Picket Fences (1992–1996): Season 2, Episode 8 - Strangers - full transcript

- Stop that!
- Matthew!

- I didn't mean to!
- Can we just listen to the music, please?

- I'm sorry. It was a mistake.
- I saw that young man.

You know, you could end up in a place
where there are no snowballs.

- I'll take care of him, Father Barett.
- I just meant to wing 'em.

Hmm. Merry Christmas, Jill.

Can we all just enjoy the music?
Hmm? Can we do that?

- Where's Daddy?
- He should be here.

He promised he'd be here.

Pull that thing out of there!
Come on, come on!

Somebody's got to be down there!



- Move.
- Get that tow ready.

All right.
Hitch it up and pull it.

How long ago was the crash?

- Ten minutes.
- That's not too long.

We're going to be doing CPR.
Get the monitor ready.

All right, tow that thing
out of there. Come on, come on!

Get us a crowbar
down here, quick!

- Come on, let's go!
- Crowbar, hurry up!

Go, let's go, let's go!

Get that basket down here.
Come on. Move it!

I see a foot.

Okay, don't touch it.

It's a woman!

Get the ambulance running.
Alert Fair.



Okay, get her up
on level ground.

- Dana Marshall!
- Get it up on level ground,

level ground. Come on.

Dana!

Pulse is gone.

- Nothing. No vitals.
- Come on.

- Come on, Dana!
- 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004...

Come on, come on, come on.

- Come on, Dana.
- 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004...

No vitals.

She's dead.

Oh, dammit.

Oh, my God!

- Come on.
- Okay, okay.

Get an MRI and Pet scan stat.
Get a surgical team prepped,

- we may have hemorrhaging.
- I thought she was dead.

She's not dead.
Get a team in place.

We may have to operate.
Lets go!

...Kingdom come. Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day
our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those...

Henry, she's still comatose.

She has something called
subdural hematoma.

- It's an--
- Will she live?

We don't know. There's too much swelling
on the brain to operate tonight.

What we're hoping is that,
in time--

You have to save her.

My daughter's all I have.

You have to save her.

- I know she was dead.
- You can't blame yourself, Carter.

She was submerged
in freezing water.

This wasn't hypothermia.
She was dead.

That woman came back.
It's a miracle!

It's a miracle
that baby survived, that's for sure.

Baby? What baby?

Dana's four months pregnant.

- That can't be.
- Well, I'm afraid it is, Carter.

The blood test confirmed it.

No, Jill. When I...

I'm a very thorough medical examiner,
you know this. Meticulous.

Voted State Coroner
of the Year, twice.

- What are you talking about?
- While under the impression

that she was dead,
and I still maintain that she was,

I examined her genitalia.

- Carter.
- Just cursory.

By law I have to do it.
And I'm telling you,

that woman cannot be pregnant.

- She is.
- She's not.

I had the visor
on full magnification.

I looked very closely.

Dana Marshall has never had sex.

She is a virgin.

- It's incredible.
- I told you.

You sure she's pregnant?

I'm positive.
We even did a sonogram.

- Looks like a little boy.
- She's completely intact.

No laparoscopy. Doesn't look
like she's even ridden a horse.

Will you excuse us, please?

I'm a medical doctor.
I can be here if I want.

She's alive. There's nothing
more that you can do for her.

- Cheap shot.
- All right.

It's inexplicable.

Almost no perforation. How--

I've heard cases where
women have gotten pregnant

without penile penetration.

Ejaculation in the general
area sometimes--

That's one in a zillion.

Dana Marshall was my patient.
I know her.

She was not sexually active.

But she's obviously
engaged in something.

Well, one thing's for sure.
She'll never be able to tell us.

Look at her EEG.

The forebrain is almost flat.

She's gone.

What do you mean "he's gone"?

There's no such thing
as Santa Clause.

Never was.

The toys.
We always get toys.

Mom and Dad buy them.

I know it hurts,

but other kids in your class
are going to know

and you shouldn't be the last.

- The stockings?
- Mom and Dad.

They fill 'em up.

Mom keeps the letters
we write to Santa.

That's mail fraud.

Yeah. Well...

Reindeer? Elves?

North Pole?

- All made up.
- I don't believe you.

Is there some other way
to get pregnant I don't know about?

Yeah, there's one.

Happened about 2,000 years ago.

Excuse me.

Maybe she was dead
when Carter examined her.

Maybe she came back to life.

It's Christmas time.
We live in a place called Rome.

You trying to be funny?

No. Jimmy, I have a whole shelf
of textbooks explaining

every medical fact known to man.

Nothing explains what happened
to Dana Marshall.

A long, thin straw?

Hear me out. Semen can stay
mobile for six hours.

If she had some, using a long, thin straw,
she could impregnate herself

by gently blowing,
with no abrasion to the vulva,

- or hymen--
- Are you kidding me?

- It's a theory!
- Well, Carter thinks

she might have done it
as a hoax.

She's a religious woman, devout.

That makes her predisposed

to delusions right there.

Is that right?
Well, I happen to be

a fairly religious man
myself, Doctor.

Does that make me delusional?

I have nothing against religion,
but the fact is,

extremely religious people

when afflicted
with schizophrenia

or any bipolar mood disorder,

can suffer from manic phases
where they think they're God.

In this case, Dana Marshall
thinks she's a virgin mother.

I know Dana Marshall.

She was not subject
to psychotic delusions

and she would not get herself pregnant
as part of a hoax.

I checked sperm banks
for recent break-ins.

- See if we can--
- Listen, you may be

a very gifted coroner,
I'm sure you

pronounce people dead very well.

- Cheap shot!
- All right.

But Dana Marshall
never thought she was God,

she never hallucinated about
being a virgin mother

and I have never heard of
any woman impregnating herself

with a long, thin straw!

Then what?
What happened, big shot?

I don't know what.

She's definitely a virgin?

I'm on the board of the hospital.

Maurice Packard told me himself.

Good God!

We should be united on this, Henry.

We should issue a joint statement.

Saying what?

I don't know.

But I don't think we should
rush to condemn the idea

of a virgin birth.

That's sort of the thing
that put us in business.

We can't allow it
to be exploited

with some kind of trick either.

I put in a call
to Cardinal Flaherty,

to get the official
Catholic response.

I think you should put it
to your people too.

Not that the protestants
agree on anything.

This is bad.

- This is very bad.
- Why?

I mean, supposing it's...
you know,

another son of God,

Well, I mean, that...
That would be good.

Wouldn't it?

You don't for a second
believe that...

- Do you?
- No. Of course not.

- Ridiculous.
- Ridiculous.

Jimmy says we should fingerprint
everyone who comes to visit.

We can try to prove paternity
by matching DNA with the fetus.

Okay. I'll stay here till 10:00.

You get Tully
to relieve me, okay?

Mm-hmm.

She was so sweet.

My old apartment,
she lived in the building.

Always made sure we decorated
for Halloween and Christmas.

She loved the holidays,
especially Christmas.

If she was a virgin,

she'd be screaming
when she found she was pregnant.

But she kept quiet.

Now, that to me suggests guilt,
not a miracle.

And how do you know
she knew?

Four months... she knew.

And she knew how.

In fact, I think it caused her
to become suicidal.

- What?
- There are no skid marks

going down that slope,
not even a swerve.

She's 20 years old,
she's pregnant,

abortion is against
her religion,

I think she was distraught,

she drove right, straight

into that lake on purpose.

Good. We go with suicide.

Now, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

There's 100 different
extremist groups

who will invade us if we give

this virgin business any win.

What are you asking for, Rachel?

I'm asking you
to state the truth

that this woman had some sort
of vaginal perforation

that allowed her
to become pregnant

from some sort of
sexual activity.

Now, that has to be
the truth, doesn't it?

There's no other explanation.

Jill, if you don't mind,
Cardinal Flaherty wants us

to fax him the medical records.

Oh, I can't do that
without a release.

Jill, is this woman
going to live?

No, I don't think she is.

She's vegetative and...

- Can I ask you a question?
- Of course.

This is probably going to turn out
to be some kind of medical phenomenon,

I... I know that, but I...

Why are you two, of all people,
staying so quiet?

Well, he, uh...

We had to be very careful.

Uh, we don't want to
look like zealots.

If we come out of
the block screaming

"virgin mother,"

and it turns out to be a hoax,

religion would just end up
being further ostracized.

We've hired
private investigators

and we're confident
they'll reveal this to be a false alarm.

You're hoping this is
going to be a hoax?

People all over, kill each other
in the name of the Lord.

Can you imagine
the destruction if...

The world is not ready
for this right now.

Zachary? Oh, he's up.

And what do you want
for Christmas, my little friend.

I was on your lap

- 25 minutes ago.
- Oh.

- I already told you what I wanted.
- Yeah.

I came back to see
if you remembered.

Oh, well, uh...

My helpers,
Santa's little helpers,

put everything you said
down on paper.

There is no need
to worry.

Do you know where I live?

Uh... Of course. Of course I do.

Where?

Where do I live?

You know, you seem like
a very smart, young fellow.

And, well, Santa's memory is not
what it used to be, lithium.

So, everything
in the North Pole

- is now on computers.
- You're fake!

- Yeah, well, give it back!
- Santa Clause is a big fake!

He's not real.
He doesn't even exist.

- Zack!
- Security!

Someone take
this little bastard.

- Zachary, come on.
- A big fat fake!

- What happened?
- I think we've got renal failure.

There's a lot of bacteria
in the blood stream.

Could be... We'd have to
induce a miscarriage.

We haven't got consent.

She's not going to
live long, Richard.

Not like this.

It's not life threatening yet.

And we can't abort
without consent.

It's putting pressure
on her diaphragm,

which is causing
respiratory problems.

She's developing
severe pneumonia.

Which means what?

She could die.

It's over, isn't it?

Well, it...
It doesn't look good,

but if there's any chance,

it would be to terminate
the pregnancy.

Otherwise, the pneumonia
could take her.

Do what you have to do.
Save her life.

It's not that easy.
Dana's opposed to abortion.

But if she could die, if she's a fighter,
she would try to live.

Even so, we can't assume
her consent.

We have to get a court order.

Douglas Wambaugh
for the coma woman.

I have an ex parte motion
on behalf of Dana Marshall,

a beautiful woman who cannot
appear before you today

on account of being a vegetable.

He's asking for a murder,
Your Honor.

Quiet! Quiet!

Anybody gets up in my courtroom,

he gets bounced
right into the street.

My client is in
critical condition, Your Honor.

If we don't terminate
her pregnancy,

- she could--
- Good afternoon, Your Honor.

Attorney Franklin Dell

representing the Rome
Episcopalian Church,

- St. Augustine's Church--
- Your clients have no standing here.

Under ordinary circumstances
I would agree,

but I filed my appearance

under circumstances
that are anything but ordinary.

The pregnancy to which
my learned brother refers

- is medically impossible.
- It's not impossible.

Wambaugh, shut up. Mr. Dell,

what exactly are you suggesting?

My clients are suggesting
the possibility, not the probability,

but the possibility that
this is a divine pregnancy.

Quiet, quiet!

- Are you on drugs?
- Your Honor,

we're not trying to be
sensational or hysterical.

In fact, we considered
keeping silent on this,

but, my God,
medically they can't explain

how the woman became with child.

Now they want to abort it?

For God's sake,

and maybe His son's,

at least we ought to wait until
we have all the information.

If we wait, she could die.

As I understand it, the woman
is virtually already gone.

Am I actually hearing this?

The church is intervening

because you believe
the woman could be pregnant

with the son of God?

We don't know, Your Honor.

Truth is, we think that
this conception will turn out

to be very Earthly.

But until we're certain...
There are bad rulings

and then there are bad rulings.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brock, please rise.

How did she get pregnant?

Your Honor,
I'm as confused as anybody.

Turkey baster, Judge.
We know she loved to cook.

There was no turkey baster.
The hymen was completely unbroken.

Carter examined her microscopically.
He even--

Never mind.

I'd like to call
a few witnesses, Judge.

- That's all I ask.
- I object, Your Honor.

The church is using this
for public relations.

They are trying to
promote Christianity

at the expense of
my client's life.

Again, Your Honor,

Ms. Marshall is near brain dead.

- Her prognosis--
- She has hope!

That hope belongs to her.

Mr. Dell, I'll give you one day

to make whatever case
it is you want to make.

- One day.
- This is outrageous!

10:00 tomorrow,
I'll take evidence. That's it.

I want to sue.

It was fraud.

Oh, no, Zack,

it was just a department store
Santa Clause, make-believe.

The real one lives
up in the North Pole.

You can't sue.

Matthew says
there is no North Pole.

Some people don't believe
in Santa Clause,

but it doesn't make him
any less real.

Santa Clause is coming to Rome

and he's coming down
your chimney.

Cynthia Parks thinks he might come
to Rome first this year.

Really? Why is that?

'Cause the coma woman has
God's baby inside her.

Uh, it's not God's baby.
Don't believe that nonsense.

Okay, honey, come on.
Up to bed.

- So, Santa Clause is coming...
- Mm-hmm.

...but God isn't.

Uh, s... Something like that.

God has been with us.
We've been praying

and seeking God a lot.
And, uh...

This tape doesn't help.

"-...God never leaves us
all for Satan."

We just want to come...

So, when Mary had Jesus,

she was a virgin?

Yep.

Well, then how did it happen?

Well, um,

the Holy Ghost visited Mary,

and Jesus wad conceived.

So, the Holy Ghost
and Mary had sex.

No. Um, there was no sex at all.

It was, kind of...

In vitro? Gift?

Test tube?

Uh... No. It was a...

It was a spiritual visit.

Um... Mary
and the Holy Ghost, um...

It was kind of, like,
in that movie Cocoon,

where they pass
through each other.

I guess.

Just do exactly what
you've been doing.

Argue the possibility
of a divine pregnancy.

- That will protect Christianity--
- Without exposing you

to the potential ridicule.

What's the Vatican saying?

Oh, they don't want to
get involved.

They want to stay distanced.

Now, listen to me,
both of you.

I am a litigator.

I take marching orders.

Do you want me
to win this or not?

You better think about it
because if the court concludes

that this could be
a virgin pregnancy, what then?

That's our concern, not yours.

Damn right it's your concern.

It's a big one too.
You could be stuck with

the second potential
son of God in utero.

What if it's deemed
the second coming?

That means the end of
the world, doesn't it?

- Our winning--
- You'll never win.

We all know that.

My question is,
do you want me to try?

You've been hired to argue
the divine possibility.

You do that.

Nobody around the world seems
to be taking this too seriously.

- The court has to determine...
- No medical explanation

for the pregnancy
has been given.

...examined by seven
different doctors now.

None of which
have been able to...

Dr. Haber. Dr. Haber!

Dr. Haber,
just one question.

- Is the pregnancy a hoax?
- Thank you very much.

Mr. Marshall, your daughter
is a religious woman.

A devout Catholic.

She always maintained that
she was against abortion.

I know under
these circumstances,

it would be Dana's wish

to do what
she had to do to survive.

Are you sure that isn't just
your wish, Mr. Marshall,

- for Dana to survive.
- I know my daughter.

She would fight to live.

I'm going to ask you
a very difficult question, Mr. Marshall,

and I want you to give me
an honest, difficult answer.

Assume, just for the sake
of argument, assume

that this pregnancy
was by divine power.

I don't believe--

I'm not asking you to agree
that this is what happened.

I'm asking you to assume

that God had something
to do with this conception.

Now, given that assumption,
if that were true,

so religious as Dana is,

do you really think
she would want to abort?

Answer the question,
Mr. Marshall.

- I don't know.
- That was honest.

I've just one more question.

Knowing your daughter
the way you do,

do you think that she would...

somehow impregnate herself?

Assuming that were
even possible.

Would she attempt
a stunt like that?

No.

And you're certain, Dr. Haber, certain

the woman
has never in her life had intercourse?

Well, this case has
convinced me, Mr. Dell,

that I can't be
certain of anything.

But I can tell you this.

We conducted
17 vaginal examinations.

We even gave her a sonogram.

And it is our unanimous
medical conclusion

that the woman has never, never
experienced penile penetration.

How then could
she become pregnant?

There's no medical
explanation for it.

Is there a divine explanation?

I don't know. I suppose...

I suppose you can't
rule that out.

How can a doctor
make such a statement?

As a doctor,
I admit I'm baffled.

But as a human being--

You're not up here as a human being.

You're here as a medical expert.

Just give us the medical facts
and leave out--

I gave you
the facts, counselor.

The fact is,
the woman is a virgin.

And like it or not, that makes
her pregnancy supernatural.

I do not think
it's supernatural.

She was probably
exposed to semen near her vaginal area.

And somehow,
whether on her fingers

or someone else's,
we don't know.

You don't think
that Dana Marshall is a virgin mother?

No, I do not.

Why? Don't you believe
it could ever happen?

As a physician, I don't believe
it happened in this case.

That's not what I asked.
Do you think it ever happened?

Do you believe, for example,

that the son of God
was born of a virgin mother?

- Do you believe that, Doctor?
- I'm not here to discuss religion.

I'm only asking what you think
as a person of Western medicine,

a person of science.

Do you believe that
Mary was a virgin

at the time she conceived
Jesus Christ?

Yes.

I believe that
Mary was a virgin mother.

- Well, if it happened once--
- It never happened.

Not once and not ever!

- Mr. Wambaugh, sit down.
- He's mixing church and state.

Sit down!

My question is this.

If a virgin
became pregnant once,

how can you be sure
it couldn't happen again?

I guess I can't be sure.

- I'll sue you both
- For what?

You're supposed to do
whatever it takes to save a patient.

You two have sentenced
Dana Marshall to her death

I just told the truth.

What you said had
nothing to do with the truth.

Jesus wan't the son of God
and there was no--

Why? Because the Jews say so?

- All right?
- No!

Just because you're
part of a minority

doesn't give you the right
to take cheap shots

- at Christianity.
- You watch your tongue!

- All right. Erin--
- I mean it. I am sick of apologizing

for my religion.

I believe in the Father,

the Son and the Holy Ghost,

and I believe in the possibility

of a miracle.

And I will not be
ashamed to say it,

even though you may be.

- I'm not ashamed.
- I saw your face on the stand, Jill.

You were apologizing.
Don't deny it.

Because she knows
the whole thing is a myth.

A giant myth.

I don't care what they told you,

it's a parent's job
to lie about Santa Clause.

But if you believe in him,
kids will pick on you.

- Why?
- Because you'll look like a nut.

Think about it.
A man up there somewhere,

knows if you've been
bad or good,

knows when you're asleep,
knows when you're awake.

How can any man know all this

about millions and millions
of kids all over the world.

- It could be magic.
- Exactly.

If you can't see somebody,

if you can't hear him
or touch him,

then don't believe in him.

Don't be wishing for stuff
from somebody who's not real.

You'll just get hurt.

- We better call the bomb squad.
- We don't have a bomb squad.

Hold it. Hold on,
it's a smoke bomb.

- Are you all right?
- Yes.

No damage, just smoke.

Kenny, I want a guard
assigned to the judge,

- around the clock. Go.
- No.

I won't be intimidated
by a few lousy death threats.

That just empowers them.

Doctors have been shot
outside abortion clinics.

Those kooks think
that unborn child could be a messiah.

I'm not taking any chances.

Wambaugh, you've got
a decision to make.

My life is threatened
if I rule for you.

That could make me biased
against your case.

If you want me disqualified,
it's your call.

If there's any judge
that won't be scared off,

I know it's you, Henry.
I want you on the case.

Thanks a lot.

Hey.

She lies there so still...

causing so much trouble.

Maybe that's what
she meant to do.

Jimmy, do we really
believe in God?

- Of course.
- Well, we say we do,

then we automatically disbelieve
at the thought that she...

We dance around religion.

We never confront
what we actually think.

And our kids...

You should've heard Matthew
and Kimberly this morning.

They have no sense of
anything that's holy.

We give them
no guidance whatsoever.

Honey...

I don't know
what I could tell them.

I believe in God.
I believe in Jesus.

Am I sure that
he walked on water?

Do I believe that
Jonah was swallowed by a big fish

and lived to talk about it?
I don't know.

I think it might be safer to

keep God out there, somewhere,

knowing he's out there,

but not getting in
the same room with him.

Erin Haber was right.
I was ashamed in court today.

- Of what?
- About what I said.

I'm a doctor, I'm a scientist,

and I'm talking about virgin births
and spiritual belief.

- What's wrong with that?
- Well, it... It doesn't feel professional.

I mean, to believe in God,
to believe in heaven, it...

It makes me feel less
credible as a doctor.

She's lucky to have
you as a doctor.

But we can't help her.

We bring in the best
neurologists, top surgeons,

expert obstetricians...

and the only thing that we can really do
for her... is pray.

It's time for
the nonsense to stop.

A woman is dying.

She may very well die.
But why?

Because we want to embrace
a little yuletide theology?

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."

Christ, the sequel,
has come to Rome.

Isn't it exciting? Isn't it fun?

Isn't it splendid to sit around
and debate the issue over eggnog?

Dana Marshall is in a coma.

That's for real.

She might never see Christmas...

if the doctors don't terminate
her pregnancy.

And if she dies,
the baby dies too.

There is only one life
you can really save. It's hers.

Stop with the divine propaganda.

Stop with the talk of miracles.

Come back to Earth
and save my client from death.

She doesn't need
a god right now,

she needs a judge.

We all heard
Henry Marshall's testimony.

With the possibility
that this could be a divine pregnancy,

he said that Dana might not
want the abortion.

That means the real issue

is the reasonableness
of such a possibility.

The medical evidence
is uncontroverted.

She's a virgin
and she's pregnant.

Sheriff Brock has been out
collecting DNA samples

from every man
Dana Marshall dated,

trying to match genetics
with the fetus.

He came up with nothing.

The mayor,
sitting right over here,

she's been on
a one-woman crusade

to shut down even the notion
of a virgin birth.

Why? Because it is
such a preposterous idea.

She's worried the town
will be laughed at

for even entertaining
such a ridiculous premise.

Imagine, a mayor,

a sheriff, a judge,
acknowledging religious tenants.

Well, what's wrong with that?

What has happened
in this country that makes us

so ashamed of believing in God.

Politicians are schooled
never to bring it up.

Try saying a prayer in school
and it's "Quick, call the ACLU!"

Oh, no. It's all right
to be religious,

but for God's sake,
keep it to yourself.

Whatever you do,
don't tell anybody.

You'll be labeled a...
a zealot, a ranting demagogue,

an idiot.

I'll tell you something, Judge.

This country
is in moral decay.

Maybe it's time
we stopped punishing people

for bringing their religious
and moral concerns into our public arenas.

You're getting
way off the point, counsel.

Well, actually I'm not,
Your Honor. My point is...

This society not only
trivializes religion today, it scorns it.

And it is that scorn

which has prevented
everybody in this room

from even entertaining
the possibility

that something godly is going on
with Dana Marshall.

The doctors, the police,

all the experts have ruled out
everything Earthly

and still, we don't dare consider
anything from a higher power.

We are a society without faith.

No wonder we are
a land without hope.

None of us knows what's going on
with Dana Marshall.

How she got pregnant,
what it could mean,

why she was dead and then
suddenly alive again.

Nobody knows!

All I ask, this once...

Let's let the Almighty
make the ruling.

Let's let God be God
in all of this.

Because that, in the end,

is Dana Marshall's
only true hope.

This would be
my biggest loss ever.

Losing a virgin mother case...

They'd take away
my license to be Jewish.

Jimmy!

You know, while I thought
she was dead, I plucked samples of hair,

- fiber, pubic swabs...
- Carter, please.

- Not now, Carter.
- Lab results came back.

One of the hairs
on her head wasn't hers.

We've ruled out
all the boyfriends.

Well, I'm crossing it
with the DNA samples anyway.

- What's the point?
- The point is, we can't give up.

If that judge finds this could be divine,
we'd look like fools.

We can't give up.

Have you ever thought about...

what if God did put
his son back on Earth?

What government would
throw away

its rule and begin a new theocracy?

Even the Vatican...

How would they react if the new messiah
was a US citizen?

When he turned 21, he started red lining
the encyclical letters,

I mean, would the Pope
just... defer.

Do you think about this?

You made a nice speech
in court, Mr. Dell.

Please don't spoil it
by mocking us now.

I'm not mocking you.

I really wonder.

What would happen
if a Godman returned to Earth?

Well, we'd have to deny him,
otherwise world order would go crumbling.

He'd get no better
treatment today

than he got from the Romans
2,000 years ago.

I feel sorry for you.

You are just a litigator.

What you said in the courtroom
was so true,

but you're so swallowed up
by cynicism

that you can't believe
the truth of your own words.

You're a man without faith.

I feel very, very sorry for you.

All rise.

Be seated.

With the print reporters

hanging on every word,

I decided to write out
my ruling.

The determining factor concerns

the substituted judgment
of Dana Marshall.

In other words,
what would she want us to do...

- in evaluating--
- Excuse me, Your Honor.

What's the idea, Deputy?

I'm sorry, but I think
everything here is moot.

Dana Marshall has
regained consciousness.

What?

She's only semiconscious
and she cannot speak,

but the doctors that by tomorrow
she'll be able to communicate.

Well, since she will presumably

be able to, uh, decide for herself,

this matter is stayed.

Thank God.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.
I'm one of her doctors.

- Dr. Haber...
- Just wait here, ma'am.

I heard that
she's recovered, but that's it.

It's all right.
I'm her doctor.

- This is impossible.
- Why? You're a religious man.

You believe in
the possibility of miracles.

- Let me see her. Dana--
- Doctor, first, stand up against the wall.

- I beg your pardon.
- You're under arrest

for the attempted murder
of Dana Marshall.

- What?
- You have the right to remain silent.

Never mind my rights.
What the hell is going on here?

We matched a piece of your hair.
It was on her head.

And another strand in her car.

You were the only one
who had access to her, Erin.

You had to have inseminated her
with a hypodermic.

- Excuse me?
- It couldn't be detected.

She wouldn't even
have known it happened.

But she must have
figured it out.

Phone records show that she called you
on the day of her death.

- Probably to confront you.
- You cannot prove any of this.

I don't care what she said...

She didn't say anything.

- Search him.
- Spread your legs.

See, she hasn't
regained consciousness.

We made that up.
We needed you to make a move.

And you did.

Here we are.

Probably nitroglycerin

or nicotine to induce
cardiac arrest.

We knew
if she were to talk,

you'd have to
spring into action.

Take that to the chemist.

I think that'll be, uh,
two counts of attempted murder.

Why, Erin?

Look what it's done
for Christianity, Jill.

People all over
reliving the possibility, even you.

The world needs hope.
We need hope.

I was trying to provide
a little hope.

The gynecologist?

He knocked her unconscious,
put her in the car

and pointed it
down the embankment.

That's why there were
no skid marks.

But why? Why would anybody be
so psychotic.

- During the holidays?
- This is the exact bipolar disorder

I've been describing.

I thought it was her.
Turns out it was him.

- And he admitted it?
- I knew he was a nut.

It's a little of what,
uh, Carter described.

The man was playing God.

Plaintiffs motion to terminate
the pregnancy is granted.

Now, get out.

Let me get sick
to my stomach in private.

A killer gyno.
I knew he was nuts.

I knew it first.
I just thought it was her.

Well, you were wrong again,
weren't you, Carter.

Curiosity... What was your
original ruling?

I'll never tell.

Merry Christmas, Sheriff.

Get out!

There's no real hope, is there?

No.

I just came from Judge Bones.

He said you can do
whatever you want to do.

Henry.

The abortion might stop
the pneumonia, but...

But what?

She's not coming back,
not to consciousness.

I know you're Catholic,
I know you won't consider euthanasia,

but you might consider
not aborting.

Letting the pneumonia
run its course...

to give her some peace.

I still think she's
a fighter, you know,

she loved life.
I think she...

I don't know.

Daddy.

Dana! Dana.

- Hey.
- What's going on?

- Oh, God!
- Oh, my head!

- Oh.
- How long have I been asleep?

Oh, dear God!
Dear God!

Someone tell me what's going on.

I want an MRI, CAT scans
and get me a physical exam

- as soon as possible.
- You got it.

- I'm right here, honey.
- Do they have to push so fast?

Coming through,
coming through here.

Hold the elevator, please.

This happened before.

Vegetative people have suddenly
regained consciousness.

It's rare, but...
but it's happened.

- Uh-huh.
- It's amazing.

But it... It's not impossible,
you know. It's happened.

"Nobody sees Santa Clause,

but that is no sign
that there is no Santa Clause.

The most real things
in the world

are those that neither children
nor men can see.

Nobody can conceive or imagine

all of the wonders

that are unseen and unseeable
in the world."

- We've read this book.
- Shut up!

"No Santa Clause.
Thank God he lives.

And lives forever.

A 1,000 years from now,

nay, ten times,
10,000 years from now,

he will continue to make glad
the heart of childhood."

Good ending.
I like that ending.

Yeah.

Yeah.