Kurt's eyes grew wide with fear as he looked into Dave's eyes.  Anger swept through his veins while he remembered what Dave had said to Riley.

"Don't scream, okay?"  Dave's voice came out no louder than a whisper and there was a sort of regret in his tone.  "Don't run, either.  I really need to talk to you." 

Kurt nodded against Dave's hand and he slowly pulled away.

"What do you want Karofsky?"

"Man, I can't do this anymore."  Dave backed up until he hit the wall behind him and slid down to the floor.  He pulled his knees to his chest and Kurt thought he even saw a tear slide down his cheek.  "That girl, the one that killed herself, she is the one I was always talking to, isn't she?"

"First of all, talking to her and bullying her and two completely different things.  So get that through your brain.  And yes, she is."

Dave's head fell so his forehead hit his knees.  It took a moment for Kurt to realize that Dave was breaking down right before his eyes.  Maybe Riley's words had actually gotten to him; maybe this was the beginning of a new Dave Karofsky. 

"She warned me.  Did you know that?  She flat out told me that this was going to happen one day and I brushed it off and walked away."  Dave looked over as Kurt took a seat next to him, leaving a good foot of space between them.  "I didn't listen."

Kurt was not one to just forgive bullies for their actions, but he could tell that something within Karofsky was changing.  He knew that this was a cry of desperation, of understanding from Kurt.

"Dave, look..."

"It's my fault!"  Karofsky's fists slammed into the cement ground between the two boys.  "I keep trying to find ways to twist the past, to find a loop hole to prove that the fault lies with someone else.  I have spent the last two days running different scenarios in my head.  Thinking that maybe she ran into someone else that was worse to her.  That they're the reason she did this."

"It is your fault! Is that what you want to hear?"  Kurt felt flustered as the words slipped through his lips.  Dave fell silent staring at the ground while Kurt's brain was scrambling.  Kurt had done the same thing as Dave this weekend; he spent his time trying to find a person to blame.  Kurt wanted to blame her parents but then he thought about all the other factors that had played a role in her death: her parents beating her, her grandparents not fighting for them, abandonment from her friends.  "You hurt her Dave, but you need to understand that the blame does not lie solely on you.

"Suicide is not something that you decide to do suddenly one night.  It can take months and even years to come to a decision like that."  Kurt turned to face Dave directly staring into his wet eyes.  "You can't blame all of this on yourself; she had a lot of things happen to her in her life.  But at the same time you do need to realize that your actions only added to an already messy situation.  And who knows, maybe your words were deciding factor, we will never know.  But you cannot blame this all on yourself.  Something like that can ruin your life; you could end up just like her."

"I just wish there was something I could to make it better, you know?"

Kurt sat in silence with no response to his words.

"I'm sorry, Kurt.  For not realizing sooner."

"I'm not the one that you need to be apologizing to.  You think you're having a hard time with this?  Her brother is at the police station right now filling out paperwork about his sister's suicide.  You need to apologize to him."

"I can't do that.  Coming to you was hard enough; there is no way in hell I am going to be able to even look at him without wanting to throw up."

"Dave, you need to do this.  You need to show Blaine that her death has made a difference.  You need to help him see that speaking up about this kind of thing can make a difference."  A spark of energy surged through Kurt while the possibility of finding a way to save Blaine came to him. 

At the police station Burt and Blaine took their seats across from the officer.

"So there isn't much to do, just some simple paperwork."

The officer slid a small stack of papers toward Blaine and handed him a pen.  Blaine filled out the basic information about Riley and Burt did all the legal signing at the bottom.  When Blaine turned to the last page the title caught his eye.

"What is this one from the city?"

"Oh, the body was recovered at the park which belongs to the city so this is just something the city has to do saying they aren't liable for her death."

"Wait."  Blaine looked up at the officer.  "She was found in the park?"

"Yes, more specifically she was found in the sandbox."

Burt watched as the blood fell from Blaine's face and his hands dropped to his lap.

"Are you okay, kid?"

The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes before Blaine slowly turned to Burt.

"I want to go home."

"Well, this is the last paper I need filled out from you two so if Burt will just sign the bottom you can be on your way."

Without hesitation Burt quickly signed the page and helped Blaine out to the car.  Burt tried asking what was wrong as soon as they were alone but Blaine didn't say a word.   He sat in the passenger seat with his head turned looking out the window.  Burt let him get lost in his own thoughts.

Kurt couldn't stop thinking about Karofsky and what they had talked about while he drove home.  His front seat was filled with his and Blaine's books and homework for the next three days, which was surprising very little because teachers took sympathy on them. 

He noticed his dad's car in the driveway right away mentally cheering that he wouldn't have to wait for them to get home to tell Blaine about what had happened.

"Where's Blaine?"  Kurt walked in to find his dad sitting on the couch by himself watching a football game.

"Oh. We got home from the station and he said he needed to go to the park."

Kurt stopped dead in his tracks his mind instantly going to the worst case scenario.

"Dad.... Dad, look at me!"  Kurt frantically set the books down on the kitchen table and ran to stand between Burt and the TV. "Dad, did Blaine take anything with him?"

Burt thought for just a moment, "I don't know, why?"

"Dad, this isn't a joke.  I need you to think really hard.  Did Blaine take anything with him?"

"I don't think so.  We got home and he ran up to use the bathroom and then when he came down he said he had to go to the park.  I figured that since that's where Riley was found he would want to go there."

Before Burt had even finished his thought Kurt was running up the stairs to the bathroom.  The medicine cabinet above Kurt's sink was open and the entire bottle of Tylenol was gone.

Kurt ran back down the stairs to find Burt waiting at the bottom for him.

"Kurt, what's going on?"

"We have to go, Dad.  We have to get to Blaine; he is going to kill himself."

"Wait... what?"

"They made a pact, Dad."  Kurt was already grabbing the keys and pulled Burt out the door.  "You need to drive, and fast.  I need to make a few calls."

Burt and Kurt got into the car and sped off down the road.  Kurt pulled out his phone and hit his speed dial number five.

"Finn, I need your help."

Blaine made his way around the park; his mind was racing.  At first he sat on the edge of the play equipment staring down to the woodchips.  But surely he made his way around to everything there was.  He went down the slide by himself, sung on the swings, walked under the monkey bars, pulled the slider from one side to the other, laid down in the tunnel.  Each task took him a few short seconds each but Blaine took his time letting his memories flood over him.

He was going to miss it here on earth.  The smell of the evergreens, the wind hitting his face, the sun beating down on his back, watching the light snow fall to the ground, the sound of rain on the roof while he tried to sleep, singing along to his iPod in the shower, all of his friends, his new family, Kurt.  Above all Blaine was going to miss Kurt.  He wanted so badly to hold Kurt one last time; to kiss him and tell him how much he loves him but Blaine knew that if he turned back now he would never be able to do it and he promised Riley he would.

As he took his usual seat on the side of the sandbox Blaine pulled the bottle of Tylenol out of his jacket pocket.  Thank goodness Burt was the only one home when he left because he wouldn't have been able to sneak this past anyone else; it was huge.  Blaine opened it up to look inside, there had to be hundreds of pills in there.  He didn't know how many he needed to take before the effects would kick in, but he knew it was quite a lot.  He pulled the bottle of water from his other pocket and dumped Tylenol in his hand.   The red capsules lay still in his hand while Blaine closed his eyes and prepared to begin his final goodbye.

"Don't!"

Blaine's eyes shot open and he saw Kurt running towards him Burt not far behind.  When he was about ten feet from Blaine Kurt stopped.  Blaine could see the tears falling from Kurt's eyes.  Burt arrived just a few seconds after Kurt and stood behind him with his hands on Kurt's shoulders.

Kurt opened his mouth to speak but the tears were holding his voice too.  He turned and looked up at Burt hoping he would get the message.

"Blaine, you don't have to do this."  Burt dropped his hands and took a few steps toward Blaine careful not to push him over the edge. 

"Yes, I do.  I promised Riley I would."  Blaine looked back at the pills in hand.

"No, you don't, Blaine.  I'm not going to pretend like I know what you are going through because I don't but so many people out there do.  Losing someone like this is not easy, but it is not the end of the world.  When I lost Liz I didn't want to go on, I wanted to lie in bed and never leave.  I stopped caring about my job, about my life; because I lost one of the people I love the most.  But do you know what got me through that, Blaine?  Kurt.  I knew every morning that when I got up I would get to see Kurt's face.  I would have to help him through losing his mother because I wasn't the only person who lost someone special.  You're not the only person who has lost someone like this, Blaine.  There are so many people out there who are going through the same thing, but just like I did, you have to get up and out of bed every morning and you have to be strong.  You have to show other people in your situation, other people like your parents that put you in this situation, people like bullies at school that you still have something to fight for.  There are so many people in your life that love you."

Blaine looked up at those words to see that more people were starting to arrive at the park.  He instantly recognized Finn because of his height and Rachel with her dads running around the corner.  Carole had, at some point, joined them and had Kurt wrapped in her arms.  From the other direction Quinn, Tina, Mike, and Sam were running up to meet them also.

Burt looked behind him to see what was happened.

"Do you see this, Blaine?  Everybody here cares about you enough to help you get out of bed every morning.  They care about Riley enough to help you fight through this."

Blaine looked back down to the pills in his hand and the open bottle next to him.  He felt a lump in his throat begin to form and he knew that he was about to lose it.  It was now or never.

"Blaine I have something I need you to listen to."  It was Rachel who took a step up by Burt now holding her iPod and a set of speakers.  She hit play and it took a few seconds before Riley's voice started to fill the air.

She was singing "The End Where I Begin" by The Script and playing guitar to it as well.  They all stood around listening to the song not making eye contact with anyone else.  There was almost an eerie feeling listening to Riley singing knowing that she was gone now.  As the song continued on the rest of the glee club members showed up to join the rest forming a half circle around the sandbox. 

Sometimes tears say all there is to say

Sometimes your first scars won't ever fade away

Tried to break my heart

Well it's broke

Tried to hang me high

Well I'm choked

Wanted rain on me

Well I'm soaked

Soaked to the skin

It's the end where I begin

It's the end where I begin

Sometimes we don't learn from our mistakes

Sometimes we've no choice but to walk away, away

Tried to break my heart

Well it's broke

Tried to hang me high

Well I'm choked

Wanted rain on me

Well I'm soaked

Soaked to the skin

It's the end where I begin

It's the end where I begin

Now I'm alive

And my ghosts are gone

I've shed all the pain

I've been holding on

The cure for a heart

Is to move along, is to move along

So move along

What don't kill a heart

Only makes it strong

It's the End where I

End where I

End where I begin

Sometimes we don't learn from our mistakes

Sometimes we've no choice but to walk away, away

When the song finished there wasn't a dry eye in the park.

"I didn't understand it at first.  To be honest I thought it was a weird way of Riley saying goodbye to me, but after Kurt called Finn to explain what was happening today, I finally understood."  No one noticed Dave arrive and begin to walk towards the group because they were all so focused on Rachel's words.  "Riley reached her breaking point a long time ago, Blaine.  And no matter how hard you or I or anyone else would have tried, once you've reached that point it's just a matter of time.  I'm not saying that it isn't sad.  The things that Riley must have gone through to reach that point are something that nobody should ever have to experience.  But my point is that you haven't reached that point yet, Blaine.  If you had those pills would be in your stomach right now, not lingering in the palm of your hand.  You're not ready to leave us yet and we don't want you to.  Riley wouldn't have wanted you to. 

"Her and I stayed up late talking one night just last week and we talked about you and how you are so much bigger than you realize you are, Blaine.  You have so much potential to be somebody, to make a difference.  If you were to take yourself away from us, away from this life then you would never reach your full potential.  That's not what Riley wanted.  You're a fighter.  Show Riley that all the things that were said to her, all the cruel things people have done to her were not in vein.  Show the people that did those things to Riley that they can't break you too and that you have the will to fight back."

"Show me that you have the will to fight back."  Everyone's head immediately turned to face Dave.  Blaine's eyes flashed with anger and he stood up to go confront him.

"Blaine, just listen to what he has to say, okay?"  Kurt walked up next to Blaine now and put a hand on his arm.  "I promise you you'll want to hear it."

Kurt gave Dave a small nod telling him to continue.

"Blaine, everybody, I am so sorry for all the things that I said to her.  She even warned me about how my words could hurt someone and I didn't listen.  But I'm listening now."  Dave kicked some woodchips under his shoe before he looked up and met Blaine's eyes.  "Knowing that I hold the responsibility for someone killing themselves is something I am never going to forget, and I am never going to do it again.  But she's right, Blaine," Dave nodded his head toward Rachel, "You need to fight this.  I am one person who learned from this one experience, but there are so many people just at our school who are just like me: unfair and too quick to judge.  Seeing you like this, so heartbroken because of something that I helped do is overwhelming.  It's enough for me to guarantee myself and all of you that I will never do what I did to Riley to anyone else.  But my fear isn't going to change anybody else's.  Sure things at school might be chill for the next three days while people try to pretend they care but once winter break is over it is going to be right back to how it was before.  But if you are there, Blaine, and you are walking through those halls and you stand up to people like that, you are going to send a message.  But if you kill yourself too it will make no difference.  People will use the two weeks of break to forget that anything ever happened and they will go about their lives.  They need the daily reminder that stuff like suicide and all of that is real.  They need you, Blaine."

Kurt turned Blaine so they were face to face now.

"Look at all these people standing in this park right now.  They are all here for the same reason that I am here; because they love you.  This is your family and you are our family.  We already lost one member this week, please don't make any of us go through that a second time."

Blaine didn't say anything; he simply turned and collapsed into Kurt's arms.  You could feel the tension that hung over the park evaporate at this very moment.  Rachel relaxed and Finn ran up to her, Burt joined Carole, Sam pulled Quinn in and kissed her hair, Mike and Tina were hugging, everyone was relieved that it was over.

Dave was the first to leave after Blaine announced that he just wanted to go home and not long after the park was deserted again.  The glee club members all dispersed back to their homes or with each other out somewhere to try to get over what they had just gone through.  Kurt held Blaine in his arms on his bed while Blaine drifted off, completely drained from this whole weekend.

Nobody but this group of people would ever know what had just happened in that park.  Nobody would know how a life was just saved.  Nobody would know whose life was changed.  The only thing in the park that was a reminder of this day was a handful pills that lay in the sandbox never to be touched.