Disclaimer: Glen A. Larson and Universal own the Knight Rider characters in this story.

A Knight's Christmas

Chapter 9

They decided to spend the night at her apartment because Bonnie was still embarrassed about Devon's comment concerning the noises from Michael's room and she didn't want to risk being caught when they sneaked into the other's room. For a moment, Bonnie as well as Michael had feared that Devon had found out about their relationship. It would have solved their dilemma how to tell Devon. But this wasn't how Devon should find out that they were in love.

Bonnie was still working on her lists for Devon when Michael and KITT left the mansion. Michael picked up dinner on his way home. Home. He already thought of her apartment as his home and he enjoyed staying there with her. He had surprised Bonnie with a tree at the beginning of the Christmas season and they had decorated it together. A new tradition for both since neither of them had bothered to put up a tree in their apartments before.

Bonnie arrived half an hour later. Devon had been pleased with her list and her detailed work and had told her to get some rest. They would continue preparing the information for the meeting the next day. She smiled when she walked into her apartment and saw Michael who had already set the table and opened a bottle of wine for them. "I could get used to you waiting for me when I get home from work."

He walked over to her and gave her a long kiss. He was so grateful for having her in his life. Not only as a friend but also as his girlfriend. He often wondered why it had taken them so long to realize that they were in love and to admit their feelings to each other. "It was a good idea to spend the night here." He whispered into her ear. "Has Devon mentioned my nightly activities again?"

Bonnie tensed up in Michael's arms. "Luckily, only briefly. It was embarrassing for him as well."

"Imagine he would have knocked." He knew Devon wouldn't do this. He was a gentleman and respected Michael's privacy. He would have rather told KITT to tell Michael to ask his guest to leave. But Devon hadn't which showed Michael that Devon had decided that a lecture could wait.

"I don't think he would have believed that this was another toilet paper emergency." Bonnie mumbled and Michael burst out in laughter. He took her hand and led her to the couch in the living room where he poured some wine into a glass for her. "Devon was more concerned about your Christmas tradition. He reminded me several times that I didn't have to play along just to make you happy."

It was no secret to Michael that Devon would prefer if he stopped decorating the mansion with swigs of mistletoe. "What was your answer? Did you tell him that you enjoy it because I'm such a great kisser?"

She grabbed one of the pillows from the couch and playfully threw it at Michael. "Keep dreaming. I'd never tell him that I enjoy your tradition. Which I always have by the way."

"Ha! I knew it." Michael smiled triumphantly. He had felt that Bonnie hadn't minded their mistletoe kisses in the past. If she hadn't wanted him to kiss her, she would have slapped him or pushed him away

Bonnie ignored Michael's comment. "I told Devon that we should be happy that you decided to do your mistletoe tradition again. I reminded him of what happened last Christmas. How miserable you were when you were drowning in your grief and pain. When I found you crying at Stevie's grave."

She remembered the sad, almost empty look in his eyes. It had made her worry that they were losing Michael as well. She hadn't left his side until he was ready to leave the cemetery and come home with her.

"I wouldn't be here today without your help." Michael pulled her closer and kissed her. "You and KITT saved me."

"You would have done the same for me." Bonnie mumbled while she kissed him back. She hadn't slept much during this time because she had afraid Michael could leave again. Who knew what could have happened then? They had never told Devon how bad the situation really had been. All Devon knew was that Michael had been mourning and Bonnie had helped him get through his grief. She had hidden how tired and exhausted she had been most of the time and had been as committed to her work as always. Devon hadn't noticed that she was more tired than usually, even though the circles around her eyes had become darker every day. Not even Michael suspected that she had watched over him whenever he had closed his eyes.

She rested her head on his shoulder thinking about her conversation with Devon. While they were all grateful that Michael was no longer on the verge of breaking down, Devon credited mainly KITT for helping Michael deal with his grief as he wasn't aware how deeply Bonnie had been involved.

It was obvious that Devon was relieved that Michael was enjoying the Christmas season again. He had told Bonnie that he considered it a good sign that Michael was back to his old habits and seemed to notice other women again. However, Devon had also pointed out that he believed Michael wasn't ready for another relationship yet. He'd given Bonnie a long lecture on long it takes for people to mourn when the love of their life had died. According to him, Michael was now in a state of transition and having flings helped him feel alive again. Any real relationship he would have, however, would be doomed because it would be too soon after Stevie's death.

Flings. Doomed. These expressions made Bonnie cringe. It showed her that Devon would never be supportive of their relationship because in his eyes, Michael wasn't ready yet. Maybe he'd think it was only an affair and that Michael would use her. That he would break her heart because he'd finally gotten what he'd always been after.

She closed her eyes and remembered that that Devon had implied this afternoon that she and Michael behaved like siblings. This was how he saw them. As family. Family members who weren't supposed to fall in love and be in a physical relationship. Who shouldn't put their work at risk by becoming too close and too intimate.

Why couldn't she just stop worrying?