Episode Report Card Heathen: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Beyond Repair
By Heathen | Season 8 | Episode 11 | Aired on 01.09.2002
Douglas hangs up the phone, having chatted with his father, who assured his son he'd be there the next day to collect him. Abby chats with him about living in Los Angeles, and how he'll enjoy the sunny weather and its proximity to Disneyland. They sit together in the waiting room, Douglas leaning into Abby for a cuddle, and Abby patting his back and resting her chin on his head. It's completely adorable, even if it is a trifle manipulative by the writers. MT plays maternal instincts really well.
Paris approaches Abby gingerly with a note for Carter. They're discharging Sobriki and she needs to drive him home, so she can't give it to Carter herself. "They wouldn't have released him if he weren't better," she insists. "He's taking his meds, he's in therapy. He has a disease, but it's being treated. That's what you do here -- you treat diseases so that people can try to move on with life." Wow, Paris is really pretty wooden in this part. She's better when she's mean and catty. She also sounds like she's trying to convince herself as much as she's trying to sell Sobriki's new health to Abby. Except that Abby never asked. "He's my husband. We're his family," Paris continues. "I can't give up on him." Abby shoots her a matter-of-fact expression and says simply, "Good luck." And she's thinking, "I know a good divorce lawyer, when you're ready."
Carter crankily hangs up his lab coat in his locker. I swear Benton's name tag is hanging on the locker next to his. Abby enters the lounge and quietly hands him the folded note from Paris. "Lewis discharged Sobriki, and his wife asked me to give you this," she says. "Guess you couldn't protect me from her, either, huh?" Carter growls. Abby tucks the note inside Carter's locker and says she's sorry. "Forget about it," he cuts her off, bitterly. The roles are reversed here. Earlier, it was Carter apologizing about Susan and trying to protect Abby, who took it pretty graciously; now, Abby is the one who's being overprotective, and Carter's decidedly less kind about it. Granted, Abby wasn't stabbed, except perhaps through the heart. It does at least demonstrate their mutual interest in caring for each other, which harks back to their good friendship, which feels real. Abby invites him out for dinner or coffee, but he refuses, too wrapped up in his own pain -- understandably -- to respond to her bad day. He just wants to go check on Gamma, and he leaves unceremoniously and without looking at Abby. She sighs.
In the lobby, a social worker tries to wrest Douglas from his seat in the waiting room. "Abby!" he cries, spying her and bolting into her arms. She tries to console him, telling him that he'll be okay and needs to sleep and eat and take a nice bath. Douglas wants to stay with her. "I don't stay here all the time, honey, but you can come visit me whenever you want," Abby promises, disentangling herself from the boy's desperate embrace. "Abby!" he wails as the social worker snatches him up and carries him outside. "Wait, I'll stay with you! Abby! Please!" Abby watches him brokenly. "You'll be fine, Douglas," she calls out, catching her voice before it cracks. She looks profoundly disturbed, valuing her attachment to the boy but kicking herself for getting too close.