- [ Horns honking ] - Coping mechanisms.
We all have them.
Just ask any New Yorker.
We need them to get through the day...
♪
...to keep our heads up...
to deal with our traumas...
both physical...
and emotional.
♪
Sometimes our trauma causes us to seek solitude.
♪
While, other times, it causes us to examine ourselves...
- [ Sobbing ]
- ...opening us up to connecting with others,
even if-- especially if-- we also fear it.
- It's honestly so chaotic.
They're rebooting the third sequel but calling it a prequel?
- Mm-hmm.
That is so wild. Wow.
- So... that was my morning.
30 minutes of doom-scrolling
with a side of espresso... and a Benzo.
- [ Chuckles ] - Wait. Girl. Are you not here?
- Hmm?
- Sometimes the ghosts that haunt us can be seen by others.
And other times, our ghosts are visible only to ourselves.
[ Gunfire and explosions ]
[ High-pitched ringing ]
[ Explosions ]
- Mr. Hill? - [ Gasps ]
[ High-pitched ringing stops ]
- You ready?
♪
- I'm Dr. Pierce. Welcome to Bronx General.
- Vertical eye movements are still intact, consistent
with an injury that spared the mid-brain tectum.
Good morning, sir.
- [ Breathing heavily ] - Slept through your alarm?
- I got caught up doing research.
I lost track of time. I'm so sorry.
- Based on our exam and his last EEG,
it appears that our John Doe is suffering
from Locked-In Syndrome.
It's a rare condition that happens
when part of the brain stem is permanently damaged.
- Often due to a stroke, which we know John Doe had.
- Correct. LIS leaves patients
completely paralyzed in all their limbs.
He can't talk or communicate
except through vertical eye movements.
- Which suggests that JD's cognitive abilities
are still intact.
- It's just like the Martin Pistorius case.
He understood everything that his family was saying to him.
He just didn't have a way to respond.
- If we're right, John Doe has been
in a very lonely place for a very long time.
- Wolf: [Muffled] Based on our exam and his last EEG,
it appears that our John Doe is suffering
from Locked-In Syndrome...
- What about you, Dr. Markus?
Any observations you'd care to add?
- Um... no. Nothing.
But I'll let you know if I have any gut feelings.
- Please do.
[ Knock on door ] - Wolf?
Mind if I steal you? I could use an assist.
- John Doe's eyes are his voice now.
There's somebody behind them.
Our job is to find out who.
So, who's your patient?
- His name is Steve Hill. He's a veteran. Marine Corps.
Suffers from severe anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts.
- Not uncommon in your department.
- Except near the end of our session,
he told me he's been seeing ghosts--
of people he served with.
- A "Haunted Marine."
- It feels that way, yes. His wife is on her way.
Maybe she can give us some background and history,
help us figure out where these "ghosts" are coming from.
- Here, babe. I got you.
I told her she didn't need to come.
Last thing I need is for my wife to go into labor on the Six.
- Well, worse things have happened on the subway.
- [ Chuckles ] - I wanted to be here.
Steve's been struggling since he got home from his deployment.
- A lot of days, I'm fine, but then there are days
when I go to lace my shoes and I just...
I break down. It's not pretty.
Anna's got enough to deal with.
I want to be a help to her, not a burden.
- Well, the fact that you're here seeking answers
tells me that you are not a burden.
Uh, what's in there?
- My medical records.
I've got everything documented.
- Yeah, well, I see you've been to the VA.
Were there any help at all?
- Um, they gave him some meds
for anxiety and depression,
but he didn't like how they made him feel, so he stopped.
- I don't want to go back there.
- Um...
When you break down, are there any physical symptoms?
Headache, heart palpitations, blurry vision?
- Sometimes. A bit more lately.
- Tell me about these visions you've been experiencing lately.
- Wait. What "visions"?
- Nothing to worry about, babe. Uh...
You know I just said bye to Aiden.
W-We served together.
His funeral was last week.
It's been... painful. That's all.
- How far along are you, Mrs. Hill?
- Um, 34 weeks.
I am so ready. - We both are. [ Chuckles ]
- Your first? - Yeah.
- Steve told me he wanted kids on our first date.
- And she didn't ghost me, believe it or not.
[ Laughs ] I've always wanted to be a dad.
And this stuff on my mind,
I want to get it under control before our son is born.
- Well, we're here to help, and the first step
is determining a correct diagnosis.
- He's clearly withholding something to protect his wife,
but based off his symptoms, my first thought was PTSD.
That would explain his hypervigilance, his insomnia,
his intrusive thoughts,
his grief over losing his friend Aiden.
It's very common for people with PTSD to relive trauma
Can make you feel like you're living in the past
and the present all at the same time.
Kind of like someone I know.
- Okay, the VA already treated him for PTSD--
trauma-based CBT, EMDR, exposure therapy,
multiple SSRIs, even prazosin.
What if PTSD is only part of the story?
It doesn't account for all of his symptoms, namely his delusions.
Remember-- he's been seeing ghosts.
- PTSD could be present in an underlying neurological issue,
like a tumor or-- or hydrocephalus.
- He hasn't had a recent MRI, but at least his CT scans
didn't show anything too concerning.
It can be an episode from psychosis
due to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
- His age is a little unusual for a schizophrenic first break.
No history of mania.
Uh, what about frontotemporal dementia?
- It could be early enough that he's not showing any of the telltale signs.
- Well, all possibilities. We need more data.
Ericka and Jacob, track down
his military history, anyone who served with Steve.
Look into this Aiden fellow, see if he was treated for similar symptoms.
In order to understand Steve's present condition,
we need to know his past. Go.
- And I'll talk to Josh, see if he has any ideas.
- You talk to Josh?
[ Door opens and closes ]
- Yes. I do. He's my friend.
- Oh, but by "friend," you mean colleague,
like you share a cold, exacting,
professional connection with him?
- [ Laughs ] Unlike you,
I actually enjoy the company of other people.
And... I happen to know that he was in the military.
- Well...
♪
- Why you never call my Paulina?
Every time I come for dialysis, I tell you--
my granddaughter is single, smart.
Looks like a Russian Megan Fox.
Good genes.
Like her Babushka.
- I'm-- I'm sure Pauline is lovely.
It's just I-I really don't have time to date.
- [ Scoffs ] Your generation
doesn't know how to have fun anymore!
- How many times, Mrs. Petrov?
You cannot smoke in a hospital!
-Dr. Warner...
[ Indistinct conversations ]
- So... what was up with you and Wolf earlier?
- I-I don't know what you're referring to.
- Don't gaslight me, Ben. He went out of his way
to get your take on John Doe.
Why are you suddenly his favorite?
Oh, my God! You're sleeping with Wolf!
- What?! No. No. No. I--
He-- He asked for my opinion
because he recently diagnosed me
with Mirror-Touch Synesthesia.
- Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow!
You have Mirror-Touch? Hah!
So all those times when you were freaking out
in front of patients...
you were just feeling what they were feeling.
This makes so much sense!
Did you know that MTS only impacts 1.6% of the population?
Van, you basically have a superpower!
- Yeah, well, it feels more like a super curse, okay?
And if I'm being honest,
I'm still processing what it all means.
- Hmm.
Have you ever noticed that you can't spell "Dana"
without the letters N-D-A?
I will take this to my grave.
♪
- Thank you?
♪
[ Explosion ]
♪
[ Siren wails ]
♪
- Dr. Wolf? What are you doing here?
- Steve. How are you? I came to check in on you.
- Doctors don't just show up at people's places of work.
- I do. Um, I realize my methods are a little unorthodox,
but too many doctors treat symptoms, not people.
So...
Um, you left this with me.
I wanted to bring it back to you.
I hope you don't mind. I took a look inside.
And what I found was very impressive.
- Really? - Absolutely.
I wish all my patients were as prepared as you.
- [ Chuckles ]
- Did anyone follow you here?
- Uh, no, no. I don't think so. Why?
Do you think someone's following you?
- They already came for Aiden. Now they're coming for me next.
- Um...
Steve, is there anything you didn't tell us earlier?
Something you didn't want to say in front of your wife?
- I'm sorry, Dr. Wolf.
You should go. We're about to close.
- Anything that you share with me stays between us.
Doctor-patient confidentiality. You're safe. You can trust me.
♪
- See this?
Nano chips. Developed by DARTA.
And look here.
They say it's to track our health,
but it's all a lie.
The military put a microchip in my head to control me.
It's malfunctioning, making me see things.
The VA won't take responsibility. No one will.
That's why I came to you.
I need you to help me. I need you to take it out.
[ Clicking ]
- It's normal. There's no chip. - Obviously.
- There are no signs of intracranial lesion
or a process that could explain his hallucinations.
- So how much longer do we go along with him?
He deserves to know the truth, right?
- No, not necessarily.
Think of Steve as a man
who's been adrift at sea for weeks, starving.
One might think what he needs is a feast...
- But that'd put his system in shock.
It's too much too fast. - Yeah, exactly.
If we're not careful, our patient could go
from paranoid delusions to full psychosis.
- So we ease him back to reality?
- Yeah. Let's admit him. And your job is to keep him calm.
Be sure we don't lose his trust.
Believe me, I've seen what paranoia can do to people.
- Did you know forests contain 60,000 different tree species,
80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species,
and 68% of the world's mammals?
- We can hunt some of them with your grandpa's rifle here.
You know, when I was your age, he taught me
how to use this thing.
Today I'm gonna teach you.
- There's this rare calcite
that grows by concave riverbeds. - [ Chuckles ]
- Think we can hunt for that instead?
- Of course.
We'll scout crystals for your collection.
Don't worry.
- [ Indistinct conversation ] - [ Twig snaps ]
- [ Man imitates bird cawing ] - [ Woman laughs ]
- Get down. Get down. - What's wrong?
What is it? - Those-- Those hikers.
[ Woman speaking indistinctly ]
They're following us.
Okay. Stay down. Keep quiet.
[ Hikers speaking indistinctly ]
[ Knock on door ]
[ Door opens ]
- Hi. Jacob and I reached out to the VA about Steve's unit,
and one of their people wants to talk to you.
Her name's Dr. Jordana Moore.
- I-I don't know how to use this.
- N-No. She's-- She's actually here.
- Oh. Uh...
[ Receiver hangs up ]
- I knew Steve personally.
He went through basic training when I was a camp medic.
Didn't stay in touch, but I always liked him.
- What was he like back then?
- Let's just say some lead by rank,
others lead by example.
Steve was exemplary.
- "Was." So what changed?
- I wish I knew.
When he came to us after his deployment,
we did everything we could to help.
And one day, he just refused further treatment
for his delusions, said he didn't trust us anymore.
He stopped coming after that.
Turns out he sees us as the enemy.
- Well, I can understand Steve as a Black man
being concerned about his care.
Who's treating him now? - Nobody.
He lost his benefits after he was
other-than-honorably discharged.
He was threatening to disclose military secrets online.
The DoD cannot tolerate that.
- Well, it's no stretch to say that Steve was traumatized in some way.
Who's to say what he saw on the front lines?
- Steve was never on the front lines.
He never got within 10 miles of a battle, period.
- What kind of military action did he participate in?
- I can't disclose that information.
Military protocol.
As Steve found out the hard way,
we take our confidentiality very seriously.
I wish the best for Steve. I really do.
But my hands are tied.
♪
- Okay. Let's keep this simple.
Look up for "yes" and look down for "no."
Can you feel if you understands? And can you feel
how weird I feel asking you to feel his feelings?
- No. And I regret telling you anything.
- Tell us. Can you hear me?
- [ Exhales sharply ]
Can you tell us-- are you in pain?
- Do you know where you are?
Oh. - Okay. Let's ask him again
to make sure he's answering correctly.
- Um, tell me again. Can you hear me?
- Are you in pain, sir?
- JD, can you look up?
- I think he's feeling anxious.
- What you're feeling is me-- all the time.
Welcome to my amygdala.
- [ Siren wails ] - I got some intel.
My Navy buddy couldn't give me much.
As expected, the military is pretty buttoned-up,
but I was able to find out a little,
and it turns out that Dr. Moore was right.
- Steve and his unit never saw any combat?
- It's a relatively new strategy--
minimize the number of soldiers on the ground
while units like Steve's pound the enemy with artillery fire.
- So he was miles away from the front lines.
- Which is why he and his unit
never suffered any combat-related injuries.
Not one single casualty during their deployment.
And, yet, since returning home...
- What?
- It wasn't just Aiden Miller.
More than half the unit is dead.
Some from unintended drug overdose,
but others by suicide.
- Hi, babe. - How you doing?
- How'd it go? - Dr. Warner...
- Something happened to him.
- Something happened to all of them.
- We have a normal MRI. - With severe delusions.
- But their unit was decimated by something.
I mean, the rate of descent-- it's like it's
Lewy Body Dementia, early-onset Alzheimer's.
It almost reminds me of some former football players I've seen.
If I didn't know better, I'd say Steve was suffering from CTE.
- What'd you say?
- Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
- Yeah, no, I know what CTE is, Wolf.
It's just that that's a sound theory. That would explain a lot.
- Mood swings, cognitive impairment, paranoia.
But he wasn't an athlete.
He was never in a serious accident.
If he was never in combat, how is CTE possible?
- I want to show you something.
[ Gunshot ]
I'm gonna assume you've never handled one of these before?
- Uh, no. - Okay. Safety 101.
Always treat the gun as if it's loaded.
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
And always keep your finger off the trigger
till you're ready to shoot, okay?
- I'm really seeing the military in you now.
What was that like?
- It was good for me.
Whipped me into shape when I needed it.
Forced me out of the house, away from my parents.
And, um, I got really close with a lot of the guys.
One in particular.
- What about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"?
- Not ideal.
But, um, we found a way to make it work.
- Okay.
- That's right. Just gonna put your thumb...
There you go. Okay. Now put the front sight on the target.
Bracket it by the rear sight.
Okay. Squeeze the trigger.
- The impact. The shock.
It's like a blast wave through my arms.
- Now imagine that from a gun a thousand times bigger,
100 times a day, every day for months.
- So Steve's brain injury wasn't caused
by enemy blast exposure, but by firing his own weapon.
- It's a theory... that we can only confirm
by analyzing Steve's brain postmortem.
Thankfully, our patient is still alive.
- But there were others who weren't so lucky.
Let's call Carol.
- Thank you, Mrs. Miller, for having us.
We're grateful to the two of you for taking the time.
- That must be Aiden.
From what I understand, he was very good friends
with our patient, Steve Hill?
- Well, he mentioned Steve a few times.
Making friends came easy to Aiden.
Overseas, the men he served with were like brothers.
It wasn't until he came home we noticed a change.
- He grew paranoid. He was convinced he was being watched.
VA got him into therapy, but he became combative.
He was other-than-honorably discharged
after assaulting his therapist.
We thought school would help, but on orientation day...
Aiden never came downstairs.
- Hm.
- The love you had-- still have for Aiden is palpable.
I know healing will take a lot more time,
but we want to help you get answers.
- Have you heard of CTE?
- What's that have to do with my son?
- Well, I believe that there was an element
to Aden's daily duties as a soldier that exposed his brain
to the repeated micro-traumas necessary to develop CTE.
And with your permission, we would like
to exhume Aiden's body to study his brain
and to find out for sure what really happened.
- We just buried our son, and you want to dig him up.
- Steve is suffering the way Aiden was-- paranoia, delusions.
We want to help him, but we need more information.
CTE can only be properly diagnosed after death,
and Aiden's is the only brain we have access to.
He's the only member of his unit
that was not given a military burial.
So, in a sense,
his dishonorable discharge was a gift.
- A gift? Aiden was a third-generation Marine.
If his grandfather-- The answer is no.
- You-- My-- My colleague meant no offense.
I know you would give anything to have him back.
All we're trying to do is give another family
a fighting chance at a different fate.
I promise you. This was-- is-- our last resort.
- Aiden's brain holds the answers
for our patient and for you.
I imagine closure is something Aiden would want.
♪
- Traveling outside of your neighborhood,
taking public transportation, driving yourself?
- I can do all that. No problem.
- Okay. Um... I need your answers
in the form of a number-- zero to three--
three meaning these things are impossible for you to do without help.
- Zero, I guess. I-I don't need help getting around.
- Okay, well, what about managing finances?
Paying bills, tracking expenses, that sort of thing?
- Zero. Some days, maybe one.
What's all this about, Doc?
- The purpose of this survey is to better understand
how you're doing at home, what's going well, what's not.
And then by comparing your answers with patients who have had brain injuries
like chronic traumatic encephalopathy...
- Um... - ...which you might know as CTE--
- Hold on. Hold on. CTE?
You mean what football players get?
I asked you to take a microchip out of my brain.
That was the deal!
- We looked into your friend, Lance Corporal Aiden Miller.
[ Man screams ]
[ High-pitched ringing ]
Steve...
Before he died, he was complaining
of symptoms similar to yours.
And with his family's cooperation,
we're able to examine his brain.
If he had CTE...
there's a chance you might, too.
I-I realize that sounds incredibly scary,
but I promise, the more we know, the more we can help you.
♪
- It's called the fire triangle. Heat, fuel, and oxygen.
And to get the best fire, you have to balance
all three elements.
I'm gonna get us some more fuel.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
- Dad! What are you doing?!
- Protecting us from them. The hikers.
They can see the smoke.
Oh, this. This is why I stopped taking my meds.
So I could feel more alert. So I could protect you.
You haven't told your mom about any of this?
About my medication?
- No. I promise.
- Okay.
I know I can always count on you.
[ Rapid beeping ]
- Attention. Code Green. Attention. Code Green.
- Code Green? - You don't think it's...
- Dr. Wolf! Dr. Wolf, It's Steve!
He's locked himself in the room. - And he's refusing to come out.
- Dr. Wolf, he has a scalpel in his hand!
- I can't get in. - He's barricaded the door.
- Steve, it's Dr. Wolf.
Uh, I want to help, but I can't from out here. Can I come in?
- You said you would help me, Dr. Wolf!
They've gotten to you, too!
- No, no. Nobody's gotten to me, Steve.
If you let me in, you're getting just me.
I promise. You can trust me.
- I can't trust any of you.
This is my only option.
I have to take the chip out myself.
- Steve, no, no, no, no, no, no. Please let me help you.
- You wanna help? Start by telling me where to cut!
- Open the door, please.
I have nothing to do with the chip in your head.
- Then why won't you take it out?
- Because it's not my area of expertise.
- [ Groans ]
- But I do know a lot about your brain,
and right now your amygdala is working overtime--
if you want to think of that as the chip.
It controls the fear and the anger response.
But I want to help you tap into your prefrontal cortex,
t-the logic side of your brain.
One way we can do that is by using simple math.
How far along is your wife?
- Uh, 34 weeks.
- 34 divided by 4. What is that?
- Eight and a half.
- So that means in six weeks, give or take,
you're gonna be a dad!
Steve, that's spectacular!
W-What are you having again?
- A boy. - A boy.
Steve, listen to me. In six weeks,
I want you to be in that hospital room
holding your wife's hand through every contraction.
I want your whole heart to break open
when you lay eyes on your little boy for the first time.
And when you see his tiny, perfect face,
I want you to promise that you're gonna take care of him
for the rest of your life.
That's what I want for you, Steve, for your family.
But none of that is gonna happen
if you don't put that scalpel down
and open this door right now.
♪
[ Steve grunting ]
[ Lock clicking ]
- Stand down. Stand down.
- We're going to take care of you.
- Copy that. Confirm. Stand down.
[ Woman on P.A. speaking indistinctly ]
[ Siren wails ]
- [ Sighs ]
- Dr. Beck to Pediatrics. - Dr. Beck to Pediatrics.
[ Knock on door ]
- Hey. Excited for the EMG on Mr. Allen?
Wolf said we could take the lead.
- You know, I'm actually feeling a migraine coming on.
Mind if I tap out?
- Sure.
You know I'm happy to have those needles to myself.
- [ Sighs ]
- You know, if you ever want to talk about anything...
- Look. I'm fine, Ericka.
It's just a headache.
♪
- I just reviewed the slides with pathology.
It's all here. The results are definitive.
It's CTE. Look.
This stain indicates
an abnormal accumulation of tau protein.
- That's a lot of red. - This is not the news we wanted.
- But it can help us help Steve.
- [ Knock on door ] - Sorry to interrupt.
Uh, Mrs. Hill is looking for Steve.
- Oh, uh, of course.
He's just in Room 237 under observation.
- No, he's not. I checked. I've looked everywhere.
- Okay. Um...
Don't worry. I'll find him.
♪
- If I have to ask one more patient to follow my finger...
Anything? - Not looking so good.
Why don't you see for yourself?
- Well...
His eye movements were more responsive yesterday.
If he had one stroke that caused this, he could have another.
Or he could be brewing a new infection.
Anything happen last night?
- His vitals are stone-cold normal.
White count isn't up No fever.
And, yet, he's less responsive somehow.
Question is why.
- Should we get another scan?
Cover empirically with antibiotics?
- No, I don't think he's sick.
But maybe he's giving up?
He had a little spark of life
with his field trip with Ericka and Jacob,
and now it's wearing off?
[ Mrs. Petrov shouting in Russian ]
- Did you see that?
[ Mrs. Petrov shouting in Russian ]
- Mrs. Petrov.
Maybe he misses his g-grandmother.
- Yeah, or maybe she's speaking his language.
- [ Muttering ] - Mrs. Petrov?
We need your help-- translating for a patient.
- Hmm.
♪
- Okay.
[ Horns honking ]
- Brought you a bacon, egg, and cheese if you're hungry.
- [ Chuckles ]
- Where did you sleep last night?
- The Reading Room has a couch.
Sorry I went AWOL last night.
I just couldn't be in the hospital anymore,
and it didn't feel right going home.
I want to be there for Anna and the baby,
but I'm no good like this as a husband and a dad.
- You know my dad had ghosts, too?
Symptoms similar to yours.
And, yet, I wish he was in my life today.
This is not your fault.
The postmortem came back on Aiden,
and he had CTE, as suspected,
which means that there's a good chance
you're suffering from it, as well.
I'm sorry.
♪
- I think I convinced myself there was a microchip in my head
because I couldn't handle the alternative--
that my brain is just broken.
But now that I have an answer, I don't know which is scarier.
It feels like you handed me a life sentence.
- But you don't have to face it alone.
I will help you manage and live with your symptoms.
That's what I'm here for. - Dr. Wolf.
I've got a kid on the way.
I can barely support us on my salary.
The VA cut off my benefits.
Dishonorably discharged. Remember?
- There is nothing dishonorable about you.
I want to fix that for you, for your family.
If you'll let me.
- You got this.
- Um, thank you for coming.
Um, my patient, Steve Hill, is a veteran.
He's a husband. He's a soon-to-be father.
Uh, he served in the 2nd Battalion.
- Yeah, we've been briefed, Dr. Wolf.
- Oh. Okay. Then you're aware
that Steve's unit fired long-range howitzers
from a distance far from the threat of battle,
and, yet, despite this fact, Steve is one of the few
surviving members of his unit.
How is that possible? The answer lies in the howitzer.
Every time that cannon fired, shockwaves reverberated
through the neurons of Steve's brain,
causing irreparable damage over and over and over again.
- [ Clears throat ]
- Uh...
Think of your brain as a rubber band.
Every time you stretch it, micro-tears form.
Now, the brain has elasticity, so it can take a blow or two,
maybe three or four even.
But what happens after one too many?
Stretch these a-and find out for yourselves.
♪
- [ Snap ] - Just like that band,
the brain will break over time.
And we have proof.
A fellow unit member, Aiden Miller's postmortem
neuropathological results showed catastrophic damage
on the microscopic level.
It was a textbook case of CTE.
[ Snap ]
Steve's conspiracies and delusions
are not an attempt to betray his country.
They're a cry for help...
caused by a neurodegenerative disease.
Now, I have never served in the military,
but I have always admired the concept of Nemo Resideo:
"Leave No One Behind."
We have to care for Steve and every soldier like him.
Restore their lost benefits, restore their dignity.
Understanding and compensating can be your first steps.
♪
[ Horn honking ]
- It's a "yes."
- Alright. We got one more.
Uh, let's keep going. Uh...
♪
Maybe we're missing a letter?
- Mnh.
I think the message is complete.
Uh, do you mind, Mrs. Petrov?
- Sure.
[ Exhales sharply ]
- Imagine how long he's wanted to get these words out.
- Poor boy.
[ Mrs. Petrov speaks Russian ]
♪
- You going to bed, Dad?
We haven't seen those hikers in hours.
- They don't want you to see them,
but they can see you.
They've been watching you for a while now.
They want you 'cause you're special.
Because you're brilliant.
You've been chosen, Oliver.
You're gonna be the world's greatest doctor.
You're gonna help so many people someday.
You're the messiah.
But don't worry. I'll protect you.
- Dad.
♪
Don't leave me.
- I never will.
♪
Stay right here.
- Dad. Dad!
- What does it say?
- "Don't leave me."
♪
Um...
Well, why don't you two, um,
you know, page interpreter services
and get a proper translator in here to talk to him
until we can find out a better way to communicate with our patient?
Uh...
[ Fingers snap ]
♪
[ Buzzer ]
[ Rhythmic knocking on door ]
[ Maxwell's "This Woman's Work" plays ]
- Uh... okay.
♪
- Hey...
- What are you doing here?
- I was just out.
Thought I'd stop by and say what up.
Can I come in?
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
- Shoes!
- Okay. Okay.
One.
[Laughing] Two.
Three. [ Laughs ]
♪
Ahh. Nice.
- What the hell were you doing out in the rain?
- I needed to blow off some steam.
I figured, hey, maybe I should enjoy my life
before I turn into Steve.
- Jacob. - Well, I do black out,
like, a lot.
- Yeah, because you party too hard.
Not because you have CTE.
- Right.
Well, it doesn't matter anyways.
Because, I mean, you won't know anything
until you slice my brain up. [ Chuckles ]
- Okay. Okay. Go on. Go get dry.
There's a towel in the cabinet in the bathroom.
Think I have an oversized shirt somewhere.
♪
- [ Chuckling ]
[ Silverware clinking ]
Oh, boy. Hm.
- So... what exactly happened that made you stop playing?
- Thank you. Um...
Well, my junior year, I had two concussions
in the same season, and the doctors told me
if I had one more, I might not wake up.
So I had to decide.
Should I take the risk or not?
I chose not to. - Hm.
- And I regret it. Every day.
- What?
[ Scoffs ] Why? You're alive. You're okay.
- No. You should have seen me, Ericka.
I was great.
- I was, like...
really, really great.
And now I'm just a...
bad doctor.
- Where is this coming from? - Ah. Come on.
Everyone thinks it. - Mnh-mnh.
- Wolf thinks it.
- [ Chuckles ]
- Even you think it.
- I don't think you're a bad doctor.
Mnh-mnh.
[ Gasps ]
[ Exhales sharply ]
I should go to bed.
- Okay. - Here's a blanket.
- Thank you. - Pillow.
- Hey, Kinney. - Hm?
- If anyone ever does have to slice my brain open...
[ Chuckles ]
...I want it to be you.
- [ Laughs ] Um...
- Same, I guess.
- ♪ Oh, darlin', make it go ♪
- [ Snoring ]
♪
- Good morning!
Good morning! Come on. Wake up. Wake up.
- Uh... - Coffee?
- [ Groans ] Sure.
[ Groaning ]
Last night, did-- did we--
- No. Mnh. Absolutely not.
- Good. [ Chuckles ]
That's good.
Well, um, to whatever happened last night.
- Nothing happened. - Thank you.
This blanket is cozy as hell.
- It's microfiber.
- What?! - He's got Mirror-Touch?!
- That's what he told me. - How long have you known this?
- That's why he's-- Shh. - I can't believe it.
- What? Oh, did Mrs. Petrov
bring her granddaughter into the hospital?
- Nah. Nah. But I did just annihilate
a huge breakfast burrito.
[as Dr. Wolf] "Anything to note, Dr. Markus?"
- Ignore him. I've always appreciated your sensitivity.
I think we need more of it around here.
- You told them.
- [ Groans ] I'm so sorry, Van.
I know I said-- I shouldn't have done it,
but it was so interesting.
And-- And I was doing some research and--
[ Sighs ] My God. Can you ever forgive me?
- Why do you think I told you, Dana?
Saved me from "coming out" three times.
♪
[ Door opens ]
- I underestimated you.
- Well played.
Well played.
- Once the VA understood the cause of Steve's trauma,
his benefits were reinstated,
his family was compensated,
his honor restored.
- You ready?
[ Ominous music plays ]
- 7 times 12. 84.
- You're good.
- Divided by 6.
Fourteen.
[ Upbeat music plays ]
Welcome, everyone.
I want to thank you all for coming today.
My name is Steve.
And I'm here to share my story.
- There was no changing Steve's pathology,
not even an official diagnosis.
But in a sense, couldn't you say that about us all?
There is no cure for CTE,
but we could slow the symptoms with treatments
for similar neurodegenerative diseases.
Exercise. Diet. Sleep.
Giving Steve time.
Hope for a future in which we know more.
Steve could see a hopeful future now.
He could hold it in his hands.
- [ Baby fussing ] - It's Daddy.
- Our nervous systems can't heal in isolation.
- Aww! - We need care...
love, connection.
♪
- That's right.
[ Monitor beeping ]
- Wolf. You paged me? Something urgent?
What do you got? Gardening issues?
- Of a sort. I'm thinking of planting a microchip.
- Not you, too. - Not Steve. No, no.
For Steve, a microchip was a coping mechanism.
But what if, for John Doe...
it was an actual mechanism?
A brain computer interface to help him communicate.
- Uh-- [ Sighs ]
Wolf, y-you realize how experimental this tech is. It...
- This man has lost his voice.
And you could give it back to him,
awaken him.
[ Scoffs ] Are you with me or not?
Because I refuse to leave him.
♪
Greg, move your head!