She was beautiful. She was even more beautiful when Marty closed his eyes. That way he could appreciate fully the soft gentleness of her lips, the way her nose rubbed up and down his, her sweet scent, her slightly rapid breathing…
His eyelids fluttered open slightly at the same time hers did and she giggled, nuzzling his cheek. He grinned, wrapping his hands around the smooth curve of her neck and touched his lips to hers again. She kissed him back, fiercely, and he leaned closer, entwining his fingers around her hair –
Ring. Ring.
Marty's eyes snapped open. He felt Jennifer become still in his arms. They remained like that for several seconds, frozen in mid-kiss.
Ring. Ring.
Jennifer was the first to pull away, smiling ruefully as she gently disentangled Marty's hand from her hair. He groaned and flopped back against the pillows, reaching for the phone. 'Hello?'
'Marty, is that you?'
He suppressed a sigh. 'Hey, Doc. 'Course it's me. What's up?'
'I need you to come over here, right away.'
'Doc!' Marty let some of his dismay creep into his voice. 'Look, this…really isn't a good time, OK?'
'This is important, Marty,' Doc said – a little coldly? 'Your life may depend on it.'
Marty bolted upright into a sitting position, startling Jennifer. 'My what?'
'I haven't got time to explain right now. Just get over here.' There was a click at the other end of the line and Marty was left staring at the phone in his hand.
Jennifer reached over to rub his knee, raising her eyebrows questioningly. Marty grimaced. 'It's Doc. He wants me to go over there. He said my – ' Marty hesitated. 'Well, it sounds important.' What the hell did he mean, "my life might depend on it"? Oh God, this really better have nothing to do with time travel.
'That's OK,' Jennifer replied, only a hint of regret in her voice. 'I would have had to go soon, anyway. I'm babysitting this afternoon.'
He bent towards her and tilted his chin upwards. She kissed him again, gently at first, and then harder –
She pulled away abruptly. 'No, Marty, you really should go. If it's that important.'
Marty groaned again as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and reached for his Nikes. 'It better be.'
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By the time he reached Doc's, having dropped Jennifer off at her house, his resentment hadn't fully faded. It was getting harder and harder for the two of them to find time together, and he didn't appreciate having their make-out session interrupted.
As Marty hopped out of his truck in Doc's driveway, he paused, wondering at the unearthly quiet that seemed to hang over the place; the house's windows were all thrown open in the hot sunshine, yet no noises issued from the building. Even the sound of Marty closing the truck's door echoed loudly in the strange, unnatural stillness.
There was probably a simple reason for the quietness – most likely Clara and the boys had just gone into town – but even so, Marty was struck by an odd urge to get away. Something didn't feel right.
There was a flash of movement from the lab, set across the lawn from the house, and Doc appeared, walking around from the side of the lab. Relieved, Marty went to him. 'Yo, Doc.'
Something seemed odd about Doc – he was holding himself stiffly and his eyes seemed to be focused vaguely somewhere above Marty's head. Slightly alarmed, Marty peered up at him. 'Doc? You okay?'
Doc's gaze darkened as it landed on the teenager. 'I'm fine,' he said coolly.
'Well, you look kinda like you did when that last experiment blew up and you got hit in the head,' Marty retorted. He shoved his hands into his pockets; he was still irked at his friend, and if he was going to be like this… 'So, what did you want me over for?'
'Ah, of course.' Doc twirled on his heel, gesturing for Marty to follow. 'Come and see.'
Marty expected the scientist to lead him into the lab, but instead he went around to the other side of the building. 'Doc?' he said, confused. 'What – '
He halted at the sight before him. 'Jesus Christ!' he yelped, leaping backwards. 'Doc! Jesus!'
There, slumped on the grass, was – well, Doc. Another Doc. He was unconscious; he had been gagged with a strip of white cloth and his hands were bound tightly in front of him.
'He's you,' Marty said, stunned. 'But – where'd he come from? Is he like that evil alternate you from the Halloween world?'
Something caught his eye and his head jerked up sharply – to look directly into his own face.
Other Marty blinked at him, looking mildly surprised. 'Wow, Doc,' he remarked. 'You were right – this does feel really weird.'
Fuzzy blackness began to cloud the edges of Marty's vision and his heartbeat was suddenly very loud in his ears. He tore his eyes away from his counterpart to stare at the Doc lying on the ground, and then to slowly look up at the Doc standing beside him. 'You are my Doc, aren't you?' he whispered.
The corners of Doc's mouth twitched very faintly upwards. 'Try again, Marty,' he said, as if from a long way off. Marty saw his hand move upwards, but was too slow to do anything. There was a flash of light and he fell forward into complete darkness.