The Doctor had never felt this alone in all of her incredibly long life. Usually, even in her darkest hours, a visit to Shakespeare or Vastra or any of her friends was just a skip, hop, and a time vortex away. But now, within the confines of the Solitract, the Doctor knew she was completely alone and she had never been more terrified.
As she walked through the endless white expanse before her, the Doctor was surprised to see several arches leading to an area in front of her. She followed the array of arches, mystified as to what could be at the end. She saw, at the end of the arched path, a surprising and confusing sight. Sitting in a wooden chair was one Yasmin Kahn.
Confused, the Doctor exclaimed, "Yaz! What are you doin' here? The portal's closed! You need to get back to our universe before this one implodes with both of us in it!"
"No, Doctor, I am not the one you call Yasmin. You know me as the Solitract. I have taken the form of your friend, as I knew you enjoyed it."
"What?! I don't enjoy Yaz's form," sputtered the Doctor, "Just cos she's beautiful and strong and perfect doesn't mean I enjoy her form!"
The Solitract-Yaz smiled knowingly, "Sure, Doctor. Whatever you say. But now that we're alone, I want you to tell me of your universe. Tell me of its beauty and ugliness, its absurdity and perfect unity. Please Doctor. Tell me all that I've missed out on."
"The universe...it's beautiful. The stars and planets and galaxies all spinning and orbiting each other in unison according to the laws of physics is a wonder. But, the most beautiful thing in it is life. Life is...indescribable. It puts the beauty of all the galaxies and supernovas in the universe to shame, Out of life springs love and hatred and art and feelings and friendship and everything else that's wonderful and gives meaning to my whole universe. And now, I've lost that. My friends...they're all on the other side of that portal and I'll never get to see them again. I'll never get to hear an awful pun from Graham, or listen to one of Ryan's bass boosted songs, or hear my Tardis's engines whir. And-and I'll never get to see the real Yaz again," the Doctor said, her voice quivering. Unable to hold back her sadness any longer, she fall to her knees with a thud and started crying. The Doctor hadn't been joking when she said she couldn't have a universe with no Yaz, and now that that awful idea had become reality and the Doctor didn't know if she could handle it. The Oncoming Storm, felled by the absense of her best friend.
"Doctor, is love truly as beautiful as you say it is?" the Solitract quizes, "For if it is, I know it well now, as I feel it in this moment. I feel love for you and I need you to be happy, I yearn for it more than I yearn to know and be apart of your universe. So tell me, how can I make you happy once again?"
"Send me home. Let me be with my friends again. Please, Solitract. Please."
The Solitract raised its hand and sent the Doctor back to her own world.
The Doctor landed on the hard, stone floor with a thud. She heard screaming ahead of her and the chirping of flesh moths behind her, so she got to her feet wit a grunt and started doing the things she's best at: running. Boots pounding against the ground, the Doctor ran as fast as she could toward her friends and away from the monstrous moths. The cave was so dark, she could hardly see a thing. She was beginning to understand what it was like to be Hanna. But soon she caught up with everyone else and they jumped through the portal, into Hanna and Erik's house, leaving the dangers of the in-between and the Solitract behind.
"So that was neat!" the Doctor exclaimed through a scrunched-up smile. "Never done anything like tha-" She was cut off before she could finish her sentence as she was tackled to the ground in a hug by the real Yasmin Khan.
"Doctor! I thought I'd never see you again!" Yaz cried, tears streaming down her face. "Don't ever do that again!" She smacked the Doctor in the arm to get the point across.
"Don't worry, Yaz! I'm fine! I'm always fine, aren't I?"
"Still, you scared me. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," Yaz barely got the words out through her stuffy nose and whimpering mouth. "I need you,"
The Doctor held Yaz in her arms for several minutes, allowing her a place to rest her head and wipe her tears while she recuperated from the emotional stress she'd been put under. After a while, the Doctor and Yaz stood up and walked over to where Ryan and Graham were standing, looking out at the fjord.
"Hey, Doc," Graham said wistfully, still thinking of Grace, "I'm glad to see you made it out, as I knew you would."
"Thank you, Graham! Someone," the Doctor says, purposefully looking at Yaz, "didn't think I would! That's ten points for having some faith in me! But never mind that now, back to the Tardis we go."
"Wait, Doc. I have a question to ask you. Did the Solitract appear to you as someone you loved?"
She pauses before answering and takes a longing look at Yaz and Ryan as they laugh at a meme he showed her on his phone. "Yes, it did appear to me as someone I love. And I'm not sure how I'm supposed to deal with it, but I suppose I'll have to face it someday, but not now. So come on, Graham, let's get back to the Tardis."