The Knight is Still Young

Chapter 18

Devon felt his heart shatter.  He knew everyone would be devastated, including himself, the little girl would be very missed and although he didn't want to admit it he could feel himself start to cry.  Soon the tears were rolling steadily down his cheeks and no matter how many times he wiped them away they just kept coming.

He didn't want to tell the others so he politely asked the nurse if she or the doctor would do it.  The nurse agreed to and they walked back over to them.  Devon looked at his friends faces, all of them bearing red bloodshot eyes and their cheeks were stained with tears, he knew his looked just the same.

'Ashlyn Knight's family?'  She asked.

'Ashley, Ashley Knight.'  Michael corrected her.

'My apologies and I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but she didn't make it through the surgery.  She passed away just moments ago.'

'No!'  Michael wailed and he clutched Bonnie even tighter as he sobbed desperately into her shoulder.  'Why?  Why?'

'What happened?'  Bonnie asked shocked.

'She lost so much blood and when we removed the bullet it released more and it smothered her heart, there was nothing anyone could do, I'm sorry.'  She said then she went to find the doctor and see if he was alright.

'Devon, we should get him home.'  Bonnie suggested trying hide her tears as she stood up.

'Y-yes.'  Devon nodded and they lead him down the halls towards the elevator.

When they got back to KITT he didn't have to ask what had happened, he could tell by their actions that the little girl wouldn't be coming home again.  They let Michael go back to the mansion alone in KITT hoping that the AI might be able to offer him some comfort.

'I'm sorry Michael.'  The AI said sadly.

'I-It's not your f-fault KITT.'  He sniffed.

'Maybe not, but if I had of been able to call the ambulance faster maybe she wouldn't have..........'  He trailed off.

'It's my f-fault, I let this happen, I knew that it wasn't over yet.  I should have stepped in front of her and taken it instead.'

'What if you'd been killed?'

'At least then she'd still be here.'

'Michael I understand how you must be feeling, but saying things like that isn't going to help things and I don't think I could function without you.'

'Thanks pal the feeling is mutual.'  Michael smiled weakly.

'You're welcome Michael, but if I might suggest that when we get back you should go to bed and get some rest.'

'I'll try.'  He sighed.

'You won't leave FLAG again will you?'

'No.'  He shook his head.

'So what are we going to do now?'  The car asked.

'Kill the man who did this.'  Michael said darkly and he out his foot down roughly on the accelerator.

At the mansion they all turned in for an early night, but none of them slept well, each one could hear the others cry's and whimpers from inside their bedrooms.  It was around midnight by the time Michael finally fell asleep in the midst of his grieving and even then Ashley plagued his dreams.

He saw her smiling and laughing, he saw her with her with him in KITT, he saw her the first time he'd met her, then he saw her with her friends at the party.  She had been so happy, in fact he'd never seen her that happy before, then he saw the guy and watched him pull the trigger.  He saw the flash and envisioned when he had been shot and almost killed.  Her scream filled his mind.