Spirit of the Season
By Flaming Trails
A BTTF: Trilogy Story
Disclaimer: I don't own BTTF. But I do actually own Holly Thurston and her husband John, so no touchies without asking.
Notes: Written for the December BackToTheFanfic LJ challenge. NonTrilogy readers may recognize Holly -- she's actually supposed to be cross-universal, and I jumped at the chance to include her in this story. The hot chocolate recipe is real -- I got it off the back of a package of instant hot chocolate. If you like peanut butter, it's worth trying out.
Wednesday, December 24th, 1986
Hill Valley
2:04 P.M.
He was trapped.
Doc crouched in his hiding place, desperately gathering ammunition. Outside, the enemy stalked, waiting for him to emerge. He had to be ready to fire quickly before running for his life. He cursed himself for suggesting to his teammates that they split up. With his team, he was a force to be reckoned with. Without it -- well, he was reduced to hiding behind a small bench.
A snapping branch in the distance caught the enemy's attention. It was now or never time. Doc almost exploded from his hiding place, firing. The two smaller ones were knocked down. The female, however, managed to avoid and return his fire. Doc was hit in the chest and leg, but remained upright. The base was only a few feet away! He could make it!
Another round hit him in the back, knocking him off-balance. He fell face-first to the ground. Doc tried to crawl forward, but he knew it was too late. The female had already reached him, circling like a raven over road kill. Doc stopped and lay still. It was all over.
The female knew it too. An evil smile crossed her face as she raised her hand for the killing blow. "Say goodnight, Gracie."
"Yoo-hoo!"
Doc and the female both started. Where had that --
A sudden barrage hit the female. Doc's face lit up. Reinforcements! As he got back to his feet, he realize that the rest of his team had climbed the large pine tree near the base and had loaded themselves with ammo for a surprise attack. Doc nearly cheered as the female fell beneath the onslaught. "Gotcha," he whispered triumphantly, leaning over her prone form. "You're dead."
"I don't want to be dead!" Holly protested, glaring up at him.
"We got you fair and square," Doc said, grinning at his teammates as they climbed out of the tree. "You fell down and stopped moving. By the rules, you're definitely dead."
"Then I'm coming back as a snow angel," Holly informed him, moving her arms and legs to create the imprint in the snow. Louder, she added, "What I want to know is how they got up that tree!"
"It wasn't easy," Marty admitted as he, Clara, and Holly's husband John came up to them. "I think I'm gonna smell like pine sap for the rest of my life."
"You are okay, right honey?" John asked, looking a little concerned that Holly hadn't gotten up yet.
"Fine," Holly assured him, finally sitting up. "Emmett just insists that I'm dead."
"That was a pretty decisive knockout," Marty said with a grin. "I'd say you're dead too."
"Et tu, Marty?"
Jennifer, Jules, and Verne appeared from around the house. "What's going on?" Jennifer asked, obviously puzzled.
"They killed me! Avenge my death!" Holly cried dramatically. Jennifer and the boys laughed and quickly began packing snow. Doc and his teammates sprinted for the safety of their base. The war was just beginning.
Wednesday, December 24th
6:21 P.M.
"Mmmm. This is delicious hot chocolate, Clara."
"Thank you Marty. Holly convinced me to try out her recipe. I have to say, it came out pretty well."
Doc grinned. "A tablespoon of peanut butter for each cup. I remember."
"That's how I've always had it," Holly grinned back. "Just like my mother always used to make on Christmas Eve."
"It's good," Jennifer said, taking a sip. "A bit like drinking a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup."
"With marshmallows," Verne added.
Doc leaned back and sighed happily. "You know, I'm still having a little trouble believing that you're really here," he admitted to Holly and John. "I mean, the last time I saw you was in 1974, and even then you could only stay for a few hours."
"Well, we were eager to get home -- I'd just gone through a hell of a meeting in San Diego," John said, taking a big gulp of hot chocolate. "But yes, I'm glad we're able to spend some real time together." Smiling at Marty and Clara, he added, "It was very nice of your wife and best friend to invite us down."
"He'd been talking about you two a lot lately," Clara replied, warming her hands on her mug. "Telling us about all the things you had done together. I thought it was sad that you hadn't seen each other in so long."
"Yeah, it didn't seem fair," Marty nodded. "I mean, you're like his second sister, aren't you Holly? You took him in after that--" he looked quickly at Jules and Verne "--jerk of a father of his threw him out."
"I know, but I think the connection started long before that," Holly said. "I met Emily first, but I think I bonded more quickly to Emmett. We were both fellow outcasts at school -- Emmett was the young intelligent one, I was sort of the pre-Goth with a penchant for pranks. I'm actually shocked Emily didn't run screaming when I asked to sit at her table at lunch."
"I'm glad she didn't. I don't know what I would have done without you around." Doc got up and hugged his friend. "I'm so glad you're part of my life."
"And I'm so glad you were a part of mine too," Holly said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "That's really the only reason I've ever regretted moving to Oregon -- having to leave you and Emily behind." She sighed. "I wish Emily was here too."
"We tried to contact her," Clara said. "But as you know, she had other plans."
"Yes, we couldn't exactly expect her to give up a cruise in the Bahamas," Doc nodded. "But yes, I miss her too. I hope she's having a wonderful Christmas."
"I bet she is. A cruise in the Bahamas! I'm jealous." She reached over and ruffled Marty's hair playfully. "Ah well, I'll make do with spending Christmas with you lot. You picked a worthy successor for me, Emmett. I didn't think ANYONE would be able to launch an ambush on me. Usually it's the other way around."
"I know that all too well," Doc snickered, remembering Holly's frequent "attacks" on him when they were younger.
"That was some snowball fight, huh Emmett?" John asked.
"Yes, it was," he replied. "I can't believe it went all the way down to a one-on-one fight."
"Yeah, sorry about killing you Jennifer," Marty said, blushing slightly.
Jennifer kissed him. "You can make it up to me later," she said, snuggling against him.
"I liked building the snowman afterward," Jules said. "I didn't know you could make them that big."
"It's an art," Holly smiled. "I was happy to help out. My little girl's all grown up now, and starting her own family."
"How is Kelly?" Doc asked.
"She's fine -- still working in Hawksbee Hospital. Leonard's handling a big case for his law firm at the moment. Kelly's all excited because it might mean a promotion for him."
"Well then, extend our best wishes to the both of them."
"Thanks, we will."
"Will you be here when we open presents tomorrow?" Jules asked, interested.
"Sure thing. I wouldn't want to miss that for the world."
"How about you, Marty?" Verne inquired, looking at the teenager.
"I'll stop by -- I have to open presents with my family first," Marty explained. "You wouldn't want me to not be able to spend Christmas with my family, would you?"
"Well, no, but we have so much fun with you," Verne said with a slight pout.
"Don't worry kid, I am going to come by at some point." Verne smiled and went back to his hot chocolate. "Mostly because I want to see what the heck you guys got him."
"You don't know?" Doc said, surprised.
"Clara and Holly wouldn't tell me," Marty explained. "They know what my gift is, thought, so I know you're not getting any duplicates."
"It's just that my gift is a little risque," Clara admitted with a blush.
Holly and Marty both grinned evilly. "I think I know what it is now," Holly sing-songed, making Clara blush harder. "It's all right, dear, you wouldn't have shocked us. Marty and I were swapping stories about you earlier, Emmett."
"I deny everything."
"Did they tell you that Papa sings in the shower?" Jules grinned.
"Loudly," Verne added.
"Et tu, kids?"
"It's not like they're telling me anything new," Holly reminded him. "You've sung in the shower since you were a teenager."
Jules's and Verne's eyes grew round. "Papa, a teenager?" Verne repeated, sounding disbelieving.
"Hey, everybody's parents were teenagers -- even kids -- at one point," Marty told them. "I know it can be hard to imagine, but they were."
Jules and Verne still looked skeptical. "But he's our papa."
"I can prove that he was young once. Emmett, do you still have our old photo album?"
"Yes, it's in my study. I'll go get it." Doc set his hot chocolate down and left the room, leaving Holly to start talking about the Emmett she had known so long ago.
It only took him a minute to locate the album. Doc was about to turn back to the living room when he suddenly had a thought. He returned carrying not only the album, but also his camera and tripod. "As long as we're talking about photographs, I thought it would be nice to have a picture of us all together."
"Hey, that's a great idea," Marty said.
"Perfect," Clara agreed. "We can get it framed and put it on the mantel. Where should we stand."
"Right in front of the Christmas tree," Doc said, setting up the camera. Everyone got up and scrambled for a good spot. Doc set the timer and joined them, rearranging a few people so that Clara and the kids were on one side of him, Marty, Jennifer, John and Holly on the other. Doc put his arms around his wife and as much as he could reach of both Marty and Holly. "All right everyone, say cheese!"
"Cheese!" everyone beamed as the camera went off. Doc looked at his friends and family and smiled brightly. Yeah. This is what Christmas is all about.
The End