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The episode opens with Connor's wake which, as expected, is not exactly a barrel of laughs, featuring: Tommy's suicidal thoughts, Maggie urging Tommy to drink, Mike and Garrity trying to convince Katie that God still exists, and Sheila screaming at Janet that Tommy is a good man who needs his wife. Janet takes the remaining kids and goes to a hotel, leaving Tommy alone. After a lot of agonizing, Chief puts Jeannie in a home for Alzheimer's patients so that she can get twenty-four-hour care. Dani tells Lou that she's free of F-Bomb, but that she has to leave town for a few days, and they make a date to celebrate when she returns. When Lou shows up for his date, he finds the cops taking a statement from some other guy who got suckered by Dani, too. I was really hoping that storyline was going to surprise us all in the end, but it's exactly as we thought. Poor Lou. Laura makes a nonsensical speech to Franco about how she's just a girl or some other Gwen Stefani shit. Franco and Tommy make daring rescues in a fire, even though Laura volunteers to help out and Lou turns her down because she's a girl. Laura then transfers out of the house without any notice, and the lady taking over her apartment won't tell Franco where Laura went, despite his begging and sobbing. Garrity starts to have religious doubts, and prays in church for a sign, after which he sees a statue of the Virgin Mary crying. But when he and Mike return for a repeat viewing, they discover the water was just from a custodian watering some flowers above the statue. Tommy goes to a meeting and finally gives his real name and occupation, and then goes off to drink. Johnny shows up and says that they found Joss Whedon (the guy who killed Connor). Johnny knows when Joss will be returning to New York, and explains that Joss is a repeat offender with powerful friends who will probably get him a reduced sentence yet again. That's enough to get Tommy to stop drinking for the time being, so that he can take care of business. Sheila calls Tommy while Debbie is in the middle of an attack. Tommy heads over to help Sheila, and gets punched in the face three times by Debbie, which somehow breaks through his numbness and causes him to start sobbing. Tommy figures out that Mick has been the one reporting about him to Grinch, and confronts his cousin. Mick throws it back in Tommy's face that, on some level, AA has helped him. Janet continues to blame Tommy for Connor's death, and she takes the girls and moves out. After Johnny tells Tommy exactly when and where Joss's train will arrive, Tommy, Teddy, and Pa all argue over who gets to kill the guy, and Teddy wins the lottery. As Tommy waits for Teddy to do the job, he has a chat with Jesus and realizes that murder isn't the best way to honor Connor's memory, but by the time Tommy runs into the train station, Teddy has already fired the gun. Tommy is left with blood on his hands, both literally and figuratively. Want more? The full recap starts right below!
And just as last week's episode ended on an incredibly depressing note, this week's starts with the wake or reception or whatever after Connor's funeral. Everyone is gathered at Tommy and Janet's apartment, sobbing and eating sandwiches. Tommy just sits there, numb. Janet is comforted by some people. Lou and Sheila (the latter sporting some serious bruises on her face) walk up to Tommy and offer to get him something, but to Tommy, they sound as if they're speaking through a long tunnel, and Tommy doesn't respond. Eventually, he just gets up and walks away from everyone and into the bathroom. I wonder if anyone said anything about the bruises and cuts on Sheila's face. I'm sure she made up a lie about them, but it would have been nice to have a throwaway line of her pointing to her face and telling Lou, "Gardening accident" or something.
Once in the bathroom, Tommy stares into the mirror for a minute, and then smashes his head into it, shattering the glass. He picks out an especially sharp, knife-like piece of mirror glass and slices open his wrist. Yikes. I couldn't even watch that part. He staggers backward, blood spurting from his wrist, and crashes through the shower door and into the tub. As he lies there bleeding to death, he hears someone calling him from the hallway.
So Tommy opens the door and walks out, because the segment was a dream sequence. Which I kind of figured, but you never know. Anyway, Tommy's sister Maggie is out in the hall, and she's brought him a drink. With lots of alcohol in it. It's not clear if she knows he's in AA or not, I don't think. Did he tell her last week? I don't remember him telling her. Maggie hands him the drink and says that it will take the pain away, and that everyone will understand. So I guess she does know that he quit drinking. Maggie suddenly starts sobbing on Tommy's shoulder, until Garrity and Mike walk by, at which point she notes that the gathering is "like a goddamn meat market." Those Gavins. Classy until the end. Maggie promises to check in with him later, and Tommy sets the drink down on a nearby shelf. As he walks away, Colleen picks up the drink, sniffs it, and starts downing it. That could be an interesting plot season -- Tommy dealing with Colleen's drinking, and being put in the position of telling her not to do something that he himself did for years.
Johnny, Mick, and Teddy discuss whether or not Connor was wearing a helmet. Johnny asks if Tommy is still going to meetings. Note that Tommy is sitting right behind them, but luckily they are in that magical TV no-audio zone and Tommy apparently can't hear them. Mick reports that Tommy missed a few meetings due to funeral obligations, and that he's still using fake names and avoiding admitting that he has a problem, but that he hasn't had a drink. Teddy wouldn't blame Tommy for drinking now.
Katie sits in her room, coloring. Garrity and Mike enter her room and ask how she's doing. Katie says sadly that she misses her brother. Garrity sits down and reminds Katie that she'll see her brother again in heaven. Garrity and Mike awkwardly try to think of something else to say. Mike comes up with a description of heaven has having "no pain," and that God makes the accident go away. Garrity asks if that's true, like Mike is some theological expert all of a sudden. Garrity reassures Katie that Connor is fine and that she'll see him again. Katie says coldly that there's no heaven, and when Garrity says there is, she asks him to prove it. Garrity and Mike are stumped, until Garrity urges her to have faith. Katie says that there's no heaven or God, and human beings made religion up due to fear. Katie concludes, "We're nothing. We come from dirt. We go back into the dirt." Mike just leaves the room, nothing to say. Garrity tries to continue the conversation, but Katie tells her to leave him alone. Garrity glances at the picture she's drawing -- some butterflies beneath a blue sky, a sharp contrast to the chilling words she just spoke, and leaves. Yikes. I can't say I've ever encountered a kindergarten atheist before.
Tommy's still sitting there, numb. Sheila sits to Janet on the couch. Oh, this is not going to turn out well. Sheila offers to be there to talk to Janet, since Sheila also knows what it's like to lose someone. Janet kind of looks like she wants to tell Sheila to fuck off, but knows it's not the time or place. Sheila presses ahead, and tells Janet that she can't blame Tommy for this, and that there's nothing he could have done. Janet tells Sheila that she doesn't know that, and suddenly the TV cone of silence is pierced and Tommy can hear their conversation. Sheila says that Tommy is hurting too, and Janet asks if this is any of her business. Sheila raises her voice and says that Tommy needs Sheila too. Janet yells for someone to get Sheila out of there, but when someone tries, Sheila shrieks at him to get off her. Sheila starts to leave, but stops to give a little speech about how Janet has a good man and she doesn't appreciate him, and never has. Everyone else in the room is like, "Awkward!" Sheila apologizes and walks out.
Time passes and people file out. Finally, it's only Tommy, Johnny, and Janet. Janet announces that she can't stay there, because she's reminded of Connor everywhere she looks. She says that she's taking the girls to a hotel, and walks out. Tommy continues to sit in the same chair, numb and unable to move. Wow. Remember when this show was funny and didn't make me want to bang my head against the wall?
Garrity and Mike are in the firehouse kitchen, telling Lou about their encounter with Katie, and how it was like something in a horror movie. Lou reminds them that she's a little girl dealing with a dead brother. Garrity and Mike aren't convinced that there's not something more to it. Grinch walks in and asks where Chief is, and Lou says that he's in the hospital dealing with his wife. Grinch asks what's wrong with her now, and Lou reports matter-of-factly that she tried to kill herself. I'm starting to think the firehouse is cursed. I'd put in for a transfer immediately. Grinch isn't even fazed by this news, and just says that Chief needs to show up for his shifts on time, and walks out. Also, what's up with Grinch's sideburns? Does he have a side gig as an extra on Deadwood? Or is he playing Murray in a movie remake of The Mary Tyler Moore Show? Oh, where have you gone, Gavin McLeod. Actually, I don't care. Lou muses that Grinch has a "heart of gold with a creamy center of pure shit."
Garrity says that he's still freaked out by the Katie thing. Lou asks if Garrity truly believes that there's a heaven where people with wings stand around on clouds. Garrity does, minus the wings part. Because that's what's implausible about the whole scenario. Lou points out that the cloud thing isn't too plausible either. Garrity says that each person has his or her own idea of heaven, and that in his heaven, there are clouds. Garrity weaves a tale of a place where there's a lot of downtime, and you can play videogames all day. But the best part in Garrity's heaven is that when you want something, like a Mountain Dew, you just think about it and the taste comes into your mouth and your thirst is quenched. Mike thinks that sounds awesome, and Lou just shakes his head.
Chief is checking Jeannie out of the hospital. The doctor asks if Chief will be able to stay home with his wife, and Chief says he has to work. The doctor asks if he can afford twenty-four-hour in-home care. Chief says he can't, so the doctor suggests moving Jeannie into an "extended-care facility." She tells Chief about one in Connecticut, run by a friend, that deals almost exclusively with Alzheimer's patients. Chief can't believe the doctor's suggesting that he move his wife into a home. The doctor asks if he'll consider it when Jeannie tries to commit suicide again, and then says, "I don't mean to be cruel." Chief replies, "No, you don't mean to be." Well, she doesn't, and he does need to do something about it. Can't he call Pete for moral support and to help him with this decision? Just in case you didn't make your healthcare decisions known to your family after the whole Terri Schiavo thing, this storyline should remind you to do it now. Even if you don't care, I can tell you that it's incredibly comforting to family to know what you would have wanted if you were capable of making the decision at the time. Okay, lecture over.
Lou presents the crew with a dinner of franks and beans. They've come a long way from Sully's gourmet meals. Lou carries a tray in to Tommy in the locker room. Tommy doesn't say a word as Lou presents the food, and then suggests that Tommy might want to put in an appearance at some point. Tommy sits there and silently smokes. Lou starts to leave, and then says that he used to think it would be great if Tommy would just shut up for a while, but it's not that great.
As Lou walks back, his phone rings. It's Dani, and she reports that F-Bomb let her out of her contract; she sounds giddy. Lou thinks they should celebrate, and offers to go out and buy a huge bottle of champagne. Dani's into the idea, but then realizes that she can't do it tonight, because her mother's sick and she needs to go to New Jersey for a few days. Dani promises that she'll be back on Friday. Lou says very sincerely that he feels like he's getting a second chance, which only makes it more sad when you realize that Dani is totally setting him up. Poor Lou.
Chief and Franco ride in the front of a truck and talk about Chief's situation. The scene is shot from behind them, so you only see the backs of their heads and a little bit of Chief's face in the rearview mirror. Chief says that the doctor wants him to drop Jeannie off in Connecticut and not see her for six weeks, so that Jeannie can adjust to her new surroundings. Franco thinks that sounds cold. Chief starts choking back sobs and says, "This goddamn disease, stealing my girl away." He can't speak for a moment, and Franco looks over at him. Chief says sadly, "Don't look at me, kid." That was fucking heartbreaking, and it was all done with the voice, since you couldn't see either man's face. Well done. I think both Franco and Chief are underutilized on this show.
Franco walks into an alley, where he finds Laura trying to find Mike's halligan. Franco asks cautiously if she's done any more thinking about their relationship, and Laura says that she has realized that she's an idiot. She explains that she wanted to be a firefighter from the time she was seven, but when she told her father, he said that she couldn't do it because she's a girl. And then her father proceeded to make fun of her about it at every family dinner party. And that kind of sounds cruel, but I can think of similar instances from my own family and other people's families; I think it's just realistic that sometimes family members seize on something to rib you about, not realizing how much it actually hurts your feelings. Laura says that her boyfriend also told her that she couldn't do it, and then the guys in the academy told her she didn't belong there. So she sucked it up and hid her tears and worked hard and became a firefighter. But then when she started doing the job, she started "banging a guy on [her] crew" and then fell in love with a guy on her crew. She claims that she made this idiot decision because she's a girl. Except, no, she made the idiot decision because she's an idiot. Sex has nothing to do with it. I mean, Franco made the same dumb decision, although in his case, it won't have the same repercussions because he's a dude, apparently. Anyway, Laura can't believe she had to come all this way to realize that her father was right. In the immortal words of No Doubt, she's just a girl. Mike shows up and says that he found his halligan. The mood kind of ruined, Laura walks off before Franco can say anything.
Tommy -- who still hasn't spoken a word in this episode -- walks into his dark apartment, alone. He hears what sounds like a little kid running down the hall and calls out, "Connor?" Interesting that Connor's name was Tommy's first line of the episode. Ooh, this is kind of like Pet Sematery and it's creeping me out. He hears the footsteps again and walks to Connor's old room, where he finds his father and Teddy sleeping in the bunk beds. Aw. It's kind of sweet that they're staying at Tommy's. Even though, if you think about it, they have nowhere else to stay. Tommy hears the footsteps again, and this time you see a flash of a kid running behind him. Spooky. Zombies! Tommy walks back out into the living room and calls Connor's name again. He hears the footsteps once again, and goes back out the front door.
Tommy takes the podium at an AA meeting and announces, for the first time, "My name is, uh, Tommy and, uh, I'm an alcoholic." Mick, sitting in the audience, kind of squints. Tommy continues to explain that he's a fireman, and five days ago, his only son was killed by a drunk driver. He concludes, "And, I don't really give a shit about anything anymore." He leaves the podium and walks right out of the meeting.
Tommy walks into, I guess, the apartment he occupied at the beginning of the season, which is pretty deserted, carrying a garbage bag full of liquor bottles. He takes one out, uncaps it, and prepares to take a big swig. He's interrupted by a knock on the door, and then Johnny walks in and says he figured Tommy would be there. He adds, "I'm not here to judge you, bro. Knock yourself out." Some people on the forums were confused by Johnny's not trying to get Tommy to stop drinking, but I think that's exactly what he was doing. He just knew that trying to stop him overtly would result in a verbal or physical sparring match and ultimately be futile. Tommy stands with the liquor bottle in his hands as Johnny reports that Janet isn't doing so well, and even talked about jumping out the window so that she could be with Connor. Johnny ended up sleeping on the couch at her place. I do wonder about Johnny and Janet's relationship, but maybe that's another plot for season. Tommy listens, still clutching the bottle, but still not taking a swig. Johnny says that the girls are doing okay, but that "Janet's going to take a while." Johnny finally says what he came to say: "We got the guy, Tommy." He shows Tommy a picture of Joss Whedon, the guy who killed Connor, and explains that they found him in Maryland, still driving the car. Tommy puts down the bottle and stares at the photo. Apparently, Joss has had five DUIs in the last few years, but he has friends in the DA's office, so he always gets off. Johnny reports that Joss is going to skate on this one too, and that the guy only got sixty hours of community service for his last violation. Johnny gives Tommy the news that they're bringing the guy back to New York for booking and a bail hearing, but then they'll release him and "it's anybody's ballgame." Tommy sets the bottle down again, and puts the cap back on this time. He hands the bottles to Johnny and says, "Find out what time the train comes in on Friday." Johnny asks if he's sure, and Tommy says that he is. Johnny promises, "Done." He leaves with the liquor.
Tommy's phone rings. It's Sheila, who's sobbing. Tommy tells her that he can't come over right now. Sheila sobs that she's at Debbie's, and we see Sheila crouching on the floor, trying to hide from Debbie, who is taunting her and throwing glasses. You do have to wonder why Sheila would go over to Debbie's in the first place, but I don't think logic and reason have much to do with people in abusive relationships in general and Sheila in particular. Tommy hears that Sheila is actually under attack and asks for Debbie's address.
Garrity sits in a pew at a church and talks to God. He explains that he's really confused, and that he always believed that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. Garrity adds that "an innocent child or a baby that choked on something" would go to limbo, except that got cancelled. Garrity talks about Connor being dead, and Katie insisting that there's no heaven, and he feels like he's getting mixed signals. He asks God for a sign, and then closes his eyes and prays. Nothing happens. He waits a little longer, and decides that nothing is going to happen. As he stands up to leave, he sees something on a statue of the Virgin Mary. He walks over and sees that it appears as if the statue is crying real tears. Garrity exclaims, "Holy shit!" and then immediately apologizes. To the statue. Hee! He thanks the statue, and God, and then runs out.
Tommy arrives at Debbie's, and Sheila pulls him inside and explains that Debbie snapped and went totally apeshit, and now she's in the back, cooling off. Debbie walks out and sarcastically says that this has turned into a party with Tommy's arrival. Tommy says that Debbie needs to leave Sheila alone. Tommy quietly tells Sheila to go upstairs for a few minutes, and Sheila leaves. Debbie makes some more sarcastic comments, and Tommy tells her again to stop hitting Sheila. Tommy walks toward her, and Debbie asks, "What? You want a taste?" Tommy takes a few more steps, and Debbie says, "I'm petrified." And then she clocks him right in the face. Tommy looks at her, his face a mix of anger and wonder and a bunch of other emotions. Emotions! On Tommy's face! Tommy asks Debbie to hit him again, so she does. Hard. Tommy looks back at her, his lower lip quivering, his face filled with sorrow. He asks her to do it one more time, and she does. And this time, Tommy collapses to the floor, sobbing from his gut. Debbie walks out of the room and finds Sheila standing nearby, listening. She says that she's going to go get a drink, and Sheila should go help Tommy, who sounds like he's vomiting up tears. Jesus. Denis Leary acted the shit out of that scene. It could have been really over-the-top, or trite, but his face conveyed the idea of someone who had been completely numb for days, and was so excited to finally feel SOMETHING, even if it was excruciating pain, that he was willing to subject himself to it over and over. And then the feeling SOMETHING caused him to start to feel EVERYTHING that he'd been denying for the better part of a week. Incredible.
The crew shows up at a fire, and they're charged with rescuing some people on the upper floors. Tommy starts barking orders at Mike, who is unable to comply, and Tommy walks away in disgust. Lou says that it's nice to have Tommy back, so I guess his cathartic punching-bag experience sort of reset his personality.
The crew arrives on the roof, and Lou starts giving out orders. Tommy spots a guy hanging out of a window, but they can't find anything to tie a rope to so that one of them can be lowered down to the guy who needs rescuing. Lou and Tommy immediately decide on a maneuver where all of the crew will basically serve as anchors for the rope, and the guys swing into action. Franco is elected to be the rescuer, and he tells Laura, "See you later." Laura looks worried as Franco lowers himself over the edge of the rooftop. Lou directs the guys as Franco slides down the side of the building until he reaches the guy on the ledge, who is freaking out because he thinks Franco is going to make him fall. Suddenly, the guy leaps into Franco's arms, nearly causing the anchors on top to drop the rope. Everyone piles on top of the anchors to add extra counterweight, and Franco swings into an open window a few floors below the fire, his rescuee in tow. The anchors all groan that they're being crushed, and everyone starts peeling off.
Chief radios up to Lou that they have another person in need of rescuing, but that they can't get them another rope to use, so they'll have to reuse the one from Franco's rescue. Apparently, reusing the ropes is a big no-no in firefighting, but they have no choice. Laura immediately volunteers to be the one lowered down, seeing as how she's the lightest one on the crew, but Lou says no, because if something happens, he'll be blamed for letting a girl put herself in danger. Tommy says that he's going, and Laura stands there, shocked that she's still having to prove herself every day.
Chief radios back up to ask what's taking so long, and Lou promises that they're on it. Tommy starts to be lowered down, past many smoking windows. He reaches the window where a little girl says that she can't leave, because she promised her mom that she wouldn't leave the apartment. Tommy convinces the girl to grab onto him, and he continues his descent to an open window on a floor below the fire. As Tommy passes the girl off to the firefighters inside the window, he notices that she bears a strong resemblance to Connor. He stares at her, dangling from the rope, and suddenly the rope snaps. Tommy manages to grab onto the window ledge, and the firefighters pull him inside.
Back at the firehouse, Tommy asks Lou if he wants to go get some food. Lou says that he needs to go shopping for some new clothes for his big date. He adds, "That huge explosion you're going to hear tomorrow night about 8:15? That's gonna be Lou getting it on." Tommy promises to light a candle. Lou says again that it's nice to hear Tommy's voice, but then they have to insult each other so that no one thinks they're gay or something.
Grinch walks up and offers his condolences to Tommy. Tommy doesn't offer his condolences to Grinch's razor, which clearly died a painful death. Grinch suggests that Tommy take three days off and have a little bender. Tommy insists that he's fine, but Grinch says that he heard different. Tommy looks stunned and says that he'd rather work, but Grinch is already gone. Tommy pulls out his cell phone and calls Mick, to tell him that Grinch is still having Tommy followed. Mick asks how Tommy knows that, and Tommy explains what just happened. Mick thinks Tommy is overreacting. Tommy walks to the firehouse doorway for a smoke, and sees Grinch getting into his car. Just as Grinch dials his own phone, Mick says that he has another call. When Grinch hangs up, Mick clicks back in, and the pieces fall into place in Tommy's brain.
Mick walks down the street, and as he turns a corner, Tommy grabs him and starts yelling at him for snitching. Mick tries to deny it at first, but then says that Grinch called him, and that Mick didn't want Tommy to "go slipping and sliding away like last time." Tommy yells that Grinch is his biggest enemy, and I think Tommy might want to look into the concept that having enemies past the age of, like, thirteen is a little ridiculous. What are you, a superhero? Mick yells that he's just trying to be a good sponsor. Tommy tells Mick, "You're dead to me!" and starts walking away. Mick yells out that it worked, because Tommy gave his real name and occupation at a meeting for the first time, and admitted that he's an alcoholic. Tommy accuses Mick of being a Judas, but Mick says he's more like Peter the Apostle, being a rock for Tommy. Mick asks Tommy if he's had a drink today. Tommy yells that he hasn't had a drink in three months. Mick runs down all the things that Tommy might be feeling -- angry, hurt, and betrayed. Tommy agrees to all of them, and Mick says that at least Tommy is feeling something, and that it's because he's sober, and that's because of AA. Mick says he doesn't care what Tommy does now, because he did his part and got Tommy sober. Now it's up to Tommy. Frightening thought.
Teddy helps Janet and the kids pack up their belongings as Tommy sits on the couch and stares into space. Tommy walks into the bedroom, where Janet is packing clothes, and closes the door. She comments that this would have been a lot easier if he had stayed away like she asked. Tommy wants to talk, but Janet thinks there's nothing to say. Tommy presses ahead anyway, and says that he told Connor to go inside and get his helmet. Judging by his injuries, I don't think a helmet would have saved Connor's life, regardless. Janet says that Tommy didn't check up on Connor, and just kept his head up his ass, where it always is. Janet thinks that's true unless Tommy's fighting fires, where he saves strangers, and yet he couldn't keep an eye on his own son. Janet storms out, and Tommy has no response.
Tommy and Teddy say goodbye to Janet and the kids. Colleen and Katie hug their father, and Katie doesn't want to let go. Janet pries her away from her father, and Teddy hands Janet some cash as they leave. Johnny carries a bag for Janet (you see what I'm saying?), but stops and quietly tells Tommy that Joss's train is arriving in Hoboken the day at 5:30 PM. Johnny promises to take care of the girls. I'm sure he will. Especially Janet.
Tommy, Teddy, and Pa sit around the kitchen table and discuss the Joss situation. Pa insists that Tommy shouldn't kill anyone. Lest you think he has a moral opposition to murder, it's actually because Pa wants to be the one to do the killing. Pa points out that Tommy would lose everything, but that Pa has nothing to lose. Teddy insists that he's the one to do the shooting. Pa says that he had first dibs, and Tommy asks if they're really calling dibs on this. Teddy argues, "You're like, what? A hundred and ten years old? We send you in to do the job. You fall asleep. You wake up a half-hour later, you go to scratch yourself in the leg and you shoot yourself right in the balls." Pa says that he killed some Germans in hand-to-hand combat in the war, and Teddy says that he killed people in Vietnam. They continue arguing about who's more suited to do the job, which degenerates into a wrestling match, which Tommy has to break up. Tommy says that he realizes he can't be the one to do it, because if he goes to jail, his remaining kids are screwed. Teddy begs to be the one to do it. He points out that he has no wife, no house, and no kids: "Let me do one good thing. Let me do it for Connor." Tommy still isn't sure, and Teddy says he needs it. Tommy asks if Teddy can get a gun, and Teddy says he'll make the call right now.
Chief and Rose are dropping Jeannie off at the long-term care facility in Connecticut. Jeannie is back to thinking that her husband is Bud, her brother. Chief tries to argue with her logically about why she needs to stay there, and promises that she can come home if she doesn't like it, but that she needs to try for a while. Chief tries to leave, and Jeannie begs him to stay. She tells him, "It's not right, Bud. It's just not right." Chief agrees with her, but says he has to leave anyway. They embrace, and Chief says, "Try not to forget me, huh?" Jeannie looks at him sadly, and Chief walks off. When he gets a few steps away, Jeannie calls out, "Goodbye, Jerry." This makes Chief stop in his tracks, but then he keeps walking.
In the break room at the firehouse, the other guys ask Lou when they're going to meet his new girl. Lou says happily that it'll happen all in good time. Grinch walks in and says that he's happy to see everyone is there, and that he wants to congratulate them. He doesn't know how they did it, but he can't say he's sad to see her go. Franco asks what in the hell he's talking about. Grinch reports that Laura is gone. She asked for a transfer out a week earlier, and asked him not to say anything until she finished her last shift. Franco asks where she went, and Grinch says he doesn't know, and congratulates the guys again. I know where she went! CBS! That show with the math. ["Which is just silly. Everyone knows girls can't do math! Unless it's to figure out what 35% off the price of a pair of shoes would be, because girls love to shop." -- Wing Chun] Franco is stunned, and asks if he can leave. Lou tells him to go ahead, and Franco sprints out.
Lou walks into Dani's apartment building carrying a bouquet of flowers. He passes a guy about his own age being grilled by a pair of cops, and can't help listening in a little. It seems the poor schmuck is filing a complaint about some lady who took him for a ride, and that he met the lady through an escort service. The lady said she wanted to quit the business, but needed to buy out her contract, so he gave her eighteen grand. Lou pauses, about to ring Dani's bell, and listens as the guy says that the lady grifter's name was Candy. Lou turns and looks at the guy, shocked and pale. The cop says that this same lady has pulled this scam on a bunch of guys. And, you know, poor Lou. But anyone who has watched television, or a movie, or read a book, or read a freaking bedtime story, could see that ending coming. That's the best they could do? I hope it sets up some interesting storyline with Lou season, because he deserves better. How about Lou takes some college courses and becomes a quasi-feminist?
Tommy, Pa, and Teddy pull up to a train station in Hoboken in Tommy's truck. Tommy reminds Teddy that he should go to Track 5. Tommy also says that he'll pull around to the front entrance, and that after the deed is done, they should run outside. Tommy pauses and thanks Teddy for what he's about to do. Teddy says he's glad to do it.
Franco goes to Laura's apartment and bangs on the door, calling her name. Some random woman answers and says that Laura's not there. The new tenant isn't supposed to say where Laura went. Franco insists that it's an emergency. The new tenant asks if he's Franco. Franco looks relieved and says that he is. The tenant says that she's definitely not supposed to tell him, per Laura's specific directions. Franco starts rattling the door, and the tenant tells Franco that Laura has moved on and that he needs to let it go. She closes the door, and Franco yells that he just needs a phone number or a forwarding address.
Tommy sits in his truck and waits for his father and uncle to return. He checks his watch; it's about ten after 5. Jesus shows up in the passenger seat and says something about karma. Heh. He points out that Tommy drove drunk many times, and that it's only by the grace of God (my phrasing, not His) that Tommy didn't kill anyone. Tommy asks if Connor's death was just part of the "goddamn master goddamn plan." Jesus urges Tommy to hang onto some hope and faith, and Tommy sneers. Jesus asks if this is how Tommy wants to remember his only son: "With a bullet in a train station?" Jesus starts bringing up happier memories of Connor: his laugh, his size at birth, how he loved and trusted his father. Tommy sighs, and looks back over, but Jesus is gone. He thinks for a second, and then starts his truck and peels out of his parking spot.
Montage time! Lou walks down the street and angrily tosses his bouquet into the street. Then he suddenly veers over to a garbage can and pukes.
Garrity and Mike sit in the church, staring at the statue of the Virgin Mary. Mike looks at Garrity like, "How long are we going to wait?" Garrity extends one hand, palm down, as if to say, "Just wait." Mike is sitting there with his mouth open and his tongue nearly hanging out, which is really bugging me because, as I've said before, there's a fine line between being dumb, and being brain-damaged, and sometimes Mike crosses that line. As they watch, a janitor takes a spray bottle and waters a plant on a shelf above the statue. He takes a rag and wipes down the statue, which is wet from the dripping plant. Garrity and Mike are stunned and disappointed.
Franco sits on Laura's front steps and sobs, his head in his arms.
Chief drives home from Connecticut with Rose, sobbing behind the wheel. Maybe she should drive.
Jeannie runs out of the facility, screaming, and has to be subdued by a nurse.
Tommy pulls up in front of the Hoboken train station and sprints inside. The clock outside says that he only has about one minute to interrupt Teddy. Once inside, he dodges various people in the crowd and tries to find the right track.
Joss Whedon gets off a train, accompanied by a few cops, laughing and joking around. Teddy and Pa wait nearby. Tommy runs toward them from the other direction. Joss Whedon and his handlers chuckle merrily as they walk through the train station. Teddy approaches, and then pulls a gun out of a folded newspaper. It's a total Jack Ruby moment. Tommy arrives just as the shot is fired. You see Joss Whedon fall, but you don't see if he was hit, or where. Tommy gets a splotch of blood on his cheek, he's so close to the action. Chaos breaks out. Teddy gets tackled by a cop. Pa turns and looks at Tommy, who wipes the spot of blood from his face, and then turns and tries to make his way through the gathering crowd out of the train station. Well. I don't really know what to say about all that.