Chicago Fire has a lot of storylines to juggle at the moment. We have firefighters at very different points in their lives, and part of the fun is shifting from one story to the other. "A Beast Like This" did an excellent job of providing updates, but the most exciting developments were given to Lizzie Novak (Jocelyn Hudon) and Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith).
Novak shocked most viewers by cornering Jack Damon (Michael Bradway) and kissing him during the episode "In the Rubble." Fans shipping the two characters were validated, even if their hopes for the immediate future were dashed in the opening of "A Beast Like This." Damon decided that he wanted to start fresh upon returning to 51, and told Novak that he'd prefer they stay friends for now.
Damon is still interested in Lizzie Novak
Novak, to nobody's surprise, was perfectly fine with the request. She shrugged off the possibility of romance and went back to treating Damon like a coworker. Damon, perhaps anticipating more of a saddened reaction, was visibly disappointed. He's clearly into Novak, even though his reasoning for wanting to cool things down is valid.
We haven't seen the last of the Novak and Damon romance. These two have had chemistry from day one, and if there's one thing Chicago Fire writers love, it's playing the long game. We will see the duo dancing around each other for the rest of season 13, and maybe even into season 14, but there is a lot more to this story.
Conversely, Violet is winding down the clock with her current beau, Flynn (Steven Strait). The lawyer was seemingly a perfect match for Violet, but the more time has passed, the more the latter has felt distance. She's clearly still hung up on Sam Carver (Jake Lockett), and his time away from 51 has only amplified how much she still cares about him.
Violet is preparing to break up with Flynn
"A Beast Like This" ends with the revelation that Carver is coming back to the firehouse, and Violet is unmistakably shaken upon finding out. She doesn't know how to contend with Carver, and she feels guilt about her growing disinterest in Flynn. We're not relationship experts here at OCC, but we know a doomed show romance when we see one. Especially when one of the characters involved is not part of the 51 team.
Flynn was a healthy distraction from Carver, but a distraction nonetheless. All signs point to Violet ending their relationship in the next few episodes. Her next move with Sam Carver is a lot trickier to anticipate.