Chicago Med (2015) s11e16 Episode Script
The Book of Charles
1
After that little scare with Anna,
I just get this knot in my
chest every now and then.
I have decided to
step away from teaching,
'cause I already found the
best possible replacement.
Me?
You must have some kind of protege
who's ready to take the reins.
What happened?
I'm thinking about retiring.
I haven't had a panic attack
since medical school.
Burning the candle at both ends.
I started to volunteer
at a suicide hotline.
Being the guy on
the other end of the line,
I don't know, it kind of helps.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
♪
[HEAVY BREATHING]
♪
[PHONE RINGING]
♪
[DOOR SLAMS]
[PHONE RINGING]
Greater Chicago Lifeline.
This is Dan. What's going on tonight?
Hello?
Are you there? Did I lose you?
[SOFT GASP]
I'm here.
Oh, there you are.
Tell me what's happening.
I want to die.
Thank you for your honesty.
Uh, I also appreciate
you saying that out loud
because that's not easy to do.
It's all I can think about.
My brain just keeps
I don't know, running in circles,
and it always comes back to that.
I can't eat. I can't sleep.
Mm.
Not sleeping absolutely sucks.
Do you mind if I ask
your name, or at least,
you know, what you'd
like me to call you?
[HEAVY BREATHING]
It's Gio.
Gio.
OK, Gio. Thank you.
It was an accident. [SIGHS]
It was my fault.
What was? What was your fault?
I killed my girlfriend.
[WHIMPERING]
OK.
Think it might help to, um,
tell me what happened?
Why? Why? How would that help?
Well, you know, you said
that it was your fault
and it was an accident,
which is interesting.
Because, you know,
I mean, accidents are
well, I mean they're accidents, right?
I mean, they're not on purpose.
We went to a holiday party,
By the end of the night,
she was pretty hammered,
but I only had a few beers,
so I drove us home.
She started feeling sick,
so I was driving pretty fast.
I didn't want her to puke in the car.
You know what I mean?
Oh, I sure do. That's the worst.
Yeah.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
We were coming up on a big intersection
when the light turned yellow,
so I gunned it.
Then out of nowhere,
a woman stepped into
the crosswalk early.
I slammed on my brakes and
I tried to steer around her,
but
the car spun out of control and
slammed into a traffic pole
on the passenger side!
When I looked over at her,
her eyes were open, but
she was gone.
[SOBBING]
Man, I'm I'm just so sorry, Gio.
That sounds that sounds awful.
I mean, awful.
Oh, it's like a tape loop in my brain.
Oh, it hurts so much,
and it never, ever stops.
I I need to make it stop.
OK. You know,
there is a big difference,
though, right,
between being involved in an accident
and intentionally causing
someone's death, right?
And I want you to trust me on this.
Like, grief and guilt
are really, really good
at blurring the difference.
It was my job to get her home safe.
You want to know
what the cruelest thing is
about accidents that happen
really quickly?
It's that after the fact, we
we slow them way down,
and then we start to play them
over and over again in our head,
which creates the illusion
that we might have done
something differently, right?
That we could have somehow
created a different outcome,
when the truth is that
that was just never,
ever gonna happen.
Look,
you're clearly a nice guy,
but none of this stuff
is gonna bring her back.
No, it's not,
and I can't even imagine
how difficult it must be to accept that.
Gio, can I ask you, do you have anything
with you that you might use
to hurt yourself tonight?
A gun.
Got it.
And, uh, where is the gun right now?
[TENSE MUSIC]
In my hand.
OK.
Look, I'm gonna ask you to
do something for me, all right?
And that is, I just want you to
put it somewhere, just for now
will you put it somewhere
where you can't see it?
♪
You still there, buddy?
♪
[SOBBING]
Sometimes it can actually help
to talk about people
that we've lost, right?
Do you think that might help,
to talk about her a bit?
I mean, there is no wrong
answer to this question.
I'm I'm just asking.
♪
Her name was Darby,
and she's gone
forever.
You know what? This is a mistake.
What is?
Well, Gio, look,
it's so important
that you feel this stuff.
- No, you
- It is.
You can't possibly understand.
- It's torture.
- Buddy, listen.
- I can't do it anymore.
- No, no.
- You you
- No, no. I'm sorry.
Gio, listen, loss like this
brings a kind of pain
that can't be solved or explained away.
You just got to talk about it.
You just got to feel it, right?
But just 'cause you're feeling it
doesn't mean you have to act on it.
Feeling guilty doesn't mean
you don't deserve
[LINE CLICKS]
Gio?
♪
[LINE BEEPING]
♪
[SIGHS]
[CLATTERING]
My brain keeps, I don't
know, running in circles,
and it always comes back to that.
I can't eat. I can't sleep.
[ALARM BLARING]
[ALARM CONTINUES BLARING]
- Hi.
- Hi, honey.
- How you doing?
- Good.
Oh.
Is everything OK, Dad?
Yeah, great.
You're up early.
Yeah, the traffic from
Evanston was super light.
OK, I want you to be honest with me.
What do you miss more, me,
or my state-of-the-art laundry facility?
- It's a dead heat.
- Oh, man,
you are so adorable when you lie.
[LAUGHS] I lie because I love, Dad.
You know what? I'm gonna make some eggs.
Sugar will only get you so far.
Oh, but they're "magically delicious."
Oh, whoops.
- Oh, sorry about that.
- Oh, no. Don't touch anything.
Oh.
Boxers
Uh, those are mine.
You wearing men's boxers now?
Uh, it's a thing now.
OK.
- What?
- Honey, nothing.
It's none of my business, OK?
Come on, Dad.
I'm asking you to tell me
what you were gonna say.
I'm just wondering if having a boyfriend
is just the best idea right now.
That's all.
I cannot believe you
just said that to me.
Honey, you told me that
that's what Dr. Drake told you.
OK, note to self, don't tell Dad
a goddamn thing about
anything ever again.
Sweetie, I'm sorry. Really. I'm sorry.
Dad, I don't have a boyfriend.
Aren't you worried that
a new relationship
I mean, even a sexual relationship
OK, Dad, good point.
Fine.
I like to get laid.
- Oh, man.
- I need to get laid.
No, no, honey, please.
It's, like, the best antidepressant
- that I have found so far.
- Honey, come on.
Dad, this doesn't have
anything to do with me.
This is about you.
Whenever you start fixating on my life,
it means something's going on with you.
It's called projecting.
Well, yeah,
I'm familiar with the concept.
How about deflection?
You ever heard of that one?
OK, how about this?
You go to work, I'll wash my clothes,
and we'll pretend this conversation
never took place, OK?
[SIGHS]
So could your supervisor trace the call
using his phone number?
Only emergency services
is allowed to do that.
And get this.
Once we make that move, right,
once we escalate it, that's it.
No follow-up allowed whatsoever.
It's a legal thing, right?
We are not allowed
to find out what happened,
one way or the other.
- Damn, that's brutal.
- Tell me about it.
Yeah, but look,
you did everything you can.
And you don't know what happened,
and maybe that's a good thing.
You also know what
you signed up for, right?
- Of course I do.
- So come on, Daniel.
You can't save everybody.
Why not?
Oh, hey,
do you have a moment?
- I do.
- Uh, talk later?
Maybe a little cocktail after work?
- Yes, please.
- All right.
I have a patient that
just came in, Travis Abbott.
Says he fell and hit his head,
but he's been knocked around pretty bad.
Uh, there was blood
and perineal lacerations
near his rectum, and his tox screen
came back positive for GHB.
Oh, OK.
You're thinking of sexual assault?
Yeah, but he won't go there.
Lead the way.
I I don't know what
the big deal is, all right?
I I I had too much to drink.
I tripped and smashed my head
in the bathroom.
I just came here to make sure
I didn't have a concussion
and Dr. Ripley said I don't,
so can I please go home now?
Here's the thing.
We do need to inform you
that we are legally obligated
to reach out to law enforcement
and provide you access to counseling
when we're confronted with evidence
I wasn't raped.
I'm fine.
OK.
You know, um,
my dad, he wasn't around long,
but he did teach me
to handle pain with silence
because that's what real men do, right?
Someone kicks your ass,
you suck it up.
Someone makes you cry, you suck it up.
But that crap
eats you up inside.
Trust me, it's not worth it.
You got to learn to ask for help.
Well, that was super moving,
but none of it applies to me.
Got it.
I really just have one more question.
Screw. You.
Man, go fuss over somebody else.
Now who who do y'all think
you are, my mama?
[SOMBER MUSIC]
♪
You creeping on your daughter's
Facebook page, Dr. Charles?
I'm not creeping on anything.
It's my it's my daughter.
And it's a public platform,
when I last checked.
How about you mind your own business?
Sorry.
But just for the record,
she moved to Instagram
a few years back.
What? What do you mean?
How how do you know that?
Well, because I follow her
and you don't.
Well, if you must know,
I think she might have a new boyfriend
and I'm just worried
he's a little sketchy.
Anna has a new boyfriend?
What, she's got a new, new boyfriend?
How many boyfriends does she have?
- Dr. Charles?
- Mm.
You available for a consult?
Yeah.
OK.
32-year-old Sage Ellison.
She claims she's in
searing abdominal pain
and is demanding I perform
exploratory surgery, and she
put on a real show, too.
I ran every test under the sun,
and I didn't find anything.
So what you're saying is you think
we might have a big-time
hypochondriac in there?
- Definitely.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
So can you give me just a rough idea
of when you first became
aware of of the pain?
About two years ago.
OK.
And always pretty much been concentrated
in your digestive system?
Yeah, it always starts off as minor,
but inevitably,
it always gets a lot worse.
I keep losing weight
because eating is torture.
I mean,
it sucks.
Sounds like it.
Anything, I don't know,
stressful going on in your life
at the time?
There it is.
What?
Skepticism.
You're a psychiatrist,
so you think I'm either
drug seeking or it's all in my head.
Only thing I was thinking
is that you didn't answer my question.
- [GASPING SHARPLY, WAILING]
- Ooh.
Are you OK?
Sage?
Do you really care?
Actually, I do.
No.
Nothing emotionally stressful
happened in my life
that triggered me.
But I get it.
I'm a woman.
I'm used to men
discounting my physical pain.
All right, I hear that.
But what I was about to say was,
people tend to start making
moral judgments, you know,
when we can't identify
traditional sources of pain.
And as far as I'm concerned,
you know, pain is pain.
Do you know how many stories
I've heard of doctors
discounting women's pain,
only to later discover
that she had cancer,
and that by then,
it was terminal because
too much time had been wasted?
Are you worried that
this could be cancer?
That's my point.
I don't know.
But my stomach feels like
it's being ripped apart
by a chainsaw, and nobody seems to care.
So please, find someone who does.
Or even better,
just send someone down here
to prep me for my surgery!
[SOBBING]
It's like a tape loop in my brain.
It hurts so much,
and it never, ever stops.
I I I need to make it stop!
Oh, come on!
What's the problem?
Naomi just schooled me
on Wordle again.
What's the word?
Lunar.
Ah!
I completely blanked on
the sixth and final guess,
and she gets it in two.
Mm. You OK?
You seem a little sad.
Don't don't
don't even with me right now.
- [LAUGHS]
- Two guesses, Dr. Howard?
I'm a lifelong astronomy
buff, so the word came easy.
One thing this small town girl
doesn't love about the big city
is you can't see the stars.
I miss them.
Wow, that that is sad.
Sure is.
I gotta go.
Oh, also,
I rule.
That's a good one.
What's going on there?
Absolutely nothing.
Really?
Sure, we've had our moments, OK?
But we're strictly friends.
Got it.
She has a boyfriend.
Really?
Look, there's been a lot
of bad timing between us,
but I have a feeling that this
new boyfriend is a short-timer.
Next time, I won't miss my chance.
- [PHONE BUZZING]
- Next time, huh?
You're judging me, aren't you?
Next time's not guaranteed, you know?
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."
[SIGHS]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
Yeah.
Hey, Daniel,
I'm sorry for summoning you,
but I just got a weird call
from the provost
of Porter University School of Medicine
asking for a reference.
Oh, my God.
OK, look, this is Howie,
all right, who decided to retire.
Now, that's a terrible idea
in my opinion, but in his mind,
I'm the only person
in the entire universe
who can replace him
as the Dean of Psychiatry.
I got it, as long as it's all
in his head and not in yours.
Oh, trust me, I ain't going nowhere.
And just for the record,
I am flattered by your concern.
[SCOFFS] Oh, and I ran into Dr. Lenox.
She said you're consulting on
a patient who's demanding
a surgery she may not need?
Yeah, Sage Ellison.
Poor thing.
She's a tough one,
but really suffering,
just not necessarily in the way
she might have us believe.
OK. Oh, and, uh, Daniel,
I'm glad you're sticking around.
Me, too.
[CHUCKLES]
Travis.
Travis, wait.
Nope. I'm out.
Well, Travis just checked himself out
against medical advice.
Sorry I couldn't help you
move that needle, pal.
Yeah, me, too. [SIGHS]
But I couldn't help noticing
that you almost did.
So look,
none of my business,
but I couldn't help wondering,
are you in therapy?
Good catch.
But it was always
such a hard no for you.
I mean, what what got you there?
I'm just curious.
I don't know, maybe, uh,
Hannah and Sadie dumping me
for the same reason.
Oh, man.
Those personal hygiene issues,
they finally caught up with you.
That and, um, my savior complex.
Oh, come on.
Isn't that basically just,
I don't know, being a doctor?
My three exes all said to me,
in so many words,
just do what you're gonna do, Danny,
'cause that's what you're best at.
- Ouch.
- Yeah.
I don't know, man, you just, uh,
have come a long way.
And I hope you don't mind
me telling you that, uh,
I'm really proud of you.
Thank you.
Dr. Charles,
can I talk to you in private?
Jake Driscoll, theater major?
He's a prick.
Well, he's not ugly.
He turned 22 on December 19.
Any way to tell how long
they've been dating?
Oh, I have no clue, Dr. Charles.
There's no hint of Anna here, no photos.
As a matter of fact, he still has
his dating profile set to single.
She was horrified when
I called him her boyfriend.
Oh.
Well, maybe they're not exclusive.
Maybe this is, like,
more of a casual thing.
He does give me
wild child Sagittarius vibes,
- and Miguel is also Sagi
- That's great. That's great.
- Just show me the blog.
- OK.
Oh, he's been in and out
of rehab three times.
Hmm, well, he hasn't posted
in, like, a month and a half.
I hope he's OK.
What do you mean?
Do you think he relapsed?
Elara, I am very well aware
of how busy you are,
and so I just wanted
to, uh, thank you again
for taking the time to come in
and talk to me about your sister.
I really appreciate it.
Just understand,
I don't want to see Sage,
and she can't know I was here.
You have my word.
So it sounds to me like maybe you guys
aren't really in touch right now?
For the last five years.
You mind if I ask why?
Let me guess why I'm here.
Sage is in unbearable pain
and she wants
emergency surgery to fix it,
but you can't seem
to find anything wrong.
OK, so this has happened before.
Sage is my kid sister.
We grew up in the foster system.
Musical families
some nice,
some not so nice.
But when they weren't nice,
I was always there to protect her.
But when I aged out
of the foster system,
one kid cracked her skull with a bat,
and she had emergency surgery.
The doctors and nurses
knew her situation,
so they showered her with
attention to make up for it.
She's been chasing that high ever since.
Did it ever occur to you the possibility
that Sage's pain might be real to her?
You're giving her too much credit.
The mind can be extraordinarily adept
at creating physical pain, Elara.
- It can.
- She's not in any pain.
She's just a liar.
Well, the attention-seeking behavior
you're describing is at the core
of a very serious condition.
It's called factitious disorder,
or as it's more commonly known,
you know, Munchausen syndrome.
I don't care what it's called.
I just know I can't
deal with it anymore.
I blamed myself for a long time.
Maybe if I'd taken her with me
when I turned 18, she
she'd be normal.
Sage kept me on the hook
with that guilt.
Well, she kind of
weaponized it, didn't she?
You're damn right.
I believed her lies,
enabled her,
defended her to doctors who knew better
until I realized
I had to cut her out of my life
if I was ever gonna actually have one.
[SOLEMN MUSIC]
Oh, it's my fault.
I killed my girlfriend.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
Hi, I'm Dr. Charles.
Dr. Frost asked me to stop by.
Lee Holloway, but I'm not the patient.
Oh?
He is.
[MEOWS]
Well, hello there.
What is, uh what is your name?
You know cats don't talk, Dr. Charles.
Excellent point.
What is this, uh, this kitty's name?
Slater.
[HISSES]
But I'd call him Adelaide
for your own safety.
- Adelaide it is.
- Ah.
Lee brought him in
with chronic vomiting.
He's been eating cat food.
Uh-huh.
And, um, how long has
Adelaide been doing that for?
Three days, since our cat died.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
Adelaide was my partner
in crime for 18 years.
I adopted her
my freshman year at DePaul.
[MEOWS]
Pre-husband, pre-motherhood.
She got me through many breakups.
But it's a pretty extreme way
of trying to make me
feel better, isn't it?
Lee, would you mind if I just had
a moment alone with Adelaide?
Would that be all right?
Of course.
OK, you can follow me this way.
Thank you.
Adelaide, would you just, um
would you jump up on the bed?
There's a lot of fleas on the floor.
[TAPPING]
Wow.
So look,
I am gonna ask you
a few questions, OK?
And how about if the answer
is yes, you meow.
And if the answer is no,
you just don't say anything.
Sound good?
[MEOWS]
OK.
Maybe the reason
that you turned into a cat
was because your
your mom was so sad and you
wanted to make her feel better?
[MEOWS]
Oh, OK.
Well, look, I think it's so wonderful,
how hard you're working
to make your mom feel better.
But I want to let you in
on a little secret.
Moms actually love their kids
more than anything,
anything in the whole, wide world,
even their favorite pet.
So what I think
is that who Mom actually misses the most
is Slater.
It was my fault.
What was your fault?
Mommy had Hershey chocolates
on the top shelf of the pantry.
I'm not supposed to know
because she doesn't want me
eating too much sugar.
Oh.
So I snuck in the pantry
after she went to bed one night
and ate a few, but I forgot
to put the chocolates back on the shelf.
I left them on the floor.
Oh, I see.
And Adelaide found them.
Mommy found her dead in the morning.
[SOBBING]
She'll never forgive me.
Yes, she will.
I promise you that.
But first, we have
to tell her what happened.
I know that that sounds scary,
but I'm gonna help you, OK?
And after we do, trust me,
everybody's gonna feel so much better,
especially you.
[GENTLE MUSIC]
♪
What kind of doctor are you?
Why do you ask?
I thought I was gonna
have to be a cat forever.
Oh, well, I'm really glad
that I could help.
Should we talk to Mom?
♪
Any luck?
Any leads on Gio's phone?
Don't worry, Dan.
I kept your name off it.
Since his life was at an imminent risk,
I was able to use exigent circumstances
to track the phone.
Fantastic.
And?
And it was purchased at
a 7-Eleven, pay as you go.
No database can ever hit the number,
so I got up quick on
the trap and trace ping order,
but it was turned off right
after your hotline call.
Oh.
The phone did ping at an area downtown,
but it's so dense with high rises,
and the ping has
a 1,000-meter range of error.
So it's, like, kind of
a needle in a haystack thing.
I did my best.
I tried to track every Gio,
every Giovanni.
Nothing.
So what are you thinking?
Kind of a dead end?
I wish I had more for you.
Look, buddy,
I knew this was a long shot.
I just really appreciate
you looking into it for me.
Really, I do. OK?
It was the least I can do, Doc.
- So you're calling me a liar?
- No.
You just told me my pain isn't real.
That's not what I said at all.
What I said was just
because there could be
a psychological element at play here
doesn't mean that this is
any less real to you.
OK, yeah. Great, Mother Teresa, but?
But our nervous systems can learn
to express emotional pain in
the form of physical symptoms.
There it is again.
What did I tell you?
It's all in my head.
Not what I'm saying.
What I'm saying is that
your body and your mind
could be colluding in ways
you're not even aware of
because it's not voluntary.
Stop hiding behind
all your fancy double talk
and send me someone
who will actually listen.
Sage, trust me. I'm listening.
You're so full of it.
I mean, do you actually know
how full of it you are?
I understand the power of attention,
trust me, medical attention included,
for people who feel lonely
and abandoned.
Oh.
I'm lonely and abandoned, am I?
Well, you're a human being.
OK, well, if I need medical attention
to feel whole,
do you know what that makes you?
I don't know.
What what does that make me?
The freak who needs sick
people like me to feel whole
because fixing us
is how you feel important.
[TENSE MUSIC]
You should see your face.
I nailed it, didn't I?
You need me.
I'm the damn drug you're strung out on.
You need us so that you can feel useful
so you can BS yourself into believing
you're actually helping!
[LAUGHS]
I mean, come on, Dr. Charles.
Hit me with some more of your fancy crap
so you can feel better about yourself
and feed your delusion.
Because the truth is,
you're a useless fraud.
And you want to know what's really sad?
♪
[WHISPERING] Everybody knows it but you.
♪
Look, you're clearly a nice guy,
but none of this stuff
is gonna bring her back.
- Oh, sorry!
- So sorry.
- [LAUGHS] Headed out?
- Uh, yeah.
My boyfriend and I are
grabbing deep dish at Pequod's.
Oh, well, you're not gonna regret that.
Yeah, I can't wait.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Incoming.
Doris, I noticed you friend requested
my new boyfriend today.
Oh, yeah.
I don't know
She was snooping on my behalf.
I put her up to it.
Yeah, I put that part
together all by myself.
[SIGHS] You said
he wasn't your boyfriend.
- I think we should talk.
- Yeah, let's talk.
You are many things,
but internet sleuth is not one of them.
Honey, maybe I
I overstepped a little bit.
Oh, maybe?
Honestly, I was freaked out
by our conversation this morning.
Of course you are entitled
to a private life.
Oh, thanks so much
for getting that, Dad.
But I mean, just so you know,
the program of Alcoholics
Anonymous actively discourages
relationships in the first year
of sobriety, OK?
Because it's just
a very risky proposition.
Wow.
This from the man who spent
years preaching non-judgment
- of recovering addicts.
- I'm not judging anybody.
I'm trying to protect you.
You know, bad idea for you,
terrible idea for him.
Dr. Drake would have said
the same thing about Johnny.
- Jake.
- Jake.
Because after all, didn't
the poor fella just relapse?
Dad, he had a couple of drinks.
- That's called a relapse.
- He's fine.
- He's going to meetings again.
- Great.
Does he know about your situation?
Does he know about your
history about, you know
My suicide attempt?
Yes, Dad, he does.
Good.
Honey [SIGHS]
I'm just you gotta
Oh, let me guess,
dealing with such complex emotions
and attachment could lead
to a relapse of depression,
or or worse, suicidal ideation.
Is that what you were gonna say?
I almost lost you,
OK?
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Sharon called me and told me
you'd been in an accident
and that you were in critical condition.
So Robin and I, we got in
a car and we drove here,
and it was the longest
15 minutes of my life
because I was terrified
that I would get here
and find you dead!
So you just be careful
around this topic,
and you cut me some slack!
♪
Please.
♪
[DOOR SHUTS]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
♪
[GIGGLING] Stop.
Stop, stop.
[CLEARS THROAT] Hi, Dr. Charles.
[PANTING]
Are you OK?
I'm fine.
I'm clearly not as good as you two,
but, uh, thank you for asking.
[SIGHS]
♪
Dr. Charles?
What are you doing,
looking for the Big Dipper?
No, it's a surprise for Naomi.
[CLEARS THROAT]
Oh, wow.
Yeah, but, uh,
her shift ends any minute,
and she's gonna walk in here, so
Buddy, I think I might have just
seen her leaving the hospital.
Wait. Really?
Yeah.
Do you have any idea where she went?
Mm-mm.
Damn it.
OK.
If you must know,
I was taking your advice.
I know it's kind of corny,
but I was trying to,
I don't know, make her day.
Well,
if it's any consolation, um,
I think you might have just made mine.
[CHUCKLES]
Thanks.
[PHONE BUZZING]
- Excuse me.
- Yeah, go ahead.
- Hi, Sharon.
- Where are you, Daniel?
I am right behind the doctor's lounge.
Listen, I need you to come
up to my office right away.
Something wrong?
We have a situation,
so don't talk to anyone.
Just come straight up here.
I'm on my way.
It's torture, and I can't do it anymore.
You know what? This was a mistake.
[GUN BOOMS]
[VOICE ECHOING] I'm afraid
I have some distressing news.
Sage Ellison has just filed an
official complaint against you.
Daniel?
Daniel?
- What?
- Are you OK?
Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on?
Sorry. What were you saying?
Sage Ellison just filed an
official complaint against you.
On what grounds?
Well, she claims you verbally
abused her a few hours ago.
That is a steaming load of crap.
Well, she also claims you accused her
of faking her abdominal pain
for attention.
I promise you, the only person
who got abused in that room was me.
You do know I have to
go through the motions
of processing this complaint.
Why?
Sharon, nothing happened.
[SIGHS]
Do you not believe me
when I tell you that?
Well, yes, of course I believe you,
but this is about optics.
Come on, you dismiss this
kind of stuff all the time.
Daniel, it's a little different
when the accused is your best
friend, now, wouldn't you say?
Come on, this is unbelievable.
This is unbelievable.
OK, what is wrong with you?
What are you not telling me?
What's that supposed to mean?
Not tell
not telling you what?
You don't believe me.
You don't believe me.
- Wait.
- No, no.
You don't believe me.
Daniel, wait a minute.
Just slow down.
I'm worried about you!
This is not like my friend.
Yeah, well, right back at you!
Maybe your friend doesn't
like being called a liar!
OK, you know what?
Maybe you need some more personal time.
- How about that?
- No.
What I need is to maybe take
Howie's offer more seriously.
That's what I need.
OK, so you were considering it?
You were just lying to me before?
I have never lied to you!
Never!
And I was not considering it,
not for a second.
But I sure as hell am now.
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hey, y'all, right here.
Can y'all stand by one second?
Yeah, thank you.
OR 3 is ready for her.
What happened?
Uh, sage just swallowed
some drain cleaner.
What?
Cleaners were here earlier.
She must have stolen it off the cart.
She was screaming at the top
of her lungs when I came in.
On exam, she had significant erythema
and ulceration in her mouth.
Who knows what her esophagus looks like?
What was she screaming about?
Crazy stuff, something
about her dad, I think.
"Am I sick enough for you now, Pop?"
What, that mean something to you?
Is, um
is she gonna make it?
If she didn't just put
a huge hole into her esophagus
or stomach and she doesn't
start to hemorrhage
in the next 10 minutes, maybe.
Let's get her upstairs to surgery.
♪
[DISSONANT WARBLING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[PANTING]
♪
[LIGHTS BUZZING LOUDLY]
♪
[SOFT CHATTER FROM TELEVISION]
♪
I don't know.
There's no way I can
set a price on something
I've never done before.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES]
♪
Danny,
is that you?
Oh, hi, Mom.
What are you doing here?
You tell me.
I don't know.
I mean, I assume that I'm dreaming.
Are you sure it's not a nightmare?
♪
[HIGH-PITCHED WHIRRING]
[PANTING]
[STRAINED] Help!
♪
Help!
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
After that little scare with Anna,
I just get this knot in my
chest every now and then.
I have decided to
step away from teaching,
'cause I already found the
best possible replacement.
Me?
You must have some kind of protege
who's ready to take the reins.
What happened?
I'm thinking about retiring.
I haven't had a panic attack
since medical school.
Burning the candle at both ends.
I started to volunteer
at a suicide hotline.
Being the guy on
the other end of the line,
I don't know, it kind of helps.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
♪
[HEAVY BREATHING]
♪
[PHONE RINGING]
♪
[DOOR SLAMS]
[PHONE RINGING]
Greater Chicago Lifeline.
This is Dan. What's going on tonight?
Hello?
Are you there? Did I lose you?
[SOFT GASP]
I'm here.
Oh, there you are.
Tell me what's happening.
I want to die.
Thank you for your honesty.
Uh, I also appreciate
you saying that out loud
because that's not easy to do.
It's all I can think about.
My brain just keeps
I don't know, running in circles,
and it always comes back to that.
I can't eat. I can't sleep.
Mm.
Not sleeping absolutely sucks.
Do you mind if I ask
your name, or at least,
you know, what you'd
like me to call you?
[HEAVY BREATHING]
It's Gio.
Gio.
OK, Gio. Thank you.
It was an accident. [SIGHS]
It was my fault.
What was? What was your fault?
I killed my girlfriend.
[WHIMPERING]
OK.
Think it might help to, um,
tell me what happened?
Why? Why? How would that help?
Well, you know, you said
that it was your fault
and it was an accident,
which is interesting.
Because, you know,
I mean, accidents are
well, I mean they're accidents, right?
I mean, they're not on purpose.
We went to a holiday party,
By the end of the night,
she was pretty hammered,
but I only had a few beers,
so I drove us home.
She started feeling sick,
so I was driving pretty fast.
I didn't want her to puke in the car.
You know what I mean?
Oh, I sure do. That's the worst.
Yeah.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
We were coming up on a big intersection
when the light turned yellow,
so I gunned it.
Then out of nowhere,
a woman stepped into
the crosswalk early.
I slammed on my brakes and
I tried to steer around her,
but
the car spun out of control and
slammed into a traffic pole
on the passenger side!
When I looked over at her,
her eyes were open, but
she was gone.
[SOBBING]
Man, I'm I'm just so sorry, Gio.
That sounds that sounds awful.
I mean, awful.
Oh, it's like a tape loop in my brain.
Oh, it hurts so much,
and it never, ever stops.
I I need to make it stop.
OK. You know,
there is a big difference,
though, right,
between being involved in an accident
and intentionally causing
someone's death, right?
And I want you to trust me on this.
Like, grief and guilt
are really, really good
at blurring the difference.
It was my job to get her home safe.
You want to know
what the cruelest thing is
about accidents that happen
really quickly?
It's that after the fact, we
we slow them way down,
and then we start to play them
over and over again in our head,
which creates the illusion
that we might have done
something differently, right?
That we could have somehow
created a different outcome,
when the truth is that
that was just never,
ever gonna happen.
Look,
you're clearly a nice guy,
but none of this stuff
is gonna bring her back.
No, it's not,
and I can't even imagine
how difficult it must be to accept that.
Gio, can I ask you, do you have anything
with you that you might use
to hurt yourself tonight?
A gun.
Got it.
And, uh, where is the gun right now?
[TENSE MUSIC]
In my hand.
OK.
Look, I'm gonna ask you to
do something for me, all right?
And that is, I just want you to
put it somewhere, just for now
will you put it somewhere
where you can't see it?
♪
You still there, buddy?
♪
[SOBBING]
Sometimes it can actually help
to talk about people
that we've lost, right?
Do you think that might help,
to talk about her a bit?
I mean, there is no wrong
answer to this question.
I'm I'm just asking.
♪
Her name was Darby,
and she's gone
forever.
You know what? This is a mistake.
What is?
Well, Gio, look,
it's so important
that you feel this stuff.
- No, you
- It is.
You can't possibly understand.
- It's torture.
- Buddy, listen.
- I can't do it anymore.
- No, no.
- You you
- No, no. I'm sorry.
Gio, listen, loss like this
brings a kind of pain
that can't be solved or explained away.
You just got to talk about it.
You just got to feel it, right?
But just 'cause you're feeling it
doesn't mean you have to act on it.
Feeling guilty doesn't mean
you don't deserve
[LINE CLICKS]
Gio?
♪
[LINE BEEPING]
♪
[SIGHS]
[CLATTERING]
My brain keeps, I don't
know, running in circles,
and it always comes back to that.
I can't eat. I can't sleep.
[ALARM BLARING]
[ALARM CONTINUES BLARING]
- Hi.
- Hi, honey.
- How you doing?
- Good.
Oh.
Is everything OK, Dad?
Yeah, great.
You're up early.
Yeah, the traffic from
Evanston was super light.
OK, I want you to be honest with me.
What do you miss more, me,
or my state-of-the-art laundry facility?
- It's a dead heat.
- Oh, man,
you are so adorable when you lie.
[LAUGHS] I lie because I love, Dad.
You know what? I'm gonna make some eggs.
Sugar will only get you so far.
Oh, but they're "magically delicious."
Oh, whoops.
- Oh, sorry about that.
- Oh, no. Don't touch anything.
Oh.
Boxers
Uh, those are mine.
You wearing men's boxers now?
Uh, it's a thing now.
OK.
- What?
- Honey, nothing.
It's none of my business, OK?
Come on, Dad.
I'm asking you to tell me
what you were gonna say.
I'm just wondering if having a boyfriend
is just the best idea right now.
That's all.
I cannot believe you
just said that to me.
Honey, you told me that
that's what Dr. Drake told you.
OK, note to self, don't tell Dad
a goddamn thing about
anything ever again.
Sweetie, I'm sorry. Really. I'm sorry.
Dad, I don't have a boyfriend.
Aren't you worried that
a new relationship
I mean, even a sexual relationship
OK, Dad, good point.
Fine.
I like to get laid.
- Oh, man.
- I need to get laid.
No, no, honey, please.
It's, like, the best antidepressant
- that I have found so far.
- Honey, come on.
Dad, this doesn't have
anything to do with me.
This is about you.
Whenever you start fixating on my life,
it means something's going on with you.
It's called projecting.
Well, yeah,
I'm familiar with the concept.
How about deflection?
You ever heard of that one?
OK, how about this?
You go to work, I'll wash my clothes,
and we'll pretend this conversation
never took place, OK?
[SIGHS]
So could your supervisor trace the call
using his phone number?
Only emergency services
is allowed to do that.
And get this.
Once we make that move, right,
once we escalate it, that's it.
No follow-up allowed whatsoever.
It's a legal thing, right?
We are not allowed
to find out what happened,
one way or the other.
- Damn, that's brutal.
- Tell me about it.
Yeah, but look,
you did everything you can.
And you don't know what happened,
and maybe that's a good thing.
You also know what
you signed up for, right?
- Of course I do.
- So come on, Daniel.
You can't save everybody.
Why not?
Oh, hey,
do you have a moment?
- I do.
- Uh, talk later?
Maybe a little cocktail after work?
- Yes, please.
- All right.
I have a patient that
just came in, Travis Abbott.
Says he fell and hit his head,
but he's been knocked around pretty bad.
Uh, there was blood
and perineal lacerations
near his rectum, and his tox screen
came back positive for GHB.
Oh, OK.
You're thinking of sexual assault?
Yeah, but he won't go there.
Lead the way.
I I don't know what
the big deal is, all right?
I I I had too much to drink.
I tripped and smashed my head
in the bathroom.
I just came here to make sure
I didn't have a concussion
and Dr. Ripley said I don't,
so can I please go home now?
Here's the thing.
We do need to inform you
that we are legally obligated
to reach out to law enforcement
and provide you access to counseling
when we're confronted with evidence
I wasn't raped.
I'm fine.
OK.
You know, um,
my dad, he wasn't around long,
but he did teach me
to handle pain with silence
because that's what real men do, right?
Someone kicks your ass,
you suck it up.
Someone makes you cry, you suck it up.
But that crap
eats you up inside.
Trust me, it's not worth it.
You got to learn to ask for help.
Well, that was super moving,
but none of it applies to me.
Got it.
I really just have one more question.
Screw. You.
Man, go fuss over somebody else.
Now who who do y'all think
you are, my mama?
[SOMBER MUSIC]
♪
You creeping on your daughter's
Facebook page, Dr. Charles?
I'm not creeping on anything.
It's my it's my daughter.
And it's a public platform,
when I last checked.
How about you mind your own business?
Sorry.
But just for the record,
she moved to Instagram
a few years back.
What? What do you mean?
How how do you know that?
Well, because I follow her
and you don't.
Well, if you must know,
I think she might have a new boyfriend
and I'm just worried
he's a little sketchy.
Anna has a new boyfriend?
What, she's got a new, new boyfriend?
How many boyfriends does she have?
- Dr. Charles?
- Mm.
You available for a consult?
Yeah.
OK.
32-year-old Sage Ellison.
She claims she's in
searing abdominal pain
and is demanding I perform
exploratory surgery, and she
put on a real show, too.
I ran every test under the sun,
and I didn't find anything.
So what you're saying is you think
we might have a big-time
hypochondriac in there?
- Definitely.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
So can you give me just a rough idea
of when you first became
aware of of the pain?
About two years ago.
OK.
And always pretty much been concentrated
in your digestive system?
Yeah, it always starts off as minor,
but inevitably,
it always gets a lot worse.
I keep losing weight
because eating is torture.
I mean,
it sucks.
Sounds like it.
Anything, I don't know,
stressful going on in your life
at the time?
There it is.
What?
Skepticism.
You're a psychiatrist,
so you think I'm either
drug seeking or it's all in my head.
Only thing I was thinking
is that you didn't answer my question.
- [GASPING SHARPLY, WAILING]
- Ooh.
Are you OK?
Sage?
Do you really care?
Actually, I do.
No.
Nothing emotionally stressful
happened in my life
that triggered me.
But I get it.
I'm a woman.
I'm used to men
discounting my physical pain.
All right, I hear that.
But what I was about to say was,
people tend to start making
moral judgments, you know,
when we can't identify
traditional sources of pain.
And as far as I'm concerned,
you know, pain is pain.
Do you know how many stories
I've heard of doctors
discounting women's pain,
only to later discover
that she had cancer,
and that by then,
it was terminal because
too much time had been wasted?
Are you worried that
this could be cancer?
That's my point.
I don't know.
But my stomach feels like
it's being ripped apart
by a chainsaw, and nobody seems to care.
So please, find someone who does.
Or even better,
just send someone down here
to prep me for my surgery!
[SOBBING]
It's like a tape loop in my brain.
It hurts so much,
and it never, ever stops.
I I I need to make it stop!
Oh, come on!
What's the problem?
Naomi just schooled me
on Wordle again.
What's the word?
Lunar.
Ah!
I completely blanked on
the sixth and final guess,
and she gets it in two.
Mm. You OK?
You seem a little sad.
Don't don't
don't even with me right now.
- [LAUGHS]
- Two guesses, Dr. Howard?
I'm a lifelong astronomy
buff, so the word came easy.
One thing this small town girl
doesn't love about the big city
is you can't see the stars.
I miss them.
Wow, that that is sad.
Sure is.
I gotta go.
Oh, also,
I rule.
That's a good one.
What's going on there?
Absolutely nothing.
Really?
Sure, we've had our moments, OK?
But we're strictly friends.
Got it.
She has a boyfriend.
Really?
Look, there's been a lot
of bad timing between us,
but I have a feeling that this
new boyfriend is a short-timer.
Next time, I won't miss my chance.
- [PHONE BUZZING]
- Next time, huh?
You're judging me, aren't you?
Next time's not guaranteed, you know?
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."
[SIGHS]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
Yeah.
Hey, Daniel,
I'm sorry for summoning you,
but I just got a weird call
from the provost
of Porter University School of Medicine
asking for a reference.
Oh, my God.
OK, look, this is Howie,
all right, who decided to retire.
Now, that's a terrible idea
in my opinion, but in his mind,
I'm the only person
in the entire universe
who can replace him
as the Dean of Psychiatry.
I got it, as long as it's all
in his head and not in yours.
Oh, trust me, I ain't going nowhere.
And just for the record,
I am flattered by your concern.
[SCOFFS] Oh, and I ran into Dr. Lenox.
She said you're consulting on
a patient who's demanding
a surgery she may not need?
Yeah, Sage Ellison.
Poor thing.
She's a tough one,
but really suffering,
just not necessarily in the way
she might have us believe.
OK. Oh, and, uh, Daniel,
I'm glad you're sticking around.
Me, too.
[CHUCKLES]
Travis.
Travis, wait.
Nope. I'm out.
Well, Travis just checked himself out
against medical advice.
Sorry I couldn't help you
move that needle, pal.
Yeah, me, too. [SIGHS]
But I couldn't help noticing
that you almost did.
So look,
none of my business,
but I couldn't help wondering,
are you in therapy?
Good catch.
But it was always
such a hard no for you.
I mean, what what got you there?
I'm just curious.
I don't know, maybe, uh,
Hannah and Sadie dumping me
for the same reason.
Oh, man.
Those personal hygiene issues,
they finally caught up with you.
That and, um, my savior complex.
Oh, come on.
Isn't that basically just,
I don't know, being a doctor?
My three exes all said to me,
in so many words,
just do what you're gonna do, Danny,
'cause that's what you're best at.
- Ouch.
- Yeah.
I don't know, man, you just, uh,
have come a long way.
And I hope you don't mind
me telling you that, uh,
I'm really proud of you.
Thank you.
Dr. Charles,
can I talk to you in private?
Jake Driscoll, theater major?
He's a prick.
Well, he's not ugly.
He turned 22 on December 19.
Any way to tell how long
they've been dating?
Oh, I have no clue, Dr. Charles.
There's no hint of Anna here, no photos.
As a matter of fact, he still has
his dating profile set to single.
She was horrified when
I called him her boyfriend.
Oh.
Well, maybe they're not exclusive.
Maybe this is, like,
more of a casual thing.
He does give me
wild child Sagittarius vibes,
- and Miguel is also Sagi
- That's great. That's great.
- Just show me the blog.
- OK.
Oh, he's been in and out
of rehab three times.
Hmm, well, he hasn't posted
in, like, a month and a half.
I hope he's OK.
What do you mean?
Do you think he relapsed?
Elara, I am very well aware
of how busy you are,
and so I just wanted
to, uh, thank you again
for taking the time to come in
and talk to me about your sister.
I really appreciate it.
Just understand,
I don't want to see Sage,
and she can't know I was here.
You have my word.
So it sounds to me like maybe you guys
aren't really in touch right now?
For the last five years.
You mind if I ask why?
Let me guess why I'm here.
Sage is in unbearable pain
and she wants
emergency surgery to fix it,
but you can't seem
to find anything wrong.
OK, so this has happened before.
Sage is my kid sister.
We grew up in the foster system.
Musical families
some nice,
some not so nice.
But when they weren't nice,
I was always there to protect her.
But when I aged out
of the foster system,
one kid cracked her skull with a bat,
and she had emergency surgery.
The doctors and nurses
knew her situation,
so they showered her with
attention to make up for it.
She's been chasing that high ever since.
Did it ever occur to you the possibility
that Sage's pain might be real to her?
You're giving her too much credit.
The mind can be extraordinarily adept
at creating physical pain, Elara.
- It can.
- She's not in any pain.
She's just a liar.
Well, the attention-seeking behavior
you're describing is at the core
of a very serious condition.
It's called factitious disorder,
or as it's more commonly known,
you know, Munchausen syndrome.
I don't care what it's called.
I just know I can't
deal with it anymore.
I blamed myself for a long time.
Maybe if I'd taken her with me
when I turned 18, she
she'd be normal.
Sage kept me on the hook
with that guilt.
Well, she kind of
weaponized it, didn't she?
You're damn right.
I believed her lies,
enabled her,
defended her to doctors who knew better
until I realized
I had to cut her out of my life
if I was ever gonna actually have one.
[SOLEMN MUSIC]
Oh, it's my fault.
I killed my girlfriend.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
Hi, I'm Dr. Charles.
Dr. Frost asked me to stop by.
Lee Holloway, but I'm not the patient.
Oh?
He is.
[MEOWS]
Well, hello there.
What is, uh what is your name?
You know cats don't talk, Dr. Charles.
Excellent point.
What is this, uh, this kitty's name?
Slater.
[HISSES]
But I'd call him Adelaide
for your own safety.
- Adelaide it is.
- Ah.
Lee brought him in
with chronic vomiting.
He's been eating cat food.
Uh-huh.
And, um, how long has
Adelaide been doing that for?
Three days, since our cat died.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
Adelaide was my partner
in crime for 18 years.
I adopted her
my freshman year at DePaul.
[MEOWS]
Pre-husband, pre-motherhood.
She got me through many breakups.
But it's a pretty extreme way
of trying to make me
feel better, isn't it?
Lee, would you mind if I just had
a moment alone with Adelaide?
Would that be all right?
Of course.
OK, you can follow me this way.
Thank you.
Adelaide, would you just, um
would you jump up on the bed?
There's a lot of fleas on the floor.
[TAPPING]
Wow.
So look,
I am gonna ask you
a few questions, OK?
And how about if the answer
is yes, you meow.
And if the answer is no,
you just don't say anything.
Sound good?
[MEOWS]
OK.
Maybe the reason
that you turned into a cat
was because your
your mom was so sad and you
wanted to make her feel better?
[MEOWS]
Oh, OK.
Well, look, I think it's so wonderful,
how hard you're working
to make your mom feel better.
But I want to let you in
on a little secret.
Moms actually love their kids
more than anything,
anything in the whole, wide world,
even their favorite pet.
So what I think
is that who Mom actually misses the most
is Slater.
It was my fault.
What was your fault?
Mommy had Hershey chocolates
on the top shelf of the pantry.
I'm not supposed to know
because she doesn't want me
eating too much sugar.
Oh.
So I snuck in the pantry
after she went to bed one night
and ate a few, but I forgot
to put the chocolates back on the shelf.
I left them on the floor.
Oh, I see.
And Adelaide found them.
Mommy found her dead in the morning.
[SOBBING]
She'll never forgive me.
Yes, she will.
I promise you that.
But first, we have
to tell her what happened.
I know that that sounds scary,
but I'm gonna help you, OK?
And after we do, trust me,
everybody's gonna feel so much better,
especially you.
[GENTLE MUSIC]
♪
What kind of doctor are you?
Why do you ask?
I thought I was gonna
have to be a cat forever.
Oh, well, I'm really glad
that I could help.
Should we talk to Mom?
♪
Any luck?
Any leads on Gio's phone?
Don't worry, Dan.
I kept your name off it.
Since his life was at an imminent risk,
I was able to use exigent circumstances
to track the phone.
Fantastic.
And?
And it was purchased at
a 7-Eleven, pay as you go.
No database can ever hit the number,
so I got up quick on
the trap and trace ping order,
but it was turned off right
after your hotline call.
Oh.
The phone did ping at an area downtown,
but it's so dense with high rises,
and the ping has
a 1,000-meter range of error.
So it's, like, kind of
a needle in a haystack thing.
I did my best.
I tried to track every Gio,
every Giovanni.
Nothing.
So what are you thinking?
Kind of a dead end?
I wish I had more for you.
Look, buddy,
I knew this was a long shot.
I just really appreciate
you looking into it for me.
Really, I do. OK?
It was the least I can do, Doc.
- So you're calling me a liar?
- No.
You just told me my pain isn't real.
That's not what I said at all.
What I said was just
because there could be
a psychological element at play here
doesn't mean that this is
any less real to you.
OK, yeah. Great, Mother Teresa, but?
But our nervous systems can learn
to express emotional pain in
the form of physical symptoms.
There it is again.
What did I tell you?
It's all in my head.
Not what I'm saying.
What I'm saying is that
your body and your mind
could be colluding in ways
you're not even aware of
because it's not voluntary.
Stop hiding behind
all your fancy double talk
and send me someone
who will actually listen.
Sage, trust me. I'm listening.
You're so full of it.
I mean, do you actually know
how full of it you are?
I understand the power of attention,
trust me, medical attention included,
for people who feel lonely
and abandoned.
Oh.
I'm lonely and abandoned, am I?
Well, you're a human being.
OK, well, if I need medical attention
to feel whole,
do you know what that makes you?
I don't know.
What what does that make me?
The freak who needs sick
people like me to feel whole
because fixing us
is how you feel important.
[TENSE MUSIC]
You should see your face.
I nailed it, didn't I?
You need me.
I'm the damn drug you're strung out on.
You need us so that you can feel useful
so you can BS yourself into believing
you're actually helping!
[LAUGHS]
I mean, come on, Dr. Charles.
Hit me with some more of your fancy crap
so you can feel better about yourself
and feed your delusion.
Because the truth is,
you're a useless fraud.
And you want to know what's really sad?
♪
[WHISPERING] Everybody knows it but you.
♪
Look, you're clearly a nice guy,
but none of this stuff
is gonna bring her back.
- Oh, sorry!
- So sorry.
- [LAUGHS] Headed out?
- Uh, yeah.
My boyfriend and I are
grabbing deep dish at Pequod's.
Oh, well, you're not gonna regret that.
Yeah, I can't wait.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Incoming.
Doris, I noticed you friend requested
my new boyfriend today.
Oh, yeah.
I don't know
She was snooping on my behalf.
I put her up to it.
Yeah, I put that part
together all by myself.
[SIGHS] You said
he wasn't your boyfriend.
- I think we should talk.
- Yeah, let's talk.
You are many things,
but internet sleuth is not one of them.
Honey, maybe I
I overstepped a little bit.
Oh, maybe?
Honestly, I was freaked out
by our conversation this morning.
Of course you are entitled
to a private life.
Oh, thanks so much
for getting that, Dad.
But I mean, just so you know,
the program of Alcoholics
Anonymous actively discourages
relationships in the first year
of sobriety, OK?
Because it's just
a very risky proposition.
Wow.
This from the man who spent
years preaching non-judgment
- of recovering addicts.
- I'm not judging anybody.
I'm trying to protect you.
You know, bad idea for you,
terrible idea for him.
Dr. Drake would have said
the same thing about Johnny.
- Jake.
- Jake.
Because after all, didn't
the poor fella just relapse?
Dad, he had a couple of drinks.
- That's called a relapse.
- He's fine.
- He's going to meetings again.
- Great.
Does he know about your situation?
Does he know about your
history about, you know
My suicide attempt?
Yes, Dad, he does.
Good.
Honey [SIGHS]
I'm just you gotta
Oh, let me guess,
dealing with such complex emotions
and attachment could lead
to a relapse of depression,
or or worse, suicidal ideation.
Is that what you were gonna say?
I almost lost you,
OK?
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Sharon called me and told me
you'd been in an accident
and that you were in critical condition.
So Robin and I, we got in
a car and we drove here,
and it was the longest
15 minutes of my life
because I was terrified
that I would get here
and find you dead!
So you just be careful
around this topic,
and you cut me some slack!
♪
Please.
♪
[DOOR SHUTS]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
♪
[GIGGLING] Stop.
Stop, stop.
[CLEARS THROAT] Hi, Dr. Charles.
[PANTING]
Are you OK?
I'm fine.
I'm clearly not as good as you two,
but, uh, thank you for asking.
[SIGHS]
♪
Dr. Charles?
What are you doing,
looking for the Big Dipper?
No, it's a surprise for Naomi.
[CLEARS THROAT]
Oh, wow.
Yeah, but, uh,
her shift ends any minute,
and she's gonna walk in here, so
Buddy, I think I might have just
seen her leaving the hospital.
Wait. Really?
Yeah.
Do you have any idea where she went?
Mm-mm.
Damn it.
OK.
If you must know,
I was taking your advice.
I know it's kind of corny,
but I was trying to,
I don't know, make her day.
Well,
if it's any consolation, um,
I think you might have just made mine.
[CHUCKLES]
Thanks.
[PHONE BUZZING]
- Excuse me.
- Yeah, go ahead.
- Hi, Sharon.
- Where are you, Daniel?
I am right behind the doctor's lounge.
Listen, I need you to come
up to my office right away.
Something wrong?
We have a situation,
so don't talk to anyone.
Just come straight up here.
I'm on my way.
It's torture, and I can't do it anymore.
You know what? This was a mistake.
[GUN BOOMS]
[VOICE ECHOING] I'm afraid
I have some distressing news.
Sage Ellison has just filed an
official complaint against you.
Daniel?
Daniel?
- What?
- Are you OK?
Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on?
Sorry. What were you saying?
Sage Ellison just filed an
official complaint against you.
On what grounds?
Well, she claims you verbally
abused her a few hours ago.
That is a steaming load of crap.
Well, she also claims you accused her
of faking her abdominal pain
for attention.
I promise you, the only person
who got abused in that room was me.
You do know I have to
go through the motions
of processing this complaint.
Why?
Sharon, nothing happened.
[SIGHS]
Do you not believe me
when I tell you that?
Well, yes, of course I believe you,
but this is about optics.
Come on, you dismiss this
kind of stuff all the time.
Daniel, it's a little different
when the accused is your best
friend, now, wouldn't you say?
Come on, this is unbelievable.
This is unbelievable.
OK, what is wrong with you?
What are you not telling me?
What's that supposed to mean?
Not tell
not telling you what?
You don't believe me.
You don't believe me.
- Wait.
- No, no.
You don't believe me.
Daniel, wait a minute.
Just slow down.
I'm worried about you!
This is not like my friend.
Yeah, well, right back at you!
Maybe your friend doesn't
like being called a liar!
OK, you know what?
Maybe you need some more personal time.
- How about that?
- No.
What I need is to maybe take
Howie's offer more seriously.
That's what I need.
OK, so you were considering it?
You were just lying to me before?
I have never lied to you!
Never!
And I was not considering it,
not for a second.
But I sure as hell am now.
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hey, y'all, right here.
Can y'all stand by one second?
Yeah, thank you.
OR 3 is ready for her.
What happened?
Uh, sage just swallowed
some drain cleaner.
What?
Cleaners were here earlier.
She must have stolen it off the cart.
She was screaming at the top
of her lungs when I came in.
On exam, she had significant erythema
and ulceration in her mouth.
Who knows what her esophagus looks like?
What was she screaming about?
Crazy stuff, something
about her dad, I think.
"Am I sick enough for you now, Pop?"
What, that mean something to you?
Is, um
is she gonna make it?
If she didn't just put
a huge hole into her esophagus
or stomach and she doesn't
start to hemorrhage
in the next 10 minutes, maybe.
Let's get her upstairs to surgery.
♪
[DISSONANT WARBLING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[PANTING]
♪
[LIGHTS BUZZING LOUDLY]
♪
[SOFT CHATTER FROM TELEVISION]
♪
I don't know.
There's no way I can
set a price on something
I've never done before.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES]
♪
Danny,
is that you?
Oh, hi, Mom.
What are you doing here?
You tell me.
I don't know.
I mean, I assume that I'm dreaming.
Are you sure it's not a nightmare?
♪
[HIGH-PITCHED WHIRRING]
[PANTING]
[STRAINED] Help!
♪
Help!
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪