My very first Midsomer Murders fanfiction! This is a one-shot; I had a plot bunny and ran with it. This story does not relate to any canon case. All suspects and events are made up. I tried to keep the characters in character as much as possible.

Main Characters: Sgt Gavin Troy, DCI Tom Barnaby, Joyce Barnaby

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Midsomer Murders, or the canon characters.
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Midsomer Murders: Hit and Fall

"So what you're saying Sir, is that Ben Lake wasn't at the scene of the crime, and that the evidence was planted?" Troy asked as he walked along the footpath beside his DCI.
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Troy. Benjamin Lake was set up by none other than Markus Gerry. And he knows that we're on to him, he knows we're figuring it out. That's why he planted that trap for us. The problem is, we don't have sufficient evidence for either offence," Barnaby replied.

"But I don't understand… Gerry was at…wait a minute, there were two of them, weren't there?" Troy stopped in his tracks.
"Good work, Troy! Yes, there were two of them. But who Troy, who is the other person? Do you remember those fingerprints that didn't match either Benjamin Lake or Markus Gerry?" Barnaby turned to face his sergeant.
"They belong to the other person… and if we can find out who he is, he can provide evidence against Gerry, right?" Troy asked eagerly.
"Exactly! At least that's what I'm hoping," Barnaby said, looking both ways before starting to cross the road.

Troy started the follow, but suddenly baulked as a car came speeding around the corner and heading straight for Tom Barnaby.
"Sir!" Troy shrieked, leaping towards his DCI and shoving him out of the way just in time. Barnaby turned around in time to see the edge of the car slam into Troy, sending the young sergeant flying into the gravel road and rolling to a stop as the car sped away.
"Troy!" Barnaby cried, racing to his sergeant's side in less than a heartbeat. As he crouched beside Troy's limp body, people that had seen the accident ran towards them, one young man grabbing his mobile phone and calling for an ambulance.

Barnaby couldn't hear anything except for the weak murmur that escaped Troy's lips as he tried to turn his head to look up at his DCI.
"Don't move, Gavin. It's alright, everything is going to be alright," Barnaby reassured him, moving to the other side so Troy could see him clearly. "Somebody call an ambulance!" Barnaby exclaimed as he suddenly noticed the small crowd.
"Already on their way," a man said with a nod. Barnaby thanked him quickly before returning his attention to Troy, taking a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wiping the blood that dribbled from Troy's mouth.

Barnaby quickly looked over Troy's body, assessing the wounds. The graze on his head looked very shallow, but his side and stomach were in bad shape. Someone offered him a clean cloth, which he quickly pressed to Troy's head, holding Troy's hand as the young sergeant whimpered in pain. The wait for the ambulance was only a few minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. Barnaby was shaken, but tried to remain calm for Troy's sake. He was concerned about the amount of blood his sergeant was losing, but two witnesses to the accident were wrapping material around the major wounds, clean clothes that someone had sent a boy to fetch. Troy coughed up more blood and Barnaby prayed his sergeant's injuries weren't as serious as they looked. Finally the ambulance arrived, and the events that took place next were all a blur to both men.

Barnaby awoke with a start when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He looked up and smiled briefly when he saw that his wife Joyce was there.
"Oh Tom, please tell me he's all right," Joyce said as she sat beside him, looking as worried as Barnaby felt.
"I hope so dear… I hope so," Tom said with a sigh. He had told her about the events over the phone as he waited for the doctor to tell him that Troy would be all right, and that he could go in and see him. He had finally grown tired of pacing and sat down, but still remained impatient and concerned as ever.

After what seemed like hours, a doctor finally approached the Barnabys and let them visit Troy. The doctor described his condition as stable, but did not elaborate. Tom quietly entered the room, closing the door behind Joyce. He strode over to where Troy lay on the pale blue sheets of the hospital bed. He appeared to be unconscious, and Tom couldn't help placing a hand gently on Troy's chest to confirm that yes, he was breathing. Troy's pale face showed the pain he was feeling despite being asleep, and Tom moved his hand away as his sergeant frowned further before blinking his eyes open. His soulful sapphire eyes seemed so dull, but the look he gave Tom made the DCI smile. Troy was glad that Barnaby wasn't hurt, and that he was there beside him.

"I'm so sorry, Troy," Tom said softly as he held the bandaged hand that reached for him. Troy opened his mouth to say something, but remained silent for a few moments before coughing lightly. Joyce offered him the cup of water that sat on the tray beside his bed.
"Oh you had us so worried, Gavin," she said as she placed the cup back on the tray. Troy smiled softly before closing his eyes briefly, opening them again halfway as he tried to focus on Tom before the DCI told him to get some rest, so he let himself drift off into a light sleep.

Troy didn't blame Barnaby for getting hit. The thought never crossed his mind, and Barnaby was touched by this. Troy was just grateful that the Barnabys visited him so often, and brought fun things to distract him with, including some comic books Barnaby had made an effort to find. It turned out that the other person involved in the case had been the driver, and as Troy had predicted, he provided the evidence to get Markus Gerry charged as well as himself. Villains often weren't particularly loyal to each other.

As Troy's condition improved, he was allowed to go home but the Barnabys insisted he stay with them, Tom driving him there and Joyce making up the spare bed. The smile of gratitude he gave them was engraved in their memories. And whenever Troy complained of not being allowed out, as he was only permitted light office work to begin with, Tom thought back to that smile and took it easy on his sergeant. When he was well again, the whining could be reprimanded with the usual sarcasm, but for now he felt Troy needed a little TLC.