Private Practice Episode 4.09 Can't Find My Way Back Home

Pete's brother, Adam, shows up at Oceanside to say their imprisoned mother is dying. There's a chance she could get a humanitarian release, but not without Pete's help. With Violet's support, Pete heads off to the prison. His mom, Frances (played by award-winning actress Louise Fletcher), is extremely happy to see him. Pete, however, can't seem to let go of the past.

Pete is able to find enough forgiveness in his heart to look for a way to get his mom out of prison. Unfortunately, her condition doesn't fully warrant a humanitarian release. But Pete knows of a way to spin things so that it would. They won't take the medical recommendation of a relative, so Sam says, "Here's my letterhead. Write whatever you want on it and I'll sign it."

Pete gives his mom the 411 on her possible release. He starts to realize that, even after all this time, she hasn't changed. Pete doesn't want this thing they're doing to be part of some kind of twisted deal where she'll love him if he gets her out. He still wants a relationship with his brother, but Adam says it's not going to happen if he doesn't help their mom. So, it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

Sharon is a widowed woman who has been having seizures for seven years. Her caring daughter, Julie, jots down every medical incident in her trusty notebook. Amelia wants to perform a risky surgery in which a probe burns away the trouble spot causing the seizures. The mom opts against the procedure so as not to risk leaving her daughter alone should something go wrong. Addison supports this decision. Amelia... not so much.

Addison believes that Sharon and Julie could still have 10 good years together without surgery, but Amelia is offering them a lifetime. That's an option she never had with her own dad after he was murdered. This is probably the most vulnerable we've seen Amelia since she arrived on the scene. It's really quite moving.

Addison comes to realize that maybe the "10 good years" argument doesn't apply here, as this mom and daughter have a truly special relationship. Amelia kicks some serious neurological butt and Sharon comes through the surgery with flying colors. The case has Addison thinking about doing the whole mom thing herself. She tells Sam that she wants a baby. Soon.

Cooper brings Charlotte down to the police station for an update on her case. They have a suspect and want Charlotte to ID him. There's no way she wants to come face to face with this monster again. Charlotte is furious when she learns Sheldon knows what happened to her and that Addison sent pelvic washings to the police. Eventually, Charlotte opts to do the lineup but tells a confused Cooper she wants Violet to go with her. That's because he still has no idea that she was raped.

With a protective two-way mirror between them at the police lineup, Charlotte looks her attacker right in the eye. She hesitates just a moment before telling the police that the man who so savagely beat and raped her is not in the room. Sheldon is stunned to see Lee walk out of the police station a free man. He takes it upon himself to follow the guy to a park where it looks like Lee is going to attack another woman. But the person he grabs is actually his girlfriend, who is there playing with their son.

Violet realizes that Charlotte lied during the lineup. She says, "You didn't bring me here for moral support, did you? You wanted a witness to go tell Cooper that you had tried because if he would have been here he would have seen how you reacted and he would have known, too." Charlotte has had enough of Violet and let's her know it in a venom-filled rant before storming away.

Sheldon tells Charlotte about Lee's girlfriend and son. These are two other people he may eventually hurt. In another office, Violet tells Cooper that the woman he loves was raped. He vows to Charlotte to do whatever it takes to make sure the man who hurt her doesn't go free. But Cooper won't have to do a thing because Charlotte King makes her way back to the police station where she positively ID's the man who attacked her. Thanks to her courage, he won't be able to hurt anyone else.