“These moments…you don’t get a lot of time before they’re over.”
So much of the Louie story has surrounded Louie and Dawson—the relationship between Louie and Casey wasn’t explored quite as much. But when Casey commits to something, he does so wholeheartedly, and he committed to being Louie’s dad. At first, I was surprised to see Casey taking the loss of Louie from their lives harder than Dawson seemed to be taking it. But then, I can’t forget that he’s been ready for fatherhood since the series first began. Casey was a surrogate father for the Darden boys while Heather was in prison (remember that bizarre storyline?), only to have that time cut short. Casey, along with Dawson, suffered the loss of their unborn baby through miscarriage. Now, he once again loses a child. Remembering all that, it’s no surprise Casey’s really struggling. He just wants to be dad!
In an attempt to focus on something other than Louie, Casey has Truck clean the house top to bottom after discovering a possible rat situation. No rat is ever found, but fear not—the firehouse has never been cleaner. When they aren’t cleaning, the house responds to a fire that almost claims Casey’s life. Faced with choosing between the life of a young girl and a man with his leg pinned, Casey leans toward the young girl. He’s forced to debate that choice again, though, when the guy pulls a gun on him. He ultimately gets away, saves the girl, and promises to come back for the gun-wielding man. But when he returns after the fire, the man is nowhere to be found. He miraculously escaped, and you know right away that we haven’t seen the last of him. Sure enough, it seems the promo for the next episode confirms the gun-wielder will be back with a vendetta against Casey and the firehouse. As if Casey didn’t have enough going on…
Meanwhile, Dawson’s not doing so hot either, which makes the case she and Sylvie respond to at the top of the hour all the more difficult. The two are called to a school where a teenage girl is in labor. The catch? Poor Darla didn’t know she was pregnant! Can you imagine? Nine months is barely long enough to prepare to raise another human. But nine minutes? What a nightmare. Darla handles it like a complete champ though—seriously, she’s incredible. Her dad is none too pleased, which is understandable, but Dawson is quick to jump down his throat for not being supportive. I get where Dawson is coming from, especially with her having just lost Louie. But give the guy a break—his teenage daughter just surprisingly gave birth. The guy is going to be a bit rattled.
Darla’s aunt later confronts Gabby about her harsh words for Darla’s father, and tells her all that he’s sacrificed for Darla. It’s a humbling moment for Dawson, and I love that she took time to not only seek him out to apologize, but sat with him and helped him through this tough time in his life. Later, Casey and Dawson put a few of Louie’s old things to good use by passing them along to Darla. The two stop by for a visit with Darla and her father where Darla shares the name of her new daughter—Gabby.
It’s Herrmann—of course it’s Herrmann—who gets through to both Casey and Gabby near the end of the hour. “Something bad happens and we try to exert control. But sometimes, it is better to live with the pain for a little while…Losing Louie was a real blow. There is no harm in admitting that to yourselves.” That man should write a book and share his wisdom with the world. Seriously. Also, I’d like to see Casey and Dawson spend more time with Herrmann and Cindy.
“There’s something here…I’m here.”
Here’s where things are likely going to get dicey. In Anna’s absence, I’d bet someone a fancy dinner that Stella turns on the charm. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Severide finds himself on the verge of starting something serious with Stella, only to have Anna show up to throw a wrench into that plan. And you know what? I hope she does. The writers have proven that characters can have relationships with recurring characters (Herrmann and Boden), and there’s no reason Severide shouldn’t be able to. They could certainly feature Anna more than Cindy and Donna are featured (though I’d like to see more of them too) if they wanted. All that to say, I’m firmly on board this Severide/Anna relationship.
What did you think of the episode? What’s next for Casey and Dawson? Will Anna return? When? How does Stella fit into the situation? Share your thoughts below!
