Spoilers ahead for Episode 16 of Chicago Fire Season 10, called "Hot and Fast."
Chicago Fire delivered a big Cruz episode with "Hot and Fast," as the longtime firefighter formed a possibly ill-advised bond with a young boy who nearly died due to a fire. He was dismayed to get the news that young Javi – who came from Honduras and spoke little English – had been staying in temporary housing, and he had nowhere good to go after the fire. Cruz being Cruz, he talked to Chloe and made a decision that had me flashing back to a memorable plot involving Dawson and Casey back in the Dawsey days of Chicago Fire.
There are definitely some similar elements, so let's look back at what happened with Dawson and Casey, what happened in "Hot and Fast" for Cruz, and why fans should probably hope that the story with Javi ends differently.
What Happened With Dawson And Casey
Dawson became attached to an adorable little boy by the name of Louie after saving his life in Season 4, and decided that she wanted to become his foster mom after his previous foster mom was unable to continue caring for him. It was an uphill battle, and the Dawsey relationship wasn't always on the most solid ground, but Casey was all-in on being Louie's foster dad before too long. They even got married to help their case in keeping him permanently.
It was all very heartwarming... until Louie's biological dad entered the picture and wanted to take back his son. Dawson and Casey originally intended to fight for Louie, but came to the conclusion that what would be best for him would be to return to his bio family in Season 5. And as Fire fans know, Monica Raymund left at the end of the next season, and has only since returned as a guest star.
What Happened With Cruz And Chloe
Cruz initially bonded with young Javi since he was the firefighter who quite literally caught the boy when he fell from the side of the building trying to escape the fire, and the bond grew when Cruz was able to communicate with him in Spanish. Javi's situation tugged on Cruz's heartstrings so much that he went to his wife with the idea of taking him in, despite the fact that baby Otis (of course named for the dearly departed firefighter) is still young enough that his parents routinely have to get out of bed at night to calm him.
But Chloe rose to the occasion pretty magnificently and agreed to open their home to the little boy, who she hadn't even met. She's not exactly fluent in Spanish, but she tried to speak with him in his own language and make him comfortable. The couple even let Javi share baby Otis' room with him, which led to the lovely scene at the end of the episode of Cruz and Chloe listening to Javi sing a lullaby in Spanish to their son.
Why Cruz/Chloe's Situation Should End Differently Than Dawsey's
There are obviously big differences between Dawson and Casey's situation with Louie and Cruz and Chloe's situation with Javi, even though the stories started similarly. Cruz and Chloe at this point aren't intending to keep Javi forever, and they have an infant of their own to take care of. They don't both work the same dangerous job, and are clearly on very solid ground in their relationship.
I'm hoping that this all means that there's no heartbreak that comes from the Javi storyline. Dawson and Casey giving up Louie was arguably one of the most emotional stories in the earlier half of the series, and it's possible that the Dawsey story would have gone very differently if they'd been able to keep their child. (And, of course, if Monica Raymund hadn't decided to leave the show.)
While I'm at it, I also hope that Cruz and Chloe taking in Javi won't even have a fraction of the danger and drama of Burgess taking in young Makayla over on Chicago P.D., which has already involved murder and kidnapping. My fingers are crossed that the story goes as well and as happily as any story can in One Chicago.
It's possible that it will get a fair amount of focus, as Fire had to make some adjustments earlier in Season 10 to compensate for the absence of Casey, and now Brett is gone as well, although that may be temporary. With fewer major characters in the mix, perhaps this will be a major arc for Cruz. Unfortunately, Chicago Fire won't return to NBC with a new episode until Wednesday, April 6 at 9 p.m. ET, so fans can only speculate for a few weeks. If you want to revisit the Louie storyline for Dawson and Casey, you can find the full series streaming with a Peacock subscription.
