Author's Note: Thank you to my lone reviewer, Potterfan2006, for reviewing this story and to tropicangell for adding me to story alert!!

Chapter 2

Later that evening, the Knight family arrived within the city limits of Colorado Springs. They stayed the night at a friend's house and tucked their daughter in the guest bedroom. Mike and Sarah stayed up for a while longer, debating on what to do and finally decided it would be safer if they left their daughter in the care of another friend. That way, they could make sure that the mafia, were off their backs. If they weren't and came for them again, at least their daughter would be safe.

Sarah and their host went to sleep leaving Mike up alone. He spoke softly out loud.

"Kitt, did you hear what we were discussing just now?"

Yes, I am aware of our impending road trip, Michael.

Mike paused for a minute, unsure of what else to say.

"That settles it then. Good night, Kitt."

Good night, Michael.

The man retired for the night, going to the living room to sleep on the couch. Within minutes, he was fast asleep leaving the house in relative silence. Kitt remained vigilant, keeping his scanners on the house, too reluctant to recharge for the night. The safety of his driver and his family were far too important to ignore.

Two hours went by until it was four a.m. and yet, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Kitt was just about to let down his guard and shut down but his scanners picked up an anomaly. It was rather faint and coming from within the house. He increased his scanning intensity and zoomed in on the small form located in the guest bedroom. The child's brain activity was highly active despite the fact she was currently engaged in part of the REM cycle. She had an elevated heart rate and her little legs were kicking off the blankets as she tried to escape some unseen terror. Kitt knew from experience that the youngling was experiencing a nightmare.

Kitt continued to monitor the child until she finally awoke with a whimper. Her heart rate increased at a near alarming rate the moment she became conscious.

She whispered, too terrified to speak. It felt like her voice was stuck in her throat and she shivered, covered in sweat.

"Mommy…daddy"

Her room was dark, nearly pitch black and she remembered the evil people that had been chasing her in the nightmare. Tears streamed down her face as she hugged her knees to her chest, too frightened to move and tried to call for her parents again, this time a little louder.

"Mommy…daddy"

Still, no one came and the house remained silent. Until she heard weird, scary noises as the heater came on. A creaking sound came from her closet and she grabbed the sheet that was still hanging off of her bed and hid under it, believing it was a monster or one of the mean people that tried to kill her.

Kitt became concerned and tried to contact Michael.

Michael continued to sleep, blissfully unaware of anything, the mini earwig sitting harmlessly on the coffee table next to him on the couch. Kitt felt something close to panic as he was unable to contact him. The little girl's vital signs suggested that she was under a great deal of stress and the AI knew that it was dangerous for a young child to be subjected to this for very long.

Kitt ran through every possibility and ruled out honking his horn to get their attention. The adults needed their sleep about as much as the girl did. He finally went for a more subtle approach and hacked into the communication network in the house. The satellite radio on the nightstand flickered to life and Kitt's soft voice broke the scary silence.

You have no need to be afraid…it's me, Kitt.

The little girl slowly pulled the sheet off of her head and looked curiously at the radio on the nightstand. She crawled over to it and sat in front of it with wide eyes. She whispered back at it.

"Kitt? I scared…"

Kitt silently cursed, using one of the words he heard Michael use countless times as he realized a significant problem.

He could not hear what she said since he only had the ability to transmit messages through the radio, not receive them. The only other thing he could think of to comfort her was to try to calm her down. If that didn't work, he would resort to plan B.

I am unable to hear you through the radio.

She nodded her head, her breathing rate slowing down as she began to calm. She understood most of what he said.

I can talk to you until you go to sleep.

The little girl's breathing picked up, alerting Kitt to the fact that she was about to resume crying. She didn't want him to just talk to her…she wanted someone to hold her and comfort her…to make all the bad, scary things go away.

Your father is on the couch, you can go to him and he will make you feel better.

She shook her head in the negative, beginning to choke on her own tears.

"I too scared…bad people hurted me."

Please little one, go to him.

She nodded her head, trying to find courage within herself and slid down off the bed and tip-toed across the room. The door opened with a creaky moan and the second she did, heard other scary noises in the hallway. It was just the house settling, noises that most adults were all accustomed to. For a child, they were monsters waiting to attack. She ran to her bed hugging her pillow to her chest with chubby little fingers, since she was still growing out of her baby fat.

Please little one, listen to me.

She responded by hiding under the sheets again, her adrenaline spiking on his sensors. She sobbed out a heartbroken, "can't do it" even though Kitt couldn't hear her.

Kitt internally sighed, aware that it was now time for him to go to the backup plan. Michael would not be pleased when he woke up later. Right now, it seemed to be the only way.

The Shelby mustang softly started his engine, keeping his headlights off, and crept up to the bedroom window on the side of the house. He spoke to her again.

I am outside. Look out of your window.

She reappeared, shoving the blankets aside and scampered to the window unable to see out of them since she was still too short. She saw a chair and pulled it, rather noisily, to the window and climbed up. After pushing the curtains aside, she saw her favorite car sitting right there. A small smile lit her face and she put her hands on the glass.

Kitt was surprised when the racket she caused went unnoticed by everyone else in the house, especially Michael. His partner was incredibly tired and in such a heavy REM state that he would probably sleep through world war three. He raised the volume a little on the radio so the girl could hear him across the room.

Would you like to sleep with me, tonight?

She turned around, still young enough that she focused her attention in the direction of where voices originated from and nodded her head.

Open the window and climb out.

The toddler saw the latch on the bottom of the window and struggled to turn it but it was stuck. She kept trying, her chubby fingers not yet strong enough, until she realized she couldn't open it. She began to cry again, putting her hands on the window as she looked out at Kitt mournfully.

Kitt felt a pang of…compassion? He was aware that humans could accomplish great and unexplainable things if they put their minds to it. Encouraging the tot may help her achieve her goal.

You can do it…keep trying.

She struggled with the lock again, until she felt it slowly giving way about a centimeter but it got stuck once more. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, feeling both sad and angry…wishing she had the strength to do it.

You must believe you can do it…and then you will. Look at me.

She was currently staring across the room at the radio and sniffled, wiping her wet face on her sleeve.

No, outside of the window

She turned her head and saw Kitt open his driver's side door in warm invitation. Her eyes widened and she heard another creek behind her, sending another surge of adrenaline racing through her veins. The tears stopped and her face took on a concentrated one as she stared stonily at the stubborn lock that refused to budge.

Kitt would have smiled if he could. The AI had seen that same expression on Sarah's face many times before. Then the look of determination came, one that Mike usually wore on his missions. It was incredible…how human offspring could resemble both progenitors. Even at so young an age.

At last, the lock turned granting her freedom.

Excellent work, you did it.

Kitt praised in a soft, kind voice.

She turned joyous eyes and a happy grin on the car and struggled to push the window up. At last it gave way until there was just enough room for her to wiggle through. She nearly slipped off the ledge but Kitt realigned himself beneath the window until his nose was touching the side of the house. The child dangled by her hands, her tip toes barely touching the bottom of Kitt's hood and she whimpered, afraid to let go.

You can let go, I promise I will stop your fall.

"I can't…don't want to hurt you."

Kitt felt touched by her words.

Thank you but you will not hurt me, my shell is nearly impenetrable.

Her hands no longer had the strength and her hands slipped, sending her down. She fell on top of Kitt's hood, landing on her bottom. She slid off of the car, landing on her own two feet. Her feet squished, as she ran through the wet grass around to his door where it was already open. After climbing in to the passenger's seat, the door closed and Kitt slowly drove back to where Michael had parked him earlier that evening.

There was a wad of Kleenex still stuffed in his cup holder that Sarah had been holding during the chase the previous day. The little girl reached over and grabbed it, wiping her face and blowing her nose. She looked around for a garbage bag or container but couldn't find one. Kitt opened his glove compartment and a tray slid out.

You may dispose your tissues here.

She stared first at the tray and then at the glowing orb in the dash. She looked at him as if he were crazy.

"But…but…"

But what?

"That's gross."

She made a face.

Kitt actually had a smile in his voice when he spoke next.

I assure you, it will be destroyed in the most sanitary of methods.

She placed the tissues on the proffered tray and it disappeared into the glove compartment. The little girl was finally calming down, now that she was no longer in the scary house where the monsters and bad people could get her.

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she fidgeted in her seat a moment, afraid to ask the question.

"Kitt"

Yes?

"I…I is scared."

The AI couldn't help it and corrected her.

You mean to say, "I am scared".

"Yes…I…am scared," the child slowly repeated, correcting her grammar.

Why are you scared?

The tears threatened to fall as she choked out what she feared.

"The bad people…want to hurt mommy and daddy."

Kitt pondered this for a moment.

The bad people are gone, I assure you. Little one…I promise that I will keep your mommy and daddy safe and you as well.

She relaxed again, feeling better although her eyes were wide again at a new thought.

"What happens, if they come back?"

Kitt responded immediately.

I will protect you.

Satisfied with the answer, she curled up in the seat and Kitt turned the heat on to make his interior more comfortable.

You can go to sleep now, you need your rest.

She shook her head, glaring defiantly at the blue orb.

"No sleep. Sleep is bad."

Why is sleep bad?

Kitt already knew the answer to his own question but knew according to his scanners that the little girl was closer to sleep than she thought. If he could keep her talking, she would be asleep in no time.

This time, tears did start to fall as she shivered in his seat.

"Because…mean people try to kill me when I is asleep."

Kitt selected some music from his database and began to play some soft tunes that were both calming and peaceful.

But I promise you, you will be safe with me. I will never let any of those bad people hurt you.

She sniffled and nodded her head in agreement. Then she did something that Kitt did not expect. She twisted around and wrapped her arms around the seat, hugging it and whispered something that Kitt nearly missed.

"I love you, Kitt."

He reclined the seat and she settled down. Before long, she was fast asleep, the soft music and Kitt's comforting presence making her feel safe again. That night, she had no nightmares or any dreams at all.

As Kitt watched her sleep he responded just as softly as she had.

Thank you.

At that moment in time, the AI knew for certain that he would always keep that promise. And as odd as it was…the fierce loyalty he felt for Mike, Sarah, and their daughter was so powerful that the AI knew it could almost be defined as love. Acting against his own internal programming and logic, he said one more thing before resuming the silent vigil of his family.

I think…that I love you too.

TO BE CONTINUED!

A/N: Like it… or hate it? Please review and tell me what you think! Don't worry, their daughter is going to have an actual name soon...but not just yet. *evil grin*