Author's Note: Are you crying yet bc I certainly am :(. Also, if you want to add more tears, listen to All I Want by Kodaline then listen to I Won't Let You Go by James Morrison while reading this. It'll definitely hit you right in the feels. Also, I used some familiar quotes from Grey's Anatomy so that solely belongs to Shonda Rhimes.

"So, I told my mom about you." I tell him, looking at the ships on the board game. We have been avoiding the subject of our last argument, but I knew Denny was still upset. He didn't show it often, but I could tell when his demeanor changed when a nurse came in to check his vitals.

Denny looks over at me, smiling softly. "Oh, yeah? What'd she say?"

"She wants to meet you. I don't usually tell her about my boyfriends because she tends to bring up the subject of marriage all the time. She married young. Had me young. I guess she assumed I would follow in her footsteps."

One of the things I enjoyed about my relationship with Denny was that we were able to talk to one another without having to worry about what the other may think. Bringing up marriage was a risk I was willing to take. Besides, it didn't seem like he was going to run away at the mention of long-term commitment.

"What exactly is young?" Denny asks.

"She had me when she was nineteen then married my dad a year later."

Denny arches a brow, smiling. "So, you've got a young mom?"

I playfully smack his upper arm, shaking my head. "Don't get any ideas. You're mine and she's still happily married."

Denny takes my hand, kissing my knuckles gently. I stare into his eyes, instantly noticing the twinkle it always seemed to hold in his brown orbs.

"I'm joking. Besides, I like them young," he winks.

I laugh quietly, dropping my eyes to my ships on the board.

"We're not that far apart in age, you know."

"But you're younger than me regardless, so your argument is moot point." Denny grins pride fully; he always loved being right.

"Oh, shush. B7," I say, looking up at him to see if I were to finally hit one of his ships.

"Miss. Again. Come on. Get outta your head and pay attention. What the hell are you thinking about, woman?"

I pout, looking into his eyes. "You know what, maybe you're just better than me at board games."

Denny laughs, nodding slightly. "That's probably true. You're not very good."

Feigning a shocked expression, I widen my eyes.

"Oh, I'm definitely going to kick your ass now."

"You've been saying that. I'm still waiting for it to happen," Denny teases.

"I've got to stop by the bar to talk to Nate. I'll be back in an hour or so, okay?" I tell Denny, looking into his eyes as I sit at the edge of his hospital bed.

He nods, staring into my eyes. It had been a couple of days since our argument and things were falling back into place. I was still aware that he was losing hope, but he said he was going to hold on a bit longer.

"All right. If you bring a deck of cards, we can play another game that I'll win at," he teases.

"You know, the things they say that the man should always let the woman win doesn't apply to you, does it?"

Denny chuckles, shaking his head. "Not at all."

"Mm, and that is why I like you." Leaning down, I gently peck his lips. I let my fingertips run through his shaggy hair, slowly stroking it away from his face. "I'll be back."

"I'll be right here," Denny smiles.

"No stairs, okay?" I pull on my coat, retrieving my bag from the chair nearby.

Denny playfully salutes me. "Yes, doctor.

I leave his room hesitantly, glancing at him one last time before I walk to my car. Leaving him since our argument had become a tough task on its own. Leaving him alone meant he had enough time to think to himself, enough time to have his mind set on leaving, enough time for him to realize that I wasn't worth making him stay at the hospital.

During the entire drive to the bar, I couldn't help but let my mind drift to Denny. I knew we were running out of time and despite the LVAD giving us an ounce of hope, it wasn't enough. Denny would continue losing hope until good news would come his way.

I walk into the bar and smile at Nate, sitting down with him. We talked about my job, about Denny. It was the first time I admitted that I loved him out loud. I put it out in the world rather than keep it bottled in.

"He's going to hurt you, Jess." Nate says.

I shake my head, "Then I'm willing to take that risk. I've all he's got right now. He's it, Nate. I love him."

"You barely know him. You've been with him for three months at the latest. How can you love this man?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. In the back of my mind, I knew that he was simply just looking out for me. I knew many of my friends and family were worried about me investing my entire time to a man who didn't have a guaranteed future.

"He has this natural twinkle in his eyes whenever he would look at me. He holds me when I'm crying, comforting me because I'm scared that at the end, he won't be here. Denny's smile brightens my entire world. He laughs when he gets a score of sixty-nine in Scrabble. He loves animals to the point that we had to rush him back to his hospital room because he ran so quickly to a group of therapy dogs that were visiting the hospital.

"He makes me laugh, Nate. We fall asleep talking about our goals in life, what we want to do and what we have already done. I may have spent those three months taking care of him, but I would do it over again in a damn heartbeat. He has my heart now, Nate. If you can't understand that or what I'm doing, then don't hold my job for me."

I hadn't realized that I was tearing up. I wasn't expecting this conversation at all. From the looks of it, Nate wasn't expecting me to get so emotional over Denny.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jess. You and Kate have a perfect dynamic. I'm just looking out for you. If he doesn't make it, you're going to be devastated."

I stand up, grabbing my bag and my coat. It was time for me to leave.

"If that happens, I will deal it with it if it comes. Thanks, Nate. I'm going to go now."

Before he could respond, Kate appears from the back of the bar and sighs. "Let me come with you! I want to see Denny, too."

I glance over at her and nod, holding the door open for her. The ride back to the hospital was quiet. My mind was racing at the million thoughts in my head. I couldn't even be angry at Nate for being protective of me. I was surprised that Kate hasn't talked to me about it yet.

Once at the hospital, I immediately walk to Denny's room. I almost forget that Kate was with me before I hear her voice, calling out for me to slow down.

"Sorry," I tell her.

"Don't worry about it. I get it," she grins, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

I lean against her for support before my eyes instantly find Denny's.

"I brought you a visitor," I tell him, removing my coat and setting my bag down. I instantly walk to him, kissing his forehead before sitting at the edge of his bed. "Are you okay?"

Denny glances over at Kate and smiles before he turns his attention to me. "I'm fine, Jess. I'm glad you're back, though."

"Me too. I'm going to talk to Dr. Stevens to see about your food for today. Kate, try not to hit on my man, okay?" I tease, climbing off his bed to give her a hug.

"No promises. I forgot how handsome he was," she teases.

I laugh quietly, leaving the room to find Dr. Stevens.

Denny's POV

I see Kate look over her shoulder, watching Jess leave. I couldn't help but feel slightly confused. Surely, she wouldn't try anything on me. Right?

Though, when I meet her eyes, I realize why Kate was making sure Jess was gone. It seemed like she was going to have a serious talk with me.

"How are you?" She asks.

"I'm doing okay. They've got me on an LVAD to buy me more time. Just waiting for good news, you know?" I reply.

Kate slowly paces back and forth, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked nervous.

"Kate, what are you doing?"

"I think Jess is going to get hurt, Denny. She's been investing too much of her time on you when it isn't a guarantee that you'll get a heart. I know it sounds bad, fuck, but I want to be realistic here. That night you two had an argument because you wanted to go home… She called me when you were asleep. I have never heard her cry that much in my life, Denny. Jess is my best friend and I love her," Kate says.

My heart breaks. She was telling me to break up with Jess. The worse part of it was that I had already been considering it. I knew it was going to break her heart, but if I died, it would hurt her even more.

"Kate…"

"No, listen, Denny. I just don't want to see my best friend hurt because of you. When Jess gets back, tell her Nate called me to go back to the bar. I'll talk to you later."

When she leaves my room, I stare down at the crossword puzzle that I had been working on before she got here. My mind drifts to Jess and the past three months. If it wasn't for her optimism, I was sure that I would have been dead by now.

But I'm just tired. I told Jess I would hold on a bit longer, but what if holding on was simply prolonging the inevitable?

As I think back to the first time I met Jess and the past three months with her, I realized one thing.

I was in love with her.

She would scrunch up her nose when she laughed. She would get lost in her thoughts when she was staring at me. She would bite her lower lip in deep thought when she was trying to figure out the next word or where my battleship was placed. She would rest her cheek against my chest, listening to my heartbeat despite how irregular it sounded. She gave me hope when I lost it.

She was keeping me alive.

But I knew. The longer we hold on, the more hurt she would get when I died. And I love her too much to let her go through that pain.

Kate was right.

I had to let Jess go.

"Okay! I have a salad and some fruit for a Dennison Duquette!" I smile, looking around the room only to find Kate gone. "Hey, where did Kate go?"

Denny looks at me, his smile not reaching his eyes like it usually would.

"She said she had to go. Nate called her in."

"Go figure. Fridays were always busy. Now, let's get you fed." I set the tray onto the table, sitting at the edge of his bed and handing him a fork.

He avoids my eyes and I couldn't understand why. I just hoped it wouldn't result in him telling me that he wanted to go home because I didn't know if I could handle that conversation again.

We eat in silence. I glance at him every so often, but he doesn't meet my gaze. Usually, we would get lost in each other's eyes, but tonight was different.

Once we finish our food, I grab our trays and set it aside for the nurse to pick up. Denny instantly grabs the unfinished crossword puzzle before I take it from his grasp.

Again, he doesn't look at me.

"Did Kate do something? Did she hit on you?" I tease, laughing quietly to myself in hopes that Denny would join me. When he doesn't, I cease my attempts at trying to lighten the mood.

"Denny, what did she do?"

When his eyes finally meet mine, I take notice at how glassy it was and the tears that were now pooling at his eyes.

"Do you believe in heaven, Jess?" He asks.

I furrow my brow. "Why are you talking like this?"

"Just – Just answer the question. Please."

"Yes, Denny. I believe in heaven."

He simply nods. "Do you believe in karma?"

"Yeah. Denny, what's going on?"

"I think you're mine. That night when I saw you… I knew I shouldn't have talked to you. I should have minded my own business, but I couldn't."

"Well, thank you for talking to me. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for you," I smile. When he doesn't return it, I simply frown.

What the hell was going on?

"You've done more than I could have ever asked of you, Jess. I will forever be grateful for all that you've done for me, but… I can't do this. Not to you." His tears were more noticeable now and suddenly, everything made sense.

Kate must have talked to him about me.

"W – What?"

"You should go home. Go back to school. Get your job back. I'll be fine, Jess. I'll be all right."

My voice quivers and tears begin to leak at the corner of my eyes. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What if you die? What if you die and I'm not here with you? What happens then, Denny?!"

"Then I die. I'll be all right, Jess. You don't have to worry."

"I did not ask for you to help me with my groceries, Denny! I did not ask to see you in this hospital three months ago! I have spent all my time giving you hope, making sure that you were okay and you want me to leave just like that? You want me to walk away like I never cared?"

"Jess –"

"What about me, Denny?! What about me when you go to the light?! What about me?!"

Tears were now rolling down my cheeks, but the more I look at Denny, the more my heart breaks.

"I'm going to be all right," he repeats.

"No, I get it! I get it, okay? You'll be okay, but what about me?! If you tell me to leave and you die, I will never be able to forgive you!"

"For dying?" His voice is shaky and when I meet his eyes, I realize that this was hurting him just as much as it was hurting me.

"No! For making me love you!"

Denny stares at me as if the words that just escaped my lips was something he wasn't expecting. He stares at me and I know in that moment, he loved me too.

"Jess –"

"I am not going to let you go, Denny! Do you understand me?! Because I can't – I can't leave and let you die so please… Please don't tell me to go!" My body shakes with the intensity of all my built-up emotions from today's events and today's conversation with Nate.

Denny gently reaches for my forearm and I allow him to pull me close. I continue to cry, wiping the tears away but it was no point. They were just going to fall.

"I'm in love with you, Denny… Please don't tell me to go… Please…"

"Okay, okay…" His arms wrap around me and instantly, I let my face bury against my neck. My cries continue as he tries to calm me down by allowing a hand to rub along my back.

"I love you too, Jess…" He whispers into my ear.

I shut my eyes, holding onto him tightly. At his confession, I let a fresh set of tears fall from eyes. I realize that there was no turning back from this. All I could hope for was Denny to get a new heart.

When he pulls back to look at me, he places two fingers onto his lips.

"Kiss me." Denny says.

Slowly, I lean in to let my lips press against his and allow the brief kiss to melt away both of our concerns and worries.

Right now, it was Denny and I.

No one else mattered as long as we were together.