"I suppose you don't have any ideas as for how we can get back, eh?" Alex asked, really concerned. "I never thought it could ever be possible to become homesick, when you're in paradise. I really miss my family a lot. I mean, it is true that I sometimes give Mallory a hard time for being a little ditsy - but she is my sister, and I really care a lot about her. I really miss Jennifer and Andy, too. We can't stay here, Marty."
"Yeah, you're right, Alex," Marty replied, sighing. "I also have to admit that I am rather nervous about Letisha. I hate to say this, but I'm afraid she could hurt us - if she really wanted to. It seems like she has the power to do anything she can set her heart to,in this world."
"Well, in all fairness," Alex said, quietly, "she really doesn't appear to be a vengeful kind of girl. I admit that it's her powers that I feel a little intimidated by. I mean, I guess she could harm us - if she wanted to. It's not even about her, though. It's just that, well, my family really needs me - and I guess I really need them, too."
"I wonder how much time has passed in our world, now," pondered Marty. "Even if the space-time continuum may not be a major concern, I can't risk letting Marty Jr and Marlene get erased from existence. They have visited the 1980s a few time already - and it just wouldn't be fair to them to let them face such a major shock, as soon as they return to the future. I can imagine how I would feel if, after returning to 1985, it turns out that my parents decided not to get married. Yeah, Alex, I mustn't be so selfish."
"Yeah, I guess you do have that whole fourth-dimensional mess to worry about," Alex said, nodding. "Fortunately for me, I really have no reason to worry about the space-time continuum in my world. I just miss my family a lot."
"So do you still plan to work at Wall Street, someday?" Marty asked, smiling. "Wouldn't you miss your family then?"
"Well, yeah, I would," replied Alex, sighing, "but I would be able to write to them, and I would be able to talk on the phone occasionally. I mean, it's not like I would be dead or anything."
"You do have a point, Alex," Marty replied. "I really can't see myself ever leaving Hill Valley, even if I become a major rock star. I mean, my ancestors have lived in Hill Valley for over a century - and there's also the fact that I managed to see Hill Valley in various different time periods. It is amazing how time travel can place a whole new perspective on life. Before Doc unveiled the time machine to me, I never thought too much about the history of Hill Valley. Since then, though, I have become very fond of my hometown."
"Well, I guess it's a little different for me," Alex said. "Neither of my parents grew up in Ohio, so it's not like I really have a heritage in my hometown. Even if I ever did have the opportunity to travel through time, and get to see my hometown from various time periods, I don't think I would ever really value my hometime in the same way that you really value yours. Know what I mean?"
"Right, I understand," replied Marty. "You know, once we find a way to return home, I will miss you a lot. Granted, I suppose I could maybe use Doc's DeLorean time machine to pay you a little visit - now that we have that device on the machine that allows for inter-dimensional travel. It seems to be somewhat more risky than time travel, though."
"Oh, really?" asked Alex, stunned. "So are you saying that inter-dimensional travel is actually more dangerous than time travel? I would have thought the opposite was true. After all, with inter-dimensional travel, you really don't have to worry about creating a time paradox, right? Whereas, with time travel, you do."
"All I can really say if that, last fall," Marty explained, "Doc and I ended up hopping through all these different dimensions - and we were really worried that we might never make it back home. It was a bit stressful."
"I can imagine that it would have been really interesting, too, though," Alex commented. "Sometimes I do envy you a little, Marty. I wish I had the ability to go on the type of adventures that you go on, Marty."
"Well, I'm not really complaining, Alex," Marty replied, "as I always have been quite an adventurous person myself. It's just tha, well, sometimes fourth-dimension travel can be very stressful. Like, even right now, we have to find a way to get out of this place - so that we can return to our respective homes. Usually, I would count on Doc to be able to find a way to return home - but Doc isn't here, so we need to figure this out ourselves."
"We did figure out how to get you home," Alex pointed out, "the one time that you were trapped in our dimension. So we could maybe try to work our way out of this time, too. So, Marty, we need to start thinking of some ideas."
"I dunno," Marty sighed. "Doc is always the pro at this. It's not like we came here in Doc's DeLorean, so I suppose we should look at some possible gateways at how one might enter or leave this world."
"I have a hunch that we're not physically here," Alex suggested. "I mean, I remember going to bed - and then I find myself in this place. I have not a clue of how Letisha was able to do this, but it appears that she somehow had the ability to take advantage of future technology to create this world. This is pretty scary."
"Could we maybe try to will ourselves out of this world?" suggested Marty. "Maybe we could try to pinch each other, and see if we can wake ourselves up this way. Perhaps, we're trapped in Letisha's dream world."
"Yeah, that's what I think, too," Alex replied, "and I have a feeling this isn't a regular dream world, either. You know, I never really really thought too much about the phenomenon of dreams before - but I know some people have an ability to induce lucid dreaming. I guess I did have a lucid dream back on the Christmas on 1983, when some spirits were able to show me my past and my future. That's about the closest thing to time travel that I ever experienced."
"It is possible that, if some time had passed at home," Marty mused, "Doc might be able to find a way to wake me up - or, maybe, even some regular medical doctors might be able to find a way. We shouldn't just rely on outside help, though. This might be something that only we ourselves can figure out."
"Psst, I hear someone coming," Alex observed. "I wonder who it could possibly be."
"Just relax," assured a feminine voice. "It's only me, Natasha. Are the two of you trying to find some way to leave this place, so you can get home?"
"Well, uh," stammered Marty, "you're not going to hurt us, are you? I do like this world, but my friends and family at home are really going to miss me. We really can't stay here, I'm sorry!"
"Don't worry," Natasha said, softly. "I'm not going to hurt you - and Letisha would not hurt you, either. You know, I really need to get home myself. Letisha is my best friend and everything, but I can't stay here. I mean, I really have a life that I need to live. I feel so bad about my friend, as the last year or so has been very rough for her. Still, I can't spend the rest of my life living in Letisha's fantasy world."
"So you'll help us get home, then?" Alex asked, hopefully. "I miss my friends and family - and, okay, I really miss Wall Street, too. I might as well be honest with myself - but I really do care about my family, too."
"I understand," replied Natasha. "Yeah, I'll help the two of you get home. I think I might just have a way."
Marty and Alex glanced at each other. Marty's heart began to skip, as he realized that Natasha was an ally.