.
- I'm receiving an award for saving that newborn.
- You don't think you deserve it.
- I don't know. I mean, maybe?
- Violet, there's no maybe.
- It's not like you have feelings for me, right?
- Just wanted to make sure there's no bad blood
for me taking the job you went for.
- Well, everyone says you're a good choice.
I have to see for myself.
- You should've vetted Jason Pelham.
- I did. - Not with me.
- That firefighter who got hurt on your call,
she says it's your fault. - What?
- I think you pressured her into fabricating a story.
- Can you prove it?
- How bad is it?
- They're recommending termination.
♪
- Hurry up, kids.
- Okay, all right, I, oh-- watch out.
- Hey, you aren't the only one who eats cereal.
- Shouldn't you be buying your own milk?
I'll use as much as I want.
- Oh, so it's Luke Herrmann's world,
and we're all just living in it.
- Better than living in our parents' garage.
- Above the garage. - Enough!
- Loser. - Luke!
[door slams]
- [sighs]
Hey, you're not allowed to grow up, okay?
There!
That's to keep you the same size.
- It's early. Where are you going?
- They got engine lieutenants over at the academy today,
and we're learning new whirlydoos on the rig, so...
I will be in class all day.
♪
- [sighs]
It feels strange stepping in as active lieutenant for a shift.
Especially considering what's happening with Pelham.
- Pelham's situation isn't on you.
And if the position does become permanent...
maybe it's fate.
- I do feel more nervous than I thought I would, though.
- Hey, no reason for nerves.
- Well, there is, um, there's one key element from you
that always helps.
♪
- I think we'd get in trouble if we did that here.
- Yes. Yes, um, well, there is that.
But there is also that one magic phrase that you say
in that magical Kelly way.
- You got this, Stella Kidd.
♪
- Hey.
This is not a done deal.
Still a lot that needs to happen.
Commissioner needs to review the findings
of the disciplinary committee.
Union is considering an appeal.
- Look, all due respect,
we both know these are just formalities.
Otherwise, I'd be in my station gear right now.
- I refuse to accept that, Pelham.
I'm out there.
Rattling cages, working my way up the chain of command.
I will not let this go until you get a fair shake.
- Chief...
I appreciate all that you're doing.
But you don't wanna get dragged down with me.
This isn't your fight.
- The hell it isn't.
♪
[alarm blares]
- Truck 81, Squad 3. Ambulance 61.
Multiple trapped victims. Halstead and Roosevelt.
♪
[tense dramatic music]
♪
[engine roars]
[sirens wailing]
- We're first in, Lieutenant. The scene is yours.
- Fire Department.
Make way, make way. - Excuse us.
- Excuse me, guys. Thank you.
- Mouch, make sure the power's cut off.
What happened?
- Something broke, and everybody came flying down.
There's somebody else hurt up top.
This poor lady. - Okay, okay.
Truck, I'm going up top. - Copy.
- Just wait at the wall over there.
- [gasping]
- Make way, step back. Step back.
All right, I got her.
- [screaming]
Truck, handle the victims at the bottom.
- Copy. - We're gonna need more ambos.
61 to main, we need an EMS Plan One.
- Copy that, 61. - We're gonna get you out.
- [screams]
No! [screaming]
- All right. - [gasping]
Please, help me. - Squad, you got this.
I'm going back down. - Copy.
- All right, easy, easy, easy. Take it easy.
Try to stop moving. Don't touch.
Okay, I need you to lean back.
- Need hands? - Got it.
[dramatic music]
- [grunts] [screams]
- Got it.
- [sighing] Oh, my God!
[groaning] - All right.
Capp, Tony. Bring in cribbing, tool bag,
and a cutoff saw.
Double time. Let's go, move.
- All right, what are we looking at?
- We got a foot caught in the steps,
hands trapped between these two stairs,
and this guy here.
- I'm okay. I just can't get up.
- All right. Gallo, you take this guy.
Mouch, you take her.
Let's get this guy out of here.
- Let's try to peel back his shoulder.
- [grunting]
- There you go. - Thank you.
- Halligan. - Thanks.
- All right, sir, we're gonna try to peel back this stair
about an inch or two to see if we can pry your foot free.
- Hang on! Gallo,
if we move the stairs down here, the gears move up top.
Severide, can you stabilize the drive gears for me?
I need to move this step.
- Copy that. Cruz.
- [panicked gasping]
- We're good to go up here.
- Go for it.
♪
- [grunts] - Here.
- Hey, Capp, Tony, cribbing first.
Stay in the corner, all right?
♪
- [grunts] - All right, there we go.
- [screams]
- Okay, that hand.
Good. - Step right here.
- [sighs]
- There you go. - Okay.
All right, one second. Sit tight.
- I got you. Come on.
- [groans]
- Pull this up. Good?
- [grunts] Okay.
Ah.
Oh, all right. - [whimpering]
- Okay.
Got that? Okay.
Turn you over.
All right. Coming up.
- Okay.
Watch it. - Yeah.
- [whimpers]
- All right, all right. Medic!
- Yeah. Coming through.
- She's got a laceration on her left arm.
Keep the pressure on it.
All right, Truck, I'm goin' up top to help out Squad.
- Yep. - I'm gonna grab a stair chair.
- Copy. - Thank you.
All right.
[saw buzzing] - [screaming]
♪
- Move back.
♪
- All right. Get that.
- [sighing] - Hang on, hang on, we got you.
- [panting] - Okay, that's it.
We got you, we got you.
- [screams] - Hang in there.
- Watch her legs, watch her legs.
- [screaming]
- Easy.
- It's okay, ma'am. We'll get you to Med.
♪
- [exhales heavily]
Hope I wasn't too pushy.
- No.
It's fun taking orders from you.
♪
- Okay, Truck, back it up.
♪
- That was some smooth operating
out there, Lieutenant.
- That was a great team effort.
- But you took command like a natural.
- Thanks, guys.
Hey.
Any update on your status?
- Nah. No change.
- [sighs]
- Hey, I heard the guys coming in.
It sounds like you kicked ass out there.
- Thanks, Pelham.
Hey, and just so you know,
I am not gunnin' for your spot.
- [chuckles] - It's rightfully yours.
- I don't know about that.
Even when I was interim here,
I heard the way everyone at 51 talked about you.
Respected you.
It was intimidating,
knowing how much they wanted you back here
so you could take over on Truck.
[sighs]
Look, forget what led to the spot opening up again.
You have already more than earned the right to fill it.
- [sighs]
♪
Thanks.
- Well, the gala is officers only this year.
- I forgot all about the CFD gala.
- First year since COVID,
and they cut out the working stiffs and the regular Joes.
Have to keep the numbers down because of restrictions.
- You seem upset.
- Let's just say I do not like elitism.
- You know what they did in "Footloose"
when the parents cancelled the prom?
- Whoa, what's "Footloose?"
- They held their own prom.
- Ooh, are you talking about an alt gala?
You know, something younger, cooler,
no suits required? 'Cause I could get behind that.
- Oh, honestly, I am loving this idea.
- Okay, everyone, take a seat.
- Herrmann, we're startin' back up.
- Yeah.
- You would not believe how much of my day
has been taken up by this gala.
I can give you two minutes, Chief.
- Thank you.
Do you mind if we--
- I'm not interested in relitigating
the Pelham investigation, if that's why you're here.
- No, no.
I'm here to suggest a different investigation...
into Chief Kilbourne.
I have strong reason to suspect
that Kilbourne is behind the allegations
against Jason Pelham,
that he exerted undue influence onto the injured firefighter
who made the accusations.
- You ever get that sinking feeling
when someone starts his sentence with
"You know I love you, but?"
Well, Chief, you know I love you, but...
you're not doing yourself any favors here.
- Hmm.
- Since your promotion, you've strong-armed me
into moving your headquarters.
And you've resuscitated the flagging career
of a lieutenant who's since gotten a firefighter injured
through negligence. - Allegedly.
- And now you want me to launch a witch hunt
against a deputy district chief.
- I am just asking you to look into it.
Talk with this young woman. Establish a timeline of when--
- It's over for Pelham, Chief.
♪
.
- Her position could not have been more final.
Jason Pelham is a lost cause, as far as she's concerned.
- Look, I don't know Sara McBride that well,
but I could certainly go back
and try to talk some sense into her.
- Yeah, but Deputy Commissioner won't go up against Kilbourne.
What are the chances you can convince McBride
to turn on him?
- Kilbourne wields too much influence within the CFD.
- Maybe we need someone who isn't in the CFD anymore.
Someone who's got nothing to lose.
The--the officer Pelham decked. What's his name?
- What, Captain Stafford?
- Yes, didn't you say
that he was upset about how Pelham's career got stalled?
So maybe he'd like a chance to make amends.
[dramatic music]
♪
- And we just blast word
that all non-officers in our district are invited?
- Yep!
- Mouch said we could have Molly's Patio for free.
- 'Cause Herrmann is gonna be at the gala.
- Exactly, and check it out:
he said if we file a permit with the city,
we can get a live band.
- Did you say live band?
- Um-- - Look.
These kids down the street from me--they play in their garage.
They aren't half bad.
I could probably talk them into taking the gig.
- What kind of music? - What do you like?
- Glass Animals, Inhaler, Twenty One Pilots...
- Yep, they do all that. I'll hook it up.
- Um...
I'm gonna, um, go figure out what that's all about.
- We might need an alt-alt party.
- Yes.
- Hey.
You a firefighter?
- Oh, uh, I'm not.
But my brother was.
His name was John Graham.
- I knew John.
[gentle music]
The Whitman fire.
A sad day for all of us at the CFD.
♪
Your brother was a real hero.
- He was mine. That's for sure.
- So you visiting from out of town?
- Oh, no, I live here, no.
Come by once a month, and uh,
spend a day or two with him.
- That's nice. - Yeah.
Two years before that fire, I was stationed overseas.
Motorpool in Germany.
[sighs] You know how time goes by
when you think you have all of it in the world?
- I do.
- It was like that.
I-I mean, the last thing on my mind
is that I'd never see my brother again.
♪
Anyways... [clears throat]
He loved thriller novels.
Used to rip right through them before he'd pass them on to me.
So I, um, I come here.
I read a book all the way through.
It makes me feel like he's sitting right here next to me.
- I'm Christopher.
- Todd.
- Glad to know you, Todd.
- You too.
- Um, I gotta get back to this training session.
Can I get you a cup of coffee or something?
- No, I'm--I'm good. Thank you.
♪
[drawer clicks shut]
[indistinct chatter] - [laughs]
Fair enough.
- Chief Boden.
- Kilbourne.
What's all this?
- We're just touring some of the firehouses.
Doin' a quick assessment of the resource distribution.
- Hope you don't mind a surprise visit.
We won't be in your hair long.
- Not a problem.
- You have time to give us a quick walk-through?
- Of course.
Why don't we start in the bunk room
and then we'll work our way south?
Kilbourne, what the hell is all this?
- Like the man said.
A routine assessment of resource distribution.
- Don't take me for a fool.
- Chief, you gotta believe me
when I say I got nothing against you.
What's past is past.
Why don't we try a fresh start?
Me and you.
We're on the same team.
♪
.
[indistinct chatter]
- Stella Kidd?
- Yes, sir.
- Chief Kilbourne. Don Kilbourne.
Heard a lot about you.
- You have?
- Sure. In fact, just today,
I heard you really handled yourself with
that grizzly escalator incident.
- Oh.
Well, 51 has a great team.
- Keep up the good work.
I got my eye on you.
- Is that Kilbourne?
- Oh, yeah. What is he doing here?
- Attempting to assert his dominance.
- I do not like that at all.
- You heard back from Stafford yet?
- A few minutes ago.
I had to let it go to voicemail.
- You better call him back. He's our last hope.
- Yeah.
♪
- Okay, I've got a hookup at a club called Clover.
It's right down the street from Molly's.
I think they'll give us the back room.
- Sweet.
- And we just spread the word
only to the young firefighters group.
- Exactly. We'll keep it all chill
until we can break away, and go to the--
- Are you planning an alt-alt party?
- What? - No.
[overlapping protests]
- The alt party is gonna be so much fun.
I'm lining up a pizza oven.
- Brett! Archie says live band is a go!
- You can't ghost the alt party!
- Thanks for coming, Stafford.
Buy you a coffee?
- No, I'm good.
So what's this all about?
- Our friend, Jason Pelham.
You hear about his latest troubles?
They gave him his walking papers.
- You're kidding.
- Young firefighter got hurt on a call.
She's blaming him for it.
So I understand you're pretty close with Chief Kilbourne.
- I haven't really kept up with anyone from the CFD,
but yeah. Me and him were tight once.
He was there when both my sons were born.
Why?
- I believe he pressured this young woman
into fabricating this story.
Does that sound like something he'd be capable of?
- Yes.
In fact, it's kind of his patented move.
- Would you be willing to tell that
to Deputy Commissioner Hill?
- Wow.
It's kind of a big ask, Chief.
- I know.
But as I recall, you owe Jason Pelham a big favor.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Admit it. [laughs]
You're loving being in the catbird seat.
- It's fun. Yeah.
- Feels right, doesn't it?
- Yeah, it feels right.
- You belong there, Stella.
- [sighs]
When I was talking to Pelham about the lieutenant's spot,
he was so supportive of me.
Even with all the hell that he's going through?
You know, you were right.
He's a great guy.
- He's catching a bad break.
- Yeah.
I can't help but think about how
you've always been at my side.
Boden pullin' for me.
In fact, everyone at 51.
Meanwhile, Pelham's been making his way solo
for the last few years.
Nobody doin' that for him. Not even if he deserved it.
[alarm blares]
- Squad 3, Ambulance 61. Person injured.
22511 South Troy.
♪
[sirens wailing]
♪
- It's my husband, Jeff!
He was getting down from the truck.
- Oh, honey. - They're here, they're here.
It's okay. - [groaning]
The ring. I-I jumped down.
I got caught on the truck.
♪
.
- We're gonna have to get this ring off.
- Yeah, and fast,
or circulation goes all together.
- Ring cutter kit? - Yeah.
- No, no. You--you can't cut the ring!
I--uh, the-there's got to be a way to slide it off.
- Sliding it would cause further degloving,
and you could risk losing your finger.
- Are you crazy?
Let them cut the ring!
- It's not just a ring, Deb!
It's the symbol of the last 30 years...
of me being the luckiest guy in Chicago.
- Aw.
Cut the damn ring off now.
[dramatic music]
- All right, we're gonna give you some pain medication, Jeff.
Just hang in there.
- Okay.
- [exhales deeply]
♪
- Hey Jeff, hold still. - Oh, yeah, yeah.
[grunting]
Oh, God. [groans]
[panting] Oh, God.
♪
[groans] Ow!
Ah! Ow, ow, ah!
- Oh, thank God!
- I-I want the ring even if it's in pieces.
Oh.
- Thank you so much.
- Deb, you can ride with us in the ambulance.
- Oh, thanks. But I've gotta feed Taj,
our cat, and finish an email to my niece.
I'll see you at the hospital in an hour or so.
Okay, honey?
- Huh, yeah, okay. See you there.
♪
- Hey, what'd he say?
- Come on in. I was just telling Kidd.
Stafford confirmed it.
Kilbourne has done this kind of thing before.
The problem now is getting Stafford in front of D.C. Hill.
And I have...
worn out my welcome. [sighs]
- If only somebody here had a close, personal relationship
with the deputy commissioner.
- I would be more than happy to cash in my chit
if you think it will help.
- I think it's our only option.
- Yeah.
[line trilling]
All right.
- Deputy Commissioner Hill's office.
- Yes, hi.
I know the deputy commissioner is a very busy woman,
but could she spare just 30 seconds to talk to Stella Kidd?
- Please hold a moment.
Ms. Kidd? - Yes, hi!
- D.C. Hill says she's done talking about Jason Pelham
with you or anyone else.
Thanks for calling. - Okay, but hold on.
Wait, wait, uh-- [phone clicks]
Oh, nobody hangs up on Stella Kidd.
- I'm not an expert on etiquette,
but how long do we have to be at the alt party
before we can duck out, and go to the alt-alt party?
- Twenty minutes.
Yeah, long enough for Brett to see us, buy her a drink,
tell her how raging her party is, and then...
[clicks tongue] Ghost world.
- [laughs] Damn.
- Hey, stick with me, kid.
- Hey, um, bad news.
I can't go to the alt party or the alt-alt party.
- Why not?
- I got invited to the actual gala.
The, um, award I got a couple weeks ago--
they're honoring me and like five other recipients
at the event.
The email said my attendance is mandatory.
- Well, that's great, I guess. The honor, I mean.
- Yeah, but I'd much rather alt party with you two.
- Oh, why don't you hit the gala, get kudos, whatever,
and then meet us at Clover's?
I'm sure we're gonna go late. - Yeah.
- That's an excellent idea.
- Hmm.
- Gallo.
I need you in the briefing room.
Where's Mouch? - Where do you think?
- Mouch. Briefing room.
[somber music]
♪
- What's going on, Kidd?
- This is an emergency meeting of Truck 81.
So sit down. Listen up.
- This about Lieutenant Pelham? - Yep.
One of our own is being railroaded.
And the brass won't even hear the evidence.
They are letting bureaucracy and status quo
get in the way of what's right.
- So messed up. - It is.
Which is why we're gonna make them listen.
All right? We're gonna take a stand.
Right after shift, we are going down to headquarters
as a show of force.
- Bold gesture. I love it.
- No, I am not talking about a gesture.
I'm talking about real action to help Pelham.
It's the same that we'd do for him
if the roof came down, and his PASS alarm went off.
It's the same that--that he would do for any of us.
I'm talking about putting it all on the line.
So think hard
before you tell me are you in or you out.
♪
- I'm in. - Me too. Absolutely.
♪
- All right.
- I told Mom I needed the car for tomorrow night.
- She didn't check with me, and I'm already using it.
- You're such an ass-wipe about literally everything.
Just taking up my space, when you should have your own car,
and your own apartment somewhere else.
- Hey!
Do you know how lucky you are to have each other,
and how stupid you're acting?
- Dad, he doesn't even--
- No, no, no! Shut up and listen.
I met a guy today who lost his brother 12 years ago.
And do you know what he does?
He sits up at the fire academy
next to his brother's bronze boots
every month and reads a book,
just so he can feel close to him.
♪
And I gotta come home, and listen to my two kids
sound like absolute jerks to each other.
And it makes me sick to my stomach!
♪
God, you heard all that?
♪
Maybe it wasn't the best way to handle it,
and, yes.
I might be the worst father ever.
♪
- Mouch, Gallo. Hurry it up.
- Psst, Stella. Hey.
You sure about this?
I mean, I gotta ask.
Is now a good time to paint a target on your back,
right when you're moving up the ladder?
- What is the point of taking a stand if you only do it
when it's safe and convenient?
- [laughs]
I pity anyone who makes the mistake of getting in your way.
Go get 'em.
- Truck 81. Let's move out.
[dramatic music]
♪
[elevator dings]
♪
Deputy Commissioner.
- What's going on here?
- Lieutenant Jason Pelham won't be needing this anymore.
So we thought you should have it.
And if you're taking his, you should take mine too.
Because I can't work here with a clear conscience
knowing that this is how a hero,
a part of my family, is treated.
- Kidd-- - You can have mine too.
- And mine.
♪
- What is it you want, Kidd?
- Five minutes of your time.
♪
- This is Will Stafford, retired captain of the CFD.
You're gonna want to hear what he has to say.
- [sighs]
♪
.
- Hey, Sara.
Can we come in?
- How's the shoulder?
- Getting much better, thanks.
But that's not why you're here.
- No.
- Sara...
you are looking at two women
who have worked our way up through the CFD ranks.
In D.C. Hill's case, all the way to the top.
So we know all the challenges and double standards
that come at female firefighters.
It's one of the reasons I started Girls on Fire.
- It can feel like the deck is always stacked against you.
Make you scared to stick your neck out.
But we had to decide early in our careers
what kind of firefighter we were going to be.
That's where you are now.
Are you going to be a woman of principle,
willing to fight some tough battles
to prove your strength and your worth?
Or are you going to keep your head down,
avoid conflict, and let yourself get pushed around?
Because once you go down that road, there's no going back.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Dad?
I just--um, we wanted to say that
we get on each other's nerves, but we do love each other.
- It's true.
He takes up too much space,
but I might actually miss him when he moves out--
if he ever does.
- That guy at the academy...
he made a real impression on you.
- Yeah, he did.
- Then we'd like to meet him.
- You think he's still there?
- Maybe we could all go.
♪
- Go grab your jackets.
♪
Hey, you sure you don't want to go to the gala?
- I'm sure.
You know what?
You might actually be the best father ever.
♪
[indistinct chatter]
- You guys having fun?
Everyone having fun? - Yeah.
- Nobody's thinking about leaving, right?
[laughs nervously] Don't leave.
Seriously, don't leave. - Uh-uh, no.
[microphone feedback]
- Hey, how y'all doin' tonight?
- Whoo!
[indistinct chatter]
- We're Jackson Doesn't Like Bananas,
and we're ready to rock!
[rock music]
♪
- ♪ You said "You're fake," and I said, "No way!" ♪
♪ You can't make me stay
♪ You said, "It's late," and I said, "No way!" ♪
♪ You can't make me stay
♪ Not going there instead, not going there instead. ♪
♪ You can't make me stay.
- Yo, you wanna stay?
- Uh, yeah, I'm not missing this.
- Yeah, I'll text Vi, and tell her we're here.
- ♪ You can't make me stay
♪
[cheers and applause]
[quiet jazz music]
[indistinct chatter]
- Mikami!
Come drink with us.
- This looks like a good spot.
- Yeah. - Can he see us?
- He can see us. - Hmm.
- Here he comes.
- See? Good spot.
- Boden?
- Chief Kilbourne.
I don't think you've met my lieutenant, Kelly Severide.
- What's this garbage I'm hearing
about your firefighters making a scene at headquarters?
- I think maybe we oughtta step out into the hallway, Chief.
- Anything you have to say to me, you can say right here.
- Trust me,
you want this conversation to happen in private.
[dramatic music]
- [scoffs] Okay.
♪
Gloria? What are you doing out here?
What is all this?
- Sara McBride rescinded her statement.
- Who?
- Don't get cute with me, Chief.
She now says it wasn't Lieutenant Pelham's fault.
- Okay?
Why are we interrupting a party to have this conversation?
- Because I'm placing you on administrative leave,
effective immediately,
pending an investigation into McBride's fraudulent statement,
and several other similar cases
that have recently come to light.
- This is...
I don't-- - We'll leave you both to it.
- Thank you, Chief.
All of you.
Enjoy the party.
- Oh, we will.
♪
Hey, why--why are we coming out here?
It's--it's freezing. [both laugh]
Look!
Ugh, thank you.
Mm.
- I was blown away by what you did for Pelham.
It was brave and beautiful and strong...
- Yeah? - And...
despite what some other guy said yesterday,
I am actually the luckiest man in Chicago.
[warm romantic music]
♪
- Oh. [chuckles]
Hi. - Hi.
- Yeah.
- You look great.
- So do you.
♪
[inaudible speech]
♪
[buzzer rings]
- Think you have the wrong address for the gala.
- No.
This is where the party's at.
'Cause Boden wants you
to report for duty at Firehouse 51 next shift.
♪
Kilbourne's out.
You're in.
- Uh...
how?
- You're a part of 51, Pelham.
We got your back.
- [exhales]
♪
[dramatic music]
♪
[wolf howls]