When Marty and Lorraine entered the penthouse on the twenty-seventh floor, Lorraine made straight for the mini bar, even though it was only afternoon. Marty was looking around uneasily, remembering the other night…the confrontation between Biff and his mother…and then he'd found out that his father was dead.

He still couldn't believe that. In fact, he was having trouble believing that he'd been rescued. After the solitude and hunger of captivity, the outside world seemed oddly surreal. Well, apart from the fact that it was a terrible alternate world.

And then it hit him: he was alive. He had been rescued. He was going to have to live in this awful alternate reality for the rest of his days. He wished they'd killed him.

He went to the couch and sank onto it, his head falling into his hands.

'Are you sure you're all right, Marty?' he mother said anxiously. She was absentmindedly swilling the liquid in the glass. 'Do you need aspirin? Maybe you should go and have a rest. And get out of those dirty clothes…oh, but we don't have any of yours here. Well, I'm sure we can find something of your father's to fit you…'

'My father!' spat Marty. He leapt to his feet, his exhaustion and aches forgotten. 'Biff ain't my father, Mom. Wasn't he supposed to pay money to rescue me? Somehow, I don't think he was going to!'

Lorraine's eyes slid away from him as she took a swig from her glass. 'I'm sure he had his reasons,' he mumbled.

'His reasons?' said Marty in disbelief. 'Mom, they were going to kill me! Biff wouldn't pay up to save my life? How could you have married him? He doesn't give a shit about us – or you!'

Lorraine's face crumpled and she began to sob. 'Oh, you're right, Marty,' she wept. 'He's a monster. I wish I'd never met him – I was only thinking of the money.' Tears streamed down her face. 'I've only realised now how truly cruel he is. To think that you would have died…if it hadn't been for Doctor Brown – '

Marty's head snapped out. 'Doctor Brown?' he interrupted in a strangled tone. Inside, his heart had leapt. Doc was back? He had come back for him? He tried to speak more normally. 'Doctor Brown?' he repeated casually. 'Isn't he – er – insane?'

'He said he escaped,' said Lorraine, dabbing at her eyes. 'He certainly didn't seem insane to me. He saved your life, Marty; I hope he never gets – Marty, where are you going?'

Marty was already heading for the door. 'I gotta go, Mom,' he said over his shoulder. 'See you later, OK?' He sincerely hoped he would not see her later. This version of her, anyway.

'No, Marty!' Lorraine staggered after him and grabbed him roughly by his T-shirt. 'Please don't go! Biff will be back soon. He'll be back as soon as he finds out you've been rescued. Don't leave me…'

'I'm sorry, Mom,' said Marty brokenly, prying her fingers away from him. 'I'll be back soon. I swear.'

She just looked at him, her lips trembling, and the glass in her hand shaking. 'Bye, Mom,' said Marty; unable to look at her any more, he turned away and ran for the door.

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By the time he reached Doc's dilapidated lab he was sweating and panting. He hesitated on the sunlit street, remembering what had taken place there only last night. It seemed like years ago. Doc, driving off, leaving Marty…the kidnapping…

Marty pushed his hair away from his face, feeling inexplicably nervous. 'Here goes,' he muttered, and entered the lab.

He didn't see Doc at first. Sunlight was streaming through the gaps in the walls, dust specks swirling in the beams. Marty felt an overwhelming relief to see the DeLorean parked there. So Doc hadn't abandoned him again…at least not yet.

Then he spotted the legs dangling out of the DeLorean's passenger door, and heard a muttering. 'Damn thing…'

Marty took a deep breath. 'Uh…Doc?'

Doc stood up so fast he whacked his head off the sagging gullwing door. 'Marty,' he gasped. His face was inexplicably pale.

Marty tried to say something, but to his surprise, when he opened his mouth no words came out. For one long, long moment he and Doc simply stared at each other in silence, although Marty was sure Doc was able to hear his heart thumping against his ribs. He'd never been so overjoyed to see Doc in all his life…and yet…all he could see was Doc driving him away, leaving him here in the dark and the wind and the rain.

'Marty,' Doc repeated after what seemed an eternity. His voice was slightly hoarse. 'You – are – are you –' He cleared his throat. 'Are you alright?'

Marty nodded, and glanced away. He found himself suddenly fighting back tears, and the lump in his throat was so large it was painful.

How could you do it, Doc? How the hell could you leave me here? I thought you weren't ever coming back. And I'm so glad to see you now, but I just can't believe what you did to me.

It hurts.

'I'm sorry, Marty.'

The words were spoken so softly Marty wasn't sure he'd heard them at first. His head jerked up. 'What?'

'I'm sorry,' said Doc. 'The things I said and did to you are – unforgivable. But I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of it. I want you to know that I came straight back for you, but you were gone by then. I – won't blame you if you never want to talk to me again, but – you're my best friend, Marty. I'll never be able to say sorry enough times.'

The DeLorean, pulling away; Doc's face; the feeling of complete and utter shock and helplessness and sorrow. You're my best friend, Doc.

Marty rubbed the back of his hand across his eyes. 'Well, I'm sorry, too. You were right to be mad. Everything is my fault.' He looked up at Doc, and instantly knew one thing. If they shook hands right now and didn't speak again about this incident, they would never again share the same level of friendship that they had once enjoyed. There would be too many things left unsaid, too much simmering under the surface. So he had to say it – as much as he hated doing it, he knew he would regret it deeply later in life if he didn't.

'But – it hurt, Doc, y'know? I mean – I just didn't understand how you could do that to me.' His voice trembled and Doc's eyes were unusually bright. 'Then I was kidnapped and I thought you weren't ever coming back, and I was going to die. I kinda almost wanted to die.' He took a deep breath. What the hell was he going on about? He wasn't making any sense. But somehow, it felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders just by saying it.

He shrugged and managed a shaky grin at Doc. 'But you're back, and I guess – I guess everything's OK now. You're still my best friend, and you always will be.'

'Oh, Marty.' Doc crossed over to him and pulled him into a tight hug. Marty hugged him back fiercely. Against his will, hot tears welled in his eyes and leaked onto his face.

After a while, Doc pulled back, trying to inconspicuously wipe his sleeve across his face. Marty hid a grin while also attempting to dry his own eyes.

'Right then,' said Doc, his voice only trembling a little. 'That's sorted – right?'

'You're the doc, Doc,' said Marty, grinning at him properly.

Doc nodded. 'Now we've got to make a plan.' He rubbed his hands together, a spark to his eyes that wasn't there minutes ago. 'We have to get the book back from Biff!'

Well, this could be the end of the story! (But it mightn't be; I may write a sequel at some point.) Thanks to everyone who kindly reviewed - glad you liked the story - and thanks a million Allanon-One for being my beta-reader :) Hope that you can help again with the sequel in the future.