"Well, that was pretty lucky wasn't it?" Eileen smiled as she and Tess watched the band play.

Tessa just nodded her head. Her eyes solely focused on Marty as he played the guitar up on stage with a bewildered look on his face.

"This is for all you lovers out there," Marvin announced to the crowd as the band started playing a slow song.

Tessa took her eyes off Marty for a moment to look around the room. Lorraine and George were somewhere in the crowd dancing and amusingly starring dreamily into each other's eyes.

This had to be it, right? Lorraine and George were connecting. That meant everything was set back in place and Marty wouldn't disappear into nothing.

"Is Marty alright?" Eileen asked suddenly. "He looks like he's gonna throw up."

Tessa snapped back around and cringed at the sound of screeching and confused guitar cords.

"Can you go find a first aid kit or something?" Tessa urged Eileen.

Before Eileen could reply Tessa started running towards the stage. By the time she got there, Marty had started slipping towards the floor.

"Hey boy, are you alright?" The piano player asked him.

"Marty!" Tessa braced her arms on the stage.

"I can't play," Marty paled.

Tessa's eyes landed on the photo tied to the headstock of the guitar. His siblings had completely disappeared and Marty was about to join them.

Marty stared in horror as his own hand started to fade away.

"I don't understand! What went wrong-" Tessa asked herself before hearing a shout from the crowd.

"George!" Lorraine cried from somewhere. As if she was crying for help.

Tessa climbed up onto the stage and stood right at the edge of it. Holding up Marty for support and scanning the crowd to find Lorraine.

"George," Marty echoed.

"Stay with me Marty," Tessa told him as she moved to ease him down.

Lorraine was being pulled around by a ginger boy that was definitely not George. That nerd was gonna be sorry once Tessa had found where the hell he had gone.

Tessa moved to jump off the stage once she spotted Lorraine but blinked in surprise as George suddenly reappeared and pushed the other kid away from Lorraine.

George took Lorraine's hand in his. Leaning down and gently kissing her.

Tessa flinched as Marty jolted up back. Playing the guitar with reinvigorated energy. She let out a huge sigh as she stepped back down from the stage. She let out a giggle as Marty assumedly waved to George then flexed his now solid hand, and gave Tessa a relaxed grin.

Eileen suddenly reappeared. "What happened? He looked like he was gonna pass out when I left."

"Just a bit of stage fright," Tessa told her.

The song finished and the crowd cheered.

"Yeah man, that was good. Let's do another one," Marvin grinned at Marty.

"Uh, well-" Marty tried to stutter out an excuse, but Marvin just kept smiling.

"C'mon man, let's do something that really cooks," Marvin insisted.

"Something that really cooks?" Marty mused. He rushed over to Tessa who had moved right in front of the stage. "What do you think?"

Tessa grinned and leaned up to whisper something in Marty's ear.

"Oh, yes, that's good," Marty stood back up and held the microphone to his face. "Alright, alright this is an oldie, but uh, it's an oldie where I come from."

Marty turned back to the band. "Alright guys, let's do some blues riff in B, watch me for the changes, and uh, try and keep up, okay?"

Marty started off with a loud riff. A classic rendition of 'Johnny B. Goode' blasted through the dance hall. After a moment of confusion, the kids started dancing in excitement. Enchanted by music they had never heard before.

"What is this song?" Eileen shouted as she and Tessa bounced along. "It's amazing!"

"Just something Marty learnt from a guy in St. Louis," Tessa grinned.

"Eileen!" Someone from the crowd shouted. Both Eileen and Tessa looked back to see a boy who wasn't James beckoning Eileen over. Eileen gave Tessa one last laugh before running off to dance with the boy.

Tessa turned back to the stage. She couldn't explain it, but something about live music just hit differently.

As the song went on Marty's playing became more chaotic the more he got into it. He ended up jumping around the stage in a way that would be right at home at a heavy mental concept. Kicking a nearby amp and sliding across the floor with one final riff.

Marty looked across the room to see everyone staring at him. With looks varying from concerned to downright offended.

One lone figure clapped and cheered. Tessa was looking up at Marty with an absolutely gitty smile.

"I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet," Marty gave an uncomfortable laugh as he passed the guitar back to Marvin. "But your kids are gonna love it."

Marty made his way off the stage. Just past the curtains. He and Tessa laughed hysterically as they made their way around the back to an exit.

They stopped when they saw Lorraine standing in the doorway of the gym. George was standing right behind her.

"Lorraine," Marty greeted.

"Marty, that was very interesting music," Lorraine told him. Trying to sound polite. "I hope you don't mind but George asked if he could take me home."

"Great good, good," Marty clapped his hands together. "Lorraine, I had a feeling about you two."

"I have a feeling too," Lorraine smiled bashfully as she looked at George. He gently placed his crisp white suit jacket over her shoulders.

"Listen" Marty smiled. "We gotta go but I wanted to tell you that it's been educational."

Tessa held back a laugh. She stepped forward and held out a hand towards Lorraine. "It's been really nice getting to know you."

Lorraine accepted the handshake. "Will we ever see the two of you again?"

Marty and Tessa looked at each other and then back to the couple.

"I guarantee it," Marty said with a knowing smirk.

"Well, Marty, Tessa, I wanna thank you for all your good advice, I'll never forget it," George told them as he gave them each a handshake.

"Happy to help," Tessa told him. "And in case you're worried, none of this was a dream."

"I sure hope not!" George laughed. It was a strange stuttering kind of laugh.

"Well, good luck you guys," Marty said as he and Tessa walked down the stairs to the door. Marty stopped just as Tessa reached it and turned back to the couple. "Oh, one other thing, if you guys ever have kids and one of them when he's eight years old, accidentally sets fire to the living room rug, go easy on him."

Lorraine and George nodded. All be a bit confused.

Then Marty and Tessa were out the door. Lorraine gave George another smile and looked at the door one last time. "Marty, such a nice name."

Eileen appeared right behind them.

"What are you two doing!?" Eileen shouted excitedly. "They're gonna start playing again."

Lorraine rushed back into the room and joined Eileen for another dance. George followed them in. The loving look in his eyes never left.

Back across town, Doc was placing back forth across the town square. Checking his watch every two seconds. "Damn, where are those kids!?"

He looked at his watch. The storm was in full swing.

"Damn."

Looked again after a few seconds.

"Damn damn."

The car rushed into view. Stopping suddenly on the street next to the square.

"You're late!" Doc yelled at Tessa and Marty as they got out of the car. "Do you have no concept of time?"

"Ha ha," Tessa barked at him.

"We had to change!" Marty explained to Doc. "You think I'm goin' back in that... zoot suit?"

"Yeah, and I don't feel like explaining to anyone why I was dressed like I'm trying to win Miss California!" Tessa shouted over the storm as she helped Doc pull the tarp off the DeLorean.

"Hey Doc!" Marty pulled out the picture of he and his siblings and handed it to Doc. "The old man really came through, it worked!"

Doc grabbed the photo to take a closer look at it.

"He laid out Biff in one punch!"

"Thwacked him right in the face!" Tessa cheered.

"I never knew he had it in him. He never stood up to Biff in his life," Marty continued.

Doc frowned for a moment. "Never?"

"No, why? What's the matter?" Marty asked.

Doc shook his head. Shrugging off Marty's question. He sat down in the DeLorean and pointed to the time circuits. "Alright, let's set your destination time. This is the exact time you left. I'm gonna send you back at exactly the same time. It'll be like you never left."

Tessa and Marty nodded. Doc got out of the and gestured down the street.

"Now, I painted a white line on the street way over there, that's where you start from. I've calculated the distance and wind resistance fresh to active from the moment the lightning strikes, at exactly 7 minutes and 22 seconds." He passed Marty a clock. "When this alarm goes off you hit the gas."

"Right!"

"Gotcha!"

"Well, I guess that's everything," Doc said.

Marty and Tessa just stared at him for a moment. Before they both wrapped their arms around Doc's shoulders. Doc's eyes went wide.

"Thanks," Marty told him as he pulled back from the hug.

"Thank you," Doc replied. "In about thirty years?"

"I hope so," Marty agreed.

"Take good care of Eileen for me," Tessa told with a stern look.

"Don't worry," Doc patted Tessa on the shoulder. "Now, as long as you hit that wire with the connecting hook at precisely 88 miles per hour, the instance the lightning strikes the tower," Doc paused. "Everything will be fine."

"Alright," Tessa said as she sat down in the driver's seat and Marty joined in the passenger seat.

Doc tucked his hands into his pockets but a frown overcame his face. He slowly pulled a familiar envelope out of his pocket. "What's the meaning of this?"

Tessa let out a huff of defeat. "It's just a note."

Marty leaned over and looked Doc in the eyes. "You'll find out in thirty years."

"It's about the future, isn't it!?" Doc shouted as he backed away from the car.

"It's just a thank you note!" Tessa tried to lie.

"People don't write thank you notes for are meant to be opened for thirty years!" Doc argued as he continued running away.

"Wait a minute," Marty yelled as they both jumped out of the car.

"It's information about the future, isn't it?" Doc waved the letter around. "I warned you about this, kids. The consequences could be disastrous."

"Now that's a risk you'll have to take your life depends on it," Marty tried to convince him.

"No!" Doc said as he ripped up the letter. "I refuse to accept the responsibility."

"Uncle Em, don't," Tessa gasped.

"In that case, I'll tell you straight out," Marty grabbed Doc's arm.

A loud bang cut Marty off. All three of them jumped back as a tree branch fell to the ground. The cable connecting the clock tower to the lamp post was dislodged by the branch.

"Great Scott!" Doc shouted as he started gathering up a nearby rope into his arms. "You two get the cable; I'll throw the rope down to you."

"Right, got it."

Doc ran up the stairs into the courthouse. The teens started looking through the mess of sticks and leaves. It was different due to their only source of light being the flashes of lightning. Once they found it they waited anxiously for him to reappear. Tessa cringed as she felt the winds of the storm grow stronger.

Doc popped out of a small window right next to the clock. His face was covered in sweat and fear in his eyes. Tessa waved the plug to indicate they had found it. He tossed the spare rope down to them.

Tessa held the end of the coil as Marty tied it and the rope togather. "Alright, take it up, go. Doc."

Doc pulled the rope back up. Once he had it in his hands Marty called up to him.

"We have to tell you about the future!"

"What!?" Doc shouted back. Failing to hear him over the raging storm.

"We have to tell ya about the future," Marty repeated.

"Can't hear you!"

"The future!" Tessa screamed. "The night we go back you're gonna get-"

The clock started ringing. Causing Doc to flinch back in pain. Nearly losing his balance he backed up from the edge.

"Go!"

"We can't-"

"Look at the time," Doc said as he pointed to the massive clock. "You've got less than 4 minutes, please hurry!"

The two of them frowned but conceded. They started running back to the DeLorean. Tessa slid across the hood and got back into the driver's seat.

They stopped when they reached the white line Doc had mentioned earlier. Marty got out to put the rod into place. Once he was back in the car he and Tessa stared at the clock.

"Damn it! Why did he have to tear up that letter!" Marty shouted as he slammed his hand against the dashboard. "If only we had more time."

Tessa leaned back in her seat, but then had a realisation. "Time, we have all the time in the world!"

"We've got a time machine!" Marty gasped. "We'll just go back and warn him!"

"Ten minutes oughta do it," Tessa said as she added the extra minutes to the time circuits.

"Time-circuits on," Tessa said as she flipped the switch in the centre console.

"Flux-capacitor... fluxing," Marty confirmed.

"Engine running, alright!" Tessa said before the car went silent. "No, no, no no no no."

"C'mon c'mon," Marty begged.

"Not now you expensive pile of junk!" Tessa shouted as she smacked the dashboard. She kept turning the key in the ignition.

Marty went pale when the clock started to ring. "Tessa-"

Tessa out an annoyed yell and knocked her head against the wheel. The car started to wobble forward. The both of them let out a sigh of relief as Tessa slammed her foot to the accelerator. They both slammed back into their seats.

As the town square got closer Tessa held up her hand. Marty clapped his own around hers and they both held on for dear life. Praying Doc got that cable fixed in time.

Tessa gave one last look at the speedometer. Seeing it right as it reached the needed eighty-eight miles an hour.

Much like the last time flashes started zooming across the DeLorean. Then there was a burst of light.

One more chapter to go, folks! I hope you're all having a lovely day <333