Chicago Fire – Some Make It, Some Don’t

By starrymag | January 9, 2017

By: MaryBeth McMahon

 

The episode picks up with Gabby (Monica Raymund) and Matt (Jesse Spencer) coming to terms with the possibility of losing Louie (Aiden Cohen/Austin Cohen) to his biological father, Andre Keyes (Charles Bice). It is evident that Andre used alternative methods to track them down, as he was not listed on Louie’s paperwork and has not been in the picture for the past three years. Tina Cantrell (Deanna Reed-Foster) insists that she and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had no role in the matter. Matt grows agitated by the situation while Gabby tries keeps her cool and asks Tina to find a resolution.

 

At Chicago Med, Severide receives confirmation from Jeff Clarke (Jeff Hephner) that he is a match; he is ecstatic about the opportunity to donate his bone marrow to Anna (Charlotte Sullivan). Before Severide signs a waiver, Clarke emphasizes the multitude of factors to consider when being a bone marrow donor, including the painful procedures and small risks involved. He explains that Anna will go through a “brutal course of radiation and chemo,” which will “destroy her immune system” and prepare her body for the bone marrow. Clarke warns Severide that if he backs out after they’ve begun preparations, she will die.

 

Truck 81 and Squad 3 respond to a call at a beer warehouse where a group of college-aged kids broke in and attempted to steal beer. They thought it was a strategic choice to remove the reachable kegs from the bottom of the stack, treating it like “beer Jenga.” However, their plan went awry when one of the boys’ arms became stuck between a keg and a wood pallet that was supporting five levels of beer kegs above. During an attempt to stabilize the tower of beer, one keg came loose and plummeted to the ground, forcing Severide to push one of the kids out of the way. In doing so, he injured his shoulder.

 

Back in Firehouse 51, Maggie (Marlyne Barrett) visits from “Chicago Med” to draw blood from Severide; she will keep it in the event that something happens during the bone marrow procedures. She commends Severide on his decision to help Anna, who worked as a pediatric nurse and who also ran statewide charity events. Anna is eager to meet him, but Maggie advises him to be aware that in this unpredictable time “she needs bone marrow, not a new friend.”

 

Herrmann (David Eigenberg), Otis (Yuri Sardarov), Mouch (Christian Stolte) and Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo) wheel a ratty ping-pong table into the station, to which Boden (Eamonn Walker) is immediately skeptical of. Matt convinces Boden that the ping-pong table is a positive addition to the firehouse and will help 51 blow off steam. In the kitchen, Matt and Gabby excitedly take a moment to focus on the their surreal new status as husband and wife. In the midst of the adoption stress, Gabby says that their love and marriage “…makes me think we can get through anything.”

 

Tina makes a visit to Station 51 and meets with Gabby. She says that Andre’s paternity test came back positive, officially designating him as Louie’s natural father. The lighthearted and positive moment she shared with Matt just moments ago comes to an immediate end.

 

Gabby and Matt meet with a renowned adoption attorney; however, she doesn’t offer uplifting information for the couple. She insists that a majority of cases result in the biological parent(s) gaining custody of the child, as the courts are “reluctant” to do so with “someone other than the natural parents.” The only chance Gabby and Matt have in acquiring custody of Louie if there is evidence of abuse, neglect or abandonment. She emphasizes that Matt has little power in this case, as Gabby is the only person listed on the foster application. Their strategy of getting married so Matt could adopt Louie is not working to their advantage due to his adoption papers not being considered yet. They are both willing to do whatever it takes to make Louie their own, for good.

 

On “Chicago Med,” Clarke introduces Severide to Anna, who is overcome with joy and gratitude. It seems they both ignored the advice of their family and friends and opted to meet one another in the end. On his way out, Severide completes his donor paperwork and lists the name of his emergency contact, who we later find out is Stella. Stella is flattered by his choice and vows to look out for him every step of the way.

 

Andre confronts Gabby inside the station garage and has taken offense to her and Matt’s decision to use a lawyer. Ignoring his frustration, Gabby accuses him of making a game out of his decision to stalk them and claim Louie as is own after all of this time. He does not view his actions as a game and says “That’s my boy you have living under your roof.” Before Gabby can respond, a call comes in for Ambulance 61.

 

Brett and Gabby pull up to a group of homeless individuals living under an overpass. After greeting the victim, whom they are familiar with, he begins to seize. He loses control of his body and unintentionally hits Gabby in the face, adding to her already-difficult day. At the hospital, Brett tries to comfort Gabby about Louie and reveals a part of her past that she hadn’t previously spoken about. Brett confesses that she was adopted and although she loved her adoptive parents, she couldn’t help but think about her birth parents. She wished that they cared enough to look for her or at least get to know her; but, they never did and that was upsetting for her. Brett urges Gabby to sit down with Andre and talk it out, something that would be good for both he and for Louie.

 

Severide returns to the hospital to check in on Anna; she is visibly fatigued by the chemo and radiation treatments. Anna questions his reason behind donating bone marrow because she is confused about desire to help a stranger. He avoids his true motive by saying that it gets him out of work for a few days; however, she sees right through his act. Severide then reveals that he isn’t proud of the decisions he has made in his life and says, “…this is something I’ll never regret.” Anna’s father walks into the hospital room and instead of shaking Severide’s extended hand, he goes in for a teary-eyed hug. Her father shows an immense amount of gratitude, relief and joy.

 

Gabby and Matt followed Brett’s advice and set up a meet-and-greet with Andre. In the meeting, the three of them agree that his initial approach wasn’t the best choice. Andre admits that he wasn’t aware of Louie until his ex showed up on his doorstep and revealed the truth a short time ago. Gabby and Matt are at a crossroads with this situation; they fear losing Louie, but can’t ignore Andre’s seemingly genuine desire to get to know his son and prove himself worthy as a parent. Gabby breaks down after he exits the diner.

 

In a casual meeting with Clarke, Severide receives unfavorable news about Anna. He learns that Anna had to be taken off of chemo because of the harmful effect it was having on her immune system and cells. She also had a bad reaction to the antibiotics used to counter it. Clarke says that nothing can be done and “without chemo, we can’t prep her to receive the bone marrow.” The procedure is completely off the table and the chances of her body bouncing back are very small. Severide has become quite invested in his efforts to help Anna and struggles to process the bleak news. The following morning, Stella tries calling Severide a number of times, but he screens her calls and continues to drown his sorrows at an empty bar.

 

Boden and Matt take notice of a ping-pong game after the men become rowdy and get physical with one another. They are already on thin ice after breaking the nearby glass door; this does not help their quest to keep the table. Matt approaches the guys to “tell them to take it down a notch,” but immediately becomes furious when Capp (Randy Flagler) and Otis get into a friendly scuffle in the hallway. He yells at all of them for their behavior and orders them to fix the door. Herrmann follows Matt to his office to apologize for their behavior and extend support for Matt’s adoption stress. He says, “You’re more of a dad to that kid than anyone’s ever been.”

 

Gabby, Matt and Louie wait to meet Andre at a children’s arcade; Tina sits at a nearby table to observe the organized meeting between the father and son. Andre is not picking up his phone and fails to show up. Gabby mentions how determined Andre was when the previously spoke, but Tina assumes he was overwhelmed by the huge responsibility and decision.

 

Truck 81 responds to a car accident. Before attending to a mother and her young daughter in an SUV, Stella worriedly stares at the second car in the accident: Severide’s Mustang. Herrmann finds no evidence of Severide inside his car or on the scene; he is nowhere to be found.

 

Severide wakes up on his couch with a gash on his head and blood stained on the pillow. Groggily, he approaches the front door of his apartment to respond to whoever is banging on the other side. Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush) and Voight (Jason Beghe) tell Severide to grab a coat and go with them. In response to Severide’s confusion and desire not to go with them, Erin says that he either goes willingly or he will be escorted out in cuffs by “some uniforms.” He has no recollection of the night’s events and complies.