On his way...away, Mark runs into Lucy, who yips, "Someone stole my patient!" Mark calls to Benton, who is sitting at a desk in the hall, whether he stole Lucy's patient, and Benton mutters, "Check the Lost and Found." Apparently at the sound of his voice, a woman comes around the corner with a little girl in tow, and says that she took Tia up to Surgery to register, and that the nurse told her that Tia couldn't have her surgery today. Benton leads them back around the corner, sits them down, and tells Mrs. Tia that there's "an availability problem in the OR." Mrs. Tia warily asks whether Dr. Ashcoff changed his mind, and Benton heartily assures her that they just have to reschedule. Tia slumps over quite pathetically, her cheeks concealed between her hair and her jacket. Mrs. Tia says that, having "come all the way down" to County, they'll wait. Benton reluctantly tells her that the surgery will not happen today, and apologizes.

Tia: I'm not gonna get 'em fixed?
Sars: Just peel off the plastic scar and you'll be fine.

Sars, as always, is right; considering the to-do being made over it, the scar is pretty unimpressive. Benton tells Tia that, having waited this long, she can wait another day. Tia looks very sad indeed. Mrs. Tia takes Benton aside, regards him levelly, and says, "It has taken me months to get Tia to step out of the house. I can't give her false hope. Now, if this isn't going to happen, you need to tell us." Benton firmly says, "It's gonna happen. I just need a little time, that's all." Mrs. Tia thanks him.

Back at the bed of Mr. Barnes, Dr. Dave tells Lisa to administer Compazine, run a litre of saline through, and check his electrolytes. Lisa asks, "Can't you get a nurse to do that?" Dr. Dave says, "Rumour has it you used to be a nurse." Gee, I wonder who started that rumour (cough CAROL HATHAWAY cough)? Lisa says that while that's true, that's not why she's in the ER. Dr. Dave arrogantly says, "You're absolutely right. You're here to learn. And this is an excellent opportunity to learn how to check his stool for fecal leucocytes. Thanks." Dr. Dave books before Lisa can tear him a new fecal leucocyte. She watches him go, looking incredulous but resigned.