October 24, 2003. The date of the end of an era. She had parked her car a couple of miles from Heathrow to keep out of the mass of onlookers. She looked to the sky for what seemed an eternity and then she saw it. The graceful Concorde making it's final approach. There would be no more Concordes after today. She was saddened by the thought of the plane being grounded, much the way she had grounded herself all those years ago. Regret was a constant in her life now.

The plane drew ever closer to the tarmac. The noise even from this distance was almost deafening. Nose up like a swan with it's head held high. Accepting it's fate with unmatched grace and dignity. If only she could have done so as well.

"Beautiful plane, isn't she?" a voice asked from behind her as the plane touched down drowning out the noise of the cheering onlookers.

She turned to meet the gaze of a tall white haired man in a frilly shirt and velvet smoking jacket. A man she had never expected to see again.

"Yes. She most certainly is," she replied smiling at this man she deeply cared for. A man who had yet to meet her.

"Hello, I'm Smith.Doctor John Smith," he said holding out his hand. "And you are?"

"Just an old air stewardess saying goodbye to an old friend," she replied taking his hand and shaking it firmly. The hands were larger but the coolness of his touch warmed her heart with it's familiarity.

"Ah, did you fly her often?"

"Over one hundred flights. But I haven't flown in years," she said laughing to herself at the double meaning.

"So sad to see them grounding her. She was ahead of her time."

"Well time is relative isn't it Doctor...um..Smith"

"Yes. It is indeed," he replied somewhat intrigued by her answer and by the look on her face.

"Have we met?"

She smiled and returned to her car. Faintly he could make out her reply as she passed him.

"Not yet."

He smiled as she drove away. "Well, I'll be looking forward to it then.