The Heartfelt Way Severide Helps Violet Process Hawkins' Death

Chicago Fire Season 11, Episode 4 saw Violet (Hanako Greensmith) attempt to process the sudden, tragic death of her boyfriend, Hawkins (Jimmy Nicholas). The event has completely upended Violet's life; she's taken leave from work, is responding minimally to texts from her co-workers, and seems distraught about what lies ahead. Both Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Brett (Kara Killmer) send Violet food and wine and sweet notes letting her know they're ready to support her, but Violet is completely paralyzed with grief. 

That is, until Severide (Taylor Kinney) appears at her doorstep unannounced. Violet thinks Stella put him up to the visit, but this is actually all Severide. He doesn't show up with desserts or carbs or sappy words to dry her tears; instead, he comes with a six-pack of beer and something more valuable: shared experience. 

"I wanted to tell you about a girlfriend I had before your time at 51, Anna," Severide tells Violet, referring to Anna Turner, who Severide dated seasons ago—and who passed away from leukemia. "The two toughest things I've been through are losing Shay [Leslie Shay] and losing her. And for the longest time, after Anna died, I felt like a boat cut loose from the dock. Just lost, nothing to hold on to."

"Yeah," Violet said in response. "That's pretty much exactly it." 

"I don't like to think about how low a bottom I might've hit if I hadn't gone back to work," Severide said. "That's just my take being where you are." 

But Violet is hesitant about returning to 51; she fears she will see Hawkins in every aspect of her work. To this, Severide assures her, "I saw Anna wherever I went, too, for the longest time. But what I saw even clearer right in front of me was my crew at 51. Always bugging me, checking in on me. I wanted to kill them half the time, but I knew if I started to drift, they'd hold on tight." 

Violet takes Severide's advice and returns to work, and while she's still grieving—and will be for a while—we see how the job heals her. She's not only embraced lovingly by Brett and the gang, she helps save a man on her first day back. At the end of the episode, Stella thanks Severide for imparting the words onto Violet—and we thank him, too. While we're surely in for an emotional ride watching Violet process this tragedy, fans know the journey will be easier for her with 51 at her side.  

Watch Chicago Fire on NBC Wednesdays at 9/8c and next day on Peacock.