Damage control.

Every day at Seattle Grace centers around this concept, but this episode in particular has the doctors scrambling to repair critical injuries. Not just to patients, but to their own emotions and egos as well.

This week's medical drama hits close to home for Meredith & Co. because one of their counterparts is the cause of it all. After a marathon shift, a surgical intern at a rival hospital falls asleep at the wheel and severely hurts a pregnant woman, her husband, and her visiting parents. The internal injuries to the pregnant woman are by far the most extensive, and all hands are on deck in the O.R. in an attempt to save her.

When the surgeons believe the woman's trauma won't allow her to survive the simultaneous operations, Richard yields to Miranda's judgment and orders the operation be put on hold (while the body is still cut open) to let it stabilize. It's a long shot, but probably their only shot. When they resume the operation, she quickly flat-lines and saving her unborn child becomes the only recourse. With Addison tied up in another O.R., her new lackey, Alex, orders Dr. Bailey to "tell him how to do" a caesarian section on the spot. He gets the job done and the premature baby lives.

Marshall, the intern who caused the crash, insists that George let him see the father to apologize. In a poignant moment, despite the man's anger and his indescribable loss, he forgives the young doctor.

After an incident in which Calli supposedly didn't wash her hands during a trip to the bathroom at Meredith's house resulted in many jokes at her expense, she tells Dr. O'Malley that he needs to stand up for her. George agrees, then finally establishes communication with Meredith again, albeit briefly. Some people are far less inclined to forgive Meredith, however, even when she isn't at fault. After behaving angrily all day, Derek lets his emotions get the better of him and chastises her for dating Finn, a.k.a. McVet. Heated words are exchanged and Mer finally stands up for herself instead of moping.

Similarly heated words are hurled in Izzie's direction by Denny, and we are not talking about a Scrabble game. After he overextends his new regulatory device and is rushed back to his hospital bed, the charming patient has, at long last, a moment of weakness. Lashing out at Izzie for not understanding his plight, and questioning her ability to use sound judgement, he leaves serious doubt as to the future of this inappropriate relationship. Izzie clandestinely spends the night in his hospital bed, however, crossing the proverbial line by leaps and bounds.

As the episode concludes, Meredith is still reluctant to open up to Finn about her past relationships or family situation, or to let herself get close to him in general. When Finn tells her of the tragic deaths of both his mother and his wife, however, that all changes. As the scruffy animal doctor expresses how happy he is that they met, he and Meredith finally share their first kiss.