A/N: This idea was given to me by pAt-tHe-bAkeR (my new Gleeky BFF on DeviantART). She didn't care if I used it and put my own twist on it, so here it is, another Dave-tries-to-commit-suicide-out-of-guilt-over-driving-Kurt-away story. Only this time, he attempts to leap off a bridge! SO NOT LULZ. 8D

Also: I discredit myself for a quote used in this. When Karofsky's, um, sexuality is brought up, I totally stole the phrase used by someone on a Tumblr forum-thingy about Glee/the "Kurve" pairing (lol another pairing name I found on there besides "Karomel" and "Kurtofsky"). So yeah, I'm pretty much unoriginal. XD

It's not every day you have to pick up trash along a freeway overpass for some community service and suddenly spy a lunatic standing on the edge of the concrete. It's also not everyday that you think to yourself, Hey, if I save that guy's life, it'll totally help erase some of the bad shit on my rap sheet. I'll never have to go back to juvie if I'm a hero! As opposed to thinking the expected, something along the lines of: Oh no, a suicidal case! I must rescue them because life is sacred!

And so here Noah Puckerman is, dumping his trash bag and spear-like thing and racing up to the center of the bride. He stands off to the side (to be seen in the person's peripherals, since startling someone off a ledge is just as bad as pushing them over yourself) of the guy in distress.

But Puck stops dead when he realizes that the guy is none other than, like, the biggest bully in the entire school. Well, at least he is in Puck's eyes; The guy scared poor Kurt shitless and sent him running off to that prep school, Puck reasons with a scowl. That's a pretty douchey thing to do.

Still… let the jerk kill himself and be rid of his piss-poor attitude, or look like a hero and be saved from juvie? Hmm, choices, choices…

Obviously, Puck's going to go with the latter.

Sighing begrudgingly, Puck calls out, "Karofsky! What're you thinkin', man? Don't jump! That's stupid and cowardly and you know it."

"I know," Karofsky mutters, his tone angry but tears clearly falling down his face. "But I deserve this, Puckerman. You can't stop me. I'm a complete asshole and a coward who should take the coward's way out, 'cause I did such horrible fucking things to Kurt –" Puck's surprised that the bully is calling Kurt something other than 'homo,' 'fag/faggot,' or 'Hummel' "– and… and I scared him off. Because of me, your little Glee Club started slushifying me, and there's just so much guilt, man, that I can't take it any longer."

Puck emits a nervous chuckle, "Yeah, but, that's not so bad. I mean… not bad enough to kill yourself over. Just come back down, dude, and get some help or something. They have therapists you can talk to, and hotline and stuff –"

"You don't get it, Puckerman!" Karofsky spits fiercely, more tears streaming down his reddened face. "I'm fucked up! I should die! Don't you get it? Don't you see? I'm the biggest hypocrite that ever lived."

Puck makes a what-the-fuck-you-talkin'-'bout face. He waits for Karofsky to elaborate.

The jock wipes some tears from his eyes with his sleeve and takes one step down, one foot still perched up on the ledge but the other leg balancing on the side of the road. "I said that I'm a fucking hypocrite. Come on, Puckerman, you're smarter than that. What do I do?"

"Um… slushie Glee members? Harass gay people?" Puck states, trying to keep Karofsky talking. He read somewhere that if you keep a suicidal person talking, you can somehow convince them not to take their own life.

"Exactly," Karofsky hisses. "Which means…?" he prompts ardently. Puck shrugs, and Karofsky lets out a groan of frustration. "It means I can sing, dumbass! And dance, too! And that I'm fucking gayer than a rainbow-colored unicorn who pees glitter!" he shouts, and Puck is more taken aback by this than he ever has been about anything in his life ever.

"Er… okay, then…" he says at length, "But… that's still no excuse, man. You're human. You make mistakes. Fuck, look at me! I'm out here picking up trash to stay outta juvie because of my own mistakes. We were both morally wrong in some sense, but you don't see me trying to kill myself over it. So step down, dude, and just walk away. Write an apology letter or something, even if you never send it out. Just… dammit, don't jump, man!" he raises his voice to say as he takes a step forward, arm stretching out.

Because during his mini-speech, Karofsky had shaken his head and stepped onto the edge again. Karofsky's eyes are dry, but his voice breaks as he states quietly, "It's more wrong than you realize, Puckerman. I'm worse than you. I can't go back, and I can't move forward. I can only end my pathetic attempt at existence."

And he leans forward, falling over the edge.

And Puck screams, "NO!"

And the mohawked teen lunges forward.

And his breath gets knocked out of him by the concrete siding.

And he's gasping for air, grasping for something.

And he finds it: Karofsky's ankles.

The jock dangles upside-down, head hovering over water, and he's screaming profanities. "Damn you, Puckerman! Why can't you just let me do this? I thought you hated me, you worthless piece of shit who can't even be clever enough to not get caught and stay outta prison! Isn't Kurt your buddy, now? Don't you think his tormentor should go to hell for what he's done? That tormentor is me, unless you forgot! I ruined your precious Glee Club, and – and I drove away the one person I ever loved!"

And Puck can hear it now: Karofsky bawling up a storm, breathy and strained and furious, even a tad hopeless. Grunting, Puck swings the other athlete's body and hauls him up bit by bit, until they're both gasping for air, seated on the pavement, leaning against the ledge Karofsky had just leaped from.

"Fuck you, Puckerman," Karofsky pants, his heart still racing with adrenaline. "You shouldn't have saved me."

"I had to, idiot," Puck retorts hotly. "Kurt wouldn't have wanted you to kill yourself over him. You think you're feeling guilty? Yeah, well, think about this for a second: what if he hears about this little stunt – had you pulled it off – and feels like it's all his fault that you did it? – Didn't think of that possibility, did ya?"

"No… no, I didn't," Karofsky mutters dejectedly. He hangs his head. "Thanks, then. I guess."

"Yeah, you better be thanking me," Puck snorts. "You're damn heavy. What d'ya do, bench Volkswagons?"

Karofsky laughs bitterly. "Not really. Just nerds."

And they essentially share a laugh to ease the tension, and pretty soon, things start to smell like the beginnings of redemption, now that Dave Karofsky has officially been slapped in the face and brought back to his senses.