‐ Our drug can give people their lives back.
Mr. Booker, we'll have answers for you soon.
‐ You could have a bright future
running clinical trials.
‐ Well, I'm flattered.
Really.
‐ Auggie is running out of time, Sharon.
‐ Weren't you looking to see if he had any relatives?
‐ Only a family member can consent to the transplant.
‐ We've decided to adopt Auggie.
‐ I'll sign off on the surgery.
‐ I lost my daughter to leukemia.
About ten years ago.
I don't talk about this with many people.
[tense music]
Oh, baby...
[somber music]
♪ ♪
‐ Dr. Virani.
Just examined trial patient CM‐042, Alvin Booker,
and I am very encouraged.
His ejection fraction's up, BP's stable.
EKG showed no PVCs, normal sinus rhythm,
and he is not complaining of any side effects.
‐ Great.
‐ And he's only been in the trial a week,
and given this degree of improvement,
I have to assume he's getting the medication.
‐ We'll see.
But this is all good news. Thanks, Will.
‐ Yeah. ‐ All right, take care, okay?
‐ Ah, Mr. Booker, I'll see you next week.
‐ You bet, Doc. ‐ Bye, Alvin.
Hey, thanks for getting him in the trial again.
‐ No reason he shouldn't have been.
I'm just glad it worked out.
‐ Hey. Have you seen Ethan?
I have a requisition for him to sign.
‐ He's gonna be late. He called and said
he had a personal matter to attend to.
‐ You're joking, right?
‐ No. Why? ‐ Well, he's here 24/7.
He doesn't have a personal life.
How can he have a personal matter?
‐ Always a kind word.
‐ Hey. ‐ Hey.
‐ You okay? ‐ Yeah.
Uh.
You remember how I told you that my ex‐wife,
she came to drop something off?
‐ Yeah.
‐ Well, it was a box of our daughter's things.
I guess Claire just thought maybe I'd find some joy
in the memory, you know?
But the thing about it is, I‐‐
I can't bring myself to‐‐
I can't deal with what's inside that box, you know?
[stammers] I don't know why.
‐ I get it. ‐ Yeah.
‐ Dr. Manning. ‐ Yeah?
‐ Check your iPad. ‐ Oh, thank you.
Well, if you're not headed up to the O. R...
What do you say?
You wanna go practice some real medicine?
‐ You bet. ‐ Let's do it.
‐ Show me how it's done.
‐ Mr. Kelton?
Hi, I'm Dr. Manning. This is Dr. Marcel.
‐ Hi. ‐ I'm Tim.
‐ My boyfriend. He brought me. [coughs]
‐ Well, that doesn't sound fun. You're COVID negative, though.
One thing we don't have to worry about.
‐ BP 101/67. Heart rate 112.
Sats 93 on 2 liters oxygen.
‐ Okay. Let's get a chest X‐ray.
And you're having trouble breathing.
Well, your temperature looks good,
but it says you're having night sweats?
‐ I've had bronchitis before. Wasn't this bad.
[coughs] ‐ Okay.
Um, sir, would you mind standing back, please?
All right, clear.
‐ Here.
Right middle lobe. Pleural effusions.
So it looks like you have pneumonia.
Um, do you mind if I took a listen?
Decreased breath sounds on the right side.
‐ God. Does he need to be admitted?
‐ Maybe not. I'd like to see how he reacts
to the antibiotics.
Um, ceftriaxone 2 grams IV
and 1 gram azithromycin. ‐ Right.
‐ Let's also get him a nebulizer treatment.
That'll help with your breathing.
And let's get him a CBC, CMP, coags, D‐dimer, and an ABG.
‐ Sounds like a lot.
‐ Really, it's just the standard fare.
Okay, try not to worry. This is manageable.
Okay?
We'll be back to check on you shortly.
‐ This real medicine, you're pretty good at it.
‐ Darryl, Vera.
‐ Hey, Dr. Halstead.
‐ What seems to be the trouble?
‐ I‐‐she's not right. She's not herself.
‐ Heart rate's 85. BP's 130/70.
I notice her ankles are swollen,
and her jugular is distended.
‐ Hey, Vera. Do you know where you are?
‐ White coats. ‐ See?
‐ Increase her supplemental O2 to 6 liters.
[suspenseful music]
Vera. Do you know who I am?
‐ Pastor? ‐ Honey, no, it's Dr. Halstead.
From the trial.
‐ Is it okay if I listen to your chest?
‐ Okay. ‐ All right.
‐ I'm hearing an S3 gallop and water on the lungs.
‐ That's why she's short of breath.
‐ Why's this happening to her? Why's she like this?
‐ I don't know.
‐ It is the pills you gave her?
‐ I don't know what's causing it,
but I'm gonna find out.
Chest X‐ray, tox screen, CBC, BMP, BNP, and troponins.
Also 10 milligrams of IV Lasix. ‐ Right.
‐ I'll be back when I know more.
And you just rest, Vera.
Doris. ‐ Yeah?
‐ Page Dr. Virani right away. ‐ What's up?
‐ My patient, Vera Johnson, is in our drug trial.
She's very ill, and it's not straight‐up heart failure.
‐ Yeah.
♪ ♪
‐ All right, Auggie.
I'm gonna go to work now, okay? ‐ Mm.
‐ I need you to finish your eggs.
'Cause we're gonna be taking you home in about two weeks.
And I want you to get your strength back.
All right?
‐ Morning.
‐ Hey.
‐ Hey, Dad.
‐ Dad. I like the sound of that.
‐ You don't have to go in?
‐ Teaching online today.
Brought us a couple of "Choose Your Own Adventure" books.
What do you like?
"Prisoners of the Ant People"
or "The Lost Jewels of Nabooti"?
‐ Nabooti!
‐ The ant people. ‐ [laughs]
‐ Yeah. Okay.
‐ All right, I'm gonna leave you two.
‐ Go save some lives. ‐ I am.
‐ Bye, sweetie. ‐ Mm.
‐ Dr. Choi, the requisition?
You okay?
‐ Yeah, um, pulled a muscle working out.
‐ That's why I don't exercise. It'll kill you.
‐ She's suffering volume overload.
Her electrolytes are out of whack
and she's confused and disoriented.
‐ History of dementia? ‐ No.
‐ Her sodium's still low.
‐ [sigh] All right, another 10 of Lasix,
and start her on hypertonic saline.
‐ One of your trial patients? ‐ Yeah, first one I enrolled.
You all right? ‐ Yeah, uh...
these symptoms are, uh, troubling.
‐ You think it's an adverse reaction
to the medication?
‐ Could be. But I don't know yet.
‐ In any case, I'll need to inform Kender
we may have a problem.
‐ I'll work her up. Let you know what I find.
‐ Well, hold on. She's my patient.
‐ She came in as an ED patient, not a trial.
‐ Well, I don't see how that matters.
‐ Dr. Halstead is familiar with the patient.
Maybe he should be the one to work her up.
‐ Yeah, that's fine.
Excuse me.
‐ Thanks.
‐ Dr. Abrams. Good morning.
‐ Ms. Goodwin, is it me,
or are this year's first‐year residents
even less competent than last year's?
‐ You know, you ask me that every year.
‐ Doesn't mean it isn't the case.
[Sharon laughs]
‐ Hey, Crockett. ‐ Yeah.
‐ My patient, Ron Kelton... ‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ His latest X‐ray shows
the pneumonia is starting to resolve.
‐ Good. ‐ Yeah, but look at this.
‐ Yeah, right middle lobe still has an infiltrate.
‐ Yeah.
‐ In line with community‐acquired pneumonia.
‐ But his latest blood work shows procalcitonin is normal.
His cells aren't fighting off bacteria,
which makes me think that even though
the pneumonia is better...
‐ Something else is going on. ‐ Right.
Should scan chest and abdomen.
‐ That was my thought. Thanks.
‐ Dr. Choi, Dr. Lanik.
Two peds vs. auto. You're going to trauma two.
‐ Paul Beller, 35, COVID negative.
Contusions and abrasions. GCS 15.
‐ Where's that guy? They bringing him here too?
‐ Heart rate 80, BP 128/84.
‐ I'm okay. I didn't need to come
to the hospital, and if he's here‐‐
‐ Sir, we just want to check you out.
‐ Jim, you take him. ‐ Don't let him near me!
‐ Maggie said there were two. ‐ Yeah, right behind us.
‐ Can't go anywhere. I can't do anything.
He's always following me. ‐ Male, 50s, Richard Cohen.
‐ Dr. Richard Cohen.
‐ COVID negative. GCS 14. Vitals good.
‐ Don't let Mason find me.
Don't tell anyone I'm here. ‐ What's going on?
‐ The other guy, Beller, minding his own business,
comes out of the post office.
Suddenly, this clown starts yelling,
chases him into the street.
Car comes around the corner, clips 'em both.
‐ Don't be fooled. It was Mason.
That's who it was. It was Mason!
‐ Thought I should escort him in.
Didn't know what he'd do next.
‐ Thanks, I think we're good.
Okay, let's transfer on my count.
Ready? One, two, three.
[both grunt]
‐ He had this with him.
‐ He's gonna find me. He always does.
‐ Okay, Dr. Cohen, I need to examine you.
Is that all right? ‐ Of course.
All those know‐nothings out there,
spouting their ignorance. I listen to science.
‐ Okay, okay.
Can you move your head from side to side?
Good. Up and down?
‐ Mm. ‐ Great. C‐spine's clear.
‐ [sighs] He thinks he can fool me
with these disguises, but I see right through them.
‐ Okay, we're gonna roll you, all right?
‐ Ah. ‐ All right, ready? Roll.
‐ Whoa. ‐ Back.
‐ Ah.
‐ All right, tell me,
Dr. Cohen, where do you practice?
‐ I'm not a medical doctor. ‐ He has a Cole University ID.
‐ I run the neuroscience lab.
‐ Dr. Choi.
‐ Dr. Cohen, what are those?
‐ None of your business. Put those back. Please.
‐ All right, lungs are clear.
Let's add a tox screen to the standard blood work.
Also chest and pelvis X‐ray.
Dr. Cohen, I don't think you sustained
any serious injuries, but I'm gonna have
another doctor come in and talk to you, okay?
‐ Long as it's not Mason.
‐ No, his name is Dr. Charles,
and I think he can help you.
I'll check in on you a little later.
Stay here until Dr. Charles comes.
♪ ♪
‐ Thank you.
‐ Ah, you made it. ‐ Excellent.
‐ Ah, could I have a black, please?
‐ Sure. ‐ Thank you, ma'am.
‐ How's Auggie doing? ‐ Good.
‐ Yeah? ‐ He's good.
‐ And the adoption?
‐ It's good. All the paperwork is in,
and we had our first interview.
And I think it went well.
‐ Great, great. [laughs]
‐ Look who's here.
‐ Hey, son. ‐ Hey, Ma. Maggie.
‐ Michael. ‐ You scrubbing in today?
‐ Yeah, surgeon's implanting one of our shunts.
‐ Ah. ‐ Sure feels good to be back.
[both chuckle]
I gotta go, Ma. ‐ All right. Love you too.
‐ Good seeing you, Mag. ‐ Nice seeing you, Michael.
‐ Thank you.
‐ He's enthusiastic.
‐ Yeah, well, this past year
was pretty tough on him, huh? ‐ Mm.
‐ Getting furloughed and having to move back home.
Just when his life was really moving forward.
‐ Yeah, it's been like that for a lot of people.
‐ Yeah, I know, it's just that of all my children,
Michael's taken the longest to find himself.
He did not need this pandemic.
‐ Mm. ‐ I'll tell you, Maggie.
You never stop worrying about them.
No matter how old they get.
Their health, their happiness.
Still...
it's all worth it.
My children are the greatest joy in my life.
‐ You know, when I look at Auggie...
I know what you mean.
‐ [chuckles]
‐ Hey, Jim.
‐ Patient's injuries are all superficial,
so I'm downgrading and discharging him.
His name's definitely not Mason, though.
It's Beller. Doesn't even know anyone
named Mason, and he's never met that nutjob
who chased him into the street.
By the way, Ethan, you look like hell.
‐ [chuckles] Didn't sleep well last night.
‐ Well, told you being chief's no picnic.
‐ Yeah.
Hey. What do you make of Dr. Cohen?
‐ You know, I checked him out.
I mean, his credentials are totally legit.
I mean, he certainly knows more
about neuroscience than I ever will.
Have you been able to locate any of his family?
‐ A daughter. She's on her way in.
‐ Oh. Oh, good.
You know, far as I can tell, he is suffering
from one of the misidentification disorders.
I mean, there are several, but, you know,
basic idea is you look at somebody
and you genuinely believe they're somebody else.
‐ This Mason he keeps referring to.
‐ Right, a colleague, I guess,
who he thinks is out to destroy him.
I mean, look, he's clearly delusional.
Question is why? You know, what's causing it?
I mean, it can be physical‐‐ tumor, brain injury‐‐
but it can also be chemical.
‐ We're still waiting on the tox screen.
‐ Yeah, well, we should‐‐ we should start with that.
But be prepared to do a full work‐up.
‐ You got it. ‐ All right?
Are you okay, buddy?
‐ Yeah. ‐ Yeah?
‐ Yeah. ‐ Kay.
[apprehensive music]
♪ ♪
‐ You can wait down here. The CT won't be long.
He'll be back soon. ‐ Okay.
Don't worry.
You're the strongest person I know.
He swims 30 laps every day.
‐ Not every day. [coughs]
‐ Let's go.
‐ Dr. Marcel.
‐ Yeah.
‐ Ron is a very special person.
Before we met, I‐‐
I'd kinda given up on having a real relationship.
He's been a gift in my life.
‐ Look, we don't know if anything serious is going on.
We're just covering all our bases, okay?
‐ Okay.
‐ Don't worry.
♪ ♪
‐ Her electrolytes are slightly better,
but not much.
‐ My lights are bright.
‐ Honey, not lights. Electrolytes.
‐ There's been no significant change.
‐ Despite upping her diuretics and the saline?
And you haven't been able to determine
the cause of her symptoms?
‐ Still working on it.
‐ So it could be an adverse reaction to the medication.
‐ We don't even know if she's getting the medication.
‐ We need to unblind her then.
Find out. That's the protocol.
‐ Hold on, you know if we unblind her,
she'll be pulled from the trial.
She'll be taken off the medication,
which, in fact, might be helping her,
and we'll lose all her data.
I mean, besides, we don't even know
how Kender's safety board will react.
They might pause the trial altogether.
‐ I don't think that we have a choice, Will.
We need to find out if the medication is causing this.
‐ Sabeena, no one in the trial
has had symptoms like this.
I don't think it's the medication.
Give me a couple more hours to find an alternate diagnosis.
For her sake and for everyone else's.
Please.
‐ I'll give you to the end of the day.
But if her condition worsens‐‐ ‐ I know.
I know. Thanks.
‐ Scan's up.
‐ There's a mass.
‐ And enlarged lymph nodes.
Damn it.
‐ Second cancer in two days. ‐ [sighs]
There's a chance it could be sarcoidosis.
‐ Cold comfort. And highly unlikely.
No, we need an endobronchial ultrasound biopsy to confirm.
‐ Mason, you bastard.
You don't fool me! I know it's you!
‐ Careful.
Hey, hey! Get this guy away from me!
‐ Security! ‐ Dr. Charles!
‐ I told you he'd find me! ‐ Get back in bed.
‐ You didn't listen! ‐ Get back in bed!
‐ Please, Dr. Cohen, we're just trying to help you.
‐ Don't let him near me.
Don't‐‐don't let him near me! Keep him away!
‐ Keep who away? ‐ Mason!
That's him! That's Mason!
‐ I don't know what he's talking about.
‐ Liar! ‐ I just went in there
to restock the supplies. ‐ You see?
He won't leave me alone.
‐ Restraints, please. Nice and easy.
‐ When will he stop? When?
‐ 5 of Haldol, 2 of Ativan. ‐ Got it.
‐ It's horrible.
I can't go anywhere. I can't do anything.
He follows me everywhere.
Always out there.
‐ Remember when I said there were several
of these misidentification disorders?
‐ Yeah.
‐ I think we're dealing with Fregoli,
okay, which was named
for a 19th‐century quick change artist.
It's a delusion that somebody who is persecuting you
has the ability to change their appearance.
So at first he thought that Mason was Beller;
now, it's Doris. Whoa‐‐Ethan!
Ethan.
‐ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! ‐ Little help here?
‐ Ethan! ‐ Dr. Choi?
‐ Ethan. ‐ Let's lay him down.
All right. Ethan?
‐ Let's get a room.
‐ I'm on it. ‐ Ethan!
[voices echoing] Ethan, can you hear me?
♪ ♪
‐ [groans]
‐ Ethan, what's going on?
‐ I just need a minute to rest.
‐ Yeah, you think?
‐ 102.6. You're burning up.
‐ Start an IV, hang 1,000 Tylenol and fluids.
[suspenseful music]
‐ Dr. Charles.
He's had surgery.
‐ Ethan, what kind of procedure you have?
‐ Gallbladder.
‐ How long ago? How long ago?
‐ This morning. ‐ This morning?!
‐ Why aren't you still in recovery?
‐ I thought I could manage.
‐ Who's your surgeon?
‐ Hamad. East Mercy.
‐ He discharged you? ‐ No, I left.
‐ Dr. Charles, I found these on the floor.
‐ Cipro. ‐ It's no big deal.
‐ No big deal? ‐ You know you look septic?
Probably having some bile spillage.
Uh, these aren't gonna cut it.
Give him 1,000 of Rocephin and 500 of Flagyl.
‐ What made you do something so crazy?
‐ I just wanted to get back to work.
‐ Yeah, well, that's not gonna happen anytime soon, pal,
'cause we're gonna admit you.
‐ Do I understand this correctly?
He wakes up from anesthesia,
puts his clothes on, and comes back to work?
‐ It's just like Ethan.
♪ ♪
[machinery beeping]
‐ Oh, hang on. There's the mass.
Partially obstructing his bronchiole.
‐ It might just be the tip of the iceberg.
Switch to 3‐D.
See how far into the wall it goes.
‐ It extends to the parenchyma.
‐ Not unexpected.
Capturing image.
[computer beeps]
1.2 centimeters.
‐ Forceps coming.
‐ Nice and easy.
Good. Open.
And close.
Thank you.
‐ Run it to Pathology.
‐ On its way.
‐ Hey. You hear about Ethan?
‐ Yeah, pretty crazy. Poor guy.
Look, I gotta leave for about an hour.
I need you to cover for me.
‐ What about Mrs. Johnson? ‐ It's for Mrs. Johnson.
I know the chemical structure of the trial medication.
I'm taking her blood to an outside lab
to see if it contains the drug's signature.
That way, we will know if she's on it or not.
‐ Hold on, you're unblinding her
without the company knowing? You cannot do that.
‐ April, I do not think her condition
was caused by the drug.
But I need to know one way or the other if she's on it.
If she's not, that'll‐‐ that'll narrow things down
and help me look for the real cause of the symptoms.
‐ Yeah, but keeping the company out of the loop,
unblinding her on the sly?
If Kender learns about this,
they will fire you from the trial.
‐ And if Kender unblinds her,
they'll pause the trial altogether.
‐ Is that what this is about? Protecting the trial?
‐ I'm protecting our patients.
Look at Mr. Booker. How well he's doing.
I'm not willing to risk him losing this medication.
Are you?
Okay then.
‐ Hi.
So we have some news.
Um, the mass we discovered in the CT,
we biopsied it. It is malignant.
‐ Cancer? ‐ Yeah.
Squamous cell carcinoma.
‐ Are you sure?
‐ The good news is it's 1.2 centimeters.
Not very big.
It's resectable, so we can take it out.
‐ The tumor predisposed you to the pneumonia,
which is actually kind of a blessing
because it allowed us to find the tumor
before it grew larger.
‐ So what happens now?
‐ We take Ron into surgery, and I remove the mass.
Hopefully, the lymph nodes are minimally involved.
‐ Yeah.
In the meantime, we'll loop in Oncology.
You know, after surgery, you may need to start
a course of chemo, maybe radiation.
[apprehensive music]
‐ Hey.
‐ Who knew pneumonia could be a good thing?
[both chuckle]
‐ All this really necessary?
‐ Oh, don't you worry, we'll have you
back on your feet in a jiffy.
‐ Dr. C, check your iPad.
Richard Cohen's tox screen just came in,
and his daughter's here. ‐ Thanks, Hank.
So as far as you know,
your dad has no history of mental illness?
‐ No. Never. ‐ Right.
His test did not indicate a physical cause
for his mental state, which makes it much more likely
that it was chemically induced.
Um, which brings us to these.
‐ Oh, no.
‐ Yeah, even with a tox screen,
we weren't able to identify most of them,
and I was hoping that you might be able
to help us out with that. ‐ Some of them.
It's my dad's own cocktail.
Uh, Brahmi, Phenibut, L‐Carnitine,
piracetam, ginkgo.
He's always adding more, so I don't know what else.
‐ Uh‐huh. So those are supplements
that supposedly have a nootropic effect.
They increase cognitive function.
Do you think your‐‐ your pop might be worried
that he's losing his faculties?
‐ No. My father's a brilliant man.
He got his PhD when he was 22.
But he's always looked to improve his mental capacity.
He said these were safe.
‐ Theoretically, but you know, when taken together
with all of his other medications,
it is possible they could have caused,
you know, a psychotic break.
‐ What? Psychotic? ‐ I know it's a scary word,
but it's really just another medical term
for delusion, you know, and I've given him
something to calm him down,
and when these leave his system,
we really should see a change.
You know, most of his delusions
have been focused on somebody named Mason.
Do you know who that is
or why he might be afraid of him?
‐ There's no reason at all.
Dr. Mason was a colleague.
He was chair of the department before my dad.
But he had an aneurism a year ago.
Dr. Mason is dead.
[suspenseful music]
‐ Please keep me posted on Dr. Choi's condition,
and let me know when they get him a room
on the medical floor.
‐ Dr. Abrams, I'm really sorry if I overstepped.
‐ Overstepped. That's a generous assessment.
‐ Dr. Abrams. Something wrong?
‐ I've handled it.
‐ Please. Tell me.
‐ He's coaching me on a stent‐‐
which is insulting in and of itself‐‐
but then he has the temerity to try to upsell me
on a new spinalscope.
‐ He tried to upsell you during an operation?
‐ Look, I‐‐ I know he's your son,
but I can't say that I would welcome him back to my O. R.
♪ ♪
‐ I just got Mrs. Johnson's blood work back.
She's on the medication.
‐ [sighs] What are you gonna do?
‐ I'm gonna have to let Virani officially unblind her.
They'll probably stop the trial.
‐ I'm sorry.
‐ Yeah. [alarm beeping]
‐ It's Mrs. Johnson.
‐ What's wrong with her? ‐ She's having a seizure.
‐ 5 of Ativan.
‐ Why's this happening?
‐ Likely from low sodium.
It causes swelling of the brain.
‐ Can't you do something for her?
‐ Believe me, we're trying.
[alarm blaring]
Everything we've done‐‐ diuretics, hypertonic saline‐‐
her sodium shouldn't still be this low.
Nobody else is having symptoms like this in the trial.
What am I missing?
There is one possibility.
With your permission, I'd like to send your wife
for a CT scan of her head.
‐ What about talking to Dr. Virani?
‐ Let's do this first. ‐ You sure?
‐ Yes. Mr. Johnson,
do I have your permission?
Mr. Johnson.
‐ If you think it'll help, yes.
‐ Let Radiology know we're coming up.
♪ ♪
[machinery beeping]
‐ Well?
‐ This is Mrs. Johnson's scan.
‐ Okay.
‐ And this is a hypothalamic lesion.
‐ A tumor. ‐ I mean, it's small,
but it's pressing on the pituitary.
[suspenseful music]
Which explains her low sodium.
‐ That's what caused her seizure.
‐ And not the trial medication.
If‐‐if she's on it.
‐ This is great news for us.
But what about Mrs. Johnson?
‐ Once we correct the lesion,
pituitary function should go back to normal.
‐ So we won't need to unblind her.
‐ No. I don't think it's necessary.
‐ I mean, that is such a relief.
Congratulations.
This was an incredible catch.
♪ ♪
‐ All right. Got the bleeding under control.
‐ Path says the margins are clean on the resected mass.
‐ Where are we with the level 4 nodes?
[iPad dings] I'd like to wrap this up.
‐ Hold on. I just received something.
They're seeing cancerous, undifferentiated cells.
‐ [sighs] ‐ Adenosquamous in appearance.
‐ Damn it.
‐ Have you located the level 7 nodes?
‐ Yeah. ‐ And?
‐ Doesn't look great.
I'm going after 'em.
Get Path on standby.
‐ Will, you know what we did was wrong.
‐ But we did it for the right reasons.
And it didn't affect the trial. It all worked out.
‐ It did all work out.
Behind Dr. Virani's back.
Are you ever gonna tell her?
‐ You know, you're right. [elevator dings]
I should.
[knock at door] ‐ Come in.
Hey. ‐ Hey, Ma. What's up?
‐ Uh, I need your help, Michael.
‐ Sure.
‐ You know, it's my job to try to make sure
this hospital's run smoothly, which isn't always easy,
given different people's demands and their egos.
‐ So what can I do?
‐ I need you to just be a little more aware.
‐ Aware?
‐ In the O. R.
You know, surgeons are a particular kinda breed.
Some of them can be easily offended.
‐ This is about Abrams.
He was using an outmoded piece of equipment.
I was just trying to help the guy.
‐ That's not the point.
I can't have my medical reps upselling during a procedure.
‐ If that's what he told you I was doing, I was not.
‐ It doesn't matter.
That's how he interpreted it.
‐ I'm trying so hard to get back on my feet.
Would it be too much to ask
for you to back me up just a little?
‐ Listen to me.
This isn't about you.
It's about hospital protocol.
Michael.
[door slams]
‐ So your daughter is here to see you.
But I thought it might be a good idea
if we just had a little‐‐ a little chat first.
‐ I have a grant proposal to write.
Have to finish my paper on cortical mapping.
‐ I promise you I won't take up too much of your time.
‐ And the faculty evaluation.
If I don't keep up, you know what's gonna happen.
‐ You know, I don't.
‐ He's gonna get my job.
‐ Who's gonna get the job? Uh, Dr. Mason?
‐ He published 10 papers a year,
but 3 more, and I'll have 11. ‐ Right.
So you feel like you're in competition with Dr. Mason.
‐ He had my job before. He wants it back.
‐ Right.
Uh, you do know that he's dead, don't you?
‐ If I get the R01, that'll really show him.
‐ Dr. Cohen, look at me. Look at me.
‐ You know, he's not as brilliant as people say.
‐ Dr. Mason died a year ago.
He's dead.
‐ No. No. He's out there.
‐ No.
Dr. Mason died a year ago.
From a brain aneurism. He's dead.
[solemn music]
♪ ♪
‐ He's dead?
I‐‐I have to do better.
‐ Why? ‐ I‐‐I‐‐
I have to. I just have to.
‐ Is it you don't think that you're as good as Dr. Mason?
Why is it that you‐‐ you don't deserve his job?
That despite all of your qualifications,
all your success, that‐‐ that still, deep down,
you feel, I guess, inadequate? Professionally?
‐ [voice breaking] I work so hard.
So tired.
‐ I can only imagine.
You know, Dr. Cohen, I have looked in your CV,
and from all the evidence I see,
you are much, much more than adequate.
And you don't need to compete with anybody.
Alive or dead.
♪ ♪
‐ Good night, Michael.
‐ Michael.
‐ Good night, Mag.
‐ You know, I was so happy when Kender placed him here.
And now I think it might have been better for both of us
if he'd been assigned to another hospital.
‐ What happened?
‐ [sighs] We argued.
I tried to talk to him about surgical protocols.
I had to.
He took it personally.
Michael so much wants to please me.
To make me proud.
He always has.
So I'm the one that can hurt him the most.
[chuckles]
♪ ♪
‐ Hi, Ron.
I'm sorry. We wish we had better news.
‐ So analysis of the samples we sent to Pathology...
[clears throat] show a very aggressive cancer
which, unfortunately, has metastasized.
‐ We'll test the samples
to determine your best chemo options.
‐ But given the nature of your cancer,
we, uh, we're afraid it won't respond.
‐ We're so sorry.
‐ This is a...
Question I didn't think
I'd be asking this morning, but, um...
How...
How long do I have?
‐ [sobbing] No. No.
‐ I need to know.
How long?
‐ We can't really know for sure.
‐ Maybe a year.
♪ ♪
[thermometer beeps] ‐ 99.4.
Temperature's down.
How are you feeling?
‐ I'm all right. Turnover rate wasn't bad today.
‐ Oh, well, that's a relief.
Ethan, this could've been a lot worse for you.
‐ Thanks for coming by.
[knock at door]
‐ Oh.
Nurse Sexton, guess what? It's official.
By orders of Ms. Goodwin,
Dr. Choi here is on forced sick leave.
‐ [sighs] ‐ Good.
‐ Gonna have to confiscate that iPad, buddy.
‐ Oh, come on. ‐ Okay, just turn it off.
So look, you'll be happy to hear
that Dr. Cohen's coming out of it.
‐ Good. ‐ Yeah.
Buddy. What the hell?
‐ [sighs] Okay.
I realize I shouldn't have come back so soon
after my operation.
‐ Why do you think you did that?
‐ I'm the chief of the ED.
I have a greater responsibility.
‐ You've talked about that. I mean,
what exactly does that mean?
‐ I have to work harder than anyone.
‐ Huh. It's funny.
Dr. Cohen was just saying exactly the same thing.
In his case, it was about proving
that he was better than his predecessor.
‐ I'm not Dr. Cohen. ‐ Of course, you're not.
But I mean, isn't that something?
I mean, this guy, what's really driving him,
despite all of his success, all of his achievements,
is that he just‐‐he didn't feel like he measured up.
‐ So you're just sharing an observation
about a patient? ‐ Yeah.
Here's the ironic part.
It's often the people who are the very best
at what they do who feel the most inadequate.
Look, you have everything you need?
The right flavor Jell‐O?
‐ I'm good. ‐ Okay.
I'll check back on you.
‐ Thanks, Dr. Charles.
‐ Any time.
‐ I'll be back first thing tomorrow.
‐ [yawns] Okay.
‐ Bring you breakfast?
‐ Mm‐mm. I'll get something here.
[phone dings] Oh.
It's Goodwin.
She wants to see us in her office.
‐ Now.
‐ Yeah.
Come on.
[apprehensive music]
[knock at door]
‐ Hey.
You haven't checked Auggie's
Heredity and Me site recently, have you?
‐ I mean, once we got the transplant,
we didn't see the need. ‐ Why?
‐ Turns out he has a brother in California.
‐ A brother? ‐ His name is Keshawn.
He's four years older.
His adoptive parents contacted the hospital‐‐and me‐‐
when you didn't respond to their post.
Are you up to meeting them?
Ah, Maxine and Antoine Carter,
uh, Maggie Lockwood and Ben Campbell.
The couple we spoke about.
They're in the process of adopting Auggie.
‐ We can't tell you what this means to Keshawn.
‐ When the boys went into foster care,
Keshawn was five.
He remembered that he had a little brother,
and he always hoped to find him.
‐ With your permission,
we can fly out so the boys can meet.
‐ Oh, um. Of course.
‐ Auggie'll be thrilled.
‐ That's great. Thank you. ‐ Thank you.
♪ ♪
[knock at door]
‐ Come in.
‐ Dr. Choi?
‐ Dr. Virani.
‐ I was there when you took ill.
‐ Ah. I'm sorry you had to see that.
‐ No, please.
I just wanted to see how you were doing.
‐ I'm fine. Thank you.
‐ You're one of those never‐say‐die types.
‐ I guess.
‐ I get it.
Good night.
‐ Good night.
‐ Sabeena.
‐ Hi.
I was just checking on Dr. Choi.
‐ Ah, that's what I was coming to do.
How is he?
‐ On the mend.
‐ Good.
Listen, you should know...
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
There's a restaurant in my neighborhood
opening up in a couple of weeks
for those that have gotten vaccinated.
What do you say? You wanna check it out?
‐ I'd like that.
‐ Great.
Okay.
Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow.
‐ I'll see you tomorrow.
[elevator dings]
‐ Hey, Crockett. ‐ Hey.
‐ Don't go just yet. Um.
Ron and Tim need us to be witnesses.
At their wedding.
‐ Wedding? ‐ Yeah.
‐ Here. Now.
‐ I mean, do they‐‐
do they understand what they're in for?
‐ Yeah, I think they do.
I mean, best as they can.
‐ Yeah, but watching someone you love suffer?
And you're helpless to do anything, you know?
And after, uh...
The empty bed, the silence.
All that? I don't know.
‐ Yeah.
I get it, but it's worth it, isn't it?
‐ All right. ‐ Come on. Let's go.
[solemn music]
‐ Thanks so much for coming. We really appreciate it.
‐ It's not the most romantic setting...
‐ [chuckles]
‐ But we didn't wanna waste a minute.
‐ I understand.
‐ But we decided we'd spend
whatever time I have left...
Together.
‐ When you love someone...
So what if it's only a year?
‐ You take what you can get.
‐ Shall we begin?
This ceremony affirms your scared bond with...
♪ ♪
‐ ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
[Crockett and Natalie laughing]
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
‐ She loved frosting.
‐ I can see that.
Ooh, it looks good on her too.
‐ Should've seen what she could do
with a bowl of spaghetti.
‐ Oh. Oh!
[both laughing]
[wolf howling]