Spoilers ahead for Episode 10 of Chicago P.D. Season 8, called "The Radical Truth."
Chicago P.D. delivered a doozy of a case for Ruzek with "The Radical Truth," when what seemed like a relatively normal day turned into his father being kidnapped, the discovery of some unpleasant secrets, and the potential ruin of the Ruzek name within CPD. While everything more or less worked out – at least, Ruzek's dad survived and Ruzek didn't murder anybody to protect the family name – the episode ended on an ugly fight between Burgess and Ruzek. Now, Patrick John Flueger, who plays Ruzek, opened up about what's next for Burzek after their fight.
The fight happened due to a split second decision that Burgess instinctively made when she implied that she thought Ruzek murdered a man out of self-interest disguised as a good shoot. Security footage proved that Ruzek was telling the truth about firing in self-defense, but the damage was done, with Ruzek thinking that she should have known his heart well enough to know he wouldn't do that.
Burgess didn't have much to say in her defense other than that she made the assumption in the heat of the moment and that she does know his heart, and the good ship Burzek may have run aground for the time being. Speaking with TVLine, Patrick John Flueger shared how Ruzek will handle the aftermath of the falling out with Burgess:
I think they’re both professionals. They’re going to work fine together, [but] probably a little avoidance. I think that it’s his intention to get over things as quickly as he can, but there [are] gonna be walls up now. ‘No more available Adam. Our relationship has changed, [she] shifted it. We’ll be cool again, but I don’t know if we’ll ever be close again’… this is where he is right now.
What is the Intelligence Unit if not a department of the CPD packed with cops who ignore personal problems to investigate crimes? According to Patrick John Flueger, Ruzek closing the door after the fight with Burgess was also closing the door on Ruzek being open for whatever Burgess needs. He has been almost overwhelmingly available and supportive to her ever since he found out she was pregnant, through the heartbreaking aftermath of her attack, and early Season 8, and he was determined to restart their relationship before Makayla entered the picture and complicated everything.
Of course, as much as Ruzek may think that they might never be close again, the Burzek relationship has prevailed over unlikely circumstances before, and I can't imagine that this was the end for them. Sure, Ruzek and Upton have gone back to working as friends and coworkers after their breakup, but their relationship was more of a fling than anything else. I can see how being around Burgess all the time might not let Ruzek cool things down as much as he intends.
Then again, maybe Chicago P.D. really has hit the brakes on Burzek for the time being. They do both have plenty on their respective plates without dealing with relationship drama, with Burgess having to change her life to very suddenly become a mom and Ruzek struggling with his place in the new CPD. Plus, the promo for the next episode indicates that Chicago P.D. could be going all-in with Upstead as the big romance within the unit... as long as their relationship survives what looks like some obstacles.
Find out with the next new episode of Chicago P.D. on Wednesday, April 7 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. The Dick Wolf universe of TV shows including Chicago P.D. and many more just got a bit bigger thanks to Law & Order: Organized Crime, and that universe isn't done growing yet. Big crossovers may be unlikely for now, but anything may be possible down the line when production can be safer for shows sharing actors.
