Two new Wild Kratt kids, Kyle and Diana, were in the Tortuga for a little visit. Aviva, Laura, and Koki were supply shopping again. Jimmy was asleep on his hammock with his cap shielding his eyes from the lights that might be hindering his sleep. Martin was grabbing Laura's cake from the kitchen for the children to feast on for a while while Chris showed off his metal hand to the kids as they squealed over it.
Diana grinned, "It looks so strange! Do you feel like a robot?"
Chris chuckled, "No, I'm glad I don't feel like one."
Kyle, who was seven at the time, said, "It looks so big!"
Chris put his two hands together and said, "Actually it looks smaller than my natural hand. It's less clumsy than I thought it would turn out. Aviva did a really good job fixing my hand up."
Diana, who was five, said with glistering eyes, "She did. didn't she?!"
Martin placed the cake on the table, not disturbing Chris' new fond to his hand. He had a terrible reunion with his family. Kyle and Diana were Martin's niece and nephew from Aviva and Laura's youngest sister, Kayla. Chris was only an uncle-in-law, but he was awesome with the kids. Diana sat on Chris' lap and played with Chris' metal fingers while Kyle sat at Chris' feet with a big creature book in his lap. Martin said, "Anyone want cake?"
Kyle jumped up, "Auntie Laura's?!"
Martin smirked, "The best!"
Chris smiled brightly as Kyle got his slice. Diana said, "I don't want cake."
Chris gently took his hand away and said quietly, "Go on now. You can look at my hand later."
Diana frowned and grabbed Chris' hand, "I want to play with it."
Chris turned stern. Martin was afraid that he was going to burst. Before he could say something, Chris said sternly, "Diana, you cannot play with my hand. Auntie Aviva attached it to my arm. I can't take it off for you to play with. It won't work as good if I can take it off and put it on everytime."
Diana pouted, then cried, "Then, I'll get my hand cut off in a fox trap!"
Martin ran over to Chris' rescue, but Chris stood up holding Diana in his arms, "Diana, don't say such things. Now how would your daddy and mommy like it if you cut your hand off just to have a metal hand? Having a metal hand isn't... well," Martin watched Chris admit his truths and stared as Chris continued, "Having a metal hand is rather, painful."
Diana frowned, "Daddy left Mommy and us."
Chris put the girl on the floor and squatted in front of her and said quietly, "Okay, uh... I have a hard time showing my hand..."
Diana grinned, "I'll show everyone and anyone!"
Chris' face still was sad. Diana watched as Chris' eyes begged her to change her mind as he said, "Yes, and have lots of people talk bad of you behind your back. Would you like that?"
Diana covered her little mouth with her hands and asked, "No, why?"
Chris showed his hand and said, "Remember how I didn't want to come to the reunion last month?"
Diana giggled, "You were funny."
Chris stayed sharp and said, "When my hand came out in full view everyone stared at me and some were talking in another's ear. I felt so betrayed by my own family. You know it took a strong, dependable family member of mine," His eyes shooting up at his brother, who too was watching the conversation, "To get me back on the right track."
Diana said, "I don't want people to talk bad about me."
Chris smiled compassionately, "Then, don't hurt yourself... Doing something just to look like someone else is only to make you unhappy. The sad thing about a metal hand, you can't feel your surroundings anymore."
Diana's little blue eyes began to feel with tears, "You can't feel with that hand?"
Chris shook his head, and opened his arms. Diana hugged Chris tightly as Chris hugged the little girl. Martin was quiet and smiling. In his thoughts, things were bundling up together in his head. He was thinking over and over that Chris would be a great parent, if only he would soften up a little and get a girl to his liking.
Diana was crying softly, but Chris wiped the soft tears from her cheeks with his metal hand. Chris picked up the little girl and said, "Now who wants Auntie Laura's famous Cake?"
Martin couldn't help but smile anymore. Kyle finished his slice and said, "I want to go to the playground."
Martin shot a glance from Kyle to Chris. Chris flagged with his flesh hand for Martin to go on. Diana got her slice while Martin left with Kyle. Chris and Diana were getting along really well.
Suddenly, the alarm sounded in the Tortuga. Jimmy woke up instantly. Chris soothed Diana with some milk in a glass. He answered the alarm and saw Laura crying. Chris said, "What's going on?!"
Laura stood up and said, "Kayla... Where's Martin?"
Chris looked at Diana, who sat wide-eyed at her auntie on the big screen. He whipped up the girl from the seat, "On the playground with Kyle. What happened?"
Aviva said gravely, "Jimmy, watch the children. Chris, just you and Martin come, please."
Diana hid her face in Chris' shoulder as Jimmy came to the screen. Chris called Martin to the screen and said, "Come back to the Tortuga, Martin. Jimmy's going to watch the kids. Laura and Aviva gave us a grave message to get to them immediately."
Martin called for Kyle, then said, "We're on our way."
Diana said in a mournful cry, "What happened to my mommy?!"
Chris hugged the girl tightly, "If anything happened to your mommy, I swear I will take you into my life immediately."
Diana hugged Chris' neck and looked up at his face and said, "You would?"
Chris brushed some the girl's hair aside and said, "I know your mommy would love that."
Diana cried, "Is Mommy dead?!"
Chris said quickly, "I'm sure she's not, Diana."
Jimmy said, "You want more cake?"
Chris shook his head very quickly. He stood up and whispered in Jimmy's ear, "Take the children to the store and keep them distracted. Get them a few toys if you can. Just distract them until we tell you it's okay to come back to the Tortuga."
Jimmy said quietly, "What happened?"
Chris gulped, "Something happened to Kayla."
Diana was crying loudly, even she didn't hear Chris or Jimmy's conversation. Martin came back and saw Diana screaming and crying. Chris' face was staring directly at the young girl. She came running over, gripping his metal hand and hugged his leg, "I want to go with you!"
Chris said quietly, "You are going to stay with Jimmy. He's taking you and Kyle to get a few toys," Winking at Martin and left the kids with Jimmy. Diana was still crying, making it hard for Chris to leave the girl. Chris and Martin jumped in the Creatrea and set off immeidately. Martin asked, "What happened?"
Chris answered, "Laura was crying. Aviva said gravely that she wanted just you and me to see them. I didn't see Koki."
Martin said, "What was their surroundings?"
Chris thought for a while, "It looked like a hospital."
Martin shifted and said, "I hope Kayla's alright."
Chris was silent for a while. Martin knew Diana was on his mind. In a couple minutes, Chris said, "How am I going to tell Diana about her mother?"
Martin was shocked how Chris said that HE was going to explain it to Diana. He didn't scold or anything, he just sat there driving to the nearest hospital. They ran up to the desk and asked for Kayla Corvando.
The woman at the desk said, "I need to call the nurse's office first. This room was just put as restricted."
Chris and Martin stared at each other in scare. Kayla was either very sick or even dead. The woman said, "The nurse said, three women are waiting for you."
Chris said, "Aviva, Laura, and Koki?"
The woman answered, "Yes, sir."
Martin said, "We know them. They called us here."
The woman, then, said, "Go to the ninth floor. Meet the women in the waiting area and then they will bring you to the station to see Mrs. Corvando."
Chris and Martin ran to the elevator and waited to get to the ninth floor. There were five other people going to three different floors so it took longer than expected. Finally, Chris and Martin were alone in the elevator. Chris said, with tears in his eyes, "What about Kyle and Diana?"
Martin was quiet. Chris knew if he said a word, he would burst out crying. As soon as the doors opened, Chris and Martin left the elevator, staggering about, wondering where the waiting room was. They went to the nurses' station and one nurse led them to a quiet room. Aviva, Laura, and Koki weren't in the room.
The nurse said, "I will call them and tell them you have came."
Martin sat on the couch, rubbing his palms together. Chris leaned against the wall, staring out the window at the Tortuga in the distance. All in his mind was Diana and her future. He loved the little girl... Did he just feel love?
Laura and Aviva came in after Koki. Martin stood up and hugged Laura tightly. She cried in his shirt. Koki sat on the chair, silent. Aviva looked at Chris, her eyes red from crying. Chris looked at his brother who was in middle of comforting his wife. Koki was staring at the floor. Chris motioned Aviva out and took her downstairs to the garden down there.
Aviva sat on the metal chair and sighed deeply. Chris brought a chair close to her and sat down. Their knees were almost touching when she said, "Kayla..."
Chris touched Aviva's arm and said, "Tell me..."
Aviva looked at Chris and said, tears falling from her eyes, "She just died."
Chris' heart broke instantly, "Diana," He whispered.
Aviva asked quickly, "What?"
Chris shook his head quickly, "Diana... She was worried her mother would die..."
Aviva cried into her hands, "And now her ex wants to come and take her kids!"
Chris stood up and said sternly, "There is no way I can do that for Diana!"
Aviva stood up and said, "What are you talking about? Diana is my niece."
Chris sighed, "I know... But, something between her and I is making me care for her as if she's MY daughter."
Aviva smiled for the first time, "Are you serious?"
Chris said, "Let's back upstairs to the floor."
