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Okay, how is it that I could SWEAR that I had reviewed the second chapter of this and yet somehow I just apparently... haven't. I have these wonderful intentions and all. THen again, weird things are happening to my reviews, like when the computer lost the whole long one I wrote for you, not sure if it was for this story of your other. Then, I swear I wrote a long review for that latest chapter of Dedeen's Set Fire to Ice. After I posted I added a comment I remembered that I had wanted to say originally and when I saw the length of my review I was surprised. I had thought I had been typing a lot more and that the review would have been a lot longer. I sometimes HATE rereading my own reviews because I cringe at all my typos. I'm a horrible typist who has never learned to type correctly and also, my keys stick a fair amount I I am often missing letters. I wasn't until days later when something about the review caught my eye and I was shocked and startled to find out that it was cut off like about mid thought and remembering what else I'd had to say in that particular one I KNOW it only poster half of what I actually typed out, if that much. I still want to finish that one, I know I had made a lot of points and now it bothers me that I keep thinking them but they don't really have a voice. (my goodness! Does THAT even make sense?!?!?! UGH!!) Anyhow, so it is NOT inconceivable to ME at least that maybe the computer just swallowed my whole review of your second chapter here, whole and now it's just gone. I agree, not likely but any more I think anything van really happen!

Okay so chapter two was another amazing chapter. It seems to me that in this one Pam is very much trying for a bit of courage and bravado while Jim tends to usually stick with his old fallback of deflecting with humor.

I really like what Pam had to say about the summer. First, for some reasone, not even really sure why,but I like that Pam is the one that started the ball rolling by asking about his trip to Australia. I sense that it was a purposeful move so that he would ask her how her summer was and she could tell him and hopefully help him to understand just how hard it all was. I'm wondering if she is hoping that he'll be able to read between the lines where it's letting him know that it isn't that she didn't want to call him. It's more like she was so overwhelmed with things collapsing in on her, trying to make a new life, adjust to her new norm and find out who she really was, she just really wasn't able to call him at that point. I'm not sure that Pam even realizes completely just why she couldn;t, was it fear of rejection? Fear of what he would want from her? Of his anger? Was it just too much after all she'd already done... I think she probably wasn't quite sure which of those it was or if just maybe it was bits and pieces of each of them.

I like how when Jim asks Pam about her summer and she says interesting, he just really obviously wants to hear about what went on. Here is where I am totally enjoying honest Pam. I love the ways you find to explain what went on and help describe it. I really love the expalination and can totally imagine it being true, that Pam found art classes in Scranton and was really proud of herself pretty much for it because there, she could take these classes and I think one element is she can prove to herself that the doubts that Jim put in her mind back in Boys and Girls about Roy and what Roy wants for Pam, she could erase all that by telling him about these classes and him being excited and proud for her because after all, this wasn't like spending every weekend for some time in the city away from each other along with a two week stretch at the end. Instead, Roy played exactly into the fears Jim had made surface in Pam's mind about Roy and the real reason why he didn't want her to take those classes. I think it was then that she knew that although this whole breakup was years and years overdue, it at very least should have certainly happened after the whole internship blowup because she should have opened her eyes then rather than living in denial.

I adore how honest Pam continues to tell him about cancelling the wedding, the nightmare of the prolonged chicken or fish? period of her life. Having to temporarily move in with her parents, get a car start taking those art classes and then her own apartment, even voicing her frustrations about the white walls.

I also love how this all leads Jim to a flashback of early in their telationship. How it reminded him that way back then he had needed to learn to edit himself and speak on half truths. I also like how you use this as an opportunity to do something that you are the master at, fill in parts of their backstory. You help guide us along so we can see exactly how they got to where they are.

I was feeling a bit frustrated with Jim here. I felt like Pam had really opened herself up and gave him a glimse into her summer and he didn't really share much except for surface stuff. I mean, he couldn't share how tough it was moving away? All he had to say was about big name carsand big houses? Seriously Jim? Even when she throws hm a bone and says that it doesn't sound like his kind of place he just says it's a good change of pace

It's really wonderful though that even though Jim isn't opening up with her, Pam continues being honest and I just adore ths next part. Well, not the part where she shares about Micheal and Oscar, though that's fine. I sense in some ways Jim would like to keep it to 'safe' talk like that but Pam is ready to be honest and is going to share. I just love what Pam has to say about having to figure out who she was without that other person to share it with and Jim automatically assumes she means Roy and comments that they were together a long time. I sense she steals his breath when she tells him that Roy was only part of that. She made it somehow sound as though it was (and of course we KNOW it was) more significant that she had to learn to do things without her best friend. WHat I like about that comment was that it was a nice gentle reminder of how with all these changes in her life, she certainly could have used her best friend to help her cope and get through, but she didn't even have that any longer and it was another hurdle in the mountain of hurdles that she had to climb.

I will say, I'm being a bit hard on Jim here (maybe partly because I'm glad that there's a story here where Pam is being the more honest one and also where it's really putting out there and showing all Pam had to do, on her own, once Jum blew her world apart with his words and then simply left her with all the pieces) I do like that Jim is the one to bring up them remaining in contact after this and tells Pam that he likes to hear thigs first hand.

This chapter is closed in such a reat way, Jim, being Jim, so much wants to see Pam's artwork. I maybe sense a little that missing seeing her art may just be one of the things he misses the most about Pam. For Jim Pam IS art so of course he would just so very much want to see how it's been coming, especially since she is taking these classes. I love that Jim so much wants to see her artwork, and her as well I'm guessing, that he can't help but suggest doning a chat face to face with the webcams. I love that they make plans to do just that the next night before finally ending the call.

Such a contented fwwling when reading about Jim's night of restfull dleep and then oh so Jim to be working on convincing himself that this is nothing even though you know that he suspects that maybe just maybe this is the beginning of EVERYTHING.

I sighed in contentment when th last sentence was about Jim at Target getting Pam the kind of hooks she CAN use on the walls and a quick and easy cookbook. (Maybe he's hoping she'll make something in it for him. I KNOW I am! )

Just a fabulous job expanding on your idea Danielle. You make it sound so real and make me believe that it really could have worked like this. Had they only not had that small misunderstanding that neither were willing to correct. Had one been brave how Pam was here it could have changed so so much. I just can't wait to read what else you have in store for us.

Okay.. ontp the new chapter you posted. I promise I'll work hard to get that review in tomorrow.

Another piece of impossibly brilliant work. I just can't wait to see what else you have in store for them. I can't wait to be able to watch them begin fetting closer. I just can't help how much I adore just how perfectly you write them! So SO great! Can't wait to read more!

Take care T~

Author's Response: I am so sorry I missed this review when going through my replies! I just noticed that I had missed this, I apologize, I know how much energy it takes from you to review, and I feel so bad that I missed seeing this. Yes, this story is another variation on Pam being the bolder one and Jim being the dense one who sort of sits back and waits patiently instead of running off and trying to move on. I don't want to spoil the story for you so I don't want to say too much, but the angst level of this is going to be at a low. I am so happy you enjoyed this chapter and I'm hoping you've enjoyed the others. Reviews sort of just stopped for it so I'm hoping it's not a let down to everyone. Thanks so so much for taking the time to review, it really means so much to me that you're enjoying this story. Thank you! More on the way soon! :)

I'm glad you addressed this: "He took another long sip of his beer, trying to swallow his curiosity about that date she went on, the memory of hearing about it coming back with a gut punching force. With a shake of his head, he let a few seconds of silence linger." That moment was one of the most heartwrenching of the series for me, and it's not visited very often in fanfic.

Author's Response: Thanks! I'm actually going to touch on that one more time in the next chapter, I agree, not many fics include it, but I think just the look on his face when he hears it is a reason enough to bring it up in this story. It's very heartwrenching, I completely agree. I think that combined with how she cuts him off really pushes Jim toward Karen, so I'm going to explore what it would have been like had he been able to talk about it with her. I am so happy you're enjoying this story, more will be on the way soon :)

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PORK MEDALLIONS! Love that little reference to their wedding.

I am really enjoying this story and like I always say, you write Jim so well. I can't wait to read more.

Author's Response: Yep! Pork Medallions! No one's ever mentioned that in a fic before so I had to be the first one to kind of tie those two things together. Glad you caught that! So happy you like this story! More will be on the way soon! Thank you!

I'm sorry for the delay. I'm really liking the pace of this story. It feels very authentic and Jim and Pam. I am looking forward to see where this is going.:)

Author's Response: Thanks so much! I'm happy you are liking this. I'm happy the pace feels natural to you, that's what I want to go for with this one, but I won't stretch it out too long, it's just a fun exploration of what could have been. :) Thanks for the support! :)

I like the awkwardness. Yeah, they seemed to be getting along really well towards the end of the phone conversation in The Initiation, but I think they both were too timid to bring up what needed to be asked - i.e. Pam's canceled wedding and Jim's move. I like that you had them broach the subjects here without getting too emotional about it. That's exactly where they were then.

 Would it be too much to post another fic of yours today? Do you even have to ask? ;) Please post!

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Girl, you could post 1000 fics a day and I would not complain. Your stories get me through my day.

I can't express just how much I am already adoring this story. Seeing Pam talk so proudly of her art, and how happy that makes him, makes me smile and go all gooey inside. I say it in every review, but I'm really looking forward to seeing what you have planned for these two. The web chat is gonna be all kinds of cute awkward aweseomness.

Author's Response: Thanks Sally! I'm so happy you like this story. I chose to have her proud of what she did with her art classes and getting her life together because she wanted Jim to be proud of her. I'll delve into more in the next chapter of how things went below the shiny surface she told him about. I'm really almost geeked out about this web chat that I came up with, I'm writing the next chapter today as soon as I finish replying to reviews everyone's been so kind to leave for me. Thanks for being my cheerleader! :) xx