Needing a replacement for Damon, Stella contacts her first choice, Kylie, who surprises her by turning down the position. She explains that she will never be able to escape Stella’s shadow if she joins Truck. Chief Pascal is not happy to learn that Stella has requested another replacement for the next shift and asks her to choose one, ending the constant turnover.
Herrmann witnesses the tense exchange and comes up with an idea, which he presented to Stella at Molly’s: Ritter will transfer to Truck, where he wanted to go since he temporarily replaced Mouch. As for Engine, Herrmann agrees to lose Ritter because he has the perfect replacement in mind: Kylie! And this time, she’s in!
Elsewhere in the episode, Violet performs a cesarean section on a patient on the scene, which is beyond the capabilities of a paramedic. As a result, her medical license is suspended and she is placed on administrative duty at the age of 51. She spares Novak’s career, insisting that she acted alone. Chief Pascal suggests that she find someone in the medical field to advocate for her before the medical board, so Violet visits Goodwin at Med. Unfortunately, Goodwin points out that the board is made up of doctors who will not side with a paramedic performing the duties of a doctor. She doesn’t think she can be of any help to Violet and instead suggests that she find someone with real political power.
After Violet relays this terrifying information to Pascal, he goes to Lieutenant Vale and apologizes to him. Vale realizes that Pascal just wants something from him, but whatever he says must be good because Vale shows up with his friend, a board member, to Violet’s hearing. Perhaps more surprising, however, is that Chief of Health Robinson actually sides with Violet, telling her that, morally and ethically, she did the right thing by saving the baby’s life.
With the mayor threatening to reveal the names of every doctor on the board and the baby’s family to voters at the hearing, that’s enough to reinstate Violet’s license. In response, Novak tells Pascal that he’s awesome and that by saving Violet’s job, he’s saved a lot of lives. Meanwhile, a relieved Violet apologizes to Carver for blowing up at Tori earlier when she asked what the worst thing they’ve seen on the job was. They shake hands and agree to be friends, and Violet tells Carver that he deserves to be happy.
Another surprising thing to note: Severide and Damon’s conflict ends in reconciliation, not revenge on Damon’s part. Severide puts in a good word for Damon at his new fire station, leaving Damon wondering why he would do that after everything that happened. Severide takes Damon to see Benny’s medal of valor and tells him that Benny was a great firefighter despite losing everything else in his life. Severide used to be the same way, but he’s not going anywhere.
