- Tommy comes to terms with his hellish nightmare and attempts to do right by those around him. But when the gang gathers at the bar post-save, his plans fall by the wayside.
- 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.
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