miranda-rae-mayo-taylor-kinney-chicago-fireChicago Fire returned for Season 14 on Wednesday, October 1, with some bad news for Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). The previous season had explored the couple’s desire to have a child. After trying several times without success, they were ready to give up until Stella learned that she was pregnant. The season premiere reveals that Stella is no longer pregnant after having miscarried in the several weeks between the Season 13 finale and Season 14 premiere. “What was so interesting about the dynamic was that Kidd had so many hesitations, questions, and issues about getting pregnant and starting a family. But when she found out she was pregnant, she told Severide about it, and the way he reacted in that moment had us all in tears,” showrunner Andrea Newman said in an interview while discussing the surprising development.

“He was so happy and so joyous. And I think that just wiped away for that moment, all hesitation and all concern she had. But underneath, she was still struggling with the idea of it. So when the pregnancy didn’t last very long, there’s guilt on her part. There’s guilt because she wasn’t sure it was something she wanted, even though he wanted it so badly. It felt like that was a really interesting element to explore in their relationship,” she added. However, the couple was approached by a social services worker with an interesting proposal that puts their plan of expanding their family back on track. Newman explained what’s on the horizon for where their family is concerned, saying,

“They’ve been through a lot together. This shifts things around, and very quickly. Now they’re headed into a kind of different paradigm of family than they thought they were going to be. You don’t plan for parenthood even though you think you can, because things never go the way you think they will.”

Elsewhere, the firehouse was dealing with some shakeups as several members left and a new one joined. Sal (Brandon Larracuente), the new guy, proved a challenge, and as Season 14 continues, Stella will have her work cut out for her. The gang is back at it again in next week’s episode, and Sal has some people to win over. “Vasquez fights to prove himself at 51. Violet (Hanako Greensmith) and Novak (Jocelyn Huddon) pursue a troubling mystery. Herrmann (David Eigenberg) is on a quest to keep Molly’s profitable,” reads the logline for Chicago Fire Season 14, pisode 2, “ry Search.”