June 12, 1986
10:30 AM PST
Lone Pine Universe

As Marty sleepily stretched, he realized that he was lying in his bed. He couldn't even remember going to bed. As he glanced at his clock radio, he realized that it really was late in the morning - not that it was very unusual for him to sleep this late, of course.

"Marty?" called out a soft feminine voice. As the door slowly opened, she added, "Oh, I see that you just woke up. I was thinking that we should go out for brunch. It would be a lovely treat for us. I simply know how much you enjoy stawberry pancakes." She gently touched Marty's forehead, as she asked, "You look real tense. Are you okay?"

"Oh, Jennifer, I had a horrible nightmare," groaned Marty. "It was terrible. I dreamed that Doc just planned to take his whole family to Disneyland, and he didn't even invite me along. Thank goodness, it was all just a dream. I'd be pretty hurt, if Doc did that."

"Well, I don't think you need to worry about that," cooed Jennifer, as she placed her arm around Marty. "You know just how important you are to Doc, and how he's quite fond of you. Everything will be fine, Marty. Besides, he doesn't even have a family."

"He doesn't?" Marty asked, as he could barely believe what he heard. "But, uh, what about Clara? What about Jules, Verne, and Haven?" Jennifer just drew Marty closer, as he continued, "Are you, uh, telling me that none of them quite exist? Doc still lives alone, in his garage? Jennifer, please tell me - just what is the day... and the year?"

"Aww, poor Marty," Jennifer murmured, very softly. "That dream must've upset you. It's June 12 of 1986. We recently graduated high school. Doc still lives in his garage - and, as far as I know, he doesn't even have a girlfriend. Everything will be just fine."

"Yeah, okay, sure," stammered Marty, as he tried hard to make sense of what all was happening. "Well, Jenn, I really do feel hungry. I simply could go for some strawberry pancakes. Anyway, just give me a few minutes to get dressed. It won't take long."

Jennifer just nodded, as she left the room. As Marty changed his clothes, he just tried his best to think about what had happened. How could he be in another reality, where Doc wasn't even married to Clara. He really did remember feeling upset that Doc didn't include him on the family trip to Disneyland, then he remembered talking to Sabrina.

He finally realized what had happened. He wished that Doc had never met Clara, and that was what caused him to land in another reality. Sabrina, being a witch, really did grant him his wish. To his dismay, he realized that the whole thing wasn't a dream.

On the other hand, though, he maybe would be much happier living in this reality. He really didn't have to compete with Clara and the children, and he really didn't have to worry about being excluded from family trips. He realized how nice that would feel.

"I'm ready, Jenn," Marty replied, as he opened the door. "You were right! It was only a horrible dream, and I can now put that out of my mind. We could maybe swing right by Doc's place, after we're done eating. Y'know, it's strange to think that my birthday is coming up. I will be eighteen years old. Technically, I might already be eighteen."

"I'm sure being eighteen isn't much different than being seventeen," Jennifer pointed out, softly. "I mean, I'm very sure there would be quite a few legal differences - but, other than that, not much would change. You really seem a bit nervous about that."

"I think it's the scariness of leaving my childhood behind," suggested Marty. "It's sure going to be a big step. Sometime soon, you and I will probably have our own place to live - and it wouldn't be in Hilldale, since it becomes a wreck in about thirty years."

As Marty and Jennifer left the house, he thought of how great living with his girlfriend would feel. It would really feel nice to have children who were more confident, and he felt so amazed by the idea of having a third child. Marlene would resemble his mother, while Melody would resemble his girlfriend. Marty Jr, of course, resembled himself.

oooooooooo

As Marty drove over to the garage, he was very shocked to see that the building was still there. He really began to have a faint memory of spending the past months in this timeline. In this time, it was Marty's son who had actually gone back from the future.

"I'm simply glad that you're feeling much happier," Jennifer commented, as he gently squeezed Marty's arm. "I mean, I simply hate seeing you get that upset. Even if Doc was to, uh, ever have a family... I'm sure he would never take you for granted."

"I suppose you're right, Jenn," replied Marty, as he shut off the engine. As he walked up to the garage, he added, "It's just been so great, being able to spend the morning with you. Y'know, I can hardly wait for us to live in our own. Of course, that would be a major step for us. We'd sure have to worry about bills, and about paying the rent."

"Let's not worry about all that, right now," whispered Jennifer, as she slipped her arm around Marty. "Anyway, don't forget! We sure are going on a special trip. Tomorrow, we're going to Great America. It's going to be a special occasion, just you and me."

"You bet, Jenn," replied Marty. "I really don't see why Doc has such a big problem with us going on that trip. I mean..." Marty suddenly stopped short, as he realized what he just said. Where on earth had that come from? "I mean, I think it's real exciting!"

"Well, Doc shouldn't be quite so petty," Jennifer replied, softly. "I mean, I understand that you and Doc already do plenty of things together. You and I really deserve to do stuff together, as well. I mean, we are a couple - and we do plan to get married. He really should respect that. I'm sure he'll eventually come to get over it, Marty."

"I just hope so," Marty replied, as he knocked on the door. He did remember talking to Doc about the trip, and Doc did respond with some hurt and disappointment. Doc then opened the door. "I figured that you'd like me to keep you company for a little while."

"I'm happy that you came, Marty!" gushed Doc, as he threw his ams around Marty. "I was real worried that you wouldn't want to see me. I thought over what I said to you last night, and I've said things that I shouldn't've said. I'd really like to apologize."

"It's okay, Doc," murmured Marty, as he really was never the kind of person to hold a grudge. "I'm, uh... Well, I maybe should have asked you about it. I really didn't mean to make you feel, uh, left out. After all, we've simply been good friends from the time that I was a little boy. I still remember that day. You did save me from Cliff Tannen."

"Thanks, Marty," Doc replied, softly, "but you don't have anything to apologize for. I mean, you certainly are entitled to take trips alone with Jennifer - and I sure need to respect that. It's certainly not as though I'm the only important person in your life."

"Well, now that that's settled," Jennifer called out, enthusiastically, "we brought over some glazed doughnuts. Marty and I are really both stuffed, so these are all for you. Marty has had a pretty bad dream this morning, but he now feels much better."

"A bad dream, eh?" Doc asked, sympathetically. "Yeah, I know all about those. You'd sure think that, within these last forty years, I'd really be able to put Jill Wooster out of my mind. Unfortunately, that really doesn't appear to be the case. Gee, I thought that the girl really liked me. Instead, everything really turned out to be very fake."

"I, uh, feel sorry about that, Doc," Marty replied, as tears filled his eyes. He suddenly felt very guilty about his wish. "I mean, I know that you've simply told me about Jill on several occasions - and, from what I can understand, she really was a bitch to you."

"You certainly are right about that," Doc replied, sighing. "The thing is, she quite had the nerve to insist that I was 'living in a fantasy world' - because I refused to believe that a majority of the Hill Valley residents actively despised me. She managed to..."

"She's a real bitch!" fumed Marty. "If I was there, I would've just told her off! She had no right to say such a cruel thing! Granted, there are just a few people out there - like Mr. Strickland and Biff Tannen - who simply have, uh, some less-than-positive opinions about you. When you think about, there are not many people that they do like."

"I suppose you have a point," replied Marty, "but I sometimes can't help but feel that there are other, well, people who generally are very pleasant to be around - but feel that I'm some sort of crackpot scientist. Back when I was still teaching third grade..."

"A few of the parents had pulled their kids out of your class, right?" Marty asked, as he suddenly bad for his scientist friend. "It's quite a shame that some kids learn how to be bigotted, simply because of bigotted adults who teach them to be that way."

"Yeah, that can be very hurtful," Doc replied, sighing. "Kids actually do tend to be far more receptive to new ideas, new methods, new habits, and new cultues. Adults just tend to be far more set in their ways, and they're not as receptive to change. It sure was heartbreaking, when Jill's parting shot was that she never did like Jules Verne!"

"Would you even want someone like her to like Jules Verne?" Marty asked, gently. "I'd really hate to have such a complete bitch like her share any of the same passions that I have. I mean, that's the way I felt about Needles - when it came to musical tastes."

"I suppose you have a point," replied Doc, sighing. "I think it was mostly the fact that we were together for two years, and thought that our love was sincere. It just made me feel that... that I've wasted two years of my life on her. I've given up on love!"