Leonard was ready to damn Rip Hunter to the Nine Circles of Hell. And while he was consigning people to the eternal fires, add Martin Stein as well. If Stein hadn't launched the jump ship without giving anyone any kind of warning, Leonard and Mick would have been long gone. Okay, so he couldn't condemn Stein for wanting to save Jax, but he could have at least informed the rest of them of his plans.

He was just a bit confused by the small part of him that had felt a sense of relief when he saw the jump ship launch. Because he knew the relief he felt was as a result of not having to leave her behind.

But the time to contemplate that could wait, as right now it seemed that the Time Masters' guards were on board the ship, the rest of the crew was probably taken and he and Sara had minutes to make themselves disappear.

"We have to find somewhere to hide."

Sara looked around his spartan quarters where they'd been playing cards, the expression on her face full of skepticism. "Where? I don't think we have a lot of options."

Leonard was already moving purposefully toward a spot beside the small desk. "I always have a plan." He knelt down and ran his hand along the deck boards, fingers searching for just...the right…spot. There! One quick movement and a broad section of the deck plating came away. He slid it to the side to reveal a narrow chamber about six feet in length and then glanced up at Sara with a look of triumph.

She raised a brow at him. "I take it that's not standard in all quarters."

"Let's just say I made some modifications when I came on board. In case I acquired some items that I needed to tuck away somewhere secret."

Sara moved closer and peered into the chamber. "It's empty," she said, with just the tiniest hint of surprise in her tone.

"Not for long," Leonard said, as the sound of guards advancing in the corridor begin to grow louder. "Get in."

Sara stepped down into the shallow pit and lay down on her side, trying to flatten herself up against the wall at her back as much as possible. The chamber was even narrower than it looked from above and was not at all deep enough to sit upright. Leonard slipped in beside her and reached up to slide the deck plating back over to cover their hiding spot.

It wasn't dark. The space was well illuminated by some of the ship's circuitry, aglow with a multitude of lights that ran along the metal grating that Leonard lay with his back pushed up against.

There was – just – enough room to accommodate the two of them. Leonard had ended up with one arm bent up under his head, and the other he rested along his body. Sara kept one arm curled up against her chest. Their faces were just inches away from one another.

Their bodies were even closer.

Despite the imminent danger and peril in which they found themselves, Sara couldn't help but be acutely aware of Leonard's body pressed up against hers. The length of the chamber didn't quite accommodate his height, resulting in him having to bend his knees and entwine their legs together.

Sara had accepted that she had growing feelings for Leonard. She sought out his company more and more often. She wanted him watching her back on missions and she wanted to do the same for him. She loved how he seemed to understand her need to better herself and to strive to fight for the light. And she thought she might just play a small part in nurturing the same desire in him.

Among other desires.

He didn't seem unreceptive to her company, either. She had begun to think that maybe, someday soon, they might begin to explore their relationship at a new level. One at which their current physical proximity would definitely by an asset.

The sudden pounding of boots above their heads resonated even louder in their metal enclosure and the abruptness of it startled a small gasp from Sara. She had expected the room above them to be searched but had been caught up enough in her thoughts that the immediacy of it took her by surprise.

Her eyes flew up to meet Leonard's, who silently steadied her with his gaze.

Her heart was pounding hard enough that she thought he might just be able to feel it right where his chest pressed up against hers. It wasn't beating hard from fear – she'd been a lot more frightened and in much worse situations before – but rather as a result of the havoc his nearness was playing on all her senses that were already heightened by the rush of adrenaline.

Maybe he misinterpreted her state of emotion, or maybe he had other motivations, but for whatever reason she was astonished when she suddenly felt his hand curl around hers. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Everything had gone quiet above them, the room likely searched and deemed empty.

Neither of them moved. Their eyes stayed locked on each other. Leonard's gaze was customarily intense, but the way he was looking at her in that moment contained a ferocity she felt was trying to reach into her soul.

His thumb started to trace a gentle pattern back and forth across the skin of her wrist. With this tenuous caress she could no longer hold back the need to touch him as well.

Reaching out with the hand that had been curled against her chest, she laid her fingers softly to his cheek. This time it was Leonard whose emotions were betrayed by his breathing when he let out a rush of air at her touch.

The hand holding hers let go when he wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her in even closer than they had already been.

His head moved toward her and Sara's breath caught in her throat. She parted her lips to welcome his kiss.

Then all the lights went out.

"What happened?" Sara gasped in a whisper.

"I think," Leonard said, "they've found everyone else on the ship so they've shut down the power."

"Including life support?"

"We'd better find out." He was already raising his arms to push at the deck plating overhead. She felt a strange sense of loss when he turned his face away from her hand.

He climbed out of his bolt-hole and she followed quickly behind. They found flashlights, he grabbed his weapon and they went to make sure there was still going to be air circulating to keep them alive.

They had a plan. Only it wasn't as much a plan as it was a suicide mission. But she didn't run from a fight and he didn't leave a man behind and they were going to do their damndest to save the rest of the crew.

Or die trying.

Before they parted ways to each go about their own part of the mission, Leonard stood by the hatch with his arm braced against the door jam.

"Good luck, Sara." His eyes spoke in depths his words did not.

"You too," she said softly. She hesitated for a heartbeat, duty warring with desire before she turned away.

She managed to take four steps before turning back around to quickly close the distance between them.

Grasping his arm, she raised herself up to press her lips to his and he responded immediately, his mouth moving against hers with an equal enthusiasm.

Necessity ended the kiss far too quickly. Sara whirled around and strode away, not entirely trusting her ability to leave him if she so much as met his gaze.

If she was going to die, then at least she'd go with the taste of him still on her lips.

For now, that was something she could live with.