Episode 8 of "Breathless," also known as "Respira," commences amidst a deluge unprecedented in Valencia's century-long memory, where floods rage and a frigid chill pierces the air. Sorolla Hospital stands at the brink of collapse, its electricity flickering like a flickering candle, generators struggling to breathe life into the struggling facility, and the ceiling weeping from the relentless rain.
Hospital Director Lluis, faced with an impossible choice, confides in Nurse Blanca, revealing that he had to weigh the preservation of vital X-ray machines against the lifeblood of generators, ultimately choosing the former for the sake of patient care. Despite this hardship, Lluis proposes marriage to Jesica, who, though happy in their union, requests time to ponder the momentous decision.
However, the specter of PTSD haunts Jesica's every waking moment, triggered by the recent case of the suicidal Manu, which echoes the tragic loss of her own brother. Stressed to the brink, she finds solace, albeit fleeting, in the arms of Biel. In the heat of the moment, a slip of the tongue reveals a heartfelt confession: "I love you." But as clarity returns, she urges him to let it go, her emotions a tangled web of confusion.
Lluis, privy to the unspoken tension between Jesica and Biel, confronts the latter with a steely resolve. He acknowledges their affair, a concession made out of love for Jesica, but insists that it must cease forthwith, given his recent proposal. Lluis issues an ultimatum: either Biel departs the country or faces the consequences of being blacklisted. Unfazed, Biel stands his ground, declaring that Jesica's worth transcends the cost of his own job.
Meanwhile, Moa delivers a dual-edged sword of news to Patricia. On one hand, her cancer's progression has been stymied; on the other, it has metastasized to her liver, casting a shadow over her future. He valiantly pursues an experimental trial as a glimmer of hope, only to be thwarted by Patricia's own policies. Left with few options, a perilous liver transplant looms as the sole path forward, its outcome uncertain.
Desperate to save her, Emilio, Patricia's devoted PA, reaches out to Hospital Director Jaume, who offers a ray of hope: entry into the trial. But this comes at a price—Jaume seeks to helm the helm of public hospitals once they are privatized. The stakes are high, but the love and loyalty driving Emilio's actions know no bounds.
Patricia's discontent with her limited choices is palpable as she solemnly informs Moa of her intention to relinquish the struggle. In a fleeting moment of vulnerability, his words urging her to persevere almost betray his hidden sentiments of affection. But before he can fully articulate them, she succumbs to a sudden faint, revealing a dire situation where her liver is hemorrhaging.
The hospital springs into action, performing an emergency operation amidst a barrage of challenges, not least of which is the catastrophic failure of the generators amidst the chaos. Moa's panic gives way to Pilar's steely resolve as she takes the reins. Patricia's vital signs teeter on the brink, yet Pilar's relentless manual cardiac massage miraculously pulls her back from the abyss. Though the surgery manages to slow the relentless march of cancer, it falls short of granting a full remission.
As Patricia's recovery unfolds, Pilar's wisdom prevails, urging Moa to relinquish his role as her physician lest his personal feelings cloud his medical judgment. He concedes gracefully, offering Patricia the solace of friendship, to which she playfully hints at desiring something deeper. Alone once more, she reaches out to Jaume, determined to seize every opportunity for life, offering a deal that could secure her place in a potentially life-saving trial.
Meanwhile, Oscar's reckless indulgence in drug-fueled escapades plagues Quique with anxiety. His stoned visit to the hospital during a raging storm only exacerbates Quique's frustration, who sees Oscar's nonchalance as a slap in the face. Misinterpreting Quique's concern as condemnation, Oscar flees, leaving Quique frantically searching for him. Oscar's dismissive texts about attending another party only deepen Quique's worry, prompting him to seek solace from Pilar.
Pilar's heart shatters as she confesses to Quique, her sorrow mingled with regret for wrongly accusing him. She unveils a haunting truth: Oscar's battle with addiction predates their meeting, marked by overdose scares and failed attempts at sobriety. Desperate to find her son, Pilar braves the tempest, only to be restrained by Quique's concern for her safety.
The dawn after the storm's fury has passed brings Oscar to the hospital's threshold, humbled and apologetic. As he struggles with the aftermath of his reckless behavior, Pilar and Quique rush to his side, offering a modicum of comfort. Yet, Oscar's fragile state underscores the depth of his struggles, leaving Quique and Pilar to grapple with the reality of his ongoing battle against addiction.
Meanwhile, Leo's world is shattered when he discovers that Dr. Neus has taken on the role of counselor to Joana, the rape victim, thereby positioning her to testify against Hugo. This revelation stings like a betrayal, igniting Leo's anger towards Neus. However, as the drama unfolds, Neus's inner turmoil becomes evident as her son, Hugo, remains unrepentant. Joana presents him with a twisted bargain: confess to the rape, and she'll ensure he avoids prison's grim embrace. Hugo initially balks at the idea, fearing the stain of a criminal record that would dash his dreams of becoming a gym teacher.
Lluis, in a desperate attempt to reason with Hugo, finds himself at odds with Leo, whose frustration boils over into a harsh accusation of Hugo's guilt. In private, Lluis implores Leo to step back, recognizing his words are only exacerbating Hugo's distress. She confesses her willingness to support Hugo in any way possible, yet forgiveness is a bridge too far for her wounded heart. Shockingly, Lluis declares her intention to seek full custody of Hugo, a decision that leaves Leo reeling.
Elsewhere, Rocio yearns to embrace her daughter, yet May stands firm in her refusal. Rocio, overwhelmed with regret, offers to retract her own claim for full custody, pleading that May keeps their child from crossing the Atlantic to Germany. May's response is tinged with irony, mirroring her own sentiments when Rocio had threatened to sever their family ties.
Amidst the chaos of a power outage, May volunteers her services at the NICU, her child peacefully slumbering. Yet, upon her return, she is plunged into panic as she realizes Rocio has made off with their precious child.
As the storm rages outside, the ER is thrust into a new crisis with the arrival of Manu, a suicidal patient who has swallowed a lethal cocktail of razors. Jesica, undeterred by the darkness, performs a daring surgery to save his life. But as Manu emerges from the brink of death, his gratitude turns to fury, raging against Jesica for not letting him die. In a fit of rage, he stabs her in the abdomen before fleeing, leaving a trail of blood and shock in his wake. The eighth episode of Breathless concludes with Biel rushing to Jesica's side, only to find her lying there, wounded and bleeding, a testament to the unpredictable tides of fate that sweep through the hospital's halls.
