An Early Goodbye

Author: GleekShip

Spoilers: Halfway through Season 2

Summary: Kurt gets to school a little early and walks into the tragic, disturbing event.

Pairings: Puck/Kurt

An Early Goodbye

Kurt skipped into the school.

Stupid Finn. This will show you to not eat my breakfast. I leave early and you have to walk to school.

Kurt chuckles as he reaches his locker. He quickly exchanges a few books.

So 'Cedes isn't here yet. Or Tina. It'd be a good twenty mintues before either of them show well. I'll get extra practice in the choir room.

Kurt skips to the choir room and opens the door. He stops as he looks in.

"Puck."

Puck was standing on a chair in the middle of the room. A rope wrapped around his neck, running up and tied to a rafter.

"Puck." Kurt says cautiously.

Puck opens his eyes to look at Kurt.

"Hey Kurt." He slowly begins to smile down at the pale boy.

Kurt takes a hesitant step closer, taking in the dry tears on Puck's face.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asks.

Puck smirks. "I knew it would be you or Rachel."

"What?"

"You guys are always in here. Practicing or something. I was hoping it was going to be you though."

"Why?"

"I hurt you the most. First dumpster dive. Slushie facial. I'm pretty sure I was the one that taught 'faggot' to everyone else. And I'm glad I can apologize to you in person." Puck explains.

"Puck. What are you doing?" Kurt asks louder.

Puck cocks his head slightly. "I'm here to say goodbye."

Kurt feels like he lost his breath. "What? What . . . what are you talking about?"

"I'm a terrible person."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am Kurt. I'm terrible. After everything that I've done to you . . . how can you say that?" Puck asks, disgusted.

"You've changed Puck." Kurt says with a light voice as he slowly approaches the boy.

"No I haven't."

"You have. You've stopped bullying me. You even offered to help me with my Karofsky problem. You've completely changed." Kurt tells him honestly.

"But I'm still bad."

"No your not. You've changed."

"I haven't. Don't you understand Kurt!" Puck yells. "I'm just . . . a terrible monster."

"No-"

"Then why?"

Kurt bites his lip to hold back the tears. "Why what?" He asks as he blinks the tears back

"Explain why that when I cam back from juvie a few days ago, explain why no one misses me? They all still hate me . . . and I don't blame them." He ends in a whisper.

"No Puck. No. They don't hate you. They missed you."

"Then why didn't anyone visit me?" Puck snaps.

Kurt shakes his head as he runs his hand through his hair, stressed. "I don't know."

"Why didn't you?" Puck asks softly.

"I was dealing with Karofsky, and I know that I'm not your favorite person."

Puck laughs. "Seriously? You and I are friends, not close ones, but friends nonetheless. And I would have been happy to see any familiar face. Any face."

"What about your mom?" Kurt thinks of her suddenly. "I bet she was happy to see you. Weren't you glad to see her?"

Puck gave him a harsh laugh before glaring at him. "Please. She didn't even see me. Said I was a disgrace to the family when I tried to call her."

"Why?"

"She hates me. And you know what else, when I got out of juvie . . . I expected her to be mad at me, ground me even, but still be my mother. The mother that loves me and accepts me through all my stupidity . . . but no. She told me that I have no home. No family. She kicked me out Kurt. I've been living on the streets ever since I got out." Puck cries out.

Kurt finally closes his eyes, not caring about the escaping tears.

"I'm so sorry Puck."

"Don't cry Kurt."Puck says softly.

Kurt shakes his head, shaking the tears away. "Why didn't you tell any of us?'

Puck tosses his head back and laughs. Kurt takes this opportunity to pull his phone out of his pocket and holds it behind him.

"Seriously Kurt. No one here cares about me." Puck sneers.

Kurt hits the right buttons to call Mercedes on speed dial.

"Everyone here thinks that I'm garbage. They could care less."

Kurt shakes his head.

"No they don't. We care about you?"

Puck scoffs.

Please work.

"So tell me Puck? Why here? Why in the choir room? Why die here? Don't you hate the place?" Kurt accuses.

Puck pretend to think about it. "This is the place where everyone hates me. Yeah other people here hate me, but there is so much hate in this room. From Quinn, Finn . . . you."

"I don't hate you Puck. Why don't you open your ears and listen for once?" Kurt begs.

"Why the hell should I! All I'm going to hear is people complaining about how stupid I am. How mean I am. I'm tired of it." Puck tightens the noose.

Kurt automatically takes a step forward. "Don't."

"Why not?" Puck challenges.

Kurt holds his breath, trying to think of something. "Because your special." Puck scoffs. "I'm serious. Have you heard yourself play the guitar, or sing? No one can match that. You always give the most perfect performances."

"So do you." Puck accuses.

"Okay." Kurt bites his lip, trying to think. "Beth." Puck glares at him. "You wanted to keep her. Right? You tried everything you could to stay with her. Most men would have given up after the first month of the mother saying that you had no say. That takes courage. And from what Quinn, and Rachel, and Mercedes have all said, your a kind, caring guy under the facade. You'd make a great father. Don't you want that extra chance?" His voice goes soft.

Puck hesitates before shaking his head. "What else? Tell me something else."

Kurt squeezes his eyes shut. Don't screw this up. "Sex."

Puck chokes on a laugh. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. I've talked to tons of the girls that have slept with you and they all say its the best. You're doing such a great service to all females everywhere. And you also get to have sex. Doesn't that make you feel good?"

"Not since Quinn." Puck answers softly.

"Okay then. Why . . . what would Quinn do now? She had a bad year last year . . . and she made it through it. Don't you want to show her how strong you can be?" Kurt asks, running out of ideas.

"No. She doesn't love me. She never has. No one does. Not my family, not Quinn, not this stupid glee club."

"I know someone that does." Kurt whispers.

My last lie.

"Who?" Puck demands.

"Me."

Puck opens and closes his mouth.

"I do. I love you." Kurt lies slowly.

"No way. Not even you could love me." Puck denies.

"And why not? Tell me Puck. Why can't I love a guy that is kind, caring, sexy, strong . . . athletic and brave . . ." Kurt takes a deep breath. "Your voice is the best part about you." Puck's eyes soften, focusing on Kurt and his voice. "It's so smooth, and mesmerizing. Your tone is rich and top of all of that, you can sing." Kurt steps up to Puck, only a few feet away now. "And your eyes. They're so beautiful. I've never seen that beautiful shade of brown. Like the world's best chocolate." Kurt jokes. "They hold such mystery, such soul. Of a boy, a lost boy . . . who just needs to be found."

Kurt stares into Puck's eyes. Slowly falling.

No. I can't have a crush on him. I can't love him.

Puck smiles down at him.

"Do you really mean that?" Puck asks softly.

I just might.

"I do." Kurt answers softly. Admitting it to himself.

Puck reaches out to Kurt. Kurt takes his hand.

"Thank you." Puck whispers as he kicks the chair.

"NOOOO!"

Kurt runs under Puck's struggling body. He grabs onto the boy and holds on struggles to hold the moving body up.

"Kurt." Puck chokes out. "Please."

Kurt uses all his strength to try and stand up, balancing Puck's body as well.

"HELP!" Kurt cries out. He looks up at Puck. "Please don't die. Please Noah." Kurt begs.

Puck's eye widen at the sound of his name. His name. He smiles as he stops struggling. He lets all of his weight fall onto the smaller boy. His body leans to one side, the rope tightening around his neck.

Kurt sobbing now as he struggles to hold up the weight.

"Please." He chokes out.

He barely looks up as footsteps echo into the room. He tunes them out, the blood rushes to his head.

He drops, the dead weight falls on him.

Noah's eyes flicker open.

"Noah." Kurt moves to Noah's bedside and takes the muscular hand.

"Kurt." Noah whispers.

Kurt grabs a glass of water from the bedside table and puts the straw into Noah's mouth.

"Better." Kurt asks as Noah finishes drinking.

"Much." He squeezes his eyes shut before focusing on Kurt. "Where am I?"

"The hospital."
"Why?"

Kurt squeezes his hand. "Do you remember anything?"

Noah shakes his head. "Just you." His eyes widen as his memory returns. "I kicked the chair. Why aren't I dead?"

"While we were talking, I called Mercedes and she heard me mention where we were. She got ahold of Coach Sue and the next thing I knew, she was in the choir room swinging an ax at the rope." Kurt explains.

"Why?" Noah asks as tears fill his eyes. "Why didn't you just let me die?"

Kurt sighs. "Because I really do love you."

Noah smiles. "That's all I wanted. To be loved."

Kurt leans down and kisses Noah on the cheek. "You have me now. And with time, everyone else."

Noah smiles, a genuine smile, for the first time since Beth.

"Say it again."

"I love you." Kurt whispers before kissing Noah on the lips.