It may only be Feb. 10, but love is already in the air.

Yes, Valentine's Day came early on Chicago Fire Season 9 Episode 6 as there was plenty of romance to go around.

Some couples got happy endings, while others remain firmly apart. Read on to find out who got what.

God, Severide can be such an idiot sometimes.

Communication has never been Severide's strong suit, but he finally got it through his thick head to tell Kidd the truth after learning she may not take the lieutenant's exam this time around.

Kidd: I was just thinking would it be possible to put off taking the lieutenant’s test until next year.
Boden: Well, as you know, tests are only scheduled for when there are openings available, so waiting is a gamble.
Kidd: I’m so grateful to you, for your support, and I definitely do see myself getting on that officer track soon. There is just a lot going on right now, and I don’t want Girls on Fire falling through the cracks.
Boden: OK, can you do me a favor? Why don’t you take a few days to think it over?
Kidd: OK, I will.

• Permalink: OK, I will.

Then all of his boneheaded efforts of keeping his distance would be for naught as if Kidd didn't take the test, well, then all that Severide would be left with was a broken relationship.

Again, he had the best of intentions, but none of that means anything if he doesn't have Kidd at the end of all of this.

Thankfully, Kylie's news was the wake-up call Severide needed to get his act together.

He's also lucky Kidd is so forgiving and has no idea how close he came to blowing things all because he wanted to protect her.

Kidd is a badass firefighter who has never been handed anything in her entire career in the CFD. 

She doesn't need protecting from what some higher-ups think or coddling from her lieutenant boyfriend; what she needs is his support and for him not to shut her out anymore.

Kidd deserves better than this and for Severide to be the man he promised her on Chicago Fire Season 7 Episode 22.

So let's hope for her sake that Severide doesn't put her in this position again, where Kidd finds herself questioning her relationship with him.

While I think Kidd forgave Severide too quickly, I did like the part where she reclaimed some of her agency, telling him that it was up to her to be the decider.

Severide: I’ve been MIA because I thought that was best for you. Chief Conway told me the white shirts said the only reason you’re moving up the ladder is because you’re with me. I didn’t tell you because I figured it would mess with your head. You deserve better.
Kidd: You thought that I couldn’t handle that?
Severide: What I thought is you’ve earned every part of this yourself. Everybody should know that.
Kidd: It sounds like maybe you care what they’re saying because I sure as hell don’t. Kelly, I didn’t become a firefighter as a white guy with my father at the top of the chain. I came up alone, fighting every step of the way with people looking down on me and doing whatever they could to shake my confidence. I have a built-in armor that you will never understand, and no one like Conway is going to knock me down.
Severide: Then why aren’t you taking the test? You don’t need my help. You have to know that.
Kidd: Of course I know I don’t need your help with some test. I needed you to do what you do best: To tell me, ‘You got this, Stella Kidd.’ And to pick me up when I’m feeling low, and instead, you shut down on me. You shut down on me like the bad old days.
Severide: This attitude of yours is exactly why I know you got this, Stella Kidd, and it’s why I know how badly I screwed up, and it’s why I’m never gonna let you go away from me again.
Kidd: You are not the decider. And pretty soon, we’re gonna be in the same rank, so listen up. I am the one who’s never going to let you get away again.

• Permalink: You are not the decider. And pretty soon, we’re gonna be in the same rank, so listen up. I am...

It shows just how much she's grown over the past season or so, evolving into this leader at the firehouse and for the teenagers in Girls on Fire.

Stella Kidd is a force to be reckoned with, and the white shirts at CFD headquarters should be ashamed of forgetting that.

Elsewhere, Casey tried and failed to move on, but as it turns out, getting over Brett isn't as easy as hopping into bed with the first cute redhead who walks his way.

Casey and Sydney's one-night stand felt like it came out of nowhere, as Chicago Fire Season 9 Episode 4 ended with the captain uncertain whether he would call the flirtatious ginger.

However, you could tell it was somewhat of a 'spur of the moment, no strings attached' type of affair that had the possibility to become something more.

And while Sydney was up for that as she coyly dropped by the firehouse to return Casey's shirt, Casey, despite his best efforts, just wasn't in the right headspace to start something new.

What this whole sextracurricular activity did reveal, though, was that Casey's feelings for Brett run deeper than he thought.

It's too bad that Casey chose to share this revelation with his roommate instead of Brett, as the blonde paramedic now thinks Casey has moved past their "brief complicated thing."

With that in mind and a push from Mackey, Brett may find herself getting hot and heavy with someone else, say, like that cute firefighter.

Casey: I’m sorry. I’d really like to, but…
Sydney: Something to do with the paramedic maybe? Sylvie? It’s kind of impossible not to notice the way you look at her.
Casey: You’re great, Sydney, and a lot of fun.
Sydney: You are too.
Casey: God, I really wish I was in the right place for this now.
Sydney: Maybe another time then. Don’t lose my number, Capt. Casey.

• Permalink: Maybe another time then. Don’t lose my number, Capt. Casey.

Yes, Brett does deserve to be happy, but rushing into something new isn't going to magically make her feelings for Casey disappear, just like the captain thought his fling with Sydney would do the same.

Let's hope any future romance Brett does find herself involved in has the same effect and makes her realize Casey still has her heart.

Once they both acknowledge their feelings aren't something they can walk away from, maybe then they'll stop fighting it and figure out how they can make things work.

Meanwhile, Gallo continued his impulsive streak, both professionally and personally.

Since his introduction, Gallo has been a bit of a wild card. He means well, but you can never be entirely sure of what he'll do from one moment to the next.

That makes him a fun and likable character to watch, but that also means his recklessness can get him into hot water from time to time.

He had the best of intentions when he ignored Casey's orders and rescued that unconscious woman.

All he saw was somebody in danger, and without thinking about the consequences, he jumped into action.

And in some professions, quick responses are everything, but firefighting also comes with the added danger of life-and-death stakes.

Casey: I thought I should explain. I’ve been a little out of sorts lately, mind elsewhere.
Gallo: Yeah, well, sure. No worries.
Casey: This isn’t an apology.
Gallo: Right, of course.
Casey: The fact is Gallo I’m your captain. I’m answerable for your safety. Losing a firefighter is the worst thing that can happen to an officer, and I would know. If anything had happened to you under that canopy, I wouldn’t have even known you were there. I couldn’t have done a thing to help you. You robbed me of my accountability, and that can’t happen again.
Gallo: It won’t. I swear.

• Permalink: It won’t. I swear.

One wrong move could endanger not only the firefighter but every first responder and victim on the scene, and with Gallo's history, you'd think he'd have a greater appreciation for this.

For those who need a refresher, Gallo's entire family died in a house fire when he was just a boy; it was this reason that he became a firefighter in the first place.

It was also this revelation that won over Boden, who was unsure at first if Gallo would be the right fit for 51, in part, because of the young firefighter's impulsive nature.

However, there are times during these high stakes calls where Gallo's rational thinking goes out the window, and he reacts to the scene at hand.

It's noble that he wants to save everyone, but he needs to remember that firefighting is a team sport, and he's not the only one on the field.

He also needs to get it through his head that even if he thinks he's in the right, Casey is still his captain, and that means something.

Gallo may not agree with everything Casey does, but Casey still deserves Gallo's respect as his captain.

I'm glad Casey took the time to explain to Gallo why the young firefighter's actions were not only wrong but how they could have more significant implications than just Gallo's safety.

Mackey: See, that’s why we’re so good together because when it matters, we give it all we got.
Gallo: See, I thought it was the crazy chemistry. So what is this you and me? Not that it has to have a label or anything.
Mackey: How about no rules, just fun.
Gallo: I like that except maybe, one rule. Cruz can never know this happened, which means we can’t tell anyone at the firehouse.
Mackey: I’ll think about it.

• Permalink: I’ll think about it.

Gallo has never had to bury a fallen firefighter; something Casey is all too familiar with.

So let's hope that the message finally got through, as it'd be awful for Gallo to have to learn this lesson another way.

Some stray thoughts:

• The whole Brett/Mackey team-up detective subplot wasn't my favorite. Maybe it's because the stakes didn't seem that high or because the mystery of the missing Fentanyl wasn't compelling. Either way, I'd rather watch Severide play cop over Brett and Mackey any day.

  I liked how this subplot solidified their friendship, though. It was great that Brett never doubted Mackey, and I liked how Brett had her back from the get-go.

• Mouch got what essentially boils down to a tramp stamp of Trudy's name. Why am I still laughing over this? This is more in line with how I expected the whole 'Cruz is going to be a father' storyline to play out, though it did take an unexpected turn. God, Mouch must really love his wife.

• Gallo and Mackey finally hooked up. Those two have crazy chemistry, and though it happened a little sooner than I thought, I'm not mad. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here, and after Gallo spilled the beans, Cruz is going to have more than a few words to say on the subject.

So what did you think, Chicago Fire Fanatics?

Was anyone else expecting a Stellaride proposal at the end of their makeup?

Will Casey and Brett find their way back to each other?

Did Gallo get the message?

Don't forget to hit the comments below to let me know your thoughts. If you happened to miss the latest episode, remember you can watch Chicago Fire online at TV Fanatic.

Jessica Lerner was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in October 2021.