Fish Fingers and Custard Issue 1 A rogue trading ship out of Hesperus fired their weapons desperately into something their scanners told them couldn’t exist, and the Doctor heard their screams as the cold, cleansing white light fell over them. Across the universe, people died and were forgotten in the same breath. Everything they had ever done, everyone they had ever loved simply... skipped a beat, and then continued. As if nothing had ever happened. ‘Doctor?’ He blinked, the sounds of the TARDIS suddenly rushing back in through the cracks in his concentration. He scrubbed a hand through his hair and whirled to face Amy, mouth twisted in irritation. ‘I thought I said-‘ He stopped when he saw the look on her face. ‘Amy...’ he said softly, in the tones of someone trying to prevent a small animal from bolting, ‘don’t let it get to you. It’s just... it’s an illusion, a trick of where we are. Paused light, that’s nothing, that’s just science, science isn’t scary, it’s just... science.’ She didn’t resist as he slipped his arms around her slim shoulders and fixed her widened eyes with his own. He pushed all thought of icy, erasing white light from his head and forced a reassuring smile. ‘It’s fine, Amy. Just don’t look.’ Behind them, the stars continued to go out.
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