June 20, 1885
12:30 PM PST

Emmett Lloyd Brown sighed, as he was eating fried chicken and mashed potatoes at Holt's Diner. He sure couldn't stop thinking about his friend, Martin Seamus McFly. It was the young man's birthday, albeit also 83 years prior to his birth. He hadn't seen his friend in nearly six months, and loneliness was certainly beginning to settle in.

While setting himself up as a blacksmith, he had tried his best to fix the DeLorean time machine. However, he just wasn't having much luck. Still, he was determined to fix it - one way or another. After all, he sure couldn't just leave his friend stranded in 1955.

As he glanced up, he saw Seamus and Maggie McFly step inside - while the latter was holding baby William. He still couldn't get over how much Seamus simply resembled his descendant. He then began to wonder if William would also grow to resemble Marty.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Brown," greeted Seamus, as he and his wife stepped towards the booth. "Do you mind if we, uh, sit next to you?" Emmett nodded, as he wouldn't mind having the company. "Sure is a very nice day out, isn't it? I have a feeling that Will is gonna grow to become a healthy boy. So, uh, you still missing your friend?"

"I most certainly am," Emmett replied, nodding. He figured that it was best not to tell Marty's ancestors what his friend's name was. "In fact, today's his birthday - and I'm really... missing him. As much I love it here in... in Hill Valley... Well, I just feel as..."

"I really understand exactly how you feel," replied Seamus, softly - as he and Maggie sat across from Emmett. "Mags and I do quite miss some of our old friends, from back in Ireland. Then, of course, poor Martin's death took a toll on us - and it's just so..."

Emmett swallowed, upon hearing the namesake of his young friend. He then thought of how Marty simply tended to react to being called a "chicken", and of how that was the very flaw that led to Marty's miserable future. He sure wished nothing more than to avert it, but he had to decide how - without disrupting the space-time continuum.

"He seemed to have so much to live for," added Maggie, softly. "I'm simply torn being deciding whether I was too hard on him, or not hard enough. While I really don't wish to become as stern as my parents were, I believe that discipline is very important."

"Right, of course," Emmett replied, softly. "At any rate, as with the two of you, I also came from a long distance. I simply didn't have too many close friends, but I... Well, I really do worry about him. He's been through a lot, and I can't help but feel as if..."

"Perhaps, you might write to him," suggested Seamus. "While Canada is a long ways away, it's not as if there is an ocean that needs to be crossed. If you have Western Union deliver, he could receive the letter in as soon as... ten days. It really wouldn't hurt to give it a try, and... I'm sure he's be happy to hear from you, even if you..."

"Well, I suppose I..." Emmett began to say, nervously. In actuality, he and his friend were separated by time - rather than by distance. Still, Marty's ancestor might simply be onto something. "Well, you do make a good point. I suppose I could write to him."

"Sure better than nothing," replied Seamus. "Unfortunately, it's harder to have letters delivered to Ireland - as it actually does require crossing the Atlantic Ocean. 'Tis a real miracle that we managed to survive. After all, not everyone has been all that lucky."

"You do make a good point, Mr. McFly," agreed Emmett, as he realized just how tough transportation was in the 19th Century. "I rather can imagine that making the journey across the Atlantic Ocean was no easy feat. I am quite terrible sorry about your loss - and I... Well, there is no telling what I'd do - if my friend was to meet such a fate."

"It certainly wasn't easy," agreed Seamus. "He was always such a charming boy, and you should see the way that he often smiled. I will quite miss him, but I'm certain that he went to heaven. If only it was possible to go back in time, and change his fate."

"That sure would be nice," agreed Emmett, in a near whisper. While a part of him was tempted to do just that, if he ever managed to fix his time machine - he quite realized how risky it would be. "Anyway, your brother really does remind me of... my friend."

"Aye," Seamus replied, nodding. "Well, I simply do hope that your friend doesn't meet that same fate. I really would love to meet him, if he could ever make to to California. Well, as I suggested, you could try writing to him - and... I rather do understand how tough it feels, having friends who simply happen to be... over the hills and far away."

Emmett's heart sure skipped a beat, upon hearing Seamus' last six words. He recalled that it was the title of one of Marty's favourite songs by the rock group, Led Zeppelin - and, in fact, he recalled that it was a song that would always move Marty to tears.

He sighed, as he began to realize how fitting those six words really were. Indeed, his friend was a long distance away - which, of course, was what the phrase meant. The fact that it was time that separated them really made things seem all the worse.

"Yeah, I see what you're saying," Doc replied, softly. "Well, it sure feels good talking with you - and it's..." He began to realize that, if he couldn't fix the time machine, he might take Seamus up on his suggestion. Perhaps, he could just bribe Western Union to hold onto that letter. It was worth a shot, at any rate. "I think I will write to him."

"That's the spirit," Seamus replied, cheerfully. "Perhaps, in the near future, we'll have quicker ways to contact long-distance friends. Granted, the telephone quite has been invented - but those are just awfully expensive to purchase, as well as get installed."

"Also, don't forget about the monthly charges," added Maggie. "If you call people who live a long ways away, that can take a major toll on our financial security. We do want for our children to grow up in a financially secure home, and the telephone can be..."

Emmett sighed, as he began to realize just how much changed within a century. While usage of the telephone still came with a monthly charge, the purchase and installation simply weren't as expensive. Of course, telephones still didn't have the ability to allow communication across time - and he suspected that it wouldn't be the case in 2015.

Indeed, Marty was over the temporal hills and far away - and, until he managed to replace the time circuits, communication with Marty would be entirely impossible. If he did try to use Western Union, it would still only allow for one-way communication.

Would he ask Marty to come back to 1885, before going back to 1985? On one hand, it would allow for him to see his friend. On the other hand, it really would be too risky - and he figured that he already did enough damage to the space-time continuum.

He managed to settle in nicely with the time period, and he was finally able to live the life that he always dreamed of. Did he really wish to just give that up? Sure, he might miss the advanced technology of the late 20th Century - and he even quite managed to grow fond of hard rock music, as odd as it might be. Still, he preferred it in 1885.

Perhaps, it was the fact that there wasn't as much pollution - and the townsfolk were a little more neighbourly. While he used to not be too sociable, he quite found himself feeling more at ease around the people of this era. It was a great feeling, indeed.

"Thinking about your friend, eh?" Seamus asked, softly. "I get like that, as well. I also miss me other brother Angus. He opted to stay in Ireland, and I... I suppose it rather is a privilege, knowing that we're actually starting a new family... in a new country."

"I'm certainly happy for you two," replied Emmett, as he glanced over at baby William. "By the way, if you ever just needed me to... Well, I would really be more than happy to watch Will. He really seems to have warmed up to me, and I sure would... Let's say that I've grown very fond of him. I'm certain that he will grow to become a fine man."

"I really strive to be a good father," Seamus replied, smiling. "I plan to take him fishing and hunting, and... We sure want to be a strong and courageous person, but we also want him to be sensitive and courteous. Both types of values are rather important."

Emmett nodded, as he agreed with Marty's ancestor. Indeed, Marty really did display both types of traits - and, after Marty's trip to 1955, as did his father. Emmett rather admired the ambition of George McFly, even if he was much closer to George's son.

"I would love to meet this friend of yours, Mr. Brown," continued Seamus. "He sounds like a fine young man, and it's obvious that you care about him. This certainly is a nice town, as long as Mad Dog Tannen stays away. I haven't met the buffoon, but he just sounds like a madman - true to his name. I must say, I wonder what he's been up to."

Emmett's heart skipped a beat at the mention of "Tannen". He was no stranger to the Tannen clan, as he had more than his share of troubles with a certain Biff Tannen. He suddenly remembered that Biff was a major reason of why he was stuck in 1885.

He dreaded to think of what might happen, if Mad Dog returned to Hill Valley. Without a doubt, the outlaw was every bit as power hungry and vindictive of the Biff from the Biffhorrific version of 1985 - the truly dystopian reality that continued to haunt him.

Emmett sighed, as his thoughts turned back to Marty. Indeed, any resolution to fixing his time machine might appear to be over the hills and far away - but he rather vowed to remain optimistic. After all, if you actually put your mind to it - you could accomplish anything. He was quite determined that, one day, he would be reunited with Marty.