02x06 - Hero Complex

[bunniefuu]

[Woman speaking indistinctly over P.A.]

[Monitor beeping steadily]

[Grunts]

[Breathing heavily]

Help!

[Door opens]

Somebody help.

I'm right here, Miss Samton. I'm a nurse.

Where am I? What... what happened?

You're at Angels Memorial Hospital.

[Groans]

Why does my head hurt?

Why... [crying] why does everything hurt?

No, no, no. I need you to lay down.

I need you to rest.

What happened to me?

I'll go get your doctor.

I'll be right back.

What do you got?

21-year-old male found on campus with blunt facial trauma, forehead laceration, and a hand contusion from an altercation with another student.

Where is he? Where is the guy that did this?

What's your name?

His name's Justin. Justin Keller.

Let's get him inside.

What happened?

He's a hero. That's what happened.

Is he gonna be okay?

Dr. Dixon, you're with me.

20-year-old college student, unresponsive in the field, G.C.S. of 5, intubated on scene.

Blunt trauma to the ribs, head, and elbow.

This is the guy who lost the fight.

Start a trauma panel, call radiology to scan head, chest, elbow.

Dr. Dixon, center stage.

Coming through! Watch your back!

Justin? Justin, honey.

It's gonna be okay. I'm right here.

Miss, you need to step back.

You need to wait in the waiting room.

Ethan: No breath sounds on the left.

You don't belong in here.

He needs a chest tube.

Dr. Dixon, he is all yours.

Cool.

Cool is when both lungs are inflated.

Get a 36 French tube. Set up a thora-seal.

Mid axillary line, fifth intercostal space, make a cut.

[Monitor beeping rapidly]

[Indistinct conversations]

That's him. That's the guy.

Hey, hey, hey, now.

Leanne: Dr. Savetti, hold your...

That animal doesn't deserve help, not after what he did to that girl!

Ma'am, I said waiting room, please. Now.

You don't belong here.

More pressure.

Mario, Noa, let's get to the X-ray right now.

Rails up, ready to go.

Very good, Doctor.

You really can't be back here.

Leanne: Okay, she has to go now.

Can someone show her the way out, please?

Yes, Doctor.

Thank you.

This way, please.

Last thing I remember was dancing.

That Drake and Rihanna song, "Too Good."

How did I hurt myself? Did I... did I fall?

I didn't think I drank that much, but...

Joy... you were found unconscious on campus, about 200 yards away from the frat party.

A man was assaulting you.

What?

No. That's not...

He had you pinned down.

And thankfully, another student was leaving the frat party and pulled him off you.

[Voice breaks] Pulled him off me?

[Crying] Please, no.

I'm...

[crying] Please, no.

[Voice breaks] ... so sorry, Joy.

[Crying] No.

[Sniffles]

Please.

Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry.

Is it true? Is he awake?

Mike?

Hey. I'm here.

[Exhales sharply]

[Whispers] Oh, my God. Mike.

Yeah. Hey.

Hey, can you hear me?

Can you hear me?

Yeah.

Hey. Yeah.

I mean, it all happened so fast.

I saw that guy, and he was on top of her.

And she wasn't moving.

So I grabbed him and I pulled him off and I just started punching until he fell down and... and he didn't get back up.

[Telephone ringing in distance]

And, uh, what about my eye? I'm seeing some specks. Is that bad?

Leanne: It could be a retinal detachment.

I'll call the ophthalmologist.

He could be here in a couple of hours.

And what about that dirtbag? When are you gonna know about him?

I mean, how bad is he?

I'm sorry, we're not allowed to discuss other patients.

[Clacking, water running]

Just finished the evidentiary on the attacker.

Fingernail scrapings, swabs.

Feeling pretty good about humanity right now.

Could Justin actually be on the hook for as*ault?

Depends.

He was just trying to help. He saved that girl.

I was on stage and I started screaming out, "I'm dyin', I'm dyin."

And someone in the audience shouts back, "We know. We know."

Jeez. Let me ask you a question.

How do you get to work every morning? On a tricycle?

[Laughs]

Stroller, actually.

Oh, a comedian, huh?

I-I love comedy clubs. And you are so funny.

Dr. Dixon, you can, uh, get his autograph later.

It could also be a perforation or an obstruction.

Order a C.A.T. scan. Give him a 5 of morphine.

What if I just, like, take a dump first, huh?

[Laughing]

The labs on Seth Greer come back yet?

Not yet. Just checked vitals.

He's normal for now.

[Doors open]

Female, early 20s, found down with tonic-clonic activity.

No response to 5 of I.M. diazepam.

Sats are falling. Center stage.

Are we ready for transfer? One, two, three.

Give 2 I.V. Ativan, 500 milligrams of Keppra.

We need a C.B.C., chemistry, utox, brain C.T.

Yes, Doctor.

Jesse: Epilepsy?

Probably.

[Monitor beeping rapidly]

[Exhales]

It's not epilepsy.

Patient is Whitney Lithwick.

She's seizing from a G.I. stromal sarcoma that's metastatic.

I removed the primary tumor five years ago, but it spread to her brain.

Cancel utox. Check Dilantin and Tegretol levels.

[Beeps]

[Camera shutter clicking]

It's called "Hot Tamale."

The nail Polish.

I have one called "Bikini with a Martini."

Who comes up with this stuff, right?

Desmond: Mike!

[Breathing heavily]

Mike.

Thank God you're all right.

His vitals are good, and physical therapy's gonna give an assessment this afternoon.

He'll be up and giving me orders again in no time.

Of course he will. Made of iron, this kid.

All right, hang on, Dad. Let him... let him talk.

It's okay, Mike. Take your time.

Yeah, we don't have anywhere else to be.

I can't feel my legs.

Did you call the oncologist like I told you to?

I told you I don't need him anymore.

And I told you, the answer is no.

[Telephone ringing in distance]

Look, I waited the required 10 days.

And now all I need is your final sign off.

The law says that...

[Scoffs] The law.

Dr. Campbell, I'm getting worse.

Whitney, you are young.

You still have your whole life.

[Sighs]

Do I?

Yes.

A great day is when I don't have a seizure.

A good day is when my seizure isn't public, when I don't collapse in yoga class or pee myself in forever 21.

I can't drive, ride my bike.

Half the time, I have to use an iPad just so I can speak.

Right now, I-I'm still me.

But that won't last long, and you know that.

Yeah, I know I look good now.

[Chuckles]

But it's only a matter of time before I can't brush my own teeth... or say my own name.

I'm sorry, Whitney.

I'm not gonna help you die.

You're exactly the right doctor to care for her.

No one else knows her situation like you do.

So use your memories to help her... but don't get lost in them.

I need you to hear me on this.

So get in there and be her doctor.

Hi.

Did you reach your parents?

My mom's taking the next flight in from Ohio.

She wants to take me home for a while.

Joy, your pelvis is fractured.

What?

It will heal.

It'll take a few weeks. Then...

[Voice breaks] Then what?

Everyone's going to think it's my own fault.

No. No, you did nothing wrong.

I'm just a slut who got drunk at a party.

I had a twinge that something was off, but I didn't listen to it. It's my fault this happened to me.

[Grunts]

[Smack]

Let me tell you something, Joy.

You fought back.

What?

Look at your nails.

Your fingers... you didn't get those injuries by chance.

You were brave, Joy.

You fought him off as much as you could.

Who saved me?

The ophthalmologist will have to confirm, but...

I don't see any sign of retinal detachment.

Couple more hours, you should be able to go home.

Are you bleeding there?

I don't think so.

Let me look.

Justin: Oh, I didn't even notice that.

Oh, it's just a small cut.

Dr. Kean, can you throw in some stitches, please?

On it.

Hey, I just got off the phone with your mom.

She's gonna call a lawyer right now.

[Sighs]

This is a nightmare.

Hey. How are you feeling?

I'm fine. How's the girl?

Actually, that's why I'm here.

She's all right, but she asked me to come find you.

She wants to thank you.

[Telephone ringing in distance]

C.T. scan says you have a large area of diverticulitis.

It's an infection of your lower intestine.

This is why I never go to doctors or accountants.

They have it in for me.

His white count is 16,000. 92% neutrophils.

Enough with the numbers, man, you sound like my bookie.

We're starting you on strong I.V. antibiotics.

You'll, uh, you'll be in the hospital for a few days.

Oh.

Is there someone we can call? A family member?

Yeah, call "The Tonight Show."

Maybe they'll finally take pity on me.

Mm.

Will: Based on where the bone fragments are compressing your spinal cord, you have two options.

Option number one, we do nothing, which means we...

... Stay like this, forever.

What's option two?

We operate, try to remove the fragments.

I've already contacted Dr. Jacopian, one of the top spinal surgeons in the country...

And what happens if the surgery goes badly?

I'm a quadriplegic.

Well, any time you do surgery on top of the spinal cord, the risk is significant.

All right, I need a few days to think about this.

Dad, if Mike doesn't do this now, he may never get a chance to fix it.

A few days won't change anything.

Actually, I agree with Angus.

The fragments could slip and damage the spinal cord and...

I've heard from everyone, but I'm not moved to change my opinion.

You haven't heard from me.

I want the surgery.

Wait, Desmond.

Desmond, wait.

I'm his father, not you.

That is my child over there.

He's not a child.

They grew up, Desmond.

You're lucky you got to see that happen.

Joy.

This is Justin.

Hi.

Hi.

How are you feeling?

I'm glad you found me when you did.

Yeah. Me, too.

Can you tell me what happened?

I don't think that's such a good idea.

Please, I... can't remember anything.

I need to know.

You're safe now.

Please.

That's all that matters, like...

Please.

You have to tell me.

[Monitor beeping rapidly]

Joy...

Please!

... you're having palpitations. You need to rest.

[Voice breaks] Tell me.

Is she gonna be okay?

Please leave. She'll be fine. I just need you to step outside.

Tell me. [Cries]

Okay.

Hey. He spiked a fever and white count's up to 20.

Lactic acid is up, too.

You in any pain?

I'm always in pain, man. That's why I'm so funny.

Well, you're not responding to the antibiotics.

You're gonna need emergency surgery.

Oh, no. I don't think I got that in me, Doctor.

I told you, I'm not very motivated.

Well, you just have to lie there, all right?

They'll do all the work... just like my girlfriend.

If by "girlfriend," you mean "hand."

Ooh, I'm stealing that one.

There he is! [Laughing]

Is he dead yet?

Why do you come dressed like that, like you went to the muppet gift shop?

What are you nutbags doing here?

Heard there was free food.

Yeah, first you gotta bend over and cough.

Men: Ooh!

Morning.

Your Dilantin levels were off, so I'm giving you an I.V. load before you go.

So just hang tight a few hours, and... hopefully it'll be a while till we see you back here.

Fat chance.

I should get a punch card for this place.

10 seizures and I get a free frappuccino.

Heard about your conversation with Campbell.

Yeah. No bueno on the assisted su1c1de.

Maybe he's got a point.

Even with the seizure meds, there's still a lot you can do.

[Scoffs] Please don't say bucket list.

If one more person tells me to go bungee jumping, I'm going to explode.

Bungee jumping in the shape you're in?

It'd snap you in half.

I was thinking more along the lines of a ice cream sundae.

The one benefit of refusing chemo... you can eat again.

[Woman speaking indistinctly over P.A.]

Nobody will talk to me about my death.

Not my mom, my friends, not even my doctor.

Yeah, sometimes it's just hard for people to accept.

But I have.

There's not a single part of me that wants to die.

But I'm dying.

I wanna do it while I'm still me.

Try the ice cream.

It's the only thing this kitchen gets right.

[Indistinct conversations]

[Exhaling]

[Radio chatter]

[Indistinct conversations]

[Exhales deeply]

Yeah, a chart. Yeah.

[Monitor beeping steadily]

[Monitor beeping erratically, radio chatter]

[Exhales deeply]

Is he the one?

[Police radio chatter]

You did this to me?

I remember you.

[Police radio chatter]

I got it.

Ms. Samton. No, no, no.

You were at the party.

You were looking at me.

Look at me now! Look at me!

Hey, Ms. Samton, you should be resting.

[Crying]I hope you die, you son of a bitch!

Leanne!

I hope you die!

[Monitor beeping erratically]

Look at me! Look at me!

I hate you!

Hey, hey. Come on, come on.

Please, I need you to calm down.

I hope you're broken just like me!

Okay, calm down.

She's hyperventilating.

Malaya, can you get the oxygen t*nk, please?

Let's sit down, please.

I need you to lay down.

Oh, God!

[Crying] Lay down.

Breathe for us, okay? Deep breaths.

[Sobbing] Oh, my God.

She's bleeding.

What?

She's bleeding.

[Screams]

Why was she walking on a pelvic fracture?

I stepped out for a minute.

Your patient. Keep eyes on her.

Ethan, not now. Her pressure's dropping.

Jesse, hang 2 units of P.R.B.C.S, please.

I'll put them on the rapid infuser.

Noa: Should we get her upstairs?

Not now.

We've gotta stabilize this before she codes.

How 'bout that R.E.B.O.A.?

We're out of R.E.B.O.A. kits.

O2.

Any suggestions, people?

Pre-peritoneal packing.

I'm not familiar with that. We haven't done it here.

Open the abdominal wall, pack the pre-peritoneal space.

Tamponade the bleeding till we get her upstairs.

We did it downrange.

Let's do it.

Malaya, grab some lap pads, please.

Pressure's down to 64 systolic.

All right, we gotta do this now.

Uh, iodine, please.

Ready when you are.

[Monitor beeping rapidly]

Push on the bladder now.

Okay, pack the opposite side of the pelvis.

Move fast and tight.

That's the only thing keeping her alive right now.

Pressure's back up to 92.

[Monitor beeping steadily]

Okay, it's working.

Keep the blood running wide open.

Tell 'em we're coming up the O.R.

She's good to go.

[Indistinct conversations, telephone rings in distance]

So the one proctologist asks, "How'd the flowers get in there?"

And the other one goes, "I don't know. Didn't include a card."

[Laughter]

Hey, the kid's got promise.

They're ready for you up in the O.R. how you feeling?

Oh, I haven't felt this excited to have my bowels resected since, uh...

Tax audit?

Last week's poker game.

My divorce hearing.

[Laughter]

Okay, it's time.

Oh, goody, goody.

All right. Here we go.

Hold on a minute.

Thank you, Doctors.

You good?

Yeah, I'm good.

All right.

Hey, Stewart, do us all a favor.

What?

Walk toward the light.

Oh, you just wanna steal my best material.

Make sure you shave his back.

[Laughs]

Hey, if I get through this alive, I'm gonna work on that proctology routine with you, and you are gonna k*ll at all those medical conventions, bro.

Nice.

My job is to keep my patients alive, not help them die.

But this isn't about you or what you want. It's about what she wants.

Right. You know what she wants?

She's been my patient for years.

You've known her for hours.

This disease, it dictated everything in her life since the minute she's had it.

Now she wants to dictate how it ends.

Or she's drowning in self-pity.

You ever heard the phrase, "Throw, don't go"?

You know, if somebody's drowning, you don't jump in with them.

You throw her a line and you stand strong.

You never let go, no matter how frustrated or tired she gets.

Why do I get the feeling we're not talking about Whitney anymore?

I see. Now you think you know me.

[Pats shoulder]

Not yet, but you did just get more interesting.

[Monitor beeping steadily]

[Crying]

What if he's not okay?

I can't go through this again.

Mike is going to be okay, Dad.

He's strong, remember?

Iron stuff.

[Chuckles]

Hey.

So they are removing the back part of the vertebra, so that they have access to the broken bone fragments.

What happens then?

Once he's removed it, they'll cut away the bone fragments...

[Tablet clicking]

[Telephone ringing in distance]

[Haltingly] Did you...

Did you...

Did... did you t-ta...

Ah. [Sighs]

[Tablet clicking]

No.

Not exactly.

That's not why I'm here.

[Indistinct conversations]

Whitney. God, are you all right?

Dr. Campbell called. They said you had another seizure.

What were you doing out so late?

_

You're lucky you didn't get more hurt.

We have her on Dilantin.

So when can she come home?

Is this why you didn't call?

You wanted to talk to your doctors?

[Exhales deeply]

I..

I...

We talked about this.

You are not doing it, period.

Tell her this is crazy. She's only 22.

[Tablet clicks]

[Indistinct conversations]

Mrs. Lithwick?

It's Gerri. I'm not married.

And I really don't want you to try and convince me to let her do this.

[Telephone ringing in distance]

She was just a kid when she was diagnosed.

She played little league softball, and her coach noticed her having stomach pains.

She never complained.

That wasn't Whitney.

[Inhales deeply]

Even when the doctors told her she had cancer, even when I fell apart, and her friends stopped visiting, and her little body was pumped full of chemicals...

[Inhales deeply, exhales sharply]

She just... went right on.

[Sniffles]

She can still fight this.

Do you know anything about A.L.S.?

I did the ice bucket challenge.

Your father?

Mother.

I'm sorry.

I was 11 the last time she could hug me.

She d*ed four years after that.

She was a strong woman, and if she'd have had a chance to end it earlier, she would've.

Your daughter's strong, too.

Yeah.

That's why she can still fight this, because she's stronger than even she realizes.

If you'll forgive me, maybe she's stronger than you realize.

[Telephone ringing in distance]

You okay?

I'm just trying to figure something out.

Can I help?

Not on this one.

Paramedic just found this on his rig. They're Joy's.

She must've dropped them when they picked 'em up earlier.

There's blood on 'em.

That must be from where she cut her hand stabbing Seth with the keys.

Mm, that's impossible. I did the evidence exam on Seth.

He had bruises but no puncture wounds, not even a scratch.

But we know who does.

They've got the wrong guy.

Seth's crashing in Room 18.

[Monitor beeping rapidly]

Victim's keys...

Ethan: He's bleeding through his chest tube.

Jesse: Pressure's tanking.

Take the cuffs off.

Take the cuffs off now.

Okay, Doc.

He's gonna code.

What's his output?

500cc's in 30 seconds.

All right, we gotta open up his chest. Get him into center stage. Let's go.

[monitor beeping rapidly]

Jesse: Pressure's 40 over 22.

Bleeding's profuse.

Can you see the source?

I can't see the bleeder.

I can't believe we had him wrong.

More suction, please, and more 4x4s.

[Suction gurgles]

I know it's the pulmonary vein. I just can't find it.

Here. Protractor, please.

Let's open it up more. How's that?

I got it. Clamp.

Bleeding stopped.

Noa: Pressure's coming up.

Ethan: Let's get him ready for the O.R.

He saved her?

Yes, and we saved him.

Good job, guys.

[Woman speaking indistinctly over P.A.]

What's going on?

Did he die?

No.

You're not that lucky.

What are you talking about?

We need to re-examine your wounds.

[Police radio chatter]

What? Why?

Because they're defensive wounds.

Joy had her keys in her hands when you att*cked her, just like they teach you in self-defense class.

That... that's not what happened. I told you what happened.

I don't have to listen to this. Vanessa, let's go.

You're not going anywhere.

I never saw that girl until I pulled that animal off her.

Vanessa, tell them.

[Whispers] You're lying.

Get your hands off me.

You're a liar.

[Crying] I saw you! I saw you with her.

Vanessa...

At the party, you were flirting with her by the bar.

I-I saw you two together.

I wanted to believe you so bad. [Breathing heavily]

[Telephone ringing in distance]

You're the animal.

Shut up.

You shut up! I didn't do it!

Didn't... I know I didn't... do it.

[Siren wailing in distance]

[Laughing]

On top of the deck.

[Grunts]

Oh. What is...

[Laughs]

No. Come on. Stop. Stop.

What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?

No, hold that over there.

[Laughing]

How's Stew?

You find Jimmy Hoffa up there?

[Laughs]

Doc, what's with the face?

So sorry.

We, um... we did everything we could.

What?

No.

Typical Stewart. He runs out on the bill.

[Telephone ringing in distance]

I can't do this.

Stewart: I knew it! Never trust an amateur with a good bit.

[Men laughing]

Stewart: Oh!

[Curtain rings swoosh]

You son of...

I scared you two, didn't I?

You only die on stage.

Oh, I don't die on stage.

I'm dead off stage.

[Laughter]

Know what they found inside of me?

A pastrami sandwich from 1972 in New York.

[Laughs]

[Laughs] Boom, boom.

[Laughter]

Oh, God.

Ah! You son...

I screamed at him... called him terrible things.

He saved my life, and...

I told him I wanted him to die. [Sniffles]

You can't blame yourself for this.

The only villain here is Justin.

[Sniffles] I don't know.

Maybe this is who I am now.

The girl who got r*ped.

That's the worst part.

Someday I'll have to tell my husband...

... to my kids.

No.

He took one night from you.

Don't let him have one more second.

You are more than the bad things that happen to you.

You are the grace that follows.

[Door closes]

How is he?

Surgery went as well as can be expected, but he's gonna be okay.

He has a long way to go.

Can I go closer?

Of course.

[Door opens]

[Door closes]

You didn't leave me, and I'm not gonna leave you.

I hear you used to play softball.

Used to.

And I know that two strikes, two outs look when I see it.

Is this the ninth inning?

No.

[Object thuds]

Seventh inning stretch.

[Bag rustles]

[Cork pops]

Don't worry. It's sterile.

[Snorts]

I thought you were having a drink with me.

It's not for me.

Are you okay?

Yes.

[Door closes]

Hold out your hand, honey.

[Whispers] Thank you.

[Exhales deeply, sniffles]

I'm not gonna stop it, but I need to monitor your heart.

[Beaker thuds]

[Crying]

[Whispering] Mommy.

Mommy.

Don't cry.

It's okay.

[Sniffles]

[Gasping]

[Sniffles, kisses]

[Sniffles]

[Whispers] Oh, God.

[Crying] I want you to rest.

I want you to rest now.

[Sniffles]

You, uh, may still have some numbness from the anesthesia.

It's okay.

Well, we don't know anything definitive for a few more days.

But Dr. Rorish did say that your job would be waiting for you, whenever you're ready.

Seven years ago.

What?

Your first year.

Oh.

[Sighs] My first year in medical school.

Don't remind me.

[Both chuckle]

I was, uh, in worse shape than my cadavers.

I remember I begged you to come visit.

Yeah, but... you asked all the right questions. And...

I knew you'd make a great doctor.

That's why I made you my medical proxy, 'cause you're the most thoughtful person I know.

Thank you.

No, Angus.

[Sighs]

Thank you.

Willis?

What the hell did you do?

I helped her.

You helped k*ll her.

Under the end of life option act.

No, no, the law says she asks her doctor, then waits 10 days.

She asked you.

Yes, me!

Not you.

She did wait 10 days.

Do you think waiting another 10 days would've made any difference?

You think she would've changed her mind?

That's not the point.

It's exactly the point.

That's what the law is there for, to give her her dignity.

It was not your call to make.

That's right, and it wasn't yours. It was hers.

[Pounds locker]

I would've liked to say goodbye to her.

I'm sorry.

She was an extraordinary young woman.

Yeah.

Yeah.