Chris paced around the hospital waiting room worried. Just hours ago had he received the memo about the baby, and now, he was tired. He was tired of waiting, and Martin looked up at him. "Bro calm down! You're gonna make a hole in the floor!" "Very funny." "Bro seriously. Everything is gonna be alright." "Yea, cuz you aren't the one who is going to be a father and JUST got told!" "Ay sheesh sit down and take a chill pill. Don't get angry at Aviva if it were me I woulda done the same thing." "What? Not tell her friend about who the father is until the day the baby is born?!" "Um yes." "Ugh." Chris sat down, and kept looking at his watch. "Bro. Bro just calm down and why don't you get something to eat? You look like you... Oh. That's it. You haven't eaten and have low blood sugar." "Shut up!" "Shh!" Martin smacked his brother playfully, and Chris smiled. "Yea yea whatever." "This would be a great time to get you a Pepsi." "And have me hyped up?" "I'd rather have you jumping around than hear you complaining. Can't you remember where we are?" "Near the ward?" "Exactly. Why don't we go see those cute little babies for a while?" "You got me ok." They looked at the babies, and one of them kept giggling at Martin. "Aww..."
After about 2 hours, the doctor came back. "Hey you two." "Hey doc. So what's up?" Chris asked, relieved to see the doctor after so long. "You're a father!" Martin smiled at his little bro, who was smiling like a kid with a new toy. "Want to meet him? He's over with Aviva." "Would she let us?" "Why wouldn't she?" "Alright she's over there in that room."
Chris walked over to the room, and knocked. "Aviva?" "Come in you two... Just be kinda quiet." "Ok..." Chris entered, and Aviva was on the bed, smiling tiredly, and the baby was next to her on its crib. Chris picked up the baby, and it giggled. "What's his..." "Shh..." Martin pointed to Aviva, who fell asleep, and smiled. Chris looked at the little label on the crib that said his name, and smiled. "Joey Dipper Kratt... 5 pounds and 7 inches." "He's big." "7 inches is how much a baby should be tall at least." "Oh." Martin smiled, and Chris rocked the baby. "Bro the best joys in life is when you come home from doing something and have your kid jumping around you or just shouting, "Daddy's home!" "I can't wait." Chris replied happily, and the baby grabbed Chris shirt. "What's up?" It smiled, and Martin saw the little pacifier on the bedside table. "Here bro... Maybe he wants his pacifier..." Chris put it in his mouth, and he began to suck on it. "Aww..."
A week later, Chris watched his baby boy crawl around, and make happy noises. He was crawling on the table, and he crawled over to Martin. He made a baby noise, and Martin started making faces at the baby. He giggled, and Martin smiled. "Bro you're great at making kids laugh." "Yea I guess..." "What do you mean you guess... Look at him!" "Ah he's just entertained easily that's why." Joey crawled back to the other side of the table, and crawled back to them. "What's he doing?" "I don't really know... Guess he's just getting a tour of the table..." Chris chuckled, and Joey giggled at Martin and Chris.
One day, Chris was sitting with his 7 month old son and his brother, when Martin spoke up, breaking their silence. "Bro have you noticed Aviva's never helped you with the baby? You and I have been raising him together..." "Well she's fed him and... Not quite else." "See? She's so busy doing other things she forgot about your kid." "Well... Gosh the last time she ever did something with him was when he was 4 months old. The last time she ever fed him." "See? Lets just say Aviva left you your child without leaving herself." "Yea... I guess..." He scratched the back of his head, and Martin sighed. "Bro you think Aviva dumped you?" "We never dated. That night lets just say it was sorta an illusion." "A romance illusion huh..." "Yea. We were drunk and I don't exactly remember what happened." Suddenly, his son crawled up to them, and giggled. "Hey son!" "Dadda!" Martin smirked as Chris' eyes welled up in happy tears. "Bro you ok?" "He... Said dadda..." "Yea." "He said my name!" Chris hugged his brother, and Joey thought he made his dad very happy by saying that.
Many years later, Chris was talking to Aviva alone. "Aviva why haven't you helped me with Joey?" "Because he's YOUR son." "But you're his mom!" "Yea but you created him!" "And? Me and Martin have been raising him!" "So? Let it be that way!" "Aviva... I know-" He didn't get to finish, because the next thing he knew, he had a red mark on his cheek. "Ow!" "That's what you deserve!" "Me? Oh look who's talking!" "Shut up you good for nothing Kratt!" "Oh. Ok. If that's what you want." "Very." Chris walked away angrily, and slammed the door. He fell into Martin's arms, and began to cry in his chest. Joey saw what was going on, and walked over to Martin. "Uncle Mawtin why is daddy cwying?" "Shh..." He pointed to sleeping Chris in his arms, seeking his big brother's comfort and protection. "Uncle Mawtin what is that mawk on daddy's cheek?" "What?" Joey pointed to the red mark on Chris' cheek, and Martin sighed. His little brother was strong on the outside, but very weak and fragile inside. "I don't know what that mark is Joey, but somehow... I know your daddy was hurt. He never cries." "How?" "Maybe when you're older I'll tell you." "Oh ok." Chris shifted in Martin's arms, and he smiled. "Shh... Bro go to sleep."
The next day, Chris looked at the red mark on his cheek, and sighed. He touched it, and screamed in pain. "OWW!" Martin gave him an ice pack, and he put it on. "Daddy look what I dwew!" Joey showed him the picture, and Chris smiled. "That's really nice Joey." "I made it for you and Uncle Mawtin." "Really? Wow that's really nice of you." He showed them the picture, and Joey smiled. "That's you daddy!" He pointed to a stick figure with spiky hair, and then he pointed to another stick figure with Martin's hair, "That's uncle Mawtin!" "And who's the little boy?" "Me!" Joey replied cheerfully, and Martin smiled. He had the beginnings of a crush on his little brother, and no one but him knew it very well...