Author's Note: Next chapter. Seeing as Bttf 4444 had some problems with Marty and Doc's fight in the previous chapter, I decided 'What the hell' and decided to have them cry and hug, as they become friends again. Hope you like it, Bttf 4444. Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I don't own BTTF, Marty crying, or Doc hugging Marty/Marty hugging Doc.

11: Chapter Eleven

Friday, January 24th, 1992

Hill Valley, California

11: 00 P. M.

Doctor Emmett Lathrop Brown, PhD, sighed deeply. Over the past hours, he'd tried to study on a project that connected to the famous hover-technology that he'd explored in 2015, which would, hopefully, make the Brown family be able to support themselves again. And perhaps more. But he wasn't able to keep himself focused. And he knew exactly the cause.

Marty McFly.

The businessman had been keeping him distracted from the work for a long time now, even though both former friends hadn't seen each other anymore since that fateful date thirty days ago. Marty had kept true to his word – he hadn't allowed Doc to even come within a fifty-feet-zone of him again, and Doc hadn't intentionally done that, because the inventor had been pissed off with the person that could've been a musician had the events turned out different himself. Marty had been, after all, the one who got the almanac. Marty was the one who had disrupted history – not Doc. Once again, the scientist wished that he'd never let Marty get away with owning the almanac. He should've been more careful…

Well, he couldn't have known, Doc thought to himself. He couldn't have known Marty would behave that irresponsibly. Still, he felt like he should blame himself for it. Sighing, he started walking away from his work table. If he couldn't focus on the hover-technology, he could at least try to work on the DeLorean.

The scientist sighed, as he suddenly realized what was going on. He wasn't feeling sorry for Marty, was he? Of course he wasn't – he shouldn't be! Marty had completely deserved his fate. The kid had, after all, raced Needles himself. He'd given in to his chicken problem himself. Doc wasn't the one responsible – Marty should've known better.

Then why was he feeling like he had just himself to blame, and that he'd been doing the wrong thing, all those years? Like he really should give in to Marty and try to be friends again?

The inventor sighed. "Maybe I was rather harsh on him, after all" he muttered. "If I hadn't been a scientist and had had such an unfortunate accident, I might've done the same thing. That almanac was a golden opportunity to make money. I can understand he would've liked to be secure…"

The scientist almost felt like crying, as reality sunk in. "I shouldn't have told him he didn't deserve a future" he whispered. "If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have a future, I would be lying in a grave, at Oak Park Cemetery. 'Here Lies Emmett Brown, Born March 23rd 1920 Died October 26th 1985. Shot in the front by Libyan terrorists over a matter of stolen plutonium. Erected in friendship by his best friend Marty McFly.'" He snorted slightly, then realized that would've been true.

Without Marty, he wouldn't have met Susan, he now realized. Without Marty, Jules and Verne, his precious little boys, wouldn't have been born because their would-be-father ended up in an early grave. "I've got to make up to Marty" he muttered. "I can't let this happen. He might've fired me, he might've acted irresponsibly, but I did the same thing, and he's just a teenager, maybe in his early twenties now, while I'm over seventy, and besides, he's saved my life." He sighed. "Not many people in this town would do that for me."

He then realized that Marty most likely wouldn't want Doc to make up for this. After all that had happened, Marty would be furious on the inventor: he'd shown that clearly when firing him on that December day. Still, he had to try. While he would understand and respect Marty if he didn't want to see the older man ever again, he had to try to at least apologize to the twenty-three-year-old. For the sake of their friendship.

Friday, January 24th, 1992

11: 00 P. M.

Martin Seamus McFly sighed, as he was lying down in his comfortable bed. He'd managed to clean the room up pretty well, after December – and there was no evidence that Doc Brown had ever gone through it to look for the almanac. The safe was closed, and even the painting hung back into place, exactly as it had hung before. Yet, he couldn't help but think of Doc.

He wondered what the inventor would be doing, at this moment. Most likely, his inventor ex-friend would be trying to invent something that would make his and Susan's life better – as they didn't have much money, anymore. They still had the money that was left over from Doc's two-year-service to Marty McFly Enterprises – but that money was going to run out, eventually.

Marty then started to feel bad for firing Doc. Hell, he started to feel bad for shouting at the older man in the first place. After all, Doc had been his best friend, ever since 1975 – and even if their relationship was strained now, he shouldn't just yell at the inventor. The twenty-three-year-old smiled briefly, as he thought of that day. He'd been skating down the street after being challenged by Needles, and had bumped into Doc after flying out of control…

He frowned. No, wait, that wasn't what had happened. He had refused to do the skateboard dare, and he had been locked up in a trunk. He now remembered quite clearly, how Doc had come up to him, and had rescued him from Needles. Yet, he also remembered clearly that other chain of events. How could that be?

The twenty-two-year-old shrugged, as he shook it off as another difference between the timelines – he remembered Doc and himself talking about it, back when Doc had brought him home, and had travelled to the future.

There he was – his mind was back on the 'Doc' subject. The business man sighed, as he realized he was actually starting to understand some of Doc's logic. He knew how easy it was to screw up history. His trip to 1955 had more than proven that to him. Yet, he had bought that almanac. And while future history wasn't written yet, he shouldn't try to write it in the way he wanted.

There was also the fact that power corrupted, Marty now realized, and there also was a truth to that line. If he hadn't bought the almanac, he and Doc might never have stopped their friendship. He would've never become rich, maybe, but at least he'd still have had his best friend. Also, when in power, you could be robbed – or even killed. Then, there was the fact that, if Marty had avoided the Rolls Royce accident, something more serious might've happened to him. He could've been dead.

Marty began to cry a little, as he realized Doc had just been wanting the best for him. He now felt a strong urge to make up to his scientist friend, but he was a little unsure how Doc would feel about that. After all, he'd been pretty angry on the inventor, back with Christmas. He felt worried, that Doc might never become friends with him again. That possibility really made him feel sad. He started to wish that he'd never bought that almanac. Even if it seemed fun in the beginning, it had caused nothing but disaster for him.

Monday, March 23rd, 1992

3: 02 P. M.

Emmett Lathrop Brown, Doc as he'd once been called, was nervous. Very nervous. Also, Doc realized this was the third time he was feeling nervous on his birthday, in the past seven years. The first time was nervousness about if Marty would show up, and what he was going to say then, back in 1986. The second time was the same feeling, now about if Susan, who was now his wife and then his girlfriend, would show up, back in 1987, five years ago. And now, the nervousness was all about Marty again.

Doc had actually sent Marty an invitation card, last Wednesday. While he had been usually expecting his friend to come, back in the late seventies and early eighties, he now wasn't as sure. Part of that was, of course, that Marty and he had been having a really bad friendship, in the last six-and-a-half years. This time was the first time since 1986, that Doc actually had invited Marty to his birthday. That was pretty weird, taking in consideration, that three months ago, he'd mentally wished to never have to see Marty McFly again.

Still, a lot of things had changed since then, and Doc was looking forward to their meeting, a lot. He hoped that Marty would accept his apology, but most likely, that wouldn't happen. Still, seeing his best friend again, and being able to actually say 'sorry', would be all right with him. He shouldn't hope for more than he could get.

He then heard the door bell ring. As he felt his courage sink into his shoes, he had to actually persuade himself to walk to the door. He then opened, and saw that Marty and Jennifer McFly were standing there. Doc tried to steady himself, as he was breathing nervously. For all he knew, Marty might start shouting at him again. Perhaps, that was the only reason the twenty-three-year-old had come over for. Then again, Jennifer might not have approved of him coming, if that was the reason. Still, maybe Jennifer felt the same way, now.

"Doc?" Marty asked. He smiled faintly, and shook the scientist's hand. "Happy seventy-second birthday, Doc."

"Um, thanks" Doc said, still feeling nervous about this. Marty hadn't said anything bad yet – but that could happen, anytime soon.

"Doc?" Marty then asked, bringing his attention back to the present. "I've thought this over really well, and I would like to say sorry to you."

For a moment, Doc thought he was still in bed and having a nice dream. "What?" he weakly asked, pinching himself to make sure that he was awake.

"I'd like to apologize" Marty clarified. "I've been nasty to you on that day – and I shouldn't have fired you. I shouldn't have been so angry at you in the first place, when I got into that accident. After all, you were just trying to prevent something worse from happening to me… and you were doing the same, when I used the almanac. After all, some thugs might've shot me by now. That could've happened, and I understand you just wanted me – and the universe – to be safe."

"No, I'm the one who should apology" Doc protested. "It was only natural for you to buy that almanac – as you were only seventeen, and that seemed to be the best solution. Also, if you hadn't used it, you might be near the edge of bankruptcy now, which was because of the accident that I could've – should've prevented. You needed that almanac to provide your money. And you saved my life. I should've repaid you by helping you avoid that incident, and I didn't, and I was even angry at you… for being angry with me about that, while that was your good right. Marty, I'm sorry."

Suddenly, the twenty-three-year-old reached out, and tightly hugged Doc. They both then started to cry a bit, as they felt really sorry for what all had happened. Jennifer and Susan watched from a corner, unsure to feel happy or sad.

After a few minutes, Doc released Marty, and reached out his hand. "Friends again?" he asked.

"You bet!" Marty exclaimed. "I'll tear up the almanac, I'll give up the Enterprises, I'll sell all the buildings and give the profit to something that will be able to actually help the world, I'll…"

"You don't have to do that, Marty" Doc said, smiling. "I'd be okay with getting rid of the almanac. Have you got it on you now?"

"Yeah" Marty said, taking out the o-so-important item that he'd clung to for the past almost three years. "But I really insist that I should sell at least part of the land I bought. The Courthouse, you know. And half of my property, if not more."

"The Courthouse and half of your property would be fine" Doc said. "That way, you will be sure not to have made important changes to history. You can keep the Mall and the money, if you like. Marty, you're a good kid – you deserve a good future." The twenty-three-year-old smiled. "And as for now, it's burning time." He accepted the almanac Marty had handed to him.

"Burning?" Marty asked. "Can't we just tear it up?"

"This is more permanent" Doc argued. "Even the smallest piece of the book will still be able to provide people future info." Marty nodded, and Doc stared at the book, sitting down next to the fire in the main room. This book had kept his and Marty's friendship apart, while the book had been intact, for almost seven years. Now, the book wouldn't be intact anymore, as a sign that their friendship was just that, again. The inventor smiled, as he threw the almanac into the flames.

As he watched the book burn, he realized that what he was saying was true. The almanac ending it's life would mean he and Marty would be friends again. He smiled at his friend, and hugged him. Things were finally right for them again.