Cold Knight By Beth C Summary: Michael catches a cold, and something else. Rating: PG for a bad word or two. Disclaimer: Knight Rider is copyright to Glen A. Larson. Don't sue guys.. I only borrowed them. I'll put them back when I'm done.. I promise... Feedback: Certainly... Trekie386@aol.com. ******************************* Michael climbed into the car, his clothes dripping water from the swimming pool he had just dragged himself out of. Cold vapor hung in front of his mouth as he panted. He had been pushed in and now he was angry. The criminals they had been stalking had set up camp on this huge estate. After getting the video footage that was needed, Michael had cautiously sneaked on the grounds, hoping to catch them in the act of transferring the stolen goods to the truck. He had been jumped from behind. And shoved rather unceremoniously into the freezing pool. He had climbed out and summoned Kitt, his partner-in-arms, one black Trans-Am. If not for the red scanner, Michael would have had a hard time separating his wheels from the dark of the night. Kitt had popped open the driver's door and Michael had climbed in. Now he needed to know where the baddies were headed. Especially the one that had pushed him. "Kitt?" he called. "Can you track them?" "Affirmative, Michael. One vehicle traveling at high speed leaving the estate." "Plot me a course and pursue." Michael ordered as he pushed his wet hair out of his face. His teeth began to chatter. Kitt automatically kicked on the heat but Michael already felt the chill settling in his bones. He wasn't going to get this close to blow the case now. "Put out a call to the authorities. Let's end this here and now." Kitt caught up easily to the other car and with a turbo boost flew over the top of it. Michael pulled the wheel hard to the left, causing Kitt to slide and forcing the other car to stop in order to avoid a collision. The driver's door popped open and the first suspect began to flee. Michael jumped out and gave a fast chase, it wasn't too hard to catch the man, he had shorter legs and was older, he was no match for Michael. Michael jumped him from behind and knocked him out with a single punch. The other passenger was running now, having heard the approaching sirens. Michael dropped the first guy and took off after the other one. This time it took a bit longer to catch him, but he did, and subdued him as well. By the time the cops had arrived, both criminals were starting to awaken to find themselves tied with rope from Kitt's trunk. *************** Michael turned them over to police custody, after showing the evidence he had piled up against them. He watched as they were placed into the cruisers. They wouldn't be going any place for a long, long time. He turned away as one of the officers gave him a report to sign. Then another, and finally another. It seemed like forever in which he stood there, dripping still, waiting for the official word that he could leave the scene. The whole procedure took about an hour. At last he was allowed to go, and with a wave to the cops, he climbed inside Kitt. He started the car and drove away slowly, body shivering in his damp clothes. A small fact that did not escape Kitt's attention. "Michael?" "Yes, Kitt?" "You need to get out of those wet clothes before you catch yourself a cold." The heater kicked on again, blowing warm, dry air at Michael. "That's my plan, buddy. Plot me a course to the nearest place to change." "There is a gas station 7 miles up the road." "That will have to do," Michael chattered. "Get me there, pal." ********************** Michael stepped out of the bathroom, wearing dry clothes now, but still feeling bone-cold. Standing around in the frigid air with the cops hadn't helped much. He placed his wet clothing inside Kitt's trunk and climbed back into the car. "Are you feeling better, Michael?" Kitt asked with concern. "I'm feeling drier. But still chilly." He started the car. "Plot me a course to the semi. It's time we made our appearance." "Certainly, Michael. The semi is currently en route. At normal cruising speed we can rendezvous with it by noon tomorrow." "Good. Let's go." He pulled out of the gas station and headed on the course Kitt had plotted. Within an hour, he was on a steady pace. And still cold. He reached down and put the heater on manually. The warm air filled the cabin, taking away some of the chill. Still he wished he had a blanket. "Michael?" "Yeah?" "Why don't you let me do the driving? I've scanned your vitals and it appears you need to rest. Your temperature is elevated which is accounting for the chills you feel now." Michael glared at the voicebox. "I'm fine, Kitt." "Still it wouldn't hurt to catch a few hours of sleep. You know I'm more than capable of doing the driving." Kitt countered. Michael looked around the lonely stretch of highway. What could it hurt? He was feeling cold, and tired. Maybe just a few hours. He reached down and pressed the Auto Cruise button. "Ok, buddy, but just for a few." Kitt assumed control of the car while Michael snuggled into the plush seat and rested his head. ******************** Michael awoke a few hours later, teeth chattering, and his head feeling like someone had filled it with cement. He had been trying to breathe through his mouth and now his throat hurt. He sat up more fully wondering what had happened to the heat, it was so damned cold! "Kitt," He called out sleepily. "Where ib da heat?" He ran one hand over his face, wishing he had a tissue to unblock his nose. He couldn't breathe. "Michael, the heat is still on. Are you feeling cold?" Michael nodded, and the car swam dizzily in front of him. His sense of balance was off and suddenly he was glad he wasn't driving. His nose started to itch, then tickle. He brought one arm up just in time to stifle a sneeze in the crook of his elbow. "HetChooo!" "Bless you, Michael." Kitt responded automatically. "Danks." Michael sniffed. "Your temperature is up to 102.5, Michael. You have a fever." "Wobdearful." Michael groaned. "Just wad I nebbded." He sniffed again. Now that he was awake, his nose was beginning to run. Kitt began to slow down and pulled over to the side of the road. "Whabt are youb dobing?" Michael asked. "There is a box of Kleenex and a blanket in the trunk. I suggest you get both of them." Kitt replied and popped the hatch. Michael was too tired to argue and went to get the items. The cold night air bit into his fevered skin, and tickled his nose. He turned away from the car to sneeze again. "HuuhT'Choo! WaT'Choo!" He found both items easily and got back into the warmth of the car. Kitt closed the door and started moving again. Michael buried himself under the blanket and dug out a few of the tissues. He tried blowing his nose, but it didn't help much. If anything it only increased the tickle in his nose and the itch in his throat. He stifled a few sneezes into the wad of tissues. "Kibt," he called out. "Hob mudch longer dill be reach de sebi?" "10 hours, Michael." Michael groaned. "Go back to sleep, Michael," Kitt said. "You need your rest to break the fever." "Ezzy fob youbd do say." Michael coughed a few times into a closed fist. His throat was raw and the dry heat wasn't helping. "Kibt, can youb add sobe sdeem to de air?" "I beg your pardon?" "Sdeem, youb dow, moidure?" He made a hissing sound. "Steam?" Kitt questioned. Michael nodded, then coughed again this time bringing up mucus that he spat into a tissue. He wadded it up and dropped it on the passenger side floor. He felt the steam start up, filling the interior pretty quickly and turning the cabin into a mini-sauna. He pulled the blanket around him and lay back sleepily. "Anything else I can do?" Kitt asked. Michael shook his head. "Sleep well," Kitt said quietly. ***************** Michael slipped in and out of sleep as his fever climbed and peaked. He would toss and turn in his seat, trying to get comfortable and being unable to rest. Finally he gave up and opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was that day was breaking, yet the windshield wipers were going. He sat up straighter and saw a steady rain. He shivered and slunk back under the blankets. He also noticed that the steam had loosened some of his congestion and his nose was running. He reached for the tissues and blew his nose. The pressure caused his ears to pop. He blew again, until he had most of the drips under control. "Kitt?" "Yes, Michael? How are you feeling? Your temperature has decreased some, but you are still running a fever." "I feel libe hell. Where abe we?" He tossed the tissue aside. "We are just outside of Pittsburgh and at least 7 hours away from the semi." "Ugh." Michael moaned. His head was still clogged. They were going to have to stop and get some medicine. He wouldn't last 7 hours like this. His nose was dripping again. He reached for the tissues and was overcome by a sneezing fit. He stifled three of them in a cupped hand and the fourth in the sleeve of his shirt. He pulled a few tissues out of the box and wiped his hand and face. "Bless you, Michael." "Thadnks." He blew his nose again. The floorboard was beginning to look like a wastebasket as he tossed another tissue on the pile. "Kibt, when be get do da ciby, can you fid a drubsdore?" "Yes, Michael." Kitt decreased the amount of steam in the cabin and added a bit of drier air. Michael looked like a cooked lobster now, with the tip of his nose being bright red. He listened to Michael coughing again. He was keeping a careful log of all of Michael's symptoms. So far it sounded like a chest cold with head congestion. He was concerned about Michael's fever, but if Michael could get some medicine, it would help. Michael was slumped under the blanket again, shivering, his hair plastered against his sweaty skin. His eyes were glassy. He needed a hot drink and some Tylenol to break the fever. His eyes were watery and they stung when he blinked. Kitt pulled into the town and began scanning the city for a 24 hour drug store. It was still early enough that most stores were still closed. Thankfully the rain had slowed to a drizzle, it wouldn't help Michael to get wet again. He located the nearest store and parked quietly by the doors. "Michael? Michael, wake up. Were are here." Michael pulled the blanket down and scrubbed at his eyes with a tissue. "Where?" "Where you asked to go. A drugstore," Kitt replied. "The rain has slowed. I would go in now before it starts up again." "Oh." Michael sat up and the colorful dash swam before his eyes. He steadied himself with one hand against the dash until it stopped wavering. He grabbed a few tissues and blew his nose as he got out. "I'll be rigd bacd." Once inside he pushed a shopping cart over to the medicine section. He selected a bottle of extra-strength Tylenol, some Antihistamines, a bottle of nose spray, and some sore throat lozenges. He wheeled to the next aisle and tossed a few more boxes of Kleenex in the cart. His next stop was in the beverage section. He chose a soothing blend of tea with lemon and honey. A gallon of spring water was next and a mug with lid for travelers on the go. He stopped to think if there was anything else he might need and came up blank. The florescent lighting in the store was hurting his eyes. He rubbed at them and tried to blink the tears away. He wheeled his cart up to the register to pay. A cute blonde girl rang up the items and told him the total. He sniffed and reached for his wallet. His nose, which had been behaving up until now, began to tickle and he had the sudden urge to sneeze. He held it back, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He retrieved his credit card and watched as she scanned it then handed him a receipt to sign. The tickly feeling was coming back stronger now, as he hastily scribbled his name and handed it back to her. She handed him his copy and his card back which he stuck back in his wallet. His eyes were tearing again and the urge to sneeze was almost impossible to hold. He rubbed his nose with one finger, trying to calm the itch. She bagged his purchases and smiled at him as she told him to have a good day. He barely made it out the door with his bags before the held back sneeze finally overtook him. "EhhT'choo! WehkShoo!" He bent over from the force of it. Kitt was waiting with the door open as Michael approached the car, throwing the bags in blindly as the sneezing continued. "KerrShew! EhKet'Shoo!" With his now free hands he grabbed for the tissues and managed to catch the last powerful sneeze in a wad of them. "Hehhheh-TCHOOO!" "Bless you, Michael." Kitt responded as he closed the door. "Tdanks." Michael sniffed and blew his nose. It took a couple of tries before he had it clear enough to be able to talk. He prepared the tea and had Kitt warm it with a probe that plugged into the cigarette lighter. Then when it was ready, he swallowed two of the Tylenol and one of the antihistamine. He opened the nose spray and attempted to inhale a couple of squirts. The mist tickled his nose and he promptly sneezed into his cupped hand. "Gesundheit." Kitt remarked. Michael rolled his eyes at the voicebox. "Are you goind do drive ob shall I? He snapped angrily. "No need to get upset, Michael." Kitt started the engine and pulled away. He resumed course for the semi as Michael sipped the hot tea. They rode in silence for an hour, punctuated only by Michael's soft coughs or an occasional muffled sneeze and a sniffle. Finally Michael could take the silence no longer. "Kitt?" He called out softly. The car didn't respond right away, but kept on driving down the daylit highway. Michael tried again. "Kitt?" "Yes, Michael?" Kitt responded at last, although a bit hesitantly. "I didn't mean to snap at you," Michael's speech was a bit clearer now, the antihistamine had helped to clear most of the congestion. He still felt feverish, and he was starting to feel sleepy from the long drive combined with the drowsiness of the medication. "It's okay, Michael," Kitt's reply was softly spoken. "No. It's not okay." He sniffed once, cleared his throat and continued. "I respect you too much to treat you that way. I may be feeling under the weather but that is no excuse for my behavior. " He sniffed again and had to wipe his nose. "I'm sorry, Kitt." Kitt was touched by Michael's sincere apology. "Thank you, Michael." Michael smiled and rubbed the dash. "Am I forgiven?" "You are forgiven. Now lay back and rest. Let the medicine work." "Sounds like a good idea, pal." Michael curled against the headrest and his eyes slid shut. "Sounds like a good idea." In no time at all Michael was sound asleep. ************************* The fever broke while Michael was sleeping and he woke to find his body bathed in a light sweat. He felt grimy and he wished for a shower. He pushed the blanket off his body and onto the passenger seat. With one hand he turned off the heat. "Feeling better, Michael?" Michael wiped the sweat off his brow. With any luck they would be closer to the semi and he could get that shower. His nose was blocked again. The medicines may have helped his fever, but they were lousy at keeping the congestion at bay. "Kibt?" "We are 4 hours away from the semi, Michael." Kitt answered, anticipating the question. "Gobd." Michael answered and began preparing another cup of tea. His hands were full and he was unprepared for the next sneezing attack. "HeT'Choo!" The mug he was holding tipped precariously. "Heh-heh-T'choo!" The wet sneeze sprayed the steering wheel and dash. "Keh-KeTC'hoo!" He had put the mug down and was reaching for the tissues. "Eh-KasheW!" The next sneeze seemed to build forever. "Eh-Eh-Eh," he held the tissues now, trying to coax it out. "Eh-KASHEEW!!" It exploded from him at last. "Bless you!" Kitt exclaimed when he was sure Michael was done. "Thabks." Michael blew his nose and tried to wipe off the dash and sneeze-sprayed steering wheel. "Sobby." He tossed the tissues away. "Thad wad kidda mebby." "It's a good thing I can't catch it, Michael." Kitt answered. "Or else Bonnie might get annoyed." Michael smiled in spite of himself. "Yeah, sbe woubld." He finished the tea and took another one of the antihistamine. He didn't want to look as bad as he felt when they finally pulled up to the semi. "Hey, Bubby?" "Yes, Michael?" "Is dere a baddroom anywhede neadby?" "Unfortunately not. I have increased speed by 10%. We should now reach the semi in 2 hours. Can it wait?" Kitt queried. "I guess ids gonna habe do." He crossed his legs somewhat, hoping that would ease the pressure in his bladder some. If worse came to worse, there were trees... *************** Michael awoke to a jolt. He hadn't even realized that he had nodded off again. His eyes opened to see the semi looming in front of them. Kitt was just pulling inside. "Michael, I'm glad you are awake. We've reached the semi." Kitt announced. Michael reached for a tissue and blew his nose a few times to clear it. He wasn't as stuffy now, but he still felt drowsy. "Good." Once the car came to a halt he opened the door and got out. Bonnie was just coming out to greet them with a big smile on her face. It quickly faded when she got a good look at Michael. "Michael? You look like hell. Are you okay?" He started to answer her but sneezed violently instead. "HeHK'TSHEWWW!" He put one hand on the car to steady himself as another one built. "Heh-heh-AshOO!" He smothered it in a wad of tissues. He sniffed a few times then blew his nose. "God Bless You!" Bonnie exclaimed. She came over to him and placed one hand on his forehead. "No fever." she pronounced. "Thanks, and no. The fever already broke." Michael was still leaning against the car. Bonnie helped him over to the sofa in the office area of the semi. "How long have you been feeling like this?" She sat him down and went to get a box of Kleenex from the desk. "Just since yesterday. I'm fine. I'll be alright." He took a couple of clean tissues from the box she returned with. "It's just a cold." "Cold or not, I'm taking over now. I want you to go take a shower, get into some clean clothes and then come see me." She tapped his chest with one finger. "No more assignments for you until we get you well." Michael sniffed a few times. He blew his nose and looked at her stern face. "Yes, Mommy." He grinned his most boyish grin. She tousled his hair. "Be glad you're sick. I'd get you for that remark otherwise." ************************ Michael exited the shower feeling a lot better than he had in hours. His nose was still runny and his eyes still itched. The hot water had loosened most of his mucus and he had spat gobs of it down the drain. When he walked back into the main area of the semi he found Bonnie inside Kitt, cleaning up the trash. He went to her. "Bonnie! You didn't have to do that. I don't want you to get sick as well." She threw the last tissue in the garbage pail next to her. "I don't get sick." She grinned at him. Once the trash and other assorted items were removed from Kitt's interior, she exited the car and closed the door. "Kitt?" "Yes, Bonnie?" "Disinfect." Kitt's interior filled with steam as the car ran its sterilizing cycle. After a few minutes, the steam vanished and the windows cleared. "Cycle complete." Bonnie turned back to Michael. "That takes care of him. Now, for you." "What about me?" He followed her to the kitchen. "We are going to get you some hot soup, tea, and put you to bed." She reached into the small cupboard and took out the ingredients she needed. "Bonnie," he protested. "I can take care of myself." His nose was still drippy and he ran the back of his hand against it. Bonnie plucked a napkin out of a drawer and handed it to him. "Suuuuure you can." He grimaced but took the napkin. "You don't have to mother me. I'm fine, Bonnie." No sooner than the words were out of his mouth, did he regret them. He smothered two quick sneezes into the napkin and blew his nose. "Uh-huh." She looked unconvinced. "Bless you. Now go wait on the sofa for me." "Bonnie..." She turned and gave him a look that had him backing down instantly. He turned away. "I think I'll wait on the sofa." "Good choice." She began preparing the soup. Michael walked out to sit on Kitt's hood. "How are you doing, buddy?" "That should be the question I should ask of you, Michael." Kitt replied. "I'm feeling better, Kitt, thank you for asking." "I'm doing well also, Michael. How did you escape from Bonnie?" Michael laughed. "She's fixing me some soup and tea. I'm pretty sure she's not done with me yet." "I'd say not. Here she comes." Michael turned to see her coming out of the kitchen with a tray. He hopped off the car and went to help her. She looked at him sternly. "Since when did Kitt become a sofa?" Michael rolled his eyes, which caused Bonnie to laugh. He went to the sofa and sat. "Better?" "Much." She put the tray in front of him. "Now eat up, and then off to bed. It will be days before we reach FLAG. You are under orders to rest up until then." Michael reached for the spoon and sipped at the soup. "Delicious. Thanks, Bonnie." "You're welcome." She stayed at his side until he finished it all. *********************** Michael woke from his nap that Bonnie insisted that he take to find his head stuffed again. He wondered briefly where she had put his antihistamines. This cold was really getting on his nerves. The sleeping area was dark, as was the rest of the semi. He sat up and put his feet on the floor. A chill ran up his back and he shivered. The tile was cold and he was unsure where his shoes were. He started to stand and had to stifle a sneeze in his arm. "TshhShhw! AshhW! T'Choo!" Bonnie rolled over from the other side of the bed. "Bless you." She snapped on a light and handed him a tissue. Michael took the tissue. "Danks." He blew his nose. "Whad abe youd doind hebe?" He blew again and indicated the box. She handed him another one. "I got tired. There isn't much for sleeping quarters on the semi, Michael." She hesitated. "I didn't think you'd mind..." "Ids okady. I wad judt curioubs. And I thoubt id wad my charb." He wiped at his eyes, and tried blowing again. "Where were you going?" she asked. "You should stay in bed." "Medibince." "Ah.. you want the easy way out." She laughed. "You won't get better by suppressing the symptoms. It only draws it out longer. The only way to get rid of the cold is to let it run it's course. Which means you have to put up with the congestion, coughs, and sneezes. It's the body's natural way to fight the infection. You want to get well, don't you?" He nodded. "Bud sdill, I cand breede." "You can breathe just fine. Now back into bed." He sighed but obeyed. "Roll over, on your side." She waited until he did as she asked then began rubbing his shoulders gently. "How does that feel? Good?" At his nod she continued. "I want you to relax, just relax your body." She rubbed soothing circles on his back. "Think of nothing else but sleep." He melted into her touch, and started to drift off. However his body had other ideas. His muscles tensed as a sneezing fit began. "T'Shoo! EhKaT'Shoo! HupT'Choo!" He sat up quickly. "AHH-T'choo! KerchOO! EH-eh-eh-T'Kshw!!" He gasped for air after the last one, reaching for the tissue Bonnie held out to him. "Bless you." He tried to blow his nose but it only make his throat tickle and he coughed trying to clear it. That only served to irritate his nose even more. He growled and coughed again and brought up a wad of mucus. He spat it into the tissue. "Ugh." Bonnie indicated a wastebasket next to his side of the bed. "Toss that there." She took a good look at him. "Hmm... is your nose sore?" At his nod she took out some lotion and soothed the tip of it with a few drops. "I should have done this earlier, seeing how red it was getting." He sighed. "Ids alribht." He lay back on the pillows as she got up. "Whebe are do goibng?" "To get a few things, I'll be right back." He closed his eyes and tried to breathe out of his mouth. All he wanted was a clear head. Maybe she had reconsidered and was going to get his medicine. That would be so nice of her, he thought. He was just drifting off again when the sneezes started up. "T'Shoo! HehT'Choo! Ah-ah-Sheew!" His hands clutched his sides as they heaved. "EhhehT'Kshh! EKSHH! HehST'Choo!" Something soft pressed up against his face and he cracked one eye open to see Bonnie holding a handkerchief under his nose. He reached up to take it from her, but she pushed his hand down. He was trying to hold back the rest of the sneezes but his body was winning out. She nodded at him. "Go ahead. Let it out." "Eh-eh-eh-eh..... T'CHOOO! Ashew! Tkshhh! AHAHAHK'Tchoo!" He sneezed into the handkerchief fiercely. "Done?" she asked. He shook his head and held up one finger. "Eh-KASHEEW!" Then he slumped back into the pillows, eyes streaming, nose running. Bonnie wiped both for him and held the cloth to his nose. "Bless you. Blow gently." He didn't think he would have the strength after that. He exhaled somewhat sloppily. Bonnie instructed him to blow again and this time he did a little better. At his third try, he emptied his nose enough to breathe somewhat. "Danks, Boddie." She kissed his forehead. "That's what friends are for, Michael." ******************************** Michael ended up spending the next 4 days in bed as his fever returned, and broke and his cold worsened then finally began to get better. He had spent long nights awake, in sneezing fits while Bonnie helped him through the worst of it, or coughing fits that would leave his sides sore and achy. She had held his hand, rubbed his back, soothed his sore nose and cleaned up after him. She sacrificed her own sleep at times in her care of him. She made sure he ate, drank plenty of fluids and stayed clean and warm. She would tuck him in with a kiss and stroked his fevered skin when it got clammy. She did all that and more. She didn't question him at all, cared for him with a loving touch and a caring heart. She would hold the handkerchiefs while he sneezed his brains out and would soothe his chapped lips. She encouraged him to let it run it's course, berating him when he tried to hold the sneezes back or stifle them. She would take him in her arms and gently rock him when the fits were over, kissing the back of his head gently and telling him he was going to get well. If ever there was an angel in the world, to Michael it was Bonnie Once the cold had lessened it's grip on him and he was able to do more for himself, only then did she back off. On the 5th day, she woke him up with a hearty breakfast. He had begun to eat more now that his head was clearer. She had prepared a plate with bacon, toast, eggs, coffee and orange juice. He looked at her, his hazel eyes bright. "Good morning, Michael." "Morning, Angel. What do you have for me?" She placed a tray on his lap with his breakfast. "How are you feeling?" One hand quickly touched his forehead. "Tons better, thanks to you." He smiled at her. "I'm glad to hear that. Now eat up before it gets cold." She started to get up off the bed. "Where are you going? Where is your food?" He stopped her with a touch. "I already ate. It's not easy preparing someone else's food." She winked at him. "I've got to run a few tests on Kitt. I'll be back when you are done." He tried to read her expression to see if she was lying or not, but decided she wouldn't lie to him. "Okay." She left the room and he dug in hungrily. ******************************* He snuck up behind her, having finished his food at least an hour ago. She was busy typing something into the terminal and didn't hear him. He wrapped both arms around her, causing her to jump. "Gotcha!" "Michael!" She lightly slapped him. "What are you doing out of bed?" "Come on, Bonnie. I'm dying of boredom in that bed. I'm feeling much better. You gotta let me up sometime." He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Besides, I'm getting lonely and Kitt has all your attention." He winked at the car. "Michael," she warned. "You know as well as I do that these tests must be run before we get to FLAG. We arrive tomorrow. I'm way behind on my schedule now." She didn't say why and she knew he wouldn't ask. He released her from the hug. "Bonnie, can we talk seriously for a few minutes?" She looked at the screen, back to Kitt and then to Michael. "Only for a few." He took her hand and let her to the sleeping area. She sat down on the bed next to him. "What is it, Michael?" He took one hand and traced it along her face. "I don't know why I never saw it before and why you never told me." She took his hand off her face and held it between her own. "What?" "How do you feel about me?" He searched her eyes with his own. "I care about you, Michael. You know that." "Is that all?" He questioned her gently. "Why are you asking me?" She looked down at his hand, clasped tightly between her own. She had enjoyed taking care of him while he was ill, enjoyed being the one he depended on. Now that he was well again, she knew he was just going to leave her. "No one would do for me what you did. Bonnie, look at me." He used his free hand to lift her chin. And then he saw what he had somehow known all along. Bonnie Barstow was in love with him. The realization hit him and he was left breathless. "I've got to get back to the tests, Michael." she started to stand, wanting to get away from what she saw in his eyes. He KNEW. He knew about her feelings for him. That simple thing made her stomach flutter. He reached over and pulled her to him, pressing his lips against hers in a deep kiss. Her fingers entwined in his hair pulling him closer and prolonging the kiss. It was wonderful and forbidden, sweet and tender and full of love. Bonnie broke the kiss first, and looked up at Michael. He was breathless and his face was covered in a heated flush. "Bonnie, why have you never told me how you feel?" His arms were on her shoulders, keeping her from leaving the room. "What good would it do?" She countered. "There is always some dangerous assignment you have to go on. You would never be with me, so..." She trailed off and shrugged. He pulled her close to his warm body and offered her a hug. "Bonnie, nothing is going to happen to me as long as I have Kitt to protect me." She melted into the hug, then pulled away. "We can't. Really, we can't." She got up then and left the room before she could change her mind. Michael was left sitting on the bed, speechless. He had known Bonnie had cared about him, but never how deep her feelings really ran. She had been an enigma from the first day he met her. Slowly he stood and headed out of the room. He needed time to sort out his feelings for her, as now that he knew, he could be honest with himself. The prospect of a romantic relationship with Bonnie intrigued and excited him. Now if she would only change her mind... ********************* Bonnie turned her head slightly under Kitt's hood to watch Michael sitting on the sofa. He was absentmindedly flipping through an issue of Time magazine while she had gone back to her tests. He had said nothing further about the kiss when he had come out of the other area. She turned her head back to work on Kitt's engine. How she wanted to run to Michael and continue that kiss! She sighed and finished tuning the component she was installing. She couldn't let it go any further than it already was. She couldn't get involved in a romantic relationship. Not with Michael Knight anyways. She stood up, wiping her hands on a nearby rag and walked around to climb in Kitt's cockpit, her mind still on the kiss he had given her. Yes, she loved him. She tried to clear her mind. "Kitt can you run a diagnostic on the booster relays?" "Certainly, Bonnie." Those lips of his, warm and soft, so tender and wet... She peeked over the steering wheel and watched him. His tongue twirling around hers in a delicious dance... She was so lost in that thought she had not heard Kitt calling her name. "Bonnie? Bonnie?" "Huh?" She shook herself free and felt a warmth creep over her face. "Yes, Kitt?" "Diagnostic complete. Booster relays functional." "That's good." She picked up a clipboard from Kitt's passenger seat and made a few marks on the paper. "Okay, can you give me the results from the sequential scan?" "Bonnie, we already did that." "Oh." She checked the clipboard. Damn. Kitt was right. Her blush deepened. "Bonnie, I sense that you are distracted. Might I suggest that you take a break?" "I can't, Kitt. We are behind schedule already." She flipped through the many pages on the clipboard. Too many pages, she thought hopelessly. "You will only fall further behind if you run the same tests twice." Kitt remarked knowingly. She needed to badly clear her mind and focus. However she couldn't get Michael off of it. The past few days of putting everything on hold to nurse him had spoiled her. She sighed heavily. "How about the fuel intake regulation check? Have we done that one yet?" "No, Bonnie." Kitt stated. "Running check now." She sighed again while waiting for the results. Michael was finished with the magazine and he was getting up, heading towards the sleeping area. She saw him sneeze twice into a handkerchief then blow his nose lightly. His cold was just about gone, another day and he wouldn't be sneezing at all, he would be on his next mission. "Bonnie? Bonnie?" "Hmm?" "Fuel check complete. The mixture is off by 2%." He hesitated. "You should take a break, Bonnie and go talk to him." "I'm fine, Kitt." "You're distracted, Bonnie." Kitt countered in is most pronounced Boston twang. "I'm fine," Bonnie insisted. "You are thinking about him." "Is it that obvious?" Bonnie glanced up from her notes, to stare at the voicebox. "Yes," Kitt replied simply. "Bonnie, he cares very much for you." "But he doesn't LOVE me," she stated as she made some minor adjustments to a few of the cockpit controls. "Did he say that?" "No, not exactly." She made a checkmark on her page, flipped it up and made a small note. "Then how do you know?" Kitt asked in all innocence. Bonnie stopped again to stare at the car. "I just do, is all. It's difficult to explain in a way that you would understand, Kitt." She lifted another page. "Give me an X-ray scan test." Kitt's number one monitor popped on and a visual of the sleeping area came into view. She was about to check it off her list when she noticed Michael's form hunched over by the bed. When he didn't recover right away Bonnie jumped out of the car and ran into the next room. Michael was in the throes of a coughing fit that wracked his shoulders and left him unable to gasp for air. She came around behind him and began pounding on his back with the heel of her hand between his shoulder blades. He coughed loudly twice then hawked up a huge wad of mucus which he spat into a tissue. He leaned back against the bed, gasping. His face lost the bluish color it had been acquiring and his normal color was returning. He wiped the tears away that had begun to leak out of his eyes. "Thanks," he gasped. Bonnie retrieved a fresh tissue and wiped the last of the tears off his face gently. "Can't have you dying on me now. I've invested too much time in getting you well." She helped him get up to sit on the bed. "Bonnie, about earlier..." "Let it go, Michael," she interrupted him as she perched on the corner of the bed. "I don't want to let it go. I want to explore this new side of our relationship. I want to get to know the Bonnie you keep hidden inside. The wonderful woman who cared for me this past week." "Michael, please..." she started again. "Don't shut me out, Bonnie. You've opened your heart to me, now give me the same chance." He looked at her, his eyes a rich blue, so blue she wanted to dive into them. She loved his eyes and they way they could change color depending on his mood. She sighed, something inside of her still rebelling. "I've wanted to tell you for so long, that it no longer matters. I've come to terms with the fact that there is no room for me in your life." His eyes roamed over her face. "I can make room, Bonnie." She put one finger over his lips. "I don't want you to have to do that. You have finally settled in here at FLAG, and your relationship with Kitt is growing. I'm not about to interfere." He kissed her finger lightly before removing it from his lips. "You're not interfering." His eyes finally rested on her dark ones. He could sense a sudden shift in her mood. And he could feel the familiar tickle start up at the back of his nose. She was on the verge of making a decision and he didn't want to spoil the moment with an ill-timed sneeze. He tried to use the force of his will alone to hold it back. Bonnie thought deeply. She knew what she was afraid of. If she took the chance and it didn't work out, how could she still function in the capacity that Kitt would need her? She loved working with Kitt, it was the one thing that gave her pride. She was torn now between giving in to Michael and exploring her love for him further or just keeping it on a professional level. These thoughts ran through her mind as she watched Michael's face. He still had the same serious look on his face, but she thought she detected a hint of something else. She saw his nostrils flare just a bit, and it was all she could do not to break into a fit of laughter. Here Michael was trying to convince her to take a chance on him, he was so determined to get her to change her mind that he wasn't letting anything, including the urge to sneeze stop him. She couldn't hold back the smile any longer and let the ends of her mouth turn up. He felt it building, tickling and itching its way into his consciousness. In another minute he would be unable to stop it and the mood, along with his chance would be broken. He forced himself to breathe shallow, taking in just enough air to constitute breathing. He had to suppress it just a bit longer, just a few more seconds... He was on the verge of losing it completely when the ends of her mouth turned up in a smile and she spoke. "Okay, you've convinced me. You've got your chance." He let his breath out and felt it build now that he was no longer holding it back. He held up one hand to stop her from saying anything more while he turned his head away. "Eh-eh K'Tchoo!" He sneezed once then sniffed and was immediately assaulted by a second shorter one. "T'Kshew!" He turned back to see Bonnie handing him a tissue. "Bless you." Her smile had widened into a full grin. "What did I tell you about suppressing?" She mock scolded him. He blew his nose. "I didn't want to ruin the moment." He tossed the soggy tissue into the waste basket. "So I've got my chance?" She nodded. "It must have killed you to hold that back." He laughed. "I almost couldn't." He opened his arms and she slid inside. "Thank you," he whispered into her hair. "For?" "Giving me a chance." He reached down and brought her lips up to his, once again kissing her with a passion that ignited the spark between them and fanning it into a flame. -End |
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