Thanks to everyone for all the encouraging reviews! Without them this fic would have been dead and buried. But I have to warn you, though, that after this chapter things happen that should cause major paradoxes…but, er, don't. If you find some of the events hard to swallow, put it down to alternate universes being created – that's what I'm doing! (I know it's taking the easy way out, but I really worked myself into a rut with all the paradoxes I should be causing and all I can do now is ignore them.) Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

'You're sure that you can handle the train?' Doc was asking anxiously.

'Yeah, I'm sure,' Marty replied patiently. 'I've flown it before, remember?'

'Right.'

'Yeah.'

They stood for a moment at the train's doorway, just looking at each other. 'Well…good luck,' Doc said eventually. 'Marty – please don't do anything stupid.'

Marty frowned at him and tossed the sleep inducer lightly into the air before catching it again. 'I don't see how hard it can be.'

'Stopping your uncle from killing your family is the easy part. What follows is where things will become sticky.'

Marty nodded tersely. 'You better go.'

They shook hands quickly and then Doc departed. The train was parked in a deserted area near Marty's street. It was twenty minutes before Uncle Joey was due to kill Marty's family.

As Doc walked briskly away, he heard the train rise into the air behind him and then the three sonic booms as it left this time.

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Ten minutes before Joey was due to kill the McFlys, Marty arrived at the same place again. He scrambled down the steps and quickly activated the new device Doc had installed that would allow the train's exterior to take on the appearance of its surroundings, rendering it invisible. Marty stepped back as it disappeared, letting out a low whistle. 'Thank God for the Doc,' he said to himself.

He made off at a run, safe in the knowledge that no one came to this area and there was practically no chance of anyone accidentally discovering the train. As he rounded the corner that led to his street, he squinted down the street towards his house; to his immense relief, there was no sign of Joey, Jennifer and the Doc or the other Joey and Marty's past self arriving in the DeLorean – although the latter two could turn up at any minute. Why do we have to cut things so damn close? Marty thought in dismay, although he knew Joey had planned things this way so that there would be less chance of them saving Marty's family. But Marty smiled grimly as he knew Joey couldn't count on it. He couldn't count on anything while Doc and Marty had a time machine. Marty felt slightly more hopeful – did that mean they had the upper hand?

Then again, Uncle Joey did have Jennifer – and, by now, Doc…

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As Doc approached the McFly home, he could see a tall man lounging against a neighbour's wall; with a thud of his heart, he realised that Jennifer was standing beside him, wearing a resolute expression. This was Uncle Joey.

Joey's eyes narrowed and he straightened up as Doc approached. He had a hand hidden inside his overcoat – hiding a gun, no doubt. Jennifer's eyes met Doc's briefly and he could see her fear. He acknowledged her with a silent nod.

'You,' Joey growled. 'You're that crazy old scientist…'

'That's right, I am,' replied Doc.

'Where's the kid?' Joey snarled. 'And the second time machine?'

Doc smiled pleasantly. 'You hardly expect us to bring a train here? It would be a bit noticeable, don't you think? Don't worry, Marty is waiting for us at ten o'clock tomorrow night at my house – with the train.'

Joey's eye twitched and he glanced around nervously. He really is crazy, Doc realised. 'Then how'd you get here?'

'Marty dropped me off in the train, then went to the time tomorrow I've just mentioned,' Doc lied. 'Shall we go now? Oh, and I believe Jennifer is free to go. Marty has held up his side of the bargain, it seems.'

Joey seized Jennifer's shoulder. 'Not so fast. I still don't have the train.'

'And…then will you let me go?' asked Jennifer in a frightened voice, playing along; she had caught Doc's eye and obviously realised that he had no intention of giving either himself or the train up.

Joey smiled. 'Maybe, kid. Maybe.'

Doc shrugged lightly. 'It'll be a tight fit in the DeLorean, but it's your choice.'

Marty's uncle grabbed his collar and stared into his eyes. 'That kid better be there with that time machine,' he uttered in a low, deadly voice. 'Or else.'

'He'll be there,' Doc assured him, knowing all the while that this was the point where they had both run out of plan.

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Marty's heart was banging loudly against his ribcage as he crept around the side of his house. From within, he could hear the low murmur of conversation of his family. Any minute now, Uncle Joey would show up and end their lives. The image of how he'd seen them last whirled in Marty's mind – slumped on the floor, wide empty eyes, the blood, the blood everywhere –

He pushed the thought out of his mind, gritting his teeth, ignoring it, trying to forget he had ever seen it. Hot tears burned in his eyes. Not this time, he vowed. They won't die this time. I won't let that happen.

Objective one was to get them out of the house, quickly, and then to silence them with the sleep inducer. Marty grimaced as he pulled the balaclava over his face and gripped the sleep inducer tightly in his hand.

This is really stupid.

He raised his hand and knocked loudly on the back door, calming himself by taking in deep, steadying breaths.

Linda was the one who answered the door. Her eyes widened as she took in Marty's appearance and for a second he could only stare stupidly at her, thinking she had recognised him; then he came to his senses and aimed the sleep inducer at her eyes. With a small sigh she collapsed forward and Marty caught her limp form, groaning under the weight, and laid her down on the ground.

Dave was suddenly there. 'Linda? What – oh my God – ' Marty charged at him, almost knocking him over, and thrust the sleep inducer at him. He, too, was out like a light. There was no time to catch him; George McFly was already coming at him, his face full of fury; but his eyes went blank and he toppled forward as he, too, fell under the effect of the gadget.

Lorraine was standing by the kitchen worktop, and was staring aghast at the slumped forms of her husband and eldest son. She backed away as Marty came towards her. 'Don't hurt me,' she screamed, tears pouring down her cheeks. 'Please, please, don't hurt me!'

Marty's heart ached to see his mother in such obvious terror. 'Don't worry, Mom,' he said, before he could stop himself.

Lorraine's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened; before she could say anything, Marty shone the sleep inducer in her eyes, cursing his own stupidity. He caught her gently as she sagged forward.

By the time he had managed to get Dave, George and Lorraine outside and laid them on the path outside the back door he was breathing heavily. 'Sorry you guys,' he muttered, wiping a hand across his forehead, 'but this is for your own good.'

He stepped back inside the house, pulled it shut and turned the key in the lock for good measure. Tossing the key behind a potted plant, he wondered worriedly how long his family would remain unconscious. He knew that the sleep inducer's strength faded each time it was used…and he still had to use it on the Uncle Joey who was coming here tonight to murder the McFly family.

And after that? Marty didn't know. Doc had run out of plan after that, simply telling him to use his instinct. Marty had a feeling that this basically meant to try overpower the Uncle Joey who had Jennifer and now Doc in his grasp. And if he couldn't? Well then...he didn't know.

He heard a car draw up outside and ran to the window. The DeLorean was pulled up outside, sleek and shining in the streetlights. Marty could just see two forms sitting inside; then Uncle Joey got out, walked around to the passenger door, opened it, and pulled the unconscious form of the other Marty out. Present Marty shivered, partly because of the unnaturalness of it all, and partly out of sympathy at seeing his past self flung to the ground.

Uncle Joey was striding towards the front door. Swallowing hard, he ducked behind a partition of the wall, bringing the sleep inducer up in front of him.

He heard the front door open…footsteps…then he could sense Uncle Joey right beside him; and then he stepped out in front of his uncle, said, 'Remember me?' and aimed the sleep inducer into his eyes. Satisfaction swept over him at the look of shock on his uncle's face before he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Marty aimed a kick at him. Man, that felt good!