GayTV Recap: Grey's Anatomy (Ep. 18x18)

Episode 18 of the eighteenth season of the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy put major focus on the epidemic of hate crimes against Asian Americans. It began with Dr. Levi Schmitt (played by Jake Borelli) working at the hospital, chatting with Dr. Meredith Grey as she prepared to leave. He wished her a fun evening at her dinner party at home, telling her that the residents were stepping up to help given that most of the attending physicians were going to be at Meredith's house. Before she got very far, Schmitt was greeted with an elderly patient who had been brutally attacked in an apparent hate crime. Meredith sprung into action, taking her inside with Schmitt. 

Schmitt & Meredith worked on triage with the victim, joined by Schmitt's fellow resident Dr. Michelle Lin, who apologized to the woman, Alice, as she groaned in pain. They were then joined by Schmitt's ex-boyfriend Dr. Nico Kim (played by Alex Landi). The two had not been on speaking terms since Schmitt broke up with Nico during his emotional spiral after losing a patient in the operating room. Schmitt awkwardly explained Alice's injuries, which included an arm fracture, requiring Nico's orthopedic expertise. Seeing the Asian woman's physical injuries, he instantly guessed she had been a victim of a hate crime, which Michelle confirmed. 

Meredith offered to get someone else from orthopedics if he was uncomfortable, but Nico told her he could handle it, despite the immediate lowering of his demeanor. They assessed the patient's situation and Meredith ordered more tests, to check for any other internal injuries. Schmitt agreed to order a CT scan, as he placed a concerned eye on Nico, before moving out of the way. Nico agreed to take care of the woman's arm as soon as they were done. He urged Michelle to page him as soon as they could, before he departed. 

Schmitt joined Meredith as she paid a visit to Alice's family to give them an update on her condition. They spoke with Alice's husband, Mr. Tom, telling him about her multiple facial fractures and broken arm. Meredith assured the man that the medical teams from plastic surgery and orthopedics were doing their best to help his wife and they had her in surgery right now. Meredith also detailed the damage to the woman's spleen, leading her husband to relay to them how she left their family dinner to get a treat for the children and insisted on taking the bus after her three decades working as an engineer on the transit system. Meredith gave the man her sympathies for the attack on his wife at the bus stop and assured him that they would make sure she knew that her family was there and she was not alone.

In surgery, Nico worked on cleaning the wound that was blocking his look at the woman's arm fracture, while Michelle worked on the woman's facial fractures with assistance from long-serving Nurse Bokhee. As they worked, Michelle & Nico couldn't help but discuss their past traumas and feelings of alienation because of their Asian heritage. Michelle told them how she wondered when she was little if makeup would help her look more American, more white. Nico wondered if there would ever be a time when they wouldn't be looked at as foreign. The elder Bokhee looked to both of them and reminded them that they are all American. 

Meredith came into the operating room, looking for an update on their progress and Alice's vitals. Michelle told her that Alice was doing okay, for now, though there was a lot more to be done when it came to her injuries. Meredith spoke to Alice, relaying the message from her husband that her family was all there supporting her. She told Alice that she was not alone. She also apologized to the woman for what happened to her. Meredith apologized once more, but looked to the three members of the team that second time, as if to apologize to them as well for the state of the world. Meredith left them to the work, as Nico again looked frustrated.

Above the operating room, Schmitt walked into the observation room, taking a look at Alice's surgery going on below. It was then that he noticed his fellow doctor Mabel sitting in the back, not in her scrubs. He walked over to her and she told him that she heard what happened and she feared leaving to go home. She began to cry as she told Schmitt how no one on the bus called the police or took a video of what happened. Schmitt told her that it was all so awful and he wished he could do something to help. 

Later, Nico was seen sitting alone in a staff break room when Schmitt arrived, seeing him deep in his emotions. Desperately wanting to say something, Schmitt glanced over at the wall of the room, seeing a hole in it. He then looked back over to Nico, who had a bloody hand. Schmitt asked if he was okay. Nico quickly told him that he was fine. Without another word, the concerned Schmitt closed the door. Left alone, Nico took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. 

A few moments later, the door opened again. Nico looked up to see Schmitt had returned, with an ice pack and towel. He offered them to Nico for his hand. After a moment of silence, he agreed. Schmitt closed the door and walked over to Nico, kneeling in front of him. As he wrapped Nico's hand with the ice and towel, Nico stole several glances at Schmitt, seemingly unable to say anything to him. Schmitt also remained silent in that moment, only lowering his head, as Nico sat with his feelings.

Later, Meredith was paged to Alice's room where Schmitt let her know that the woman's vitals were dropping and she had become hypotensive. Meredith figured that Alice's damaged spleen must have ruptured. She called for them to get her to the OR as soon as possible, just as she began to flatline in the room. Meredith & Schmitt worked on reviving the woman, as Schmitt immediately began chest compressions, while Meredith called for a crash cart. Meredith & Schmitt worked to get Alice stabilized. 

With Alice's condition worsening, Meredith announced to Schmitt that they would operate on her spleen there, shocking him when she decided to forego moving her to the operating room. Meredith told her that they were short on time and they could not lose this patient. She told him they would not lose her. The two prepped for the quick surgery in the room, and got to work, as Alice's family waited patiently for word. With Schmitt's assistance, Meredith performed surgery on Alice's spleen. 

After the emergency surgery, Meredith & Schmitt returned to Alice's family in the waiting area, joined by Nico & Michelle. Meredith gave Mr. Tom an update on his wife's condition and ultimately revealed that she was going to be okay, relieving her husband and delighting her family, as Mr. Tom gave them all his family's thanks. Meredith excused herself so that she could finally get home, while Schmitt celebrated with the family. Nico & Michelle continued the conversation with Mr. Tom, letting him know that his wife would still need to be monitored for several days.