Small feet tottered down the hallway. Their owner could walk it in her sleep, for she loved to spend many hours at her destination. In fact, one could say it was her favorite place in the world.

Then again, one can never be sure. She was a child of simple tastes with enough curiosity for an entire generation of children.

Finally arriving, she twisted the doorknob and lightly pushed, proud that she could now reach it without any help. After navigating the towers of tools and piles of plans, she came upon a pair of legs sticking out from under a car.

"Hi Daddy!"

"Ow – ! Please don't startle me like that, Emmy! This is sensitive equipment," a stern voice called from under the machine.

"Sorry," she grinned sheepishly, shuffling like she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "So, are'ya workin' hard?"

"Hardly workin', actually," the voice sighed, giving up. "I can't get this fuel line to fit; I might have to shave it down a little." After some struggling, Emmett Brown managed to get out from under the DeLorean and turned to face his daughter. "Now, you wanted something?"

The child nodded, and ploughed on, "Mommy said my middle name was famous, but I don't know any Hypatia. Who is she?"

"Ah yes, I didn't expect you'd know her." He drew the child close, where she rested on his knee. "She lived a very long time ago. She was the last mathematician of the great library of Alexandria. She was a philosopher, an astronomer, a zoologist…and she was also very beautiful."

The child frowned at this. "I'm not beautiful."

"Oh yes you are," he challenged, "I've seen both the past and the future, and trust me – you're the best." He gave his daughter a roguish smile, then took her by the hand. "Now let's go before your mother starts to wonder where you slipped off to."

Heavy feet padded down the hallway. He had walked it more times than his wife would have liked. Still, he enjoyed spending time there, for it was quiet and provided a good workspace for a frustrated inventor.

Correction – frustrated inventors.

"Emily, y'in here?"

"Oof…yeah, Dad, over here," the voice called from under the DeLorean.

'Dad' chuckled as he made his way over. "Workin' hard?"

"Hardly workin', actually; I'm just about ready to scrap this idea," she sighed, giving up. "Guess DeLoreans were never designed to be hybrid cars." After some struggling, Emily Brown managed to wiggle out from under the car and turned to face her father. "Can I help you?" She took a moment to pull her long silvery hair out of its tight bun.

The father nodded, and ploughed on, "Junior called, said he needed help with the chemistry homework."

"Really? Jeez, that kid is hopeless," she sighed, sounding both disgusted and amused. "Either he's been taking stupid pills or he's just being lazy. He's been slacking in school these past few weeks, too."

"Or maybe he wants to spend more time with you."

There was a moment of silence, during which time Emily stared at her father with disbelief.

"C'mon, Dad," she half-snickered, "you actually think he likes me that way? We practically grew up together; best buds, y'know…" She trailed off, the denial clear in her dark brown eyes.

He smiled understandingly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever you say. I'm here if you want to talk about it sometime."

She returned his smile. "Okeydokey. Well, better get over there before he hurts himself." She quickly hugged her father, grabbed her Hoverboard, and left.

Emmett grinned in spite of himself. He knew that deep in his heart nothing could ever replace her. He didn't need a time machine to know that Junior would take good care of her.