Rick's cop mode made it possible for him to tune out worrisome thoughts better than a regular person, and he was confident he could drive safely into Atlanta. On the drive he puzzled mostly over two things.

The first was the question why Daryl was in a hospital in Atlanta. Had he gone back to the city after he had left Rick's apartment? It seemed unlikely. The other option, Rick decided, was more likely: The EMTs at the accident had decided that his injuries were too severe to be treated in the much closer, but smaller, county hospital. The thought made Rick's blood freeze in his veins, the same as when the woman calling from the hospital had said that he should hurry.

The second thing that puzzled Rick was that his number was the only other one saved in Daryl's phone beside Merle's. Maybe Daryl was just really good at remembering numbers and didn't save any in there unless it was for a new contact. But why then have his brother's number in there, too? Rick knew he wouldn't figure this one out easily.

There was nothing else to do on the drive now but focus on the road, and try to ignore the guilt that kept creeping to the forefront of his mind if he let it. Had Rick not behaved so badly towards Daryl the man would now be safely in Rick's bed, and not fighting for his life in the hospital.

"I am Officer Grimes. I am here to see a patient who was brought in after a road accident earlier? The name is Daryl Dixson."

Rick was not above pulling rank if it meant he could avoid some red tape and speed things up.

The receptionist consulted her monitor briefly, then said, "Fifth floor."

"Thank you."

In the elevator Rick thought to himself that at least he was going to a ward, not a morgue, even though the sign next to the button for the fifth floor read ICU.

Rick got out when the lift stopped and approached the nurses' station.

"I am looking for Daryl Dixon. He was in an accident earlier?"

The nurse seated behind the counter looked up, but a man standing behind her turned around as well and spoke first.

"Are you Rick?"

Rick nodded, but added, "Officer Rick Grimes. I'm with the police department in King County."

The man who had addressed him appraised him and then came round to Rick's side of the counter.

"I am Dr. Edwards, but please, call me Steven." The doctor didn't extend his hand, but smiled at Rick. Then he gestured towards a seating area nearby which at this late hour was deserted.

Rick walked over and sat down. He was feeling tired, two trips to Atlanta in a day and bad news all around will do that to the best cop. The doctor sat down opposite him.

"Tell me how he is." Rick didn't want to waste any more time. "And tell me what happened."

Dr. Edwards hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Strictly speaking, I am not allowed to tell you, since you aren't next of kin. But," he raised his voice slightly as Rick started to protest. "You are police, so that makes it sort of ok. And I have a few questions, too. But more about that later.

"First of all, he's stable for now, though it was touch and go for a bit. He's lost a lot of blood, and we have put him in an artificial coma so that his body can start to heal, but he's in no immediate danger.

"He has sustained severe internal injuries. We have had to remove his spleen, and part of his liver, because they were so severely damaged. I am sure you know that he will be able to live without a spleen with few complications, and that the liver will mostly recover itself."

Rick nodded.

"The left kidney was also damaged badly, but for now we have been able to save it. Hopefully it will heal with time. Daryl has also suffered several broken ribs and as a consequence his left lung collapsed. We've repaired that. And lastly he's got a broken collarbone and wrist, both on the left.

"As to what happened, it's both straightforward and complicated. Daryl was involved in an accident while riding a motorcycle. He swerved into the opposite lane on one of the country roads not far from his home, and was hit by an oncoming car. The driver of that car called the ambulance, and because of the extent of his injuries the EMTs decided he was better off with us than the local hospital, despite the risk of the longer journey. And they weren't wrong."

That was one of Rick's musings answered.

"But you have no idea why he swerved?"

Dr. Edwards hesitated again. "Not exactly, no…"

"Why did you say it was both straightforward and complicated?" Rick asked.

There was a prolonged pause. "Daryl didn't wear any protective biker clothing, that's partly why his injuries are as bad as they are. However, he did wear a helmet."

When he stopped again, Rick prompted. "That's good, right?"

"Yes," the doctor nodded. "It is very good. Only, he also has an injury on the side of his head, which is not at all in line with what we would expect in someone wearing a helmet. Concussion, yes, and he has that as well, but not from the kind of blunt trauma we saw on Daryl. The wound looks," and now the doctor was scratching his beard in puzzlement, "as if someone hit him with a heavy object, like a baseball bat."

Rick pondered this for a moment. Then he asked slowly. "Did Daryl say anything at all before you put him under?"

"He was unconscious when the EMTs brought him in. But they told us the only thing he kept repeating before they sedated him for the journey were two names: Yours, that's also why we decided to call you when we saw your number in Daryl's phone."

"And the other?"

"Carol."

Rick's brain was taking a few moments to process this information. Finally he looked at the doctor again.

"Do you know if Daryl's brother has been in yet?"

Dr. Edwards nodded. "He's here at the moment. The ER doc took him away to sign some paperwork. In fact," he cocked his head, "I think he's coming back now."

Rick was puzzled for a second, until he could hear a man talking very loudly. A moment later that man stepped around a corner and into view. If Rick hadn't known that they were brothers he would never have guessed.

Merle looked to be around 50, and Rick thought he had rarely seen a better example of redneck turned small time drug lord. He was wearing a faded but clearly expensive coat and a hat. He was accompanied by a rather timid looking doctor wearing scrubs, and gesticulating wildly while talking non-stop.

"… good thing I just paid up for his health insurance, useless little fucker. And that bike's trashed. He'll not live that one down, I'm tellin' ya…"

He trailed off when Rick stepped in front of him.

"Are you Merle Dixon?"

Merle eyed him suspiciously. "Who're you? One of his queer friends?"

Rick had had dealings with too many men like Merle in his life to rise to the challenge.

"Officer Rick Grimes. Now, are you Merle Dixon?"

Merle nodded reluctantly.

"Mr. Dixon, can you please tell me if you know someone called Carol?"

It was obvious that Merle hadn't expected that question. "Ed's wife? Why?"

"Can you please tell me where Carol and her husband live?"

Merle still looked puzzled but seemed to decide that this strange question from a police officer was no reason to get himself into trouble. He recited an address to Rick, who committed it to memory.

"Now, if that's all," Merle spat, "I'd like to get out of here. I've had a fuckin' long day."

Rick stepped aside. "You are free to leave."

Merle snorted and stomped away. Rick turned back to the doctor, who stood by the seats, looking confused.

"I will have to make a quick phone call, and then I want to see Daryl, if that's all right?"

Rick steeled himself before entering Daryl's room behind the doctor, but the sight still took his breath away. He'd been quick about the call to his colleagues at the police station in Daryl's district, but had impressed on them the seriousness of the situation, and the real danger that woman Carol was still in. He hoped they'd bring Ed in without wasting time. He'd follow up with them as soon as he could.

For now, though, his focus was on the man in the hospital bed before him. Somehow, Daryl looked a lot smaller lying there than Rick remembered him. He supposed that the size of the bed and the ill-fitting hospital gown would have that effect on almost anyone.

There were tubes and wires everywhere, just as he had expected. What he hadn't been prepared for were all the bruises and scrapes. And, Rick reminded himself, that was only the bruising that was visible on his exposed skin.

One of his eyes was a dark purple, almost black, and with a sick feeling Rick wondered whether that was from Ed's beating or the accident. He had a feeling he would wonder about that a lot in the upcoming days. There was a large gauze patch on his left temple, and around that more bruising. Several places on his cheeks and forehead looked bloody, like he had scraped over the tarmac. His face was very pale.

As Daryl was still in the artificial coma he couldn't breathe on his own, and a tube had been inserted through his mouth. The machines keeping him alive were beeping and humming all around, giving Rick a headache already. There were several IV bags with corresponding lines arrayed around the bed, and Rick could see a unit or two of blood as well.

When he stepped closer Rick could also see that there were faint traces of blood on the front of Daryl's hospital shirt. He turned to the doctor.

"Why is he still bleeding?"

Dr. Edwards placed a hand lightly on Rick's arm. "His injuries were very severe and the doctors were in there for a long time. He's been given anticoagulants to keep clots from forming, and sometimes that leads to some bleeding from the incision. It's completely normal and it'll stop soon. Go and sit with him now."

The doctor motioned to a chair next to Daryl's bed on the right side. Rick nodded his thanks and the doctor left. Slowly, as if to not disturb Daryl, Rick stepped over to the bed and sat on the chair.

He wasn't sure what to do next. After hesitating for a few moments he took Daryl's right hand, which was one of the few areas free of bandages, though a needle had been inserted into his wrist. Careful not to touch that Rick started stroking the back of the other man's hand.

"I am so sorry for all of this, man." Rick's voice sounded alien to himself. He cleared his throat. "I should never have done what I did to you. You didn't do anything to deserve it. It's all been such a mess…"

He broke off, swallowing back tears that were threatening to well up. He knew it was unlikely that Daryl could hear any of this, and he'd have to repeat it all once he was awake, but Rick just had to say it.

"Carol will be fine, they're arresting Ed now. I'll call again soon for an update."

Rick looked again at Daryl's unmoving features, his pallor making his heart ache. He squeezed Daryl's hand carefully.

"Please hang in there. I will stay right here, I won't leave you alone again."