Sharp Relief
Ross plans to surprise Hathaway by bringing her to a romantic inn to be married. Greene agrees to be his best man. Meanwhile, an oblivious Hathaway does her paramedic ride-along with Pickman (recurring guest star EMILY WAGNER) and Powell. They answer a call where a beaten, elderly woman is near death, upsetting Powell. An obvious victim of the same rapist who attacked the other two elderly women brought to the e.r., the new victim later dies at the hospital. A furious Greene realizes the Chicago police don't intend to warn the public about the serial rapist. Hathaway and Powell kiss. Hathaway confesses her confusion to an upset Ross. Scott Anspaugh's cancer recurs. Dr. Anspaugh, a widower, hires Jeanie, who shares a good relationship with Scott, to be the boy's part-time private duty aide. Upset with Corday about Allison's case, Romano takes her off his surgical team for the week. While performing surgery on Scott, Romano makes a sexist comment about Corday to Benton. Kotlowitz operates successfully on Allison's vocal cords.
Weaver discovers information about Synergix that makes her question the e.r.'s involvement with it. Synergix closed 60 percent of the trauma centers in the Midwest that it manages and, in her opinion, maximizes profits to the detriment of the patients.
Chase asks Carter to help him stop using heroin. He hasn't had any drugs in two days and is feeling sick but refuses to enter a detoxification center. Carter and Del Amico stay with Chase at his posh townhouse, administering the necessary medications to assist him during his withdrawal.
