Private Practice: Season 4
Episode 21

Title: God Bless the Child
Episode: 75
Episode #: 4.21
First Air Date: May 12, 2011 (10pm)
Writer: Jennifer Cecil and Barbie Kligman
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
DVD: Private Practice: The Complete Fourth Season
Guest Stars:
Michael Patrick Thornton as Dr. Gabriel Fife
Hailey Sole as Betsey Parker

Music:

Birgit Bidder, "Psalm Of A Heart"
Violet talks to comatose Betsey. Amelia orders a drink. Naomi talks to Betsey about her future.

Augustana, "Just Stay Here Tonight"
Cooper and Charlotte consummate their marriage in Las Vegas. Naomi and Fife are in a Los Angeles hotel, post coitus. Pete and Violet are in bed together. Sam does push ups. Addison is alone in bed. Fife talks to Naomi…


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Synopsis:

The doctors launch an investigation after Betsey's second emergency room visit; Naomi makes a life-changing decision; Amelia continues to struggle with sobriety.

(Preview From ABC)
A second trip to the ER sparks concern for Betsey's well-being and prompts the doctors to launch an investigation into her new foster family -- risking sending the little girl back into the system. Meanwhile, Naomi makes a life changing decision for her family, and a struggling Amelia slips further away from sobriety.


(Recap From ABC)
Addison treats Patty, a hardworking woman who thought she had gotten an abortion months ago. The hack doctor who performed the procedure missed the embryonic tissue. In other words, Patty is still pregnant. At 19 weeks, the woman has a difficult decision to make. As you may have guessed, this situation has Naomi and Addison at odds.

Their great debate is put on hold once Violet gets word that Betsey has been admitted to the ER. According to her foster parents, she took a tumble down the stairs. When Cooper learns Betsey broke her collarbone a few months ago, he suspects abuse. Naomi says none of this would be happening if someone had taken the little girl after Dell died. This sparks Great Debate II.

Betsey’s thrilled to see Cooper and Naomi, but doesn’t want anything to do with Violet. The foster parents get extremely angry when they realize the Oceanside docs suspect abuse. Betsey seizes when her foster brother, Marshall, comes near her. After she’s rushed to surgery, Marshall throws a fit in front of Pete. Sheldon suspects the boy has severe anger issues.

Amelia must alleviate the pressure on Betsey’s brain. Her confidence is a bit shaky after accidently sipping champagne not long ago. A bleed during surgery means more of Betsey’s temporal lobe must be removed. Amelia does the procedure, but Betsey slips into a coma. Later, Marshall’s mom admits that she knew something was wrong with the boy. Even though she cares for Betsey, her son comes first. Just like that, the little girl is abandoned again.

Fife wants Naomi to move to DC with him. It’s a big decision, as is the one Patty is weighing. Naomi has a heart-to-heart chat with the woman, asking her to reconsider any thoughts of abortion. Her words hit home, which has Addison wondering why Nay is manipulating her patient.

Patty ultimately opts to have the abortion. Naomi is upset, but can see that Addison is also hurting. That’s why she joins her in the OR to help soothe Patty. Afterwards, Addison is comforted by the fact that Naomi was there for her, too. She was feeling pretty alone for awhile. Now…not so much. Amelia, however, is feeling very alone. That’s probably why she takes a seat in a bar and orders a drink.

Violet knows that she didn’t follow through on her promise to make sure Betsey was safe. She tells the comatose little girl that it won’t happen again. She’ll find her a home, but she needs Betsey to wake up first. Thankfully, she does.

Violet breaks the news about the foster parents. Betsey wonders where she’s going to live now. Naomi says she’s coming home with her. Now Betsey wants to know for how long. Naomi responds, “How about forever?” That sounds pretty good to Betsey. Us too.