World of Light
by Flaming Trails
A BTTF: Other Story
Disclaimer: I don't own BTTF. If I did, the animated series would be better.
Note: Yes, this is the sequel to "World of Darkness!"
Chapter 1
Monday, February 9th, 1987
Hill Valley, California
6:02 P. M.
Josephine Venus Grey, over a millennium old and one of the most powerful vampires ever, felt sick to her stomach.
Sighing, Josie rolled over. Her family was still asleep. Marty and Jennifer cuddled each other, both twisted into strange positions. Her husband, Dr. Emmett Brown, squeezed the teen's bodies between his and Josie's. They all slept peacefully, unaware for the moment of her nauseated state.
She cuddled closer, trying to ignore the pains in her stomach. She was extremely grateful for her family. It hadn't been too long ago that she'd been totally alone, either being checked into mental institutions or on the run from her evil sister. Now she had a house, a job, and three people who loved her very much.
I love you too, mistress.
Three people and one dog, Josie corrected herself as Edison jumped onto the bed. A smile came to her lips as the mixed-breed licked her face. "I love you too, Edison," she whispered, rubbing the dog's fur.
Her smile quickly vanished, though, as a by-now-familiar hotness came surging up her throat. She tried to clamp it down, but ultimately had to yield to it. With reflexes no mortal could match, she was out of the bed and into the bathroom.
Doc awoke with a most disgusting taste in his mouth. He promptly got up and entered the bathroom to find his wife vomiting. "Josephine," he whispered, kneeling by her side.
Josie leaned against him, moaning. Now she not only had a disgusting taste in her mouth, her stomach hurt even more. "Emmett, I feel awful."
"I know, honey." Doc slipped his arm around her. "I don't understand it, Josie. You've been throwing up for the past five days. It isn't natural. Any illness you might have picked up should be gone by now."
Josie just rubbed her stomach. "I don't think I've been this sick since I was a mortal."
Jennifer and Marty appeared in the doorway, stretching the kinks out of their muscles. "Sick again, Mom?" Jennifer asked, spreading her arms and wings.
"As usual," Josephine grumbled.
Marty chewed up his lower lip, frowning. "Jesus, Mom, maybe you better see a doctor."
"Marty, I can't. How could I explain that I'm a vampire? Whatever it is that makes me a vampire would be picked up in any blood test."
"Yeah, but. . . ."
Josie shook her head. "No. I'm going to have tough it out. It maybe hard, but I know I can do it." With Doc's help, she got to her feet. "Did the rest of you have a good night's sleep, at any rate?"
"It was okay," Marty said, smiling at Jennifer. She smiled back.
"Every day I don't have to sleep in a room with bars on the window is good," Doc said, gazing at the setting sun outside.
"You say that every morning," Josephine teased. By now, her stomach was starting to hurt less.
"Well, it's true every day. Part of me refuses to get over the fact that we're free -- forever."
"We all feel like that," Jennifer said. "But you think you could stop saying it every morning now, Dad? It's been over a year."
"Yeah, about a year and a half," Marty added.
Doc thought it over for a moment. "Actually, one year, three months, and two weeks exactly if you count today."
"Whatever, just change it," Jennifer said, unswayed.
"All right, I will," Doc chuckled.
"We've been here just over a year?" Marty said in amazement. "Jesus, it felt like a lot longer."
"That's because this is heaven, not hell," Doc promptly grinned.
"Nah, I wouldn't say heaven," Josie said, sitting down. "We've still got a Biff."
"Yeah, but watching him wax George's car is very satisfying," Doc told her. "Much better than having him run the place."
"You've got that right!" Josie checked the wall clocks. "When are we due by Dr. Brown and Clara's again?"
Doc checked it as well. "7: 30. We'd best get a move on if we plan to be there on time. Feel well enough to walk, Josie?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"My turn to use the bathroom first then," Marty said. "So the rest of ya -- shoo!"
They left, rolling their eyes a little. Josie rinsed her mouth out with a glass of water. "Maybe I should tell Louis about this," she said thoughtfully. "He might know something I don't."
"Mom, if you -- one of the earliest vampires ever made -- don't know what's wrong, how could someone just over 100 years old know?" Jennifer pointed out.
Josie shrugged. "It's a different reality, Jennifer. Maybe something happened in this time-line that didn't in the other?"
"Such as a specialized virus or bacterium capable of causing illness in vampires?" Doc asked with a lifted eyebrow.
"Yeah, it could happen. Both of you know how different realities can be. You guys want O this morning?"
"O Negative if we've got it," Jennifer said, plopping herself onto the couch.
Josie opened what had once been a fridge and looked at the bags of blood inside. Last year, after Doc-2 (the Doc Brown native to this reality) had gifted them his old house, Josie had gotten a job at the local blood center. She worked the night shift disposing of "unusable" blood. Her boss thought she was extremely efficient. Of course, he didn't know she took all the blood home to feed herself and her family. To help keep it reasonably fresh, both Docs had redesigned the fridge to heat things instead, thus keeping the blood in a liquid state.
Josie yanked out a bag. "This is the last one," she commented. "I'll see if there's any more tonight." She tore open the top, added a few drops of her own blood to prevent the blood from coagulating, and handed it to Jennifer. "What do you want, honey?"
"Whatever you're having," Doc shrugged. Josie grabbed two AB Positive bags in response and tossed him one.
Marty emerged from the bathroom, wrapping a towel around himself. Doc downed his bag of blood and took Marty's place inside. The teen finished tying his towel "skirt" and looked inside the wardrobe for a shirt. Even now, Josie flinched ever so slightly when she saw his back. The multiple, raised grey scars surrounding his wing-stalks were a painful reminder of the place they'd once called home.
Marty finally selected a brown button-down shirt. "If Marty-2's wearing the same thing again," he muttered darkly, making the girls snicker. The two Martys had been cursed with similar tastes in clothes, and half the time met each other wearing roughly the same outfit. Right now, they were on a streak of sorts. Marty pulled the shirt on, yanked it down, then dropped his towel and grabbed some underpants.
"Awww, I like looking at your butt," Jennifer teased. Marty grew bright red and pulled his briefs on all the quicker.
"I wonder how Clara's doing," he said, obviously wanting to change the subject.
"Probably wondering what she's gotten herself into," Jennifer replied.
"That's rather rude," Josie scolded. "I'm sure she's fine. Besides, Verne's not due for another four months."
Marty shook his head. "Jules and Verne. Only Doc and Dad could have picked those names."
Doc opened the bathroom door, having overheard. "Well, what's wrong with Jules and Verne?" he asked, indignant. "You can get in here now, Jennifer."
"Nothing, I just thought it was funny." Marty picked up a pair of Doc's boxers. "Catch!"
Doc stepped out and easily caught them. Jennifer finished her blood and squeezed past him. "Hey, Dad, if I'd been your kid biologically, would you have named me Jules or Verne?" Marty asked, yanking on some jeans.
"If you'd been my child biologically, I'd have realized the space-time continuum had been changed in a drastic way, probably for the worse. I'd call you Marty just so there wouldn't be any life-ending paradoxes."
"Marty what?"
"Oh, okay, Marty Phileas."
"From Around the World in 80 Days," Josie said with a laugh. "I thought you'd use Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."
"Martin Nemo Brown?" Marty made a face. "No, thank you."
Doc gave Marty a hug. Although he tried to hide his favoritism, it was obvious he was closer to Marty than Jennifer. Not that anyone minded -- they all practiced favoritism. "I love you just the way you are. Martin Seamus McFly-Brown-Grey."
"I love you too, Dad." Josie pretended to pout. "Oh, Mom, I love you too. I like having a family who--"
He broke off. Through the web of blood-links that connected them all, everyone could see he was remembering his life with Biff and Alcoholic Lorraine. "Come have some breakfast," Josie said, to get his mind off it. "What do you want?"
Marty shook the memories away. "A Positive or B Positive," he shrugged, moving to the couch.
As Josie found one for him, Doc walked over and kissed her. "My darling wife," he cooed.
"My darling husband," Josie smiled back. She pulled him close and took a few playful nips at his neck. Doc was only too happy to reciprocate.
Jennifer emerged to see the tableau. "Get a room, you two," she chuckled, grabbing some clothes.
"Or at least give me my breakfast," Marty asked pathetically.
"Sorry," Josie said, giving him the open packet. "And we're quite happy here, Jennifer, thank you."
The phone began to buzz. Everyone paused and looked at each other. "I'll get it," Marty said, getting up. "Hello? Oh, hi, Jill. Yeah, I figured I'd stop by before we all went to Doc's. I'll get her." He motioned Josie over. "Jill from the blood center."
Josie kissed Doc one final time before taking the phone from Marty. "Hi, Jill. Ready for another fun-filled night tonight?" Jill was the night-watchwoman at the center and thus was Josie's only real co-worker. "Oh, I'm sure she's fine. Me neither, and one right after the other -- hey, it was a surprise to them too!"
It was hard, but the rest of the Brown-Greys managed to confine their giggles to mental communication. Josie was passing herself off as Clara's single sister. It was always rather amusing for them to hear her refer to the Browns as relatives -- especially Doc-2.
"Oh, dear, really? That'll teach people not to go to their doctors first. Too bad." It's the flu epidemic, she informed the clan. A bunch of carriers donated. "Sounds like a busy night for me. Thanks for telling me. I'll see ya later, Jill." She hung up with the phone with a sigh. "I feel bad. All that blood. . . ."
"At least this way it's not wasted," Doc philosophized. "Better that it feed us than just get thrown away."
"Yeah. But we of all people should know blood saves lives."
"Well, of course, we're vampires," Marty noted.
There was a moment of silence. Then Doc clapped his hands. "We've got some time. Crazy Eights?"
"Go Fish," Jennifer said. A vote was taken, Go Fish won, and they sat down with the cards.
Monday, February 9th
6:58 P. M.
Okay, nobody there except our other selves -- I can't hear anything unusual -- Can't smell anything unusual too. I guess it's safe to land, Doc thought, as usual doing a full sensory check around the Brown's place. Even though the Browns had a fairly secluded house with no immediate neighbors, it never paid to become lax in your precautions. It was also partly because he couldn't help himself. The skills developed during his days on the run from Biff and Southdale Sanitarium were a part of his personality now.
Once he was sure of the all-clear, he signaled it mentally to his family. As one they dropped into the front yard. They used Doc's DeLorean only rarely – flying was easier and faster. Doc knocked on the door.
Marty-2 opened it, carrying on his shoulders seven-month-old Jules Clint Brown. Seeing the vampire's wings outstretched, he held out his little hands. I want a ride, he thought, making random sounds.
Doc ruffled the baby's hair. "Maybe another day, Jules." He glanced at Marty-2's light green shirt and involuntarily shuddered. No matter how hard he tried, that shade of green always made him think of his old hospital greens in Southdale.
Marty-2 noticed Doc's reaction. "Sorry, but all my other clothes were in the wash," he said, lifting Jules off his shoulders. "This was the last clean shirt I had." He grinned at Marty. "At least it means we're not twins again."
"Yeah, thank God that damn streak we were on is over," Marty agreed. "How's Doc and Clara?"
"Doin' okay. Come on in."
Clara was on the couch with Jennifer-2, looking at Clara's rounded belly. "At least I had a head start with this one," she was joking as the vampires entered. "Oh, hi. Have a nice trip?"
"Beautiful," Jennifer said, nodding a somewhat shy "hello" to her counterpart. "We--"
She broke off suddenly, noticing something. Jennifer-2 was wearing the same outfit as she was, right down to the sneakers. "The Martys are going to love this," she muttered, hearing them snicker.
"Hey, can you blame us? The tables have finally turned," Marty-2 said with a grin.
Doc-2 entered with a tray of tea and cookies. Jules saw the cookies and squirmed in Marty 2's arms, reaching out for them. He tried to pronounce the word, but it came out, "Ca-ky."
"Wow, that's excellent," said Doc, impressed. "You should be very proud."
"I am," Doc-2 said, grinning. Then in mock-exasperation, he added, "But he keeps demanding things!"
"Ca-ky," Jules repeated.
"You'd better give him a baby cookie," Clara said. "Otherwise he'll be demanding one all night."
Doc-2 disappeared back into the kitchen and came back with a dark wafer. He handed it to Jules, who beamed and started sucking on it.
"I didn't think he'd still be up," Josie confessed, sitting down on the other side of Clara.
"We let him stay up a little later because you were coming over," Clara said. "He likes seeing you."
"I would hope so; I'm his 'aunt,' so to speak." She patted Clara's abdomen. "How's the baby?"
"Verne's fine," Clara grinned. "I can't wait for him to arrive, even if we didn't mean to have him so soon."
"Agababa," Jules agreed, the wafer still firmly in his mouth.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Jennifer told him.
Doc-2 sat down. "Anything interesting to share from the world of late-night scientific services?"
"Not this time," Doc shook his head. "I've been focusing on my multiple universe theories instead."
"How are those coming?"
"It's slow going. I wish we knew how we crossed from our world to yours. It would make it a lot easier, relatively speaking."
"I could help," Doc-2 offered. "If you really want me to. Having a fresh perspective might help you iron out the kinks in the theory."
"I'll think about it, but thanks."
Jules reached out to Marty now, soggy cookie waving. "Brrrr-ma."
"You want to see my other self or your mama?" Marty-2 asked, not quite sure what that sound meant.
"He means me," Marty said, reading Jules's mind. His counterpart handed Jules over and sat on the arm of the couch. He and Jennifer-2 shared a kiss. Marty felt a flush come to his cheeks. Even though it had been over a year, he still got a little weirded out whenever Marty-2 did anything to show that he and Jennifer-2 were boyfriend and girlfriend. He still hadn't figured out exactly how he felt toward his own Jennifer. He distracted himself by bouncing Jules up and down on his knee.
The awkward moment passed quickly. Jules was put to bed, very reluctantly on his part. Doc and Doc-2 got into a very excited discussion on time-travel theories no one else could understand. Marty got updates on the McFly family, Jennifer on the Parkers. And everybody discussed Clara's unexpected pregnancy. In Clara's own words, "The next time we decide to celebrate something, we have sex first, then go to the RevitaClinc." Marty-2 blushed with pride as he announced Verne's full name would be Verne Calvin Brown.
"Tell him the middle name you'd pick for me, Dad," Marty urged, sure his twin would get a kick out of it.
"Phileas," Doc confessed, making Marty-2 laugh.
"Got any ideas for me, Dr. Brown?" Jennifer-2 asked, also amused.
"Yeah, Dad, what would you have named me?"
"Hmmm. . . ." Doc gave it careful thought. "Maybe Susan, or Ayn – A-Y-N. I enjoyed Atlas Shrugged."
"Jennifer Ayn. I like it. What about you, Mom?"
"I wouldn't know at all," Josie laughed.
"Aw, go ahead," Marty encouraged.
"Well. . .I've always liked the name Michael. And Lucille."
"Martin Michael and Jennifer Lucille?" Marty frowned. "Mike sounds okay, but I don't know about Lucy."
"Guess if we have any more children, we'll be turning to you for names," Clara kidded, looking at Doc.
Doc-2 cocked his head. "Have you thought of starting a family of your own? Biologically, I mean."
Josie shook her head. "I don't think biologically is possible anymore," she said sadly. "I've heard rumors about vampire babies, but never seen one in the flesh. I know that sounds impossible," she added, noting the Brown's skeptical looks, "but we're spread pretty thin across the globe. Probably more so in our native world. And besides, I'm over 1000 years old here."
Doc-2 became embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"
"It's okay. Besides, I've already got the best family I could ever want." She pulled all the members of the Brown-Greys over to her. They came very willingly, snuggling up to each other.
"You've got that down to a fine art," Clara noted.
"Considering we spend a lot of time this way, we should," Marty retorted.
Josephine suddenly coughed very hard for a minute, instantly attracting worried looks from the rest of the family. "I'm okay. Throat got blocked up," she assured them.
Doc-2 frowned. "Is everything all right?"
"I've been feeling a little under the weather lately," Josie confessed. "I've been throwing up every morning – or evening, I should say."
"Frankly, that sounds like the flu," Jennifer-2 said.
"Problem is, we're not supposed to get sick," Doc reminded her. "The virus in our system makes our cells fight off any other illnesses within hours."
"It reminds me of morning sickness," Clara said sympathetically. "You don't think – I mean, you said you couldn't, but--"
"It's nothing like that," Josie insisted. "I'll talk to Louis and the others at Darkness Falls tomorrow. They might know something I don't. Could be another one of those 'This is a different reality' situations." Everyone nodded. "Speaking of the demands of nature, could you excuse me a second?"
Once she finished her business, she noticed there was no soap in the dispenser. She opened the cabinet below the sink to grab some, and noticed something else. Pregnancy tests.
As she gave them a quick once-over, she couldn't help wondering if Clara was right. After all, what she had did resemble morning sickness. But it's absurd, she thought. I'm way too old to be a mommy, vampire or not.
Then again, some of those rumors I heard said that age made no difference . . . . Oh, hell, I'll do it, just to prove to myself it's not possible.
She left the bathroom and saw Clara headed her way. "I have to go too," Clara blushed.
"It's okay. I'm glad you're here, actually. After you go, is it all right if I use one of those pregnancy tests I saw?"
"Why? You seemed pretty sure--"
"I know, I know, but you guys got me thinking about it. I want to make sure."
"Well, all right, go ahead."
Seven minutes later, Doc was challenging Doc-2 to a game of chess when Josie came back in. He zeroed in on her pale face as soon as she entered the room. "Josephine? Are you okay?" he asked, getting up.
Josie looked at him with stunned eyes. "I – I'm--"
"What? Spit it out."
"I'm pregnant."