Yessss Chapter 2!! I'm quick! I have an exam tomorrow XD Anyway! I hope everybody likes this chapter!

bttf4444: Thank you so much for the review!!

Saynt Jimmy: Thanks! Well here's the next chapter. I hope you like it ;)

Chapter 2

Someone was speaking. He was vaguely aware of someone calling his name. He faintly stirred.

"Huh?"

He cracked an eye open. Doc was bent over him, trying to rouse him.

"Marty, you've got to prepare or the festival, we're going in less than one hour."

Marty sighed. He didn't feel too well, but he tried to get up anyway.

Bad idea.

"Ugh!" He groaned as he fell back on the bed. The world was spinning, spinning around him like a sick distortion of reality. He felt his stomach rolling and his abdomen constrict in a thigh knot.

"Marty?"

Doc. He was still there.

Of course he was still there. What had he said? What was happening anyway?

Marty tried to get a grip on reality as his head was reeling. He felt the back of a hand on his cheek, and then on his forehead.

He opened his eyes again and saw Doc frown at him. He looked at him, confused, until his head cleared enough for him to think.

He had to get ready for the festival… Right.

Trying to get up again, he met the resistance of a hand gently pushing him back down.

"Wha…?"

"You're not going anywhere Marty…" Doc said softly.

"But…"

"There's not 'but' " he ordered again, "You have a slight fever"

Marty lay down again. He was too exhausted to argue. He watched as Doc got up, went out of his sight for a minute and returned with a cup in a hand and something hidden in the other.

"I always carry a med kit in the DeLorean, in case something happens." He explained as he kneeled beside the bed.

'I keep some bandages, antibiotics, painkillers… " He opened his hand "And plain acetaminophen"

"Acetamino-what?" Marty asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Tylenol" Doc vulgarised.

"Oh"

Marty took the pill and the cup of water that was offered to him, and quickly swallowed both. He handed the cup back to the scientist.

"Thanks Doc."

Emmett eyed him for a moment and the teenager was becoming uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

"I'm sure it's nothing Doc" He said with a smile.

" 'Nothing' wouldn't cause a fever" The scientist replied dryly.

Marty sighed. He hated being fussed over. Especially when he was sick. Whenever he felt under the weather, he just wanted to curl in a ball under a ton of blankets and just be left alone.

But he also hated lying to his best friend. Maybe if he told him just a little about how he felt, he would let him sleep again…

"Well Doc, I have an upset stomach and my belly is a little sore, but I'm sure I just caught a bug or somethin'…"

The older man continued to eye his scrupulously.

"I'm sure I'll be fine by morning" Marty added, to put one more argument against Doc's concern. He added a smile, just to be sure.

It seemed to work. Doc got up and sighed.

"Well" He said, "I you say you'll be alright, I'll go get dressed for the festival. But if it gets any worst, you need to tell me."

"You're the Doc, Doc."

As Emmett was walking away, something registered in Marty's mind.

"Wait, you're going to the festival? Alone?"

Doc turned around.

"Marty! I'm quite capable of taking care of myself!"

The teen glanced at him, looking doubtful.

"Besides" Doc continued, "Tannen isn't supposed to shoot me until Monday, and we'll be gone by then!"

Marty relaxed a little, but he wasn't entirely convinced.

"Maybe you're right." He said simply.

"Of course, don't worry about be."

The teen nodded.

"Now you just sleep Marty. I'll go get changed."

The young man closed his eyes. He felt dizzy, and he hadn't told Doc the entire truth. He felt awfully sick to his stomach, and his belly was hurting badly, as if someone and plunged a knife into it, and was still moving the knife inside.

He curled on his left side and tried to breathe normally. He concentrated on the sound of Doc moving nearby, moving things around, probably trying to look good for Clara, as she was supposed to attend the festivities. Marty didn't want to deny Doc his chance to see the woman he had fallen in love with… But he was also worried. What if Tannen was attending too? What if they had somehow changed something in the course of time and Doc got shot tonight?

Marty buried his face in his pillow. He needed to think about all this, but his stomach was reeling. Carefully, he concentrated on calming it down.

He heard Doc softly humming a song.

Well, Marty thought, at least one of them was feeling good.

He tried to appear as if he was sleeping, so that his friend wouldn't worry.

But Doc wasn't as easily fooled, of course. He knew the teen wasn't sleeping, his breath was too quick for that, but at least he was resting. He took his best shirt and put it on. Then he put on his coat and tried a hat.

Emmett looked at himself in the mirror.

Maybe not this hat, he thought.

He removed it and put his other on.

Much better.

He put his boots on and went to gather a few items. Then he looked at himself one more time and smiled.

He looked at Marty. The boy was still awake he could tell, but barely. He took a few steps toward him, but then turned around and changed his hat again.

He nodded at his reflection, satisfied, and then crossed the room.

"Marty?"

When the teen didn't answer, he crouched near the bed and gently laid a hand on his arm.

A pair of pain-filled eyes met his.

"Doc?" Marty faintly whispered.

He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes again. Emmett could feel him trembling as he slowly exhaled again, swallowing cautiously.

"I don't… feel so good Doc"

Emmett only nodded. His friend's skin looked ashen. He didn't want to alarm him by saying so, but he was becoming worried himself. He tried to sooth the teen by smoothly passing a hand through his hair, verifying the temperature at the same time. Then, he knew Marty didn't feel well at all when he didn't protest.

But just when his breaths had seemed to become longer and deeper, Marty suddenly tensed, his eyes open once more, as he drew a shuddering breath. He sat up clumsily and clutched at his stomach. His breaths were ragged and difficult

"Marty" Emmett called "What is it? Are you going to be sick?"

But Marty relaxed slightly and, without looking at him, slowly answered.

"No… Just... was feeling as if I might be..."

He threw a quick glance at Doc.

"m'alright now… you go and… enjoy your evening."

But Doc's mind was already set on something else. He was not going to let Marty alone, feeling as he was. He was still only seventeen, for Haven's sake! He was a kid, and until they got back to 1985, he was under his charge.

He suddenly felt very responsible for Marty's condition. If he fell gravely ill, there was no one around that had the expertise of a 20th century doctor as they knew. And he was there by his fault. Because of his time machine.

"Doc?"

Marty was now laying down again, a hand over his stomach and a courageous look on his face. He really didn't want Doc to miss his rendezvous with Clara.

Still, Emmett only pulled up the covers to the teen's chin, and placed a basin within easy reach.

"You're going to be late Doc…"

"I'm not going Marty."

The teen frowned slightly.

"What? But…"

"I told you before, not 'But'"

Marty glared, but said nothing. He was tempted to argue, but a part of him wanted him to stay. And not only to keep his friend from Bufford Tannen's threat.

As Doc was going to sit down beside him, Marty tensed again. He still felt a bit ill, but he didn't want Doc to fuss over him constantly.

"Wow Doc" He objected, "You may stay, but you're not mothering me."

Emmett chuckled. Teen pride.

"Well okay, I'll read a book while you rest, then."

Marty sighed and settled more comfortably under his blankets.

"Deal."

TBC

Yeah well... I told you I was a hurt/comfort freak XD