The Knight is Still Young

Chapter 9

The next morning came quickly and Ashley was no longer looking forward to going back to school in case those bullies found her again. However she managed to pluck up the courage and she went, but Michael was worried. He knew that she was sensitive especially when it came to her past and he hoped those boys who had upset her the day before had been punished. He sighed as he watched her walk through the front gate, he just hoped today would be better for her.

When she got to her classroom Miss Avery pulled her aside and asked her if she was ok after yesterday. Ashley nodded to her teacher and rejoined her class as they went in and sat down, from thee the day went just as it did the day before with he exception that no one came to bother the girls at lunch. So when Michael came to pick her up at three o'clock that afternoon he was pleased to see that she was happy and she talked about how good her day had been all they way back to the mansion.

Weeks later and things were going great, despite Devon not approving of Bonnie taking breaks in her work to help Ashley with her homework. In the afternoons when Michael and KITT came to pick Ashley up they began to learn that she really loved school as she was constantly talking about her knew friends and the work they were doing.

'We've started doing new maths now and I got a star sticker for getting all the questions right.' She beamed proudly.

'That's great sweetheart, you'll have to tell Bonnie and Devon when we get home.'

'Yeah.' She nodded enthusiastically.

'You did very well Ashley.' KITT commented.

'Thanks KITT.'

KITT had begun to see Ashley as a younger sister and he was happy that she was having a better time with school now. He enjoyed having her around and taking her on short car rides to and from school, in fact he was starting to look forward to it. When they got back Ashley told Bonnie and Devon what she had done and they were very proud of their friends offspring, but neither of them were as proud as Michael who was disappointed that he had to leave again to do more work on the case.

The day however KITT was disappointed as Bonnie was going to pick Ashley up instead and he wouldn't get to see the nine year old until she arrived home at the mansion. Devon had suggested that it would look suspicious if Michael and KITT were always going to pick Ashley up.

So that afternoon Bonnie drove over to pick her up and was surprised to see Ashley running around with a group of boys that looked to be her own age. She ran up to Bonnie grinning before turning around and waving to them as they waved back from beside their mothers. She watched for a moment as their mothers hugged them and the other girls and she felt something she hadn't felt before. It was like a sad, almost angry sort of feeling and then she realised what it was: she was jealous.

She was jealous that she didn't have a mother, instead she had Michael and while she loved him she had never been able to pluck up the courage to call him Father or Dad. So she sighed as she climbed into Bonnie's car and put her seatbelt on, Bonnie smiled and asked her about her day so the two of them talked for the whole drive back to the mansion, but Ashley wasn't really concentrating. Her mind was wondering about who her real mother was and she thought of a way she might be able to find out.

When they got home she went to Devon's office and knocked on the door, she stood awkwardly in the doorway as Devon looked up from his work and smiled at her. She shifted nervously on her feet until he gestured for her to come in and she walked up to his desk.

'Hello Ashley what can I do for you?' He asked.

'I-I was wondering...if you could help me with something.'

'Oh and what would that be?' He asked slightly suspicious considering what her father was like.

'I want you to find out who my mother is.' She said strongly. 'Uh, please.' She added. Devon stared at her surprised; out of all the things he had expected her to ask this wasn't one of them. He was about to say that there was no way he'd be able to when he noticed the look in her eyes; they showed the sadness that only a girl who never knew her mother could show and being the man he was he nodded sighing.

'I will try.'

'Thank you Mr Miles.' She grinned and she ran around the side of his desk and hugged him using all her strength. 'This means a lot to me.' She whispered then she ran from the room and went upstairs to do some reading.

Devon watched the door she had just run out of, he didn't want to disappoint the girl, but he knew that finding her real mother would be a very long shot and even then that was no guarantee that her real mother would want to be in her life.

He had also noticed that Michael and Bonnie had grown closer since Ashley had entered their lives as well as his ow and he knew that they felt something more for each other than they were letting on and he hoped they might get together. He knew that would help Ashley as well his coworkers, Michael deserved someone special after what happened to Miss Stephanie Mason, Bonnie needed someone to help her lighten up occasionally and protect her and Ashley deserved a proper family.

However he knew he couldn't tell Michael what she had asked him to do as the younger man had told him that he wanted to continue on with his life rather than chasing ghosts of the past. So he decided he would do the task secretly and keep it between himself and Ashley as to what she had asked him to do.

Meanwhile Jennifer was talking with her fiancé about making a surprise visit to the mansion to see all her friends and she was excited to meet her long lost niece. However Samuel had expressed no interest in going, at least not until she mentioned Michael's daughter, then he was interested.

'I'm sure she's gorgeous and from what Devon's told me over the phone she's only nine years old. Devon's says she's going to school now and from what ov Heard she absolutely loves it.' Jennifer smiled sweetly.

'I'm sure, but is she and your brother close?' Samuel asked.

'I believe so, why?'

'I was just wondering, now if you want to go over and see them go.'

'What about you?'

'I'll catch up with you later.'

'Ok, bye honey.'

'See you later sweetheart.' He replied then after he watched her leave he went straight over to the phone and started dialling.

At that very moment Michael and KITT had once again located the chameleon and blown his cover, however he got away before they could catch him. Michael was furious with himself at not being able to put him behind bars once and for all.

'Urgh!' Michael slammed his hands down on KITT's steering wheel.

'I'm sorry Michael.' KITT apologised.

'It's not your fault pal, why don't we head back to our friend Armand and see if he can help us with our little pest problem.'

The chameleon once, he had escaped, went to his own hideout as he had a few phone calls to make about how to shut Michael Knight down permanently. However when he got inside the phone was already ringing so he answered it.

'Yes?'

'I might have found our Knights weakness.' The voice said over the phone.

'Good, what is it?'

'He has a daughter.'

'Well well well, he turned mine against me I thinks only fair if we repay the complement, don't you?' He smiled evilly.