Derek Shepard and Meredith Grey are going through all of the boxes in her mother's study.  They come across a box of things from Meredith's childhood.  Among the items she finds 'Anatomy Jane.'  It's a doll she used to play with as a child that you can remove all the internal organs.  She never knew the names of the organs as a child so she made up her own names for each item.  She and Derek enjoy this childhood memory before going in for work.

Dr. Miranda Bailey is asked to meet Richard Webber up on the helipad.  She is confused when there is no one there because usually that would be the only reason to be called up there.  The Chief tells her that he needs her to "be me" and that he knows she can be a "great surgeon."  He's very impressed with her recent accomplishment in the "domino surgery" and in his own way, you see how he is preparing Miranda to be his successor as Chief of Surgery.  Now he's calling upon her again to save a life.  We see a helicopter arriving at the hospital.  It's  a ten-year-old girl with an inoperable tumor.  Every other doctor has turned her away and now they are going to give the impossible a try.  

When the residents meet that to receive their assignments for the day, they  are teasing Meredith a little as she's holding Anatomy Jane.  Chief takes one look at the doll and decides that Meredith is the perfect resident to scrub in on their impossible surgery.  Meredith goes in with them to explain to the family what is going on with the little girl.  Using Anatomy Jane, she is able to show the ten-year-old what they are talking about.  The girls' very loving (and large) group of family is sweet enough, but they are clearly going to be as forceful as necessary in order to get the best for their dying child.  They immediately point out the flaw of not having access to the premiere cariothoracic surgeon - Dr. Erica Hahn.  Chief assures she'll get the best care, but they are adamant.  Dr. Bailey goes to Dr. Hahn to ask her to help with this impossible surgery.  Seeing that Miranda is emotionally invested in the case already, Erica tells her, "No one likes a girl who gets emotional," and says she doesn't want any part of this sure failure.  With a little more convincing as only Miranda can do, Erica grudgingly joins the team.  

Chief, Bailey, Hahn and Grey are soon sitting in the conference room trying to hammer out some ideas of how they can approach this surgery.  Any and all suggestions that are brought up are quickly turned down by a negative Erica Hahn.  She is frustrated and doesn't believe this is possible.  She glances up to see the crowd of family peering in at them.  She tells Meredith to close the blinds.  Erica is ready to quit the whole idea.  The whole time they are discussing the case, Meredith is there with Anatomy Jane taking her organs in and out until finally Chief tells her, "Stop playing with that thing."  She pulls her head up a little startled as if she had been in deep thought and says, "I'm not playing," then suggests, "why don't we take each of her organs out at the same time."  Hahn quickly points out the flaw that there is just not enough time.  Each organ only can be out of the body for so long before it ceases to function.  Chief, seeing that this may be something there, says, "Let's make the time."  The four heads delve in to figure this out.

They soon meet with the family to propose their idea and explain all of the risks involved in the process.  The father is very hesitant to agree to the surgery and nervous to lose their little girl.  Chief finally tells them, "this is your only shot."  They all know that no one else will even consider taking the case.  The father finally agrees to it.  

As the team is scrubbing up for surgery, Meredith accuses Richard Webber, "Why can't you look at me?" Richard gets very defensive at this notion  and tells her to focus on the patient instead of whether he's looking at her or not.  She leaves, but he doesn't look at her through the whole conversation.  They head into surgery and one by one they carefully remove all of the internal organs so they can properly remove this enormous tumor in her body.  The family is starting to get restless after a while and begin paging Dr. Webber.  After refusing the nurse numerous times, Miranda finally tells the Chief, "You need to go talk to them," and when he starts to refuse she says, "you did put me in charge."  He grudgingly goes to talk to the family, but tells the father that by interrupting, he's jeopardizing the surgery.  The father is not intimidated by the Chief and explains, "I may get under foot sometimes. . . but pushing back is how we know that our daughter is getting good care."  After all of their experiences good and bad with doctors, they know that being a little abrasive ensures that they know what is going on and helps their little girl.    

Back in the O.R. they have removed the tumor and put the organs back into the body, but they are not profusing yet.  There is no time for getting a transplant in such a short period of time.  Hahn starts conplaining about the whole thing and they all are getting nervous that they've failed and the tension builds between them.  Meredith Grey starts offering ideas, but Erica just shoots her down time after time.  Then Bailey joins in the fight and they all begin arguing until the Chief breaks them up.  Miranda has an  idea.  After a moment of pause, Erica Hahn backs her up on it and they begin working again.  Finally the organs begin profusing and the heart beats on it's own.  They know the hard part is over for them.  "Hell of a job," Chief tells them all.  

Even though the surgery is successful, Miranda is not happy.  She finds Erica Hahn and starts to lay into her.  "Today you were a pain in the ass. . .you made it as hard for us as humanly possible. . .No thanks to you today."  And she leaves it at that.

Back in the Chief's office, Meredith is waiting to hear what he has to say to her.  He explains the problem he has with her.  "You're a little reminder of every failure in my life.  That's not your fault."  He remembers seeing her in that same hospital as a child holding that very same doll.  "I could say sorry a hundred times a day," he confesses.  But things in their past are what they are.  The ten-year-old patient is now going to be fine.  

Back at home, Meredith and Derek begin to look through more boxes until he finds one that he knows Meredith must see for herself.  She comes over and reveals an entire box full of diaries from her new mother.  Looks like Meredith has a lot more reading to do

more from this episode . . .