The two weeks between General O'Neill's visit and the day of the galaxy crossing had finally arrived... and as Rush had feared they'd not been able to build the hyper-sleep chambers. Rush had worked himself and the science team as hard as he could but it just couldn't be done. There was only forty-six minutes left until Destiny crossed the galaxy edge, they'd run out of time and Nicholas was going to have to put up with Young for four years. Air had already been shut off to all unnecessary areas of the ship and most of the crew had already gone into stasis leaving only Rush, Chloe, Young, TJ, Eli and the Rush children awake; Vulpine stood by Cress' legs. TJ stepped into her pod easily and flashed Young a smile before the door closed sending her to slumber for almost half a decade.

"Chloe, you're next." Said Rush from the terminal.

Rush didn't want to admit it but the idea of being without Chloe horrified him, not being able to hold her or kiss her soft lips, not waking up to the woman he loved laying next to him. Without her or his darling children he'd quickly revert to his grumpy self; especially with only Young for company. When she slipped her arms around his shoulders and leaned in to kiss him Rush committed every second of it to memory, she tasted of the fruit Cress and Eli had brought back and Rush's hands instantly found her hips. Her breasts pressed against his chest and for a moment Nicky didn't think he'd be able to release her, Chloe was his everything.

"I love you, Nicky." She told him when their kiss finally broke.

"I love you too, Sweetheart."

Rush kissed her forehead hoping beyond hope that this wouldn't be the last time he ever saw her, their son and daughter. She broke away from Nicky and turned to Cress and Ezra, quickly they filled her arms.

"We'll be here when you and Daddy wake up." Said Cress and their parents flashed them a look.

"Cress is right, don't worry about us." Ez smiled.

"What are you talking about?" Questioned Colonel Young as he took a step closer and folded his arms over his chest.

Cress and Ezra stood back, side by side looking strong and determined; their stubbornness clearly came from Rush.

"You and Dad-" Began Ezra as he glanced to Colonel Young, his voice accented but not as strongly as his father's. "- have decide to remain awake because there aren't enough chambers. You never asked us though."

Eli shuffled closer. "What are you saying, Ezra?"

"It's very simple, Eli. Myself and Cressida will be the ones remaining awake. No offence but you two are the eldest on board, it's not a good idea for you both to be awake for all that time. We, however, are the youngest and we're fully versed in the ship's systems, we will watch over Destiny and its crew."

"Ezra is right and you all know it." Said Cress in a determined tone. "We might look like a twelve and nine year old but we're not, we have the minds of adults and you know it. Everyone treats us as though we're wise beyond our years when we're working so please don't regard us as children for this. It's the only logical solution, we'll stay awake."

"And it's not fair of us to ask you to give up your chambers for us." Added the boy with heterochromia eyes.

"Cress-"

She cut her Mother off. "It's also not negotiable."

"The hell it is!" Exclaimed Rush, he hated the idea of being awake for all that time so he sure as hell wasn't going to let his children do it.

"Daddy, Uncle Jack will be in constant contact with us and we're the best scientists you've got, it has to be us."

"We're not asking, Dad."

Had Eli not been trying to get the idea of Cress and Ezra being alone on the ship through his head he'd have found the two mini Rushs funny.

Colonel Young hated to admit it but they were right, the time wouldn't affect them as harshly and they were perfectly capable of running Destiny. He also realised they weren't getting much choice.

Young sighed. "They're right."

"No. Ezra, Cress-"

"Mom, we know you're worried but there's no need. Daddy-"

She left the sentence open knowing she needed to say little more, she didn't need words, her eyes said it all. The Chief Scientist ran a large hand though his long greying hair and forced himself to calm down, they were right, he didn't want to admit it but they were.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" He asked his children and they responded in perfect unison.

"Yes."

There was a moment of complete silence, not even breathing could be heard and then finally Rush relented.

"Aye, alright. If something happens you wake me up instantly." It wasn't a question and they could only nod.

"You don't have to do this." Chloe reasoned even though she knew they'd made their mind up which was only confirmed when they both uttered another yes. "Okay."

Chloe pulled them back into another hug, squeezing them almost too tight; she pulled Rush into it as well. She didn't release them again until Young finally prompted them.

"I'll go next then." Young hopped into his chamber and let the doors close.

"Can I go next please? Before I cry." Everyone nodded and quickly put Chloe into her chamber, she looked so peaceful as soon as stasis took her.

"Eli, you're turn." Said Rush.

"Sure."

Cress jumped into his arms and hugged him tight, he was her best friend and she'd miss him just as much as her parents. Eli had become irreplaceable to Cress, and she was fairly certain he felt the same. When she released him a few moments later Eli paused, his eyes ghosting over her and then he suddenly stripped off his blue hoodie and hung it around her shoulders; it was almost ridiculously large on her.

"Here, with life support on minimal it'll be colder than usual."

"Thank you, Eli." She slipped her arms into the hoodie and rolled the sleeves up to free her hands.

The dark-haired genius leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"See you soon guys." He flashed Ezra a smile nodded to Rush before – just like everyone else – stepping into his chamber and letting the doors lower; this time though he knew he could get back out.

"You're the only one left, Dad." Ez told him as he took his father's place in front of the terminal screen.

"Aye, looks that way." He stood there for a moment and just looked at them. "If something happens you wake me up." He told them again then paused for a moment. "When I wake up you're not going to be my children anymore, you'll be my teenagers."

"But we'll still be us."

"Yeah you will, baby girl. In my quarters there's a grate with two of the Lucian Alliance's pistols in it, I took them before Young had them counted so he has no idea they even exist. If you need them they're there."

The siblings nodded and then threw themselves at their father who wrapped his arms around them tightly, his chin rested on Ezra's head.

"We love you, Daddy." Said Cressida into his waistcoat clad chest.

After Gloria's death Rush had resigned himself to never having a family, no children, no new love, not even a dog, but then Cressida had charged into his life and given him everything. She'd brought Chloe and himself together and without her they'd never have found Ez. Rush loved his children and hated the idea of leaving them alone on the ship but he knew they were strong and even more stubborn than he was, if anyone could live and prosper it was them.

"I love you too." He meant that, Nicky had never loved anything or anyone as much as his children.

He squeezed them tight, reluctant to every let go of them. Rush was two seconds from calling the whole thing off and awaking Young back up, he could survive four years with the Colonel... no, he couldn't; they'd kill each other.

"We'll be fine, Daddy." Cress assured him.

"I know you will. And don't start fighting over the command chair again." There was a slight chuckle in his voice but Ez and Cressida knew it was all for his benefit.

"We won't." Cress told him.

"We probably will." Added Ez.

Eventually Cress and Ezra pulled away from their father knowing that if they didn't force him into his chamber he'd never let go of them. Rush stepped into the chamber beside between Chloe and Varro.

"Sleep well, Daddy." Was the last thing Rush heard before the door fell shut and forced him into slumber.

Ezra nor Cress spoke, they just walked silently to the bridge with Vulpine trailing behind them, Cress sat down in the command chair while Ezra took his usual place at the helm and Vulpine curled up on the floor.

"Are you ready for this, little brother?"

"Four years of bonding with my sister, of course I'm ready."

Cress snorted and then Ez put Destiny into FTL travel. It was going to be a long four years.