AN: Sorry it took so long! I just started college, and I'm always swamped :( Hope you enjoy!

Day Three

Tyler lead Sam down a hall, covering her eyes with his hands.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked.

"There's some one I want you to meet." He replied. Sam huffed, but didn't question further. After several minutes of blind silence, Sam spoke again.

"Tyler!" She whined, "Where are we going?"

"We're here." Tyler replied, uncovering Sam's eyes.

They stood in the doorway of a dorm room, exactly like any other, but it was what was inside the room that made it different. There was a hospital style bed with several medical machines beside it. In the bed sat a girl, probably a sophmore, with short mousy brown hair. Freckles covered her nose and cheeks, but the rest of her skin was milky white. Her face lit up with a smile as Tyler stepped into the room.

"Tyler!" She squealed happily. Tyler smiled back and crossed the room in three large strides.

"Hey kiddo!" Tyler replied, ruffling the girls hair.

Sam trailed behind awkwardly, unsure of the situation. After a moment, Tyler looked back at her.

"Sam," He said quietly, "I'd like you to meet Rebecca, my cousin."

Sam waved uneasily.

"Hi." Sam whispered.

"Hello Sam." Rebecca replied, smiling cheerfully. Tyler smiled also, but it was a sad smile.

"Rebecca is reason number three." Tyler whispered, his voice catching in his throat. Sam could see that he was getting emotional, Rebecca grabbed her cousins hand and squeezed it.

"I'm sick." Rebecca continued for Tyler. "Dying, actually. I have a terminal case of bone cancer. There is no cure and none of the treatments have worked, the doctors say I have a month, maybe. I'm fifteen years old, you know, dying should be the last thing on my mind, but it isn't. I don't get to be like other girls my age. While they have sleepovers, I'm fighting for my life. I've been fighting this cancer for the past three years. I have only ever wanted a normal life, but that isn't an option for me."

"So your saying I'm a very selfish person for wanting to through away my own life?" Sam asked angrily, but was surprised as Rebecca shook her head.

"No," Rebecca insisted, "I don't think you're selfish, I think it's your choice. I just hope you know how lucky you are to actually have the choice. There are so many things I'll never get to do. You've been blessed with the opportunity to do them. All I'm saying is that you should think about everything you have before you decide your life isn't worth living."

Sam nodded and left the room without a word. Tyler kissed the top of Rebecca's head and hurried after Sam. When he found her, she was sitting on the floor, crying.

"Sam?" Tyler whispered. She looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy.

"I'm so sorry Tyler, about your cousin, I didn't know." Sam whispered, Tyler nodded, staring awkwardly at his feet. Leaning against the wall, Tyler slid to the floor until he was sitting beside Sam.

"She's like the sister I never had." Tyler explained, "When I found out she was sick, I was devastated, I mean, she's just a kid."

There was a long silence between them, and after a while, Sam slid her hand into Tyler's, interlacing her fingers with his.

"It's not fair." She whispered.

"Life never is." Tyler replied, gently squeezing her hand. "It's not fair that someone who wants to live is dying. It's not fair that someone who wants to die is living. It's not fair that they can't switch places."

"Yeah." Sam whispered, leaning her head on Tyler's shoulder.

"The only thing we can do is live. Live a life worth remembering. A life in honor of those who never had a chance to live their own."

"Is that reason number three?" Sam asked.

"Yup." Tyler replied.

midnightfarie