How Otis’ Death Affected One ‘Chicago Fire’ Couple

Meredith Jacobs October 24, 2019, 11:00 am

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 8, Episode 5 of Chicago Fire, “Buckle Up.”]

Otis’ death left its mark on the firehouse, firefighters, and their relationships, including his own, as his best friend Cruz (Joe Minoso) learns in the latest Chicago Fire.

As he revealed in the One Chicago crossover, Cruz was planning to propose to his girlfriend, Chloe (Kristen Gutoskie), only for her to hit the brakes on their relationship before he could. “I’m having second thoughts … about us,” she told him. “We rushed into this, into everything. I just think we need to take some time to think about it.”

And in “Buckle Up,” Cruz is at a loss as to what happened. (Mouch is right when he tells Brett, “Chloe’s head over heels. You’ve seen the way she looks at him.”) Cruz tries to keep the breakup to himself, but he eventually admits what happened to Brett (Kara Killmer). “It’s like she knew I was going to propose,” he says, suggesting, “Maybe that’s what made her realize I’m not the one.”

But that couldn’t be further from the truth, as Brett finds out when she has coffee with his ex-girlfriend (who’s been avoiding spin class). “You know that Snapchat filter with all the floating hearts? That’s what I saw when I first met Joe. That smile. He was my hero, literally the man of my dreams,” Chloe explains. “But the thing is, I can’t be with a firefighter. I can’t handle wondering everyday if I’m going to see him at home or at the hospital.”

'Chicago Fire': Can 51's Newest Firefighter Blake Gallo Honor Otis? (POLL)

Chloe has been spending time with Otis’ girlfriend, Lily, helping her plan his wake and put together a memory book for their relationship. “What she’s been through, I’m not strong enough,” she admits. Brett acknowledges that the job is risky and accidents do happen, “but what doesn’t happen to everyone is finding a guy who makes you see floating hearts. Joe is one in a billion. Crazy would be letting him go.”

Her words seem to work, as Chloe goes to Cruz at the end of the episode and assures him he didn’t do anything wrong, other than save her from a burning building and a car wreck. “I panicked because what if you get into trouble and I can’t save you?” Chloe reveals. And while she’ll always worry, she’s found something that calms her: baking, specifically cake pops reading, “Ask Me.” He does just that, getting down on one knee and proposing — and she says yes!

We missed his smile. ❤️

Everybody say CONGRATULATIONS CRUZ AND CHLOE! #ChicagoFire pic.twitter.com/rp6O7EsVZ1

— Chicago Fire (@NBCChicagoFire) October 24, 2019

So we can breathe a sigh of relief for that relationship, especially since Minoso previously told TV Insider “it’s all that’s left in his life, so he’s going to try to do everything he can to hold onto that because he values it with everything.”

Let’s just hope that Chloe never has to visit Cruz at the hospital. Fortunately for her, since 51 just lost someone for the first time in a long time — and there’s so much to do with Cruz in the aftermath of Otis’ death — it’s unlikely she’ll lose him anytime soon to the job.