December 6, 1885
8:30 PM PST

Emmett Lloyd Brown smiled - as he glanced at the woman who, not long ago, became his wife. He still felt a very strong urge to pinch himself, in order to ascertain the fact that he was married. Even just six months ago, he had never imagined that he would be able to find his soul mate - or believed that there was even a soul mate for him.

He began to think of how very gorgeous Clara Clayton Brown looked, as she was lying in their bed. He began to realize that the thirty years work he put into building his time machine was actually paying off, and that he was now able to live out his dream life.

There was one major thing missing from his dream life, though. It was a teenage male who went by the name of Martin Seamus McFly. While he knew that Marty sure would not be too happy living a century in the past, he certainly still missed the young man.

"Emmett?" Clara asked, in a near whisper. "Emmett, it's hard to believe that it's been a week. I have have some difficulty with getting used to a new name, as well. I think it's nice, though." After a brief pause, she continued, "I really have something to tell you, though. I went to see the doctor, earlier - and I do think that I might be... pregnant."

"Pregnant?" gasped Emmett, as he could hardly believe what he heard. Immediately, he felt a rush of conflicting emotions. On one hand, he often really dreamed of being a father. On the other hand, though... "Are you quite certain about all this, Clara?"

"The doctor seemed to be very certain," replied Clara, weakly. "I know what you must be thinking, Emmett. This event could possibly disrupt the... space-time continuum. At least, you already. I do hope you're not going to ask me to get... get... an abortion."

"Oh, goodness, no!" gasped Emmett, as he really felt horrified by the very thought. "I would never ask you to do something so dangerous - and, besides... Well, if you quite feel certain that... I most certainly would not wish for you to kill our child. Besides, the news does... Well, it'd be a lie to say that I'm not even a little happy with the news."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Emmett," whispered Clara. Tears then filled her eyes, as she added, "I just wish that I... Generally, this is supposed to be happy news - but it just... I'm so sorry, Emmett! I didn't mean to become pregnant! I didn't mean to..."

"It's all right, Clara," assured Emmett, as he placed his right hand on Clara's forehead. "It's not your fault. After all, we both did... Well, you know. Granted, it might take me a little longer to finish the time machine - since I would need time to... to be a father."

"Thank you for being so understanding," replied Clara, as she managed a small smile. "I suppose we should simply try to make the most of the situation. This actually came as an unexpected surprise to me. The very prospect of being a mother quite appeals to me. It's just a shame that the... the timing wasn't better. After all, it would be..."

"Well, we'll just have to make the best out of the situation," replied Emmett. "We'll just have to make sure that our child is still quite young, when we head back to the future. I can imagine how hard moving to another era could be to a child, and... I do hope..."

"As you said before, Emmett," Clara pointed out, softly, "small children generally have an easier time adapting. I sure think it would be harder for me to adapt, though - considering that I actually spent over the first thirty of my life living in this... this era."

"I can imagine that it would be a major culture shock to you," agreed Emmett. "You will really be experiencing the exact opposite of what I had experienced. At least, for me, this happens to be an era that I thought rather fondly of. Marty, on the other hand... Well, this would be a big nightmare for him. He would miss his hard rock music, and..."

"I guess it's understandable," Clara replied, softly. "Granted, I'm not sure of what this hard rock music sounds like - but I... Speaking of Marty, how do you suppose he quite would take to... I know he had a hard enough time, dealing with me being part of..."

"Well, that sure is a good question," replied Emmett, as he began to ponder over his teenage friend. "In all honesty, it probably really would be hard for him to adjust to. After all, he's pretty much used to... being alone with me. I reckon that it would..."

"I suppose I understand," murmured Clara. "I mean, it still hurts that Marty was never fully accepting of me - but I also understand that's simply wrong to hold it against him. After all, from what you told me, the poor boy had simply gone through so much - and it... It was wrong for me to lash out at you, or say that I rather wished for him to..."

"It's now in the past, Clara," Emmett pointed out, softly. He certainly had no desire to remember the quarrel that his wife was referring to. "He always has been simply good with small children. Even if he doesn't start out being fully accepting, I'm sure that..."

"I guess you're right, Emmett," Clara replied, in a near whisper. "To be honesty, I feel as if I... It's quite so hard to believe that I'm actually pregnant. After all, thinking that I now have... another living being... growing inside my body. It feels... very surreal."

"It feels so strange for me, too," pointed out Emmett. "I never expected that I would ever have a child to call my own. Marty was a little like a son to me - but, yet, he was not. I was one of the 'fun grown-ups' in his life, instead of one who was always really enforcing rules and restrictions on him. With our own child, though - I suppose it..."

"We definitely do have to have rules," Clara replied, softly. "I quite wish to be nothing like Harriet Peabody. I would just loathe to have her for a mother, and I... A few of my friends did have mothers who were... like her. I used to feel so sorry for them."

"Rules related to health and safety," Emmett explained, "are definitely vital. I do quite think we should also allow our child the very freedom to... to be himself... or herself. I believe that social norms regarding, uh, gender roles... should not be that enforced."

"I am in complete agreement with that," replied Clara, emphatically. "There does need to be quite a fine balance between setting limits, and stifling any signs of individuality. I simply hope that, as a teacher, I could make a difference in the lives of the Peabody children. I quite hope that I can do so in a way, as to not get Harriet balling me out."

"Let's not worry so much about that, right now," suggested Emmett, softly. "I am also quite concerned about the Peabody children, but... They just won't be staring school, for quite some time. At least, Ira does appear to be more reasonable than his wife."

"You do make a good point, Emmett," Clara replied, sighing. "Well, I do wonder what it is like to be pregnant. Perhaps, Maggie McFly could be of assistance. I mean, she sure went through it once. I wonder how much pain I'm going to experience, and I just..."

"Well, we are real close to the McFlys," replied Emmett, "so I am certain Maggie would be able to... I suppose it really is hard for you, experiencing your first pregnancy - as well as a little scary. I sure promise to do all that I can, in order to make things as real easy for you as possible. I guess you do have the hard part in all this, while I get..."

"I won't lie to you, Emmett," whispered Clara. "It is very frightening for me, and I just feel a little... I never was quite the kind of person who could stand too much pain. On the other hand, though... Well, I also feel that this is a blessing for me - knowing..."

"When I was a little boy," Emmett commented, softly, "I used to be rather jealous of the female gender - when I found out that they could carry babies, and we couldn't. Of course, I did not realize what all went into a pregnancy - so I thought that it..."

"It is funny you should mention that, Emmett," Clara replied, with a soft chuckle. "I do remember insisting how I would have a baby, as soon as I turned eighteen. All I really knew was that women carried babies inside of them, until the babies were born. I was not aware of the process of... of how a baby was created. I did not realize that it..."

"So, considering that, I guess you just did not understand that you needed to have a husband," suggested Emmett, softly. Clara blushed, as she nodded. "I can recall how some of my female acquaintances were really given suggestions by their children that they have a baby - as a surprise to their husbands, when they return from the war."

"Their husbands would be surprised, all right!" gasped Clara, nodding. "But not in a good way. Is it simply true that, in the future, people are a little more open with the concept of... of the deed that caused me to become pregnant with our first child?"

"Most decidedly so," Emmett replied, nodding. "I do not think it is entirely a bad thing, but people can... In the future, the concept of an 'innuendo' is rather more common - and it... It is annoying, if someone reads an innuendo into an innocuous comment."

"Oh, I think I know what you mean," Clara replied, as a smile spread across her face. "In the future, there are more slang terms used to describe the... the deed. So, as a result, people could mistakenly believe that you are referring to the deed - when you are not, right?" As Emmett, she added, "I can imagine that it would be annoying."

"It has not happened to me, so much," Emmett replied, softly. "I think I'm simply going to crawl into bed, after I change out of these clothes. I do feel very exhausted, and I am certain that you feel the same." As Clara nodded, he added, "Have a good rest!"

Clara laughed, as Emmett stepped out of his clothes. Indeed, the pregnancy did come as a great surprise - and he was concerned about how it might affect the timeline. For now, though, he felt happy. At last, the prospect of being a father was within reach.