Author's Note: Okay, so this update is way later than it should've been. I procrastinate. Should've asked for a PDA for Christmas. Oh well. ^_^ Remember now, this is my first fanfic, so don't be TOO harsh, because I will cry. Not really. But reviews would be nice. Let's hope it doesn't double-space everything, shall we? (Note: WordPerfect sucks. ;;) Back to the Future IS NOT MINE.

Oh, and thanks to TPQ for her l33t MSWord skills. Did I mention I hate WordPerfect?

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It.. can't be...

He paused.

It couldn't be.

Almost 30 years since he had last seen him. No way the DeLorean could've stayed together over all that time. Besides, why not say anything earlier? Come to an earlier point? It didn't add up.

Whether he believed it or not, a DeLorean was landing in front of his house and pulling into his driveway.

"This is just a dream. A very.. intense.. dream," Marty kept repeating to himself.

Why does that sound familiar?

A figure emerged from the vehicle, slowly.

Grey, silvery hair.

The distinctive aura.

Ramming his knee into the side of the car and yelling "Damn!" removed the rest of the doubt from Marty.

Either he was dreaming, or his old friend was ringing his doorbell at this very moment. Marty wasn't good at guessing dreams from reality in 1955, and times hadn't changed too much.

He rose, and went to the door, his palm sweaty and barely able to thumb it open.

There he was, loud shirt and all.

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

A moment that seemed like an eternity, but for those of you keeping track, was still a moment.

"Doc?"

"Yes, Marty.. it's me."

"Doc" Emmitt L. Brown indeed, in the flesh. Although the outlandish attire remained, nothing remained quite the same as Marty remembered. Deeper wrinkles lined his face. His hair seemed an even lighter shade of grey. His eyes seemed tired... a bit of the old flame flashed when he opened the door, but they seemed almost defeated. None of the old man's energy, which once had an almost visible aura around him, seemed to be present any more. It almost seemed like it wasn't him.

"My God, Doc.. what happened to you?" Marty stepped aside, and Doc slowly shuffled inside, his head down slightly.

"I.." Doc found it difficult to form sentences. After all, thought Doc, what do you say to a friend you abandoned, unwillingly or not, for thirty years? "Been workin'."

"Working? Jeez, Doc.. thirty years, and that's it?!" Marty's eyes narrowed, thirty years of emotion ready to let loose. "Thirty years, and all I have to remember you by is a photo on the mantle and a faint memory of you leaving on your train?"

"Heh.." A slight grin showed on the corners of Doc's mouth. "You still haven't changed, Marty.. now, think. What would hold my attention more than anything for so long?"

He turned to face him, and Marty saw a pin on his jacket.. a brief flashback popped in front of his eyes, of an old man sniffing at a blue flower long, long ago..

"Yes, Marty, I see it in your eyes.. She.." He paused, continuing with a breaking voice. "Remember, Marty, when we first used the DeLorean?"

More flashbacks.. "Yeah, you had that plutonium setup. So?" Marty knew it was related, but he couldn't put his finger on what Doc was getting at.

"The family money's gone, Marty. I don't have the money to hook up another Mr. Fusion.. I'm lucky I could get the DeLorean, as it is." He looked defeated, almost disgusted at himself, then continued. "Well.. this required a new nuclear system for time-travel.. Clara had a teacher's mind, a curious mind.. and she was more-"

Marty interrupted him. "Doc.. what're you saying?"

"She didn't know about radiation.. Marty, she.." He sunk down into a chair. "That was a week after we parted.. I'm surprised she survived as long as she did."

All the blood in Marty chilled. "She.. died?"

A nod was his only response.

"Holy jeez, Doc, this is heavy.."

"That ain't the half of it, either.."

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Ooooooooh. Shocking. Actually, it kinda is. I don't know what I'm gonna write to continue the story until I sit down and get ideas. My writer's mind is kinda like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, mixed with Mad Libs or something. Anyhoo.. Chapter Three to come whenever. (tentative date. heh.)