Title: A Race against Time
Summary: AU, Hurt/Comfort, Drama. In the third movie, things don't go exactly as planned, and Doc will soon have to race against time to save his best friend's life.
By: Master Kaym (musingpadawan) /I have too many pen names XD /
Disclaimer: I do not own Back to the Future!
A.N. : Well I know I shouldn't begin another story, but this plot bunny is nagging me!! It's becoming annoying lol! So I just have to get it out… though I know some bttf fans who will be happy to have another author added to their fandom!
Also, I'm a hurt/comfort freak, so you've been warned!
Oh and, I speak French, so if you note some mistakes, please forgive me… And this fic will probably be kinda short, but I hope you like it anyway. The next chapters will be more AU as I write more…
A Race against Time
Chapter 1
Marty looked at his friend working on the tires of the DeLorean and smiled. He was still amused by Doc's reaction after he saved Miss Clara Clayton from the Shonash Ravine. The older man had argued so much about the lack of scientific rationality, but when faced with the woman of his dreams, he'd gone from totally rational to madly in love in a matter of seconds.
Marty chuckled to himself.
His friend was really funny, even when he didn't mean too. But his life was still at stake, and Marty didn't want to lose him, not again. He couldn't.
He took his walkie-talkie and walked to the end of the blacksmith shop.
"Doc, Doc, this is Marty. Can you read me? Over."
Doc, from the other end of the room, answered.
"Check, Marty."
"Great Doc, these things still work."
At least there's one thing that still works, thought Marty. With the gas tank empty and the flying controls completely fried, they were lucky that the temporal instruments still worked. Now with the walkie-talkies working, he was beginning to think that maybe they had a chance to get out of there alive.
He waved on his legs. He was feeling a little sick to his stomach. Maybe Doc wouldn't be shot… again.
Even though they were in 1885, for him, the events with the Libyans were only a few days away.
He shook his head, trying to clear it.
Doc moved toward a model railroad he has built.
"Alright" he said.
Marty walked toward it to see what the man had to show him.
"Marty, once more lets go over the entire plan and layout. I apologize for the crudity of this model..."
The scientist was always trying to be mindful of his work's accuracy.
"Yeah, I know, Doc, it's not to scale." The teen said, trying to reassure him, "It's okay, Doc."
Doc smiled.
"Alright. Tomorrow night, Sunday, we'll load the DeLorean on to the tracks here on the spur right by the old abandoned silver mine. The switch track is where the spur runs off the main line 3 miles into Clayton...Shonash Ravine. The train leaves the station at 8:00 Monday morning. We'll stop it here, uncouple the cars from the tender, throw the switchtrack, and hijack"
Doc stopped a moment, looked at Marty, and then corrected himself.
"-borrow the locomotive and use it to push the time machine. According to my calculations we'll hit 88 miles per hour just before we hit the edge of the ravine, at which point we'll instantaneously arrive in 1985 and coast safely across the completed bridge."
As he explained, Doc was using the layout's elements, showing Marty exactly how they were going to get back to their own time.
Marty noticed a small sign that Doc had made out of cardboard near the end of the railroad.
"What does this mean? Point of no return?"
"That's our failsafe point. Up until that point we can stop the locomotive before it plunges over the ravine. But once we pass that windmill, it's the future or bust."
He looked at Marty, who had paled considerably. True, it was a dangerous manoeuvre, but Emmett didn't think it would fail. He wouldn't endanger the teen's life like that, with unnecessary risks, but it seemed to be worrying Marty quite a lot.
"Don't worry" He said, putting a hand on his young friend's arm, "we will make it."
The teen shrugged.
"I know Doc…"
The scientist observed Marty with keen eyes. His friend still looked pale, like he didn't believe quite entirely what he just said. His eyes seemed glazed.
Emmett frowned.
"Marty, do you feel well?"
A pair of eyes met his.
"Yeah Doc, I just… well I've been feeling a little sick in the past few days, but I think I just need some rest."
It wasn't really a lie. He had been feeling sick. It was probably nothing, he reasoned. After all, he had seen his best friend being shot –twice-, and he had been chased by cars, he had been beaten, he had been knocked unconscious three times and had almost been shot by Biff's gun, just to name a few things. It was normal that he was feeling a little tired, he thought.
But somewhere deep down, a nagging feeling was telling him it was not just that.
Still, he buried the feeling and smiled at Doc.
"Don't worry about me Doc"
The older man didn't look so convinced, but a voice prevented him from saying more.
"Hello? Emmett?"
Doc went to the door, and shot Marty a look that meant "We'll discuss this later".
Marty shifted uncomfortably.
When Emmett saw that it was Clara, his mind raced. She couldn't see the time machine!
"It's Clara!" He informed Marty, "Quick, cover the DeLorean."
They quickly hid the DeLorean, and Marty put the model car behind his back.
Just in time. Clara opened the door just as they finished. She looked a little shy but she walked in anyway.
"Hello." She said softly
Emmett smiled warmly at her. He felt butterflies in his stomach every time he saw her.
"Why, hello" He said in his most gentleman manner, "This is quite a surprise."
Clara hoped she was not intruding. She smiled and said timidly:
"Well, I hope I'm not disturbing anything."
"Oh no, we were just doing a little model railroad."
The young teacher took a look at the layout, intrigued. She had never seen something so well sketched. She was impressed, but she tried to remember the reason why she had come.
"Emmett, when my bags were thrown from the wagon, my telescope was damaged." She began.
Then she hesitated, but continued.
"And... Since you expressed an interest...in science, I thought you might be able to repair it for me... I would pay you, of course!"
But Doc interrupted her quickly. There was no way he would allow this gentle, wonderful lady to give him money for a little service like this!
"Oh, no, no, no, I wouldn't think of charging you for this."
Marty almost rolled his eyes, but resisted and just sighed. He passed a hand through his hair. Doc was really crazed over Miss Clayton. This could pose a problem. Marty only hoped that his friend wouldn't hurt himself too much, if they were to get back to 1985.
Doc was taking the telescope.
"Well, let's have a look at it."
Marty watched as he put it in front of his eye and looked into it.
Clara was close to the scientist as she explained.
"I think the lens may be out of alignment, because if you move it this way, the image turns fuzzy, see?"
She closed the space between Doc and herself, gently moving telescope in one direction.
"But if you turn it ... the other way..."
Doc lowered the telescope and looked at her.
"Everything becomes... clear."
They lean toward each other, completely unaware of their surroundings. Their eyes are locked together and the time seems to stop.
Marty, becoming very uncomfortable, cleared his throat loudly.
The time resumes its course, and Doc and Clara looked away quickly, suddenly blushing. But the magic of the moment has not completely faded.
Clara, still breathless, took a few steps toward the door. Doc looked at her, completely dazed.
"I will repair it right away and have it for you tonight."
But the young woman quickly answered:
"Oh, tonight's the town festival. I wouldn't dream of having you work on my telescope during such an important event. You are...planning on attending, aren't you?"
She was secretly hoping to see Emmett there; maybe, just maybe he would ask her for a dance. She almost blushed again just at the thought of being so close to that man who was making her heart beat so fast.
"Well, actually ma'am..." Marty began, but Doc cut him quickly.
"Of course, the festival"
Marty looked at him with concern in his eyes, but said nothing. Doc knew what he was doing… he hoped…
"Well, in that case" Clara answer, hiding her excitement, "I'll see you this evening at the festival, Emmett…
As she walked toward the door, she acknowledged Marty.
"Mr. Eastwood."
"Ma'am."
Clara suddenly remembered that she hadn't thanked Emmett properly and turned.
"Thank you...for taking care of my telescope."
Doc, still in a daze, answered automatically.
"You're quite welcome."
As Clara disappeared behind the door, Marty walked to where Doc was still standing.
After a moment, he realized that his friend would not move if he didn't say anything. Trying to keep the scientist's attention away from their previous conversation, Marty only said:
"It's a nice telescope."
"Yeah…" Doc answered in a whisper.
This time, Marty rolled his eyes. He walked away from his friend and sat on a small bed at the other end of the room. He was feeling rather tired, and if Doc was going to that festival tonight, he wanted to go with him. He wouldn't let his friend walk alone in town until they were safely back home, where Bufford Tannen couldn't try to kill him anymore.
But until then, he would take a small nap to try and regain some energy. He removed his boots and lay down. He cast one last look and Doc, who was still standing on the same spot, looking at the closed door.
Marty sighed and turned around, closing his eyes.
TBC
And don't worry, next chapter will diverge even more from the movie ;)