Big shout to Tempest, thanks for beta'ing, and help with the cars and characters!

Don't forget, tonight at 8/7c pm is the season finale of Knight Rider!

Chapter 4: Watch Your, Watch Your, Watch Your Back!

"I wouldn't park here if I were you," Brian commented as Knight backed the Trans-am into a space. Knight glanced at him as he switched the engine off "Why?"

"Its Vince's space. No-one parks in Vince's space."

"Well, now that's changed," Knight said, getting out of the car. Brian shrugged and followed suit "You always did like getting in trouble."

"There's no trouble. I don't see his name on the space. And it's not like there's not plenty of spaces available."

"I know," Brian grinned. "But its still Vince's place."

Knight shrugged. "Are we gonna eat or what?"

"C'mon," Brian said, nodding his head in the direction of the door, and stepping through. "Hey Mia."

"Heya Brian," the dark haired, lightly tanned girl behind the counter said, leaning over the top as the two kissed quickly. Knight guessed she had some Italian blood from her skin tone, and coughed lightly. Brian grinned "Mia, this is a friend from Miami, Ian Knight. Knight, this is Mia, my fiancée."

"Nice to meet you Ian," Mia said, her voice soft, extending a hand. Knight took it, and kissed it gently in a very old fashioned manner "I think the pleasure is mine. And please, it's Knight."

"Hey hey hey, that's my fiancé you seem to be flirting with bro," Brian said, although his tone indicated he was joking. Knight grinned "My bad."

"Wasn't so bad," Mia smiled radiantly "So, why Knight?"

"Very few people call me Ian, which suits me fine," Knight replied "I prefer going by my surname, always have."

"You a racer?"

"I race, amongst other things."

"Wouldn't have thought it from looking at your car. I don't race much, and even mine is more kitted out than yours."

"Ahh looks can be deceiving," Knight said, musing over the irony of that statement, given that he wasn't being completely honest with them, although he hadn't lied out right. Brian gave him a look suggesting he knew exactly what Knight meant "So why the change of style? I mean, apart from those rippling lights on the front, the car doesn't look much, till you get inside anyways. But your BMW was kitted right out."

"I had a little trouble," Knight shrugged "Decided on something that wouldn't draw as much attention."

"I can see how that appeals," Mia said thoughtfully, deciding that while Knight was likeable, there was something about him that suggested he wasn't what he seemed "You guys here to eat?"

"That's right," Brian grinned "How's the tuna today?"

"Every time you're here, you ask that and every time, I tell you it's crappy as always," Mia replied in an amused tone "So why'd you always ask?"

"Force of habit," Brian grinned "I'll have the tuna."

Mia shook her head slightly, still smiling "And you?"

"Hamburger and fries if you have em," Knight grinned disarmingly. Mia nodded "it'll take a little while longer but yeah."

"Cheers," Knight replied, taking a seat.

Brian asked, "Dom around?"

"Upstairs in the store room," Mia answered, handing them their lunch "You going up?"

"Nah I'll wait till he comes down," Brian said, hearing the approaching cars at the same time Knight did and turning to watch as they pulled in, first a metallic purple Nissan 240sx, Silvia conversion. Alongside it and next to Karr, a yellow Nissan Skyline R32 pulled in. On Karr's other side, a Jetta pulled in. Behind Karr, a blue Maxima had stopped, then with a squeal of tires, moved forward, and slid in to a space on the other side of the 240 as the other cars occupants got out. The kid that got out of the Jetta was already looking at Karr with interest

"Hey Leon, look at this. Check out that dash!"

"It's cool Jesse but the dash is hardly important," the guy who had gotten out of the Skyline replied dismissively. "How it runs is what matters. Besides, it's a domestic. Plenty of power under the hood, but none of the finesse."

"I know, but it's still a nice ride. Wonder what it's got under the hood?"

"Well, be sure to ask the driver if you can have it before I kill him," the Maxima's driver growled as he got out of the car.

Knight glanced at Brian and with a low voice "That's Vince?"

"Yup."

"Great," Knight replied, frowning slightly as he noticed Letty. "Who's she?"

"Knight, that's Letty, Dom's girl," Brian replied. "Why?"

Knight just shrugged. "She reminds me of someone else is all," he replied as the team entered the café.

Mia looked at the team as they entered the café. "How you doing guys?"

"Hey Brian, you seen the T-top outside?" Jesse asked excitedly "That'd be cool to race against huh? I mean, for a domestic."

"I've seen it Jess. I've been in it," Brian replied. "Knight this is Jesse, Leon, Letty and Vince. Guys, this is Knight, he's a friend from Miami."

"The fools parked in my spot," Vince growled. Knight looked at him casually "I didn't see your name on it."

"Everyone round here knows it's my spot," Vince said coldly.

"And now it's mine. Less you want to race for it?"

"Your car's no racer. And I bet you don't drive that well. Certainly not in my league."

Knight stood up, not surprised to find that he was a little shorter than Vince "Actually it is. And you're right, I'm not in your league. I'm better. Sorry Jesse, what's under the hood is a secret."

Jesse deflated at that slightly, although he watched with interest as Knight and Vince stared each other down. Leon chewing gum, also watching with interest leaned over to Jesse "This could get interesting."

"Vince!" Mia said loudly, getting his attention as she tried to keep the peace "Can I get you something? Before you start a fight in here."

"You can get this fool to move his crappy domestic piece of shit."

"That crappy domestic could beat yours any day," Knight said coldly.

Vince glared at him and growled "Is that a challenge?"

"I think we've just covered that I'm outta your league."

"Guys, guys, we're all friends here all right?" Brian offered, standing between them "So let's just call it quits for now ok?"

Neither man answered, glaring a hole into each other as Brian looked back over his shoulder "C'mon Knight, we're both done eating. I gotta get back to work.

"Alright," Knight replied calmly "Thanks for lunch Mia."

"Thanks a lot Mia," Brian added then glanced at Leon. "Kat said to say hi, ask you to drop by the Edge."

"Watch your back punk," Vince tossed at Knight as Brian pushed him towards the door.

Knight snorted "Your act's about ten years out of date. Work a little harder if you want to convince people that you're as tough as you make out," he retorted, not even turning back as he headed to Karr's door.

Vince stalked after them, heading for the Maxima. Knight glanced back as he begun to open the car door and almost laughed "Seriously? It really matters enough that you move your car as I leave?"

Brian groaned softly, knowing what was coming next. He wasn't disappointed as Vince lost it, spinning round with a growl, and a right hook. Fortunately, Knight saw it coming and moved to one side, the heavy fist hitting Karr's molecular bonded shell. Vince grunted and pulled his hand back, rubbing the battered knuckles. Knight's tone was slightly mocking "Ouch. Hope you didn't need that hand for anything important."

"Vince!"

Brian silently offered up thanks as Dom made his presence known from the stores doorway, getting the attention of the other two men before they could start a fight "Get inside now. Mia, get him some ice for that hand will you."

Knight studied the taller man as he strode down from the doorway. The guy was bigger than him, with rippling muscles, strong jaw line and a shaved head. Knight didn't fancy tackling him and was fortunate that Brian intervened first. "Dom wait up man," he said, stepping between them. "He's cool, I know him."

"Who the hell is he Brian?" the man replied, folding his arms across his chest, slowly and deliberately.

Brian grinned "Dom, this is Knight. Knight, this is the guy I told you about, Dom Toretto."

Knight eyed Dom suspiciously, and found he was getting the same look back from the bigger man "He needs to watch his mouth."

"No I don't," Knight retorted, ignoring the feeling that he was being slightly childish. "That implies I didn't know what I was saying. I knew exactly what I was saying about that knuckle dragger."

"Knight," Brian said warningly "Don't. Just don't. Dom is not someone you want to annoy alright?"

Knight tensed slightly, forcing himself to relax. "So you're Dominic Toretto."

"That's right."

"I thought you'd be taller," Knight smirked "Brian told me a lot about you."

"While I was in Miami," Brian added. Dom gave them both a look that said he wasn't impressed "Brian did you not think to tell him he shouldn't park there? You know what happened to the last guy to do that."

"He told me, I just didn't care," Knight interjected.

Dom glanced at him "You a racer?"

"Yeah."

"Well you got the attitude alright, I'll give you that," Dom replied, then glanced at Karr "Apparently not the ride though. Don't see many domestics around the scene here. Pony boys occasionally. You run it as a sleeper right?"

Knight laid a hand on Karr's hood warningly to stop the car retorting. "Or I'm saying is you might be surprised."

Dom glanced back at Brian who just shrugged in response "If the dash is anything to go by, it's tricked out."

Dom looked back at Knight "Brian says your cool, which earns you a little leeway. You pull something like this again, I'll knock you on your ass, you hear me?"

"I hear you."

Dom eyed him evaluatingly then nodded slowly "Brian, get him outta here alright?"

Brian nodded "C'mon man," he said, motioning Knight towards the car. Knight shrugged his hand off and glanced at Vince, unable to resist one last dig "Maybe you'll get a shot at redeeming yourself later."

Ignoring the annoyed look Dom gave him, Knight calmly clambered into the Trans-am, Brian a few seconds after. With a squeal of tires, the sleek super-car took off, leaving the store in a cloud of dust.

**************************************************

That night

**************************************************

"Now this is home," Knight grinned. "Automobile heaven, right Karr?"

"I am unfamiliar with that reference," Karr replied as Knight slid the black and silver Trans-am into the busy street. Music blared, mixing into one big mass of sound from the numerous cars parked there.

Knight made an approving noise as he cast his eyes over the cars present, a black Nissan Skyline R34 with an elaborate tiger pattern along the side, surprised to find that its apparent driver was a blond female with incredibly pale skin. She seemed familiar, before he recalled seeing her and the car a few months back in tuner magazine, although he was sure that wasn't where he knew her from. There were a lot of other car's present, but the two that caught his attention next were a white Mustang GT, with blood red paint picking out the wheel arches, roof trim and stripes across the doors, topped off with a carbon fibre hood and rear spoiler. The one next to it was a second generation RX-7, a front mounted intercooler and tinted windows that were almost the same colour as the car which had the most elaborate paint job he'd ever seen.

The bottom six inches of the car was jet black and painted to look like a tree line. The upper part was very dark purple and the roof was painted in varying shades of lighter purple to look like storm clouds. From the clouds down to the trees were brilliant silver lightning bolts and around the bolts the background was a lighter purple like the lightning had created a haze. The design ranged all down both sides and the hood as well as on the back and side windows. When the bolts went over the glass they didn't stop, they just went over the tint, making the windows blend in seamlessly with the graphic design on the body panels. He gave a low whistle. "Nice."

Karr asked. "The car or its owner?"

Knight grinned as he checked out the driver, another girl, with very dark red hair that fell down her back in curls, wearing a fancy black singlet that appeared to sparkle in the coruscating light and dark, flared jeans.

"Both," he replied, noting that she seemed to be watching over the Mustang next to her car as well "Although she isn't really my type. Man I should have invited Faith tonight. Last I heard she was in LA."

"Which one was she?" Karr asked.

"The ex-con," Knight grinned. "She was fun. Interesting tattoos."

"I do not understand why you and Mike socialize with so many young ladies."

"Human nature," Knight answered.

"I see," Karr accessed his databanks. "Is this related to the basic human desire to reproduce?"

"Drop it Karr."

Karr growled slightly as he changed the subject for his drivers ease "I can beat all the cars here with one wheel tied behind my axle."

"You know that and I know that, but they don't," Knight replied, grinning slightly as the memories subsided back into his subconscious "And we're supposed to keep a low profile, which means not beating them as badly as we could do."

"I suppose," Karr growled softly.

Knight grinned "I don't like it either but it's necessary. Just remember to stay quiet alright. I'm gonna go mingle with the crowd till Brian arrives. Be good."

"Understood," Karr said, his tone as cold and steely as ever.

Knight shook his head slightly and got out, grinning as he looked around "Home sweet home."

End of Chapter 4…