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Disclaimer : I do not own Knight Rider. I am just borrowing the characters and taking them out for a spin. I promise to return them without any scratches, although with the MBS and nanoskin, I doubt any scratches would happen at all. I only own Kile and Kasey. I do not own the song either. It is 'Laughed Until We Cried' by Jason Aldean.
Author's Note : I was just listening to the song earlier and I couldn't help but relate it to Michael Knight. So I decided to write this in my AU. Enjoy!
He knew he was getting up in his age. He knew his days were getting shorter and shorter as the years went by. He knew that someday within the next twenty years he'd have to face those pearly gates.
But he knew he had plenty of good memories to last him forever.
Michael Knight sat on a white metal chair on the patio of his huge mansion, looking over the beautiful green grounds laid out before him. In his hand was cold glass of iced water, the condensation making the crystal slippery. The tall Oak trees in front of him had a gentle wind blowing through them, swaying them to and fro.
Kitt, his partner and best friend for most of his life, was parked right next to the patio. His radio was playing a gentle country music tune. Even though Michael's favorite genre was rock, he liked the softer melodies of country once in a while.
Michael caught the beginnings of a song he knew quite well. The guitar chords started out slow and gentle.
Going through my closet the other day
I found an old yearbook flipped right to the page of that senior trip
Down there on that Panama strip
Michael thought back to his days when he was still a kid, when he had nothing to worry about. He remembered the last of his high school days. Back when he and the rest of his senior buddies did all they could to play their last pranks on each other.
He played football, but wasn't anything near one of the stuck up jocks. He just played it to have fun. He definitely wasn't a nerd. He got decent grades, enough to pass high school and keep his parents proud. But his main goal in life was to have fun and find that one person to spend his life with.
We all started yelling when we smelled the beach
Couldn't wait to try our fake ids
We only had a few days
And a whole lot of memories to make
He laughed as he remembered his girlfriend, Dianna, at the time. She was short compared to him, blond hair with tan skin. Michael, her, his football friends, and their girlfriends took a senior trip to Los Angeles. The beaches were a huge difference compared to the hot desert of Las Vegas.
He could still remember the sweet smell of the cool ocean breeze. The way the cold water splashed when he jumped in the waves. He remembered the way the sun glittered on the rolling waters further out from shore.
Oh man, we were livin'
Didn't waste one minute
We talked, we drank and danced and said goodbye
We laughed until we cried
They spent a whole week down in Los Angeles. They went to clubs to dance the nights away. They stayed up until dawn broke and woke at noon. He and his friends were already close, but they grew closer in the span of a week. The last week before they had to split to go their separate ways.
This past year my family
Was sittin' cross-legged around the Christmas tree
Listening to granddad
We all knew it would prolly be his last
Michael looked around where he sat. He remembered always sitting out on the patio with Devon, talking about this and that. He always considered the British man as a father to him. Devon was always looking out for his well being, even when they were arguing.
He was cracking jokes and we were taking turns
Telling stories about fishin or lessons learned
Out on the porch with him
We all felt like kids again
The two continuously butt heads with each other in the beginning. But slowly Michael grew more mature and Devon grew more lax, knowing Michael knew what he was doing. Then, years later, their friendship was unbreakable. Michael always went to Devon for advice, no matter the kind. He loved him as any son would a father.
Oh man, we were livin
Sitting there reminiscing
We sang and talked and traveled back in time
We laughed until we cried
Just a couple of years after Kasey was born Devon passed away in his sleep. Bonnie soothed Michael as he cried for days. It was most likely one of the only times he had ever cried that hard.
Kitt had even tried his best to cheer his friend up. Of course, Devon's death hit him hard as well, since he considered the man also as a father to him. But Kitt knew Michael needed strength and support from him in order to continue on.
The guitar chords brought Michael's attention back to the future. He took a sip from his cold water and looked over at the gleaming black Trans Am sitting next to the patio. He never thought his life would have turned out the way it did. He always thought that he wouldn't make it passed 40 and live to see his daughter again.
He smiled at the thought that he was completely wrong.
It's like the best days under the sun
Every emotion rolled into one
A little of this, a little of that
Kinda happy, kinda sad
Michael watched as his daughter and her car started a water fight on the lawn. Kile had his water jets aimed right at his driver. Kasey had an extremely long hose in her hands aimed directly at the Challenger's windshield. Niether were backing down as they both laughed.
Just the other night the baby was cryin
So I got out of bed and rocked her awhile and I held her tight
And told her it'll be alright
Kasey… His pride and joy. He loved her with his entire heart. He was so proud of the woman she had become. She had her mother's beautiful face and strong will that he loved so much. He also knew Kasey had his own independence and courage too, something he was glad she took on from him.
My mind went back to a few years ago
We tried so long we almost gave up home
And I remember you coming in and tell me the news
Of course he loved his first-born son. Michael knew that Mike would follow in his steps and eventually take over for him. He knew it was wrong that he had to leave his son and first wife alone, but he felt he had to. He didn't want something to happen to his loved ones, something he would never forgive himself for.
When he had to give up his daughter, it truly broke his heart. He had always wanted a little girl to love and spoil, to growl at the boys who had oogling eyes on her. Bonnie had made that dream come true for him. And they both had to give it up.
Oh man, we were livin
Going crazy in the kitchen
We danced and screamed and held each other tight
We laughed until we cried
Kile and Kasey had finally finished their water war. Kasey was laying back against Kile's soaking hood while she caught her breath. Their laughter floated to Michael's ears and he grinned from ear to ear. He loved his family, loved them with his entire being.
He looked over to his partner and best friend for over 25 years and he suddenly got an idea.
"Hey Kitt. Wanna get a little wet?" Michael tilted his head towards their kids sitting in the wet grass.
Kitt fired his powerful engine and rolled back a foot to reveal another long hose next to him. He silenced his engine and squirted his water jets just enough to show Michael he was ready. The sad radio clicked off as Michael trotted his way towards the now visible hose.
"Let's." Kitt had a grin in his voice as they advanced towards their unsuspecting children.
Yes, life still had its good moments to cherish.