Phoenix vs Janna

Chapter 40

Janna survived her gunshot wounds from the encounter. Her backpack absorbed most of the bullets' impact. She would have the scars to show for it for the rest of her life, like Phoenix.

The military wasn't entirely convinced that they were at the mountains as NGO people. But for lack of evidence otherwise, and because of Phoenix's background,the case was closed.

Janna's parents were extremely upset over what happened to her in the mountains and her meeting with Carlo. But they were reassured when she stabilized.

Senator Etta herself came to talk to them to apologize in behalf of the NGO and the Foundation for the danger they have exposed Janna in. They shouldered her hospital expenses all the way to her physical recovery.

As for Phoenix, after a lengthy talk, they just confirmed what they already knew. It was Phoenix who inherited the nationalist spirit that his parents also have.

Phoenix never left Janna's side all throughout her recovery.

Janna was delayed graduating college, but she eventually did a year later.

Janna applied to work full-time at the NGO, but Phoenix denied her application!

Phoenix couldn't deal with the possibility of their dangerous sojourn in the mountains repeating itself with Janna. Janna thought he was unfairly judging her based on past events and denying her the chance to seriously help.

After much argument, hurt feelings and frayed tempers on both sides, Phoenix decided to accept her application but on one condition — that she stayed in the office and not do any field work.

Janna quickly agreed. All she wanted was a chance to work in the NGO in any capacity that she could.

Through time, her contribution to the NGO surpassed expectations. Although she was bound to the office, she worked hard to assist the field work and improve the projects they handled.

She was so effective at her job that she was soon promoted. With the promotion came the need to go back to occasional field work. But Phoenix refused to send her out. He was determined to keep Janna safe by his side for as long as he could.

But Senator Etta intervened, seeing how effective Janna's skills and experience were to their various projects, until eventually Phoenix agreed.

He had another condition, however. That Janna undergo martial arts and firearms training, the same way he did when he was younger, to protect herself against the hazard of field work. He also assigned Rex back as security detail for Janna.

Several years later, Janna took up a master's degree in public administration at the same time as Phoenix started law school. They walked hand in hand and happily together in the university, always together, always inseparable.

The day Phoenix passed the bar exams, they attended mass together at the Pink Sister's Chapel in Tagaytay, finally fulfilling their plan years ago that they never got to do when Phoenix was shot.

That night, after dinner in the highlands of Tagaytay, he proposed to Janna and they were engaged.

Phoenix eventually became CEO of their Foundation while Janna found a new career as Senator Etta's professional staff. She became a regular in the halls of Congress and learned more about politics, nation-building and governance from her future mother-in-law.

They finally got married and started a family.

By the time they were in their thirties, Phoenix was a government consultant providing his expertise in economics, mathematics and law.

Janna became head of Senator Etta's senatorial staff.

They continued to clash whenever their differences flared. They remained fierce and passionate to their beliefs. Their fights were epic. But their loving was more constant and more passionate than their quarrels.

Phoenix never forgot how Carlo and the rebels risked their lives to cover Janna's dash towards him on that fateful day of the encounter. After Janna was shot, Carlo had crawled over to check on them and told him to get Janna to safety. He had asked Phoenix to promise to protect her and her advocacy. He begged Phoenix to look at both their sides of the struggle for change.

Through the years, Janna and Phoenix strived tirelessly to end abuse and inequality in the country through the civilized channels of NGO, congress, media and other legal public venues. Never once forgetting that they had their counterparts in the mountains waging the same war for a better country.

Phoenix and Janna didn't agree with their ideology, but they worked hard to make sure young people would no longer find reason to join the rebel movement.

Carlo was like a shadowy figure that moved from place to place. He sends very rare cryptically-worded messages that passed through the mysterious network of NGO and grassroot channels.

"Padayon!", "huwag makalimot!", and "salamat!" became the barometer of how well they have performed when weighed through the watchful eyes of their rebellious counterparts.

Eventually, with money, power, reputation, knowledge, experience and fearless passion on their side, Phoenix and Janna rose higher in society and politics.

When Senator Etta retired, her legacy carried on through his youngest son. Phoenix entered the world of politics and effortlessly navigated and inevitably conquered it.

Together with his equally charismatic wife — the beautiful and intelligent Janna Balagtas Araneta — they became known as the famous power couple with ties and support everywhere — the church, the media, the grassroots, the academe, the business sector, and even the shadowy underground movement.

Phoenix became the youngest senator to walk the halls of Congress. The public voted him by an overwhelming margin.

The laws he passed would reshape the history of the country. He became known as the brilliant, no-nonsense, get-it-done and extremely handsome senator.

The moment finally came when he made ultimate history by becoming the youngest President the country ever elected to office.

At his post-inaugural dinner reception, Phoenix gazed lovingly at Janna as they stood behind the curtains together, waiting for their cue to come in.

"We've come a long way, Hellcat." He whispered.

"Who would've thought, Rich Boy? Now you're the President of this country." She smiled.

Phoenix raised her hand and kissed it.

"No. I mean us. We've come a long way together." He said tenderly.

"We still have a long way to go."

She put her arms around his neck and gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek.

They heard the master of ceremonies saying: "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the Philippines and the First Lady!"

Phoenix held her tightly against him for a few seconds. Then he took her hand.

Together they stepped forward to shape the future.