Our episode teaser opens with Gates and Julia outside a performing arts center. He is teasing and asking about the characters in the ballet they have just seen. She is light hearted as she explains the woodland fairies and jilted lovers and Giselle enticing the prince to dance. She laughs as she tells him he doesn’t like the ballet. He says not about haunted girls in the woods. He likes sugar plum fairies. She tells him it’s pretty ground breaking stuff as Gautier introduced emotion in ballet. He stops abruptly on the sidewalk to say that she is one of those smart girls, isn’t she. Julia asks if he only just noticed and he says he has been in denial. He stops to kiss her and then says he has the Nutcracker DVD at his place and it has bonus features. She chuckles and they keep kissing. Cut to a crowded , smoky house party where Sarah is drinking from a cup and chatting with some older girls. They walk through the house and put down their town in favor of Chicago. Sarah is introduced to some boys. She tells them she is a sophomore. One boy says he is going outside and invites her to come. She is trying to maintain her cool. Cut to Tony and Julia bursting in the door of his place, passionately kissing. He shuts the door and then says ‘Com on in.” She looks around and says it’s very dark. He says ‘Look…we have one of these..” and switches on the light. She looks around in approval and then picks up a frame with a Halloween picture of Sarah. She asks about her and Tony says she lives with her grandparents. Julia says she is a cute little girl and Tony wistfully agrees as he sets the frame back on the shelf and turns back to her. They kiss. Cut to Sarah standing in the front yard looking uncomfortable as the boy kisses her neck. She grimaces and then smiles at him as he pulls back. He asks if she wants to go for a drive. She hesitates and then runs after him. Cut to Gates and Julia in his bed…obviously after doing it. She kisses him and then sits up as we have a shot of her naked torso. She reaches for something from the ashtray at the bedside and offers him one. He shakes his head and says - flippantly - he is trying not to. He doesn’t think it’s what God would want. She says the Rastafarians consider it a sacrament. She pulls on a shirt and he is startled that she is leaving. She says it was nice….fun….and he asks if they just went to Disneyland? She laughs and says that he rocked her world but she’s not comfortable staying all night so early in a relationship. He tells her to just leave the money on the dresser. She kisses him and the phone rings. Cut to Sarah, running through some darkened woods and crying. She is telling Tony that she is in trouble and that she messed up. Tony sits up and asks her where she is and she is crying that she doesn’t know where she is. Cut to opening credits.

Camera pans back on a computer screen where Brian Moretti is talking to his dad via web cam. He says he is tired and is shifting in an agitated manner. Moretti tells him he needs more rest and Brian goes into a rant that involves race relations and the Watts riots and Obama and wanting to study and then get to the gym before his test. Kevin asks him if he ha given any thought to what they talked about earlier. Has he seen the therapist Moretti found for him. Brian is clearly very angry and glares into the camera. Abby walks in to the break room and sets a file on the table next to Kevin, She goes to her locker and is listening as Brian tells his father he is messing with his right to privacy and he is going to go to jail and he hopes his dad’s Aids patients stabs him with a needle. The web call ends and Kevin shifts uncomfortably as Abby opens her locker and tries to look busy. He finally asks if she is back on. She says yeah…that she took a few days. He is silent and then turns in the chair and she tells him the file is for a seizure patient that she saw and wants to admit to neurosurgery. He says to make sure she…and she interrupts that she did that. He stands up and says ‘Look…Abby..” She quickly averts her eyes and tells him that Grady has a patient he wants to admit to ortho. She fold her arms tightly across her chest and looks at him. This time Moretti averts his eyes and nods. He leaves the break room as she shifts uncomfortably and then stands still in front of her open locker door. We can see pictures of Joe tapes to the door.

Cut to a truck pulling into a farm equipment lot. Tony is driving and Julia is in the car next to him. He is commenting that he doesn’t see her. He pulls the truck to a stop and asks a worker where Teri is. The guy asks if it’s about the little girl and says she’s in the back. Tony hurries inside the building. He stops in the door and sees Sarah. She turns around, sees him and runs toward him. Julia stops at the door and watches as he hugs Sarah and tells her it’s going to be all right now.

Cut to the ER ambulance bay. Pratt is waiting and hands a file to a nurse who is going inside. Abby comes out and Pratt asks if she is okay…he hasn’t seen her for a few days. He asks if they are okay after the ugly scene outside Ike’s. He tells her she hasn’t been herself lately and he’s not the only one who has noticed. She tells him the place is a breeding ground for gossip. He says it’s not like gossip…more like worry. He waits as we hear a siren approaching and she tells him that it’s been hard with Luka gone. He asks when the big Croat is coming back. She says he was going to try to get a flight out today so he might be home tomorrow. He says that things will get easier then. She is thoughtful and agrees….but her face says she is not really sure.

The ambulance pulls up and a gurney is pulled out. It’s Marcus Fancea. He has fallen from a roof while cleaning the leaves from the house gutters. Sam asks how old he is and he says 13. Abby asks him where his parents are and he says there is only his dad. The paramedic explains that dad is coming behind them. They couldn’t get his chair in the rig. Marcus says his dad is a paraplegic.

Cut to Sarah talking to a police officer. She says that she drank something from a flask and then the kid started touching her. Sexually. Tony tells her its okay and to tell him everything. She says she reached down and then hit him with something. She describes it and the officer asks if it was a tire iron. Sarah says she guesses it was and Tony looks at her. “You hit him with a tire iron?: he asks.

Cut to Marcus in the trauma room. He is in a lot of pain but Abby tells Sam to give him some saline before he gets any more pain meds because his pressure is borderline. Abby checks the x-ray and then drops it to the floor. She swears and then picks it up. She says that it’s a displaced femoral neck fracture and Sam asks if she is asking her? Abby stops and frowns a little and says no…that’s what it is. Sam says she will get a Hare traction but Abby says she wants to try a 5 pound Bucks traction. Sam stops and asks if she is sure. Abby is slightly pissed and says yeah…she’s sure. As Sam leaves, Marcus’ dad wheels himself into the trauma room. He has an angry demeanor but approaches Marcus and asks how he is. He said he tries to get there as quickly as possible. Abby introduces herself and explains that Marcus has a collapsed lung and they will need to put a tube in it to make him more comfortable. She says he also has a broken hip bone that the surgeons will need to look at. She is upbeat and says they will try to reduce it under general anesthesia. Dad is insistent that Abby give him the worst case scenario and she asks him to step outside. She says he and his son needn’t worry about and he still wants worst case. She tells him avascular necrosis of the femoral head, chronic pain, hip replacement at a young age, he never walks normally again… Dad is shocked but it’s what he expected. Abby tells him that she has been trying to say that the surgeons should be able to align his hip and it will never get to that.. He says he has heard that before.

Cut to Neela and Harold crossing through the ER and she is quizzing him on a consult. He is giddy when he tells her he has to be gone by six. His girlfriend’s homecoming is tonight and it is a very big deal. Morris approaches and asks if he has his moves worked out. Harold demonstrates the yawn/reach around approach and Morris is approving. Frank says that he yawns like a horse. He demonstrates the ‘earnest-emo shoulder hold’ on a disturbed Neela. Then there is the ‘false drop intentional accidental face to face.” He drops her file to the floor and then reaches down to get it at the same time Neela does. She is disturbed by his reaction and says he is making her queasy.Morris is letting him use the ‘sex machine’ for the night……he’s had it specially detailed for the night. Haleh approaches and says she thought Morris was mad at him about the car. Moretti tells Haleh there is a back up in admit and asks if she can man triage. Haleh says no…but she can woman it. Sam hurries to the desk and nudges Neela as she passes. She says Abby is bitching about where surge is for her chest tube. Neela says they are on their way and Sam retorts that they’d better let her sniff their hand first. Moretti asks if there is a problem and Sam says that if she keeps it up she is going to slap her with a colostomy bag. She says she only has to put up with it for a few more hours before she heads to an OR rotation for transpo training. Moretti tells Morris to go supervise but Morris says he is about to check a swimsuit model with a hurt knee form slipping on the runway. Moretti grabs the chart from an aghast Morris and tells him to go deal with Abby. Morris grimaces and then looks off and grins. “Well, well…look what the cat dragged in,” he laughs.

Cut to Marcus’ trauma room as Abby is supervising Harold’s insertion of a chest tube. Neela is watching from the end of the gurney and corrects several things. She asks Abby if she is okay because a kid under 50 kilos needs….Abby interrupts to say that she knows what he needs. Another vascular clamp she tells Harold. Neela corrects her again and Abby loses patience. She tells Neela it’s all her’s and moves out of the way. Marcus’ dad wheels in and asks if anything is wrong. Neela says no and continues directing Harold. His dad asks Harold how old he is. Harold says that what he lacks in experience he makes up for in enthusiasm because it’s his first chest tube and he wants to do it right. Abby rolls her eyes and holds back a chuckle. Neela looks off in embarrassment. Dad is very concerned and Abby reassures him by telling him it’s a teaching hospital and Dr. Zelinsky is a very qualified resident. The dad wants someone else to do it and Abby turns wearily and looks out the door into the corridor. She ignores the dad’s protest as a smile crosses her face, she pushes through the door and runs to Luka. He sweeps her up into his arms and hugs her. She wraps her arms around his and holds on for dear life. Nice reunion scene. Not a word is said – or needed. Just the looks on their faces.

Cut to Abby and Luka walking together around a corner of the ER. He is telling her that he caught an earlier connection in Frankfort. She says she wishes he’d told her so she could have taken the day off. He wanted to surprise her. He’s not tired, he just wants to go home and see Joe. She tells him to do that. Marnie has him at swim class but he will be there soon. Luka pulls her aside and says he just wanted to see her…to see the look on her face. He brought her something. It’s licitar…something corny and Croatian…what you are supposed to get your girl when you haven’t seen her for a long time. Since she told him she had a blackout….he figured….you know…a candle. She is a bit stunned to be reminded of the blackout but he is unaware and sets the candle aside. He reaches for her and says he missed her He puts his hands on her shoulders and pulls her close for a kiss. They part just as Moretti comes out of the break room door next to them. He bumps into Abby and she turns away. Moretti introduces himself to Luka and Luka says he heard that he has finally whipped the place into shape. Moretti laughs and says he has certainly tried. Moretti and Abby are obviously uncomfortable and Luka is grinning as he tells Moretti that the chief job is a big responsibility and after they had the baby he decided he’d rather spend more time with is family. Moretti says that someone has to do the job. He is clearly relieved to see a stretcher being wheeled in and excuses himself. Luka watches him go and says he doesn’t seem so bad. Abby agrees that he’s okay and Luka chuckles and mutters that she called him Mussolini. He tells her that he’s going to stop by the desk because he has some souvenirs for the guys and he has as surprise for her when she gets home. He turns away and she calls his name. He looks up and she moves toward him. She tells him that she missed him too and they kiss, foreheads touching, as their lips separate. She waves him off and moves into the break room. She closes her eyes for a second and then turns to watch him t the desk with Morris, Frank and co. She is breathing hard as she paces and then suddenly leans her head into the sink and vomits. She wipes her mouth n the back of her hand and stares into the sink, breathing hard.

Cut to the front porch of the farm. Sarah’s grandparents come out onto the porch as Tony’s truck pulls up. Cut to the inside living room were Tony and Julia are sitting on a couch. Grandpa (Hank) is reaming Tony out for daring to come there. Tony says that Sarah called him when she was in trouble and to think why she did that. Grandpa says they have rules at their house…discipline. They don’t just let her talk, dress or do whatever the hell she wants. Grandma is coming down the stairs and hears this. She tells Grandpa to go finish with the horses. He tells her he can do it later but she says to do it now. Sarah is taking a bath and likes grandma to help her wash her hair. Tony says they have to get going and Grandma zeros in on Julia. Wants to know where she grew up. Julia says she was an army brat and grew up all over….mostly in the Midwest though. Grandpa says she has some apples that need peeling and Julia asks where her paring knife is.

Cut to Abby standing in the drug lockup, thinking. Moretti steps in and startles her. He says they should talk. Wheelchair dad rolls up and wants to know what’s going on. Abby excuses herself in a hurry and moves past Moretti to the hall. Dad wants to know why she left. She tells him the chest tube is placed and she is there now. (Don’t blink and you will see Malik checking the thoraseal!! First time we have seen him this season.) Marcus is still in a lot of pain. Harold tells him to hang in there. Abby tells Harold to give him a bit more pain meds and then heads out to get an ETA on ortho. Dad follows her into the hall and says she seems distracted and wants to know if he should ask for another doctor. She is surprised and tells him they are doing the best they can…really. He tells her that it’s his kid and he’s all he has.

Cut to the desk where Morris is surveying a rack of tuxedos. He asks Pratt for fashion advice and frank makes a remark about his tie. Morris frowns. For Harold. For the Homecoming. “Go black,” Sam says and Pratt laughs. “All right, Sam,” he grins. Abby crosses the desk toward the board as Sam leaves to pick up a patient for Dubenko. Pratt says he heard Luka was back and she says he came home early as a surprise. She asks Neela about ortho and says they need to kind of hurry up in there. She thanks Neela for the chest tube and Neela says it was mostly Harold. She tells Abby to tell Luka she said hello. Frank hands a stack of preemptive orders to Abby from ‘Benito’ for her to sign off on. She asks where he is and Frank say he doesn’t know. He went to take a call. Something about his kid. “You people and your dysfunctional families,” he mutters. Frank is at the desk as a man hobbles in on the arm of a nice looking woman. He is muddy and pretty grungy looking. He is carrying a round wrapped package. He tells Frank he was injured cheese rolling – a rather old, pointless, pagan ritual the ex-pat community reenacts on occasion. They roll the cheese down a hill and tumble after it. Frank is frowning and then hollers for Morris…who knows exactly what the guy is talking about. Harold approaches as Morris is helping the guy into a wheel chair. He tells Harold to check out the suits on the rack and to pick one out for the night. Harold is overjoyed. Morris tells the cheese roller he needs an x-ray and they will get him something for his pain. They are in a hurry to leave. Morris promises to step it up as he leaves.

Cut to Harold entering Marcus’ trauma room dressed in a white tuxedo jacket Haleh and Marcus both comment on it. He says he has a date but wanted to check on his buddy Marcus before leaving. Marcus is suddenly having some respiratory distress. His chest is pumping up and Harold says it is subcutaneous emphysema. Haleh says to call for an attending and Marcus’ dad says he will get one. Harold tells Marcus that because of his fall air is leaking into his neck and torso. He asks for a ten blade and Haleh says he needs more sedation but Harold says his pressure won’t take it and there is no time for a local. Marcus is scared and so is Harold. He tells Marcus he is sorry but it’s going to hurt and begins cutting into the side of his torso. His dad wheels back in followed by Abby, Sam, Neela and Morris. They are hollering and asking what he is doing and then Marcus is relieved and able to breathe again. Wow…Abby says as they gaze at the scene in stunned admiration. Harold grins and apologizes to Marcus. Morris’ mouth drops open as he realizes something. “Dude…” he says. “That’s a rental.” Harold looks down at the blood covered tuxedo.

Cut to the break room. Moretti is pacing and packing things into a bag as Pratt enters. Moretti says that housekeeping is going to have to be called about the sink. It smells like someone puked in it. Pratt nods and says he will get right on that. Moretti tells him that he has asked for more responsibility so he is going to be in charge of the ER for the next few days. Frank is trying to get him a flight but he is going to the airport to just wait. He says he doesn’t let his personal life interfere with his job but it’s his son. He is having a hard time in school and was taking an exam in a lecture hall. He accused the kid next to him of cheating and when the professor tried to intercede, he lashed out at her. Pratt says he is sorry. He didn’t realize and Moretti says he didn’t either. And he probably should have. Pratt leaves and Kevin Moretti closes his brief case and stand there for a moment in the break room.

Cut to Marcus’ operating room. Sam is intubating him for surgery under Neela’s guidance. Neela tells Harold to leave. That he will have plenty of opportunities to scrub in on surgeries but only one Homecoming. Harold leans over to say good bye to a sedated Marcus and says he will see him tomorrow. As he leaves another surgeon pushes his way in and waits for help with his gown. Neela introduces her self and he makes some remark about where they should be in the surgery and then says he is kidding. ‘Trauma surgeons,” he says. “So serious……can we get some tunes on in here?” Neela is glaring at him.

Cut to the backyard of Sarah’s grandparents’ farm. Tony is helping with the laundry on the clothes line and Julia is peeling apples. Becky, Sarah’s grandma, complements he on it and then asks of Julia knew he daughter, Meg. Julia says no and Becky goes on about what a good girl she was, until she got older….bored..a little wild. Tony protests the tales but Julia says she wants to know. Becky tells Tony that Sarah has change….like Meg. Getting into trouble at school. Too much for them to handle. She says they are old and have been through it once before. Sarah isn’t happy and they don’t have it in them to go through it again. She tells him they were grieving for their daughter and trying to hold onto her any way they could when they took him to court. Now, they don’t want to punish Sarah because they were wrong.

Cut to Morris admiring a new tuxedo on Harold. Camera pans back and we see Harold in a powder blue tux. Morris is decking him out with a corsage and a bottle of nonalcoholic something. Morris says he has to get back downstairs to his limpy gimpy cheese man and Harold wants to show Neela before he leaves. Morris tosses him the keys to the car and tells him there are reasons for speed limits. They look at one another and then Morris moves toward him and they embrace. Harold heads to the operating room just in time to see blood spurting and the surgeons hurrying to stop the bleeding. Harold makes his way slowly into he observation room where Marcus’ father is watching. He says that something bad has happened and Harold explains that an artery was damaged and that he could lose his entire blood volume before…he stops and gazes at Marcus’ distressed father. He tells him that Dr. Rasgotra is an excellent surgeon and will save him. Mr. Fancea looks at Harold and asks if he has somewhere to go. Harold shakes his head and sits down beside him. He says he will stay until Marcus’ is all right. He puts his hand on the older man’s shoulder.

Cut to the front porch of the farm. Sarah is standing on a step above her grandmother and apologizes for the way she has been acting. Her grandmother says it’s okay. She needed to do that to make her Grandma understand. She tells her things work out the way they are supposed to. Sarah hugs her and then heads toward the truck with Tony.

Cut to some muddy, big old bruisers heading in the triage doors. Morris asks if he can help them but they see the cheese roller being wheeled into another room on a gurney. There is a loud and rough argument over the cheese and Morris hollers ‘David Beckham is a wanker!” They all stop to stare at him. Morris shrugs and says he is kidding. He eases past Frank and says he loves the guy. He approaches the gurney and pulls the cheese away from the ankle injury and says that until they decide the rightful owner, he will be the keeper of the cheese. (Scott Grimes is doing a wonderful job with this very stupid story….)

Cut to Abby and Haleh heading out into the ambulance bay area. Haleh is telling Abby that Moretti is leaving….tonight…and it’s something to do with his son. Haleh says she has to check on Pratt’s MI in three and heads back inside. She passes Moretti on his way out. The camera is focusing on Abby’s face as he strides by her in the background. He stops and they exchange looks. He finally says, “Take care, Abby.” She is still and he turns away. ‘Kevin,” she calls and he turns back slightly to her. “I hope everything works out.” He doesn’t respond and walks away. Abby frowns and looks up as she folds her arms to her chest.

Cut to Marcus’ surgery and we see Harold – in his blue tux – sitting next to Mr. Fancea in the ob's window. Neela enters the observation deck and tells him that they were able to repair the artery. With a few screws the leg should be good as new in time. Harold is jubilant and Mr. Fancea relieved. He tells Harold to get out of there because he has somewhere to go. He can see Marcus in the morning. Harold leaves and Mr. Facea says he is a nice kid…but a little weird. Neela smiles and agrees.

Cut to Morris watching a video of the cheese rolling. He decides that it’s a tie and they should divide it. Cut the cheese? Not likely. The second guy says the ankle injury can have it. Morris then decides –as in the wisdom of Solomon – the cheese shall go to the second guy. But when he holds it up to give it to him, a huge wedge has been cut out….by Frank.

Cut to Abby working on some files as Neela approaches. She tells her that the roof kid is doing fine and they are moving him to recovery, It is awkward but Neela asks her if they are fighting. Abby is shocked and says no. Neela ask if they are friends…they confide in each other, right? Abby says sure. Neela shrugs and walks away as Abby stops her. The she tells her that she knows she has been bitchy or something lately but she hit a rough patch. She says Luka is back so everything is going to get better. They are both looking at one another as if they don’t believe a word of it. Abby smiles and says she is going to go check on the Fanceas.

Abby pushes her way slowly into the recovery room. She apologizes for not being more attentive earlier. He apologizes for being angry but that’s kind of his baseline. The conversation slips into one where he tells her about his wife’s dying from the same e accident that crippled him. It was all his fault. One stupid night. Abby says that mistakes happen and you just move on and don’t make them again. He disagrees. You can’t get some things back. That bell has been rung. Abby’s face is stricken.

Cut to the Kovac apartment. Luka is laughing on the couch with another man as they look through a book. Abby comes in and they both stand up. Luka tells her this is his surprise. His brother Niko. He has never been to America before and they thought this would be a good time. Niko says he hopes he won’t be in the way and reaches out to pull her into a hug. Abby is surprised and a grinning Luka gestures for her to hug him back. She tells him it’s nice to finally meet him and takes her coat off. Luka tells her that Joe is asleep and a pizza is on its way. Niko asks if she wants some drink and she says she will get it herself. She moves to the kitchen area and asks about their flight as she opens a can of soda. Luka says they got an earlier connection in Frankfort and Niko says Luka wanted to give her a big shock. She pours some pop down the drain and furtively reaches into the freezer for a bottle of vodka as she watches them turn back to the soccer game they are watching on television. She refills her can and then slips the vodka way to the back of the freezer.

Cut to Tony crossing his living room to the couch where Sarah is sleeping. He covers her and kisses her forehead as he says ‘welcome home” Behind this we hear the opening strains of the Foo Fighter song, ‘Home’. Cut to Abby passing by a hall table where the candle Luka gave her earlier is burning. It has hearts cut out the sides. She stops to study it for a moment. She opens the door to Joe’s room and we see her crossing to his crib. He is sound asleep. She takes a sip from her drink can, reaches down and rubs his tummy gently. Nice – but disturbing – camera shot of the can in the foreground and the sleeping baby. She steps back and stumbles on a toy on the floor. She drops the can to the rug and kneels down to pick it up. She is saying ‘shoot…shoot…shoot…’ as she hurries to wipe the liquid up. Luka comes to the door and asks her what she is doing. She tells him she spilled something. He tells her Niko is ready to go to bed soon so they can be alone….just the two of them. She nods and says she will be right down. He tells her not to wake him (Joe) up. She nods and he leaves…a curious look on his face. She is holding back tears as she tires to wipe up the spilled alcohol. She begins to shake and then sobs. She is crying and sniffling as she scrubs at the rug….finally dropping her head as her shoulders shake.

Reviewed by Lynda Foote on November 18, 2007

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS -- GORAN VISNJIC RETURNS, STANLEY TUCCI ("The Devil Wears Prada") AND REIKO AYLESWORTH ("24") GUEST STAR-- Gates (John Stamos) and Julia (guest star Reiko Aylesworth) nurture their newly found romance but are quickly interrupted by a troubled phone call from Sarah (Chloe Greenfield). Abby (Maura Tierney) continues to be off her game and the other doctors are starting to take notice. Harold (Steven Christopher Parker) saves the day in a critical situation and still makes his date. Kovac (Goran Visnjic) surprises Abby by returning a day earlier. Mekhi Phifer, Linda Cardellini, Parminder Nagra and Scott Grimes also star.