When the Clock Strikes Twelve

::9::

"He seems really beat up about this one," Marty whispered to Rosie once Doc's horse was a decent space away from them.

"I know. I feel bad for him," she replied. They eventually made it back into town, and the three walked into Doc's work space.

"I'm gonna try to fix the walkie talkie," Marty said to Rosie as she pulled a stool up near Doc, finding it hard to sit on the floor in her dress.

"Can't I find some pants or something to wear?" Rosie complained, helping Doc work on the car.

"I'm sorry Rosie but you can't. It isn't time appropriate. If you did, it would draw more attention then we can afford right now," Doc replied.

"You've never had a problem with dresses before," Marty said, taking the walkie talkie antenna out of his mouth, attempting to bend it into place.

"That was before it was a million degrees and I had a dress that passed my ankles," she replied. "Give the talkie a try."

"Doc. Doc, this is Marty. Do you read me? Over," he said. Doc smiled once he realized he could hear the sound from the one he was holding.

"Check, Marty," he replied.

"Great, Doc. These things still work," he said, glad that the time difference hasn't changed anything.

   "Alright boys. Let's go over the plan," Rosie said, not wanting to admit that she had forgotten parts that they had discussed.

   "Good idea. I apologize for the crudity of this model," Doc said as they made their way towards his model.

   "Yeah. I know, Doc. It's not to scale. It's okay Doc," Marty said, hands in his pockets.

   "Alright," Doc whispered. "Tomorrow night-Sunday-we'll load the DeLorean onto the tracks here on the spur, right by the old abandoned silver mine. The switch track is where the spur runs off the main line three miles out to Clayton-Shonash Ravine. The train leaves the station at 8:00 Monday morning. We'll stop it here, uncouple the cars from the tender throw the switch track and then we'll hijack-borrow the locomotive and use it to push the time machine. According to my calculations, we'll reach 88 miles per hour just before we hit the edge of the ravine. At which point, we'll be instantaneously transported back to 1985 and coast safely across the completed bridge," Doc explained, dragging a model car across the tracks.

   "What does this mean? Point of no return?" Marty asked, pointing towards the sign.

"That's our fail-safe point. Until there, we still have time to stop the locomotive before it plunged into the ravine. But once we pass this windmill, it's the future or bust," Doc explained. Rosie blinked a few times, taking in what the Doc had said. Marty watched as her facial expression changed from consideration to understanding.

"Hey Rosie? You good there?" Marty asked her, tilting his head, concerned. She shook herself out of her thoughts and gave him a small smile.

"Yeah. Fine," she replied.

"It'll be okay babe," he said. "We'll get home."

As they were talking, Doc grabbed some tools from his wall.

"Here you go, Marty. Connect that to the positive terminal," he said, handing the boy an object. "Alright Marty. You all set?"

"Yeah, yeah. Go!" Marty exclaimed, running to meet Rosie at the end of the model. The Doc pulled a lever and a spark flew as the model train moved.

"Train pulling out of the station! Coming up to the switch track! Stop at the switch track! Throw switch! Pull up to the DeLorean! Pushing the DeLorean up to 88 miles per hour!" Doc exclaimed as Marty and Rosie followed the model train around the track at eye level. When it reached the end, Doc caught the car and set a pillow to catch the train before it hit the floor. Rosie and Marty ran towards their older friend as he held the toy car. "It couldn't be simpler."

Before the teenagers could compliment the model or ask any questions, they heard a knock on the door. The three turned around at the noise.

"Hello? Emmett?" Clara said through the door. Marty ran a hand through his hair as the three moved towards the door.

"It's Clara," Doc said, as if it weren't obvious. "Quick! Cover the DeLorean! They moved the sheet over the DeLorean, just as they had done when Marty's mother had knocked on their door in the fifties. Doc blindly handed the toy car behind his back and Rosie took it, hiding it as the light shone through the crack in the door where Clara had opened it.

   "Hello," she said.

   "Why, hello," the love stricken Doc said as Marty and Rosie waved. "This is quite a surprise."

   "Well, I hope I'm not disturbing anything," she said, and Rosie noticed that she was holding a long box in her hands.

   "Oh, no, no. We were just doing a little model railroading," Doc said, gesturing towards the model. Clara smiled.

   "Oh," she said softly. "Emmett, when my bags were thrown from the wagon, my telescope was damaged, and since you mentioned an interest in science, I thought you might be able to repair it for me. I-I would pay you of course."

   "Oh, no, no, no. I wouldn't think of charging you for this. Well, let's have a look at it," Doc said. Rosie lightly punched Marty's arm as they watched the scene unfold. The Doc set the device on the table as they opened a box, revealing a telescope.

   "I think a lens may be out of alignment because if you- if you move it this way, the image turns fuzzy. See?" Clara said, lifting the telescope from the box and walking behind the Doc, still holding onto the arm of the device. "But if you turn it... the other way, then-."

   "Everything becomes clear," Doc said quietly, turning so his face was closer to Clara's.

   Marty and Rosie felt that they should turn around. This seemed like a private moment. But they couldn't look away. Marty walked towards them as they were only inches away from each other, fake coughing into his fist. The two separated and Doc listened the telescope to eye level.

   "I could repair it right away and have it for you tonight."

   "Oh, tonight's the town festival. I wouldn't dream of having you work on my telescope during such an important occasion. You are planning on attending, aren't you?" She asked.

   "Oh-," Doc started, but was cut off.

   "Oh, well actually ma'am-," Marty started.

   "Definitely!" Rosie said, and Marty gave her a look. She gave him one that said she knew what she was going.

   "Yes. Of course," Doc repeated.

   "Well, in that case, I'll see you this evening at the festival, Emmett," she said, before turning around. "Mr. Eastwood. Ms. Locke."

   "Ma'am," they both said as she walked away. She then turned around.

   "Thank you for taking care of my telescope."

   "You're quite welcome," Doc replied, holding his stance until she left. Marty and Rosie walked to opposite side of his body.

   "It's a nice telescope," Marty said.

   "At ease Doc," Rosie continued.