‘Chicago Fire’: Are Casey & Brett Working Their Way (Back) Together? (RECAP)

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 9, Episode 6 of Chicago Fire, “Blow This Up Somehow.”]

Might there be hope for firefighter Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) and paramedic Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) even though she put a stop to things as soon as they kissed for the first time?

The February 10 episode of Chicago Fire may not begin in such a way that you would think that’s possible, but that changes by the end of it. And hey, even if things don’t exactly work out for the two, at least things are looking up for the 51 romance that’s been on shaky ground between firefighters Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney).

A Romance That’s Over as Quickly as It Began?

Casey certainly hit it off with Sidney, the woman he saved during a call — to Severide’s surprise, she stayed the night. But once at work that day, Casey and Brett share a moment (albeit one that’s not as charged as previous ones). “I know I asked for space,” she tells him after small talk about the coffee. “You’ve been really great about that. But it’s been a while and it’s nice just to talk again.”

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But later, Sidney stops by the firehouse to make plans with Casey, and Brett runs right between them on her way to Ambulance 61. (Chicago Fire‘s not even trying to be subtle.) It’s awkward, of course, and Sidney notices.

So while they do go out and she invites him up, he steps back after kissing her on her doorstep — and she knows why. “Something to do with the paramedic, maybe? Sylvie?” Sidney asks. “It’s kind of impossible not to notice the way you look at her.” Casey doesn’t deny it, but he does say, “I really wish I was in the right place for this now,” and promises not to lose her number.

That relationship’s over pretty much as soon as it began and we could very well see Casey trying to win over Brett. After all, he does tell Severide, “It’s been rough trying to get past what happened with Sylvie and it turns out, being with anyone else just makes it worse.” That’s a pretty good indication of where his head is at the moment.

(Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC)

However, the paramedic may be moving on herself. She just wants him to be happy, she tells her partner on 61, Mackey (Adriyan Rae), who suggests she “get out and have some fun on [her] own.” And Brett did meet a firefighter from another house at the same time Casey met Sidney ….

Severide, Stop Being an Idiot

Severide’s been pulling away from Stella as she prepares for the Lieutenant’s exam because he doesn’t want the higher-ups to attribute any of her success to their relationship … but he hasn’t shared any of this with her. So she’s been staying at Brett’s and wondering if maybe he hasn’t changed. “What if everything I thought we had together was wrong?” Stella worries.

It gets worse: Severide explains his reasoning to Casey as both bemoan their screwed-up love lives and says they’ll “patch it up” — after she takes the test. (Yes, he’s planning to just sit back and do nothing. Oh, Severide.) Casey calls that a “high-risk gamble,” which is quite the understatement.

(Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC)

Meanwhile, Stella begins questioning if she should maybe put off taking the text to next year. But waiting’s risky, Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) tells her, because tests are only scheduled when there are openings. It’s when Severide hears about this that he finally acts and talks to Stella.

“I thought that [being MIA is] what’s best for you,” he admits. “You earned every part of this yourself. Everybody should know that.” But she doesn’t care what other people are saying about her.

“I didn’t become a firefighter as a white guy with my father at the top of the chain,” she reminds him. “I came up alone, fighting every step of the way with people looking down at me and doing whatever they could to shake my confidence. I have a built-in armor that you will never understand. No one like Conway is going to knock me down.”

She didn’t need his help, she continues, but for him to tell her, “You got this, Stella Kidd.” And that’s exactly what he does: “This attitude of yours is exactly why I know you’ve got this, Stella Kidd. And it’s why I know how badly I screwed up. And it’s why I’m never going to let you go away from me again.”

(Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC)

She won’t, either, and it certainly seems like a proposal could be in their future, right? It may only be a question of whether or not Stella will beat him to it (or have to drop plenty of hints).

Chicago Fire, Wednesdays, 9/8c, NBC