All language subtitles for Brilliant.Minds.S01E06.1080p.WEBRip.x265-KONTRAST_track3_eng

The first law of nature
is natural selection,

survival of the fittest.

It determines whether a species
endures or goes extinct.

Dad?

Dad?

One might guess the smartest
or strongest

would stand the best chance,

but no.

Survival is determined
by the ability to adapt.

Dad?!

The mind can push the body
to great lengths

in the name of survival.

But at what cost?

Morris and I are
still nesting with Maya.

It's my week
out of the house.

You say nesting like
I know what that is.

Oh, you know, it's what
all the separated parents

are doing these days.

We switch off weeks at home

so Maya can stay put
for stability.

I haven't secured a spot yet.

Is the coffee still on?

Oh, splash of oat,
two sugars.

You know how I like it.

Uh...

How is Maya?

Uh, well, she's a strong girl,

but, eh, you know
how young teens are.

It's a whole lot going on
underneath the surface.

I'm sure she'll be fine after
a few ill-advised boyfriends

and one very fun night out
in Cabo.

We do not
talk about that.

Anyway, what about you?

God, no wonder you're single.

There's no room here
with all this stuff.

Wolf, when are you gonna
let someone new in?

I have.

We call him John Doe.
- Okay.

He's a man of few words,
but that could be

the letter board's fault.
Conversation is glacial.

And I don't think I'm his type.

- And there goes my point.
- Any day he could give up

and be headed back
to long-term care.

But... if we can get him enrolled

in one of these brain machine
interface clinical trials,

this neurotech could translate
his thoughts into written

and spoken word in real time.

Neurotech?

I assume you're looking into
the study at HTU?

Yeah, yeah,
the one under Gadson.

I know Simon.

Happy to talk to him.
See if I can help.

Oh, really?

Help me or help you?

Is Cabo Carol
getting her groove back?

Oh, God.
I don't know about all that.

God. It's been so long.

I wouldn't even know
what single Carol looks like.

Maybe now's a good time
to find out.

Guess we'll officially know
if you really have mirror-touch

or are just another
self-proclaimed HSP.

Ooh, are you flexing right now?

No, I'm focusing.

Anyway, what's an HPS?

HSP-- highly sensitive person.
Come on.

Anyone else feel
like we're in "Flatliners"?

Cause I'd be into it.
- Couldn't watch it.

When you can feel every stab
and every punch,

it's kind of hard
to get through scary movies.

This is wild, man. How have you
been getting through all this?

Well, in med school,
I aced all the exams,

but I struggled
with the practicum.

I thought knowing what was wrong
would fix it,

but what good is a diagnosis

if I can't help
a suffering patient

'cause I just still feel
everything that they do?

There were a few
coping mechanisms you can try--

meditation, find an emotional
anchor to tether to,

positive self-talk.

You just have to find the one
that works for you.

Or, in my experience, there is
one thing that helps me perform.

We get it. You have sex.

- We'll figure it out, Van.
- Dr. Wolf?

Okay.

Dr. Wolf, playtime is over.

OB's paging us.
- OB wants me? What for?

Sarah Kim is a senior
at Bellwood High.

But she came all this way
for an ultrasound

because there's--
- Higher likelihood

her parents find out
she's pregnant

if she goes to
her local hospital.

Bingo. Small town, big talk.

Sarah, you mind if I take
another look with my colleagues?

Go for it. The more face time
I get with her, the better.

I'm counting down the days
till I get to hold her.

There is no baby.

Sarah appears to be
in her second trimester.

She reported amenorrhea
for six months,

noted fetal movement,
even started to lactate.

And yet no fetus.

If her medical workup
comes back negative,

age aside, sounds like
a false pregnancy.

Textbook pseudocyesis.

Sarah and her body
believe she's pregnant.

It's possible she's on meds

that increase
her prolactin levels, but--

That still doesn't explain
why a teenage girl would

cling to a fantasy
so many kids her age

would consider a nightmare.

That's exactly why
I'm handing Sarah over to you.

"You"? As in Dr. Pierce, right?

She's professionally
much more equipped

to handle a psych patient
like this.

If you recall,

my availability
is a little tight

due to a certain John Doe.

You're running point on this
while I'm out.

Great.
She'll need every resource

after we tell her
she's not pregnant.

Do we have to tell her yet?

It's better to let Sarah
believe she's having a baby

while we look for
the root cause.

Happy, pregnant,
and cooperative is better

than a teenager on the brink
of an emotional collapse.

Yeah, we'll take her to our
floor and run more tests.

Thank you, Dr. Alvarez.

You guys came!

I'm so happy you made it!

Okay. Are you ready?

I was doing rounds
and got accosted

by a swarm of teenage girls
asking for Sarah.

Fatigue, amenorrhea, nausea, vomiting.

They're all pregnant.
- Are low-rise jeans

and pregnancy pacts
making a comeback?

Um, okay. Let's order urine,
Beta-HCG, and ultrasounds.

The only thing weirder than
if they're all pregnant

is if they're all not.

- Matching bellies.
- I know!

That's so cool.

In 1518, a woman started
dancing in the streets
in Strasbourg.

She danced for weeks,
unable to stop.

The dancing plague spread
to 400 victims,

many of whom died from heart
attack, stroke, or exhaustion.

For centuries,
there were cases of convents

being stricken by bouts
of uncontrolled biting.

And in 2012,
a group of cheerleaders upstate

inexplicably started
developing tics.

Uh, yeah...
- Sorry to interrupt, but one--

did you have this slideshow
just lying around?

And two, since all the girls'
tests and ultrasounds

came back negative,
are you suggesting--

Mass-psychogenic illness,
formerly known as mass hysteria.

It's very rare, but it has
plagued humanity in every age,

and it is
a once-in-a-lifetime case.

- How do you explain Sarah?
- Sarah. Sarah.

Sarah's not like
the other girls.

She is an outlier case
of pseudocyesis,

formerly known as
hysterical pregnancy,

in the context
of mass-psychogenic illness.

Okay, so our hypothesis is
a mass-hysterical pregnancy?

Even though this diagnosis
lacks

an easily measured root cause,
its symptoms--

seizures, tics,
and even death--

are very serious, Dr. Nash.

So how do we treat it?

More than likely, there is
an index patient,

one subject who suffers
from an underlying condition

that will simply worsen
if it goes undetected.

We ID and treat that person.

Then the group's symptoms
will likely resolve.

But-- But first and foremost,

we are looking for
a collective trauma,

some sort of shared loss
amongst them.

The only common thread is
Bellwood High.

It could be a bad teacher
or a bully?

I'm thinking field trip.

-Or we run tests
in the hospital.

Look, I hated high school

as much as the next
nerdy gay kid, Dana,

but Van's right.
Learning the environment

will help us find
the index patient

and offer context
for how it spread.

The hospital environment
might just exacerbate

stresses or symptoms.

Uh, should I hang back
and complete all the charting?

Take one for the team.
- Come on.

You know we need you.
Pack a lunch, D.

We're going back
to high school!

Whoo!
- Yay.

♪ So, baby, come to me ♪

♪ Come, come, come to me ♪

♪ Sweet to me like sugar
to my heart ♪

- ♪ You're so sweet ♪
- ♪ Baby ♪

♪ I, I, I, I ♪

♪ I'm missing you like candy ♪

I understand. We are doing
everything in our power

to resolve this delicate issue.

Poison control and the EPA
are coming in to test for mold,

water toxicity, asbestos,
gas leaks,

any environmental exposure.

This is Dr. Wolf.
He and his team of neurologists

have traveled from the city
to shadow the girls

and get to the bottom
of this issue.

Thank you, Principal Owens.

Uh, I'm sure you all have
valid concerns,

uh, but first, some good news.

None of your daughters
are pregnant.

They just think they are.

- What?
- Huh?

Uh, we'll be telling them
the truth very soon.

But we need to understand their
distress before adding to it.

Waiting a day
won't change a thing.

Sarah's headed to MIT
next year.

She isn't crazy.

And wouldn't shadowing them
cause more distress?

Lily led varsity to state
last fall.

Why am I just finding out my
daughter thinks she's pregnant?

Mass-psychogenic illness
does not just happen.

There's always a reason.

And while we're searching
for an index patient,

we have to consider
a variety of other stressors,

from workload
to relational support

to intense parents.

What?

Let's allow Dr. Wolf
and his team to do their job,

help our girls.

In the meantime, we can protect
them by not sounding any alarms.

I'm happy to field
any outstanding questions.

Go now. Save yourself.

- Okay.
- Whatever you need,

anytime, anywhere, call me.
- Thank you.

- What's going on?
- This is unacceptable.

- Oh, God.
- Questions?

What do you mean
we're not gonna tell them?

Dr. Marcus and I just want
to ask you some questions

to get a sense
of your day-to-day stressors.

Uh, I know when I was a senior,
I was all over the place.

Oh, yeah. Same.
I mean, grades, college choices,

crushes, annoying teachers.

Any of those things
weighing on you?

All the above. I guess.

Planning for the baby's
kept me busy.

So, uh, how does the stigma
make you feel?

This one girl got pregnant
my junior year

and they named her Degrassi.

Regina George was a saint
compared to the mean girls

I went to school with.

That is so millennial.

Cady Heron was
the real villain.

I-I'm Gen Z?

What year were you born?

The '90s.

That's the 1900s.
- Ooh!

You literally walked
right into that one.

How's the father? Supportive?

Nope. This child's all mine.

Well, if he's out
of the picture,

are there any cute boys
in your class?

- Why? Are you interested?
- Oh, no, no.

For you.
I-I'm in a relationship...

with my job. I...

Hey, Lily.
Lily, I-I get it, okay?

Pregnancy can be tough.
I mean, you're in high school.

Whole life ahead of you.

Oh, as a man,

is there anything else
you can tell me about my body?

It says online that teen moms
are at a higher risk

for something called
pre-eclampsia.

Is that a thing?

It's nothing
you need to worry about.

If that's true,
then why are there doctors

following me
and my friends around?

We're curious how...
all of you are managing

such a huge life change.

It can be scary.

We want to make sure
you get the care you need.

It's not all bad.

Missing the timed mile
is a perk.

Oh, agreed.

Anything that gets me out
of team sports is a win.

Have you tried swimming?
Could be really good--

Why do you care so much?

You don't know me.
We have nothing in common.

Why are you really here,
Dr. Wolf?

Not to get to adulty, but...

don't you worry about
growing up too fast?

Look, I know what
you're thinking.

Motherhood is hard,
especially at 17.

But high school-- it's brutal.

There were times
I thought I wouldn't survive.

But becoming a mother has really
put it all into perspective.

My life doesn't revolve
around the SATs or prom anymore.

I have a purpose now,
a real one.

She changed me
from the inside out.

It's rare to have such a strong
sense of purpose.

I envy it.

Outside of my patients,

I've always felt a bit...

directionless.

Dad?

Dad?

Dad!

Dad!

Psst. Wolf.

I wouldn't drink that
if I were you.

- Like yours.
- Aah!

Locked-in syndrome
due to a pontine stroke.

No other comorbidities.

Well, I must admit
that your John Doe is

an ideal candidate
for InterMind.

Exactly. If his body can't
express thoughts,

then maybe this can bypass it.

You've been following
what we do.

I appreciate
exceptional work, Simon,

but I'm also aware that
the idea of enrolling a patient

whose name we do not know
is a little unusual.

That's why I came here
to plead my case.

Oliver Wolf?
That's his attending?

Uh, look, you know I would do
anything I could to help you,

but Wolf--
- I'm familiar with the name.

The man is not a team player.

And he has a reputation
for going rogue.

These are not
reassuring qualities,

no matter how bright he may be.

Look, I will be
the first to admit

that Wolf is
not without his flaws.

He's allergic to authority.
He's stubborn.

He prefers his plants
over most people.

But above it all,
he clings to hope,

harder than any doctor I know.

Your study shares
that dedication.

My next lecture is
across campus.

I'll think on it.
- Thank you.

Not sure how much you'll glean
from watching me

do trig homework,
but go for it.

I love the smell of books.

I could honestly spend
all day here.

Hey. You good?

Okay.

I'm safe.

I'm okay.

Even a bad day brings good data.

I'm safe. I'm okay.

Even a bad day brings good data.

Hey.

I don't know what's wrong,
but...

chocolate always helps me
feel better.

Hm.

Wow. Uh...

This is a new,
humiliating low,

but, um...

Thanks.

I can go wait somewhere else.

I just wanted you to know
that I was here.

You can stay.

If you want.

Sorry you had to see that.

Usually I keep my panic attacks
under wraps,

but, uh, this here
brought me back.

I had my first one
when I was in high school.

I get it.
Bullies are still savage.

I wouldn't make it a day here
without my friends.

- What's wrong, Sarah?
- Dr. Wolf! Please help!

Aah!

Sarah, are you okay?
Oh, my God.

Sarah, do you know
where you are?

She's tachycardic to the 130s.

Given her history,
the differential is broad.

We need an ambulance.
- On it.

Sarah, what's wrong?

Everything's black.

I-I can't see.

What's going on?

Her cranial nerve exam is
completely normal.

MRI is non-specific,
so nothing yet.

But Dr. Marcus will draw
a few blood samples

just to be thorough.

But what about my baby?
Is she okay?

I read online
that blindness can indicate

a pregnancy complication.

Most importantly,
is my baby okay?

She's in the right place.

Now that her vision's returned,

we need to find out
why it happened.

Can you just lie back and
extend your arm for me, Sarah?

Thanks.

You can relax.

Okay.

I'm a good doctor.
I'm a good doctor.

I'm a good doctor.

It's okay.
I got it, Dr. Marcus.

Uh, okay. Uh, go for it.

Her veins are flat.
She's probably dehydrated.

It's okay.

Any updates, Dr. Kinney?

Their hormone levels
are normal,

Sed rates and CRP are flat,

and their fundoscopic exams
are perfect.

And none of their symptoms
are tied to

an underlying medical condition,
which means blindness

is just another functional
neurological disorder.

But because we're still worried
about what could happen,

all the girls have been admitted
overnight for observation.

I'm headed to see
the last parent out now.

Does this mean
no more school trips?

I can't do 17 again, again.
- You're good.

I just passed out grippy socks
and nametags

for your face blindness,
Dr. Wolf.

- Okay. Ericka coming in clutch.
- Okay, it's highly likely

that one of the girls
is our index patient.

The distress signals are clear.

We just need to find out
why, and fast.

Without treatment,
our index patient's odds

of a good long-term outcome
dwindle by the minute.

Hey.

Jacob told me you were
on edge at the school.

You good?
- Mm-hmm.

♪ The full moon
lights our way ♪

♪ It knows we've come out
to sing and play ♪

♪ Its light fills our hearts
and heads ♪

♪ And into our wombs,
its glow descends ♪

♪ The full moon
lights our way ♪

♪ It knows we've come out
to sing and play ♪

♪ Its light fills our hearts
and heads ♪

♪ And into our wombs,
its glow descends ♪

♪ Hand in hand
we join together... ♪

Takes me back
to my a capella days.

Oxytocin.

Group singing is behind
the girls' group think

because it releases oxytocin.

The bonding
and belonging hormone.

It forges the neural pathways

that promote behavioral
harmonizing and connection.

It biochemically primes
the brain for mass hysteria

to take root and spread.

So there's not just a social
barrier separating the girls

from the world,
but a biological one?

Exactly. To navigate their
oxytocin-induced bond,

we need to become a part
of the group.

How? Navy SEALs will crack
before these girls.

Belong with them.

No more observing the group.

Now we enter it.

So the card that you picked
represents the lesson

that's weighing the most
on your soul.

Perfectionism. Your turn.

A hero's complex.

Cool.

Feeling too much.

And a fear of stillness.

I don't see it.

Dr. Wolf. Your turn.

Well, that seems bad.
Is that bad?

No. Not necessarily.

The death card doesn't mean
the end, but...

an end.

It's like a rite of passage,

a transformation.

Everyone dies all the time.

The question is, how do we
survive after that loss?

Lily. Oh, my God!

- Lily!
- She's seizing.

I need an airway cart in here!
- Come on.

We need to get a cart.
- Okay.

I got her.

- Is she okay?
- Let's give them some space.

We need a cart!

What happened to me?

Uh, you had
what we believe to be

a psychogenic non-epileptic
seizure.

While scary, it doesn't involve

any damaging electrical signals
to the brain.

It was most likely
a response to stress.

The rest of the leads
will come off soon.

And my baby?

Yeah.

Mm.

Nice one.

God, you remind me so much
of my little sister.

So, what?
Hilarious and beautiful?

That is exactly what I meant
when I said that.

Uh, [chuckles] hilarious,
beautiful,

and
always making me worry.

I'm not dense, you know?

I get how being a mother
is stressful,

but we all really wanted this.

I really wanted this.

I mean, first Sarah's blindness.

And now me.

What if we're all being
punished?

Whatever happens, I'll be here.

But, Lily, for me to help,

I need to know everything.

Do you know about WitchTok?

They're in a coven.

We're not just dealing with
typical teens.

We're dealing with witches.
- Like with brooms?

Months ago, they cast a spell
to get pregnant together,

which explains the lack
of baby-daddy drama.

The spell resulted
in immaculate conception.

Medically impossible,

but it does explain
their interdependence.

- And the singing.
- And tarot.

It's
"Sabrina the Teenage Witch"

meets "16 and Pregnant."

Check it out.

♪ Oh, Maiden Moon,
oh, Mother Earth ♪

♪ Anoint us with the gift
of childbirth ♪

Lily said they tried
a new spell tonight,

but it backfired.

Oh, great.
Meaning what exactly?

She doesn't know,
just that she's afraid

that their bodies are now
all cursed

and getting sicker and sicker
by the minute.

Blindness, seizures.

We're in for a long night.

Late-night plans?

Uh, the school results came in,
so I'm gonna drive up

and go over them
with Principal Owens.

I see. So...

is it a date?

No, it's not a date.

He can't read the labs
by himself,

and I won't wait until morning,

so I was wearing
the same shirt for 24 hours.

I needed a refresh.

- Oh.
- I'm coming right back.

Is Principal Owens handsome?

Objectively speaking, of course.

Uh, I'm in a bit of a rush,
Carol,

but from the features
I honed in on--

square jaw, kind eyes--

I'd say, yes,
objectively speaking.

What?
- Uh, nothing.

Well, it's just that shirt--

it don't really go with
your undertones,

but it don't matter
'cause it's not a date.

Yeah.

Well, see you in the morning,

barring any emergencies tonight.

See you in the morning, Carol.
It's not a date.

Okay!

I like this shirt.

There's nothing in the water.

There's no mold.

And there's no lead
in the paint.

It all tested negative,
so we were right.

Then what could have
caused this?

I can't help but feel
like I let my kids down.

If only there were teachers
like you

when I was in boarding school.

Well, if only there were
doctors like you

when we had our mono outbreak.

- Mono? The kissing disease?
- Yeah.

It's not my field of specialty.

Oh, not kissing. No, no.
I mean, I know how to do that.

I mean, I wouldn't say I'm
a specialist, but then who is?

It's, you know what-- um...

in answer to your question,

there are a number
of things that, um,

could have caused this, uh,

but most likely it was
a deep loss--

a parent or a coach.

Or a fellow student?

A few months ago,
one student withdrew.

Sweet girl. Her parents felt
homeschooling was a better fit.

What's going on?

One of your false pregnancies
is going into false labor.

- Hey, move, move.
- Hurry!

- You have to help her.
- She has to be okay.

Wait. Who is she?

I shouldn't gossip
about my students.

It's just, she was friends
with Sarah and the others.

Maybe it was a blessing
in disguise.

Spared her getting caught up
in all this.

Do you happen
to recall her name?

Of course. Samantha Lee.

Who's Samantha Lee?!

I mean, there's no record
of her.

She didn't come in
with the others.

We didn't examine her.
She must have snuck in.

We were scared.
We didn't know what to do.

Brianna, I'm gonna need you
to call her parents.

We might need to sedate her.

- You're okay.
- Aah!

- Look at me.
- Whoa. Van, are you okay?

She's having a baby.

No. False. It is in her head.

No. For real. Look.

She's having an actual baby,
like, right now.

I paged OB.
They're on the way,

but they told us to get her
down to the ER if we can.

We don't have that long.
Her cervix is fully dilated.

The baby's crowning.
Y-You need to keep breathing.

Keep breathing.
The baby's coming right now.

Is she gonna be okay?

- This is unreal.
- I can't do this.

I don't want to do this.
Just make it stop.

Uh, Sarah,
grab her other hand, please.

She needs you.

Van, are you sure
you can do this?

Get her back.
Brace. Don't push.

But, Sam, right?

I'm gonna need you to push, okay?

I just came to see my friends.

I'm-- I'm not ready.
I can't do this.

You can, you can.
Your friends are all here,

and your folks are on the way,
but right now,

I need you to take
all that pain you're feeling

and put it in your hands
and squeeze, okay?

That's good. Good job, Sam.
You're doing great, okay?

Hey, we're all here with you, okay?

You ready to rip
the Band-Aid off?

- No.
- Breathe.

Everyone, on the count
of three. Ready?

Let's all do it together. One...
- You can do it.

...two, three!

We found our index patient.

Five months ago,
Samantha Lee found out

she was three months pregnant.

As we all know, high school is
a stressful environment

filled with anxiety.

When Sam's parents discovered
her pregnancy,

they pulled her out,
setting off a chain reaction

that no one could
have predicted.

You guys,

they're taking me
out of school.

- What?
- Our girls had to not only

navigate the removal
of their friend,

but also mourn the fact that
Sam was growing up without them.

A double loss
of friendship and innocence.

About a month ago, our witches
snuck out to cast their spell.

They'd conjure pregnancies
of their own.

That way, no one was left behind
and Sam would feel less alone,

protected by her coven.

No one was more devastated
than Sam's best friend, Sarah.

Her grief went so deep
it manifested physically

as pseudocyesis,
an actual false pregnancy.

Sam was the friend
the rest of the group

was taking their cues from.

Drawing upon anything
to keep their friendships alive,

mass hysteria spread
through the group

with their spell as the origin.

Every teenager experiences
a rite of passage,

but these girls were
able to share

a collective coming of age
together.

This illness was empathy
in its deepest form.

Okay. Okay.

So when do we tell them?

They can't go on thinking
they're pregnant.

You're exactly right, Jacob.

Our first step--
to meet them where they are

so they know
that no matter what,

they're not alone.

Just the doctor
I was looking for.

You wouldn't come all this way
to give me bad news, would you?

Dr. Carol Pierce...

...today's your lucky day.

And your John Doe's.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God!

Um, you're gonna have to settle
for a thank you from me

until John Doe can do it
himself.

He joins the study
on one condition.

Okay.

If Wolf deviates
from the protocols at all,

if he so much as misses one data
field on a report, he's out.

John Doe, too. Deal?

You won't regret
changing your mind,

for taking a chance on Wolf.

I'm not taking a chance
on Wolf.

I'm taking a chance on you.

Uh... oh.

Duty calls.
Um, see you soon?

Looking forward to it.

Nurse Gomez,
call Occupational Therapy.

Nurse Gomez...

She's tachypneic
and tachycardic.

- On it.
- Her oxygen sats are normal.

This could be
postpartum preeclampsia.

Carol, she's having
a panic attack.

Okay, everyone clear the room, please.

Give us a minute now.

Sam. Sam.

I need you to breathe with me.

You are having a panic attack.

I can't... breathe.

Yes, you can. Do you see
that clock over there?

I want you to focus on that.

One more time.

You are safe.

This will pass.

You can talk to me.

I just...

...can't believe it's real.

What if I don't want to do this?

Am I a terrible mom already?

You know, Sam,
I had those same questions, too.

And as a mom,
I won't make any false promises,

because there will be
a learning curve.

But whatever you decide,
your friends and your family

will be right there
to support you.

A baby holding a baby.

Those first few weeks
after having Maya were brutal.

I remember. You were more
sleep-deprived after Maya

than during clinical rotations.
- Ooh.

You're never the same person
again after you have a baby.

Sam's gonna have to
figure out who she is

and how to be a mom
all at the same time,

which isn't impossible.
It's just harder.

But she has her whole life
ahead of her.

It'll just be a little different
from the rest of the girls.

For better or for worse,

survival requires
a constant evolution.

Is anyone familiar
with pseudocyesis?

Uh, mass-psychogenic illness?

No. Um, both involve
high levels of stress,

which caused your minds,
and in Sarah's case, her body,

to believe
that you were pregnant.

But you're not.

I know that
this is a lot of information

to take in at one time,

and Dr. Pierce and I
will both be available to you...

For many, that growth is part
of a natural process

that comes easily...

♪ An empty sail
takes the wind ♪

...while for others,
this adaptation will be harder,

cost more.

♪ Heal ♪

Let's write down any loss
we're feeling.

When we're ready,

let it go into the fire.

As doctors, we wanted to affirm
their experience

is valid and real.

Survival requires burning
away the parts of ourselves

that no longer serve us.

Any rite of passage
is a kind of death.

♪ Take a heart
and take a hand ♪

To birth the new requires
burying the old.

♪ Like an ocean takes
the dirty sand ♪

There is one adaptation
that irrefutably increases

your chance of survival--

relying on a pack
instead of forging on alone.

The key to evolution,
like healing,

is going at our own pace.

♪ And tell me
some things last ♪

You strike me as
a poppy seed guy.

- Oh.
- I wanted to stop by
and say thanks.

Things at Bellwood High seem
to be getting back to normal,

or however normal
high school can be.

Well, we couldn't have done it
without you.

You clearly care a great deal
about your students.

And you clearly care a great
deal about your patients.

But besides
the delivery service,

I wanted to ask you something.

I'd love if we got to know each
other outside of office hours?

Maybe be on a first-name basis?

I'm Mark.

Um, Oliver.

I know you're set on bagels,
but...

there's a great cocktail bar
around the corner,

if you're interested?

Um...

I'm sorry.
I like poppy seeds.

Uh, and you.

Um...
I'm just not available.

Yeah. I didn't realize
you were seeing anyone.

I'm sorry.
- No, no, I-I'm not

seeing anyone.
Um, just very...

unavailable.

Um, but thank you for this.
Um, and rain check...

maybe?
- Yeah. Of course.

You know where to find me.

Thanks again, Oliver.

♪ I said I wanna believe ♪

Has OB-GYN tried
to poach you yet?

Oh, yeah.

I already got business cards
made and everything.

Van Marcus, baby deliverer.

Well, just remember
the little guys like me

when you're up on Maternity.

You know, um...

I was able to not feel
Sam's pain

because I was focusing on you.

So I felt what
you were feeling instead.

Steady. Confident.

Brave.

You were...

You were my anchor.

Oh, that's wild.
You got Best Laugh, too?

You do have a nice laugh.
It's infectious.

Like mass-psychogenic illness.

I'm getting, uh, Most Likely
to Succeed vibes from you.

This guy delivers one baby
and thinks he knows everything.

Uh, I got...

Most Likely to Win
a Nobel Prize.

They thought you were smart.
That's so nice.

Yeah, the way you freaked out
at the school,

I thought maybe you were, like,
hard-core bullied or something.

No, no, that was
a panic attack.

Oh.

Uh... Dana, I'm-- I'm sorry.

Uh, it's okay.

You guys can know.

Uh...

I had a younger sister.

She passed away my senior year,

and I was in the library

when the principal found me
to break the news.

And that is my
panic-attack origin story.

I've got it
under control now,

for the most part.

What was her name?

Olivia.

Little 'Liv.

Hey, I'm-- I'm so sorry, Dana.
I didn't...

If I would have known back at
Bellwood High, I would have--

No, it's all good.

I kept wondering

if I had had friends like Sam
back then,

would I be less broken now?

And would a library send me into
a death spiral a decade later?

- Well, you have us now.
- Mm.

- We're your coven.
- Oh.

Yeah!

- Agh. You get one group hug.
- Aw!

- That's it.
- Mm-hmm.

I always hated libraries.

Oh.

What is the occasion?

Well, I didn't want to say
anything until it was official.

Your John Doe is
in the InterMind study.

- What? Are you serious?
- Yes!

What-- how did you--

Uh, made a deal
with the devil.

A very handsome devil.
But still, if you do anything--

I mean anything--
to compromise Gadson's work,

it is my head. You got it?

I could kiss you right now.

One drunk med-school kiss
was enough.

Hey.

Thanks for letting me crash.

I really didn't want to be
alone with my thoughts.

You ever get that feeling?

This case.

Their loss of innocence

brought a lot of those feelings
up for me.

I was about their age
the last time I saw my dad.

Heat. Fuel. Oxygen.

Whoa.

Easy there. Oliver?

We've been looking for you.

Did my dad find you?

Is he coming?

Let's get you home.

It's still haunts me,

how alone he must have felt.
I never looked hard enough.

I didn't try hard enough
'cause I was too scared.

You are so hard on yourself.

I can't help but think
you want to be alone.

I mean,
you're surrounded by

your books and your plants

and your rocks and your weights,

distanced from the world.

You've barricaded yourself
into this life like a cocoon.

But you've trapped all the pain
in there with you, too.

Keeps him close, I guess.

Well...

at some point,
when you're ready,

you might want to break free.

Baby steps, Carol.

Hey. Come here.

Would you look at that?

You're my cocoon.

Don't ruin the moment.

Greg, move your head.