Knight Rider: Partners
Mike opened Kitt’s door and swung heavily into his driver’s seat. He was clearly exhausted, all his vital signs were reading just barely above sleep. Kitt was privately amazed he hadn’t passed out already.
His hands shook when he went to grip Kitt’s steering wheel, and he stared at them, as if amazed for long enough that Kitt began to get worried. He silently contacted headquarters, informing them in no uncertain terms that Mike was not going to be going on any mission from here, no matter what he said. Kitt would not allow it.
Kitt was programmed to protect life. For him, the most important life in his charge right now was the one carefully cradled within him. Mike needed rest, and Kitt would see that he got it. He would protect his partner in this as he did from bullets. He shifted into gear and headed for Mike’s apartment, which was quickly becoming all the home Kitt really needed. Mike jerked awake at the sudden motion.
“Kitt?” he questioned, his voice somehow slurring with exhaustion even on the single, sharp syllable of his partner’s name.
“I am taking us home, Mike. There are no further missions for today. Please put your seatbelt on so that you are not injured in the event of an accident,” Kitt said precisely, trying to hide the sudden, irrational…fear? Was this fear?
“Aw, yer worri’d ‘bout me. Tha’s cute,” Mike returned somewhat indistinctly, as he obediently fastened his seatbelt.
“I am…worried,” Kitt repeated, half to himself.
“Yeah,” Mike said, slumping back into Kitt’s seat. The sensors built into the upholstery to monitor the driver’s condition fed him a constant stream of information. He assigned it top priority, along with the conditions and other inhabitants of the road they were traveling. He was so focused on the data that he nearly missed it when Mike continued. “Means y’think ‘m gonna hurt m’self or somethin’ ‘n y’wanna stop it. ‘R somethin’.”
Worry. Verb. To torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts, to fret. According to Mike, to feel concern for the safety of another and/or to wish to ensure said safety. Kitt decided both definitions fit his state of mind at the moment, and added “worry” to his internal list of recognized emotions. “I…see,” he said.
“S’okay,” Mike said reassuringly. “Y’don’ have t’ unnerstan’ ev’thin’ right now. ‘N I’m with ya, anyway.” He then yawned so widely that Kitt was a bit concerned for the structural integrity of his jaw. “C’n ya wake me when we get home?”
“Of course. Sleep would be good for you in your current condition, and I am entirely capable of delivering us both safely home.”
“Know y’are,” Mike said with a grin, “y’re my partner.” And, as if that settled the matter, Mike dropped off to sleep. Kitt dismissed his worries and questions as irrelevant until his current mission was completed and concentrated on carrying Mike safely home.