‘Chicago Med’ Stages ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Reunion in Winter Premiere

Chicago Med returned with a highly anticipated Pretty Little Liars reunion in its winter premiere episode.

Set some time after the tragic winter finale — where Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) was forced to go into witness protection once the FBI investigation he was helping out with picked up the heat — Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) started to bond with a new patient, who has a real life link to the actress’ past.

The NBC medical drama introduced Phillip Davis (Ian Harding) on a busy day in the ER, after what seems like a random shooting leaves the shooter and April (Yada DaCosta) injured. Phillip walks into the hospital a little later with his ailing wife, who has gone into premature labor and has a dangerous brain aneurysm that could burst if she does a natural birth.

With time against them, Natalie attempts to help the woman with her contractions, though she is too late and the mom’s aneurysm bursts as she tries to push and she dies.

With only four minutes to save the baby inside her, Natalie and the other doctors perform an emergency c-section in the ER and successfully take the baby out. However, with the baby being two months premature, he has to be sent straight to the NICU.

As all this happens, Phillip stands by and freaks out about losing his wife and now having to take care of a sick baby by himself, when Natalie comes to his aid and uses her personal experience to tell him everything will be O.K.

Later in the episode, as Natalie reels from the news of Will’s return, Natalie finds Phillip and reveals that his baby was born without an important valve in her heart, meaning the surgeons will have to do surgery on the baby and she will have to stay in the hospital for some time.

Natalie also opens up about how she felt when she was pregnant and her husband was killed, and how she found the strength to move forward after she lost her big love. The moment bonds Phillip and Natalie together, as they embark on the journey to the baby’s recovery.

Harding’s new role on Chicago Med reunites him with his former Pretty Little Liars costar DeVitto. Harding is best known as PLL‘s high school teacher Ezra Fitz, a series regular role for the entire series. DeVitto played the role of Melissa Hastings, sister of Spencer (Troian Bellisario), who made several appearances as a recurring character throughout the series.

With Natalie and Will struggling to adjust after his time on witness protection, could Phillip become more than a patient’s father to the doctor? Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.