Dr. Ross treats the dying Chia-Chia. Susan tries to find a way to keep Little Susie, asking her parents for help. Benton treats an injured woman who refuses to press charges against her abusive policeman husband. Carol and Harper are tricked by a patient from the "turkey file." Lydia helps Loretta the prostitute outfit herself for a job interview. The staff celebrates Weaver's day off.

Mark tries to find a way to tell Rachel about his impending divorce. Benton attends a banquet at Vucelich's home, with Jeanie as his date. Carter finally tells Mr. Rubadoux about his wife's terminal condition, making the man furious. Morganstern is admitted to the hospital after breaking a leg at a Scottish family reunion.

Ross and Hathaway's jobs are in jeopardy after their unauthorized treatment of a drug-addicted 7-month-old boy is discovered. Corday loses her sponsorship. Carter suspects Del Amico's boyfriend when drugs are stolen.

Dr. Corday begins her first day as an intern, first by being assigned to Dale Edson, then being treated as Romano's lapdog. Kerry is interviewed for ER chief. Doug and Carol ponder parenthood when Carol realizes she may be pregnant. Carol and Lynette try to keep a wounded gang-banger from leaving and seeking retaliation. Lucy faces the wrath of Carter when he discovers that she doesn't know how to start an IV. Jeanie asks Doug if she can be a full-time PA for the pediatric ER.

Benton's attempts to get away to Carla and Reese on Christmas Eve are continually thwarted by Romano, culminating in Benton forcing the drunken Romano away from a patient. Carter believes he's found a Christmas miracle when a teenage girl with a rare blood type needs an organ donation at the same time a brain-dead patient with the same blood type is in the hospital. After witnessing Dr. Lee rifling through Greene's locker, Jerry becomes convinced that she's stalking Mark.

Lucy's patient finally gets a heart transplant but does not survive. The transplanted heart will now go to another recipient. Greene interferes in a gay domestic situation. Corday tricked her patient who murdered several women and now he's being transferred to a county jail.

Greene flies in a helicopter to a remote area of Indiana to rescue a heart transplant patient. The helicopter develops problems, and Greene arranges for paramedics to transport the patient to County. Because Weaver is gone for the day, Romano appoints Benton in charge of the ER. Kovac is plagued by the death of the mugger.

Dr. Carter's girlfriend makes an impression as she observes ER operations. Dr. Gallant is almost shot during a domestic incident. Dr. Weaver dedicates a center to the memory of Dr. Romano.

Carter, Pratt, Kovac and Abby are dealing with a woman and her three children who've jumped from a three floor apartment trying to escape from the father. Meanwhile Dr. Lewis becomes Chief of Emergency Medicine, Howard quits his internship and Dr. Corday is facing dismissal.

Pratt and Weaver try to create a Christmas miracle when they work to save a girl wounded from gunfire. Eve gets into trouble after punching a disruptive patient. Also, Abby has a special gift for Luka.

When is it time to go out on a limb? Armand Assante guest stars as a patient who makes Sam an offer she might not be able to refuse. Luka must calm Abby’s baby-related fears after an incident at the hospital places everyone at risk. Kerry makes a difficult choice, and Neela joins a support group.

A blizzard strands a family in the snow and Abby and Pratt quickly try to save the family. A gang shooting challenges Morris and Pratt. Meanwhile, Kovac and Abby begin making wedding plans, but their engagement might not be very secret; Gates struggles with the reappearance of his father and the possibility of losing Sarah; and Neela becomes jealous when Dubenko brings in a new surgical intern.

A package for Morris from his deceased father is delivered to the ER. Sam has some anxiety over Alex being removed from the ventilator. A woman with a high-risk pregnancy worries that she will be deported. An old friend returns to celebrate the holidays.