Grey's Anatomy (2005–…): Season 17, Episode 12 - Sign O' the Times - full transcript

At the start
of medical school,

you and your classmates
stand together,

wearing your lab coats
for the first time,

and you take an oath.

No justice! No peace!

No
justice! No peace!

No justice! No peace!

Equality right now!

Equality right now! Stand up!

The oath has many versions,
but each boils down to this...

The practice of medicine
should be humane and kind.



It turns out there's a catch
they don't tell you about...

Medicine mimics the
world it lives in.

Hey. Brought coffee.

You see Richard's e-mail?

I can't look at my phone without
50 news alerts popping up.

It's like it's cursed.

He told the staff to take
time if they need it.

To rest, protest.

Worry about whether their
fiancé's gonna make it

across country in one piece?

Anything.

He understands.

If I keep
staring at this wall,

I'm just gonna burn
a hole into it.



I should go.

And in this world,

humanity and kindness are
often in short supply.

I canceled the few elective
surgeries we had scheduled,

told the blood bank
to be on high alert,

and put five vents on
standby for incoming traumas.

We'll have the tent
outsidefor walk-ups. Mm-hmm.

Mnh. You think that'll
be enough for us?

I think it'll have
to be.

We've just barely got our
bearings in this pandemic...

Now this.

Well, revolutions don't
schedule appointments.

Mnh!

You good?

I... I just want to be doing
something I know how to do.

Well, you've done everything
you could to prepare.

Now, look, I'll come
back if you need me.

It may take me some time to
get here, but I-I'll make it.

Wait, back... back from where?

I'm protesting, Bailey.

Something important is
happening out there,

and I'm not gonna miss it...

These moments save lives, too.

You go give 'em hell.

I'm so grateful that
you came in today.

Not that I would ask a
Black man not to march.

No, but you can
text me eight times,

asking if I'm coming
in, though.

Mnh-mnh!

That was my phone that did that.

Oh, okay. It's new.

Uh-huh.

No, I almost called
in a sub, honestly,

but we're barely
hanging on with COVID,

so I figured they'll need me.

Speaking of which, did
you read my proposal

for setting up the free COVID
testing and treatment site

for low-income patients?

I mean, Ortiz's connections...

I think we can
make a real impact.

You know we're barely keeping
the lights on as it is, baby.

But I will revisit it
when the revenues improve.

You want us to wait
till COVID's over

before we can open
a COVID site, Mom?

Come on. Okay?
Dr. Ortiz and I put

a lot of really good time
and effort into this.

She's got great ideas.

Just let me get through
this week, okay?

I'm late for my meeting. Ah.

Love you. This week.

Avery. You got a second?

Hey, everything okay?

I've been better, mate.

I don't have much time.

It's all hands on deck here.

Probably won't even
have a chance to shower

before I see you tonight,

but I just wanted
to see your face.

Well this is it.

My exhausted,
driving-for-three-days face.

I feel like we chose
the worst time ever

for you to make this drive.

Nah. The sooner I'm
with you, the better.

Well, what'd you think of the
apartment listing I sent you?

I haven't even looked at it yet.

Maggie.

It's just... I have
not been able to focus

on anything besides work and
the news and you driving.

I get it, baby. I get it.

But as far as I can tell,

Seattle real estate is the
Hunger Games with kitchens.

So if
I want this place,

I'm gonna need to
make an offer soon.

Okay, I'll look
at it. I promise.

Alright.

Next time we talk,
it'll be in person.

Be careful. Please.

Extra careful. Always.

I love you.

Love you.

She's still sleeping
most of the time.

She's very weak.

But stable.

Have Schmitt do her
hyperbaric treatment today.

Do we think that
Schmitt's qualified?

He'll be fine. I'll put
the fear of God in him.

That almost sounds fun.

Woman over P.A.: Dr. Scott...

Let's order an X-ray. Yeah.

They're in the south
parking lot right now.

Thanks a million, Irene.
I'll be back when I can.

Alright, hold still. Hold still.

Cops did this?

Neo-Nazis did this.

"Counter-protesters,"
I think they're called.

Came at my boy
with a billy club.

I jumped in between
them just in time.

Well, he got you good.
Must've been scary.

I wanted to drop a bomb
on the whole lot of them.

If I had one, I would have.

Oh, man, this rage I'm feeling?

That's... That's why we
need stricter gun laws.

Alright. Well, I can get you
some Valium for the shaking.

No, I'm good.

ER's filling up. I just... I
just want to get back to work.

Am I okay, Avery?

Almost.

Next time, make
sure you guys hang

in the back of the crowd,
yeah? Next time?

When they're 18, they can
protest all they want.

Right now, they're
going straight home.

Jackson, I need you out here!

Her name is Nell.
That's all I got.

She was hit with a
tear gas canister.

Shot! Not hit...
shot! At close range!

Oh, shrapnel went everywhere.

E-Easy. Oh.

- Easy.
- Keep it stable.

Trauma one's open.
Let's move.Okay.

Ready? Yeah.

Let's go. Let's go.

Uh, good circulationin
the upper extremities.

Nell, does your hand
feel numb or tingly?

Excruciating pain isn't enough?

No acute fractures.

Canister doesn't
seemtoo deeply embedded.

Someone give me their hand.

Why?

I need to squeeze
the hell out of it.

This thing hurts.

Two of morphine,
Reuben. Reuben: Mm-hmm.

Non-expanding hematoma,

but I cannot rule out a
neurovascular injury here.

So I think we need a
CT angio right away.

Let's prep to move.

Okay, I'm gonnacome with
you. Wait, wait, wait, wait!

Y-You're not taking this
thing out of me first?

We want to make
sureit didn't hit

any major blood
vesselsin your neck.

Then we're gonna remove
it in the operating room.

We're gonna move as
fast as we can, alright?

Alright. You ready
for us to move you?

Owen: Okay, keep this on
for the next 12 hours,

then apply the antibiotic
ointment, okay?

Will this bandage hold?

I'm going back out.

I'll get you some extra
Coban to be safe, okay?

Hey. Hey.

Got your page.

Yeah, someone's en route

with a rubber bullet
injuryto the chest.

Should be here any minute.

Ugh, glass bricks.

You get that, Pierce?
Huh? Yes, yeah.

Uh, just got a lot
going on today.

Winston is driving
back as we speak.

Yeah, you two aren't
wasting any time.

I'm happy for you. Thanks.

We're just trying to work
out this living situation.

Oh, you're worried?

You're wondering if he
prefers using the bathroom

with the door wide open?

Or puts ketchup on his eggs.

Who puts ketchup on their eggs?

Over 54% of Americans,
actually.

Okay, rig's here. Let's go.

Okay, we have Guy Houston, 22.

Took a rubber
bullet to the chest.

Defibrillated in
the field for V-fib.

I think "died" is the
word you're looking for.

Welcome back. Let's
get you inside.

I need a chest X-ray,
cardiac enzymes,

and let's get him on a monitor.

We're heading
into the chamber.

Breathing oxygen

feeling light

as if you're, uh,
floating on a cloud.

But not... not like a cloud
in heaven or anything.

Just, um, floating. Like

just not dead, you know?

We're healing and
recovering.

What are you doing here?

Uh, post-op surgical
wound infection.

My attending ordered
hyperbaric treatment

to enhance healing.

Well, we're next.

And we're also VIP,
so you can go now.

Schedule's packed today,
so they're doubling up.

Crap, is that Meredith Grey?

Maybe. But don't talk to her.

I'm under strict
orders from the Chief

to not cause
Dr. Grey any stress.

Of course, no problem.

Just, uh, floating like...

Are you gonna make room or not?

Haven't even finished
this supply run...

You're already
coming in for more.

Yeah, well, it's just
one of those years.

Wait, can I fix that?

Because it looks like
you lost a bar fight.

Thank you.

Wow. Okay.

It's not like there's a
deadly virus going around...

Spread by droplets.

Oh, sorry.

It's the
bloody tear gas, I swear.

How are your sons?

They're alright.

Irene came to pick them up,
despite their complaining.

They wanted to stay out?

Yeah, they want to be
a part of the change,

not just watch it on a screen.

But you wouldn't let them?

After this? No way.

You think that's a mistake?

No, I, uh... I see both sides.

You know, protesting the
policein front of the police

is scary, and so
is doing nothing.

Guess I've just
buried too much family

to see anybody else's
side but my own.

Right.

Woman over P.A.: Captain
Emerson, call Radiology.

Captain Emerson, call
Radiology.

Yes.

Chad Anderson, 40s,

no past medical history,
according to him.

EMTs brought him.

He evidently collapsed
while jogging.

I've given him O2, but
he's still experiencing

shortness of breath, as
well as foot irritation.

Look, I'm fine, okay?

As I was trying to
explainto your nurse here...

Dr.Tseng.

She's a second-year
surgical resident.

Yeah, but... Pull your mask up.

Yeah.

Okay, look, I was just trying
to tell her that it's...

I... Sometimes, I get
shortness of breath when I run.

It's not a big deal.

I mean, you know, my...
My inhaler's expired,

so you just, you know,

you put me on a
nebulizer treatment

and you write me a new
prescription for albuterol,

and there'll be one
less guy in the room.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Tseng, has his oxygen
saturation been above 92?

Hovering around 88.

Mr. Anderson, is it possible

that you've been
exposed to COVID-19?

No. Uh, it's... That's a no.

Hm. Mask up.

Hospital policy.

Move him to an isolated room
and give him a full workup...

Chest X-ray, lower extremity
duplex, and a COVID test.

Page me with the results.

Okay, hey. Doc, look, I'll
take the workup, okay,

but I don't care what
your little test says

'cause I know that
it's not real.

What's not real?

COVID.

Do I look like a sheep, alright?

I know it's a scam.

Richard: How's she doing?

Hopefully, it's confined
to just soft tissue damage.

Well, her clavicle felt intact.

We were marching peacefully.

You know, she was
marching peacefully.

Can you imagine firing
poison gas at this woman?

Still marching at her age?

What was it like
out there today?

It was beautiful.

At first.

And then it was
frightening and then messy,

but it was still beautiful.

I mean, there were young people

handing out water and masks.

It was... It was organized.

There was this... This
feeling in the air.

It's...

You have to put yourself on
the line to be part of it,

but good trouble lights
you up, you know?

Yeah, sure.

Oh, scans are up.

Ah. Okay.

Oh, well, no vascular
involvement, thank God.

See? It tore through the
trapezius muscle. Yeah.

Well, let's book an OR
and extract the canister.

Yeah.

Don't see any pericardial fluid.

That's a good thing.

Okay, so was it
a... A heart attack?

Because my dad's
had two of those.

Kind of.

It's called commotio cordis.

Basically, the rubber
bullet must've hit you

at the exact right moment

to interrupt your
heart's normal rhythm.

The same thing happens
with a heart attack.

Yeah, you were lucky
that EMTs were nearby.

Everything was so
chill, you know?

Then there was gas
and... And screaming

and people running
in all directions.

We couldn't even tell which
way the cops wanted us to go.

But I swear, we didn't
do anything wrong.

Yeah, I'm sure you didn't.

Your X-ray and your
echo both look good,

but I do want to admit you
for observation and bloodwork

just to make sure
your heart's okay.

I-I, uh... I s... I should
probably call my mom.

Uh, I will be right back.

Keep him on telemetry

and do cardiac enzymes
every two hours.

Hey. What happened
to not speaking

until we see each
other in person?

Winston: The landlord called,

and he said he wants
to rent to a doctor,

but he has a few offers

and he needs to make
a decision today.

Did you look at the listing?

I did.

I'm not a fan.

It has glass bricks.
And only two windows.

And glass bricks.

Um, okay, well,

I told him I'm gonna take it.

Maggie, you know I
need a better option

than a hotel or a backyard tent.

It's just for now.

You know, I just want
to be in the same city.

Hey, Maggie.

And for the record,
no judgment...

Maggie... do you
like glass bricks?

Maggie, I can't...
I can't talk now.

I'm being pulled... I'm being
pulled over.

Wait, what? You're being
pulled over by the...

By the police, yes. I got to go.

No, no, no, no.
Winston, don't hang up.

Turn on your camera if you can,

but do not hang up the phone.

I will stay on
the line with you.

Is she mean?

Dr. Grey?

Excuse me?

Uh, sorry. It's
just what I heard.

I also heard that she's
the best.

But she got sick
before my first day,

so I never got a
chance to see it.

I intubated a COVID patient
on the fly the other day.

Never could've done
that a couple years ago.

And my Lembert sutures,
which she taught me,

they're... They're
getting better.

Every win I've had, any
time I do something right,

I hear her voice in my head.

She's the most influential
teacher I've ever had.

Even when she's asleep.

And, yes, she can
be toughsometimes.

There's always a reason.

I really hope I get to
operate with her one day.

Yeah, me too.

Alright.

Music off, hat off,
hands on the wheel.

License and registration, sir.

How you doing today, Officer?

Oh, just takin' 'er easy.

Can you tell me why
you pulled me over?

I saw... Speed limit
said it's 45...

Set the cruise to 40.

Maggie: Winston, are you there?

I can't hear anything.

I'm gonna need you to
turn off your phone, sir.

Oh, it's just my fiancée.

She's
up in Seattle.

Your phone, sir.

She, uh, she worries about
me on the long drive.

Can I leave it on?

Mr. Ndugu,
are you failing to comply?

Winston.

If... If... If
you're still there,

just keep me on the line.

I'm reaching for my phone.

Maggie: Winston?

Winston?

Oh, no, no.

Army Navy, please.

Pick-ups, Bokhee.

My mom mention getting
an e-mail from me at all?

I sense you want me to say yes.

She probably
hasn't even opened it.

I don't know why
I haven't learned.

The only ideas that get
through to her are her own.

It's hard being a problem-solver

when the problems
are so complex.

I could never do her job.

Yeah, well, it'd be easier if
she wouldn't ignore good advice

from people trying to help her.

Wouldn't even bother me
as much if it was just me.

Alma Ortiz and I worked really
hard on a lot of good ideas

based on her
previous experience.

Well, listen, give her time.

We're all feeling
next-level stress.

Something tells me
that after a week,

she'll be a little more open.

We just pulled a
hunk of metal out of this woman,

and you're seriously being
super positive right now?

You know, you barely missed
getting hit yourself.

Yeah, it should
have never happened.

I'm just thankful that
the damage isn't worse.

What got me...
Well, you saw her.

She wasn't fazed.

She was... She was energized.
You know what I mean?

There's power in
gathering like that,

I mean, where the truth brings
so many people together.

I mean...

Well, you know.

Actually, no, I don't.

Honestly, I've never
been to a real protest.

I mean, I've protested
plenty of things...

I've boycotted businesses,
signed petitions.

Done surgeries
for free, given talks.

It seems like every time
folks took to the streets,

I always had a reason not to.

I had to work, I had to study.

I could always see how useful
money was to the cause,

you know, so I
guess I always felt

that writing a check was
a worthwhile substitute.

And, hell, maybe it is.

In this country, at least.

You think that's a cop-out?

I try not to judge the
way that anyone handles

the traumas that come
with living here.

And that includes you.

And your mother.

Clamp.

Winston: Hi, you've
reached Dr. Winston Ndugu.

Dr. Pierce! Just...
Just... Come on.

Dr. Pierce!

He's in V-fib again!

Owen: Let's push a 6-milligram
bolus of adenosine.

Oh, Ortiz! I need you to
keep calling this number.

It's my fiancé, Winston.
Owen: He's still in V-tach.

If he picks up, you tell me.

If he doesn't,
just keep calling.

Just do not stop.

Everything okay?
He got pulled over.

I want the officer to know that
someone is checking in on him.

Mm.

Let's charge to 200!

Mask up, Mr. Anderson.

Mm. Sorry, I forgot.

The whole "coro-no-virus."

Sir

I need you to listen to me.

Your COVID test
came back positive.

Additionally, you have

ground glass opacities
in your lungs.

That's why you're having
trouble breathing.

And your toes aren't red
because you run without socks.

Y-You have what's being
referred to as "COVID-toe."

"COVID-toe"?

Yes. Really?

That's the best you got?
COVID-toe?

Are you guys even
trying?

This ultrasound of
your leg reveals a clot

that we need to treat
immediately, so...

Okay, well, whose leg is that?

I'm sorry?

Well, see, I'm
a... I'm a runner.

We don't get blood
clots. But it's a...

That's a... That's
a nice try, though.

Mr. Anderson, please.Okay. Look.

You know what I've figured out?

Huh?

I figured out that
this little cold

that y'all are so
terrified of...

Biggest moneymaker
since crypto-currency.

And speaking of, h-how do
you get your kickbacks?

I mean, is it like a flat fee

from every patient
that you diagnose,

or is it like a... A
percentage deal, or...?

My m...

Um, I...

Be back in a moment. I
need to answer a page.

Yeah, yeah. Take your
time.

What?! What?!

Okay.

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

W-What?!

Stop.

Okay, let's try this.

Your blood oxygen
is dangerously low.

Your lungs are getting worse.

And if untreated,
the clot in your leg

could travel to your
lungs and killyou.

We're seeing cases like yoursall
of the ti...

Sir, this is not just a cold.

It's not asthma.

This won't magically go away.

Sir, please, let us admit you

so that we canstart you
on steroids

and... and put you
on blood thinners.

Look, because even if you
are a little bit wrong,

it could be fatal.

You know, I'm still waiting on

that albuterol
prescription, Doc.

Thank you.

200 joules!

200. Stand clear.

Still V-fib. Go again.

Charge. Charge.

Clear.

Okay, he's back to
normal sinus rhythm.

So, what
are you thinking?

I think the rubber
bullet bruised his heart.

His troponin levels
are elevated.

We gotta get him to the CCU.

All this from a rubber bullet?

It wasn't a "rubber" bullet.

It's a metal bullet
encased in rubber

fired from a gun
at a human being.

They're not meant to be fired
close range or directly.

They can bejust as
dangerous. Still no answer.

Owen: Damn it.
Maggie: V-fib again?!

He's unstable. He keeps
going in and out of sinus.

Charge. Yep.

Charge. Clear!

Maggie: He's in V-fib storm.

The myocardial
contusion is causing

a closed loop of
misfiring in his heart.

It's not gonna stop
until we get him ablated.

Push 100 mg of lido, give
him an amiodarone bolus,

and get him up to the IR suite.

We'll meet youup
there, okay? Okay.

Still no answer.

Alright.

Page Richard Webber.
Owen: Ready? Let's move.

Tell him to meet
me in the IR suite,

and tell him it's urgent.

Intern Chee: Ever
work in a warehouse?

Not that I recall.

My patient does.

Forklift injury.

They're surprisingly common.

It's good to know.

Hey, uh... uh... uh...

You might want to
up his sedation.

Sedation, right. Uh...

Quick, before he...

Oh! Oh! Crap!

That's what I was worried about.

Okay.

Come on. C...

Maggie.

What's wrong? Okay.

Winston is on his way
back here from Boston.

Mm-hmm. He is driving,
he's on the road,

and we were on the phone.

We were...

And the police pulled him over,

and I told him to
keep me on the line.

But the police made him hang up,

and now I can't
get a hold of him.

It's been...

It's been 20 minutes,

and I don't know where he is.

And I have a patient who could
go into V-fib at any second,

so I have to get in
there and do an ablation.

But this is how it happens,
right? Just like this?

So, I-I-I-I need somebody to
go and find him now. Look.

Right now. Alright, Maggie.

Alright. Okay?

What you should do now is
take care of your patient.

What if he tries to call
me and I don't pick up? No.

Or what if he
doesn'tcall... Yeah.

And the police just take
him... take him?

Look, just give me your phone.

I'll give it some more time.

If there's still no word,
I will get into my car,

and I will look for him myself.

Give me your phone. Okay.

Yeah?

Mm-hmm.

Okay. Mm.

Oh, my God!

Oh, God, his intestines
are popping out!

Okay, okay, okay. Let me think.

What do we do? What do we do?

I don't know what to do.

Meredith: Schmitt.
This isn't anyone's fault.

This isn't anyone's fault.

The patient nearly
extubated himself

and caused an evisceration...
and caused an evisceration.

It is a horrible complication...

But it can be fixed.

What is the first step?
What is the first step?

Chee, he dehisced.

I need you to hold
down the patient

so he doesn't extubate himself.

Paralyze him with cis
and push more Versed.

And then, I need you
to get on the intercom.

And say what?

Tell them to
depressurize the chamber

and call for an OR now.

No... No attending?

We are stuck in this chamber
until it depressurizes,

so we are on our own,
but we do not panic.

Now, we need to put him
under, so push more meds.

Now!

Okay.

There it is.

We're ready for the needle.

He's stable.

Go. Do your call.

We'll page you if
he goes into V-fib.

Are you sure? Maggie, go.

Winston?

Hey. Oh, my God.

Are you okay? Where are you?

I'm... I'm... I'm fine.

I... They le... They let me go.

Why did it take them
so long to let you go?

Um, because they... they
had me get out of the car

and take my mask off.

And, uh...

And then, uh, they
had me do a DUI test.

And then, they
checked the trunk.

And then, they checked the car.

You know, and then I had
to unpack all my stuff,

and, uh, the police dog
sniffed it over. What?

And then the dog sniffed
me, and they let me go.

So, I'm g... I'm good. Tha...
That's what took so long.

W-W-W-Why did
the... I mean, I...

Were you, like,
swerving on the road?

No, no, no. Uh,
my... my bike rack

was obscuring my
license plate, and...

And then, they saw me.

So, it just turned into

one of those things, I guess.

They can't do that. They...

Maggie, I'm a little
bit shaken up right now.

I don't know if I'm
good to drive yet.

I don't know if I'm...
I don't think I'm...

Uh, Maggie, I'm not good.

Okay.

I'm... I'm not
okay yet, you know?

Uh...

I just gotta
breathe a little bit, you know?

Okay, okay. Okay,
listen, you're okay.

You are okay, and I am here
with you as long as you need.

Alright. Okay? Breathe, baby.

Breathe. You are okay.

I need saline.

His bowels are drying out.

That's why I asked for saline.

Pour it!

And what are Dr. Grey's vitals?

What's wrong with Dr. Grey?

Nothing, but your patient
isn't the only one in here,

and I don't want
two emergencies.

So, could you please
read her vitals?

BP... 120 over 75.

O2 sats are 95%. Good.

Stay that way.

I think I got it all in.

Meredith: Don't put too much
pressure. Don't put too much pressure.

I need to avoid bowel ischemia

and abdominal
compartment syndrome.

Nice work, Schmitt.
Nice work, Schmitt.

Jackson: Well,
our surgery was successful.

I was able to
remove the canister

to get your wound
cleaned out quite nicely.

No vascular damage.

We'll want to go
back in in a few days

just to get everything
nice and closed up.

Yeah, a centimeter in
the other direction

and it could have
been much worse.

Could have been better.

Could have been you.

Eventually, you're gonna, uh,
need some physical therapy

just to help get your
full range of motion back.

Sorry to interrupt.
Just wanted to check

how the toughest patient
in the hospital is doing.

Richard: Well, you found her.

Takes a gas canister
at full velocity

Never seen the like of it.

How you feeling?

Never better.

Well, we did our best.

You might have a
little bit of scarring.

Oh, I'm not worried
about a scar.

Just go with the rest of them.

Ferguson...

I tore my ACL
running from a tank.

Standing Rock, well, frostbite.

And these are just the
two most recent ones.

I think I got that beat.

WTO protests, 1999.

They fired tear
gas into the crowd,

a few of us ducked
into a building,

but they pushed the door closed
before I could get inside.

I shattered my clavicle
and tore off some skin.

Hmm. When was your first?

Oh, first march?

I got started a little late.

Yourself?

1963.

'63, as in...?

The March on Washington.

My mother took me. I was 11.

You... Dr. King's "I
have a dream" speech?

You were there? In person?

I was.

It was August, and
hot.

To be honest, I remember Mom
taking me to cool my feet

in the Reflecting Pool
more than anything.

But I do remember
him on that stage...

The sound of his voice
sweeping over us.

The power of it. The holiness.

It felt like... possibility.

Like, if, this can happen,
anything can happen.

Possibility like that was rare.

And it's worth a few scars.

Bailey: He thinks COVID
is a scam to trick people

into thinking they
need treatment,

and then we make them sicker

by not treating them for
the things they dohave.

I'm sorry. I mean, who
is getting this money?

You. Me. All of us.

And who does he
think is paying us?

The government.

Oh, and we gettin' rich.

I mean, every patient
that we admit... ka-ching.

I mean, why not money?

I mean, look at how much
coronavirus has given us...

I mean, a full-on
nervous breakdown.

A dead mother.

Constant OCD flare-ups.

Losing seven
patients in one day.

Coming home at
the end of the day

and seeing the heartbreak
on my dad's eyes.

Whoo!

Oh, no.

No.

No, no, no, no.

What on earth?! Who
discharged him?!

He signed AMA.

Said he was done
and just walked out.

He didn't get very far.

No pulse.

Hurry up with that crash cart!

We offered him treatment,
could have saved him.

Instead, he walked away.

Most people never
feel what it's like

to be really great at something,
Altman, but we do, right?

I do. I can put
broken people together

with needles and string.

But... I can't fix this.

I mean, how do I treat
someone who is offered help

and chooses to walk away?

I want to hope, Altman.

I want to... mnh...
Believe that, you know,

just... just a little longer,

and... and... and we'll
be over this brutal hill.

But...

I just... I just don't know.

Hey. 30 minutes without
another episode of V-fib.

The radiofrequency
ablation worked.

Any more word from Winston?

He's back on the road.

He'll be here in an hour or two.

I'm glad to hear that.

Whoa,
17 missed calls from "Mom."

I wonder if she even
knows he's here.

Are you up for that,

or do you need me
to...? I got it.

Okay.

Hello?

Okay, okay, okay.

Your son is okay.

This is Dr. Maggie Pierce.

I was one of his doctors today.

Oh, hey.

Richard tells me
your new patient Nell

is quite the storyteller.

I'm thinking about going
down there to meet her

before she gets discharged.

Why don't we have
scars, Mom? Come again?

My whole life, whenever I see
people marching in the streets,

I hear your voice telling
me that just going to work

is heroic enough,

that we need to fix
things from the inside.

Succeed first, then give.
Like, that's what...

That's what you
taught me, right?

And... And here I am.

I'm... I'm successful,
I've given,

and nothing seems to change.

I know what it's like to
get discouraged, Jackson.

No, I don't... I
don't need a pep talk.

That's not what this is.

I...

If our foundation is so good
at fighting the good fight,

then why isn't anything
getting better?

And don't take that
the wrong way, alright?

I'm just saying, maybe both
of us have got this wrong.

I mean, look at
what is happening

in the streets right now.

Why aren't we there?

Why the hell don't
we have scars?

Let's just drop
the "we" business

of this right now, okay?

Youmay not have scars, Jackson,

but I have decades' worth.

And if you think
nothing has changed,

why don't you just ask yourself

how many Webbers,
Baileys, or Pierces

you would have seen
walking through these halls

40 years ago... 20 years ago.

You have no idea the
battles that I have fought

and won for that.

And if you don't see any scars,

it's because I'm damn
good at this job.

Of course you are. I'm
not... criticizing you.

You're incredible.
But I'm saying,

aren't you also annoyed
with all this red tape?

Having to convince some trustees

when you have a brilliant idea?

Like, what about our ideas?

What about doing something about

the Black maternal
mortality rate

instead of talking about it?

What about building our database

for the obvious racial
bias in medical training?

What about building
our... Our medical school

that we talked about?

So many things we
could be doing.

One battle at a time, Jackson.

That's how the world works.

Nah.

It shouldn't be that way...
Not anymore, alright?

I don't want to play a role in
a system that's just broken.

You sound like your father.

Oh, that'd be the worst
thing in the world?

Mom... It's
been a long day.

I didn't mean... You've
already said it, Jackson.

Don't try to lie about it now.

Liam: Nah!

Hup, hup!

Austin: Hey, Dad,
wanna get in here?

Liam keeps kicking the
ball over the fence.

Because our yard's too small.

Come over here for a
second, boys, will ya?

I was wrong.

Not to try and protect you...

I'm your Dad. That's
part of the bargain.

But I was wrong to
tell you to stay home.

This is your country, boys,

and now is a moment.

So, you'll fight, you'll
protest if you want to,

but only during daylight
and only when I'm with you.

Sound fair?

I heard about the one
downtown tomorrow...

If that's not too soon.

Why would it be too soon?

Um, your head?

Oh, yeah. Forgot about that.

I think it's an improvement.

Oh, do you, now?

Wha... Hey!

Oh, hey. You need
a ride home? Um.

Uh, thanks. I'll walk.

No, let me drive you.

There's a curfew.
It's just not safe.

That's alright. I'll walk.

Jackson, you can march tomorrow.

Today's practically over.

Yeah, well, it sounds like

they're still
marching somewhere.

I'll walk.

Richard: I remember that day
I first put on my white coat,

even though it was long ago.

I took the oath
alongside my classmates,

and I meant it with
every cell in my body.

I heard you eviscerated
a patient today.

What?! No!

No, I helped put the
bowels back inside.

Oh, my God, what is
Chee telling people?!

He's telling people
you were a badass

and you saved the man's life.

I'm sorry.
I couldn't help myself.

How's Meredith?

Stable.

Her ABG looks even better.

When the wound
split, I... froze.

But then, I kept hearing
this voice inside my head

asking, "What would
Meredith Grey do?"

I know. That's stupid. No!

No, I've... I've heard
that voice before, too.

And my advice...
Keep listening to it.

Wow.

You're really going
through with OB-GYN, huh?

Mm-hmm. I listened to the voice.

Hey, if you're starting your
residency all over again,

does that mean I'm
your boss now? No.

Well, technically,
I'll outrank you.

Okay, do you want
a ride home or not?

But this world has challenged
that oath so many times,

I barely remember
what it said anymore.

I was only thinking one thing...

"Do whatever it takes
to get back to Maggie."

"Survive
and get home."

I love you so much.

So now, every day,
I take a new oath...

I pledge to help build
a world worth living in.

And never stop believing
that world can exist.

Female voice: Calculating route.

Estimated trip... 11
hours.

Richard: Not today.

So far from today.

But someday.

Captions by VITAC...