The storyline of last night's "Grey's Anatomy" brought light to a possible scenario that faces thousands of partnered gay and lesbian military servicemembers under the veil of secrecy required to live under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": A terminal illness.

10 USC 654, enacted in 1993, requires gays and lesbians to remain in the closet in order to serve in the military. The law calls for discharge if a servicemember comes out, or is outed; discovery of a relationship with a person of the same sex is one example. On a daily basis, the Pentagon fires an estimated two people, joining the ranks of over 12,000 whose careers have been ended under "Don't Ask."

The consequence for the couple in last night's "Grey's" episode is that a man, preparing for a possibly fatal surgical procedure, has to leverage his honor for his father, and his military career, with his love for his partner, on what could be the last day of his life.

The clip below, from ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" episode #4.14 ("The Becoming"), was aired on May 8, 2008.