As Kelly lay in a medically induced coma Michael, Jim and Ryan gathered by her bedside, all in a state of shock. Michael kept opening his mouth to speak, but he found himself speechless. He had let Kelly down. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but even he knew that Ryan was playing Kelly. He should have said something to her, the way he had to Andy when Angela had been having her affair with Dwight. This was his business, his family, his life, and now he might lose one. A single tear fell down his face when Jim pulled him aside.

"You okay?"

"How can I be? Kelly's dead and it's all my fault!"

"First of all, she's not dead, she's going to be okay in a while, the doctors have said that. Secondly, how could this be your fault? None of us knew that this was going to happen," Jim responded compassionately. True, Michael got on his nerves most of the time, but it was this side, his humane side, that had somehow endeared him to everyone.

"I knew, Jim. I knew Ryan was playing her for a fool. I should have said something. If I did she might not have blamed herself. It's Ryan's fault. Everyone knows that."

"Thirdly, now's probably not the best time to blame Ryan. I'm sure he's beating himself up pretty badly right now and could use our support."

Michael stared over at an ashen Ryan, then turned back to Jim. "Are you kidding me? I always looked up to Ryan like he was my son, like my brother, like my friend. But anyone who could treat another human being the way he did, well, they are no longer my brother."

Ryan approached them. "Look, I can't tell you how sorry I am for this. You're right, Michael. This is all my fault. I should have treated her better. I knew she loved me. I knew she just wanted to make me happy, and I took and took and took. Everything you have to say about me, you're right."

"You're darn right I am!" Michael shook with anger. "Look what you have done! She tried to kill herself because of you. What is wrong with you? You had everything, man, and you threw it away. I would kill to have a woman love me the way Kelly did you."

"Let's not refer to Kelly in the past tense," Jim reminded him.

"Why not? Look at her! She's practically dead and we're all responsible for this. Jim weren't you the one to set them up?"

It hadn't occurred to Jim to feel guilty until that moment. It was true, he had set up Kelly and Ryan. He had had a feeling about the younger employee, but against his better judgement set them up. If only he had known. He should have known. For the better part of a decade he'd been all about Pam. When had he taken the time to get to know any of his coworkers? He could understand Michael not knowing but him? He'd always considered himself a sharp guy. He felt guilty, being thankful for Kelly's quiet moods. But he could have- should have- known something was seriously wrong with her. If Michael and Ryan were to blame, he certainly shouldered some of it as well.

"Well there's nothing more we can do here. Let's all go back to work, let everyone know what happened, and try to pull ourselves together," Jim tried to be the voice of reason, but his guilt was eating at him. Sitting around here wasn't going to help. They had a business to run, and they had to consider that as well.

"Michael I think you should call one of your conferences," Ryan suggested, trying to get back on his boss's good side.

"You're right, for the first time. A conference is in order. Let's go." Before he left, he kissed Kelly on the cheek, and wiped his eyes.

But it didn't help. His eyes were still red when they arrived back at the office. Once in the conference room everyone knew that Michael had been crying. They all stared at Ryan, who sat motionless in the corner. If anyone should have been crying, it was Ryan. They knew the basics from Jim who had called, but were all anxious for updates.

"Michael, I have a proposal," Dwight spoke up. "It appears that we have an unstable employee amongst us. I believe Kelly Kapoor should be terminated effective immediately."

Everyone started to throw things at Dwight.

"We can't do that," Toby said quietly. "It's important that she gets the help she needs, and we have a great mental health policy."

Michael stared at him. "I have a better idea. We have a mental health policy that should help Kelly in her recovery. It's our job to support her and wish her the best, and some of us," he looked at Angela, "may even want to pray for her."

"I'm not praying for her. She believes in a hundred gods, and everyone knows there is only one."

"Don't you think that's a bit harsh?" Phyliss asked. "She's a vegtable for heaven's sake."

"Does it really matter what she believes in?" Pam spoke up. "She's our friend and she is in trouble. I agree with Michael. I think we should all visit and support her."

Jim smiled at his wife, always the voice of reason.

"Does it matter? It's not like she would know we were there," Kevin added.

Oscar disagreed. "Actually studies show that people in a coma know when people are in their presence. If it were me, well, I might actually appreciate the compassion of my fellow coworkers."

"It might be hard to get in with all of your male escorts surrounding you, wouldn't it?" Angela made a face at him.

"Angela!"

"Let me handle this," Michael spoke up. "It doesn't matter how matter how many escorts Oscar has, as long as they are over age- they are, aren't they?"

Oscar looked at the camera and frowned.

"Anyways," Angela spoke up. "Shouldn't it be Ryan's job to babysit her? He's the reason for this anyways. And we can't stop God's will. If it should be His will for her to die, than so be it."

Andy stared at his one time fiancee. "Come on now, it's not all Ryan's fault. He didn't know that his actions had consequences. He's part of the x generation. They don't realize that for every action there is a reaction, and he certainly couldn't have predicted this. Let's not all be too hasty to blame Ryan, when there is plenty of blame to go around."

"Thank you," Michael agreed. "We are all part of Kelly's family and we all knew what Ryan was up to, everyone but Kelly. Andy, how did you feel when you found out about Angela's indiscretions?"

Angela stood up and walked out of the room.

"I was ready to kill Dwight! Are you kidding me? I felt like the biggest fool in the world."

"Another reason we shouldn't have stuck our noses where they didn't belong," Phyliss added quietly.

Finally after being quiet for so long Erin stood up, crying. "Our friend is in trouble and we're in here fighting? That's not what Kelly would want. She believes in love, true love. Why don't we try to love each other instead of blaming each other."

"Free love, I'm down with that," Creed looked at the camera. "Tried it once. Maybe more. It was the sixties, man. Everyone was doing it, dammit! Who are you to judge me?"

"I think Erin is right," Andy said. "I think it's important she knows she's loved. Yes, we should have said something to Kelly about Ryan being a d-bag."

"Hey I'm right here," Ryan protested.

"Sorry dude, the truth hurts sometimes. I was angry but not at Michael for telling me. I was angry with all of you for knowing but not telling me. I don't know what's up with that but in this case it appears that we did Kelly no favor."

"Stanley put down your puzzle!" Michael ordered. "Are you listening to this? This could be your wife after finding out about your mistress."

"Leave me out of this. My wife is stable thank you very much."

"But we all said the same thing about Kelly! Yes she was talkative and bubbly and maybe not too bright, but she had feelings, just like your wife does. I think you should go home and tell your wife, no, show your wife that you love her!"

Grateful for a day off of work, Stanley got up and left the building as quickly as he could. He was going to see his girlfriend, not his wife, but it didn't matter. A day off was a day off.

"This just goes to show," Michael continued," that this could have been anyone of us. I've been the cuckold many times in my relationships. There were times I thought about killing myself. There, I said it, are you all happy?"

Everyone grew quiet. They all thought they knew Michael Scott very well, but to hear him admit something like that shocked them all.

"I too thought about killing myself after finding out about Angela." Andy admitted. "But I decided it would have been easier to kill Dwight. But still, the thought crossed my mind."

"I used to slit my wrists in high school," Erin spoke up, and now everyone stared at her. "My own parents didn't want me, I was in a terrible foster home, and it was the only way I could feel better. I didn't want to die but I wanted someone to love me, to notice me, to care about me."

The silence grew until Andy spoke up. "I care about you, Erin."

"I care about you too," Phyliss added.

"I dare go as far as say as I love you, Erin," Michael pronounced boldly. "I love all of you. It appears that even though we work together we really don't know each other as well as we thought we did."

"I thought I was going to die once," Kevin spoke up.

"When the men's room was closed for cleaning?" Jim asked. Kevin frowned then sat back down.

"I would never kill myself or harm myself in any way." Dwight announced. "Shrute men are of solid stock. Nothing penetrates us."

"Then why did you look so devestated when I told you that Angela and I had had relations," Andy asked. Dwight shut up.

"It appears that this branch of Dunder Mifflin is in more serious trouble than I had realized," Michael said. "So maybe we should all thank Ryan, for he made his girlfriend try to kill herself and its brought us all closer. So thank you, Ryan, for being a b-bag."

"D-bag," Andy corrected.

"Michael I feel sick. I think I need a sick day," Ryan finally spoke up.

"Are you going to see her?"

Ryan nodded.

"Then go, go with my blessings. We'll all be there after work. Tell her that we love her and we miss her and we just want her to get better."

Ryan didn't look back as he left, as he knew he had his own secrets, and there was only one person who would understand. He needed Kelly more than ever, and now it might be too late.