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Sandy walked back into Kirsten's room with a cup of coffee. It had been exactly 12 hours since the fight he had with Kirsten last night. It was now 7am.

He sat down and took Kirsten's right hand in his again...the same position he had been in for the last 8 hours since she got out of surgery to repair her broken rib that was protruding through her skin.

Kirsten got into an accident on the freeway after she charged out of the house the night before. Sandy wasn't sure where Kirsten was heading to on the freeway-no one was-because Kirsten was till sleeping from all the drugs she'd been given and thus hadn't been asked any questions by authority officials yet.

The doctors weren't even sure she'd remember the accident. She had a concussion, a broken nose, and 18 stitches along the left side of her face. The doctors had to shave off some of her hair to attend to the cut on her scalp. Along with her facial injuries, Kirsten had 2 broken ribs, 8 stitches where her rib had been protruding, and her left arm was broken. Along with these injuries, Kirsten still had the scrape on her face from when she tripped two nights before. Even though Kirsten was sleeping Sandy could tell Kirsten wasn't in a restful sleep. Her eyes were scrunched shut and her forehead was wrinkled. Sandy hated to see his wife like this.

Sandy had called the boys right after he got the call that Kirsten was in an accident. Sandy had been driving around for about an hour looking for Kirsten. He panicked when he saw "Newport Memorial Hospital" on the caller id of his cell phone. He flew to the hospital when he heard the nurse ask him if he was "Sandy Cohen because a Kirsten Cohen who has his number programmed in her cell phone as her husband was just admitted to the hospital because of an accident."

Sandy told the boys to get a good night's rest and come up to the hospital in the morning.

About an hour later, the boys arrived, flowers and balloons in hand.

"How is she?" they both asked simultaneously.

"She's okay."

"Are you sure?" Seth asked unconvinced as he looked at his mother and made a painful face himself.

"I'm sure. Your mother was lucky. The car was totaled."

"How'd she get into the accident? Where was she?" Ryan asked.

Sandy paused. He knew what caused the accident but he didn't want to tell the boys. It wasn't his horrible reason to tell. It was Kirsten's. He didn't want to be the one to tell the boys that while he and Kirsten had always instructed them to never drink and drive, their mother didn't do the same. So instead, Sandy opted for, "We don't know anything yet. We're not even sure she'll remember the accident. I've checked with the police and they're still investigating."

After kissing Kirsten's forehead, the boys headed off to school.

About 2 hours later, Kirsten woke up panting and moving around as if she had a bad dream. "Sandy? Sandy?" she asked frantically as she turned over reaching out for Sandy, thinking she was in her and Sandy's bed.

"Kirsten I'm right here," Sandy said sweetly.

"Sandy?" Kirsten said again opening her eyes, "how come you're not in the bed? It's still early. Work isn't for another 2 hours."

Sandy started panicking. Did his wife lose some of her memory? Frantically, he buzzed for the nurse to come while he said to Kirsten as calmly as he could, "Kirsten you're in the hospital. You were in an accident last night. Just relax, everything is going to be okay." He rubbed his hand over hers to calm her down more.

The nurse came in and Sandy whispered to her how Kirsten woke up thinking she was home as if nothing had happened. The nurse informed Sandy that Kirsten might talk a bit "out of her head" because of all the drugs she'd been given throughout the night to relax her and that it's common for patients to become a little confused as a side effect. Sandy breathed a sigh of relief.

After Sandy and the nurse informed Kirsten about what happened, a variety of local authorities came into the room to talk to Kirsten about the accident. They asked her if she remembered anything, to which she didn't.

One of the police officer's Sandy knew took him aside and told him that the accident was a DWI and that Kirsten was clearly over the legal limit. Thankfully, the other driver wasn't hurt, but Kirsten would have to go to trial since she was driving while drunk. Sandy asked him what would happen at the trial. "It depends, but from the looks of it, your wife could lose her license for a while and pay a hefty fine. And since she was way over the legal limit, the judge might order her to rehab," the officer responded.

Sandy tried not to think about the events to come. Rehab? He knew Kirsten wouldn't agree to that. He sighed. He remembered thinking that last night was a long night. Now it felt like the next few months would be long.

Sandy tried to focus on Kirsten and being thankful that she was okay and was improving, but it was hard not to think of the consequences of Kirsten's drinking and driving.

A bit later the doctor examined Kirsten and informed Sandy that her condition was improving and she'd be released in two days.

Later that night, Kirsten was doing a lot better and was thinking more clearly.

"Sandy?" she said barely above a whisper with sacredness in her voice.

"Yeah honey?" Sandy asked as he turned to face his wife and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"I have a confession to make…" And with that, Kirsten told Sandy about everything. About Carter coming over for dinner two nights in a row. About how she told Carter she was attracted to him. About the kiss they shared. About getting drunk and tripping. She ended the confession with, "I'm sorry, Sandy. I know you're probably thinking that I'm just telling you now because you'll be easier on me since I'm in the hospital, but I don't want that. You don't have to forgive me right away. I was wrong. I hope in time you will forgive me though," she said softly.

"Kirsten, its okay. I forgive you. We definitely have some issues to work out and we will, but we don't have to do that today. I just want us to focus on you getting better. Then we'll work on our marriage," Sandy said reassuringly. He wanted to enforce the fact that he would stand by Kirsten no matter what she did in the last few weeks. Sandy knew that she was definitely going to need him in days to come because of the accident. After all, she didn't remember that she was driving while intoxicated. She would soon find out though.

"Sandy?" Kirsten said with a small smile.

"Yeah?" Sandy responded, happy to see Kirsten smile a little.

"Why are you wearing my wedding rings around your neck?" she said with a small laugh.

"Oh," Sandy said more somberly, "honey, they had to cut them all off because your hand was swelling too much. The nurse gave them to me and I had Seth and Ryan bring up some glue and a necklace. I glued them together for now. But don't worry, I'll replace them for you."

"That's okay, I'm just glad they were able to save them," Kirsten said sweetly. "Since I can't wear them with my swollen fingers, can you put the necklace around my neck? I want them close to me."

"Aw honey, the doctors don't want you wearing any jewelry. How about I leave them on the nightstand? That way you can hold them."

"Thanks. Did you say the boys were here?"

"Yeah, they were."

"And they saw me like this?"

"Yup. They send their love."

"Tell them I love them too. I wish they didn't see me like this. I look horrible."

"No you don't. Still as beautiful as always," Sandy said smiling as he leaned in and kissed Kirsten's forehead.

For the first time in over 24 hours, Sandy smiled. It felt good. He tried to hold onto the moment as long as he could because he knew that tomorrow the accident report would be finished and Kirsten would find out that she was going to trial…and might have her license taken away for a while…and have to pay a hefty fine…and have to go to rehab.

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