The Shape of the Hole (short story)

The Shape of the Hole was the first story in the Bernice Summerfield anthology A Life of Surprises. It was written by Paul Cornell.

Plot
Benny leaves Peter, Keith and Rebecca with Jason to look for an old friend and learns of multiple legends about his death on several different planets. She visits Braxiatel in a wine cellar on Old Earth, but he claims that he does not have a brother. After finding empty graves on Earth, Olleril, Artaris, Kyrol and Quiescia, Benny accepts that this is all she will ever find.

Characters

 * Bernice Summerfield
 * Irving Braxiatel
 * Jason Kane
 * Peter Summerfield
 * Keith Branigan Kane-Summerfield
 * Rebecca Kane-Summerfield

Continuity

 * One of the ways Benny thinks the Doctor might appear is being found in a safe. He once did exactly that, though not to her. (AUDIO: Thin Ice)
 * This Benny has remarried Jason and has three children: Peter, (PROSE: The Glass Prison) Keith and Rebecca. (PROSE: Return of the Living Dad et al.)
 * Benny finds the Doctor's grave on Earth, Olleril, (PROSE: Tragedy Day) Artaris, (AUDIO: Excelis Dawns, The Plague Herds of Excelis) Kyrol (COMIC: Children of the Revolution) and Quiescia. (PROSE: Alien Bodies)