Scott could count on one hand the times they had all been to space at the same time.

Zero.

Now, thanks to a huge coronal mass ejection they were all here, evacuating Global One and the partially restored Eden before the storm of cosmic rays thrown out from the biggest CME in living history could kill them all.

It *was* going to be a close-run thing. They were to ferry everyone to the space hub transit terminal that had already been relocated to far side of the moon for protection, that was the plan. And it had been going really well. They had gotten everyone off first Global 1 and then Eden, and Alan, Gordon and Virgil were returning to pick up Scott, John and Kayo.

That was when their luck ran out.

The Chaos Crew made sure of that.

Three had just docked when one of Fuse's explosives split Eden into pieces and Three spun away from safety taking all six of them directly into the pathway of the storm.

'Strap in! Crash positions!'

Alan's yell held notes of desperation and fear but they were all too busy trying to find some way of securing themselves to comment on it.

Those still in Three were secure, but the three on Eden had nothing to secure to except each other and the console. Kayo grabbed hold, John wrapped himself around her and Scott around them both.

And then the storm hit.

*Beep. Beep. Beep.*

The soft sound filtered through Scott's brain before he was fully conscious, a quiet lullaby that allowed him to wake up slowly as other sounds began to filter through. The susurration of quiet voices and the whisper of fabric moving. The click of a pen.

He cracked his eyes open and blinked in the sudden light until he could make out forms. There was a hand in his, too slender to be a brother's but just as beloved. He gave it a squeeze and immediately Kayo appeared in his sight, a huge smile of relief on her face.

'Welcome back, Scott! We were beginning to worry. You're the last one to wake up.'

He looked at her and smiled, her grin was infectious.

'Everyone alright?'

'Everyone's fine. Nothing more than bumps and bruises for the most part as far as we can tell.'

'Where are we?'

'We are in the exclusive Mission Control Centre at Tsukuba Space Centre, Japan. It was the only centre that could offer the security we need. We are still being monitored for the effects of the cosmic radiation we were exposed to but so far so good.'

'I don't remember how we got here.'

'When we didn't return to the Hub and the storm was past, Ridley and Conrad organised everyone on the Hub that could fly to come and rescue us and flew us here.'

Scott looked over at the sound of John's voice. It was soothing, and as his brother came over and helped him to sit up, the sight of everyone together loosened a knot Scott hadn't been aware was there.

'Any injuries?'

'No. we've been poked and prodded and tested and so far there's nothing changed. Virgil has been delighted with all the medical chats he's been able to have. And we have been given a clean bill of health.'

'Great! When can we get out of here?'

The room erupted into laughter and Scott's cheeks turned pink.

'Not even awake for ten minutes and already asking to leave. Must be a record, Virgil!'

'Almost, Gordon. Almost.'

Scott opened his arms and his bed was soon full of family. They sat there for a second and drew strength from each other before everyone settled back around him.

'So. When can we get out of here?'

'Couple more days at least, Scott. There's still a couple more tests Grandma, Brains and Professor Moffat want to run, especially since you've only just woken up.'

'Yeah, Sleeping Beauty. You are stuck here with us!'

'Please tell me that at least there is coffee.'

'I can help with that.'

John slid off the bed while the rest chatted and left the room. Or rather, he went into a separate room that was still in the area the family was, and Scott suddenly realised that they were all in a huge ward that had been closed off.

They were in isolation.

Of course they were in isolation. They had been hit by a cosmic ray storm the likes of nothing the earth had seen in living memory. Once more the knots tightened in Scott's chest.

'Are – are we alright?

'So far so good.'

'But there are more tests to run?'

'Scott – we were all exposed to huge quantities of cosmic radiation. We need to be sure.'

'Of course, Virgil. Of course.'

He gratefully accepted the coffee and closed his eye and savoured the aroma.

The rest of the day was spent resting, catching up and having more bloods and tests done. By the time the clocks showed it to be almost midnight only Scott and Kayo were awake.

They had pushed the beds together to form a giant bed with Scott in the centre, and his brothers had flaked out around them. They sat, side by side and heads touching, not saying anything but watching over their family until eventually they drifted off as well.

The next morning started off well. Virgil and John made waffles and pancakes for them all while Gordon made juice and Scott made coffee.

Or rather, Scott attempted to make coffee.

He'd woken up feeling better than he'd felt in years, all his aches and pains gone, his old wounds were nothing. But as he put his hand on the machine to make the coffee, the machine exploded as the water inside it suddenly turned to steam without an escape.

Everyone stood back, mouth open and staring at Scott.

He blinked at the machine. Then turned to his family. Who shocked him by taking a collective step back from him.

It pierced his heart until Kayo stepped forward.

'Flyboy. You're on fire.'

He blinked at the sudden endearment.

'No – Scott. You really are on fire!'

Scott looked down on himself. His whole body was consumed in flames but they weren't burning him. He looked at his family and then down again. He was hovering in the air.

Gordon and Alan whooped.

'H-How do I stop this?

'I could throw a cup of water over you, just like old times, if it helps.'

He rolled his eyes at Gordon's offer before ducking out of habit as his Fish-of-a-brother mimicked doing just that with an empty cup.

Only for real water to hit him and douse the flames.

A very wet Scott looked at Gordon in shock. But where Gordon was stood was only the outline of him in water.

For a moment nothing happened. Nobody moved and nobody spoke.

Then several things happened at once.

Scott became aware that Kayo had turned pink and lowered her eyes…

John began laughing manically and Virgil had a strangled expression.

Alan let out a shrill scream and threw his arms up, one arm across his eyes and one stretched out against Scott.

Scott was suddenly acutely aware that he was naked. NAKED. Wet and Naked.

And then, as Alan's arm extended fully with his palm facing him, Scott found himself pinned against the wall and completely unable to move.

Startled, Alan was all bug-eyed and mouth open in shock, but as Scott watched a thick trickle of blood appeared in one nostril and edged its way down the outside of his philtrum. He fought whatever was holding him against the wall but he couldn't move.

But he could shout. As his brother's eyes rolled up Scott yelled his name and as Alan dropped so did he, all support gone Scott ended up in a heap on the floor.

Virgil, the closest to Alan, skidded forward to catch him, but it wasn't Virgil who caught him. At least – it was and it wasn't. He had gone from *human* Virgil to a…man that looked like he was made from bricks and pebbles of some sort. Where he had fallen to his knees to skid over to catch Alan the floor now had two deep grooves to it. But he did manage to stop Alan hitting the floor.

He wasn't the only one.

John, while not moving his feet, had automatically stretched forward to catch Alan too, but instead of not being able to because he was too far away, John found his arms wrapped around his brother's torso four times. It meant that he was stretched like a rubber band across the kitchen.

Gordon changed back into being Gordon and not some watery version of himself and rushed over to help Scott. In the end Gordon and Scott were sat on the floor on one side of the kitchen while Virgil, John and Alan were sat opposite them.

Scott looked over to Kayo, the only one who appeared not to have moved, but she had disappeared. Frowning – for that was unheard of for their erstwhile sister – Scott called her, worried that she may also be exhibiting some weird…powers. Especially since her clothes were now in a pile on the floor.

'Kayo? Are you alright?'

'I'm fine, Scott. I'm right here and, apart from Alan and possibly John, I seem to be the only one who isn't naked right now.'

'Where's here, because I can't see you.'

'I've not moved! What do you mean you can't see me?'

'I mean, if you're still standing where you were then you're invisible.'

There was a gasp and Kayo suddenly materialised from nothing.

And she was also naked.

She gave a most un-Kayo-like squeal and ran around Scott and Gordon, using them as a shield. Scott blinked as warm skin pressed against him and he cleared his throat nervously. Kayo was right, though.

The only person with full clothes on was Alan. Virgil's clothes were shredded, as were John's top. Scott, Gordon and Kayo were completely naked.

And right on cue the toast set off the fire alarm and the sprinklers came on.