Intervention

Dave Karofsky could hardly believe the changes that had taken place over the last few weeks. He'd actually invited Hummel to come back to McKinley and become the exact opposite of the bully he had worked hard to be – a bully-whip. Sure he liked the power he held over other bullies, but did he really have to wear that ridiculous red beanie and jacket? And to make matters worse, he let his guard down and cried an apology to Hummel! Right in the hallway where who knows who could have seen! Yet somehow, despite this recent turn of events, he figured he must be popular enough if he won Prom King. Maybe it was the fact that he had a hot "girlfriend." Whatever the case, Karofsky figured life was actually good for a change.

School had just let out for the day, and since he didn't have football practice on Tuesdays he was looking forward to going home and crashing on the couch for a few hours. On his way towards the parking lot he felt his phone go off in his pocket. Taking it out, he found he had a text from Azimio.

"Dude, meet me in the weight room ASAP."

'Strange', thought Karofsky 'Az is usually the first one outta here before the bell even rings.' He turned around and headed in the direction of the weight room hoping he wouldn't have to stay too long.

When he opened the door, he was surprised, to say the least. Most of the football team was there, all standing in a group facing the door, as if waiting for him.

"Hey guys ..." he said tentatively, looking around at all of them "What's going on?"

"Dude, this is an invention" replied Azimio. "No wait ... inter – intervention."

"What? I'm not on drugs."

"It's not for drugs. It's for this new, do-gooder attitude you got going on. What's that about man? First you get fancy-boy back in the school, then you follow him around like some ... flaming-red, T-bird version of the secret service! What happened to you? Where's the Fury?"

"Hey back-off Azimio, alright! I'm still the Fury. No one messes with me." Karofsky couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure, he had worried about how his buddies would treat him if he became a bully-whip, but this felt a little extreme.

"Still the Fury? Who you kidding man? I haven't seen you throw one slushy, do one dumpster toss ... I haven't even seen you take any geek's lunch money since you joined the bully-twits."

"Bully-whips"

"Dude – come on! You're killing us here. You were the main man. Nobody messed with you. I don't want to have to start beating you up. But if you keep up with this charade you got going on, I'm not gonna have your back anymore, man. I got a reputation to uphold." The others players nodded in agreement, looking like they wanted to start a beating right away.

"Azimio, you don't understand man, this bully-whip thing is the only thing keeping me from getting expelled. If I go back to the way I was, I'll be outta here before you can say 'slushy-facial.'"

"Lucky for you I figured you'd put up a fight. We came prepared for it. You need some rehab to get you back on the road to recovery. Better yet ... you need revenge." Azimio smirked.

"Revenge ... what – what do you mean?" Karofsky didn't like the sound of that.

Azimio looked around at the others. "Boys?" They all moved to the side to reveal what they had been hiding since Karofsky entered the room.

Karofsky's eyes went wide. The team had taken down the punching bag from its hook. Now, hanging by his wrists, was Kurt Hummel. Karofsky paled. Kurt's ankles were also bound together, and he had duct-tape over his mouth. Kurt stared back at him with equally wide and terrified eyes. Kurt wasn't dumb. He knew the danger he was in. Just because Dave was a bully-whip didn't mean he wouldn't succumb to the pressure he was currently facing from his friends. And even if they did walk away, he was sure the rest of the guys would be more than happy to treat him like a punching bag.

"What did you do?" Karofsky's question came out as a shocked whisper.

"We just think it's time fancy-boy here gets what's coming to him."

"Are you crazy?" yelled Karofsky with such force he even shocked Kurt. "Don't you think I've put him through enough already? I'm the reason he left McKinley!"

"Ya, but you're also the reason he's back. We think this could be good for you dude. He nearly got you expelled, and you were crowned Prom King alongside this fairy! You need to take all that frustration and pound it into him. He deserves it."

"No one deserves that." Karofsky sounded guilty as he looked towards the ground. He had just recently confessed his regret to Kurt about everything he had done to him. He wasn't going to start it again.

"Are you kidding me with this?" Azimio walked over to Kurt and gripped the back of his hair, forcing his head up, and causing him to grunt in pain behind the tape. Kurt would normally fear for the state of his hair at an action like that, but he was currently a bit more concerned with his survival. "What does this fairy have on you? Why are you letting him walk all over your reputation?"

Karofsky locked eyes with Kurt at that. Kurt stared back with a knowing look, but he didn't show any threat in his eyes. Karofsky knew that even though Kurt might be in a lot of danger, he still wouldn't out him.

"He knows something doesn't he?" Azimio nearly jumped with excitement at the realization. "Well fairy, tell us," and Azimio ripped the tape off Kurt's mouth with such force Kurt yelped out loud. He let go of Kurt's hair.

"I don't know anything." Kurt panted. The tension on his arms was starting to hurt quite a lot. "And Dave's not going to beat me up, so just let me go. This school has no place for bullying anymore. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Oh, so the little Prom Queen here doesn't think there are any bullies anymore. I got news for you pretty-boy. Everyone here is a bully. How else do you think you got voted Prom Queen?" Kurt looked sadly back at Azimio, because he knew he was right.

"Give it a rest Azimio." Karofsky spat. He could see the hurt in Kurt's eyes, and even if he wasn't the cause of it anymore, he didn't like it any less.

"No" Azimio replied. "Not until either pretty boy here spills his secret, or you spill some of his blood." Both Kurt and Karofsky blanched at that. One of them wasn't getting out of here without damage done.

"You're gonna have to beat me up then," but Kurt looked at Azimio when he said this. "Cuz I don't have a secret."

"Kurt ... no" cried Karofsky.

"Dave, they're gonna do it anyway. Might as well get it over with."

"Dave? Kurt? Since when are you two loverboys on a first-name basis?" Azimio questioned. "Wait ..." he interrupted as if just realizing what he had said. "That's it isn't it? Dude," he looked over at Karofsky, horrified. "You're gay?" Laughter broke out amongst the football players.

Kurt looked over to Karofsky with wide eyes. Karofsky stared back, and he looked defeated. "Now's you're moment." Kurt whispered, and Karofsky nodded.

"Ya," he agreed, looking around at all the guys. "I'm gay." The boldness of the statement seemed to stun everyone into silence. They hadn't actually thought he was gay, Azimio had just been joking.

"You serious man? You and little Miss Kurtsie over here are an item?" Azimio looked betrayed.

"Yes, I'm gay, but no, I'm not with Kurt. He has a boyfriend." No one could believe their ears. They never thought that The Fury, the football team's best player, could ever be gay.

"I'm sorry dude but you know what's gotta happen now. We can't hang out with a fairy like you."

Kurt looked over to Karofsky with pity. He came out to his friends after a long struggle and now they were gonna beat him up. It wasn't right.

"And don't think you're getting out of this either pretty-boy." Azimio glared at Kurt. "You have to pay for turning our boy here gay."

"I didn't turn him –ouff!" Kurt's words left him as he was punched in the gut, losing his wind.

"Hey! Leave him alone, he's defenseless," cried Karofsky.

"Oh don't worry," began Azimio, as two other players held the Fury still, "You'll get your fair share too." But just as Azimio brought his fist back, they all heard Finn yelling out in the halls. "Kurt , where are you bro?" Azimio brought his fist back down and glared at Karofsky. "You got lucky today, but don't think that you're getting away with this. Come on guys, let's get outta here before Lurch catches us and we all get expelled." They all ran out of the room, and Karofsky was pushed to the floor.

He got up quickly and ran over to Kurt, who was still trying to catch his breath. "I'm so sorry, "he begged, "Are ok?"

"Not ... your ... fault." Kurt answered between breaths. "Just get me ... down ... from here."

"Right," Karofsky nodded, and reached up to untie Kurt's wrists. But before he could do so, Finn came barrelling into the weight room.

"What the Hell!" he cried, "Get away from my brother!" He charged at Karofsky and tackled him to the floor.

"Finn, no – stop!" pleaded Kurt as Finn began punching Karofsky in the chest.

Finn looked up at Kurt in confusion and anger. "Kurt, why are you protecting him? He turned you into a human punching bag!"

"No, he didn't" Kurt argued. "He tried to save me. It was the football team. Get off him and come get me down. My arms are killing me."

"Oh," Finn glanced down at Karofsky who was now holding his chest in pain. "Sorry dude." He jumped up and got to work untying Kurt.

"It's ... ugghh ... ok." He grunted. "You don't have much reason to trust me."

Kurt arms flopped down to his sides as Finn let him go, trying to regain their circulation. Finn untied Kurt's ankles and asked "So, what happened here?"

"The football team thought it would be a brilliant idea to offer me up to Dave as a punching bag to get him to bully again." Kurt answered with a roll of his eyes. "But thankfully he's a lot stronger than even I gave him credit for." He smiled at Karofsky.

"Ya, well, it was about time I got that off my chest."

"Got what off your chest dude?" Finn asked?

Kurt looked over at Karofsky and gave a shrug. He knew they would all find out soon with most of the football team knowing.

"That, well ... that I'm ... gay." Karofsky looked at Finn, waiting anxiously for his reaction.

Finn pasted on his typical confused look, "But I thought you were homophobic?" Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Umm, ya, it turns out even gay people can be homophobic." Karofsky offered. He didn't want to go into detail about the kiss he had forced on Kurt.

"Oh, huh" Finn looked lost in thought. "Well man, I'm glad you're out. But, I'm warning you that Santana will probably throw a fit if you dump her."

Karofsky looked relieved at Finn's reaction and laughed. "I think she'll understand."

"Ok, well, now that were all done here, can we go? All I can think about is the fact that Azimio had his meaty hand in my hair. I need to take a shower!"

Finn and Karofsky just laughed as they all headed towards the door. Karofsky was feeling nervous about what was to come, but strangely, he felt happier than he had in a long time.