Chapter 2:

With Chris:

He sat on the back porch just enjoying nature, he didn't know if he liked nature or animals, but he did feel connected somehow to them and felt at complete peace when with them. Since waking two week's ago his memories stayed hidden, and no matter what he did nothing unburied them. It was so frustrating, but now two week's later fully healed physically he had finally adjusted to his new life with Thomas and Kari. He even found himself not caring about uncovering his past. His thoughts were interrupted by Kari coming home from work, she came outside and smiling sat beside him he spoke.

"How was work?"

"Good, the store has gotten busier now that we put out that new catalogue!"

"I knew I'd find you out here!" Thomas said smiling as he joined them.

"You did?" Chris asked smiling as Thomas sat.

"Of course, you're always out here!" He answered smiling. "Hey, I have a great idea! Let's go out to dinner and a movie huh?"

"That is a great idea! What do you think Robert?"

"I don't know…" Chris began, but Thomas cut him off smiling.

"Why not? You haven't been out of the house since we brought you here, it'll do you good to get out Robert I promise!" Thomas said.

"Okay then, let's go!" Chris agreed.

"Great!" Kari began as they went inside. "Oh, I almost forgot! Remember that Green jacket you saw in the order catalogue from my store?" She asked, Chris nodded. "Well, I knew how much you liked it when you saw it when you were helping me with order's…so I bought it for you! It came in this morning!" She said smiling as she gave him it.

"Thanks Kari, you didn't have too!" Chris said trying it on.

"You're welcome, I hope you like it?" She asked watching him.

"I do! It's perfect!" Chris said smiling.

"I do have one question though?" Kari said.

"What?"

"Why do you insist on wearing only Green?" She asked smiling.

"I…I don't know! I just really like that color, ever since I woke in the hospital I've been…I don't know connected to it! It's stupid, I know!" Chris said feeling silly.

"It's not stupid Robert! Maybe the color, your love and knowledge of nature and animal's are all part of your past?" Thomas suggested.

"Maybe? I just wish I could remember!" Chris said sadly.

"You will, just give it time! Come on let's go have some fun and take your mind off thing's!" Kari said gently.

With Martin:

After moving in with his family Martin tried to adjust to his new life, it worked during the day when he could occupy himself, but at night he was alone with his thoughts. In bed he would try to make himself remember something, but nothing happened. He would get so frustrated with himself for not being able to remember anything, not even his own name! It had been two week's since he moved in with them and his wound's had completely healed, except for his arm which would need another couple of week's. During his time with his family Martin found himself drawn to nature and animal's in the backyard, he found all his stress and frustration's went away when he was surrounded by nature and animal's it was like he belonged in it! One night Martin was laying on a blanket in the backyard with Amanda, while Sarah home from work sat nearby on the deck listening to Martin tell Amanda about lightening bugs. As he told her, Amanda asked how he knew so much about nature and animal's, he sighed sadly and told her he didn't know she took his hand and snuggled into him and asked why he was so sad.

"Uncle Ben?"

"Yeah, Amanda Panda?" He asked looking at her.

"Are you sad that you can't remember anything?" She asked innocently.

"Amanda, you shouldn't ask Uncle Ben that honey!" Sarah said.

"Its okay Sare, she meant no harm! Yeah, Amanda honey I' am!"

"I'm sorry you can't remember Uncle Ben!"

"Me too, Amanda Panda, me too!"

"Hey gang!" Billy said smiling as he joined them.

"Daddy! You're home from work!" Amanda said smiling getting up and ran to him hugging him. "Did you bring Uncle Ben's present?"

"Present? What present?" Martin asked as he joined them on the deck.

"Remember that jacket you saw in that catalogue we got in the mail?" Sarah asked. "The Blue one?"

"Oh, yeah! The one from that little store here in town?" Martin asked.

"That's the one! Anyway, we got it for you as a cheer-up present!" Billy said smiling as he handed it to Martin. "We hope you like it?"

"I do! Thank you, you didn't need to though!"

"I know, but we wanted too!" Sarah said smiling as she hugged him.

"Uncle Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you pick Blue?"

"I…I don't know really, it felt right I guess!"

"You know Ben, your love and knowledge of animals and nature, as well as your love of the color Blue might all be part of your past?" Billy suggested.

"Maybe…I wish I could remember though!" Martin said sadly.

"You will sweetie, just give it time okay?" Sarah said gently.

"Okay!" Martin agreed.

"I know gang! Let's go out for dinner and a movie huh?" Billy said.

"I…I don't know?" Martin said.

"Come on Ben, you haven't been out of the house since we brought you here!" Sarah said smiling.

"Please Uncle?" Amanda asked.

"Alright, alright! Let's go!" Martin said smiling as they went to get ready.

Later:

After having a nice dinner both families went to the theatre, they arrived at the same time, but didn't run into each other. As Chris and his family bought tickets, Martin and Amanda waited in line for snacks. As Chris walked past them, he heard Martin talking to Amanda and froze, there was something familiar about that voice, Kari spoke to him.

"Robert? What's wrong?"

"That voice…it sound's familiar!"

"Voice? What voice Robert?" Thomas asked.

"A man's voice…he sounded so familiar!"

"Really? What man?" Kari asked as all three began looking around, but Martin and Amanda were already gone. "Is he still here?"

"I…I don't know? I never saw him, I only heard him and if I did see him I wouldn't have recognized him anyway!" Chris said upset.

"Come on Robert, let's go get our seats." Kari said gently taking his hand.

The families went to see the same movie, but never saw each other. After it was over while Martin helped get Amanda ready to go Chris passed behind them into the group of people leaving as he did he spoke to Thomas and Kari. Hearing his voice Martin froze, that voice was somehow familiar to him, he stood quickly and tried to find the man it belonged to. Unable to he became frustrated Sarah saw him and concerned asked if he was okay, he told them about the man's voice as he continued to look for the man.

"That man…his voice was so familiar to me!" Martin said looking around, but they had already left, Billy spoke happily about the man as he too looked around.

"Did you see him? He could know you?"

"No, I didn't…besides even if I did I wouldn't know him!" Martin said frustrated.

"Don't be discouraged honey! Come on let's go home!" Kari said gently as she took his hand and they left.

They all left the theatre, but once at the car's Chris remembered he forgot his jacket, and Amanda forgot her favourite doll. Chris returned for his jacket, and Martin went back for her doll. As Martin was leaving the theatre, Chris was going in and they accidentally bumped into each other, both apologized at the same time. Hearing the voice again they froze starring at each other, Chris took a deep breath before he spoke to Martin first.

"Do…do I know you?"

"I don't know…I don't think so! Do I know you?" Martin answered.

"I…I don't know either! I don't think I do?" Chris said.

"I'm Ben, who are you?"

"I'm Robert! I'm sorry, I must be mistaken!" Chris said.

"I'm sorry too! I've never met you before! I…I better go my family is waiting." Martin said leaving upset that the man had been another dead end, he went back to the car and got in Billy saw his sadness and asked him about it he was concerned.

"Ben, are you okay?"

"Actually…no! Remember that man I mentioned? Well, I bumped into him when I went back for Amanda's doll and he didn't know me! It was another dead end!" Martin said.

"Aw, Ben honey, don't worry! It'll all come back to you when you least expect it!" Sarah said as she touched his cheek. "Don't give up on yourself just yet okay?"

"Okay, I hope so Sarah, I hope so!" Martin answered before they left for home.

After Martin left Chris just stood in the aisle way unmoving feeling like he'd never get his memory back, his one possibility was just another dead end! He grabbed his jacket and returned to the car and got in, seeing his sad face Kari asked him about it worried.

"Robert, are you okay?"

"Remember that man I told you about earlier?" Chris asked.

"The one who sounded familiar? Did you find him?" Thomas asked.

"Actually I did!"

"That's great! Did he know you?" Kari asked.

"No…he didn't actually! He told me he didn't know me!"

"Oh, Robert we're so sorry honey! Don't let it get you down, your memory will come back when you least expect it!" Kari said as she squeezed his hand.

"I hope so Kari!" Chris said as they left and went home.

A Month Later:

One night a month later Chris was at home with his family watching TV, when as Thomas flipped through the channel's an interview with Zach was on. Seeing Zach he froze, Kari asked if he was okay, he didn't answer instead he asked if Thomas could turn it back to the interview. So he did turning the volume up as he did, the reporter was at Zach's home talking to him about his latest invention's. As Chris watched his memories struggled to break free, and as Zach show's the reporter his newest Zachbot, and gave it a command his memories broke free!

"Zach!" Chris shouted, just as the reporter spoke about the brother's being dead, and what he thought of his rival's being gone Chris stood quickly, he couldn't believe it.

"Robert? What is it? What's wrong?" Kari asked concerned.

"Martin's…dead?" Chris said knowing he was alive, but what the reporter said meant Martin wasn't. "No! He's…dead!"

"Robert who's Martin?" Thomas asked just as worried.

"My…my name isn't Robert, its Chris Kratt!"

"What? That can't be right, the reporter said he was dead!" Kari said just as a picture of the brother's appeared on the screen. "It is true! You remember then?"

"I remember being in the forest with Martin…my older brother, we were exploring when…we found Zach there! We chased him, Martin wanted to separate so we did. I was jumping off a tree at Zach, but I must have been hit from behind…Zach killed my brother!" Chris said as it finally hit him, he sat down and began to cry as Kari and Thomas tried to comfort him.

With Martin:

A month later Martin, like Chris had forgotten about running into each other and he was sitting watching TV with Amanda, when he turned the channel and saw Zach. He turned the volume up and couldn't take his eyes off Zach as he did his memories tried to break free, it was only when the Zachbot appeared that they finally did! Martin stood and became angry, Amanda got scared and called to her parent's who came running just as the reporter spoke about the brother's being dead, Martin spoke to himself upset.

"No! Chris is…dead?"

"Ben? What's wrong? Who's Chris?" Billy asked concerned.

"My name isn't Ben…its Martin Kratt!" Martin said gently.

"You must be mistaken! That reporter said Martin's…gone!" Sarah said worried, just as a picture of the brother's was shown. "It is true! Does that mean you remember?"

"I do! I remember everything! I was in the forest with Chris…my younger brother, we were exploring. We heard noise's coming from a clearing and found Zach, we confronted him and he took off so we followed him. It was my idea to separate, he found me in a tree and hit the branch I was on and I fell! He must have killed Chris when we separated! Zach killed my brother!" Martin said finally realizing that since he was alive, that meant Chris really was dead! He sat back down and began to cry as Sarah, Amanda, and Billy tried to comfort him.

Later That Night:

After calming down Martin told Billy, Sarah, and Amanda all about himself, Chris, the team, and their life. Amanda was afraid that now that he had his memory back he wouldn't want her to call him Uncle, he smiled and reassured her she could, only now she'd call him Uncle Martin! He put her to bed and told her a story of one of their adventure's, once she was asleep Martin watched her for a few minute's before he went back downstairs, Sarah saw him and as he sat on the couch beside her she spoke.

"Martin honey, we're so glad you have your memory back, but it was a pretty crappy way for it to return! We're so sorry about your brother!"

"So, what happens now?" Billy asked gently.

"First off, I could never thank you enough for what you have done for me! You three have become my family, and no matter what happens I'll always be grateful to you!"

"You're leaving aren't you?" Billy asked sadly.

"Yes, but not forever! I need to go after Zach, he killed my brother and I need to make him pay for that! I'll be back as soon as I can please understand I need to do this!" Martin said sadly as he looked at them, hoping they would understand his need to do this.

"We understand, we don't like it or agree with it, but we understand! Promise us you'll be careful Martin?" Sarah said squeezing his hand.

"I promise! I'm going to go pack, thank you both!" Martin said hugging them

With Chris:

After calming down Chris told Thomas and Kari all about himself, Martin, the team, and their life together. He couldn't believe Martin was dead, he suddenly felt very alone, even though he knew he wasn't. As they sat on the deck Kari spoke as she took his hand.

"Chris sweetie, we're so sorry about the crappy way you learned about Martin and got your memory back!" Kari said.

"Kari, Thomas I can never thank you for what you did for me! You've become my family and I'll always be grateful!" Chris said.

"You're leaving aren't you?" Thomas asked sadly.

"Yeah, but not for good! I'll be back as soon as I can, I can't let Zach get away with killing my brother!" Chris said sadly.

"Chris getting revenge on Zach won't bring Martin back! We think it's a bad idea, you could get hurt…but we understand!" Thomas said.

"Thank you! I'm going to go pack, I'm leaving in an hour." Chris said as he hugged them.

Later:

After Martin packed, he used the family's computer to find out where the team was, after he found out Sarah leant him her car and he left. When he arrived Aviva, Koki, and Jimmy were just returning from getting supplies. Hearing a car pull up they turned to see him standing there holding his bag. No one moved or spoke they just starred at each other, until Aviva dropped her bag and crying rushed to him they hugged. Koki, and Jimmy then dropped their bag's realizing he was real and rushed to him and hugged him too. Unable to believe he was really there in front of them, they smiled and hugged Koki then asked what happened telling him they thought he was dead.

"Martin, you're alive! We thought you were dead! What happened? Is…is Chris with you?" She asked hopefully.

"No!" Martin said becoming visibly tense and upset at the mention of his name. "Zach killed him, and I'm going to make him suffer for it!" Martin said clenching his fists.

"What happened? Where have you been?" Jimmy asked.

"Chris and I were chasing Zach, I told Chris we should separate to catch him by surprise. While we were…Zach killed Chris, then he came after me! I was waiting for him in a tree, he found me and hit the branch I was on knocking me out of it I fell and hit my head. I woke up in the hospital with stitches in my head, cut's and bruises all over my body, three broken ribs, and a broken left arm! I also woke with amnesia, I had no memory of who I was or what happened. I was found by a very kind family the Carter's; Billy, Sarah, and their precious daughter Amanda, they found me and called 911! When I was released they took me in and they became my family, they helped me readjust to life with no memory! Then tonight I saw that interview Zach gave to show off his inventions and seeing the Zachbot brought my memory back! I had no idea about Chris, until tonight so I came back to get my revenge on Zach, he's not getting away with this!" Martin said angrily as he went inside and headed for his room. Once there he put his bag on his bed and turned to look at Chris' thing's and sighed sadly feeling empty without his brother. He took a deep breath and went to the control room where the others were waiting for him. Seeing him they met him halfway and he looked at them, Aviva spoke about his plan for Zach.

"So, you're really going after Zach? There's nothing we can do or say to change your mind is there?" Aviva asked already knowing the answer having known Martin for so long, he smiled sadly at them knowing their fear's about him going, he spoke.

"You guy's know me too well!" Martin answered.

"We had to try!" Jimmy said as he handed Martin his Creature suit, and Creature pod.

"I promise I'll return! I always keep my promises! You three trust me right?"

"Of course! You know that!" Koki answered the others agreed.

"Good! Okay, I'm going to go search for Zach's jet, in the interview he said he was returning here to finish what he started the night we were…killed! I'll be in contact every 10 minute's, don't worry I'll be coming home!" Martin assured them as he hugged them again before he left.

Once he was gone Aviva couldn't help but worry; after all this time thinking he was dead Martin return's to them, only to risk his life again by going after Zach! They decided to go back outside and gather up the supplies they had dropped when Martin arrived. They had just gone outside when they saw another car pull up, confused they looked at each other before back at the car. When they looked back at the car the man was getting his bag from the backseat and once done he turned to face them, they all froze including the man. Again no one moved or spoke as they starred at Chris, then just like they had done with Martin they dropped their bag's and crying rushed to Chris hugging him.

"Chris, you're alive!" Aviva said smiling through her tears.

"It's so good to see you three too!" Chris said smiling.

"What happened? We thought you were dead?" Jimmy asked.

"After Martin and I went after Zach, Martin suggested we separate so we did! I hid on a small tree and waited for Zach, as he came near me I jumped, I must have been hit hard from behind by a Zachbot because I fell from midair and hit my head off a rock. I woke in the hospital with stitches in my head, cut's and bruise's all over my body, two broken ribs, and a sprained right ankle. I also woke with amnesia, and no memory of who I was or what happened, thankfully I had been found by a kind, young couple the Walters; Thomas and Kari. They got me help when they found me and when I was released they took me in and supported me while I worked on getting my memory back, they became my family. I had no memory of anything until tonight, I saw the interview with Zach and when I heard him call the Zachbot my memory returned. I had no clue what happened to Martin until tonight!" Chris said upset.

"Chris there's something we need to tell you…" Chris cut Koki off.

"Not now please Koki! I'm back now and the first thing I'm going to do is go get revenge on Zach for taking my brother from me!" Chris said as he went inside and headed to his room. Once there he put his bag on his bed before he looked at Martin's things and his heart ached knowing his brother was gone and never coming back to him. He sighed sadly before he went and found the others in the control room Koki held his suit and pod.

"Chris, before you go you need to listen to us please?" Jimmy tried again.

"Jimmy save it for when I get back okay? Look, I know you're worried about me, but I will return I promise! I've never broken a promise to you guy's before and I'm not about to start now! I will return, I'll check in every 15 minute's you guy's trust me right?"

"Of course we do CK, you know that!" Aviva said.

"Good! Now I'm going to go search for Zach, the interview said he was coming back here! Please just trust me and I'll see you soon!" Chris said as he hugged them before he left.

Hour's Later:

After both brother's left, the other's couldn't help, but smile; the brother's were alive and they had their family back. The only problem was neither brother knew about the other, but they planned on fixing that problem the first chance they both checked in. In the meantime they finally got the supplies from outside and put them away. The brother's like promised checked in at the time's they said they would. Each time they did the team would try and tell them, but neither brother would listen, and they couldn't tell them. Finally by sunrise Martin exhausted, and angry he didn't find Zach returned, again they tried to tell him about Chris, but he continued to not listen. He then told them he was going to his room to sleep before going out again to search for Zach. The team were frustrated, and hoped they'd have better luck with Chris! 10 minute's later Chris returned just as exhausted and angry as Martin at not being able to find Zach either, and so the team tried to get him to listen. Like Martin though Chris refused to listen, Aviva had finally had enough as Chris went to leave to his room to sleep she spoke again.

"Chris, would you stop! You need to listen to us please! Martin isn't dead, he's…" The door opening cut her off, they all turned to see Martin standing there, the brother's starred at each other, neither spoke they weren't sure if they were imagining them Chris spoke.

"Right there!" Chris said with tears in his eyes.

"Chris?" Martin said tears in his eyes too, Martin rushed to him and Chris met him in the middle of the room and they hugged tightly, the team watched them no one spoke.

"You're alive? How…how is this possible? They said you were dead!" Chris said as he pulled away. "What's going on?"

"They said you were dead too!" Martin answered before hugging him again. "Why didn't you tell us?" Martin asked the others.

"We tried to tell you! Neither of you would listen to us!" Koki answered smiling as the brother's hugged them too. "We're so glad to have you both back!"

"So, if you weren't dead, where were you?" Chris asked as they all sat. "Have you been here the whole time?"

"I'll go make us coffee so we can talk!" Aviva said smiling as she left.

A couple hour's later the brother's told everyone of their life with their other families, and of their memories trying to resurface. They then remembered their run in at the theatre, and couldn't believe how close they were to finding each other that night. After talking Koki wanted to let the world know about the brother's, but both brother's stopped her. They told the team they wanted Zach to think they were still dead, and use it to their advantage when they went after him. The team didn't want them too, they just got them back and were afraid of losing them again…this time for good! After a long talk they convinced the team they had to, Zach couldn't win and they reluctantly agreed. So, they came up with a plan, and by the afternoon they were ready, so after hug's they all went to their room's to sleep for awhile. Each one was asleep the minute their head's hit their pillows.

TBC…