Episode 5 of "Pulse" kicks off with Danny striving to mend fences with Harper, offering a heartfelt apology for his fiery outburst in the hallway during the previous chapter. However, Harper counters with an intriguing proposition, suggesting they attend a party at the Goodtime Hotel hosted by some of the residents. Danny, keen to maintain a clear divide between his personal and professional life—a wise decision considering his recent entanglement with Phillips—demurs.
As the ER gears up for another shift, a pair named Mateo and Christina arrive in a rush, victims of a car accident. The team springs into action, attending to their injuries. Harper's keen eyes catch a suspicious burn on Mateo's right cheek, while Christina exhibits vaginal bruising and swelling, indicating that Mateo was engaged in oral sex with her at the time of the crash. Further revelations suggest this intimate encounter was part of an illicit affair.
Outside the treatment room, Officer Fuentas introduces himself to Danny, filling him in on the couple's activities prior to the accident. The officer's suspicion aligns with the evidence, prompting him to order blood tests to check their alcohol levels. Christina, the unwitting participant in the affair, expresses remorse, claiming she had always set boundaries—though these have now been hastily and painfully crossed.
Elsewhere, Cole assigns Chan to oversee an elderly patient from the notorious Angels of Mercy nursing home, informally known as the Angels of Death due to the high mortality rate of its residents. When the woman's heart stops beating, Chan resolutely performs CPR, hoping against hope for a pulse to return. Alas, his efforts are futile, and the woman passes away. Chan is then tasked with the grueling duty of informing her daughter, who arrives soon after.
In another corner of the ER, Harper attends to a young girl with a broken arm, administering ketamine to relax and numb her for the procedure. Luiz assists Harper, their combined efforts focused on alleviating the girl's pain and setting her arm right.
As for Fuentes, while Danny was engrossed in stitching him up in another room, he couldn't resist flirting with her, casting seductive glances her way. Afterwards, he thoughtfully prepared a cup of coffee for her, the back inscribed with his phone number, which she eventually used to reach out to him by the chapter's close. Throughout this episode, however, Danny failed to notice the desperate messages from Harper, who was stranded in the restroom in dire need of assistance. This oversight led to Elijah stepping into the spotlight, forced to pacify Harper's anxious parents, who were justifiably furious at the extended wait their daughter had endured without proper care. Poor Harper, pushed to her limit, found herself in situation, for which she placed the blame squarely on Danny's shoulders.
The romantic entanglements continued to unfold in the ER, but amidst this soap opera-like scenario, a medical emergency arose: Christina suffered cardiac arrest. Fortunately, Danny was present and guided Harper through a new procedure, ultimately saving the woman's life. Following the ordeal, Danny confronted Elijah, who was clearly giving her the cold shoulder. His distant demeanor stemmed from Danny's earlier declaration that she didn't date coworkers, a statement that stood in stark contrast to her actions. Elijah still bore a grudge from when she rejected him, but it was mostly the deceit that gnawed at him.
Certain intricacies stemming from the Chief Resident position also emerged, a role she had purportedly submitted her application for prematurely. Danny clarifies, however, that while she had penned her application early, it was never actually submitted. Nonetheless, the insinuation was sufficient for Elijah to realize that his friend had deceived him about the entire situation, thereby shattering their bond into a million pieces.
During nostalgic flashbacks, Phillips sets out for dinner with a few individuals who could potentially aid him in securing the Residency position he covets. This dinner his intimate encounter with Danny, and she ponders whether they ought to discuss their relationship with HR. Phillips expresses uncertainty about this course of action until they define what they are to each other. He emphasizes that approaching HR would bring everything into the open and warns her about the gossip that she's only with him to advance her career through sexual favors.
Danny makes an appearance at the bar where Phillips is socializing, and whether through seduction or distraction, she manages to capture his attention. They converse in the bathroom, where Danny seeks a definitive answer regarding their relationship. He decides that they should be a couple, and right there, on the sink, their passion ignites.
Returning to the present, Danny indulges in drinks with the others. Inside the club, Phillips awaits Danny with bated breath, but she ends up encountering Fuentas and heads to a different venue instead. Meanwhile, Cole encourages Phillips to strike up a conversation with a couple of girls, but he's not truly interested and eventually exits.
Nonetheless, Phillips ultimately abandons his plans and decides to seek out Danny instead. She takes the officer back to her place, and they share a kiss outside. After witnessing this, Phillips drives off, bringing the episode to a climactic close.
