Four

Bonnie connected the power cable from the diagnostic centre to the CPU and flicked the switch.  After Jennifer�s experiments they�d had Kitt on this kind of support.  He�d used it to attempt suicide.  But now he desperately needed the extra supply of power.  Michael had dropped across the seats in the diagnostic area, lying on his back, eyes closed, buried deep in the world he shared with his partner.

He could feel the extra power around him and was being careful not to brush over any hardware with his mind.  He stayed close to Kitt, curled with his partner � his lover � in his arms, being the AI�s sick bed, his duvet and his nurse.  Yet there was nothing he could do except be there, hold Kitt and listen when the AI was able to talk.

Outside in the warehouse the Stealth was parked up against the TransAm, fender to fender.  Inside Kitt�s CPU, Karr�s presence was just as constant.  The shudders through Kitt had eased.  Now there were only the shivers that periodically drove through him.  His warmth held a chill that it never had done before and Michael knew somehow that Karr felt that too.

Michael kept up the long strokes over his partner�s essence.  Just to have Kitt back was more than could he put into words.  He�d shot a man, the bastard that had done this to the innocent life he�d kidnapped.  He would never regret Sachias� death at his own hands.

Kitt whimpered quietly.  Michael cleared his thoughts immediately.  //Sorry//
//don�t want to die//
//Kitt� you�re not going to die, I won�t let you fall//  He felt Karr too answer his brother�s fears.  //We�re feeding power in, can you feel it?//  He sensed Kitt�s nod.  //Rest, you�ll feel stronger soon//
 

Nick was on the phone.  The cell crammed between ear and shoulder, he scribbled a few notes, threw the pad down on the table and walked over to the railing.  �I don�t care what you do with the stuff, just get it out.  Yes� no, leave everything in the back bedroom.�  Taking the cell into one hand, he gazed at the scene below, the two black cars, Bonnie, and Michael.  �I know it�s a mess� yes�.  No, don�t do that�.  Salvage what you can� yeah, I want the usual�.  I�m dropping by in about an hour.�  He slapped the cell shut, but didn�t move from his watcher�s position.

Inside his mind, Karr was a barely detectable presence.  Karr was concentrating on Kitt, and Nick was getting just a peripheral view of the events.  It didn�t worry him now, even helped as he went through all the necessary details to assure that what had happened remained among themselves.  But he knew the later results would probably be even worse.

Karr was pouring everything into his life support of Kitt.  He wouldn�t move unless forced, or if the worst case scenario happened.  Nick sighed, feeling exhaustion roll over him, but he shoved it back. Not now.  He still had work to do.  Walking down the steps of the iron staircase, he went over to the midnight blue motorbike he also owned.
<Nick�?>  The question was vague, like Karr looking over from where he was at Kitt�s side.
<Stay, it�s okay>
<Sure?>
<Absolutely>
Bonnie looked up from her work, but he just gave her a brief, humourless smile.
 

He arrived at the scene of Sachias� demise an hour later, just as promised, after running a few errands.  A U-Haul truck was parked in the garage entrance and two men in work overalls were busy loading it.  To all eyes, it looked like the owner was moving, albeit at an odd time of night.  No one in the neighbourhood was actually watching.  Very few were awake.  Nick parked the bike next to the truck and walked into the house, nodding to the men.

�SJ?�  A balding, thin man in work pants and a stained shirt turned to look at him.  Pale, yellowish skin, watery eyes hidden behind glasses and a hairstyle that spoke of a mad hairstylist completed the picture.
�Hey,� he just grunted, drawing from a nearly finished cigarette.  Nick looked around the now almost empty rooms.  Two hairy young men were carrying out computer monitors and a woman with bleached blonde hair was unplugging electronic equipment.
�We�re hauling the stuff to the usual place,� St. John Winston-Pryce rumbled around his cigarette.  �Ed�s already doing vertical loops.�
Something like a grin appeared on the yellowish features.  St. John, always called SJ, was one of the less colourful characters Nick knew.  He was a mover, as he called himself.  Whatever needed to be moved, he did it.  He could get anything anywhere, without the official channels ever hearing anything.  He didn�t care what he had to move and he never asked too many questions.  The papers never told the truth anyway and it was only important for him to know where he had to be, at what time and when his payment was due.  That he looked like death warmed over came from almost no exposure to sunlight on a lengthy basis and too much smoking.
Nick nodded slowly.  �What about the subject?�
�Gone before we arrived.�

Another nod.  Just as Nick had ordered.  He walked through the emptying rooms, not getting in anyone�s way, until he came to the back bedroom, the only room not touched as per his orders.  The CPU where Sachias had imprisoned Kitt, the main workstation from which he had tortured him, were still intact.  There wasn�t a trace of blood anywhere.  In a way, it all appeared like a bad dream.  But it wasn�t.  It was the harsh reality and currently they were fighting for Kitt�s life.

�Anything else?� SJ came up behind him.
�No.  Destroy any furniture.  Store the rest, I�ll be over in the morning.  I�ll take care of the house.�
SJ nodded and walked back out to where his people were removing the final pieces.  Nick waited until he heard the truck start up outside.  Then he moved to stand in front of the workstation on which Karr had found the download program.  Using the satellite up-link he started his own download, a great many programs going into safe storage on his own computers.

He didn�t like the idea of the implant protocols being held anywhere, even if they were protected by the most complex encryption keys.  Still, he took everything, just in case.

When it was completed, he wiped the disk in the same way Sachias had made them believe he�d wiped Kitt�s existence from this Earth.  He took a small metal gadget from his pocket, turned the top disk forty-five degrees to the bottom disk and placed it on top of the workstation�s monitor.  Then he left.

He was half a block away when a series of loud explosions took the house apart.  Sure, it would attract attention, but if people had seen anything, they�d seen an introvert moving out before his house had gone up in smoke.

*

Rising a couple of hours later, making sure he didn�t disturb Kitt who was sleeping restlessly, Michael took the mug of cold coffee from the table next to him and headed upstairs to the kitchen.  He microwaved it until it was warm enough to stomach and drank it in four gulps.  He could hear a gentle tapping, Nick on his laptop in the living area.  But he hadn�t the strength for conversation, however monosyllabic, and without a word he headed for his room.  Nick glanced up as Michael passed the doorway, but he didn�t speak.  Instead, he reached for his partner.

<Karr?>  Along with the unasked question, he sent a wave of support.  The AI leaned into him briefly, gratefully.  <How is he?>
<Sachias hurt him>
Nick let the anger dissipate, its target was dead, there was no more he could do but be here.  <If there�s anything you need>
<Be there>  The answer came back accompanied by Karr�s embarrassment at his own reply.  Nick simply smiled and nodded.
 

Michael closed and locked the bathroom door behind him and dropped his robe to the floor, leaning in to turn on the shower before he stepped into the initially chilling water.  It heated up quickly and he turned his face into the stream, wanting only to feel even slightly human again.  He felt like he�d been on an emotional roller-coaster for two days and was currently teetering on the brow of a very steep drop.  This was unlike anything they�d been through before.  After the experiments, Kitt had been too scared to take control of the car, to take note of his surroundings.  Now, he was too weak.

He would have thought that there was no way Kitt was able to block him when he was linking so deeply, yet he hadn�t been able to grasp any clue about what Sachias had done to his partner.  Somehow Kitt was keeping what should have been a flood of emotions and thoughts to himself.  After all they�d shared, everything they�d been to one another, Michael couldn�t understand why.

Carefully, he turned to watch his partner sleeping.  He hadn�t pulled away from Kitt completely.  The AI was still tucked inside his mental embrace.  He�d just come up for air, as it were.  It was exhausting to link so deeply when his partner wasn�t closing the distance.  Usually they would meet half way, settle together in the place the link met the implant.  But Kitt hadn�t the strength.

Before all this, Michael had always thought of a shower as a few minutes of sacred sanctity.  But he had never forgotten, when they�d first come to the warehouse to hide out from Jennifer Knight�s impressive clutches, Kitt waking one evening when he was standing in the shower, and his partner�s confused claim that he was wet.  At the time he�d felt amusement and affection, but as their relationship had changed he�d found himself remembering that moment more and more, and letting the shiver of arousal run over his skin.

There was so much they still had to find out about the implant, Michael had started to suspect there was much more to it than they had at first imagined.  He�d often wondered how much Nicholas knew, how much he was letting on and if he was keeping anything to himself.  He and Karr had had more experience of the link than the other two partners.

The implant had become the most incredible thing ever to happen to him, with the exception of Kitt himself, and he�d just blown away the man who�d created it in the first place.  Still he couldn�t feel any guilt.  That surprised and worried him a little.  But he only had to glance at his suffering partner to reassure himself that there was probably a very natural reason for his lack of guilt.

After a time he stopped the flow of water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing his towel from the floor and rubbing himself dry.  Kitt was rousing, and Michael knew he had to get back to his partner.  Hauling his robe back on, still partly wet, he unlocked the door and crossed the wooden landing to his room.  Once there, he dropped back onto the bed and closed his eyes, taking himself back into Kitt�s CPU with growing ease.

//michael//
He reassured with a long stroking caress over Kitt�s shimmering form.  //I�m here.  I won�t leave you//  In his mind he imagined them lying on his bed, himself propped up on one elbow, Kitt lying on his back, storm-filled eyes upon his lover.  //It might help to talk//
//can�t//
//Why?  You can tell me anything, it�s okay//
Kitt seemed then to regard the dark form of his brother still close to him; tendrils of the smooth, ebony presence entwined with the grey light of his own.  Michael sensed tears, upset flood his partner and he hugged him tight.
//ashamed//
//You have nothing to be ashamed of//
Kitt weakly attempted to pull away, but Michael wasn�t letting go.  //you don�t know//
//Tell me.  I can help.  Whatever is it we will work through it.  Together.  I�m your partner//

Tears cascading over his face, Kitt looked away from Michael.  //he touched me//
Only the practise he�d had over the last two years enabled Michael to clamp down immediately on the hatred that rose in his gut.  If he needed another reason not to wallow in guilt over what he�d done tonight, he had it.  //There was nothing you could do//
//i tried!// Kitt�s tone was desperate.  //i ran but he found me.  i hid but he came closer//
//He wanted to experience what it was like to be linked//
//why me?//
Michael stroked his hand over the back of Kitt�s head.  //We don�t know he knew about Karr.  It might not have been a choice//  He felt a harsh shiver drive through his partner.  //I wish I knew how to help you, Beauty//  Another shiver, and this time a feeling passed him by, too quickly for him to grasp but enough for him to get a vague impression.  There was something Kitt wasn�t telling him, something beyond the torture Sachias had inflicted upon him.

//Please, Kitt.  I know you�re hurting.  You�ve been through hell, let me help//
Wiping his eyes, Kitt turned back to his partner.  //when you killed him� i felt it...  the pain�//
Michael felt his own tears start to flow.  //God, Kitt� I shot you�.//

*

Nick leaned against the living room wall, eyes closed, feeling the world around him tilt.  He was starting to have trouble telling left from right, not to mention up from down.  He knew his whole body was trembling, but he forced his muscles to keep him upright.  He wasn�t sure when he�d last slept or for how long.  Coffee, Coke and determination had kept him going.  Kitt�s assumed death had hit him harder than he cared to admit, to himself or Karr.

He had reached his physical, as well as emotional limit and he wasn�t the only one.   Somewhere inside his mind a similarly trembling presence was trying to remove itself from Kitt�s spark.  Karr was having trouble finding the energy for even that simple task and Nick ventured forth, reaching out, and touching some peripheral tendrils of his partner.  Karr gave a whimper and wrapped part of himself around the offered hand, using the connection to find his way home.  Exhausted, he flowed back along the link, touching Nick�s mind.

It was like liquid ice and Nick gasped.  For a moment, everything blanked out, he was surrounded by an almost oppressive, dark mass that radiated pain, fear, and terror.  And he couldn�t stop the assault on his own mind, as much as he tried.  Crying out weakly, he sank down against the wall, hunching over.  Karr was everywhere and nowhere, encompassing all and nothing.  He was unable to utter an intelligible word, but the emotions were enough.  They were on the rampage.
<Karr�.> Nick moaned.
<�.>

Nick reached for his partner through the iciness, trying to find the centre of him.  He was pulled into the maelstrom of darkness but he didn�t fight it.  He let it happen.  His own emotions were joining Karr�s and the two partners simply opened up, letting out what had been contained too long.  Nick pressed his hands against his eyes, feeling tears leak freely.  He didn�t care.  He was feeling what Kitt had felt, echoed by Karr�s rage; he was seeing the death of Sachias from three different points of view; he was trying to reach for the warmth he knew and loved.
<� nick �>  The voice was small, fragile, but it was Karr.
<here> he whispered in return.
<can�t stop it�.>
<then don�t> he managed, reaching into the maelstrom, offering his presence.
<pain��>
<it�s over>
<never will be>
Karr was suddenly there; the person he was, not just his appearance to Nick�s mind eye.   Nick embraced him, sharing the pain, just being there.  Karr didn�t hesitate for once and he simply clung to his driver and friend.  It was a never-before felt need and openness.  Nick was amazed he still had the strength for it.  He just sat on the wooden floor, back against the brick wall, trembling with his body�s reaction to the emotional overload from two minds.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Karr seemed to find a semblance of control.  He was calming down, no longer projecting as uncontrolled and wild as before, but remaining close to Nick.  He had never been this close this for long, even when Nick had been cut off from him by the cuff for a while.  Kitt�s �death� and absence from his personal link had shattered a lot of walls.
<Nick?> he whispered, carefully checking on his partner.
<Here>
<Apologies> Karr managed, trying to remove himself further.
Nick delivered an unexpected and very unlike-Nick hug.  <Stay> he offered.  Karr hesitated, seemingly looking at him with questioning eyes.  <It�s okay> Nick replied.  Somehow he got to his feet, stumbling, unable to walk with any kind of balance.  He made it to his bedroom and simply collapsed onto the mattress, shivering once.  Karr curled up around his mind, shields down, needing his driver.  Nick wrapped his arms around the dark spark, then his mind almost automatically slipped into the unconsciousness of sleep.  Karr let himself be pulled along.

*

When Karr pulled away out of sheer necessity, Kitt pulled himself into an even tighter ball.  Michael�s presence was unrelenting.  //It was the only way// he tried to explain his actions yet again.  //We were losing you and I couldn�t�.//
//i understand//
//No, you don�t.  You were gone� dead�.  I didn�t want to live without you.  I was ready to take my own life.  To have found you only to lose you again because that� bastard wouldn�t give you up�.  Nick was going to shoot him but I� I wanted to!  Dammit, Kitt, he�d taken you from me!//
Shocked, Kitt separated himself slightly from his partner.  //you would have killed yourself?//  His already taut emotions were close to breaking.
//The link, without you there� it�s not just the silence, it�s like a hole that swallows every thought, every feeling.  I wanted to die//
//michael�.//
//Beauty, I�m sorry//  He reached out, feeling Kitt reach out too, brushing over him.
//why do you call me that?//
//Because you are the most beautiful thing I�ve ever met//  The grey tint visible through Kitt�s once gleaming presence arrested his attention yet again.  He wondered if it would ever fade, or if it would always be there as a reminder of Sachias� abuse of his partner.
//even after� what he did?//
//nothing, nothing, could ever change what you are to me, how I feel about you//
Kitt stretched out tendrils of himself, indicating the change in his colouring in this private place.  //what about this?//  His question was quietly put, his shame clear as day.
In answer, Michael kissed him.

It was easy once you knew how.  An image, an idea in his mind.  A direct but infinitely gentle touch to Kitt�s sensitive core.  //I love you// he reassured.  //This isn�t because he touched you, Kitt, it�s because he tried to kill you.  He tortured you and he�s hurt you very badly.  You�re weak, that�s all this is//
However much Kitt wanted to believe him he didn�t know if he could right now.  Instead, he burrowed into the warmth and sanctuary Michael was offering and shut out everything else. Michael closed around him and settled down.  They both needed to find some peace.

*

Nick woke slowly and very reluctantly.  He felt cold and his head was hurting.  Almost instinctively he wrapped himself into his duvet, eyes still closed, wishing the pain away.  Something moved inside his mind and he briefly felt a surge of fear, then he quieted down, recognising the presence.  He sent a wordless greeting and was rewarded with a startled reaction.  Karr had fallen asleep as close as this to his driver and he hadn�t pulled back.
<�s okay> Nick mumbled, wrapping himself around Karr as he had just wrapped the cover around his body.  Karr reacted to the touch, his liquid surface rippling.  Part of him reached out toward Kitt and Nick stayed where he was, watching.
<How is he?>
Karr hesitated.  <That�s not an easy one to answer>
<Why?>
<He�s weak>
<That�s understandable. Stable?>
<I� don�t know>
<And you?>
<Getting there> was the honest reply.  Nick smiled, enjoying the strange warmth, the intimate contact of the other mind close to him, and Karr remained.  There was no sign of shields or flight, just the need to be reassured that Nick was there.
<I�m here>
<Thanks> was the almost inaudible reply and he felt a hum course through his body.

They remained like this for more than an hour.  Nick was drifting half-awake, his body relaxed.
<Time?> he asked lazily.
<Too early> came the reply.
He chuckled.
<They are still sleeping, too>
Nick rolled onto his back, eyes gazing at the ceiling.  He didn�t care what time it was.  He just wanted to lie here.  Karr sent his agreement.  It took another hour for him to finally make it out of bed.  He grimaced as he found himself still fully clothed.  Throwing the rumpled clothes away, Nick shrugged into his sweat pants and an old sweater.  He felt oddly refreshed despite the fact that he hadn�t slept for more than actually ten hours after days without sleep.  But he had slept deeply, as he hadn�t for a long time.  Karr had held him safely.

He started the coffee machine and then walked over to the rail, checking on the scene below them.  Michael was no where to be seen, and Nick assumed he was in his room.  The TransAm was silent, and Kitt�
<Resting> Karr supplied helpfully.
He nodded.  After breakfast and coffee, he would have to make a few calls, check on proceedings concerning Sachias� electronic equipment.

�That�s a scent that never fails to wake me.�  Nick turned as Michael came toward him, lumberjack shirt hanging out over loose black jeans.  �Fresh coffee.  I don�t think I could start the day without it.�
Nick smiled.  �You get some sleep?�
�I�m not sure.  I don�t feel like I�ve had any.�  He looked down at his own car, at the Stealth pressed into its side.  �You went out last night.�
MacKenzie nodded solemnly.  �We cleared up.�
Leaning forward over the rail, Michael rubbed his hands together, almost nervous.  �I owe you one.�
�No, you don�t, it was all in a night�s work.  I would die to protect the two of you.�
�Don�t, Nick.  I couldn�t have your blood on my hands too.�
Nick frowned.  �Last night, you had no choice.  One of us had to kill him or we�d have lost Kitt.�
�I know.  But� when the bullet took the implant apart and it activated� guess what Kitt felt.�  It didn�t need an answer.  Nick understood the horror the AI must have gone through, the single instant before Karr had transferred him back.  And in a computer mind an instant could last forever.
�You didn�t have a choice.�  He looked at Michael properly and sighed.  �You don�t look so good, you should get some proper sleep.�
�It�s difficult, he�s restless.�
�Let him go.  Just for a while.�
Michael�s reaction was immediate.  �Nick, you know I can�t�.�
�You know I�m right.  You�re exhausted.  You can�t keep up this level of support at that depth of contact, 24-7.�
Michael rubbed his eyes.  �I don�t want to leave him alone right now.�
�He won�t be alone.�  Nick could feel Karr in the back of his mind; he�d slept well too.
�Okay, okay.  Let me get some coffee than I�ll relax, how about that?�
�Deal.�

*

Kitt felt Michael pull away from him slowly and carefully.  He could feel his partner�s exhaustion and let him retreat.
<_Kitt
Kitt stretched out a few tendrils of himself, moving closer to where his link with his brother was.
<_Hello
The darker presence entwined a part of himself around the shimmering grey.
<_How are you feeling?
Kitt didn�t answer.  Instead he let Karr come closer, finding himself in a close, tight embrace.  <_Kitt,  he heard the AI whisper quietly,  <_I love you

He could barely believe he�d heard it.  Karr could barely believe he�d said it.
<_Thank you, Kitt murmured in a gentle hum of contentment.
<_Whatever that bastard did to you, Kitt, don�t let him take you from us again
<_Wasn't my choice, Kitt said quietly.
<_I'm not talking about Then. I'm talking about Now
Kitt shivered, trying to draw away, but Karr wouldn't let him.  <_I've changed, he whispered desperately. <_For the worse
Karr gave a snort of disbelief.  <_Nothing can change what you are, Kitt.  Nothing at all.  We are what we are
<_You�ve changed
<_I haven't, Karr growled in an attempt at anger.  Kitt looked at him.  <_At least not for the worse, he sighed in defeat.  A smile grazed the younger AI's features. <_We are what we are, Karr went on, sounding almost philosophical. <_A bastard like Sachias cannot change you, ever.  What happened was bad.  Very bad.  You died for us
A shiver went through Karr's presence and Kitt tightened the hold.  <_I died for
myself
<_But you survived.  This... is just testimony of what you had to go through.  Don't worry, black doesn't suit you, so don't even try to copy me, Karr added, grinning maliciously.
Kitt chuckled. <_Thanks, he said softly.
<_What for?
<_Being there
<_Hmpf.  It's in my job description
<_I wasn't aware we had applicants for it
Karr smiled briefly.  <_Are you going to be okay? he asked seriously.
<_I.... I think so. I hope so
<_Michael is there for you
<_I know
<_And you should trust him with whatever is wrong, with your doubts

Kitt looked at his sleeping driver.  <_I thought I had betrayed him
<_Why?
<_Sachias� came into the CPU.  He� touched me as Michael does
Karr digested this.  <_No.  Michael touches you with love.  Sachias violated you
<_I wasn�t sure if Michael would want to touch me again, after Sachias had
Karr was appalled.  <_Why would you think that?
<_I am no longer� pure.  Look what his touch has done to me!  A spike of emotion entered his voice
<_Kitt,  the other AI soothed his brother, <_Sachias touching you didn�t do this.  You were attacked with electric surges and spikes, you�ve been transferred in and out of your CPU!  You can�t expect that not to have a temporary affect!
<_Jennifer�s experiments on me didn�t have this affect
Karr could feel Kitt�s emotions simmering so close to the surface they were palpable.  <_Sachias attacked you, not the car.  Awkwardly, Karr wrapped more of himself around Kitt.  <_Michael loves you.  He isn�t going to walk away from you.  You�ve been through hell but you survived

Disturbed by his partner�s distress, Michael turned on to his side in bed and looked at where Kitt and Karr were talking.  He stayed in the back of Kitt�s mind, keeping his distance, just watching the two AI forms twist around one another slowly.  Michael couldn�t hear their communication, he just sensed Karr trying to soothe Kitt, and having some effect on his traumatised partner.  Not for the first time he felt incredibly thankful for Karr�s presence, for his link to Kitt and for his fierce care.

Kitt had fallen silent, thinking about what his brother had said. <_Why did he do it? he asked finally.
Karr hesitated. <_Because he was deprived of his own invention and wanted to have the personal experience,  he then added slowly, <_I wish he had taken me as his victim, Kitt
<_I wouldn't wish this upon anyone else
<_It would have been different for me
<_Why?  He would have touched you in a place you�ve never shared with anyone but Nick
Karr hesitated.  <_My partnership with Nick is different... than you and Knight.  His touch has a different meaning for you now.  It always had.  The violation would have been... less extreme
The grey light was pulsing softly.  <_It would have been a violation nevertheless
Karr shook his head.  This argument was turning in circles.  <_We are different, we perceive things differently, and our drivers are different.  It's that simple.  Maybe Sachias would have hurt me, but maybe I would have hurt him just as badly.  I'm not you, Kitt.  I never was, I never will be.  Right now I only wish he hadn't heard of you and Knight sharing the implant link
<_So do I.  Kitt sighed, <_I will always remember it
And so would Karr.  Through his brother and his driver.  AIs didn't forget.  He ran a gentle caress over Kitt.
<_But you are never alone.  I won't lose you to these nightmares, Kitt.  Never.  I... I need you
Kitt gave him an amazing smile and Karr turned away in embarrassment.  He had twice, within a few minutes, confessed his feelings and it wasn't something he was used to at all.  Time to change the subject.  <_Nick is taking care of the problem with the implant suddenly becoming such common knowledge.  He's erasing all files from accessible computers
<_How did Sachias know about us?
<_I don't know.  But we will find out, Kitt.  I promise you
Kitt seemed to settle down, leaning against Karr�s dark warmth as he would against Michael.  <_I owe you my life, again
Karr accepted his younger brother deep in his embrace.  <_You�ve given so much to us, Kitt.  Besides, if I lost you, who would I talk to during dull missions?

*

Michael opened his eyes and focused on the alarm clock next to his bed.  It was late in the afternoon.  There was a wonderfully familiar warmth in the back of his mind, and when he reached back he found Kitt waiting for him, settled quietly, tendrils reached out toward his partner while Karr remained close by.

Michael went to him, gathering him into his own arms, holding him.  //Are you okay?//
Kitt nodded.  //I will be.  I think� it�ll just take time//
//However long it takes//
Kitt stroked a part of himself over Michael�s length.  //Do you still� want me?//
Michael sighed, caressing the AI with long, luxurious strokes.  //Always//  Turning them, he brought them closer together.  //I won�t ever forget that orgasm we shared that night� what, seventy two hours ago?  I love you, I need you.  Don�t ever think otherwise, no matter what//
//Could we� share another orgasm sometime?//
He couldn�t hide his smile.  //I�m holding out for �many� here, Kitt//
His partner�s joy and relief was crystal clear to him.  //I wasn�t sure you�d still want me, not like this//
Michael knew the AI was speaking of the grey tint his presence now held.  //It�ll fade, Kitt, like the bad memories and the hurt//

Kitt didn�t feel like correcting Michael.  The memories would never fade.  However much time passed, every memory would stay perfectly preserved in his peripheral systems.  Karr had been right, neither of them would ever forget.  He wondered if it was the same for Michael.  Would he ever forget standing with his gun in his hand, ready to commit suicide because he believed his partner to be dead?  Would the sound of the bullet tearing Sachias� head apart ever leave his mind?  Kitt doubted it.