1

Yay, I was excited to see an update on this one! I really love Jim being such a good friend and source of unconditional support here - and him being worried about Roy vs her mother’s approach is very telling (and a nice touch). Him just coming over straight away, and holding her, and then the note with the heart by his name…so lovely! And a nice antidote to how awful Roy is here, lol. And: it’s a girl!

1

You had me pretty much with the title and the summary - yes please to loads more of this! :D This one was so lovely, I really liked the combining the hot sauce with the golf pencil, this was such a sweet look into early Jim and Pam. (Also loving their exasperation with Michael's 'put it in the hole' jokes, because obviously, and Dwight getting thrown by Jim's up to code comment). And the last line is just perfection!

1

You wrote this moment so beautifully 😍 Him trying to savour it, and then prolong it just by a second - and then instinctively protecting her - it's so, so good.

1

Oof, this was painful to read. And brilliantly written. I feel like this bit sums up so much of season 3 so well:

‘But then the awkward silence creeps in and they’re stuttering, and they’ve never had trouble just talking before. The past is now haunting him, the future terrifies him, and the right now feels suffocating.’

And then the ending is so bittersweet - poor Jim. This was so good!

1

This is such an intriguing beginning! I love the little notes of Jim caring for Pam, and him knowing that she's lying - and then the note feels very ominous. Can't wait to read more!

Author's Response: Thank you so much! I'd like to try to write little chapters, so maybe I'll manage to update more frequent than I usually do :)

1

I can never get enough of Jim and Pam first date stories - and this was so, so great! I loved the framing with the coaster. And I loved all the little callbacks to the grape soda, that moment with Jim watching Pam's hair (and Pam then recognising that look herself, ouch), and the apartment tour chat. The way you've written the two of them is such a good mix of awkwardness and humour and intensity, which feels so exactly how you could see their first date going. I also really enjoyed Pam's giddiness and her new confidence ('Denial was definitely only a river in Africa these days' is an amazing line). And so is: '“And then move on to something more substantial…” like marriage and babies and about fifty or sixty years of blissful happiness together.'

I thought the insight into Jim's thoughts with the medal was perfect: and that it's not just about how much he loves her, but also how proud of her he is after the coal walk. And the ending, with Jim's tiredness and Pam wanting to take it slow so soon after he broke up with Karen (because: yes) is very sweet and realistic.

Also, side note: as a fellow Brit, I'm v impressed with your knowledge of US temperatures. Because I can't work out Fahrenheit for the life of me.

This was brilliant!

Author's Response:

Thank you so much! That "Denial" line is really a very old joke but I do like it.  Glad you enjoyed it.

Re: temperatures, I am firstly of an age where I remember the days when we used both C and F on the weather forecast!  Example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a0e680wJeo - it's like double the number and add 30 (roughly), I just memorised the numbers after years of watching Michael Fish :D (this will mean little to anyone outside of the UK, sorry!) but I also have a whole bunch of my in-laws and colleagues who are based in the US, so used to translating.

1

Oops, I’m very slow coming to this - but I was so excited when I realised there was a third chapter! This is such a lovely way to wrap things up: starting with them snuggling while Pam does sudoku, and then them taking it slow and not quite being able to believe it all (I love that from Jim), and ending in their first time 😍

I particularly loved this exchange:

‘“A sleepover!? Like Tom Hanks in Big? I get to be on top.” Jim grinned and Pam rolled her eyes below him, before pulling away slightly and looking up to him.
“I’m being serious.”
“Really?” Jim suddenly looked a lot more serious himself.’

So adorable! This was basically just a joy to read.

Author's Response: Thank you! I watched Big again recently and it just popped up (TWSS) as an idea to incorporate it. Really glad you enjoyed it.

1

Ah, that’s incredibly kind of you to say - but I’m so happy you posted this!! It’s so great 😍 (also, if you ask me there can never be too much fic about what happens after their dukes up chat). This is so heartbreaking to read - I love the way you’ve filled in what happened after their phone call, their new awkwardness around each other, and the way they’re not quite on the same page. I also thought you did a really great job at showing both their sides (especially Jim’s, and the way he feels pulled in different directions). I love, love the little flashback with Cece and Pam’s bra (lol) and the steam at the end. But also the final bittersweet note with Pam thinking Jim’s joking about Philly, and them sort of being ok but not quite: you’ve captured the season 9 angst, and their love for each other, so well. This was fantastic!

Author's Response:

Thank you so much Basscop69 for your kind words. I have to admit that your writing has been source of great inspiration and I try to capture the essence of their characters and feelings, the way you do. Well ‘try’ is the key word here since it’s nowhere close to how well you do it.

 I truly wanted it be heartbreaking, the kinds where I feel the tug inside. It didn’t happen this time but I hope it does as I continue writing. Thank you for the Cece part, it was an interesting part and I enjoyed writing it too. Also the subtle steam, well I am not great at it but it was fun to give a little teaser. 

Thanks again for your time :) 

1

I love ‘That Thing You Do’, and I love, love the idea of doing a Jam version of it! This was so great, and so much fun to read - I’m really enjoying the set up with Jim and Karen, and the idea of Andy, Dwight, Ryan and Roy in a band is just amazing. And hilarious. (As is the way you’ve written Dwight and Jim’s relationship, and Dwight’s jab about Jim being the resident beatnik, lol). And then the hints of Jim and Pam’s friendship, and them growing up as neighbours, are so great. I can’t wait to read more!!

Author's Response:

Aah! Thank you so much! I absolutely LOVE this movie (as does WW), and a Jam version just stuck out at me for a while!

Dwight definitely would jab at Jim in this universe too, makes complete sense he’s think Jim’s a “beatnik” with his hairstyle and all!

Thank you for your review! 

1

This was so great! I’ve not seen the superfan deleted scene - but I love the way you’ve written the contrast between Jim and Roy’s reactions in this. Also, Jim as genuinely not loving/being slightly nervous about the idea of a confrontation with Roy, and how that might have impacted his interactions with Pam too (which I’m not sure you hear much about, but actually does feel very true for Jim’s character). Pam’s point of view after their kitchen interaction is also heartbreaking to read - especially the ‘he reeks of disappointment. She could suffocate from it’ line, and that final note of pity at the end. Which makes it even nicer that this ends on the much happier note of Pratt, and Pam actually having someone in her corner - this was so lovely 😍

Author's Response: Thanks so much for reading!

1

This was so lovely! The beginning with Jim and Pam in bed, and their banter, her scaring him and the nose chat - just gorgeous 😍 And the descriptions of the Ukrainian restaurant and the food are so vivid and beautifully written. I loved their little game and the teasing throughout, and then the shift at the end into something deeper with Pam’s heritage and Jim helping her through that. This was such a wonderful one-shot to read! And the notes at the end: that is all so fascinating, thank you for sharing!

Author's Response: Awww, thank you so much! It was fun to mix things I know with something I found during my researches (the usual part of writing America for me, lol), and I'm really glad that this story turned out good <3

1

Ooh I’m really enjoying the intrigue here, and the little hints about what might have happened - I do want to know what Jim overheard, and what’s happening with Karen! I liked the look into how the Stamford office is run, and the contrast between that and Scranton (and obviously, Jim’s nostalgia for the latter). Josh also seems pretty terrible here, although that may be my bias against other people sneering at Michael/Scranton. And then Jim’s call to Pam! And her almost confession - I can totally buy Pam and the open phone line after that s5 episode too, lol. You’ve captured Jim’s jealousy and protectiveness over Danny Cordray really well, I really just wanted him to drive to her. And then another dream at the end…I’m loving this!

Author's Response:

Thanks so much for all your great comments. I enjoy keeping a little mystery about things that have happened or are to come (I see that in your style too).

Yeah, Josh - while in reality wasn't all that bad on show - happens all the time leveraging and playing things out for the best offer although they painted him to be kind of a bad guy in end.

I took that little bit and expanded - a lot but that's to come.

Jim too has his side that can be serious but deep down he's much more Scranton than Stamford.