Trapped In Dreamland

[bttf4444]

Prologue

March 14, 2037
4:30 PM PDT

Leslie Poage was blinking back tears, as she sat beside her teenage daughter. She knew that her daughter had joined the rank of teenagers who actually made a hobby out of dreaming - cyberdreaming, to be exact. When she was a little girl, a very popular pastime included playing The Sims, which was a strategic life simulation computer game.

Since then, the advances in computer technology had put a whole new meaning to the phrase "virtual reality". People could now program their deepest fantasies onto a "cyberdisc", which came equipped with a canister of powder. As you pressed a button on the canister, it would dispense a pill that you would swallow. The pill would then allow you to live our your deepest fantasies, after you fell asleep at night.

The FDA had approved of the cyber pill back in 2030, as it was ruled to be mostly safe. However, people were highly cautioned to never take more than one pill in a 24-hour period - or more than three pills in a seven-day period. It has, since then, been the subject of controversy. There were some concerns that the pill might be highly addictive, and that people could be dependant on it. Then there was also the ethical concern that it might encourage people to escape from facing reality, as the pill allowed people to indulge in their fantasies while asleep.

Amidst the controversy, though, were a lot of positive comments regarding the cyber pill. People who routinely took the pill have commented on feeling more calm and relaxed, and that they would usually wake up feeling refreshed and alert. Even many of the work managers have noted that their employees were more efficient and enthusiastic at their jobs. All in all, the cyber pill was approved by 84% of all Americans - and 77% of people worldwide.

Leslie herself had approved of the cyber pill, and had been known to use it on occasion. That was until today, when she could not wake up her daughter. She hoped and prayed that her daughter would regain consciousness, soon.

"How are you doing, Mrs. Poage?" asked Dr. Krebs, as she walked into the in-patient room with two others.

"Is Natasha going to be all right, Dr. Krebs?" asked Leslie, distressed. "I think she's been unconscious ever since she went to bed yesterday. Do you have any idea what happened to her?"

"It appears that she might have overdosed on cyber," Dr. Krebs said, solemnly. "She appears to have a better chance of making it than Letisha Anderson does. I'm afraid there's only a five percent chance that Letisha might make it."

"Oh, why?" Leslie asked, with despair. "Natasha and Letisha have been best friends since they were in the crib. You can't tell me that Letisha might... well, I can't even say it. It's too horrible to think of."

"It appears that Letisha swallowed over 500 milligrams of cyber," Dr. Krebs explained, shaking her head. "You know, if I had my way, cyber would be made illegal. I swear that it's even more dangerous than LSD. Maybe those of us who are opposed to cyber should make our voices louder. Somebody needs to knock some sense into these guys at the FDA!"

"That's the major problem in this day and age," added Dr. Holtz. "A lot of our youth are living in a fantasy world, in a very literal sense. It's very easy to become addicted to cyber. The reason why cyber appeals to teens so much, is because it allows teens to create their own fantasy world. I believe we should start a petition in order to make that drug illegal. When I was younger, I never thought computer technology would get this bad. I used to think that people who played The Sims were living in a fantasy world."

"I'm starting to think you guys are right," Leslie said, sighing. "I will feel very bad if my daughter doesn't ever regain consciousness. I'm really concerned about Letisha, as well. It appears that she might have swallowed a fatal dose. You're not even supposed to take that much cyber in a six month period."

"I disagree," countered Anne, one of the nurses. "Cyber is really just like any other over-the-counter drug. If you watch your dosage, everything will be fine. If you overdose, then you have trouble. That could apply to pretty much just about anything. You can even have too much water, for crying out loud!"

"What benefits does cyber really have?" Dr. Holtz demanded. "I mean, besides allowing people to live fantasy lives? What happened to the good old days, when escaping reality meant sitting in front of the TV screen?"

"Cyber helps to chase away nightmares, for one," Anne replied. "I very rarely ever had a nightmare, since I started taking cyber three times a week. I swear that you people are way too uptight! There is a reason why the majority of people around the world approve of cyber. I have benefited from that drug in many ways."

"Look at what happened to my daughter!" shouted Leslie. Then, in a softer tone, she added, "Granted, I really would have agreed with you last week. However, I am now having my doubts - as I'm concerned for my daughter. I would like her to stop taking cyber, once she comes to. I'm really concerned for her."

"I sympathize with what you're going through," Anne said, softly. "Really, I do. Can you imagine what life would be like, though, if we banned everything that might be the least bit dangerous? How about banning chocolate, as well - while we are at it? After all, chocolate is bad for people who are obese or have high cholesterol."

"It's not easy to overdose on chocolate," Dr. Krebs replied. "Anyway, maybe cyber isn't the most dangerous drug out today - but it encourages people to escape reality. There is one's mental well-being to be concerned about, as well as one's physical well-being. Teens don't even want to stay up late anymore, as they did back in my day."

"Actually, it's good for teens to go bed early on school nights," Anne replied. "There really are a lot of benefits that cyber has. It causes people to sleep better at night, so that they don't wake up grumpy the next day. When you have had a bad day, it's a lot like taking a little vacation at night - before you have to wake up the next day and face reality. I used to always be so grumpy, after waking up from a terrible nightmare."

"I guess I'm really concerned about the long-term side effects," Dr. Holtz said. "I'm not a dream analyst, but is it really a good idea to manipulate what kind of dreams you have at night. I mean, I agree that nightmares could be very terrifying - but when you really study the nightmares you have, you might actually uncover certain issues that you have. There is a reason why we dream at night, you know."

"Anyway, if you really wanted to," Dr. Krebs added, "we already have a way to manipulate dreams. Lucid dreaming can produce much of the same results as cyber does, without any of the dangerous side effects. Sure, it might take some practice to get the hang of - but where there is a will, there is a way."

"There is one other important thing you're forgetting," Anne pointed out. "Cyberdreaming is not a time-waster, like watching too much TV or playing too many computer games is. People cyberdream when they're supposed to be sleeping, anyway. I don't know too much about lucid dreaming, but isn't that somewhat related to OBEs? Most people don't have the ability to induce lucid dreams or OBEs, but anybody can cyberdreams. Know what I mean?"

"I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, then," Dr. Krebs said, wearily. He turned to Leslie, and asked, "Will you be all right in here for awhile? We'll be back here in about two hours or so. If Natasha wakes up before then, feel free to page me. She might have to spend the night at the hospital, though."

"Yeah, I'll be fine," replied Leslie, as she turned towards her daughter. She began to stroke her daughter's blonde hair, as tears welled up in her eyes. Ever since her husband died over fourteen years ago, she raised Leslie alone. There was no telling what she would do, if she lost her dear daughter.

Leslie's thoughts then turned to Letisha. Letisha had been feeling very depressed for almost a year, ever since her mother died. She was always closer to her mother, than she was to her father. To make matters worse, her father has married a woman who obviously hated Letisha - and was very vocal about it. Whenever Letisha tried to explain to her father how she felt, her father would just yell at Letisha - and tell her that she could not tell him who he should marry. He even told Letisha that his new wife had a right to hate her, and that Letisha had to show respect for her stepmother. As a result, Letisha had come to deeply resent her father, as well as her stepmother.

Leslie wanted so desperately to reach out for Letisha, but she was worried that it might be too late to save her.

[bttf4444]

Chapter One

Marty McFly slowly opened his eyes, and he surveyed the surroundings. Immediately, he noticed that there were a lot of colourful birds, butterflies, and flowers. He was uncertain of how he ended here, but it felt nice. As he turned around, he saw someone else who looked exactly like him. As Marty had many fourth-dimensional adventures, it really was not unusual to encounter people who looked just like him.

"Well, who are you?" Marty asked, politely. "My name is Marty McFly. Isn't the scenery around us lovely?"

"Yeah, for sure," replied the look-alike. "I might have met you before. My name is Alex P Keaton! I believe this is the third time that we've met. I must say that I've really missed you, Marty."

"Are you serious?" Marty asked, stunned. "I guess we really do meet again. Do you have any idea how we got here? Of course, I'm happy to see you again, buddy - so don't get me wrong. I'm just a little confused, that's all."

"Nope," Alex replied, shaking his head. "I am just as confused as you are. I remember that it was March 17 of 1987, when I was at home. I think I fell asleep, and then we ended up here. Do you think this might really be a dream?"

"It feels a little too real to be a dream," Marty said, smiling. "If this is a dream, I have a feeling that this is no ordinary dream. I wonder if we somehow died and went to heaven. I always was rather curious of what heaven would be like. Maybe we should look around, and check out all the wonders of this place."

"I hope I didn't die," Alex said, softly. He then glanced to the left of him, and added, "Look over there, Marty, I see lots of children playing over there. I wonder who these children are. Should we go join them?"

"I think we should try to acquaint ourselves with this place first," replied Marty. "I wonder if we physically came here, or if we're only here spiritually. The last thing I remember was heading to bed. Why don't we walk along this trail a little bit? Let's see where this trail leads us. There is maybe a specific reason why we're here."

"Let's just try to enjoy ourselves, Marty," Alex suggested. "Maybe this is just like how we met around Christmas. I mean, this might be another such event. I could certainly use a break from studying, you know."

"Let's go, then!" Marty shouted, excitedly, as he started to skip down the trail. "Maybe we're in Doxopolis again."

"Do you think so?" asked Alex, as he skipped after Marty. "This place does remind me a little of Doxopolis, come to think of it. This could be just about any dimension, though." After a brief pause, Alex gasped, "Hey, look at this! Does it look to you like what I think it is? I believe this is a gingerbread house!"

"Holy ****!" gasped Marty. "We should maybe get away. What if there's a wicked witch inside the house, who wants to boil us alive and have us for dinner? Should we really risk it, Alex?"

"Don't be so paranoid!" Alex said, laughing. "This is not Hansel and Gretel, you know! Besides, we might be short - but I think we would be able to take on a witch. Let's eat some of the house, shall we?"

"Yeah, okay," replied Marty, as he had to admit that the gingerbread house looked tasty. "We may just as well relax and enjoy ourselves. If we're not here physically, we won't even gain any weight."

As Marty and Alex started nibbling at the house, two teenage girls walked out of the house. They were both a little shorter than Marty and Alex. One had blonde hair and blue eyes, while the other had brown hair and brown eyes.

"It's so nice to see the two of you here!" gushed the brunette. "How do like it here in our little paradise?"

"It's very nice," replied Marty. "I'm Marty McFly, and this is Alex P Keaton. We're not exactly related, but we are very close. So who are you girls? What are your names?"

"I'm Letisha Anderson," replied the brunette, smiling, "and this is my best friend, Natasha Poage. I am the creator of this world, and I decided that Natasha should live in this world with me."

"So how did you know about us?" Alex asked, stunned. "How long are we going to be here? How did you manage to bring us into this world? Are you like some sort of witch, or something?"

"Uh, no, not at all," Letisha said, smiling. "The two of you could stay with us forever. We always were big fans of Back to the Future and Family Ties - and we're especially big fans of your characters. A lot of people felt we were strange to like movies and TV shows that we fifty years old, but you both are so cute."

"Oh, uh, thank you," Marty stammered. "We can't stay here forever, though. We both have lives back at home. Hell, I am even destined to marry Jennifer. If I never go home, it could create a major disruption of the space-time continuum. You have to let us go back home. Our friends and family will miss us."

"Do you guys really want to go back to your stressful lives?" Letisha asked, frowning. "Hey, come on, guys! This is paradise! You'll never again have to worry about busy schedules or dealing with people who hate your guts. We could even start a family, and have children together. You should come play with the children. Isn't this wonderful? They will get the opportunity to grow up here, and live stress-free lives - and they will never know stress or strife."

"Yeah, we can all live in peace and harmony together," added Natasha. "The two of you should stop worrying. It will be wonderful! You'll love it here, I promise! Why don't the two of you come in and have dinner with us?"

Marty and Alex glanced at each other, as they were uncertain of what to say. It was rather tempting to want to stay in this world, but there were friends and family at home to consider.

"The two of you should really relax," Letisha urged. "I made stuffed shells for everyone. I hope you guys enjoy it. We have garlic bread, too - as well as orange juice."

"Dinner does smell very delicious," Marty said, smiling. "Francesca's Italian Diner makes very good stuffed shells, as well as my mom. In fact, I love a lot of things that my mom cooks."

"My mom makes good meals, too," replied Alex, "when she's not on that health food kick. Guido's makes great Italian food, including stuffed shells. There is nothing quite romantic like having Italian food by candlelight."

"That's a very good idea!" gushed Letisha, as she pointed towards the ceiling, making the light go off. She pointed at the table - causing a tablecloth, place mats, and lit candles to appear on the table. "How about you two sit next to the stove, and we'll sit opposite you guys? Now doesn't this feel romantic?"

"Well, uh," mumbled Marty, as he glanced at Alex, "I guess this is nice. Thank you for supper! This is such a great treat! The candles do give off a very lovely scent."

"There's one other thing we need," Letisha said, smiling, as she pointed to her right. "Some nice, romantic music!"

Marty and Alex smiled at each other, as music started playing. The quartet began to fill their plates up with food.

[bttf4444]

Chapter Two

Alex was feeling very cheerful, as he and Marty skipped joyfully across the grassy field. He began to lost count of how how many days he and Marty had stayed in this world. Having always been an overachiever, Alex started to really appreciate the freedom of being able to live a stress-free life. He felt a pang of loneliness if his heart, when he thought of how he missed his family and friends. He figured that he would adjust, though.

"You know, Marty," Alex said, smiling, "maybe Letisha is right. This is such a great world to live in. The children are all so adorable, and it's nice to live a carefree life like this, you know."

"I have to agree with you, Alex," replied Marty, as he was eating some of the berries that he picked. "I suppose it really won't matter too much, if we stay here. After all, this really won't be the first time that I changed future history. All that will really happen is, Marty Jr and Marlene will never be born. It's no big deal."

"Why don't you come join us on some rides?" asked a little girl named Rose, excitedly. "You should go on the ferris wheel. That's really fun, and you'll be amazed by how much you can see from the top."

"That really sounds like fun," gushed Alex, as he scooped up Rose and held her tightly. "Would you like me to twirl you around a bit? You know, I sometimes miss being as young as you. Wow! Your cheeks are so soft."

"I would love to be twirled around!" replied Rose. "Do you prefer cotton candy or cream puffs? I enjoy cotton candy a lot, although creams puffs are very nice, too. This is such a lovely place."

"I would go with cream puffs," replied Alex, as he began to twirl Rose around in circles. "Is this fun, Rose? I can imagine that it must be great to be a kid. Why don't we head over towards the rides, okay?"

"Can you twirl me around in circles, too?" asked another little girl named Violet. After taking a really close look at Marty and Alex, she added, "You look so much alike. Are the two of you twins? You both look very handsome. Maybe I could marry one of you someday."

"We're already getting married to Letisha and Natasha," Marty replied, as he scooped up Violet. "I'm sure you'll be able to find another really cute boy to marry someday. You must be very happy in this place, eh? I can honestly say that I really don't miss the world that I came from. There was way too much stress in that world."

"What does 'stress' mean?" chirped Violet. "I really love watching the birds and the butterflies. Sometimes, I wish I was a pretty little bird. It's amazing how that come in all different colours, you know. I would love to fly."

"You don't need to know what 'stress' means," Marty said, laughing. "In this paradise, you never would have to know what that word means. It's really nice to be about to get in touch with nature like this."

"I guess I don't always appreciate nature like I should," added Alex, sighing. "I really don't take enough walks in the park at home, like I should. I mean, God gave us a very beautiful world - and I sometimes tend to lose sight of the beauty of nature and sunsets. My parents tell me that I'm too hard on myself. I guess they're right."

"I am sometimes guilty of the same thing, Alex," Marty replied, as he gave Violet a little squeeze. "Jennifer and I sometimes do take walks through Hill Valley Park. I'm also quite fond of rock music, so I maybe don't spend as much time appreciating the sounds of nature as I should. The birds really do sing beautifully, though."

"Yeah, it's nice to listen to the beautiful harmonies of difference species of birds chirping," said Alex. "As much as I really love this place, though, I sometimes can't help but feel guilty. I mean, I'm sure my family will really come to miss me - even Mallory. I am always the big brother that Mallory, Jennifer, and Andy turn to - whenever the going gets rough. Heck, I even opted to not go to Princeton College - when Mallory was very distressed."

"Oh, yeah, over Jeff, right?" Marty asked. "She did get very hysterical. She really shouldn't have been so selfish, though. I mean, she should have realize how important that interview was to you."

"I was somewhat annoyed with her, at first," Alex said, softly. "Then I remembered how I felt when I found out that Stephanie was cheating on me with another man. I mean, she was the girl that I lost my virginity to - so I was very devastated over that. I would even spend some time crying on my bed. So I was a bit jealous of Mallory and Jeff."

"Is that why you gave Jeff the kind of advice that you did?" Marty asked, teasingly. "Do you still believe that men should decide for the woman what she eats?"

"No, not anymore," replied Alex, blushing, "even though I still believe that the man should pay for her meal. After all, going dutch just isn't as romantic. I guess I figured that the man should order for her, since he would be the one who pays for their meal. I don't mean to come off being sexist, but I guess I am a bit traditional."

"What does 'sexist' mean?" asked Rose. "What are the two of you talking about?"

"Well, uh," stammered Alex, "I guess we were just discussing our old lives. Maybe we should just put all the aside, though. After all, we're in a new world, now. I guess we should be looking forward, eh?"

"I think you're right, Alex," replied Marty, smiling. "I wonder who exactly is Letisha, though. It's like she could just make objects appear or disappear at will. She claims to have created this world. What do you make of this?"

"Who cares?" countered Violet. "I think this is a nice world. The two of you should be celebrating. Letisha is like a mother to me. In fact, I don't even remember what my real mother was like. Letisha takes very good care of all of us, though. Natasha is a great person, too. You both are lucky to be able to marry them."

"Uh, yeah, I guess we are," stammered Marty. "So how old are you anyway, Violet?"

Violet was quiet for a minute or two, then she said, "I really don't know. I feel like I have been alive for a very long time. Here, let's go run over towards the ferris wheel."

"Uh, I'm sorry if this sounds like a dumb question," Marty said, blushing, "but do you need some ticket to get onto the rides? I mean, I am still very new to this world, you know."

"Nope," Violet said, smiling. "You can go on the rides as often as you like. This is what makes this world a lovely place to be. You can have as much fun as you like, and you never hear the word 'no'. I love this place."

"Never hear the word 'no', eh?" Alex asked, smiling. "Yeah, I think I could get used to this kind of life. I wonder which of us will get to marry Letisha? I would love to have the kind of powers she has, you know."

"You know, Letisha did mention something about Back to the Future and Family Ties," Marty said, thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, she also mentioned that people thought it was strange that she liked them - because they were fifty years old. I guess this means she came from about fifty years in the future, and she came from a world where we are both considered fictional characters. I wonder what this means."

Alex was silent for a minute, then he gasped in shock. There was no telling just how much the world could change in fifty years. It was possible that Letisha somehow took advantage of future technology to create this world. In some way or another, Letisha managed to drag the two of them here. He knew what he had to be done. He and Marty couldn't stay here. They had to figure out some way to return to their respective homes.

[bttf4444]

Chapter Three

Later in the evening, Marty and Alex decided to walk through the countryside together. As much as this place seemed like paradise, Marty began to really miss his friends and family. Most of all, he began to realize just how much he missed Doc and Jennifer. Paradise wasn't really paradise, if he couldn't be with the people that he loved.

"I suppose you don't have any ideas as for how we can get back, eh?" Alex asked, really concerned. "I never thought it could ever be possible to become homesick, when you're in paradise. I really miss my family a lot. I mean, it is true that I sometimes give Mallory a hard time for being a little ditsy - but she is my sister, and I really care a lot about her. I really miss Jennifer and Andy, too. We can't stay here, Marty."

"Yeah, you're right, Alex," Marty replied, sighing. "I also have to admit that I am rather nervous about Letisha. I hate to say this, but I'm afraid she could hurt us - if she really wanted to. It seems like she has the power to do anything she can set her heart to,in this world."

"Well, in all fairness," Alex said, quietly, "she really doesn't appear to be a vengeful kind of girl. I admit that it's her powers that I feel a little intimidated by. I mean, I guess she could harm us - if she wanted to. It's not even about her, though. It's just that, well, my family really needs me - and I guess I really need them, too."

"I wonder how much time has passed in our world, now," pondered Marty. "Even if the space-time continuum may not be a major concern, I can't risk letting Marty Jr and Marlene get erased from existence. They have visited the 1980s a few time already - and it just wouldn't be fair to them to let them face such a major shock, as soon as they return to the future. I can imagine how I would feel if, after returning to 1985, it turns out that my parents decided not to get married. Yeah, Alex, I mustn't be so selfish."

"Yeah, I guess you do have that whole fourth-dimensional mess to worry about," Alex said, nodding. "Fortunately for me, I really have no reason to worry about the space-time continuum in my world. I just miss my family a lot."

"So do you still plan to work at Wall Street, someday?" Marty asked, smiling. "Wouldn't you miss your family then?"

"Well, yeah, I would," replied Alex, sighing, "but I would be able to write to them, and I would be able to talk on the phone occasionally. I mean, it's not like I would be dead or anything."

"You do have a point, Alex," Marty replied. "I really can't see myself ever leaving Hill Valley, even if I become a major rock star. I mean, my ancestors have lived in Hill Valley for over a century - and there's also the fact that I managed to see Hill Valley in various different time periods. It is amazing how time travel can place a whole new perspective on life. Before Doc unveiled the time machine to me, I never thought too much about the history of Hill Valley. Since then, though, I have become very fond of my hometown."

"Well, I guess it's a little different for me," Alex said. "Neither of my parents grew up in Ohio, so it's not like I really have a heritage in my hometown. Even if I ever did have the opportunity to travel through time, and get to see my hometown from various time periods, I don't think I would ever really value my hometime in the same way that you really value yours. Know what I mean?"

"Right, I understand," replied Marty. "You know, once we find a way to return home, I will miss you a lot. Granted, I suppose I could maybe use Doc's DeLorean time machine to pay you a little visit - now that we have that device on the machine that allows for inter-dimensional travel. It seems to be somewhat more risky than time travel, though."

"Oh, really?" asked Alex, stunned. "So are you saying that inter-dimensional travel is actually more dangerous than time travel? I would have thought the opposite was true. After all, with inter-dimensional travel, you really don't have to worry about creating a time paradox, right? Whereas, with time travel, you do."

"All I can really say if that, last fall," Marty explained, "Doc and I ended up hopping through all these different dimensions - and we were really worried that we might never make it back home. It was a bit stressful."

"I can imagine that it would have been really interesting, too, though," Alex commented. "Sometimes I do envy you a little, Marty. I wish I had the ability to go on the type of adventures that you go on, Marty."

"Well, I'm not really complaining, Alex," Marty replied, "as I always have been quite an adventurous person myself. It's just tha, well, sometimes fourth-dimension travel can be very stressful. Like, even right now, we have to find a way to get out of this place - so that we can return to our respective homes. Usually, I would count on Doc to be able to find a way to return home - but Doc isn't here, so we need to figure this out ourselves."

"We did figure out how to get you home," Alex pointed out, "the one time that you were trapped in our dimension. So we could maybe try to work our way out of this time, too. So, Marty, we need to start thinking of some ideas."

"I dunno," Marty sighed. "Doc is always the pro at this. It's not like we came here in Doc's DeLorean, so I suppose we should look at some possible gateways at how one might enter or leave this world."

"I have a hunch that we're not physically here," Alex suggested. "I mean, I remember going to bed - and then I find myself in this place. I have not a clue of how Letisha was able to do this, but it appears that she somehow had the ability to take advantage of future technology to create this world. This is pretty scary."

"Could we maybe try to will ourselves out of this world?" suggested Marty. "Maybe we could try to pinch each other, and see if we can wake ourselves up this way. Perhaps, we're trapped in Letisha's dream world."

"Yeah, that's what I think, too," Alex replied, "and I have a feeling this isn't a regular dream world, either. You know, I never really really thought too much about the phenomenon of dreams before - but I know some people have an ability to induce lucid dreaming. I guess I did have a lucid dream back on the Christmas on 1983, when some spirits were able to show me my past and my future. That's about the closest thing to time travel that I ever experienced."

"It is possible that, if some time had passed at home," Marty mused, "Doc might be able to find a way to wake me up - or, maybe, even some regular medical doctors might be able to find a way. We shouldn't just rely on outside help, though. This might be something that only we ourselves can figure out."

"Psst, I hear someone coming," Alex observed. "I wonder who it could possibly be."

"Just relax," assured a feminine voice. "It's only me, Natasha. Are the two of you trying to find some way to leave this place, so you can get home?"

"Well, uh," stammered Marty, "you're not going to hurt us, are you? I do like this world, but my friends and family at home are really going to miss me. We really can't stay here, I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry," Natasha said, softly. "I'm not going to hurt you - and Letisha would not hurt you, either. You know, I really need to get home myself. Letisha is my best friend and everything, but I can't stay here. I mean, I really have a life that I need to live. I feel so bad about my friend, as the last year or so has been very rough for her. Still, I can't spend the rest of my life living in Letisha's fantasy world."

"So you'll help us get home, then?" Alex asked, hopefully. "I miss my friends and family - and, okay, I really miss Wall Street, too. I might as well be honest with myself - but I really do care about my family, too."

"I understand," replied Natasha. "Yeah, I'll help the two of you get home. I think I might just have a way."

Marty and Alex glanced at each other. Marty's heart began to skip, as he realized that Natasha was an ally.

[bttf4444]

Chapter Four

"All right, Natasha," Marty said, quietly, "I think it's great that you want to help us leave this world. I have so many questions that I need to ask. So are you and Letisha really fifty years from our future?"

"I believe so," Natasha replied, quietly. "It's 2037 back in our world. I probably shouldn't tell you to much about the future, but I'll do my best to explain what going on here. First off, you are not physically in this world."

Marty glanced towards Alex, then he said, "Yeah, I pretty much figured that much out. I guess I'm probably still on my bed at home, asleep. I do wonder how much time has passed, though."

"So is this really Letisha's dream world?" Alex asked, quietly. "Letisha found a way to drag us all here?"

"Right, exactly," Natasha replied. "Although, I myself am not sure how she was able to bring the two of you in this world. I mean, in our world, you both are fictional characters - and I'm still stunned by how real you both are."

"Believe it or not," Alex commented, "this is really not the first time that Marty and I met. We actually first met when Marty ended up getting stranded in our world. You see, Marty's DeLorean time machine had the ability to travel between dimensions. I had a bit of a hard time believing him at first, as he is a fictional character in our world. I can't even began to tell you how surprised I was to discover that I was a fictional character in his world."

"That is such a shocking story!" Natasha gasped. "I always have been such a huge fan of Back to the Future, as well as Family Ties - but I never really thought of fictional worlds being other dimensions. You know, I am very worried about Letisha. I don't think she ever will wake up. I will never take cyber again."

"Cyber?" Marty asked, stunned. "What the hell is cyber? Is that some sort of drug that you have in the future?"

"Yeah, it is," Natasha said, blushing a little bit. "It's not just any regular drug, either. It's a special kind of drug that works with computer technology, and it is very addictive. The FDA had approved of the drug, because there are a lot of beneficial effects behind the drug. However, you have to be very careful about the dosage."

"Whoa, this is heavy," breathed Marty. "So how did Letisha manage to have all that power, and how did she manage to drag you into her dream world. If you could shed some light on this, that might help."

"I think she found a way to trick me into taking one of her pills," Natasha replied. "There is a very major warning against stuff like that. I'm afraid that she managed to overdose on these pills. I know she's had a very rough life for about a year or so. She really loved her mother a lot, and her mother's death was a great loss for her."

"Yeah, I can imagine how that would feel," commented Marty. "I still remember how distressed I felt when I realized that my father was dead in the Hell Valley timeline. I also remember how terrible I felt when Doc was shot by those Libyan terrorists. Death is a very terrible issue to have to cope with."

"There is no telling how I would feel if I lost my parents," added Alex. "I may not always agree with my parents on every issue, but they have always been very supportive. I did have my share of grief to have to deal with, though."

"That's not even the worst of it, though," Natasha said, grimly. "Her father remarried not long afterwards, and her new stepmother hates her guts. It's not just paranoid thinking, either. Her stepmother was very vocal about telling Letisha how disgusting she was, and she even told Letisha that she hated her. Whenever Letisha would try to explain to her father how she felt, her father would only respond by saying that her stepmother does not have to like her."

"What a bitch!" Marty said, angrily. "I wouldn't blame Letisha for trying to get revenge on her stepmother."

"At any rate," Natasha said, sighing, "as much as I really feel bad for her, I cannot stay here. I have a life that I need to live - and I'm sure the two of you do, as well."

"So how do we get out of here, then?" asked Alex. "Marty did suggest that we pinch each other, but that didn't work at all. Are you sure we can get out of here? I really do miss my family a lot, you know."

"I just thought of something," interjected Marty. "Since we are not physically here, we could maybe see if there is any power in our imagination. I mean, it's obvious that Letisha is very powerful in this world."

"That could maybe work," Natasha said, quietly. "Let's start out with something quite small. Try to will a fruit of your choice to show up in front of you. Use your imagination, okay?"

"Check," replied Marty, as he closed his eyes and began to think of oranges. He concentrated with all of his might, as he began to imagine the texture and the shape of an orange. Suddenly, he could even smell the oranges.

"Hey, hey, Marty," Natasha said, as she burst out laughing. "I think you have enough oranges to last us awhile."

"Wha-, what?" Marty mumbled, as he opened his eyes. He was rather shocked to see a huge pile of oranges in front of him. He then looked towards Alex, as he saw clusters of grapes forming in front of him. "Holy ****! It's working!"

"What the..." Alex gasped, as he opened his eyes to see some clusters of grapes in front of him. "Well, at least we can snack on some fruit for awhile - while we try to brainstorm a way to return home."

Marty began to peel open an orange, and he was amazed by how deliciously sweet it tasted. He then grabbed a cluster of grapes from Alex, as he began to eat it.

"I almost would like to stay here," Marty said, impressed. "The operative word is 'almost'. I really am starting to miss my family a lot, as well as Jennifer and Doc."

"Perhaps, we could all lie flat on the ground," suggested Alex, "and then we can try to imagine the surroundings of our bedroom. Do you think this might be able to do the trick?"

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try," Marty replied, with some uncertainty. "Before we do that, though - I think we should have a proper good bye first. We won't say good bye to Letisha, though - as she might try to stop us."

"I certainly will miss your company a lot," said Natasha, as she hugged Marty and Alex. "Have a safe trip back."

"It's been nice seeing you again, buddy," Marty gushed, as he reached out to hug Alex.

"Maybe we'll see each other again, soon," Alex replied, as he hugged Marty back. "Well, are we all ready, now."

"I'm ready when you are," Marty said, smiling. "I'm ready to go home, now."

"Okay, let's all lie on the ground," suggested Natasha, "and we'll see if this works."

With a bit of apprehension, Marty lay on the ground, as he began to imagine the surroundings of his bedroom. He concentrated with all of his might. Just then, he felt a little jolt.

oooooooooo

Marty opened his eyes, and he realized that he was in his bedroom again. Marty reached behind his bed to snap on the clock radio.

"... and I'm Davy Jones, your Sunday morning man on KKHV. It is two days away from St. Patty's Day - and, next up, we'll hear from a great Irish band called U2."

Marty smiled to himself, as he realized that he was back home again.

oooooooooo

Alex opened his eyes, and he realized that he was in his bedroom again. He could smell coffee cake baking from the kitchen, so he knew it was Sunday.

"Hey, Alex, wake up! Wake up!" called out two year old Andy, as he ran into the bedroom. "The sun is shining!"

Alex smiled at his kid brother, as he scooped up Andy and kissed the top of his head. It felt so good to finally be back home again.

[bttf4444]

Epilogue

March 14, 2037
4:45 PM PDT

Natasha felt like she was in a bit of a daze, as soon as she opened her eyes. She glanced around the room, and she immediately noticed that she was lying in a hospital bed - and her mother was sitting beside her. She was happy to see her mother again. However, she was also deeply concerned about her best friend.

"Oh, sweetheart," murmured Leslie, as she saw that her daughter came to. "I was so worried about you. I wasn't able to wake you up this morning. How are you feeling? Do you need something to eat or drink?"

"Well, uh," muttered Natasha, "I can hardly believe that I was only out for less than a day. It seemed like it was several weeks that I was trapped in Letisha's world. Initially, I loved it there - but I realized how much I missed you, and the rest of my friends. I needed to go back to living in the real world. Know what I mean?"

"Huh?" Leslie asked, confused. "You mean Letisha managed to drag you into her dream world? This sure does explain a lot. Look, sweetie, I don't want you to do cyber anymore, okay? I just can't run the risk of anything bad happening to you. Think of all the things you would like to do, after you graduate high school. I really love you, Natasha."

"I love you, too, Mom," Natasha replied, as she threw her arms around her mother. "I really care about Letisha, but I also have a life that I need to live. I couldn't be a part of her dream world forever. Gee, Mom, do you think she will be okay? I am so worried about her. I'm afraid that she might, well, I don't even want to say it."

"Letisha is gone," said a familiar masculine voice, "and it's all my fault. I wish I did not disregard her feelings like that. I am going to get a divorce from Virginia as soon as possible. This is a real nightmare for me."

Natasha glanced up - and she saw that it was Robert Anderson, Letisha's father. She could see that he was crying.

"I just read through her diary," Robert continued, "and I feel really bad about hurting her. I also went online and I read some of the stories that she wrote. Most of the stories she wrote within the last year had featured Virginia as a psychotic villian, and me as a backstabbing traitor. She used our full names in those stories."

"Well, I dunno what to say," Natasha said, as she blinked back tears. "So are you sure Letisha is gone? I mean, she was my best friend - and I really don't want her to be, well, uh, you know."

"Yes, I'm sure," Robert said, weeping. "I guess I was so blinded by my love for Virginia, that I started to neglect my very own daughter. I even told her that Virginia had a right to hate her. I can't believe how insensitive I have become towards her. I take full responsibility for pushing her over the edge like that."

"Well, you were being pretty irrational," Leslie pointed out. "Ultimately, though, it was her choice to take all those pills. So you shouldn't blame yourself for her death. Life does go on, you know."

"You're only saying this to be nice," Robert sniffed. "It is my fault. She did try on many occasions to tell me how hurt she felt by some of Virginia's cutting remarks towards her. I even just stood by and said nothing while Virginia was making abusive remarks towards her. She would ask me why I didn't even try to defend her, and I always told her that it was because Virginia had a right to her own opinions."

"You really did hurt Letisha," Natasha blurted out. With a sudden burst of anger, she continued, "You sure knew how to pour salt into the wound, didn't you? What kind of a father are you to treat your own daughter so coldly?"

"Natasha!" Leslie adminished, somewhat sharply.

Natasha wasn't finished, yet, however. Raising her voice considerably, Natisha continued, "She was already in grief over the fact that her mother was dead. This was a time when she really needed you! But, instead of being there for her like any good father would, you started to have an affair with another woman! As if that wasn't bad enough, you happened to choose a woman who made it clear that she hated Letisha! You didn't even stop to consider the fact that Letisha had feelings, too - and you defended Virginia's so-called 'right' to make abusive remarks about Letisha! It is your fault, and I hope you're plagued with this guilt for the rest of your pathetic life! Thanks to you, my friend is gone!"

Natasha buried her face into her pillow, as she burst out into heaving sobs. She could hardly believe that her best friend was dead. Suddenly, life seemed rather hopeless.

"Robert," Leslie said, as she put her hand on his shoulder, "I apologize for my daughter's outburst. You might have made a few mistakes within the last year, but you shouldn't blame yourself for her death. I mean, it's not like you were the one to make her take all those pills."

"I appreciate what you're saying," Robert said, softly, "but your daughter is right. I totally deserved it. As soon as I get home, I will see to it that I send Virginia packing immediately. Even though I still believe that Virginia is entitled to have her own opinions, she was not entitled to make abusive remarks towards my daughter - and she at least should have made the effort to get along with my daughter. Hell, my daughter even tried to do everything that she could to get Virginia to like her. I should not have let her down like that."

"Excuse me, Mr. Anderson," Dr. Krebs said, as she entered the room. "As much as I really understand your grief over the loss of your daughter, let's just give Mrs. Poage some time to reaquaint herself with her daughter, okay?"

"Uh, yes, ma'am," replied Robert, as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm just leaving, now."

As soon as Dr. Krebs and Robert left the room, Leslie began to stroke her daughter's head, as Natasha wept loudly.

"I'm sorry about the loss of Letisha," Leslie said, gently. "I remember how she used to be a happy little girl. One thing is certain, I will really miss Letisha a lot. I hope she is finally at peace, now."

Natasha didn't say anything, as she just wept. The loss of her best friend left a huge hole in her heart.

oooooooooo

Natasha as sitting in her lounge chair, while she enjoyed the warm rays of the sun on her skin. She was once again surrounded by birds, butterflies, and flowers. She then saw a familiar girl walking up to her.

"Letisha!" Natasha gasped. "Is that you? Did you bring me back!"

"Well, actually, I came to say good bye," Letisha said, with tears in her eyes. "I will really miss you, Natasha - but I understand that you still have a future. It was wrong for me to trick you into staying in my world. So, as much as it hurts me to say this, I'll have to let you go."

"Well, I will really miss you, too, Letisha," Natasha said, brinking back tears. "You will always have a special place in my heart in my heart. I'm sorry that you won't be with me any longer."

"I'm sorry to have taken my life like that," Letisha replied. "Listen, there is one other thing I need to tell you. Please don't stay mad at my father, okay? I already forgave him and made peace with him, so now you must do the same."

"I will, Letisha," Natasha wispered, as she hugged her friend one last time. "I love you, Letisha! Maybe I'll see you again, in the future."

"We will," Letisha whispered. "I promise. Now I wish you farewell and godspeed. So long, Natasha. I love you, too!"

Natasha looked on, as her best friend faded away. She then smelled the sweet scent of incense, and felt herself being wrapped up by a soft quite. She smiled to herself, as she realized her friend gave her one last gift.