Angela Bassett 'in mourning' over devastating 9-1-1 moment ahead of season finale

When she's told fans are still "in mourning" over Bobby's death, she responded: "I'm in mourning. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. It wasn't my choice. I don't know."

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She did tease, however, that there is potential for Peter to return to the series, although maybe not as a reincarnated spirit. "Keep hope alive. Maybe he'll return in my dreams, you know, my memories," she added.

Bobby and Athena Grant (Angela) begin dating early on in the series and tie the knot by the end of season two. They remain steadfast as a couple, with Bobby learning to embrace a family once again after the death of his own, and Athena opening her vulnerable side to him.

Bobby's death after contracting a fast-moving deadly virus, which came at the cost of giving the antidote to Chimney, marked the first death of one of the show's central characters, a major turning point for the show, particularly in its ABC era.

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Angela paid tribute to her onscreen husband Peter on social media after the episode aired, which read: "For eight seasons, this kind, funny, compassionate, talented actor became not only my trusted colleague, but also a dear friend." 

"#peterkrause as #bobbynash helped to introduce @911onabc to the homes and hearts of fans around the world," she continued. "I know this is hard for all of you. It's hard for us, too." 

"Peter's Bobby Nash will be missed but his character will never be forgotten. He is forever a part of our family. We should all give Peter a lot of love as he expands beyond 'the 118' and into all adventures that await him. Love you, my friend. Athena will never be the same."

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Peter, 59, a fixture of the Ryan Murphy series since its very beginning, shared his own statement with Variety, which read: "I've heard that many fans are upset by this loss and they have a right to be. It is a loss."

"That said, it was more than a bold creative choice on a bold show. Bobby Nash was written in sacrifice and he was built for this. First responders risk their lives on the job so that others can see another day." 

The actor continued: "His story arc honors them. We at '9-1-1' salute all the incredible men and women who do these dangerous jobs and strive to keep us safe. Our show is incredibly difficult to make at times with long hours, challenging stunts and elaborate disasters. We couldn't do it without each other."

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Showrunner Tim Minear emphasized to the publication that he wanted the demise to be "unambiguous," adding: "I had to convince everybody about this. The network was not like, 'Yeah, get rid of him, it'll save us money.' It was nothing like that." 

"I had to pitch this at the highest levels and just walk through the whole story and try to infect them — funny choice of words, given the storyline — because, as I pitched it, you could understand, as a writer, how suddenly the whole world felt more alive. It felt more real because this thing had happened." Watch the cast react to Bobby's death in a clip from the following episode below...