Work Text:
Doc’s journey on the run had led him and Marty through several of the western deserts. Tiring of the heat and being concerned of Marty getting heatstroke, he headed back to Northern California. He didn’t return to Hill Valley, of course—he couldn’t bear to see it again, still in its ruined state, not to mention that Hill Valley would be heavily watched by multiple parties just waiting for him to return.
They stopped in a town a few hours north of Hill Valley; parking in an inconspicuous spot, Doc took Marty to a retro-style diner, not unlike Lou’s Diner. Marty was just thrilled to be able to eat in a restaurant again after living on packaged food and provisions for months.
Doc wasn’t all that hungry, but made do with a slice of pie and a strawberry malted, while Marty tore into a hot dog, fries, a sundae, and a soda. Doc just watched in amusement across the booth from Marty, wondering where it all went.
They had almost finished their respective meals as the door of the diner suddenly was thrown open as an angry-looking, burly man stormed into the diner. Marty looked up, went pale, and crouched down in the booth so that he wouldn’t be visible.
“Marty? What is it?” Doc asked, concerned.
“Biff…”
“Who’s Biff?”
“Dad’s boss…”
“HEY!” Biff boomed. He headed to their booth, and scowled as he towered over Marty. “…I knew I saw that little McFly brat through the window! He looks just like his loser of an old man!”
“Stop it!” Doc ordered, as Marty now vaulted over the table to reach Doc and cling to him. “You’re scaring him!”
“Yeah!? And who’re you!?” Biff asked, scowling at him.
“I’m… his uncle,” Doc lied. “And his guardian—as you may know, the rest of the McFlys didn’t survive the attack on Hill Valley—”
He was cut off as Biff slammed his arm down onto the table; Marty cringed, throwing his arms around Doc’s neck.
“If Lorraine hadn’t married that simpering sissy, she’d still be alive today!” Biff roared. “She’d have been with me and survived!”
“…I hardly think who she married would have had that much of an effect on her survival—ack!”
Doc yelped as Biff seized him by the collar of his Hawaiian shirt and hoisted him up to his feet, causing Marty to let go and fall back onto the booth’s bench with a cry.
“What do you know!?” Biff sneered at him.
“Nothing—nothing at all!” Doc stammered. “Whatever you said, that’s probably it!”
“That snake McFly went behind my back and stole my girl right out from under my nose in high school!”
“You don’t say…”
“But if you’re the kid’s uncle, you would know that…!” Biff trailed off. “Wait a second, something ain’t right here… McFly never had any brothers. And Lorraine was the eldest of the Baineses—no way you’re her younger brother…”
“I’m her uncle, actually,” Doc lied. “It’s just easier to say that I’m Marty’s uncle than explain that I’m really his great-uncle… You know, we need to come up with a simpler term for a great-uncle, a portmanteau perhaps—”
“YOU!” Biff roared, his eyes going wide. “You’re that renegade scientist that caused Hill Valley to get blown off the map!”
“…Ah…” Doc squeaked.
“You know how much of a bounty there is on you right now!?” Biff leered at him.
“…How much…?” Doc whimpered.
“…Well, I dunno, really—I lost count of all those zeroes, and the payout keeps going up and up by the day, from multiple offers,” Biff grinned. “But now I’m gonna be set for life! You’re coming with me!”
Marty, who had been cowering in the booth bench, now stood up, clambered onto the table, and proceeded to bite Biff on the arm with his sharp, little teeth.
Biff let out a roar and dropped Doc out of reflex; Doc immediately grabbed Marty and bolted; even as they fled the diner, sirens were filling the air—the proprietor had called for police the moment Biff had started creating a scene.
Biff reached the doorway just as the police were pulling in—Doc was far enough down the street to secure his getaway.
“I’ll find you and that little brat!” Biff yelled after them. “You can run, but you can’t dodge!”
Doc certainly was going to try—even if the saying was mangled. Thankfully, he and Marty made it to the DeLorean.
“We need to get out of here—now,” he sighed, glancing back at the boy, who was shaking like a leaf as Doc placed him in the makeshift booster seat. “Hey… thanks for that, back there. You were very, very brave, and you saved me from him.”
Marty sniffled, but managed a smile.
“I won’t let him get you!” he promised.
And as he drove the DeLorean out of the alley and towards the town line, Doc certainly believed that Marty would do his best.