All at once, the tears she'd held back came flooding out. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her as sobs shook her body. Ariana had never been one to share emotions, but in this moment, she couldn't stop. All the feelings she had worked to bury deep and push away were floating to the surface. And the Doctor stayed. He stayed for the snot and the puffy eyes and he held her. And eventually, the downpour subsided.
Ariana looked intently at the Doctor. This stranger. "I'm not sure I'm ready to live. I'm not sure I can so easily give up my way out. I want to tell you that I'm okay and suddenly fine now, but I'm not."
"I'm not asking for you to be cured, Ari. I'm just asking that you consider fighting. I can't make the decision for you. I want so badly for you to live and love and experience wonder and hope and life. But I cannot choose it for you."
The Doctor slid off the wall onto the concrete floor, "Dying here. That is your own decision. As such, living and fighting - that must also be your own decision."
He turned slowly and began walking back toward the police box. He paused, "The world would benefit greatly from your contribution. It's a better place with you in it."
The door opened and a warm light flooded out. As he stepped in, the door shut and the box began whirring and grinding until it just... vanished.
Ari sat quietly on the wall as she pondered everything that happened.
Listen, Ari. It's not worth it. Does an hour of emotion change years of damage. No. You're too broken to be any good. You know it. You're not worth the time and energy it would take. You've made it this far. For once in your life, just do the right thing. Just jump.
"I have made it this far," she whispers.
"I've made it 24 years. I have fought tooth and nail to be where I am. And it sucks. It's terrible and I hate myself and I've never felt more alone in my life. But I've already spent so much time here. I've invested so much time and energy in my life. Why not stay longer? What if the Doctor is right? What if I fight and I get to actually live?"
He was a stranger! A nobody. Who is the Doctor to comment?
"He was someone who cared."
The Doctor had landed the TARDIS at the bottom of the parking garage, just in case. He could see Ariana from there and it was clear that she was seriously considering her options. She sat so still as she stared intently at the darkness in front of her. Occasionally you could see her lips move as though she were having a conversation.
Finally, she halted - she had reached a decision.
The Doctor prepared himself to catch her in the TARDIS if he needed to, he had watched too many die to not save this one. But instead of leaning forward and letting go, Ari's feet disappeared from view as she pulled herself back onto solid ground.
It felt like there should have been fireworks or some celebration to the moment. Maybe the first light of dawn should have peeked over the horizon. But the truth is, in all of its splendor, it was an ordinary moment. That was the beauty.
"I'll be back, Ariana Vargas. I'm sure you'll do great things."