Saving Hope

Good morning.

Isn't it, though?

- Charlie. - Zach.

What are you doing here?

Well, I work here... for today, anyway.

I know. It's just, aren't you not supposed to be talking

to any of the staff?

Uh, it's no trial, Zach.

Look, I wish I didn't have to go at all,

but, you know, when the board calls.

You answer. No, I get it.

No way around it, just like there was no way around

Dawn filing a complaint in the first place.

Where is she, by the way?

Worried about you.

Seriously, it's eating her up. She didn't come in today.

Hey, listen.

You smell like a distillery.

I think you should just go home and wait for them to call you.

No. I'm here to fight for my job.

This is my home.

Yikes.

I'm up next in the boardroom for his assessment.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how painful is that?

Almost as painful as being stuck in the E.R.

instead of some killer surgery.

Just so you know, I put myself here.

Lucky me.

I thought it would only be fair

to the other residents, you know, lead by example.

Right. Because there weren't

- any cool surgeries on the docket today? - Yeah.

Well, how about this?

Skateboarder with Q-tip in the ear.

He's all yours...

Chief.

Good morrow, Dr. Sekara.

Oh, uh, hey.

We're not supposed to see each other before the board...

Relax, Dev. It's not our wedding day.

What can I tell you?

I went out last night,

ordered the bourbon chicken, hold the chicken.

- Uh-huh. - The Board call you in?

Oh, yeah. They called, like, everyone.

I totally forgot. Um, and I have to go.

Dr. Harris.

Don't worry. I got your back.

Thank you.

- Alex. - Yep.

It's my morning to bring him to daycare.

I totally forgot. I'm sorry.

It's fine. I got it.

How are you dealing with today?

Well, all I got to do is tell them the truth, right?

- The truth. - What?

Nothing.

Alex, I need you on my side for this.

When have I not been on your side?

Did you sleep in those clothes?

Um, they do look a little familiar, actually.

- - It's okay. I got a suit in my office.

Okay. Charlie...

have you been drinking?

Because you've got to pull yourself together.

You have to figure out what you're gonna say.

The Board is gonna want to know why you're...

Screwing up?

Well, yeah. You walked out on a surgery.

Oh. Glad you're not speaking on my behalf.

Charlie.

Good chat.

Oh, there you are. Dr. Reid!

Mrs. Crace.

I understand today must be incredibly stressful for you,

so I wanted to give you the opportunity to speak

to the Board during Charlie's assessment.

Oh. Wow. Well, I was under the impression

I wouldn't be allowed to.

Is something wrong? I-I thought you'd be happy.

No. You know what? It's great. Thank you.

Good. Keep your schedule relatively clear.

We'll notify you of a time.

That is wonderful.

Hey.

You need to get back in bed. I haven't discharged you yet.

Actually, you said I was healing really quickly

and I could probably go home tonight.

Probably isn't definitely.

Here. I brought you a present.

Oh, wow. That's really beautiful. You shouldn't have.

It's a spirometer to make sure

you're breathing at full capacity.

Now, a lot of people after surgery

tend to shallow breathe because it hurts.

We want to make sure your lungs won't collapse.

Breathing is my thing. I'm good.

All right.

Put your mouth on this piece,

breathe in slowly, and what you want to do is,

you want to make sure that this little blue disc

gets to 1250 milliliters.

Fine. Easy.

What the hell?

Hurts?

No. It's just broken.

All right. Breathe in it a few times every hour.

Until you get to 1250, you're not going anywhere.

Great.

Have you thought about my offer?

To help you?

'Cause your energy is kind of like...

It's like a fountain spewing gunk.

Most people would understand it

as a thick, disgusting, black cloud,

- kind of just permeating everything. - You know what? You're just saying that

- because I didn't discharge you. - That is not true.

Come on. What's going on?

Don't worry about me. I'm fine.

Or, I will be fine.

Thank you, though, but I'm... I'm fine.

Well, you just said "fine" about 20 times.

Okay. My ex, he's a doctor, he works here.

He's going in for an assessment.

I have to give a character evaluation.

I also have to get to my next consult,

so I'll come back in and I'll check on you,

and in the meantime, deep breaths.

Yeah, you too.

Well, just the deceitful spirit I didn't want to see.

I hear the Board has been called in to investigate you.

Yes. No thanks to you.

To me?

Yeah. Your, uh, lack of honesty

about your current... situation.

Not a big help.

You were on a collision course with a breakdown,

with or without me, sir.

Now you can leave me alone,

because I need to prep to fight for my job.

- Uh, no. Charlie, we... - Not going?

Okay, I will.

I'm sorry.

I read in your profile that your favorite book

is "Lila Zila and the Watermelon Smash."

Now... Now, I read the book,

and I found it particularly empowering for children,

especially young girls.

Do you concur?

I'll try that again.

Shazam!

Anjali! Wow. What are you doing here?

Mm-hmm-hmm!

Okay, that's enough. Yes.

Right. The 3-second-hug rule. I almost forgot.

So, are you joining the obstetrics staff?

Nah. Don't get your hopes up, Shazam.

Just followed a patient here.

Right. You're very good at following people.

You should've just told me you were gay.

I did. I said that repeatedly. I said, "I'm gay."

Well, water under the bridge. I need your help with a case.

26-week fetus with spina bifida.

Wow. This is the most severe case

of Myelomeningocele that I've seen.

Very good. I was scheduled to perform

a laparoscopic in-utero repair today with Dr. Solomon.

So, what does this have to do with me?

Solomon's mother died last night.

- That's unfortunate. - It is.

And I don't know how long he's gonna be out for.

You are the only other surgeon in this city

qualified to perform this surgery.

Falak, that's our patient.

Our?

She's at the 26-week mark.

Right now is the target of opportunity for optimum results.

No. I'm sorry.

Anjali, you know, I made a promise

that I don't do pediatric surgeries anymore.

- Why not? - Because, it's, um...

I... I'm sorry. It's complicated,

you know, and, uh, um, thank you for stopping by.

I have a chili to prepare. Thank you.

See you.

Right. Right.

"Lila Zila and the Watermelon Smash."

Why did you like this book?

Oh!

Special delivery for Dr. Williams.

Yeah. I... can see you.

You know what? I'm good. If you want to... You can have those.

It's called globophobia. Fear of balloons.

Mm-hmm.

Uh, don't you already have a phobia of parasites?

Oh, doesn't everyone? Aah!

Besides, is there a limit to the number

of paralyzing fears one can have?

Does it say who it's from?

Oh, God! Seriously, is this some kind of sick joke?