A camera crew interviews the staff at County General for a documentary on emergency medicine. Morris’ cop girlfriend gets injured on the job and is rushed into the ER with gunshot wounds. Neela wonders why her relationship with Brenner lacks so much communication. Sam struggles to make amends with her mother.
Alex is set to be released from the hospital. Doctors treat African-American brothers Curtis Bennet, 17, who has abdominal pain and 10-year-old Quincy Bennet who has a knee injury. Both were injured during a drug deal that went terribly wrong. There's still some residual tension between Gates and Sam. A female patient in police custody doesn't want to be examed by Morris. A 13-year-old patient named Anastasia messes with Neela's love life.
Sam gets frustrated with Gates when he gets obsessed with finding a homeless war hero. Neela is upset at her intern after he gets the entire surgery department into a lawsuit. A husband and wife come into the ER after someone tried to burn down their home. Brenner loses his cool with a patient and it gets physical.
Dr. Banfield takes a run to clear her head but finds herself trying to rescue a three-year-old girl from drowning in a nearby lake. Gates tries to pull some strings in the ER to help his homeless war hero. Banfield is reminded of her own experience at County with Dr. Greene caring for her son as she tries to save the young three-year-old girl from certain death. Meanwhile, the interns continue to struggle to keep up in the ER.
Sam's time is taken up by her studies for a pharmacology exam, leaving Gates feeling neglected. A school fight results in a stabbing, with Brenner treating the victim and trying to uncover the truth behind the story. Morris has a surprise for Neela. Gates gets locked in a stairwell with a quiet young boy on Halloween night.
Everyone in the ER is trying to cope with the loss of their colleague. The staff feels defensive toward the new Chief and her tough disposition. Gates and the new interns treat a bio terrorist, who has a lethal secret that endangers them all. Neela makes a great effort to get Dubenko back on the surgery staff, and gets help from an unexpected souce.