In an interview, Patricia McPherson once stated that she loved Westerns,
and would love to have a gutsy, Maureen O'Hara type of role in a movie or
tv show. I started thinking about it, and devised this as a story that,
although not a western - in fact, it is a continuation of the story "KITT
vs. KARR", by Richard Okie - does definitely give Bonnie a gutsy, feisty
edge to her that seemed lacking in most of the stories. If you love
Michael Knight and a lot of action, this probably isn't your story, for it
features Devon and Bonnie in unique roles and quite a different
relationship, and is more of a character development story than an
action/adventure one.
Flashbacks and quotations from "KITT vs. KARR" are set off by double
spaces.
GREENER PASTURES
Bonnie awoke the day after Michael's showdown with KARR, and everything flowed back into her mind at once. She shuddered. For some reason, she couldn't seem to lose the anger and resentment at the way she had been treated in the past few days. She could still remember the first exchange in the semi that had angered her:
She had wanted to take KITT into the Foundation to install a new laser, to help Michael combat KARR. He had, again, disagreed with her. As she opened KITT's hood, she had loudly insisted, "I can have KITT back from the Foundation by this time tomorrow!" Michael, stubborn as usual, had replied with, "24 hours we don't have to install a laser that won't work!" She had started to argue with that, and he'd gone on, "Now, I'm sorry, Bonnie - no! We tried the laser last time KARR got loose!". She had to agree with that part, but explained, "I've been working on some modifications - I can double his penetration!" To his credit, Devon had, at least at first, seemed to side with Bonnie. Facing Michael, he had explained, "Michael, what choice do we have? I can't risk sending you and KITT out without some kind of an edge!". Michael had come back with, "I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I had KITT trace the salt water damage to KARR's Alpha Circuits. If he gets those parts and he repairs them, it's only gonna be a matter of hours before his other systems are up to full strength. So, while we're experimenting with modified lasers here," he said, and she and Devon had looked at one another, as she was becoming more and more frustrated, "he will be making himself fully operational - we cannot let that happen!" Now Bonnie had been watching Devon to see how he would decide. She knew before it happened, but she lived in hope. Michael now played his trump card: "Look, if we ever needed to act as a team, it's right now. You go back to the Foundation, you finish the laser, and you bring it back. As soon as you call, I'll bring KITT in for installation. Until then, I gotta keep the pressure on!". Devon had looked at her, and with one word, crushed her: "Bonnie..." Realizing that Michael had, again, won out over her with Devon's approval, she had stood up and slammed the hood shut. Storming to the van's phone, she'd picked it up to make a call, alerting the police regarding road blocks, etc., even as the two men in front of her discussed it. Devon had ended the discussion by putting his hand on Michael's arm and telling him: "Do what you have to do, but, please...be careful." Michael had murmured, "Right" as he'd started to get into KITT, then Bonnie, filled with resentment and worry for what he was again about to do to KITT, yelled at him, "If anything happens to KITT...!" And all she had gotten for her trouble was for Michael to grin at her, say, "Love you, too!", and blow her a kiss before driving off. This left her furious and speechless as she looked at Devon as if to ask, "Can you believe him?". She wanted to smile at him, and he had made a point concerning her being more worried about the car than she was about him, but her point had been just as valid as his had, yet, again, she'd 'lost'. As he pulled out, Devon had said to her, "We're heading back now, alert the crew." and with that, had gone off into the front of the van, leaving her to stew in her own anger.
After getting ready for the day, she had come downstairs, missing the conversation right before she got to the door. Michael had just told Devon that the attack between KARR and KITT had been very hard on him, and he wanted to fly down to Acapulco for a one week vacation. Devon had agreed, for the physical attack on the semi a few nights before had been quite harrowing for all of them. "Go and enjoy yourself, Michael. In fact, I think I shall invite Bonnie to go down to San Diego with me."
"What's in San Diego?", Michael had asked.
"Well, Bonnie and I go at least one time a year. Separate rooms, of course, lest you suspect anything...untoward."
"Devon," Michael smiled, "I'd never do that with you and Bonnie."
"It's a nice change of pace. We both love the zoo, we go to the beach, eat out at a few very nice restaurants, and enjoy one another's company. I'm afraid I've been neglecting her lately. Since her father died last year, she's seemed a bit 'lost' to me, and I want to see that she gets enough attention. I...love her as though she were my own daughter."
Michael grinned. "Yeah, Devon. Anyone can tell how close you two are. I'm glad she has you." He looked at Devon. "I'm glad we both have you." Devon smiled, and touched his arm. This brought a frown to Michael's face as he glanced down and saw the new watch on his wrist.
"Hey, where's your old watch?" Michael asked him. Devon had had it for years. His grandfather had given it to him as a gift, and he'd always treasured it. It was at this moment that Bonnie happened to walk in the door and was about to come around the corner, past the large blue and white vase that stood in the center of the entrance way against the wall, when she heard Devon say:
"I'm going to have to get rid of her."
She froze outside the entranceway. Surely he wasn't talking about her! They were...best friends.
"Oh, Devon, why?" Michael asked, obviously distressed by the news.
"Because she just doesn't do the job she used to. Ever since that incident with KARR and we got shoved into the corner, she simply hasn't worked well."
Tears came to Bonnie's eyes. They had been the only two people there when KARR plowed into the back of the semi, and Devon had shoved her into the back corner to protect her. He had to be talking about her!
"Have you thought of taking her to an expert...?" Michael suggested.
Bonnie was surprised that Michael was fighting for her job. It seemed the past few days that he would be delighted to have her gone. Talk about taking her for granted!
He had called her from KITT while she made modifications on a component with a small screwdriver, and had asked immediately for a favor: "Those high tensile reflectors you developed for KITT, are they still around?" She had replied, "Yes, I have them...Aw, no, Michael. You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" He'd merely said, "Pull 'em out of mothballs, will ya? I can't discuss it right now. I'll see ya when I see ya." And, as she had protested, "But, Michael, I..." he had dismissed her by turning off the screen in mid- sentence.
Back in the present, she heard Devon tell Michael, "It simply isn't worth it, old boy. Cheaper in the long run to replace her." Even as he'd said it, he'd put the watch he had been showing him back into his top drawer. Michael knew he'd spend the money anyway. Sentiment was important to Devon.
Bonnie, stricken with indignation over being dismissed by a man she adored, by the one person she felt could do no wrong, turned and ran upstairs. There was no way he was going to 'get rid of her'! She'd be the first to leave! She consequently missed Michael's farewell, and Devon's promise to tell her goodbye for him, and Michael's effusive praise for everything she had done to help them, as well as his declaration that he didn't know what they'd do without her. He left with a smile on his face just thinking about her, and somehow, a vague discontent knowing Devon was going to be spending the next week with her and he was not!
GREENER PASTURES
Bonnie awoke the day after Michael's showdown with KARR, and everything flowed back into her mind at once. She shuddered. For some reason, she couldn't seem to lose the anger and resentment at the way she had been treated in the past few days. She could still remember the first exchange in the semi that had angered her:
She had wanted to take KITT into the Foundation to install a new laser, to help Michael combat KARR. He had, again, disagreed with her. As she opened KITT's hood, she had loudly insisted, "I can have KITT back from the Foundation by this time tomorrow!" Michael, stubborn as usual, had replied with, "24 hours we don't have to install a laser that won't work!" She had started to argue with that, and he'd gone on, "Now, I'm sorry, Bonnie - no! We tried the laser last time KARR got loose!". She had to agree with that part, but explained, "I've been working on some modifications - I can double his penetration!" To his credit, Devon had, at least at first, seemed to side with Bonnie. Facing Michael, he had explained, "Michael, what choice do we have? I can't risk sending you and KITT out without some kind of an edge!". Michael had come back with, "I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I had KITT trace the salt water damage to KARR's Alpha Circuits. If he gets those parts and he repairs them, it's only gonna be a matter of hours before his other systems are up to full strength. So, while we're experimenting with modified lasers here," he said, and she and Devon had looked at one another, as she was becoming more and more frustrated, "he will be making himself fully operational - we cannot let that happen!" Now Bonnie had been watching Devon to see how he would decide. She knew before it happened, but she lived in hope. Michael now played his trump card: "Look, if we ever needed to act as a team, it's right now. You go back to the Foundation, you finish the laser, and you bring it back. As soon as you call, I'll bring KITT in for installation. Until then, I gotta keep the pressure on!". Devon had looked at her, and with one word, crushed her: "Bonnie..." Realizing that Michael had, again, won out over her with Devon's approval, she had stood up and slammed the hood shut. Storming to the van's phone, she'd picked it up to make a call, alerting the police regarding road blocks, etc., even as the two men in front of her discussed it. Devon had ended the discussion by putting his hand on Michael's arm and telling him: "Do what you have to do, but, please...be careful." Michael had murmured, "Right" as he'd started to get into KITT, then Bonnie, filled with resentment and worry for what he was again about to do to KITT, yelled at him, "If anything happens to KITT...!" And all she had gotten for her trouble was for Michael to grin at her, say, "Love you, too!", and blow her a kiss before driving off. This left her furious and speechless as she looked at Devon as if to ask, "Can you believe him?". She wanted to smile at him, and he had made a point concerning her being more worried about the car than she was about him, but her point had been just as valid as his had, yet, again, she'd 'lost'. As he pulled out, Devon had said to her, "We're heading back now, alert the crew." and with that, had gone off into the front of the van, leaving her to stew in her own anger.
After getting ready for the day, she had come downstairs, missing the conversation right before she got to the door. Michael had just told Devon that the attack between KARR and KITT had been very hard on him, and he wanted to fly down to Acapulco for a one week vacation. Devon had agreed, for the physical attack on the semi a few nights before had been quite harrowing for all of them. "Go and enjoy yourself, Michael. In fact, I think I shall invite Bonnie to go down to San Diego with me."
"What's in San Diego?", Michael had asked.
"Well, Bonnie and I go at least one time a year. Separate rooms, of course, lest you suspect anything...untoward."
"Devon," Michael smiled, "I'd never do that with you and Bonnie."
"It's a nice change of pace. We both love the zoo, we go to the beach, eat out at a few very nice restaurants, and enjoy one another's company. I'm afraid I've been neglecting her lately. Since her father died last year, she's seemed a bit 'lost' to me, and I want to see that she gets enough attention. I...love her as though she were my own daughter."
Michael grinned. "Yeah, Devon. Anyone can tell how close you two are. I'm glad she has you." He looked at Devon. "I'm glad we both have you." Devon smiled, and touched his arm. This brought a frown to Michael's face as he glanced down and saw the new watch on his wrist.
"Hey, where's your old watch?" Michael asked him. Devon had had it for years. His grandfather had given it to him as a gift, and he'd always treasured it. It was at this moment that Bonnie happened to walk in the door and was about to come around the corner, past the large blue and white vase that stood in the center of the entrance way against the wall, when she heard Devon say:
"I'm going to have to get rid of her."
She froze outside the entranceway. Surely he wasn't talking about her! They were...best friends.
"Oh, Devon, why?" Michael asked, obviously distressed by the news.
"Because she just doesn't do the job she used to. Ever since that incident with KARR and we got shoved into the corner, she simply hasn't worked well."
Tears came to Bonnie's eyes. They had been the only two people there when KARR plowed into the back of the semi, and Devon had shoved her into the back corner to protect her. He had to be talking about her!
"Have you thought of taking her to an expert...?" Michael suggested.
Bonnie was surprised that Michael was fighting for her job. It seemed the past few days that he would be delighted to have her gone. Talk about taking her for granted!
He had called her from KITT while she made modifications on a component with a small screwdriver, and had asked immediately for a favor: "Those high tensile reflectors you developed for KITT, are they still around?" She had replied, "Yes, I have them...Aw, no, Michael. You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" He'd merely said, "Pull 'em out of mothballs, will ya? I can't discuss it right now. I'll see ya when I see ya." And, as she had protested, "But, Michael, I..." he had dismissed her by turning off the screen in mid- sentence.
Back in the present, she heard Devon tell Michael, "It simply isn't worth it, old boy. Cheaper in the long run to replace her." Even as he'd said it, he'd put the watch he had been showing him back into his top drawer. Michael knew he'd spend the money anyway. Sentiment was important to Devon.
Bonnie, stricken with indignation over being dismissed by a man she adored, by the one person she felt could do no wrong, turned and ran upstairs. There was no way he was going to 'get rid of her'! She'd be the first to leave! She consequently missed Michael's farewell, and Devon's promise to tell her goodbye for him, and Michael's effusive praise for everything she had done to help them, as well as his declaration that he didn't know what they'd do without her. He left with a smile on his face just thinking about her, and somehow, a vague discontent knowing Devon was going to be spending the next week with her and he was not!