OH. MY. GOD. BT, I —
You really took casino night, turned it on its head like that & expected me to be okay. I am not okay.
Jim saying “I can’t” and passing out. Nope. No, no. Rip out my heart why don’t you?!

Phyllis is a hoot. So very Phyllis. How dare Pam commit the abominable sin of cutting her off when talking about Bob Vance.
Side note: my father has one leg that’s shorter than the other from dropping a fridge on it & the break not being set right, so I snorted at that line.

Okay, okay... in retrospect, I can forgive you for the casino night-esque “I can’t” when Jim’s first conscious thought is “I love you too.” I can live with that. They’re so damn adorable.

Ahhhh... I’m going to need an update as soon as is humanly possible. I have no clue who’s after them, but it definitely doesn’t sound like good news...

Author's Response: Thank you so much! I’m glad you got a kick out of the refrigerator line! I hated to tease with the “I can’t” but I’m glad that I made up for it. I hope to update again soon, so stay tuned!

Damn, BT, damn. First of all, bringing a little bit of Fancy New Beesly into this universe was incredible. But, the real standout here is the backstory for Josh - way to take something from canon and repurpose it in such a unique and yet completely believable way. Wow.
And on top of it all, Pam and Jim were just so delightfully soft and vulnerable with one another all throughout this chapter. I am feeling all the feelings.

Author's Response: Thank you so much, Jenna! I hope you keep enjoying it so much. It’s been fun to flesh out these canon details/characters a bit in this new setting. I have some big things planned, so stay tuned!

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Oh boy I love this. Jim is all secret super spy, but still completely flustered by Pam. It’s adorable! I’m so glad you’re back in the zone.

Author's Response: Me too! Thank you so much!

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Jim, the dictionary and Pam’s reaction was glorious. Ugh. I loved it so much. This whole chapter was so, so great! That paragraph where Pam says “we” and Jim’s reaction was so very Jane Austen in all the best ways. Lovely writing!

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Ha, Kelly as a high school student is absolutely perfect. It sure fits her character well.
Michael as an eccentric school principal? Definitely a concept I can get behind. Pam as a librarian is great. Jim as a hunky teacher - not at all difficult to believe.
I love the AU setup!

How. Dare. You. The mixed berry yoghurt conversation?!

I —
The whole lottery thing. Her disappointment at his apathy. And then this. God, DC. This: “he knew he was really glad he hadn’t won the lottery.”

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“Our art is just like us. A work in progress. Just focus on what you’re able to manage today and work up to the rest later.”
Don’t mind me. I’m just going to hang this quote up in my office at work.

The link to Michael telling her to find her joy with her art show is SO well written.

“She’s just thinking about being a work in progress and how she is becoming herself a little more each day.”
This is so damn beautiful.

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The capital T of time kills me in this. It’s a mood and a half.
“But Time cackles and ironically says, “I can’t.””
I mean c‘ mon, DC. It’s amazing.

“Wailing, sorrowful, cathartic tears are for the shower. Bitter, angry tears are for the car. Sniffling, breathy tears happen in moments like this when her fucking emotions take over at work”
Wow. Uh, it’s rude that you’ve been watching me. This is so damn real.

“He reminds her of a sweet meerkat, softly blinking, harmless.” This is the perfect description. It’s uncanny.
This whole Michael pep talk is everything. The writing is just spectacular & I love him a whole, whole lot because of it. You’ve captured the best parts of him in all the best ways.

(I know I’ve read this before, but I don’t think I’ve actually reviewed it & I’m so ecstatic to see an update so here we are...)

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Okay, “I and Love and You” is a fantastic song and the chapter title coming from it really set me up to adore this update.

Great song aside, oh my heart. This chapter was amazing & hurt in the best way possible.
“their confusion how people they loved changed the rules in the middle” - just when I thought this fic couldn’t destroy me anymore, this line broke my heart. So, so good.
Oh Jim and the sadness that didn’t come from the divorce but from the jealousy that Hannah got to be with her person.

I didn’t want this chapter to end, & then it ended & damn I really didn’t want it to end!

Author's Response:

JB, that song, RIGHT?!?!?! I'm the dork who creates a playlist for every WIP and this was on repeat with at least six possible titles. It's just such a powerhouse song. 

Aw, man. I'm (sorry, but) glad that line hit that way. I didn't want to fall too far into the depths of Jim and Hannah's connection over their grief but it happens. I'm so glad that line and the source of Jim's jealousy served their purpose. 

Thank you so much for this kind review. I appreciate it so much! 

DC. DC. DC. I saw this had updated at like 7am this morning as I was leaving for work. You can bet I then spent each and every waking moment willing the day away so I could home to read this. The anticipation is SO very high.

Oh. Kicking it off with Rivers and Roads as the title. That’s fine. I’m fine. That song doesn’t turn me to an emotional mess instantly.
Side note: have you seen Chuck? Because that song in Chuck, holy god.

“Pam had smiled at him that way a million times before, but that shred of hope and possibility he’d spent three years stifling wouldn’t be denied anymore.” This a thing of pure beauty. This thing you do, with putting the words into the sentences? Amazing.

Oh, this is too precious for words. Jim’s shock at Pam actually wanting to be together. “Officially dating.” They are the cutest. This conversation is just the right about of awkward and complete perfection.

Jo is a delight. I love how she’s onto Jim and makes no secret of it. Even better is her giving Jim the info he’s too scared to outright ask for.

Larissa and Jim having their own conversation in the midst of the whole sibling video call is so good. Way to really capture that sibling dynamic. I love a good Larissa. Oh Jim is right. His parents know what’s up and it is a joy.

“Her eyes land on him and instantly they soften as her smile widens.” MY WHOLE DAMN HEART. Ugh. They’re beyond adorable.

Jo is honestly just a ray of sunshine. Taking Andy for coffee? Bless her heart. Nice repurposing of Big Tuna too - that was Andy level appropriate awkwardness.

“How two people can unravel their pained history before practically dry humping against a public brick wall but then resort to monosyllabic stuttering when it comes to hiring a couple of interns is beyond him.” This. THIS DC. This is why this fic is so good.

“You always leaned on my desk like this when we worked together.” Stop. This is too much for my heart to take. God, I love these idiots so damn much.

“Men will do many things — inexplicable, self-destructive things — to win the favor and attention of a woman. They start wars. They abandon power and compromise fortunes. In Jim’s case, they willingly offer themselves as the third wheel to a lunch date with a ballbusting best friend.” DC. How is everything you write SO good? This is amazing. I want to frame it and hang it on my wall it’s that good. Hilarious.

“So should we go over third date rules?”
“Oh, I think the standard rules —” I’m just quoting your whole story back at you at this point, but honestly there are so many brilliant passages I can’t keep up. I love this banter so damn much.

Look. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a sin to review one of your updates and not mention Karen. That moment with Jim in the car leaves me thinking a little hopeful, I feel like there’s a little more shared understanding between them. Karen has Pam’s back, but she’s kind of also a little Team Jim. That’s my hot take anyway, and I’m sticking with it.

That end note. There’s nothing I love more than innocent and pure third date...smut...

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Pam putting THAT dress on, only to have the wind knocked out of her in the worst way, was devastating! I can see why she’d be cautious to rush into any sort of reconciliation in the present day. I say this every time, but this may just be my favorite version of Karen to ever exist...

Author's Response: Aw, thanks, JB! I'm glad the added pain of THAT dress came through for you cause I hesitated with it, but it felt too right to add to Pam's pain. I'm so glad you enjoy this version of Karen! The next chapter is from Karen's PoV; I hope you will enjoy it.

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Karen as a friend I like. Karen as a diehard JAM shipper I love! I also love the idea (and it felt very true to character) that had Pam had some forewarning, i.e. a dear friend gently pointing out that she was in love with Jim, prior to Casino Night she may have handled it a little differently. That you had Karen as the catalyst for this - amazing. Is there a Dundie for best efforts in reducing the wrath against Karen? You somehow manage to make her all the more like-able, something canon never really accomplished...
I very much enjoyed the Paul/Karen backstory too. This story is such a lovely read, I’m always thrilled to see you update 😊

Author's Response:

JB, first of all, "Is there a Dundie for best efforts in reducing the wrath against Karen?" just thoroughly made my MONTH! What a compliment!!

But also, you hit on the other thing that I always think about. Where (in canon) were Pam's girlfriends?! I feel like (again, in canon) she probably didn't have many who weren't also connected to Roy. This gave me the chance to play with that aspect of how important female friendships are. I'm so glad you caught that. Thank you for leaving such a wonderfully generous review.