'This Is Us' Fans Are All Asking One Question About Cassidy

Season 4 of This Is Us began with adding a new conceit to the already high-concept emotional family drama. "Sometimes, people come into your lives that change everything." In the case of Deja, she's met the surprisingly intelligent and sweet Malik. For Jack Jr., far in the future, he meets the love of his life, and, while in the here and now, Kevin has met Cassidy. But surprisingly, that friendship may have run its course, as they said goodbye in Episode 8. But will Cassidy return to This Is Us? Fans are a little perplexed. Warning: Spoilers for This Is Us Season 4 follow.

When Kevin and Cassidy fell into bed together last week, viewers assumed this was it. Kevin found the mother of his children, the woman who would move in with him to the giant mansion in California when he becomes a super successful actor. But it was never going to be that simple, and it would have felt like a cheat.

Viewers know Cassidy's husband still loves her, and she's struggling to figure out if she can get back to that relationship they had. More importantly, she loves her son and doesn't want to lose him. She and Kevin got into bed together, but it wasn't going to last. And as Nicky pointed out to Kevin, if it continued, it would just be a wrecking ball in her life.

For Kevin, it felt like he'd failed all over again. He spiraled hard, until Nicky and Cassidy found him leaving a bar after a fistfight. But Kevin hadn't had a drink, and as Cassidy pointed out, her marriage disaster has nothing to do with him. She's been her own wrecking ball, thank you. She'd signed the divorce papers because she'd accepted she would never have the nerve to try to put her family back together.

But that wasn't the beginning of a beautiful relationship either. Kevin, after all, is in town to be at Nicky's hearing. And when that goes better than anyone could have imagined, it means his excuse to stay in this tiny town has ended.

Instead of asking Cassidy to come with him, he drives her to the restaurant where her husband and son are having dinner. He pushes her to go inside and make that brave step of putting her family back together. And if her husband refuses, she can hand him the divorce papers with her head held high and start over.

As Cassidy exits the car, she tells Kevin she hopes he finds his own happy ending, and he tells her to do the same. The last shot of her is her husband letting her sit down with them for dinner, and her son welcoming her with open arms, as Kevin and Nicky drive away.

So, what now? Cassidy has certainly made a difference in Kevin's life. But when Jennifer Morrison, who signed on to play Cassidy, was cast in June, it was reported her role was "substantial." That seems strange if she's already over and done. Cassidy has found a happy ending for now, and Kevin is heading home for Thanksgiving with Nicky in tow. But fans get the feeling this won't be the last time they see her.