March 21, 1987
5:00 PM PST

After the station wagon broke the space-time barrier, Verne felt some mixed feelings. On one hand, he was happy to return to life of the 20th Century. On the other hand, he sure felt sad about leaving his old friends behind. Still, it wasn't as if he didn't have plenty of friends in this time period. It was like he had a home in two different eras.

"That sure was about the best week of my life," Doc commented, cheerfully. "Who'd ever think that HG Wells and his wife would really show up during the same week? If we hadn't shown shown up, do you think they would've still stayed in Hill Valley."

"Well, they maybe wouldn't've stayed as long," suggested Clara. "It's kind of strange how this has all worked out. Amy was really a great person to spend time with, and it was stange to think how much we have in common. I do wish her and Herbert luck!"

"Hey, now that we've met them," suggested Verne, as he figured that he would make another attempt at his request, "could Jules and I watch Time After Time? I mean, we actually met them - and we simply know about the story of John the Ripper. Could we please watch the movie? We could even do some extra chores around the house."

"Well, uh..." Doc replied, as he glanced at his wife. As Clara nodded, he added, "Oh, all right. I guess I really don't have a problem with letting you watch it. It really could be our way of celebrating. How about, tonight, we can watch the movie together?"

"Well, I did have plans to practice with The Pinheads," Marty replied, slowly. "I guess I could just call them, and cancel. I agree that we should spend this evening together. I sure do enjoy spending time with you. I really should go home later tonight, though."

"We really consider you to be a part of our extended family, Marty," replied Doc, with affection. "After all, you most certainly have been just like a son to me - long before I married Clara, and had children of my own. It's quite obvious that the boys just enjoy your presence, and Haven seems to really like you. You're just a special young man."

"Hey, what about me?" Jennifer asked, laughing. "Not that I would be a special young man, of course - but... Well, I guess I haven't known you as long. This was quite the exciting week, though. It was so fun, pretending that Marty and I were married."

"Well, I can hardly wait for summer," Marty replied, softly. "In a way, I feel a little sad about leaving home - but this will also be a real exciting time for us. We should stay as far away from Hilldale as possible, since we know what'll happen within thirty years."

"Yeah, we don't know the town starts to become a dump," agreed Jennifer. "There is a nice apartment that I know of, which is also real affordable. It just feels so strange to think that we're no longer children. I do still remember the day that you and I met, and we fell in love right away. I wasn't fond of Mr. Clark - but, if it wasn't for him..."

"... then we would've never fallen in love," Marty finished, laughing. "Well, actually, I simply would like to believe that - if not for him - we would've quite fallen in love some other way. I mean, I always figured that you and I were destined to be together."

"You're sure special to me, too, Jenn," commented Doc, warmly. "I mean, ever since you started dating Marty..." With a wistful sigh, he added, "It's very hard to believe that Marty's all grown up. He was simply a little boy, when I first met him in 1975."

"Hey, don't forget about 1955," Marty pointed out, laughing. "I mean, I was already seventeen!" After swallowing, he added, "I see what you mean, though. I guess we had our official first meeting in 1975 - and, back in the original timeline, that was just when we both first met. It's funny how time travel can make things rather complex!"

"A lot has changed within one and a half years," Jennifer replied, smiling. "It's almost like our lives have never been the same. I was always so interested in reading books about time travel, but... Well, I never thought that time travel could be a reality."

"Think of what it was like for me," Marty replied, as he flashed a lopsided smile. "I had to contend with having two sets of memories - and then, with Sabrina, three. I simply felt as though I was, well, more than one person. It tends to get pretty confusing."

"It was probably even more confusing for us," added Verne. "It can be so confusing, just having memories of growing up in two eras. I mean, I was born in the year 1888 and the year 1980. Sometimes, when it comes to discussing the past - it is quite hard deciding which past is more real to me. I suppose Jules and I are lucky, but..."

"I see what you mean, Verne," replied Marty. "I sometimes feel lucky myself, but I still find that it tends to be a little confusing. For what it's worth, though - my memories of the current timeline does seem to be stronger than those of the previous timelines."

"We're home, everyone," Doc called out, as pulled into the driveway. "It feels a little strange to think that, as far as everyone else is concerned, we weren't gone long at all. It was such an exciting week, and I really enjoyed getting to meet HG Wells."

"So did I," replied Clara. "It was just as enjoyable, though, for me to know his wife. I sure wonder if she had a tougher time adjusting to the past, as I did adjusting to the future. I was initially scared of the future, but things are much easier in this time. I'm really enjoying this time period. Things are probably a little harder for Amy, though."

As everyone stepped out of the car, Marty figured that he simply would have a hard time adjusting to the past. He wondered what might've happen, if he quite ended up stranded in the year 1885. Being stranded in 1955 sure would've been hard enough.

oooooooooo

Later on, Marty and Jennifer were in the living room - with Jules and Verne. The radio was turned to their favourite rock station, KKHV. No More Lies by Neal Schon and Jan Hammer was playing. Marty simply enjoyed that song a lot, and he felt very happy to be be back home. He wondered what Seamus would think about this time period.

"Ah!" breathed Verne, as he flopped on the couch. "I almost forgot how nice it really is, living in the year 1987. Had Mom and Dad never moved us into the future, then it would've been... Well, I sure never would've found out the joys of this time period."

"Well, 1987 is nice," Jules replied, quietly. "However, when you just think of how all of our friends from the past are now dead... Well, even though we have the real benefit of time travel... It's still pretty sad, thinking of how our friends are no longer alive."

"I understand what you mean," Marty replied, softly. "It really does feel sad, thinking that Seamus and William are quite no longer with us. Then, of course, poor Linda died of cholera at the age of seventeen. It's sure part of the reason why my sister's name is Linda. It was Dad's way of honouring the life of the girl whose life was cut short."

"Linda died at seventeen?" Verne cried out, horrified. "Marty, I wish we could do something! It's not very fair, thinking that she'll die at such a young age. Please, isn't there something that we could do? I truly and honestly believe that she should..."

"I'm real sorry, Verne," Marty replied, as tears came to his eyes. "I also wish we could change that, but we can't. I quite agree that she was a pretty little girl, but there are things in life that we have to accept. I'm afraid that we can't bring her back to life."

"I guess you're right, Marty," Verne replied, sadly. "It's just that... Well, I quite loved spending time with her. I can't believe that she..." Beginning to cry, Verne continued, "She shouldn't've died so young. She was so sweet, and... I sure wish we could make things better. Oh, Marty, why did Linda have to die so young? Please, Marty, why?"

"I don't know," replied Marty, blinking back tears. "I guess God just had a good reason for it, though. We never will understand why, but... It's sure one thing that we'll have to accept. We can't use time travel to fix all of our problems. Some things, we just..."

Jennifer gently placed her arm around Marty's shoulder, as Marty began to cry. He didn't get much chance to know his great-grandaunt, but he sure sympathized with Verne. He never thought that the death of her relative could affect him so deeply.

"Well, Verne, Marty's right," replied Jennifer, softly. "It's always a shame, whenever someone dies at quite a young age - but it's sure one thing in life that we do have to accept. Some things in life, we simply cannot change." Taking in a very deep breath, she added, "Well, I guess I should start the popcorn - and we can start the movie."

"That sounds like a good idea," agreed Marty, as he lifted his tear-stained face. "We should watch Time After Time. We'll just never be able to look at the movie the same way, again - which isn't really a bad thing. In fact, it sure could be very interesting."

"Yeah, it will be very interesting," agreed Clara, as she and Doc stepped into the living room. As she reached for the videocassette, she added, "I think it feels strange to think that, in another universe, I was actually also played by Mary Steenburgen."

Marty smiled at Clara, as he thought of his trip from last November - when he and Doc kept hopping through various realities. In the last reality, he found out that there was a movie trilogy based on his adventures - when they, in turn, simply had a visitor from another world. Marty already knew about the first movie, by ending up in Family Ties.

As soon as the movie started, Jennifer came back into the room. After Jennifer sat on the couch, Marty put his arm around her. It sure seemed like such a fitting way to end the adventure. He was looking so forward to moving into an apartment with Jennifer.