Time moved differently on either side of the door ; there was no real way of telling how much time would ' ve passed when she returned . No real way , except her link to Fred , and she 'd largely come to tune that link out , to regard as background noise unless she had specific reason to do otherwise . The memories the other woman made got filed away in the depths of her consciousness , set aside before they were even acknowledged , only to be examined again when they might prove useful . She would likely never have given Milliways more than a passing thought .

Question: What leads the character to choose to tune out her link with Fred except when she needs it ?
Answer: She is beginning to suspect that Fred is capable of controlling her through this link , so she keeps a tight watch on itShe believes that Fred and the other woman are colluding to tamper with her mind and she does n't intend to let this happenShe cares deeply for Fred and it is too painful to focus on it on a consistent basisThe idea of Fred still being a part of her is one she finds disgusting , so she tries to ignore it unless it 's of use to her