Knight Rider characters copyright Glen A Larson
Link concept copyright Gryph
Android concept/CMAU copyright elfin
Thanks and love to Knightshade for the beta
Written for the Holding Hands challenge on the Live Journal Community thekittchen
Understanding The Value
by Tomy
He'd always thought of himself as being above all the rest. He'd thought that was his station in life. That it was just meant to be.
It had been an arrogant stand. One that had lead him down many a wrong path. Unknowingly jeopardizing his partner and his friends.
Since the link became operational, he'd begun to see things in a different light. To see just how arrogant and ignorant he'd become. How that hurt his partner. And, with that new light shed, he saw most situations differently.
Not that Michael, Bonnie, or Devon would ever hold it against him. They considered it part of his learning process, part of his charm.
He considered it a great flaw. Now, more than ever.
Since his transfer into the android body he'd realised all the things he'd taken for granted. Things he'd become complacent about. Aspects of their lives he'd missed being a part of.
Michael had attempted to gradually introduce him to his new life, but his hunger for knowledge and experiences had encouraged him to rush along.
There were some occurrences he'd prefer not to have to experience. Things like the vision currently before him.
No one was sure what exactly had led up to the fire. In retrospect, they had been very lucky - the Foundation grounds were meticulously kept up. All buildings were routinely inspected from foundation blocks to shingles.
But concrete erodes, wires disintegrate. They may never know exactly what caused the fire, but the consequences were laid out before him.
Michael had always been his hero - jumping in to help people, risking his life to save others; to the point of recklessness.
He'd never imagined that Bonnie had that kind of heart. Not to say Bonnie hadn't jumped in whenever it was required, willing to risk herself for a case if need be. The woman's prison was a prime example.
When the fire had erupted, he and Michael were off property - as they typically were these days. Bonnie was tucked behind one of her consoles working on yet another secretive Foundation project he had yet to find the time to hack into. They couldn't help her - not yet.
Stories were abounding of Bonnie dropping everything to help clear the building. Even as debris rained down, she was lugging men much larger than her to safely before doing a head count and racing back in to help the next.
By the time he and Michael arrived, only two were unaccounted for. Jim from research, and Bonnie. Both he and Michael ran into the engulfed building. He was already tapped into the Trans Am's scanners looking for their two friends. Guiding Michael, he lead them as quickly as possible through the raging inferno. Michael's skin must have been burning just from the proximity, his breathing harsh and labored as he kept as low as his height would allow while moving quickly.
/you take Bonnie, I'll carry Jim/
Michael sent a mental affirmative as Kitt continued to lead him with images passed along the link. There was never any question.
Michael scooped Bonnie's limp form into his arms, a sudden terror passing to Kitt.
//she's alive/ he sent as he double checked Jim's limp form. Jim wasn't faring anywhere near as well as Bonnie - which wasn't saying a great deal.
With his processors, he'd never understood the human phrase 'things moving in a blur'. Oddly, once he and Michael were out of the building, things appeared to blur - even to him. Paramedics taking Bonnie from Michael's arms, him laying Jim on a gurney then following as they then loaded Michael's coughing form into another ambulance, plying him with an oxygen mask before the doors closed, obscuring his concerned view.
They'd held a small conversation as Kitt followed the convoy of ambulances away from the Foundation, filling Michael in on friends' conditions - monitoring his and Bonnie's conditions closely.
He'd never believed he'd become so biased. That two people would flood his concern to such a degree that it blocked out all others. Maybe he was human after all.
Just like the relief he'd felt as Michael limped down the sterile hallway towards him. His clothes were covered in soot and burn patches. His hair was damp from the quick cleaning he'd received as they checked him over, but Kitt could still see the damage done by the heat and falling embers. And it scared him.
Once again he was eternally grateful for the added intimacy of the link as Michael's arms drew him into a much needed hug, his amber presence entwined Kitt's glowing form.
Together they walked to Bonnie's room.
Michael had been heart heavy to see her laid out along the bed, wrapped in pale yellow blankets and grey wires snaking out from underneath. Her skin was pale beneath the angry red burns, her hair singed and dull against the pillow.
It hit him then, that no matter how accustomed he'd become to Michael risking his life, the others important to him could be snatched just as easily.
/she's gonna be okay. I know it looks bad now.../
He met his lover's blue eyes across the hospital bed, concern evident, yet radiating a confidence he wished he shared. Michael broke the gaze, reaching under Bonnie's hand to lift her palm carefully into his. Mimicking the actions, Kitt lifted her palm into his own hand and felt the warmth, the strength.
For the first time in his short life, he came to understand the value of simply holding hands.
fin
June 7, 2005