As the heart of Chicago Fire, fans have watched Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) navigate high-speed rescue missions, leap from burning buildings, and extinguish fiery inferno explosions. However, Chicago Fire’s sizzling romances remain NBC’s signature that keep viewers breathless.
How to Watch Watch the Chicago Fire Season 13 premiere on Wednesday, September 25 at 9/8c on NBC.
In the early days of Chicago Fire, Severide was a true ladies’ man in the fire department. His penchant for going shirtless and his good looks only amplified his womanizing status, and one of the first women the Chi-Hards watched Severide fall in love with was Meghann Fahy’s Nicki Rutkowski in 2012. Their romance was just a fleeting spark in Severide’s long dating history. Today, Severide is happily married to Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) as the power couple of Firehouse 51. However, in Season 1, when Severide was single and desperate to fit in, Nicki was one of his first loves, but their passionate relationship wasn’t quite what it seemed.
RELATED ARTICLE: Kelly Severide’s Most Memorable Romantic Moments on Chicago Fire What happened to Nicki Rutkowski on Chicago Fire? Where did she go? Let’s take a look back at Severide’s brief encounter with Fahy’s Chicago Fire character.
When did Meghann Fahy’s Chicago Fire character Nicki Rutkowski first appear?
Chicago Fire fans first met Nicki in Season 1, Episode 2 (“Mon Amour”) when she joined Firehouse 51 as a payroll clerk. Former Chief Wallace Boden (Eammon Walker) introduced her to the team, informing them that he and Nicki’s father, a Battalion Chief in the CFD, were good friends and had worked closely together. Nicki’s striking looks did not go unnoticed by the firefighters nor by Boden, who warned the team to treat Nicki as their sister — he didn’t want anything funny.
Nicki Rutkowski and Kelly Severide had a brief romance at Chicago Fire Boden was careful not to stop Nicki from developing her own attraction at the police station, and she soon set her sights on Severide. When the pair attended a CFD barbecue, Nicki made a passionate eye contact with Severide, flirting with him as he served beers. Severide quickly caught on to what Nicki was saying but, surrounded by their 51 friends, shrugged off her advances.
After forgetting a jacket at an event, Nicki stops by Severide’s apartment to return it. There, she begins flirting with him in an attempt to get invited inside. Severide reminds her of Boden’s warning.
“Do you always do what the Chief says?” Nicki asks him.
Severide stands his ground, but Nicki explains that he’ll know where to find her if he changes his mind.
RELATED ARTICLE: Who is Kelly Severide’s wife on Chicago Fire? Revisiting the epic love story Stellaride In Season 1, Episode 3 (“Professional Courtesy”), Nicki asks Severide if he’d like to join her at a concert with some friends. Taking her cue, Severide flirtatiously explains to her that he’s not known for holding back when he’s at the fire station, so Nicki will be the one to respect Boden’s wishes. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
Nicki accepts that half-hearted request and quickly throws it into the fire because Severide caves. Later that same shift, Severide and Nicki start making out in a locker before realizing Boden and Nicki’s dad are visiting her. They try to hide their embarrassment, but Nicki’s dad smells nonsense.
Why did Meghann Fahy’s character Nicki Rutkowski on Chicago Fire leave Fire Station 51?
Later, at home, Severide gets a surprise visit from Nicki’s dad, who has news for 51 fans: Nicki is engaged. Realizing this really puts the fire out of Severide and Nicki. In Season 1, Episode 4 (“One Minute”), after Nicki shows up at his apartment to make a scene, Severide stops her and hands her a beer. After telling Nicki that he was also engaged, she looks like a deer in headlights. Caught, Nicki panics and flees the apartment.
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The next day at work, Boden announces that Nicki has quit her job at age 51—apparently she broke off her engagement and went to Europe for a while. Severide listens and knows the whole story, but isn’t worried about revealing the damning details to Boden. Severide keeps moving forward and moving forward.
