Remembering You:
By: Taralynn Wakelin
The wind blew gently as he walked his short, brown hair moving with it. He smiled to himself as he walked the forest path shaded by the canopy of trees. He came to a small lake and sat on a rock, he shielded his brown eyes with his hand as he looked across the water. He sighed happily grateful for the chance to relax from his hectic job, as he sat there he never noticed the blue-eyed man with short, blond hair sneaking up behind him. The man carried a bucket of water, once close enough smiling he dumped the water on him. The cold water not only soaked him, but it scared the crap out of him as well causing him to jump up off the rock he turned to look behind him in shock.
"That…that was too funny!" The blond man said doubled over laughing.
"Really? You think that was funny?" He asked looking at his best friend and older brother.
"Oh yeah! Your reaction was…" He began, but was laughing too hard to continue.
"Then you should find this even funnier bro!" He said as he began walking towards his brother, who stopped laughing and began to back away from him.
"Don't!" His brother said seriously.
"Don't what?" He asked smiling as they continued moving.
"Can't you take a little joke?" His brother asked as he backed up not realizing he was going towards the lake.
"Of course I can bro, you know that! I love jokes!" He answered as he stopped walking; his brother did too at the edge of the water.
"So…you're not mad?"
"Mad? No, I'm not mad!" He answered smiling. "In fact I think your little joke deserves a high five!"
"Oh…okay!" His brother said smiling as he raised his hand.
"Awesome!" He said walking up to his brother still smiling. "Hey, what's that?" He asked pointing behind him.
"What?" His brother asked turning his back to him to look, as soon as his back was turned, he pushed his brother causing him to fall face first into the water.
"See, I love jokes too! That was funny!" He said laughing.
"You're a funny little man aren't you?" His brother said smiling after he had surfaced.
"Let's go back to the Tortuga and get changed bro!" He said smiling.
A couple hours later, the brothers sat outside in dry clothes laughing and talking about their afternoon when they heard an angry female voice calling to them.
"MARTIN AND CHRIS KRATT WHERE ARE YOU TWO?"
"You know Chris; I was just thinking we never did explore that lake!"
"Well, as Creature Adventurers it's our job! Let's go Martin!"
"You're not going anywhere!"
"Aviva! Hi, we were…"
"Going to explain to me why the Createrra is in pieces…again?" She said cutting Chris off.
"Oh…that!" Martin began looking at Chris before back at Aviva. "That's a funny story! You're going to laugh when you hear it!"
"Let's hear it then Kratts!" She said crossing her arms.
"Okay, well you see…tell her Chris!" Martin said smiling patting his back.
"What?" Chris asked looking at his brother.
"Well?" Aviva asked impatiently.
"Right…well, um you see…this part's really funny Aviva!" Chris said.
"I'm still waiting!"
"Yeah Martin, she's still waiting!" Chris said nudging Martin.
"What? I'd love to, but you tell the story so much better Chris!" Martin said.
"No, you do!" Chris said through clenched teeth smiling.
"Look Double Trouble, I don't care who tells me what happened, just one of you tell me!" Aviva said annoyed.
"Okay, what happened is…hey! It's JZ!" Martin said pointing behind her, she turned to look.
"I think you need glasses MK! Jimmy isn't…" Aviva began as she turned back to find the brothers were gone. "I'll get you Martin Kratt and your little brother too!" She yelled.
Three Days Later:
The sun shone brightly in the afternoon sky, he looked out the window and smiled. Today would be a great day for exploring; he put his Creature Power suit on and headed to the control room looking for Chris. When he went in Chris was at Koki's computer with her doing some boring research work, or something equally boring; which Martin had zero interest in, he spoke to them smiling.
"Sun's shinning, animals are out, and we're going exploring! Go get your suit on I'll…"
"Sorry bro, I can't right now!" Chris said cutting him off as he looked at him.
"What? Of course you can, go get…"
"I can't Martin!" Chris said annoyed cutting him off again.
"Why?" Martin asked confused.
"I told you, I'm helping Koki we're changing some of the Tortuga's software!"
"You can do that later bro!"
"Look Martin I can't right now, we'll go when I'm done okay?" Chris said sighing.
"Fine, you know what forget it! I'll just go on my own!" Martin said upset as he turned and stormed out.
Chris felt bad they fought he wanted to go with Martin, but he had work to do. He'd make it up to Martin later and go exploring with him wherever he wanted.
Later:
After leaving the Tortuga Martin walked through the forest angrily, he couldn't understand why Chris had wanted to be stuck inside doing boring work, when he could be outside exploring with him! After walking for a few minutes his anger went away and he felt bad they fought. He sat on a rock and sighed knowing he had been in the wrong for acting like he had. He decided to apologize and to make it up to Chris he'd help with whatever boring work he had left. He began to walk back to the Tortuga, but halfway there he spotted two deer off to his right and stood quietly watching as the doe and fawn ate. He smiled and went to sit down on a nearby rock to continue watching when he remembered his plan and smiling spoke to the deer's.
"Sorry guys, no time to get to know you! I've got an apology to make!" He said waving goodbye to the confused animals as he left.
He continued on his walk trying not to let the many animals and plants distract him, it was hard, but he needed to fix things with Chris. He made it back and was about to go in when the door opened and Chris came out, they scared each other and both laughed Martin patted his back as he spoke smiling.
"Now that we've had our heart attacks for the day, I wanted to apologize for our fight. I was acting like a child and I'm sorry! To make it up to you I came back to help you with your boring work!"
"Really? You did that for me?" Chris asked smiling.
"Yep! You're my brother!" Martin said smiling back.
"I'm touched! I'm sorry too Martin!" Chris said.
"It's all good! Now, come on we have bo…I mean we have work to do!" Martin said faking his smile.
"No we don't!"
"We don't?" Martin asked.
"Nope!"
"It's done?"
"Yep!"
"Darn, I was looking…"
"It's okay bro, I know you're relieved and it's fine!" Chris said cutting him off. "Just the fact that you're here says it all!"
"So…what do we do now?" Martin asked leaning against the door.
"We go exploring!" Chris said smiling.
"I saw a couple of deer on my way back, maybe they're still there?"
"Let's go!" Chris said smiling.
After exploring for a while they decided to head back, on the way they spotted many animals and had fun watching them. Near the Tortuga Martin decided to race with their new friend a little grey squirrel. Chris watched smiling as Martin ran trying to stay ahead of the squirrel, Martin wasn't paying attention where he was going and didn't see the rock in the path, but Chris did.
"Martin watch out for that…" Chris yelled trying to warn him, but was too late and Martin's foot hit it causing him to fall forward. "MARTIN!" Chris yelled again seeing Martin's head hit another rock as he fell.
Chris raced to where he lay unmoving, a gash on his forehead, he tried to wake him up, but he was unable to so Chris stood and picked him up, he put Martin's arm around his shoulders and supporting Martin he raced back to the ship.
"Chris? What happened to Martin?" Jimmy asked as he came out and saw the brothers; he rushed over and helped them inside.
"He was having a race with a squirrel and tripped! He hit his head on a rock!" Chris answered as they took Martin to their room and laid him on his bed. "Stay with him, I'm going to go get Aviva!"
Chris left before Jimmy could say anything, he returned seconds later with both Aviva and Koki. He paced as Aviva with Koki's help cleaned his wound before stitching it. After covering it with a bandage she covered him up and stood turning to Chris.
"Well?" Chris asked impatiently as he stopped pacing. "Is he alright?"
"Other then the cut on his forehead, and a concussion he'll be fine."
"Concussion? Are you sure?" Chris asked.
"Well, I'm only guessing I won't know for sure until he wakes up, and I can examine him." Aviva answered.
"When will he wake up?" Chris asked nervously.
"I…I don't know CK, he hit his head pretty hard!"
"You said he'll be okay!" Chris said as he sat beside his brother.
"He will Chris, he just needs to rest." She answered gently as she touched his shoulder.
"Come on let's go." Koki said softly as she left with Aviva and Jimmy.
The Next Day:
The sun had been up for a couple hours, he lay down on his bed and sighed he was exhausted. He rolled onto his side and watched his brother who still hadn't woken yet, he had sat by his side all night hoping he'd wake, but he didn't. Chris was scared, he wanted to believe Aviva when she said Martin would be okay, but as time past he found it harder and harder to do. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door he sat up.
"Morning CK, how is he? Any change?" Aviva asked coming into the room followed by Jimmy and Koki.
"None." Chris said quietly his eyes on Martin.
"Why don't you go have breakfast, I'll check him out." Aviva suggested.
"No!" Chris answered rubbing his hands over his face.
"Chris you need to…"
"I need my brother to wake up!" Chris said cutting her off.
"We're all worried Chris, but you won't be any good to him if you're sick from…"
"Koki I'm not going anywhere!" Chris said cutting her off as he stood.
Before anyone could say or do anything a groan from the bed made them all look as Martin slowly opened his eyes, Chris spoke relieved.
"Martin you're awake!" He said rushing to his brother and hugged him, he was so happy he never realized Martin didn't hug him back.
"How do you feel Martin?" Koki asked smiling, he didn't answer he just looked at them.
"Martin?" Jimmy asked confused.
"His head probably just hurts, right Martin?" Chris said smiling.
"I have just two questions." Martin said looking at them.
"What?" Jimmy asked.
"Who's Martin and who are you?" He asked seriously.
"What are you talking about bro?" Chris asked, the others looked at each other before Chris spoke again. "You…you can quit fooling around!"
"I'm not! I…I don't know who any of you are!" Martin answered.
"Martin this isn't funny anymore! Stop it!" Chris said a little angry.
"Umm…Chris why don't you go get a coffee with Jimmy while I check Martin out with Koki." Aviva said gently sensing the tension.
Chris went to refuse, but gave in and left with Jimmy, Chris stood starring out the window drinking his coffee he couldn't believe that after scaring Chris, Martin would be so cruel and make stupid jokes about having amnesia! His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and Aviva and Koki came in, he turned to them and spoke.
"So, does he have a concussion?" He asked.
"Yes, he does just like I thought." Aviva answered.
"I'll go talk to him and…"
"Chris there's something else." Koki said cutting Chris off.
"What?"
"Martin has amnesia." Aviva said gently.
"No, he's just a little confused and tired. He'll be fine!" Chris said smiling.
"Chris he has amnesia, I'm sorry." She repeated gently. "Why can't you accept it?"
"It's easier to lie to myself then to know my brother doesn't know who I' am!" Chris answered yelling, before he sat down sighing and spoke. "I shouldn't have yelled, I'm sorry." He said sadly.
"Don't apologize, none of us want to believe it either." Koki spoke.
"How…how long will it last?"
"There's no way anyone can know for sure CK. It could be hours, days, weeks, months, or…" She trailed off.
"Years?" Chris added, she nodded. "Okay…what can we do to help?"
"Showing him things and talking about his life are the only things we can do. We have to reintroduce him to us and his life and hope that something's enough to bring his memory back! We need to be patient and supportive, we can't rush him, get angry, or frustrated none of that will help!" Aviva answered.
"Got it! Okay, we don't want to push him so we'll let him rest today and start working on bringing him back to us tomorrow!" Chris said sighing.
"Good idea!" Jimmy said as they all agreed.
"I'm going to go check on him. See you guys later." Chris said as he left the room, hoping that they'd be able to bring Martin back to them.
TBC…