NB: When it comes to medical terms, I trust the closed captioner's spelling. :)

IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE

Previously on ER -- Gamma fainted, and Carter tried to convince her that that could be a warning sign for a heart attack or stroke, but she dismissed him; Luka got Nicole a job in the hospital; Luka denied that Nicole was his girlfriend; Susan wondered why she came back to County; Benton claimed he was Reese’s only father, and Roger disagreed; after 4 of Elizabeth's patients died of post-op infection, Elizabeth worries that others think she's euthanizing her patients.

EXT. AMBULANCE BAY - MORNING
Michael Gallant looks around, pulls out a map of the hospital, gets his bearings, and starts walking toward the hospital.

INT. COUNTY GENERAL
Inside, Gallant scoops down to pick up a lost glove on the floor. He walks over to the front desk where Haleh is on the phone, with her back to him. He clears his throat.
HALEH: (without turning around) Sign in.
GALLANT: Actually --
HALEH: (into phone)Where the hell are our T-sheets?!
GALLANT: Actually I'm a new med student.
HALEH: Congratualations. (into phone) You said that yesterday! (hangs up) Check in with the docs. (she starts walking off)
GALLANT: Okay, thanks. Uh, do you guys have a lost and found box?
HALEH: Somebody stole it. (she's gone)
Susan walks up to the desk, Gallant approaches her.
GALLANT: Excuse me, ma'am. Are you Dr. Carter by any chance?
SUSAN: Lewis. And I'm not old enough to be a ma'am.
GALLANT: Sorry about that. I'm supposed to meet him here around eight.
SUSAN: Hmm. You're a tad early.
GALLANT: Yeah, it's my first day. I guess I was a little excited.
SUSAN: (walking off) You'll get over it.
We follow Susan into Exam Two where a man in a suit sits cross-legged on a bed. He looks glazed-over, or bored. When he speaks, he's dead-pan.
SUSAN: So, Mr. Hopper, what seems to be the problem?
MR. HOPPER: I can't eat. I can't sleep. I just don't feel like myself.
SUSAN: How long has this been going on?
MR. HOPPER: A few weeks.
SUSAN: Any stress? Family? Work?
MR. HOPPER: All my problems started when I met this girl at an after-hours bar. (he begins to loosen his collar) She bit me.
SUSAN: She bit you where?
MR. HOPPER: In the alley outside the club.
SUSAN: No, where on your body?
MR. HOPPER: My neck. (pulls his collar down to show her) I'm pretty sure she was a vampire.
SUSAN: That's a hickey.

INT. ANOTHER EXAM ROOM
Mark pulls off an x-ray from the x-ray board. Gallant approaches.
GALLANT: (re: x-ray) Is that a zygoma fracture?
MARK: Maybe. (he walks off, Gallant follows)
GALLANT: Are you Dr. Carter?
MARK: Nope. Greene.
GALLANT: I'm Michael Gallant. I'm supposed to be meeting Dr. Carter.
MARK: Yeah, well you found the ER. That's half the battle.
We pan over to Luka and Elizabeth walking down the hallway, toward the front desk.
ELIZABETH: (not using her inside voice) You called for a surgical consult!
LUKA: He's got renal pain. It's probably prostatitis.
ELIZABETH: And that's why I need to examine him. If it's an appy, he's probably going to need surgery.
MARK: (calling from front desk) Somebody need a secobd opinion?
LUKA: Nope.
ELIZABETH: Yes! He has a 22- year-old male with right-sided tenderness.
LUKA: Who also says it burns when he pees.
MARK: What's his urine and white count?
LUKA: Still waiting. (to Elizabeth) Usually you won't even come down until the labs are back.
ELIZABETH: Fine. When it bursts, you can operate.
Elizabeth stalks off. Mark goes after her.
Gallant pops up again.
GALLANT: (to Luka, hopeful) Dr. Carter?
LUKA: Kovac. (he walks off)
We pan back over to Mark and Elizabeth.
MARK: (going after her) Elizabeth. Hold on, Elizabeth. What's going on?
ELIZABETH: Isn't it obvious?
MARK: No.
ELIZABETH: Kovac called for a surgical consult, then changes his mind the moment he sees me.
MARK: That's a little egocentric, don't you think?
ELIZABETH: People are afraid to have me treat their patients.
MARK: You're being paranoid.
ELIZABETH: Am I?
We pan over to Abby, walking to the frnt desk. Gallant intercepts her.
GALLANT: Excuse me, excuse me. Do you know where Dr. Carter is?
ABBY: He should be here in a few minutes.
GALLANT: Hey, listen, I know you're really busy, but maybe if you tell me where he is I can find him myself.
ABBY: I don't know, sorry.
They've made it to the front desk.
FRANK: How come there aren't any donuts in the lounge?
ABBY: No petty cash.
FRANK: There was fifty bucks in there yesterday.
Susan walks up.
SUSAN: I need a psych consult. My patient thinks he's a vampire.
ABBY: Count Fred? Where is he?
SUSAN: Exam two.
ABBY: Is there a nurse in there with him? (she's quickly walking to exam two)
SUSAN: (following) No. Why?
ABBY: He's vampire.
SUSAN: What do you mean he's a vampire?
ABBY: He drinks people's blood.
SUSAN: You're kidding, right?
The get to the doorway with Gallant, who's fallen in behind. They see Mr. Hopper crouched on the floor sipping from a blood bag. Abby rolls her eyes, Susan is disgusted, and Gallant looks interested.
SUSAN: That's nasty.

CREDITS

INT. CARTER RESIDENCE - MORNING
Gamma's having breakfast and talking to Alger. Carter comes downstairs, ready to leave for work.
GAMMA: But I volunteered to drive to the Royal Botanical Garden's fundraiser.
ALGER: I'm sorry, there's just not much I can do about it.
GAMMA: You can stop lying to me.
CARTER: Good morning.
ALGER: Dr. Carter.
CARTER: Did I miss something?
GAMMA: Yes, breakfast.
ALGER: Your grandmother's upset because the Jaguar's being serviced.
GAMMA: For a week.
CARTER: What's wrong with it?
GAMMA: Yes, Alger, what's wrong with it?
ALGER: They're waiting for a part.
GAMMA: What part?
ALGER: The ignition coil.
GAMMA: Liar. (to Carter) He's holding me hostage.
Alger heads into the kitchen.
CARTER: What's the matter with the towncar?
GAMMA: I don't drive the towncar.
CARTER: Well, you shouldn't be driving anyway. That's why we have Alger.
GAMMA: Having a driver was your grandfather's idea. Now that he's gone it seems... an unessesary expense.
CARTER: He's just trying to look out for you, Gam.
GAMMA: I'm a big girl, John, I don't need a chaperone. (stands up) Oh, John, are you still planning to come to -- (she faints)
CARTER: Gamma! (runs over) Gamma?

INT. COUNTY GENERAL
Gallant trails Abby. He's now hooked up with a lab coat and stethoscope.
GALLANT: The nurses do most of the triaging, right?
ABBY: That's right.
GALLANT: So maybe you could sneak me a couple of minor cases?
ABBY: Maybe you could sit down... (he does so) read your orientation kit... (he takes the booklet she hands him) and wait for Dr. Carter.
Abby walks off and sees Nicole taking Malik's blood pressure.
ABBY: What's going on, Malik?
MALIK: I'm teaching Nicole to take a blood pressure.
ABBY: Why?
MALIK: Because it's part of her training.
ABBY: What training?
NICOLE: I'm learning to be a nurse's aide.
ABBY: (none-too-pleased) Really?
Luka and a paramedic (Dumar) come running in with a boy of maybe 13 on a gurney.
LUKA: Abby!
Abby comes over and dons gloves.
DUMAR: No helmey, alert at the scene, GCS 14.
LUKA: Any blood loss or seizure?
DUMAR: No.
LUKA: Okay, let's get him into Trauma One. Nicole, come on!
NICOLE: Me?
LUKA: Yeah, it'll be good for you to watch.
Cleo is now following them into Trauma One. We see Nicole stall, then follow. Then we cut to Trauma One.
DUMAR: He must've taken a header right off his skateboard. Bad scalp-lac and hematoma right- paritial-temporal.
LUKA: Abby? Show Nicole how to take a pulse ox.
ABBY: (pause/to Nicole) Put some gloves on.
Gallant comes in.
GALLANT: Can I watch?
ABBY: (to Luka) When will you sell tickets?
CLEO: You a med student?
GALLANT: Michael Gallant.
CLEO: Dr. Finch.
GALLANT: Nice to meet you.
CLEO: Road rash down the chest.
LUKA: Big abdominal bruise.
The patient, Jeremy, groans.
CLEO: (shines a light in Jeremy's eyes) Right pupil is sluggish and slightly larger than the left.
ABBY: 18-gauge in the right AC.
LUKA: What's his pulse ox?
NICOLE: (having trouble with the cord) I can't get it.
LUKA: Abby.
ABBY: (goes to help Nicole, annoyed) Make sure the fingernail has contact with that red light.
CLEO: No CSF or blood from the ears.
LUKA: 100 of fentanyl, and page Benton and neurosurg.
ABBY: (to Nicole) Read the number over this monitor.
LUKA: Decreased breath sounds on the right.
NICOLE: Seventy-eight!
LUKA: What?
ABBY: Pulse ox is 78 on 15 litres.
LUKA: (to Nicole) Okay, good job. (to Cleo) What do you think?
CLEO: Hyper-resonant on the right, decreased breath sounds, low Sats, hypertension...
GALLANT: Tension pneumothorax, right?
LUKA: Yeah.
Gallant smiles a little, pleased.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
Carter is getting Gamma set up in bed, there's a boy of about 7 years sitting across the room.
GAMMA: I had a fainting spell, John. It happens.
CARTER: It shouldn't happen.
GAMMA: In my day, it was quite acceptable for a lady to swoon.
Susan enters.
SUSAN: Hey, Carter. There's a new med student looking for you.
CARTER: I'm a little busy.
SUSAN: Oh, hello Mrs. Carter.
GAMMA: Hello.
SUSAN: (to the little boy) Hi, Evan. I talked to your mother. She's on her way. She found your inhaler in the laundry.
CARTER: Okay, Gam, could you sit up for me? Put your legs over the end of the bed.
GAMMA: Yes, John. (sits up) You're hot going to make me do push-ups are... (she falls back again in a faint)
CARTER: Gam? Gamma? Gamma? (beckoning Susan) Susan! Gamma can you hear me?
Susan comes over. Gamma comes to.
GAMMA: John?
CARTER. Okay. You're okay. I need to step outfor a minute, I'll be right back.
He heads out with Susan.

INT. ER HALLWAY
SUSAN: Were you checking orthostatics?
CARTER: Yeah.
SUSAN: She anemic?
CARTER: I don't know. (they start walking) I'm going to send her up for a tilt test.
SUSAN: She might be dehydrated. It's probably nothing.

INT. TRAUMA ONE
As before.
GALLANT: Can I intubate?
CLEO: Maybe next time.
Benton enters.
BENTON: All right, what am I looking at?
LUKA: Teenage skateboarder. Tension pneumo on the left with a head injury. Needs a central line.
CLEO: He's antertior. I can see the cords. I'm in.
LUKA: Bag him. Nicole, come on. (showing her) One-two-three, squeeze.
BENTON: He did all of this on a skateboard?
CLEO: Trying some crazy-ass stunt no doubt.
LUKA: Good breath sounds.
CLEO: Probably has a depressed skull fracture.
GALLANT: (craning for a better view) That's what they used to call a ping-pong fracture, right?
CLEO: Neurosurg is on the way.
ABBY: Pressure's dropping.
BENTON: Okay, he's bleeding somewhere. How much out in the chest tube?
ABBY: Less than a litre. First Hemacue is nine.
BENTON: Okay, let's hang the o-neg. We need to get him up to the OR. Has he had Dilantin yet?
CLEO: Yeah, and seventy milligrams of mannitol.
GALLANT: What about his head?
BENTON: Who the hell are you?
GALLANT: Michael Gallant. You're the trauma surgeon, right?
BENTON: You a med student?
GALLANT: Yes sir.
BENTON: Okay, listen, why don't you go and find something to do, all right? Let's, uh, get him ready to go. I'm in.
GALLANT: I think I'll learn a lot more in here --
BENTON: No, you'll learn a lot more if you keep your eyes open and your mouth shut, all right?
LUKA: I think he's got a point. What about his head?
BENTON: It won't make a difference if he bleeds out in his chest first. Okay people, let's move.
Abby, Benton and Cleo move off with the gurney, leaving Luka, Nicole and Gallant in the trauma room. Gallant then moves off too.
LUKA: You did good.
NICOLE: Really? I was so scared.
LUKA: Yeah, you get used to it.
NICOLE: I don't know. You saved his life.
LUKA: I hope so.
NICOLE: Me too. I better go back to work. I'll see you later. (walks off)
LUKA: Okay.
Luka walks off, and is intercepted by Abby.
ABBY: (adamant) What are you doing?
LUKA: What?
ABBY: "What?" This morning she was learning to take a b.p., now she's in trauma.
LUKA: Yes, she's learning.
ABBY: To be an aide, not a nurse
LUKA: I know you don't like her...
ABBY: That has nothing to do with this. It's inappropriate for her to be in a trauma and you know it.
LUKA: I just asked you to help her.
ABBY: That's not my job, Luka. Do you even realize what I do in there? You're not the only one trying to save that kid's life.
Abby walks off, leaving Luka standing there.

INT. HALLWAY - BY ELEVATOR
Benton, Cleo and a nurse are taking Jeremy on the gurney to the elevator.
BENTON: I'm going to go ahead and scrub in.
CLEO: I'll call neurosurg again.
A lawyer-type approaches.
LAWYER: Dr. Benton?
BENTON: Yeah?
LAWYER: Yeah, are you Peter Benton?
BENTON: Yeah.
LAWYER: (hands him an envelope) Consider yourself served.
Cleo comes over as Benton opens the envelope.
CLEO: What was that about? Peter?
BENTON: I'm being supoenaed.
CLEO: For what case?
BENTON: Reese. Roger's suing for custody.

INT. ER HALLWAY
Gallant walks up to Luka.
GALLANT: So how extensive do you think his brain injury is?
LUKA: Um, it's too early to tell.
Mr. Hilloker, a mall security guard, approaches them.
HILLOKER: How is he? Skateboarder -- is he going to be okay?
LUKA: You're his father?
HILLOKER: No, I'm David Hilloker. I called 911.
LUKA: Did you see what happened?
HILLOKER: Uh, screwing around in the mall with his buddies. Huh. Looked like he hit his head.
LUKA: Yeah, he wasn't wearing a helmet.
HILLOKER: Course not, that wouldn't be cool. You don't need a helmet to ride a motorcycle in this state, why would you need one for a skateboard?
GALLANT: Oh, you got a little limp.
HILLOKER: Oh, yeah. Twisted it chasing him and his buddy out of the mall.
LUKA: You should let us look at it.
Luka leads him over to a bed.
HILLOKER: Oh, an ice pack and a couple of beers and I'll be fine.
LUKA: Sit down.

INT. ER HALLWAY - ANOTHER BED
Abby tries to treat two nuns (Helen and Monica) sitting there.
ABBY: We just need to change the dressing.
HELEN: But, uh, Dr. Carter usually does that.
ABBY: I'm aware of that but Dr. Carter's not here right now.
MONICA: We don't mind waiting.
ABBY: I have no idea when he's going to be in.
HELEN: I'm very patient.
ABBY: Look, Sister...
HELEN: Helen.
ABBY: ...the sooner you let me change the bandage...
MONICA: I'm Monica.
ABBY: ...the sooner you guys can get out here, the sooner you guys can get back to doing your stuff, and, quite frankly, I need the bed.
HELEN: Perhaps if you told Dr. Carter we were here.
Abby gives a little smile, and walks to the front desk, where Carter is.
ABBY: Glad you're here. Your fans are getting restless.
CHUNY: What is it with you and nuns, Carter? It's almost kinky.
CARTER: (to Abby) Can you, uh, take care of them for me?
ABBY: They're looking for you.
CARTER: My grandmother had um... She passed out this morning. I'm having Cardiology work her up.
ABBY: Is she okay?
CARTER: I don't know.
ABBY: Are you?
CARTER: Me, I'm fine. I just want to make sure she gets settled before I clock in.
ABBY: I'll take care of it.
CARTER: Thank you. (walks off)
FRANK: (to Chuny and Haleh) Aw, come on ladies, Tequila Willy is still in Exam One, he's covered in puke and assorted body fluids. He's making this whole place reek.
CHUNY: This place always reeks.
HALEH: Yeah, and it's Abby's turn.
ABBY: Oh, come on.
CHUNY: I did him last time, you're up.
Abby spies Nicole.
ABBY: Fine. Nicole.
NICOLE: You need something?
ABBY: Grab some gloves. I'm going to show you how to bathe a patient.
NICOLE: Oh.
Chuny and Haleh exchange glances, mildly impressed.

INT. SURGICAL FLOOR
Elizabeth, dressed in scrubs, approaches Romano.
ELIZABETH: (irate) Robert, Robert. I was scrubbing in when I discovered Dale's doing my Whipple.
ROMANO: Yeah, he's an arrogant ass, but he's becoming a decent surgeon.
ELIZABETH: I thought I was back on service today.
ROMANO: No, not yet.
ELIZABETH: Why not? I've complied with every insulting, demeaning request. I even volunteered for a damn lie detector test.
ROMANO: I know, but we have to wait 'til the CDC finishes their bug hunt. The good news is the criminal investigation is essentially over.
ELIZABETH: So what does that mean? "We think you're killing patients, we just can't prove it?"
ROMANO: If it makes you feel any better, I don't think this has anything to do with you.
ELIZABETH: Then why am I not in surgery?
ROMANO: I'm sorry. I know this is frustrating, Elizabeth, but what choice does either of us have? Take the opportunity to get caught up with your dictation. Spend some time with your baby. Enjoy the downtime.
Elizabeth is having none of that. She spies Kit taking a needle to a patient, and storms over.
ELIZABETH: (angry) What are you doing?
KIT: Excuse me?
ELIZABETH: That's my patient.
KIT: I'm drawing some blood.
ELIZABETH: No, you were injecting something into her central line.
KIT: I couldn't get a draw, it was clogged.
ELIZABETH: What did you inject into my patient?
KIT: I didn't...
ELIZABETH: Don't lie to me, I saw you!
Romano enters.
ROMAMO: Is there a problem here?
KIT: No --
ELIZABETH: Yes, she was injecting my patient!
KIT: With urokinase -- to bust the clot in her line.
ELIZABETH: Let me see it.
Kit shows her the needle.
ELIZABETH: Where's the vial?
Elizabeth digs through the table...
ROMANO: (warning) Elizabeth.
...and pulls out a bottle of urokinase.
ELIZABETH: Sorry. Excuse me.
Elizabeth leaves, embarrased.

INT. SUTURE ROOM
Mt. Hilliker lies on a bed talking to Luka.
HILLIKER: Twenty-five years with the Chicage P.D. Never fired my gun once.
LUKA: That's good.
HILLIKER: These are different times.
LUKA: Try and stay off your ankle, keep it elevated, huh?
Hilliker nods as Haleh enters with some crutches.
HALEH: Dr. Kovac? Jeremy's mother's here. (leaves)
LUKA: Okay. (to Hilliker) I'll have, uh, one of the nurses give you a lesson on using the crutches.
Hilliker nods.

INT. CHAIRS OUTSIDE SUTURE ROOM
Jeremy's mother, Mrs. Norris, is crying, and Jeremy's friend, who is visibly upset, wait. Luka approaches.
LUKA: Mrs. Norris? (she looks up) Hi, I'm Dr. Kovac. I was the first doctor to treat your son.
MRS. NORRIS: How is he?
LUKA: He suffered a hemothorax. That's when blood collects in the chest cavity and collapses a lung. But it's been repaired.
MRS. NORRIS: Can I see him?
LUKA: He's been taken up to the OR.
MRS. NORRIS: But he's going to be okay?
LUKA: There was evidence of a head injury.
MRS. NORRIS: Is he in a coma?
LUKA: I'm afraid we won't know until he's out of surgery and the anathesia wears off.
Mr. Hilliker approaches on crutches. The friend jumps up.
FRIEND: Hey! There's the idiot who was chasing him, right there!
HILLIKER: A-Are you the boy's mother?
MRS. NORRIS: What did you do to my son?
HILLIKER: N-Nothing, I-I'm sorry...
FRIEND: He threw his stibk at him.
MRS. NORRIS: What?!
LUKA: You should get back in bed, Mr. Hilliker.
FRIEND: No, he's the one who made Jeremy wipe out in the first place.
HILLIKER: Y-Your boy was riding in the mall. I asked him to leave.
FRIEND: You knocked him off his skateboard!
HILLIKER: I didn't!
MRS. NORRIS: You attacked him?!
Gallant walks up.
HILLIKER: No!
FRIEND: Yes you did!
LUKA: (to Gallant) Hey, can you put him back in the suture room?
Gallant goes to move Mr. Hilliker.
MRS. NORRIS: What did you DO?!
HILLIKER: Nothing! I was the one that called the ambulance!
LUKA: (directing Gallant) Down the hallway, last door on your right.
Gallant leads Mr. Hilliker off.
MRS. NORRIS: He hurt my son?
LUKA: I don't know, ma'am.
FRIEND: I saw him do it. He's the reason Jeremy's here. He should be arrested or...something!
MRS. NORRIS: I just want to see Jeremy. I just want to be with my son.
LUKA: I'll get an update, and find out when you can go see him, okay?
Gallant comes running back.
GALLANT: (urgent) Dr. Kovac? I think he's having a heart attack.
FRIEND: Good!
GALLANT: He started hyperventilating and complaining of chest pains.
Luka takes off with Gallant.

INT. SUTURE ROOM
Mr. Hilliker is lying on the bed, hand to his chest and in pain. Gallant and Luka enter.
LUKA: What's going on, Mr. Hilliker?
HILLIKER: I don't feel so good.
LUKA: Your chest hurts?
HILLIKER: Yeah, my head is spinning.
LUKA: Okay, put him on oxygen, aspirin and let's get an EKG.
Gallant nods.
HILLIKER: I didn't mean to upset the mother, I was just trying to offer my condolences.
LUKA: Okay, just relax.
HILLIKER: He rode by me, stole my hat. He's tossing it back and forth threatening to throw it in the fountain. They were terrorizing the entire mall.
LUKA: Did you throw your nightstick at him?
Hilliker coughs.
LUKA: Okay, okay, just relax.
Gallant puts an oxygen mask on him.

INT. SURGICAL FLOOR
Elizabeth approaches Dr. Zogoiby.
ELIZABETH: Dr. Zogoiby.
ZOGOIBY: Dr. Corday.
ELIZABETH: I've been reviewing some charts, and I have a question about a patient you worked on with me.
ZOGOIBY: Yes?
ELIZABETH: It was a few weeks ago, a Mrs. Taylor? I'm having a little difficulty reading your notes. (she hands him the chart) You put in a central line.
ZOGOIBY: No, I was pulled away. That was the day my son fell off the monkey bars at school, remember? The on call anethesiologist stepped in for me.
ELIZABETH: And who was that?
ZOGOIBY: Babcock. (hands back chart)
ELIZABETH: (mutters) Babcock...
We pan over to Benton and Romano, who have finished operating on Jeremy.
ROMANO: I hope this wasn't a waste of time. Think this kid'll wake up?
BENTON: I don't know.
ROMANO: You're scaring me, Peter. You're not your usual jolly self today. You haven't developed a drug addiction or a drinking problem like the rest of your misfit buddies in the ER, have you?
BENTON: Nope.
ROMANO: Give it time.
Jacy approaches.
JACY: Jeremy Norris's mother is in the waiting room.
ROMANO: Great.
BENTON: Jacy, have you tracked down my sister yet?
JACY: I left another message. (leaves)
BENTON: All right, thanks.
ROMANO: You want me to talk to her?
BENTON: No.
ROMANO: Good.
They go their separate ways.

INT. WAITING ROOM
Benton enters.
BENTON: Mrs. Norris? (she stands up, they shake hands) Hi, I'm Dr. Benton. I'm one of the surgeons that was with Jeremy.
MRS. NORRIS: How is he?
BENTON: Well, we tied off the bleeding vessels in the chest, but there's still some swelling in the brain. He's with the neuro team now. With an injury like this, it becomes, a, uh... a waiting game.
MRS. NORRIS: Waiting? To see if he wakes up? Waiting to see if he's a vegetable? What?
BENTON: All of that.
MRS. NORRIS: They've got to be able to do something. He's all I've got.
BENTON: (little nod) Yeah.

INT. ER HALLWAY
Gallant tags along after Mark.
GALLANT: You ever gotten an erythropoietic porphyria?
MARK: No.
GALLANT: What about a prophyria cutaneatarda?
MARK: Nope. (hands Gallant a paper)
GALLANT: What's the most unsual medical case you've ever seen?
MARK: I had a guy with a live bullfrog in his ass once. You ever see a patient scratch through the skin into the bone?
GALLANT: Are you serious?
They're aty the front desk. Susan follows them.
MARK: We figure that he'll hit grey matter by spring.
They approach a man, Mr. Elden, lying on a gurney.
MARK: Mr. Elden? Would you show our young med student your itch?
Mr. Elden removes his hat.
SUSAN: (ouch) Ooh.
Mark drags Susan off while Gallant regards the patient.
MARK: Save me.
SUSAN: (laughs) What?
MARK: I have a med student who is in need of a home.
SUSAN: Ah, no thanks, but he seems nice.
MARK: That's how they all start. 'Til they grow up to become residents, like Carter.
SUSAN: I wish. (off Mark's stare) What?
MARK: "I wish?"
SUSAN: He turned into a good doctor.
MARK: Uh-huh.
SUSAN: He is.
MARK: You and Carter aren't, uh...
Gallant finds them again.
GALLANT: Dr. Greene, can I ask you something? I'm sorry, am I interupting?
SUSAN: Not at all.
GALLANT: (to Mark) You don't mind me asking all these questions, do you?
MARK: No, of course not. This is a teaching hospital. This is how you learn.
SUSAN: Bye.
They all walk off. We follow Susan, who finds Carter coming downstairs.
SUSAN: Oh, hi. I was just talking about you. How's your grandmother? (off Carter's look) What is it?
CARTER: Looks like Shy- Drager.
SUSAN: I'm sorry. They've been having a lot of success with fludrocortison and desmopressin. CARTER: Yeah.
SUSAN: How's she taking it?
CARTER: I haven't told her yet. Kayson's still up there running some tests, ruling out some other things.
SUSAN: Is there anything I can do?
CARTER: I don't think so.
SUSAN: Let me know.
CARTER: I will.
Susan takes off. We pan to see Gallant and Mark standing behind Carter.
MARK: Carter! Dr. John Carter, this is your new med student, Michael...
GALLANT: Gallant.
Mark leaves.
CARTER: Hi. I'll tell you what, why don't you go to the admit desk, get the orientation package. When you're finished with it just come find me. (tries to leave)
GALLANT: I did that, while I was waiting. Um, trying to feep busy.
CARTER: Yeah, I had a family emergency.
GALLANT: Nothing serious, I hope. Want to talk about it?
Carter doesn't
GALLANT: Okay, um, well, I watched a trauma already, and I helped Dr. Kovac with a possible MI, both of which were very interesting but I was hoping that once you got here I could start working on some of my own... cases...
Gallant notices Carter has disappeared. Abby approaches.
ABBY: He stepped into the men's room.
GALLANT: Oh.
ABBY: His grandmother's sick. Do you want to see if we can find you a case to work up?
GALLANT: (smiles) Yeah.

INT. SURGERY FLOOR - PRE-OP ROOM
Kit is looking at a chart. Elizabeth enters.
ELIZABETH: Kit. I want to apologize for mt behaviour earlier. It was completely unprofessional. I know it's not an excuse, but I have been under a lot of pressure lately.
KIT: I understand.
ELIZABETH: That said, uh, I also have a couple of questions about some recent cases. Do you remember Mr. Durning?
KIT: Diverticulitis.
ELIZABETH: No, he was an elderly gentleman, came in for a hemicolonectomy for colon cancer.
KIT: With all the faded Navy tattoos.
ELIZABETH: Yes. Yes, uh, you took out his central line on October the sixteenth.
KIT: Yes. Well, no. It came out on the sixteenth, but we didn't do it. Babcock did.
ELIZABETH: Babcock? Why Babcock?
KIT: I don't know, he just did. Sometimes he likes to pull his own lines. In fact, occasionally he insists on it.
Elizabeth takes this in.

INT. CURTAIN ONE
Gallant's seeing an elderly woman who's been brought in by her husband. Gallant's examining her forearm.
GALLANT: So, Mrs. Reynolds, how long have you had the spots?
MRS. REYNOLDS: About a week.
MR. REYNOLDS: I gave her some penicillin.
GALLANT: Oh, for what?
MRS. REYNOLDS: I got a cold - - cough, sore throat, headaches.
GALLANT: Mmm, yeah. Antibiotics won't help.
MRS. REYNOLDS: (to Mr. Reynolds) I told you.
GALLANT: Where did you get the penicillin?
MR. REYNOLDS: The medicine cabinet. I had some left over from an ear infection.
GALLANT: Oh, yeah, you should never share prescriptions. And if you're given one, you should try to use all of it.
MR. REYNOLDS: What do you think's wrong with her?
GALLANT: I believe she's experiencing what we call hypersensitivity vasculitis. It's from the antibiotics.
MRS. REYNOLDS: (to Mr. Reynolds) Thank you, Dr. Kevorkian.
MR. REYNOLDS: Is it treatable?
GALLANT: Absolutely. We'll get some medicine for you and, uh, have you feeling as good as new.
Gallant walks out, closing the curtain behind him. A woman in her early twenties, Grace, is sitting on a gurney outside the curtain. Gallant doesn't notice her.
GRACE: (calling to Gallant) You might want to get a C.B.C.
Gallant turns around.
GALLANT: I beg your pardon?
GRACE: On account of her history. Cound be indicitive of undiagnosed thrombocytopenia. You know, low platelets.
GALLANT: And you are...?
GRACE: Grace. I'm a second year med student. Ask her if she has any unusual bleeding when she brushes her teeth.
GALLANT: Are you a med student a this hospital?
GRACE: No.
GALLANT: I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your comments to yourself.
Carter walks up.
CARTER: Hello.
GRACE: Is he your student?
CARTER: Excuse me?
GALLANT: She's a second year med student who thinks that she can diagnose my patients.
GRACE: He takes a lousy history. I bet your lunch money that she's got thrombocytopenia.
CARTER: (regarding chart) She's right. Low platelets. Needs additional labs, head C.T. and admission.
GALLANT: I'll take care of it.
GRACE: (calling) You're welcome!
CARTER: (examining Grace) So, do you do self-diagnosis, too?
GRACE: As a matter of fact, I do. Um, I've let myself get a little run down and I can feel a flu coming on. I can't afford to be sick right now, so I was hoping you could get me a little Relenea or Tamflu.
CARTER: Yeah, I think I can manage that. What school are you in?
GRACE: Western and Benville. I'm getting my law degree simutaneously.
CARTER: Really?
GRACE: Mm-hmm. My parents didn't want me to go to med school.
CARTER: I know that feeling.
We pan over to Nicole, carrying a lot of things and dropping them periodically. She's looking pretty harried. Gallant sees hr and calls out to her.
GALLANT: Excuse me, uh, can you get a head C.T. from Mrs. Reynolds in Curtain Two?
NICOLE: I'm not a nurse. I'm just training. I'm sorry.
Gallant catches up to her and walks with her.
GALLANT: Ah, that's okay. I'm in training myself. I'm a new med student, Michael. Nice to meet you.
He holds out a hand for her to shake, but her hands are too full to shake.
NICOLE: Nicole.
Luka walks up.
LUKA: (to Nicole) How are you doing?
NICOLE: Oh, okay.
LUKA: Everybody helping you?
NICOLE: Yeah. Abby showed me how to bathe a homeless man. (ick) It was a little...
LUKA: Abby's pretty busy, you should stick with Malik and Haleh.
NICOLE: Oh.
LUKA: (re: something Nicole's carrying) Is this Mr. Hilliker's 12 lead?
NICOLE: Yeah.
GALLANT: Did he have an M.I.?
LUKA: No, probably just an anxiety attack. (his pager goes off) You want to give him the good news?
GALLANT: Yeah, can I?
LUKA: Yeah. I've got a trauma coming in. Uh, Nicole, we're gonna need some IV saline, you'll find it in the suture room. (leaves)
NICOLE: Okay. (to Gallant) It can get a little crazy here.
GALLANT: Yeah, I know. It's only my first day.
NICOLE: Are you liking it?
GALLANT: Ah, so far so good.
They are at the suture room now and open the door. We hear a choking sound coming from behind the drawn curtain. Gallant runs over, pulls the curtain back, and we see Mr. Hilliker has hung from the celing himself with what is presumably his belt. Gallant and Nicole are shocked.
NICOLE: (dropping everything) Oh my God!
GALLANT: Go-go and get somebody!
She departs. Gallant tries to pull him down.
GALLANT: Take a breath, Mr. Hilliker. (calling) Somebody help me!
Mr. Hilliker wheezes. Gallant realizes he'll have to cut him down. Gallant searches for something to do it with. The cabinets are locked, so he breaks the glass and pulls out a scalpel.
GALLANT: Somebody help me!
Using the bed to stand on, he begins to cut the belt.
GALLANT: SOMEBODY HELP ME!
GALLANT: Okay, okay, hold on. Okay, hang on. Hang on.
Gallant's finally cut all the way through. They both fall onto the gurney, Mr. Hilliker on top of Gallant.
GALLANT: Okay, okay...

INT. GAMMA'S ROOM Carter hesitates, then enters.
CARTER: Hey, Gamma. Sorry this is taking so long. Did you get some lunch?
GAMMA: No, I didn't get anything, and that cardiologist has never been back to see me.
CARTER: Yeah, that's 'cause I asked to speak to you first.
GAMMA: Why?
CARTER: (making light of it) I figured it was the least I could do since you've been stuck in here all day.
GAMMA: John. Don't beat around the bush.
CARTER: (serious) You have what's called Shy-Drager syndrome. It's a progressive disease that affects your blood pressure and could put you at a greater risk for heart attack or stroke.
GAMMA: (matter-of-fact) Is it going to kill me?
CARTER: Most people die within ten years.
GAMMA: Ten years? I'm not even sure I want to be around ten more years. Ten days, now, that might have put a kink in my plans.
CARTER: Gamma...
GAMMA: Can I go home?
CARTER: I think they're going to want you to stay overnight.
GAMMA: John. I want to go home.
Carter nods.

EXT. AMBULANCE BAY
Abby, on a break, pulls out a cigarette. She hears crying from behind an ambulance, and goes to check it out. Seeind Nicole, she almost doesn't go over, but then changes her mind and approaches Nicole.
ABBY: You on a break?
NICOLE: (tearful) No.
ABBY: Can I get you a coffee?
NICOLE: No, thanks.
ABBY: (reluctant) Uh, do you want to talk?
NICOLE: Is he going to die?
ABBY: The guy that hung himself? No. Well, not today. He's lucky you and that med student walked in.
Nicole sighs.
ABBY: You should try not to let it upset you too much. Every once in a while some freak comes in and tries to off himself in the hospital. I wish they would just do it at home.
NICOLE: My father hung himself. I was only eight. He'd lost another job. I found him in the kitchen. I was too little to do anything.
ABBY: Oh, God, I'm sorry.
NICOLE: It's okay.
ABBY: Does Luka know this?
NICOLE: No, I never told him. I never told anyone. I don't think I can do this.
ABBY: Well, it's not always this bad.
NICOLE: Look at me -- I'm crying like a baby.
ABBY: We've all cried. Sometimes it's the only thing we cand do.
Nicole gives a small nod.

INT. ER HALLWAY
Elizabeth and Mark walk as she shows him some charts.
ELIZABETH: I went through my charts again, and I found another commonality to every one of my post-op infection mortalities.
MARK: (re: charts) What am I looking for?
ELIZABETH: I highlighted his name.
MARK: Babcock?
ELIZABETH: Yeah, he was in every case. I only missed it because he stepped in for Dr. Zogoiby -- whose handwriting is illegible.
They arrive at the frint desk.
MARK: Sounds like Dr. Babcock is going to have a date with your friend from the health department.
FRANK: Phone call, Dr. Greene.
MARK: Take a message.
ELIZABETH: He knew I was being investigated. Why didn't he step forward and say something?
MARK: Maybe he didn't want to be probed, or forced to give stool samples.
ELIZABETH: Mark, I'm being serious. Who knows what he's working with in his lab?
FRANK: I'm sorry, Dr. Greene, that's Rachel's school. They need for you to pick her up.
MARK: Is she all right?
FRANK: She got suspended.
MARK: For what?
FRANK: I don't know. I really don't think that's any of my business.
ELIZABETH: Suspended?
MARK: It must be some kind of mistake.
FRANK: Probably drug-related.
ELIZABETH: (to Mark) You better go. I'll deal with this/.
Mark takes off.

INT. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE A TRAUMA ROOM
Gallant is in there with Mr. Hilliker, who's lying down. Luka enters.
LUKA: How's he doing?
GALLANT: Well, pulse ox is 90 on 50%.
LUKA: Good. Mr. Hilliker, we had to put a tube down your throat to help you breathe, but I'm going to take it out now, okay? I want you to take some deep breaths, and when I say blow, I want you to blow as hard as you can. Ready? Okay, blow.
Luka removes the tube. Mr. Hilliker coughs.
HILLIKER: (raspy) I'm sorry.
LUKA: Try not to speak, Mr. Hilliker. Take some deep breaths.
HILLIKER: (to Gallant) Tell him.
GALLANT: Okay, Mr. Hilliker, just relax. Just relax. (to Luka) He doesn't want us to tell the police what happened. He's still got a lot of buddies on the force.
LUKA: I'm afraid we have to.
Luka leaves. Gallant starts to follow, but Mr. Hilliker grabs his arm to stop him.
GALLANT: It's going to be okay, Mr. Hilliker. It's going to be okay.
Gallant steps into the hallway.
GALLANT: His wife died last year.
LUKA: What?
GALLANT: Breast cancer.
There's a pause as Gallant waits for Luka to say something. When he doesn't, Gallant barrels on.
GALLANT: He was a respected and decorated police officer. I mean, the only reason he took the job at the mall was so that he could still be out there helping people.
LUKA: Why are you telling this?
GALLANT: I just thought you should know.
LUKA: Keep an eye on his vitals and, uh, call for a psych consult.

INT. CURTAIN TWO
Grace has a textbook out, studying. Carter takes her temperature.
CARTER: 100.8.
GRACE: Feels like 108.
CARTER: B.P. is 140/80 and your white count is 14000. You're a little anemic.
GRACE: Hmm, 40% of menstruating women are anemic.
CARTER: So my diagnosis is that you're a little run down. Maybe it's time to pick a career. Medicine beats law any day.
GRACE: My parents will only pay for med school if I graduate from law school.
CARTER: If your parents are both attorneys, how come you don't have any health insurance?
GRACE: Let's just say I have a sad and complicated relationship with them that you couldn't begin to understand.
CARTER: I might suprise you. You need to start taking better care of yourself, Grace. You need to make sure you're eating right, getting plenty of sleep, and laying off the caffiene.
GRACE: I would if I could. I haven't had eight hours sleep in months. Do you think you could get me some Halcion?
CARTER: I don't think so.
GRACE: Just one dose. I mean, today is shot for me. If I could just go home and crash... Please? I diagnosed your student's patient.
CARTER: (relenting) This is a one-time, special treatment, and only if you promise to do the other things we talked about.
GRACE: Cross my heart.
CARTER: What are the EKG findings for hyperkalemia?
GRACE: Peaked T-wavesm prolonged PR and short QT intervals.
CARTER: (writes prescription, hands it to her) You're good.
GRACE: Mm-hmm.
Carter walks off and runs into Susan.
SUSAN: Hey. Your day getting any better?
CARTER: Not yet.
SUSAN: Did you talk to your grandmother?
CARTER: Mm-hmm.
SUSAN: How did she take it?
CARTER: Sounded like it didn't bother her. She went home.
SUSAN: You let her drive?
CARTER: No, no. Her driver came and got her.
SUSAN: You have to notify the DMV.
CARTER: I didn't tell her that yet. Dying's one thing. Not being able to drive's a... whole other story.
SUSAN: You have to mail in the notice, Carter.
CARTER: Technically, I didn't see her as an ER patient. I just brought her in.
SUSAN: It's the law.
CARTER: I can't rat out my own grandmother.
SUSAN: Well, you want me to? She already doesn't like me.
Abby appears at the end of the hallway.
ABBY: Carter! Your patient went down!

INT. OUTSIDE CURTAIN TWO
Grace has fainted on the floor about five feet from the bed. Carter and Susan come running up and kneel beside her.
CARTER: What happened?
ABBY: She must've vagelled.
CARTER: Okay, let's get the gurney.
Susan notices slit marks on Grace's forearm.
SUSAN: (showing Carter) Whoa.
CARTER: C'mon.

INT. SUREGERY ROOM
Elizabeth follows Romano, who's prepping for surgery. Babcock is there.
ELIZABETH: Robert, I need to talk to you.
ROMANO: Somebody took target practise on a school crossing guard. I gotta plug her up before she bleeds to death.
ELIZABETH: It's rather important.
ROMANO: Well, then give me the cliff notes.
Elizabeth is uncomfortable saying anything with Babcock there.
ROMANO: I'm listening.
ELIZABETH: I'd prefer to have your full attention.
ROMANO: Suit yourself.
BABCOCK: Are you joining us, Elizabeth?
ELIZABETH: No, I'm afraid not. (to Romano) If you could have your assistant page me when you're done. Please.
Romano nods.

INT. DOC MAGOO'S
Benton enters. Jackie's sitting at a booth with a bowl of soup. He joins her.
BENTON: Hey. Thanks for coming.
JACKIE: Want something to eat?
BENTON: No, no. What's wrong? What'd he say?
JACKIE: Well, I talked to both Mitch and Sophie, my friend that works in family courthouse.
BENTON: And?
JACKIE: They both said the worst thing you can do is fight it.
BENTON: But I can fight it if I want to, right?
JACKIE: Then it looks like you've got something to hide.
BENTON: What if I'm just offended by the whole principle?
JACKIE: Peter, you go in, you get swabbed, they run the DNA, and you can prove once and for all that Reese is your son.
BENTON: What if he's not, Jackie?
JACKIE: (rolling eyes) Is that really a possibility?

INT. BABCOCK'S LAB
Elizabeth enters. She snoops in his stuff, looking for something. She pulls a set of keys out of a drawer and looks in a locked fridge. Babcock appears in the dooway.
BABCOCK: What are you doing?
ELIZABETH: (startled) You're out of surgery.
BABCOCK: Yeah, uh, the patient coded before we even got started. W-What are you doing here?
ELIZABETH: I wanted to ask you about a couple of cases. Uh, you know, ah... it doesn't matter anyway. It'll have to wait. I've just been paged.
She starts to leave.
BABCOCK: Uh, Elizabeth, aren't you forgetting something?
She stops.
BABCOCK: (re: the keys) I believe those are mine. (she hands them over) Thank you.

INT. CURTAIN TWO
Grace sits on the gurney, sipping water. Carter and Susan are with her.
GRACE: I must be dehydrated. I, uh, all I've had is coffee and a muffin since last night.
CARTER: You want to tell us about the scars?
GRACE: I used to be a cutter. My parents fought a lot when I was a kid, and I was in school. I developed an eating disorder. It was my way of dealing with the stress.
CARTER: Did you ever see anyone about it?
GRACE: The only people who really seemed to care were the doctors and nurses. Which is probably why I'm in med school.
SUSAN: And what about now, are you still cutting?
GRACE: (that's silly) No.
CARTER: Show me you arm.
GRACE: You don't believe me? (she pulls up her sleeve to reveal old scars)
CARTER: Grace, you have a fever, and you have a borderline white count. Maybe from an infection, maybe from using a dirty blade.
GRACE: I told you, I haven't eaten.
SUSAN: So the eating disorder continues?...
GRACE: No! I've just been cramming!
CARTER: Pull up your skirt.
GRACE: Pardon me?!
CARTER: Let me see your thigh.
GRACE: I don't think so!
Susan pulls it up for her. There are fresh cut mark.
GRACE: (to Susan) You ASS!
CARTER: You're still cutting.
Grace grabs her bag and tries to go.
SUSAN: We just want to help you.
CARTER: Hold on, Grace.
GRACE: I have a pathology final.
CARTERL If you don't stay and agree to speak to someone, you'll force me to put you on a psych hold.
GRACE: On what grounds?!
CARTER: Danger to self.
GRACE: (pushing past Carter) That's not true.
SUSAN: (grabbing Grace) Grace, Grace, wait.
GRACE: (reeling away from Susan's grip) Stop! You're blowing this way out of proportion!
SUSAN: If you just see one of our psychiatrists, we won't hold you.
GRACE: (pleading) What are you doing this?!
Gallant comes up and regards the scene.
CARTER: 'Cause I know what it's like to need help when you least want it.
GRACE: Please. Please, just leave me alone.
CARTER: I can't.
GRACE: (noticing Gallant) What are you staring at? You couldn't even diagnose thrombocytopenia!
SUSAN: (to Gallant) Get five of droperidol.
Grace is getting hysterical.
GRACE: No! No, no, no! Stop! Stop! I don't need that. (crouches/ leans against the wall)
SUSAN: (going down with Grace) Okay, just get back in the bed, Grace.
GRACE: Don't touch me! Don't touch me!
Gallant prepares Grace's arm for the needle.
GRACE: Please, please...
CARTER: Okay, Just take it easy, it's okay.
GRACE: (near tears) Please, you'll ruin everything. Please, you'll ruin everything. No, please, stop. Don't don't don't. Please. (in goes the needle) God, you can't even give half... (sobs)

INT. RACHEL'S SCHOOL - HALLWAY
Mark and Rachel are leaving the building.
MARK: I had to get another doctor to cover for me.
RACHEL: I'm sorry.
MARK: Scissors, Rachel?
RACHEL: It's not like said.
MARK: Did you threaten this girl?
RACHEL: It was Natalie Curtis, and I threatened to cut off her dreadlocks, not stab her.
MARK: Why?
RACHEL: She's trying to steal Andrew away from me. She keeps on sending him notes in class and, you know, asking him over to her house to study.
MARK: This is over a boy.
RACHEL: It's no big deal, Dad.
MARK: Then why aren't you in gym class right now?
RACHEL: Maybe because they stopped teaching "gym" like, in the 70s.
MARK: Don't get smart with me Rachel. This is serious. You've been suspended. Next time you will be expelled permanently.
RACHEL: There won't be a next time.
MARK: You're right, because now we have a new set of rules.
RACHEL: Like what?
MARK: Like no more rides to school, unless it's with Elizabeth or me. No more going out on weeknights, or weekends for that matter, for at least a month.
RACHEL: Why don't you just send me to a convent?
MARK: I would, but we need you around the house to do all your chores.
RACHEL: I have chores now?
MARK: Yup. From now on, think of yourself as Cinderella and I'm you evil stepmother.
RACHEL: I've already got one of those.
MARK: Keep it up, Rachel, you'll find yourself back in St. Louis.
RACHEL: Why are you doing this to me?
They step outside.
MARK: I don't know, Rachel. Maybe because I love you?
RACHEL: Oh, really?
MARK: Yes, really. Do you know how many messed-up teenagers I see day in and day out? Drug addicts, suicide, 10-year- old homeless girls who've been gang-raped and nobody gave a damn about them. Well I give a damn about you. You may not like it now. Hell, you may never like it. But this is how it's gonna be. (they're at the car, he opens the passenger door) Get in.
Rachel sulks, the gets in. He closes the door behind her.

INT. HOSPITAL DAYCARE
Benton is sitting at a table with Reese, who's doing a puzzle. Cleo enters and joins them.
CLEO: Need any help? (sits)
BENTON: Hey. Did you page me?
CLEO: No, but I figured I might find you in here. (signs) Hi, Reese. How are you?
Reese signs.
CLEO: Good. (to Benton) Did you talk to Jackie?
BENTON: Yeah. She thinks I should take the test.
CLEO: So what happens if you're not... a genetic match?
BENTON: Well, I guess it makes it that much easier for Roger to fight me for custody.
CLEO: Nothing's changed, Peter. You're still his father. So, what are you two doing for dinner? Why don't you come to my place tonight? I still have those fishsticks in the freezer Reese likes.
Reese moodily pushes his puzzle pieces away.
BENTON: Hey, hey. Take it easy.
CLEO: Someone's getting a little frustrated.
BENTON: He's tired. He wants to go home.
Reese signs.
BENTON: (signs) Daddy can't take you home. I have to work.
Reese signs.
CLEO: What's he saying?
BENTON: He wants his other daddy to come take him home.

INT. FRONT DESK
Carter crouches behind the counter, talking on the phone. Susan comes in and sits.
CARTER: (into phone) Gamma-- Because you cannot drive-- Because you could blackout! No, hey. I-I'm sorry. Not I'm not. No, I am NOT. (hangs up phone)
SUSAN: She doesn't want to stop driving?
CARTER: She just called me from the car, she's been driving around for two hours just to prove me wrong.
Susan laughs.
CARTER: It's not funny. She could hurt herself. Or somebody else.
SUSAN: What are you going to do?
CARTER: What am I going to do? What am I going to do -- call the cops on my own grandmother? You already made me call the DMV.
SUSAN: Me? Don't make ME the bad guy?
CARTER: I should go home. Wait for her.
SUSAN: I can wait with you.
CARTER: Yeah?
SUSAN: I mean, yeah, if you want.

INT. ROMANO'S OFFICE
Elizabeth knocks. Babcock and Romano are already there.
ROMANO: Enter!
She comes in.
ROMANO: Ah. I was just about to page you. Have a seat. (waits 'til she's seated before beginning) So, Elizabeth, Dr. Babcock says that you were trespassing in his office and research area. Care to elaborate?
ELIZABETH: (shrugs) I wanted to talk to him.
BABCOCK: You knew I was in surgery.
ELIZABETH: He's worked on every one of my cases that died from post-operative infection.
ROMANO: (to Babcock) Is this true?
ELIZABETH: Yes, it's true, and I have evidence to prove it.
BABCOCK: So what?
ELIZABETH: So, you have made it abundantly clear on more than one occasion that you are not opposed to euthanasia.
BABCOCK: I can't imagine a humane doctor who is.
ELIZABETH: I have four bodies in the morgue!
BABCOCK: That's not my fault. You need to take responsibility for your own gross misjudgement!
ROMANO: Time out!
BABCOCK: This is a load of crap. You allow her to operate on these elderly lost souls who should never be in surgery, and then when they die, which they inevitably will, she comes crying to you looking for somebody to blame!
ELIZABETH: They didn't die from the surgery, they died from the same post-op infection!
BABCOCK: The key word there being “post-op.”
ROMANO: Okay.
BABCOCK: If you hadn’t operated on them, they’d still be alive.
ROMANO: Okay! Enough. This whole thing has gotten out of hand. The health department has yet to conclude its investigation, so until they do, neither one of you is in the OR. Happy?
BABCOCK: No.
ELIZABETH: That’s not a solution.
ROMANO: It works for me.
BABCOCK: I’m not doing another case with her.
ELIZABETH: No, you certainly aren’t.
ROMANO: (opens door) Get out, both of you. You’re giving me a headache. Go. (as he shuts door behind them) God is love.

INT. ER - FRONT DESK
Abby’s there. Gallant approaches.
ABBY: You can go home, Gallant. Carter already signed out.
GALLANT: Oh, I know. I’m, uh, I think I’m gonna stay and study.
ABBY: Here?
GALLANT: Maybe I’ll pick up some stuff by osmosis. (walks off with his back-pack)
ABBY: Well, you’ll pick up something.

INT. GRACE’S ROOM
Grace -- now in a gown -- is lying in bed, studying. Gallant enters.
GALLANT: Hi. Feeling better?
GRACE: What do you want?
GALLANT: I heard you talking about your pathology exam and I thought you might want to take a look at Robbins.
GRACE: Thanks. I'm sorry about some of the crap I said to you. I think I was just a little stressed.
GALLANT: Yeah, I know what that's like. So, you, uh... you obviously know your vaculitities. How are you with your, uh, glycogen-storage diseases?
GRACE: Not so good.
GALLANT: Yeah, me neither.

INT. DNA TESTING
Benton sits on the counter. A nurse, Asha, enters.
ASHA: Mr. Benton? I'm Asha. You're here for a DNA test?
BENTON: Yeah.
ASHA: Okay. Don't worry, it's painless. I'm just going to use this little swab to wipe the inside of your cheek, okay?
BENTON: Yeah.
ASHA: Say ah.
BENTON: Ah.
She wipes.
ASHA: Okay. All done. That wasn't so bad, now was it?

EXT. CARTER'S YARD - THE POOLSIDE - NIGHT
Susan sits on one bench. Carter practices for his future tightrope-walking career on the edge of the pool, then on another bench.
SUSAN: I can't believe it.
CARTER: I didn't believe it either.
SUSAN: Fentanyl?
CARTER: I figure if I'd abuse drugs, I'd abuse a good one.
SUSAN: Wow.
CARTER: I've been clean and sober for over a year now.
SUSAN: You got it out of your system.
CARTER: I wouldn't say that. (long pause, Susan stares at him) What?
SUSAN: Nothing.
CARTER: Disappointed in me?
SUSAN No, no. I'm just... You were stabbed!
CARTER: Twice. (he sits with her) I don't recommend it.
SUSAN: (giggles, then) Can I see your scar?
CARTER: What?
SUSAN: Show me your scar.
CARTER: No!
SUSAN: Why not?
CARTER: Why?
SUSAN: Don't be bashful!
CARTER: Get your own!
They laugh.
SUSAN: Why do I feel like a schoolkid sitting out here?
CARTER: Must be the adolesent sexual tension.
SUSAN: That's it.
CARTER: You know I used to have a crush on you.
SUSAN: Used to?
CARTER: It's all coming back to me.
SUSAN: (laughs) I used to have a crush on you too.
CARTER: Liar!
SUSAN: I did! You were cute. Real cute, but...
CARTER: But?
SUSAN: You were a med student and I was a resident.
CARTER: I'm a resident now.
SUSAN: Chief Resident.
CARTER: That's right. (pause, they make eye contact) Glad you came back.
We see a car's headlights pull up.
SUSAN: Gamma's home.
Carter nods.

FADE TO BLACK