Grey's Anatomy: Season 3
Episode 10

Synopsis:

Recent events strain Burke and Cristina's relationship; Meredith's half sister enters the hospital; Mark and Sloan must work together when two close-knit brothers seek medical help.

(From ABC)
Recent events strain Burke and Cristina's relationship, Meredith's half-sister, Molly, is admitted to the hospital, and Mark and Derek must work together when two close-knit brothers seek medical help.

A pair of adult conjoined twins, a gravely ill newborn and George's lovable, cancer-stricken dad kept the medical staff hopping on this week's episode of "Grey's Anatomy."

But the most interesting moments were the flickers of warmth that surfaced when angry characters (and there were plenty) found opportunities to reconcile. (Spoiler alert: Stop reading now if you've saved the episode for later viewing.)

Here's a run-down of the haters who've stopped hating:

• George's rage toward Cristina and Burke waned after Cristina helped save his dad's life in the OR. Likewise, the frost between Cristina and Burke melted some, though they exchanged few words. George also warmed a bit toward Callie, though he's still upset that she slept with Mark.

• Alex and Izzie forgave Cristina (it's hard to believe Izzie was mad at anyone for flouting hospital rules in the name of love). And the chief also forgave Cristina and Burke, if only so that he can get on with retiring.

• After talking with the chief, Bailey stopped holding herself responsible for Cristina's actions. But she still feels guilty that two of her interns — first Izzie, now Cristina — have made grave errors in judgment.

• Burke finally agreed to let Derek examine him, after first blaming Derek for his tremors. That initial blame left Derek questioning his own ability. But after successfully separating the conjoined twins (who bickered endlessly, but remained the best of friends), Derek's cool confidence returned. There was even a glimmer of reconciliation between Derek and Mark, though it's unlikely they'll ever be pals again.

• Meredith's mom was in agony during her brief scenes, reliving the experience of being dumped by the chief. But when Meredith hugged her, the fog briefly lifted. She returned her daughter's embrace with surprising tenderness.

Despite all that progress, everything isn't rosy at Seattle Grace: George's dad still has cancer, though his heart is fixed. And Meredith, as always, can't catch a break. Her love life is bubbling along nicely, but her half-sister (the one who doesn't know Meredith is her sister) gave birth to a baby that almost didn't survive.

As the intern assigned to the case, Meredith delivered the good news that the baby would live. That's when her stepmother tried to welcome Meredith into the family. Although she'd seen (and envied) the good relationship between her stepmother and half-sister, she refused to get close.

"I don't know you," she said, "and you are not my family."

Meredith tries to convince a distraught Ellis that Richard's leaving her happened years ago. Ellis says it's all because she had a daughter and that she should never have had children.

Miranda comes up with her own punishment for Cristina, assigning her to assist Dr. Hahn with Mr. O'Malley's surgery. The other interns complain that it's not a punishment at all, until she shows them the other case she wants their help on: Two conjoined twins who want to be separated.

The separation surgery is going to require 22 doctors, including Mark, Derek, and Miranda. Burke's blaming him shakes Derek's confidence, and he refuses to do the surgery, claiming it's too dangerous because both twins could end up paralyzed. Miranda confides to Derek how Burke's bumping her from his surgery made her question her own ability. She tells Derek she knows he can pull off this surgery.

Izzie is assigned to help Mark prep for the surgery, but the only thing he wants her to do is get his coffee. She tells him she won't respect him until he does something worth respecting. During the twin separation surgery, Mark unexpectedly requests that Izzie scrub in, which doesn't sit well with Miranda, who's upset that Cristina is also performing surgeries.

Derek completes his part of the surgery and both twins are fine. Everyone applauds as the two gurneys are wheeled apart.

The Chief loses it when Burke says he blames Derek for his tremor. He tells Burke that he let him down, and that if he doesn't let Derek fix his hand, he's letting himself down.

Prior to his Mr. O'Malley's surgery, George questions Dr. Hahn's methods and since he won't let it drop, Miranda orders him to stay 50 feet away from his father at all times.

He immediately disobeys and goes to see his father. Mr. O'Malley says that George is mad at everyone lately, but that George is really mad at him, because he smoked and drank and brought on the cancer. George's brothers show up then and start saying, "You're going to get in trouble, Georgie." He's yelling at them not to call him that when his father stops breathing. It looks like a heart attack, but his heart is just going too fast. Burke appears and calmly guides him through the steps necessary to get Mr. O'Malley breathing normally again.

George, against orders, is watching the surgery on his father. Burke, who isn't supposed to be there either, joins him. George can't bring himself to watch, so Burke narrates what's happening. When there's a complication, George turns to see Dr. Hahn let Cristina do her running loop stitch. Burke assures him that she knows what's she's doing and he's right, George's dad pulls through the surgery with flying colors. Burke says that he wouldn't have done anything differently than Dr. Hahn. He seems to be talking about himself when he says you never know how someone will respond to surgery. As he goes to leave, George thanks him.

Miranda tells Richard that not punishing Burke and Cristina undermines her authority. She points out that the common thread between Izzie causing Denny's death and Cristina's deception is her. Richard assures her that she raised them well and that they made mistakes. But he praises Cristina for reporting on her boss and boyfriend, saying how much she's grown.

Addison recruits a reluctant Meredith to help with her half sister Molly, who is in the hospital for a C section. Complications with the baby mean that it has to be delivered prematurely. Susan, her father's second wife, says she hasn't yet told Molly about Meredith.

The baby isn't breathing and Meredith, mesmerized by the sight of the unmoving baby, freezes when Addison tells her to talk Molly through it. Addison has to operate but Meredith's hesitation in the OR means she's not scrubbing in and instead must keep Susan and Molly updated on the baby's condition.

Meredith informs Susan the baby's going to be okay and Susan hugs her. Meredith says she doesn't consider them her family and walks away. But when she sees them holding the baby, she watches wistfully. Susan tells her they can be her family if she wants and she doesn't answer.

In the locker room, Meredith yells at everyone for judging Cristina. She reminds Izzie how she cut Denny's LVAD wire and how they all covered for her and how Izzie helped Alex study for his boards, even after he cheated on her. They sheepishly admit they were wrong, all except George, who walks out. Cristina wants to know why Meredith keeps standing up for her, and she says, "You're my sister, you're my family. You're all I've got."

Derek tells Meredith he'll be late since he's going to be looking at Burke's shoulder. Cristina hesitates, then gets in the elevator with them.

Listening to her mother rant again about how she shouldn't have had children, Meredith simply hugs her, a simple action getting through where no words could.