1

This was worth the wait.
I'm so glad there is cover art to help illustrate just how completely GABE this mug is - what happened to him as a child to make his the way he is?

So, my very first thought was how old is Cece in this episode- but it all became very clear by the end.

I like how Pam gives Erin the advice do the mature thing and that Jim sees an opportunity to do a prank thing - but with good reason.

With the super prank team to Erin's rescue it was bound to work - or was it. I was afraid the mug was going to be indestructible - glad that is actually wasn't but then when the replacement mug showed up I was thinking maybe it would've have been better had it been (serial killers versus teeth - maybe Jim was right) (this however is coming from a mom who has a jewelry box full of her children's teeth that are situated not far from the earrings I put on every day).

The kicker was Pam's prank on Jim -which he completely deserved - blaming a baby instead of having an adult conversation.

And as usually your network notes were as sharp as ever (lame pun but intended nonetheless)

Well done my friend.

Author's Response: Yeah, it's *very* telling how few Gabe fics there are and how many of them turn him into a criminal, but it truly is a perfect Gabe mug. The guy who constantly exposes his girlfriend to plotless horror movies in 100% going in for this.

Yeah... this was inspired a lot by the ultimate Gabe-Erin breakup, in which Pam gives Erin adult advice that backfires and Jim somewhat rudely opts out of the conversation... he's got reason to prank, but there's also more affection for Erin from Pam, I think.

I mean, this prank was well designed, they covered their tracks, but it *is* always a risk that it's a genuine cursed object. I for the record am with Jim 100%, but I think they're both pretty rough for Erin. And my mom saved all of our first lost teeth!

For the record: I am not 100% sure Pam is right about Jim lying about this, and it occurs to me now, it completely changes the meaning of the fic whether he is or not. Is this Jim *again* ducking an adult conversation? Or is this Pam doing the exact same thing Jim does? Neat.

The network notes are increasingly becoming self-owns, I'm afraid. The next cold open should actually be cold open-sized though!

Thank you, and thanks for taking the time to review!

Well that left me a little broken. Pam must really be afraid of what she is feeling and how she will react to keep herself from even talking to him. That's rough...anxious to see how and if they can resolve things.

How brilliantly appropriate for you (nicemorningtoo) to end this one this way. Fun and sweet - after all the angst, they can enjoy their mornings again.

1

Lovely

1

Omg I’m just glad Pam stopped at destroying memories from inside the teapot and not the teapot itself. I think that might have completely done me in. But I guess this was one of the things she needed to do to start moving on.

You really captured the essence of what she was going through in this post-casino night / pre-the job world. Glad to see that she at least is trying to move on.

Always like to get a little hope at the end of my angst.

1

I hope my review isn't too jumbled and incoherent because that's kind of what you did to me with this one -left me unable to make thoughts. In Virtus- the backstory you gave was just enough but getting into this sequel, you knew we would need more which you delivered. The lines when they got held up causing his life to tilt on its axis....enemy that was everywhere and hard to identify...explained this immediate shift in Jim from civilian to warrior...further elucidated by ...she needed to stay alive... 

Finding Larissa back at the hotel - amazing how for a character we never really saw in the show I could just hear and see her panic and desperation at finding them. The foreshadowing of Tom, Marci and Vanessa being mentioned while at Brian's makes in so much more heartbreaking later to hear of Marci's fate (and Tom's for that matter).

It is the starkness with how Jim tells Pam to shoot anyone not him or Brian You don't hesitate. Do you understand?  and means it that illustrates just how cosmic the shift is, how instantly the world has gone from Before to After - 2 simple words that you've attached more meaning to than I thought ever possible through the rest of the words that fill out these pages.

I wasn't sure who Abby belonged to at first, then realized I didn't need to just when I got it. Family need not be actually related here. Bonds were stronger than blood. 

The scene with his concern about her hair was much needed levity as was the bit in the car with Mike.

Oh and I'll say again the last scene was visceral and haunting and this is going to be some dark sh*t. But even though you might not guess it because I write mostly cotton candy - I am fascinated by dark. Bring it on - can't wait.

No Sparks?!? Oh I see what you did here....made it so the real kiss was hotter, more of what we expect it to be.

Lot of fun, the way you write their back and forth. Lots of great lines out of Pam starting with I had a pretty good lunch. But what really had me was Jims confident persistence. What could be sexier? And his never miss a beat responses. I hate you. A hate fuck could be fun too.

Interesting twist that he's off to Stamford anyway and they both are sorta aware of the other's feelings and that she called off wedding even without a casino night confession. Looking forward to where this goes from here.

1

First off I adore Melissa Joan Hart. And now I kind of see her as Larissa only with broader shoulders and a slightly larger nose

Now as usual you had me laughing with the disclaimer. No actually, from the title but because of that I was expecting something a little sillier where this was so much more. Seems our Halperts got more Sophisticated in their brand of humor, sass and subversion as each came along where tom and Pete are kind of silly but Larissa is now right sinister, but Jim is not only used to it but would give it back if he didn’t adore her so much.

I felt bad for both Pam and Karen here but felt good for us because this was so fun to read and left me wanting more. So don’t leave us hanging too long.


Ps have to add that you 100 nailed Jim here in that he hadn’t yet brought Karen around and wasn’t happy to have it forced upon him. Plus Pam already knew his sister says a lot.

Hope you are busy writing. Want more!

Author's Response: Iiiiiiiiiinteresting. I had Rita Volk down as Larissa, for reasons passing understanding, but Melissa Joan Hart just makes too much sense. I don't know, she's basically supposed to be John Krasinski in a wig, it's hard to think of who might be able to do that justice.

Yeah, the title is actually super misleading, so I hope people appreciated the gag - it definitely just gets darker from here. (Also, I totally forgot to mention this to Dernhelm... but I think there's particular voices that fit well with these disclaimers, and for some reason Stanley's is one of them.)

That is 100% the intention with the Halpert children, by the way - they get smarter, sassier and more difficult to defeat in reverse order of age. I think Jim knows Larissa means well (and you'll notice the one she *intentionally* tortures is Pam), and also she's his favorite.

Yeah, rough one for Pam. Even rougher for Karen, particularly in light of what's coming.

Oh, yeah. And Larissa knowing all that is definitely significant... as is her pre-existing relationship with Pam. (This is roughly set in the same universe as Real Friends, I think?)

No one idea when this one will be updated - I know exactly what the third chapter is and the second chapter is a mess. But hopefully soon?

1

I should have known even your smut would be written so poetically and with so much depth (and now I'm thinking of that word in quite a different way)

I'll finish when you do... Um. He will get her there. He always does. Hot.

She an feel him smiling, triumphant, absolutely proud of himself.

Aside from a sex scene that I did appreciate, there was a story with its own climax too TWSS. And it was well placed and fit together so well TWSS again.

I'll read you smut any day.

1

So you had me at the Voldemort but and I don’t think it’s any big secret why. According to my head canon Roy has never read the books (or any for that matter) and not all that into the movies. Jim on other hand, they could talk HP for hours.

Good job with the rest too. Is she starting to realize how wrong the man who can’t make a phone call for *their* wedding is?

Hope so.

Author's Response:

See I didn't even think that it could be canon too, Roy not understanding Voldemort reference. He was sort of an ignorant one for sure. She is indeed beginning to realize that things are not that perfect but we are waiting for that final push. I guess it would come sooner than later now.  Only a week to her wedding and lot needs to be done.

1

First off Happy Father's Day to you. In true Warrior fashion, on your day you have given us a gift with the story. I got all the feels reading it. Pam has really started to become so much like her husband in her Jim-like gestures. Arranging for Betsy and Gerald to come visit was a wonderful surprise for Jim and for us readers.

The exchange with the Astros jersey and the Phillies tee felt very real and in character for both of the men (and we barely even know Gerald but I just see this from him). And that's a good dad, letting his kid be his own person and not forcing his team on him and more than that supporting his support of the team he wants to follow.

The various scenes were all lovely and easy to picture. I haven't been to a Dave and Busters in forever, but I can remember how much fun it was to take the kids (and play games myself if I'm being honest - I've always been one to partake in the fun too) and enjoyed seeing they had their private time at end.

It was a nice way to mark the year - year and a half really - that we've all just lived through - and you've hit on a lot of the ordeals that we've had to adapt to over that time. But you always nailed that feeling of excitement being out again at things like ball games and indoor play spaces and seeing family and being able to hug them with confidence and love.

Well done on all fronts. Thanks for taking time to write and share this lovely piece.

Author's Response: Thanks Max. It was fun to bring this one to life. Espeically in light of the last year and a half or so. All of Pam's surprises were a lot of fun to bring in too. Glad you liked them all. Thanks as ever for the detailed review.

1

Ha ha Aly.

Great minds think alike - don't know if you've had a chance to read the last chapter (Best Laid Plans of Mice and Salesmen) of my Another First Date - but you absolutely should if you haven't. A different approach to a similar gag...but you can say I'm a fan of the trick.

I can totally picture Pam's coy smile here too.

Fun stuff. 

1

I do declare this was very sweet. But I really like the ending. I fully see Erin doing research like that for her character and then sharing with Pam. And I appreciate that you left it to our imagination and yet we fully know why he’s thanking Michael.

Nice job and very fitting to your pen name.