Man awakes. He looks around the hospital room confused and frantic. He has no recollection of how he got there; he begins to panic, setting off his heart rate monitor and causing the nurse to rush in.
-ENTER NURSE-
NURSE: Whoa! Simmer down hun. You're okay.
MAN: *Distraught and scared* What happened to me?
NURSE:*Comforting* Honey-- you don't remember?-- You were in a car accident.
MAN:*Shocked and in disbelief* What?!-- Where's my wife?!
NURSE:*slightly hesitant* Let me get the doctor. *comforting, yet fake smile appears on her face*
MAN: Wait! Please, tell me!
*Nurse holds up her finger symbolizing one moment*
-EXIT NURSE-

Man begins to check his wounds in anticipation of the doctor

-ENTER DOCTOR-
MAN:*Demanding* Where is she?
DOCTOR:*Trying to gain his composure* She's-- she's, uhh, she's in an induced coma

Man's face drops as the news hits him.

MAN: Oh my god...
DOCTOR: It's miraculous that you're even alive. You lost a lot of blood-- so much so that you yourself slipped into a brief coma.
MAN:*Verge of tears* What? How did this happen?-- How is she?-- Please doctor, I need answers.
DOCTOR:*Taking a deep breath* You were, uh, drinking and driving. You lost control of the wheel and hit a tree head on-- The first ones on the scene thought you were both... dead.-- Like I said, it's miraculous you both survived.
MAN:*Angrily* Wait--I was the one who did this? I'm the reason my wife's life is in jeopardy?
DOCTOR:*Consoling* Calm down. Just have faith she makes it(a warm grin emerges on his face as he says this)-- Don't waste your energy blaming yourself, you really should be hoping and praying for her.-- This could've happened to anyone.

Man slowly breaks down into tears

MAN:*Choked up* I just need an answer doctor.-- Will she make it?
DOCTOR: I don't... I don't know.-- It's impossible to determine at this time. She's being worked on and I can assure you our staff is doing the best it can.
MAN:*Sternly* Tell me.
DOCTOR:*With up-most sorrow* It's-- it's not likely she'll ever wake up from the coma.-- We had to induce her and put her on life support. She would've been dead if we hadn't.

Man looks away with tears of angers building in his eyes.

MAN: So what's going to happen to me?
DOCTOR: Hm?
MAN:--Am I going to be arrested?
Doctor: *struggling to get any words out* I... I...
MAN:*Disheartened* Oh, I see-- when?
DOCTOR:*Sympathetically* Whenever you're cleared for release.
MAN: Is there something else?
DOCTOR:-- What're you implying?
MAN: Is there something else you're not telling me?-- You've been in hesitant in answering my questions so far.
DOCTOR:Well-- there is one more thing...

The man's face hardens as if the situation couldn't get any worse
MAN: Well?
DOCTOR: There was three of you in the car...
MAN:*Baffled* Who?!
DOCTOR: She was pregnant..

Man lowers head in shame as tears swell his eyes

MAN:*Shaky, holding back the tears* You know doctor-- there's moments in life where you wish you were dead.-- Right now isn't one of them.
DOCTOR: Pardon?
MAN: Death would be too easy of an out-- I deserve a fate worse than death.
DOCTOR: Don't talk like that-- this could've happened to anyone.
MAN: I've killed my wife and unborn child-- I'll go to jail for a couple years, but that isn't the real punishment.-- The real punishment is every time I see another woman, I'll see her.-- Every time I see a child, I'll see a ghost.-- Every morning I'll wake up and remember.-- I'll remember that the reason I'm alone is because I'm a murderer-- That, that is a fate worse than death.

Doctor slowly starts to look down at his feet, then back up at the man. Then exits.