Outatime

Chapter Eleven: The Big Night

Marty had mixed feelings about the night of November 12th, 1985. On the one hand, she was excited about returning to 2025 with Phineas and Ferb; on the other, she was worried about how her plan with Linda would go down. And then there was the fact that she still hadn't told Emma about her future death, no matter how much she was advised not to by Phineas.

A few minutes before eight o'clock, Marty was gathered at the Town Square with Emma and the boys, putting everything together for the big departure. A cable was strung down from the lightning rod atop the clock tower to a lamp post, which Emma had connected to the socket of an extension tied around the post. Her Pacer Wagon was parked just across the street from the DeLorean. In spite of the fact that DeLorean motor vehicles of this model existed in 1985, Emma thought it nonetheless wise to keep it covered by a tarp from prying eyes.

Sitting atop the hood of the covered DeLorean was a boombox Lewis brought to listen to tunes off the radio as they worked. After playing Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," an ironic tune considering the night's circumstances, there came a weather report from the DJ: "Area weather on this Tuesday night – an electrical storm in the vicinity will bypass the Tri-State Area, including Danville and Hill Valley – but we can expect continued cloudiness and some light rain..."

Listening to the report from the top of her ladder, Emma grew skeptical. "Are you sure about this storm, honey?" she asked Marty.

Marty, of course, smirked knowingly. "Since when can a weatherman predict the weather, let alone the future?"

"Good point," Emma smiled, descending from the ladder. "You know, I'm gonna be real sad to see you sweeties go. You've really made a difference in my life and certainly in Lewis's." She approached the covered DeLorean, lifting the tarp halfway at the rear to look at the units on the engine. "To think, one day, we're gonna live to see the 21st century, and that I'll succeed in this – time travel!"

To hear Emma reflect on these events made Marty uncomfortable, knowing the fate that awaited her. It wasn't any better when Lewis then told her and the brothers, "It's going to be hard to wait 30 years before we can talk about everything that's happened in the last few days. I'm really gonna miss you guys."

"We'll miss you, too, Lewis," Phineas said. "Or, at least, this version of you. It's like meeting a 1985 equivalent of me and Ferb."

Marty couldn't fight it any longer. "Doc, listen, about the future..."

"Marty!" Emma deflected. "We've already talked about this. Having knowledge of the future can be incredibly dangerous. Even if your intentions are good, it could backfire drastically. Whatever it is you need to tell me, I'll find out through the natural course of time."

This was not what Marty wanted to hear; but, just as before, she saw there was no arguing with Emma.

For the remaining minutes Phineas and Ferb had to assist Emma and Lewis in the preparations, before leaving for the Battle of the Bands, Marty was nowhere to be found. The boys set out around the square to look for her, ultimately seeing her walk out of the Century Café.

"Marty? Are you O.K.?" Phineas asked. "What were you doing in there?"

"Oh, nothing," Marty answered. "I felt a little hungry, so I grabbed a quick bite before we left – that's all." She seemed rather cagey to Phineas; she hid her hands behind her back during their brief exchange. Phineas didn't bother looking into it, as they were late enough as it was to get to the Battle of the Bands. Had he been paying close attention to Marty before they left in the Pacer Wagon, he would have noticed her slipping something into Emma's fur coat that she kept draped over the covered DeLorean.