Episode Report Card Lauren S: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT At Last
By Lauren S | Season 4 | Episode 17 | Aired on 05.22.2008
Cristina is hanging out in the breakroom, playing with her own pager when Mere runs in, wearing a cute tight sweater and with her hair all big and wavy and gorgeous. Mere opens the fridge as Cristina tells her she has to take back Sparkle Pager. "I am drunk on the power." As Meredith starts to panic and demands to know where the champagne is, Cristina adds, "I think it might actually be mystical!" and tosses it to Mere. Mere then runs out to look for Derek, not having found the champagne, and Lexie walks in. Cristina's kicking back with her eyes closed, still relishing her victory, and orders Lexie to get her the banana that's in her cubby. Dejected, Lexie gets it and then morosely asks if she'd like to have it peeled. But Cristina actually tells her, "No, I want you to learn the running whip stitch; I'm going to teach it to you," and has her take a needle to start practice. I guess Cristina's other three Interns of Convenience don't get the same opportunity?
Derek stops at the desk outside Beth's room when he hears a sob from within and sees her parents holding each other. He walks in and looks at them hugging, then looks at the bed. Patrick Dempsey tries very hard to look stern, trying to make us question what could be happening, but then he breaks into a smile and tells Beth, "Hi." She gives him a groggy "Hey" back and then Derek comments that she's alive. She agrees, and as her parents watch she lifts her right hand to his and muses, "Hmm. Not just for show anymore." He agrees, and tries to contain his emotion. There are sniffles all around, including from yours truly.
Derek then runs into the breakroom where Lexie is stitching up the banana while Cristina listens to her iPod. He walks up to the trash and pulls out the champagne bottle. Dude, he threw that away yesterday -- are they not taking out hospital trash more than that? Cristina calls out, "That's not sanitary!" as he runs back out of the room. She then looks at Lexie's work and has her make an adjustment. Lexie, beaming, tries to sincerely thank Cristina but Cristina cuts her off and goes back to her music. Lexie just smiles to herself.
Bailey finds Izzie stocking supplies in the darkened clinic, and asks her how it went. Izzie, dejected, tells her it was awful, and Bailey murmurs agreement. She then hands over here keys, telling Izzie they are for her. Iz asks, "Why are you giving me your keys to the clinic?" Bailey answers pointedly, "I'm not giving you my keys to the clinic, I'm giving you the clinic." Izzie is incredulous but Bailey explains that she's seen the bigger picture. She loves the clinic, but not as much as she loves surgery, being Chief Resident, and her family. "I've seen the bigger picture. And I can't do everything and still have everything. So I have to, uh, let some pieces go. This piece. This is your piece." She goes on to assure Izzie that she's watched her earn this the hard way, and Izzie sincerely thanks her -- both of their eyes are filled with tears. "You have grown into a fine doctor, Izzie Stephens." Well, I think that might be taking it a little bit far, but I'll admit that for me the last two weeks have, shockingly, brought Izzie back around to kind of acting like a real doctor and to actually being tolerable. Bailey tells her that the clinic is in her hands and finishes, "Make me proud."