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Doc felt intensely nervous as he stood outside the Tannens' door on the twenty-seventh floor. What if Lorraine refused to believe him? And what if Biff was here? This was a possibility Doc had neglected to consider. Coming face-to-face with Biff Tannen would be a disastrous scenario.

He had already pressed the buzzer, though, and before he could have second thoughts about this the door opened and Lorraine Baines-McFly-Tannen stood looking at him.

She was very different from the Marty's mother that Doc knew. Her face was smudged in last night's makeup, and there was something, or was it something that wasn't in her eyes that hadn't been there before. And there was something – two somethings – on her that certainly hadn't been there before either.

'Doctor Brown,' said Lorraine. It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

Doc managed to tear his eyes away from her enlarged chest. 'Er, yes. Um…' He wasn't quite sure what to say now that he was here.

'You better come in,' said Lorraine, and when he stepped inside she shut the door. He was standing on a staircase looking down into a large room decorated in blood reds and gaudy golds. It was all very expensive looking and completely tasteless. Biff Tannen, Doc was quite relieved to see, was nowhere in the immediate vicinity.

He followed Lorraine down the stairs and she invited him to sit down on one of the many sofas. She sat opposite him. Only then did he see how bloodshot her eyes were.

'The last I heard of you, you were locked away,' said Lorraine flatly. 'Did you escape?'

'It's a long story,' said Doc hastily. 'I assure you that I'm perfectly sane.'

Lorraine shrugged. 'I always thought you were. You seemed sane enough when I met you,' she said matter-of-factly. 'Biff's never admitted it, but I have a feeling he was involved somehow.' She suddenly leaned forward, something like desperation in her face. 'Do you know where my son is?'

'Yes,' said Doc honestly.

Lorraine slumped back in her seat, her face crumpling. 'Oh, thank God,' she whispered, her shoulders beginning to shake. 'Thank God…oh, my Marty…'

'Your – your husband is still refusing to pay up then?' said Doc hesitantly.

Lorraine nodded, tears pouring down her face. 'The bastard. I wish I'd never married him – oh, I wish I hadn't! Not that I wanted to… and I never realised that he would refuse to save the life of one of my own children…'

She looked so stricken that Doc's heart ached for her, and prayed that he would be able to set this world normal again for everyone's sake.

'We fought last night,' whispered Lorraine, almost to herself. 'He stormed out – I don't know where he went. He left me here – and my youngest son is kidnapped, and he'll be dead in a few days if we don't do something…'

Doc got to his feet and went over to her. He laid a hand on her shoulder. 'We can do something about it right away. Will you call the police?'

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While the police stormed the kidnappers' hideout, Doc waited on the other side of the street, the hat still pulled lowover his eyes. He was glad that Lorraine or the police hadn't plagued him with questions about how he knew where Marty was, and that he hadn't been required to speak with the police, only to give them the address. They would have been sure to recognize him. Doc had driven here in the DeLorean and left it parked in a side street while he came to watch himself. All that remained now was to see whether Marty would be brought outside alive and well. Doc could see Lorraine sitting in the back of one of the police cars.

The police had gone in with weapons drawn, and there now came the occasional shout or thump from inside the building. Doc was biting his lip so hard it hurt. Silence…his heart was pounding inside his ears…

Then men were being led out of the building, all in handcuffs, all wearing incredibly surly expressions. Several were shouting, but Doc didn't hear the words; all of his attention was riveted on the doorway of the building, waiting…where was Marty? He couldn't be dead, could he? Doc clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He could not be dead…

And there he was! Doc nearly felt like crying with relief and joy. His young friend was being led outside by two police officers. His hair was standing on end, his face was pale and he looked dazed by everything that was going on…but he was alive, and unhurt.

'Marty! Oh, Marty!'

Lorraine was running up the sidewalk towards her son. She caught him in a hug, pulling him closely to her. 'Oh, my Marty…I am so sorry…thank God you're alive…' At this point she dissolved into sobs.

'I – I'm fine, Mom, don't cry…' said Marty awkwardly.

A police officer came up to them. 'You should take him to the hospital, Mrs Tannen, just to check him over.'

'No, no, I'm fine,' said Marty, looking horrified at the idea. 'Seriously, I'm just a bit tired, that's all…'

'Well, it's up to your mother,' said the police officer. She smiled. 'We'll let you get some rest now, but we'll have to call you down to the station later to answer some questions, OK?'

'Yeah…OK, whatever,' said Marty distractedly. 'Look, Mom, I've really gotta go now…'

'Go, Marty? What are you talking about?' cried Lorraine. 'You're coming home with me now. You have to recover…maybe I will take you to the doctor.'

'No, Mom!' said Marty hastily. 'It's OK…I'm fine. You're right, I'll go home now.'

'We'll give you a lift back,' said the officer, holding the car door open for them.

On the other side of the road, Doc watched them drive away from underneath the brim of his hat. He realised now that he was trembling with relief. Marty was unhurt, and safe for now. Hopefully he would find out that Doc had come back for him, and then he could come and find Doc.

Or would he?

Doc sighed and began to make his way back to the DeLorean. He wouldn't be surprised if Marty never forgave him. But surely the teenager would want to set this alternate world right?

Doc would wait in his lab for Marty…and if he came to him, he would try his best to earn his forgiveness.