She looked at Fitz, forcing a smile. 'Looks like my stop.' Not wanting to prolong her departure, she turned and walked towards the doors.
The Doctor was standing by the console, gazing up at the view of Strangnas, his eyes alive with interest.
One last appeal. 'You haven't given me one solid reason why I have to go!'
The Doctor turned to her, shaking his head. 'Kerstin, Kerstin! I'll give you three. One, we have a job to do, there will be great danger. Two, you've been through a lot, and you need time to recover. Three, you're going to live a long, fulfilling life on Earth. I'm sorry but you have to leave. Now!'
He whirled away, began pulling levers, muttering under his breath.
Kerstin swallowed. She was already forgotten.
A hand on her arm. Fitz, propelling her across the floor and up the stone steps. The doors were open and she could see outside the sun-bright cobblestones, a patch of grass, parked cars.
She walked outside and turned to face Fitz, the cathedral-like space of the TARDIS interior framing him.
Was this it? The end of it all? She couldn't imagine going back to her parents in Stockholm, back to Uppsala without Johan. She couldn't bear the dull, aching blandness of reality. 'So, this is goodbye.'
His face was shadowed. He nodded. 'Yeah. 'Fraid so.'
She thought of asking him to come with her, but she knew what the answer would be, so instead she smiled. 'Don't forget me.'
'I won't,' said Fitz. And with a wave of his hand and a smile, the blue door closed and the TARDIS faded away, accompanied by a surging, roaring sound which tugged at her heart.
When it had gone, Kerstin stood there for few minutes. Just in case it came back. Then she turned and walked towards a cafe on the other side of the street. In a few days, she would probably begin to doubt any of this had happened.
She ordered a pot of coffee, sitting down at a corner table.
She remembered the Doctor's words. A long and fulfilling life. How did he know? What did he mean? Right now, she didn't care.
The coffee arrived, and she sipped. It was bitter, sour. She sighed. Better get used to bitter and sour.
Kerstin stared out of the window, at the place where the TARDIS had been, wondering if it had ever been there at all, wondering what the hell she was going to do with the rest of her life.