecting with Jim just makes me want to read and read and read more. Thanks for posting x

Author's Response: Glad you liked this backstory for Pam, even it's kind of a downer. Roy take a long time to mature and I wanted to really create a reason why he may have stalled past high school. Sadly Pam get's somewhat caught up in that too. Can't wait to see what you think of the rest of the story.

Penny and Pam have such a gorgeous relationship here, although it seems like Penny is the older/wiser.
Roy's reaction to potential fatherhood reminds me of something my history teacher said, 25 years ago. He said a man has to place a great deal of trust in a woman when they become pregnant because all they have is their word as proof who the father is. I never forgot that, perhaps all men have seeds of doubt- or is it just perceptions of our society? In the case of Roy here - red flags, red, burning, flaming flags all over the chapter. Helene sees them, Penny sees them, even Pam and Roy see them but no one is opening their eyes yet fully to put the pieces together. That Pam and Roy won't be happy. Pam seems to see Roy as her settlement as she can't have the Jamie she's built up in her mind to be the perfect man. And Roy I get the sense wants a substitute mother in Pam. :( great chapter!!!!

Author's Response:

No reason to suggest Pam and Penny had a bad relationship so that's why it's in there like that. Maybe it got a little strained the longer Pam was with Roy, but sisterly bonds are pretty strong. Most of what happens in this chapter comes from Pam's line in "Beach Games," that there were a lot of reasons to not be with Roy, but she didn't care about them till she met Jim. Granted it still took a while, but it also took her a while to really build up her courage. I agree that by the time we see Pam in canon she's settled with Roy. She probably hasn't thought there would be any other option. Roy I've always pictured as mentally stuck in the glory days of high school along with a big helping of laziness. He's not willing to change unless there's no other option or he thinks others will think less of him. So he may try to do the right thing from time to time but for the most part it falls flat. Thus Pam isn't as important to him as she really should be. Glad you liked this chapter. 

Pam, Pam, Pam. Describing the reasons that she should be happy with Roy... she didn't mention love :( and she's so down on herself. Roy doesn't make her feel good about herself. I like that her and Jim both seem to be learning from each other, teaching each other. But poor Jim. Could feel his heart exploding when he saw Roy. I thought that scene in particular was very well done. I felt really sad for him. That was the moment in this story that it becomes so clear he's in over his head with his feelings for her.
Ps the parallel relationships P and J have with their younger sisters is really something great here. Good job

Author's Response: I mean considering this is a canon correct story, the angst had to start at some time. Both Pam adding basically having to convince herself she wants to be with Roy despite how Jim makes her feel and Jim finding out about Roy.

Glad you're liking the inclusion of the sisters in this one. They'll play a bigger role as the story goes on.

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Love some assertive Jim! It was always amusing that he was so assertive in some aspects in canon and so weak in others (like how he dealt with Cathy and Karen). Straighforward Jim is good. Bless Cathy didn't even work out the pranks on Dwight - she only saw what she wanted to see. This was such a feel good chapter 👍

Author's Response: S8 is right in there where Jim and Pam are at their strongest. So yeah, Cathy has no chance in the slightest. I really wanted to show that when it's important, Jim will put aside the prankster and be the confident mature adult we know him to be. Cathy not being able to read him or misinterpreting everything going on was the other aim. She sees a handsome face and what she thinks are marital difficulties. But what's going on under the surface is so much deeper and she can't see that. Thanks for the review, glad you liked it. 

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So many awww moments here. The cutest thing ever and I can totally see Jim telling this story for real. So super cute

Author's Response: Thank you! I had a lot of fun writing this one. Glad you liked it too.