The Chief is driving in his car, practicing his speech in which he defends the job and tries to convince the Board not to fire him. Of course he then runs a red light because he is too deep in thought and gets hit.

He's taken, protesting, into Mercy West where Callie is confused to see him but he is relieved to see a face he knows. She is clearly savoring the exam as well as recommending that he get stitches. The intern is surprised that they know each other and Callie pointedly asks him if they worked together for five or six years. She then reminds Richard that this is a teaching hospital and because of that, her first-day intern gets to take care of him. When she leaves the intern assures Richard that it's actually his eighth day. Richard then asks him what kind of sutures he'll be using and doesn't like the answer -- he wants the ones that will help him heal faster. The intern knows that but points out that they've had budget cuts, and Richard grits his teeth at having to take a spoonful of his own medicine. He asks the kid if he likes it there and of course he does -- he's getting to do an unsupervised procedure on his eighth day! Richard considers this as he gets to work.

Day 23. Amanda is still sitting outside on the bench, looking morose and lost. Mere looks at her and gives a half-smile but Amanda doesn't smile back.

Cristina, for all of her tough attitude, is clearly serious about Hunt getting better because she's in Dr. Amy's office with him having an appointment. She runs down facts about his life but it's all very clinical, and Hunt tells her this isn't a book report. She is just trying to show that she knows things about him, and when Dr. Amy speaks up, Cristina cuts her off (clearly nervous) to say that he knows things about her too, because they talk all the time. She then goes completely off her rocker and asks, "Honey?" which just makes Hunt laugh, it's so out of character. Dr. Amy, though, wants to make sure that Hunt is comfortable with her. Cristina immediately says he is but the look on Owen's face says differently, and he gives Dr. Amy permission to talk to Cristina, who seems confused and even a little worried. Dr. Amy asks if they ever talk about the war or the choking incident. Cristina is quiet as she goes on to say that his PTSD is fed by his not talking about these things, and if they have sex they'll get so wrapped up in that he'll feel like he never has to talk about it. "He'll feel he has everything he needs, until he doesn't." That is why she wants them to wait. Cristina seems to be absorbing just how serious this whole thing is.