Sophomore year started out well enough for Chris. The teachers were very kind and cooperative with him, and they were only weary of him at first due to his background before they realized that he'll only pack half of the trouble. No doubt he carries the same dream of adventuring and searching for more knowledge of creatures of the world as the one before him. Oh, there were a few teachers that Chris (or the student body) found weren't very… efficient, but that was expected of a traditional high school. No matter how well the school year might've started, however, it couldn't ever hoped to fill in the depressing void in Chris ' life right now. Namely, the absence of his brother Martin.

Martin had been accepted into a very good university that's several hours away from New Jersey, and while he had been very proud and excited for Martin, he also knows what it meant. He was very encouraging of Martin, speaking favorably of him attending a prestigious university, but both of them knew that there would be some changes. The two of them knew how the other felt, and so, before setting off for college, Martin reassured Chris that as long as he kept his dreams alive and well, they'll be seeing each other again very soon in the future.

That had been some months ago, and Chris was still not at all used to the absence of his older brother and best friend. The scalding months of summer burned out itself, and the solemn air of autumn arrived to fill in. September made way for October, and after the tenth month dies out, the foreboding atmosphere of November settled in. Pretty soon, it was the eve of Thanksgiving.

The hole where his brother left wasn't just felt at home, either. At school, Chris occasionally runs into problems with bullies that are bigger in size, and while Chris was surprisingly more than capable of handling them despite the aforementioned discrepancy in size, Martin was always ready to come to Chris' aid throughout his freshman year. The two brothers were fairly well-liked among the student body and faculty, but while Martin seemingly had no trouble in social affairs with the high school life, Chris was more… awkward and reserved compared to Martin, so to speak. That doesn't mean Chris didn't have any friends, however. He found consolidation within Aviva, Jimmy, and Koki, but even they couldn't ease the gap in Chris' life. He still felt lonely.

He found himself staring out of the window upstairs in his and Martin's once bedroom after school. The late autumn days played by with less and less daylight every passing day; in fact, Chris could make out some inconspicuous swirls of orange and scarlet in the sky as he gazed out at the horizon. He also saw that the deciduous vegetation of New Jersey were deprived almost entirely of their leaves, having most of it laid waste to their bases and are now being scattered haphazardly.

Thanksgiving was after tomorrow, and he realized that this may be the first thanksgiving that he'll celebrate without his older brother by his side. His mind soon drifted as he pondered about the holiday itself; the purpose of the holiday was to express gratitude for the many wonders and peaks in ones', or just about anything worth being thankful over. His thoughts shifted over to Martin, and he knew right away that more than before, over these next few thanksgiving to come, that the weight of not having Martin by his side will be heavier than before.

Chris sighed. "So," he murmured, "That's what it means when they say you'll never truly understand the value of something until you feel the absence of it." That something, or someone in this case, was his brother, and without Martin's ever-so-constant cheerfulness and endless optimism to guide and make him smile each day, he could feel the cold desolation of his absence.

"That's right." The sudden voice snapped Chris out of his stupor as he turned around to face the speaker. There in the doorway of his bedroom stood his father still in his suit from work and smiling lightly.

"Oh, hey dad." Chris said with a small smile of his own before sighing and turning turning around to face the window again. He was startled to find that it was raining outside, and the darkened clouds had curtained off the last remaining daylights early, leaving him with a somewhat more clear reflection of himself in the window. "Had it just started to rain?"

His dad came over to sit by him near the window. "Sure did, and I was lucky that it was only letting loose a few droplets when I got home." His dad grinned before he let a more serious expression take over his face. "So what were we thinking about before?"

Chris paused. He could just shrug it off and try to hide the fact that he was feeling lonely during the brink of a holiday where one was supposed to be celebrating and thanking in good cheers with their loved ones for all of the good that has happened to them in life, but he knew that it was obvious to everyone as to what he's been feeling. His grades didn't suffer and drop from the superb values that he was known to maintain, but everyone around him knew that he was slightly off from it in his everyday dealings. He had coped well enough, but it just seemed to be this particular approaching holiday that brought him down more than any other day.

There was a brief moment before he gave a relenting sighed and looked briefly into his dad's eyes. "I... miss him." He finally let out.

His dad nodded, his eyes full of understanding and sympathy as he wrapped an arm around his youngest son's shoulders. "I know, and I understand how you feel. Sometimes, I feel like there's this dark, cold space where your brother should've been, and life just kind of seems more slightly ever so bleak without your brother as the big ball of sunshine to light it up."

Chris nodded as he fondly hung onto every word his father spoke. "It's true that I myself never really knew what it was like to have my eldest son absent from my own home until he moved out for college, and that's when reality hits where it hurts," He continued. However, Chris looked up now that there was another tone creeping into his voice. "I guess that means your mother and I will have to make due without your brother making rash decisions that gets him into trouble every minute." At this, he raised an eyebrow at his dad as a faint smile played across his lips. His dad gave a smirk in response before going on. "Which is somewhat of a relief, because I think we both faced enough gray hair-inducing stress for a lifetime worrying about what sort of trouble you two get into everyday." At the mention of him, Chris gave a snort, but he doesn't try to deny the implications. Nine times out of ten, the two brothers were found to be guilty partners-in-crime in whatever wayward escapade the two had cooked up, and despite Chris supposedly being the more careful of the two, he found that the alluring taste of adventure, as well as his older brother's excitement and sense of need to follow Martin through whatever great idea they hatched up would deter his decision-making skills.

"But while it's a relief that you alone can only whip up a quarter of the mass destruction that you two are capable of," At this, Chris let loose a chuckle, "The prospect of leaving your brother to fend for himself alone at campus is a worrying one in itself." Chris' face suddenly turned straight as he nodded seriously. "You're right, it is something to be concerned about." Father and son stared at each other in the eyes for a moment before they both broke out laughing again. Their laughter resonated through the floor upstairs, and they stayed like that for a good minute or two before they settled down again.

"But I wouldn't worry too much about Martin," Chris finally found his voice again, and there was still a smile on his face. "I think he knows how real and serious it is to be away alone at a well-known university, and maybe the tamed atmosphere will do him some good to stay restrained." His father nodded. "I hope so, after all, you know him better than the rest of us."

The two were quiet for several moments, and Chris again took to staring out of the window that shows the now heavily raining outside. It was good to converse with his dad, but there was still the empty feeling of not having his sibling by him. His father broke the silence again. "It's like you said, Chris. Attending a prestigious university and staying at their dormitory is just the beginning of reality from this world, and Martin should know now to be more serious than ever." He paused before continuing. "He's eighteen-almost turning nineteen, and he needs to get an impression of what it means to be out there in the real world. Alone. Without having his family-including his younger brother-by his side, so that he could learn to make something for himself. "

Chris' eyes drooped a bit, and he gave an internal sigh at the truth that his father spoke. His dad continued, though. "There are times in our lives when we need to venture out alone and determine our own choices in life. Martin's biggest decision was to attend this university, and if you are right about Martin, then he's coping pretty well at where he is. And you, Chris." At the sound of his name, Chris turned to face his dad. His expression held no lingering trace of the carefreeness that he shared with his youngest son earlier: only solemness. "Son, this would be a good time to get used to not having your brother by your side. Right now, you still have your mother and I by your side, but there'll be a point later in life where you might possibly have to go alone without anyone. Your brother's absence is only the beginning, but I think you're doing well so far. You can't always have Martin looking out for you-"

"Yes I can!" Chris interjected somewhat forcefully. Surprised and apologetic of his outlash, he took his voice down lower in volume, but no less in firmness. "Martin and I made a promise that we'll always have each other's backs no matter what, that we'll always be there for each other through the good times and bad. I don't think either one of us is going to back on our words." His dad sighed. "I know, and I'm glad that you boys will always share that wonderful bond, but Chris, you need to know that Martin has his own worries right now. And while I'm sure he's always wondering about how well you're doing as much as you are for him, he can't possibly drop everything and come straight here in an eight-hour drive just for your sake."

Chris relented. He knew that Martin most certainly will cross over numerous state borders in a drive if he even had a feeling that Chris might need him, but Chris couldn't ask that of him. He couldn't get in Martin's way of having a college education in fear of ruining his career. "I know, but it's just that… we both share a dream of one day adventuring and exploring with creatures…"

His dad interrupted him. "Then keep the dream alive." There was a lighter smile on his face now. "You two share one of the deepest and closest bond that any siblings could have, and I'm sure if you two hold onto your dreams and persevere, then you two will most certainly converge and mold your paths together one day." Chris contemplated his words; they were the exact same thing that Martin told him before he left for the University, but hearing it from another person other than his brother… gave him hope. Besides, the future might not twist in his favor if he ends up attending a college or university further than what Martin has to go to. If that's the case, then Chris really might have to live without his brother physically by his side for awhile. The thought of it made the cold feeling earlier return, but it didn't last long. Instead, there was a warmer feeling in him that Chris knew the feeling right away: hope. It's true that things really had changed, and that he won't have Martin by his side for awhile. But, he also knows for a fact that the two of them will never give up on their dream of adventuring with creatures in pursuit of more knowledge and also potentially discovering a new species. With that, one day, the two of them most definitely WILL be together again as long as they don't give up. Besides, he can always call Martin if he needed to hear his voice again.

He smiled at his father. "Thanks, dad." His father chuckled and reached over to ruffle his hair affectionately. "Don't mention it, son."

Later that night, Chris woke up from his sleep to a series of persisting door bells. Is this a dream? He thought groggily. He sat up and glanced at his alarm clock, which read 1:01 a.m. The doorbell came again, and he got on his feet after a moment. Who would be visiting us during the middle of the night? He met his father in the hallway, and he gave a small wave to indicate that he'll answer the door. His dad gave a nod, and he shuffled back to his room. Chris noted that it was still pouring outside as he made his way downstairs to the front door. He turned the doorknob, and he froze in shock at who he found behind the door. I really must be dreaming...

In all of his glory, there stood Martin, his brother, in the rain, in his raincoat and, soaked wet to the bones. Martin gave a huge smile at the sight of his younger brother. "Hey Chris!" When Chris didn't respond, he waved a hand in front of his face. "Uh, Chris? You alright there bro?" Chris did not react still, so Martin hesitantly reached out a hand to touch his face. At contact with cold, wet hands, Chris blinked, and he at last became aware that his jaws were wide open. He managed out, "Martin?"

Martin grinned, obviously taking in every bit of Chris' reaction. "'Sup?"

"W-w… what are you doing here… in the middle of the night… while it's raining?" Chris stammered out, still not believing that his brother would be standing in front of him right now.

"I drove here!" He said with a smile, as if there was nothing wrong with that statement.

"You drove here," Chris echoed in disbelief. Honestly, he should've been used to his brother's shenanigans by now, and this actually isn't the craziest stunt he had pulled, far from it, actually.

"Uh, Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in now?"

"Oh!" He realized that Martin was still standing outside in the pouring rain. He felt sheepish. "Yeah, sure. Sorry!"

"Don't worry about it." Martin responded with a laugh as he strolled in with his raincoat dripping wet. Chris stood by as another thought came to him. He waited for his brother to put up his raincoat on the rack before striking up another conversation.

"Martin?"

"Yes, Chris?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Just a bit, why?"

"I'm just worried… you did drive eight hours straight alone from campus to New Jersey."

Martin gave a warm smile. "It's nothing a few hours of sleep can't fix. Why? Did you want to stay up in the middle of the night to do something? I mean, I'm game if you ar-"

Chris waved his arms frantically. "Lord, no! I can't do that to you! You're exhausted, Martin, and I won't have you moving around until you get some sleep. Plus, it's well-past one-something right now."

"Aww, c'mon, Chris. I'm actually not that tired." Martin laughed before he gave out a yawn, and he became aware of Chris staring intently at him.

"Martin…"

He conceded, "Oh alright, but we have a whole lot to catch up in the morning."

Chris nodded, and Martin started to make his way towards the couch. However, he stopped for a moment before turned around and engulfed his brother in a hug.

"I missed you, bro."

Chris returned the gesture wholeheartedly. "I missed you too, bro."

Apparently, Mr. Kratt had an epiphany when he remembered that someone rang the doorbell last night. He and Mrs. Kratt made their way downstairs only to be greeted with the sight of their two sons knocked out on their living room couch. There was a moment of silence save for the snoring of their sons where the two parents stared at them and then at each other. Eventually, Mrs. Kratt cleared her throat and voiced her thoughts, "Boys?"

Chris' eyes flew open, and everything that transpired last night came rushing back at him. He sat up and glanced over to where Martin was laying on the couch. He really is here… The older brother, however, did not shot up like the younger one at the sound of his mother's voice. His eyes opened slowly, and everyone else in the room stared while he slowly got up and gave a yawn. Only then did he notice the two new presence in the room, and at the sight of his parents, he gave a diffident grin. "'Morning?"

"So you mean to tell us," Mrs. Kratt began after listening to her eldest son's tale. "That you drove all the way from campus alone, in eight hours, in the rain, and arriving during the middle of the night, without calling to notify any one of us of your plans?"

Their parents were now seated on the couches, and he and Chris were standing up in the middle of the living room.

Martin suddenly became more aware of himself, and at how thoughtless his actions were in his mom's words. "Um… yes?"

His parents looked at each other, his mom with a helpless expression his dad with one that clearly reads "Well, did you expect any less coming from our oldest son?". Eventually, they turned to face him again, and Mr. Kratt asked, "Why didn't you at least call to tell us that you were returning for Thanksgiving?" Martin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and answered, "Heh heh… I thought that the university wouldn't let us off for three days, so I figured that there's no point in returning home, but the professors reminded us otherwise and I just sort of… decided right there that after class was over, I would drive over here right away…" His dad caught on. "You didn't look at the calendar."

"...No."

Both of his parents sighed and shook their heads, and Chris, who had been silent all of this time, just merely shrugged, having had time to get over the initial shock of his brother's return and was not at all deterred by his antics.

"Besides," Martin continued brightly, and everyone looked up at him. "Mom's cooking are the best, and I wouldn't want to miss out on her thanksgiving dinner, especially her turkey!"At this, Mrs. Kratt smiled while Mr. Kratt simply chuckled. Martin went on, although with a more heartfelt tone. "And… as awesome as my roommate is, I couldn't stand having to spend the holidays without my family." His eyes flickered over to Chris as he said this, and Chris felt immensely touched by this sentiment.

Both of their parents smiled and relented. "Oh alright, but next time, plan better ahead and call, alright?" Martin nodded, and their parents relaxed onto their chairs. "Now, you boys better shower. We'll prepare breakfast in celebration of Martin's return-" Mr. Kratt was interrupted by his eldest son, who declared, "I call the shower first!" and rushed for the stairs while his youngest son responded, "No way!" and pursued hotly after him. The two brothers laughed and fought their way up the stairs, and their parents could only shook their heads again at their sons' tomfoolery.

Two days passed, and the rain had let up somewhere then. Unsurprisingly, the two brothers had opted to go for a stroll in the fields, and they made a game of pointing out the somewhat abundant wildlife and tying in facts with it. The two enjoyed themselves in each other's company just like the times before Martin went off to college, and Chris made note of this. He turned his gaze to the now brighter skies, and his thoughts went back to the conversation he had with his dad days ago. He was reminded that even though Martin was accessible within eight hours, time really had changed things, and moments like these couldn't be called upon whenever he felt like it. Martin would be returning to campus soon, and then he would be left alone again. On the surface, he had zoned out and was unresponsive to whatever remark his brother had made on a bird that flew overhead, and that did not go unnoticed by the older boy.

"Chris?"

"Huh?" Chris snapped out of his internal ramblings in order to give Martin his attention.

"What are you thinking about?" Looking at Martin's face, he saw apprehension written all over it, and he knew his brother could tell that there was something on his mind.

"Nothing, I…" He paused. "Martin, can I just first thank you for making the eight-hour drive all the way from campus to here?"

His brother gave a wave. "It's no problem, really, and I actually did want to be home for Thanksgiving."

Chris pressed on. "No, really. Thanks for thinking about me. I don't think just anyone would make an eight hour drive without a second thought to come see their family for a three-day holiday."

His brother waved his hand again. "It's what brothers do, and I thought you would want some company over the holiday."

"Yeah…" Chris smiled briefly before a more serious expression took over. He stopped walking to look at his brother. "With that, I want to really talk to you about… things as of late. The changes and…"

Martin stopped walking, too, and he crossed his arms, his face, too, serious as he gave Chris his full attention.

"Martin, I don't want you to always be distracted by your need to rush to my side at the slightest whim, and the thought that I was lonely just doesn't seem to weigh enough reasoning to justify you driving eight hours straight to see me." His brother looked a bit hurt by this, and Chris quickly added to amend what he said. "B-but that doesn't mean I'm not truly grateful and touched for what you did! I couldn't be happier that you chose to come all the way over here to spend the holidays with me!" Now, it was Martin's turn to look moved by his plight of words. Chris continued though, in a softer tone. "Things have changed, Martin. You have four or who-knows possibly more years of post-secondary education at a prestigious university-which by the way," Chris added with slight amusement, veering off course for a bit in an effort to lighten up the mood, "I'm curious as to how reacted if they ever found out that one of their promising student didn't bother looking at the calendar to know that they do still uphold the tradition of thanksgiving." Hearing this, the older boy continued to cross his arms, and although he raised his eyebrows and shot Chris a disbelieving smile, the sentiment was somewhat appreciated.

"Still, you have many challenges ahead of you, and you need to face them alone without me there bothering you." His brother opened his mouth to protest the last bit, but Chris hastily cut him off. "Well, I don't mean it like that, but this is one of those points in our lives where we need to go primarily solo for a bit, you know? You really need to know what it's like out there in the real world without the comforts of home base… and that goes for me, too. I need to learn and get used to things without you there always by my side as much as you need to focus on college in an unfamiliar environment." His brother stayed silent and nodded as he took in his younger brother's words.

"It's kind of like creatures and environments, you know? There's always going to be changes in our lives, and the ones that can adapt the best are the ones that will live through danger."

"Yeah…"

"And besides..." There was a ghost of a smile playing across Chris' lips again. "If I'm ever accepted into a faraway university, then there's no way I'm having you race cross-country just for anything!"

Martin let out a laugh as he extended an arm to ruffle Chris' hair. "If I ever catch wind that you broke your leg or something, then speed limits and tickets be damned! I'm rushing over faster than you could imagine."

The younger brother just snorted and nudged his sibling. "Then I'll have to be careful not to land funny when climbing and doing acrobatics and stunts for gymnastics, don't I?"

The older boy grinned in response. "Yeah, and it'll be a great travesty if you ever injured yourself for real before we even finish college and start our careers!"

The two brothers held onto each other's shoulders as they shared a laugh for the longest time. Eventually, they both quieted down, and Martin wiped away a tear before he turned to face Chris again.

"You really thought seriously about this, didn't you?" He commented.

Chris nodded, and Martin sighed. "Look. First and foremost, I'm your older brother, and that means there are times where I… act incredibly on impulse if it's for your sake." The brown-haired boy murmured, "Maybe too much…" The blonde-haired boy, however, shrugged. "I can't help it. I have to be there for my little bro when he needs me." Chris didn't say anything, but Martin could see the smile on his face.

"But… you are right, Chris." Chris turned to really face his older brother as he continued speaking. "As much as it pains me to do so and admit, it's not possible for me to always be by your side whenever anything comes up." Chris internally sighed at this. It sounded less… real, whenever he and his dad made that statement, like maybe they could be proven wrong. Hearing it from Martin himself, however… it's a dead finality. "It's like you said, life at this university isn't easy at all." That's certainly saying something, coming from his brother, whom he knew to be one of the brightest and smartest person he's ever known. "I can't be in two places at once, so I guess I really have to stay focus on what I need to do." Chris looked so solemn as he said this, and he sounded so much like his baby brother as he spoke his next words.

"But… you'll answer if I call, won't you?" Martin blinked. Chris sounded so doubtful and unsure when he said that, and he couldn't help feeling for his brother. He gave a big answer in order to erase any doubts.

"Of course I will! If you need anything, just call, and I'll always pick up, no doubts about it!" At this, Chris brightened considerably. "Thanks, Martin."

Martin pulled his brother in for a hug. "Don't mention it, bro." Chris hugged him back, and the two stayed like that for a bit. He was glad that he could have this conversation with Martin; he needed to make sure that Martin was on the same page as him when it comes to situations where their lives changed drastically. It also left him with a touch of sadness, though. He had recalled the conversation he had with his dad earlier, and he figured he might as well share some of what they discussed. It wasn't easy, unloading the somewhat hard truths, but Chris knew that it was just how life goes, and how it needs to go if it meant that his brother would achieve his dream of becoming a zoologist and he a biologist. Speaking of which...

"And Martin?"

"Hmm?"

"Promise you won't ever forget about our dreams?"

"Never."

Chris gave his brother a big smile. "Then I think we'll have a great future and career together; I'm sure of it." Everything might look difficult now, but with his brother solidifying his agreement, there's hope for the future. And with that, the two brothers walked back to their house, certain that in the future, they'll be seeing and working with each other in the fields with that special bond they hold.