Disclaimer: Knight Rider and it's characters are copyrighted by Universal Studios. This story is for the enjoyment of others and I am not making a profit from writing this so please don't sue me because I'm broke.

By: D Anne Paris

"What?" Candy asked breathless as she sat stunned in the passenger seat of KITT.

"Your father is Garth Knight and he’s escaped from prison." KITT calmly told her.

"No," Candy whispered, "Garth can’t be my dad! He’s evil!"

"I’m sorry, but that’s the truth."

"No…" she repeated as she began to tremble. "Everyone at the Foundation says that he’s evil. No one likes him, everybody hates him!"

KITT didn’t know what to say. Everything Candy just said was all true. The majority of the staff and personnel that worked at the Foundation all hated Garth. Some even discretely stated that if Garth had children, they'd probably turn out as evil and twisted as he was. Thankfully, only Devon, Michael, April, Bonnie, KITT, and Candy's mom knew that Garth was really Candy's father. Wilton Knight made it a point to hide Candy's true patronage from others, fearing that the scornfulness from other's would harm her psychologically and make her turn more like Garth. Garth, unfortunately knew about Candace since her mother told him shortly after her birth, in order to get him to help her financially, which he never did.

KITT analyzed what Wilton Knight would have said. KITT then gently told Candy, "Candy, I know that everyone hates Garth Knight but you are not like him. You are different. That’s why Michael and Devon decided to keep you confined to the Foundation’s grounds. They want to keep you safe and away from Garth so that he won’t be able to hurt you."

"Why didn’t someone tell me before?" Candy asked in a daze.

"Everyone thought it would be best to keep this information from you."

Candy’s anger began to form at the world around her. Getting out of the seat, she slammed the car door.

"Candy are you going to be all right?" KITT asked her calmly.

"No, I’m not." She said as she ran out of the garage hiding the emotions that were welling up inside of her.

**

"Devon, we can’t keep her locked up inside the Foundation forever. Candy’s young and she needs to go out and see the world around her." Michael told Devon as they were sitting in the study.

"I understand that Michael, but there are no other options. Garth can be devious and if Candy were to leave Foundation grounds she’d be vulnerable." Devon explained as he sat behind his desk.

"I know that Devon but…" Michael said as he got up and began walking around the room hoping to come up with an alternative, "there has to be some other way."

Devon thought a moment, "We could send her out of the United States. If she were in another country, Garth would have a harder time finding her."

"No," Michael shook his head, "She’d be even more vulnerable. She wouldn't have any of us there and if Garth would kidnap her then we'd have a harder time finding her."

Devon sighed, "There is nothing else we can do, Michael. Candy has to deal with her confinement until we know of Garth's whereabouts."

Michael stopped and stood in front of Devon's desk. "What about KITT?"

"What about him?" Devon asked.

"What if April could create another communicator watch like mine but with a homing beacon. Candy would have to wear it all the time but at least we'd know where she was."

"It might work." Devon thought a moment, "But maybe the beacon should be disguised as something else. An earring perhaps?"

Michael smiled, "I'll tell April to get started on it." He turned and was about to leave when Devon stopped him.

"Michael,"

When Michael turned around Devon asked.

"Would you like to have full custody of Candace?"

Michael almost staggered backwards, "Custody? Me?"

"Of coarse," Devon stood up and faced Michael, "I can only be a grandfather to her but you…" Devon stopped and looked at how young and vibrant Michael was. Michael had shown to Devon many times that he could be relied upon, and was very trustworthy. Michael would be the perfect father for Candace. And maybe even Candace could curb some of Michael's own bad habits. Devon smiled, "You, Michael she looks up to as a father. I have seen it so many times in her eyes when you do even the simplest things. Like just asking how her day went. She needs you, Michael."

Michael looked down at the floor, "Candy's,… " Michael looked back at Devon, "She's just like Wilton Knight said, 'gifted'. I can't be her father, Devon. I don't know the first thing about being a father."

"You do Michael, because you've already taken the first step by gaining her trust and her love. Something Elizabeth Knight never will be able to."

Michael looked puzzled and didn't understand what Devon was trying to say.

Devon opened a drawer in his desk, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to Michael. "Read this."

Michael took the envelope and read the return address, "Department of Children and Family Services?" he opened the envelope and read the letter inside outloud,

"Dear Mr. Miles, I am writing in regards to the custody of Candace Clarissa Knight age 7. We have learned that her mother, Emily Yates, has been missing now for a year. Our files indicate that the above stated minor has been under your custody for the year. I would like to inform you that your custody over the above stated minor will no longer be needed as the minor's grandmother, Ms. Elizabeth Knight has petitioned for full custody. Since Ms. Elizabeth Knight is the minor's biological grandmother, the court would like to automatically transfer custody to her. If you wish to contest then a court date can be arranged." Michael stopped reading the letter and looked at Devon.

"I won't lie to you, Michael." Devon began, "I've talked to the Foundation's attorney's and they're not very optimistic that I'll be given full custody of Candace."

"What makes you think that I'll have a better chance?"

"You carry the Knight name and you even have the appearance of…"

Michael picked up Devon's train of thought, "Her real father, Garth." Michael sighed. Sure, he liked having Candy around but would he be the ideal father for her? If he didn't fight for her custody then Elizabeth Knight would surely make Candy into a criminal like her real father. Michael decided his doubts would have to be put aside. Since Emily and now Devon couldn't help her, it was up to him. Michael handed back the envelope to Devon. "All right, but only if Candy wants me to be her father…"

The door to the study suddenly opened and Candy stormed in.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" she yelled at both Devon and Michael.

Devon was the first to speak, "Candace, what in the world is the matter?"

"The matter!?" she yelled, "Garth Knight is the matter!"

Michael and Devon froze.

"So you knew?" Candy asked them annoyed. "Why didn't you tell me he was my dad!?"

Michael came up to her and knelt in front of her, "Candy, how did you find out about Garth?"

Candy felt tears well up in her eyes, "I just did. Why didn't you tell me?"

Michael took hold of her small shoulders, "We didn't feel that you needed to know."

"I did need to know." She said with anger, "My father's evil and that's why everyone's leaving me!"

Devon couldn't believe that Candy thought that. "Child, no one is leaving you."

"My dad left me and now my mom left me and it's because I'm evil." Candy told them as her voice started to crack.

"No," Michael told her as he felt the pain that was in her voice, "That's not true. You are not evil, you're very special and precious. We didn't tell you about who your real father was because we were afraid that you would react just like you're acting now. "

"Really?" Candy asked with some doubt in her mind.

"Yes." Michael told her as he still held on to her shoulders, "And just because your father is evil doesn't mean that you'll be just like him."

"It doesn't?"

"No, not at all. In fact what would you say if I told you that I want to be your father?" Michael asked with hope that she would accept him as a father.

Candy didn't believe that she heard right, "You want to be my dad?"

"Yes, I do."

"For real? No joke?" Candy asked with hope

  Michael smiled, "No joke. I want you to be my daughter."

Candy smiled and hugged Michael.

"I guess that means that she definitely wants you to be her father." Devon told Michael as he stood up and still held Candy.

Candy smiled and nodded her head, "Yup."

"Don't forget to tell that to the judge," Michael told her as she still held him in a bear hug.

"I won't." she promised him as she slowly released her grip. Still, she kept her arms around Michael's neck so he wouldn't let her down.

"Why don't you go to the kitchen and see if there's some ice cream?" Michael suggested. "I'll come down in a minute to join you, okay?"

"Okay" Candy told him with a big smile.

Michael then put her down and she ran out to the kitchen.

When she was gone Michael asked Devon, "Do you have any idea how she managed to find out about Garth?"

Before Devon could respond KITT chimed in, "I believe I can answer that." His voice said over Michael's watch.

"KITT? How would you know?" Devon asked.

"Because I was the one who told her."

"You!?" Michael asked irritated, "You were authorized…"

"She knew the Authorization code."

Michael turned to Devon, "How could she have found out?"

"She could have memorized every code that she heard and then tried each one." Devon suggested, hoping that was the case.

"She didn't. She knew exactly which code it was." KITT told them. "And that's not all. Candy was able to get into the garage by herself."

"What!?" Devon asked shocked, "That's impossible, you need fingerprint identification."

"She got in without it."

Michael thought a moment, "Could the door just have been malfunctioning?"

"No," KITT said again from the watch, "The door was working. I went through the logs of who came in and the code Candy used to get in is one that I haven't seen before."

"Why not?" Devon asked, "If there is any chance of a security risk then we need to know, KITT."

"The code that Candy used is specially written so that it over passes the mandatory fingerprint identification. Also it writes the name of the entrant as the last person who entered beforehand." KITT explained, "Who ever wrote it knew what they were doing. That person alone could open every type of confidential area of the Foundation and Knight Industries."

Alarmed, Devon turned to Michael, "You have to find out how Candy got that code."

Michael nodded and then asked KITT, "By the way, why were you listening to our conversation?"

"Because I am on surveillance mode which means that I have to monitor even your conversation and if I might say, the homing beacon was a wonderful idea but it would only work for short range distances."

"Thanks for the input." Michael told him.

"My pleasure."

With that, Michael set out and headed to the kitchen.

**

Candy scooped up some chocolate ice cream from the carton and put it into her ice cream cup. She then put another scoop of chocolate and slowly started to eat it.

Hearing footsteps, she knew that it was Michael. "Do you want some ice cream?"

Michael smiled as he entered the kitchen, "No, that's okay. I prefer a beer."

Candy wrinkled her nose. Michael let her taste it once and she hated it. It was so sour and it smelled. She had no idea why in the world he liked it.

Michael took the ice cream carton and put it back into the freezer, "You know, KITT mentioned that you visited him in the garage today."

Candy stopped licking the ice cream and tried to hide the surprise on her face. "Um, yeah. I was bored so I went to see him."

Michael opened the fridge and took out a beer, "But you know that you're not suppose to go there alone." He said as he opened the can.

"I know, but…" Candy quickly tried to think of something. "KITT asked me to come in."

Michael took a sip of beer, "That's not what KITT said and you know that KITT isn't programmed to lie."

"He is too!" Candy told him, "I saw the algorithm in his system…"

"Algorithm?" Michael asked puzzled, "Isn't that some sort of computer equation?"

"Uh, no. It's a …joke." She lied, "Instead of gleam in his eye, algorithm in his system, it's a joke." She smiled to try and emphasize her point but saw that Michael wasn't falling for it.

"I know you're lying, Candy. What I don't understand is why?" he calmly told her.

Candy couldn't look into his eyes so she diverted her attention to her ice cream, which was slowly beginning to melt in her hand.

Michael gently tried to make her tell him the truth, "I need to know where you got that authorization code to get into the garage."

"Why?" Candy asked frightened at what the consequences might be. Would Michael not want her as his daughter if she didn't tell him the truth?

Michael tilted her chin up and looked into her brown eyes, "I just need to know for security reasons. We wouldn't want anyone to come and steal KITT."

"I wouldn't give the codes to robbers!" Candy said with panic, "I keep them for just me."

Michael was confused, "But the person that gave them to you might give them to robbers."

Now Candy became confused, "Nobody gave me the codes."

Michael didn't understand. "Wait a minute, if nobody gave you the codes then how…."

Candy looked back at the ice cream in her hand. It was now dripping all over her hand and onto the counter top. She dropped the cone on the counter top.

"Candy?" Michael asked as he saw the panicked looked on her face, "What…?"

"I made them." She whispered as she began to tremble, "I'm sorry."

Michael, still confused, came over to her and hugged her. "Hey, don't worry. It's okay."

"I was right. I'm evil."

Michael pulled her away from him and looked into her eyes, "Don't you ever say that! Do you understand me? You are not evil. You disobeyed some rules but that does not make you evil. Do you understand?"

Candy, practically in tears, whispered, "But you said that if I gave the codes to robbers…"

"I didn't know it was you who created them. I know that you would never do that. You love KITT too much to hurt him."

Candy nodded her head, "I'm sorry."

Michael hugged her again, "Hey, it'll be okay." But Michael doubted that. If it was true that she created the codes then that meant that she would have to be watched closely to make sure that she didn't accidentally pass on top secret information to the wrong people. It would be even a greater tragedy if Garth found out and used Candy's fears to get her to do his bidding. "You're going to be all right, " He reassured her as he lifted her up and placed her on the counter top. Changing the subject he grabbed some paper towels and handed one to her, "The first thing we have to do is clean this mess up."

Candy nodded, "I made another mess."

"Hey, everyone makes mistakes. And we learn from them and move on with our lives." He told her as he took the melting ice cream and put it in the sink.

"Really?" Candy asked him solemnly as she wiped the countertop.

"Yes. Now you just worry about finishing your homework, okay?" Michael told her as he threw away the paper towels.

Candy nodded and Michael took her off the countertop. "What are we going to do now?"

Michael thought a moment. It would be really good to see just how much she knew about computers but he didn't want it to seem that obvious. "Why don't we go down to the garage and you can tell me what you'd like to do to make KITT work better."

Candy smiled, "Yeah!"

Michael smiled too but his heart was filled with worry. Wasn't there a saying 'With great knowledge comes power?' Who ever said that knew what they were talking about.