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Caution: emotional CPR ahead

Sally just arrived home. She phones John "You are on the way, don't you"
"I will be right on the way." John answers " my shift ends in..." John looked at the clock hangs in ER and says "two minutes"
"Great" says Sally "come home soon, or we will not get to Russell hotel on time"
"Well" says John " I will see you soon"
"You'd better be" Sally answers with smile and walks into the bedroom. Her satin gown has been placed on the bed. Slowly, she touched the gown. Smile has unconditionally climbs on her face. She has the feeling that tonight is gonna be a great night. She then walks into the inner bathroom for shower and unaware that danger is approaching. A man, inside the mansion, slowly walks her bedroom. "Tonight is the end" he whispers.

John is trapped in the middle of a traffic jam. Honking, buzzing is all around. The one hour drive to Bernard hill usually annoys him, but not today. He opens his bag and reaches a fine jewel box: inside a diamond ring is sitting there. "Will you marry me" he is practicing again. As the queue finally starts moving he sees the root of today's trouble. A truck has collided with a black SUV which reminds him of his very enemy phantom. But how is that possible, phantom cannot trace him this far. John clears his thought and places the jewel box into his pocket. He start to drive home for the big night, wind speed.

Sally has well dressed and ready to do her make up. All the sudden, smoke alarm rings twice and it stops. So confused she is, she grabs the door knob but found out it is not working. And then she sees through the glass on the door. It is phantom with a torch in his hand. "Let me out" Sally screams. There is no answer. "What do you want?" Sally starts beating the door. " your death" he paused, both of you." Helplessly, Sally sees the flames rise up from the curtain. Phantom throws the torch onto the couch and walks out from the front door.

Sally is now on her own. "Calm down and think" she says to herself. She is running to the window and trying to escape from the balcony. Unfortunately the lock is ruined by the heat of the torch and her palm is burnt when she reaches it. Her tears fall down due to the pain, however she could spare no time. 'The glass through the balcony is strengthened it is impossible for me to break, but not the ones in the front door.' She thinks while walking to the other door of bedroom. Sally grabs a vase and hits the small square of glass on the door. First hit, nothing, second, nothing. Time is running out. Sally uses all her power to strike the third hit. The vase shattered in to pieces and then it is the sound of cracking glass. The hole is too small for her to get out. So she uses her arm reaches for the knob and tries to open the door from the outside. "Come on, you can do it" she encourages herself. But the knob is burning and completely sealed with chains and hot wax. Sally withdraws her arm from the hole and does not notice the bleedings on her arm. "That's the last shot" Sally thinking. The flame begins to burning into the bedroom and the oxygen become less and less. As seeing the flame, Sally slowly moves back. When her bare foot steps on he broken vase, she collapses to the floor. Dizziness and tiredness began to engulf her, yet, her survival instinct and something more powerful is supporting her crawling to the bedside furniture, which her phone is sitting on top and ringing. Her eyes are brightened. "Oh, John" She sits up to reach for the phone and collapses again. This time her consciousness is fading and she is falling into darkness.

After receiving no response from Sally, John senses something is not right. He sped up to their home. John is seeing dark smoke from Bernard hill as he drives through the root of this hill. "It cannot be happening" Emotionally, John denies to reckon that flame is from their home. But his rationale tells him that the nearest house around Bernard hill would be about 10miles. The peacefulness of this place is what Sally and John both agreed on to share a life. In preventing bush fire, their smoke detector has connected to local fire department, so that local fire force will be arrived before the smoke darkens the sky, unless..."Phantom " John calls out. He is the only explanation. Even though Phantom's force has been destroyed three month ago, his information web is still working. He must be tracing him and Sally for a while, and now it is the perfect time for revenge. "Wait for me, Sally." John drives even faster.

As John stops his car, he calls for Sally and rushes into the house. Before he steps into the door, a heavy hit strikes onto his back and he falls to the ground. "How sweet is revenge" phantom shows up with a stick in his hand. " an eye for an eye, you ruined my power, I will break you down and tear you up piece by piece. Of course, and your sweet sweet accompany, Sally." John feels his anger growing in his chest. "Why don't you understand" John says "I pardon you to live out of the shadow. Now you cannot imagine how much I hate this decision. I felt you pity and lost, so I give you a chance to live." "Like you?" Phantom smirks "in a silly doctor uniform? Never! Now taste this!" Again and again, the stick heavily strikes on John's body and the Jewel box falls out. Phantom stops hitting, before John's reach, he grabs the jewel box and opens it. He throw away the box and starts to study the ring. "It's seems like someone's big day." Phantom then faces John with a creepy smile "but you will never have the chan..." Outrageously, John hits phantom using his forehead. While phantom is recovering, he picks up the stick and strikes the back of phantom's head. Phantom is now unconscious. John picks up the ring and rushes into the fire.

"Sally!" He calls her name while searching every corner of this house. As he gets to the main bedroom, he realises that the lock is ruined and there is a block of broken glass with blood on it. When he peeps inside, it is his nightmare comes true. In her purple gown, Sally is lifelessly lying on the marble floor with broken pieces of ceramic vase shattered around. John cannot see her face, since it's covered by her curly brown hair. "Sally" he smashes the door. "Sally, wake up!" He continues smashing.

With few coughing, Sally regains her consciousness. The first thing she notices is the banging on the door and John's voice. And then it is the heat. She looks around and learns that the wardrobe is already on fire. She is trying to lift her body up, but finding herself is even too dizzy to get up. "Sally" John's voice brings back her focus. "Just stay where you are and don't get burnt." His voice sounds so rational but rush and angry. "I am going to find an axe to open your door just stay awake ok? John continues,"we have been through the hardest time and I have promised you peace and safe. You had my words. We gonna be alright." Sally heard the footsteps away.

When John comes back, Sally finds her vision a bit blurry. As John peeping from the hole, he realises that Sally is losing her consciousness again. "Sally" he shouts even louder "I am fine" Sally answers with a nearly fainted voice. She tries to comfort John, even she feels that she is definitely not fine. She continues "John, I love you. I really do...But it is OK. Make your way out and find your life...a good life please promise me..." Using his axes, John smashes the door harder and harder "How can you be so cruel and how dare you say that" John can no longer holds his emotion "I am not going anywhere. I am right here and I am asking you to marry me Sally sterling. Don't dare to give up!" Then, there is a long silence. "Sally do you hear..." " Yes, John Wood. Yes, I will." Her heart is crying for yes yet meanwhile she feels her consciousness is fading and her life is in count down.

"We will have a family and never be apart." The door is finally opened. John rushes into the bedroom and gently cradles Sally in his arms. He kisses her forehead and holds her hand. From his front pocket, he locks the ring on Sally's ring finger though he doesn't know Sally is fainted or not.

All the sudden, Phantom reappears at the doorway of their bedroom. This time with a gun in his hand "Ah, I win at last, as always..." Before he finishes his sentence, a giant pillar falls and knocks him to death.

Now the front entrance is blocked. John knows that the only route is via balcony. He smashes the lock of window on the balcony with his axes, open it and finally breathes some clean air. Immediately, John carries Sally and jumps out of the balcony, they fall on the lawn but Sally is well protected in his arm.

As John recovers the pain of jumping out from the second floor, he senses something bad happens on Sally. She is coughing violently and her chest rises and falls irregularly. She is having a heart attack. Immediately, John let Sally resting on his chest. Using one hand, John smoothens her chest to get her breathing, and the other hand holds her hand to give her strength of breathing. "Sally, stay with me" he gently kisses Sally's forehead. Suddenly, Sally's body jerks and arches up. She drops back to John's chest with her head rolling to one side. Her hand drops on the lawn. The reddish colour of her lips is fading. And her chest stopped aggressive rising and falling. John places his finger on her carotid artery...no pulse. For the first time in his adulthood, he tastes the true fear. The one true love, his future wife, his Sally just stopped breathing in his embrace. He is losing her, and he don't dare to think about losing her.

Unable to believe what he sees, John yanks Sally back and forth "Sally, look at me...breathe" he yells. However, Sally is unresponsive to his calling. Her limp form follows John's shaking. A thin strap of her gown slips down from her shoulder. John regains his rationale. He carefully laying Sally to the ground. Mouth to mouth, he breathes a lungful of air into her system.

One...two...three...
John is pumping her chest with desperate yelling. "Sally, breathe." He sees Sally's chest rises and falls with his rhythm of chest compressions. John experienced this kind of situations in ER for several times. Three saved, five gone, that's his record. Although, this survival rate of patients has been high in his department, he fears to apply the probability on Sally. " You have to live!" John calls again. Any other results are unacceptable.

Four...five...six...
John tries to remain focus on the rescue procedure, but it is a distraction to see his Sally laying here. The satin gown outlines her perfect curve. And he notices her necklace: an infinity sign with diamonds. That's his gift for her when he got the first salary. And he remembers the smile on her face

Seven...eight...nine...
Ten...eleven...twelve...
John's vision moves to her arm. There are bleedings on her arm and burning marks on her palm. And then he sees the ring.

Thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...
"Come back to me, Sally." John is consumed by the fear of losing her. His tears unconditionally drop down to Sally's satin dress and leave dark spots on the gown. "Hey beautiful, you just promised your life with me and so did I" His voice is shivering "My life just started. And you should keep your word" But, John feels that he failed his word to keep her safe, he continues "Sally, just don't give up. We will share a beautiful life to live...Think of us, just think of us...Can you hear me?" Sally is not responding. When John count up to thirty compressions, he checks her pulse again...nothing...He hears the siren and knows that help is on the way. John smoothens her hair, presses her lips with his and pushes a puff of air into her airway. Then, John whispers"Sally, just hold on...I need you here"

The siren turns louder and louder. John can hear firemen sending orders and to put out the fire. He sees one medic rush to their direction. "Sir, please let me handle from here...Dr. Wood!" John continues pumping Sally's chest and answers "Taylor, Get your gears, we will be on the road soon." The medic rushes back to fetch the stretcher and another medic come out to help placing Sally. "You will drive and Taylor you will assist CPR with me" John orders when they three returns to the ambulance. "But there are protocols..." "I am an ER doctor and I can well handling this situation. This is time of emergency, so move." Taylor and the other medic take the order and ride on the ambulance.

"Stay with me." John smoothens Sally's hair and pauses chest compressions. He then tells Taylor "She has inhaled excessive CO and triggered heart attack. and she has been not breathing for five minutes. Pass me scissors. Now, tube her and bag her." John does not hesitate, he removes accessories and cut her wearing in midline. John is a bit lost when he sees the purple gown, mixing with burning marks, his tears and Sally's blood, drop down on the floor. Dark bruises is exposed his beloved Sally's chest. Her skin is cooler to touch. The monitor shows flatline, and she is peacefully lying there like she is..."No" John calls out. "You are not going anywhere tonight. You will be with me" John pushes his palms on her chest, more aggressive and more rhythmic. "I know you hear me beautiful. I can't tell how much I fear to lose you. Please, fight this battle, show me something." "Dr. Wood she's in v-fib" Taylor says while bagging. "Ready for defibrillation." He lubricates paddles with gel and places those on her chest. "Charging...clear" "clear" Sally's body jerks instantly. "No pulse" Taylor calls out. "Rise to 240J" John ordered. Sally's body arches up and dropped back to stretcher. Her head slides to one side. "Sally, I am here Sally" John is rocking her shoulders and expecting her recovery. But the ECG returns to flatline. There is nothing...

"Don't quit on me, fight for us" Once again John applies compressions on her exposed chest. Sally's bare skin is slightly shaded in grey. "Come on" All the sudden, he hears cracking sound, and he sees Sally's collapsing rib cage. Desperation is all he feels. Tears is streaming on his face. Even Taylor feels his eyes is wet. "Beautiful, after all the thing we've been through, you have carved into my life. I am a selfish man. I just cannot bear the pain of not seeing you, talking to you and kissing you everyday. Sally this time, just this time, fight the way out for me" he continues resuscitation " I love you, Sally. Do you hear me, I love you." And he hopes it is not the last time to say.

"Doctor, she is in v-fib again" "charge to 300J, charging......clear"
"Nothing" "try again, charging......clear"
"Still nothing" "again, come on Sally, charging......clear"
"Doctor...she is..." "No, she is not, charging......clear"
"Doctor....it is been fifteen minutes" Taylor is about to wipe off the gel on Sally's chest"don't touch her" John calls out like a furious beast "charging......clear"
John returns the paddles and kisses on Sally's forehead "you can do this, beautiful, breathe for me" His tear falls on Sally's cheek. He interlocks her hand to give her more strength. And there is the long silence, until

"Dr. Wood, we've got a pulse."

While Sally was in coma, she captured some whispers as "transferring from ICU", "recovery", "brain trauma" and "fiancée". Later, she could feel someone's holding her hand, brushing her hair, wiping her body and kissing her forehead. Now, the familiar voice becomes clearer. "Hey, my fiancée" she hears, "I bring you some orchids. Remember the first day we met? You told me those are your favourites especially the green ones. Well, you have a very good taste, because this little plant cost me a whole day to find. Please wake up and have a look at it." After a long silence, she feels a warm hand interlocks with hers and a gentle kiss on her forehand. "Sally, after all the things we've been through, you know that my heart is yours. No matter whether you are in coma or in health, I will take care of you. And I will use all my life to keep you safe. So please carry on and let me. I am a selfish man. I just can't afford to lose you anymore. I should have told you how much I love you more often. I love you Sally, truly I am." Every word of John's is burning Sally's sensation. She is now finding the way to fight the darkness.

"Sally can you hear me?" Seeing her weakly mourning and her fingertips tapping, John holds her hand with more strength and encourages her to wake up. "Come on Sally. That's it. You can do this." Finally, her eyes are open. "Hi, my beautiful" John gently kisses her forehead. However, Sally looks so bewildered and scared. "Who are y..." Her voice sounds so weak and fragile, without even finishing the sentence, she is aggressively mourning the pain on her sternum. John quickly calls assistance and smooths her breathings. He sees fear and alerts in her eyes. Sally panicked before the helps arrives, they quickly administered an injection which calms her down and pulls her to sleep. "As we discussed, Sally might have a brain trauma due to lack of oxygen." A colleague charging ICU tells John, " Now we know that she is in good condition except from the losing of memories." "This condition can last from days to years" he continues "as you know, it will be painful if she is trying to recall all the memories in a relatively short time. So it is really up to you to work on her pace of regaining her memories." "I am aware of that, thank you Brad."

In the next few days, Sally is tenderly looked after by the "stranger". He tells her about nothing but their relationship and how long she was in coma. It is such a weird feeling for Sally just to unconditionally trust this guy. She can neither explains why she always feels close with this "stranger" nor understands why he hesitates to tell her the full story of her life. The situation remains until the day she is informed that it is good to go home.

Unwilling Sally to suffer from the pain of regaining memory rapidly, John took her to hotel instead of his old mansion. John unpacks the luggage and leaves Sally to bath on her own. While Sally relaxes in the hot tub, a painting draws her attention. It is a small cabin sitting on the green hill and embraced by the green woods. In a flash, she recalls their own house in Bernard hill. She tries to think harder and all the sudden memories flood back to her brain: the house, that night, the plan, phantoms. More memories rushes in: her first encountering with John, the fight, the mansion, the bath, his words, his embrace, his touch and his kiss. Sally feels her head is about to explode. She struggles to get up but clumsily falls into the bathtub and chokes on the water. It's very slippery in the bathtub even makes her harder to sit up straight. Again she engulfs the water and tries to call for help. Sally hears someone breaks into the room and using his strong arm to pull her out of the water. John finds a towel to cover her body and gently tapping on her back to let her cough out the water. He holds her shoulders and ask "are you ok Sally, did you hurt somewhere. Sally's vision start focus on him. This is the guy who saves her life over and over again and the man who uncontrollably fell in love with. She shivers and her tears streaming down her face. " shh~ Sally, it's gonna be alright" says, John cradles her in his arm and yanking her back and forth. "John, I thought that I can never see you anymore." "I am here, babe..." "After all we've been through." "Babe, did you..." "Yes, I remember everything. I remember our first kiss was in the night you saved me in your mansion. I remember you are always supportive to the decisions I make. I remember your proposal. I remember you did not give up on me while I was down I heard you calling my name. And I remember how scared I was when I just think about leaving you." "Sally," he wipes away her tears "We won't be apart. We never will be. I love you." They kiss with the tears of joy and the lifetime commitment. They begins their new life from scratch but as long as they have each other, it is enough for their new life.