Standards of Friendship

Heather closed her eyes, allowing the weak sunlight to filter through the leaves and dance on her skin. For once it was silent – Raven and Jess were with their mom for the day. Heather had been invited to come, but she had declined. After the past few weeks of nothing but studying, she wanted the chance for peace and quiet. In the background, Celtic music played quietly. Heather relaxed with her back against the tree.

It would have been perfect, if a ceritan someone wasn't being so darn quiet. She had been hoping one-on-one contact would get the reclusive AI to open up a bit, but apparently he was determined to keep his distance from them. She breathed deeply. Time for the direct approach. "You know, if you have a question, you can just ask it." she said quietly. "We don't bite." This was part of why she wanted to stay behind. She was a bit better at getting reluctant people to talk than the others.

"I didn't want to disturb you." KITT said hesitantly.

Heather rolled her eyes. "Disturb me? I am doing nothing but sitting here going brain-dead, which is a wonderful feeling by the way." She flashed the car a smile. "Besides, once Jess and Raven get home, you will be disturbed. The least you can do is return the favor."

For a solid minute, KITT was silent. "I don't understand you." he said finally. "Every evening for the two weeks I've been here, you guys keep coming out here to talk to each other. I know you can do that inside."

Heather shrugged. "You can talk, think – heck, you had the power to defy orders. That makes you alive in our eyes. We aren't going to pretend like you're just a car. It's not right." Slowly, she opened her eyes and studied the Trans-Am. "You're one of us, KITT. We don't abandon our own."

KITT seemed to think that over. "Would Jess and Raven say the same thing?"

Heather laughed. "Something like it. Raven would probably ignore the question, but she would prove it to you in practice. Jess would say it, only not as nice." She smiled. "Jess is more open about her violent side than Raven and me. As a result, we are mistakenly referred to as the sane ones."

KITT laughed. It sounded so odd, hearing a computer laugh, but at the same time, he made it sound natural. KITT had learned to laugh a long time ago. "I take it there are no sane ones in your group." he teased. Heather grinned.

"Not one." she said happily. "Sanity is overrated."

There was a smile in KITT's voice. "I'll have to remember that. Looks like I'm the sane one once again."

"Not for long." came the cheerful response. "We will make you as crazy as we are. That's a promise."

"I'll hold you to that." KITT said with evident amusement. Heather smiled at him and rested her head against the tree. KITT had to admit, this wasn't as much of a leap as he thought. They were younger than Michael had been when they were introduced, so they were a bit more accepting of him. They certainly took to him a lot faster than Michael would have without a mission to force them to work together. Now he just needed to learn how to protect the girls. They were potential family, like Bonnie and Michael had been, and he would not allow Foundation to harm them.

/--/

As another two weeks passed, KITT grew more accustomed to the girls and their odd habits. The early morning arguments over who got to shower first, bickering over the radio station (KITT solved that one by playing opera music as loud as he could. Then he recorded their reactions for later. That was truly priceless), the nightly ritual where they sat outside with frozen dinners and caught up on daily events, he began to find them all commonplace. He also learned very quickly about their lack of survival instincts.

Despite being healed, Heather still brought her cane with her to work and class. She said it came in handy. He finally found how why when he and Jess went to pick up Heather and Raven from work. KITT immediately took note of the cop cars and slowed down. "What is going on?" he wondered. Jess shifted in the seat.

"I don't know." she murmured. "It doesn't look like they're in trouble." Heather and Raven were calmly talking to two of the cops, not paying any attention to KITT and Jess. "Can you hear what they're saying?"

"No. But I can tell there is another person in the back of the police car." KITT said. "He looks a bit on the bruised side."

A bark of laughter from Jess. "Oh, so that's what happened."

"What?"

"Someone tried to hurt them." She was shaking, but KITT couldn't tell if it was from laughter or fury. "They hurt him first. And I know who it was." Heather and Raven finished up with the cop and joined Jess inside KITT. He felt a bit better now that all three of his charges were inside his passenger compartment. He wasn't sure how bullet-proof he was anymore, but he knew he was better protection than out there. Jess gave them both a hug. "Did he hurt you?"

"Nope." Heather said with grim satisfaction. "He tried to though."

"I decked him in the nose and Heather clocked him in the head with her cane." Raven said happily.

"Who is he?" KITT demanded.

"Travis. My ex-boyfriend." Jess sighed. "He hates my guts, so he keeps going around trying to hurt those I'm close to. He may try to hurt you."

Kitt made a sound of complete and utter disbelief. "Not likely." He memorized the boy's face. He had a feeling he was going to need it later. "Was he the one who forced Heather off the road?"

"The one and only." Heather said darkly. "Dad has a bounty on his head. Now it's a matter of who collects first – Dad or Borden."

"Borden would be funny." Raven mused. "There would be no body left."

"Dad would carve his initials on the body." Jess commented. "Probably safer if Borden found him."

"Who's Borden?" KITT sounded lost again.

"My brother." Heather said. "He's a great mechanic, and he's pretty good with computers, but he's got someone that's even better than he is with them." She rolled her eyes. The others laughed.

"Thing is, Drake is a bit, ah, cocky, so to speak." Raven snickered.

"According to Borden, he's too cocky." Heather laughed. "Like he has room to talk."

"I'm assuming I will be able to meet this Borden and Drake, right?" KITT asked.

"Definitely." Jess grinned. "They'll get a kick out of you."

"Oh, joy." KITT muttered. "Can't wait."

The girls simply laughed at him.