The Magic of Christmas

[bttf4444]

Brotherly Love

December 24, 1986
6:00 PM EST
Family Ties Universe

"So, Alex," Skippy Handelman commented, "are you done with your Christmas shopping?" After pausing for a brief minuted, he added, "I really would like to buy something for Bethany Newman, but I'm not sure what I should buy her. Maybe I could get her a big box of Banquet fried chicken and mashed potatoes for a gift. Maybe I could also buy some applesauce for her, as well."

Alex sighed, as he put his hands on Skippy's shoulders. "Uh, look, Skippy," Alex said, gently, "if you really want to impress Bethany, buying her groceries is not the way to go. Groceries is what people give away for charity. You know, for charities like The Salvation Army. People don't give away groceries as presents. It's not proper."

"Alex is right, Skippy," chimed in Howie Schwartz. "If you want to impress the girls, you buy them hygiene products. You know, buy them things like soap and shampoo. Women really dig that kinda stuff. They can be rather obsessed with cleanliness."

"Howie, you're not being very helpful," Alex said, sighing. Turning to Skippy, he suggested, "Gifts I would recommend for women would be things like perfume or bath beads. Maybe they might like some nail polish - or, perhaps, they might like some make-up."

"Isn't that what I just said?" Howie asked, defensively. "How are the gifts you just suggested different from what I suggested. Maybe just buy her a box of chocolates."

"No, that I would not recommend," protested Alex. "Many women tend to be on diets, and the last thing they would like is a box of chocolates. Look, I should start heading home, now. I have to finish wrapping up my presents, and get them under the tree."

"So are you looking forward for tomorrow, Alex?" asked Skippy. "I'll be up early."

"Yeah, Christmas is the most wonderful time of year," Alex gushed. "I must say that I'm very concerned for Mallory, though. She wants to take up wrestling, and I'm just concerned that she might get hurt. I just can't stand to see her injured, you know."

"Just tell her how you feel," suggested Howie. "Just tell her you don't want her to get hurt. I can't imagine I would ever take up wrestling, you know. It seems to me like a rather dangerous sports. Really, what's the the point of wrestling, anyway?"

"You know, I'm really not sure," replied Alex. "The one problem is, though, Mallory doesn't take too well to advice. She can be rather defensive over stuff like that. Anyway, I'll bet that, a month from now, she won't even be interested in wrestling anymore. My sister always was a bit fickle like that, you know. Anyway, I just don't want to hurt her feelings."

"She doesn't seem to be too worried about hurting my feelings," grumbled Skippy. "It hurts that she doesn't like me. I don't understand what she sees in Nick, anyway. I mean, that guy is such a jerk!"

"I really don't understand her infatuation with Nick, either," Alex said, sighing. Then, turning to Howie, he added, "I'll maybe over tomorrow night. I'm going to drive Skippy and I home now. Take care of yourself, Howie - and Merry Christmas!"

"Have a Merry Christmas yourself," replied Winston. "Take good care of yourselves!"

oooooooooo

As Alex was driving Skippy home, he was thinking of his best friend. Skippy always did have bad luck with the opposite gender. Most of the time, Skippy had a crush on Mallory - who most decidedly did not love him back. Alex sighed to himself, as he thought of Mallory. He thought Skippy would be a better match for Mallory than Nick Moore - whom nobody else in their family was too fond of. He flashed Skippy a lopsided smile, as he turned into the driveway.

"It's been nice spending time with you, Alex," gushed Skippy, as he stepped out of the car. "Thank you for all the advice. You've always been such a great friend to me. Have a great evening, and Merry Christmas to you!"

"Merry Christmas to you, too!" Alex called out, cheerfully. "Good night, and take good care of yourself! Remember what Christmas is all about. Don't ever make the same mistake that I did three years ago."

As Alex pulled into the driveway of his own home, something really shiny had caught his eye. As he stepped out of the car, he picked up the stone and gazed at it. It was the most colourful stone he had ever seen. It was so beautiful, he was mesmorized.

As Alex stepped into the house, he saw that the only one that was in the house was Mallory. He decided now was maybe a good time to express his concerns to Mallory.

"Say, uh, listen, Mallory," Alex said, gently, as he walked into the living room. "There is something I would like to talk with you about. You have a minute or two to spare?"

"Yeah, sure, I guess," mumbled Mallory. "what is it that you would like to discuss?"

"Well, uh, Mallory," Alex said, taking a deep breath, "I must say that I'm really a bit concerned for you. I'm not sure if it's really a good idea for you to take up wrestling. It's a very dangerous sport - and, well, you see, I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll be fine, Alex!" Mallory protested, defensively. "What is it you're concerned about, anyway? Is it the fact that I'm a woman, and you think wrestling is a man's sport?"

"Uh, well... No! No! It's not what I'm saying at all!" Alex was quick to reply. "Well, I'm not sure! Maybe it is the case, sort of. Many of these men who take up wresting can be very tough - and, well, I just don't want to see you get hurt. You are my sister, and I really do love you - even if I do sometimes give you a hard time."

"So you're saying that wrestling is a man's sport!" Mallory insisted, raising her voice. "You're not fooling me at all with your false concern for me. Just come right out and say it, Alex! Just go right ahead and tell me that you believe wrestling is a sport for manly men - and that I, as a weak woman, am unworthy to partake in that sport!"

"You really think that's how I feel, Mallory?" Alex asked, quietly. "I personally could not give a damn about wrestling myself. I just never understood that sport. Listen, Mallory, I just don't want you to be hurt. That's all I'm really trying to say to you. I swear that you tend to take everything out of proportion. I really care about you."

"Yeah, sure, Alex!" Mallory spat out, angrily. "You really expect me to believe that? You expect me to believe that you're being discouraging out of concern for me?"

Alex watched on, stunned, as Mallory stalked off to her bedroom. Alex was blinking back tears, as he thought of the way his sister misunderstood him. Granted, Alex had been known to tease his sister for her ditsiness - but he loved his sister dearly. He would even be willing to give up his life for her, if it ever came to that. He really had desire to hurt his sister, but she could be so overly sensitive at times.

With a heavy sigh, Alex headed to his bedroom. He took the stone from his pocket to admire its beauty. Alex wanted to show the stone to Skippy, but he was afraid that Skippy might end up dropping and breaking the stone. It was something to treasure.

As the stone began to glow in Alex's hand, his eyes grew big. He gently set the stone on the floor, as a whirlwind began to form on the stone. Alex watched the whirlwind as it grew bigger. Suddenly, Alex felt himself being sucked into the whirlwind.

[bttf4444]

Sibling Rivalry

December 24, 1986
6:00 PM PST
BTTF Universe

"I must say," Kevin Maxwell was saying, "you boys sure have a lot of talent. You know, if I worked for a major record label, I would definitely sign you guys on."

"Thanks so much, Kev," Marty McFly gushed. "Your support really means a lot to me. So you really have an uncle who works for a record label? That's totally awesome."

"That's correct," Kevin said, smiling. "I will definitely put in a good word for you and your band. I mean, you guys totally rock! Screw all the audition judges who say that you guys are too loud! They just don't know what they're talking about. Just don't pay any attention to those naysayers, and keep your chin up. Just take it from me."

"Yeah, these guys just don't appreciate our kind of music," said Zach Nelson, rolling his eyes. "With Strickland in charge... Well, how old is Strickland, anyway? Not that I have anything against old people in general - but what would Strickland know about what's good and what isn't? Hell, he's even older than my Grandpa Herbie."

"Actually, speaking of grandpas," Marty said, nodding, "it's hard to believe this now, but Strickland actually used to be friends with my Grandpa Arthur. My parents are thirty years older than me - while my grandparents are sixty years older than me."

"So what happened between Strickland and your grandpa?" asked Joey Landvatter. "It must have been something major? I wonder if Strickland even has any friends."

"Well, I don't want to dwell on this, too much," Marty said, sighing. "Truth to be told, my grandpa was the one at fault. They were in high school during The Prohibition, and my grandpa was desperate to be popular. So, in order to join the club, he had to do some mean things to his friends. As a result, Strickland had never forgiven him."

"Whoa, that sounds awful!" gasped Kevin. "I would guess, though, that Strickland had been a pretty disagreeable person even before that. Well, I'm glad I didn't go to high school here in Hill Valley. The principal we had at our high school wasn't so bad."

"Well, you were lucky, then," Billy Winterson said, with an envious sigh. "It always seemed like Strickland had it in for us. Although, to be fair, Marty did sometimes bring it on. He used to have a tendancy of always being late for school, after all."

"Did you have to bring this up, Billy?" Marty groaned. "I have not had the problem since January - and I did graduate from high school, didn't I? It's in the past, now."

"Sorry, Marty," Billy said, blushing. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. It's just that I remember how Strickland threatened to forbid you to perform - which meant we would have to kick you out, and it would've been pretty hard to find another talented guitarist like you. You really are a valuable asset to our group, you know."

"I had difficulty with punctuality, too," offered Kevin. "My stamina was pretty bad, back when I was in high school. I would try to make it to bed at 10:00 every night, but I would still be so tired in the morning. That's why I work afternoon shifts."

"Well, everyone," suggested Marty, "should we head out to Francesca's Italian Diner for dinner, tonight? I'm really in the mood for some Italian food. I love eating stuffed shells. My mom makes the best - but Francesca's are very scrumptious, too."

"Well, actually," Kevin said, sighing, "I was going to head home so I can change my clothes, and then pick your sister up for a date. We were going to eat out, then see a movie. I may say that you guys are a very wonderful family."

"I promised my parents I would be home by seven," added Billy. "I have to babysit my sisters, so that my parents can do their last minute Christmas shopping. I'm not really looking too forward for this, but a promise is a promise. So I'd better leave."

"Sue and I have a date tonight, too,' added Zach. 'I also have to finish my Christmas shopping. I need to think of some good presents to pick up for my grandparents."

"Speaking of grandparents," added Joey, "I'm going to my grandma's house with my family, so I also have to be home very soon. Nothing like spending Christmas with Grandma. She's a wonderful and fun lady to be with. She's only 67 years old, too."

"Jennifer was going to spend Christmas with her grandma, too," Marty said, sighing. "Well, I guess I might as well head home. I really have nothing else to do, tonight."

oooooooooo

Marty was feeling cheerful, as soon as she arrived home. She found a very colourful stone in the driveway of the McFly's home. He felt a bit silly, getting all excited over a little stone - but it was the most beautiful stone he had ever seen. He had to find a good place to keep the stone, and make sure he didn't lose it. He slipped the stone inside his pocket, as he stepped inside. He then saw Linda sitting in the living room.

"Marty," Linda said, a bit firmly, "come in here and sit down. I really need to talk with you about Kevin. I don't like the way you've been spending so much time with him. He is my boyfriend. I don't like the way the two of you hang out like buddies."

"Hey, what's the big deal?" Marty asked, defensively. "He always keeps his dates with you, doesn't he? Listen, Linda, have I ever made him late to any of your dates?"

"That's not the point, Marty!" Linda insisted. "The point is, I do not want you being buddies with my boyfriend. You stay away from him? Do you understand?"

"You're sounding like a jealous girlfriend," Marty groaned, in frustration. "I'm not gay, Linda. There's nothing going on with Kevin and I. We're buddies. That's all!"

"Did I say you were gay, Marty?" Linda snapped. "No, I did not! You are completely missing my point, Martin Seamus McFly! The point is, think of what this can do for my reputation! What do you think people would think of my boyfriend being buddies with my kid brother? There are certain lines you don't cross. You crossed over that line!"

Well, gee, Linda!" Marty spat out, blinking back tears. "I'm so sorry that I'm such an embarassment to you that I can't even be friendly to your boyfriend! Would you like it better if I hated his guts, and called him nasty names? I'm sure you wouldn't."

"Marty, you are being so childish!" shouted Linda, as she stalked off to her bedroom.

"No, Linda, you're the one who's being childish!" Marty shouted back, as he headed to his own bedroom. He couldn't believe how unreasonable Linda was being. It's not like his sister could dictate who he can or can't be friends with.

As he blinked back tears, he reached into his pocket for the stone. As he began to admire the stone, it let off a bright glow of light. Marty then set the stone on the ground. The glow then got bigger, as it formed a whirlwind on top. Out of curiosity, Marty stuck his hand into the whirlwind. The vortex immediately sucked him through.

[bttf4444]

Old Friends Reunite

December 24, 1986
7:00 PM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Marty felt dizzy, as he landed on the ground. He stretched his arms, and then he discovered he was lying in a grassy area of a countryside. It was a bright clear night, and it was fairly warm. Marty gazed a bit into the stars, as he sat up. He could also hear a chorus of crickets chirping. He took a deep breath, and blinked a few times.

How the hell did I get here? Marty thought, to himself. He remembered that he was admiring the colourful stone that he found - and then, some way or another, that stone must have formed some kind of portal that led into this strange world. Marty sighed a little, as he looked around a bit. Where is Doc, when you need him?

Ever since Dr. Emmett Brown, whom Marty affectionately called "Doc", revealed to him the DeLorean he converted into a time machine a little over a year ago - Marty has had many adventures through the fourth-dimension. In fact, it was a result of being sent back to 1885 that Doc met his wife, Clara - and they since had three children together. Jules and Verne were both born back in the Old West - while their youngest child, Haven, was born just a little over a month ago. In fact, much to their amazement, Haven was born exactly 31 years after the night of the famous Hill Valley lightning storm - which was a day of particular significance to Marty and Doc.

Then, as Marty stood up, he found himself staring at a young man who looked just like him. This wasn't exactly a new occurence to him, as Marty did meet quite a few people who looked like him - which included his future son, Marty Jr, and even other versions of himself from other dimensions. He wondered who this person could be.

"You look just like me!" Marty gasped, to his doppelganger. "What's your name - and where did you come from? I'm not even sure I got here. I was in my bedroom just a few minutes ago - and then, suddenly, poof! I find myself here in this countryside!"

"That is so funny!" replied the doppelganger, stunned. "You know, this is exactly what happened to me. I'm wondering if I must be dreaming. Anyway, I'm Alex Keaton."

"Alex Keaton?" Marty asked, stunned. "You mean, Alex P Keaton, the ambitious and hardworking young Republican It's so amazing to see you here! I'm Marty McFly!"

"Marty McFly?" Alex asked, stunned. "Say, forgive me if this sounds like a strange question, but have I met you before? Were you in our world a few months ago?"

"Yes!" Marty gasped, stunned. "That was me! I was the one who was trying to check out Roanoke Island - and, by accident, I landed in your universe. So how are you doing, buddy? You still have plans to work at Wall Street? How's little Andrew doing?"

"Oh, working at Wall Street is my dream!" gushed Alex. "Andy is certainly growing to be a fine strong boy. He's such an adorable young fella. You know, if I ever do end up getting a job at Wall Street, I really will miss Andy. I'll certainly miss Jennifer, too - and I'll even miss Mallory. We don't always get along, but I care deeply for her."

"Linda and I don't always get along, either," Marty said, nodding with understanding. "Can you believe that she got mad at me for being buddies with her boyfriend? Don't you think that's a little bit unreasonable. Would you mind if Mallory dated one of your buddies? I guess I don't understand what the big deal is. I still love Linda, though."

"Mostly, I would just be surprised if Mallory wanted to date one of my buddies," Alex replied. "I would much prefer that over her dating Nick Moore, you know. Some of Mallory's friends have had crushes on me, and Mallory never seemed to mind."

"Well, I know Skippy has always had a thing for Mallory," commented Marty. "Also, I know Skippy once had a crush on Mallory's friend, Jane - but Jane seemed to have a thing for you instead. In a way, Skippy reminds me of my father as a teen.'

"Yeah, your father was pretty shy around girls, wasn't he?" asked Alex. "Gee, this is so freaky, you know - that we've watched each other on TV. Say, in your universe, are they still filming new episodes of Family Ties? I must say it's a little bit creepy."

"Yeah, they are," Marty said, quietly. "However, for some reason or another, they did age your little brother by a few years - and the two of you are definitely real close."

"Why would they do that?" Alex asked, stunned. "I guess it is a common occurrence for that to happen in soap operas. Anyway, I guess I'm actually relieved - as the idea that my life is still being filmed on TV is rather creepy, to say the least."

"The very idea that they might film sequels for Back to the Future in your universe is creepy to me," replied Marty. "I actually discovered that Back to the Future was a trilogy in another universe. That might be the same case with your universe."

"Oh, really?" Alex sked, stunned. "Would it bother you - if I actually watched the sequels, after they came out?"

"No, that wouldn't bother me at all," Marty replied, with a nervous laugh. "Well, let's just try to put this out of our minds."

"Yeah, you're right," Alex said, sighing. "Let's see if we can find our way out of here. I know this sounds strange, but there might be a reason why we were sent here."

"I wonder what, though," Marty said, stunned. He then started to walk forward, as Alex followed him. "I see some houses down there, and I see some Christmas lights. So it must be Christmas in the world, too. It's pretty warm here, so I wonder where we might be. Even in Hill Valley, it's not quite this warm. Granted, Hill Valley is in the northern portion of California. I can't imagine that this world would be too bad."

"Ordinarily," Alex said, sighing, "I would say that Christmas isn't really Christmas without snow. However, considering that I'm not exactly dressed for cold weather, this is pretty nice. The question is, though - where on earth are we going to stay?"

"Yeah, I'm a bit worried, too," Marty said, quietly. "I mean, we can't exactly knock on the door of some stranger's home - and ask if we can stay with them." Just as Marty and Alex stepped onto the dirt road, Marty continued, "Look at all these Christmas lights! That's beautiful! I suppose we could walk around a bit, to look at the lights."

"Wow!" breathed Alex, with amazement. "It looks like every single house has lights up. Yeah, we could walk around and admire the decorations. Where are we going to eat and sleep, though? Anyway, we can't stay here forever! I would miss my friends and family. I won't be able to earn my college degree, and I won't be able to work at Wall Street. Besides, I'll bet that you and I don't even have any real identities here."

Just then, Marty and Alex gazed to their right, as they a short thin woman walking up towards them. Marty could swear that the woman had purple skin and yellow hair.

"Hello," the woman said, cheerfully. "Are your names Marty McFly and Alex Keaton?" Marty and Alex both gasped, as they were stunned. "My name's Victoria Greenwood. We were expecting the two of you to come here. Why don't you guys come inside?"

"Yeah, thanks, Mrs. Greenwood," Alex said, quietly. "Maybe you can explain to Marty and me what is going on here. Maybe you can tell us a little bit about this world."

"All in good time," replied the woman, "and please just call me Victoria. We have a lot of sugar cookies inside, and I could make you guys some hot cocoa, too. So just come inside and make yourselves feel comfortable."

[bttf4444]

Land of Colour

December 24, 1986
7:00 PM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Linda McFly was feeling stunned, as she found herself lying on a carpeted ground. She couldn't figure out how she got here. She was in her bedroom, sulking over Marty being friendly with her boyfriend. Then, suddenly, this colourful stone she found began to glow brightly - then, the next thing she knew, she was no longer in her bedroom on her bed. Perhaps this was all a dream. This was the most logical explanation for this.

"Hey, uh, hello," stammered a girl who was lying next to Linda. "Who are you? Where am I? Maybe you can tell me how I got here? I was in my bedroom trying to take a rest, then I ended up here! Maybe it has to do with this stone that I found."

"That's exactly what happened with me!" exclaimed Linda. "My name is Linda McFly. I was so angry with my brother. I can't believe that my brother could be so insensitive to me! Kevin is my boyfriend. I don't like my brother being buddies with him."

"Yeah, brothers!" the brunette said, rolling her eyes. "Believe me, Linda, I can tell you all about annoying and insensitive brothers! My own brother is down on me because I want to take up wrestling. He won't admit it, but he thinks wrestling is a man's sport - and he doesn't want me to take up wrestling. Anyway, my name is Mallory Keaton. It's a great pleasure to meet you, Linda."

"Your name's Mallory Keaton?" Linda asked, stunned. There was something about the name that seemed familiar to her. "Well, let's try to get acquainted with this place."

"Yeah, that's a good idea," suggested Mallory. "By the way, did you say your name's Linda McFly? You know, your name sounds familiar to me. Have we met before?"

"Your name sounds familiar to me, too," Linda said, nodding. "I'm not sure if we ever did meet, though. So where did you come from? I live in Hill Valley, California."

"Oh, I've never been to California," replied Mallory. "I live in a suburb in Columbus, Ohio. I have an older brother named Alex, and a younger sister named Jennifer. We also have a baby in our family, named Andrew. You said you have a brother, right?"

"Actually, I have two brothers," replied Linda. "I have an older brother named Dave, and a younger brother named Marty. I guess, deep down inside, I love my brothers. Sometimes I can't stand Marty, though. Sometimes he acts like he's hot - because he looks like this famous actor, Michael J Fox. He's the one who insists on being buddies with my boyfriend, Kevin. Why can't he understand how I feel?"

"I have the same problem with Alex," Mallory said, nodding. "He also looks a lot like the actor, Michael J Fox - who, by the way, I think is overrated. Granted, he can be very supportive and caring at times - and I do love him. Other times, though, he can be so down on my choice of interests. He can be rather arrogant at times."

"Well, enough about annoying brothers," Linda said, sighing. "Let's look around, and see if we can make sense of what's going on here. Not that any of this is making a whole lotta sense to me. Hey, Mallory, pinch me! I wonder if this is some dream!"

"I almost think this is a dream!" Mallory agreed. "I mean, it sure doesn't make sense to me that a stone could form some portal that leads into another dimension."

"Well, my father writes science fiction stories," explained Linda, "and he claims that an alien named Darth Vadar came to visit him from a planet called Vulcan - and that the alien threatened to melt his brain, if he didn't ask my mother to the Fish Under The Sea Dance. I can't say I ever believed that, though. There's science fiction - and then there is reality, you know. I think Dad sometimes gets the two confused."

"Actually," Mallory said, quietly, "the idea of a stone creating a portal to another world is more fantasy than science fiction. I guess, for some reason, we're both dreaming. Well, at least this seems to be a pleasant dream that we're having."

Just then, a short teenage girl with pink skin and yellow hair walked towards them.

"Where did you girls come from?" the pink girl asked. "Why don't you come join in on the fun? The dance will be starting shortly, and we have lots of refreshments."

"Uh, well," Linda stammered, "it's nice of you to offer, but I don't have any money."

"Oh, that's all right," the pink girl said, smiling. "By the way, my name's Rose. I don't believe I've ever seen you girls around before. You girls must be new around here."

"Yeah, I guess you can say that," replied Mallory. "Anyway, it's so nice to meet you, Rose. My name's Mallory Keaton - and this is Linda McFly. Thanks for inviting us!"

"Yeah, thank you so much, Rose," added Linda, smiling. "It's so nice to meet you, as well. Do you think you could maybe show us around, after the dance? We would like to explore this place a little more, you know. This seems like a very nice place."

"Oh, sure!" replied Rose. "That won't be a problem at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure my folks won't mind if you spend the night with us. Let's head over to the dance room!"

Linda glanced from Rose to Mallory, and back to Rose. She and Mallory then followed Rose to the dance floor. As soon as they had entered the dance floor, Linda was so astonished by what she saw. She did see people there of the usual races. She saw a bunch of people there that were different colours of the rainbow, too. It was almost as if she had stepped into the set of Sesame Street. She saw a few colourful furry muppets lingering around, as well. Linda began to decide that this must be a dream.

"Are you girls feeling all right?" Rose asked, concerned. "What are you gawking at?"

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry," stammered Linda. "I was just looking at the beautiful Christmas decorations that you have in here. I really think the lights are so beautiful!"

"Oh, that's perfectly all right," Rose said, with a warm smile. "I was just worried that something was out of place here. Just help yourselves to some juice and snacks. We have plenty of them go around. Later on, we'll be having pizza. Do you like pizza?"

"Oh, absolutely!" gushed Mallory. "Is there going to be any veggie pizza? I'm not too much for sausage or pepperoni. I also don't care for just plain cheese. It's boring!"

"Yeah, I like veggie pizza, too," agreed Linda. "Of course, if it's not available, then I'll just make do with what we have. Hey, this is pretty nice music you have in here!"

"Aw, yeah, this should get you into the Christmas spirit!" gushed Rose. "Yeah, we'll have all kinds of pizza here, so there should be something for everyone. Then, after the pizza, we'll have ice cream. We'll have ice cream of all different flavours.'

"Oh, that sounds awesome!" gushed Linda. "Well, thanks again for inviting us. It looks like we'll be having so much fun tonight. Everything around here is lovely!"

"Hey, that's not a problem at all!" Rose said, smiling. "The more the merrier."

[bttf4444]

One Happy Family

December 24, 1986
7:30 PM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Marty was feeling nervous, as he slowly followed Victoria into the house. How had she known his name? Was she the one behind the fact that he and Alex ended up in this world? As soon as he entered the house, - the delicious scents of cinnamon and spice quickly put him at ease. This place can't be too bad, Marty thought.

"Hey, boys," called out Victoria, as she put her arms around a man with blue skin and red hair, "I would like you to meet my husband, Todd." Then, as four small girls came up to her, Victoria added, "These are our daughters. Our oldest child is named August. These are May and June, and our youngest one is April. Go ahead and help yourselves to some sugar cookies, and make yourselves feel at home."

"Victoria or Todd," Marty said, with a sigh. "Don't get the wrong idea. I think this is a nice place and all - but can you tell us why we're here? I mean, I may be eighteen years old now - but I still would like to spend Christmas with my own family."

"Same with me," Alex said, nodding. "I initially wanted to go to Princeton College - but I'm glad I picked a college closer to home. Mallory and I might not always get along - but she's my sister, and I love her. I'm just concerned for her right now."

"You boys needn't worry," Victoria said, smiling. "When you boys return to your own world, you will return to the moment that you left. So, please, just relax and enjoy yourselves. You are both very fine young men, and you both deserve to have a little fun. So how do you fellows enjoy being in our world so far?"

"Oh, this looks like such a wonderful place!" gushed Marty. "alternate realities really is nothing new to me. My friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, had created a time machine out of a DeLorean - so I have taken many trips through the fourth dimension. Some of them were quite a bit unpleasent - like in the world where Biff Tannen was very rich and very corrupt. He even murdered my father and married my mother"

"I guess you may already know this," Alex added, "but Marty and I came from two different universes. He came into our universe not long ago, when his DeLorean time machine malfunctioned. It's so amazing to think of all the things we have in common - and all the things we don't have in common. What's rather amazing is how we're considered fictional characters in each other's world - and our characters are played by an actor named Michael J Fox. The one ironic thing is, I never even met him."

"I never met him, either," Marty said, nodding, "although I must say that he is one of my favourite actors. It's not just because I look like him, either. He is a great actor."

"Another ironic thing is," Alex added, "I happen to be a very big fan of US President Ronald Reagan - while, in Marty's world, President Reagan is a big fan of me, even if I am just a fictional character there. So, by the way, who's the US president here?"

"Robert Redding is the president of our country," Todd said, as he lifted up a framed photograph of a red man with orange hair. "I must say, he is a very good leader."

"So where are we, anyway?" asked Marty. "I mean, what city, state or province, and country are we in? This world seems a little like ours - but it's also a little different."

"This is the city of Orangeville," explained Victoria, "in the state of California, here in the United States of America. We really live about fifty miles south of Los Angeles."

"So where did you people come from, anyway, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Alex. "I mean, in our world, we only see colourful people in children's programs like Sesame Street. I guess the reason why I'm asking, is because I'm a history buff."

"We came here from a planet called Juniper," explained Todd. "Now, it's not to be confused with Jupiter. It's located way on the other side of the galaxy.'

"We arrived on this planet back in 1855," explained Victoria. "Our ancestors were so shocked by how racism had been so rampant in the Southern States, among other areas. Coming from a colourful world ourselves, it just never made sense to us that people would be judged and treated differently just because their skin was a different colour. In addition to racism, we were also disgusted by how wars and poverty was so rampant in this world. However, being the optimists that our people are, we saw that there were lots of kind-hearted and decent people in this world - many of whom were, unfortunately, victims of the not-so-decent people. So that's why we stayed."

"So are you saying that there's now global peace and harmony in this world?" asked Alex. "If so, maybe you guys could come to our world next - and fix everything up."

"Well, actually," Victoria said, quietly, "inter-dimensional travel isn't the same thing as travel through physical space. I mean, we are able to create wormholes so that we can easily travel between Earth and Juniper. However, there are many risks that can come from inter-dimensional travel. Most people in this world don't know about other dimensions - and it could be very dangerous, if they did. We must take certain precautions, to avoid creating rips in the space-time continuum. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I understand," replied Marty. "I know Doc is always lecturing me about how we must be careful, when we're travelling through time. Some time travel stories that I read don't deal with time paradoxes - but, the reality is, it can be possible to create a time paradox. I remember how I was nearly erased from existence, the first time I travelled through time, and ended up being stuck in 1955. I accidentally interfered with my parents' first meeting - so I had to spend the whole week getting them to fall in love with each other. That was the most stressful week of my life."

"Yeah, I understand what you're saying," Victoria said, nodding. "There are different risks, though, that can go with interidimensional travel. So that's why we can't come to your world and try to fix everything for you - as much we'd really like to do so."

"Well, I just thought I would ask," Alex said, smiling. "I must say it's so nice spending time here. Your children look so adorable. Maybe, tomorrow, you guys could show us around town. It will be so nice to see how this world compares to ours."

"That won't be a problem at all," replied Todd. "Why don't we come into the living room and light up some scented candles. We have some soft and comfy bean bag chairs there for you to sit on. I could put on some nice Christmas music for us."

"That sounds awesome, Todd!" replied Marty. "I almost would love to move here - but, then, I would miss all my family and friends. I really have a life there to live."

"I concur,' agreed Alex. "Sometimes my family drives me crazy, but I wouldn't want to trade them in for any other family. I love everyone in my family dearly."

"Yeah, family is so important," Victoria said, smiling. "There is nothing like spending the holidays at home with your dearly beloved family. Our daughters may not always get along - but they do love each other. They would defend each other, whenever it's necessary. Most of the time, though, our little girls can be so sweet and charming."

Marty and Alex looked at each other, as they were concerned for their own sisters.

[bttf4444]

One Happy Family

December 24, 1986
7:30 PM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Marty was feeling nervous, as he slowly followed Victoria into the house. How had she known his name? Was she the one behind the fact that he and Alex ended up in this world? As soon as he entered the house, - the delicious scents of cinnamon and spice quickly put him at ease. This place can't be too bad, Marty thought.

"Hey, boys," called out Victoria, as she put her arms around a man with blue skin and red hair, "I would like you to meet my husband, Todd." Then, as four small girls came up to her, Victoria added, "These are our daughters. Our oldest child is named August. These are May and June, and our youngest one is April. Go ahead and help yourselves to some sugar cookies, and make yourselves feel at home."

"Victoria or Todd," Marty said, with a sigh. "Don't get the wrong idea. I think this is a nice place and all - but can you tell us why we're here? I mean, I may be eighteen years old now - but I still would like to spend Christmas with my own family."

"Same with me," Alex said, nodding. "I initially wanted to go to Princeton College - but I'm glad I picked a college closer to home. Mallory and I might not always get along - but she's my sister, and I love her. I'm just concerned for her right now."

"You boys needn't worry," Victoria said, smiling. "When you boys return to your own world, you will return to the moment that you left. So, please, just relax and enjoy yourselves. You are both very fine young men, and you both deserve to have a little fun. So how do you fellows enjoy being in our world so far?"

"Oh, this looks like such a wonderful place!" gushed Marty. "alternate realities really is nothing new to me. My friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, had created a time machine out of a DeLorean - so I have taken many trips through the fourth dimension. Some of them were quite a bit unpleasent - like in the world where Biff Tannen was very rich and very corrupt. He even murdered my father and married my mother"

"I guess you may already know this," Alex added, "but Marty and I came from two different universes. He came into our universe not long ago, when his DeLorean time machine malfunctioned. It's so amazing to think of all the things we have in common - and all the things we don't have in common. What's rather amazing is how we're considered fictional characters in each other's world - and our characters are played by an actor named Michael J Fox. The one ironic thing is, I never even met him."

"I never met him, either," Marty said, nodding, "although I must say that he is one of my favourite actors. It's not just because I look like him, either. He is a great actor."

"Another ironic thing is," Alex added, "I happen to be a very big fan of US President Ronald Reagan - while, in Marty's world, President Reagan is a big fan of me, even if I am just a fictional character there. So, by the way, who's the US president here?"

"Robert Redding is the president of our country," Todd said, as he lifted up a framed photograph of a red man with orange hair. "I must say, he is a very good leader."

"So where are we, anyway?" asked Marty. "I mean, what city, state or province, and country are we in? This world seems a little like ours - but it's also a little different."

"This is the city of Orangeville," explained Victoria, "in the state of California, here in the United States of America. We really live about fifty miles south of Los Angeles."

"So where did you people come from, anyway, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Alex. "I mean, in our world, we only see colourful people in children's programs like Sesame Street. I guess the reason why I'm asking, is because I'm a history buff."

"We came here from a planet called Juniper," explained Todd. "Now, it's not to be confused with Jupiter. It's located way on the other side of the galaxy.'

"We arrived on this planet back in 1855," explained Victoria. "Our ancestors were so shocked by how racism had been so rampant in the Southern States, among other areas. Coming from a colourful world ourselves, it just never made sense to us that people would be judged and treated differently just because their skin was a different colour. In addition to racism, we were also disgusted by how wars and poverty was so rampant in this world. However, being the optimists that our people are, we saw that there were lots of kind-hearted and decent people in this world - many of whom were, unfortunately, victims of the not-so-decent people. So that's why we stayed."

"So are you saying that there's now global peace and harmony in this world?" asked Alex. "If so, maybe you guys could come to our world next - and fix everything up."

"Well, actually," Victoria said, quietly, "inter-dimensional travel isn't the same thing as travel through physical space. I mean, we are able to create wormholes so that we can easily travel between Earth and Juniper. However, there are many risks that can come from inter-dimensional travel. Most people in this world don't know about other dimensions - and it could be very dangerous, if they did. We must take certain precautions, to avoid creating rips in the space-time continuum. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I understand," replied Marty. "I know Doc is always lecturing me about how we must be careful, when we're travelling through time. Some time travel stories that I read don't deal with time paradoxes - but, the reality is, it can be possible to create a time paradox. I remember how I was nearly erased from existence, the first time I travelled through time, and ended up being stuck in 1955. I accidentally interfered with my parents' first meeting - so I had to spend the whole week getting them to fall in love with each other. That was the most stressful week of my life."

"Yeah, I understand what you're saying," Victoria said, nodding. "There are different risks, though, that can go with interidimensional travel. So that's why we can't come to your world and try to fix everything for you - as much we'd really like to do so."

"Well, I just thought I would ask," Alex said, smiling. "I must say it's so nice spending time here. Your children look so adorable. Maybe, tomorrow, you guys could show us around town. It will be so nice to see how this world compares to ours."

"That won't be a problem at all," replied Todd. "Why don't we come into the living room and light up some scented candles. We have some soft and comfy bean bag chairs there for you to sit on. I could put on some nice Christmas music for us."

"That sounds awesome, Todd!" replied Marty. "I almost would love to move here - but, then, I would miss all my family and friends. I really have a life there to live."

"I concur,' agreed Alex. "Sometimes my family drives me crazy, but I wouldn't want to trade them in for any other family. I love everyone in my family dearly."

"Yeah, family is so important," Victoria said, smiling. "There is nothing like spending the holidays at home with your dearly beloved family. Our daughters may not always get along - but they do love each other. They would defend each other, whenever it's necessary. Most of the time, though, our little girls can be so sweet and charming."

Marty and Alex looked at each other, as they were concerned for their own sisters.

[bttf4444]

Innocence of Childhood

December 25, 1986
8:30 AM PST
Land of Colour Universe

"Hey, wake up, you sleepyheads!" a small pink girl with purple curls called out. She appeared to be about five years old. "It's Christmas, and Mommy wants to take us out for breakfast. You should try the fruit soup at Larry's Diner. It's so delicious!"

"Okay, uh, I'm getting up," mumbled Marty, as he stretched his arms. Then, after he sat up, he added, "I'm still a bit tired, but I love fruit soup. My mom makes it, too."

"I'm getting up, too," mumbled Alex. 'I'll have to try the fruit soup. It sounds good!"

"It's very delicious!" assured the little girl. "Hurry up and get dressed, so we can go!"

"Are they getting up, April?" asked another pink girl, as she walked into the room with a purple girl. Turning to Marty and Alex, she asked, 'Why do you sleep late?"

"It's because we don't have the same stamina as you little ones do," replied Marty.

"What's stamina mean?" asked the purple girl. "Come on! It's Christmas morning!"

"Yeah, rise and shine!" insisted April. "Don't you want to open your presents, too?"

"Come on, April and June," prodded the purple girl. "Let's let them get dressed."

Marty watched, as the three little girls left the bedroom. Then he searched for some clothes to wear. He felt rather that he hadn't bought any presents for the kids. Marty felt a pang of nostalgia, as he found himself wishing he could be a kid again. The life of being a kid seemed simple, without being under so much stress. He then realized the irony of how so many kids - even himself - couldn't wait to grow up. It like you don't even realize what you have, until it's gone. Marty sighed deeply to himself.

"Are you feeling all right, Marty?" Alex asked, concerned. "You seem to have a lot on your mind, like you're worried about something. It's Christmas morning! You should be feeling cheerful! Would you like to talk to me about what's troubling you, Marty?"

"Uh, okay, sure," Marty said, sighing, as he sat down on the bed. "I guess I just find myself missing my childhood. I wasn't under so much stress when I was a kid."

"Why are you feeling so stressed, Marty?" Alex asked, as he sat on the bed and put his arm around Marty's shoulder. "Is it maybe all the time travelling you've done?"

"Well, that's part of it," replied Marty. "I don't want to offend you, since I know you'r passionate about politics - but thinking about political tensions tends to stress me out a lot. It's sad to think about all the wars that are going on in the Middle East."

"No offence is taken, Marty," Alex said, softly. "In an ideal world, everyone would be making at least 500,000 dollars a year. We would not have to deal with poverty in certain parts of the world. I truly am no big fan of war, but sometimes wars do have to be fought to fight against injustice. Like, take World War Two, for example. It was an awful time in history. Adolf Hitler was an evil man, and we needed to intervene - because of how all those poor Jews and other types of people Hitler hated were being tortured. Have you ever read Anne Frank's Diary? I've cried buckets over that book. She just had so much hope and joy in her, then her life was taken away."

"Oh, please, Alex," Marty said, sniffing a little bit. "You're going to make me cry. It's Christmas! It's like what you told me just a little while ago. We should be cheerful."

"I'm sorry, Marty," Alex said, softly, as he used his index finger to wipe a tear that rolled down Marty's cheek. "I guess I'm just explaining to you why it's important to think pragmatically. Some people will call me pessimistic, but I don't try to be that way. I desire nothing less than to have global peace and harmony. However, in order to acheive that, it requires that one thinks pragmatically. I wish others would see where I'm coming from. We need to take action to fight against evil in this world."

"I really see what you're saying, Alex," Marty said, softly. "Being politically moderate myself, I try to understand both sides of the political spectrum. I agree with you that we do need to take action to fix what's wrong in the world. We can't just sit back and hope everything will change by itself. Anyway, you make a very good role model to represent the conservative side. You're a very thoughtful person, and that's good."

"Thanks so much, Marty!" Alex said, as he gently squeezed Marty's shoulder. "I think it's important to be politically informed, and it would be nice if more of our generation cared about politics. One day, it will be up to us to make a difference in the world."

"Well, you're right, Alex," Marty said. "Still, sometimes I wish I could be a kid again."

"Yeah, well, we all have to grow up," Alex said, gently. "My sister, Jennifer, tends to only be interested in being a kid - and I sometimes worry about her. Well, anyway, let's head to the living room. It's Christmas, and we should be cheerful. So are you feeling any better, now?"

"Yeah, Alex, thanks," replied Marty, as he hugged Alex. "You're such a good buddy!"

oooooooooo

Marty was feeling cheerful later on, when he and Alex had stepped into Larry's Diner with the Greenwood family. The restaurant had a sweet and festive smell, while the walls were adorned with Christmas decorations. The speakers were also pumping out traditional Christmas music. Oh Little Town of Bethlehem was currently being played.

"Now that's what I call real Christmas music," exclaimed Alex. "Not the Nat King Cole or Bing Crosby crap! Screw songs like Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire!"

"I agree, Alex," Marty said, nodding. "That's really my idea of Christmas music, too - Christmas carols sung by a choir and played by an orchestra. This is festive music!"

"Wow!" exclaimed Alex, smiling. "You really agree with me! You know, this seems to be one of the very few things that my whole family can agree on! Maybe it's because this is such a festive time of year. Usually, Mallory and I tend to fight over music!"

"How would you guys like to sit here?" suggested Victoria. "Here we can look out the window, and look at all the beautiful scenery. Look at all these gorgeous flowers!"

"Oh, yes!" gushed Alex. "These are beautiful! Maybe we can pick them later!"

"I didn't bring any flower pots along," Victoria said, apologetically. "One rule we have in our family is, we don't pull up flowers. We dig them up by the roots and put them into a flower pot. That way, we don't kill them! We should respect nature!"

"You're absolutely right, Victoria!" exclaimed Marty. "I guess I've never really about that before. It is pretty hypocritical to gush over a pretty flower - only to pluck it out and kill it. Just imagine if we treated people of the opposite gender that way!"

"My parents feel the same way, too," explained Alex. 'I have to agree that it's really disrespectful to nature to kill the precious creations. Many just don't get it, however. Some people assume that, because I'm a Republican, I don't appreciate nature. I do find that attitude to be very insulting to me."

"You have a good point, Alex," replied Marty. He then looked at who was sitting a few tables over, and he was shocked by the sight he saw. "Linda? My sister?"

"Wait a minute!" Alex said, stunned. "That looks like Mallory over there! How did she get into this world?" Turning to Victoria, he added, "You've brought our sisters here?"

"Yeah, I did," Victoria said, quietly. "I wanted them to appreciate the value of family. I knew they were angry with you guys, and I thought I would teach them a lesson."

"Oh, poor Mallory!" Alex said, quietly. "She must have been frightened to find herself so far away from home - but it's amazing she ended up together with Marty's sister."

"Oh, gee, what are we going to say to Linda?" asked Marty. "She doesn't know about Doc's time machine - and I'd prefer if she didn't know about it. What shall we say?"

"Well, we didn't get here through Doc's time machine," commented Alex. "Maybe we can find a way to convince our sisters that this is all a dream. What do you say?"

"I have no objections to the idea," responded Marty. "We don't want them to worry, though. They'll be wanting explanations, and we can't exactly tell them that they're just dreaming. Maybe we'll think of something. Well, at least they seem fine!"

[bttf4444]

Family Matters

December 25, 1986
10:30 AM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Linda couldn't believe her eyes, as she glanced a few tables over. It looked like there were two Martys sitting at that table. Linda nearly fainted from shock. It was surreal!

"Gee, do you see that, Linda?" whispered Mallory, stunned. 'It see two Alexes sitting over there! You know, I'm not sure if this is a coincidence or not. There's something so unsettling about this. Why on earth would we be warped into this strange world, with two people who happen to look exactly like my brother? This is giving me the creeps! Maybe this is just a very freaky dream we're having!"

"I think you mean two Martys," replied Linda, quietly. "Wait a minute! Didn't we both say that our brothers looked like Michael J Fox? Maybe it is both our brothers!"

"But how can this be possible?" Mallory asked, shocked. "Maybe someone really has a thing for our brothers - and, somehow, we ended up being dragged into this. I am beginning to really resent my brother! I wonder if they brought Michael J Fox into this world, too? This is unreal! Maybe I've been knocked out unconscious or something."

"That would certainly explain why we both cannot wake up," Linda said, sighing. "Oh, here come Rose and her brothers. We shouldn't be talking about this around them."

"How are the two of you doing?" Rose asked, as she joined them at the table. "Would you girls like some pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream? They serve very delicious pancakes at this restaurant. They have delicious orange juice, too."

"Oh, I really love pancakes!" gushed Linda. "You really oughtta try the pancakes that my mother makes. She makes them right from scratch, and they're very delicious!"'

"So, where do you girls come from," asked Rose, "if you don't mind me asking you?"

"I come from a suburb in Columbus, Ohio," replied Mallory. "It's a hgreat city, but I would rather live in California. The winters are so much warmer here, after all."

"I'm from Hill Valley,' added Linda, figuring that it wouldn't hurt to be honest. "It's in the northern part of the state. I like it better here in the southern part of the state."

"Well, we came here from Wisconsin," said Robert, "and I just miss having snow for Christmas. I guess there's something about snow that makes Christmas so festive."

"Well, people in Australia have Christmas at the beginning of summer," remarked Linda. "I wonder if they do the Santa Claus thing in the land down under. Perhaps, in Australia, Santa Claus is thinner - and Santa wears swimming trucks and carries the presents on a flying raft pulled by thirteen swans. Would that seem a bit plausable?"

"Well, we have some friends who live in Australia," explained Jimmy, "and we can tell you they don't have their own version of Santa Claus. I guess growing up with snow has sort of spoiled me a little bit. They would, no doubt, be shocked that songs like Sleigh Ride and Winter Wonderland are considered Christmas songs. The two songs really make no references to Christmas, if you've ever really noticed."

"I can't say that I ever really cared for those songs," said Mallory, sighing. "To me, real Christmas songs are songs like Silent Night and Joy To The World. Those are the songs that convey the true meaning of Christmas. The holiday's not about winter!"

"I guess you have a point," replied Robert. "Even though, I have an appreciation for all kinds of Christmas music. I know many will disagree with me, but I'm always in the mood for Christmas music. It really does create the warm festive feelings."

"One song I have always hated is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," remarked Linda. "To me, that song has a depressing melody. It's not a Christmas-y song!"

"I totally agree agree with you, Linda," chimed in Mallory. "Whoever wrote the stupid song should either get his ass kicked or be given a very good slap upside the head!"

"Now don't you think that's a little harsh, Mallory?" chided Robert. "I personally am not too fond of that song, but we all do have our personal preferences. I bet I'm one of the very few people around who likes Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer."

"But that's such a stupid song!" groaned Linda. "It's very morbid, too. The song is totally inappropriate for the joyful season. I actually cried when I first heard that song, because I didn't want to think about Grandma Stella meeting such a fate!"

"I know, that's what everyone else says," Robert said, sighing. "I love my grandma a lot, too - but I just take this song in the humour that it was intended for."

"I'm sorry," protested Mallory, a bit loudly, "but I see nothing funny at all about poor grandma being run over by a reindeer! That has got to be one of the sickest songs I have ever heard of! I would like to beat the crap out of whoever wrote that song!"

"Okay, Mallory," Robert said, sighing, "Forget I ever brought that up. Let's just try to calm down now, and get ready to order our food. Enjoy the pretty music, all right?"

"I'm sorry, Robert," whispered Mallory. '"'m not mad at you or anything. It's just that the song makes me feel real angry. Anyway, the music here is certainly beautiful!"

"I'm sure we can all agree on this," said Linda, smiling. "They sure do have this place decorated up nicely. I must say that I also enjoy the scents of cinnamon and spice."

oooooooooo

"I'm wondering if we should come up and say hi," suggested Alex. "It appears that they recognize us. They must be so shocked to see that Marty and I look alike."

"Fortunately, Linda doesn't watch Family Ties," replied Marty, "so I don't believe she would recognize your name. That's going to be the last thing she needs right now."

"Mallory thinks Back to the Future is a stupid movie," added Alex. "Still, the problem is, McFly is not exactly a common name in our world. In fact, I'm not sure if it even is a real name in our world. Maybe Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, who are the ones who write the screenplay for the movie, made up that name. I do understand this is probably going to give you a great shock, but I do have a hunch that it is the case."

"I don't believe this," Marty gasped, stunned. "I remember your mother did say she wasn't sure McFly was even a real last name, but I can't believe that my last name was made up by two people in your world. I think I'm going to go into shock!"

"Just take a deep breath," urged Alex, "and try to relax. I was just trying to explain to you why Mallory might suspect that you're from a movie. Everything will be fine."

"I always took pride in my last name," Marty said, quietly, "even when, in the old timeline, Strickland would cruelly insist no McFly would ever amount to anything."

"I'm so sorry, Marty," Alex said, gently. "You can still take pride in your name, though. I thought Strickland was a nasty guy. Just try not to sweat it so much!"

'Yeah, you're right, Alex,' replied Marty, sighing. 'It's just that Keaton is still a real name in our world. It's not like Gary David Goldberg just made up the last name."

"Are you two going to be all right?" Victoria asked, concerned. "You shouldn't talk about this anymore. We really don't want anyone going into shock."

"You're right, Victoria," replied Alex. 'We should enjoy our fruit soup and the music that's pumped over the speakers. I think we should go talk with our sisters, though. We don't want them to be worried sick that they might be stranded."

"How about after we're done eating," suggested Victoria. "The people they're eating with don't know anything about our powers, and it's better that they don't find out."

"I totally understand," replied Marty. "Well, thank you for taking us out. This is such a nice treat. I must say, it's really awesome spending Christmas with you folks."

"Yeah, thank you!" added Alex. "As long as you promise us that we're in our world for Christmas, too - this is really lovely. I really could use this vacation - and I'm sure Marty could, as well. This morning, he told me he was feeling stressed out."

"'Oh, Marty, you really should relax," Victoria said, soothingly. "I want you to get rid of everything that's troubling you out of your mind, and throw it away. We brought you here as a Christmas present. We figured you two might really enjoy it."

"Oh, I love it here!" gushed Marty. "Thanks so much for thinking about us. The kids are all so adorable, and you folks are wonderful people! This is like paradise!"

[bttf4444]

Comfort and Joy

December 25, 1986
11:00 AM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Alex was feeling nervous, as he and Marty walked over to the table where Mallory and Linda were sitting. He never meant to hurt his sister's feelings. He was worried that she may end up being injured, as he figured that men often had a tendancy to be violent in that sport - and his sister wasn't exactly the strongest woman around.

"Hey, Mallory?" Alex asked, a bit nervously. "It's me, Alex. Why don't you come with us? Everything will be fine, and the family we're staying with are wonderful people!"

"Are you sure?" Mallory asked, nervously."'Do you know how we got here? I have to admit I'm scared. This is a nice place, don't get me wrong. Still, this isn't home."

"Hey, who are you men?" asked a pink woman, as she came to the table. "I must say, you two look so much alike. Are you twins? You both are very handsome!"

"Uh, no," replied Alex. "We're more like cousins. Mallory is my younger sister, and Linda is Marty's older sister. It might be hard to believe, but I'm actually three years older than Marty. Victoria and Todd Greenwood invited us to spend Christmas with their family, and they wanted Mallory and Linda to join us. So we should maybe get going pretty soon. Maybe we can come over to visit you folks later on tonight."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Alex and Marty!" the pink woman said, warmly. "My name's Rose Thomas - and these are my brothers, Robert and Jimmy. We met your sisters at the Christmas Dance, last night. They've told us a little bit about you."

"We'll see you a little later," Linda said, warmly. "You've all have been really great. I would like to thank you once again for letting us spend the night with you. Thank you for the breakfast. Have a Merry Christmas! Hope you all have a wonderful day!"

Linda and Mallory joined Marty and Alex, as the four of them headed outside of the restaurant. Alex was worried that Mallory would yell at him again. His sister did have a bit of a temper at times. He was very happy to see her here, nonetheless.

"Uh, Alex," Mallory said, quietly, "I'd like to apologize to you. I'm sorry for yelling at you last night. Maybe you're right, and wrestling isn't for me. I just thought I would try something a little different. I guess I really wanted to impress Ted."

Alex threw his arms around his sister, and he whispered, "It's all right, Mal. I wasn't meaning to sound discouraging. It's just that, well, you're my little sister - and I am sometimes worried about you. I know I sometimes give you a hard time about your intelligence, or tease you about your friends. I love you a lot, though."

"I love you, too, Alex," Mallory whispered. Then, as tears filled her eyes, she asked, "Oh, Alex, are we going to be stuck here forever? I know this is a nice place and all, but..." Mallory began to cry, as she continued, "but I'll sure miss my family, and my friends. We don't belong here, Alex! What happened? How did we end up here?"

"Everything'll be all right, Mallory," Alex said, soothingly, as he stroked Mallory's hair. "Todd and Victoria just sent us here for a nice vacation. They promised us that we'll be back home in time for Christmas. So please don't fret, Mallory. We'll be all right!"

"Are you sure about that, Alex?" Mallory asked, worriedly. "How do we know we can trust them? What if they sent us here, so that they can eat us for dinner? What if..."

"Just trust me, Mallory," Alex said, softly. "I have good judgement of character, and they strike me as trustworthy folks. I think you watch too many horror movies."

"Yeah, maybe I do," Mallory admitted, as she wiped her eyes. "Anyway, I must say it is really good to see you here. I guess I'll just try to relax, and enjoy our stay here."

"Atta girl," Alex said, as he flashed his sister a lopsided smile. "Well, let's join the rest of the family now. They have such adorable kids, even if they can be a little impatient at times. They are such sweeties!"

oooooooooo

Marty had some mixed feelings about seeing his sister here. Despite the arguents that they might have at times, he really did love his sister. Still, he was worried that she may yell at him some more about being buddies with her boyfriend. Marty could not understand why that was such a big deal to her. He was scared to face Linda.

"Hey, Marty," Linda said, nervously. "I'm so sorry about the fight we had last night. You're right! I was being very unreasonable, and I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I guess I was being pretty self-centred, wasn't I? I hope you aren't too mad at me."

"Naa, I'm not mad at you," Marty said, smiling a little. "I must say that my feelings were pretty hurt, but I forgive you. I mean, nobody's perfect. Linda, listen, I know you and I may fight from time to time - but I'll always love you. I mean, you have come through for me on a few occassions - and I do greatly appreciate it."

"Aw, that's sweet of you to say, Marty," gushed Linda, as she threw her arms around her brother. "It may not always seem that way - but I really love you, too, Marty. In fact, you really have encouraged me on many occassions. I mean, there have been times that I was down on myself - and you were there to encourage me. I think my life may have been very different, if it wasn't for you. I really do mean it, Marty!"

Marty bit back a smile at the irony of his sister's words. Instead, he gave his sister a tender squeeze and stroked her hair a bit. It was so nice to see his sister here, too.

"I don't know where we are, Marty," Linda continued, "or how we got here. Either way, though, I'm really happy to see you here. Do you think we'll ever make it back home again? This is such a lovely place, but I would miss my family and friends."

"Don't worry, Linda," Marty said, softly. "Todd and Victoria are very nice folks, and we were sent here to enjoy a nice vacation. They'll send us back home, eventually. The kids are all wonderful, too. I hope to have kids like that someday, myself. So why don't we join the rest of the family? You should see how nice their home is."

"It sounds wonderful, Marty!" gushed Linda. "Anyway, I'm so glad you're not mad at me about the fight we had yesterday. I feel so bad about it! That was so wrong!"

"Try not to sweat it, Linda," Marty said, as he gently squeezed Linda's shoulder. "We will let bygones be bygones! This is Christmas Day - and we should be cheerful!"

[bttf4444]

Joy to the World

December 25, 1986
12:00 PM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Linda was feeling somewhat apprehensive, as she was riding home with her brother, the Keatons, and the Greenwood family. Despite the fact that she didn't always get along with her brothers, she always valued family time. She was also missing her big brother, Dave, as well as her parents. She couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why the name Mallory Keaton sounded familiar to her - as did the name Alex Keaton. She was stunned to discover that Alex Keaton looked exactly like her brother, Marty. Still, she was quite certain that they weren't related - or else, if they were, then they were very distantly related. She had to admit that this world was a rather nice place to be.

"All right, everyone!" called out Todd. "We're home, now! Later on, our relatives will be stopping over for Christmas dinner. Then we can open up our presents. So, Linda and Mallory, just make yourselves feel right at home. I'm sure your brothers will be happy to show you around. Feel free to help yourselves to the Christmas snacks, but see to it that you don't eat too much. You want to save room for dinner later today."

"Thank you so much for inviting us over, Todd and Victoria," Linda gushed, as soon as she entered the house. "This house sure looks nice and festive! It smells so nice, as well! Your children are also very adorable! I hope to have children like that!"

"I'm glad you enjoy being here," Victoria said, warmly. Then, turning to her children, she added, "Why don't you kids entertain our guests, and make them feel welcome?"

"Sure, Mom," replied the oldest girl, August. She said to the four visitors, "Would you like to go outside and play Helicopter, Helicopter, Over My Head? It's a fun game to play. You mention what you're thinking about, then you spell out the word."

"Oh, cool, I remember that game," Marty said, smiling. "Would you like to go first, August? I haven't played the game in ages, so I need my mind to be refreshed."

"Oh, sure," gushed August, as she grabbed the skipping rope. "All right, stand back, everyone!" Then, after everyone stood back, she was swinging the rope over her head, as she called out, "Helicopter, Helicopter, Over my head! I'm thinking of a colour, and the colour is orange." Then she lowered the rope to the ground, and she spelled out the word. Then Alex was next one to go.

"All right, everyone," called out Alex, as she took the skipping rope from August and swung it over his head. "Helicopter, Helicopter, Over my head! I'm thinking of a US President, and the US President is Richard Nixon." Then Alex lowered the rope to the ground, as he spelled out the name. Marty was then the next one to go.

"Helicopter, Helicopter, Over my head!" called out Marty. "I'm thinking of a rock band, and the rock band is Huey Lewis and The News." Marty lowered the rope to the ground, as he spelled out the band's name. April was the next in line to go.

"Wow, you picked a long word, Marty!" April said, impressed. "Helicopter, Helicopter, Over my head! I'm thinking of a shape, and the shape is a circle." April then lowered the rope to the ground, as she correctly spelled out the word of a shape.

"You're a very smart girl!" Linda said, impressed, as she grabbed the rope. "All right, here we go! Helicopter, Helicopter, Over my head! I'm thinking of a singer, and the singer is Lionel Ritchie." Linda then lowered the rope to spell out the singer's name.

"Here we go," gushed June, as she took the rope from Linda. "Helicopter, Helicopter, Over my head! I'm also thinking of a singer, and the singer is June Greenwood." With a little smirk, June lowered the rope to the ground and spelled out her own name.

"You can't do that, June!" Marty protested, sticking his tongue out. "You have to use the name of a professional singer!"

"Says who?" countered June, also sticking out her tongue. 'When was that a rule?"

"All right, it's my turn!" called out Mallory, grabbing the rope from June. "Helicopter, Helicopter, Over my head! I'm thinking of a rock band, and the rock band is Styx." Then Mallory lowered the rope to the ground, as she called out the four letters that made up the band's name.

"Hey, that's not how you spell sticks!" protested May. "It's spelled S-T-I-C-K-S!"

"You're a very smart girl," Mallory said, impressed. "However, the band's name is spelled with a Y and an X."

"Then the members of that band don't know how to spell," insisted May.

"I guess that means the members of Def Leppard don't know how to spell either," Linda said, laughing. "Or Led Zeppelin."

"Actually, Led Zeppelin is spelled correctly," Marty said, smiling. "That is, if you use the word led to mean the past tense of lead. They dropped the A from their name, because they didn't want people pronouncing the band's name as Leed Zeppelin."

"I thought led didn't have an A in it," April said, confused.

"Well, it does," Marty explained, "when you refer to the thing that's inside of pencils."

"Okay, now I'm all confused," April said, sticking his tongue out at Marty.

"Why don't we play something else?" suggested June. "Why don't we play school?"

"Well, actually, I think we should..." Marty started to say.

"Hey, now that's a very good idea!" gushed Alex. "How about I be the teacher?"

"I don't think so, Alex," protested Mallory, sticking her tongue out at her brother. "I remember how you played teacher when we were kids. The kids don't need that."

"What's wrong with the way I play teacher?" Alex asked, innocently.

"Let's just say that not everyone is blessed with your intelligence," replied Mallory.

"Yeah, you've certainly got that right, Mal," Alex said, smirking.

"Hey, come on now, you two," protested Marty. "We don't need another fight, now."

"A fight?" Alex asked incrudulously. "Well, I was just, uh..." Then, realizing that Marty maybe did have a point, Alex turned to Mallory and said, "I'm sorry, Mallory! I guess I shouldn't be giving you a hard time - especially since today is Christmas. I do love you, Mallory."

"Well, uh, Alex, I, uh..." Mallory stammered, stunned.

Alex then threw his arms around his sister and drew her close. "Just relax, Mallory, okay?" whispered Alex. "I'm sorry I get carried away sometimes. I really do care for you, Mallory. If anyone lays a hand on you, that person will have to answer to me!"

"Oh, Alex," murmured Mallory, as she threw her arms around her brother.

Linda then threw her arms around Marty and held him close. Marty hugged his sister back. Linda realized just how precious her younger brother was to him.

"Okay, everyone," suggested August, "why don't we go pick some berries? We have lots of delicious berries in our patch over there."

"That's a good idea!" gushed Marty. "Do we have to worry about bramble bushes? I really don't want to end up getting all scratched up."

"Me neither," added Alex. "Picking berries sounds like fun, though. I have to say that blueberries and raspberries are my favourite."

"Those are my favourites, as well," added Marty, smiling.

"What about strawberries?" asked Mallory. "I really love strawberries."

"We have all of them," April said, smiling. "So come on, everyone! Let's go!"

Linda felt herself bursting with joy, as she went to join the kids. She was amazed by how many berries the Greenwood family had. She wanted to bring some of them home with her. She began to really enjoy being in the world.

[bttf4444]

Goodwill Towards Men

December 25, 1986
3:00 PM PST
Land of Colour Universe

Alex was really enjoying himself. He was amazed by how all the children have taken a huge liking to him. He felt it would be wonderful if he could move his whole family into this world. Considering that the geography of this world was more or less the same as the world he came from, he could still have a chance of working at Wall Street. There would be the issue of getting an identity in this world, though.

"Hey, Alex," said August, "would you like to make some sun-catchers later? We have a lot of sun-catcher kits. I really love watching the crystals harden in the oven."

"That's fun, isn't it?" Alex asked, smiling. "Hey, look at the necklace I made for you. I hope you like it. It's colourful and beautiful. I even put the colours in order of the rainbow. You know, I really haven't done that since I was a small boy myself."

"Don't you want it, Alex?" August said, smiling. "You make pretty necklaces. You should look at the one I made last week. This is made of all the pink shells I found at the beach. If the weather is nice out, tomorrow - we could maybe go to the beach."

"Oh, yes, that would be lovely," gushed Alex. "It's amazing to think it's so warm in this part of the world. It almost seems kind of surreal. I realize Christmas isn't all about snow - but there's something quite festive about having snow for Christmas. Maybe it's just because that's what I grew up with. The cold weather I don't like so much - but I think the snow looks beautiful against the colourful Christmas lights."

"We had snow, back when we lived in Michigan," explained a small orange girl named Lucy. "I have to admit that I miss the winter festivities. Still, it's nice that it's not so cold down here. It's nice that I don't have to bundle myself up so much. I mean, I never liked having to wear a coat. I'd rather wear a short-sleeved shirt with shorts."

"Are you kids all having fun?" asked Marty, as he walked into the room. "Wow! The necklaces look beautiful. I remember I used to make these as a small boy."

"There you are, you sleepyhead!" teased Alex. "I thought you were going to sleep the whole day away. Why don't you come in, and join in on the fun? I must say, these kids are so cute and adorable! They've really taken such a liking to me."

"Are you Alex's twin brother?" Lucy asked, smiling at Marty. "You look exactly like him! I'll bet the two of you often have fun pretending to be each other."

"Actually, we're not really twins," explained Marty. "We're actually more like cousins. We look so much alike, though, don't we? I think it would be great to have a twin."

"I have two friends who are twins," explained Lucy. "The names are Marla and Marta - and they do everything together. They'll often switch places and pretend to be each other. Sometimes it's really hard to tell them apart. They're both so nice, though."

"Marty and I have different preferences in outfits," Alex explained. "My tastes tend to lean far more conservative." Then, with a wink towards Marty, Alex added. "I guess I wear what Marty would call a zoot suit. I often don't feel fully dressed without a tie."

"My dad's like that, too," Lucy said, smiling. "He really loves his ties. He has ties that come in all different colours and patterns. He has a purple tie with pink polka dots on it. That one's my favourite, as it's pretty. I really wish he would wear it more often."

"I really don't think I'd look good in pink or purple," Alex said, laughing. "I mean, I think girls look very pretty in those colours - so I don't dislike them. I just don't think they would look so becoming on me. I do enjoy bright colours as much as the next person - and I have yet to meet someone who doesn't enjoy Christmas lights. Well, actually, I met a Jehovah's Witness once - so he really didn't like anything that was related to the Christmas season. I don't know too much about that religion - but it sounds boring to me. I mean, Christmas is my favourite holiday."

"I have some friends who are Jewish," added August, "and they really don't celebrate Christmas, either. They still enjoy looking at Christmas lights, though. In fact, one of them even decorates their house with blue and white lights. I think it's really pretty."

"Yeah, I have a Jewish friend, too," Alex said, smiling. "Their family always decorates their home with blue and white lights and Chanukah decorations. They even keep an electric menorah in the kitchen window, so that it can be seen from outside. It has to be one of the most beautifully decorated houses in our neighbourhood, in fact."

"My friend, Joey Landvatter, is Jewish," explained Marty. "He plays the keyboards in our band, called The Pinheads. His family does the same thing, too. Some of their relatives consider that to be a bit un-kosher, but Christmas lights really don't have to be used only for Christmas. In the UK, they're called fairy lights - and they could be used for other purposes. It's also a good way for them to display their Jewish pride."

"I think the Jewish people are lucky!" June said, smiling. "They have eight days for receiving presents. It must be really nice for them. I sometimes wish I was Jewish."

"Well, Christmas isn't just about receiving gifts," Alex explained, as he remembered his lesson from three years ago. "It's also about giving to others, spending quality time with your family, and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I'm sure Chanukah isn't all about receiving gifts, either. In fact, I don't believe they always exchanged gifts. If I understand correctly, they celebrate Chanukah differently in Israel."

"Alex is correct," added August. "Trisha has relatives who live in Israel. Judaism is the dominant religion there - and Chanukah is actually a legal holiday over there."

"Okay, kids!" called out Victoria, as she walked into the room. "Are you kids ready to open up your presents? Let's go into the living room, and gather around the tree."

Alex was feeling nervous, as he followed everyone into the living room. He didn't have any presents to give to anyone, and he hadn't arrived in this world with any money. As much as he loved money, he didn't wish to seem like a greedy person.

oooooooooo

"All right, Alex," said Victoria, "it's your turn to open up your present. We really hope you enjoy what Todd and I bought for you."

Alex smiled, as he reached for his present. He peeled back the wrapping paper, and then he opened up the box. Inside the box, there was a brown tuxedo - with a tie!

"Oh, thank you so much!" gushed Alex. "It's nice to have another tuxedo. I love the tie, too. I'll have to wear this on my first day back at college."

"You're very welcome," replied Victoria. Then, handing a package to Marty, she said, "Now, Marty, it's your turn. I hope you enjoy your present, as well."

Alex watched on, as Marty opened up his present. Marty had receive another pair of Guess jeans with a denim jacket.

"This is just what I wanted!" gushed Marty. "I guess you knew what brand jeans I really like. I'll have to wear this when I return to work after New Years Day. Thank you so much! You are the greatest!"

"I'm glad you like your present, too," Victoria replied, smiling. "Now, Mallory, it's your turn to open up your present."

Alex turned to his sister, as he watched her open up her present. She had a pair of pink sweatpants, with a matching headband. Alex smiled warmly at his sister.

"Thank you so much, Victoria!" gushed Mallory. "I really love the colour pink, and the headband goes really good with the sweatpants. You've got just what I liked."

"I'm so happy you loved your gift, too, Mallory," replied Victoria. Then she grabbed the last package, and said, "Now, Linda, here is your present."

Alex watched on, as Linda opened up her present. Linda also received a pair of pink sweatpants and a matching headband. Just like my sister, Alex thought, smiling.

"These are cool!" gushed Linda. "Thank you, Victoria! Maybe Mallory and I should wear these tomorrow!"

"That's a good idea, Linda," Mallory agreed, smiling.

"Well, I'm glad you've all liked your presents," Victoria said, smiling.

Alex was bursting with joy, as he helped everyone else clean up the wrapping paper. It looked like everyone got just what they wanted for Christmas.

[bttf4444]

Countryside Bonding

December 26, 1986
1:00 PM PST
Land of Colour Universe

"I don't know about you," Mallory was saying, "but I'm feeling so bored. The kids are all at the roller rink - and, unfortunately, only children who are under ten are allowed to skate there this afternoon. This is a lovely place, but it's not like any of my friends are here. Well, I mean, you guys are great people - but I really do not know my way around this town. It's my understanding that the children won't be back until dinner."

"Maybe we can take a walk through the countryside," suggested Marty. "I mean, it's so beautiful there - and this would be such a great opportunity for us all to bond."

"That's such a good idea, Marty," agreed Alex. Then, turning to Mallory and Linda, he added, "You girls really should check out the countryside. I'm sure it would be even more beautiful by daylight, than it was when we first arrived there at night. I mean, we might see some really beautiful flowers over there - and, perhaps, we may also spot some very pretty butterflies. So does this sound like a plan with you girls?"

"Hey, yeah," Linda said, smiling, "it sounds like a very goos idea! I still feel so bad about the fight I had with Marty the other day. He's really a great brother, and I'm ashamed to admit that I don't always appreciate him like I should. Taking a stroll through the countryside would be a great way to really uplift our spirits.'"

"Yeah, I suppose we can do that," Mallory agreed, perking up. "I have to say Alex is such a great brother, too - even if I don't always agree with his views. He has come through for me many times, and he really cares deeply about all of us."

"I realize I do rib you a lot, Mallory," Alex said, gently, "and I guess I tend to take things too far. The thing is, though, I care a lot about you - and I sometimes worry about your relationship with Nick. I do want you to be happy - and I try to tolerate Nick, for your sake. Sometimes it's really hard, though."

"I sometimes don't understand why you're such friends with Skippy," Mallory sighed, shrugging, "but I guess you just have a really big heart. I don't exactly hate him, as I don't exactly believe in hating anyone. It's just that ity bugs me that he follows me around a lot, and won't take no for an answer. I really don't want to be so mean."

"I try to explain to him that his pushiness drives you away," explained Alex. "The thing is, though, I feel so bad for him. I don't wish to hurt his feelings, because he can be sensitive. To put this frankly, though, I just can't imagine he ever would be able to keep a girlfriend for long. I think a little bit of professional help might help him out - but I wouldn't know how to suggest this, without hurting his feelings."

"Nobody wants to be told that they need to see a shrink," Marty said, gently. "Let's face it! There's this bad stigma placed on that. I almost felt like suggesting that to someone I know real well, but it would only put that person on the defensive."

"I think I know who you're talking about," Alex said, with a knowing smile. "I agree it would've been very counterproductive, and it would have complicated your mission a lot. Anyway, in regards to Skippy, all I can really do is continue to be his friend. I do not want to play councillor to him. I may be smart, but I make a lousy councillor."

"Oh, I don't think so, Alex," Marty said, softly. "Remember the pep talk you gave me yesterday morning? You really did help me to feel better. You're a great friend!"

"Thank you, Marty," Alex said, smiling. "However, there's a difference between being a great friend and being a great councillor. A great councillor sometimes has to be a bit frank with you - and not always tell you just what you want to hear. Sometimes I do end up being frank with Skippy - and then he gets his feelings hurt, then I feel so bad for him. Anyway, why don't we start heading out to the countryside? It is such a sunny day outside, and I don't want to be cooped up inside the house all day."

"Yeah, I want to head out, too," agreed Linda. "I would love to see the countryside that you guys are talking about. It's amazing how warm it is here. Yeah, let's go!"

oooooooooo

Marty was feeling very cheerful, as he followed the three visiters into the countryside - where they saw some pretty butterflies of different species. It felt a lot more like a very warm spring, then it did the beginning of winter. He was stunned by the sight of all the beautiful flowers blooming. Alex was correct about the countryside being more beautiful by daylight. The grass was very green, as well. Everything was wonderful!

"These are such pretty butterflies!" gushed Mallory. "I have to say, it's nice being away from the cold and frigid winters. I wouldn't mind moving our family here."

"I would miss having snow for Christmas," replied Alex. "Yeah, I understand that Christmas isn't all about snow - but I always felt it made the season so festive."

"I never was a big fan of snow myself," countered Linda. "In my opinion, I think snow is overrated. Anything below sixty degrees is cold for me, in my opinion."

"Oh, gee, you're such a wimp!" teased Alex. "If you lived where we lived, you would consider thirty degrees to be a mild winter day. Besides, there's a lot of fun things to do in the snow. I love going on the snowmobile and going dog-sledding. It's nice to sit in front of the fireplace while sipping on hot cocoa or apple cider. You really don't know what you're missing, Linda. You're only thinking about the temperature!"

"Well, Alex does have a point," Mallory admitted. "Still, I do agree that I'm really no fan of freezing cold weather. Putting on all those layers of clothing could be a pain."

"I usually wear three or four layers of clothing during the cooler months," said Marty. "I usually put on a tee-shirt for my first layer. Then I put on a button-up shirt over it. Then, over that, I put on a denim jacket. Then I have the puffy reddish-orange vest that I like to wear over that. Some people actually thought it was a life preserver!"

"So what are you studying in college, Alex and Mallory?" asked Linda. "I really would like to be a news anchor, someday. I'm now a reporter for our college newspaper."

"Oh, I take anything having to do with economics," Alex explained. "That always has been one of my biggest passions - and I really would like to work for Wall Street."

"I'm taking a major in pop culture," said Mallory. "I especially love music. What we're currently studying, though, is really boring. We are studying about the doxologies."

"'So what exactly is a doxology?" asked Linda. "The word sounds familiar to me."

"To put it simply," Mallory replied, "a doxology is a short hymn of praise to God."

"Gee," muttered Marty, "I don't think I would really want to study paradoxology... I mean..."

Alex and Mallory both burst out laughing. "A paradoxology?" Alex sputtered, as he was laughing so hard. "Where do you get paradoxology from, huh? You're funny!"

Marty almost went into shock, as he could see a familiar ripple moving towards him.

[bttf4444]

Author's Note: Just read the chapter for an explanation of the time in Doxopolis.

Gateway of Doxopolis

Day 489 of 246,786
15:00 DT
Doxopolis

"Whoa!" gasped Mallory. "What is happening here? I just saw this weird, uh, ripple. It looks a little like how a lake would ripple after you throw a stone into it."

Marty was feeling worried, as he was more than a little familiar with what it meant to see a ripple. From his past experiences, he knew it meant that they were officially in a different dimension. The four of them were no longer in the Land of Colour.

"It appears we're now in another dimension," Alex said, stunned. "I would guess, in some way or another, we somehow entered a different world. This is amazing!"

"Just so you know," Linda said, as she looked around, "paradoxology is a real word. It is the study of paradoxes, you know. It's a fascinating branch of science."

"Yeah, I knew what paradoxology meant," insisted Alex. 'It's a branch of science that I would be very interested in. I mean, it's so interesting to study about paradoxes."

"Haha! Yeah, right, Alex!" scoffed Mallory. "You didn't really know what paradoxology meant! Why don't you just admit it, Alex? You don't know everything! Nobody does!"

"But I was being honest!" protested Alex. "I was just quite surprised that Marty would confuse that word with doxology. I mean, they don't quite mean the same thing! How could Marty believe that you were talking about a study of paradoxes, when it has no relation to music? That's why I thought it was funny that he said paradoxology."

"Hey, I just happen to be more familiar with the word paradox, okay?' said Marty, in a rather defensive tone. "It's a word I hear all the time from Doc! Sheesh!"

"Don't worry, Marty," Mallory said, gently. "Alex just didn't want to admit that he was not familiar with the word. He acts like he has to know everything. He's like that!"

"You didn't need to get so defensive with me, Marty," Alex insisted, softly. "I was just ribbing you a little bit. You shouldn't be so tough on yourself. I just found it funny!"

"How about you take your own advice, Alex?" countered Mallory. "You should admit you don't know everything. You tell Marty that he should not be tough on himself - yet, you know, you defended yourself at his expense. Do you think that was fair?"

"Look, let's not fight, okay?" protested Alex, quietly. "Why don't we just take a look around here? See all these pretty flowers? I must say, I really haven't seen so many flowers before in my life. How many species would you say there are? I gather there must be thousands of them. Let's look at all the pretty butterflies around here!"

"Yeah, it's almost like we have entered paradise!" gushed Linda. "Maybe we really are inside of paradise! Hey, I can see about every species of bird around here. Take a look at how green the grass is here. I must say, I really wouldn't mind living here!"

"Well, I'm sure we would miss our family and friends," Mallory said, softly. "Perhaps, if we could have them here with us, it would be awesome. This is so gorgeous!"

"I wonder if heaven is anything like this," suggested Marty. "Do you think it may be possible that we've all died and went to heaven? It certainly does seem that way."

"The sunlight is so gorgeous," Mallory gushed. "I must've seen just about every bird that's in existence - well, of the colourful variety, anyway. I don't believe we've seen any crows around here. No ducks or chickens, either. I can see a parakeet, though. Hey, and I see some canaries, as well. I also see some bluebirds and some bluejays. I can see robins and sparrows as well. I would really have to check the bird book, as soon as we get back home. Yeah, all the butterflies and moths are so beautiful, too!"

"I can recognize a few hundred different species of birds," exclaimed Linda. "I admit that I love to go bird watching, but none of my friends know about this. I mean, they would think I'm a bit of a geek or something. I do have a reputation to uphold."

"Hey, how do you folks do?" asked a bipedal humanoid green being. He also had two antennae sticking out from the top of his head. He looked like the way Martians were often portrayed. "Welcome to Doxopolis! I should introduce myself. My name's Fred."

"So this is Doxopolis, eh?" asked Alex. "Can you tell us a little about this place? I'm not even sure how we came here, even though this is definitely a lovely place."

"This is a gateway in the middle of the space-time continuum," explained Fred. "This is a place that links between various dimensions and time periods. Anyone who's a time traveller or an inter-dimensional traveller can access this location. All you have to do is see to it that you're in an open countryside, and utter the word paradoxology three times. That's the magic word that you utter to open up the portal to Doxopolis."

The four visitors all gasped, as they were stunned and speechless. Whoever could've guess that Marty's little mistake could be responsible for landing them into this world?

"Great Scott!" gasped Marty, as he subconsciously used Doc's habitual expression. "I mean, this is heavy! What you're saying, Fred, is that all we need to do is walk into a countryside and say the word paradoxology three times? This is heavy duty, Fred!"

"Well, it only works when you are outside of your time or dimension," explained Fred. "So why don't you folks come join us for a picnic lunch. This is a popular spot where time travellers and inter-dimensional travellers like to meet. I work there during the night shift. So is there anything you folks would like to learn about this dimension?"

"What time is it right now?" asked Alex. "What's the overall climate like? How big is the dimension? Do a lot of people live here? Can we access other dimensions from here? Gee, I guess I'm asking lots of questions! We've never been here before."

"It is currently 15:25 on Day 489 of the year 246,786," explained Fred. As the four visitors all stared at him, puzzled, he continued, "Our days have thirty hours in it. We think 24-hour days are too short. Sunrise is always at 7:50, while sunset is always at 22:50. Furthermore, our hours have 100 minutes in it - and our years have 500 days in it. This is currently year 246,786 of the existence of Doxopolis. With regard to the climate, the temperature is always 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a mild wind. We don't have rain here, as the precipitation comes up from the ground. So the plants always have enough water to thrive on. Does this answer two of your questions well?"

"Whoa, this is heavy!" breathed Marty. "Well, I guess the having no rain is great. It's certainly a lot more convenient. I wouldn't mind staying here."

"While people can access Doxopolis from various different times and dimensions, you can only go back to the dimension you came here from," Fred explained. "If you stay here longer than ten days, then going back would be a more intricate process. Some visitors end up staying here, because they enjoy this place so much. The people you see who look like me are native to this dimension, however. Doxopolis is 888 square miles big. By stepping outside the walls, you step back into the dimension you came here from, at the exact moment you left - providing that you do so within ten days."

"So what happens after ten days has passed?" asked Alex. "Do we end up stepping in limbo or something? That would be a scary idea. Sorry about all the questions."

"No, that's all right!" Fred said, smiling. "You would just step right back into Doxopolis from the other end. If you stay here for 100 days, then you become a citizen here - and then you have your choice of dimensions that you would like to enter. This would continue to remain your home, though. Well, here we are now. Just follow the trail."

Marty smiled, as he and the other visitors stepped into trail to walk over to Stephen's Lodge. There it looked like a typical house in a countryside with lots of picnic tables - and there was a huge lake nearby, too, with some people swimming in it.

[bttf4444]

Doc From The Past

Day 489 of 246,786
16:00 DT
Doxopolis

Marty was feeling rather nervous, as he and the other visitors strolled over to where the food was being served. What if they served food that he was real unfamiliar with or that looked really unappetizing? He didn't want to seem rude, and he was hungry.

"I guess you folks must be new here," chirped a middle-aged woman. "Are you folks feeling hungry? Just help yourselves to our food. You might want to try our pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream. We have tuna fish and chicken sandwiches, as well. To drink, we have orange juice, grape juice, and fruit punch."

"How much does the food cost?" asked Marty. "We really don't have any currency for this dimension. We have American currency from the reality we came here from."

"That will work," the woman said, smiling. She then got out her calculator and figured out the price. "It will just cost two dollars and 37 cents for each of you. You folks can eat all that you like. How are you enjoying yourselves so far? This is a great place to be, isn't it? I lived here for a little over thirty years. My life wasn't that good before."

"Well, we have a fairly good life where we come from," Alex said, smiling. "Still, this is a nice place to have a vacation. We came here entirely by accident, but I'm happy we came here. I must say I haven't seen so many different species of birds in my life - except for in a bird book. The flowers and butterflies are also real beautiful."

"I have to admit I don't appreciate nature as I should," Mallory sighed. 'Sometimes, it's easy to get so caught up in all the technology we have in our world."

"I'm guilty of the same thing," agreed Linda. "I mean, it's so nice to have advanced technology - but it's important to remember to appreciate the beauty of nature, too."

"Well, the two can exist in harmony together," Alex said, smiling. "I should admit that I sometimes worry about what the future will be like, though. Still, this really doesn't have to be a case of where we have to choose one over the other. It's about how all things should be in moderation. Anyway, we should go serve ourselves, now."

"Talk to you folks a little later," the woman said, smiling. "I must say you folks look so adorable. Just be sure that you folks enjoy your youth while you still have it."

"She's right, Alex," Mallory insisted, as she looked at her brother. "You sometimes do take life so seriously. You really need to kick back and relax, sometimes. In a way, I sometimes miss being a kid - and I sometimes envy Jennifer. Being an adult really is not all that it's cracked up to be. I sometimes do feel old at nineteen years old."

"I'm twenty years old," added Linda, "and I can really relate to what you're saying. I mean, I'm no longer a teenager. I can barely believe Marty's already eighteen. He is the baby of the family, and even he's an adult now. Where does all the time go?"

"Hey, what about me?" protested Alex. "I'm 21 years old, and I am the oldest of our family. Sometimes I look at Andy, and I think of how great it must be to be an infant - and not have a care in the world. You know, being the smartest kid in your class is not always all that it's cracked up to be. I mean, I remember how Mrs. Leahy would single me out in front of whole class - and she'd always point out how smart I am. I guess she meant well, and she thought I would be flattered. The thing is, I was only seven years old - and I really didn't like the way she would often pressure me."

"I guess I never really thought of it that way," Marty said, sighing. "I'm quite sure if you attended our high school, you would be one of the few students that Strickland wouldn't consider a slacker. I sometimes do wish I had your intelligence."

"Well, I'm not really complaining," Alex said, with a small smile. "I have to admit that my sister is right, and I maybe do sometimes take life too seriously. Some might be a little surprised to hear me say this, but I admit that I sometimes wish I didn't care so much about politics. Life would be a bit easier if we didn't have to worry so much about world events. Still, it's important to care - and life is sometimes tough."

"I see what you mean," replied Marty. Then he caught a glimpse of a man who was familiar looking. "Doc?" Marty gasped. "The Doc is here?" Turning to Alex, he said, "Come on! Let's go! I think this might be my friend, Dr. Emmett Brown! It looks a lot like him. I wonder what he's doing here, though. We should stop over and say hi."

"All right then," replied Alex. Then, turning to Linda and Mallory, he added, "You girls just wait right here. Marty and I will be back soon. Don't go anywhere without us."

Marty and Alex walked over to the man who looked like Doc. As the man turned his head, his eyes grew really big. Marty then knew that the man was his friend, Doc.

"Doc?" Marty asked, stunned. "Hey, Doc, is that you? It's me, Marty! Marty McFly!"

"Marty!" called out Doc, cheerfully. "What a surprise to see you over here! I've really missed you a lot. I mean, I really haven't seen you in over a year. Clara and I are married, now. We have a baby. His name is Jules. Guess who we named him after."

"Your favourite author, Jules Verne," replied Marty, stunned. "So where did you come from? Or, rather, when did you come from? You must still be living in the Old West."

"Precisely," replied Doc, smiling warmly. As he saw both Marty and Alex, he gasped, "Great Scott! How could there be two of you? How in the name of Sir Isaac H Newton did that happen?"

"Uh, Doc," stammered Alex. "I mean, Dr. Brown, my name is Alex Keaton. I'm really not sure of how to tell you this. I'm really not just another version of Marty, though."

"It's all right, Alex," said Doc, waving away Alex's concern. "Don't tell me anything about where you came from. It can have terrible repercussions on the space-time continuum. I came here from December 26 of 1886. Because I really don't belong in that time, I can come here whenever I like. Clara can't, though - because she does belong in that time. I'm not certain about Jules, though. Jules was born in that time - but I'm his father, and I'm from the future. Jules is chronologically older than me."

"Time travel can be very confusing," Alex said, smiling. Then, as he began to shake Doc's hand, he said, "It's nice to meet you, Dr. Brown. Marty told me so much about you. I heard you may be even smarter than I am. Is that sometimes hard for you?"

"Oh, yes, very much so," replied Doc, grimacing a little bit. "It's tough when so many people in your town regard you as a nutcase. I still remember the pain of, back when I taught third grade, there were parents who would pull their kids out of my class. At least my former students liked me, and they still remember me so fondly. It's rather sad to know that many of the kids are more tolerant of you than certain adults are. I mean, we really do hold adults to higher standards - and we expect them to be more mature and to be above the childish silliness. I enjoy it better living in the Old West."

"Maybe we just don't give kids enough credit," Alex said, shaking his head. "It's a bit ironic how much more openminded many kids are over certain adults. The sad thing is, it's certain adults who'll teach their kids to hold prejudices about certain people."

"Fortunately, my family had taught me to love everyone," Marty said, sighing. "There have been many occassions that I felt like challenging adults about their prejudice of people like Doc - but, as children, we get taught to respect for our elders. Even if one is older, though - it doesn't mean they're always right. We really can learn a lot from the children. They're really not as dumb as we make them out to be."

"Have you boys eaten yet?" asked Doc. "The food here is wonderful. Being a father myself, I most definitely will raise our children to be openminded people. I started building a time machine. I really did miss you a lot - and I really miss Einstein, too. Are you taking good care of him? You remember he only likes canned dog food."

"Well, actually, uh..." Marty started to say. Then, realizing he shouldn't say too much of Doc's future, he said, "Right, of course! I can assure you that Einie is in very good shape and is healthy. He gets walked twice a day, too. I guess Alex and I should go grab something to eat. We wouldn't want our sisters to be worried about us. They don't know about your time machine - so, after we go back home, we'll have to convince them that this was just a dream. It was nice seeing you here, Doc!"

"I enjoyed meeting you, too, Doc," Alex said, warmly. "Good luck with your new family. I know you'll make a great father. Don't let the negativity of other people get you down. Life can sometimes be tough, but it's best to make the most out of it."

"Thank you for the nice words of encouragement," replied Doc, as he threw his arms around Alex. "It's been a great pleasure to meet you as well, Alex. I guess we'll have to move back to your time eventually - but I really love living in the Old West."

"I would love to visit the Old West, too," replied Alex. "I would certainly miss some of the modern conveniences that we tend to take for granted - but it was certainly a wonderful time before all the pollution, and there was more emphasis on the family."

"I think Clara would be horrified by how superficial many people in the 1980s have become," Doc said, sighing. "In many ways, though, she is ahead of her time."

"Take care of yourself, Doc," Marty said, as he threw his arms around his friend. "Be sure to tell Clara I said hi. Also, take good care of the baby. I'll see you soon."

"I'll really miss you, Marty," Doc said, as he squeezed Marty. "By the way, I'm glad that you've made it safely home. I meant to send you back to eleven at night!"

"Oh, it's all right, Doc," Marty said, gently. "I understand you never meant to put me in harm's way. You have really been a great friend to me, and I am glad that you're happy. I can tell Clara really cares a lot about you. I'll send good wishes your way."

"I wish you could stay in the Old West with me," Doc said, warmly. "However, I know you have a life in your own era - and it wouldn't be fair to keep you out of your era."

Marty and Alex both waved to Doc, as they went to look for their sisters.

[bttf4444]

Paradise Picnic

Day 489 of 246,786
17:00 DT
Doxopolis

"So how's Dr. Brown doing?" asked Linda, as soon as Marty and Alex had returned to the table where the girls were sitting. "How did he end up in the world, anyway? Gee, I believe I might wake up from this any minute now. This seems very surreal."

Marty was a little uncertain of how he should answer. "It's possible that he may have found a magic stone, too," Marty suggested. "Anyway, he said that he was feeling so wonderful. He said it was a really swell vacation for him, to get away from the hustle and bustle of normal life. I would like to stay here, but I would miss my family."

"You really need to try some of the pancakes," suggested Mallory. "I must say, these pancakes are even better than the kind that Mom makes. Please do not tell her I said that, though. I really find the food here to be swell. I greatly enjoy watching the birds and the butterflies flying around the sky. I really wonder how this world would look at night. It would probably be rather heavenly! I suppose we cannot stay and find out?"

"Well, to be honest," Alex replied, sighing, "as nice as this place is, I am anxious to return to the Land of Colour. I mean, that world is such a swell place, too."

"I have to agree with Alex," added Marty. "The Greenwoods have been wonderful to us, and I really would like to spend more time with them. The kids are all so cute!"

"I can hardly wait until Andy starts talking," Alex said, smiling. "I mean, he is quite a gorgeous little baby - but I wish he could talk back to me. That will be the one major drawback of working at Wall Street. I wouldn't be able to see my brother as much as I would like to. I will make it a point to visit around the holidays and such."

"Sometimes I wish I had a little brother," Marty said, sighing. "It does suck some of the time to be the youngest in your family. At times, my parents do still treat me like I'm still a little boy. I mean, I'm an adult now, for crying out loud! Give me a break!"

"Well, in your parents' defense," Alex said, gently, "I can imagine it would be difficult to see your child all grown up. Also, it could be the empty nest syndrome setting in. I mean, you did say you were the youngest in your family. It must make your parents a little bit sad. I mean, obviously I'm not a parent yet - but I could imagine how that would feel. Sometimes, I tend to regard Andy as being my son. Know what I mean?"

"Oh, I can understand Marty's frustration," Linda said, nodding. "I mean, when I had decided to leave the house and rent my own apartment - my parents did not take to that so well, either. They kept begging me to stay, and it tends to get frustrating."

"My parents are kind of like that, too," Mallory said, sighing. "Although, I suppose it's better than the other extreme - where a few of my friends' parents would practically kick them out of the house as soon as they turn 18. I mean, that's not right, either."

"You do have a point, Mallory," Linda said, sighing. "It doesn't exactly make it less frustrating, though. Maybe I'll understand better, when I become a parent myself."

"I can imagine becoming a parent would change your perspective on a lot of things," Alex suggested, smiling a little. "I mean, I have friends who are parents - and they told me about how some of their views towards life have really changed."

"Why don't we grab a few sandwiches," suggested Marty, "and then maybe we could maybe start heading back to the Land of Colour. We'll have to figure out where we should go, though. It sounds like the path out of here would be fairly easy, though."

"Would you like some chicken sandwiches?" asked Mallory. "Those are so good. I'll be back in a few minutes. I'll grab some bottles of grape juice for each of us, too."

"Thank you, Mallory," Marty said, smiling. "I'll ask how we leave this place. As much as I really enjoy being here - I am anxious to see the Greenwoods, again."

"They are wonderful people, aren't they?" asked Mallory. "I know I was initially quite suspicious of them, but it's simply because I didn't know them. Maybe my brother is right, and I watch too many horror movies. Maybe I should cut back a little."

"I have to admit that I was never much for movies with a lot of violence in it," Marty said, smiling a little. "I know many are surprised whenever I say that, because I am a man - and, for some reason, men are supposed to like movies with violence in it."

"I don't like movies with violence, either," Alex said, nodding. "I mean, there already is so much violence in the real world to deal with - and I guess I don't understand why some people seem to get a frission from violence. To me, that isn't right."

"I'll be back in a few minutes," called out Mallory, and walked off to collect the food.

"I'll be back soon, too," added Marty, as he went off to ask for directions. Marty felt a little nervous around all these humans and humanoid beings that didn't exist in the dimension that he resided in - or, at least, they didn't exist on the planet earth.

"Hey, may I halp you, young man?" asked a friendly middle-aged man. "Do you like it here in Doxopolis? This is a very beautiful place, isn't it? I enjoy being here."

"I loved visiting Doxopolis, too," Marty said, smiling, "but I thought we should maybe start heading home. Do you know how to return to the world where we came from?"

"Oh, sure," said the man, smiling. "Just take the trail over there. The path there is so beautiful. When you step through the ripple, you'll be back where you came from."

"Thank you so much, sir," replied Marty, as he made his way back to the table where his sister and Alex were sitting. Marty explained, "We should just take the trail by the lake over there. When we step through the ripple, we'll be back to where we came."

"Thanks, Marty," replied Alex. "That shouldn't be too much of a problem at all. We'll just have to wait until Mallory come back here, then we can go. I should say it was great that we could bond like this. I can tell that you and your sister really love each other, too - just that, sometimes, you guys are prone to fighting. I guess that's quite normal. Well, here comes Mallory with our food. We should maybe leave, now."

"I got two sandwiches for each of you," explained Mallory, as she arrived. "I hope it's enough for all of you. So do you guys know how to get back to the Land of Colour? I really will miss this place, though. I could swear that this place is paradise!"