My dear, your statement has so many holes I could use it to strain my evening tea. And let me tell you how fucking weird it is that you guys show up like clockwork every single time I make a post. Do you just camp under the tag? And if so, is this really the best you could do?

Okay, this is a bit complicated to answer right now so bear with me on this - I think I am about 95% on the fact that Tommy will return next season. Why? Mostly because of two reasons, well two and a half really -

1. There's a shift in how they have approached the relationship with the media. Before, Tommy was barely a discussion unless a journalist specifically asked about the relationship and even then we only got a vague response. And I don't think we need an expert to see that things seem to have taken a full u-turn this recent press tour. Oliver Stark, the master of making non-committal statements, has been literally gushing over Tommy and the BuckTommy relationship. He said something along the lines of I am looking forward to seeing what happens with that relationship next season and it would be very weird for him to drop that statement and then not have Tommy show up anymore. Especially since suddenly bringing up Tommy when he hasn't even been seen with Buck for 3 episodes could have no purpose other than to remind the audience that they need to look out for him next season.

Like a 70-30? I am 100% on the reconciliation but I'm still dicey on whether it will be dragged out to the next season or not.

Reasons for why I think the reconciliation will happen next episode -

1. It was what started Buck's arc this season so it is only right that it ends there. [if you see the Buck angst curve, it went Tommy, Eddie, Maddie, Bobby who is obviously the peak. If we count the 'I love you' scene as the Maddie resolution, then we are on track with Eddie this episode so logically Tommy is up next]

2. It'd be one of the good things to end the season on - we have home - firehouse and Bathena house, family - madney baby, Eddie potentially coming back, Mara adoption?, new romance could be Bucktommy

3. Tommy has been very deliberately linked to Buck's grief so I expect them to deliver on that front.

4. The Billy Boils of it all. It is a crime that we forgot that Buck looked at Tommy while saying that your people are what makes life worth living

5. Lou's interview + if he's coming back for the last episode, what else could it be for?

6. They kept the spark alive. instead of shelving it to pull it out at a later date, they have actively kept sparking the wires to build expectations in the GA. If it wasn't happening soon, they wouldn't have bothered to spend so much money on him.

Reasons why it might not happen until next season -

1. Unpredictable thy name is Tim Minear.

2. This is probably the only romance arc that has given them so much engagement, on both sides of the front. Resolving it would take out one side so they might want to milk it for at least half a season more.

4. Time constraints

3. I would like them to actually dedicate an A plot to the reconciliation instead of shoving it in the middle of a hectic finale episode.

4. I am generally a very pessimistic person so the bad always looks like the worst to me.