Rescue Me

1Guts

Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) is a firefighter and father who's struggling to cope with the daily turmoil of his life. After his wife Janet (Andrea Roth) leaves him, Tommy moves into a house across the street from her to stay close to their three children. However, the proximity of their relationship is difficult. Tommy isn't dealing very well with his estranged wife dating other men and using his kids as spies, paying them to divulge information about Janet's activities. Lifewise, the stress of his job is starting to get to him. Tommy is haunted by the memories of September 11 and even hallucinates the ghosts of the family and friends he lost. His subconscious manifests itself in the images of these former firefighters, predominately his cousin Jimmy (James McCaffrey) who he often confides in. Tommy works hard to conceal his feelings from his firehouse buddies, even though many of them are still suffering as well.

10Immortal

Now that he is having sex with Sheila (Callie Thorne), Tommy (Denis Leary) cannot shake his visions of her late husband's ghost. On top of dreaming about Jimmy (James McCaffrey), the shaky finances that have him owing Janet (Andrea Roth) four thousand dollars have also led to some angry and reckless driving that gets him cited by a vengeful cop. At work, female firefighter Laura Miles (Diane Farr) has made it clear that Jerry (Jack McGee) is in no position to deny her request for a private bathroom. And as Tommy offers to help reunite Colleen (Natalie Distler) and her girlfriend, Jennifer, Andrew apologizes for the beating he gave Mike (Michael Lombardi) following their failed three-way with his fianc? and then insists that he move in with him now that Geneva has left.

11Mom

Pressured by his Mom into dating a friend's daughter, Mike (Michael Lombardi) is disappointed -- but not surprised -- to find that she's overweight. But after forcing him to admit to his ambivalence about their date, Theresa (Ashlie Atkinson) proceeds to give Mike the best sex he's ever had. After insisting that Jerry (Jack McGee) keep her new bathroom private, Laura (Diane Farr) watches Tommy (Denis Leary) defy orders to rescue a dog and wonders how long it will be before his recklessness gets him or someone else...killed. Meanwhile, as Sean (Steve Pasquale) frets over how the new firefighters calender makes him seem gay, Lou (John Scurti) tells his wife, Phyllis (Siobhan Fallon Hogan), about his affair with Sondra (Paula Devicq), only to learn she is seeing another fireman.

1Voicemail

Things are not going well for Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary). His wife Janet (Andrea Roth) has taken the kids, sold the house and left him. His girlfriend, Sheila (Callie Thorne), is pregnant. He is bored out of his mind at the Staten Island firehouse he has recently been assigned to. And his drinking is spiraling out of control. Tommy hits rock bottom and calls on his former crew mates from 62 Truck to try and help him get his life back on track.

2Harmony

When Tommy (Denis Leary) discovers where Janet (Andrea Roth) has taken the kids, the only way he can get time off to find them is by joining his new firehouse's competitive Barbershop Quartet. Lou (John Scurti) and Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) conspire to get Tommy back into the old firehouse, but the rest of the crew is getting attached to Tommy's replacement, Sully (Lee Tergesen), who's a gourmet cook with great people skills. Mike (Michael Lombardi) has trouble controlling his emotions when his girlfriend Theresa (Ashlie Atkinson) breaks up with him.

3Balls

Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) and Lou (John Scurti) have trouble convincing the crew to take Tommy (Denis Leary) back into the firehouse, until a huge warehouse fire reveals a secret about Tommy's replacement, Sully (Lee Tergesen). Tommy's Dad (Charles Durning) returns from his trip around the world with a new wife and a brand new lifestyle. Franco (Daniel Sunjata) and Laura (Diane Farr) take their friendship to a new level while Mike (Michael Lombardi) finds himself stalking his ex-girlfriend. Sheila (Callie Thorne) cant bring herself to be honest with Tommy about the baby.

7Shame

Tommy (Denis Leary) finds himself keeping vigil at the bedside of a young boy who was critically wounded in a fire. Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) learns a little more than he can handle about his gay son's (Evan Reilly) relationship. Lou (John Scurti) comes up with a plan to attract the attention of an old girlfriend.

9Rebirth

Tommy (Denis Leary) finds a less-than-perfect way to rekindle his relationship with Janet (Andrea Roth). Franco (Daniel Sunjata) asks for the crew's help in winning Laura (Diane Farr) back. Tommy's ideas about faith are challenged when an accident on the job nearly kills him.

12Happy

Mike (Michael Lombardi) confides in Sean (Steve Pasquale) about a potentially serious health problem. As the Gavins prepare for the reading of Ms. Ng's (Ching Valdes-Aran) will, they get an unexpected visit from Tommy's (Denis Leary) estranged sister (Tatum ONeal). Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) faces his biggest challenge yet with his wife's illness. Just as Tommy and Janet (Andrea Roth) are taking steps to repair their relationship, they are confronted with a sudden, unimaginable loss.

1Devil

Although they are still mourning the death of their son, Tommy (Denis Leary) and Janet (Andrea Roth) are moving forward with their separation. Tommy is also still trying to maintain his sobriety while now bogged down with new responsibilities, which include caring for his father (Charles Durning). Sean Garrity (Steve Pasquale) has struck up a secret relationship with Tommy's sister Maggie (Tatum ONeal), and unfortunately for him, he's really starting to fall for her. Sheila (Callie Thorne) finds condoms in her son Damian's (Michael Zegen) room, and asks Tommy to have a conversation with him about it. In confronting Damian, Tommy learns that the teenager is carrying on an affair with one of his teachers, Mrs. Turbody (Paige Turco). And when the city's no-smoking ban threatens the firehouse, the crew tries to make things interesting by starting a big wager on whether they can quit smoking.

2Discovery

In an effort to revive Tommy's (Denis Leary) love life (and morale), the crew plans a night out to the hot-spot Lotus. At the club, Franco (Daniel Sunjata) gets hit on by an older woman named Alicia (Susan Sarandon). While he's put-off by their difference in age, he's intrigued by her confidence. Financial problems are affecting a few guys in the house. Lou (John Scurti) is trying to keeps his financial problems under wraps, but with the Chief (Jack McGee) asking him to borrow money, its growing increasing difficult for Lou to hide the fact that he was schemed out of thousands of dollars by a Hooker. The Chief is trying to cover the costs on the nursing home his wife is in. Meanwhile, Frano is considering taking the lieutenants exam, and The Probie (Michael Lombardi) is considering a transfer to another house somewhere he wont be hassled as the most junior member of the house.

3Torture

The entire firehouse seems to be on edge. Lou (John Scurti) continues to fall in a downward spiral as he avoids his home life and becomes more and more irritable, turning to alcohol to solve his problems. The Chief (Jack McGee) is still struggling to pay for his wife's nursing home, and tensions are high between Tommy (Denis Leary) and Sean (Steve Pasquale) who continues to try and hide his relationship with Tommy's sister (Tatum ONeal). Franco (Daniel Sunjata) has been sleeping with Alicia (Susan Sarandon) and realizes he is sitting on a gold mine when she spoils him and his daughter with generous gifts. "The Probie" (Michael Lombardi) seriously considers applying for a transfer, and fills out all the necessary paperwork; the issue is finding the courage to turn it in. When Tommy forgets to pick his children up from school, his estranged wife Janet (Andrea Roth), confronts him at the house and it is finally clear that their marriage is over.

4Sparks

After tending to an overturned bus and saving the lives of multiple children, the Reverend Al Sharpton publicly denounces the FDNY for ignoring the needs of the black community by choosing to rescue the bus on the way to help a black man with chest pains. The station, and the entire community are responding in interesting ways. Sean (Steve Pasquale) confronts Tommy (Denis Leary) about his relationship with Maggie (Tatum ONeal) and Tommy warns him that his sister is trouble. Franco (Daniel Sunjata) continues his relationship with Alicia (Susan Sarandon), and Tommy and Sheila's (Callie Thorne) relationship takes an interesting turn, especially when Tommy informs her that he will be making a deposit the next day, and not at a bank. Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) takes the job at the bar, and finds it difficult and tiring. The guys at the house take advantage of his vulnerability by playing practical jokes on him.

5Chlamydia

Tommy (Denis Leary), and Janet's (Andrea Roth) divorce begins to seem real as the guys help clear the apartment of Janet's things and Tommy has to face Janet's new relationship face-to-face. On the other hand, Johnny's (Dean Winters) ex-wife (Marisa Tomei) reappears and makes an interesting deal with Tommy that will prove to shake things up among the Gavin family. While babysitting Franco's (Daniel Sunjata) daughter, Alicia (Susan Sarandon) reveals something shocking about her past and knowing the truth about Kayla drives her to take drastic measures, infuriating Franco beyond reason. Sean (Steve Pasquale) finally confronts Maggie (Tatum ONeal) about her relationship status and Maggie tells him the truth about her wandering eyes. Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) gets the lights turned out on him and loses his chance at a large amount of money to help support his ailing wife.

6Zombies

During an interdepartmental street hockey game, Tommy (Denis Leary) starts to becomes suspicious that another company might be looking to poach "The Probie" (Michael Lombardi) from Ladder62. The potential issue weighs on Tommy because he realizes that while "The Probie" takes tons of abuse, he is still part of their family. Johnny's (Dean Winters) intense effort to go above and beyond for Janet (Andrea Roth) and the girls leaves Janet ill at ease. Perhaps its because Tommy never took the same amount of time to dote on her, or maybe because she's not completely over him. The situation is complicated when Janet decides to pay a surprise visit to her Ex. After an innocent mix up between ibuprofen and sleeping pills, Sean (Steve Pasquale) ends up sleepwalking and causing a brutally honest ruckus around the city. On the job, Lou (John Scurti) makes a wrong turn that puts him and Franco in danger.

7Satisfaction

Tommy (Denis Leary) and Franco (Daniel Sunjata) learn about Jerry's (Jack McGee) side job and decide to give him a hard time. Tommy and Angie (Marisa Tomei) go to great lengths to make Janet (Andrea Roth) and Johnny (Dean Winters) jealous. Sean (Steve Pasquale) discovers an unusual way to keep Maggie (Tatum ONeal) interested in him.

8Karate

Lou (John Scurti) uses some new-age techniques in an effort to turn over a new leaf, while Sean (Steve Pasquale) and Maggie (Tatum ONeal) make a surprising decision. Tommy (Denis Leary) and Angie (Marisa Tomei) decide to continue seeing each other, leading to an embarrassing confrontation with Janet (Andrea Roth).

9Pieces

The crew encounters a little more than smoke when rescuing a man from his burning apartment. Sean (Steve Pasquale) runs into problems while asking Maggie's Dad (Charles Durning) for her hand in marriage. Tommy (Denis Leary) starts to realize that his crews future together may be in jeopardy. Johnny (Dean Winters) finally confronts Tommy face to face, and makes a difficult announcement.

10Retards

Tommy pays Janet a visit to discuss her pregnancy, which leads to an emotional confrontation with Johnny. Teddy finds his conjugal visits disappointing, while Franco tries to befriend his new girlfriend's mentally challenged brother. Tommy keeps vigil at the bedside of a severely injured firefighter.

11Twilight

After a bitter argument with Tommy (Denis Leary) over their living situation, Tommy's Dad (Charles Durning) goes missing. Tommy is disgusted by Lou's (John Scurti) latest love interest, while Sean (Steve Pasquale) and Maggie's (Tatum ONeal) disastrous meeting with the local priest threatens their future marriage. The new woman in Jerry's (Jack McGee) life puts him in danger.

13Beached

Tommy (Denis Leary) promises to help Janet (Andrea Roth) with the baby she's expecting, but hides the fact that he's preparing to start a new life with Sheila (Callie Thorne). Franco (Daniel Sunjata) pays his daughter Keela a visit, and gets a picture of how Alicia's raising her. Several crew members are going forward with their plans to say goodbye to the firehouse.

1Baby Face

Tommy is unable to recall the events of the beach-house fire for which he is under investigation for. Meanwhile on the home front, he disapproves of his daughter's rebellious behavior. Richard wants Franco to marry Natalie so he can have more freedom. Lou and his new girlfriend decide to make love in the "holiest" of places. Newlywed Garrity is uncomfortable with Maggie's collection of porn movies.

2Tuesday

Tommy meets with Sheila in hopes of finding out what really happened on the night of the fire. Lou has his sights set on a new recruit who can really help the squad's basketball team. Teddy is released from prison. Tommy's daughter Colleen is believed to have run away from home.

3Commitment

Tommy confronts Colleen and her new boyfriend. Probie must make a crucial decision regarding his terminally-ill mother so he asks Tommy for advice. Natalie is upset at Franco for not considering marriage. The Chief is forced to leave the firehouse because of health issues and decides to take a desk job. Tommy resists the advances of the volunteer firefighter who previously pulled him out of a fire.

4Pussified

The firehouse learns of the Chief's suicide. Tommy agrees to buy things for his daughter Colleen in exchange for her keeping in contact. He and Janet decide to see a marriage counselor. Franco plans on proposing to Natalie. Garrity considers divorcing Maggie.

5Black

After the death of Chief Reilly, the crew of 62 Truck gets a new chief. Tommy suffers embarrassment during a hockey game against the NYPD. Franco works up the nerve to propose to Natalie, while Sean tries to talk Maggie out of a divorce. As Janet's depression deepens, Sheila makes a surprising proposition.

6Balance

7Seven

8Solo

While Janet exacts revenge when she learns Tommy gave her baby to Sheila, thus ending all attempts to repair their relationship, Franco questions his proposal to Natalie by visiting Alcia and learning how he really feels. Tommy faces new ghosts and a bottle of vodka, dates the Chiefs daughter and realizes, at Mick's suggestion, that he needs a meeting. Mick visits Sean and reveals that Maggie is safe but needs an intervention. Mike gets a new apartment and new furniture and injured on a call.

9Animal

The Gavin family stages a duo intervention after several disturbing family calls. The mysterious girl from the restaurant leaves Tommy wanting for much more. In order to get her baby back, Janet must take matters into her own hands. A depressed Mike calls Tommy in a moment of despair.

10High

The Gavin family AA group's first meeting doesn't go exactly as planned. Tommy bribes Colleen for information on Janet. Franco learns the truth about Natalie from Richie while Lou contemplates revenge on Cousin Mike.

12Keefe

Tommy plays hero in someone else's uniform which causes confusion in the firehouse. Colleen suffers heartbreak and takes it out on Tommy. Natalie asks Franco for a favor. A rift between Mike and Black Shawn nearly leads to blows. Tempers flare between Tommy and the Chief Feinstein after Tommy makes a move on his daughter.

1Baptism

3"Rescue Me" Wine

8Iceman

The guys close up in the bar. Mike counts the money on top of the bar. A strung out-looking dude wanders in the open door and Franco shoos him away. They wonder where Black Shawn has gotten off to. Tommy says he hopes he's not disappearing because he knows about him and Colleen. The guys all freeze waiting to hear what he thinks he knows. He's pleased that his daughter is lousy in the sack. They go along with it.Mike counts up $8,000 in cash and thinks they should give some of it to a cancer charity. Sean thinks that's a good idea and volunteers to take it in. The guys except Tommy and Sean prepare to go to the strip club. Tommy says he'll deal with the money over Sean's objections. Derek asks Tommy if he wants him to stay so he's not alone in a room full of booze. Tommy says he'll be fine and locks the door. Certainly nothing bad can come of this, nothing at all.He puts the trash bag of cash under the bar, and starts to clean up. Two empty shot glasses happen to sit on a nearby tray. A bottle of vodka happens to be nearby as well. The two find each other. Tommy downs them both. Down go the lights. And there's Tommy's dead dad, at the end of the bar, telling him he loves him.And now Tommy knows he's hallucinating because dad's complimenting his baseball and fire fighting abilities. He asks if Tommy's happy now. Then he says he's got some land down in Florida he wants to sell him. Then Johnny, Tommy's brother who is also dead, joins the party. They both order. Booze for ghosts. They talk about Tommy. And cousin Jimmy (also dead) joins in, ragging on Tommy, wanting to know why he didn't go in the second tower.They accuse him of being afraid. Johnny calls him a coward as he flicks his lighter. Tommy spills booze on him. Ghost Johnny goes up in flames until Tommy douses him with an extinguisher. "I wish you boys could learn to get along," is all dead dad has to say about the immolation.Johnny sits back down at the bar, charred.The first couple saves on 9/11 went fine, Tommy says. But after, in all the debris and noise, their training didn't cover it. Their dad never prepared them for what to do after, Tommy yells. Look at Teddy after Vietnam, he drank, fought and cheated on his wife. I'm no coward, Tommy shouts.He knows what to do if a building blows up, but not about kids and marriage. Here he is, After. He pours another drink. His hand shakes. He takes a deep breath.Then all of a sudden, the scuzzy guy from earlier conks him on the back of the head with a gun. He wants the bag of cash. He doesn't believe when Tommy says it's gone, or that they have security cameras (which they don't). He takes out the bag as the guy explains that reporting a robbery of undeclared income would be insane. Tommy counts out the money for him, and then picks up a nearby bottle and breaks it over the robber's head. The gun goes flying, but he gets it back and shoots Tommy in the arm.Tommy hides behind the bar, telling him to just take the money and run. The guy creeps along the other side of the bar, shooting through the wood, toying with him. He asks if Tommy wants to be a hero he prepares to fire again. And then a giant shotgun blasts blows him across the room. He's dead.The lights go back down again. The robber sits up, calling Tommy dad. Johnny compliments Tommy on killing his own son. The ghosts of dead male relatives past laugh at him for raising a junkie. He blasts each of them. Then he turns around and there's Lou, hands raised, asking calmly if Tommy wants to talk about anything.Lou came back because he realized he forgot his wallet. He felt bad for leaving him in a room full of booze. They're back at Lou's now. And Lou is telling him they'll tell the guys he saw huge rats or something as he pours Tommy a giant glass. (Apparently, there's no need to explain a dead body, which wasn't there either.)Tommy thanks him and takes back all the nasty things he said about him and his chances with Genevieve. Lou doesn't take back anything he said. And, oh, he slept with Frenchie.He has the note to prove it. He lets Tommy read it.At the firehouse, Needles and Lou see Franco working the heavy bag. Needles proposes making some extra cash by putting him in a tournament and betting on him.At the veteran's hospital, another elderly vet asks Teddy to kill him.Damian hangs out with Mike as he plays guitar. Mike lets slip that he's taking vocal lessons. Damian asks him to sing for him. He does, a song of his own composition. He's got a good voice. And it turns out Damian can play. He wants in Mike's band until he learns the name is "Hot Lunch." Damian fills him in on what exactly that particular sexual euphemism means (No. 2 is involved.)Sean walks in, looking near death. He stumbles to the bathroom and they heard a crash. They find him passed out on the floor, having just peed blood. They call an ambulance.Lou and Needles check out Franco pumping iron at the firehouse, prodding each other to suggest their scheme to him. Lou says he used to be a boxing trainer. Tommy mentions the guy Lou trained, "Slow Joel," the guy with the bashed in face who comes by the firehouse now and then to drool. Franco doesn't want to risk hurting his pretty face. But he comes around.In the kitchen, Feinberg and Mike talk to Sheila and Damian about his post probie plans. Tommy throws a wet blanket on the affair and the alarm sounds. Mom says Damian can ride along.In the truck Mike says Sean's out with flu. But Franco clears up that you don't pee blood with flu, you do with something like gonorrhea - which he had one and half times (but the second time doesn't count because he was just the carrier, he says).At the scene Damian finds the whole thing awesome. When it's all settled down he begs Mike to let him go in. He suits up and Mike leads him through. It was arson. Mike finishes telling him about the unstable stairs and dead bodies and Damian admits being scared.Then they hear voices and Mike sticks him in a room as Lou and Tommy come up. Lou asks Mike to check a nearby ceiling as he takes a moment to remind Tommy again that he "banged Frenchie." Mike whacks the ceiling and a pocket of flame erupts near where Damian is hiding. Mike tells Tommy they can't leave, Damian's in there.Tommy sends Lou and Mike away, after bashing Mike in the head for being an idiot. A wall of flames separates Tommy from his nephew. He takes a deep breath and charges through.

9Thaw

At the 'house, Tommy gets out of a car and asks Feinberg - pointedly - if he still wants him out of the house. A sooty and shell-shocked Damian gets out of the backseat. Tommy says the deal is that Sheila never finds out. In the kitchen, Needles confronts Feinberg and the guys, asking who took Damian in the burning building (if you're not scoring at home, it was Mike and Tommy knows it). After a pause, Damian says he snuck in. Then Tommy says it was his idea, then Mike, then Feinberg. Then Lou, then Franco. Needles ("You Will Respect Me!") is not pleased. He reads Tommy the riot act. They retreat to Needles office where the chief lays it on thicker. Discussions of respective machoness follow.Sean calls home. Terrance, his brother answers. Sean tells his mom he has cancer. She says "I told you so" for going to Ground Zero. He asks his mom to come to New York to be with him for the surgery. She worries about traveling all the way from Jersey ("thanks ma") reluctantly agrees. Then she asks if he has a new girlfriend.Janet picks up Tommy at the fire house. He waits to hear what he did wrong.Black Shawn stops Colleen on the street after following her for three hours. He confesses he's full of it. He talks big, but he's only been with five women his entire life. He proposes they get down and dirty, do all sorts of "slutty, nasty, whorey, skanky stuff." She figures out that he doesn't want to marry her because he thinks she's a whore. She hits him.Janet tells Tommy that Katie sent them a letter saying she doesn't want to see them again unless they can act like grown-ups. Tommy points out that Katie is 12. He thinks they can fake a relationship, him staying over on the weekends. And they should continue having sex, Janet says. Tommy takes a while to process. She tells him she and Dwight are done. But Tommy guesses correctly that Dwight doesn't know that yet. She asks if he wants to have sex or not. "When do we start?" he says.Back at the 'house, Franco tells Tommy that Dwight is out front. Tommy creeps around him trying to sneak out. Dwight confronts him. He says Janet's been a little off since she came back from visiting Katie. Tommy hems and haws until Dwight guesses that they slept together. Then Dwight asks Tommy how long it took him. Five or seven minutes, Tommy says. Dwight says they'll be cool in five to seven minutes. Then he takes a big handful of Tommy's junk and squeezes, timing on his watch.Sean walks in to find Lou, who asks how his gonorrhea is. In the background, Dwight retains a firm grip on Tommy's crotch. Sean says he's there to pick up the cancer donation money. But Lou says it went back in the cash pile.Dwight tells Tommy he doesn't care that he slept with Janet, he's just upset he blabbed to her about the pills and the booze.Franco spars as Lou works him out. Lou tells Needles that Franco isn't ready. Franco says he is. Lou calls in an old dude named Sonny to fight Franco. Lou suggests they go for three minutes and then Lou'll set him up with a real fight. Franco is hesitant to fight an old one-eyed man, until the geezer insults him. A few jabs and Sonny gets a clear shot at Franco's kisser, stunning him. Franco's not ready.Tommy shows up at Sheila's. She called, wanting to talk privately about Damian, but she's sitting in a red silk negligee with candles all around. She pours some wine and proposes a toast to him for saving her son. She climbs on his lap and tells him he's safe there. And he can come there any time he wants as long as he keeps her son safe. He drinks some wine. Then some more wine. Then he takes advantage of her hospitality. She hops off the second it's over and tells Tommy that Damian is living there again. She says Jimmy would be proud Damian is taking his place at the fire house and Tommy is taking his place at home. She guesses he's sleeping with Janet and suggests he keep doing it. That can be his grudge sex and this can be his oasis. She says she'll call him and admits she's using sex as a weapon. He seems fine with this. As he climbs on the elevator she shouts "I love you!"Tommy lets himself into the bar late at night and pours a vodka. A big one. He goes looking for cigarettes and hears a noise while he's in the back room. He walks back up front to see the bar full of people - scarred and bloody burn victims. He sees the robber he thought was his dead son Connor from last week. This time he's decked out in business wear, talking about working Wall St. He has a kid, who comes looking for him. He runs him off and curses at him when he comes back.Tommy hears Mike behind him and snaps out of things. Mike sees the vodka and asks if Tommy was drinking. He judges. Tommy says no and then tells Mike to back off mentoring Damian for a minute. Mike thinks Tommy is trying to turn Damian against him. Mike starts yelling, asserting himself for maybe the first time, telling Tommy he has no rank on him and he's not going to listen just because Tommy says he has to. They're equals. Tommy takes a swing at him but misses wildly. Mike levels him with one shot to the gut and walks out with a "keep drinking, pal."A montage set to music shows Sheila welcoming home Damian and Janet putting baby Wyatt to bed as Tommy has another drink at the bar. Sheila goes to bed, pleased with herself. Janet looks at a picture of Tommy and smiles. Tommy sees ghost Jimmy smiling at him in the bar. He stares at his drink.

10Control

On a scene, Lou asks Tommy and Mike to do a sweep of the basement together. Neither wants to be with the other, like 13-year-old girls in a tiff. Mike makes fun of Tommy for being ancient and Tommy tells Mike he doesn't want Damian in his band.Then Mike lays into Tommy for drinking, saying he's ashamed for Tommy. But he'll keep his secret. Tommy, for his part, thinks he can quit when he wants. They reach the basement, which is still smoldering. Tommy compares his alcoholism to the flu, it was a problem, now it's not. From outside, there's a huge crash. Lou tells them via walkie that the third floor gave out. They're stuck. Mike hacks in the smoke and bangs on the door. Tommy tells him to relax. Then Mike tells Tommy he forgot to fill the air tanks after the last job which is, you know, not good.Lou tells them they have a problem. A safe fell from the third floor and is blocking the basement door. Tommy tries to keep Mike from hyperventilating. Tommy remembers a time he and Jimmy were in the building. He walks Lou through the floor plan a few floors above, saying they'll meet below. Good timing, since the fire chooses that moment to flare up.Mike starts freaking out that they're going to burn. Tommy gives him some of his air then tells him if Mike keeps his secret, he'll keep his. Lou and the guys bust through and help them out.Back at the firehouse, Candy, the hooker who stole $26,000 of Lou's money, drops by to say hi. Lou's about as excited to see her as you'd expect. He tells her he'll just have the guys hold his wallet and then he'll be out to talk to her.He drags her down the street, telling her she has some nerve. He's upset he opened himself to her and she screwed him. She tells him she's sure he's a good person and won't turn his back on her. At which point he turns and walks away.Maggie and Teddy compare vet-helping stories. Maggie's granting one set of wishes while Teddy deals with another, being asked to play angel of death. "Well, I didn't come here to play Angel of Sex, but sometimes the rules choose us," says Maggie the helpful stimulant.Sean's Mom and brother Terrance stay with him. She complains about the bed to her cancer-stricken son. He also told his mom not to bring Terrance, like ten times, but she brought him anyway. Terrance helpfully mentions that Sean his milking the cancer thing and, oh, he needs milk. Which allows mom to clarify that Sean is just getting a little self-absorbed about his health issues, which is probably why he didn't have time to find them a hotel room.Sheila drags Damian to the firehouse, where she has brought muffins. Lou's in a foul mood. Tommy tells Damian if he graduates at the top of his probie class, he'll try to get him assigned to his house. Damian's honored and Sheila shows her gratitude with kisses. Then Damian says he's glad they're sleeping together again. He's seen the signs. She's baking, she's happy and her voice has lost the "I'm going to cut your balls off" tone. They both deny it.After Damian leaves, Sheila reiterates that the sex is on, but only if he doesn't drink on the job. She thinks he should tell everyone he's drinking so they'll watch him. When she leaves, Tommy tosses the muffins in the trash.Tommy finds the guys in the bunk room. He announces that he's drinking again, but can control it. Black Shawn asks if he can tell Colleen. No, Tommy says. Franco's stuck on the idea that Mike knew before him. Tommy then adds Mickey and Derek to the no-tell list. When Tommy leaves they try to review who knows. When Needles walks in, he's clearly also on the list. Then they go back to admiring the assets of the weather chick on channel 4. The consensus is the forecast is hot.Teddy visits the vet who asked him to off him. He's deteriorating. He asks Teddy to talk to bring his son, who married a Japanese woman. He pulls Teddy close, which just happens to lead to Teddy standing on his oxygen tube. But he realizes and steps off.Mickey stops by the house and Black Shawn and Mike mention that Tommy isn't drinking at all. In fact, he's drinking tons of coffee. Yea, coffee. That's it. Mickey, not being a total moron, figures out what's going on. They decide not to tell Tommy he was there. But Tommy comes out and sees his car.Sean thanks his mom for coming. She's unconcerned, and glad he's taking care of it. Then Terrance comes in, discussing the green turd he just laid. Their Mom offers to go check it out. Sean takes exception to the idea his mom is more concerned with Terrance's poo than his life threatening illness.Needles and Lou prep Franco for a fight. Lou tries to get the other guy riled up. Needles tells Franco the guy once killed a guy with his thumbs. But he also voted for Bush. That works to get Franco ready. The fight begins. The guy has Franco on the run, but he's still standing. Then Franco gets in one good hit and the big man hits the deck.Teddy brings the WW II vet's son in to see him. After a few tender seconds, the vet asks his son how his Japanese wife is. But he uses a completely different word you're not really allowed to use and then asks if she's still in the rice paddy. The son storms out.In Sheila's bedroom, Tommy asks naked Sheila why he can't stay over if Damian already knows about them. She says he can stay over at the new place which, by the way, is closer to the firehouse. Tommy tells her she can't drop by there without embarrassing her son. She tells him he shouldn't lecture her about cutting the cord. Then Sheila starts in on Janet and how she sucks him in. He wants a glass of wine and she says no, grabbing onto it. He kisses her to get it away, then chugs. Sheila asks if it's better with her or Janet, and asks him to promise he won't sleep with both of them on the same day. Then Damian walks in.Sean comes into his mom's room. He tries, again, to tell her he's been having a hard time and hasn't talked to anyone else about it. He tells her he's scared. She tells him he'll be fine. She beat it, he will.News to him. She found a lump a few years after he was born. It worked out fine. She gives him a hug.Mike and Damian's band practices at the bar. Damian stops Mike with an arrangement suggestion. Mike shoots him down, saying it's his band. Then he pauses and suggests the same thing Damian just did. From the bar, Tommy says it sounds great and then pours himself a huge drink. He leaves, but stops in another bar on his way home.Montage to music: Lou rides home on his bike, blue. He sees Candy, but keeps driving. Tommy gets in bed, loaded. Sean sleeps on his couch, his mom kisses him on the forehead. Tommy wakes up and looks at the nearby booze bottle. He gets up and pours a fist of whiskey. He chugs it and lays back down. He stares at the glass. The glass seems to be winning.

11Mickey

Teddy blows back into town, "drinking like a Kennedy on election day." He finds Tommy and, in a drunken euphoria, tells him about the dying vet and his estranged son. It got him thinking about how he wasn't square with Tommy's dad before he died. So he watched family movies with some Bushmills and bawled like a baby. Then he moved on to laughing about all the great times they had, which made him decide to tell everyone he loves them. He boozily loves the bejeezus out of Tommy with a hug.Lou sees and asks what just happened. Tommy tells him Teddy had a revelation. "Oh, I used to drink those," says Lou.After Teddy and his wife peel out, Tommy and Lou look around for Candy, the hooker who robbed him blind. Tommy thinks it's just as well she's gone, since Lou's a cream puff and would fold in a minute. Then a car pulls away and they see Candy across the street. Lou turns and walks into the fire house.Sheila calls Tommy, demanding he come by later for sex. She's fitting him in between the cable guy and her book club. He'll have 15 minutes, more than enough time.Colleen calls her dad. He meets her around the corner from the firehouse. She asks about Black Shawn and tells Tommy he called her a whore. He goes to take care of it. Colleen says: "Daddy, don't." Tommy pauses and asks why. She waves him off. "I'm just kidding, go ahead."Inside, Black Shawn showers. Tommy quietly gets Franco and Mike out of the bathroom, then turns the fire hose on Shawn. Very un-P.C."What are you crazy," Shawn says as he protects himself with the shower curtain, "didn't you see the footage from Birmingham?""See it?" Tommy says, as he turns the hose back on, "I was there."Shawn tries to clarify the whore comment, but saying she did "whorish" things isn't much better. And then Tommy wants to know what she did, which can't possibly lead anywhere good. Tommy says use of fingernails and biting are standard. Then Shawn mentions "a-- stuff," and a popular sandwich spread. Franco and Mickey hear as Tommy runs out. Franco takes over the hose.Sean tells Needles about his cancer at a diner. He might have surgery that night. He's trying to remain calm, Needles isn't helping. He'll be in the hospital for two weeks and another two weeks at home recovering. He asks Needles to cover for him, and Needles says no problem.Lou walks up to Candy. He asks if she's hungry. He's not, because he's eating a big sandwich. She tells him again that she doesn't think he'll turn his back on her. He tells her the guys are asking about her, so leave a number so she doesn't get him kicked off the job on top of everything else. She writes one down and reluctantly walks away. Lou pitches the paper in the trash.Janet reviews for Tommy the sex things she taught Colleen, none of which involved door #2.Then suddenly Janet's kissing his neck and climbing into the backseat. A few minutes later he's on top of her and Needles is knocking on the window asking, politely, if he wouldn't mind joining them for one of their "little fire thingies." He gets out of the car with his shirt off and gets into Needles car. The chief doesn't want to hear explanations, he's enjoying the moment, knowing he's got Tommy "by the balls for the next ten years."Franco stops by the boxing gym where a hot chick is beating the crap out of a punching bag.Tommy calls Mickey to get his dad's DVD. Mickey will only give it to him if he comes to a meeting that night.Tommy walks into Sheila's new apartment and immediately takes his clothes off and starts talking to Sheila, who's in the other room. He's halfway through telling her all the things he's going to do to her when the cable guy walks into the room to see Tommy in his briefs.The cable guy goes up on the roof, giving them 20 minutes. Sheila wants Tommy to promise again that he'll look out for Damian. They start going at it and the cable guy decides he needs to come back in for some tools. He leaves, they begin again and stop when Sheila smells Janet's perfume on Tommy. He's starting to explain he didn't technically have sex with her when the cable guy comes back in. Sheila tells him to stay and Tommy to go. Tommy asks the cable guy for some privacy so he steps to the side of the room. Tommy tries to explain and the cable guy pipes up again. Finally, both men leave.Sean meets with his doctor, but spends his time fending off his obnoxious brother Terence's questions. Then when the two boys start fighting their mom yells at Sean to stop and shake his brother's hand. Instead, he gets hit upside the head and he and his cancer kidney chase the big oaf down the hall.Franco chats up the hot boxer chick, checking that it isn't just some over-the-top workout regimen, she actually boxes people. He says he wouldn't mind going a few rounds with her... and he wouldn't mind boxing either. She cringes at the pick up line, but agrees to a drink anyway.Tommy meets Mickey at the meeting, but he won't give him the DVD til after. He thinks Tommy's going to watch it with a big glass of whiskey and have a good long cry. He admits he's drinking again, but says he can control it. He starts grabbing at the DVD, but Mickey won't hand it over. Then he volunteers Tommy to speak, daring him to tell the group what he just told him.He starts out, saying he's not an alcoholic. Derek, his sponsee, is very concerned. Tommy says he was expecting revelations after the meetings, but it didn't happen. Instead what he got was a bunch of whining a--holes. His problems on top of all of theirs. He calls out various people in the audience, reciting their stories and mocking them. He compares their problems to being a firefighter and says if he ever does save any of them, he'll celebrate with a nice big tall glass of vodka. He vows to spend the rest of his time on the planet drinking and liking it. He suggests they do the same. He walks over to Mickey and plucks the DVD from his hands and saunters out.At home, Lou's cell rings. It's Needles, needing advice. He tells him it's about Sean.Franco talks to his date, who's a mechanic. She socks him in the arm before she goes to the bathroom. He winces, impressed.A nurse preps Sean for surgery. As the drugs kick in, the lights in the room turn to gauzy colors and he imagines the nurses singing. He enjoys his trip, which soon involves female Vikings and angels. He sees himself in a suit, walking along the street, singing (very well) to the camera. Terence drops by to mock him as a sissy. This being a dream, Sean then pulls out a shotgun and shoots at him. Sleeping Sean smiles.Needles and Lou wait to see him at the hospital. Needles talks about wanting to protect him, to make sure he's not alone. Lou listens, hearing what he's saying.(End of episode music montage)Lou goes back to the trash outside the firehouse and fishes out Candy's number. Tommy pours himself a giant glass of whiskey and puts in the home movie DVD. He preps for crying with a box of tissues. He lights up and pours more booze. The DVD plays, it's a news report about Mickey Mantle dying at 63 after a liver transplant. It shows footage of him telling kids not to be like him and how he wants to start giving back and make up for what he's done. Tommy contemplates his glass of whiskey for a moment, then raises it in silent toast and downs it.

12Disease

A building burns to music (Duffy's "Baby baby baby spend your time on me") and four firefighters fall through the ceiling to the floor below. They make their way through the flames in slo-mo to the languid love song. As pieces of the ceiling comes crashing down around them they run to a window. Tommy grabs something to smash it with. They knock it out and the ladder finds them.Outside, they're all fine. Chief Feinberg strolls by, telling Tommy he heard about him in the backseat with Janet. He mentions he might have something for Tommy on Needles when the time comes. "I can't believe you've got Feinberg in your corner," Lou says. "That's like the Jets and the Sharks joining forces and becoming one giant gay, dancing, singing street gang."Tommy tells Lou about his arrangement with Janet. "You guys have been getting divorced for like eight years," Lou says, "isn't it about time you took that old dog into the woods and put one in its head?" Tommy gets a text from Sheila, and Lou smells booty call. Tommy explains that he's taking care of his kids and Damian and their mothers are being grateful. Tommy turns it around on Lou, saying he's in no position to talk since he's sleeping with a hooker. A friendly bet is made, that Tommy's arrangement will fall to pieces before Lou caves to Candy or Tommy has to clean the apartment or vice versa.Sean's mom watches over Sean, who's still asleep in his hospital bed post-kidney removal. All the guys from the firehouse stop by. He slowly wakes up, but has a breathing tube in and can't make out what they're saying. Another musical hallucination ensues, with Sean in top hat and tails, singing Fred Astaire style about how lovely it is to be a vegetable, "cucumbive, potative." It includes a "Producers"-style song and dance routine with nurses soft shoeing around zonked out men in wheelchairs. And then Garrity tap dances!Back in the hospital room, the guys stare at him, not sure what to do. They start to talk about how rough it is, but are distracted by a hot nurse in the hall. They argue over who gets to talk to her first, but Mike trumps them by actually crying over Sean. They think it's a bit, but he seems serious. The hot nurse notices and brings him a tissue, then takes him to a chair. He turns and looks over his shoulder as she's gently leading him away, a huge s--- eating grin on his face. "I've taught him too much," Franco says, "and now he must be destroyed."Janet calls Tommy. Katie called and wants to come home for a family dinner that includes Colleen's boyfriend, Shawn. Apparently Janet got carried away talking about how great he is. She tells Tommy to get him there.Tommy joins Mickey for lunch, bringing back the Mickey Mantle DVD. Mickey tells him it won't help anything to watch his dad. But he gives him the real disc anyway. Tommy tells Mickey that Mickey thinks everyone is an alcoholic because he's jealous other people can drink and he can't. Teddy is full of life again and in touch with his feelings now that he's drinking, Tommy says. He reaffirms his commitment to drinking.Tommy tries to chat up Shawn, who's still upset about the hosing. Tommy tries to apologize, saying that Colleen pushed his buttons. Shawn assumes Tommy needs him for something. Tommy sets up the family dinner idea. Despite Tommy walking into every racist code word trap along the way, Shawn agrees because he wants to get back with Colleen.Shawn walks up to Colleen on the street, bearing flowers and wearing a tie and sweater. She tells him to be cool and he says, "cool is how I do.""Stop trying to sound like Isaac Hayes when you're dressed like the lost retarded Huxtable kid," Colleen says.They all sit around the table as Janet serves pot roast. Katie throws them off by requesting Tommy say grace. He manages.Lou sits out at dinner with Candy. She says he's the only man that didn't feel like a trick or mark to her, she learned that in jail. Lou curses, he just realized he's going to lose a bet.At dinner, Shawn calls Janet Mrs. Gavin and compliments her dress. Janet and Katie go to make dessert and Colleen tells Shawn to dial it down a notch. He flips Colleen and Tommy off after they kick him under the table.Lou brings Candy back to his filthy, nasty, dirty apartment. He turns down her offer to share a bed and then goes to clean the bedroom. He comes back for a snow shovel for cleaning, saying he'll be back in an hour and a half.Janet and Tommy celebrate in the bedroom, having convinced Katie to love them again. Tommy takes his pants off, but Janet says they're not having sex with Katie in the next room. She tells him to go downstairs and watch TV until Katie falls asleep, then leave. She thanks him and tells him she has a newfound respect for him, which he somehow appreciates less than sex.Watching TV downstairs, he takes out the DVD of his dad and then goes looking for booze at wheelchair height (Dwight's old stash). He finds some.Later, he makes his way quietly up the stairs to check that Katie's asleep. But she wakes up. She's glad she came home. She tells her dad she's glad he's not drinking because he used to scare her sometimes. She asks him to promise he won't drink. He dithers. She asks if he's an alcoholic. He says he had grief issues. "So, you're in denial," she says. He also says yes when she asks if her parents are staying together forever.Tommy drops by Sheila's. Damian's going to be there at any minute, so she demands he take his pants off. He asks her if they're fooling themselves about their arrangement. Then he asks if she thinks he's an alcoholic. She says no, he's a functioning alcoholic. He's like Keith Richards, she says, he doesn't drink and the whole band goes down the tubes. She gets her shirt off and Damian comes home. She makes him promise he won't quit drinking.Tommy visits Sean in the hospital, where his brother Terence is sleeping in the chair next to his bed. Sean's breathing tube is out but he's still asleep. Tommy puts a DVD in the TV. He opens his bottle of booze and settles in to watch his dad with the two unconscious Garritys. Sean startles him by taking a huge wheezing breath. Their mom comes in. Seeing Tommy there, she tells him he's a good man for watching over Sean. She sees his booze and asks if its Irish. She demands the bottle then takes a good long plug. She takes Tommy's hand to pray and, with the other hand on the bottle, she says the Lord's prayer. Tommy tries to follow along, but watches his family movie on the TV, including scenes of his late son Conner.

13Torch

The crew enters a building, including Sean. He goes off to a darkened room by himself, he flips a light and suddenly it's the scene from "Singing in the Rain" with Gene Kelly on the soundstage. Sean's singing a riff on "The Nearness of You." He starts coughing mid-love song, as he serenades an ingénue. He develops into a full coughing fit mid soft-shoe.He wakes up with Teddy holding a pillow over his face, explaining he's helping put him out of his misery. Sean opts to live. And then Teddy tells him Maggie (his ex) would be dropping by soon. Sickly Sean pulls Teddy close, "Do me a favor, get the pillow."The truck pulls up on an overturned car in flames, with two others crumpled nearby. Lou tells Tommy he's making his move on Candy tonight. Tommy says he'll clear out, but to make sure she doesn't go through his stuff before she leaves.Tommy's winding down the digs when they look near the car and see a kid's mangled body. Shawn and Franco see that Tommy and Lou have stopped dead in their tracks and come over to check it out. Whatever they see makes Shawn lose his lunch. Needles tells everyone to take a minute to collect themselves then do their jobs.Tommy covers the kid with a blanket as everyone else keeps their distance. It takes some time because he has to collect the pieces.The guys watch Tommy carry the body away, shaken and wondering how he does it.In the hospital, Terence does crossword puzzles out loud. Maggie arrives. Terence immediately makes eye contact with her rear. Sean's mom and brother clear out to give them time alone that Sean doesn't really want. Maggie, saying she's clean and sober, leads Sean to believe he might be dying, and also that she loves and hates him. Then she starts unbuttoning her shirt, to make love to him one last time. He declines. Then she notices his morphine and asks if she can have some. She explains it'd level the playing field for the sex, and it's about sacrifice, which is what was wrong in their marriage. Yes, he says, it was all about her. She agrees, but somehow he's still lost the argument. He's saved by the doctor coming in.Franco hits the heavy bag limply as Needles and Carla watch. She asks how bad the crash that day was and Needles explains the fireman's code not to talk about it. She asks Franco about the kid. Burnt? Charred? Eyes melted out? When Franco shouts at her that he doesn't want to talk about it, she tells him to use the anger against the bag, like he's punching God in the face for what he saw. Franco goes back at the bag like he means it.Lou (Ken) comes home to his apartment, but doesn't recognize it. Candy has cleaned the place from top to bottom and organized. It's spotless. She even organized the books and DVDs into alphabetical order. Turns out Lou has a coin collection and a chess set.Tommy settles in with several bottles of booze.Lou tells Candy he's been thinking about a lot of things, including her. Especially given things like he saw today, the last thing he wants is to come home to an empty house. He's been working on his anger and resentment and thinks he's reached the next phase: pizza. And also forgiveness. He also brought champagne. He tells her his first impulse was to take it slow, but he's reconsidered that. She kisses him. She says his impulse was right, they should take it slow (and also she quit drinking). She suggests a game of chess. "Nude?" he asks.Tommy preps his DVD viewing area. He cracks open a bottle and drinks from it, watching home movies of his kids, including Connor. He leans back and sees the older version of his son, sitting behind him, narrating the movie. Then Jimmy's there, too, worrying about Damian in the academy and if he'll make it. Then his dead brother Johnny is there, telling him to have one more drink and he'll finally cry. Tommy takes a swig and then his dad's there, saying he can drink all he wants, there aren't any tears left after Connor. His dad goes on that Tommy can't feel anything, he's dead inside, the original Iron Man. Tommy gives up.Then he grabs a blowtorch. He tests it on his hand. He sits down and takes off his pants and takes another drink. He grabs the torch and holds it against his thigh. He grimaces, but no tears come. He chars his skin, finally cheers. He looks for a first aid kit. His phone rings. It's his sponsee Derek. He tells him about his conversation with all the dead relatives and that he just burned a hole in his leg. Derek thinks he's joking. Tommy calls Sheila, asking if she has a first aid kit. He's coming over.She wants to take him to the emergency room, but he won't go. She tells him his behavior isn't healthy and, worse, they're not going to be able to have sex because of where the wound is. He tells her to take off her clothes and he sits her down on his lap. She's grossed out at first but gets into it. When they're done, he asks for 12 Advils and a sandwich, plus a bottle of whiskey.In the hospital, Terence's crossword puzzling is irritating the guys in the hall. They see a group of "cancer kids" walk by. They follow them to their ward and stand outside and stare until a nurse comes out and tells them to stop standing there looking sad. She tells them if they want to come in they literally have to put on a happy face. The guys walks off, but Tommy pauses then goes in, all smiles. The guys come back and watch as he reads to the kids.

14Wheels

Needles and Lou get Franco ready for his fight. Tommy asks Lou how things are going with Candy. But he answers too quickly and Tommy smells a lie. He tells him about the go slow plan. Tommy is suspicious. They compare whose sins are greater, former hooker Candy's or Tommy for his no strings deal with Sheila and Janet. Lou asks Tommy to let him enjoy the illusion for as long as it lasts.At the fight, Shawn, Tommy, Damian, Mike and Feinberg admire Franco's friend Carla. Tommy tells Shawn his daughter has him whipped. Colleen joins them and the second Carla walks away Colleen announces Carla is gay. She describes the secret lesbian handshake. Shawn asks Colleen how she'd know and her pause seems to answer. One more round of sex experience for Tommy's daughter. She sends Shawn away for her diet soda.Ringside, Needles reminds Franco that there are innocent children dying around the world and Sean has cancer -- use it as fighting fire. Carla cheers him on using suspiciously colorful man language. Colleen rests her case.The fight begins. Franco appears to be dominating, and after not much time, his opponent goes down. Shawn comes back with Colleen's soda. She's not thirsty.In the hospital, an orderly checks on Sean. He wants a semen sample. Sean is alarmed. Then the nurse breaks out a boom box and strips. Terence and their mom bust up laughing at the world's worst male stripper. The guys all come in, mercifully ending the show.They wanted to show how glad they are that he's feeling better in their typical homoerotic fashion, Lou says. He tells Sean they're donating their winnings from Franco's fight to his hospital bill: $5,000. They figure his mom and brother could use the relief, but they pipe up that they're not paying for anything. In a nice little stream of consciousness Sean explains he's paying for most of it by skimming off the top of the cash from the bar and they've got him on some drugs that are making him feel a lot better.The guys pause. Tommy asks him to repeat that. Sean asks how dumb can they be, he was always volunteering to count the money and when was the last time they saw him open a book? They laugh nervously. He says they'd have done the same thing, he thought he was going to die. Franco says it's cool, then they take turns choking him. Tommy pulls them off saying desperate times and all, they'll have to forgive and forget. And they're going to need their check back. Sean says he's still a little short, so he's keeping it.Out in the hall, they look at his bill. They're angry at him at first and then realize it's up to them to cover the rest of it. Mike suggests his band play a charity event at the bar.Walking down the hall, Tommy runs into the cancer kid he hung out with last time. The kid wants to see the fire trucks and Tommy says they'll bring one by.Tommy, Sheila and Damian go to dinner. Damian says he's going to move in with Mike and the guys. When Damian goes to the bathroom, Tommy asks how she feels about the empty nest thing. She thinks he's faking caring about her feelings. She just wants him to keep her son safe on the job. The waiter brings Tommy a drink from a guy at the bar -- his former sponsee Derek, three sheets to the wind.At home, Candy serves Lou a fancy dinner (using French phrases, which he asks her to lay off for a while). He takes a bite of mashed potatoes and finds something in them. He asks if it's what he thinks it is. She says they've connected and she loves taking care of him. He sits down, having a panic attack. She says she loves him. Her first impulse was to ask him to marry her. He tells her he had two impulses in response. The first was to say yes, the second was to pick up his knife and drill it into his brain. They like the first impulse better.Franco and Carla finish up in bed, apparently proving Colleen wrong.Feinberg preps Damian for being a probie, low man on the totem pole. Franco walks in the kitchen, announcing his athletic conquest of Carla: "At one point I kinda blacked out and when I came to we were banging in an entirely different room, we got any ginseng around here?" "Wow," Damian says, "who knew gay chicks were the way to go?" Pause. Franco demands clarification. He thinks they're jealous. Damian closes with a filthy zinger and Lou sets him straight that he's the king of the one liners. Damian says a chummy good-bye, slapping Lou on the back, causing him to spill his coffee. Lou can't wait to get him in the house.The guys bring the fire truck by the hospital. The nurse tells Tommy and Lou about a kid who's still there because his parents are in the Greek isles. Lou goes in to cheer him up. Mike chats up a kid and takes him on the truck.Sitting in the truck, Franco pours out his heart about his man-acting woman to a 10-year-old girl with cancer. Tommy finds a kid standing by himself outside the truck, intimidated by the size of it. He offers to take the kid in the suburban and run the siren. Lou goes to talk to the abandoned kid, Dominick, who greets him with a "what's up, Fatty?" and immediately starts messing around with the tools and giving him lip.In the suburban, the kid with Tommy announces that he's going to die. His parents and nurses say it's ok, but he can see it in their faces. Tommy tells him he can't worry about that stuff and hoping can't hurt. The kid runs the siren again.The nurse tells Feinberg she's never seen the kids so happy. He says it might be the best thing he's ever done and he doesn't care if he gets in trouble.In the truck, Dominick quizzes Lou on how the truck runs. He knows about trucks from his dad. He suggests Lou get in the passenger seat and they'll pretend they're going to a fire. Lou closes the kid in the driver's side and goes around the front. And then the kid starts the truck. He takes off with Lou hanging from the passenger window. Shawn and Feinberg hop in Tommy's suburban and tell him to chase.In the truck, Mike and Franco strap in their kids and Mike helps keep things cool by announcing they're going to die. Tommy narrowly avoids a car accident and the kid in the front seat is having a blast. After a high speed tear of several city blocks, Lou finally manages to climb in the passenger window and kill the ignition.Tommy screeches to a stop behind them and the kid in the front seat thanks him saying, "I can die now."In the fire truck Dominick pronounces the ride awesome. Lou tells him if he was that kid's parents he'd stay in Greece.

15Initiation

Tommy waits at the firehouse. Sheila comes charging around the corner, camera in hand. She wants yet another reassurance that her son Damian will be OK. After all, this is the fire house that was on the cover of the New York Post last week with the headline: "Cancer boy smokes bravest." (Last weeks episode in which a young patient stole the fire truck and went on a joy ride.)Sheila explains that she's against Damian working there, but it's what he wants. Tommy can't promise Damian won't get hurt. He says he will get hurt, which earns him a punch in the chest. Tommy promises he won't get burnt, it's the best he can do.Sheila takes pictures in the kitchen as they gather to celebrate Damian joining the fire house as a probie. "It is going to be an honor and a privilege to make your life a living hell for the next year," says Black Shawn.Sheila hopes he's not talking about hazing. They recap some of the oldies but goodies. "Walk with Fido," in which you fill a guy's boots with dog crap and hope that he has to walk around in it on a really long call. Or a "San Diego Charger," where they replace the bath mat with electrical blanket and you step on it getting out of shower. Sheila thinks there too many, it's making her sweat. She says she's heading off to church to pray.But first, Tommy has something for Damian: his dad Jimmy's jacket that he wore as a back-up a few times.After Mom leaves, the fun starts. They each toss their left over cake and other snacks around the kitchen. Damian gets in on it, dumping snacks and even the remainder of his cake on the TV as they clap and cheer him on. After a few handshakes, Lou gives him the bad news: "Clean up all this s---." That ones called the spic and span.Tommy tells him it could be worse. And when Damian asks how, Tommy demonstrates by pour a full bottle of soda all over the table. Welcome to 62 truck.Lou sends Damian on a search for a part that Damian doubts actually exists (universal hose coupler). Lou, busted, suggests instead Damian leave his boots and go find a pile of dog crap on the sidewalk outside. Damian resumes his futile search.Franco and Lou talk about a memorial dedication the next night. They hear the guy's widow spent her widow money on a new rack. They'll be attending.Needles strolls through, angry over his downtown reaming about the stolen firetruck. He's still trying to figure out who to pin it on.Mike wanders around the firehouse putting up fliers for his band's benefit concert for Sean. His band's called Apache Stone, he swears he has 2 percent Native American blood.Mike suggests Franco ask Carla to bring some friends to the show, which leads to another round of "Franco's girl is gay" jokes. He asks for a little support since he's actually happy about her. Doesn't appear that'll be happening.It's broken up when Sean walks in. He should be back in a few weeks. He's happy to be alive and wants to live life to the fullest now. Then he pauses, exhausted from talking. Helpful Franco gives him a cigarette.Back at home, Sean says goodbye to his jerk brother Terrance and his mom. A loving attempt at a brotherly hug is ruined when Terrance accuses Sean of bumping him with his package mid hug. After he leaves, Sean takes a deep breath and tells his mom he knows she loves Terrance more. He guesses a lot of reasons why, and says he's OK with it. She says he's right, she loves him much more. Whew, that's a relief.Tommy and Janet go clothes shopping with Katie. He throws Janet off by attempting to hug her lovingly. She reminds him they're faking liking each other for Katie and having sex because it's mutually pleasurable. She tells him if he starts acting affectionate she might start liking him again and they've been down that road. He's a little bothered she doesn't like him."I love you in a deep and cavernous way that is streamlined with ripples of hate and disdain," she explains. So she's focusing on the sex.At the dedication, Tommy is a little concerned to see Shawn and Franco living life the Sean way, going full tilt, throwing back shots.Lou chats up a guy at the bar. He didn't know Bonesy and is sort of a friend of the family. Lou starts talking about the widow's new rack, suggesting some ways he'd like to enjoy it. Then Lou figures out he's talking to the widow's new husband.Tommy joins Lou at the bar and they go check out the plaque. A guy in a suit asks them to step out of the way because they're shooting some footage. He's the state rep for the area. And no, he didn't know Bonesy. Tommy starts quizzing him on Bonesy and says they're firefighters and are used to the politician thing. The guy says great and turns the camera on so they can have a serious talk about the issues. Instead Tommy reams him out about politicians making promises and never coming through. Then he starts choking the guy.Franco and Carla romp under the sheets and he asks her to bring some friends to the benefit, adding that they can be straight or gay. She asks what he means. She says it's no big deal, she's been called butch before. Then she goes back to questioning his manhood by pointing out he's being dominated in the sack by a chick.Damian responds to a scene with the guys, dropping his hat and having some trouble getting out of the truck. Needles tells Lou to take Damian but inside Tommy swaps with him in the building. Inside they realize the building is a loss and Needles radios that there's no pressure on the hoses. He tells them to get out.In a stairwell, Mike and Franco think they hear someone, but Lou says they swept the floor. Tommy says they should listen to Needles. He heads down with Damian, but Franco, Shawn and Mike run down the hall after the noise. Tommy follows after them, telling Lou to take Damian.Outside, Needles is pissed at Lou for breaking up the team. Tommy and the guys safely bust out a window and rappel down the outside of the building.Back at the firehouse, Needles reams them out for once again not listening to him. He blames Tommy for playing mother hen to Damian. Needles says from now on, Damian is with Lou.After, Lou says that Needles is right and nobody would want to be Tommy right now.Tommy gets a call from Sheila. Damian told her what happened and she wants him to come over.He finds a note on a glass of whiskey in her hallway and candles everywhere. In the kitchen Sheila surprises him in full cheerleader outfit, with pigtails and pompoms. She plans to "thank the s--- out" of him.Cut to a fast forwarded scene of them romping around on every surface in the living room and a few costume changes including French maid.Later she tells him that for the first time in months she can actually breathe, knowing every time Damian goes into a fire Tommy's going to be by his side, right? Sure, says Tommy.Sheila goes to sleep and Tommy goes to make himself a sandwich. Dead Jimmy joins him, saying Needles was right to pair Damian with Lou and acting generally OK about everything. But he says Tommy has to tell Sheila. Tommy considers for a moment and decides, eh, no, he's not going to do that. Jimmy insists. Tommy resists. He gets bullied by a drunken hallucination.Jimmy shoves Tommy into Sheila's room.

16Clean

Sheila cooks Tommy breakfast, raving about bacon. "I would eat bacon 24-7, but I don't want my ass going all Kim Kardashian on me," she says.Somehow this turns into a trap from which Tommy tries to extricate himself as he tells her she could eat tons of bacon, even Candian bacon, and never get fat. And then he's getting yelled at for the party a long time ago when he might have checked out a woman with big boobs who happened to be from Canada. Tommy tries to ride out the storm but Sheila ends up crying when Tommy can't choose between red and green peppers for his fritatta.She runs to the bedroom. Tommy finds Sheila's dead husband Jimmy in the kitchen, there to harass him for not telling Sheila yet about the fact Tommy's no longer looking out for her son Damien on calls - per Needle's order.Sheila comes back with her meds. Shocker, she forgot to take them. She goes back to cooking. Tommy says he has something to tell her, but instead asks what she takes. Two pills for anti-anxiety, one to counter act how sleepy those make her and then one for terror sweats and one for her libido. He tries to continue, first moving the knife out of reach. He compliments her rear. His phone rings. It's Needles, telling him to turn on the TV and check the newspaper.His mauling of the state rep is on the news. They're calling it a drunken brawl.Tommy sits with Needles in his office. He thinks Tommy was drunk, but Tommy says it was his first drink and he hadn't taken a drink yet. When Needles talks about having to deal with it, Tommy says he fights fires and Needles pushes papers. Needles references all the trouble Tommy makes and asks if (like previous chief Jerry Reilly, who shot himself) he's going end up with a gun in his mouth, too.Tommy leaps across the table and starts trying to pound Needles. Tommy gets him on the ground and Needles tells dares him to hit a superior officer. He tells Tommy he'd love to go into buildings with him, but he has a responsibility to deal with all the men and their families. They stand up and dust themselves off.Needles tells Tommy to quit drinking for a week or all of Damien's crap probie duties will be his. Tommy says no problem. Needles says the deal is to quit for 30 days. "In a row?" Tommy says.Cut to Tommy polishing the fire truck to a shine as Lou, Franco and Shawn observe. Damien comes in preparing them for what he just saw outside. She walks in, a young, hot, blonde Russian mail order bride. Needles went through a nasty divorce and just ordered her up. "Man," Franco says, "I'd like to introduce her to Doctor Zhivago." Shawn clarifies that Franco was just referring to his junk."Yea, just for Russian chicks, though. If they're Irish chicks it's Michael Collins, with French chicks it's Napoleon, British chicks it's King Arthur. It used to be David Beckham, but too many chicks have seen 'Bend it Like Beckham.'"Damien chooses this moment to announce that Mrs. Needles isn't wearing any underwear. A bet is determined. The first one to verify that Mrs. Needles is breezing it is the winner. What do they win? A free view of Mrs. Needles' lady parts. The guys all run off as Lou gets back to watching Tommy buff the truck.Needles says good bye to his wife with a hearty make-out. Lou intercepts her around the corner, carefully dropping his pencil. He stoops to pick it up, but splits his pants. On to Franco, who picks up a barbell and pretends to be mid-workout. He pulls her up a chair and lays down in front of her to do sit ups, but leans back directly into the barbell on the floor, whacking his head.Mrs. Needles makes her way past the fire truck, where Tommy is still cleaning under the truck. He rolls out in front of her. She says good bye and steps directly over his head. Tommy sees God. He rolls back under the truck.Needles drops by to make sure Tommy saw his hot wife. Oh yea he did. The guys all check in with Tommy, who gloats.Tommy's down in the basement cleaning, Janet stops by with a note from Katie. She notes the basement is also the perfect place for a quickie. Tommy tries to resists, saying he's in the doghouse, but Janet doesn't have a shirt on under her jacket, which pretty much ends the argument. The finish before Mike checks in on them.Tommy says they should go on a date, like dinner and a movie. But Janet says that was a date. On her way out, Janet runs into Needles. He spies Janet's undies and Tommy is busted.Mike brings Damien home to crash on his couch. Sean is there. He misuses "carpe diem" and Damien corrects him. But Sean clings to it, explaining carpe is Roman for carp, and the saying is based on the fact that fish live short lives and have to live well.Mike tells Sean about the women coming to his benefit that may or may not be lesbians.Sean worries about the effort involved determining which are which. He says if it's going to take effort he might just stay home and enjoy the pleasure of his own company. "Yea, but would a carp do that?" Damien asks. Touche.Carla and Franco walk in Central Park. She tells him she's bringing ten hot friends. He clarifies that they're "girlie." She can tell he's still stuck on the lesbian thing. She calls his friends idiots. He's about to get offended when she mentions they're calling her a lesbian and who's he gonna side with?Cousin Mikey visits Tommy at the fire house. Tommy launches into his explanation of the other night with the state rep, saying he wasn't drunk.Mikey tells Tommy nobody's seen Derek for a while and he's Tommys responsibility.Needles comes into the kitchen and compliments Tommy on his fine cleaning work. Then he ducks. Something explodes on the table. Needles bought it at a joke shop. It made a huge mess everywhere. Tommy gets to clean it up.A while later, with the kitchen clean again, Tommy gets a call from Derek. He just took some oxy. Tommy tells him not to go anywhere, he'll be right there.Tommy gets to the empty bar, but Derek's fine. Teddy, his wife, Maggie, Cousin Eddie and Mickey are all there. They tell him it's time to stop. He agrees, saying it's all magic anyway. It's not good for the kids. He goes on, giving a long soliloquy, sounding like he's turning the corner. At some point David Copperfield comes up. But he finishes by opening a bottle and taking a huge swig. He offers it up to all the alcoholics.Eddie'll have some. He's been drinking in secret the whole time. And Mickey hates David Copperfield, so he'll have some. Maggie's the only one who resists. The rest of them raise a glass in toast, the family that drinks together. "Welcome back," Tommy says.

17Lesbos

The guy's gather around the tube in the firehouse. Lou tries to fix the TV, which has inconveniently gone out before "the finals." Needles asks if the game is on.No, "Dancing with the Stars."At the bar benefit for Sean's kidney fund, there are hot chicks everywhere, but none of them will talk to Sean, not even when he mentions he just lost a kidney. Apparently, "hey, I just lost a kidney to cancer" sounds like a line.Franco surveys the crowd, suggesting Carla came through and it's time to stop with the "Carla's a lesbo" talk.Lou raises a toast at the bar and announces he's getting hitched.Hot hot Mrs. Needles the slutty mail order bride comes in, already half in the bag. The guys take advantage of her poor English skills to ask a few personal questions.On the stage, Mike rocks out. He stage dives, but this being a bar and not a rock show, he hits the floor.Tommy's drunk-again relatives enjoy being off the wagon. Mickey suggests they take it down a notch and go find a meeting.There's a long pause.He's kidding.Teddy announces he's going to scope chicks. Now that he's drinking again, so is his wife Ellie. She'd never notice if he got a little play.Speaking of weddings, Eddie asks Tommy when he was going to tell them about Lou and Candy. That'd have to be after Tommy knew about it. Which can start now.Lou and Feinberg watch Mrs. Needles make out with a chick across the bar. Tommy asks Lou about his impending marriage. Lou says he's following Sean's "live for the moment" advice.Mike finishes singing and joins them, saying he, too, will be following Sean's advice and will give up firefighting to focus on his music.Just then the bouncer runs in, futilely trying to shut the door behind him, then apologizes to the guys for not being able to stop them. The hot tide turns.A crowd of butch lesbians enter.One starts making out with Mrs. Needles as the guys look on, trying to figure out how to break it up. They're intimidated by the burly woman.Teddy says he's 3-0 against lesbians, he'll take her. He pulls her off Mrs. Needles and gets punched in the face, but doesn't waver. Then he fights back and a lesbians-on-firefighters brawl breaks out.Outside, Lou tells Tommy they lost Mrs. Needles somewhere. From across the street, a shirtless Derek runs over and announces that he was puking in the alley when a hot blonde chick just came over and went down on him.Then a man from the building across the street leans out and shouts at them to get the "crazy white bitch" out of his apartment. Mrs. Needles has been located.Tommy and Shawn knock on Needles' office door. They have a passed out Mrs. Needles. In the office, Tommy tells Needles he now owes him and he'd like him to back off. Needles explains that what Tommy did tonight was personal, but everything between them is professional. So the ball busting will continue.Needles open the door to see his drunk Russian wife trying to rip off Black Shawn's pants. He and Tommy are square.In the kitchen over coffee later, the guys show admiration for the lesbians for paying for all the damage.Shelia waltzes in with cake, wanting to know who left Damien drunk in her elevator last night. There's a call.Sheila says she'll wait.Outside, Janet shows up. She says she'll wait until they're back from the fire. Tommy, his worst nightmare coming true, tries to tell her she's not allowed, but Needles and Franco helpfully point out there's no such rule. Janet's going to go wait in the kitchen. With Sheila.The kitchen is empty when Janet gets there, but Sheila comes in shortly. They aren't thrilled to see each other. Sheila explains what she's doing there and Janet leaves. But she's just getting coffee from the pantry, showing off that she knows where it's hidden.Each woman takes off her coat, staking territory. They sit at opposite ends of the table in silence. Janet pulls out her phone and sends a text. Sheila's phone goes off. Janet just texted her.Sheila agrees, this is totally ridiculous.They ask about each others' kids. Then they get to the baby (the one Sheila tried to buy). Sheila makes a face. Janet asks about it.And then they're calling each other names and telling each other to go to hell. Sheila sends a text to Janet. "You spelled it wrong," Janet replies.Sean comes in. He looks at Janet's new phone. "What's a 'cunf?'"He figures out the situation and makes tracks.Janet texts back. Then she says: "If you wanted my husband so badly, how come you haven't just taken him?""If you wanted him so badly, how come you haven't taken him back?" Sheila retorts.The guys come back from the call, filing into the kitchen to watch. Sheila tells them to get out. Lou takes the cake and runs.Janet calls for Tommy. He slinks in.The women are still sitting at opposite ends of the table. They stare him down. He tells them he has nothing to feel defensive about. He talked about it with both of them. Janet tells him there are strings. Sheila agrees.Then they agree it's one of them or the other, standing on either side of him, both taking their shots. They both leave, having to fight their way through the guys on the other side of the door.There's another alarm.They roll up in slo mo to melancholy music, charging in. Tommy stands on the side of a door and gets blown across the hallway when he opens it. He dusts himself off and goes in. Flames surround him.Franco finds a kid under a bed, Tommy finds another in a closet. The building's really going up now, flames blowing out windows.Inside, the ceiling of the room Franco and Tommy are in falls through the floor. With the stairs blocked, they head through the hole.They find another kid under some rubble.Outside, everyone's OK, but Damien blows chunks.A woman (Maura Tierney) runs up to the guys saying she needs in to the first floor. They try to stop her, pointing out the building's about to go. She gets past Franco by saying he's gorgeous then adroitly knees Tommy in the groin. She runs in and the building goes up in even more flames. The crew tries to get in from the back, but can't. They figure no one's coming out alive.Then the woman comes out holding a box, saying it was hot in there. But she's fine. She walks away as the guys look on.

18Carrot

19David

20Zippo

Lou radios Tommy urgently. They're in the grocery store. Lou's got an hour to get Mexican night together before the "Real Housewives of New York City" marathon.Mike asks Tommy if he's coming to his band's audition, but Tommy tells him that maybe he's getting his hopes up for the future of Apache Stone. No, Mike says he's not, he just expects to make it to the Grammys.Needles pumps Franco up for his chick fight.Lou announces that he and Candy are considering a second honeymoon to Turks and Caicos. He'll plan it, she'll pay.Black Shawn asks about the second honeymoon concept, saying Colleen told him Janet and Tommy are doing the same thing for a weekend in the Berkshires.Lou radios Tommy about it. Tommy tells Damian not to tell his mom about it, or the Kelly thing either.Damian heads to produce, where he sees a guy stealing the last two avocados in the store. Lou tells him to get on it. Damian is waylaid by a stack of apples and radios for back-up. Lou radios to everyone that Mexican Night is in peril. Tommy takes off with Mike stuck in the cart.Tommy and Damian think they have the guy trapped, but he runs up the cart and leaps over Tommy. Then he flips over Lou in another aisle and runs up a stocking car to evade Franco and Needles. Finally, Tommy tackles him.The store manager is upset that they wrecked the store for steak and two avocados, of which a hot chick takes one.Tommy calls Sheila, needing him to come over and hang her television. Tommy's sure Damian called her. He swears he didn't. He texted her.At Sheila's, Tommy says Janet hasn't even asked him to go yet. She asks him if he's going to go. He changes the subject.He asks her who Jimmy cheated on her with. She says it's not important anymore. Jimmy was seeing her for months, plus she caught them out to a candle light dinner, holding hands and kissing. What an idiot, Tommy says.Sheila comes out of the bathroom in a negligee and orders Tommy to take off his clothes and lie down. She says it might be the last time they have sex and she wants to make it a doozy. She pours him an enormous glass of vodka. Then she busts out the handcuffs.She starts kissing him and asks if she wants to know more about Jimmy. She shows him a cheesy Empire State Building Zippo lighter Jimmy's other woman gave him. After some sweet talk, she holds the lit lighter to his face, saying that his marriage was only worth something when it was falling apart. She wraps her hands around Tommy's throat and ignores Tommy as he tells her to stop. She says she doesn't think any other woman on earth could make him twist like that and then have him turned on the next second. She says if he wants to wake up next to an electric shock every day even after he stops firefighting, she's his best bet.She kisses him finally and then undoes the handcuffs, telling him to get back to hanging the TV.Jimmy pops his head in after she leaves, telling him it wasn't Janet. No way he would have slept with his old lady, but that's just him. He tells Tommy to take the deal Sheila's offering because the two of them are going to end up killing each other either way.At the bar, Derek is having guilt pangs about giving the drunk Gavins booze. Tommy thinks it's a raise negotiating technique. They settle on $1.50 more an hour.Maggie drops by and gives Tommy hell for enabling their drunken relatives. Ellie tells her not to judge them.A fight breaks out in the corner, but Tommy's unconcerned, says they're right on schedule. Maggie leaves.At home, Lou researches possible honeymoon destinations. Candy says they should go somewhere extravagant. He gets turned on by her folding his laundry. They start the second honeymoon early.Tommy and Janet sit out to dinner. She thinks he's made a decision, but he hasn't. She says it's simple: either he gets to see Katie or he doesn't."Did you sleep with Jimmy Keefe?" Tommy blurts out.Janet says she's not going to answer that. He reads her body language and thinks she did.Janet asks which would be easier: if she slept with him before they were married or if she slept with him a few weeks before he died.Tommy gets up and tells her to meet him outside. He waits, but she doesn't come. He takes his lit cigarette and goes back inside. She ignores him then says he's making a scene. He ups the stakes by wiping all the stuff off their table.Then he takes an ashtray and throws it through the glass back door. He goes back to Janet, who tells him he slept with Sheila so he doesn't have a leg to stand on. She suggests they call it even.But he says he started sleeping with Sheila after they were separated. She says she might have done the same with Jimmy. She says it happened about six months before they got married, when Sheila and Jimmy were on a break, too.She says it gave them their bearings back and let them know who they each belonged with. That's why she called him four days later. The cops come for Tommy.Outside, the cops are more concerned with a stain on Janet's dress than with arresting Tommy. Janet tells him not to do what he usually would in that situation, call Sheila. Or that other chick. Damian told Shawn who told Colleen.As Sheila walks away, Tommy takes out his phone and calls Kelly. She has no idea who he is, confusing him with another Tommy. She's not in the mood to go out. She suggests he come over instead. They can pick up where they left off in the back of the cab, where he was attempting to give her a free mammogram.Franco hits the heavy bag and someone tells him Carla's on the phone. He doesn't take it.At Kelly's new place, they talk awkwardly. She asks if he feels like he's being judged. She says he is.She says she's not really into boyfriends, travels a lot, is selfish and tends to grab whatever she wants.She asks his deal.He tells her about sleeping with his cousin's widow and Connor getting hit by the drunk driver.And I thought I was a mess, she says.She thinks he's intriguing. She tells him she's only around on weekends and when she is she needs a guy who pays full attention to her needs, in and out of bed. She tells him to leave.Then she says sorry about his kid (Connor) and that you never really get over something like that. No, you don't, Tommy says.She takes her mystery box from the fire into her bedroom to get high. He's not sure what to do. He knocks gingerly on the door, saying he wants to be honest.He tells her he was out having dinner by himself and couldn't stop thinking about her. He babbles some mushy stuff. But she tells him he still has to go.He leaves and she lights up.

21Jump

A rough looking broad warms up in the opposing corner of a boxing ring. Lou, Needles and Franco in the other corner aren't sure she's actually a woman, in a Chinese female swimmer kind of way. Franco suddenly fears for his safety.In the stands, Tommy and Feinberg watch Damian cozying up to Kelly. Tommy goes over to investigate, where Kelly immediately tells him to relax and then announces that the atmosphere around the ring is like "dyke du soleil."She pontificates for a moment on the fact beautiful lesbians walk among us, and notes her previous, and recent, experiences with them. Then she tells Tommy she changed her mind about him. About them.She's there with Damian because he's easy. Tommy thinks it's because because of his bad kiss. She tells him he has "big bad, boatload of boyfriend" written all over his face and she's taking the easy way out. Damian returns with their beers. Tommy asks Kelly what Damian's name is again. She pauses. "Cutie pie."The fight begins. Franco dances away from her. She lands one. He runs again. He misses her. She socks him in the ribs. He still hasn't committed to hitting her. One of the tougher looking lesbians in the crowd starts heckling, which prompts a drunk Cousin Mickey to challenge her with a "whip it out, RuPaul."She comes over and dumps her beer on the guy in front of him. He socks her. Another woman nearby decks him. Suddenly the crowd is on their feet and firefighters and lesbians are going at each other. Tommy, Feinberg and Mike duck out.In the ring, Franco and the female fighter stop to watch. A bona fide brawl breaks out. "You know, I think I'm kind of over this boxing thing, it brings out the worst in people," Franco says to her. "I think I'm over this lesbo thing for the same god d---- reason," she says. He asks her to a drink then thinks better of it. They bump gloves. Good fight.On a bridge, Lou, Damian and the guys gingerly approach an angry man near the ledge. The guy in a dress shirt and slacks climbs over the railing. Lou radios to the police, the negotiator is 10 minutes away. Lou says one of them will have to talk to him. Tommy thinks he'd be a terrible choice, given the way his life is going. Black Shawn volunteers, he talked his brother off a ledge five years ago.He approaches the guy, offering him a jacket. Hanging on and leaning, the guy says he has nothing left. Shawn asks about his kid. He tells him about his daughter and says he got caught to a Ponzi scheme and lost $11 million. Shawn says he's lost things, like someone real close.Shawn tells him to think about his daughter and says everybody loses something one time or another, "it's how we overcome the s--- that makes us how we are." The jumper asks what self help book he pulled that out of.Standing nearby, Franco offers that it's from Jerry Maguire. Tommy thinks he's wrong. The guy weighs in. Tension appears to dissipate.Shawn gets him to take his jacket. The man takes hold of it. Then he wraps his arms around it, lets go and falls back off the bridge and into the river below.Tommy comes home to hear Colleen crying in her room. Shawn's outside on the porch, drinking. He thinks he sees another jumper on a bridge in the distance.Tommy tells him sorry about his brother. Shawn says he doesn't have a brother. He talked him down, but three weeks later he took pills and finished the job. He says he's 0 for 2. He tells Tommy to save the speech.Colleen told him how Tommy copes with death. He gets drunk and jumps into bed with whatever is nearby. She thinks that's what Shawn's going to do. He chews Tommy out for putting that in her head, and calls him a drunk piece of s---.Tommy takes a swig from Shawn's bottle of booze and tells him he's right. Tommy tells him not to do what he did. Go in the house and talk to Colleen, he says, hug her and tell her she's beautiful.At the end of the pep talk Shawn leans in and gives him a hug, saying "that was some real father-son type s--- there, Tommy."Shawn holds onto him and they sway slowly until Tommy announces it's freaking him out. To get Shawn off him he says he thinks there's a guy on the bridge. Shawn tells him, seriously, man, I love you, and goes inside.Tommy picks up the booze.Apache Stone, Mike and Damian's band, prepares to go on stage. Mike runs out and trips. The crowd laughs, then goes completely silent. Mike starts monologuing about the band's recent name change from Apache Stone to The DBs. Somebody shouts at him to play. He babbles a bit more, screws up the name of the song and the count down and finally they start playing.Mike starts singing but looks terrified.Later, the A&R guy tells them they were fantastic. They just need to get rid of Mike. He tells the band they sign without Mike or not at all. Damian says he's out. He only joined the band to get laid and that's happened plenty since he became a firefighter.The A & R guy then says they all get $20,000 as a signing bonus. The band agrees. Sean, acting as moral support, tries to convince the guys to stick with them, mentioning the sweet VW van he got them through his friend the car dealer.The A & R guy likes it and says he wants three. And with that, he takes Mike's band and leaves.Candy comes home to her apartment with "Kenny" (Lou), to find it completely bare. He's not there.Kelly reads a book at home. Tommy calls. He says he doesn't think she's telling him the truth. She says she doesn't have to tell him the truth. He thinks about that for a moment, then hangs up on her.In a fancy new two-story apartment with a view, Lou pours a glass of champagne. Candy knocks and comes in. She bribed the super to tell her where he was. She was gone two nights and came back to this.First, he tells her, it probably wasn't a great idea to get a joint checking account because it turns out he had some residual anger from when she took all his money. So he bought a bunch of stuff. Including OJ Simpson's Heisman's trophy - a fake that turns out to be a "Heiman" Trophy.She calls him an "a--hole" for spending all her money. He says he also gave some to charity. And he's keeping the rest to make up for what she stole, with interest.Point two, he found her real name. Barbara Callahan. He learned that her uncle who supposedly left her money is alive and an amazing conversationalist. He sent a picture from 10 years ago of her. He also gave her a heads up that there's a warrant out for her arrest from the guy in Florida she ripped off for $250,000 -- the same amount her supposedly dead uncle left her.She says she's innocent.Point three, he called the cops when she was on her way. So if she's innocent she can stay and explain.She says she's going, but he's made the biggest mistake of his life.At Kelly's, there's a knock on her door. She turns off her TV and tries to sit in silence. But Tommy knows she's in there. He threatens to break her door down. She says she'd like to see that. He says he's going for it. There's a loud crash. The door doesn't move. There's swearing from the other side of the door. He knocks. She opens the door and he immediately starts kissing her. He has her on the couch in no time.She's going with it, then tells him to get out. He doesn't believe her at first, but she says she's serious. He stands up. But he says he's not leaving because she's lying about what's in her mystery box that she got from the fire and about why she's not into him. He grabs the box and threatens to open it unless she tells him what's in it.She opens it and takes out a picture of a baby. "She's beautiful," Tommy says. "She's dead," Kelly says. She was four months old when she got a cough. Kelly took her to the hospital that night where her breathing got bad, then they told her she had a heart defect and the next day she died.Tommy thinks for a moment then tells her about Connor getting hit."See, that's exactly what I don't need," she says. She doesn't want to hear his story or for him to understand, she just needs him to leave.Instead, he sits down next to her. He gently puts his arm around her. After a few seconds, she relaxes. "You're not leaving," she notes. "No," he says.Tommy serves shots to the gents at the bar, including firefighters and Gavins. He would like to say a few things, including that they did the best they could with the jumper.Shawn grumbles about whiskey tasting terrible. Sean tells him they have peach flavored vodka in the back. The guys like the sound of it. Ellie joins them and drains Teddy's whiskey. Needles tells her to take it easy. "Why don't you go order up another wife on the Internet, because the one you got kisses like a door knob," she says.Tommy and Sean go in back. He asks Sean what color his Johnson is now. Teal. He used a bleaching agent.Sean leaves Tommy in back, where dead Jimmy appears. He says he wasn't lying when he said he wouldn't have slept with Janet if Tommy had died on 9/11. Tommy picks up a case and throws it at the ghost.Back at the bar, Shawn toasts Tommy. Best firefighter, best father, best father...in-law. The air goes out of the room as they stare at him. Then he busts out laughing. He got him.Ellie drives home as the guys keep drinking. Tommy sees Jimmy, but keeps drinking. In the car, Ellie reaches for her phone and makes a call. Teddy's phone rings, but he doesn't see it. She puts her phone down as she approaches an intersection. She doesn't notice that the light has changed. She runs a red. A semi plows through and hits her.

22Drink

Tommy and Cousin Mickey chat outside a church. Mickey says Teddy's upset because they were drinking at the funeral, and the Mass. And at this moment. They meet Teddy as he comes out of a meeting. Mickey tries to apologize, saying he wouldn't blame Teddy if he wanted to haul off and hit him. So Teddy hauls off and hits him. Then Teddy says Ellie was his fault. He started drinking again because he was miserable. And he shouldn't have let Ellie go pick up their yappie Pomeranian. Teddy tells them not to worry, he needs to straighten himself out. He hugs them both.In the firehouse, Tommy tells Lou about Kelly's dead daughter. They finally understand why she ran in to get the box from the fire; it had all her mementos of her baby. Lou asks if Tommy got some. He says he held her, a psychologically healing process. And also he was totally turned on.Tommy tells Lou not to tell anyone about Kelly's baby. Damian comes in and denies that he heard what they were talking about.A hot young woman walks in, looking for Tommy. She approaches him coyly. They think it's a strip-o-gram. But instead she giggles, hands him something and says he's been served.Divorce papers. Damian says it's about freaking time. "Yea," is all Tommy has to offer.Lou waits for more, like Tommy's secret evil plan. Damian asks why Tommy'd care, since he's sleeping with Kelly. Damian knows because he called to ask her out and she told him. And, naturally, he told his mom Sheila.Janet meets Sheila in a cafe. Sheila says they have a problem with an interloper. Janet's not worried about Tommy picking her, she says she just gave him a shove in the right direction by serving him with divorce papers. To which Sheila motions that she plans to serve him with her boobs. Janet stands to leave and Sheila tells her that Kelly lost a child. Janet sits back down.Damian filled Sheila in. "So you see, it's not just a sex thing anymore," Sheila says. "It's a grief connection, just like he has with you and just like he has with me."Sheila says they'll warn Kelly about Tommy, in the guise of kindness. Janet agrees.Kelly welcomes Janet and Sheila, offering them wine. When Kelly goes to get dressed after pilates, the competition picks her apart. She comes back dressed like a vamp, in fabulous black boots and perfect little black dress. Sheila powers on, telling Kelly that Tommy's really screwed up and a bottomless pit of anger.Kelly says she appreciates their concern, but, essentially, back off. She also mentions that she hasn't done anything with him yet, just something "private.""He held me," Kelly says. Sheila and Janet are incredulous.Kelly stands up to leave. And that's when Sheila says she's sorry about Kelly's daughter. When Kelly asks who told her that, Sheila says "who do you think?"Outside, Janet and Sheila go back at it again, sauced and shoving. Sheila knocks Janet to the ground and she responds by throwing her shoe at her. And then Sheila picks up a brick and heaves it at the windshield of a nearby car.Some poor guy on the street breaks it up and Kelly gets a good view of the action from her apartment as Sheila beats the guy back with a trash can lid.Tommy comes to Kelly's. She tells him to leave and asks which one of the exes he told first. She tells him about the fight and calls Sheila "Joe Pesci with tits." She tells him his life is a circus and Sheila is the ring master.Cut to Sheila walking into her romantically lit bedroom. Tommy comes out behind her and scares the crap out of her. He throws her on the bed and handcuffs her to the head board. He kisses her and says he doesn't know why it took him so long to figure out that she is the one.He says he has a surprise for her as she basks in the glory of winning. He comes back in with her massive amount of pills from two different shrinks, three different doctors, etc. So it'd take two days to replace the pills and she'd go through withdrawals, he clarifies.He takes her pills into the bathroom and burns them. Then he starts lighting matches and flicking them at her. She figures out she might not have won him after all. He sits down and holds her head. "Next time you want to take something that belongs to me and screw all the hope and breath and promise out of it, terror sweats will be the least of your problems," he tells her. Then he takes the handcuff key and puts it down her negligee and leaves her there.Lou sits in a car with Tommy, telling him whatever they're doing is insanity. He reminds Tommy that kidnapping is a federal offense. Katie walks up to their car. She asks if they're kidnapping her. He says it's a bonding experience. She calls her mother a psycho and gets in the back seat without complaint. She locked the babysitter in the basement for her getaway and knocked the baby out with two Benadryl.At the bar, the guys all hunker down for a staff-only drinking night. Tommy toasts Ellie. Mickey toasts Teddy. Eddie mentions that Teddy owes him $800 for the bag pipers at the funeral.Teddy bangs on the door, all smiles. He orders 10 three-fingered glasses of Irish whiskey. When Teddy asks Eddie how he's doing, Eddie mentions the $800. To which Teddy takes a gun out of his pocket and puts it on the counter. He tells the guys if they won't go to AA, he'll bring AA to them.He's just got one bullet. He tells Tommy to do a shot. Tommy does. Teddy says if he hadn't started drinking again, Ellie wouldn't have either. He tells Tommy to do another shot. And then another. Tommy says he's had enough, but Teddy orders him. The guys look on nervously. Teddy says he's decided the only way to make amends is to kill himself, but he quit drinking and doesn't have the nerve. He tells Tommy to do another shot. Then Teddy continues his plan, saying he'll give the gun to a drunk and maybe they'll do it for him. He tells Tommy to drink again. He checks that Tommy's feeling lightheaded.Lou, Eddie, Black Shawn, Mike, Sean, Mickey, Franco and Needles wait quiet and nervous as Teddy talks about a guy they used to know who drank too much to kill himself. He likes his 1 in 5 odds with the revolver. He offers it to Tommy, asking him if he wants to do the honors. Tommy declines. So Teddy raises the gun and points it at Tommy and fires.He hits Tommy in the shoulder, knocking him down. Teddy marvels at Tommy's bad luck. As the guys sit paralyzed Teddy clicks the trigger again and again until it fires and hits Tommy again in the shoulder. Needles goes to help him as Teddy takes another loaded gun out of his pocket -- one with 16 rounds left. The guys all raise their hands and fork over their cell phones when he tells them to. Teddy calls his shots by blasting bottles on the bar, warning them not to make a move or go for help. He says they're going to sit there for the next few hours and watch slowly Tommy slowly fade away.He decides he was in denial, he does blame Tommy. He stands over Tommy, telling him about karma. Teddy says Tommy seems to do whatever he wants and nothing bad ever happens to him, just the people around him. "Have some ginger ale, boys, hopefully this is going to take awhile," Teddy says as he sits down at the bar and lights a cigar.Lying on the floor, slowly bleeding, Tommy sees his dead cousin Jimmy, who tells him it'll all make sense on the other side.Cut to Janet looking for Katie in her house and not finding her. She calls her phone and we see Katie and Colleen hanging out together. Then Damian finds his mom still cuffed to the bed, her face streaked with mascara and tears.Then back to Teddy, smoking his cigar over Tommy as he slowly fades on the floor as blood pools out beneath him.

2Change

Tommy walks by the bar during the day and peers in. He peers against the window and sees Ellie's bloody face.Back home, he arrives to see a shirtless Franco helping Katie with her homework. The baby puked on him while he was burping him and none of Tommy's shirts fit. Then Black Shawn strolls out of Collen's bedroom with no shirt on. She, too, puked. But not because he has a drinking problem, certainly.Tommy asks to talk to the guys upstairs and tells them no more shirtlessness with Katie. It's a "nipple-free zone."Franco thinks Tommy is jealous. He cops to it, especially given that Franco can cook. Franco says he'd never do anything with Janet because they're like brothers. Tommy reminds him his actual brother slept with Janet.Franco tells him his kids need a dad. He urges Tommy to tell his family how he feels. He resolves to do it. As for Franco, "I'm going to see if I can get laid before work."Inside, Tommy tries to talk to Janet and the girls, acknowledging that he knows he hasn't been the best dad for a while. He finally tells them he loves them all. "Is that it?" Colleen asks. Katie says she loves him, then Colleen pukes.Janet asks him to go shopping. She walks away and shuts the door. He tells her he loves her. She makes him repeat it, then reminds him not to forget the list.Tommy stops in Katie's room. He asks if there's a thing at school. She mentions "the contest." She thinks she can win and Tommy gets very nervous. They finally figure out she's talking about the dance contest.Sheila calls Tommy to see if he's talked to Damien yet and he actually gives a decent answer about planning to tell him he doesn't have to live anyone's life but his own.Cousin Mickey returns Tommy's call and they make plans to go to a meeting later.At the house, Lou wears an "I'm the Muffin Man" apron and bakes brownies. He brakes a step ladder by standing on it and Needles gently tells him he's fat.Tommy comes in with an announcement that he's quitting drinking. They laugh. Then he gets heartfelt, telling them he wouldn't be standing there without them. He wants to talk to Black Shawn, then Damien then Lou. He apologizes to Sean for being mean to him, saying he's undervalued and is a terrific guy and a terrific firefighter. Sean is stunned and needs to take a minute.In private, Tommy asks Black Shawn about Collen's drinking. He says it's bad.Needles visits Chief Feinberg, telling him they should plead their case to HQ. He doesn't like their record in shootings.Tommy stops Damien and asks how he's doing. Tommy tells him any day now he could end up in over his head and find out he's a coward. Tommy says there's no shame in it. Damien admits he's been scared. Tommy tells him he and his dad are proud of him no matter what.Damien thinks Tommy's drunk.Later, Sheila stops by. Tommy tells her it's going to take some time. He tells her every time she stops by Damien digs his heels in because it only gives the guys ammunition to mock him.Next, Tommy goes to talk to Lou. He admits he lied about not seeing anything when he died. He tells Lou about seeing Jimmy and all the 9-11 guys. Mike hears him talking and stops to eavesdrop. He hears about Tommy going toward the white light then getting separated and ending up in a fiery hallway and hearing screams. He saw Collen and Katie and couldn't reach them and arms were clawing at him.Mike goes immediately to tell all the guys what he heard. He thinks Tommy needs a priest. They start talking about sins and going to Heaven.Out on a call, they beat the rival house there. A woman tells them there's a kid in the basement of the abandoned building.Lou tries to send Tommy away, but he joins them in time to see Damien going into the crumbling basement.A few moments later he shouts that he's found the kid and pushes him out. Sean sees a crack in the wall and Damien races out. They're walking away when the wall comes crashing down.Tommy comes home to find Katie on the couch. She tells him Janet's outside listening to the iPod Franco bought her. He tries to hug her from behind and gets smacked for startling her.When he struggles to express himself, she guesses that he has feelings for her, has changed and is stopping drinking. He admits to the feelings, saying they're stronger than they've ever been. She knows people can change, she did. She used to have fun instead of griping. "Now everything I do is coated with anger and cynicism and ash. I hate what you've made me."She tells her the only change she's interested in is for the kids. She tells him to go talk to Colleen.He meets Collen after work. He tells her he thinks she's drinking too much and for the wrong reasons. She doesn't take him seriously and suggests he buy her a drink.At the bar, Katie knocks 'em back with Tommy thinking he's taught her the valuable lesson of letting her drink until she's sick.Tommy eyes the drinks at the bar. Damien's loaded and breaks off from making out with a chick to tell Tommy that this is the best job ever and now he knows he can hack it. On the other side of the bar, Black Shawn tries to break up a fight between Colleen and a girl at the bar.Janet calls. Tommy sees dead Ellie walking by. Cousin Mickey comes for Tommy with Teddy and Maggie. He forgot about going to a meeting. Instead, he orders a shot, listing off the ways the universe isn't letting him quit drinking.He picks up a giant whiskey. Instead, "today is the day that I quit smoking," he says.

3Comeback

Tommy's first day back on the job is a busy one as the crew races from call to call. By the end of the shift, the guys are all exhausted, but it's Lou who feels it the most.

4Breakout

After finding Lou face down on the firehouse floor, the guys are at the hospital going into hour six waiting for news. He had no pulse when they found him. They're allowed to see him.In his room, Lou assures the guys he's fine. The cookout's not for another 10 days and Hillary the nutrition lady is there to help.She joins them and see them subject Lou to a round of fat jokes. Needles explains brutal honesty is their stock in trade. So Hillary takes a turn. She tells Needles he has a giant mole on his face, Black Shawn's eyes are too far apart, Franco has Mr. Potato head lips and Mike and Shawn look mentally challenged and to Tommy: "Owen Wilson called, he wants his nose back."Back at the house, Needles says they have to bust Lou out of the hospital because the West Side Wild Men have moved up their cookout to the weekend after they found out about Lou's heart attack. Damien can't go, he has a date with Penny the hot probie chick from the west side.Needles has fake uniforms for the guys. Franco will be playing the doctor because he speaks "white" well.Father Phil, the priest (Peter Gallagher) from the fire stops by to apologize for how he reacted to the chip in the 700 year old Virgin Mary statue's "a--" and he also has a bill for $40,000 in case the fire department can cover it. They can't. He tells them he's available if they ever need anything.In the hospital, Dr. Franco wanders around with orderlies Mike and Sean looking for Lou. Somehow, they lose Sean. He walks by his old friend Pat Mahoney, a cancer patient who's hairless and not doing well. He wants Sean to bust him out.On his date, Damien and Penny confess each of their houses wanted cook-out intel. Her dad was a fire fighter, she knows about his dad. He admits he signed up because of his dad and also to piss off his mother and his uncle (Tommy).Damien finds himself talking about his dad and getting flustered, and Penny saves him by suggesting they get wasted.In Lou's room, all the guys are there. Sean brings Pat. At first they object to sneaking him out and altering the plan, but Sean gives an impassioned speech about it being a battlefield and them not leaving Pat behind because he got his cancer at ground zero. (It sounds better when he says it.)They push Lou on his gurney into the elevator and run into Sheila. She's not too keen on their plan, but wishes them luck.Out the opposite exit, Sean and Mike race across the street with Pat, who briefly enjoys his moments of freedom. They're trying to decide between beers and strip clubs when Pat starts hacking and coughs up blood. They decide they better go back.In the hospital lobby, they get stopped by an actual lady doctor, but Franco steps aside with her and works his Franco magic and they're on their way.Pat wakes up the next morning and finds Sean sitting by his bed. He realizes he's going to die in that room. He thinks no one will care. He wonders why he put himself on the line, and Sean says it's just what they do. Sean boldly says he'll take care of everything, then confesses he has no idea how to back that up.In the firehouse kitchen, Lou has made mini Cuban sandwiches, pastrami puffs and pizza rolls. He tells Tommy that Hillary told him he was an emotional eater. He's thinking of calling ahead to the hospital and reserving a better room.He tells Tommy he saw black when he died and smelled a bakery. Then he had a feeling. Tommy thinks it was waves of dread, but Lou describes waves of joy and contentment. Then he saw his mother, the way he remembered her as a kid. He was licking chocolate cupcake icing. Tommy prompts him for the foreboding, but it never happened.Lou tells Tommy he's kind of looking forward to going back there. Tommy thinks Lou was dreaming. Tommy doesn't see how Lou gets to go to a good place. They compare sins.The hooker Lou ripped off deserved it, but Tommy's kids didn't deserve him, Lou says. Firefighters are replaceable, but fathers aren't. "You should start thinking about that, because maybe then you'd be smelling bakeries for eternity, just like me," Lou says.Tommy goes to see Father Phil, who greets him with a baseball bat when he thinks Tommy's messing with a statue. He offers Tommy a drink and tells him they're on edge after the arson.Tommy works up to telling the priest about his recent death and going "to the other side." Father Phil accurately guesses that Tommy thinks he went to hell.He thinks the priest might have answers, but he tells Tommy only he can find them. He says in times like these he needs to be grounded and asks who has been there for him. After a long pause, Tommy says Janet. Father Phil asks if there's anything there that can be salvaged. He asks for a picture."Wow," he says when he sees Janet. He tells Tommy that Janet looks like she's worth fighting for. Father Phil admires it and asks if he can keep it.Back at Tommy's house, Franco is under Janet's sink fixing things. She goes to change out of stained clothes on the other side of a gauzy curtain. Franco sees her in her lacy underthings and they manage to carry on a conversation about Lou in the hospital. Janet takes her time getting dressed and Franco gets distracted and cuts himself.She comes to help with it and they stand too close and stare at each other. He almost goes for it, but then pulls off and apologizes profusely. She tells him it's not like she and Tommy are officially together.Tommy comes home and Franco and Janet are supremely awkward. Tommy notices. Finally he says "You two have got to be s---ing me."He leaves. He gets in his car. He almost goes back in, but doesn't. He reaches for the super fancy whiskey from Teddy and Mickey. He takes a drink. Then another. He takes out Janet's picture. He crumples it up and reaches for the bottle.

5Blackout

A night of heavy drinking turns ugly when Tommy blacks out and loses control. The next day, the crew struggles to put the pieces together as they search for the whereabouts of Colleen.

8Cowboy

Needles' political leverage catches HQ off guard; Feinberg loses control; Damian saves a victim.

9Goodbye

Tommy and Sheila find themselves in hot water with Janet and Mickey and realize the truth about their relationship. Damian attempts to leave the crew, but is seduced back by the camaraderie of the brotherhood.

10A.D.D.

Tommy and Sheila do their best to adjust to life after Damian's accident. Sheila copes with her grief, Tommy struggles to budget his time, and the guys find themselves with a new pickup ploy.

1Mutha

With Damian confined to a chair and a new baby on the way, Sheila and Janet join forces and shake-up Tommy's family life.

3Press

Tommy walks by an art gallery with a piece called "The Fallen: Ten Years Later" with pictures of dead firefighters, including Jimmy.He sees 9/11 books being put up in stores with graphic photos of the towers falling.Tommy has a fantasy about crashing through one of the windows with his truck, dumping a bottle of booze on the books and lighting it on fire.Back to Tommy standing outside the store window and walking away.Franco gives Lou grief for eating donuts. Lou says it's kind of like what they did for him when guys wanted to beat him up for spouting his 9/11 theories. Franco claims this is different because he owned up to being wrong.More guys come in. Tommy tells them to back off, but even Mike says he needs to hear it.Franco says Lou's not pulling his weight in fires.Needles joins in. Franco tells Lou he'll probably drop dead, he just hope it happens before another one of them ends up in a chair.Lou says he earned his rank, but Franco says he has to keep earning it. Lou gets up and crumbles his donuts on the floor, then orders Franco to clean up the mess, then Needles does, too. The other guys say nothing, leaving Franco out on the limb on his own.Lou leaves to get more donuts.Needles finds Feinberg outside and tells him the guys are mutinying. Feinberg says he doesn't care anymore and tells Needles to leave him alone.Tommy calls Janet to see if she needs anything. She just put Wyatt down and asks him to wait a few hours before coming home and to bring bananas and yogurt. He starts to tell her he loves her, but Janet falls asleep.Needles reminds Tommy not to do anything stupid during his interview. He asks him to talk to Lou and then tells him he thinks something might be wrong with Feinberg.Kelly calls Tommy. "I need you," she says. She asks him to meet her in Tribeca.Shawn talks to someone on the phone about centerpieces. Sean suggests they get married in a barn. Mike says something uncharacteristically insightful about the importance of a memorable wedding day.Colleen calls, reporting she found a dress. He says it's $4,500 and Shawn says he'll be right there. He takes Mike as back up.Tommy arrives to meet Kelly in a restaurant. She introduces him to Ron, her doctor date, who tries to tell her to embrace blah blah blah enlightened talk. Kelly finally tells him he's a great doctor but is boring her to tears. She asks him to leave.Kelly mentions a baseball player named Erik who talked her ear off. When she says he played for "one of the New York teams," Tommy figures out she's talking about brushing off Derek Jeter.Kelly's drinking Van Gogh vodka. He asks if it comes with a severed ear.She says her doctor thinks she's angry and that's not good for her immune system. He tells her to go with her strengths, embrace the anger and pride and wrath. She wants him to stay and eat with her.Mike and the Seans meet Colleen at the bridal shop, where Teddy is also supervising. Colleen asks Shawn how he's doing with the gift bags and photographer. She busts him for not doing any of the stuff she asked him.Sean sees a super hot salesgirl. Mike is distracted looking at the design of dresses. Sean tries to talk to the salesgirl, but ends up implying he's gay and wearing a dress. Colleen gets mad at Shawn and she suggests they should just get married in a barn.Teddy takes Shawn aside to tell him the planning is good for distracting Colleen from the booze.Mike excitedly brings over a wedding dress from a fancy designer to show Colleen. It's the last one and on sale for $750. He suggests a double-tiered veil and has picked out shoes to go with it. They declare him a wedding savant.Colleen asks Mike if he's wants to help plan the rest of the wedding. Mike says he'd be honored and suggests they design her dress together.Colleen tells Teddy she wants him to walk her down the aisle.Tommy takes Kelly home. He asks what's going on since she didn't seem her usual self. She tells him she's waiting for the results of her scans, which could mean she has to start chemo all over.She tries to focus on the chance to upgrade her boobs. She says she keeps getting busted for checking out other women's racks.Kelly interrupts herself to ask Tommy if he believes in god.He says it's complicated.Kelly says her faith grew stronger as she was pregnant. But Tommy knows her daughter died. Kelly says the priest said it was a mystery why she died.Tommy tells her he believes in something, but not heaven. He tells her he's heard from the people he's lost.She tells him she has to go to bed, but if she ever dies, she promises to haunt him. He says good night.Lou takes out his giant sauce pot and is dismayed to find it empty. Tommy comes in with the cupcakes he's looking for which were stashed in the pot.Tommy keeps his cupcakes from him and tries to get him to say he'll go on a diet.Lou says Franco was right. He worries he screwed up and got Damian hurt.Lou tries to distract Tommy to get at the cupcakes. Lou struggles to make eye contact over the cupcakes.They argue who's worse, a guy with an eating disorder or a guy who takes too many risks. Tommy tells him he wants to ask a favor. Lou says no, he's hungry.Tommy asks him to be the godfather to the new kid.Lou asks for a cupcake. He gets up saying he's going to take a nap. When he comes back, if there's a cupcake on the table, he'll know he has a partner. If there's not, he'll know that he doesn't. (Hyman Roth in "Godfather 2.")Tommy and Sheila and a few others watch the draft news report on Jimmy, with all of them raving about how tough he was.Sheila says she never had to wonder where he was, that he was very committed (but we know he had an affair). The reporter says what they saw was a rough cut, but that's the gist. It's time for Tommy's part. They all try to prep him.Tommy sits down with Pam, the reporter. She asks him about "that fateful morning" and mentions how he and Jimmy went through the academy together and into the buildings together. She asks what he would change about that day, what would be his happy ending."There are no happy endings," he says.

4Brownies

What starts as a controlled interview takes a turn for the worse, ending in a full-on brawl. The beef continues even after the guys survive a harrowing scenario at a call.

5Head

Tommy finds Feinberg and Needles reading headlines about Tommy's blow up in the news feature.Someone from HQ is there. Feinberg tells Tommy they're going to let him play in the police-firefighter hockey game and he should be grateful he gets at least that.The supervisor gives Tommy notice that he's suspended for 30 days. They want his badge, ID and gear. He also has to be escorted in and out of the building during that time.He's goes upstairs to get his stuff, but can't help piling on the supervisor in front of the guys. The supervisors inform the guys anyone who assists Tommy in entering the fire house could get suspended or fired.When they leave, Franco says they get to find out what they're like without him. He's also heard that the reporter is looking into all their personal lives, thanks to Tommy.Outside, Tommy taunts the supervisors as they leave. Pam Kepler has been camping outside of HQ for weeks and is looking into Tommy's personal life.Needles tells Tommy to lie low. When Tommy says he's not afraid of the reporter, Needles says it's not about just him. They recite the various skeletons in their closet: Needles married a mail order bride, Lou married a hooker, Sean married a Gavin. There's Mike's gayness and Franco's conspiracy theories, and he could be considered a deadbeat dad.Then Mike mentions his "extreme gayness" and offers that he once hooked up with a guy at headquarters. Lou thanks god in heaven for the gift.Mike doesn't remember his name at first, but settles on Doug. Then he says he looked like a young Michael Douglas. Needles wants Lou to find photos.Needles tells Tommy to go home and not do anything stupid for a month. He starts to assign Franco a task, but Franco doesn't want to be part of it. He walks away.Needles asks Black Shawn to call Pam and tell her someone is spouting 9/11 conspiracy theories. Shawn doesn't want to rat on Franco, but Needles says he's talking about himself.Sean finishes up another great date with Emily, but he pauses when she asks if he wants to come upstairs. "You look like you're holding something in," she tells him.He says he has something a little embarrassing to say. He explains that after they have the best sex he's ever had in his life...She asks if he's talking about the smell. "It's my butt," she says.He asks if she's OK. She tells him the physiological explanation behind it and then says it's a good thing he has a small penis or it'd be way worse. Somehow, they regroup and he goes upstairs with her. But he just wants to cuddle.Mike looks at pictures of Dougs at HQ, but none of them are his Doug. He describes how he had a beauty mark and was masculine and feminine.The next day, Needles goes to talk to the news crew. He chats up the camera man, who says he's just doing his job and has an uncle in the department. He offers to get Neeldes his uncle's number.Needles talks to Pam, who has already figured out his ruse that he was pretending to be the conspiracy nut to draw attention from his men. She knows it was a handsome guy with dimples. And she knows Tommy slept with Sheila for years and Janet had a son with Tommy's dead brother.Needles calls her a "miserable bitch" and starts to walk away. The cameraman calls him back and gives him a card (it says his name is Peter Tolan, which is the name of the show's co-creator). On the back it says "Keppler DUI."Needles meets with Tommy and catches him up on Mike's not-Doug. He says he looked into Pam's DUI and there's no record of it, which makes him think the cops know something. He tells Tommy to talk to Todd, the cop he's always fighting with in hockey games. Needles tells him to do whatever he needs to get the info. Then he makes it more clear: Tommy has to throw the hockey game.Tommy finds Todd outside the police station. He tells him what Pam's planning and asks if he has any info. He offers to throw the game. Todd curses him out and walks away.At a bar after the game, Lou gives Tommy the name of Mike's hook up, telling him to do with it what he will.Someone makes a toast to the tie game. They salute each other, until a firefighter gets up and says it's too bad 9/11 wasn't a tie because 343 firefighters died, and only 23 cops. A brawl breaks out.Tommy sees Todd signaling him to meet him outside. Tommy comes out with his dukes up. Todd tells him he got info on Pam and introduces Larry "Lochness", from another precinct. He tells her he pulled over Pam a year or so ago and she was completely coked up. She got out of it by performing the title of the episode on him. He has video. He shows Tommy, who is impressed. "Now you know why they call me 'Lochness'," he says.Todd says Pam's a hypocrite and should be taken down.Todd says they're doing it for Johnny, their fellow former police officer. Then Todd decks Tommy for good measure.Cops pull up outside. Teddy comes out, explain that he called them because the cops are getting their butts kicked inside and he thought they needed back-up.Tommy comes home to find Colleen shrieking and Katie piling on. Katie says she's getting made fun of at school because Tommy's her dad.Colleen's mad because wedding venues keep canceling on her when they learn he's her dad. Tommy gets things thrown at him.Sheila offers to pay for a better place, but Janet says no.Sheila tells Tommy about expensive mansions she knows about in Connecticut in New Jersey that she wants to rent. She wants to pay for the whole thing, but Janet says that's wrong since Sheila won't even be involved. She's refusing to go if Mickey is there and Janet thinks he has to be.Colleen thinks they're trying to make her start drinking again. She goes for the liquor cabinet. There's lots of shrieking of women. Tommy pounds a book to get everyone's attention.Tommy asks Sheila how much money they're talking about. She says $8,000. For just the dress. Now Tommy wants a drink.Wyatt interrupts things by coming in crying.Tommy sends Sheila and Janet to their separate corners. He tries to lay down the law. He says Sheila will be in the wedding. He also says Mickey was right, Damian won't ever walk again and was right to say it to her. Then he tells Janet that Sheila is paying for the wedding, but he'll pay her back someday.The girls come back in. He says they're a dysfunctional family of drinkers, addicts, liars and cheaters and it's gotten them nowhere.He tells them he has a "secret evil plan" to combat the truth people are looking into and it involves playing to their strengths of lying, cheating and stealing.Tommy tries to tell Sheila again that she has to accept that Damian is never getting out of the chair, and he's telling her that because he loves her.Then he tells Janet that as much as he loves Sheila, he loves her more. He kisses her deeply. He calls Sheila to come with him so he can outline her part in the evil plan.Cut to Sheila pulling up to HQ, where Pam is prepping for air outside. Sheila sits down for her interview. Pam puts on her serious face and asks what happened after 9/11. Sheila asks if she's asking about Tommy.Then Sheila says they had lots of mind blowing sex, because they could. And every time, it at least helped Sheila not think about her dead hero husband for awhile. She says she has video and takes out her phone. She puts the phone in front of the camera and plays and we hear Lochness's voice saying Pam's name and telling her to do things. Pam panics.Sheila tells her to sit. "You drop that story or I swear to Christ that'll end up on YouTube," Sheila says. She gets up and runs back to her car.Next, she goes to HQ with a bouquet of flowers.She meets with the supervisors who suspended Tommy. They talk up Jimmy to her, but tell her her "boyfriend" is a "scourge" on the department. One of them says if he has his way, Tommy will get fired.The third man, whose office they're in, comes in. His friends call him Doug. Sheila hands him the flowers and says they're from Mike Siletti. Then she taps a secret panel to open a liquor cabinet.She pours herself a drink and asks if having booze is against regulations, just like having sex in there after hours.Then Sheila goes in his desk and finds the handcuffs Mike told her about.Outside, she calls Tommy, telling him "Doug" is fired, Pam keeps calling to offer her money to delete the video and Tommy is back on duty.He thanks her, but she says she did it for "all of us.""For the brotherhood?" he asks. "No silly, for the Gavins," she says.

6344

Feinberg, Lou and Needles check out Ground Zero with Tommy. They get lunch after. Lou mentions that it's a shame there's no public memorial. Feinberg tells a story about losing 10 men in Vietnam and going to visit the memorial and feeling nothing. Instead, he takes out photos of his men from his wallet. He remembers details about each of them. He also had a letter from one of the men. Many of the firefighters on 9/11 wrote letters as went down to the Twin Towers. He says talking about the fallen is a better way to memorialize them.At Sheila's, Tommy stands watch over Damian. He sees a picture Sheila has of her and Jimmy. Tommy starts going through their photo album. He finds a letter to her. It says "Happy Anniversary, to the love of my life."Tommy puts it back. When he looks up, Damian is no longer in his chair. He goes looking for him in the apartment. He picks up a bat, just in case. In the living room, he sees Damian with a letter. Damian talks to him, telling him that letter is the one he's looking for. Jimmy left it in a book at the house.Tommy starts reading from it. It's heartfelt and emotional, Jimmy saying he loves her madly and deeply. As he's reading it, Sheila comes home and sees him. She shrieks at him and tells him to get out. We see that Tommy nearly ransacked the place looking for it.Back in the kitchen, there's a vodka bottle out. Tommy swears he hasn't been drinking. Sheila smells his breath and smells nothing. She gives him the bottle of booze and tells him she doesn't trust him around Damian anymore. He tells her he went to 9/11 and it must have triggered something. He apologizes.Tommy is baffled. He asked Sheila if she ever told him about the letter. She says she did, five years ago, when they had that insane night on the beach. He doesn't remember any of it. Sheila's angry because the letter was the only part of Jimmy that she got to keep entirely to herself. She says it's evidence of the deepest connection she ever had with anyone and Tommy has crossed a dangerous line. She tells him to leave.The guys all listen to Sean finish a story. Lou sums it up: "So your girlfriend is a farter?" Sean objects to the "f" word. Mike calls her a "fartress." Somebody brings him an oxygen mask and tank.They get a call to a gas leak. "We're going over to Garrity's girlfriend's place?" Shawn says. The jokes continue on the rest of the ride.At the townhouse, they go in and smell something, but not gas. They find a man on the couch, not responding. When they get closer they see why. It's a dad with his two kids. Tommy checks for pulses and finds none.The ride back is decidedly more somber. Nobody says anything.Back home, Tommy goes to check on Wyatt late at night. He looks in on Janet and the girls. He gets worried and goes to inspect. They wake up and tell him to get out.Sean and Emily finish up in bed. She rolls over to light a cigarette. When she rolls back we see Sean has strapped on the gas mask. She's cool with it.Sheila, Mike, Colleen and Shawn check out one of the mansions. Colleen worries about the expense. Sheila tells her she's not going to throw anymore money away on miracle cures for Damian. She tells Colleen to accept the wedding on his behalf.Sheila tells Colleen that she wants this for her because marriage is really hard and she'll want that one day to look back on and be happy all over again. Then she adds she has no idea what she's talking about, she had her reception at the VFW.Tommy comes in to the locker room to find Lou trying to look at a spot on his back. He thinks it's a boil and wants Tommy to look because he's his best friend. Tommy determines it'll involve pus at some point. Then, on the friend front, he tells Lou he wrote some letters to his family in case he is killed in the line of duty. He gives them to Lou and tells him not to read them.Tommy gives him another stack, with letters for just about everyone else he knows. He checks again that Lou knows no one is supposed to read them.Cut to Lou reading the letter to him from Tommy. It starts out talking about him as a great friend. Then it says: "You fat, undisciplined piece of s---...." And blasts him for not waiting to read his letter. Then he mentions red velvet cupcakes he has hidden under his bed and tells Lou not to touch them. Loud doesn't read the rest of the letter and goes immediately for the cupcakes.When he comes up from under the bed, Tommy is there waiting for him. Tommy yells at him for being impatient, but Lou turns around on him and tells him he's tired of all his 9/11 talk. Ever since then Lou's been eating to feel better and Tommy's been drinking -- Lou saw the bottle of vodka in the back of his truck. He says they're zombies, already dead. He tells Tommy to go bury himself in the hole downtown to make it official that he's number 344.Tommy walks away. Lou follows Tommy out with the cupcakes. The guys all see him with the cupcakes and ride him. Shawn asks him if he put through his vacation days. Lou forgot. He tells them he's been going to culinary school and got straight As. He takes out his report card to prove it, but Shawn grabs it and sees that it's all dessert classes. Franco announces that between that and forgetting Shawn's paperwork it's the "straw that broke the Puerto Rican's back." Lou asks Franco if he thinks he could do better. "If I don't have to bake cupcakes at the same time, yea," Franco says. Lou turns to Needles and asks if he can turn over the keys to the kingdom. Needles says Franco can be acting lieutenant for five days, but all decisions have to go through him. Lou hands over his keys.Franco checks out the office. It's a paperwork nightmare.Down at Ground Zero, Tommy sits in his truck and guns the engine, aiming for the hole. He opens the bottle of vodka. He's about to take a swig when he sees people running out of the subway and debris in the sky. He's picturing 9/11. He sees Jimmy carrying a woman out and crashing noises and debris falling from the sky. He sees a body land on his car.He wakes up with a start. A bum asks him for a dollar, then sees him and asks if he's OK. Tommy gives him his bottle of booze.

7Jeter

Lou comes in to work to see a spotless firehouse. Mike and Sean are busy cleaning. Franco, the new temporary boss, greets them, telling them they're late. He tosses Lou's cigar away. He tells Lou his fitness regimen is posted in his locker.Franco tells Tommy to get in his station gear. They haven't had many real calls yet, but Franco has done ridealongs.Tommy has more letters for Lou to give to people after he dies. He apologizes for baiting Lou and tells him about going down to Ground Zero and thinking about driving into the hole. He doesn't want to be No. 344. He tells Lou the letters are full of his inner "stuff."Tommy leaves to get coffee and Lou lurks, waiting for him to come back and check on him.Tommy comes home to find the women laughing it up with Teddy. Sheila leaves and everyone gets quiet.Janet asks him to go to one meeting a day from now until the wedding and not go to Ground Zero again. And he has to promise not to freak out at the wedding. Colleen tells him Teddy is walking her down the aisle in her $10,000 dress.Teddy gets the girls and leaves, telling Janet to consider Plan B.When they leave, she tells Tommy that Plan B is Tommy doesn't go to the wedding. She tells him it's been five months since he went to a meeting.Janet wants him to talk to Mickey about performing the ceremony and to get into a safe job off the rig. She wants proof he's going to meetings every day. He promises he'll be sober for the ceremony to walk Colleen down the aisle.Cut to Tommy in a meeting led by Mickey. Tommy raises his hand interrupts. Mickey tells Tommy he's not going to the wedding. He starts yelling at Tommy that he's never going to be in the same room with Sheila again. Tommy asks him to sign his form, but gets yelled at instead.Loud sits down with Tommy's letter in his hands. He opens it.Tommy talks about Lou being a true brother to him and says he trusts him to look after his family now that's he gone. He tells Lou that he's the bravest man he's ever known and all of his own bravery came from knowing Lou was there supporting him. Lou gets choked up.Tommy comes in to work and Franco immediately rides him for not being in uniform. Lou comes in the kitchen and Tommy's on a non-stop rant about how everyone's mad at him. Lou just stares at Tommy weirdly. The alarm sounds.They ride out to the waterfront, where a car is hanging half off the edge. Franco wants to get the driver out immediately, but Lou shouts at him that they need the chain on the car so it doesn't go over.Franco goes for the driver and the car immediately starts to tip off the edge. They manage to hold it long enough for Tommy to hook the hose underneath. They use the truck to pull the car back.Franco, realizing he was wrong, tries to talk to Lou, but Lou tells him he shouldn't have tried to be a hero to save face and that a good lieutenant never would have made that call. Lou says when they get back to the house, he's taking his title back.Tommy smiles smugly and tells Franco that he's A-Rod and Lou is Jeter, and he goes for the win. Franco accuses Tommy of going for the glory. Needles tells him that Tommy understands there is none.Lou pays Sheila a visit. He takes out a bottle of vodka and pours a shot. He lights it, saying that's how Tommy sees it. He says booze it like fire to him and when he poured the shot that night, he went to the dark place and started rummaging for information.Lou says the darkness is also where Tommy's best instincts reside. He takes out photos of people Tommy has saved, including a woman he carried down ten flights down and revived on the sidewalk. He says the list has at least 35 people on it because of Tommy. He lights each on fire in the flaming vodka to make his point.Finally, he takes out Damian's picture, saying Tommy saved him before his latest accident. He takes out Sheila's picture and says Tommy saved her from herself, just by being there.He tells her about the letters Tommy has written to everyone. He says they're only supposed to read them if Tommy dies. He gives her her letter and confesses he read his already. He says it was the first time he thinks Tommy's ever been honest about their friendship.Lou says if he's Jeter, Tommy is Mickey Mantle. He packs up his booze. Sheila tells him to leave it, but he confesses it's lighter fluid, because he wanted that eternal flame effect. Lou urges her to give Tommy another shot.Lou leaves. She immediately opens Tommy's letter. He says he cannot express what their time together was worth. He chooses some meaningful words: love, lips, heat, hope. He says she gave him hope and he'll always be with her. Then he adds a rambling p.s. about some wine he found in her closet. It brings her to tears.Cut to Lou, giving the same shot-on-fire spiel to Janet, complete with photos. She worries about the fire but he proceeds with the demonstration, tossing the lit photos into the sink. He keeps talking but Janet notices the sink flaming behind him. He knocks over his lighter fluid demonstration, and fire spreads across the kitchen. Then it catches Lou's shirt on fire.Janet grabs a fire extinguisher and puts it out. All she cares about with Tommy and his job is that he quits.Cut to Tommy at the rehearsal dinner. Shawn introduces him to his brothers, R'shaw, Maliq and Jose.Needles looks at Tommy deeply and finally hugs him and kisses him. When he walks away, Mickey comes over and says hi. Tommy doesn't know what he's doing there.Tommy joins Janet, who is all smiles and kisses him.Colleen stands up to make a toast to Shawn. She also toasts Tommy, and tells him she loves him and thanks him.Janet goes back to staring at Tommy with puppy dog eyes. He can't figure out what's going on.Then Needles gets up and toasts Tommy, saying he's the best firefighter, friend and dad. Then Mickey toasts Tommy, too.Finally, Tommy stands up and asks everyone what's going on. People are being suspiciously nice to him. He asks if he has cancer or if someone's going to shoot him again.Janet explains that Lou handed out all of his letters and she told everyone about his promise: to retire from the fire department.She thanks him for typing it so she could read it (which he didn't). Tommy asks who else got a letter. Five hands go up.Tommy asks Lou to join him outside.Lou tells him about giving Sheila his and accidentally lighting Janet's on fire. Then he cracked under the responsibility and gave everyone theirs, except "the regular guys."Lou tells Tommy he thinks he really should quit.Tommy freaks, saying he can't pay for the $10,000 dress with no job. He thought he gave Lou a simple task. Lou says he wanted to help, to do something Tommy can't: express how he feels.He wrote what he thought Tommy would want to say to Janet.Tommy says he broke a sacred bond, Lou tells him again to quit and think about other people. Tommy works to contain his rage.He tells Lou he's not Jeter, he's Judas.Lou points out that would make Tommy Jesus.Tommy storms back inside."Don't think I'm not coming in for dessert," Lou says, "'cause I am!"

8Vows

A string quartet plays at a gorgeous country estate over-looking Long Ilsand Sound. The guests are gathered and a flower altar stands in front of the pool. Mickey, in his old priest gear, waits at the altar with Black Shawn. Mickey spies Shawn's family, and expresses surprise that he didn't know his mother was Mexican. Shawn points out the Gavins are racists. Mickey prefers to see them as "narrow-minded and intolerant."Lou, Mike and Sean sit in the audience and crack each other up with racist jokes. Franco leans in and tells them to knock it off. Needles arrives in a collarless, mid-'60s style "Nehru jacket" which provides fodder for another round of jokes.The wedding party waits to walk down the aisle and Tommy makes one final plea to escort Colleen. Sheila explains they're all afraid he'll crack. Janet elaborates that they think he might pass out from the pressure. Janet tells him to put his family first for a change. Tommy tries to put $300 on the idea he'll make it, but gets no takers. Shawn's brother D'Brickashaw walks Janet down the aisle with a Jets hat on.Finally, Teddy takes a step out with Colleen. They're making their way down the aisle when Tommy slinks up and grabs her other arm. They walk down the aisle as a trio, everyone making sure Tommy is going to make it. At the altar, he takes a step back and briefly falls limp into Teddy's arm. Colleen grabs the $300 from him and tucks it into her wedding dress.Mickey begins the ceremony.At the reception, there's an ice sculpture pouring booze and a champagne fountain. Tommy catches Teddy snagging a glass and calls a family meeting.Outside, Teddy, Sheila, Maggie, Mickey and Janet join Tommy as he outlines his plan to avoid drinking. One of Shawn's brothers joins them and, hearing they're making a drinking plan, suggests they hit the free booze hard then get the cognac from his car.Sheila decides champagne doesn't count and they all vote and agree, with Mickey calling it "wine soda." Janet is the voice of reason and Sheila adds that she didn't pay for everything to have the Gavins get drunk and ruin it."For one day only, we are not Gavins. You are nice decent, civilized human beings," Janet says. She threatens strangulation to anyone who ruins Colleen's day.A mariachi band roams the reception. Needles learns that he's wearing the same jacket as the waiters.Tommy and Janet struggle to make conversation with Shawn's parents. They say they like Colleen, but Tommy and Janet fail to reciprocate, leading to awkwardness.Janet's due in a week and a half.Drunk Lou comes up and asks the group what color he thinks Shawn and Colleen's kids will be. Lou mentions he's only asking because Tommy was asking in the firehouse. Tommy tries to fix it in front of Shawn's parents, saying he doesn't care what color the kids are and ends up with a rant that calls Obama's lips purple and implies Shawn's mom's people had something to do with the gardening at the party. Tommy is left standing by himself.At dinner, Shawn's brother is about to give the best man toast when a very drunk Sheila steals the microphone and addresses the group. She drags the microphone across the stage, knocking over glasses and plates and telling everyone she's glad she paid for everything. Then she falls asleep standing up. She wakes with a start and continues on, telling everyone about Jimmy and how they planned to renew their vows on their 20th anniversary, but instead she celebrated it alone. Instead, she suggests Tommy and Janet renew their vows right now, in front of everyone.She gets everyone drunkenly chanting for another wedding. She mentions again that she paid for the whole wedding and finally Colleen gets the mike back.She tells her parents that the best gift they could give her would be to renew their vows. Shawn's OK with it, too. Katie takes the mike and also asks them to do it. Tommy caves.So, gathered again, in front of everyone, Mickey reads Tommy's vows. He scribbled on a napkin, and they mostly consist of him begging Janet to marry him again and him noting that she's hot.Janet's vows ask Tommy to promise "to never, ever, ever do any of the insane things I've done in the past, including drinking, smoking, or having extramarital affairs." Sheila giggles loudly that she's talking about her.He also has to promise to retire from active duty for the sake of his family. Mickey ducks out of the way after reading it and Tommy and Janet confer in front of everyone. Janet ends up storming off."I'm going to start drinking and become a prostitute," Katie announces.Tommy calls after Janet and announces he'll do it. Mickey re-pronounces them man and wife.Sean finds Mike later and tells him he's thinking about asking Emily to marry him. He's starting to get used to her post-coital stink. "It's not just an eye-watering, soul sucking, horrific fart anymore, it's the smell of love, man," Sean says.Mike urges Sean to sleep on it. From this conversation, Sean decides he's going to go through with it.Tommy finds an empty bedroom upstairs and undoes his pants and exhales. Sheila comes in sobbing, complaining that no one's ever going to love her. She puts her head in Tommy's lap and that's when Janet comes in.He starts to explain it's not what it looks like, but Janet is unconcerned. She comforts Sheila, even when she says she was supposed to be married by now, maybe even to Tommy. Janet sweetly tells her it was just about the sex for him and he was never going to marry her. They send Tommy away.Sheila confesses that she has a hard time being around Janet for too long because everything Sheila wanted, Janet got. She continues sobbing for a while, until Janet concludes that Sheila just needs to get laid. She suggests that Mickey is downstairs. Sheila says she'd only be using him for sex, but that totally works for her.Back downstairs, everyone dances to mariachi rock. All the guys seem to manage to find women to dance with. Tommy sits alone at a table, preparing to dig into some cake.Drunk Lou joins him, saying the day is very touching. Tommy asks what he'd know about touching. And so Lou sticks his fingers in Tommy's cake.Shawn's parents go upstairs and find Sheila and Mickey in a pre-coital embrace.Franco and Mike drink outside. They notice a horrible smell. Below them, Sean and Emily go at it. Emily says yes to his proposal.Colleen throws her bouquet. An older woman catches it but Sheila promptly body slams her to the floor and shouts that she paid for it.Uncle Teddy comes out on a balcony wearing only his boxer shorts and a mariachi hat and shouts "Viva La Gavins, baby."Another day, fire trucks race to a fire at a warehouse. A security guard thinks it's unoccupied. The guys go in.Feinberg joins them with more trucks, working as acting deputy.The guys look for people inside as fires burn in small areas. Mike finds empty beer cans. Upon closer inspection they smell diesel fuel. They look around the room and see latex gloves filled with a liquid. Someone announces they're in the middle of an arson. They call mayday and radio for an exit and giant explosions rock around them.They pile into a freight elevator and head up as the floor they were just on continues to explode. They put on their masks and oxygen and arrive on a top floor. They bust open the grate and pile out. They get off just as the elevator falls down the shaft. Needles directs them to a window.A dozen trucks wait outside.Inside, the guys crawl on the floor through thick smoke. They reach the window and Lou tells them to take their masks off to save air. Nils crashes through the window with the ladder. They're about to get out when they hear voices beneath them.They all put their masks back on and go look for the kids.Needles try to buy them some time by soaking the lower floors.They find the teenagers, busting into the room they're in. They give the kids oxygen and head for a bulkhead because they don't have enough oxygen to make it back to the window.Lou directs them up the stairs, taking note of the giant gas tanks nearby. They start to run out of air and wait for the ladder to arrive. They can't seal themselves off from the fire so the smoke seeps in.On the roof Nils finds that the bulkhead is bricked in from the outside. He radios the emergency to Needles, saying 62 Truck has no way out. Needles can only tell Nils to get off the roof before the whole thing caves in. The guys hear that they're trapped with no way out.Stuck in the stairwell, Mike and Franco start pounding on the bricked over bulkhead and others perform CPR on the teenagers.Lou tells Tommy to try to get out. "You sure?" Tommy asks. "We'll be fine, Tom. Trust me," Lou says.The roof explodes in a giant ball of fire.

9Ashes

Firefighters kick through the ashes of the warehouse fire that trapped 62 truck. The 62 truck itself sits empty outside. Bodies are draped with sheets in the morgue. Lou identifies one of them, but it's too charred to tell who it is. An honor guard plays as an unseen person gets ready for a funeral.Bagpipes play at the funeral as Lou leads the procession of five caskets down the aisle of a packed church. Lou is scarred and walking with a cane. Janet, Sheila, Katie and Colleen sob in the pews.Lou limps up to the podium to say we are gathered to honor five men, his brothers, who were given a choice to flee for safe ground or to move deeper to help the two kids who needed them. He gives an impassioned, heartfelt speech: "These men, these five extraordinary human beings will forever live in my heart and in the memory of all who knew them, and in the public records of this great city as heroes, the bravest of the brave. I shed no tears. I cry out, not in agony. I beseech the sky not in anger, but with pride, in a voice that is strong and clear. I am a better man and we are all better people for having known them. Good night my dear friends, my five unforgettable brothers, I shall see you on the other side."The mourners rise and applaud.Tommy wakes up on a couch. He's battered, but alive.He sits down in the kitchen over paperwork. Needles joins him and tells Tommy, that as acting lieutenant, he's going to have to deal with emptying out the locker. He also needs Tommy to fill out a full report of what happened inside.Needles says the fact that Tommy made it down the staircase alive is a miracle.Tommy says it doesn't feel like a miracle right now. He goes to work on his report.In flashback we see what Tommy saw, including the latex gloves hanging from a pipe in the burning warehouse and someone announcing they're in the middle of an arson.They made their way to a ladder, but went back in the fire when they heard teenagers calling for help.Mike gave his oxygen to a kid, Lou announced they were in the middle of a powder keg. Needles told Nils to get off the roof. Sean and Franco pounded on the door to get out. Lou told Tommy to go, saying they'd be fine.Tommy tries to write.After the blast, Tommy wakes up at the bottom of the stairs. He calls for the guys, and he sees Franco, Sean, Mikey, and Shawn complaining about his leg.Tommy goes to help Lou in the corner. He's lying facedown in his turnout gear. Tommy turns the body over, but it's a charred corpse. Lou is dead.He yells at the other guys not to come over and takes off his own jacket to cover him up. The others look on, stunned.Tommy contemplates his report and takes out a bottle of Jameson's. He downs a shot. Then he picks up the bottle and hurls it across the room. He picks up an ax and hacks up the room.Then he snaps back to the present and closes the drawer with the unopened Jameson's in it.He opens another drawer and pulls out a paper. It's an application for retirement.He puts it in the back of his locker, where he also finds that Lou has left him a letter, to read after he's gone.Tommy comes home, with a "major announcement." He tells Katie and Janet he put in his retirement papers.Back at the station, we see a bashed up Franco come into the kitchen and greet Mike and Sean. Sean's arm is in a sling but they're both alive and breathing. Sean asks Franco if he got reassigned yet.Franco says he doesn't care, as long as it's not here.Black Shawn comes hobbling in on crutches, but otherwise in one piece.Sean says he's thinking about putting in for a transfer since things don't feel the same. Shawn says he's thinking about quitting because Colleen isn't happy he's FDNY.Mike says if they're all leaving, he is too. "What can I say boys, it was fun while it lasted," Shawn says.Sean says they'll see each other again, like at Lou's funeral, when they spread his ashes.Another round of unprintable ball busting ensues.Tommy brings Damian home to Sheila. She's not planning on taking Damian to the funeral. Tommy tells her about the dream he had about the eulogy, like he got guidance from Lou.Sheila tells him she's there if he needs to vent.Tommy tells Sheila he put his papers in. First she thinks he applied to be a lieutenant, then she thinks he means transfer. She laughs her head off when he says he's retiring, then offers him booze. She thinks he's over-reacting to Lou "biting it."Sheila tells him he needs two things to survive: sex and fire.Tommy extricates himself to go to the playground with Katie and Wyatt.Once they're there, Katie explains they just watch Wyatt and keep him from eating sand. Tommy's nervous, but Katie tells him it's easy. She tells him she'll handle it and orders him to sit down.A man joins Tommy on the park bench. He scoots over and introduces himself. He keeps crowding Tommy on the bench, complaining about all the women there. He warns Tommy not to shout and upset the kids. Tommy tries to talk about the Yankees game, but the man didn't see it because his wife had book club and there's no TV on book club night.Tommy sees a woman explaining sharing rules to the kids and gets irked that they're playing with Wyatt's toys. He goes over and she aggressively explains that they all take turns on all the toys. Soon, Tommy has angered all the parents and made himself the outcast with cursing. They call the police on him.He takes Wyatt's shovel and leaves. Katie tries to explain that he can't impose his own world view on their value structure. Tommy argues that this is America and if you buy a blue shovel, you're allowed to play with it."Oh my God," Katie says, "I don't think this is going to work."Tommy asks what won't. "You in the real world," she says.In Tommy's truck on the way to the funeral, Franco observes to Sean, Mike, Shawn and Tommy that this is the last time they'll all be together. He notes it's a profound moment.Tommy's only response is to critique Franco for chewing gum loudly.He tells him to chew quieter and think about Lou.In the back seat, Mike announces that he wants to look inside the box of ashes.Sean goads him into it. Mike starts to peel open the box to peek and Tommy again yells about the gum. Franco in the front and Black Shawn on the other side in the back both roll down their windows right when Mike opens the box of ashes.And in a giant cloud, the guys are surrounded by ash one last time.They pull over and dust off. Tommy announces it's like "Lou-maggedon." They try to dust off the bits. Franco has Lou up his nose, Shawn swallowed some Lou and Sean somehow has Lou down his shorts.Tommy yells at Mike for opening the box. Mike says it's not his fault, the other guys opened their windows and created a vortex. Tommy takes a moment to be stunned that Mike used the word "vortex" correctly.They try to figure out what they're going to spread at the service. They decide to go get something ash-like at a nearby store. But first, Tommy tells Sean they need all the Lou out of his butt crack.Cut to Sean on the side of the road, squatting with his pants down over the box, brushing ash from between his legs. And that's when the State Trooper rolls up.Mickey leads the service, then asks everyone for final thoughts. Maggie says he'll remember that Lou was kind and didn't treat her like she was something that had to be endured. Franco says Lou was a great lieutenant and he learned a lot from him. Needles says he had a big heart."He loved life," Janet offers."And cake," Sheila finishes.Teddy says he had an encyclopedic memory for porn.When everyone else is done, Tommy says he doesn't have a lot to say, but Lou does. He takes out the unopened letter from Lou."Dear Tom,If you're reading this, it probably means I'm dead. It might have come as a shock to you, but I'll tell you now, I was living on borrowed time."[This is news to Tommy.]"My heart went back awhile back. I won't bore you with the details, but at this stage of the game, I'll be lucky if I finish this g--damned letter. If it wasn't my ticker that did me in, please tell me I died after eating 15 pizzas or after sex with multiple women or one really big one. Either way, that works for me. But seriously, I hope I went on the job, doing the work I was meant to do, doing the work I was meant to do surrounded by you and the guys.Since it was mostly about food with me, I'm going to leave you guys with a recipe: Take one, self-absorbed, pretty boy Puerto Rican, add one long on attitude, short-on-experience black guy, then add two morons -- one more stupid than the other. Mix together and let sit. Finally add one battle-scarred, haunted, formerly drunken Irish a--hole who screws up his life like other people breathe. Blend all the ingredients together, turn on fire and hope for the best.Sounds like s---, doesn't it?Well, brother, I've tasted it. I've eaten it up these last few years, it's delicious. OK cornball, I know, but you guys together have something great. Me being gone doesn't change that. Find yourself another good looking, slightly overweight spoiler of women and you're back at full strength. Keep the crew together and keep fighting the fight. Don't worry about me, Tom. I had a good life, I knew brotherhood, I knew being good at something. I knew what it meant to have a friend. Yea, we had our ups and downs, we're in a major down mode at the moment, but with you, the ups are good enough, I'll take the downs.I love you, Tom -- not in that way. OK, maybe a little in that way. I'll always be with you. Your pal, Lou.P.S. don't forget what the bagpipers are supposed to play. If you mess up, I promise I'll haunt you forever, a--hole."With that, the bagpipers start playing Iron Butterfly's "In A Gadda Da Vida."Tommy takes the box of not-ashes and flings it over the side. Only Mickey sees. He takes the box and sniffs it, smelling chocolate.Tommy confesses it's Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix.Franco joins Tommy on the overlook, noting it's the end of the road. Shawn crutches up. He's not sure what Lou meant by "long on attitude" but he's going to miss him.Sean walks up and says they should have gone with the Fluffy Yellow instead of the red velvet.Mike comes up and hugs Tommy for dear life.Tommy, Janet, Shawn and the girls comes home. Katie wants Hawaiian pizza. Janet calls for Tommy. She's having the baby, like now.Shawn freaks out because he's going to have to deliver his mother-in-law's baby, he's sure Tommy will pass out. Tommy promises he won't and sends them for boiling water, string, scissors and his tool box.Tommy takes a look and announces it's happening right now. Everybody curses up a storm as the baby makes its way out. Tommy calmly encourages Janet, only grimacing slightly.Katie sees it and screams, "Oh my god, it's deformed!"Then she says never mind, it's just a penis. It's a boy and it's fine. Janet and Tommy coo over it. Tommy immediately calls it Lou. Janet tries Alexander, Phillip or Joshua. Tommy calls the names too feminine, but uses another word.Janet congratulates Tommy on making it through the delivery, and then he passes out.When he wakes up, Janet tells Tommy to say hello to his new son, Shea Gavin. She can't handle Lou, and Ken doesn't work, but she likes the sound of Shea, his last name.Janet tells Tommy she thinks he has to go back to 62 Truck. Katie told her what happened at the playground. She loves him, but if he sticks around, she's going to kill him.Down at The Rock, the names of 343 fire fighters are displayed on a memorial as Tommy makes an announcement about the names being of the first responders. He addresses a gathering of young recruits, telling them to study the names. They'll realize it's not a job, it's a calling.Tommy gets in a recruit's face then continues on, telling them one day they'll really be tested by running into a burning building when everyone else is running out. That's when they'll find out if they're real fire fighters. He tells them some day they might run in but their buddy won't and they'll ask themselves why. The answer isn't at the bottom of a bottle.Firefighters die a lot. He lost his buddy, his best friend, his cousin, his brother.Some people say it's God's will. "I don't know. I don't even know if there is a God. I hope there is, because that would mean that one day all this s--- is going to make some sense," he says.Shawn, Sean, Mike and Needles listen nearby.Tommy wraps up his remarks, then turns things over to Lt. Franco. "Good luck, douchebags," Tommy says.Tommy gets in his car as Franco yells at the recruits. Ghost Lou joins him in the car, suggesting they get the fat recruit to cook. He also asks Tom to get a picture that isn't so "chinny" for his plaque. He loves the name Shea Gavin, says it's great for a restaurant."Duncan Hines cake mix, huh?" Lou asks. "Well. I guess that's kind of symbolic, or ironic. Not quite sure which."Tommy and his dead friend drive away as Franco reads the names of the 9/11 dead; everyone haunted by the same ghosts again, where it all began.