Chapter Two: A Road to Recovery

She stared, she couldn't believe this. It didn't take her much before she picked herself up and jumped in the passenger seat. The gunshots in the background would not let her think carefully what she was doing. She sat up has the car took off seconds before the other car collided with it. She heard more gunshot and she flinched, but she was surprise when the gunshots bounced off harmlessly. The car shot off the deserted street but the other held their ground, following closely she looked back. They weaved through cars easily and before she turned back to the road ahead of her they had reached the outskirt of the small town.

Something pulled her back to the seat like an invisible seat belt seconds before the speed increased leaving the other car behind. Her eyes widen when it traveled to the speedometer; 150mph…175mph and kept its pace until it had lost complete site of the car that was chasing them.

She sat there in silence for what felt like an eternity. She looked from her hands to the dash again "Umm….who are you?" She asked trying to sound has calm as possible but only found her voice quivering a little. She didn't trust anyone, and now she was sitting in an unknown car that was driving itself to an unknown location.

Kitt watched the teenager carefully he could see her nervousness as she kept glancing outside and back to his voice modulator a few times waiting for his answer. And he decided to answer; "I am the Knight Industries Two Thousand" he paused watching her surprise reaction. She wasn't expecting a response back. He almost smiled inside his CPU; at least she was taking it better than most people he had met over the years did. Somewhere inside urged him to speak out the next words that left his voice modulator "But you may call me Kitt" he answered.

She stared without letting out a noise for a long minute. She took a deep breath to calm down, she had to relax she told herself, the ca-Kitt did save her life he wouldn't do no harm she thought to herself. Her tense body relaxed slowly as she realize that deep inside she felt almost secure inside Kitt. "You are the car right?" she asked slowly, looking at the small box that lit up when Kitt spoke.

"That is correct" he answered.

Another silent moment as she looked outside and the dark surroundings, "You're not going to kill me and leave my body out there in the dessert?" she asked she half joked nervously.

Kitt for the first time since Michael's death felt like laughing. "No I will not, I would never do such thing, my primary function is to preserve human life." He answered.

"Good" she answered finally completely relaxing into the seat.

"And what would be your name miss?" He asked.

"My name is Khiara" she answered then sat up again "Where are we going Kitt?" she immediately asked realizing she had not bother to ask where she was being taken.

"We are returning to the Foundation for Law and Government estate it is where I reside" he answered. He wasn't really sure what made him think about bringing her there and just reasoned that his primary function had concluded that he could not leave her alone injured and in danger, nothing more.

"Why?..." she asked slowly.

"You are injured, need medical attention and you are being chase" he answered.

She sat up "Kitt... you've been a great help and all but I don't need to cause any more trouble than I already am, just drop me off in the nearest town" She answered. She didn't know what she was getting into and didn't need any more trouble.

"I cannot do that" He answered.

"Why?" she asked again crossing her arms.

"Because my primary function is to preserve human life; you are injured and in danger and cannot just 'drop you off in the nearest town' you will be taken care of at the foundation. Besides we are sixty miles from the nearest town." He answered.

It was the first time he noticed her fear since she asked where they were going. "I don't know these people" She answered.

"They will not hurt you. You will be fine." he answered has they pulled up the drive way.

She looked nervously around, "That's what they all say" she answered sarcastically.


When Kitt pulled up into the garage next to Karr he found himself face to face with Bonnie who didn't look please, Kevin who had gotten out of Karr and Devon who was about to walk out the door until he saw him pull up.

"Kitt where have you've been? Why haven't you answered any of my calls?" Bonnie asked. He could see she was more worry then displeased with him.

"I'm sorry Bonnie I was delayed by something" He answered neutrally.

"Where's your driver?" asked Devon.

Kitt wince virtually he was hoping that Devon wouldn't ask. "I 'dropped' him off at the last town we were in…he decided he wanted to walk home" Kitt answered carefully.

Bonnie only shook her head, Kevin try to cover his snicker and Devon gave a frustrated sighed "Kitt that's your fifth driver today, and your eleventh this week and so far all you've done is make them pack their bag and leave before they even spend two hours with you" Devon scowled

"They were not good candidates and were not fit for the job" Kitt snip.

"There were many that were fit for the job but the only thing you've done is traumatized them" Devon answered exasperated. Devon squeezed the bridge of his nose "Kitt will speak of this tomorrow I'm in no condition tonight to argue your childish behavior" Devon answered

Khiara watched this unfold the second they had entered the garage. They had not noticed her yet because of the tinted windows and she watched the exchange between the older man and Kitt. She didn't know much from what she heard but it sounded like the car was being picky about its driver.

I've seen everything now, the car picking its driver rather than the driver picking the car she mused with herself.

She could feel the mood in the car change. Kitt wasn't happy.

Bonnie had gone around to Kitt's driver side while Devon was scowling at her baby, she knew it was wrong for Kitt to have disposed of his candidates the way he did, but she understood that Kitt wasn't ready for a driver he was looking for someone that was like Michael, and it was someone that he will never find again. She couldn't scowl at him for his behavior and she couldn't blame him. But someone had to tell Kitt something and the only one perfect for that job at the moment was Devon. She opened the door and bent down to come face to face with a girl, who meekly waved hi to her. She jumped back surprise right unto Karr's passenger side. It caught everyone in the room's attention.

"Kitt?" She asked.

Kevin and Devon went to Bonnie's side.

"I can explain. I was going to tell you when I arrived but I have not been given the moment. She was at the last town that I was when she was attacked. She was being chased by two men in a navy blue vehicle and I decided to help her escape. She is injured and needs treatment" Kitt answered.

Devon stepped towards Kitt looking in. "Hello I'm sorry you had to sit through our bickering my name is Devon Miles" he answered holding his hand out to her.

She shook her hand "Its okay, I'm Khiara Dhawn" She answered.

"Well Ms. Dhawn why don't we get you to our medical facility and get your injury treated" answered Devon walking and opening the passenger door. "Can you walk?" he asked.

She looked up at him while she took his hand and smiled a little "I can limp, I might have sprained my ankle" she answered.

"I'll help you" Kevin said coming around to the other side.

She almost blushed at all the attention and when he put her arm around his neck for support.

He smiled at her "names Kevin"

She looked up at the dark black hair, handsome guy "well thank you Kevin" she answered with a smile. She relaxed a little letting her guard down a bit. Maybe this won't be so bad….at least until the questioning she answered. She glanced back at Kitt watching the slow pace of his scanner and smiled at him before turning back to watching where she was going.

Devon turned to Kitt before walking out "You got some explaining to do Kitt when I get back" he said.

Kitt could only roll his virtual eyes to the ceiling "I told you everything I know Devon, I couldn't even get a good scan of their faces" he answered.

Devon only looked at Kitt "you have other things to explain also" he answered before turning around and following the retreating girl and Kevin.

Bonnie turned to Kitt and patted him fondly. "Don't worry Kitt I'll find a way to distract him, I think you had enough for today" Bonnie said turning to check his systems.

He sighed in his CPU in relief he did have enough for today "Thank you Bonnie" he answered.


Days had gone by since the incident. Khiara was left to recover at the estate since she had answered to Devon that she had nowhere to go when he had asked. Of course she didn't believe she was staying there but he had given her time to recover and to be able to find a proper job and apartment before she left. He had told her that he would be looking in to the people that had attacked her days ago although she had very little information about them.

She found herself getting in trouble when she would leave the room to get some fresh air without doctor's consent and found herself face to face with Devon when the doctor had informed him. She had explained to him that she felt kind of queasy being in a hospital or anything that resembled a hospital. To her surprise he had given her a guest room in the huge mansion next to the facilities in the estate. She was able to stay there as long has she took proper rest and the medication, unfortunately from other problems the doctor had found other than her sprained ankle. But she was glad to be free from there.

She found herself after four days at the estate sneaking away from the mansion to look for the garage that she had arrived four days ago and for the certain someone she hadn't seen for days.

It took her a good twenty minutes since she didn't really know where she was going, but she found it at last.

When she entered the garage she found two identical Trans am parked next to each other except the one on the left had a yellow scanner. She had only caught a glance of it the last time she was there but she had not seen the yellow scanner.

She walked up to Kitt quietly. "Kitt?" she called softly. She saw his scanner light up and she smiled a little.

Kitt was surprise to see the girl standing in front of him. He had not seen her for days and somewhere deep inside him he was disappointed that she had not come to see him since they got here. To see her in front of him brought out some unknown joy that confused him a bit. Why was he happy to see her?

"Ms. Dhawn what brings you here?" he asked.

She sat right in front of him that took him by surprise a little. "I came by to see you, and you can call me Khiara Kitt, Ms. Dhawn sounds too formal for me" she said. She leaned back a little and looked around the garage "I've been meaning to come by, but was stuck in that room for days and Mr. Miles finally gave me a guest room and was able to sneak away for a bit. That is until they find me out of my room" She continued.

"Then I guess you should not be here?" He questioned.

"Nope not at all" she smiled at him "But I had to come around at some point. I don't like staying in one place for too long, besides I wanted company"

"And you came here?" He asked.

"Yes, I wanted company from you. You're the one I met and you're the one I know"

He was curious why she was doing this. She had only known him for two hours and she was acting so different to him compared to many he had met over the years. She was acting towards him like he was another person, something that took many months' even years for technicians and people that worked on the estate to do.

"I am a car. A computer" He tested.

She at first didn't answer either because she was embarrassed at her strange thinking or she was afraid for once she was possibly wrong and someone would walk in and see her talking to a car, she couldn't pick which one. But she was curious, and something told her very strongly that this car and if she was guessing right the one next to him were not just ordinary computerize car. And when she had something until it was proven wrong she stubbornly stuck to it.

"But you're a sentient computerize car" she answered.

Kitt was silent. Karr who was listening in to the conversation half interested tuned in.

"I find it quite hard to believe you're just an ordinary AI and car. You cared that I was injured and in danger when any other AI would have just dropped e off at a hospital, you told me I would be fine when I was afraid coming here in the first place. You might not think of it has nothing but I can see it, besides," she crossed her arms "A normal AI wouldn't be holding a conversation with me or asking for my name politely." she answered.

Kitt was still silent, he didn't think of anything when he had said those things four days ago because it came to him naturally from years doing missions with Michael. Nobody had really pointed that out to him either. The girl was very observant.

She uncrossed her arms and looked down; she looked a little embarrassed "I also kind of felt it when I first got near you that night."

She felt him there? It sounded so much alike to the time his body had been stolen and Michael had sensed his CPU in the garage and found him. He was more curious about the girl even more.

"Soooo how did today go with the other candidates?" she asked changing the subject.

"How do you know about that?" He asked.

She smiled "I heard Mr. Miles talking about it, he was muttering about you being such a picky car" she answered with a giggle.

"I'm not picky. I merely have not found the right candidate qualify for the job" Kitt answered.

In other words picky. Karr responded through their link with a chuckle.

I am not! And I am still not speaking to you Kitt answered cutting the link.

Bonnie walked down the hall that led to the garage she had been meaning to drop by and check on Kitt after his long day of driving around with a new candidate for the job every two hours or so. She was about to walk in when she heard two voice, Kitt and someone else. She peaked around the corner to see Khiara sitting on the ground in front of Kitt talking to him AND he was talking back. That was a surprise to her. A smile crept to her face; Kitt hadn't formed a conversation with no one since Michael's death to see him crawling out of the shell that he had formed since that day brought happiness to her. It was a sign to her that Kitt was recovering slowly and this girl that came from nowhere was helping him get back up.

She kept watching the interaction.

"You're on your 25th! That's a lot Kitt" she rubbed her chin squinting one eye, a smile plaster on her face "I don't know Kitt, I'm starting to doubt your word about not being picky" she answered.

"I am not picky" he answered again only to cause the girl to giggle.

"Okay Kitt whatever you say." She answered watching his scanner. "Did you have a permanent driver before?" she asked.

Kitt good mood slowly started to dissolve and Khiara noticed it slowly. "….yes" he answered hesitantly. He was hoping that she would leave at that...he didn't want to talk about Michael….he'll probably never want to talk about Michael if he wanted to keep his world, the one he tried to pick up together , from shattering into millions of pieces.

"What happen to your driver?" she asked slowly has she watched the pace of the scanner increase by tenfold…like it was waiting for its death sentence.

Kitt was silent for the longest time. The air around the garage had become tense. Karr was waiting to see what Kitt was going to do, the girl had asked to worst question imaginable to Kitt. Bonnie was holding her breath and was almost ready to go into the room and take her out, but then again she didn't want to. She wanted Kitt to finally open up and heal from this traumatic experience.

He felt like all his system froze up on him with that question. He felt the invisible weight that had been pressing up on him since Michael's death crash down on him a hundred times heavier. He felt the evil memories of that day press around him hungrily waiting until his last defense broke to jump him, to destroy everything he had tried to pick up. He felt a warm hand touch him just above his scanner. He saw her face, there was concern, worry directed at him.

She felt like she had just hit Kitt because the moment she had let those words out, Kitt's mood had changed entirely. She had said something very wrong, and she felt regret for hurting Kitt. But she wanted to know, to learn about him. She had wished though she could have picked a different topic now.

"I'm sorry Kitt. I...I didn't mean to upset you, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to" she answered sincerely.

Kitt was silent for another two seconds before he spoke "He died on our last mission…"

She felt a wave of sadness hit her when she heard the pain the sadness in the words Kitt spoke. "I'm sorry Kitt" she said pulling away...she didn't want to cause him more pain. She was better off leaving.

He felt her warm touch pull away, and he followed her hand rolling closer, wanting the touch. He didn't want her to go. He felt almost panic rise in him "please don't go...stay please" he said, almost pleaded.

Khiara was surprise when Kitt rolled near her when she began pulling her hand away from him, his plea for her to stay pulled at her heart. It was the first time she had noticed how much Kitt wanted, projected that he needed someone for support. She felt his need to let out his fear, and the pain he had let built up since his driver's death….and maybe she was just the person he needed. She softly brushed her hand near his scanner.

"What happen?" she asked softly, caring.

Kitt felt tears rise up in his virtual eyes. Telling her how Michael died….would be to finally admit to himself that he was gone…and he wasn't coming back. That he was never coming back. That he had failed that person that he cared so much for. That had been by his side all these years even when they had a rocky start, the person he had trusted, had fought for and with, the person that he would drive down long roads for days, the one person that he confided in more than Bonnie.

And he let her know what happen, he poured out the truth even though it shattered him to pieces. He felt Karr near him through the link supporting him, letting him know that he was there. But finally admitting the truth to himself took some weight off the heavy burden he had been carrying, finally talking about Michael's death took some pressure off the air around him.

"I failed him, I let him die…I could have saved him somehow... I could have scanned again...I should have made sure it was safe...I" he was cut off by the girl.

"You could have, should have, if things were like that Kitt the world would have been a better place. Don't you dare say you let him die because you did all you could, you couldn't have known what was going to happen. Don't you think that you failed him because you didn't, you did nothing wrong Kitt." She answered her face serious, but it turned soft "He wouldn't want you to be like this Kitt. If he cared for you the way you care for him, he wouldn't want to see you like this Kitt. He would want you to move on. Keep doing the missions to make a difference. He would want you to pick a new driver and move forward, he wouldn't want you to carry the heavy burden of his death in your CPU. He would want you to remember what he was, and all the good memories you had with him" She said softly.

They were silent.

"…..I miss him..." Kitt said quietly.

Khiara heard the strong emotions those words carried, and she felt tears pool at the brim her eyes. She really couldn't believe how much she began to care for Kitt in such little time, but a force she couldn't describe pulled her towards him. "I know. But things will get better through time Kitt" she answered looking at Kitt's calming scanner.

Tears were strolling down Bonnie's cheeks for her baby. She had known that Kitt was in pain, but she didn't know how much Kitt had been suffering internally that he had hid from all of them.

Khiara narrowed her eyes sadly averting them towards the open garage door and to the outside world. I know….


Author's note: Well here's the second chapter, sorry its soo long with no action. I thought it needed more plot and I didn't think it was a good idea to dismiss Kitt feelings in losing Michael after being with Michael for years and I also thought it would be nice to get a little of Khiara and Kitt moment before getting back into action. There will be more action on the next chapter so stay tuned. Please review!

Till next time!