A Christmas Peril

A Disney Duck Fanfic:

Instead of being purely based on one entity, this story takes background from Classic Donald Duck cartoons, Duck Tales, and Darkwing Duck.

Contains Major Spoilers to Double Triangle Trouble and Braced Company

Written By: Stef with an F and Nightw2

Disclaimers: Still don't own many of these characters but have created some of them. Same ones I mentioned in the disclaimers of previous chapters. The ones I don't own were created by Disney.

Chapter 16: Wind Downs

"You are Negaduck's daughter, how?!" Darkwing shouted.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I think you know. Call it a merger of sorts? Though, wise cracks aside. This is not a joke, and I am not laughing."

She paused, and she cackled and gasped for breath, "Sorry, old side effect of having Quacker Jack as my pseudo-uncle. Pseudo family all around for as far as I am concerned. Truth is, I am one, of three. I have two triple brothers: Charles, but he is also known as Griffin; and Beau."

Darkwing glared at Bonnie wide-eyed, "Beau? The one at my house hanging out with my future grand-daughter is Negaduck's son!?"

Bonnie nodded, "But seriously though, you have to watch with your dangling modifiers and sorts. I mean, I know who you are, it's a mystery no one else has, though, maybe they did, but let's get back to focus. The reason I want to you stop Megavolt, is to stop a chain of events that end up getting my arm cut off, but more importantly stop Megavolt from losing it once and for all, which caused him to make this wack-a-doo plan to go back in time to stop a prison explosion that has not yet happen in the first place…"

"Huh? What? Stop right there!" Gizmoduck raised his hand to stop the ever-long, ever confusing run off conversation that was just getting more and more wacky. "This sounds like the plot of Duck Back Into the Future Part 2."

Darkwing would have laughed, if he was not as exasperated, but some way, somehow, he almost got what Gizmoduck was getting at... "Unfortunately, I think I know what you mean. Megavolt wants to go to the past to stop something that happened in the future. Do you also want to stop something that happened in the future in the past as well?"

Bonnie nodded, but before she could continue, she was again interrupted by Gizmoduck.

"Yeah, yeah, remember Doc McBill told Marky Mallard that they had to go into the future to save Marky Jr from hanging out with the gang in order for the family to not go into total ruin. But we later found out that if Marky Senior just told the town bully Talons off in the first place, it would have saved them time and effort?"

Darkwing rolled his eyes, "I get the point, I really do, but let us all make it more clear for our sakes. Bonnie..."

"There has to be an easier solution to all of this that we are overlooking," Gizmoduck clarified.

"There is!" Darkwing agreed, "All these future interlopers, have to make like a chicken and fly the coop or however that line went!"

Bonnie bit her lip trying her best to stay calm. "Beau, all these years you have been telling me he wished he could wind back time. I thought it was impossible all this time. He left the 'coop' years ago, he will not hurt your family. Though, I wish there was a way to change the past, and when I saw you, I wondered, 'How would it be if I was your daughter, instead of Negaduck?'"

Bonnie knew better; that could even happen. She knew she had been wasting everyone's time. This whole yuletide tale felt like it had taken a decade and it made her feel like dying.

"All I know is," Bonnie continued before she could be interrupted again, "If these shadows remain unchanged, there will be so many deaths and unneeded suffering. I am sick of all the blood on my feathers."

Darkwing sighed, "This sounds like a crazy Christmas Carol, a Christmas Peril".

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "This story is drowning in tropes, like some satanic puppet master controlling our actions with typing fingers. I just want this over. Will you help me, Darkwing? This will help you too. It will help Lisa, right?"

Back in the future shadows we return to the ill-fated forgotten future where future Lisa is still fighting for her life.

Dr. Melanie Widgeon, though she has been thinking about changing her name to Dr. McQuack for years, her stepfather Launchpad was more her father than her biological father, took a seat next to her dear friend Lisa's hospital bed.

Taking her hand, Melanie started to whisper, "I finally got Uncle Drake out of the room."

Lisa's seven year-old daughter Molly, after kissing her mother on the cheek, was a big help in getting Drake out of the room, promising her grandfather that everything would be alright. And truth be told, having the power to convince stubborn Darkwing to do anything was a power in itself.

The sound of the monitor was one of the few comforts of the situation that Lisa was still here, but no other hopeful sign has emerged. Lisa still had not awakened from her poison, yet not exactly poison, induced slumber.

The situation was worrisome at the least, but even more so frustrating and perplexing. Lisa was not just a skilled S.H.U.S.H. agent but an intititutive one as well. She studied both criminology and psychology in school, and even was considering going to law school after her son was hatched. Unknown to Darkwing, Lisa was thinking about a career change. She just did not want to leave the two year long job she was working on unfinished. The timing could hardly have been worse.

Being a mother in a crime fighting family was tough. Even though she was not one herself, she knew this on all sides of her incredibly complex family. Her younger sister Skylark even decided to embrace the craziness as a support. Sure, Skylark was not involved in the fights directly, but instead on the sides as technician and sometimes pilot. That did not, however, stop herself from being a target! If something like this could happen to Lisa, who has powers, though, mostly clairvoyant in nature, what harm could come to more innocent children? What about dear Molly?

"Don't cry Aunt Melanie," Melaine heard Molly whisper. "Everything will be normal again. It will almost be like this never even happened."

Melanie turned around, "Molly? Did you sneak back into the room?" she called out into the cold room.

Melanie shook her head. "No," she whispered. "She isn't here." She smiled looking at Lisa. "I'm okay. Your daughter said that you would be okay. Let's not make her a liar."

Back in the Present...where visiting hours are almost over and the several duck families are starting to go home for Christmas Eve night.

"Hey, Gos and I are going back to the Tower. Are you staying a bit to see Ashley?" Huey asked.

Dewey nodded. "Yeah, it's the only way that any of this is going any sense, I'm afraid. Did Beau leave already? This has to be hard on him…"

Gosalyn sighed. "I think so. And then there is the mess with the double Ronnie's. I will check on him. I know Beau and Mage had a heated mess about this time travel mess. And no one to my knowledge heard from Dad.

Louie nodded. "Okay. I am going to head back home. Good night. Keep me updated. All of you. If you need help with anything, let me know. Be careful."

Gosalyn nodded. Hopefully, this future business gets wrapped up before Christmas dinner tomorrow. I am hoping the few of us at the tower is enough. But we will let you know if anything changes."

"I'm sorry about this. I'm sorry that I am not mentally there to help you with the crazy.|

Huey waved Dewey off. "Stop it! You got gobsmacked with not one but three potential children."

"And you potentially have Negaduck as an in-law. Gross!" Gosalyn added. "Don't worry we got this. Now go deal with that crazy soap opera. And we'll focus on the crazy time paradox opera. Go! Go! GO!"

Dewey managed to laugh, "Thank you."

As Louie, Huey, and Gosalyn took their leave, Dewy made his way down the hall when he ran into Tank.

"Tank?" he shouted. "Were you...did you just… how's Ashely?!"

Tank crossed his arm around his chest. "Ah, so ya came back? I was just about to fetch you."

"What?" "Is she okay?"

Tank shook his head. "No, she is not. But I am not the one that can help her. She keeps ranting and raving about seeing her unborn children. She says one looks like me but the other one might even be yours. But hey, I love her, but I know she loves you. What about you?"

"Huh? I mean, I love her too," Dewey answered. He knew it was true, heck he knew it was true over a year ago.

"I am going to let her explain all the crazy things. So, I 'm out. I have to get back home. Just take care of her and those babies, okay? Or I will kick you into next Tuesday. And I ain't kidding around either, got it?"

Dewey nodded, "Yeah, got it."

After his brief conversation with Tank was over, Dewey nearly ran to Ashely's room. It was a hospital and visiting hours were just about over. He should have been more careful. However, he could not help but feel his hands shake. He had so many things to say to Ashley that he did not even know where to start. But Tank told him that she saw both of her children. Sure Beau mentioned that Bonnie visited her earlier. But did she really believe in one sight?

Was it possible that even with all the crazy and woe, that Ashley has been able to make sense of it all? I mean, Uncle Scrooge once told Dewey and his brothers about the time he went to the future. How in that future Webby was married to Doofus. But now Doofus was married to Launchpad's sister, and Webby was dating Louie. If those were true shadows, the future was changed.

That could have been a wacked out dream, but Darkwing was also both in the future and the past. There was that time Gosalyn got lost in the future and Darkwing became Dark Warrior Duck out of his grief. Gosalyn was able to stop that future.

Was there really a way for them to prevent the future this time? And more so, would preventing Ashley's Children's future be enough to stop Megavolt from hurting Lisa? It was hard to say but if he could improve one future, perhaps it could help the rest?

Dewey shook his head. He could only focus on what was under his own power, and he made his way to Ashley's hospital room. He paused for just a second as he considered knocking. He even reached out and let his hand hover at the door knob, just spacing out, doing nothing. But he bit his beak and took a deep breath and decided to open the door without warning.

Inside he saw three people: a doctor or maybe it was a nurse, he couldn't tell at the quick look he cared to look; the second was a police officer, that made sense she was a prisoner after all; and the third of course was Ashley.

"Ashley?" he gasped. She looked tired. Her eyes lacked the spirit it once had. His heart ached and he could feel his lungs deny air.

"Dewey?" Ashley reciprocated a strained gasp.

Dewey exhaled and ran to Ashley's side. "Are you okay? I mean..considering.."

Ashley did her best to manage a small smile, taking Dewey's right hand.

"I'm trying to be okay. Did Tank send you here?"

Dewey shook his head, "Not technically. I was heading here already but I did run into him on the way here." Dewey attempted to smile at himself but stopped himself just in time, "He told me that he would kick me into next Tuesday if I didn't help you."

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "I see. And you needed that motivation?"

Dewey grasped Ashley's left hand. "No, but I...I was just afraid to see you. Twins, eh?"

Ashley nodded, "Apparently so. Would you believe me if I told you I saw them both the last couple days?"

Dewey nodded, "Yeah. I would."

Ashley gasped, "Really? I was sure I lost my mind and almost no one agreed with me, so maybe it was not true."

Dewey kissed Ashley on the forehead, "Stranger than other things I have seen? Besides, there is even more I need to tell you about when you feel better."

Ashley blinked. "There's more? What is it?"

Dewey shook his head, "Not here."

Ashley's grasp on Dewey's hand tighter. "Please...what's going on, is Beau okay, is Bonnie?"

"Beau is fine. We are working on Bonnie." He walked closer, and whispered, "If my hunch is correct, Darkwing is with Bonnie now. I believe you because those two are not the only future people in the present, including another daughter of ours."

Ashley gasped so loud that it caused Dewey to walk away.

"But let's not worry about that now. You need to rest. And I will get my Uncle Scrooge's help to get you a good lawyer. Your sentence was already shortened but I am sure some type of arrangement can be made to commute the rest of your sentence. I mean you are pregnant with my daughter, aren't you not?"

Ashley sighed with relief.

"And also", Dewey added as he took Ashley's hand. "Marry me, and together there will be no way anyone will take away any of our children."

"Beau's probably Tank's," Ashley replied.

"Doesn't matter. Marry me and I will protect all your children, forever."

"Okay," Ashley uttered, just above a whisper, "I will marry you."

Dewey gently ruffled Ashley's feathers. "I love you. Leave the rest to me."

Dewey turned to the two "innocent" bystanders in the room. "Would I possibly be able to have you two swear to not breathe word of the crazy we just spewed?"

Dr. Frances Duck laughed, "Who other than the few of us would even believe this crazy?"

Doberman Pincher nodded. "I already decided to help Ashley months ago. You said that you were going to try to help Ashley. You have my support."

Dewey nodded and then turned away. "The world is strange, isn't it? I don't know why you are helping Ashley, but it does not matter. I'm grateful. I don't have the liberty to tell you both what is really going on. But I can tell you that Ashley will never be alone again."

Doberman Pincher nodded. "One step at a time. Well, if you can stay with her, I think I might take my leave. Is that okay Ashley?"

Ashley nodded. "Thank you."

"I will keep in touch," Doberman Pincher said and then left the room.

Dewey looked up at the doctor. "Am I allowed to stay?"

Dr. Frances Duck smiled. "I will arrange it. It's the least I can do for my nephew."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"It's a long story, and now is not the time and place. Understand?"

Dewey nodded.

"You are Ashley's fiance now, correct? Like I said, I will make the arrangements. We can talk more later."

Using the guise of Speed Prince, Huey was able to get Gosalyn back to the Tower pretty quickly. With Darkwing still out, Gosalyn knew that someone had to keep an eye on those siblings, both future and otherwise. Even if the future persona of her younger brother was actually older than her.

"We're back," Gosalyn, or Quiverwing, as she was now clothed. "Any word on Darkwing?"

Mage shook his head. "He is still gone. Have either of you seen Beau? I know he went to the hospital to see Ashley, but no one has heard from him since."

Speed Prince, the present one, shook his head, "Not in while, maybe an hour ago? I kind of lost time. He told Dewey he was heading back to the tower. You don't think…"

Mage grimaced. "That is what I was afraid of."

"But would it not make sense Mage, come on. Reflect on why you are here? Of course he went to help her," added Quiverwing.

"Why are they here?" asked another voice, a similar but higher pitch voice.

The present Ronnie crossed his arm and glared at his older sister. "What's wrong? Who's she? Tell me! I'm not a baby anymore."

Mage turned away. "Was I always this precocious?" he thought to himself.

At the same time back near Future Megavolt's temporary "present day" hideout…

Darkwing, Gizmoduck and Bonnie (Ashley and Dewey's daughter) were still discussing their debated "Save the Future" discussion. Of course Darkwing did worry about his daughter's future; however, he was also worrying about his livelihood and the fact that he still had to live in the present!"

"The Future is not written in stone!" Darkwing shouted. "All you future interlopers are endangering your own futures. Trust me, I know, I almost ruined my future once using a time machine. Gosalyn almost ruined my future using a time machine. It's an ending loop of destruction! It needs to end."

"Aren't you being a little harsh there, Wingey!" Gizmoduck shouted. "I am sure they have made this plan of theirs with good intentions and didn't know it would turn into this tangled mess! Be kind!"

"Has this gone long enough! Do you really think freeing Megavolt out of jail will prevent this? You are twenty-five years in the future. That doesn't even make sense?! Does that make sense to any of you?"

Bonnie started to open her mouth, and closed it. She wasn't really sure, but she did know that a chain of arrests of various Fearsome Five members did ultimately cause Quackerjack and Megavolt to be involved in a dangerous prison break. But she admits some of the details have become hazy.

"But what else can we do," she whispered.

"I have a better idea," a new voice declared, "We live with our mother Ashley instead."

"What?" Bonnie blinked, looking up at her triplett brother Beau who just, almost magically appeared from behind a bush.. "Beau, what are you talking about? She's our sister."

Beau walked closer and placed the palms of his two hands on Bonnie's shoulders. "No she isn't. Splatter Phoenix isn't our mother and that monster isn't our father. She is our grandmother though."

"And Charlie?" she whispered.

"Probably our uncle. And probably his son, as much as it pains me to believe."

Beau tightened his fist. "Maybe we can save him one day. But now…" he paused as he looked away, for a moment before turning back to meet Bonnie's eyes, "We have to focus on what we can. "The Griffin does have those parents, but we do not. We have the choice to fight for our future!"

Bonnie blinked. Was it possible to hope to dream? Ashley did look pregnant. This was the right time for her to be hatching. Bonnie assumed that was a lost niece or nephew, but what if it was her and Beau. It would explain so much on why Griffin was the favorite, and how she and Beau were treated like the help!

"Plus, our mother agrees that we are her children! She looks like you too. And you also somewhat resemble our father."

Or at least Bonnie does. Beau had admitted to himself he did not quite see the resemblance between him and Dewey but he also never resembled Negaduck either, so that didn't matter. Charlie on the other hand did resemble their "would be step-grandfather". Even though,in many ways, Beau would still love him as a brother. But what about a potentially changed future? Only time would tell.

"She told me,'' Beau continued. "That she will do all she can to keep Negaduck and our grandmother away from us. And with our true father by her side, I know it will be true. He's a member of the Fury by the way."

Bonnie gasped. "Is this a soap opera?"

"That's what I have been saying!" Gizmoduck agreed!

Darkwing growled. "Let's get you all into your correct times."

"Or…" he added in a lighter tone, "A better future. So, Bonnie, was it? You said something about stopping a jailbreak."

Beau waved his hands in the air. "I don't think we have to worry about that anymore. True the future meteor might be an issue in the future if someone deems it necessary to abuse again in the future. But now you all know about it. Bonnie won't get maimed by Negaduck because she won't be living with them. It might all work out in the end."

"But Beau, we are still here, does that mean the future won't change," Bonnie asked.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Gizmoduck once again interrupted, "I don't understand all that is going on, but I know enough about time paradox theories, I mean they are all over the science fiction dramas, and if you two weren't even here that would cause an even stronger paradox reaction. I'm not saying it makes sense but that is how the trope works."

Darkwing sighed, surprised that he would agree with anything that comes out of Gizmoduck's beak. "I didn't remember the time I met my future self that one time either. Time loops are strange, I suppose.."

"Hmph," Gizmoduck allowed a muffled laugh, knowing Darkwing's pride would not admit anything more.

"So, what should we do?" Bonnie asked. "I really don't want to go back to Future Megavolt. He is more unbalanced than usual and he is talking to Quackerjack. I fear all our futures might have been permanently changed."

Darkwing covered his face with his hands to muffle a scream. "That's why I wished you interlopers never came here in the first place. This is my turf and you all muffed it up!"

Bonnie hid behind her brother for protection. They were the same age, her emotional growth has been stunted.

"Shame on you Darkwing! It's Christmas and they are children!" Gizmoduck shouted.

"Back off! You're an interloper too!" Darkwing seethed.

"Whoa!" Gizmoduck shouted and he rolled away, but only a little bit.

Beau didn't have the strength to admit that his sister and himself were actually almost twenty-five years old and instead decided to take the assist when he felt his communicator buzz.

He took it out of his pocket. It was a message from Mage. "Where are you? What's going on? Come back to the tower."

Several messages actually, as he suddenly received a backlog of messages that he just got now. Maybe it had to do with the device being from over twenty years in the future.

"It's Mage. He wants me to meet him back at the base."

Darkwing rolled his eyes. "You mean my base. Fine." He turned to face Gizmoduck, "But not you. I will regrettably leave partoling this future Megavolt nonsense to you while I head back to my hideout. I need to head back. Don't mess it up! I will be back later!"

"Aye! Aye! You can count on me," Gizmoduck replied.

Darkwing was not sure if he truly wanted to leave it to Gizmoduck, but did know that he didn't want to leave those interlopers alone in his Tower much longer even if most of them were somewhat related to him.

As Mage was considering how ambitious he was even in his youth, he felt his hip vibrate.

"Finally," he said. "Looks like Darkwing is heading back now."

"Finally!" present Lisa replied. "I was about to summon them here anyway."

Mage grimaced. "I am glad you didn't because they are bringing a couple people back with them that I don't think you know."

Lisa pouted and crossed her arms. "How do you know about my power?!"

Present Ronnie crossed his arms even tighter and glared at Mage. "Yeah, why do you know!?" He turned to Quiverwing once again. "And who's he?"

Mage smiled, "I can't tell you, it's a secret. You know about secrets, right?"

"Well...yeah," present Ronnie acknowledged, "But…" "Don't you think it's unfair too, Lisa?"

But Lisa wasn't listening to Ronnie, at least not the current one anyway. She was too busy glaring at the older one.

Mage blinked as he pondered the meaning of her glare, but did not say anything.

"Ronnie?" she whispered instead.

The present Ronnie, walked closer to his just barely younger sister, they were not quite a year apart, and reached out for her hand. "What is it?"

Lisa grasped his hand, but did not verbally respond to her older brother. Again, at least not to the current one. "You're both Ronnie. How?"

"Ah," Mage replied. "You got me. You always have been the most intuitive of us."

Lisa stomped her feet. "And the one everyone leaves out. Why isn't there a future version of me here?"

Mage lowered his gaze. "Umm, I don't think I should tell you that Lisa. Okay?"

Lisa stomped her feet again. "You are hiding something from me and I don't like it!"

Mage could not deny that, but it still wasn't something she should know about.

"Huh? You're me?" Present Ronnie shouted. "Are we in Duck to the Future?!"

Goslyn sighed. "Yeah, pretty much. I think we should get back to the house. Unless you want Santa to skip us over… I know I don't want him to… What about you Mage?"

Mage smiled. "No, I don't. What about you Ronnie?"

Ronnie blinked. "Of course not! Let's go Lisa!"

Lisa gave both Ronnies a sideways glance but nevertheless shrugged her shoulders and yawned.

"Tell me tomorrow, okay?" she requested and she agreed to follow Gosalyn back to the house.

Gosalyn eyed Mage, the other Ronnie, "May the future be a good one. Merry Christmas."

Mage nodded, "I hope so. Merry Christmas Gosalyn."

The next day, Donald and Daisy, and baby Natalie came to McDuck Manor for Christmas brunch.

Later in the day more people would be coming over for dinner. Of course little Natalie could not enjoy the roast beast but at the same time she was surrounded by three generations of family.

"So did everyone go back to their own time?" Webby asked Huey. "Louie couldn't tell me all the details."

"I didn't have them," Louie replied. "I came straight home after leaving the hospital last night. So what happened Huey?"

Huey shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know much either. After I brought Gosalyn home, she made sure her brother and sister got in bed before Santa skipped them over. Her words, not mine. I left a few minutes later. When I phoned Gosalyn this morning she told me that when she woke up this morning they were all gone. I don't know if it was timeline hooey or if they decided to leave as quietly as possible."

"And I was at the hospital with Ashley all night, so I know even less," Dewey added.

Donald groaned.

"Can we not talk about her today?" he pleaded.

"You better get used to it because we are engaged!" Dewey countered.

"What!?" Donald shouted.

"Donald, stop! Can we talk about this a different day, I just had a baby and I am tired. Can we please have at least one drama free Christmas!?"

Donald grumbled. "Doggone it kids!"

Scrooge was surprised, and he too will demand answers. But he had to agree with Daisy, it could wait for later. He was also hoping for possible engagement with his special someone. He was not sure if she would agree, her being the independent type. He would of course be satisfied with just a continued companion based relationship. There did not need to be any official labels if she did not wish for them to be.

All he knew was that he was very happy to have so many people he loved under one roof.

It was this love that made him the richest duck in Duckburg. Heck, the richest duck in the world.

Epilogue: Closing Tale-Feathers

With the collective help of Officer Doberman Pincher, Dr. Frances Duck, and various lawyers, Ashley Ruddy, a.k.a Arachnia Ink was able to get a commuted sentence. She was to remain in house arrest or bed rest even until the end of her pregnancy and then she was under probation for three years.

She and Dewey were married and he became the legal father to her twins Beau Muddlefoot Duck and Bonnie Ruddy Duck. Of course Donald and Daisy, Bella, and Scrooge all had their various opinions about Dewey and Ashley marrying so young. Bella had her own experience in a teenaged marriage and knew the trials and tribulations that it often caused. Though, she also understood not all experiences were the same and she had to respect the choices her sons make. Of course she did worry. And she and Donald argued about if they should stop the wedding.

Though Bella knew there was no way, she could stop any of her children from being their own person. Besides, she knew they were in love, and secondly she knew their marriage would be the safest way to protect her grandchildren. In addition to Beau and Bonnie, they also had Shannon several years later. She did not disappear in a time abyss afterall.

Tank Muddlefoot entered into a legal child custody agreement where he surrendered all claims to Beau as his biological father but he would retain visitation rights. He would be referred to as Uncle Tank, though Tank insisted that "Tank was just fine. Ashley and Tank remained friends. Eventually Tank found true love himself, and in the new "twenty-five years later", his son Randy, was no longer a petty thief and instead was a fairly adjusted high school student. Tank did not really get it either. Maybe his Uncle Honker was a bigger influence that he wanted to admit.

Huey and Gosalyn of course, eventually also married, but they waited until after college. He formally proposed shortly after Huey was granted admittance to law school. Even though they technically have been engaged for years. He got his undergraduate in criminology.

The post college wedding didn't make Drake Mallard any less animated during the wedding planning of course. Bella thought that was amusing, but at the same time adorable. She would never tell him to his face of course, nor would she admit she felt that way if asked. Amusing enough, they also had twins, their son, Scrooge, and Regina.

Louie decided with his part-time work as a vigilante of justice it was hard for him to focus enough on his pre-med studies. So he did change his major, and instead switched business so he could eventually join the family business. He does keep up with his first aid training every few years however. Sometime after both Louie and Webby graduated college they married, and later had children of their own, one of them being Brianna. Also he helped his sister Melaine in her pursuit in medicine. Still he does miss it from time to time, but it's nice to have more time with his family.

As the wife of Launchpad McQuack, Bella knew the scary balance she had to follow. Though most of them only did it part-time as they had outside responsibilities, she wished her family were not "Getting Dangerous" at all. However, she knew she could not stop them. She just hoped there was time for her to stop Skylark from joining the craziness. Heck, joining the flying aces might be less dangerous, as long she didn't inherit her father's old case of the crashes. Time would only tell.

Melanie always saw Launchpad as her father, as she never really knew her biological father. Though, on the day while she was in college, he approached her and expressed he wanted a relationship with her. He did not expect her to believe him at first. In fact her mother always told her that she did not want children. That memory was an intense one for Melanie. Gregory told Melanie about his own awkward family past and how he felt wary about having children of his own. Still in his old age he realized how much of a fool he was and wanted a chance to meet his daughter and perhaps have a lasting relationship. Melanie decided to try. She did not completely forgive him, but if her older brothers could forgive their mother, how could she not at least try to make amends with her biological father.

Several years later after Melanie graduated medical school. Melanie thought back to the timeline hooey. She was not that involved with it at the time, but it must have worked. Not only were both Beau and Bonnie happy, it has been twenty-five years and Lisa was fine as well.

She was not so sure about the Fearsome Four's involvement, no one heard them for years. And Negaduck spent more time in the Negaverse once the gateway was open again. But that was a story for another time. Or maybe it should be a story better left untold. Either way, they were happy and that's what really mattered, right?

The End

Author's note (December 20, 2020): Thank you everyone who read this long saga of mine. My story got out of hand at times and I grew up in so many different ways since then. I mostly finished it for my own closure, but if any of you enjoyed it as well, I would love to hear from you. This story obviously referenced several time travel tropes, some better than others. Also some chapters directly referenced specific Ducktales and Darkwing Ducks episodes such as "Duck to the Future", "Paraducks", and "Time and Punishment", and "It's a Wonderful Leaf". I had fun. I am glad I finally finished my poor little story. Merry Christmas to you all, and to all, a good night.

Updated Author's Note (July 30, 2021): I did some more editing of this last installment. (I know earlier chapters also need fixing.) I just realized there are a few other loose ends that I forgot to answer in this installment. Namely the mystery of the other Duck Family where I lay hints since Extended Wings and Braced Company, and even dropped the "Yes, you are my nephew" paraphrased line in this story as well. Maybe I should answer that? I suppose it depends on my own interest at this point. I could squeeze into the unfinished "Pumpkin Crush" or let it stay in the nether. It depends on the muse, evil she is.