Shep and  Raul respond to a building fire just as their shift is ending.  Shep told Raul he could sure use the overtime.  As they arrive to the building it explodes several times.  A lady comes out of the building with a child and tells them that there are three more still inside.  Shep runs in to save them and Raul tells him that the fire department is on their way.  Shep goes in anyways and Raul follows in behind him.    Carol hears that some burn victims are on their way in to the E.R. and she calls them "crispy critters".  She says that she hates burn cases.  While Doug is working on the first kid in with burns, he tells Carol that Shep and Raul may be caught in the burning building.  Shep comes in on a stretcher with a few minor burns and some broken ribs.  He is asking where Raul is.  Reilly Brown helps Doug with the young burn victim.  Jerry comes in and tells Mark, Carol and the others helping Shep that Raul was found and is on his way in.  Shep is relieved that he was found.  Raul asks Mark how bad?  Mark replies, it's bad.  His condition is terminal.  They take Shep up to x-ray and he yells out, "Tell him I didn't leave him there".Raul has 3rd degree burns over 85-90% of his body.  The fire was started by the mother of the kids.  She was cooking her drugs.  Carter struggles with cutting through the burns on Raul's skin.  He goes in to tell Dr. Benton how bad it was and that it was hard for him to see something like that and he doesn't think he can cut it as a surgeon.  Peter tells him that it "doesn't get any worse than that".  Carol goes to tell Shep about Raul.    The mother who started the fire shows up at the E.R. with her youngest child who can't breathe.  Doug saves the kid and the mother falls to her knees saying Thank you...thank you.  Carol tells Raul that is family is here.  He asks if Shep will come to see him.  Carol tells Raul that his burns are third degree over 90% of his body.  He asks her to make sure that they do not put him on a ventilator.  She tells him that the kids are going to make it  thanks to him.  Raul says no, thanks to Shep.  Susan discovers that her interview  for custody of Little Suzy actually went well.  She shows up to work late and Mark is real upset with her.  Later on, Chloe shows up at the admitting desk and asks for Susan.  Randi tells her she is busy.  Chloe tells her to let her know that she will be upstairs at the daycare.  Later on, Randi tells Susan that Chloe has been upstairs for hours, she rushes to the day care thinking that Chloe will have taken little Suzie away. However, Chloe is found sitting on the floor of the day care just playing with Suzie.  Doug goes to meet his father at the Bulls game, but Ray doesn't show up at 7:30 like planned.  Doug tracks him down at his hotel, and the two argue.  Doug tells him that it is his fault that he has turned out the way he is with women and stuff.  Doug says, "Here I am dad, I'm you".  Ray tells him "You're 34 years old. How you live your life is your decision".   The nurses invite the paramedics and firefighters to go get a bite to eat and they tell each other stories about Shep and Raul.  Carol goes to tell Shep that it is time to go see Raul.  Shep blames himself and feels guilty about having Raul go inside the burning building.   After first not being able  to face Raul, Shep finally goes to see him.  Raul tells him that he saved those kids.  Shep starts crying, telling him over and over, "I'm sorry, I'm Sorry". 

Reviewed by Tony Conner on 08-28-2000