When the Clock Strikes Twelve

::19::

   Marty paced the small length of Rosie's hospital room anxiously, waiting for information on her injury. He looked at the girl he loved so much, laying still unconscious in the bed. He shook his head, before sitting next to her and holding her hand. Before he could say anything, the doctor and nurse walked in.

   "This is her," the doctor said to the nurse, who was carrying a clipboard.

   "Sir, unless you are immediate family, we must ask you to leave," the nurse asked him. Marty shook his head, beginning to feel overwhelmed.

   "No, no, no, I can't do that. If she wakes up and I'm not here she's going to panic," he begged, and the doctor and nurse looked at each other.

   "Please leave the room for a few minutes sir. Call her parents," the doctor said. Marty looked back at Rosie, standing up and kissing her forehead.

   "I'll be right back, Princess," he whispered, not wanting to leave. He walked out the door and sat in the waiting room, leaning backwards and staring at the ceiling. He couldn't call her parents. They couldn't know what happened. He closed his eyes, letting a few tears fall. Now, he only had Rosie. Doc was gone. He had a new life now. He assumed he had Einstein, but how much could the dog truly relate to him. Marty McFly didn't know what he would do without Rosie. He set his face in his hand, leaning onto his knees. After ten minutes of anxious thoughts, he stood up, walking back to the room. He walked in to see a wire connecting Rosie to a bag of blood. The doctor looked up.

   "We need a little more time, sir," the doctor said politely. Marty shook his head no.

   "Please let me stay," Marty said quietly. He didn't know if it was the broken voice, the tear stained face, or the determination that convinced the doctor. But nevertheless, he allowed Marty into the room as he cleaned Rosie's ankle. Marty held her hand tightly. He then felt her shaking.

   "I think she's waking up," the nurse said. Marty stood up, setting his hands on her arms and rubbing them up and down. She began to breathe heavily. Then, she woke up.

   "Hey, hey, hey," he said calmly. "Hey babe. It's me."

   "We'll leave you two alone for a moment," the doctor said as the two adults left the room. Marty separated Rosie's hair from her face.

   "What's going on?" Rosie asked trying to look around. Marty helped her sit up.

   "What do you remember?" He asked. Rosie looked at him as her face formed into one of realization.

   "It was all real, right?" She asked. Marty nodded.

   "Hows your ankle?" Marty asked. She looked at her foot.

   "It feels weird," she said, referring to the tingling feeling. When she saw Marty freak out, she corrected herself. "It doesn't really hurt though."

   "Good," Marty said. She looked around the room. "They stitched it up pretty well."

   "Where's Doc?" She asked. Marty looked down, taking her hand in both of his.

   "He's not here, Rosie," he said. She gave him a confused look.

   "What do you mean?" She asked. Marty took a deep breath, before explaining what had happened once she fell unconscious. "And the DeLorean?"

   "Destroyed," Marty said.

   "But-," Rosie began to tear up at the thought of never seeing her friend again. Marty sat next to her in the bed, wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her close.

   "Hey, hey, hey. It's okay. It's all gonna be okay. Doc's with Clara now. That's what he wanted," Marty said.

"God that was a rollercoaster," Rosie said, and Marty let out an almost humorless laugh.

"And no one will ever believe it," he said, causing the two of them to laugh.

   "Do my parents have to come sign me out?" Rosie asked, inspecting the new stitches stitched into her ankle.

   "I think so," Marty said. Rosie sighed.

   "Well then... this was a pretty nasty skateboarding injury," she said, referring to the lie they would have to create. He shook his head with a smile.

   "The worst," he replied. He handed her the phone, and they grabbed a phone book to look for her parent's phone number. Once they found it, she dialed the number.

   "Hello?" Rosie's mother asked. Rosie smiled widely.

   "Hi mom," she said.

   "Rosie? Where are you? Are you still with Marty?" Nancy Louis asked.

"Sorta. I'm kinda in the hospital," Rosie said. Her mother gasped.

"Are you okay?" Nancy asked.

"I'm fine. Skateboarding accident, nothing severe. Can you and dad come sign me out?" Rosie asked.

"We'll be right there," her mother replied. They hung up and Rosie stared at the phone in awe.

"My parents are coming to pick me up," Rosie said excitedly, and Marty laughed.

"Our emotions are everywhere," he said, and the two laughed loudly. Eventually, Robbie and Nancy Louis walked into the room.

   "Rosie, are you okay?" Robbie asked, hugging her. Rosie hugged him tightly with a wide smile on her face. Marty looked between the two, recognizing the features he had come to know in the past. They looked older, but had aged well.

   "I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't worry," she said. Nancy looked at Marty and smiled.

"Hello, Marty," she said, giving him a hug. "Thank you for watching out for our daughter."

   "It's the least I can do," Marty said. The doctor then walked in.

   "Well hello there. Emma, you're free to go," he said to the girl, who mentally cringed at the use of her actual name. Her parents signed her out, writing down her medical information, and they gave Rose a pair of crutches to use.

   "If you guys don't mind, Rosie and I have a few more things to do before I take her home," Marty said nervously. Nancy and Robbie looked at each other before shrugging.

   "Just be home for dinner," Robbie said. Rosie hugged her parents tightly, before the group went their separate ways.

   "I'm so glad you're okay," Marty said, and Rosie smiled at him.

   "Come on. I'm always okay," she replied. He smiled down at her happily.