Jackson is hammering away his feelings, amused at how worked up everyone is getting. Derek tells him he should try the saw but Jackson thinks he's happy here. However, as he hammers he starts complaining about Mark even while he apologizes for overstepping. His hammering gets harder and harder as he gets more frustrated, and even Owen and Ben start to take notice over the sawing. He's upset that he gets home each night to find out his fourth year girlfriend performed more surgery than he did, while he has to spend the day just watching her ex work away. Owen realizes that Jackson needs some serious therapy, and walks over to hand him the saw.

Richard has really taken Alex under his wing, and as he works he lectures the resident that he knows he thinks he has somewhere better to be, but he really doesn't. Alex is antsy with wanting to finish his paper but Richard just goes on that eventually all of the tests and papers fall away because they are just doing those things to get to this, the pure surgery of it all. When Alex "uh-huhs" him, Richard tells him he sounds like Adele. Sadly, Adele does that when Richard tells her about his day because sometimes she forgets he is a surgeon and gets nervous when he talks about cutting people open. Cue the sad background music. Richard warns him that sometimes you don't see the happy part of your life until it is over. Alarms then ring and Alex takes the lead, eventually stopping whatever it is (probably bleeding, it's always bleeding) so that Carter's vital signs go back to normal. He grins, and when Richard asks if he's feeling the joy now he admits that he is.

Alex finds Jackson and invites him to go to the skills lab where Richard is going to help him with a particular stitch. What a funny little threesome these guys have become -- I rather hope it sticks because I like seeing Richard have fun again and I like those rare occasions where Alex finds he can get along with other human beings. Jackson can't go because he's supposed to help April and Bailey in the skills lab, so Alex mocks him and leaves. Jackson thinks a minute and then, instead of following the ladies, uses the "Mayfield in 22" excuse to get out of it. April gets flustered and tells him it's okay while Bailey, with just a hint of a grin, tells him there are things she never needs to know. Derek walks up and invites Jackson to another deck night as well as helping out with a surgery the next day and Jackson agrees, but seems troubled about it.