Disclaimer: I do not own Sunshine and its characters. They belong to Danny boyle. I do own the plot and any characters that weren't in the movie. I make no profit from the writing of this story, it is for entertainment only.

Surviving For Each Other

Capa had just released the pay load into the sun. They had finally completed what they had set out to do almost three years ago. But of course there was now only four remaining crew members, where as they had started out with eight crew members. Soon there would be none; all of them would be dead, from a lack of oxygen.

There was not enough oxygen for the four crew members to survive the rest of the journey home. Each member had made peace with the fact they were never going to see earth again. And they were never going to see their loved ones either.

Corazon would not see her husband and her daughter and son again. It broke her heart that she would not get to see eight year-old Makoto and Yaten. They had only been five when she had left for the current mission.

And Cassie would never see her parents or her brothers and sisters again, that seriously depressed her and broke her heart. Even though she was not leaving children behind, she still felt the keen loss of not having the chance to actually have any children.

Capa would not see his sister and his nephews or his five year-old twin sons, Jackson and James. Although Capa was not too heart broken over the fact he wouldn't be seeing his ex-wife, Lisa, again. That in his opinion was a blessing in disguise.

Mace also would not see his children again, and like Capa, he wasn't too heart broken over the fact he would never see his ex-wife, Jessica again. It was his seven year-old son and four year-old daughter, Stuart and Callie, that was really tearing him up inside.

Capa and Mace had missed their children immensely during the long mission. Jackson and James had only been two when Capa had left for space. Stuart and Callie had been four and one, when Mace had left.

They were all sat in the kitchen, around the dinner table. It felt so bare, now that the large table that had once sat eight, now only had four occupying it. Each was sitting with a tin mug full of water.

Capa was staring into the depths of his tin mug, as if the clear liquid inside held all the answers to their survival and getting to see their families and children again. If only.

Capa sat staring for a few more moments, thinking of how they didn't have enough oxygen, but certainly weren't lacking water, considering there was enough for eight people, and there was only four of them.

Capa suddenly froze and his eyes widened, before he gasped in disbelief. He felt like smacking himself, why hadn't he thought of it earlier?" slowly his mouth started to turn upwards, until he was grinning like a loon.

Mace looked at the other man in worry, as did the others. They all figured he had finally cracked, not that they could blame him, considering their current situation. It was to be expected.

Capa exclaimed excitedly. "I've got it; I've found the solution to getting us all home safely." Corazon looked at the younger man sympathetically, thinking he truly had cracked. Cassie asked "How Capa, when we don't have barely enough oxygen remaining for two, never mind four?"

Capa beamed and replied "Think, all of you, think of basic chemistry. What do you get from water, when it and the room are constantly at a certain temperature? And what substance aren't we lacking?"

Cassie's eyes widened, and Corazon, eyed him in awe, while Mace opted for disbelief. Cassie let out a slight laugh, and placed a hand over her mouth. She said "Oxygen comes from water, and water is something we've got in massive amounts stored, due to there being enough water for eight, and there is only four of us."

Corazon added "Oh my god, it is so simple, but at the same time pure genius." Mace was smirking at Capa, before letting out a huge sigh and shook his head. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He was incredulous that something so simple and uncomplicated was going to get them all home alive. Water was going to be the cause of him, Capa and Corazon being able to see their children again and watch them grow up.

AN: If someone has already used this idea, then I'm sorry, and it was not intentional. I was thinking how I could write a plausible reason for the four remaining crew members to survive, without stepping into fantasy and supernatural grounds. I suddenly remember my lessons from high school science. I remember something about oxygen and water. I'm going to need to look this up properly.