Episode 7 - Always Tomorrow

It was cleanup time in the TARDIS. Becoming a Time Lord had not helped my habit of allowing assorted books and other things to just lay around after use while my Companions were making up for years of slavery by being as laid back, even lazy, as they could get away with.

So as we worked through the library, I found something that looked a bit out of place. It was an armband of various blues and white in a pattern, one I recognized after a moment. I looked up to where Camilla was stacking books while Janias, being a show off, was using the Force to move around a broom and dust pan. "Korra left one of her armbands," I said.

Camilla looked to me. "Really?"

I held it up to her. She walked up and took it in her hand. "She must have misplaced it when getting into her swimsuit."

"Ah, so that's where she was while Harry and I were doing the hard work in preparing for the meeting with the White Council," I surmised. "Having fun in the swimming pool."

"A lot of fun," Camilla agreed, with a wide grin.

And it occurs to me that there are mental images coming to your heads right now about the situation. Some are going further than others. I would kindly ask you to stop. Not that it'll work, I know you shippers, you will defiantly cling to your vessels even as they sink under the weight of contradiction. I've seen the Zutara shippers, after all. Persistant little buggers.

To get away from my tangent, I sighed. "I'm surprised you three didn't cause most of my books to be soaked." I could already imagine how badly the "splashing" could get between Janias' Force power and Korra's Water-bending.

"Oh, well... it turns out waterbenders can clean up a lot," Camilla offered. "Honestly, Doctor, she needed the relaxation."

"Oh, I'm not criticizing..." I held the armband in my hand and stared at it. It had been quite a while for me since I'd said my goodbyes to the young Avatar. My thoughts went to that conversation. She had taken the outcome of our unplanned soujourn very poorly.

I hadn't been happy myself. A Time Lord brain meant I could recall with perfectly clarity the pained soul of young Dustin, or that blank look on his face before he threw himself into Warden Morgan's blade, convinced he would become a monster if he didn't. There were times I still burned with indignation and pondered going back to the White Council to give them a piece of my mind. Thankfully I was not so stupid as to do that given the sheer power at the Senior Council's command.

But while I had been upset, Korra had been crushed. She had never suffered a setback like that before. I'd given her reassurances that bad days happened and you had to move on but I knew it'd take more than that.

Yes. It would, wouldn't it?

A thought bubbled to the surface of my mind at that point. I stood and let it develop, neglecting my cleanup chores for the moment until the girls noticed I'd stopped and did so as well. "Doctor, I'm not doing this alone," Janias warned with a smirk.

I heard her words but kept thinking, making calculations in my head, pondering what had popped into my head.

"Doctor?" Camilla walked up. "Are you..."

"...okay? Yes," I abruptly said. I took off to the nearest opening, following the path through the TARDIS to the control room. I was at the controls in a moment, pulling and twisting knobs. By the time the girls were standing behind me and watching I'd finished. "Just doing a little research." I pulled the lever and shifted the TARDIS.

I won't bore you with the research. It actually took me a couple of days and five time jumps to get all the materials i needed to understand what happened and to plan. But the idea took form in my head, something wonderful I could do without altering a major point in the timeline.

When I was ready, I had the girls' attention as I shifted the TARDIS once more. Our destination?

Air Acolyte Island.

For Korra and the others, not a lot of time had passed. It was, in fact, the next day. I stepped out of the TARDIS with Janias and Camilla behind me to find Korra practicing Airbending with Tenzin and his children, wearing the orange and yellow of an Air Acolyte instead of her usual Water Tribe outfit. My arrival had clearly interrupted them. I tossed the armband to her. "Sorry, took me a while to find it."

Korra looked at the armband. "So I did leave it in the TARDIS."

"Yes. It took me a while to decide to do some spring cleaning." I smirked. "Remember, time traveler. It's been quite a while for me while for you it's not even been a full day."

"So are we all gonna get box rides this time?!", Ikki inquired with childish enthusiasm.

"I'll leave that up to your parents, Ikki."

"Yes, I would hope so." Tenzin looked only slightly perturbed at my interruption of his training lesson. "You're always welcome on Air Acolyte Island, Doctor. Did you come by just to bring the armband?"

"Well, not entirely. The armband merely reminded me of something." I stepped up to Korra. I knew my eyes were glistening; I was bubbling over to tell her what I was planning. "Korra, do you remember what I told you last night?"

"That we had a bad day," she answered. "And that I couldn't let it get to me."

"Yes. And, to be frank, I've had a few bad ones since." I winked. "Not that I'm here to mention them. Instead, I wanted to ask... do you remember the last thing I said?"

I could see her blue eyes twinkle as she thought back to it, a bit of hope showing through. "That there was always tomorrow."

"Exactly!", I agreed. "There's always tomorrow. Which, for you, was yesterday."

A smile crossed her face. "Yeah."

"My dear Korra..." I rubbed my hands together with anticipation. "It's tomorrow now. Let's go save the Air Nomads!"

Okay, first thing. Yes, yes, I know, fixed point. Allow me my dramatic license, people. My plan was not nearly as sweeping as you may have thought from what I said. Saving the Air Nomads doesn't mean saving all of them, just saving enough to ensure their culture could be preserved in the Republic City era.

For what it's worth, my proclamation won me the immediate attention of even Tenzin, who's response was "What? How?!" while Korra did nothing but stare with a growing smile on her face.

"Well, it'll be a might bit tricky," I conceded. "We can't let the Fire Nation see us, at least not as a group. History must record no survivors, after all. We're bringing them here, to your time. Otherwise we'd be altering a fixed point and, well, that usually involves fun little things like all of history happening at once before time decays."

"Still... I mean, this is great!" Korra grabbed my arms. "What do I need to do?!"

"Get your friends. We're going to need some help for this one," I explained.

Ikki was quick to jump on board. "Yay! Let's save the Air Nomads!"

"This risks unraveling everything that shaped our world," Tenzin pointed out. "How can you risk such a thing?"

"How can I not? How can I leave children to be burned alive or crushed by Sozin's armies when I know I can save them?", I countered. "I'm talking about saving your father's culture, Tenzin. I can't save them all, I won't try. But I can save some, and the timeline won't be affected. Imagine what that would mean for you in the here and now."

I saw his eyes tighten. The weight of being the only adult Airbender of this time, of being the embodiment of all of his father's hopes and dreams, was a great one on his shoulders. "I will go with you and make sure you don't go too far," he finally answered.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence." Looking back I was a bit bitter in that statement and I shouldn't have been. I remember that sense of irritation profoundly; I had just offered Tenzin the restoration of his father's culture, a removal of some of his burden, and he didn't seem the least bit grateful.

Maybe I didn't like the fact that he was reminding me of the tremendous risk we were taking.

It was a risk. A part of my mind weighed that and still wondered if this was smart. But the gains from that risk... this was the kind of thing I was meant to do.

"I'll be back when you gave the others present," I said, stepping back toward the TARDIS. "We're going to need some help for this one."

And I knew just where to get it.

When I brought back the TARDIS the whole of "Team Korra" had assembled in the courtyard of the temple, all dressed and ready for action. I stepped out and was followed by the help I had acquired.

Molly Carpenter stepped up beside me and whistled. She'd re-dyed her hair to blue and red at this point and was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt with the emblem of a heavy metal band I didn't recognize, not to forget her ripped up jeans. "Hey Korra. So this is your place, huh?"

A whistle came from behind me. "I miss the smog." Where Molly went, so did Harry Dresden, given he was her instructor and all. It was a package deal. As you might expect, Mouse was also part of the package.

The unexpected part of that package stepped out next. We had been entering the TARDIS when Michael Carpenter had driven up. I knew enough about how these things worked that I said nothing about bringing Michael with us. He stood with us now, in his full battle armor and with Amoracchius in its scabbard.

Bolin was staring intently at Molly with a look that I figured to be half confusion, half infatuation. "Wow. You look... great. Kinda weird, but great. And... why is your hair...?"

"Thankfully for Tenzin, this world doesn't have hair dye yet," I answered. "Michael, this is Korra, and may I introduce..."

As the introductions finished my other two recruits emerged. "May I introduce Doctor Lucca Ashtear and Mami Tomoe," I said. "Lucca has been studying the technology that will make this plan work. Mami will provide us with an extra option should fighting commence."

Asami's hand went up. "Doctor, Korra said you were talking about saving the Air Nomads. But wouldn't that completely alter our history?"

"Good question," I said. "The answer is that there is a certain flexibility allowed to us by the nature of fixed points. We cannot contradict what the visible result of that point was. So, yes, the Air Temples must burn, and many Airbenders must die. We can't save the entire population. What we can do is save those who were not directly observed. I went over the Fire Nation records. They used siege weapons and magnified Firebending attacks on entire buildings full of people in their purge. Those were deaths not directly observed."

"Which means that we can remove those people from their time and bring them to yours," Lucca finished for me. "It's basic causality exception."

Bolin glanced from Lucca to Molly and back to Lucca. "So what, everyone in other worlds colors their hair or something?"

"I want pink hair!", Ikki shouted. She bounced in front of her father. "Can I have pink hair, Daddy?! Please?!"

Tenzin let out a sigh that spoke of a father's aggravation warring with his affection. The moment was interrupted by Mami bowing respectfully to him. "Master Tenzin," she said quietly.

"Miss Tomoe." He returned the bow.

It was a good moment, establishing Mami's politeness and Tenzin's preference for it.

"Everyone who is coming, please enter the TARDIS. I've set aside a space in the library where we can sit and discuss the plan."

"A library?!" I had apparently grabbed Jinora's full attention with that.

I looked to Tenzin. "I can let them stay in the TARDIS, they'd be fine."

"But we wanna help!", Ikki shouted.

I looked down at her. "You would be, little one. I need someone to watch the TARDIS so the bad guys don't sneak into it."

"Fine," Tenzin said, sighing. I think he knew as well as I did that there would be no end to his kids demanding a TARDIS ride otherwise. And they could take care of themselves fairly well.

I moved up to him and lowered my voice to a whisper. "Camilla will keep an eye on them," I promised. "She's good with kids."

That got me a nod.

I'd taken the precaution of covering the swimming pool; in fact, the ground that covered it held the table on which I had laid out maps I had... borrowed from Fire Nation sources on the battle plans for each Temple attack. "The TARDIS will go to each location and deposit a team to secure our departure point and to begin the evacuation." I pointed to various buildings at each Air Temple. "Each of these structures was demolished in the attack. We'll use them as departure points."

"Do you think we can get in and out without fighting?", Harry asked.

"That's the big question, Harry. The Air Nomads were not fighters and the attacks were very chaotic. Some squads of Firebenders could break through."

"The Western Air Temple was never directly assaulted," Tenzin pointed out. "The Fire Nation bombarded it until all had perished."

"They created a firestorm, yes. Best way to deal with a temple hanging underneath a cliffside in those days before airships. We'll go there first." I looked to Lucca. "How's the fire magic coming?"

"I've gotten some of it back."

"Good. You, Harry, and Mako will take point there. We fight fire with fire."

Lucca understood immediately. "You mean we use our fire to disrupt theirs?"

"Exactly. Breakfires to keep theirs out of the structure until we can get all we can out. Now, with the Northern Temple..."

We laid our plans out meticulously, a clockwise pattern around the globe with the Southern Temple saved for last. "Sozin's forces were heaviest here," Tenzin pointed out. "They broke through the Temple defenses in seconds. Unless we leave before the attack we're going to be fighting."

"Yes. That's why it's last. Molly will go out under her veil again; Korra, Mako, and Janias i will accompany her. The rest of us will keep her escape lane open. Korra." I looked toward her. "Do not use anything but Waterbending. If you show your Avatar powers off it's going to have an adverse effect on history."

"Okay," she answered.

"This is going to be difficult, I know. But we're saving an entire culture here," I said to everyone. "Stay safe. Don't do anything to undermine the timeline. For God's sake don't get lost. Is everyone ready? Any questions as to the plans?"

There were only shaking heads to that inquiry.

"Then we're ready to go."

You know that saying that plans never survive first contact with the enemy?

Sometimes they don't survive first contact with a friend.

We had arrived at the Western Air Temple about an hour before I projected the first attack by Fire Nation forces. An hour would leave us plenty of time for evacuations of dependents and caretakers. Except, as it turned out, the Air Nomads' response was stunned disbelief and utter refusal to go anywhere. One of their number, a thin and wispy-bearded old man named Master Lungtok, was stepping in and around the TARDIS while my fellows and I waited impatiently. "This is a doorway into the Spirit World," he insisted.

"It's a pocket dimension," I retorted. "I use it to travel space and time."

"You would have us enter the Spirit World physically?"

Before I opened my mouth, Jinora suddenly spoke from the side of the TARDIS. "The TARDIS is like the Spirit World," she said, her direction on Lungtok. "But it is not the Spirit World."

I shook my head. "Young lady, it's not..."

"You said its size on the inside can change. It can go anywhere in time and space. It has a spirit living within it. It is like the Spirit World, Doctor," Jinora answered.

I opened my mouth to disagree and stopped myself. Jinora was, after all, very in tune with the Spirits. And she was having an effect on the assembled Airbenders.

A couple of teenage Airbenders landed nearby, huffing and puffing. "Master Lungtok! There's a Fire Nation army coming this way!"

Lungtok looked from the boys to me. I looked up to the sky and tried to see if the Comet was in sight, but there was no sign of it. "We still have time, Master Lungtok," I urged. "Get your children, your caretakers, together, and we can take them to safety."

"By your own words you say we are to be annihilated today," Lungtok said. "What will be the consequence of your change of history?"

"I'm not," I insisted. "I'm working within the confines of history."

"Are you?" Lungtok shook his head. "I will not forbid those who have heard from boarding your craft, but I will not call for evacuation. Now excuse me, I must be ready to meet with the Fire Nation leader."

"Master Lungtok, please, you go to your death," Tenzin pointed out.

He looked over to Tenzin and his eyes tightened. "Perhaps so. But I will go regardless."

And that was all that was said. All we could do was try to persuade. A few did so but many stayed firm in their adherence to Lungtok. As we waited I looked to where Korra was glaring at the cliffside, trembling in frustration and rage. "This is supposed to go better," she insisted. "but it's not going to, is it Doctor?"

"I told you we can't save them all," I said. "But we can save enough. Give them time. Lungtok will think it over."

The next time we saw him, Lungtok was using his hang glider to fly to the opposite cliffside. The angle was not very good to see beyond the edge. We could all see him standing there, motionless and content.

Above us, the sky turned red. "Uh, why's the sky doing that?", Bolin asked nervously.

"Sozin's Comet is here," I replied.

I had a feeling about the next few moments. I put a hand on my sonic disruptor. "Make sure the children are in the TARDIS," I murmured.

He had barely gotten them in when, at the periphery of my hearing, I heard Lungtok's death scream. It faded as his form was consumed by flame so intense it incinerated his remains.

"And so it begins," I murmured.

The scream was heard enough that the pace of parents and children increased. As it did I felt the temple shake and the heat come through the tunnels. The bombardment had begun.

Our three official fire-wielders stepped out onto a balcony. Harry lifted his blasting rod and was the first to fire. It was... a rather larger blast of flame than I think he intended, big enough that it went straight through the Fire Nation attack and struck the cliffside. "Harry!", I shouted.

"That wasn't me!", he retorted.

"The comet must be effecting all fire magic," Janias suggested.

I grumbled. Thankfully, the flame was wide enough that it could have easily been interpreted as an Airbender blowing the flames back in the opposite direction.

And, indeed, many Airbenders were moving into positions to do the same. I swallowed at the sight. These men and women knew they were going to die. They were buying time for others to flee.

A single voice cut through the confusion. "Everyone in, now!", Korra screamed. It was enough to get attention from the uncertain, and she used it. In a series of moves she displayed the other bending styles, the ones I told her not to. "I'm the next Avatar in the cycle. Now get in! I won't leave you behind!"

The display worked, I have to admit. Thankfully it wasn't in sight of the Fire Nation forces.

Our fire breakers kept their work up while I returned to my proper station; the TARDIS controls. From that vantage point I could only make out the children and Camilla guiding our refugees into a room I had set up specifically for them. External sensors showed the exterior heating up.

I swallowed. I knew more could come. But I knew we had to leave now. "Get Lucca, Harry, and Mako back in here," I said to Janias.

"Doctor, there are still some..."

"I know, Janias," I answered. "But we can't do any more."

At that moment a teenage Airbender came in, rushing past Janias and up to me. He was holding a scroll. "Master Lungtok instructed me to give this to you," he said. "If the Fire Nation actually attacked."

I took it. With the Gift of the TARDIS I could read the fine calligraphy; it was a plea to the other Temples to let me evacuate their dependents, asserting that I was telling the truth. I let out a sigh and put the scroll in my inner jacket pocket. "Stay here," I ordered the boy.

The others came in, Mako the last because he was dragging Korra with him. "There's still more!", she protested.

"I know." I swallowed. "But we can't save everyone, Korra. You know that. Besides, you need to save your strength." I shifted a knob and reached for the lever. "We've still got three more Temples."

The next stop was the Northern Air Temple. Lungtok's scroll made it an easier job and the evacuation was well underway when the first Fire Nation fire blasts struck the walls. The adult Airbenders rushed to hold them and fought as best as they could, but pacifist monks versus a disciplined army rarely ended well.

Standing just outside the structure we had the TARDIS in, I witnessed streaks of flame from above. "Clever buggers," I murmured. "They're coming from the air!"

"I'm on it!" Mami leaped into the air, firearms materializing in each arm.

"Woh, she can fly," I heard Molly gasp.

"Back to the evacuation Molly, now," Harry ordered.

Molly nodded and veiled herself and Bolin, the very power I'd recruited her for. With the walls about to be breached, I needed her available to get refugees to the TARDIS without getting them attacked by the Fire Nation's soldiers.

In the air the Firebenders, no doubt expecting Airbender resistance to their around-the-back attack, were suddenly facing a whirlwind of magical bullets. Mami, with actual guided flight, was perfectly fit for dealing with Firebenders using the power boost of Sozin's comet to keep themselfs aloft with intense and constant flame. She twisted and turned, one-shot rifles appearing from within her suit at whim. I didn't think too hard about the prone figures falling to their deaths from her attacks; they had come this day to do great evil and I was mourning their victims already.

The sound of a man running in armor brought my attention to Michael Carpenter. He had a wounded boy slung over his back and an Airbender girl in his arms. "I found them near the wall," he explained.

"Get them into the TARDIS, Camilla has the first aid kits handy."

"Of course." Michael's expression was grim. "The wall is almost lost, Doctor. This place cannot be defended any longer unless we attack directly."

"Then we've done all we can." I looked to Janias. "Can you feel Molly's mind? We need her to come back, now, with whomever she has found. It's time to go."

I returned to the TARDIS at that point. I remember feeling upset with myself; I had brought these people into a war that was not theirs and here I was, retreating to the TARDIS as the fighting loomed close. That it was necessary didn't make it feel right.

Tenzin loomed close. "The survivors from the two temples have settled in. The Eastern Air Temple will be more difficult."

"We need to hold at least one bridge on either side open as long as we can," i remarked.

"Historically the Fire Nation took nearly the entire run of the Comet to bring the Temple down," Tenzin pointed out.

"I know. That may give us some extra time, but that's all." I put a hand to my head. "When we're done in the East we'll drop the survivors off and take a breather. We'll need all of our energy for the South."

The Eastern Air Temple was surprisingly easy. Lungtok's scroll again proved vital to getting people to listen to us. Children and mothers went first, caretakers with them, and the other Airbenders - already warned of the Fire Nation's advance by the appearance of their ships in the nearby waters -set up defensive positions.

My allies spread out to do what they could, encouraging the evacuation, but the orders stood: no direct engagements where the Fire Nation could record their presence. I watched the fight from one of the terraces leading to where I'd parked the TARDIS. The only incident of note was a blast of fire blowing loose some of the rock below me. A small rockslide started to come down just to stop in mid-air, held aloft until it was thrown over the side. For a brief moment I saw a veil part; Molly was pressing her lips to Bolin's cheek in a thank you kiss, causing a deep red blush on the young Earthbender's face. That made me chuckle to myself.

When we were done we returned briefly to Air Acolyte Island. I timed our return just long enough for Pema to get things prepared; entire swaths of the island were converted to living space and by her report half of the Acolytes were out in the city buying up extra food. Everyone took a meal. "See?" I looked up from a plate of Pema's fine cooking to look at Harry. "Much better than Burger King."

"What did I tell you about dissing the King?", Harry grumbled. "So, how is this going to work? You're altering how this world's history is supposed to go."

"No, only how it might have. Time travel involves a lot of... quantum... wibbly-wobbly stuff," I answered. "It's why your White Council has the Sixth Law. Playing with time should be left to the professionals."

"You're not exactly a professional," Harry pointed out. "I don't care how much info was crammed into your brain to make you a Time Lord."

I shook my head and sighed.

Harry was, of course, perfectly right. I knew things, but... it was only now coming from experience. You can cram the knowledge to be an engineer into someone's mind, but they won't become a professional engineer because of it. They still have to practice their craft, learn how it operates.

I was still doing that.

The break proved necessary because the Southern Air Temple proved to be a battle.

The Fire Nation did not wait for the Comet.

I'm still not sure how the battle started early. The records didn't mention it. That was the issue with them; the Fire Nation could fudge whatever it wanted. Giving up the pretense of a massively coordinated attack was one such thing that was fudged.

We filed out of the TARDIS to find the Temple already under fire. "And there goes our plan," Bolin complained. "So what next, Mister Smartypants?"

I looked at him with bewilderment. Harry snickered and ignored my brief glare. "We get however many we can. Go and be safe."

"Right!" Molly reached out and veiled Bolin, Mako, and Korra to lead them off. Asami and Lucca took up defensive positions around the TARDIS and Jainas stood watch on the door.

"They didn't mention an early attack in the histories I read," Tenzin said.

"Obviously the Fire Nation didn't want to mention the full history of what happened here," I mentioned. As I thought about it... if the Fire Nation tweaked the history here...

Then we might have some flexibility.

"New rules," I declared. "Get children and caretakers to the TARDIS. If you have to fight... then fight."

There were nods and we went into action, team by team. I pulled my sonic disruptor but remembered my role; staying by the TARDIS to fly it out when the time came. I brought out my viewing glass and used it to peer out at the approaching Fire Nation army. They came up in ordered lines with a mixed frontline of Firebenders, pikemen, and swordsmen that made me think of a 16th Century Spanish tercios formation, if on the loose side. Massive siege engines came up behind the frontlines, trebuchets by the look of them, and I could see more sited on distant bluffs. Lines and hooks covered the mountainsides, powered by steam engines fueled by the effort of firebenders; this was the solution to how Sozin assaulted the mountain-top Temples.

This part was born out by history. Unfortunately, it meant that this entire temple would be subjected to a barrage like none we'd seen, and that wasn't counting the super-powered Firebenders that would be putting out enough power to batter walls.

"We have to take out their artillery," I said to myself. But how? That was the question.

I saw movement beside me. Lucca had her old helmet on, but with a new telescoping sight. "That's a lot of siege weaponry," she said. "Taking it all out is going to take just as much effort as manning the evacuation."

"Yes," I agreed. "And if we halt the evacuation we have to leave more behind when the Firebenders break the walls down."

"We're going to need help, then." Lucca looked at me. "Crono and Marle will come."

"They won't be enough. I have someone else in mind." I went back to the TARDIS. "Crossing my own timestream this closely will be tricky, so I may not be able to come back to the moment I leave. I'm leaving everything in your hands Lucca. I know that's a bit of a chore given Harry Dresden and all..."

"Hey, I handled Janus, Harry's not nearly that bad," Lucca laughed.

I cracked a smile. "No, I suppose he isn't."

I stepped inside and walked past Camilla. "Doctor?", she asked.

"Have to make a couple of stops," I answered. "One will be a bit dicey." And so I began to work the TARDIS controls.

We arrived at my first destination and I bid everyone to stay in. I stepped out into a familiar low-lit corridor and hit a call button beside a door. "What?", I heard a voice call from within.

"Hello Nerys," I said through the door. "I'd like to ask a..."

The door slid open. Nerys stepped out and gave me a friendly hug, like the kind a girl gives to her doting and silly uncle. "You're looking... tired," she said.

"In a bit of a jam at the moment. Trying to prevent the annihilation of an entire culture by moving survivors into a future time period on their world," I explained quickly. "I... didn't want to do this, Nerys. But I need your help."

Looking at her, I could see she'd just gotten off a duty shift. She was in the white sleeveless undershirt she typically wore beneath her uniform, but she was still in her red uniform pants. No doubt she wanted to rest.

"Tell me what you need," Nerys answered. "I'm ready to go."

"I need a talent of your's that I know you weren't particularly desiring to use again," I replied. "The tools are in the TARDIS."

She nodded and stepped in. I followed.

My next stop involving a lot of shaking. The TARDIS doesn't like time loops.

I stepped out into a converted apartment covered in white with images depicting information on a certain city-crushing monster I'd recently faced. A single pair of blue eyes stared at me and, thankfully, recognized me. "Hello, Homura," I said, hands in front of me. "I normally wouldn't call like this but I have an emergency. I need your powers."

Homura nodded and stood from her sofa. "You're coming to me for help? Even after you made it clear you won't help me destroy Walpurgisnacht?"

"This is about saving lives, Homura. A lot of them. And it ensures an entire culture will survive."

"I have to conserve my energy for Walpurgisnacht," Homura answered. "I can't help."

I have to admit I wasn't too shocked when she replied with abject apathy toward my plight. Homura's focus was entirely on Madoka Kaname. Nothing else mattered. It's why I hadn't gone to her before.

But I needed her now. I needed her time-stop abilities for what I was about to do.

"I know this constant loop grates on you, Homura. You don't show it, but I know how it affects you. You need a victory as much as I need your help. I'm offering one to you," I said.

"I have other matters to deal with, Doctor. I can't help."

I crossed my arms. "Homura. I know that deep down you are a kind and gentle young lady. I need you to be that again, just for a moment. Good people will live or die based on what you do."

She lowered her head.

"You're so desperate to save Madoka. What would she want to do in this situation?"

That earned me a glare. "You would say that? When you're not willing to help me save her?!"

"I'd say that because it's the truth. I know how much you love her and how much you wanted to live up to her example. Well, dammit, this is a chance." My voice grew heated. "This is a chance for you to be the kind of magical girl Madoka would want you to be. A chance to know what it's like to save people again and to know it'll stick. And if you would stop being stubborn you'd know I'm right! But if that's not enough, if Homura Akemi has become so selfish and uncaring that she doesn't want to live up to Madoka's example anymore, then fine. I'll bargain. I can't help you fight Walpurgisnacht, but I'll make sure Madoka is there with you after the end. I can't promise when, but it will happen."

A look came over her face. Homura's fists unclenched. I thought a tear appear in one eye as she thought through the ramifications of what I'd said. "Then... you know I'll win?"

"I told you that before," I answered. "Saving Madoka Kaname is a fixed point in time. It will happen. Now, please, help me."

She stood there quietly for the moment, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I see. Yes, I will help you."

I let out a breath. I wasn't sure this would work, I had already begun considering alternatives in my mind, but to hear her say that and live up to my best expectations of her... that was a relief. "We'll get going then."

When we returned to the Southern Air Temple the first groups of Air Nomad children were already on hand. I handed them off to Jinora - Tenzin's oldest had volunteered to be hen mother for the children - and stepped out with Nerys. Lucca was still looking out at the Fire Nation artillery. She turned back only as we stepped up. "Doctor, I didn't know when you'd be back," she said. "They're getting ready to fire."

I looked up and, from this point, i could see Sozin's Comet as a growing ball of red in the sky. Within minutes it would brush against the atmosphere and generate the extra heat that supercharged all metaphysical fire on this world. "I've got it handled. Nerys, anything?"

"Most of the bombs are already planted," Nerys answered, checking her tricorder.

"Good. Nerys, this is Doctor Lucca Ashtear. Lucca, Major Kira Nerys."

Lucca nodded. She said nothing about the Bajoran nose ridges. Thankfully Nerys had already gone through that with Meelo and Ikki. Granted, Lucca had met Reptites and Mystics so a Bajoran was virtually Human.

"The last bomb is planted," Nerys reported.

My Time Lord senses detected the temporal shift behind me just before she spoke, so I wasn't surprised when Homura cut in with, "Of course."

"Set them off."

From every mountain top explosions flowered, wrecking Sozin's siege machinery. Lucca looked at me with concern. "Are you sure about this?"

"The Fire Nation fudged the history here," I pointed out. "So I took advantage of that."

"I suppose that works." She turned her attention to Homura. "Time stop powers?"

"Yes. Homura Akemi, Doctor Lucca Ashtear."

Lucca looked at Homura and her eyes found the soul gem on the back of Homura's hand. "Doesn't Mami have one of those?"

Homura's eyes widened very slightly. "You brought Mami Tomoe?"

"Ran into her in the time period before your loops," I answered.

"I didn't meet Mami before my loops began," Homura pointed out. "This could change things."

"At most, she recognizes you in each loop but isn't sure of your motives."

"Very well." Homura stepped away. "I will go help the others."

I nodded. She was reaching for her time buckler as she stepped through the nearby door.

I took the time to check the approach of the Firebender army. They had halted for the moment, an understandable decision given the siege engines they had been planning to use were now rubble. This only bought us a little bit of time though. I could see the comet growing larger in the sky. When it arrived, the attack would resume, and they had already damaged the walls with their earlier attacks.

Our time was almost up.

"What is this place?", Nerys asked.

"An alternate world with Humanity, culturally similar to the East Asians of Earth," I explained. "Remember when I mentioned metaphysical differences between worlds? This one is a very soft world. They control the elements, one per nation..."

Before I could continue our overview, I heard footsteps in the hall behind us. "And who might you be?" I turned to face an elderly Air Nomad monk. "You are the one who brought these people to take our children away?"

"For their own safety, yes." I realized I recognized the man. "Master Gyatso I presume?"

"I find Master to be unnecessary. Please, Gyatso." He bowed his head.

"Ah. Very well." I bowed my head in reply. "I'm the Doctor. These are two of my associates, Doctor Lucca Ashtear and Major Kira Nerys."

"So I see. And this..." He looked to the TARDIS and its open door. "It is larger on the inside. A curious thing. And is that a spirit I sense inside of it?"

"The TARDIS is a living being, yes." I felt my mouth dry.

"And you move through time in it? Do not worry about that. I am simply making sense of what I see, and it would explain how you have been to the other Air Temples." Gyatso stepped around the TARDIS before turning his attention to me.

Jinora stepped out of the TARDIS at that point and looked up. "You're Gyatso?", she asked.

"And who are you, young one?", he asked.

"I'm Jinora. I've heard so much about you, Master Gyatso."

"Really? They remember me that much in the future? Me, a humble monk?"

"Oh yes..."

Before Jinora could continue a gaggle of children popped into visibility. Molly leaned up against the TARDIS, perspiring quite a bit. She'd been put through the ringer today, certainly.

The only other one to appear was Korra. I looked at her. "Korra, where are the others?"

"Some Firebenders got into the Temple," she explained. "We beat them but I didn't feel right leaving the other children without someone to protect them."

"And the others?"

A cry of "FORZARE!" echoed from below, as if in reply to my question. I looked down to see Harry standing near a breach in the wall, throwing back a scouting party with his force magic. Mouse was biting another one on, well, the rear end, sending what I presumed to be the officer scrambling. I saw flashes of brief explosions: Mami had found a perch on a building near the wall and was using it to blast away and hold back the Fire Nation troops in that section.

"Who are you, young lady?", Gyatso asked politely.

Korra seemed to notice him for the first time. Her eyes narrowed a little as if, well, she remembered him... which she did and didn't. "I'm Korra. Who are... wait." Recognition dawned on her. "You're Gyatso."

"My, I seem to be well known in the future," he answered quietly.

"No, it's not just..." She looked to me. I gave her a nod. "...I'm the Avatar from my time, Master Gyatso. I'm the Avatar after Aang."

The monk's reserved smile disappeared, replaced by surprise. "You are the one after Aang? Do you know where he is?"

"I..." She looked to me again.

"I believe he should know, Korra," I answered. "We don't have to worry about him changing history with knowledge."

"Ah." Gyatso nodded in understanding. "I suspected as much. I am to die today."

"I'm sorry, Gyatso," Korra replied.

"I am old. My life was to end sometime soon anyway. Please, tell me. What became of Aang?"

Korra smiled sadly. "I think... I shouldn't be the one to tell you." She stepped back and closed her eyes.

Blue light covered her and moved forward, coalescing into, you guessed it, Aang himself, as an adult. Gyatso smiled at the apparition of his student and friend. "Aang."

"Gyatso." There was a slight echo in his voice, giving it an ethereal feel. "It's been a long time, my friend. I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you."

"Oh Aang. We failed you," Gyatso answered. "I have been so worried. But now I see that I shouldn't be. You grew into a fine Airbender and Avatar. I am proud of you."

"Thank you, Gyatso."

"Grandpa Aang." Jinora stepped up beside Gyatso. "There is so much I wish I could have asked you."

Aang looked down at his granddaughter with a gentle smile. "You can always ask, Jinora. I am still here in Korra. I will always be here."

I forced my expression to freeze. I couldn't betray that part of the future.

I found the spirit of Aang looking at me. A smile curved across his face. "You are the Doctor. Thank you for what you've done today. You're giving my people a future like I never could have."

"It was the least I could do, for you and for Korra," I answered.

"It's time for me to go, then." The blue spirit lost form and moved back into Korra's body.

"Somebody has been getting better at their spirituality," I commented warmly. "Now, I think we should... Oh no."

I looked up and saw the red light in the sky spread that light across the sky.

Sozin's Comet had arrived.

"The Great Comet." Gyatso looked up toward it as well. "The Firebenders will be unstoppable. You must flee."

"When our people get back," I answered.

An explosion interrupted us before we could speak further. We all looked to the walls... where the adult Airbenders were reeling as massive fireballs slammed into the structures and blew them to pieces. The buildings were next. Mami barely got off her perch before two fireballs annihilatedit.

In the middle of the retreat a lone figure held the rear. Harry lifted his blasting rod and his baritone boomed across the courtyards. "PYROFUEGO!" The blast of flame that erupted from the rod was massive and spared nothing as it slammed into the Fire Naiton soldiers in front of him. Seeing he was about to be flanked I pulled out the sonic disruptor and fired a long range burst from it. At distance it didn't have a full effect, causing one squad to falter momentarily.

Harry backtracked, a blue disc of energy absorbing a couple of smaller fireballs, but he was in a bad position and was clearly going to be overwhelmed. "Molly, can you give him a veil from this distance?", I asked.

"I can try," she replied, forcing herself over toward the edge. Before she could get there, I saw Homura pop into view beside Harry and grab his hand. They both popped out of view a moment later. "What happened?"

"Homura's got him. Get everyone into the TARDIS, now!"

The Firebenders were well into the Temple now, heading headlong for whatever buildings still stood. Airbenders rushed to hold the line, the most powerful of them whipping up winds I could feel from here to blow back flames or topple attackers. They were answered by flame, fires so hot and intense that I knew most of those struck would be burned alive.

"It is time for me to go," I heard Gyatso say. He returned to the door leading out of the terrace we were located on. Before he could go through another group of Air Nomad children and mothers ran up, guided to us by Mouse. Tenzin and Asami were in the rear. When Tenzin saw Gyatso he froze. "Ah. And you would be another of Aang's students?", Gyatso asked.

"Master Gyatso." Tenzin bowed respectfully. "I am Tenzin, son of Avatar Aang."

Gyatso's smile widened at that as he bowed. "I see. I am happy to see Aang knew the joy of a family. I know you will bring our people back to happiness. Allow me to go and lead the defense."

"I'm sorry, Gyatso," I blurted out. "If I could..."

"It is nothing, Doctor. Those of us who remain will be comforted to know our people will survive." Gyatso bowed to me. "Farewell."

Tenzin watched him go with a forlorn expression. "My father talked about him with such joy, but to actually meet him..."

Mako and Bolin arrived next, leading another group of children and young adults. "I've never seen Firebending this powerful." Mako's voice was full of awe. "I almost took a wall down with a little jab."

"Somewhat the point of their attack, don't you think? Now get into the TARDIS!" I looked to Lucca and Nerys. "You two as well. I'll be standing by the door to make sure everyone gets in.

"I'll be there too," Korra insisted.

At that point we came under attack, a squad of Firebenders using their flames as jets to leap to the top of the building. An advance party, undoubtedly drawn by the sound of our voices. I brought the sonic disruptor up and sent a blast that threw one right off the building. A high-pitched whine came from beside me, creating a light yellow phaser beam that struck another Firebender and sent him down. A blast of energy from a familiar gun came from the other side; Nerys and Lucca were still beside me.

This left two, but they didn't count on Korra. She opened her bottle of water and in a single motion sent a whip of crystal blue water lashing out, smacking one soldier and then the other and knocking them both away from the building.

More came up from the ground, attracted by the sight of their comrades going down. But a single figure jumped up amongst them; Mami spun in mid-air, firing guns as she came up, and landed at the edge. With a move of her hand a half dozen one-shot rifles appeared. Their hammers let out sharp cracks and yellow blasts erupted amongst the remaining air attackers, sending them all flying.

"Did she really do that?", Nerys asked, bewildered.

"The joy of metaphysically soft worlds where thoughts can shape reality," I answered. "I'm sure that if Dax were here she'd find some suitable term for it. It would probably involve 'quantum'. Everything involves quantum. Now get in the TARDIS."

We had just gotten to the door when we had more trouble; troops rushing up the building in pursuit of the survivors fleeing for the TARDIS. The last thing I needed was fire blasts hitting the TARDIS controls so I slammed the door close behind Lucca and lifted my sonic disruptor. My first burst dropped three troops. Korra moved past me, absorbing a fireblast as she did (and much to my chagrin) before taking the troops down with a flurry of Waterbending strikes.

"Get in the TARDIS, Korra!" I opened the door for her.

"I'll hold here until everyone's back!", she insisted.

"Homura has Harry and Michael wasn't far, you need to..."

A fire blast exploded through the door, throwing Korra to the ground and me back up against the TARDIS. The sonic disruptor flew from my hand and rolled out nearby, just out of reach.

A particularly angry looking Firebender with officer markings stepped in. "Not sure where you ice savages came from," he muttered. "But you'll burn just as easily as the Nomads are." He lifted a fist and created a flame.

Aimed straight at Korra's head.

"Korra!" I scrambled for my sonic screwdriver, hoping I might still do something with it to disrupt the attack... but I was going to be too late.

I had started all of this to make Korra feel better... and now I'd gotten her killed. I saw the flame come down for her and cursed my stupid arrogance and ambition. We should have left before the Comet...

The flame almost got to Korra's forehead when the man's arm came off. I heard the Firebender scream in agony, but my eyes focused on the white fire of the shining blade Amoracchius, in the hands of the ever-reliable Michael Carpenter.

I remember musing on Michael's knack for timing. A good argument for him working for, well, a HIgher Power, even if it was a world that had never heard of his religion.

The maimed Firebender screamed and turned, a fireball forming in his left hand to strike his attacker. Michael stepped by the clumsy attack and drove his blade into the man's chest. The Firebender collapsed against it, fatally wounded. Michael pushed the dead man off the sword and used his fingers to form a Cross in mid-air. Ever the faithful Catholic, that man.

Korra sat up, woozy but cognizant. Michael helped her to her feet. "Thanks," she murmured to him.

"Thank He who sent me," was the answer Michael gave.

"Who, the Doctor?", she asked, genuinely confused.

I allowed myself a slight chuckle. I wasn't quite that arrogant to equate myself to what Michael was talking about.

Michael only sighed as a response, but he was still smiling.

"Okay, we've got to amscray!" Harry ran up the stairs next, looking, well, like you'd expect Harry Dresden to look after a tough fight. Homura took up the rear, hitting a button as she did. I felt the building rumble, undoubtedly from charges meant to block hallways with debris and buy us time.

"I agree!"

And so we all ran into the TARDIS. I went straight for the control and shifted us back to Air Acolyte Island.

With everyone taking a moment to regain their breath, I looked over the chaotic control room and saw an endearing sight. Ikki and Meelo had climbed atop Mouse who, for the moment, didn't seem too perturbed. "Can we keep the lion-dog?", Ikki asked Tenzin.

"He's not your's, Ikki," Tenzin pointed out.

"Aww... where can we find a lion-dog?"

"Foo dog," I corrected.

Mouse barked at me.

"What?" I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You like that?"

"And Daddy thanks I'm silly when I talk to Oogi," Ikki complained.

"He just thinks the things you say to Oogi are silly," Jinora corrected.

Ah, the delightful innocence of children. And that, i suppose, is a happy enough note to end this part of the story on.

When everyone had filed out of the TARDIS to recuperate after the harsh fight, I had one task to do first. The TARDIS rattled once more as I made the precision flight to put it back into Homura's time loop. We were back in her apartment moments after we left. I followed her to the door and stood at it. She turned to face me. "Thank you, Homura," I said. "You helped save an entire civilization today. I hope that victory helps you."

She simply looked at me, her blue eyes icy.

I drew in a breath of resignation. "I apologize," I said. "I should not have said those things to get your involvement. I allowed desperation and arrogance to lead me into playing on your emotions. You have my sincere apologies."

"I don't want your apologies," she answered coldly. "Unless you come to help me, I don't want to see you and your TARDIS ever again."

I sighed. "Very well."

"Good." Her eyes tightened. "If you ever try to manipulate me again, I will kill you."

The look in her eyes told me she meant it. I nodded stiffly. "I understand."

"Good. Now leave." She turned and walked back to her sofa.

I forced myself to swallow and stepped back into the TARDIS, closing the door behind me.

Everyone was busy resting when I returned to Air Acolyte Island. Janias met me at the TARDIS when I rematerialized. She didn't look very happy herself. "You took Homura home?"

"Yes," I replied. "She wasn't interested in a victory celebration."

"Yeah. I could sense that."

The next thing I knew, I was on my rear end. My jaw hurt from where Janias' right fist slammed into it. I looked up to her with surprise and a bit of anger. "I know what you did to her," Janias hissed. "By the Force, how could you do something like that?! If you couldn't convince her nicely you should have just found another way!"

"There wasn't any other way that would work as well," I replied. "I would be risking everyone if I didn't take out those siege engines quickly."

"Then maybe we should have left." Janias' fists remained clenched. "Maybe you should have accepted we'd done all we could then. Doctor... you're starting to scare me a little here. Playing with a fixed point in history just to make Korra feel better? Using Homura's thoughts and feelings against her? Getting Nerys involved when it can cause her problems with the Federation? Why are you acting like this? You've got to reign yourself in or you're just going to grow more arrogant and ambitious. That's a path to the Dark Side, Doctor, and I don't want to see you go that way."

I let her speak without responding. Looking back it was another of those early warnings of where I was heading. At the time, well, I was still smarting. Janias doesn't need a lightsaber, she throws one hell of a punch without one. So her words were registered but... I didn't really take them to heart.

I suppose I didn't want to. I wanted to believe I was better than that, that I wouldn't give in to temptation and could live up to the name of the Doctor. It wasn't like I had another name at that time anyway. This was what I was now. And it was a good thing, wasn't it?

"You're right," I answered by rote. "I already apologized to Homura when I dropped her off."

"What did she say?"

"To go away and never come back unless I'm there to help her save Madoka," I answered. "And if I ever do that again she'll kill me."

"Very restrained of her," Janias answered. "It's a good thing I gave you the punch you needed."

I rubbed my jaw. "Wouldn't a slap have sufficed?"

"No." She extended a hand. "Now go ahead, stand up. Pema has another meal cooking. Some authorities from the local Republic are here too, they have questions."

"Oh joy. Questions."

"Oh, and... we may have created a monster."

"What do you mean...?" I realized what she meant when I heard the music. "Oh no."

A short distance away we found Korra, Mako, Bolin, and Asami all huddled together around an object. An object that, on closer inspection, was an MP3 player of some sort, blaring heavy metal music. "Molly," I grumbled.

"She can't use it anymore," Janias said. "So she gave it to Korra."

"Oi!" I remember thinking I really should have been more careful with what grouped I mixed.

"I should mention that Lucca might have slipped Asami a schematic too."

At that point I could only facepalm. This really had shaped up to be a bad idea, hadn't it?

I won't bore you with details beyond the fact that the United Republic was both elated and irritated with what happened. Arrangements were being made to disperse the Air Nomads to the Eastern Temple first; the Southern and Western would be completely re-populated as time went on.

The following day, after giving up on getting Lucca to not tinker with Future Industries' mecha designs and having Molly's MP3 player "disappear" before Tenzin and I could reclaim it, everyone assembled to board the TARDIS. I stood at the entrance to it. "I'd like to thank you all for helping. You did a wonderful job. I'm honored to know you all as comrades and friends. So... how about we delay your trip home just long enough for some fun? One TARDIS ride to a location where we won't be having fireballs thrown at us."

"Yay! Box ride! Box ride!", Ikki cried out from the assembled.

"Oh, bring Pema too," I insisted. "Bring everyone. Fun for all of the families we have here."

"So where would we go?", Camilla asked.

"Somewhere fun, somewhere... exotic." I snapped my fingers. "I know. Ice-skating. In the open summer air. And a nice and warm summer too."

That got me confused looks. "Uh, even I couldn't keep an ice surface from melting in the summer," Korra pointed out.

"You're nuts," Harry insisted. "The amount of energy that would take is crazy, anyone who could wouldn't bother."

"If I'm wrong, I'll admit that my sonic disruptor is a ripoff of your blasting rod," I said. "And if I'm right, you have to shut up about it."

"Oh please, everyone knows it's a ripoff anyway," Harry guffawed. "But fine. You're on."

"Good! Everyone into the TARDIS!" I smirked. "Next stop, the Kingdom of Arendelle! A lovely little fjord state, you'll all love it..."

So we went off and fun was had by all, traveling around that scenic little Scandinavian city-state and skating in the palace courtyard. Harry lost his bet, of course... and I paid for it karmically by being run over by an out of control reindeer chasing a carrot.

We don't mention the snowball fight Korra started with Arendelle's Queen Elsa. At all. It didn't happen.

(Of course it did, what am I saying? At least the kids loved it.)

Anyway... as endings go, it was happy. I look back at it with fondness even now.

If only all endings to our adventures had been so happy.