ER Episode 14.02 In a Different Light

Pratt catches up with Anspaugh to tell him that Moretti's all wrong for the ER - Pratt wants his job. Anspaugh thinks Moretti will settle in, and Pratt can ask again in a year. Moretti's still shaking things up in the ER, introducing new standard protocols. Another new system - a doctor will perform triage in the waiting room, starting today; Abby's up first. Meanwhile, Neela is ready and waiting to be released.

The waiting room is filled with drunk, crazy and homeless people just passing time, but Carlos Vega looks really sick; he's been throwing up all night with a fever. Abby pulls him into the ER for immediate treatment. Pratt invites Morris and Hope to his home for a double dinner date, and the girls insist Sam come with them for speed dating after work. They know she's sweet on the cute cop, even though she swears she would never date a cop.

After a car accident, Sixteen-year-old Casey is wheeled into the ER along with his math teacher. Casey wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and was violently ejected from the vehicle. Hope jumps in to help Morris with Casey, but Moretti pulls her out, claiming she's not sterile enough. Moretti advises against intubating Casey's lung, but defers to Prat.

Abby finds a bullet lodged in Carlos' spine. Carlos claims that he was hit three days ago in a drive-by, but didn't want to go to the hospital. Moretti reminds Abby that she has to notify police about the bullet, and sends her back to the waiting room. In the ICU, Dr. Schuster's in charge. She is asking residents to scramble for a diagnosis on boy genius Joshua, just as Gates shows up 20 minutes late for rounds.Joshua befriends Gates after witnessing his public dressing down.

Casey takes a turn for the worse, and the doctors are defibbing him when his mother arrives. Meanwhile, Moretti shows Pratt something on the monitor - the math teacher is pregnant. Pratt wants to give her a CT, but Moretti thinks it's too much radiation for the fetus. Even though Pratt thinks it will take too long, Moretti orders him to make an ultrasound happen. Moretti finds Morris refusing to give up on Casey, who's past the point of a miracle. Moretti has Morris explain to Casey's mother: they've been trying to restart Casey's heart for an hour, and it's just not going to happen. Looking on, the teacher breaks down.

Dubenko tells Abby that Carlos needs an operation, or risk paralysis. Cops question Carlos, who maintains that he was shot in a drive-by. The cops corner Abby, explaining that there was a shooting robbery in a local mini-mart. Three Latino suspects escaped, one of whom was wounded, and the owner who was shot, is in a coma. They're looking to match the bullet in Carlos' spine.

Joshua advises Gates on how to "play the game," asking if Gates' father physically abused him when he was a kid - a common root for adults with authority problems. Gates admits that Joshua's right. Already in college, Joshua knows that he has a rare fatal disease. If Gates wants to impress Schuster, all he needs to do is confirm it. Joshua admits that he couldn't bear to tell his Mom about his condition.

Carlos' wife Elena tells Abby that Carlos doesn't want surgery, because he was in the mini mart. If the bullet is removed, the cops will blame him for the shooting, even though he's innocent. Gates wins points with Schuster with Joshua's diagnosis. Casey's mother attacks the math teacher, claiming he's dead because of her and the affair she had with her son. The teacher tells' Casey's mother that she'll have to stop hating her - she's having Casey's baby.

Abby's unable to convince Carlos to have surgery, but there's worse news - the cops have a court order, forcing the surgery. Abby claims patient's rights, but Dubenko tells the cop he'll do it. Abby's furious, but Dubenko explains that if they refuse, the cops will just go to another hospital, and he prefers to do the tricky surgery.

Gates offers to be present when Joshua tells his mom about his disease, but the kid prefers to go it alone. He doesn't want his disease to ruin her life and take all her money. Abby finds a so-called drunk who's really bleeding into his head, making Moretti think that putting a doctor in the waiting room is working. Abby will do it again tomorrow. Pratt gives Moretti props for choosing to do the ultrasound on the teacher. Dubenko tells Abby that Carlos' surgery went well, but the bullet has mysteriously gone missing.

Gates meets Joshua's mom Serena, and realizes that Joshua failed to tell her about his disease. When Joshua is sleeping, he tells Serena, so the kid won't have to see her devastation. Sam and the girls head to a busy bar for speed dating. All the guys are duds. Suddenly the hot cop sits down to challenge Sam's no-dating-cops rule, and they leave together. Abby insists that Neela stay with her and the baby while she's healing, and Neela accepts the invitation.

Depressed, Morris shows up for dinner at Pratt's without Hope. He doesn't want her to go to Caracas, and it's straining their relationship. Pratt advises him to trust Hope and let her go. Dubenko tells Abby that the cops found the exact amount of cash stolen from the mini-mart in Carlos' apartment, along with a gun. Dubenko still has the bullet, which he will turn over to police. As Elena is led out in cuffs, Dubenko remarks that everyone lies to get what they want - even him.