Disclaimer: I do not own Back to the Future.

Author's note: While this ficlet occurs in the past, this is exclusively Trilogy Universe. Furthermore, this ficlet occurs in the post-TGOMOH (The Girl of My Old Home) Timeline.

June 12, 1926
9:00 AM PDT

Seamus McFly felt real cheerful, as he greatly enjoyed the company of the three small children - who were spending the weekend at his house. He sure found the children to be helpful, and they were helping him mix up some pancake batter. He felt rather glad that his granddaughter, Alice, had actually convinced him to watch over the children.

He had quite come to enjoy the presence of Leanne Sawyer and Karen Smith, both of who really reminded him of Alice. However, he felt an especially close sense of kinship with young Emmett Brown - who seemed to enjoy hearing tales of his Old West days.

As Seamus thought of young Emmett, it sure seemed strange to think he would grow to become the blacksmith - who ended up marrying a schoolteacher in late 1885. The even stranger thing was, Emmett's future son would fall in love with his daughter!

Seamus sighed, as he thought of Linda. His beloved daughter simply would've died of cholera, if she hadn't been brought into the future. One thing really was certain. The concept of time travel really was rather confusing! Half of the time, he wasn't certain of which tenses he should use. What already happened, and what will happen?

"Are you okay, Mr. McFly?" Emmett asked, softly. "You really seem to be a little... Do you ever wish that you could go back to the Old West? The thing is, I really wish that I... that I could've been around. I think that being a cowboy would be real exciting!"

"Well, Emmett," Seamus replied, with a chuckle. "Let me just tell you something! Back in those days, life was... Well, life was a little tougher. First off, we didn't quite have many of the modern conveniences... that you youngsters tend to take for granted."

"Actually, I would be real scared," commented Karen. "I mean, I've heard that there were plenty of outlaws - and that you could easily get shot. My daddy really told me about this man. He said the man was called 'Mad Dog', and that he sure would shoot anyone who... who he felt offended him. I bet he's really burning in hell, right now."

"He was a very scary man," agreed Seamus, with a shudder. "He even shot Marshall Strickland, who was a real good man. I remember how my wife was... Well, he really took an instant dislike towards me. Not that he exactly liked anyone, mind you..."

"That sounds so scary," Leanne replied, shuddering. "What do you suppose the world will be like, in the next fifty or sixty years? It really seems strange to think that, when you were younger, you had no radio to keep you entertained - or moving pictures..."

Seamus chuckled, as he thought of how the world had quite advanced. He knew that, within the next sixty years, the world would actually become even more advanced. In several ways, he just found the idea to really be scary. Granted, it was the advanced technology that had found a quick cure for Linda's cholera - so it couldn't be that bad.

He then thought of Verne, who had fallen in love with Linda. Young Emmett seemed to greatly resemble his future son. He thought of how Sarah Lathrop was really Emmett's mother, and how Sarah had been the best friend of Emmett's son's romantic interest!

Seamus leaned against the counter, as he began to feel a little dizzy. Even after over thirty years, he wasn't very certain if he fully understood all there was to know about time travel. If not for time travel, dear Martin would've been stabbed in a saloon!

He thoughts really turned back to the day, when he read the birth announcement of Emmett Lathrop Brown. He thought of how, in the past, the blacksmith had used the full name of Emmett Lloyd Brown. With the Lathrops' 1887 arrival to Hill Valley, it just would've seemed very risky for the blacksmith to actually use his given middle name.

"Mr. McFly?" Emmett asked, with concern. "Are you, uh, feeling sick? Do you need me to go fetch a doctor? If you want me to, I could fry up the pancakes. I sure think you should relax. You seem like a great man, and I just wouldn't want anything bad to..."

"Oh, Emmett!" gasped Seamus, as he burst out chuckling. "I'm quite feeling just fine! I guess I really was, uh, deep in thought. To be honest, I sometimes tend to feel a little nostalgic. I remember the day that my eldest, William, was born. He's all grown up!"

"You're Alice's grandfather?" Emmett asked, amazed. "I sure wonder what my life will be like, when I grow up. I wonder who I'll marry, and what my children will be like. At the least, I would really like to have a son and daughter. I'm thinking of naming them Andy and Ann! Also, I'm going to let them do anything they want. Anything at all."

Seamus chuckled, as he knew how popular the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls were. Of course, those name were definitely far from what Emmett would really end up naming his future children! After five more years, Emmett would finally discover Jules Verne.

"Well, I really wouldn't be in such a hurry to grow up," Seamus suggested, gently. "It does feel so strange, thinking that Alice is already twenty years old. Even Agnes and Anita have just turned thirteen. Time goes by, very quickly. Just enjoy your youth."

"Why don't you just tell us about Mr. Eastwood?" suggested Emmett. "I've heard that he was quite a fearless and brave young man, who dared to take a real stand to Mad Dog. He was also real brave, when he and the blacksmith tried to stop some hijackers from stealing a train. It's really a shame that he was so young, when he lost his life."

You sure don't know the half of it, Seamus thought - as a smile spread across his face. One day, Emmett, you'll understand everything. Until then, everything simply will remain a mystery. It's your first time of seeing me, but the reverse isn't true!

"Well, Emmett, I'm not sure you'd want to know," Seamus replied. In a way, that was true. The older Emmett would not want his younger self to know! "It was quite a terrifying experience. Maybe, when you get a little older, you could then find out."

"Aw, shucks!" groaned Emmett, as he looked disappointed. "Well, when did you move to Hill Valley? My mom moved here, shortly after she was born. My pop didn't come to America, until 1908. Some people actually hated him, simply because he was German. Therefore, he really decided to change his name. It used to be Herschel Von Braun."

"That just wasn't right," Seamus commented, as he shook his head. "I remember how some people didn't like me, because I was Irish. It was simply hurtful. I mean, I didn't choose to be born in Ireland. Of course, I'm proud of my heritage - but I just felt..."

"I sure don't understand it, either," Leanne replied, sighing. "The thing is, how could someone hate a person - simply because of what country he's from... or because of what colour his skin is? People can't help those things. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, it's never made much sense," Seamus agreed, quietly. "After all, people should be judged by the way they treat others. Some people appear to think that the Golden Rule really only applies to people who are like them. We're all individuals, though - and we're all God's children. We're all descendants of Adam and Eve, so we're all related."

"Right, exactly," agreed Leanne. "I sure hope that, after I grow up, everyone will be fairly treated. We don't have to respect murderers and theives, as they rather made the choices to harm other people. Nobody chooses his race or nationality, though."

"Nobody chooses his gender, either," Seamus replied, softly. "I was simply happy, six years ago, when women finally gained the right to vote. I mean, I've sure always felt that they deserved the right to be heard. So, as a result, we are making progress."

Seamus' thoughts turned to Linda. His eldest daughter was simply lucky, being able to really live in an era of equality. There probably were times, of course, when Linda felt a little nostalgic. Still, quite knowing that his daughter would have more opportunities, he figured that Linda would be happy about the future life. It made him feel pleased.

He really felt a pang of sadness, as he knew that he would be long dead by then. He thought of his descendant, who sure was named after his dear brother. Marty would not even be born, until the summer of 1968. That was actually still 42 years away!

Seamus wondered if he'd even be alive to witness the birth of Marty's father. He suddenly felt real old. He simply remembered the much elder Emmett explaining to him about the rejuvenation overhauls, which was actually supposed to extend life spans.

Seamus suddenly wished that he could simply go into the future, and get one of those overhauls. He didn't have a time machine, though - and the elder Emmett would, quite likely, insist that him getting an overhaul would actually be a big risk on the space-time continuum. He sighed, as he rather decided that he might as well just accept his fate.

"Well, kids," Seamus called out, as he noticed three small worried faces, "I suppose I'd sure better start making up these pancakes. You kids really do have full lives ahead of you. When you become as old as me, you... You'll wish that you were young, again."

"You're not that old, Mr. McFly," Emmett commented, as he threw his small arms around Seamus. "You're quite a fun man to be around. I do know some old men, who seem to always be grumpy. I hope that, when I get old, I don't become so grumpy."

Seamus just smiled, as he hugged the young boy. It certainly seemed strange to think that the young boy had, very recently, graduated kindergarten - and Seamus already knew just what his future would hold. As he glanced into young Emmett's brown eyes, he quite saw the blacksmith in the little boy. What will happen, has already happened.