Rated PG

For Asp; may the memory fade.

Based on an incident that almost claimed the life of my husband during
Victoria Day long weekend 2001. Praising the Guardian Angel that was
watching over him that evening. All my love and thanks to elfin who issued
the challenge, knowing I needed to write this.
 

 Impact
 By Tomy
 

 Michael slammed Kitt's door so hard the car rocked.  Annoyed, the
AI sunk back into his CPU, waiting.  They were both upset.  The accident
could easily have been prevented.  If only people would use their heads.
Taking another look at his driver, Kitt watched Michael storm around the
car, occasionally lashing out in anger.  Kitt knew his partner had to vent
his rage,  if he were human, he'd be doing the same.  The speeds at which
they had driven across the desert had helped, it had given them both
something to concentrate on.  Driving on the edge of the car's capabilities
was better then reliving the moment, seeing the image pass though his CPU
time and time again.  He saw it in Michael's vitals; every time the image
haunted his partner's mind, torturing him.

 They might have prevented the accident.  If Michael had chosen to let the
other car hit them, it might have turned out differently, even if they had
clipped, the other car could have taken a different route, away from the
tree across the ditch.  It would have been no skin off their hides. Then
maybe that girl... Kitt derailed the thought.  Like Michael, he was
recounting the moment, trying to calculate what their options had been.

 He couldn't fault his partner's driving. He had somehow managed to get the
Trans Am out of the path of the Toyota.  Under any other circumstances, his
actions would have saved lives, or injuries at any rate.  But not this time.

 The driver of the other car was too intoxicated to react accordingly.  He
swerved awkwardly, losing control of his car on the gravel road.  Kitt had
scanned the car a fraction of a second too late. And even though Michael was
obeying speed limits, the other driver was considerably over.

 Dropping onto the hood of his car, crossing one ankle over his knee,
Michael gazed unseeing into the distance. "Was there anything we could have
done?" His voice was gruff, containing a myriad of emotions.

 "I don't believe so.  I've been going over this, just as you have and I
can't find an alternative decision.  This was not your fault."

 "I know.  They chose to drink and drive.  God Kitt, we need more of you."

 "As Wilton said, he would not give up the schematics..."

 "No Kitt, I didn't mean the car, I meant friends like you.  You would never
have let him get behind the wheel.  If I know you as well as I think I do,"
a small  smile crossed his lips, "you would make damn good and sure you
berated him to the point of never even considering drinking and driving
again." He paused, all humour leaving his features.  "But I can't get that
vision out of my head. I keep seeing it over and over." Dropping his head
into his hands, he sighed, his body trembling slightly. "I heard the crash,
that wasn't too bad, but her scream just before she went through the
windshield; then seeing her fly like that..." He trailed off as the sight
assaulted him again.

 "She was just as intoxicated as the driver.  She more than likely didn't
know what was happening."

 Lifting his head into the sunset, "I didn't realize she was drunk too."

 "Michael, have you ever....?" Smiling slightly at Kitt's fear, yet
understanding his partner's need to ask the sensitive question.

 "No.  Of all the dumb things I've done in my life, and there have been a
few humdingers, I've never gotten behind the wheel drunk - well, not before
I met you anyway." Kitt snorted.

 "They were  young, well educated individuals, I don't understand why they
would make that decision."

 "Looked into them did you?" Michael asked, not really needing to as he
glanced through the windscreen. "I remember feeling invincible too.  Though
never to that degree."

 "I think you still do at times." Kitt interjected dryly.

 "Yeah, I guess I do.  But, when I was in school, it was never a fear of
hurting myself, it was a fear of damaging my car."

 "If only you still hung onto that concern." Michael knew what his partner
was trying to do, and slowly but surely he was pulling Michael out of the
guilt and self doubt that had been swamping him for well over eight hours.

 "There really wasn't anything we could have done was there?"

 Knowing he was getting somewhere, Kitt answered the question for the
hundredth time.  "I've been over the footage time and time again.  There is
a good possibility that he would not have made it through that intersection
regardless.  The gravel on the other side had just been grated, he would
have hit that, and lost control."

 "You'd think we'd be used to this kind of stuff, huh?"

 "I'll never get used to a careless death.  But I understand what you are
saying."

 "You're not blaming yourself either?" Leaning back on the hood, he let the
warmth of the car envelop him.

 "Not anymore, no.  I had first thought that I had been careless, failing to
scan far enough ahead.  But he was driving at high velocity, beyond the
canyon.  Neither of us could have foreseen this."

 Hearing the familiar chime, Michael sat up.  They may not have been able to
save the young woman's life, or to stop her friend's from being ruined, but
the world was full of others, just waiting for their help.