Chicago Fire Midseason Premiere Reveals A Shocking Betrayal — Plus, [Spoiler]'s Fate Remains In Limbo

Firehouse 51 knows how to respond to a burning blaze — but how will the team react to being stabbed in the back? 

The "Chicago Fire" winter premiere picks up right where we left off: Severide, Van Meter, and a local principal are trapped in a burning apartment. Thanks to Severide's quick thinking, he strips the nearby bed, and uses the bed sheets to lower the school administrator down to safety. Severide and Van Meter follow, but when they reach the ground, Van Meter collapses. He inhaled a lot of smoke and his back is badly burned. 

Captain is rushed to the hospital, where he is put on a ventilator, as Dr. Archer from "Chicago Med" delivers a difficult diagnosis: Van Meter is suffering significant lung damage. The next few hours will be critical, and he may not make it through the night. Later, the firefighter goes into respiratory failure and is placed in a medically induced coma. 

Severide is more motivated than ever to find out who set the fire given his friend's deteriorating condition. He investigates more kids from the Facebook group, following one lousy lead after another. Finally, he lands on an unlikely suspect: Wyatt's father, the dad of the boy Severide saw at the scene. Severide confronts him in an emotional face-off leading to his removal from the investigation. 

The episode ends with the arson still unsolved and Van Meter's fate up in the air. 

Elsewhere, Mouch is scrambling to keep Engine 51 in commission. He uses his old performance reviews to try to argue that a termination is against union rules; there's no just cause. But per his union rep, the city has found a loophole that somehow makes everything they do legal. Mouch goes back to the drawing board — and, with Herrmann's help, hunkers down to prepare a formal appeal to present to the Civil Service Commission. 

Meanwhile, Pascal learns from Annette that it was the CFD who made this recommendation, causing confusion for our chief. How could their own people discount the work they've put in — especially after they agreed to take Vasquez in? It's only later that Pascal learns Annette lied, and that she was the one who suggested 51 be put out to pasture.

Pascal confronts Annette, accusing her of using their personal relationship to help advance her career. She denies the allegation and once again makes a pitch for the chief to join her in public office, where he can fight for the CFD on a larger scale. He pushes back, but also seems more beaten down than ever. Might our Pascal finally be resigned to the fact that power in his current role is too limited to carry on?

What's your take: Will Pascal leave the CFD to help keep 51 afloat? Will Mouch be able to rescue his team on his own? Grade the episode in the poll below, then sound off in the comments!