chapter three

Devon caught Bonnie just outside of Kitt's garage. "Bonnie, I need to talk to you." His voice was urgent, which was probably the only reason she turned around. She didn't seem pleased with the interruption, and for a moment Devon wondered if this was the smartest choice – after all, Bonnie was loyal to Kitt and Michael was like a brother to her. "I need to know what you know about Michael and Kitt."

"What about them?" she asked warily.

"I need to know what's going on between them." Devon demanded, a note of concern in his voice. "They've always been close, but something has changed, and I can't figure out what."

Bonnie almost laughed. "That's all that's bothering you?"

"Bonnie, honestly, how am I supposed to protect them if I don't know what's going on? What if this is something that will affect how they perform on their next mission? I need to know so I can take it into consideration, that's all." He spread his hands helplessly. "What else am I supposed to do?"

She considered him a moment, and finally relented with a sigh. "Devon – they went through a lot in the past six months. Kitt thought Michael was dead, Michael thought Kitt was dead, and then to find each other again and almost lose each other not a month afterwards – it's been rough on them." She leaned against the wall, one hand tucked securely into her lab coat pocket. "They figured something out. They've known it for a long time, but knowing it and saying it are two different things. Kitt asked me, right before Michael got out of the hospital, what you call it when friendship doesn't seem to suffice."

Devon blinked, stunned. "This has evolved far beyond what I had anticipated." he murmured, a slight smile starting to curve his lips. "If they feel that close to each other, that much loyalty – "

"Kitt has evolved more than anyone anticipated." Bonnie interrupted him, "but Michael truly amazed me. They had a conversation a few days afterward. I think Michael finally opened up to him."

This was rewarded with a slight smirk from Devon. "Michael, be honest about his feelings?"

Bonnie chuckled. "Yeah, shocked me too. But Kitt seemed really pleased when they got back. He wouldn't tell me why, but I think I know." She turned to head into the garage, but Devon's voice stopped her before she could take more than a few steps.

"Did you tell them about anam cara?" he asked.

Bonnie flashed him a grin. "Of course. It's perfect, don't you think?" She entered the garage, leaving Devon alone in the hall. His smirk had turned into a true grin.

"More so than you realize." he murmured. "Oh, Wilton, I think they actually did it."

"What are you doing?!"

The demand was faint through the door, but Devon recognized the slight fear in Bonnie's voice. He quickly opened the door to the garage and was greeted with a sight that would have been funny if it wasn't so serious.

Apparently Michael was right – the scientists weren't willing to wait. Dr. Brocklien, the current head of programming, kept trying to approach Kitt. The code would have to be written directly into Kitt's CPU, so the unit would have to be removed from the car. Bonnie was standing in between Brocklien and the Trans-Am, fear and fury mixed on her face. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Stand aside, Dr. Barstow." Brocklien ordered. "This is a matter for the Foundation."

"No! Not until you tell me what you're doing!"

Brocklien scowled. "The Knight 2000 isn't your plaything, Dr. Barstow. It's about time you realized that."

"Michael!" Kitt's cry tore through Devon's heart. He knew Kitt could feel fear; he just hadn't realized it was Michael who he called on to reassure him.

The word was like a spell. In a flash Michael pushed past Devon and placed himself beside Bonnie, his left hand pressed against the hood of the Trans-Am while the right gripped the file folder. "I'm here, pal." he said grimly. "It's okay now."

Kitt's voice steadied itself. "Thank goodness. I was afraid something had happened to you."

Michael flashed him a grin. "To me? Never." Before Kitt could retort, Michael continued to speak to Brocklien. "Kitt isn't your plaything, either." he hissed.

"Oh? And what do you have to support that, Mr. Knight?" Brocklien sneered. "An emotional attachment to a piece of machinery? I guess it would make sense, considering how it's programmed."

"I have this." Michael snapped, disregarding the snide comment for the moment. Michael would clear that misunderstanding up when he was the one holding all the cards. He handed the file to Brocklien. "This is Wilton Knight's will. Check out page 16 – paragraph three. It's even bolded for your convience." Brocklien stared at the document for a moment, his face turning red in anger.

"This is ridiculous!"

"What does it say?" Bonnie demanded.

Brocklien shot her a look, like this was somehow her fault, and read the paragraph. "In the event of my death, the AI known as Knight Industries Two Thousand, or Kitt, and all programs and machinery directly related to Kitt, belong to Michael Knight, to use as his discretion." He looked up at Michael. "This is a forgery."

"I assure you, it's not." Devon said quietly. "It shocked me too when I found it."

Bonnie blinked. "That means you can't do anything – to Kitt or to the car – without Michael's permission." she breathed.

"Michael?" Kitt's voice was hesitant. "Is that true? Wilton left me to you?"

Michael ran his fingers across the hood. "Yeah, buddy, it's true." he said quietly. He braced himself for the outrage. Kitt hated being considered as nothing more than a machine to be passed around to whomever he saw fit. While he doubted Kitt would be mad at him, he was sure his partner would lash out at Wilton for not thinking of how Kitt felt about the whole deal. He wasn't expecting Kitt's next words.

"That suits me just fine."

He couldn't keep the shock from his face. "Are you sure?"

"Michael, really," Kitt drawled, "how many times have you referred to me as your car? If I cared, I would have said something then." Kitt didn't have to say it, but Michael heard it anyway, a brief reminder of conversations they had had before: You are mine, and I am yours. They had claimed each other long before this happened.

But a personal feeling and a legal fact were two different things. Michael couldn't help but feel it was wrong. He shoved the feelings aside for now and focused back on Brocklien. "It's official." he said bluntly.

Brocklien seemed to be choking on his words. "In that case, Mr. Knight, what would you have me do?"

"I'd have you go away." Michael said with exaggerated slowness. "Kitt and I are going for a drive. We're turning the homing beacon off. The only programmer – and I mean the only programmer – to touch Kitt is going to be Bonnie. Anyone else tries and they will find themselves missing a hand or two. Got me?"

"Are threats necessary?" Devon muttered. "First John, now Brocklien."

"But it is funny watching it." Bonnie murmured back. Poor humor, but it was enough to relieve the tension somewhat. Brocklien glared at Michael and stormed out of the garage. Devon turned his focus to Michael.

"There are ways around that will." he pointed out.

"Yeah, but at least now I'm the target instead of Kitt." Michael said easily as he slid into the driver's seat.

"What do you mean by that?" Bonnie wondered.

"Kitt can't defend himself if they work it right. I don't care how they work it – they won't touch me." With that he took Kitt out of the garage and onto the street. For a while they drove in silence, but that wasn't to last for very long.

"I meant what I said." Kitt said suddenly. "I don't mind belonging to you."

"I thought you hated the idea." Michael pointed out. "Something about a little consideration?"

Kitt laughed. "I know. But you take care of me. You don' t use me." There was a slight pause, then, much quieter, "It's been true from the beginning. This just made it official."

Michael nodded. "I guess." He glanced at the voice box and without thinking placed his hand on the dash. "Now they can't touch you."

"But they can touch you." Kitt warned. "Please, be careful."

Michael grinned. "Aren't I always?"

Kitt let out an exasperated sigh, but Michael couldn't miss the affection in his words. "You don't want me to answer that."