Tonight on NBC Chicago Fire returns with an all-new Wednesday, January 21, 2026, season 14 episode 10 called, “Carry A Torch” and we have your Chicago Fire recap below.
In tonight’s Chicago Fire season 14 episode 10 as per the NBC synopsis, “Novak explores a new romantic connection. Vasquez deals with the aftermath of his father’s recent release.”
Tonight’s Chicago Fire season 14 episode 10 looks like it is going to be great and you won’t want to miss it. While you’re waiting for our recap, check out all our Chicago Fire recaps, news, spoilers & more, right here!
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On tonight’s Chicago Fire episode, Novak’s date with Dr. John Frost went well. They ended up back at his place. She sorta had a flirtatious thing going with Vasquez and that looks like it’s now on the back burner. Frost took priority. Things had heated up so much that she was late to work the next morning.
Though she wasn’t late by much. Violet was too busy running simms with the firefighters. They all had to qualify for patient care and emergency services. The simulation was going to be run by Violet’s friend Dr. Campbell because an outside view was what needed. Violet was also going to be tested with this and so she didn’t mind Novak showing up late as long as she got a juicy story out of it.
Violet also had something bordering flirtation with Vasquez. It could be why Novak distanced herself. She could’ve been trying to be a good friend and yet Violet swears she’d never get involved with someone works with again. Only Vasquez was quickly becoming a friend. He needed people in his corner.
His father was recently released from prison after trying to emotionally blackmail him. The first thing the old man did was take back the car that his son has been driving. The second thing he did was get into trouble.
Ray Vasquez missed his weekly check in with his parole officer. He was out on parole so he couldn’t afford to miss those meetings. If he misses another one, he’ll get sent back to prison.
He wasn’t doing too well there. He was a dirty cop. He planted evidence and naturally his fellow prisoners hated him with a passion. The thing is he never owned up to his mistake. He shouldn’t have been released without first admitting that he planted evidence. He suspected that a woman was killed by her ex-boyfriend. And he planted evidence on the ex-boyfriend.
He got caught. He was sent to prison. Surprisingly, he still managed to pull a few strings for his son. Vasquez couldn’t be a cop with a dirty cop as a father and he ended up becoming a firefighter instead.
He had an attitude problem at first. He didn’t follow orders too well. Kidd was known for dealing with troublemakers and she whipped him into shape. It also helps that he made friends at the station. He knew he could count on both Violet and Novak. Violet even checked on him when she noticed he kept stepping out of the simms class.
Her friend had to pull out of the class. Dr. Campbell had the flu. She sent a colleague and that colleague happened to be Dr. Frost. Novak suddenly came the teacher’s pet.
Which was why she didn’t notice anything off with Vasquez while Violet did. Violet talked to him. She found out that his father was in trouble again. He finally managed to reach Ray just to hear Ray get roughed up by someone. The line eventually went dead after that. Vasquez couldn’t tell the parole officer that his father might be in trouble. He just kept calling until soon his dad stopped by the firehouse.
The firefighters put what they learned in class into use. They helped a pregnant woman trapped in her car. Kidd especially bonded with the woman and it was hard to see her in that state when she just lost her foster son. Isaiah was doing well. He was spending more time with his mom. Shauna was kicking rehab’s butt.
Kidd was glad they were together, but she was essentially alone in that apartment. Her husband was spending all his time at either Van Meter’s bedside or at work. They haven’t actually gotten a chance to talk about everything.
They’ve given each other space. Now, they just had to hope that space didn’t become permanent. The others noticed something was off with those two. Violet talked to Kidd about it and Kidd also noticed that Violet was vibing with Vasquez. She was honest when she said she was trying to be there for him because his dad’s situation was tough.
Violet didn’t know how tough. Ray got out of prison by snitching on his cellmate and that created even bigger problems because the guy has friends on the outside. They roughed up Ray. They broke into Vasquez’s apartment.
It was going to get ugly before it gets better. Kidd also couldn’t bring herself to see the woman she saved’s new baby. She got a flower arrangement. She went to go celebrate then she saw her with her husband and the baby. They were such a happy family that all Kidd felt was sad. She dropped off the arrangement with a nurse.
She went back home to an empty apartment again. Though Severide at least has a reasonable excuse that time. Van Meter woke up. He pulled out his own breathing tube and it looks like he’ll recover.
Severide went rushing to tell Kidd just as she was rushing to be with him and they ran into each other. They finally talked about the miscarriage. It helped mend a few things.
Ray meanwhile almost went back to prison. He found the guys that broke into his son’s apartment and he got in their face because a parolee hanging out with drug dealers gets them all arrested. Ray helped take down Nico as well as his crew. So, he got released, but he was going to have to keep his distance from his son until the heat died down. It wasn’t goodbye. Just see you later.
Vasquez was free to pursue things with Violet or he was until Carver returned to Chicago.
THE END!
