Gabriel sat up in his hospital bed, scratching at his IV absentmindedly as he thought about where he was.

Gabriel absolutely hated hospitals. With every part of his being he hated them. So, he figured life was getting a pretty big kick out of the irony that is Stage 4 Nodular Melanoma.

But he'd be okay with being chained to his mini apartment (with extra disgusting room service) so long as interns like Sam kept coming to visit him, he thought as Sam walked into the room with a small smile playing on his perfect lips. Yeah, Gabriel would be okay with this set up, he decided.

"Quit scratching at your IV," Sam chided as he collapsed into the chair that was situated next to Gabriel. Usually Gabriel would tell him to stuff it, but it was starting to hurt and if he pulled it out he knew Sam would just have to find a new place to put it which would just cause him more pain.

"Well hello to you too Sammy. You're lookin' fine as ever," Gabriel said, shooting Sam a grin. Sam laughed and shook his head.

"Don't call me Sammy. Only my brother gets to call me Sammy."

"Aww, come on. Don't I get to be something a little special? It's a dying mans wish after all." Sam's smile fell from his face and he sat up. Gabriel could never really place the look in his doctor's eyes, but it was enough to shut him up.

"You're not going to die, Gabriel." Gabriel looked away from Sam and lay back in his bed. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, replaying every single conversation they'd had that started off exactly like this and they never ended well.

"Sam, let's just sit here and relax, okay? I'll sit here and eat jello while you sip the coffee we both know you're about to go buy and we'll just…be. Okay?" Gabriel's smile that, nowadays, he reserved just for Sam made its appearance as he reached out for him. "Please Sam? Just sit with me."

Sam chewed on his bottom lip for a second, then he looked over by the open door, checking to see if there was someone looking. Then, once he was satisfied, he intertwined his fingers with Gabriel's and sat next to him on the bed.

"Sam…" Gabriel said, squeezing the man's hand. It was obvious Sam wasn't okay, seeing as the doctor couldn't look him in the eye.

"You know why I chose to do this? Why I chose to be a doctor?" Sam said suddenly, looking up at Gabriel with such ferocity that Gabriel didn't even know what to do with.

"Because you get your kicks off of literally zero sleep and dead people?" Gabriel asked with a forced laugh.

"Because I wanted to save people. I wanted to help them. And then…and then I meet you. And-And there is absolutely nothing I can do. Not just because I'm an intern but because Stage 4 Nodular Melanoma is nearly impossible to cure. Maybe Stage 3. Maybe Stage 2. Maybe stage 1. But not this one. Because at this point it's cellular. It's spread to your lymph nodes and other internal organs. You and I both know that no matter how much radiation or chemotherapy they dose you up with you are not going to get better."

Gabriel swallowed passed the lump in his throat, "Sam breathe." he instructed but Sam just shook his head, his eyes welling with tears.

"And not only that but being here and falling for you is beyond wrong and I can get fired for this. I can lose my job."

"Then maybe-"

"But you are so beyond worth it, Gabriel," Sam said, looking back up into Gabriel's eyes. "I would give anything for you. And I would give anything for us to switch places." Gabriel shook his head and sat up fully again.

"Sam, don't ever say that."

"Gabriel, you make everything seem brighter and happier. You have the most beautiful sense of humor. You have this warmth that just follows you around everywhere you go and it's completely infectious. You have this ridiculous smile that lights up an entire room." Sam finally cracked a watery smile as he caressed Gabriel's cheek, which Gabriel now noticed was wet with tears he hadn't even realized he shed.

"Sammy…"

"And what have I done other then go to school for a few years and watch people die left and right?" Before Gabriel could reply to this, Sam took the man's face in his hands and touched his forehead to Gabriel's.

"I would switch places with you in a second."

"Sam, I am…so sorry."

"For what?"

"For falling in love with you." Sam chuckled slightly.

"Well," he said after a beat, "Every second was worth it."