Michael and KITT have experienced many changes during the past two years. As the two grew closer, their lives working for FLAG almost tore them apart.
KITT lost his memories for a short time, had his vocal synthesizer hacked, his chassis replaced twice, and couldn't have prevented Michael from poisoning, electrocution, and torture.
Michael thought he lost KITT forever during the acid pit incident.
April had transferred from HQ to a location near Seattle. Before leaving, she reassured everyone that she was a phone call away, and Bonnie returned from MIT, much to everyone's relief.
Despite everything the duo went through, the only thing that held steady was their enjoyment of the Christmas holiday season. Christmas is a time to be together with family.
In the past, Michael, KITT, Bonnie, and Devon were usually inside the garage with the humans holding a glass of eggnog before returning to the mansion to enjoy a turkey dinner.
Except this year, Michael and KITT are near the Canadian border outside Detroit on an assignment to find a missing woman. Hours later, the pair located the woman alive and well, but a winter storm developed. Due to the increasing snowfall by the minute, it is unsafe to travel even with KITT's capabilities.
Christmas Eve arrived with KITT parked outside a motel room for the night and Michael inside eating a turkey TV dinner. The comlink on his left wrist beeped twice, and KITT's gentle voice sounded like heaven to Michael's ears. "Michael? I'm listening in on the police radio bands. The major highways are closed due to the snowstorm. I'm sorry we won't be home for Christmas."
"We'll celebrate Christmas when we get home," Michael said wistfully. He looked outside the front window. "It looks pretty bad out there, Pal. Are you sure you'll be ok out in the storm?" Michael asked, worried.
"I'll be fine, Michael. After everything we went through these past few months, a little snow will not hurt." KITT replied confidently.
Michael briefly grimaces after hearing the word hurt. KITT has become very human-like in his persona, including speech patterns. "It looks like a lot of snow, KITT." He suddenly remembers there's a tarp inside the Trans AM's trunk. "KITT, stand by. I'll come outside." Michael grabs his leather jacket off the side of the bed and opens the room's door.
"Michael! Don't! Stay inside where it's warm." KITT's warning came too late.
Michael dressed in the jacket and headed straight toward KITT's trunk. "Open the trunk, Pal." The trunk opens automatically, and the operative quickly grabs the tarp to cover the Trans AM (despite KITT's protests) except for the Anamorphic Equalizer in front. Michael spends the next ten minutes securing it to the undercarriage of the Trans AM before heading back indoors covered in snow.
"Michael! You're half frozen! You need to change immediately out of your wet clothes and cover yourself with a warm blanket," KITT ordered, concerned for his driver's well-being.
"Yes, sir!" Michael jokingly acknowledges in between teeth chatter. "How are you doing out there?" He asked more seriously and quickly stripped out of his wet clothing, except his underwear. Michael wrapped himself with one of the blankets from the bed.
"The tarp is protecting me from the snow, and I've been turning on my engine periodically to prevent my electronics from freezing. Michael, thank you!"
"You're welcome, Buddy. I'll see you in the morning." Michael feels warmer, and his teeth no longer chatter. He notices the TV dinner and reheats it. So much for Christmas dinner, briefly sighing. As Michael eats his meal, the operative thinks about how his relationship with KITT had developed during the past five years and finds that he loves KITT as a family member- no, even deeper than that. The man smiles as images of KITT turbo jumping, speeding along the highway, and countless conversations are in his mind. Michael finishes eating, lies on the bed, and covers himself with the bed blankets, reading until falling asleep.
In the meantime, KITT examines his feelings about Michael, whom he thought shouldn't have risked freezing himself to death to place a 'blanket' on his chassis. Feelings of joy and love fill his CPU, and the Anamorphic Equalizer brightens momentarily. KITT scans Michael's vital signs and is relieved that they are near normal. The surveillance indicator on his dash moves left to right and back repeatedly throughout the night.
The snowstorm ends before sunrise, and the clouds give way to a clear pre-dawn sky. Everything, including the Trans AM, is covered by pure white snow. Despite the snow, KITT is content. The computer scans the sky and finds the stars are twinkling brighter than usual. His attention goes back to the man inside the motel room. KITT is pleased that Michael is sleeping soundly. He pops in a cassette and listens to Schubert's Ave Maria. "Merry Christmas, Michael," he whispered fondly..