Sometimes doctors can be jerks. Just when a family thinks there's any ray of hope in comes Mr. Clinical and Sterile to quash it at once. I've had a couple like that in real life and called them out on it. The look of "you can't talk to me like that, I'm a Doctor," was priceless.

The scene where they walk Cece to the operating room was just heartbreaking. Same with how Phil told them what he'd been hearing and saying to Cece. The plot thickens for sure. Looking forward to more as always.

Author's Response: I think there's this separation in doctors' minds between a patient and a case and they have a really hard time connecting those things, or maybe its intentional. Either way on the receiving end it just sucks, because you're just looking for empathy and kindness. Sometimes you gotta knock them off their high horse lol I'm so glad you're enjoying! More to come!

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Oof, right there in the depths of their S9 angst. In a lot of ways this is worse than anything they faced in S1-S3. Here they're supposed to be together, yet in just about every significant way, they're apart right now. Physically, emotionally they're just not them. Mentally they may be on the same page, but it's not a great page to be on. You did a great job showing how far they had fallen from where they had been. It all really pulls on the heart strings, especially with the song choices too. Great job in pulling that out.

Author's Response: Ah thank you! Angst really isn't my thing so glad it all came across for you! And you're right about s9 vs s1-3!

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First of all, welcome back. Glad to have you posting again. Second a quick little typo I saw there. "Let it Be" as opposed to "Let it Go." I'm sure Else could belt out the Beatles with the best of them though. Also, did you set up a camera in my family van? Frozen and Cars are the two movies we have on repeat in there ever since our copy of How To Train Your Dragon died.

Okay onwards to meat of this. Absolutely a feeling of dread starting to build. Especially with the story description. Waiting to see how it will all start to play out and how Pam will respond is leaving me on pins and needles. So a great set up that's leaving me craving more. Lots of great details woven throughout as well. Looking forward to more as always.

Author's Response:

HUGE BRAIN FART...Thanks for letting me know about Let it Go - hey I'm poet...

There will be lots a stuff woven through this one -  Looking forward to hearing what you think... Thanks for your interest and review.

Going into this one I figured it was going to be rough. That thus Pam didn't call off the wedding seemed to have triggered a whole new series of events for sure. That somethings stayed the same but other are drastically different makes sense. The phone call with Jim going cold, Jim coming back then leaving so soon. Ouch. Makes sense but still ouch. One thing that didn't seem to change is Roy. He's the same guy who takes her for granted at every opportunity. Jerk.

But then to find out she and Roy bought the old Halpert home? Holy crap. No wonder she's stressed out. I mean seriously how many skeletons are in her closet? All in all it seems like a continuation of the previous Pam/Roy relationship. Grand plans that either don't come true or take forever.

What is interesting is the things from the real world that seem to be sneaking through. The burn on her hand and Jim's list of what's really important. Really looking forward to seeing if more things like that will make it through as well and what it'll mean for her.

Also heartbreaking to hear of her difficulties in getting pregnant. Feels again that Roy wasn't any help in the whole thing. Regardless of anything having to go through all that multiple times must have been soul crushing.

Feels like things are going to get a bit worse before they ever get better though.

I'm finding it partially infuriating and partially interesting watching this Pam give Roy chance after chance after chance. Yes this Roy after the dinner party may have been contrite and that did a lot to settle her down. Roy did have his moments of real emotion in canon. He wasn't all dumb brute, just most of the time. So that kind of fits.

However this alternate Pam also seems to still be looking for ways as to why he's wrong for her. Spying on him at the bar. Looking for the phantom note. Trying to figure out why the Travis CD was there also why The Hunted was also also there.

I get the feeling she knows deep down that there's just something off about her life, but she just can't figure out what it is. However she keeps getting hints as the to the reason. His presence may be subtle, but regardless of everything, she's never forgotten about Jim and what he once meant to her. That glimpse of what she once had, still feels like it means more than anything she's ever had with Roy, with the possible exception of her pregnancy. Still hard to figure this one out, which means I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

Roy's still a boorish idiot who doesn't deserve Pam.

Well it's an interesting premise by the story description. Feels like some good set up here to get us all acclimated to where we are in the timeline.

I do like that Pam is able to pick up on the subtle signs Jim is giving off before he voices them out loud.

Looking forward to more.

Author's Response: Thanks

Nice little bit of clarity from Phyllis there. Sometimes we just need a little push. That felt more than a little. Though now with getting to the reality of dealing with William's passing, it'll be interesting to see if Pam remembers that promise she made.

Author's Response: She'll remember. It'll be a little later. 

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So getting some of the practical things out of the way to start things off. Then kind of surprise that Jim gets the invite to Pam's apartment. Even bigger surprise that she asks him to spend the night. I do kind of get it though. She's been through a lot and not having to deal with it alone makes sense.

Then Jim and Karen break up. I would have been surprised if there hadn't been some tension between Jim and Karen. Her boyfriend just leaves with a woman that to Karen's mind is just a co-worker and maybe kind of a friend. But of course the rumor mill back at DM probably started flying and Karen probably got a bit more of the story. So yeah they hash it out. At least Jim is finally starting to be honest about it all.

Then some HUGE revelations from both of them. Kind of feels like a Hallmark movie cliche kind of thing, but I'll take it. They both got some needed perspective and realization that we don't really know how much time we have together so make the most of it while you can. Nice to see that coming out.

Author's Response: I didn't focus too much on the Jim/Karen dynamic, because I feel like at this point they've only been together about a month. On the other hand, he's been in love with Pam for years. Some of my dialogue and actions in this story come from personal experience. I've lost a number of people close to me over the years and fan fiction helps me to deal with grieving.

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Feels like a nice transition chapter. They've had to endure some big emotions as of late. Here they get a chance to calm down and just be with each other. I like that they start setting plans with each other while also keeping plans with their families. Shows that they're keeping priorities and I'm here for it. A nice evening in of take out and movies was very nice to envision. Same with them falling asleep together again.

Nice way to wrap this one up. A cute vision of what's to come. Yes there's been a very hard time, but hard times pass and happy times come again. Nice to see that sunbeam of hope coming through the clouds.

Great job in this one. It was a lot of fun to read.

Author's Response: Thanks for your kind words. And, thank you for commenting on each chapter. 

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As a graduate of Calvin College I feel like I should have some form of objection to the namesake of my Alma Mater used in such a fashion. However, I don't. Not sure if that says anything about me or my Calvinistic roots, but also, it's a fanfiction story and it was a joke. Regardless I digress.

I liked this look into this kind of world. Soulmates being real but not everyone has one is a really fun concept to think about. Also since not everyone has a soulmate most go to all these lengths to not even know one way or the other is also fascinating to think about.

Nice to think that it was on Casino Night that Pam and Jim finally find out about each other like this. Not quite written IN the stars, but written BY the stars? Still lots of fun.

I do feel kind of bad for Roy. Not only getting dumped, but getting dumped because Pam found her soulmate and he doesn't have one. Yeah, it would be rough on the guy.

Always wonderful to see something new from you. Thanks for this one.

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So this is just all sorts of sweet. I love that Pam first spends time for herself. Getting some new festive attire and all. The mention of the dress feels like an important but of foreshadowing.

Then the tree farm. Looks at Jim being a good son. Being there for his family. I loved the images of them strolling up and down the rows bantering back and forth. There's still the specter of Karen weighing things down, but that weight doesn't seem so heavy. Jim saying it was good to be back feels like a variation of the aftermath of the Beach Games speech. Just fast forwarded a bit. I'm 100% here for it.

Then Jim not only bringing her the first ornament for the tree, but that one?! Lots of steps in the right direction for sure. Wonderful all the way around.

Author's Response:

Ahh you picked up on the dress did you ;)

Glad you liked the ornament! And the stroll around the farm. Kinda killed me not to go into all the detail of their conversation, but I'm trying to keep this fic on the short side. It's very hard!! Twss!

Thanks for the review, so happy you're enjoying this! 

Oh, I feel for Pam right here. She wants to be happy, but things are just kind of miserable for her. Things started out during this bucket list trek really well, but now a few days of reality hit hard. There a couple reasons to have slim hope though. Jim is still being friendly to her which is always nice. I hesitate to say it's nice that Jim and Karen are fighting, but clearly there's tension in that relationship.

Jim giving her that playlist hit hard though. She's still getting tons of mixed signals from him. Or at least it feels like mixed signals. Hopefully some of those will get cleared up soon.

Author's Response: I'm sure things are going to get better for these two. It's one of my fics, it has to right??