October 4, 1885
3:30 PM PST

Emmett Lloyd Brown smiled - just as he gazed at his romantic partner, Clara Catherine Brown. It sure was a gorgeous autumn afternoon, as they were taking a hike through what would become Hill Valley Park. It just seemed strange to think of it was exactly a month, since he rescued Clara. Indeed, a lot really happened within the past month.

While he had yet to propose to Clara, he already had a good feeling that she was the woman for him. He already figured out the perfect day to propose to her, and he just felt so nervous. Even in the month that he knew Clara - he knew that the woman was nothing like Jill Wooster, the woman who he used to court back in the early 1940s.

"This is our one month anniversary," Clara commented, softly. "It's so hard to believe just how fast the time has gone by. Sometimes, it still feels as if I'm... dreaming." Her expression then darkened, as she asked, "You don't still think about Marty, do you?"

"What are you talking about, Clara?" gasped Emmett, as he could hardly believe what he heard. "Of course, I still think about Marty! After all, why wouldn't I still really think about him? He is my friend! Just what exactly are you trying to get at, Clara?"

"I simply don't understand why you even care so much about that boy," Clara replied, scowling. Raising her voice, she continued, "I mean, he really didn't have the decency to make me feel welcome. Emmett, that boy treated me as I was a... a piece of dirt!"

"Clara, we already went over this," Emmett replied, sighing. He could not understand his romantic partner's sudden hostility towards Marty. In the past, she had appeared to be understanding. He wondered what changed. "You can't take it so personally."

"Oh, right, Emmett," Clara replied, scoffing. "After all, to him, I wasn't a person. I was merely a distraction! I was merely somebody who really got in the way! He didn't even care that I was a person, too - and that my feelings also count! I bet he simply wished that I would disappear. I don't understand how you can respect someone like that!"

"Clara, please be reasonable!" protested Emmett. "He's been my friend, ever since he was a little boy. You can't expect me to just stop caring about him. I don't understand what's gotten into you! Don't you think that your current attitude is unreasonable?"

"I'm being unreasonable?" scoffed Clara, as she laughed derisively. "Was it simply too much for me to expect that he really treats me like a person, with actual feelings - instead of like a... a distraction? Emmett, why are you taking his side over mine?"

"I'm not taking anybody's side!" protested Emmett, just as he found himself beginning to lose his patience. "Clara, I don't quite understand why you're suddenly... After all, it quite seems as if you want me to... to simply forget that Marty ever was my friend. I can't do that, though. Besides, Clara, I thought he was actually very polite to you."

"Oh, sure!" scoffed Clara. "Well, mere politeness is not enough - when it was obvious from the get-go that he wished... I never existed! I quite bet he would've rather you just let me fall into the ravine! How could you even defend someone so heartless?"

"Please, Clara," chided Emmett, as he took in a deep breath. "I sure do think you are blowing this all out of proportion. I'm very positive that he harboured no bad feelings towards you, whatsoever. He simply wanted for us to return to 1985. That's all."

"Oh, is that it?" challenged Clara, as she began to chuckle coldly and humourlessly. "Is this really what it's about, Emmett? He hates me, simply because I am from a different time period? Tell me, Emmett. How exactly is that different from... hating foreigners?"

"Clara, he doesn't hate you!" protested Emmett, as he was struggling to maintain his composure. "I really think you are overreacting! I mean, listen to you! Here you are, twisting everything around - and sure making it out like Marty is quite some sort of... some sort of a cold-hearted jackass. He is not that kind of a person, Clara. Honest!"

"You are obviously blinded by love for that boy!" shrieked Clara. "Why do you have to keep making such excuses for him? Why can't you just accept the fact that he is really not the kind of person that you should be remembering fondly of. You really should be happy that he's gone, and... Quite frankly, I hope that train did crash into him!"

"That is quite enough, Clara!" exploded Emmett. This had to be a bad dream. He could not believe that the schoolteacher just had the unmitigated audacity to say something so rude. "I'm quite beginning to think that you might be just like Jill Wooster, after all!"

"How dare you compare me to Jill Wooster?" roared Clara, as she reached out to slap Emmett across the cheek. "Just because I... I..." Her expression simply began to soften, as tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry, Emmett! I do not know what got into me."

"Do you quite mean it, Clara?" asked Emmett, as he still felt a tinge of anger. He didn't feel as if he was ready to forgive Clara for wishing death on Marty. "You rather did let me down, Clara. In the past, you sure seemed understanding. Right now, I'm quite so confused. I simply don't understand what led to the change of heart, or why you..."

"I can understand, Emmett, if you don't wish to forgive me," muttered Clara, as tears began to spill down her cheeks. "What I said was very inexcusable, and I do... If you wish to end our end our relationship, then I... Well, I guess I can understand that."

"Oh, Clara," murmured Emmett, as he took in a deep breath. "Well, I really don't wish to make any rash decisions - but... Well, I really do want you to explain why you said all the things you did - and why you began to act as if I should... just forget Marty."

"All right, fair enough," Clara replied, just as she sat on a tree stump. Emmett sat on a nearby log. "I guess I do owe you an explanation. The fact is, I did feel very hurt that Marty wasn't more accepting of me - but I didn't want to seem petty. So, I... I tried to convince myself that it was no big deal. I guess I let all the feelings build up, and I..."

"So, essentially, what you are saying is," Emmett commented, softly, "you didn't wish to appear petty, or... or overly sensitive. So, as such, you opted to try pushing such emotions aside - until, finally, you just reached a point where you could no longer..."

"I think that's it, Emmett," Clara replied, as she was still weeping. "I guess I was afraid that you might judge me, or... I guess that quite ended up backfiring, anything - since it lead to... I guess I should've been more honest with you, instead of letting the..."

"I would never judge you for your emotions, Clara," Emmett replied, softly. "Y'know, I can't believe that we just had our second fight. I guess there's no perfect relationship - so, as such... Well, I'm rather willing to give you another chance. You do seem to be genuinely remorseful, and... Well, I can't remember a time when Jill ever apologized."

"Thank you very much, Emmett," replied Clara, as she pulled a handkerchief from her dress pocket. "I almost feel as if I don't deserve the forgiveness, but I... I sure hope we don't have any future spats. We may still have our disagreements, but I just..."

"Do you understand, Clara?" Emmett asked, softly. "Do you understand that Marty... never meant to hurt you? The thing is, he even quite suggested that I bring you back to 1985 - and, upon further thought, he made a very good point. He sure wanted for us to be happy, and I... The thing is, you can't say that he wasn't thinking of us."

"I never even knew that," whispered Clara - as she was trying hard not to cry, again. "So, as such, I gather he was torn between his desire to return to his time - and what was best for you. So, if you don't mind... Why didn't you just take him up on that?"

"Because I was not thinking clearly," Emmett replied, sighing. "I was thinking that you don't really belong in the future - and, likewise, I don't belong in the past. Also, I was concerned with how you... Well, I didn't quite wish to force a new era on you - so..."

"I guess that was quite the gentlemanly thing to do," Clara replied, nodded. "I did tell you to take me along, wherever you were going - but I guess... I simply do hope you aren't cross with me for really causing you to miss your trip back to 1985 with Marty." With a small smile, she added, "Now, remember, be honest about your emotions."

"Well, I was a little disappointed," Emmett replied softly, "as I ended up being forced to let Marty down. However, I can honestly say that I wasn't mad at you. I was real overjoyed to see that you... had a change of heart. It is only the situation that..."

"You were mad at the situation, right?" Clara asked, softly. "You weren't mad at me. I can understand that. I reckon that Marty was a mite mad at me, though - but... Well, as much as it hurts to think that he... I can't act like it's all about me - right, Emmett?"

"No, it sure has nothing to do with you," replied Emmett. "In all honesty, he did mutter a sarcastic 'perfect' into the walkie-talkie - but, as we were just mentioning, it was just the situation that irked him. He was not personally mad at you. I sure understand that it upsets you, but... Keep in mind, Clara, that he was also concerned about Jennifer."

"Now, Jennifer," Clara muttered. "She's the... Well, she is really to Marty... as I am to you, right?" Emmett smiled, as he felt very pleased to see that Clara was coming to an understanding. "I guess I forgot that... I guess that poor man had a lot on his mind."

"That he certainly did," Emmett replied, softly. "After all, I already told you about that world that Biff Tannen created - and I'm sure the fact that we left Jennifer there... At least, we did manage to take the almanac away from Biff - which is a real good thing."

Clara smiled, as Emmett helped her up from the tree stump. While he was still reeling a little over the quarrel that he and Clara had, he figured that it was best to forgive and forget - and he also quite hoped that, from the moment on, Clara would be more open about her emotions. After all, good communication was vital to any good relationship.