Jordan, Danni and Ben return to help prepare a gathering for Dr. Cox's son Jack's first birthday. Dr. Cox, having to leave the hospital on a short errand, advises J.D. to keep an eye on a patient of his with a bad heart and take responsibility for Ben as routine tests for his leukemia are started. Turk and Carla clash over removing Turk's mole and changing Carla's last name after they marry, and one of Ted's band members quits. When Dr. Cox returns J.D announces that a patient died after going into cardiac arrest. Dr. Cox angrily blames J.D. for this patient's d**h and dismisses him. Ben calms Dr. Cox down who towards the end of the show apologizes to J.D.
On the way to Jack's birthday party, Ben tells Dr. Cox to forgive himself for the patient's d**h, which he does. When J.D. arrives and breaks their reverie, Dr. Cox realizes that Ben is not there, and that they are not at Jack's party, but rather, a funeral; the final scenes reveal that Ben is the patient who died, and that his presence has only been in spirit. The episode ends as a heartbroken Dr. Cox uncharacteristically allows those around to comfort him.