They had him half sitting up in bed when she arrived the next day. He made a hand grabbing gesture when she come in with Sophia on her hip, pushing her pram with one hand. Merle and Andrea had left and were coming back tonight to come visit. The hour drive wasn't too bad. If Daryl was looking better tomorrow, Carol considered going home to sleep the nights at his house to settle Sophia into some sort of routine.

She didn't think the one hour drive each way would be too much, plus she would sleep better in his bed at his house than all four of them sharing a small hotel room near the hospital. She stretched a little, she had not had much sleep and woke up during the night with nightmares thinking about what had happened. She knew she wanted to go visit Ed. Get to the bottom of it all. What had happened.

Rick Grimes and another Cop were sitting down writing stuff down at his bed side, she knew they were trying to fill in the missing pieces of yesterdays events. Trying to find out how they even knew where Carol was, Carol wondered if they were going to try use them as some leverage to get what they wanted from the cops. If they knew Daryl and her were together. It wouldn't be to hard to work out. Just about everyone in town knew they were together .

He looked tired and frustrated when she looked at his face. She bent down to give him a kiss. He grabbed her hand with the ring and nodded that it was right. He had half wondered if it was a dream asking her to marry him, technically she asked him. He liked her idea of doing it straight away. He just needed to get out of the hospital bed. He doubted he would ever be able to carry her over the threshold and hoped his days as a cop were not over. He tentatively wiggled his fingers and they seemed to respond. He knew he was going to have to go through months of physio to get back to where he was.

'I wondered if I dream that,' he told her, 'We got engaged,' he told Rick and Abe Ford. Carol smiled and said hello. She hoped he though everything else was a dream too. They all gave their congratulations however Carol wondered if they already knew he was going to ask her, it made sense due to the fact he had the ring. She glanced down at her ring, twisting it on her fingers looking at the men.

She tried to give him Sophia to hold her legs were pumping up and down, fists going trying to grab at him. He snuggled her the best he could she was mouthing him which they had thought was her way of giving a kiss. She made baby noises moving onto her hands and knees trying to climb up him.

He quickly introduced her to his Captain Abe Ford, who explained to them where taking a statement about yesterday's events. Carol knew she would have to talk to them again at some stage.

'Yes, you were having some pretty out there dreams,' she told him,

'I don't think so,' he told her. His voice was so tired, she just wanted to tell him to go back to sleep. 'I remember,'

Rick and Abe left, telling him they would come visit tomorrow, some of the other guys would swing by later this afternoon to check he hadn't signed himself out and to help Carol handcuff him to the bed. Rick gave Carol a little follow me nod and she did.

'He's going to try sign himself out, your going to have to put the hard word on him that he has to stay at least a few more days then transfer to the local hospital,' He told her.

'Why would he sign out, he nearly died.'

'Cos he's Daryl fucken Dixon, and thinks he's a tough son of a bitch,' Abe Ford come up behind them, 'Tell him I'll put him on desk duty for a year with so much paper work he will wish he taken up Ballet,'

'Ok, maybe you should leave me handcuffs,' Carol looked worried.

'Tell him ... if he kills himself by trying to get out of here too early , I'm standing in the wings!' Abe Ford told her, 'He knows what I mean,'

'Ok, I don't know if that will work, should I just tell him I won't have sex with him if he does?' Carol looked from man to man,

'That could work,' Laughed Rick they waved off and left.

They were going to try get Daryl up on his feet moving around somewhat, take a shower. He was sitting on the side of the bed, Carol could tell he was doing it hard to stand with the support of two male nurses. They got him into the shower and he complained saying he wanted her to help not them. He used the toilet and bitched when they were helping him. He was being bratty she could hear him from beside his bed. Sophia was sleeping in her pram so she went in to see what she could do to help.

'Don't need no help, not a fucken baby, ...I can wash my own balls, wipe my own arse!' Daryl growled. They backed off to the other side of the bathroom as he inched himself into the shower, sitting down in the chair, his chin jutted out and he reminded Carol of a defiant teenager. Carol stepped up to hold the hand held shower nossel, so they wouldn't' get his dressing wet.

'Don't be such a grouch, they have to do their job, to help you,' Carol helped him not wanting to point out that in fact at the moment he couldn't wash his own balls or wipe his own arse. He could barely move the top half of his body. The bruising on his chest looked worse today. She washed his balls and his arse thinking that she must love him or there would be no way she'd be helping him. The drip he still had in his arm made it hard too.

'Thanks,' Daryl finally considered that he needed help, he couldn't' do it alone. She helped him dry the best she could. He was exhausted. Ready to sleep. They put him into hospital pj pants and moved him slowly back to bed. They were going to give him a shot to make him sleep.

The nurse when to find a doctor to chart him something to help and he was trying to convince the doctor to release him so he could go home. They were having none of it. Carol told him there was no way he was leaving yet and she didn't want to argue with him about it. The doctor just put the shot into his drip, Daryl stared at Carol for a few minutes, holding out his hand by turning it face up on the bed.

'You going to be here when I wake up?' he slurred.

'I might get some lunch in the cafe but we won't be far away, I'll be in the hospital, ' Carol assured him, she could tell he was struggling, she also knew he was proud. He nodded finally giving up and shutting his eyes.