ER 12. 7 The Human Shield

Previously on ER: Neela tells Ray they need to clean the apartment because Gallant is coming, Ray says he won’t be there for another three days, but Neela just wants it to look nice for him because he’s been in Iraq for a long time; Neela enters the bathroom to find Zoe the Groupie, who looks like a young Liv Tyler, brushing her teeth; Neela finds out that Liv is only 14 years old; Ray wants to know why Liv didn’t tell him how old she was and she says that he never asked, then Neela gives her a prescription for doxycycline for the Chlamydia; Sally from Third Rock from the Sun and Sam confront Haleh about her overtime and Sally fires her; Morris asks Weaver who Clemente is; John Leguizamo, aka Victor Clemente, aka Chi-Chi Rodriguez from To Wong Foo gets fed up arguing with “a television set”, the robotic contraption that allows Dubenko to do surgical consults while he convalesces at home from his prostate cancer treatment, and pushes it out of Trauma Green and into the drug lock-up; Pratt asks Weaver if Chi-Chi will be the new department chief, to which she responds that they are forming a committee, but Pratt thinks Chi-Chi wouldn’t be there if he weren’t interested in the job.

Close up of a child’s hand coloring a restaurant-type paper placemat with pictures of animals. Camera pans up to a blond-haired girl sporting pigtails. She’s cute. We hear a voice ask her if she is going to eat her eggs. She looks up and says they are cold. C. Thomas Howell, who played Ponyboy Curtis in the 80’s classic The Outsiders is sitting in a diner with the young girl who seems to be his daughter. On the table next to her is a stuffed dog. Seeing him gets me excited that maybe some of his castmates will show up, like Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, hell, even Ralph Macchio would be okay. But for God’s sake, no Tom Cruise. And I’ve already been waiting for Patrick Swayze to arrive, with Wesley Snipes, ever since Chi-Chi came to the ER last month. And wow, Ponyboy is looking old. Lots of gray. Too much hard living, Pony? Because you so did not “stay gold” like Johnny told you to. He asks the girl if she’s going to eat her waffles, but she says she’s not hungry, she has a stomach ache. Ponyboy asks if she wants to bring them home with her. He picks up her stuffed dog and starts playing with it in front of her and telling her in a funny voice that “Mr. Coogy might want to eat them later”. She smiles at him and says “he doesn’t like waffles”. Pony looks up and sees a guy behind the counter talking on the phone. The guy looks like he is probably the manager and he’s looking at Pony. Pony starts acting kind of nervous and looks around for their waitress. He spots her and asks if they can get their bill. The waitress apologizes and says their machine is still out. Pony visibly blanches and looks down as she asks him if he’d like more coffee. He tells her no and thanks her. She replies it should be just a couple of minutes. The manager is off the phone, but is staring at Pony. Pony pulls out his wallet and tells the little girl that they are leaving. He throws some money on the table, tells her to hurry up and grab her coat, then asks her if she wants her picture. She says no, but he grabs it anyway and leads her out of the dining room and through the kitchen. One of the cooks yells at him that he can’t come back there, but Ponyboy ignores him and keeps walking. They go out the door and are behind the building. Pony looks around, but doesn’t see anything and starts to relax. He grabs the little girl’s hand and holds it. He tells her he likes her picture and he thinks they should keep it. The little girl looks at him, and then off over his shoulder. He turns and gets a concerned look on his face as the camera cuts to two police cars screeching to a halt in the parking lot. Pony, still holding the girl’s hand, tries to open the restaurant door, but it is locked. He picks the girl up and holds her with his left hand. With his right, he pulls out a gun and aims it at the police and starts firing. They start firing back. Would they really do that??? Aren’t they afraid they are going to hit the little girl? I know he is shooting at them, but I can’t believe they would take the chance of the girl getting hurt. Pony starts to run with the girl, who is clinging to his neck. He keeps shooting at the police as he is crossing the parking lot. He hits one of the policemen, who goes down. An ambulance pulls in and Pony shoots out the driver’s side window, causing the paramedics to duck. Wounded cop yells out that he’s hit. The paramedics get out of the ambulance and run up behind one of the police cars. One of the paramedics is played by John Stamos, better known as Uncle Jesse from Full House, though not sporting the mullet he did when on that show. One of the cops shoots Pony, who goes down, dropping his gun. The cops approach carefully, kick the gun out of the way, and come around to the side where the little girl is sitting, leaning against Pony’s prostrate body. Ooh, looks like Pony got shot in the head, but he’s still moving and the cops tell him to stay down. One of the cops kneels next to the little girl, who looks up at him, blood splattered across her face. Camera pans down and we see that she has been shot in the lower right part of her chest. She is still clutching her toy dog. Paramedics come over and tell her to try to stay still. Uncle Jesse says he’ll call for another rig as we crash into Opening Credits.

After commercial, a huge patient in a neck brace who looks a lot like Marsellus Wallace from Pulp Fiction has his hands around Chi-Chi’s neck and is lifting him up off the floor and against a wall in an Exam Room. Sam is yelling for Marsellus to put him down. She runs out, shouting for security. Marsellus wants to know what the hell Chi-Chi is doing. Chi-Chi, choking, says that he was just checking for internal bleeding. Marsellus says “by sticking your finger in my butt?” Ooh, not a good move, Chi-Chi. If I remember Pulp Fiction correctly, Marsellus had a real problem with things entering through the back door. Chi-Chi holds up a gloved finger that is covered with what is, and can only be described as, shit. Yuck. He tells Marsellus that it’s called a guiac test. Marsellus sees the finger and tells Chi-Chi to get it away from him. Chi-Chi moves his finger forward and wipes the shit onto Marsellus’ nose. Nice. Another smart move, Chi-Chi. I suspect that now that you’ve extracted some from him, Marsellus is now going to beat the shit out of you. Marsellus is as grossed out as I am, drops Chi-Chi, and backs away. Sam and a security guard run in as Marsellus keeps bitching about the crap. Sam goes over to Chi-Chi, asks if he’s okay and helps him up. Marsellus is still ranting about how terrible it is and yells for someone to get him a towel. Chi-Chi, after composing himself, says the guiac’s negative. He tells Sam to give Marsellus two of Ativan, and then corrects himself and says four, and orders a c-spine and first-day labs. Marsellus keeps bitching in the background. As Chi-Chi walks out, Marsellus yells after him that he needs a tetanus shot.

Pratt is standing in front of the board. He looks up and sees Sally standing on the other side. He asks what she wants, and she questions if he’s seen his Volunteen, KJ, around. Pratt looks over his shoulder then says “nope”. Sally says she hasn’t either and she’s going to “broom him”. I know Sally’s a witch, but I didn’t think she actually had a broom. Pratt tells her she can’t fire him because he’s a volunteer. Sally thinks he’s a very involuntary volunteer and she needs kids they can count on. Pratt agrees to talk to him. Chi-Chi walks up, claps his hands and says “okay kids, gather round”. Are we going to sit around the campfire, sing songs, tell ghost stories and make s’mores? “Cause I swear the last time I heard someone say that was when I was in Brownies and we went to camp. He tells them it’s showtime. I get all excited because I think John Leguizamo is going to launch into a version of Freak, his one-man show. But no. He looks over at Abby and Ray who are standing over in the Curtain Area. He tries to whistle, but it doesn’t come off right and he really shouldn’t try that unless he knows how. He yells over to them “Yo, Lockhart, Barnett, come on, fall in”. Since when is Chi-Chi a drill sergeant in the army? He tells Pratt to come over too. Abby, wearing scrubs again for some strange reason and carrying a coffee, walks over and stands behind Chi-Chi. And her hair is looking pretty good today. Maybe since it’s not flopping in her face, she won’t be playing with it the whole show. It would be nice for me to just once not be all about the hair. Ray and Pratt are in front of him, leaning on the desk. Sally is there, too. Chi-Chi paces back and forth and starts expounding on how they are going to be bringing the ER into the 21st century by introducing new equipment and implementing new procedures on a regular basis. Abby, being the mature professional that she is, is looking at Ray and laughing and gesturing behind Chi-Chi’s back. Chi-Chi points to Sally and says that his lovely assistant will be demonstrating the Patient Communication Board, as Sally then Vanna White’s it back and forth. She tells everyone that there will be no more pens and paper and that this will make everyone’s life easier because intubated patients can just point, circle or mark any questions or requests they have. Um, Sally, don’t they need a pen to do the marking? Pratt and Ray look at it, and then hand it to Abby, who pulls out a pen and starts writing on it. Chi-Chi compliments Sally, and then says that next is the Freedom splint. Sally hands something to him, saying that federal regulations are discouraging the use of wrist restraints, which when used should be checked every ten minutes. The camera pans back to Chi-Chi who is watching Sally, as Abby holds up the board with what she’s written behind him. It says “This Is Ass”. I know it’s extremely immature, but that made me laugh. Ray sees it and starts snickering. Chi-Chi looks at him, and sees he’s looking behind him. As Chi-Chi starts to turn around, Abby drops the board down and looks at him, innocently. Hee. Chi-Chi turns around to face Ray and asks him what’s so funny. Ray replies that he just finds it hard to believe. Sally is going on that there are documented cases of patients left unattended for a couple of hours who have lost hands to ischemia, as Abby holds up the sign again behind Chi-Chi and starts waving it around. Hee. She then walks around Chi-Chi and over to Ray and hands him the chart, as Pratt and Ray are chuckling. Sally says they are therefore going to start using the Freedom splint, and holds up what looks like a rolled up blanket. Chi-Chi asks for volunteers. Pratt coughs and pushes Jerry’s chair with his foot, so that Jerry goes wheeling towards Chi-Chi. Jerry’s all “hey” because he’s been listening to his iPod and has no idea what’s been going on. Would he really be allowed to have that at work? Isn’t he working the desk and doesn’t he have to answer the phones? No wonder County sucks. Chi-Chi thanks him for volunteering. Sally is explaining that the Freedom splint is less restrictive and should be used before any hard or soft restraints, as the Three Stooges continue with Jackass Junior High, laughing and not paying attention. I’m surprised they weren’t shooting spitballs or rubber bands. I would hope that their inattention to new procedures would come back to collectively bite them in the ass, but since Abby is part of this threesome, I’m sure that won’t happen. Sally and Chi-Chi are putting on Jerry what basically look like giant versions of the water-wings that my two year old wore in the pool at the Y this summer. Sally continues that the splint is very helpful with keeping combative patients from pulling out tubes, or picking at wound sites, or disrupting life-saving medical equipment. No one is paying any attention to her because just then Neela walks up to the desk looking totally hot, wearing a low cut, form fitting little black dress. All of the guys turn to ogle her. Chi-Chi starts going “oh yay” and telling her she is “que sexy”, which I am so sure is not any sort of sexual harassment or anything. Neela shoots him a look and says thank you, “I think”. Frank asks her what the occasion is. He wants to know if Playboy is doing a “Girls of the ER” edition. Oh, Frank, you’re five episodes too late for Neela’s risqué photo shoot. Neela replies “bugger off, Frank”. Hee. I love Neela, though considering Chi-Chi’s earlier finger escapades, she probably should have said it to him. She walks over to Abby, who tells her that she does look very nice. Neela tells her that Gallant is coming home today. Pratt says “well, hello, soldier” in a total come hither voice that was actually kind of funny. And I can’t believe Neela would be wearing that ensemble on her shift. She will almost certainly be doused with some bodily fluid or another before this episode ends.

Sam bursts out of the Exam Room yelling for Chi-Chi, calling him “Vic”, and saying that Marsellus just put his head through the supply cabinet. Chi-Chi tells her to give him five of haldol. Then says to make it ten. Sam can’t believe it and tells him that Marsellus is like a “rogue elephant” and wants to know if she’s supposed to shoot it from a tranquilizer gun. Chi-Chi, getting a little too excited, asks if she has one of those. I’m sure she doesn’t, but knowing her son Alex, I’ll bet she wishes she did have one. Sam shoots him a look, and then rushes back into the Exam Room as the guard is being overpowered by Marsellus. Chi-Chi is hanging outside the door, because obviously Chi-Chi is chickenshit and thinks it’s okay to let a five-foot-nothing woman go back in by herself to help subdue an out of control patient. He yells for Ray, calling him X-Ray and says they’ll tag team Marsellus; Ray will distract him and Chi-Chi will shoot him. Ray wants to know how he’s supposed to distract him, and Chi-Chi tells him to pretend to be a rodeo clown. Hee. He tells Ray to go first, as Sam bursts out of the door and starts to run down the hall. No explanation as to why. As she runs, she almost collides with Luka, who just sort of looks after her, not too interested. This was a little weird. She was running like a bat out of hell and I know their relationship is over, but you would think he would be a little concerned as to what happened to her.

Luka walks up to the desk and says that multiple GSW’s are coming in and tells Abby that she’s with him and tosses her a pair of gloves as he orders Neela to call the OR and make sure a suite is open. Abby and Pratt do a really strange thing here; she walks by him at the desk, he lifts his arms up straight in the air as she passes him, she pats him under the arm and drags her hand along his back as she walks by. It’s weird because it wasn’t like she had to squeeze to get past him or turn sideways or anything. Whatever. Luka tells Pratt to prepare Traumas One and Two, and he hurries off. Sally says that she’ll clear out the rooms and yells to Frank to call the blood bank because they’ll need O neg. Everyone rushes from the desk, leaving Jerry and his water-wings standing there.

Abby meets Luka in the ambulance bay and asks if this is a gang shooting. He tells her that a father used his daughter as a human shield. She responds, “ah, lovely” and Luka agrees. She tells him that he missed show-and-tell. Shut up, Abby! You and your band of merry men basically did too, since none of you could be bothered to pay any attention. Luka’s all “huh?” and she explains that Chi-Chi is implementing changes and new equipment, to which Luka rolls his eyes. She asks Luka if they are going to make Chi-Chi head of the ER. Luka turns to look at her, and she shrugs and says that’s what everyone’s saying. With his hands on his hips, he scowls and scoffs, “Look, the guy who got you and Neela suspended for working on a monkey?” Abby corrects him that it was a chimp as they head towards the ambulance coming in. Luka thinks if Chi-Chi wants the chief position he can have it and maybe he can open a petting zoo in the doctor’s lounge. Hee. I so love it when you are snarky, Luka. Pickman the paramedic is bringing in the little girl. She says 10 year old, single GSW to the right chest, but the Closed Captioning says “eight year old”. Weird. Pickman says the BP is 85/60, the pulse is 120 and the pulse ox is 96 on two liters. Abby asks the girl what her name is. She says that Vincent calls her “Mezoti”. To prove that I can indeed pass a geek test, the name “Mezoti” is from Star Trek:Voyager. She was a little girl that was abducted and assimilated by the Borg, but had been inadvertently abandoned by the Collective when the other drones on her ship were destroyed, and ended up living on Voyager and eventually regaining some of her individuality. Luka asks who Vincent is and a sad looking cop walks up and says that Vincent is the guy she was with and that she’s a kidnapping victim. Then Sad Cop weirdly says, even though he knows it’s not true, that “her father” started shooting and they returned fire. Abby angrily asks if they shot her, and Sad Cop assures her no, he had a clean shot and that Pony’s gun must have discharged when he went down. Mezoti wants to know if Pony is dead. Pickman says that 73 is bringing him in and that he had gotten popped a bunch of times, at least once in the head. Sad Cop pleads that Pony shot one of their guys. Luka asks Abby if she has this, and she says yes. He goes off to wait for the next one.

Abby tells Mezoti they are going to get her fixed up. As they push the gurney past Admit, Mezoti says that it really hurts. Abby says she knows and that they are going to make it stop hurting really soon. Chuny walks over and Mezoti says that she lost Coogy. Chuny asks who Coogy is and Mezoti says its her stuffed puppy. Abby tells her that maybe the police found him and she’s sure he’s okay. Sam walks up and tells Abby that Trauma One is open and that the blood is on its way and asks if she needs a hand. Abby says she thinks they’ve got it and thanks Sam, kind of condescendingly. Does Abby have a problem with Sam? Weird.

Sam walks over to the Curtain Area to a sickly looking teenager who looks like Emo Philips and who has ink all over his face. Sam smilingly compliments his Adolph Hitler looking drawn on mustache. She asks if his buddies did that. Emo says he wouldn’t call them his buddies, but they live in the same dorm. She asks if he’s a freshman and he’s says he is and wants to know how she guessed. She chuckles and says she thought campus life was supposed to be fun. Emo says it is if you like being tortured. Sam asks if he’s been vomiting, and I hope to God he says no because my stomach is a little queasy from the greasy pizza I had for dinner and I don’t think I could take seeing it. Emo says he puked all night. Thanks, Emo. As she takes his temperature with an ear thermometer, Sam asks if it was a keg party and he nods. She says “passed out, wake up with a bad hangover and a magic marker facial”. My five year old twins gave each other Magic Marker facials once. Not a pretty sight. He says something like that. She tells him that he doesn’t have a fever so it’s probably not viral, but his BP is a little low, which means he’s dehydrated. He thanks her and asks what to do if he has to puke again. She hands him an emesis basin, and he asks if she has something bigger. Yuck, and please don’t show it.

Sam walks up to Admit and Frank says “well, if it isn’t the Hatchet Lady. Which beloved employee are you axing today?” Sam tells Frank to “stick a sock in it” before I can tell him to shut up. He tells her that he is sending Haleh her last check and wants to know if Sam wants to include a note. Sam resignedly, like she’s said it a million times, tells him that firing Haleh was Sally’s idea and she was just following orders. Frank replies “that’s what Himmler said”. Shut up, Frank! Can’t they hire back E-Ray, or Amira or Randi and get rid of this asshole? He then tells her that she got a letter from her “jailbird boyfriend”. He is really insufferable tonight. Then Frank says “he’s probably marrying his cellmate”, which I really didn’t want to laugh at, but I did. Sam shoots him a look and then glances at the envelope.

Luka runs to the ambulance as they are unloading Wounded Cop, whose name is Jimmy Howe and he’s 25. Paramedics say he has a grazing GSW with a lot of blood loss. Pratt comes running up paraphrasing Underdog and saying “Have no fear, Dr. Pratt is here”. Luka questions that this isn’t the shooter, and the paramedic says no, it’s the cop he shot. Uh, Luka, did you not notice the uniform? And didn’t Sad Cop tell you the shooter’s name is Vincent? I love you dearly, but you really do need to pay just a bit more attention. This is almost as bad as the time that Abby got beat up by her neighbor Brian in her apartment and you asked her “so he knows where you live?” Cute, but clueless. Wounded Cop is saying that this was his first week riding solo and he just got out of the Academy. Oh, that sucks. Guess you’re going to be rethinking your career choice, huh? Pratt says it looks like the bullet snuck up under the vest. Luka is shaking his head and says that he thought the shooter had more critical injuries. Uh oh, I think I smell Luka’s High Horse of Moral Superiority coming. Paramedic tells him they just do what they’re told. Like Sam. And Himmler. Paramedic gives the sat and Luka says the bullet must have bagged the brachial artery. Wounded Cop can’t feel his hand, and Luka says “median nerve, too”. Wounded Cop wants to know if he’s going to lose his arm. Pratt assures him that the bleeding will stop and they can repair the artery. Luka asks Pratt if he’s got this, and he does. Luka says good, and that he’s going to go check on Abby and walks away. Pratt passes Volunteen in the hall and asks where he’s been. Volunteen pulls his iPod headphones from his ears, because everyone has one nowadays and the workplace is the proper place for them, and says that he’s been “doing stuff”, which is so not an answer that has ever worked for me. Pratt tells him he’s going to “do some stuff on your head” and orders him to run to the blood bank and get some O neg. Volunteen takes off quickly and almost runs into Sally, who passes, shaking her head and claiming that she’s never seen him move so fast.

They roll Wounded Cop into Trauma Green and Pratt tells him the bullet may have bruised the nerve. Ray asks what they got and Pratt responds that it’s a penetrating axillary trauma with neurovascular deficit, as I once again thank the Closed Captioning people. Ray wants to know if Pratt wants to clamp the bleeder, and Pratt says only if they can visualize it. Wounded Cop tells Ray he’s getting dizzy and begs him not to let him die. Calm down, Wounded Cop. At least you didn’t get shot in the head, like Pony. And you’re in Trauma Green. Don’t the patients in Trauma Green usually pull through? Now if you were in Trauma Yellow and Abby were your doctor, then I’d be with you on the worrying. Sally asks Wounded Cop if he’s with the 23rd. He looks at her and then says he is. They transfer him to the table and Sally tells him that her father and brother are with the 17 and the 109. Wounded Cop looks at her smiling and says “really?” She says “uh huh” and asks if he knows Joe Buchitelli. He gets excited and says “yeah, he helped me through the Academy” and asks Sally if he’s her brother. Incredibly, because she previously has been shown to be the bastion of professionalism but the junior high hijinks must have rubbed off on her today, she responds “No, he gave me my first orgasm”, as Pratt, Paramedic and Ray just stare at her. For the love of God, first Neela and Abby and the fishnet photo shoot, then Dubenko’s indecent proposal and the “satisfaction facilitator”, then Ray’s Lolita story, Chi-Chi’s shit-smeared digit and now Sally’s orgasms? Please fire the 14 year old scriptwriter and stop this nonsense. Sally looks up to see them all staring and says “hey, it was a milestone”. I’m sure it was Sally, but I still don’t think it’s appropriate workplace conversation, but maybe that’s just me and I’m a little more politically correct than the writers.

Abby is listening to Mezoti’s chest as a voice asks what the pulse ox is. Luka says it’s holding at 92. The voice asks what the status is on the other patients as the camera pans over and shows that BubbleBenko is back and his fabulous hair has been shorn! I’m shocked. Was it because of the chemo? No explanation on the show, of course, though I know that Leland Orser had it cut for the movie he’s doing. Shame. Guess they won’t be calling him Dr. Hair anymore. Luka tells him that they have a grazing GSW to the upper arm and another victim in route. BubbleBenko replies “okay, I’m on my way down” and the robotic contraption wheels away. So now he uses it to replace actually going into the ER? I know Benton, Corday, and Romano used to bitch about having to come down there, but come on, this is just lazy. I still think a surgical consult should involve actually touching the patient, but hey, what do I know? We outsource reading X-rays to India, so maybe we should just outsource surgical consults across the world too. Sad Cop walks in and shoots a glance at BubbleBenko, which is kind of funny, then tells Abby that the station confirmed Mezoti’s ID and that her name is Sydney Carlyle and she was abducted in a campsite from upstate New York in August. Abby, checking Mezoti’s belly, asks her if her real name is Sydney. Mezoti looks frightened to answer. Abby says that it’s okay and she can tell her. Chuny is on the other side of the table, with her hand on Mezoti’s shoulder. She glances at Abby, and then back at Mezoti, concerned. Mezoti hestitates and then says “yes”. Abby smiles at her and says “yeah”. Sad Cop says to Abby quietly that she’s going to have to do a rape exam. Luka is looking at paperwork in the background and glances up when he hears this. Chuny looks at Abby and tells her she’ll open a kit. Abby tells Sydney that they are going to check between her legs and says “okay?” Sydney asks if Pony is dead. Sad Cop chimes in “Vincent Jansen … the creep who took her”. I think I could come up with some stronger words than that, Sad Cop. Abby tells Sydney she doesn’t know. Sydney says “they shot him”. Luka asks how big the pneumothorax is as Chuny, lifting up Sydney’s gown, says “Abby?” Abby comes over to examine. She looks horrified as Luka looks, and grits his teeth. The looks on their faces are so terrible that I can almost imagine what is it that they are seeing. Very well done. Abby glances at Luka and then back as he blows out a breath and says “multiple abrasions adjacent to the external genitalia” as the camera closes in on Abby’s face. She looks visibly shaken. Luka continues quietly “four lacerations to the labia in various stages of healing” as Abby looks up at Sydney, sadly. Cut to Sydney, who is looking away and breathing heavily. Then cut back to Abby, still watching her. Abby looks down, then back at Luka, then walks away. Luka is chewing on his lips as he stares at Sydney’s injuries. Abby comes back over next to Sydney and asks if Pony hurt her. Sydney stares at her, but doesn’t answer. Abby goes on “did he touch you in your private parts?” Sydney says “only when we played the married game” and that Pony loves her. Abby doesn’t know what to say. Chuny says sysolics down to 70. Jerry comes in to tell Luka that the shooter’s there. Luka puts down the chart, sighs, and starts to leave as Abby smiles at Sydney. Sydney tries to smile back, but doesn’t quite make it. As Luka is going out the door he calls back to Abby “Thinking about a chest tube?” which normally I would comment that coming from Luka, that sounds kind of kinky, but because this is such a disturbing scene, I’ll have to refrain. Abby is distracted and doesn’t answer him. He stops and says “Abby?” She looks up at him and says “Yeah? What?” He raises his eyebrows and says “Chest tube?” and she nods and says “yeah” and tells him that they are processing the film. He tells her not to wait and to do it now and she says “right”, and calls for betadine and steridrapes, but you can tell she’s still troubled.

Uncle Jesse and his partner are bringing in Pony, and Partner says “Vincent Jansen, 34, multiple GSW’s to the chest and abdomen. 34??? You have got to be kidding me. Pony looks at least 44. They really should have corrected that. Uncle Jesse contributes, pulling off one of Pony’s bandages “… and one to the melon”. Not the time to be making quips, Uncle Jesse. Luka can’t believe they didn’t intubate him, as his High Horse starts trotting alongside him. Partner continues giving the sat as Luka bitches that Pony needs two IV’s. Neela tells them that they are full up and to go to Exam 2. Uncle Jesse asks her how Sydney is and Neela thinks she’s stable. Uncle Jesse introduces himself as “Tony Gates” and Neela responds “Dr. Rasgotra”. Partner says the BP is 100 palp after a liter. Luka’s High Horse counters that they should have needled the chest, and Partner replies that they “scooped and ran”. Luka bitches that he’s bleeding out and Partner gives it back to him saying that Pony shot through their window and almost blew Uncle Jesse’s head off. Uncle Jesse says that it’s true and he saw his life flash before his eyes, and looking at Neela, tells her he thinks they were on a beach. Uncle Jesse is trying to be all cute and funny, but it’s really not the time for this. Neela agrees with me and yells at him to stop it and asks if they can focus here. She tells Luka she lost the radial pulse. She calls out that he needs two chest tubes, a central line, and four units of O neg. Chi-Chi comes in and says “Yowza, look at the head shot” and that Pony’s going to need a couple of chest tubes and a central … as Luka cuts him off, pointing at Marsellus in a wheelchair and says “Isn’t that your patient?” Chi-Chi dismisses that he could take care of him with his eyes closed. Since Chi-Chi is being so flippant, I’m guessing something is going to happen to Marsellus. Luka tells Chi-Chi that it’s probably best if he didn’t as a nurse closes the exam room doors on Chi-Chi. Luka says he’ll call him if they need help. Chi-Chi scoffs quietly, “yeah, you’ll call me. His head could roll off, you wouldn’t call me” and stares back in at Luka through the doors.

Sally is lifting Wounded Cop’s head and calling out that the BP is 110/70. Wounded Cop groans and asks if that’s good. Sally says it couldn’t be better as she holds him up and removes his bulletproof vest. They open his shirt and see a couple of contusions where bullets had hit the vest. Pratt says “damn!” and I couldn’t agree more. Pratt tells Wounded Cop they have to lift up his arm to take a look. As he lifts the arm, he and Ray get sprayed with blood. Nice. Ray says he’s got it as Wounded Cop thinks he’s bleeding out. Ray assures him he’s not. As Ray and Pratt work on the arm, Sally tells Wounded Cop to look at her. She asks if Marty Stats is still the desk sergeant at the 23. Please don’t let this be a precursor to more of Sally’s sexual adventures, because I’ve already heard more than I would ever need to know. But she is being very kind here, trying to distract him. Wounded Cop says “yeah” and Sally laughs that he used to baby-sit her, and God, I hope that’s all he did. She asks Wounded Cop if he knew Marty has a metal plate in his head. Wounded Cop is all “what? I’m bleeding here”. Pratt says he needs a procedural tray, and Sally responds “right away” and moves off to get it. Wounded Cop wants to know what’s happening. Ray calls for sterile gloves. Haven’t you been wearing them already in this trauma, Ray? Annoying. Pratt tells Wounded Cop that they need to clamp the artery he severed. I don’t think he actually severed his own artery, Pratt. Shouldn’t you be blaming Pony and oh, say, the bullet? Sam comes in asking if she can steal the hemocue. Sally tells her to help herself. Sally is looking at Wounded Cop distractedly. Sam asks if she wants her to take over. Sally nods, “sure” and staring at Wounded Cop says that would be good and that she has to check on the others. Sally tells Wounded Cop to hang in there and that she’ll be right back. Sam stays, so I’m guessing whoever needed the hemocue is shit out of luck.

Abby is suturing in Sydney’s chest tube. Sydney asks if they found Coogy. Sad Cop is on the phone and asks who that is. Abby tells him it’s Sydney’s stuffed animal. Sydney says he’s a puppy. Sad Cop starts talking to someone on the phone. Abby looks over, then back at Sydney, shrugs, and smiles saying “I don’t know”. Sad Cop tells someone on the phone to hang on, and tells Abby that he has Sydney’s mom. Abby asks Chuny to put a dressing on the incision, and walks over to the phone, pulling off her gloves. She takes the phone and introduces herself to Sydney’s mom and tells her that she’s treating her daughter. She tells the mom that Sydney was shot in the chest, and they are doing all they can for her. Looking back at Sydney, she tells the mom that she’s doing well and smiling at Sydney, says that she’s a very brave little girl. She says “sure, just a minute” into the phone, then brings the phone over to Sydney and tells her it’s her mom as she holds the phone up to Sydney’s ear. Sydney says “Mom?”, and then breaks down crying, saying “I miss you, too”. This young actress is really good and I’m getting choked up listening to this conversation. So is Abby. Sydney cries “I love you, too”. Abby tells her okay, and takes the phone as Sydney keeps crying. Abby tells the mom that she’s going to give her back to the police and that they’ll see her in a couple of hours. She hands the phone back to Sad Cop, who’s name apparently is Officer Yau. Abby starts stroking Sydney’s hair and smiling at her, tells her it’s okay and that she’s safe now. Dubenko walks in, pulling on gloves. Glad you deigned to provide us with your presence, oh Great and Powerful Oz. Jerk. Abby is telling Sydney that her parents are coming to get her and that nobody can hurt her here. Abby is being very sweet to her. Sydney asks about Pony. Abby tells her she doesn’t have to worry about him anymore. Dubenko asks how the chest tube output is. Abby says it’s less than 500 cc’s, small hemothorax. Dubenko thinks that’s good and that they should be able to manage it conservatively. Chi-Chi walks in and says to Dubenko, “Hey, nice lid. You get a free bowl of soup with that?” I’ve heard that joke a million times, but Chi-Chi’s delivery gave me a chuckle. And Dubenko’s hair makes him look like he did in Alien:Resurrection, which is not necessarily a good thing. Dubenko gives Chi-Chi a look as Chuny tells Abby that the pressure’s down, 80/60. Abby, still stroking Sydney’s hair, tells Chuny to call for type specific and run in 500 of saline. Chi-Chi says “no, let’s not do that”, as Abby looks at him, a little surprised. Chi-Chi introduces himself to Sydney. He tells her he’s going to put a little glop on her belly, which considering what she’s been through I think that may not the best word to use, and shows her the ultrasound and how he’s going to use this camera to take a look inside. He asks if she’s the little princess that he heard was coming this morning. He’s trying to be friendly and put her at ease, but it’s not ringing true and Abby’s kind of looking at him funny. Sydney sadly says she’s not a princess. Abby tells Chi-Chi that Sydney is hypotensive. He thinks that can be a good thing. Abby doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He wants to leave the systolic at 80. He asks Dubenko if that’s right, and Dubenko agrees. Abby doesn’t look convinced. Dubenko replies “permissive hypotension. Landmark papers by Bickell and Mattox. When you have a vascular injury, you need a low pressure to stabilize the clots”. Chi-Chi continues that you blast away the blood and fluids, then you raise the pressure and blow out the clot. Looking at the ultrasound, Chi-Chi comments that there’s lots of sub-q air in the chest wall, but the belly’s dry. Abby says that they never allow the pressure to drift that low so she’s going to check with Luka. Chi-Chi stops her and says that the Chief of Surgery agrees with their plan. Abby looks at Dubenko, who just raises his eyebrows at her and looks back down at the chart. Chi-Chi tells Sydney they are going to make her brand new, “alright sweetie pie?”

Ponyboy is unconscious, lying on the table, a halo of blood around his head. Luka is putting in a chest tube. Neela says it sounds like a tension pneumo here. Luka asks Malik for O-silk and Xeroform. Neela comments there are five centimeters in the thoraseal. Malik says the pressure’s up, 120/70. Luka thinks that’s excellent and Pony just needs a little blood to his brain. He compliments Neela saying “nice work” and smiles at her. She smiles back. Oh no, does Neela still have her crush on him? Get in line, bitch. I like Neela and don’t want to have to hurt her. Luka says that he heard Gallant is home on leave and that he didn’t get a chance to see him last time. Neela replies that he gets home today and that hopefully he’ll be here longer this time. She’s kind of glowing, and it’s cute. Luka says to tell him to stop by and he’ll buy Gallant a beer, and I would so like to be sitting on a stool next to that twosome. Yum. Pony opens his eyes and Malik says that the guy just looked at him. Luka and Neela glance, but Pony’s eyes must be closed again because they go back to what they were doing and Neela says he’s got spontaneous eye opening. Pony then sits up and shoves Malik, who falls backwards. Luka grabs Pony and pushes him back down on the table. Pony is yelling “Son of a bitch” as Luka and Neela try to subdue him. He’s handcuffed to the siderails but is still thrashing around. Luka shouts for him to stop because he has tubes in his chest. He orders Neela to push four of versed. Pony gets a death grip on one of Neela’s wrists and he’s hurting her. Luka pries his fingers loose as the cop who was nearby pulls out his gun and points it at Pony. Luka pleads with him not to shoot. Neela injects Pony, who calms down. Neela sighs, relieved.

After commercial, Neela is holding an ice pack to her wrist, which is bruised and bleeding. Luka asks her if she’s okay and she says she is. She guesses Pony’s head injury isn’t as bad as it looks. Luka walks back over to Pony saying that it’s a clean frontal lobe injury and that no vital functions are affected, but that he will have ongoing impulse control problems. Oh, just like Sam. And considering he kidnapped Sydney from a campsite, I think Pony’s impulse control problems were pre-existing, Luka. Luka is dressing Pony’s head wound. Pony is agitated and is asking for Sydney. I thought you called her Mezoti, Pony? Can we please keep the continuity within the same episode? Jeez. Neela, steely, tells him she’s safe from him. Pony whines that he never hurt her and that he took care of her. I think we have evidence to the contrary, Pony. Luka angrily says that Pony raped her. Pony cries that they don’t understand and that he needs to see her. Luka looks away from him in disgust. Pony keeps trying to get up and pleads that he didn’t do anything wrong. Neela tells him to shut up before I can. She listens to his chest and tells Luka that it sounds like the lungs are back up. Pony complains that they think they know him, but they don’t. Well, I thought I knew you, Pony. What happened to that sweet teenager who quoted poetry and ran into the burning building to rescue those kids? I think your brothers Darryl and Sodapop (yeah, that was the name), should have kicked your ass a bit more. Your dead best friend Johnny would be so disappointed in the way you turned out. Pony says Sydney loves him. Dubenko is doing an ultrasound on the abdomen and Luka tells him there is not much blood from the chest. Dubenko says it’s all in the belly. Pony is crying that Sydney needed him and that she wanted him and I am so surprised that Luka doesn’t want to deck him. Luka says it looks like hemoperiteneum, which is blood in the abdominal cavity. Isn’t that what Dubenko just said, Luka? Density does not become you, though everything else does. Dubenko says “yeah, and a grade 4 hepatic injury”, which I think means liver trauma. Neela questions “Grade 4” and Malik says “aka Chopped Liver”. Hee. Thanks, Malik. Pony starts bitching that he knows what they all think and that they want him to die. Neela tells him she wants him to shut up. Again, thanks, Neela. Malik says the hemocue is eight and Luka tells him to transfuse another two units. Neela wants to know how soon he can go up to the OR and Dubenko quickly says “no vacancy”, and that he can turn over a room in twenty minutes. Didn’t Neela call up and book an OR when Luka told her that the GSW’s were coming in? Is Dubenko lying? Luka tells him he has ten and wants the blood bank to stay ahead four units. Pony thinks that maybe they should just let him die. Most sensible thing you’ve said tonight, Pony. Luka looks at him, then away.

Pratt is working on Wounded Cop’s arm as Volunteen walks in with a cooler, telling him that he’s got the blood. Sam thanks him. Pratt tells him to give it to Sam and then get his butt over there. Sam asks Ray if he wants more 4x4’s, and I think now is not the time to be talking about Sport Utility Vehicle’s, Sam. But apparently she is talking about some gauze thingies, which I guess is okay. Ray asks Pratt if he can visualize the brachial. Pratt says he’s working on it. Sam goes over and takes the cooler from Volunteen. Pratt tells him that Sally was complaining about him today. Volunteen is confused because he doesn’t know who that is. Sam helpfully chimes in that she’s the nurse manager, tall blonde. Volunteen says “oh yeah, that amazon?” which is inappropriate, but accurate. He continues that Sally doesn’t like him as Pratt bitches at him to show some respect. Thanks, Pratt. I appreciate that you did that even if Volunteen doesn’t. Pratt goes on that it’s Sally’s turf and Volunteen is damn lucky to be there. Pratt asks him whether he wants to do the rest of his community service in some smelly-ass soup kitchen. I’ve got to correct you there Pratt, because I’ve been in some soup kitchens and they actually smelled pretty good. Volunteen says no and Pratt tells him that he better get his act together then. Ray says “there it is” and Pratt tells him to ease up on the gauze. As he does, blood starts shooting out again. Lovely. As they all get sprayed, Sam bitches “Ray!” and Ray apologizes. Pratt says proximal pressure. He starts telling Volunteen that if he hears one more complaint about him … as Volunteen faints to the floor. As they hear the thud, everyone, including Wounded Cop look over to where Volunteen had been standing. Sam snarks “that’s one hell of a pep talk”. Hee. I’m liking Sam so much better this season. Replacing the bitchiness with snarkiness has been a welcome change. Pratt calls for a gurney.

Luka comes into Trauma Yellow and asks Abby how much saline Sydney has had. Abby replies very little, it’s TKO. Chuny tells him the BP is 80 palp. Luka asks Abby why she isn’t giving Sydney fluids. Chi-Chi interjects that it’s permissive hypotension and they don’t want to disrupt the hemostasis. Luka wants to know when she’s going to the OR and Abby says they are waiting to hear from them. Luka is not pleased and says to Chi-Chi that you can’t do permissive hypotension without a definitive plan. He tells Abby to give her a liter wide open. Chuny hands it to Abby, as Chi-Chi grabs it out of her hand and gives it back. He says that he’s had experience with this, and it works. Luka says that he doesn’t want their residents put in the position of using unproven therapies on critical patients. Abby looks at Chi-Chi. Neela bursts in and tells Luka that they need him. Luka tells Abby to get her pressure up to 100 systolic. Jerry comes in asking for Chi-Chi who tells him to hold on a minute. Jerry says that CT is calling about Marsellus. Chi-Chi wants to know what the big guy did now. Jerry says that he stopped breathing. Chi-Chi wants to know why the hell he would do that. Probably because you were a little too smug about the way you were handling his case earlier, Chi-Chi. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. As he walks out, he tells Abby not to give Sydney a fluid bolus unless the MAP drops below 70. Abby rolls her eyes, looks at Chuny, and shakes her head, obviously conflicted because of the contradictory orders.

Malik tells Luka that Pony’s BP is down to 60 palp. Luka asks where they are on the packed cells. Neela says unit three and four. Dubenko says to hang another two. Luka calls Pony’s name. Pony’s eyes are wide open, unfocused and unblinking. Luka asks if he can hear him and starts rubbing his breastbone. Neela calls for sux and etomidate, 8-0 tube. Luka asks Dubenko how fast they can get him upstairs. Dubenko says they won’t have an OR for at least ten minutes and Neela suggests they move him to pre-op. Dubenko claims he’ll bleed out in the elevator. He seems to be stalling, probably hoping Pony won’t make it the ten minutes. Luka’s High Horse clarifies that their job is to save lives, not judge them. I happen to agree with him about that, you know, Hippocratic Oath and all that, but all Luka has done this episode is judge everyone else because they obviously have a problem treating this patient whose actions are abhorrent. Luka’s High Horse thinks death is the easy way out and that he deserves to rot in jail. Neela has intubated Pony and tells Malik to bag him. Dubenko puts down the chart, picks up what I think is betadine, and sprays it on Pony’s belly. Luka wants to know what he’s doing. Dubenko replies “exploratory laparotomy”. Neela can’t believe he’s wants to do it there, now. Luka stares at him. Dubenko calls for sterile drapes, a cut-down tray, masks and gowns. He tells Neela to scrub in. Dubenko asks Luka if he wants to save this guy, then this is the only way he knows how.

Sydney is staring ahead and then her eyes start to close. Abby calls her name, rubbing her breastbone and trying to get her to open her eyes. She starts yelling for Luka. She’s imploring Sydney to stay awake, and doesn’t she want to say “hi” to her mom and dad? Abby’s getting desperate and shouts for somebody to get Kovac in there now as she starts chest compressions. Chuny says the BP’s not registering as Abby says she can’t get a pulse. Luka comes running in and asks Abby what she needs. She says “help”. Again, Luka with the not catching on – don’t you see Abby doing CPR? This is really hard to say, and I hope to never have to do so again, but Luka is irritating me. Abby tells him Sydney is going down. He scowls at her and throws his gloves down on the floor. He orders Chuny to squeeze in the saline and to give him two units of packed cells. He snottily says to Abby “You did type and cross her, didn’t you?” Wow, that was harsh. I don’t blame Abby when she glares at him and pissily replies “of course I did”. He asks where Sydney is bleeding, but Abby doesn’t know. She says the chest tube slowed down at 300 cc’s and the belly was clean. Luka berates her that she needs to stay ahead of a patient like this. She angrily responds that her Attending felt otherwise and Luka bitches that he’s the Attending now and tells Chuny to prep the chest. He says that if Sydney doesn’t come back with the saline bolus, they’re going to crack her. Abby despondently tells him that she was just talking to her. Luka tells her to go ahead and intubate Sydney. Abby calls for 6-0, ET and suction as she stops CPR and starts to tube Sydney.

Ray says “well, here goes nothing” and pulls at something, then “looking good, dry as a bone”. Pratt wants more 4x4’s. Wounded Cop asks if they saved his arm. Pratt tells him yeah and asks Ray if he has it from here. Pratt walks into Sutures where Sally is with Volunteen. He asks what the damage is and Sally tells him it’s a 1 ½ centimeter scalp lac. Volunteen wants to know if he’ll have a scar. Pratt replies nothing that anybody would be able to see. Volunteen asks “what if I shave my head?” and Pratt answers that it wouldn’t be a good idea, not with that helmet. Hee. Sally thinks two to three staples ought to do it. Pratt says he has it, and Sally pats his shoulder as she walks out. Volunteen says he never fainted before. Pratt thinks it’s probably the best thing he could have done today. Volunteen doesn’t know what he means. Pratt says that Sally was going to give him the boot, but now she’ll probably let him stay, just out of pity. Pratt injects something into Volunteen’s scalp, who cries “owww!” and Pratt says “oh yeah, that’s gonna burn a little”. Hee.

Sally is updating a bunch of cops on Wounded Cop’s condition. She tells them he’s going to be just fine, then hugs one and says it’s good to see him. Walking away, she says she’ll come find them when she has more details. Sam joins her walking and says she has “a thing for the boys in blue, huh?” Sally chuckles and says no, she knows half of them. She explains that her dad is a retired cop, her brother’s a cop, and her fiancé was a cop. Sam’s surprised that Sally’s engaged. Sally corrects her that she was, a few years ago, but he was killed on the job. Sam says she’s sorry. Sally smiles and quietly thanks her, then continues that she still has a thing for that uniform. Sam wants to know if she can ask her a question. Sally says sure and Sam asks under what circumstances would a prisoner be transferred from one state to another. Sally asks if it’s her ex. Since when have Sam and Sally become so chummy that Sally would know about Steve? Another off camera, non-explanation thing. Sam explains that he wrote her a letter saying he was being moved from Canon City, Colorado to Cook County. Sally thinks there could be a lot of reasons, and she can check it out if Sam wants. I’ll answer for Sam and say yes, please, Sally, because I am curious, too. But only if it’s Cole Hauser and not Sleazy Steve from last season. Inez comes up to Sam and pointing to a guy at Admit, says that he is looking for Neela. Sam says that she’s with a patient. Inez replies that she told him that. They walk over to Admit.

Liv is there with a guy who looks like a taller version of Teller from Penn & Teller. She’s calling him “dad” so I guess it’s safe to assume that’s who he is, unless we have another Ponyboy situation, which would just be way over the top. Though this IS the show that stuck it to Romano with a helicopter, twice, so you really can’t put anything past them. Teller shows Liv’s bottle of pills to Sam and says that he wants to talk to that doctor right now. Sam tells him he’ll have to wait unless she can help him. Teller wants to know why the prescription was written for his daughter. Sam snarks “doesn’t your daughter know?”, but Teller says she won’t tell him. Liv says that he’s making a scene, and he shushes her like Dr. Evil did to Scott in Austin Powers. Sam explains that if his daughter won’t tell him, there’s nothing that they can do about it. Teller’s getting pissed and says “Excuse me, yes there is”. He wants her to get the damn doctor who wrote the prescription right now before he hits the whole place with a malpractice suit. Dude, you don’t know who you’re yelling at. Sam could care less if you sue the hospital. He tells her he has lawyers and she says “oh yeah? Well, I’ve got Jerry”, and points to him standing a few feet behind her. Jerry looks up, confused. Sam continues that unless Teller wants to be carried out of there “like a dirty diaper” she suggests he take a seat. The way she said this is amusing, but threatening people proves that she is so not the management material that Sally thinks she is. Although, she did sound a lot like my manager when she said that, so maybe she is. Teller looks back and forth between Jerry and Sam, huffs, and then tells Liv to “come on”. He walks away shaking his head. Jerry asks Sam if she knows that he abhors violence. Sam says she knows that, but Teller didn’t and for him to put on his best tough guy face as we see Teller still looking at them. Jerry scrunches up his face, which makes him look like he’s more blocked up than built up. Hee.

Dubenko cuts open Ponyboy. Neela asks what kind of retractor he needs. He replies “the human kind” grabbing her hands and sticking them in the incision. Nice. And the squishing sound as she pries it apart, yuck. He reaches in and asks Neela what something is, and she says the linea alba. Is that any relation to Jessica Alba? Dubenko is yanking on stuff and jargoning, but I am a little too squicked out by them using their hands that I really can’t pay attention to what he’s saying. Jerry walks in and tells Neela that she has a phone call and that it sounds urgent. Considering she’s got her hands stuck all the way in a patient’s abdomen, I’m going to guess that she won’t be taking it. She tells Jerry to take a message, then asks Dubenko if he needs scissors. Um, how are you going to give them to him if you are playing the part of the retractor, Neela? Dumb. He says no and says to poke a finger through the peritoneum and tear it open. Is doing all this with his hands instead of surgical instruments Dubenko’s passive-aggressive way of performing a surgery on a patient he doesn’t really want to treat and hopes won’t make it? Jerry stresses to Neela that the call is from a Lieutenant Strickland calling from Camp Claiborne in Iraq. We can only see Neela’s eyes because she is wearing a surgical mask and the goggles, but it is apparent how much this news is distressing her. Dubenko tells her to stand back as tons of blood comes pouring out of Pony. This must be the bodily fluid that’s going to ruin Neela’s outfit. And ewww, that’s a lot of blood. Neela says “oh God” as she tries to back away as much as possible without letting go. She tells Jerry she can’t take the call and wants him to get a number. Dubenko asks for suction, which makes such a lovely noise that I really hope they’ll play it again. Except, not.

Abby says that Sydney is not responding to fluids and is in PEA. She’s bagging Sydney and Luka is doing compressions. Chuny tells them Brady to 60, and I wonder whether it is Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby or Cindy she is referring to. Luka says “10 blade to Abby, rib spreader to me”. Abby’s unsure and tells him that she’s not really used to doing this on kids. Luka tells her it’s pretty much the same, except everything’s smaller, which is really unhelpful, Luka, because I think Abby already understands that. Abby takes a deep breath and then cuts Sydney’s chest open. Luka puts in the retractor and twists it open and again we see into the cavity. I think as a director, Laura Innes is liking the gore factor just a little too much this week. Abby says the pleura is dry and Luka wants her to check the pericardium. Why is Luka wearing goggles but Abby isn’t? Weird. Abby, upset, says “Oh my God, it’s full of blood. Really full.” And she probably should have pulled her hair back before starting this trauma because it looks like it’s threatening to go into the incision. But then we’d be subjected to her playing with it, so I guess since I already complained about not wanting to do hair this week, this is what I’m stuck with. Luka says “Damn it. She’s in tamponade”, which I’m kind of glad means compression of the heart caused by blood or fluid accumulation in the pericardium and doesn’t have anything to do with Tampax. Oh, but this is a shame because Sydney’s in really bad shape and I’m not having a good feeling about this. Neither is Chuny, who looks a bit worried. Abby says there’s too much pressure on the heart. Luka gravely says that she collapsed her ventricles. Abby calls for pick up and metz. She’s shaking her head. Luka’s High Horse asks under his breath where Chi-Chi is, and shakes his head too. Abby, not looking at him, makes a face that says “that’s not helping”.

Dubenko and Neela are still squishing around Ponyboy’s stomach. They start packing in some gauze. Dubenko says the liver is packed off. Neela says there are eight units in and the pressures up to 90 systolic, which Dubenko thinks will do. Malik comes in wearing a really funky Hawaiian shirt looking scrub top that I’m liking and wish they would all wear and tells them that the OR is ready. Dubenko tells Neela that it helps to compress the liver up against the diaphragm. Neela compliments him that it was brilliant. Dubenko thinks in another five minutes they would have been taking him to the morgue and says “let’s go”. As they are wheeling Pony away, Dubenko apologizes about the floor, as we see that it looks almost as if it has been painted red. Thanks, Laura Innes. I so needed that image. And I guess this is the last we’ll see Pony. Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold.

Luka is shocking Sydney’s heart and Abby, bagging her, asks if he’s ready for another unit. Chi-Chi bursts in wondering what the hell happened. Luka’s High Horse contemptuously spits out “cardiac tamponade”. Chi-Chi thinks that’s impossible because it was a peripheral wound. Luka snidely says that Chi-Chi knows that a bullet’s trajectory can go anywhere. Not able to believe what is happening, Chi-Chi explains that she had a hemothorax and she was only bleeding in the chest. Abby looks at him. Luka bitches that Sydney was bleeding into the pericardium and the pressure kept her heart from filling. Abby is staring at Chi-Chi as he complains that’s impossible because there was no indication of tamponade. Luka, in the same snotty tone that he harshly used with Abby earlier asks “didn’t you check for effusion on the ultrasound?” Chi-Chi gets as pissed as Abby did and insists “of course, but there was sub-q air” and he couldn’t get a clear view. Abby is purposely not looking at either of them, but is unmistakably bothered by their sniping at each other. The camera stays on Abby as Luka High Horse’s that Sydney needed volume to fill her ventricle and Chi-Chi withheld fluids. Chi-Chi justifies that based on what they knew permissive hypotension was reasonable. Luka attacks “you killed her”. Abby is clearly fed up with this and asserts that Sydney’s parents are coming to take her home. Luka is done, and pulls off his gloves. Abby finally looks at him and argues that they think she was rescued and pleads “can we keep her alive until they get here?” Chi-Chi comes over and wants to cross clamp the aorta. Luka disdainfully says that Sydney’s not bleeding in her belly and that she’s gone. Chuny glances at Abby who steps back from the table, looking sad. I’m sad too because I am so not liking Luka right now, though it will be fun to ruminate on the ways he can make it up to me. Chi-Chi thinks what he is doing will help perfuse her heart and brain until they can pump more blood into her. Chi-Chi is acting a bit desperate. He calls for a vascular clamp. Chuny just looks at him and then at Abby and Chi-Chi asks for it again and she hands it to him. Abby stands behind him, looking unsettled.

Uncle Jesse is walking down the hall and spots Neela. He asks her what the word is on Sydney. Neela tells him that they are still working on her, but Pony is going to pull through. Uncle Jesse wishes it were the other way around. He wisecracks that at least child molesters don’t last long in prison. Neela gives him a “you did not just say that” look, shakes her head and walks away. He asks her if she’s a Hawks fan. Neela is wearing some seriously high stilettos which look soooo comfortable and I’m sure have not bothered her feet at all this shift. Neela says “excuse me?” and Uncle Jesse explains that he means the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team and that he has two tickets to Friday’s game. He then says “you, me, hot wings, cold beer”, because Neela seems like a hot wings and beer type of gal, doesn’t she? She says “sorry” and keeps walking. He follows asking if she’s more of a “theater gal”. He doesn’t give her a chance to answer and says that he figures as much and that he also has tickets to the opera and Philharmonic. She wants to know if he moonlights as a scalper. He says no, but his cousin does. Neela appreciates the offer but she doesn’t get much time off. Uncle Jesse says that he knows that story, so they’ll just stay home, order a deep dish and she can quiz him on renal pathophysiology. Neela wants to know what he knows about that and he says “not enough” and that’s why he needs her help and it’s one of his fourth year electives. Neela wants to know the fourth year of what? Uncle Jesse says medical school and that he just does the paramedic thing for the free coffee. Neela looks at him kind of amused, then says maybe some other time and apologizes because she has to deal with something urgent. He tells her no problem and that he’ll see her around. Uncle Jesse was trying a little too hard to be cute and flirty. Didn’t really work for me. I think his acting style may be a bit too fluffy for this kind of drama, but unlike Luka, I’ll hold off judgment until I see how he does next week. And since they’ve told us he’s a med student, I guess the door is open for him to join the cast after ABC most assuredly cancels Jake In Progress this spring. I’m a little surprised that Neela didn’t just tell him she has a boyfriend. A little strange considering she got herself all tarted up for Gallant. Though I liked the banter between Neela and Uncle Jesse and think they had more chemistry than she does with Gallant. Gallant may be pretty, but his acting is very wooden. Whenever he and Neela are together I am always reminded of a video I saw on Cartoon Network about a piece of wood with a face on it called “My Best Friend Plank”.

Neela walks up to Jerry at Admit and asks for that lieutenant’s phone number. He gives it to her and she asks if he said what it was about. Jerry says “no, sorry”. Neela stares at the slip and walks over to the phone. She looks a bit upset and asks Frank if he has anything sarcastic to say, but he wisely doesn’t. Is she really going to call Iraq from one of the hospital phones? I’m not sure Weaver will like that, Neela. Why doesn’t she use her cell? As the phone is ringing, Teller comes over and asks if she is the doctor who prescribed the pills. Neela hangs up the phone and says yes. He asks her what the pills are for. Neela sarcastically asks him if he sees the patient’s name below hers on the bottle. That’s who the prescription is for and unless he is Zoe Butler, she can’t tell him anything. Teller states that if she treated his daughter he needs to know why. Neela apologizes and says there are confidentiality rules. Teller scoffs “Confidentiality? She’s a little kid!” He tells Neela she didn’t have his permission to treat Liv. Liv tries to stop her dad, then spots Ray, who is watching this whole exchange. Neela tells Teller he is not going to get the information from her. Ray interrupts and introduces himself. Neela tells Ray she has it. Teller asks if Ray is Neela’s boss, which makes me laugh out loud. Ray starts to talk to Teller, when Neela stops him and says that she needs to speak to him in private. He wants her to let him deal with it. She insists “no”. She walks away and he follows saying he can handle this. She tells him he can’t and asks how by talking to Teller and telling him his daughter has a sexually transmitted disease, because if he does, it’s a breach of confidentiality. Ray just wants to do the right thing and Neela asks if he wants to violate her privacy, too. Ouch. Neela reminds him that what he did was a crime and if he tells the truth he’ll go to jail. Hey, maybe he and Pony can share a cell. Or Steve, since he’s getting transferred. Neela explains that the only thing he can do is let it go and allow her to deal with it.

Chi-Chi is shocking Sydney’s heart. Abby says “asystole” and Chi-Chi tells her to resume compressions. He wants her to see if she can find a hole in the right ventricle. Chi-Chi asks if she had a high-dose epi, and Luka replies five minutes ago. This made me laugh because Ellen Degeneres was on the set of ER last week and she was asking Goran Visnjic and Maura Tierney what a high dose epi was used for, and neither of them could tell her, although Goran said he thought it was medicine and you gave it when someone was sick. Hee. Chi-Chi tells Abby that if there’s a cardiac injury to occlude, they’ll get better ventricular filling. Luka tells him that Sydney’s been in pulseless v-fib and asystole for twenty-five minutes and she’s still not perfusing with open compressions. Chi-Chi bitches that he’s giving her another chance. Luka’s High Horse trots in to tell him that all he’s giving her is more abuse. Abby tells Chi-Chi to stop it, although from the way she said it, she could have been saying it to Luka as well. Chi-Chi keeps up the compressions and Abby, more quietly, tells him to just stop it. She’s watching him as he doesn’t look up and keeps squeezing. Abby looks away, desolately as Chi-Chi finally stops. Luka glowers at him as he calls the time of death as 3:49. Luka looks over at Abby, who glares at him, then looks away, removing her gloves. She says that she’ll sew up the chest before the family gets there. He walks over towards her with the chart, but instead of handing it to her, he drops it on the table and turns and walks out. Abby, dejectedly wipes off Sydney’s face.

After commercial, Neela walks into the ambulance bay, dialing her cell phone. Guess she thought better of tempting the wrath of Weaver. She gets through to Camp Claiborne and asks for Lt. Strickland. The man on the phone asks who she is and she tells him, stating that she’s returning the lieutenant’s call. It only takes about two seconds before the lieutenant picks up because apparently there is nothing happening in the war zone and he can hang near the phone all day. Lt. Strickland says that he understands she’s a friend of Michael Gallant’s. Neela says that she is, and looks more and more worried, especially when the Lt. tells her he has some bad news. Are they going to kill off Gallant? Maybe Uncle Jesse is still in the hospital and you can go to the hockey game after all, Neela. The Lt. tells her there has been an incident outside of Mosul. Then the previously crystal clear connection conveniently starts zotzing out, heightening the drama over whether Gallant is toast or not. The voice keeps breaking up and Neela asks if she can hear him. The voice comes back clearly and says that there were several casualties. Neela is looking kind of nervous, but really not as anxious as you would think given this phone call, so I’m not worried. The Lt. goes on that Gallant’s unit had a heavy patient flow of casualties so he’ll be unable to make it home on leave as anticipated and he asked the Lt. to pass the info on to Neela. Neela wants him to confirm that Gallant’s okay and not injured, and the Lt. says that he’s “a little homesick and sand-weary”, but fine. Neela thanks him for the phone call, looking relieved.

Luka is walking down the hall, writing on a chart. He passes Chi-Chi who is looking at an x-ray. Chi-Chi calls him over and asks if it looks like a subdural to him. Luka looks at him skeptically, then comes over and glances at the x-ray and says “no”. Luka walks away and Chi-Chi follows. Chi-Chi is still trying to justify his treatment by saying that 95% of the time controlled hypotension would have worked in this situation. Luka’s High Horse declares that he should make sure to tell that to Sydney’s family. Chi-Chi tells him to come on, there was no way that she should have had a tamponade and Luka knows it. Uh, yeah Chi-Chi, but she did. All Luka’s High Horse knows is that she did and that if she had been given fluids, she wouldn’t have died. Chi-Chi doesn’t think that’s a certainty. Luka’s High Horse believes they would have seen the signs and they could have drained the pericardium. Chi-Chi exposits that he did what he thought was in her best interest. Luka retorts that he did even when two other doctors disagreed with him. I guess Luka means himself and Abby. Chi-Chi comes back that Dubenko agreed with him. Luka thinks Chi-Chi would have done the same even if he hadn’t, because that’s Chi-Chi’s style, Luka continues as he walks away, that Chi-Chi does whatever the hell he wants regardless of what anyone else thinks. Chi-Chi follows after him bitching “You don’t like my style? What is that?” Luka pronounces that they were all there a long time before Chi-Chi and they work together and that Chi-Chi is the new guy and that he needs to fit in with them and not the other way around. Chi-Chi wants to know if this is a damned social club. Not any one that I’d want to belong to, Chi-Chi. Unless it were only a membership of two, and the other one besides me is Luka. Although the way he is acting today, I don’t know that I would want him in my club … at least not fully clothed. Luka tells him that if he can’t do that, then they have a problem. Chi-Chi says he takes risks to save his patients and that he’s sorry if that scares Luka. Well, considering you just killed a patient, Chi-Chi, I’d be a little scared. Luka yells at him “especially if you start sucking in the residents.” So is this argument about Abby? Please don’t tell me they are going to have a duel over her like Luka did with Carter in “Secrets and Lies”, because that was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen on this show. As Luka goes on “They need to be taught the fundamentals not some unproven and esoteric studies”, Chi-Chi talks over him about how he is about cutting-edge medicine and if he sees a problem, he fixes it and then he gets in Luka’s face and says “bam!” Luka looks at him as Chi-Chi stops and says "what?", blood coming out of his nose. Luka tells him that maybe he should fix that and walks away. Sally, who has been watching this whole exchange, comes over to Chi-Chi and hands him some gauze. She asks him if it happens often. He says only after five or six beers and a bar fight. Sally thinks people just seem really wired after what happened. Chi-Chi says “you picked up on that too, huh?” Sally wonders if they should have a critical incident debriefing after shift, and Chi-Chi thinks it’s a great idea. He walks away. Sally spots Ray and tells him that they are going to have a critical incident debriefing in Exam 3 after shift. Ray wants to know why and Sally asks him “why do you think?” She says it was a tough shift for people and it helps if they can get a chance to decompress before they go home. Ray thinks that’s why God created beer. Well, Ben Franklin did say that “beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”, so I’d have to agree with you there, Ray. Ray asks if it’s mandatory, and Sally says it is and tells him to pass it on before walking away. Sam comes up and grabs a chart and Ray asks her what she thinks – who would win a street fight between Luka and Chi-Chi? Ray thinks Luka has size, but he has a feeling that Chi-Chi is “kind of squirrely”. Obviously, you weren’t around to see what Luka did to that mugger on his first date with Abby, Ray. Or to her neighbor that beat her up. Come to think of it, if this fight with Chi-Chi is about Abby, then my money is on Luka. Sam thinks Ray needs help, and I’d have to agree.

Chi-Chi is in an Exam room looking at his face in a bedpan and sucking the blood back up his nose. Nice. Abby walks in and asks what he’s doing. He says nothing as he puts the bedpan behind him on the bed, and covers his nose with his hand. Abby asks him what happened to his nose. Chi-Chi replies “Kovac”. Abby, surprised, walks quickly over to him and asks only semi-disbelievingly “he hit you?” Chi-Chi says “no, but I bet he would like to have”. Holding a thumb over the bleeding nostril, he tells her that the last time he got one of these, Tina Marino had caught him with her cousin. Are the nosebleeds significant? Does Chi-Chi have hypertension or something? Or could he be doing coke? Maybe that’s what the trouble was that made him leave his last job, though I doubt it since Weaver seems to know about it and there’s no way after what they went through with Carter that she would knowingly hire a drug addict. Maybe Chi-Chi has one of those inexplicable fatal nosebleed diseases like the one that killed Albert Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie. Abby wants to take a look at it. She thinks he’s going to need to be packed, but he tells her it’s tapering off, as he sucks more bloody snot up. Lovely. She tells him that’s not working. He says he’s fine. She puts on gloves as he tells her that he’s sorry about Sydney. Not looking at him, she says that she is too. He says that he was trying to save her despite what Luka might think. Abby says she knows. Chi-Chi looks really sad. Abby pulls out what looks like a tampon and tilts his chin so that she can stick it up his nose. He looks at her again, this time she is looking back, and his eyes are shiny as he tells her that he is really, really sorry. And he looks it. She seems touched and says “okay, put your head back” and nods at him.

Luka is walking down that hall. He isn’t wearing a labcoat and is carrying a jacket, so he must be ending his shift. And I don’t think I’ve mentioned before that he is wearing a blue shirt. Yum. See, I’ve already forgiven him for being such an ass for most of this episode. He’s carrying a file. He stops Weaver who is walking by. This is the first time I remember Laura Innes actually appearing in an episode that she’s directed. Luka asks her if she’s found someone to replace Susan as Chief of the ER. Susan! They actually mentioned her again! I miss Sherry Stringfield. And her hair. Weaver tells him they are still looking at candidates. Luka wants to know if Chi Chi is the favorite. Weaver says that he’s certainly up there and asks why. Luka’s not sure that he’s the right person for the job. Weaver tells him that if he thinks of someone better, to feel free to give her a call. He asks “what about me?”, and raises his eyebrows at her, adorably. How could she not give him the job? Well, I guess she’s immune to his charms, ‘cause honey, if he can’t make you switch teams, no one can. She’s surprised because she didn’t think he would want to be Chief. And speaking of Chiefs, I just realized there’s been no Morris this episode. No wonder I’ve been enjoying it so much. Luka just stares at her, drumming his fingers on the desk. She says she really doesn’t think it’s his style. He thinks that maybe it’s time for him to change his style. Weaver looks at him, curiously. Maybe she’s rethinking the team thing? He’s been there a long time and he knows the people and the department and he just wants to put his name into the mixture. Weaver corrects “mix”. Hee. But Luka doesn’t get it, because Abby is the only one who’s allowed to correct his English and she’s not in this scene. Weaver tells him that she’ll let the committee know that he’s interested. He thanks her as she walks away. Frank walks up and tells everyone that Sally is waiting for them in Exam 3. Ray tells Pratt that she said it was mandatory, and he said Chi-Chi did too. Neela thinks they want them to express their feelings about what happened today. Luka says “well, today sucked. Good night” and walks away. Way to set a good example, Luka. That is so the way to prove that you are Chief material. Ray says “Great. Was it mandatory for everyone except the Attendings?” Sam is accompanying a gurney a saying “Edna Casselman, 56, found in the park, altered, no sign of trauma”. Pratt looks at Neela and Ray and smiles saying “thank you, Edna” and to tell Sally that he is with a patient. Ray scoffs, then looks at Neela, who is distracted. He asks her “it can’t be that bad, can it?” She tells him that Gallant’s leave has been postponed. He says he’s sorry. He wants to know if he can come by and pick up his amp. I thought for a second that maybe he moved out, but remembered that he told her he would make himself scarce when Gallant visited. She says “whatever” and that she really doesn’t feel like sticking around “for this dumb thing”. Nice attitude, people. She tells Ray that she has dinner reservations at Gibson’s if he wants to grab a drink or five. He says “Wow. I like the way you think, Roomie”. And asks if it’s her treat. She says as long as he stops calling her “Roomie”. Hee.

Abby is sitting in Exam 3 with Chi-Chi and Sally. She asks him how his nose is. He says it seems to be working and thanks her. Sally, realizing that no one else is going to show up, says “The hell with this. Go home.” Abby gets up, says “see you later” and leaves. Chi-Chi tells Sally that he thought it was a great idea. He thinks the department needs a lot of work. She thinks it needs a kick in the ass.

Sad Cop is standing in the hall outside Trauma Yellow, looking through the window. He has a bag in his hand. Abby walks up and he asks her if the parents have shown up. She says they should be there soon. The camera stays on Abby as Sad Cop says “after all she’s been through … maybe she’s better off.” Abby's not sure anybody is better off dead. Sad Cop hands Abby the bag and tells her that he recovered this in the parking lot. It’s Coogy. As he’s walking away, Sad Cop says he has to check in with Wounded Cop and he hears that he is driving the nurses upstairs crazy. Abby hasn’t taken her eyes off of Sydney in the Trauma Room. She goes in and walks over to the body as the Unhappy Piano Music of Traumas Gone Wrong plays. Abby puts the stuffed animal in Sydney’s arms and tucks the blanket around her. This is really sad.

Neela asks Ray how much trouble he thinks they’ll get in for not showing up. He doesn’t care, because he’s not working for a few days, so he figures it will blow over by then. Neela’s pissed because she is working tomorrow and thinks she’ll get punished for both of them. Wait a minute. Wasn’t Gallant supposed to be home? She didn’t request off for tomorrow after he will have flown half-way around the world to be with her? Nice, Neela. A fist comes out of nowhere and slams into Ray’s face. Teller starts beating the crap out of Ray, as Neela yells for him to stop. Neela shouts for security as Teller throws Ray into the windshield of a car. Liv is sitting inside, horrified. Neela keeps yelling for security as Teller knocks Ray to the ground and starts kicking him. Damn, I didn’t know Teller was so strong. Teller tells him that if he ever comes near his daughter again, he’ll kill him. Teller puts back on his glasses, which I think is really funny, glowers at Ray, then gets in his car. Ray’s face has blood all over it. Neela kneels over him asking if he’s okay. He tells her he’s fine. I just noticed that his t-shirt, the same one he was wearing under his labcoat on shift, has little holes all over it. Again, real appropriate work attire, Ray. Hopefully, now that it has blood stains all over it, you’ll take this one out of the rotation.

Luka is in the bat cave distractedly flipping through the channels – first some movie with Ernest Borgnine, then Nascar, then we hear the theme to Get Smart, and finally the news. As we hear the weathergirl giving the forecast, the doorbell rings faintly, Luka looks up like he hears something. He turns down the volume and we hear the doorbell ringing more clearly. Turning off the TV, he gets up to answer it. He opens the door to see Abby walking away down the hall. She turns when the door opens, and they both exchange “hey’s”. Looking at her a little chagrined, he asks if she wants to come in – she nods that she does. Well, duh, Luka. I don’t think she came all the way over to your apartment to stand in the hallway. He’s pretty, but sometimes a little dim. Like his apartment. I already suggested the 100 watt bulbs, Luka. And you can get some nice track lighting at IKEA. I’ll send you the catalog. As they go back into the apartment and down the stairs into his living room, Abby comments that he didn’t go to the debriefing. He asks if she did. She says pointedly that it was just her, Sally and Chi-Chi. He asks if she’s hungry, because he could heat up some pizza for her. She’s not. The camera shows them standing far away from each other, almost on opposite ends of the couch. Abby is standing with one hand on her hip, looking almost as if she can’t keep still and would rather be pacing. Luka has both hands on his hips and is watching her. He asks her if she’s mad about something. She doesn’t answer right away, then quietly asks him what he thinks. He thinks yes, then tells her that he didn’t need to go to the debriefing, but she cuts him off angrily and says she doesn’t care about that as she tosses her purse on the nearby table. Luka wants to know what she’s talking about. Heatedly, she tells him she’s talking about him and Chi-Chi and whatever it is that is going on between the two of them. She says “if you want to get into a pissing match with him, that’s fine, just leave me out of it”. She’s totally calling him on jumping down her throat in the trauma for listening to Chi-Chi and Dubenko, because she knows that Luka has a thing about having his authority challenged. And she’s right, she was stuck in the middle and then left alone by both Attendings, and then when things went wrong, he blamed her for not listening to him. Luka replies that Chi-Chi was wrong. Abby is getting visibly upset. She looks away and says “Yeah … and that’s the most important thing isn’t it … that he was wrong and you were right.” Luka is looking at her like he doesn’t know what to say and also that he knows she’s right. She keeps going, still not looking at him, “and while you were arguing about it, the little girl died”. Luka swallows, looks a bit ashamed and looks down as we hear Abby say “as if she hadn’t suffered enough”. Exasperated, she continues, “God, she was ten years old, Luka”. She keeps gesturing with her hands, like she’s wound very tightly, but needs to be moving something. She goes on “and he had her for months and I just … I just can’t stop thinking about ...”, stops, then with her voice breaking, “what she must have gone through”. She’s getting more and more distraught, and her voice is wavering and she places her hand to her heart, almost like she’s in pain, “and I can’t stop thinking about how afraid she must have been … and I can’t stop thinking about why we couldn’t save her”. Damn, Maura Tierney is amazing in this scene. You can really feel Abby’s anguish. Luka can too. He’s been watching her, genuinely concerned. He steps closer to her as she again says “I just” but stops because she is choked up and really can’t continue. He closes the gap between them, his eyes focused on her face and she turns in towards him and sighs as he reaches up and cradles her head in his hands. She closes her eyes and you can see the grief on her face. She reaches up her right hand to touch his left one. She opens her eyes and looks at him as he leans in to kiss her, and she responds. Wow. His lips linger on hers. Then he pulls back as the camera is in a close-up on her, his hands still on her face, as she is looking at him, kind of wide-eyed. Camera switches to a close-up of him, intently gazing at her. His mouth twitches slightly like he is going to smile, but doesn’t quite do it as he stares at her. Switch back to her and her eyes, still kind of shining from unshed tears, are searching his, and she too, very, very subtly, almost smiles. As we fade to black, I alternate between hating Maura Tierney, wanting to be her, and wondering how many times she “accidentally” messed up this scene so he’d have to kiss her again. Bitch.

Well done, Laura Innes.

Okay, my two cents. This final scene was very intense. Abby is not someone who is given to expressing her emotions, other than anger, and it was disconcerting for Luka and the audience to see her so vulnerable. The fact that she let him see her like that speaks volumes to how their relationship has changed since they were dating in Season 7, when she locked herself in the bathroom in “The Dance We Do” and turned on the water so that he wouldn’t hear her crying about her mother. I think the fact that anger is the only emotion that she can consistently show to other people is why she started out so pissed at him. I think part of it is because she channeled all of her frustration and grief over Sydney into her anger because it is easier for her to express that. She went to Luka partly because she was angry with him, felt let down by him, and wanted him to know it, but also because he was there, he saw what had been done to Sydney and she needed to vent all of what she was feeling and she knew he would get it. Since he didn’t show up for the debriefing and there basically wasn’t one, she didn’t get to have the outlet for all the emotions that Sally had rightfully thought they all needed. I also think that he got caught up by her outpouring of emotion and his kissing her took them both by surprise, though not in a bad way. Anyway, just my opinion.


Neela-centric episode next week. Plane crash. Lots of action. Uncle Jesse’s back, and that paragon of great acting … Serena Williams guest stars. Oh goody.