Disclaimer: If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything... except enough disclaimers to cover fifty chapters. Oh, and owning BTTF.

(Credit for help with this disclaimer goes to one of my loyal and enthusiastic reviewers)

Author's Note: This is the end, both to the story and to the trilogy. It turned out kind of sappy, because although I'm not very much inclined to sappy myself I tend to be unable to write a proper end without it. Ending a story is difficult, folks. Anyway, this is the twentieth chapter of TDITW, the fiftieth chapter of the SmartMarty Trilogy, and the final events in Marty McFly's life. If I ever write about the SmartMarty verse again, it would likely be a short story. Anyone looking for continuation from this particular incident could look in the appropriate chapter in "Travelling Through Dimensions" - Chapter Eight, I believe - or in my collaboration work with Bttf4444, "The Great Chase", where I believe this universe's 2017 pops up from Chapter Eighteen on. Anyway, this is the end. Hope you enjoyed it, and if you made it all the way through from the start, either from the first chapter of TDITW or from the first chapter of "Marty's Great Experiment", I congratulate and thank you for it. I think it's one of my better tales, but what do you think? I'll just end this author's note like I always do: Please read and review!

Kind regards,

EmmettMcFly55.

20: Chapter Twenty

Lorraine Baines McFly smiled nervously at her husband, as they drove the family car up to the Brown mansion. Like the day before, they were attending their son's return from another journey through time. This time, he had headed to the future – and from what little Jennifer had told her, he had made several other time trips, too. Of course, one of them she could remember – since she'd seen Marty on part of his journey, back in 1955. She remembered how he had gotten beaten up, and shivered. It had been thirty years for her, but who could tell how long it had been for Marty? He might still be severely wounded. She sighed, wishing they hadn't let him go so easily in 1955.

As often, thinking about time travel brought a little smile on her face. She wished she could go along with Marty one day, to another time in the past or the future. Though she wasn't interested in it and in science fiction in general as much as George was, she knew she wouldn't refuse if her son would offer them or just her a ride. Not now, and definitely not in 1955, when she had still been her wild, courageous self.

Lorraine shook it off, as they parked in the driveway. Never mind that right now. They should focus on the present first, before planning any other trips. Marty had, according to what he had told her in the fifties, spent a month in 2015, and he had been in 1955 for two weeks. She didn't know what else he'd gone through, but she could imagine her youngest son being homesick.

"Well, we're there" George said, turning off the engine and getting out, then gentlemanly opening the door for his wife, who was still lost in thought. "What do you think Marty is going to tell us now?"

"We know some of his adventures" Lorraine said. "I get what you mean, though. In 1955, he didn't tell everything – and of course, there's what he did in 1885. We know he managed to save Emmett, since he's here, but Jennifer didn't tell me anything beyond that. At least now we're in the present, so there's a good chance he'll cut to the chase and tell us all the details, without further need for vagueness."

"You're right" George said, as they walked to the doorstep and rang the bell. "And well, we'll just have to wait and see for that. Anyway, I'm glad Marty – and Emmett – are safe and sound and back where, uh, when they belong."

Emmett and Jennifer's daughter, Carla, opened the door a few seconds later. "Hi uncle George, aunt Lorraine" she said, enthusiastically, using the names the Brown kids always used to address them. "Sorry if I look a bit overwhelmed, Dad just told me about the time machine a few minutes ago. I still can't believe Marty actually managed to build one."

"Well, you know what things he can get up to when he puts his mind to it" George said. "How are your brothers doing?"

Carla smirked. "Emmett flipped when he heard about the time machine for the first time – he had an even harder time than I did accepting that Marty had managed to build it. Then, he was angry at him for not including him in the test… until Marty revealed that he didn't even know us, and neither did Dad." She frowned. "That was weird."

"Strange indeed" Lorraine said. They put their coats on the side of the hall and walked down to the main room of the mansion, accompanied by Carla. Lorraine took a deep breath as they opened the door. "Well, here goes" she muttered.

Once they were inside the room, Lorraine's eyes were immediately drawn to Marty, who was sitting on the couch. "Hi" she said.

"Hi, mother" Marty replied. "Hello, father."

"Hello to you too, Marty" George said, frowning. "Who's that girl sitting next to you?"

Marty blushed. "Well, to answer that, I suppose mother was right after all in 1955" he said. "Remember? The morning after the lightning storm? When we were talking about romantic infatuation?"

Lorraine frowned, thinking hard. Fortunately, a lot of the events surrounding meeting her future son had been burned into her memory, and she had written a lot of it down as well. "Wait…" she muttered. "If I'm not mistaken, I told you something about meeting your love in another time." Marty nodded. "But you can't mean…"

"I can, and I do" Marty replied. "Mother, father, this is Clara Parker, my female companion – my girlfriend. Clara, these are my parents, George and Lorraine McFly."

"I had figured as much" Clara said. She stood up, extending her hand. "Nice to meet you, sir, ma'am."

"Nice to meet you too" Lorraine muttered, confused. "All right, Marty's got a girlfriend – why do I get the feeling the rest of the story isn't going to be much of a surprise to us anymore?"

Emmett and Jennifer laughed, Clara smiled. "You're probably right" Emmett admitted. "Why don't you sit down, I'll fetch us some drinks and…"

"I think you'd better let me do that" Jennifer gently told her husband. "You know you're still shaken up about having kids."

"About having kids?" George repeated. Lorraine figured he hadn't quite caught on to what Carla had said earlier. "Sorry to interrupt you, but is that part of the story?"

"Apparently, it is" Marty said. "An indirect consequence of what happened after I got wounded in 1955."

"That's just freaky" Emmett Junior muttered. "To think I owe my life to you. And you don't even know me."

"That's correct" Marty said, looking at him with the look in his eyes Lorraine knew was his 'researching look', the one he used when encountering new problems or issues. For him to use it on someone she knew he had been friends with for years was very weird.

Her son turned to Emmett (Senior) and frowned. "Emmett, what on earth possessed you to name your son – the other one – 'Martin'? I won't blame you for picking your own name for your oldest son, since you can circumvent that by adding Junior, but why would you go and increase the confusion by giving your younger son my name?"

"Well, you prefer to be called Marty" Jennifer pointed out, answering the question her husband couldn't answer since he hadn't had any kids at all until this morning. "I get what you mean, though. We probably shouldn't have done that, but…" She shrugged. "I guess that, knowing what I know now, it had been seventeen years since he'd last seen you the way you are now, and he wanted to honor you."

"I guess that must have been my alternate self's reasoning" Emmett replied. Smiling mischievously, he added: "Be glad we didn't name Carla 'Clara', after the woman from the ravine Jenny's ancestor fell in. Now that would have been a mess."

Carla smiled faintly, and then she frowned. "It's so strange to realize that you are now someone who didn't know us until today, Dad" she remarked. "Are you ever going to remember us?"

"If I may answer that question – yes, he will" Marty interrupted. "I've gained memories of my second self's life over the past few weeks, and I gather the same will happen to your father. Especially considering the changes in his life aren't as radical as they were in mine."

"That's good to hear" Emmett Junior said. "To think of Dad being replaced with a stranger… well, I think I can bear it for a day or two, but not permanently."

"Don't worry" Marty reassured him. "If everything turns out the way I've observed from time travel processes so far, it shouldn't be any longer than that. Having multiple memories feels more like enrichment, really."

"You can talk about that later" Jennifer said. "I'll fetch the drinks, and after that, you and Emmett should finally be able to tell us your story."

Marty nodded, and as Lorraine and George sat down, they exchanged a brief glance. Lorraine smiled. After all they had been through, she felt much closer to her youngest son than she had before, and she was glad he had found a girlfriend. It was going to be a bit of an adjustment, but that could be addressed later. For now, it was time to have the how and the why explained.

oooooooo

The entire tale ended up being longer than either of them expected, especially because Marty ended up mentioning details Emmett thought of as irrelevant. Contrarily, Marty was rather shy once they approached the 'Clara' subject, which allowed Emmett to tell his perspective of the events to those gathered. They eventually finished together at the point where the time travelling trio had arrived back in 1985, with Marty wounded severely and the time machine destroyed.

Marty's final sentence had left a long and uncomfortable pause in the room, but Martin eventually ended up being the one who broke it. "So, are you going to rebuild the time machine?" he asked. "It sounds like a cool invention."

Emmett glanced in-between his supposed second son and Marty, wondering what the answer was going to be. Marty simply looked at his namesake for a while, then smiled faintly. "The time machine," he began, (it wouldn't occur to them until later that he hadn't used the longer version of his invention's name this time) "is not a toy. In the wrong hands, it can create disaster, as the accident regarding Biff Tannen shows us. However, the machine also has the potential to do good, like with my parents' improved life, your births, and, if I may say so, me encountering my lovely girlfriend." Clara blushed. "While travelling through time can still cause problematic divergences in the future, I am certain that if we are careful, those can be avoided. So I would say that yes, I am going to rebuild the time vehicle – but I shall do it using the most advanced technology possible to both ensure its security, and possibly have control over our alterations to time. I might even make a one-jump version of the machine, go to the far future, and modify it extensively there into a permanent time machine with all the tools that would undoubtedly be at my disposal there."

"Cool" Emmett Junior said. "I suppose that would take quite some time, though."

"It would" Marty admitted. "I am afraid that a working time machine might not be ready again for another year. Of course, one of the most important components is the car itself. Without a car, I have nothing to build a time machine into, and cars are expensive… and even if either of you would be inclined to let me borrow his or her automobile for that," he added, as Emmett was about to say that, "I'd still feel uncomfortable building and using a time machine that I wouldn't have full control and authority over." Emmett supposed he could see that point, given their discussion about the sports book way back in 2015. "At least some items can be retrieved from the wreckage."

"That's right" Lorraine said. "Now that this whole mess is over, you ought to show us that flux capacitor of yours in more detail… if it made it through the crash, or once you've repaired it. After all, it's one of the few inventions you've made that actually worked without a glitch."

"Well, during this trip, I made a lot of working inventions as well" Marty said. "The plan I made for travelling back to the future from 1955 could be regarded as one, and, of course, the catapult."

"That was such a great plan" Emmett said, sarcastically.

Marty shot him a look. "It would probably have worked out perfectly if we hadn't had the misfortune of my wings not being transported along" he said. "I admit that it was an error on my part that I didn't think about that, and I apologize. But surely you must understand that I was under considerable duress during that period."

"And I'd like to say sorry for that, Marty" Clara said. "If I hadn't distracted you so much, you might have been able to perfect the plan."

"Don't say that" Marty said. "It might have been true that you inadvertently caused minor delays to the working schedule for the preparation of my catapult which might have hindered its eventual operation, but that is far from certain. And even if it was certain, you couldn't have known. If anything, it was my error – and though I might blame myself for many things during our journey, I do not blame myself for meeting you. I'm happy that you're here, with me."

"Thanks, Marty" Clara said. "I'm glad I'm here with you, too. I have to admit that I haven't seen much of Hill Valley in this time period yet, but it certainly looks like a nice town to me. If a little paranoid, since that woman I took the ladder from wanted to call a doctor."

"Well, that might be the difference in morals between a modern town like 1980s Hill Valley and a rough frontier town like 1880s Hill Valley" Marty said. "There are a lot of differences between our time periods you will come across in the near future, and I'm afraid you'll have to learn to cope with them. Of course, I'll assist you to the best of my capabilities, if you'll let me…"

"But not now" Jennifer said. Emmett looked up to see his wife carry in several trays of food. "Emmett, Marty, Clara, I don't exactly know when you last ate, but after telling that story, I'm sure you'd like something more substantial than a quick snack. I know it's just after eleven and not the right time for lunch, but, well…"

"Don't worry" Emmett said. "After all we've been through, I doubt we care about those conventions anymore. Especially not today." He sighed, then repeated, to himself: "Especially not today."

oooooooo

It took two whole hours before the Browns and McFly's had finished their meals. Of course, the three time travelers had spent a long time without a meal, and it was natural they'd eat a lot now that they were back in their home time. Also, the conversation simply continued at the dinner table, which made for an extended delay.

For Marty, however, the conversation got less nice after a while. While he liked being with his friends and those he loved, he had his limits whenever he was surrounded by a great number of people. After being surrounded by others for so long, he felt a sudden desire to be alone again, to go back to his comfortable life of experimenting and inventing, the life he had lead before October 26th 1985. It was therefore that when he finished his meal, he excused himself and limped outside to sit at the edge of the garden, lean back and relax.

He hadn't even properly installed himself yet when the sound of footsteps alerted him. He didn't need to look around to realize that it was Clara. "Hi" she said. "I'm sorry to bother you, I know you wanted to be alone…"

"It's all right" Marty said, smiling at her. "I believe I can bear the company of just one other person."

Clara chuckled, and she sat down next to him. For a few moments, neither of them said a word, and then Marty looked at her. "So," he said, "between us… what do you think of life in 1985 so far?"

"Well, I certainly like the people of 1985" Clara said. "Your father and mother seem to be really nice people. And I like your friend Emmett, and his wife and children. I haven't seen much of the world outside this house, though. There are plenty of new things in here, but I'm sure I haven't seen everything yet."

"I'd certainly contradict you if you said you had" Marty replied. "There are a lot of things you'll need to learn. About history, but also about daily life." He looked at her, amused. "You know, I wonder why you chose to come along with us. You knew what would happen, didn't you?"

"I did" Clara said. "I wasn't exactly sure of the details, but I had a rough idea on how much my life was going to change once I travelled with you… to the future."

"Then why did you come with us anyway?" Marty asked.

"You know the answer to that question" Clara said, smirking. "Partly, it was because I was really curious about the future you were taking me to, but mostly it was because I loved you – and I couldn't stand the thought of you leaving me behind."

Marty smiled, and hugged her. "You know, some might think I shouldn't be as happy as I am now" he said. "I am pretty much handicapped for the next weeks, so that means I can't invent much. My time machine, which was my dream for so long, the dream I spent seven years and a lot of money on, is essentially destroyed. To the me from before this crazy adventure ride through time, that would have sounded like a nightmare."

"And it's not?" Clara asked.

"No" Marty replied. "Because though I'm wounded and my invention is gone, those are only temporary disasters. Granted, it will take quite some time to rebuild the time machine, but even that shouldn't take more than a year or two at worst – I know how to build it, after all. There is going to be a lot of trouble with expenses and there might be some times I'm not up to rebuilding the machine that nearly caused the world to blow up several times, but I know I'm going to do it in the end." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "What really matters are the long-term benefits I've gained. My parents are happier and healthier, which has made my own life happier too. Emmett has got children, which he subconsciously always wanted but didn't realize in the original time stream until it was too late. Those events might have been alterations to history, but they were good ones, and I wouldn't go back to change them even if I had a functioning time machine." He looked at Clara. "And…"

"And what?" Clara asked, a smile on her face.

"And I've got you now" Marty simply said. "And that fact is worth more to me than anything in the world. I would gladly see the expenses for three time machines go to waste if it meant I could have you in my life. I love you."

Clara smiled at him, and they kissed. Marty grinned. Now this was a scene he'd never imagined himself to be in, kissing a beautiful girl who actually loved him back. It only made more clear that his life had changed, decisively, and for the better. Indeed, he owed the world to his time machine.

THE END.