Cut to Alexx wheeling along a covered gurney. Oh, no -- don't tell me Alexx knows this person and they're going to break the news of her friend's death by whipping back the sheet and shouting, "Surprise! Look who you get to talk to today while you work! I think you already know Dennis." Oh, yes, they are going to do it that way, because Alexx and Calleigh are chatting about Alexx's Christmas party, and Alexx is saying, "Of course I remember my Christmas party. I told you no gifts, you brought one for each of my kids. Why?" Calleigh says, "The couple there, the Harmons, Dennis and Julie..." Alexx asks, "What about them? They're my oldest friends." Of course they are. Was Dennis a few days from retirement? Was he happy about that winning lottery ticket he was about to cash so he could treat his wife to the vacation of their dreams? Because this whole set-up isn't clichéd enough yet. Anyway, it finally hits Alexx that she's wheeling one of her oldest friends into the autopsy bay. Nice one, Calleigh. Alexx loses it, and it's embarrassing to watch because it seems so unguarded -- major credit to Khandi Alexander for carrying off the line, "No...we're still young." Calleigh speaks up and tells Alexx they can assign this to another ME if she wants. Why wasn't this done already? Since when it is police procedure to be all, "Hey! Was a friend or loved one killed? Let's put the bereaved on the case -- they're really the best people for the job, and will give us a completely objective investigation"? Alexx gets all teary and lies about being all right. The body gets dumped on her table, Alexx whips out a flashlight and notices immediately that Dennis's pupils are dilated, which is exactly the opposite reaction she would have expected at death. She's all over getting tox screens done. Then Alexx asks Calleigh, "Homicide notified Julie yet? I should be there when they talk to her." They began the autopsy without notifying the next of kin? That's kind of tacky. Calleigh tells him that Hagen's doing it, and adds that the killing has all the marks of an acquaintance murder. Alexx is reeling: "Oh, it's got to be random. Dennis wouldn't get caught up in something like that." Alexx then catches herself and adds, "Listen to me -- like every victim's friend comes down here. Thinking I know somebody, what they'd be caught up in. Truth is, nobody really knows anyone." How very existentialist.