Work Text:
"Michael," KITT said, "why have you engaged the manual override?"
Michael put KITT in gear and began driving away, silent, outwardly calm.
"Michael," KITT tried again. "Is something wrong?"
Michael drove on, maintaining a moderate speed and obeying traffic signals more assiduously than usual.
After a prolonged pause, KITT said, "Your heartrate is elevated, Michael. Do you require medical assistance?"
The faintest twitch of a snarl flitted across Michael's face. He said nothing, just breathed calmly, meditatively.
At the next red light, he checked his watch, and nodded to himself.
"Michael, I'm concerned for your well-being. Please disengage the manual override, or at least tell me why you enabled it."
Michael decelerated to a smooth stop, turned off the headlights and the engine, took the keys out of the ignition, and tossed them into the back seat.
"Please, Michael, say something," KITT implored.
Michael checked his watch again while pulling the parking brake. He locked the doors.
In the distance, a train whistle blew.
"*Michael.* We are parked on a railroad crossing, and I believe there is a train approaching."
As if summoned, the safety gates came down on either side of the crossing, boxing KITT in.
"Your heartrate is now dangerously elevated, Michael." His breathing was also clearly only staying even by force rather than out of calm.
The whistle sang out again.
"Michael, I think I deserve an explanation if you're going to take me with you," KITT said.
Another, longer whistle blast, and then the blinding light of the train's headlamp hit KITT, a moment before the train did.