By Joe R
It's been a week since the Seattle Grace Five defected, and they're making their big pitch to local bajillionaire Julian Crest to partner with them (i.e. fork up the rest of the $175 million to buy the hospital). They actually pitch first to a serious of his underlings, because he's super busy and important. They clear all the hurdles and manage to score 20 minutes with Crest, before he flies to Dubai (IMPORTANT). He likes their ideas, he likes their passion, but he doesn't like the fact that the closest thing they have to administration material in their group is Derek's disastrous stint as Chief. They decide they need to bring Webber or Hunt (if not both) onboard.
Meanwhile, at sad, emptying Seattle Grace, it's pretty grim. Bailey's openly talking about taking job interviews, Brooks is secretly in communication with a patient she and Bailey are on, and Catherine Avery (YAY!) is un-subtly suggesting that Jackson take a job back in Boston so he can get more involved with the Harper Avery foundation. Owen tells Bailey she can't leave, as she's the heart of the hospital, but she's not sure. Cahill has managed to get Pegasus back to the negotiating table, and it looks like the sale can still go through, much to Owen's relief. Only later, when it's just Cahill and Roberta Thompson, do we learn that Pegasus intends to liquidate the hospital once they buy it. Brooks overhears and tells Meredith, so we've got ourselves a ticking clock.
Brooks can't keep her mouth shut AT ALL, so everybody starts finding out the hospital is about to close. Smash freaks out and makes April tell Owen. Owen freaks out. April ends up freaking out later on. Stephanie freaks out about Avery moving away. Jo freaks out about being separated from Alex. Bailey freaks out that Brooks thinks Meredith cares more about her patients than she does. It's nobody's finest hour. Finally, Meredith approaches Webber, and he's obviously onboard; Cristina tells Owen, clears the air between them, and he then sets out to delay the sale long enough for the group to make their new and improved presentation to Crest.
After all that effort, after getting the sale delayed, getting Webber and Hunt onboard, Derek and Webber taking a helicopter ride with Crest to make their final pitch, Crest still declines. It's over. Derek and Meredith start writing letters of recommendation for the interns; Callie and Arizona start thinking about moving. Webber breaks the bad news to Catherine.
THEN. The morning. Webber and Catherine gather the Five, plus Owen, plus Jackson all together, and Catherine makes the announcement: the Harper Avery foundation would like to step in as investor and majority partner in Seattle Grace. The hospital is saved! Debbie Allen fixes EVERYTHING. Oh, and why is Jackson there? Because his mom just made him the foundation's representative on the Seattle Grace board. Meaning he's in charge. Avery. Fear those baby blues!