Without A Trace Season 2 Episode 10 Coming Home

Coming Home is the tenth episode of the second season of the American television drama series Without A Trace. The episode originally aired on CBS on December 11, 2003, and was directed by Jonathan Kaplan and written by David Amann.

The episode begins with a young soldier, Private Matt Corbin, returning home to New York after serving in Iraq. When he does not arrive at the airport as scheduled, his family becomes concerned and contacts the FBI’s Missing Persons Unit for assistance. Given the sensitive nature of the case, the FBI assigns the case to Special Agent Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia) and his team.

As the investigation unfolds, the team learns that Corbin had recently broken up with his girlfriend and was struggling to readjust to civilian life. He had also been involved in a bar fight the night before his scheduled flight, which had left him with a broken arm, but he had not sought medical attention.

The team soon discovers that Corporal Ed Dupree, one of Corbin’s fellow soldiers, had also recently returned from Iraq and was staying in New York. Dupree had a history of alcohol abuse and had been dishonorably discharged from the Army. When questioned by the FBI, Dupree admits to seeing Corbin the night of the bar fight but claims to have left before Corbin’s scheduled flight. However, suspicion still remains on Dupree, and the team continues to investigate him.

As the investigation continues, the team receives a lead that takes them to a seedy motel outside of the city, where they discover Corbin’s broken arm cast and his dog tag in the trash. Further searching leads them to a nearby train station, where they discover that Corbin had boarded a train out of the city.

As they follow the trail, the team discovers that Corbin had gone to stay with his estranged father in Ohio, who had abandoned his family when Corbin was very young. Corbin’s father had recently reached out to him, and Corbin had decided to take him up on the offer to come visit.

When Corbin’s father learns that his son is missing, he contacts the local police, who begin to investigate his disappearance. However, when the FBI team arrives in Ohio, they learn that the father had been abusive to Corbin’s mother and that both Corbin and his sister had suffered at his hands. As the team puts the pieces together, they realize that Corbin’s father had not changed, and that he had kidnapped Corbin in order to have control over him again.

After tracking down the father’s location and taking him into custody, the team is finally able to reunite Corbin with his family. However, as they return to New York, the team is left with the knowledge that not all homecomings are happy ones.

Overall, Coming Home is a poignant and gripping episode that delves into the struggles that soldiers face when returning home from war and the impact it has on their families. Through this episode, the audience is able to see the various challenges that soldiers face, from PTSD to readjusting to civilian life, and highlights the importance of seeking help if needed. With strong performances from the cast and a well-crafted storyline, Coming Home is a standout episode in the second season of Without A Trace.