Benton makes a critical error when he publicizes the availability of a dying man's organs before obtaining the wife's permission. Lewis discovers that Cvetic has quit his job at the hospital, moved out of his apartment, and dropped out of sight. Carter makes a move on Susan. Chloe announces her pregnancy.

Carter gets his first patient...and loses him. Susan's feud with Kerry Weaver intensifies when Weaver demands all of Susan's procedures be cleared with her. Chloe abandons Little Susie again for a lucrative career in the flea market business. Carol finishes her paramedic recertification by picking up a very overweight, lethargic man. Shep hits on Carol. Jeanie ends her relationship with Benton. Wendy conducts interviews with various ER staffers for an article on Dr. Greene. Dr. Ross cares for a four-year-old Asian boy with AIDS.

Carter engages in competition with new surgical resident-in-training Dale Edson upon learning that residents will be evaluated and graded; only the top ones advancing to second year. It doesn't help that Dale once had a relationship with Harper. Mark flirts with infomercial director Iris. Peter faces the fallout from his altercation with Doug when surgeons begin dropping him from procedures. Shep begins exhibiting uncontrolled hostility, first to a patient being abusive with Carol, then a pedestrian. Susan and Chloe try to reach an agreement regarding Little Susie.

Doug treats a dying 17-year old cystic fibrosis patient who doesn't want to be resuscitated. Carter gets to operate Benton.

Cynthia Hooper starts as the new desk clerk. Benton and Carla disagree over whether or not their son should be circumcised. Al gets in an accident at work.

During a paramedic ride-along, Carter is forced to drive the ambulance while fleeing a riot scene and inadvertently runs over a teenage boy. Later, a paramedic is shot by an angry mob looking for the driver of the ambulance. Carol is despondent following Doug's departure. She later discloses that she's pregnant. Kerry is intrigued by an injured pro wrestler and his relationship with his father. Lucy tangles with an Asian family that requests their matriarch not be told of a cancerous tumor. Jeanie turns down dates with both Dr. Baker and Reggie, telling each she's seeing someone else.

After his mother's funeral, Dr. Greene comforts his father in San Diego. In Chicago, Romano surprises Corday by appointing her associate chief of surgery. Corday treats Elaine, Carter's lover, for breast cancer.

Greene returns to work but confuses words and displays uncharacteristic anger. Eager to get out of his per diem situation, Benton agrees to a full time position. Carter visits his cousin, who became paralyzed after a drug overdose. A workplace disaster results in numerous injuries and fatalities among illegal immigrants.

Dr. Susan Lewis arrives, looking for work in the Chicago area again. Greene hires her, over Weaver's objection. Chen nervously attends a risk management review, accompanied by the unforgiving Weaver, to discuss a patient who recently died under Chen's supervision.

Weaver makes a mistake on live television while demonstrating flu shots, inadvertently sticking two reporters with the same needle. In the bathroom later, Susan and Abby catch Weaver in a stall with a needle. Weaver confesses to Susan that she's taking hormones. Carter, assuming Susan knows already, tells her about Abby's drinking problem. Abby becomes nurse manager, and argues with Carter about her drinking. Luka flirts with a patient's mom and is caught emerging from a storage closet with her. Gallant has a rough day: Pratt butts in on a patient of his, and Stella Willis dies because Kayson didn't bother with thorough treatment.

To everyone's amazement, Lewis makes a date to share a home-cooked dinner with the elderly Ben Hollander, her depressed patient who is going blind.

Morris and Pratt cram for their medical boards when Morretti brings in a new attending physician to help with the load. Sam and Abby work on an attention-hungry patient who comes into the ER with elusive symptoms.