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Author's Chapter Notes:
NOTE: This story is written without knowledge of what's really happened after "Cocktails" thus kind-of pretend that "Cocktails" and its aftermath happened without really anything "happening." Heh... no spoilers.

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Kevin and Oscar had been discussing what Angela's problem could be. She, of course, refused to tell them what it was. After the crying-hugfest, the two men had gone back to their chairs, not really knowing what to do next. Angela, on the other hand, had started typing what seemed like a letter, or maybe an e-mail.  Kevin, as he could see her face better than Oscar, had noticed that she was trying not to cry. After a few moments, she looked at Oscar and quietly said, "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back in ten minutes."  Just like that, she had left.

When had Dwight shouted out Angela's name, the two other accountants suddenly realized. They should have seen the signs before. Oscar had even smacked his forehead when it dawned on him. After all of that had settled, the two were still left alone in their little corner.

"Andrew Edward Bernard!" Karen's shouting had interrupted Kevin and Oscar's conversation. They looked over to watch the drama unfold. They couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing -- especially Phyllis slapping Karen. Then, the entire situation turned for worse when Karen grabbed the book and walked backwards from reception, towards them. She was up against the door between Meredith's desk and the accounting corner.

Karen let out a small gasp when she finally read the page.

So, the new guy apparently returned. The one that punched the wall. I didn't even realize he was gone. I thought he was just moved to the back with Toby and that Indian girl. Anyways, Michael put him in my corner where the black guy used to sit and Devon before him and Kathryn before him and Richard and Greg and Ben and Stephen and Burke. The new guy introduced himself to me but I've already forgot. He's a non-stop talker. I don't mind really. He was telling me of this psychiatrist at angry management that he was made to go to. She was hot, apparently. Some blond chick. I prefer brunettes. He said that they flirted and made-out. But then he ended it when found out that she was engaged to one of the accountants here. I think he means Keith. He asked me keep this between the two of us. And to be honest, I would probably forget about it.

Karen glanced at Kevin. Andy's going to pay for what he did, she thought. "Andy had a fling with your fiancée," she announced to Kevin.

Kevin stood up, looking over at Andy. "Stacey?" His voice didn't go up this time. His voice actually had an angry undertone. "You slept with my fiancée?"

"I didn't sleep with her!" Andy shook his head. "We kissed. That's all. As soon as I realized that she was your fiancée, I-"

"You're the reason why we've been having problems!"

Oscar had never seen Kevin so angry. He saw that Kevin had his fist gripped.

Andy held his hands up defensively. "Kevin, I'm sorry. I didn't know who she was. "

Kevin stalked closer, towards Andy.  Oscar jumped up from his chair and grabbed Kevin's arm from behind. "Don't do this, man. He's not worth it..."

"Oscar, let me deal with this."

Oscar moved so that he was between Kevin and Andy. "Kev, think about this, okay? Andy has never met Stacey. He wouldn't have known what she looks like. He ended it as soon as he found out who she was."

Kevin glared at Oscar. "She's my fiancée!"

Andy replied back to Kevin, "I didn't even know that she was engaged."

"Kind-of like how Jim didn't know Pam was engaged when he made out with her?" Karen snapped.

Everyone suddenly focused their attention back towards Karen. Jim's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to protest, but then she started to read the entry out loud. 

"Last night, I was going through the kitchen, trying to find something to put in my new fridge when I saw one of the camera guys enter in. He told me to turn off the lights. For some reason, he just waited by the door with the camera. I didn't pay any more attention and continued with what I was doing. Then, I heard a female voice. I looked over. It was the pretty receptionist. She was on the phone. I walked closer and saw that Jim had entered the room. She hung up the phone. Then, he kissed her. Made-out with her is probably the best description. And here I thought she was engaged to the burly warehouse fellow."

Karen looked at Jim. "Hmm.  Seemed like you left out some information when you told me the story."

"Well, no one in this office is a saint, not even me, Karen," Jim replied forcefully. This entire day had gone to hell. Everyone was against everyone else and now there was no way that any of it could be simply swept under the rug.

"Give me the book, Karen." Everyone turned to look at Michael. He had been quiet the entire time, but apparently, he'd had enough. He walked out of his office's doorway and stood there with his hand outstretched. "Karen," he said seriously.

Like a little girl who had just been scolded, Karen bit her bottom lip as she slowly walked up to Michael and gave him the book. She could barely look into his eyes.

Michael looked down at the journal. He ran his fingers across the leather-bound cover. He looked back up to Karen. "I think you should go tell Toby that you have resigned from your position."

She opened her mouth to say something but immediately closed it again. She knew that her quitting would be better than her being fired. She nodded slowly and walked to the annex.

"What about Andy, Michael?" Andy looked at Kevin, who was still clearly upset. Jim walked up from behind and put his hand on Kevin's shoulder. Kevin quickly shrugged the hand off. He glared at Jim. "Don't touch me. You're as bad as him."

Jim was in shock. He knew that it was true. Kevin was in Roy's shoes. "Kev..." He stopped. There were words to help the situation. He looked at Andy. "I'm worse than Andy. He didn't know. I did." He looked at the floor.

Silence. Looks went around the room. No one knew what else to do or say. Dwight glanced at Michael. He was fiddled with the book in his hand.

"What's going on in here?" Toby and Karen entered the room. Kelly and Ryan soon followed.

Stanley looked at him, sighing. "Tension and drama.  What else is new?"

"What's this book of secrets that Karen was talking about?" asked Kelly. Of course, she would be curious.

"A journal that Creed kept with secrets of everyone in this office. Even Toby." Michael didn't even look up, as he was engrossed at Toby's entry. It was dated April 2006.

I live in the office most of the week and sometimes I go through people's desks. So, in Toby's desk, I found letters to publishers toting a tell-all book of a HR representative. Apparently, the book is about everyone in the office and the complaints that Toby has received since he's been here. He plans on publishing it under the pen name, Gary Scarn.

Michael looked up at Toby. "'Gary Scarn'? What made you think of that name?"

Toby knew what was written. He knew that he could be fired as well. It was a breach of confidentiality -- not that that wasn't already broken when Michael read all the complaints from the HR files out loud last year in his bid to show off his ‘conflict resolution' skills.  That had ended in disaster, just like this was likely to.

"Was it ‘Gary Scarn' or ‘Michael Scarn'?" Ryan quietly asked Kelly. However, because of the deafening silence, it was as clear as if he'd spoken normally.

"What was that, Ryan?" Michael looked quizzically at the younger man. "Did you say ‘Michael Scarn?' How do you know about that?"

"We read the screenplay while you were gone one day, Michael," Dwight answered. Jim smiled slightly to the fact that Dwight had said "we" and not "they." He wasn't jumping ship, not this time.

"You all what?" Michael couldn't believe it. That was private. No one was supposed to read that. He erratically shook his head as he flipped through the journal.

"Michael, don't."

"Shut up, Jim. I'm the boss." He stopped flipping suddenly and stared at Stanley's page. Yes, Stanley was unhappy and disgruntled, but he did have his happy moments. After reading the entry, Michael realized why Stanley had the matchbox cars and why he always did crossword puzzles. The entry was three years ago.

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Chapter End Notes:
So, this is going to be the last update for a little while. Got a few acadmic papers to write, a couple of midterms to study for, and one group project to put together. Thank y'all for your comments. I really appreciate them and I'm glad that you like this really twisted story. Heh... :)

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