November 25, 2015
7:30 PM PST

Martin Seamus McFly Jr smiled, as he lay on his bed. He certainly was looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner with his extended family, the next day. Indeed, he did have a lot to be thankful for. He had a wonderful family and some supportive friends, as well as a lovely girlfriend. He and Stephanie Stebbs have been dating for over two years.

Yet, a part of him knew that his life was not always like that. After all, he remembered a life where his family was much more messed up. In fact, he himself had been a much less assertive person - and he used to let himself be pushed around by Griff Tannen.

It has been a little over a month since his trip to 1985, and he was used to the idea of having two sets of memories. It was quite fortunate that his memories - along with his personality - of the new timeline were dominant. He really had that to be thankful for.

As Seize the Day by Avenged Sevenfold came on the radio, he closed his eyes - as he thought of how that song could quite apply to his own life. In the old timeline, he lived his life rather apathetically. In the new timeline, he had a much bigger passion for life. Indeed, thinking of his old personality in the old timeline tended to make him cringe.

He figured that even his father did not have it that bad. At the age of seventeen, his father had travelled back to the year 1955 - and he actually managed to give his own father the confidence to defend himself. After returning to 1985, his father ended up having a happier family. However, his own father's personality did not change much.

Actually, that was not entirely true. In the new timeline, his father had a problem with being called "chicken" - which he simply did not have, in the old timeline. In fact, it was that very problem that had let to him getting into a drag race - and breaking his hand.

However, after Marty Jr had travelled to 1985, he was able to warn his father about the accident - and, because of that, his father had simply learned to stop reacting to being called a "chicken". As a result, Marty Jr also came home to a happier family.

It was simply amazing to think of how much Marty Jr had in common with his father. In the new timeline, Marty Jr had a much closer relationship with his father - even before his trip to 1985. In the old timeline, his father was often more distant and grouchy. Of course, he still loved his father - but they rarely spent any father/son time together.

Everlong by Foo Fighters then came on the radio. A smile came across Marty Jr's face, as he always associated the song with his girlfriend. In the old timeline, he never even met Stephanie - but, in the new timeline, they were in a very romantic relationship.

Would Stephanie have even been attracted to him in the old timeline? She was a very non-judgemental person, and she probably would not have thought negatively of him - but it was likely that she would have preferred someone who was not a pushover.

None of that mattered, though. After all, he sure felt confident in his relationship with Stephanie - and the fact that he now remembered having a different life in a different timeline did not change that. If he rather had no reason to question their relationship, prior to his trip to 1985 - then there was not a good reason to do so, afterward.

Stephanie had not a clue whatsoever of Marty Jr's other life. He wondered if he ever would even be able to confide in his girlfriend about his situation. Dr. Emmett Brown - who he referred to as "Doc" - had given him quite strict instructions to not let anyone else about the time machine. He understood why Doc felt the need to be cautious.

He sighed, as he thought of how great it would be for him and his girlfriend to go on a time travel trip. Knowing Doc, though, it quite was not too likely to happen. However, one could dream. Perhaps, Stephanie would also enjoy going on a trip to the 1980s.

Suddenly, Over the Hills and Far Away by Led Zeppelin came on the radio. Tears came to Marty Jr's eyes, as he found the song to be very beautiful. In both timelines, it was his favourite song - but it was only in the new timeline that the song actually made him get so emotional. After all, in the old timeline, he was not passionate about anything.

Even over a month after his trip to 1985, it still sometimes seemed like there were two people inside his mind. There even were a few times when his personality from the old timeline would resurface - but, quickly, his personalities were beginning to integrate.

Perhaps, the biggest change between the two timelines was with his guitar talent. In the old timeline, he barely knew anything about guitars - and he really had no clue of how to play one. However, in the new timeline, he was highly skilled on the guitar.

In fact, in the new timeline, Marty Jr had his own rock band - in which he was the lead vocalist and the lead guitarist. Not that long ago ago, his band had performed at their school's Halloween dance. Indeed, it certainly was a very enjoyable evening for him.

While his band actually had two other public performances - in a sense, it was his very first time of performing publicly. It was such a shame that Stephanie could not attend, since she simply went to a different school. In the new timeline, he had always wished to follow in his father's footsteps. He really did hope for his band to become famous.

Marty Jr smiled, as Rock Brigade by Def Leppard came on the radio. In both timelines, he enjoyed rock music - while his sister, Marlene, preferred pop. However, in the new timeline, rock music meant more to him than simply music to play in the background.

In the old timeline, he had not attended any rock concerts - while, in the new timeline, he had gone to nearly twenty of them. Foo Fighters was the first band he had seen in concert, shortly after he had turned thirteen. He had seen the band two times since.

Other bands that he had seen in concert included Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed, Rise Against, Godsmack, Chevelle, and several other bands. Even though he did remember attending all the concerts, a part of him still felt as if the events did not really happen.

There were many things that he did in the new timeline, which had never happened in the old timeline. For instance, in the new timeline, his family had taken a lot more trips - as well as partaking in more family activities. All in all, in the new timeline, family time was valued a lot more. In the old timeline, his family was much more dysfunctional.

In the new timeline, his father did become a moderately famous rock star - and, in the summer of 2005, he had gone on his last concert tour. As much as Marty Sr had really valued his career as a rock star, his family was something that he had valued more.

Get Thru This by Art of Dying then came on the radio. Marty Jr perked up, as he really believed it to be another song that could quite apply to his life. In the new timeline, he was trained to have the courage and strength to overcome any obstacles that he was faced with. For the most part, in the new timeline, Griff Tannen had left him alone.

Marty Jr then thought of his own future. He hoped that he would be a good father to his future children. As none of his future children had shown up, he hoped that it was a good sign. It was either that, or he simply was not destined to have any children.

He wanted to have children, though - as did Stephanie. He rather hoped that none of his children would end up being in the same situation as him or his father - where they would remember having two pasts, with one of them being considerably unpleasant.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Ace? Buddy, are you in there?" It was his father. As Marty Jr made his way to the door, his father asked, "Mind if I come in?"

"No, Dad, I don't mind," Marty Jr replied, as he opened. "I was only thinking about... the past. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner, tomorrow. It's so great to have a nice family, y'know. Say, Dad, do you still remember the timeline that you had..."

"... originated from?" Marty Sr asked, gently. "Yes, buddy, I do. The memories never did go away, and I'm actually glad of it. Both pasts do make up who I am, today."

"I suppose you're right," Marty Jr replied, nodding. The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and The News then came on the radio. "Hey, Dad, your song! In the old timeline, this song would make me feel depressed - but, in this timeline, it makes me feel happy."

"I can understand that," Marty Sr replied, as he drew his son close to him. "Anyway, I wanted to ask if you'd like to join us for ice cream and a movie. I do think it'd be fitting to watch the film adaptation of A Match Made In Space. Does that sound like a plan?"

"Most definitely!" Marty Jr replied, excitedly. "I think it was neat for the film to include Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson. They quite do look a lot like your parents did, when they were young. It'll be interesting to see what the remake looks like, but I don't..."

"I simply won't judge it, until it comes out," Marty Sr replied, gently. "Anyway, try not to stress it. Believe me, ace. I do understand what you're going through. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. After all, I quite have been dealing with this for over thirty years. After a little over a month, you already are adjusting quite well."

"Thank you for your support, Dad!" Marty Jr replied, as he hugged his father. "It's so neat to know that we're in this, together. At any rate, I guess it's time for us to head to the living room. Y'know, Dad, it's certainly nice to be able to do things as a family."

Marty Jr felt elated, as he and his father headed to the living room. While he sure had a lot to be thankful for, he felt the most thankful for the fact that he had the ability to improve the life of his father - which had quite, by extension, improved the lives of his entire family. Perhaps, someday, he would be able to stop wrestling with two pasts.