A/N: Written for a friend currently going through her own hell week. I headcanon that Jess is in pre-med.

Disclaimer: I make no claims to the characters.

Sam sets down his pencil and heaves a sigh. A headache's building just behind his eyesockets, and he kneads at his forehead with his knuckles in an effort to alleviate the pressure. The past couple of weeks have just been a blur of deadlines and finals, punctuated by brief periods of respite in the short walks between his apartment and the library.

He's still working when Jess comes home, hunched at his desk with textbooks and notes strewn around him and the strong smell of coffee in the air.

"Hey," she says, dumping her messenger back and crossing to him before planting a soft kiss to the top of his head. "Long day, babe?" She begins to massage his shoulders, working at the knotted tension in his muscles.

He sighs, leaning back into her touch and rubbing at his eyes. "Yeah. I just have so much to do." He's not so stressed that he can't manage a smile. "How were things at the hospital?"

"Eh." She makes a noncommittal noise. "Not sure Dr. Blake has much time for undergrads. I liked shadowing Dr. Allen better, but I got through it. Come on, it's time you took a break too." Her eyes drift over to the empty coffee-stained mug by his right hand. "How much coffee have you had?"

"Not enough."

"Hmm." Her hand leaves his shoulders to instead grasp at his wrist. "Wow, did you drink a big gulp of it or something? Your pulse is really racing."

"It keeps me going."

"Yeah, well, you're not gonna pass your finals if you drop dead from a heart attack. You need to take better care of yourself." She crosses back to her bag and pulls out a stethoscope and BP cuff. "Lucky for you, your girlfriend is in pre-med. Let me take your blood pressure."

He gives her a smile, feeling the stress start to ease just from having her home. "Dating a genius future doctor does have its perks."

She returns the smile playfully. "Don't you know it." She pulls up the spare chair beside him and gestures for his arm. "Here."

He offers it and she slips the cuff on, positioning the stethoscope just above his elbow and inflating the cuff. He watches her face as she lets it deflate it and listens, then gives a nod. "Yeah, that is definitely too high. You need to unwind."

"What did you have in mind?"

They lock eyes for a moment, then suddenly, she kisses him. The stethoscope is still in her ears and she moves the end to his chest, listening to his heart flutter as their lips linger on each other's.

After a moment or two she pulls back an inch, smiling softly. "Oops. I think that made it worse."

"Oh no," he replies. "That definitely helped. A lot."

She straightens up and kisses his forehead gently again before packing her stuff away. "Did you at least have dinner?"

He looks sheepish. "Does beef ramen count?"

"No, it does not." She gives him a look of disapproval. "I'll go put something on. You're gonna have a proper meal, then promise me you'll come to bed by midnight."

"Cross my heart."

"Good."

He watches her cross to the kitchen with an adoring smile on his face, the mountain of work on his desk momentarily forgotten. "What would I do without you?"

She glances back and flashes him a grin. "Crash and burn."