New Year's Day Child
- Hey, guys! Could you keep an eye on…?
- CRAP!
Gene appeared from behind one of the two Time Devices, holding a bleeding finger.
- Oh, I'm sorry, darling…
- No matter, Sally…
Gene sucked his blood out of his finger and spat it in a washbasin.
- You want us to keep an eye on Elijah and Marlene?
- Right, Marty. Could you do this for us? We won't be too long…
- Take a rest, if you want. We'll take care of them…
- Rat, My lab isn't actually…
Marty caressed the two little heads:
- Designed for children, I know.
- See you later, guys!
The little children saluted their mothers at the same time:
- I love you, mom!
Sally kissed her son's forehead:
- I love you too, Elijah…
- Me too, Marlene.
The mothers left the laboratory. Gene was wrapping his finger in a bandage:
- Awfully stupid connections…
Marty made the children sit down and looked at Gene:
- If I can help, just ask…
- No, rat, thanks… The stolen Time Device's circuits are too miscalibrated. You could be hurt.
- You too, bat.
- Bat! Bat! Father is a bat!
Gene gazed at Marty:
- Great. Now my son will think I'm Batman…
- No chance for it… Unless I'm Ratman.
Gene came back behind the second Time Device.
- What's the matter with this TD's circuits?
Gene sighed:
- In the twenty years it stood in 2045, it has never been fixed up. It's a pure miracle if Clive had been able to jump when he wanted to… And I'm not talking about the multiple possible interactions with future incompatible technologies I don't know yet…
-You think you could repair it?
- I don't know… I believe it will be easier if I simply manage to destroy it.
Destroying… Just as his father would say it…
- What about the first TD?
- It's fine again. I will keep it in case of emergency. I know Clive is stuck in 2055, now we have retrieved the TD he has stolen… But who knows who could mess with our timeline?
Marty took a look at the bed where the children were supposed to be…
- Marlene…? Elijah…?
- Don't tell me you've lost them!
- They were here only ten seconds ago…
- Here! In the first TD! Turn your communicator, rat!
Marty obeyed…
- You're sure we're not doing something bad?
- It will be fun, relax!
I knew giving them special communicators would be useful…
Yes, bat, but… Isn't Elijah starting the circuits?
Gene opened bug eyes:
- Elijah Brown! Leave that Time Device now!
- It's daddy! Pretend you haven't heard him!
- What are you doing?!
- I don't want to be spanked for my next two decades, do you?
Marlene shook her head as Gene was climbing the stairs to the TD's doors.
- Leave it, Elijah!
- Count on that, daddy…
- Oh no…
Gene could just jump, hardly hitting the ground, before the Time Device disappeared…
Marty helped his friend to get on his feet.
- It's a complete disaster…
- Did you have the time to read their destination?
- Unfortunately, no… But it doesn't matter.
- It doesn't matter? We don't know when or where our children are, and…
Gene picked up his TDL and waved his head.
- What?
- I've made a few recalibrations on my TDL and, thanks to some extra circuits I added on the two Time Devices, I'm now able to localize both of them.
- Localize? Through space and time?
Gene shook his head:
- Not exactly the way you're thinking about, but I'm able to know if they are or have been in a particular time segment.
- So, we just have to jump anywhen at all to know if they have been there?
- Yes, I know it sounds…
Marty gently tapped his friend's shoulder:
- Like betting on pure chance.
- Not even considering the fact the time circuits of the only TD left are too miscalibrated to expect jumping at the precise space-time coordinates we'll have the inclination to.
- Who cares?
Gene looked at Marty, a bit confused: the Marty he knew wasn't that carefree about jumping so wildly in time…
- Well, I will recalibrate a little, and let's go…
- Gene, there's one thing I have to ask you.
- Yes…?
Marty shrugged his shoulders:
- I don't know how to ask this… But… Reading your mind, I sometimes have the feeling the Marty you knew in your original timeline was… Boring.
- I called him "Mr. Adult", sometimes.
- Do you miss him?
Gene raised his eyebrows:
- What kind of question is this?
- You were connected by a special link… A different link than…
- Stop. I know what you're thinking. Does that mean you want your Gene to be back?
- I know it's impossible, bat.
Gene smiled:
- I don't miss my Marty. Because he's just in front of me… You are my rat.
My rat… That's how the old Gene called my old self when I met him in the nuthouse…
Gene squeezed Marty:
- I heard that, my rat…
Marty hugged Gene in return:
- I know… My bat…
- I guess we have learned to know each other, right? If the link we've weaved together in our respective timelines was different, we've made an other kind of link those twenty-one years.
- You're right, Gene.
Gene went back to the TD circuits:
- I have no inclination to fix my original timeline up. This one sounds like mine to me.
- And I don't want you to be erased from my childhood.
- Really?
- You don't need me to lie to you.
Odd… The exact expression Gene used in his original timeline…
- When I first met you… I mean, in the timeline I'm from… We didn't share anything, and as I knew you were my father's best friend of all time, I hoped we could be close friends too…
- And we haven't been close?
- Not immediately. I would say a few hours later.
Marty shrugged his shoulders:
- So, what's wrong?
- The Gene you knew was different than… Me, obviously…
- Just a bit. I guess I simply know you much better than I was supposed to.
- I feel misplaced…
It's not what he was saying a minute ago…
- Gene… Is there something you don't want to tell me?
- I've messed with timelines… What's happening by now is my fault… Everything is my fault…
- What are you talking about?
- If I had stayed clear from science as mother told me, Clive won't even exist…
Marty felt Gene was about to cry.
- My bat… I've never seen you like this… Except the day you've fell in love with your mother.
- I feel sick…
Marty put his hand on Gene's, trying to comfort him, but his hand went through his fingers:
- Oh no… Gene, you're disappearing!
Gene looked at his hand and gasped:
- You're right! What's happening…?
- You're getting erased, our children have probably done something wrong in the past!
Marty felt a punch in his stomach and fell down to his knees.
- Oh no… What could we do…
Marty climbed up in the Time Device and helped Gene to follow him:
- You're vanishing very fast, it's a clue to know when they are!
- It's right…
- So, back to the past…
Marty was trying really hard to enter the space-time coordinates.
Gene sighed: his arm was vanishing and reappearing like an X-mas tree broken lamp.
- What will happen if I disappear before being able to fix things up?
- It could cause a major space-time collapse, because we're not supposed to… Ouch!
Marty succeded in starting the engine, and Gene put his hand on Marty's:
- We won't fail… I trust you…
The Time Device appeared next to the old farm where Clive stocked the stolen inventions.
- Oh no… It's not when and where I wanted to be…
Gene was keeping his eyes close, like he was about to vomit, but he managed to look at his TDL:
- The children have been there…
- Of course! We're in 2035!
Gene shook his head:
- The time circuits are too miscalibrated…
- We won't fail. You said it.
Marty started the engine again.
- Let's hope it will work, this time…
Marty felt his friend was more affected than him. He smiled:
- Don't worry, we'll fix things up.
He entered lit the circuits up:
- So, the coordinates are…
The Time Device jumped in time before he could set the date more precisely…
The Time Device showed up next to Stockholm, this time… But Marty couldn't recognize it:
- Oh, crap… We're in Sweden, in 1971…
- 1971? What's the precise date?
- 31st April.
- It's the day I've been conceived!
Marty gazed at Gene:
- You've been calculated this?
- Correct. In Hill Valley, of course: my parents were keeping the shop.
- Do you think we could jump to Hill Valley without jumping in time?
- It seems every circuit of this TD is miscalibrated. I can't guarantee anything.
Marty shrugged his shoulders:
- Who cares? It's a flying car, or not?
- Yes! You're right, we just have to fly!
Gene pushed a button:
- Now, we look like a simple little plane from 1971. Let's move this baby.
Marty took a look at the board computer: using it as a space-time machine was simple, but he didn't knew how to make this thing fly…
- Don't worry, I'll do it!
- You don't have your license, but you know how to fly?
- Hey, I've created this baby. Of course, I know how to fly it!
True…
- Okay, so, static mode disengaged… Gravity compensators functional…
He pushed a switch, and an octagonal steering wheel filled with tiny white touch panels rose up from the board computer, made its way to the driver's side, and Gene put his hands on it.
- Wow, that's cool…
Marty had never seen the Time Device flying: there was no need. Gene caressed a few tiny panels on the sterring wheel, and the TD left the ground. Gene put his TDL as a compass on the board computer:
- My Time Device Localizer shows us our children's current location, well…
- I thought it couldn't localize two TDs…
- Located at the same four-dimensional coordinates. And we're not at the same space coordinates.
- Oh, I see…
Gene followed the TDL's indications. Marty could just look down as they were flying over the Atlantic Ocean:
- It's amazing, my bat…
- I know. I love flying this jewel… But I'd like to enhance its esthetic aspect.
- I can picture out the next Time Device.
- In fact, I will call it the Continuum Jumper.
Marty looked at Gene:
- Continuum Jumper?
- Time Device is not enough appropriate, as it jumps in space. "Continuum Jumper" is more discreet and explicit than that.
- I see… And what will you do with the TDs?
- Destroy them into pieces. It will be better.
Marty smiled as they were reaching North America's shores.
- Happy to be home again?
- Sure I am. But it looks so…
- Different? Of course. But remember you were already born.
- True… I wonder where I am…
- Home, I guess. You were only three years old.
Marty smiled, thinking about this carpet he accidentally burned in his parents' living room.
- I almost hear what you're thinking, my rat…
- I know.
- Hill Valley is only twenty miles ahead, now…
- We've been flying that fast?
- My lil' baby's really fast.
They landed next to a new-built farm. Marty raised his eyebrows:
- I recognize it! It's the old Peabody's farm!
- He's less old than you may recall. Fine, we can go…
- A plane in the middle of a field isn't actually discreet…
Gene smiled, amused:
- Because you think this TD still looks like a plane?
They left the Time Device, and Marty looked back:
- A pine!
- I know old Peabody's keen on pines. The best way to hide the TD is making it looking like a pine.
- You're a genius…
- Aw…
- Are you fine?
Marty turned on Gene: he was fading…
- Okay, I guess we've got no time…
- I'm a New Year's Day child… I'm supposed to born in the night between the 31st December 1971 and the First of January 1972, approximately at midnight, as mother has ever said…
- We'd better go to Hill Valley quickly: Sun will be down really soon!
- Right, go!
He started to run. So fast that Marty was able to follow him only thanks to the moments he faded.
- It will be fine, my rat… It will be fine…
- Let me have a look on your TDL…
- The other TD location… Upper screen…
- Oh… We're next to it.
They arrived to Hill Valley's square, and Marty stopped:
- Your parents! Go down!
Emmett and Edna were on a public bench, caressing three children.
Turn on your communicator, my rat…
Okay… Our kids are with your parents… I wonder what they do…
- They're so cute, Emmett… Heaven blesses us…
Emmett waved his head to confirm, sighing:
- This one looks like he could be "Gene"… This son I sometimes dream I have…
- Clive don't like baby, daddy...
- Clive, they're older than you, and you'd better say "I don't like babies".
Clive made a bubble with his nose.
- Clive, stop that!
The bubble exploded.
- Disgusting… I wonder where those two adorable kids come from…
- Aw!
Shh, my bat…
Emmett stood up:
- I think I've heard something…
Quick, we've got to find the other TD…
Why?
I'll explain… Come…
They left before Emmett could catch us up.
The TDL showed that the first Time Device was close. Gene looked around, trying to ignore that he was still fading sometimes:
I think it's that lamppost!
Marty considered the lamppost: right, it didn't looks like a lamppost from 1971…
Here's the door… Come aboard!
Marty obeyed and attached his seatbelt.
Gene lit up the time circuits and programmed four-dimensional coordinates:
Why are we going in 2055?
To get two DNA Converters. We can't just show up in front of my parents.
True… You think those Converters will be safe?
I hope they will…
- Mr. Elijah Frown! I thought we would never see you again!
- It's an emergency case… Are the DNA Converters safe for use?
- And available for commercial sale since 2052. But it will be free for you!
- I need two of them, just for borrowing…
- Borrowing? Extract the DNA Converter is…
- Extremely difficult and dangerous, I know.
The doors of the Genomic Surgery Department opened up:
- You can go in.
Gene and Marty entered, and the old Professor Vrömblad welcomed us:
- Pleased to see you again… That's odd… You look older than you're supposed to be…
- That's why we need the DNA Converters…
Professor Vrömblad shrugged his shoulders:
- The DNA'C has already proved his abilities to repair DNA damages… I think you've heard about it those ten years…
- Can we get two of them?
- Of course! Offered by the G.S.D: thanks to you, it's safe and compatible.
- Compatible?
Professor Vrömblad waved his head:
- After extracting the DNA'C prototype out of your wrist, we've been working on those dangerous interactions that could affect the DNA'C unstable. Now, it's entirely compatible with any kind of technology, from the past… Or the future…
He told the word future like he was laughing.
- Come with me, we'll give you your DNA'Cs…
Marty and Gene submitted themselves to the process…
- It's really painless…
- We've worked on it.
- You make a really good job…
- You know, Mr. Frown… I look at you as you are now, and I can't help myself thinking about Doctor Brown…
Gene didn't answer: of course he looked like himself at this age… When he was really younger, it wasn't so obvious, but now…
- We've got to go. Thanks, Professor Vrömblad…
- Thanks to you, Mr. Frown. If you come in Stockholm again, don't hesitate to visit us!
- I'll think about it.
My bat, we'd better leave quickly…
Gene waved his head and followed Marty.
You seem really attached to Professor Vrömblad, you know…
Gene lit up the time circuits:
You're right… I've spent a long time in this Department, and Erland took a really great care of me during the experiments…
Erland?
Gene smiled, programming their return to 1971:
Professor Erland Vrömblad.
You know his first name?
We are very close… Like a father and his son. I feel like I'm in my own family beside him.
Gene programmed a transient DNA, inviting Marty to do the same, and started the engine.
Thanks to the changes Gene did in 1986, the Time Device responded precisely like he wished, and they appeared next to downtown Hill Valley.
- We don't need to have another child… Three are really enough…
That's why I'm fading… My parents are going to adopt Elijah and Marlene, so they never will conceive me…
This doesn't make sense! If you never born, Elijah will disappear!
Gene gasped: his arm was disappearing again…
One thing I don't understand: why do you seem affected too?
Marty shook his head:
We're interconnected, my bat… I sense what you sense, remember?
Oh, that's right…
They showed up:
- Elijah! Marlene!
The two children turned their heads and smiled:
- Mom!
- Mother!
They ran to Marty and Gene, jumped in their arms and kissed them. Emmett stood up and approached the reunited family:
- Are those two kids yours?
- Yes, we worried so much about them… They're two wise "fugitives", you know…
- Oh, Clive is a real trouble-maker, himself…
Gene looked at his father: so, that was how he looked like when he was 57…
- We've got to go, now, Ge… Erm, Sally…
- Yes, Jennifer.
Edna stood up:
- Wait! We'll we meet again?
Marty smiled:
- Guarantee…
- Come on, Elijah!
They get back to the Time Device:
It was pure genius, my bat!
Don't congratulate me, my rat.
Marty looked at himself in a pocket mirror: he was merely looking like Jennifer, and it was odd to see Gene "converted" as his own wife.
- I know it's you, father…
Gene looked at Elijah:
- How do you know it?
Elijah smiled:
- Mother doesn't know how to drive the Time Device.
- You're really clever…
Gene turned off his DNA Converter and became himself again. Marlene opened bug eyes:
- Daddy…?
Marty did the same as Gene, waving his head.
- Elijah, you have no idea of what you almost made…
- Tell me, father…
- You almost erased me from the space-time continuum, and if I haven't been able to stop it, you would have been erased too!
Elijah looked down:
- I'm sorry, father… It was an accident…
- You mean you didn't want to start the Time Device?
- No, I just wanted to show it to Marlene, I swear it!
- Okay, that's enough for me… Let's go back home…
- Now, they're gone…
- We should have known we couldn't keep them.
- Maybe…
Emmett sat down next to Edna, sighing.
- Darling…
She kissed him, but he sighed again:
- What's wrong, sweetheart?
Emmett shrugged his shoulders:
- I don't know… I'd like to have an other child… Just one… And…
He was remembering the son of his dreams.
He looked at Clive:
- If he could be like me, I would live a fulfill life...
Edna knew what Emmett meant: Clive wasn't exactly the child they've expected… When she realized how Clive was -a young bully already torturing other little children to get their candies-, she plunged into depression…
She had never been able to bear "bad" behaviors… She whispered:
- We could still have an other child, Emmett…
Emmett was crying:
- I don't know…
- We're not sterile, sweetheart…
That was a fact, yes. But it didn't actually comfort Emmett:
- And if we have an other child like Clive?
- Who knows? We could have this "Gene" you want so much…
Emmett shook his head:
- "Gene" is a dream… Just a dream…
Edna stayed silent for a moment. She could feel her husband desperation.
- Emmett…
- Yes…?
She took a grey lock on his temple, curled it between her fingers and tenderly whispered in his ear:
- What do you think about making Gene concrete tonight…?