The Doctor entered the console room. It was dark except for the light radiating from the view screen. Pictures flashed by of various people from various times and places. He walked up behind the teenage girl in front of it. "Ace. Are these the TARDIS visual records?"

The girl didn't even look up. "Maybe."

"Supposing they were, how exactly did you get access to them?"

"I just said, 'Show me all visual records of previous TARDIS inhabitants.'"

"And they just magically came up."

"Yeah, it's voice activated or something." Her gaze never left the screen. "Shouldn't you know that?"

He probably should know that. But he hadn't seen the TARDIS manual since Romana dug it out. "Of course I know that. I'm just astonished that you know that."

Ace's eyes flickered as the pictures scrolled on Here it comes, he thought. The Question. He put it off for as long as he could, but it always came 'round again. What happened to these people? What's going to happen to me? "Ace-"

"How'd you get so many good looking people to come with you, Professor?"

Not what he had been expecting.

"Wow-ee, Professor," A young brunette in a sparkly catsuit popped up on the screen. "Why don't you get me one of those?"

"The outfit, or the girl?"

For the first time, she looked up with an expression that he took to mean, "duh."

"Ace-"

She leaned back toward the screen at the image of a young, ginger man. "Would you look at those shorts!"

He propped his weight on his umbrella. "My dear, I hope to high heaven that you and Vislor Turlough never meet. I don't think the universe could handle it."

Next picture. "And that mustache! Usually I don't go for military men, but that-"

"Ace," he said as he leaned over her shoulder, "that's the Brigadier."

Her hands twitched as the thought sunk in. "Excuse me, Professor. I think I have to go wash my brain out with soap."

"That's the funny thing about time travel!" He swung his umbrella over his arm as he started around the room. "We're all young, somewhere out there." He stopped and leaned on the console. "One day, young lady, there will be another young person going through these pictures who will find one of you. And somewhere you'll be old, and somewhere you won't have been born yet."

She had followed him around the console and now stood by his shoulder. "Hey, Professor, you're not getting rid of me that easily!"

"No, Ace, I severely doubt that."

"And when I'm old, you'll bring you're new friend around to visit me, yeah?"

"So you can impart your long earned, military wisdom?"

Her eyebrows converged, "Well, no, but-"

"So you can teach my new assistant how to make homemade explosives?"

"That would be ace!"

He smiled. "So what exactly do you plan on doing when you're 'old'?"

"Well, awesome stuff." The "duh" face again. He couldn't help being struck by how young she really was.

She fidgeted. "But you'll come visit? It's not like you're going to forget me, or anything?"

"Ace, I don't think you'd let me." Not if he wanted an explosives free lifestyle, at least. "And I'm positive," he wrapped his free arm around her shoulder, "that whatever you're doing, you will be spectacular."

Her face broke into a wide grin.

"Now. It's far past time you should be in bed. And far past the time we should be dwelling in the past." He motioned to the view screen with his umbrella, and then turned to point at the door. "Off you go."

"Goodnight, Professor."

"Goodnight." He watched her leave before he turned back to the screen. The picture show continued. Had it really been so many? So many lives, so many lifetimes. Ace would grow old. And she would be spectacular. She had to. He promised himself. What didn't kill her made her stronger. And he wouldn't let her die, not this one, as if he hadn't said that for every single one.

"Voice lock TARDIS visual records."

The screen went black as he strolled out, his umbrella swinging on his arm.