For the following month, they continued their eastward journey on foot at a continuous pace. The temperatures continued to drop every week by a couple of degrees or so, making the weather trend more and more towards winter. And even though the Southern parts of the United States, usually didn't get as cold as the Northern parts, it was still getting quite cold outside. With the colder temperatures being even lower than what they usually were in the region at this time of year.

Over the course of this month, they hadn't ran across another soul or hadn't even seen another person's face. Even though they had covered miles and miles through this time, they managed not to come across even one other person or meet up with one other person. Once again it seemed like they were the only two people for hundreds of miles around. Which was just a reminder of how the entire planet was sparsely populated, with a population so low that at times a person could go weeks or even months without seeing another soul, depending on where they were located. And that any groups of people who lived in the same area in decent numbers were scattered about in different places across the land. The complete opposite of the time before the world 'ended' where densely populated areas were far more easier to find.

However, considering how their last run in with people went back at the Parker Village weeks ago, Damon and Bonnie didn't mind the peaceful solitude of only have each other's company for the time being.

Due to them focusing on conserving the food that they did have, they still had some of the food left over with them from where they had found back at the house they took shelter in weeks ago. They did this by eating only two times per day and sometimes once per day to save up on the food for as long as they could possibly have it. Because of this over the month, they now still had about three and a half cans of bacon left, along with having thirteen packs of ramen noodles left, out of the big economy pack Bonnie had discovered. Which would be enough for them to stretch out for another week or two before they ran out. Thus having to start to search for other sources and options to feed them once more.

Their steady foot traveling had led them through the remainder of Louisiana, then had led them from much of the state of Mississippi. So, currently they were just about forty miles from where the border of Mississippi met up with the border of Alabama. They had made pretty good process in the past month, especially considering how they had made it all on foot. And for the last week, they had done the routine of walking in the daytime, resting at night, then starting walking again the following days at first day break.

Since both of them felt slightly tired from the eight days of travel they had done in a row, they agreed on stopping somewhere to rest for a few days, before they tired themselves out or managed to get themselves too exhausted. As they agreed on taking a break for a few days before they kept up on their traveling, they needed to find some sort of shelter to help shelter them from the chilling November weather. They had hit an area where there was mostly nothing bit rural area and wilderness around.

And they were unable to find an abandoned house or building to stay in due to this. Which lead them having to go with their next option, to do something they often had to do in this world for their survival or to make the living condition as tolerable and manageable as possible. They knew they had to improvise to find a shelter which wasn't a house or building. As neither of them were keen on spending some cold November nights out in the open, if they could avoid doing so.

Their way of improvising was to take a detour off of the two lane, eastbound highway that they had been walking on for a few weeks now, as Damon had discovered on the United States map book he had acquired to help them navigate as they had traveled. And this particular Mississippi two lane highway, had been an alternate route which drivers used back in the old days, as an alternate way to go into the Alabama, other than the major interstate. Which was why they had decided to navigate using the two lane highway, until it took them into Alabama.

So, as this section of road didn't have much shelter options for miles, they decided to take a detour in the woods next to the highway to see if they could find a place to stay under and rest for a few days. Since the road had been made to be traveled on by cars going fifty five miles per hour, as one of the signs faded from time had read, this explained why there weren't many houses or buildings along the way on the road. As it people in cars could get to one destination to another destination containing buildings rather quickly. But, of course the pair of them didn't have the option to travel by car. Which left the possibility that the next group of buildings which could provide them shelter could be miles away from them still.

With a house or building not appearing to be anywhere near them, their detour off into the woods, which was a short distance away from the two lane highway, took them to a spot about a twenty minute walk away from the highway, close enough for them to find their way back to it when they would need to use it to continue on their travels once they had gotten the break they desired.

Successfully, their idea of finding some sort of shelter in the woods worked when they came up on a cave. They walked into the cave to study it, to see if this would be the proper place for them to rest for a few days. The cave was about the average wideness of most caves, the ceilings of the cave was about twelve feet tall, and although it wasn't overly deep, it still went back far enough and extended far enough to provide a cover and a shield from the outside elements.

After taking some minutes to observe the cave and its surroundings, the two of them concurred together on selecting this cave as their sheltering place. It had a roof made by mother nature herself, sure to keep them dry from any precipitation that might end up showing up in the next three or so days. And mother nature's cave had also provided them with walls to help shield them from her cold weather.

Once they had decided to use this cave, the two of them walked far enough inside of it to block and defer most of the cold air which was at the mouth opening of the cave, yet made sure not to walk deep enough in it where they would end up getting lost. Although once again from their viewpoint the cave didn't seem to be one of those overly deep ones, which could extend for hundreds of miles into the earth.

They placed down their bags in the precise area of the cave they had decided to set up their camping site at for the next few days. And although the cave did provide shelter from the weather, it was still chilly enough inside of the cave to need a heat source to keep them warm. Especially because it would get colder once nighttime fell. It was still daylight outside when they had found the cave, however the sun was starting to set over the horizon, which meant that darkness would start to come in about a couple of hours.

To get ahead of the nightfall, they moved quickly to build themselves a fire pit for a fire, inside of the cave where they were staying. Together they walked out of the cave, searching in the forest next to the cave for all of the tools they needed to help them build the fire they would need. First Damon gathered up some large rocks and lunged them inside of the cave. Then the both of them gathered up a bunch of sticks and twigs, along with some kindling from the forest floor.

Moving back into the cave, they toted the sticks,twigs, and kindling back to the area where they had placed down their bags, which was the spot in the cave they would be staying in. Proceeding to get to work on their fire, Damon made a circle with the rocks wide enough for a fire to fit in between and made makeshift fire pit. Bonnie placed the sticks, twigs, and some of the kindling in a large pile in the middle of the pit circle. And place the extra ones she had to the side to add to the fire later to keep it going. Then Damon used a lighter he had found to start the fire.

Within about twenty minutes, the fire in the was simmering, going strong providing them with enough heat to assist in keeping them warm, along with providing them for light to see as they sun had almost disappeared below the horizon at this point.

Once the fire was going, they maneuvered to setting up their camp area. They unpacked a few items and together used the blankets and covers they had carried along with them to make a makeshift bed for them to sleep in. They made it close enough to the fire where the heat of it could still keep them warm, but far enough where the blankets and covers wouldn't be set to blaze by the flames of said fire.

They placed one of the thickest covers they had on the cave floor, to offer some comfort and provide a barrier for themselves from the hard cave floor. Used another thick blanket as a pillow to lay their heads on, as well as for an additional layer to lay on. And with the third cover they laid it over the thick blanket, as this cover would be used as a cover for their bodies once they had fallen asleep. All they could manage to carry with them was the three covers and blankets, due to the other stuff they had to carry on their person and in their bags.

However, she still had her jacket and he still had his coat, which they could use for addition warmth, if the cover wasn't enough alone to keep them warm. Whether they wore it or used it as an addition source to cover their bodies, they still had other things to keep them warm at least.

By the time they had settled down the nighttime had taken over as the sun had been down for over an hour at that point. Due to their conserving food, combined with the fact that they had eaten two times on the day before, on this day today, they hadn't eaten anything all day long. As they decided to eat only one time on today to help them save up on food, before switching back to eating two times on tomorrow.

Due to this both of them were naturally hungry. So, they made their comfortable spots next to each other on the cave floor, then they got out a pan, proceed to fill the pan halfway with some water, they placed in the pan two packs of noodles in the pan of water. And placed the pan over the fire for the noodles to cook. Once the water was boiling and the noodles were cooking, they added the remaining pork meat which they had saved up in that half can of bacon.

And the two of them just sat there, patiently waiting for the noodles and bacon to finish heating up so that they could have their meal for that late evening. It was in the middle of October when the two of them were in Louisiana, as it had taken them a month to make it through the rest of Louisiana, combined with tracking their way through most of the state up Mississippi, up to being close to the border with Alabama. They were currently in the month of November or more specifically it was near the end of November.

As they were actually in the fourth week of November now, a thought came to Damon's mind.

"You know, this is actually a special time of year." Damon spoke breaking the peaceful silence they had going for a while.

"Is it?" Bonnie asked with a half smile on her face.

"It is, or more close to it being a special day." Damon stated.

"What do you mean by special day?" Bonnie pondered.

Damon hinted. "As in Holiday."

Bonnie arched a brow. "Oh?"

He stirred some of the noodles in the pan, along with the bacon. The food wasn't far from being ready for them to eat. "If the calculations in my head are correct about time, today is the fourth Thursday in November."

She nodded. "You would be correct about that, it is indeed the fourth Thursday in November."

"And you know what Holiday came on the fourth Thursday of November, don't you Bon-Bon!"

"Let me guess, Thanksgiving."

"Correct! Today is Thanksgiving or what they used to call Thanksgiving before the world went to shit. I may not have been made aware of all things growing up due to the crappy environment of my childhood, which limited me to learning stuff, outside of what I was drilled into my brain with The New Dawn. Yet, even with the limits on what I was allowed to learn or know about, the one thing I did and do have knowledge about is Thanksgiving."

Bonnie mused him. "Oh yeah, what do you know about Thanksgiving then."

Damon put in. "Well, I do know that it's an American Holiday."

Said Bonnie. "It's a Canadian one as well."

"Really?"

"Really, the Canadians just celebrated in a month earlier than Americans did."

"Interesting to know, even though I'm focused on the American one."

"Okay."

He added like someone who was eager to share information they knew. "I picked it up from an old history book I had found, the first Thanksgiving was in 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians gathered at a place called Plymouth in order to celebrate an Autumn Harvest."

She commented. "Right, I did learn from being homeschooled how that is regarded as America's 'First Thanksgiving'.

Damon put in. "But, then if I recall correctly it didn't actually become an holiday until later."

"November 26, 1863 was when it became an official National Holiday for the States." Bonnie confirmed.

"So, then America has pretty much celebrated it since then." Damon mentioned as he stirred more of the noodles and bacon. The aroma from it made his mouth water, partly because they hadn't eaten anything all day.

"Yet, another one of the things my Dad told me about which happened when he was around, you know before the apocalypse, was the Holidays he had celebrated."

"And just what did your father tell you?"

As some of the water had evaporated out of the pan, Bonnie added the spice packets which had came with the ramen noodles, to the pan for added flavor as she stirred them around. "He said how there was a few people who didn't exactly agree with the whole premise of Thanksgiving, including himself."

He kept his eyes on the food to make sure it didn't burn. "Why is that?"

She told him. "You know the United States was founded on the genocide of Native Americans, as well as the enslavement of Africans and black people."

"Yes, I also read up on how cruelly treated the Natives and black people were in this Nation, read it in the old history book, along with reading up on the first Thanksgiving. Very vicious and heinous how people with certain skin tones were treated just because they weren't white. Actually puts some of the history of America in a shitty view." Damon muttered.

"And that's why some people did not agree with the whole celebration of Thanksgiving, as it was a reminder to some of the brutal treatment of the Natives as the hands of the white colonizers. Native Americans especially had problems with the Holiday and with good reason." Bonnie uttered.

"You do make a point, as did anyone who took issue with an Holiday which celebrates a reminder of how certain groups of people were so brutal and horribly treated." Damon voiced.

She studied the food which was a couple of minutes of way from being complete. "Which is why my Dad was just one of those who just used the Holiday to celebrate their own special meaning to it, more so than what the definition of Thanksgiving was made into an Holiday for."

"Which was?"

"Which was, Thanksgiving was made more into a day where one who gather around with their families at the house of a relative. And sometimes people who hadn't seen their family in a while or who lived in different parts. Would all drive or fly down to the relative's home. Then they would use the special day as an opportunity just to spend time with family and enjoying the company of family. Thanksgiving was a day many selected as a special day for family gatherings, which is why my Dad looked so forward to it."

Since the food was finished cooking, he moved the pan away from the fire, to let it cool some before they started to eat it. "That is a more meaningful way to spend a day like today, than whatever is was supposed to be founded on."

"It is more meaningful to just turn any Holiday into spending time with family it's better that way I think." Bonnie shifted how she was sitting. "Something else they would do on Thanksgiving is watch football."

"Like football on TV during Thanksgiving became a tradition or something." Damon guessed.

"About as traditional as having turkey on Thanksgiving!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Damon grinned. "Food on Thanksgiving, now you're talking my language."

Bonnie chuckled. "I would be talking your language no matter what day I mentioned food."

Damon admitted without hesitation. "True! So you were mentioning turkey."

"Turkey was the main dish on Thanksgiving that most people served back then on this day."

"Yeah, unless they were a vegetarian."

"In that case there were still many other non meat dishes served on Thanksgiving annually which sounds just as delicious as the turkey did."

"Such a mashed potatoes? Stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, fresh baked rolled bread." Damon licked his lips as if he could taste these very food items.

Bonnie joined in on his list as she recalled what her Dad had said his family had often had on Thanksgiving. "...Yams, Mac and Cheese, Collard Greens, CornBread, Potato Salad, and there couldn't be turkey and stuffing without gravy to go along with the turkey."

Damon's mouth watered. "Sounds like gravy would go along with the mashed potatoes as well."

Bonnie's eyes lit up as she really got into this conversation over Thanksgiving food. "Of course mashed potatoes and gravy go perfect together!"

"And that's just the main course we're talking about, there's also the factor of Thanksgiving dessert!"

"There is because there can be no Thanksgiving without this desserts."

"As in pumpkin pie? I heard it was a common sweet back then."

Bonnie nodded as her way of confirming what he had said about pumpkin pie. "There was also sweet potato and apple pie. Along with many other varieties for desserts!"

He rubbed his stomach. "Discussing all of this Thanksgiving food is making my mouth water and making me even more hungry."

She felt her own stomach growl. "Me too, especially because we haven't had anything to eat all day."

Hearing her belly growl made him deliver a short snort of laughter in response.

"Besides the food though, the one thing out of the many things that's still stuck with me from what by Dad said to me and taught me was about the importance of family." Bonnie uttered as she returned to the discussion of her father. "And the one thing he highlighted about the relatives he had, was how he always looked forward to Thanksgiving in spending the whole day with them."

"They were your father's family members, which means they were blood related to you too." Damon pointed out.

"They were, However besides my Dad, I never got to see any of my other family members. You know, Grandparents, cousins, Aunts, Uncles….never have met members of my immediate family or extended family." Bonnie expressed.

He adjusted his legs and how he was sitting as he listened to her.

"From what I heard from him, my Dad just ended up losing contact with them, which eventually lead to him not seeing many of them ever again."

Damon furrowed his brow. "And the reason for him losing contact?"

Bonnie sighed. "For the same reason a lot of people lost contact with their family members. The machine, which malfunctioned, causing massive weather destruction and ruin everywhere, killed a ton of people or either wrecked the infrastructure of what the modern world was back three decades ago.

"Wrecked infrastructure which included the form of widespread communication they had back then. And as I said, many people were killed or went missing during those first months after the machine started all of the destruction. Unfortunately much of my Dad's family wasn't able to escape this unscaved. So, even if he didn't tell me the details of how he lost contact. My best guess if that he lost it with them, because some of them were among the millions who died. And the others just vanished. Or he couldn't reach them because of transportation and communication going down. Either way he lost contact with them one by one, never seeing them again due to the apocalyptic situation going on."

"Sorry, your father lost his family, sorry you never got to see your other family. Completely sucks what happened to all of those people." Stated Damon.

"Yes, it's sad. Naturally my Dad would have grieved the loss of his family. However, what he held onto in order to assist him in surviving, were those memories he had before the world went to shit. Which greatly included those of the them he spent with family. He held onto them, including of the ones of Thanksgivings. And what he held onto he carried over and gave to me." Bonnie reminisced on one of the moments and conversations she had with her dad.

Damon just gave her a look of understanding.

Bonnie pressed on. "What he gave to me was the importance of remembering those good moments, moments which if someone you loved has past away, you take whatever time you had with them and cherish them all of the more. So, he carried what his relatives gave to him with him, in return I'm carrying what he gave to me with me."

Damon complimented her with a soft tone. "You certainly are, making him a damn proud Dad of your life every day."

It always warmed her how support and sympathetic he was whenever they discussed her deceased parent, who she would always miss, yet proudly carry with her.

"Most important lesson about an Holiday like today, is using it to bond, cherish, and spend time with the people in your life you love." Bonnie added warmly.

"Kind of how we're doing at this exact time." He put in equally as warming.

"We're doing that aren't we!" She exclaimed.

"Yep!"

Another thought entered into her always busy brian. "You know what another tradition to Thanksgiving was?"

Damon rubbed at his bearded chin. "What?"

Bonnie implied. "Giving thanks, people would use this day to give thanks to whatever they were thankful for having."

He nodded. "Yes, they did give thanks to what they were grateful for on a day like this."

"And they would do it before they ate their Thanksgiving dinner."

"I have an idea."

She pursed her lips. "Which would be?"

He gestured to the pan he had set to the side to cool. "Why don't we say our Thanks and what we are thankful and grateful for before we eat!"

She half smiled. "That's a lovely idea."

There was about an half of minute silence between them, before he did a single nod in her direction. "How about you go first."

"Well alright, I will." Bonnie studied his appearance. Due to the factor of him not having cut his hair in weeks, his hair had grown from the length it had been when she very first met him. Currently, his hair had grown just past his chiseled jawline. It was disheveled from how he constantly ran his fingers through it, yet it was appealing on him as it was thick, slightly wavy in it's midnight black.

Which made her want to run her own fingers through it at this moment, as she had several times before. As she had done a couple of days ago when he had his head between her legs, devouring her like a pro. She resisted the current urge to run her fingers through his hair at the current moment though. And just took the time to study him, with his now jaw length hair, his beard and those intense icy blue eyes who was studying her as she had studied him.

His current appearance was very appealing to her, then again she figured he would always be physically and handsomely appealing to her no matter what his appearance was.

"Cat got your tongue?" Damon questioned in his amusement after he just noticed her studying him, in the way woman studied a man she was sexually attracted to.

"Uh, No." Bonnie chuckled.

"Hmmmm." This time Damon pursed his lips.

Moving her mind away from how physically appealing she was, she focused it on thinking about what she was thankful for, then started with. "Since we are on the subject, I'll start with me being thankful for my Dad. I still miss him of course and always will. Yet, I'm thankful for him fathering me, because no other man could have been my dad the way he was. Or do for me what he did. Especially not under the current circumstances of how the world turned when my mother gave birth to me."

Damon couldn't help but think of his own mother, the one who had abandoned him in a dumpster for Alaric to find. Although the thought of his mother abandoning him at birth did anger him at times, making him feel resentfulness towards whoever the woman was, currently he didn't actually feel upset at remembering his neglectful parent. This was just something that came to her mind as Bonnie discussed her own parent.

"Anyway, I guarantee for a fact how I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for all of his sacrifices he made for me during my childhood to ensure I lived. He did everything he could do to assist that I got to grow up to still be alive today. And as I mentioned before gave me the best childhood that could be had under the circumstances of this world. So, I'll always be thankful for by Dad." Bonnie finished in a tone of a person who expressed loved for a parent figure.

He shared in her sentiments on being thankful to her Dad, as he himself was grateful to the man for ensuring Bonnie Bonnie got to be in his life.

"I'm also thankful for a time period after my Dad passed away. Don't get me wrong, him passing will always be a painful time in my life, will always trigger loathing inside of me directed towards Alaric and the rest of The New Dawn who executed him in cold blood..

Bonnie went on to explain. "What I mean is, I was still a kid when I had to be without the only person I had ever known. And on the fly, I had to quickly adapt to surviving on my own. I managed to do it at an incredibly young age, where was you said, not a lot of people, even adult people would have been able to survive under the same types of struggle I had to face."

Damon nodded. He had often thought about how incredibly strong she was to live under the suffering conditions she had been forced into at childhood age, while still managing to come out on top. When people much older than she had been perished away.

"Every day since I was ten years old, I had to fight, claw, and climb my way to survive and to live. Yet, I did so. Which is why I'm also thankful for the survival skills I learned. Whether those skills involve finding food or water. Or knowing how to defend myself in combat and weapons skills against all those stupid enough to try and threaten my life. I'm thankful for every single day I have seen alive on this earth, for every single day I will see alive. I know how tough it is, which is why I refuse to take anything for granted. Whatever you and I can find to help us survive, I'm thankful for that as well." Said Bonnie.

"Damn correct about that." Agreed Damon.

"Can you guess what I'm more thankful for?"

"The potential to know what pizza tastes like once we make it to Anex?" Damon joked.

She laughed at his joke. There was a few pictures of pizza that had seen when they were walking through a Mississippi town, which they had came across shortly after crossing into the state from the Louisiana border. The town like most places, was completely abandoned and void of all people. Along with being void of all signs of human life.

The buildings of the town, like it other ghost cities,urban areas,suburbs and towns. As in all of those places, the buildings of the town were ran down, crumbling, deplidated, breaking down, or overgrown with grass, plants, and trees due to the lack of maintenance by humans. Yet, they had come across something which was an sort of Mom and Pop looking Pizza Parlor.

The faded out sighs and pictures showed different varieties of pizzas. Which had lead to her saying how she wondered if they could try pizzas once they made it to Anex. Which he had wondered himself as well. They concurred on giving the pied dish a try if it was available in the settlement they would eventually reach.

"No, silly." Bonnie chuckled getting his joke because of this.

"Oh." Damon arched a brow.

"On this Thanksgiving, I'm the most thankful for you." Bonnie let him know.

"Oh." A delighted Damon wiggled his brows with an added grin.

Bonnie glanced at him. "I realize I have said this more than once, but I'm going to say it to you still. I'm thankful to the day I met you and therefore thankful for every single day we have been together since. Every second I get to spend with you, I'm thankful for. And I'm thankful for you coming into my life because without you I know where I would be, which is back somewhere near the West Coast, most likely alone. Never even going you existed."

A feeling of love for her entered into his heart as she expressed these words to him.

Her voice was quiet yet strong in sincerity mixed with feeling. "So, I'm just thankful the most for you being a part of my life, thankful you love me and most of all, how I love you."

"Wow." Was his response.

"Wow?" She arched her brow.

"You've just got to give me a minute to gather myself from being so moved by those spectacular words coming from your beautiful mouth." Damon explained seriously.

This time it was her turn to wiggle her eyes and grin. "Oh, then take you know gathering yourself."

Damon paused to gather up his feelings and what he wished to say.

Bonnie waited in silence for him to go on.

Clearing his throat, Damon started by saying. "Oh this Thanksgiving day, I'm too am thankful for being alive. Knowing what a struggle it is and how bleak this whole planet is because of what resulted after the world went to shit. I'm thankful because I know a lot of people end up dead, are dead, just glad not to be apart of those dead bodies. So, grateful to not be dead."

Next to him she reflected on how she was also grateful on him not being dead.

"Every second I can feel the air in my lungs, with the beating of my heart is truly a blessing. My life was truly like a hell back from where I came from." Damon spoke of his time at the New Dawn. "Had to go through some difficult times and hardships. So, I'm thankful for being able to escape from the living hell. And find a way out of those difficult times and hardships. Since I've found a way out, my days have gotten better so I'm thankful for those better days."

Staring into the crackling fire, Bonnie kept her ears trained on him, listening to what he was thankful for.

"We both know I have done heinous, awful acts of violence against people who didn't deserve. Which I will never be proud of and will always carry some guilt over. But, I'm glad I feel or felt guilt at least, I'd rather feel guilt about the killings I committed in my brutal past over not feeling guilt or caring about what I'd done." Stated Damon.

"And you feeling remorse and guilt, is exactly what makes you human and so different from the others." She reminded him as she reached over, patting his knee supportively.

"Yes, I feel remorse, will always feel remorse." He pronounced being sincere. "That guilt and remorse is why I had to leave that place. Since then I haven't harmed another innocent person, just as I'll never harm an innocent person or human being who doesn't deserve it again. Which leads me to another thing I'm thankful about. And that's a chance at redemption, to have a second chance."

"If there's one person on the earth who should get a second chance then it's certainly Damon Salvatore." Bonnie pointed out.

"Why, thank you, Bonnie Bennett."

"Very welcome, Damon Salvatore."

Damon looked over at her as he studied her, just as she had studied him earlier. Studying all of her features from her flawlessly smooth caramel skin, to her heart shaped lips and especially her emerald green eyes, that drove him mad to have her and love her at the same time. She was a beauty to behold to him.

"Last yet absolutely, definitely not least. I'm thankful on this Thanksgiving day for my gorgeous girl!"

A delighted Bonnie beamed in reaction to his last announcement.

She could feel herself blushing under his gaze.

"I'm thankful for how fate brought the two of us together. Been thankful since the glorious day on which I met you back in Arizona all of those months ago. I truly didn't know what I was missing in my life until I met you and you came into it. I'm thankful for your presence, for each day I've spent with you being better than the last.

"And I'm most thankful to have a woman such as yourself love me, because that makes me the luckiest man, who feels blessed by the gods to have you by my side of all of this time. I'm thankful for how you let me love you….I'm not one hundred percent sure on whether God is real or not. But, if he is I'm grateful to him for creating the beautiful Bonnie Bennett for which I'm super thankful to have in my life." Damon vocalized with meaning.

"Whew." Bonnie fanned her face, as she could feel herself get teary eyed as this declaration of thankfulness. "What a deeply, impactful, inspiringly romantic exchange we just had upon on words of being thankful for each other!"

He winked. "Yeah, mighty powerful and emotional, the types of moments with each other we cherish with each other, right."

She winked back towards him. "Correct, one hundred percent. Cherish, always!"

He whistled. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to eat."

She felt her stomach rumble again. "So, I'm I!"

He made a gesture. "Then let's prepare to have on our version of Thanksgiving dinner with a loved one."

They proceeded on preparing to eat. Damon had gotten the two bowls they had carried with them to eat their meals in. He transferred the noodles and bacon from the pan into the bowls. Giving both of them an equal portion of the food, so one wouldn't have a bigger portion than the other. The fair portions was enough to fill up both of their bowls to the top, with just enough left in the pan for both of them to have seconds if they wanted it.

As he had done this, Bonnie got out two bottles of water for them to have something to quench their thirst as they ate their meal.

"Here you go." He held out a bowl to her.

"Thanks. Your water." She took the bowl in one hand, holding out one of the bottles of water to him. While she had the other next to her to drink.

"You're welcome and thanks." Damon took the water from her, uncapped it to take a quick gulp. Before placing it to the side to drink with his meal.

Soon the two of them began eating. The food was still very warm, although the pan had been put to the side for a while for the food to cool. They chowed down the noodles with bacon mixture for about a minute.

Then Bonnie spoke. "Hmmm, Even though this isn't quite Turkey with all of the fixings, it's still quite a delicious warm meal."

He slurped up some noodles. "Nothing like warm food after a long day of walking in the cold."

She fully agreed. "Especially when such food includes bacon."

"Mixing in the bacon with these noodles." Damon paused to give a thumbs up. "Makes us culinary a genius!"

"Especially because bacon goes with everything!"

"Not turkey or any of the traditional Thanksgiving foods. Yet, still one hell of a enjoyable, Thanksgiving feast….because bacon!" Damon animated.

"An enjoyable, Thanksgiving feast indeed!" Bonnie exclaimed once she had swallowed down a mouthful of noodles and bacon. "Just another thing to be grateful over."

"You've got that right!" He exclaimed before taking in his bowl full of food.

BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK

Once they had finished devouring their meal, which included both of them having the rest of the seconds that was left in the pan, they wiped down the pan they had cooked in, along with the bowls they had eaten out of. To have them clean enough for the meals they would have on the following day.

Once each of them took a break to relieve their bodily bathroom functions, they got to the task of settling down inside of the shelter the cave provided. To keep up the warmth around their campsite, they added more sticks and twigs to the fire to keep it going.

As a couple of more hours passed by, it was getting later into the night, however since neither of them were tired enough to sleep just yet, they decided to stay up until the urge to sleep over took them. Which meant them just being awake as they took in the peaceful warm setting of their campsite. They just spent this time enjoying each other's presence as a couple.

Bonnie was glad for them being able to rest inside of the cave for the next few days, because both of them needed the rest before they moved on. There was a particular part of her body which needed this resting spot the most, which were her feet. Walking long distances or walking a lot without taking much of a break did tend to take a toll on a person's foot at times.

And this was no different for her, both she and Damon were in excellent shape due to all of the traveling on foot they had experienced. And because of this she had excellent endurance to walk for miles at a time without getting tired, as Damon also had this endurance.

Yet, still due to the eight days in a row of walking for hours and hours, with the two of them over the last eight days, choosing to only take three breaks during these days (A 90 minute break in the afternoon, 60 minute break in the evening, and then stopping once it got an hour passed night time, so they could get some sleep before waking for the next day to get walking again. This was the pattern they had done for the last eight days.)

As they had decided to only take three breaks to help them cover greater grounds. Because of the last eight days of walking, combined with the fact that today her and Damon had been walking since eight 'o'clock this morning, with the expectation of a 90 minute break at the side of the road earlier in the afternoon. Because and due to this factor, it had taken a toll on Bonnie's feet.

It wasn't like her feet were in some sort of unbearable pain or discomfort. However, her feet were currently just a little achy enough to be noticeable, it was tolerable, yet noticeable. So, in order to relieve them some, she had taken off her shoes and socks, as she and Damon had sat next to the fire. She was sure her feet would feel better in a day or two once they received the rest they needed.

Damon, however had a better idea, when she mentioned absentmindedly how her feet were slightly achy, he suggested a foot massage to her. Told her how a foot massage would help her feet feel better much quicker. Then he like a perfect boyfriend offered to be the one to give her said foot massage.

Not being the one to turn down such a generous offer from her man, she quickly accepted his offer of a foot massage. So, he patted his lap, taking the cue she put her feet into his lap.

Beginning the procedure of massaging her feet, he started with her toes. Working them one by one between his fingers, from the big toe all the way to her pinkie toe.

The green eyed woman sighed with contentment as someone would do when they were on the receiving in of a really nice massage.

Concentrated on relieving the aching in his woman's feet, he kept massaging her toes for a few minutes, before moving towards the rest of her feet. Massaging the top of her feet, then maneuvered to the bottom of her feet. Where he massaged her heels, then kneaded the balls of her feet, followed by the arches. He repeated this over and over again until he had a pattern going.

After several minutes of this pattern of his kneading and massaging her feet, Bonnie was once again thankful for him, thankful for his magical long fingers and what they were doing to her feet. The feeling sending a relaxed sensation all across her body.

Glancing over at her as he kneaded and massaged, A smirk came over the blue eyed man's bearded face. As she seemed to look like she was in absolute heaven, he figured he was doing more than a great job at this.

Her eyes became half lidded as she watched him, his hands feeling incredibly good on her feet. Soon she discovered how correct he was in how a massage would help her quicker, as soon she began the slight aches in her feet began to slip away.

He maneuvered his attention to the ankles and achilles part of her feet, focused on massaging and kneading in the same way he had done with other parts of her feet. Whistling along a tune as he did so.

She was indeed in heaven, as he was doing wonders for the muscles where he was massaging and kneading. Which made the muscles in the rest of her body relax. She let out another sigh of contentfulness.

And because she was obviously enjoying his massage so much, he was enjoying giving it to her, especially with the signs of contentment coming out of her mouth every now and then. It really just made him cherish yet another moment he got to spend with her by his side. Plus he thought that her feet were cute, delicate and small.

For about five more minutes he continued doing what he was doing. Switching between focusing the work on her toes, to her entire foot, to her ankles and achilles.

Bonnie kept observing him as he did this, him doing this for her although while it might not have been a huge deal for other people, it was a huge deal for her as it reminded her of all he had done to take care of her needs and wants.

Whatever her needs were, no matter how small or large, he always attempted his best to attend to them. Was always generous in his attention towards her. Tried to provide for her whatever she wanted, as she tried to do for him in return. He went out of his way to keep her pleased, satisfied and happy. Did all he could to take care of her, even while knowing she could take care of herself.

It was his simple ways of showing how much he loved her, like when there was a last bite of food left between them he often would offer it to her, well aware of how sparse food could be overall, and therefore how every bite of food a person took counted. Still he often did so. As he had taken care of her in many different ways.

She loved to take care of him as well and his needs as well. But, still when he did such things as massaging her feet, as he was now doing, she wished she could return the favor to him or at least show him through gestures and meanings of love, how much he meant to her and how much she loved him.

One of the ways she had wished she could show him appreciation was by giving him a gift, a gift which only a person gave to their romantic love interest. She wished to give him something romantically sentimental, like she wished she could have a gift to give to him now. Yet, she didn't take she had anything of the sorts.

Then it dawned on her, as these thoughts, made her suddenly recollect something.

"Uh, Damon?"

"Hmmm."

"I…" She was about to say.

He ran the knuckle of his pointer finger down the center of the arch on her left foot.

This movement from him had her eyes cross, then temporarily left her speechless.

"Were you going to tell me something?" He repeated the process of the knuckle on the arch of her foot, but this time with her right foot.

She was at a lost for words once more. "I…."

He arched both brows in amusement. "You what, Bon Bon?"

Bonnie shook her head to clear herself of the distraction he was causing her. "I believe I have something to give you?"

"Really?"

"Really."

"And just what do you believe you have to give to me?"

"Something I didn't remember I had until I just now thought about how I wanted to give something to you."

Curiosity entered into his features. He was really interested in what she was referring to.

She moved her feet out of his hands, then swung her feet off of his lap. "Let me see if I can find it."

"Wondering what it is you have to find." Now his tone was curious.

"You'll see." Bonnie simply said.

Then she scooted over to her backpack which was within close reach of her. She opened the main compartment of her bag. Looked inside of it where it was filled with a variety of important survival items designed to assist both her and Damon on their travels. Because it was nearly packed, she couldn't automatically see the special item she wanted to give to Damon.

This caused her to have to take some of the stuff out of the bag, to lay them to the side to make the search easier. She of course would place all of the items back into the bag once they packed up the campsite in a few days down the road to start traveling again.

"Bonnie, you need some help finding something there?"

"No, I've get it just give me a minute, okay."

"Okay, whatever you say!"

Continuing her search, she shuffled through the other items which were still in her bag, hoping what she was thinking of was still there.

Damon watched her, cocking his head to the side on what she was up to.

After a few more minutes of searching through her bag, she ran a hand over the inside of the bottom of the bag. Until her hand hit something which felt like stainless steel. "Finally!"

"Found what you were searching for." He guessed.

"Yes, here it is." She wrapped her fingers around the object and then with a closed fist took it out of her bag. She scooted back closer to Damon once she had what she had needed.

He could see whatever she had in her hand was grasped in her fists so he wasn't able to see it. He had zero clues as what she was holding, other then the factor of it being small enough to fit into her hands.

"What do you have there?" Damon questioned.

"Before I show you just yet, I'll just say this." Bonnie announced. "As you know one of the main reasons for learning to live and survive at such a young age was because a one major fact. The major factor of me becoming a smuggler, who traded for goods and products. Mostly this involve me trading the goods and products I managed to collect, I traded these collected goods and products with other people I ran across the way. Trading so that I in return could receive items essential to my survival. You know water,food,hygiene products, weapons, and bullets of such."

Damon nodded. "Yeah, I'm well aware in the expertise you developed in the business of smuggling and trading for your survival."

Stated Bonnie. "Yes, well even though the majority of the time I traded to get essential survival products for myself. I did occasionally trade for items which were not specific for living and surviving every day. The types of objects which aren't important, key, or needed for a person to live. However, these things would be what you call a person doing for fun, a hobby or something to draw in a person's interest.

"So, therefore if I saw something that I figured peaked my interest to have an hobby to do or something to peak my interest, I would trade for it, with other Non-survival important objects I had. For example when I was Oregon City at fifthteen years old, I ran across this old man who had a walkman, with a handful of cassettes to play in it. I asked him to trade for it with me."

"And this old man's answer?"

"He said he really liked his walkman, so he said he would only give it to me, if I offered him something he liked better in return."

Damon pondered. "So, what did you have to offer to him?"

Bonnie mused. "Somewhere I had found the whole entire book series of Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. I showed to him in offer for trading his walkman. His eyes got giant like saucers. Like when a kid would get excited when they opened a gift on Christmas."

"So, he was a fan then."

"A fan and then some. He was old enough to have been around before the apocalypse happened. So, when he was younger he was a fan of the Lord of the Rings movie. Which he apparently went to see them all. Then, there weren't any movie theaters capable of showing those movies of course. So, he had missed out of the Lord of the Rings for a while. The series of books I showed him was the first time he had laid his eyes upon any version of the series in over ten years."

"Wow." Said Damon.

"So, I guess you could understand this old guy's point of view. When I offered up The Lord of the Rings book series to him, he agreed to trade his walkman to me for the books faster than I could blink. In the end, I ended up with a walkman and he ended up with those books, as it turns it was a well done business deal."

Damon mentioned. "You never let me know you had a walkman."

Bonnie returned. "Because I don't own a walkman anymore."

Asked Damon. "Why not?"

"It broke, so I couldn't use it."

"Man what a bummer."

"A bummer." She agreed. "But, on the upside I got a few good years use out of it, it was nice for going around being able to listen to some of those cassette tapes. For an old, man he did have some taste in music."

"Well, at least you got use out of the walkman while it lasted."

Bonnie went onto explaining her point of what she had wished to give to him. "A lot of the time I could manage a trade for one non essential object for another non essential object. Other times I might not have had as much luck. Or more so than that, I still tended to focus most of my smuggling and trading in getting the much needed survival items for myself…

"Anyway before I ramble on, I was just thinking about how I wished I had something to give to you, like you know as a way of showing my appreciation towards you." Bonnie said towards him.

He gave her one of his signature smiles.

"I didn't think I had such a thing to give, until I remembered just now. I had forgotten I had it due to all which has happened over the months. Really didn't cross my mind, mainly because it wasn't an important survival item I guess. But, still thinking certain thoughts just brought it up back to my memories. I was so relieved when I actually found it in my bag instead of losing it or something." Bonnie finished with a curve up her lips.

"Alright, you've peaked my interest, show me this thing you keep speaking of." Damon rubbed his hands together.

"Alright! First you have to close your eyes though."

"Close my eyes?"

She gestured. "Please, it's a surprise."

He looked at her for a second longer before he followed her request and close his eyes.

Bonnie made sure he had his eyes close before she opened up her fist to reveal the object she was holding in her hand. "Alright, you can open your eyes now!"

He opened his eyes, then trailed his eyes downward to her hand. "Whoa!"

In her hand, which was open,facing palm up was a rather large ring. A large ring fit for a man. The ring was made out of stainless steel and Sterling Silver. In the center of the ring was a large stone, this large stone was a deep pretty blue. On top of the stone was some type of fancy crest.

"Whoa!" Damon exclaimed once more.

"You like it?" Bonnie was encouraged by his reaction.

"Hell yeah, looks awesome where did you get it?" He eyed the impressive ring in her palm.

"Actually, don't recall where I got it from, I just know I have found it sometime before the two of us met."

"Oh,"

Bonnie shrugged. "On the day I discovered it, I just threw the ring into the bottom of my bag, in case I ever found someone to trade it with."

Damon pointed out. "But, you never managed to work a trade deal with anyone for it."

Bonnie corrected. "More so because I was focused on trading for more valuable objects. So, it just passed by my mind. I'm glad I didn't trade it away because then I wouldn't have it today."

Damon said. "I'm glad you didn't either."

"This blue stone you see here it's called a Lapis Lazuli stone. And I'm sure the crest on top of it is supposed to have some sort of special meaning to it."

"How neat, huh!"

"Here, take it please, it's a token of my appreciation for you." She sweetly insisted.

"Thank you." He grabbed the ring out of the palm of her hand.

"More than welcome." Bonnie beamed.

He held the ring between his finger, brought it close to his face so he could study the design patterns etched into the sides of the ring. "As I repeat Whoa! This ring is very kickass, like seriously wearing it would make me feel totally badass. Truly amazing and fantastic for a guy like myself."

She observed. "If you ask me, there's something in the aura of it which suits you, now that I see you holding it."

He twirled the ring around glancing over at her. "If only I had something to offer to you in return for this lovely ring. Tell me, Bonnie what can I offer to you in exchange for this wonderful token of appreciation you have given to me?"

She vocalized with sly sheepishness. "Just your heart, all I need is your heart!"

Damon gave her a warmed expression which crinkled the corners of his eyes with joy. "Then you already have ownership of my heart, signed in contract, to be yours always."

"Awesome, I'm fully satisfied and happy to have the ownership of your heart, so like a good business woman who used to trade, I say you and I have a deal here. Salvatore!"

"Of course we do, yet we should shake on it to seal this deal!"

The two of them playfully shook the other's hands, then smiled at each other.

"Go ahead, put it on." Bonnie uttered.

"Alright." Damon slipped the ring onto his finger.

"How does it fit?" Bonnie needed to know.

"Fits perfectly!" Damon wiggled his fingers.

Bonnie whispered to him. "Consider this my gift to you, a gift of my love for you, a gift to show how much I care about you, and a gift to show how deeply meaningful you are to me."

Damon whispered. "You know, I've changed my mind."

This made a crinkle form in her brow, wondering what he was changing his mind about.

He added with astonishment with the love he felt for her at this very moment. "I don't like this ring, I love this ring. I love it because it comes from you, you kept it with yourself this whole time and it was because you wanted to give a gift to me for why you remembered it. That means so much to me, Bon. And because you've given this as a gift to me. I accept it fully with all of my heart..

"I'll take this ring and I'll hold it with me forever, everywhere I go. Because it came from you this ring is apart of me now. So, again, Thank you!"

"There's no one else in the world I would rather have than you. You are really special to me, Damon and I'll spend everyday showing along with telling you just how special you are." She voiced overwhelmed with endearment and feeling.

"Bonnie Bennett, you are my guiding light." Damon emphatically stated. They were already sitting close, however he moved even closer to her so that their bodies were touching now.

Bonnie could feel her heartbeat pick up with enthusiasm at his body brushing up against hers.

Damon made sure to put meaning in his tone. "And you set my entire world on fire, a fire which burns hotter than all of the stars in the universe. This fire helps fuel on of the stars in my universe, the billions of stars in my universe which represent just how much I love you."

She reached out, put her hand against his cheek in a moving gesture to what she felt for him. "You have ownership of my heart too, you know. Signed in contract to be yours forever. You light the sun inside of me, Salvatore. Sometimes I feel so much love for you that I wonder to myself how I hold it all in inside. Then it bursts out during moments like these. All I know is I love you and I'll carry this love for you inside of me always."

"You're going to be receiving a ring of your own one of these days, you know."

"I am?"

"From me, a ring from me, plans for our bright future together. Which included me slipping a ring on your finger." He expressed to her tenderly.

"Are you hinting at what I believe your hinting at!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Reaching over with his hand he had just placed the ring on, he grabbed onto hers. "My dream is one day seeing you walking down the aisle towards me, looking beautiful in a wedding dress and us getting married!"

Her green eyes filled with something meaningful. "Some lovely dream you have, some lovely dream for sure. A dream in fact which is possible for me to have as well, you know the whole us getting married thing. If it's at all possible."

Damon assured. "It's very possible, we could get married one day, if we plan to. As long as we both want to."

She leaned into him. "I want to someday, if you do."

"All I can see in my road ahead of me, is my happiness with you. Doesn't matter how it is done as long as we get married! Won't even have to be one of those big fancy wedding couples used to have. As long as I get to slip a wedding ring on your finger and become your husband."

"I wouldn't even have thought that getting married was possible before you. Then again there wasn't even a man I would have ever wanted to get married to until you. You hold my universe in your hands. So, I'll look forward to the day when you get to slip a wedding ring on my finger. And there's nothing more I would love to happen than for you to be my husband and for me to become your wife." As she said this, she said it astounded in her feelings, her heart brimming with the wonderment of actually getting married to this man before her.

"Yeah?" Damon whispered.

"Hell yeah." Bonnie emphasised.

With her declaration, it hit him in two ways. In one way it made him immensely moved by her words. In another way it stirred up the burning desire he always felt for her, and brought that desire to the surface. Showing her exactly her affect on him, he stared her down rather intensely.

His piercing blue gaze staring her down, was filled with so much heat and desire. She didn't think a lot of men had the ability to impact a woman with just a look. Yet, Damon Salvatore was easily one of those men. The way he was staring her down, impacted her with a shiver of pleasure up her spine.

For a couple of minutes they just had a intense, heated, desire filled staredown. Then without anything else needing to be said, they smashed their lips together, with a clash of lips and tongue their kiss quickly know passionate, as their tongues battled for dominance. Pretty soon they were kissing each other breathless.

Bonnie had to paused only briefly to catch her breath, before their lips came together in a sexual dance once more. His kissing so sensual and deep, that it sent a pool of wetness between her legs, as she quickly grew aroused.

The cave filled with sexual tension, need, and want as if boomed off of them both. And before they knew it, both of them had stripped out of their clothes. Now fully nude and naked, with the fire they had built keeping them warm. As they were naked, they maneuvered over to the makeshift bed they had made.

Their lips came together for a third time, with this time the kiss being more hungry, heady, and needy. As the kiss was making her more aroused still, she showed him just what he was doing to her, by biting his bottom lip between her teeth, then yanking him gently by his hair, to move her mouth over to his ear. She brushed his hair to the side in order to get access to his ear.

Then she took his earlobe between her teeth, clamped down on it, not enough to cause him pain. Just enough to deliberately stir up certain juices she wanted to stir up inside of him.

"Oh, you want it like that." Damon's voice was hoarse.

"Want it like want?" Bonnie smirked seeing she was having the desired effect on him.

"Want it a little rough." Damon challenged.

"Who, Me?" Bonnie tugged his earlobe between her teeth once more.

This caused Damon to hiss out.

Chuckling, Bonnie licked at his earlobe, then nibbled at the pulse point in his neck.

Damon growled. "Keep on doing things like that and you just might make me explode."

"Like this?" Wishing to work him into a lather, she scraped her nails across his pecs, before pitching his nipples which was hard from arousal.

"Rough it is then." He hotly stated through his teeth.

"Bring it on!" Her tone husky as she was clearly turned on.

"Glady!" With his entire being burning with immensity to have her.

Before he went there, however he wished to work her up a little. So, he trailed his mouth, tongue, hands, and fingers over her bare naked flesh. Greedly making sure he touched every inch of her nudity within reach of his mouth and hands. Feeling himself grow harder with everything on her which he touched and tasted.

Soft moans began to escape her, as every inch of her body his mouth and hands came into contact with, lite her body aflame. And with every stroke of his tongue on her most sensitive parts, with every contact of his hand on her nude flesh. She could feel herself getting wetter and wetter.

A deep growl of ferocity went through him as he brushed his fingers over her thighs and hips. While ghosting his tongue around the underside of her breasts.

Pressing herself against him, with heated skin pressed against heated skin. She writhed and gasped out.

"Get on your hands and knees." He ordered pitching a taut nipple of hers.

The sensation of her nipple being pitched made her gasped out in a good way, sent another shiver down her spine.

"Now." Damon commanded with lust in his eyes.

"Sure thing." Bonnie's tone and her whole demeanor was filled with lust, turned on all the more by his dirty ordered command.

Maneuvering her body, she turned around until her back was facing him. Then she proceeded to go onto of her hands and knees on top of the makeshift bed. Grateful the covers and sheets beneath her provided enough softness and support for what they were about to do.

From his position, he had a perfect view of her from behind. Her position of being on her hands and knees, emphasised the view of her plump round ass, while also giving him a view of her pussy from behind. A pussy which was gilsoning. Obvious proof that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Taking a moment to appreciate her body, he leaned back on the balls of his feet, studying her the way a person would study fine art. Yet, to him, Bonnie Bennett's body was it itself fine art.

"What are you waiting for?" Bonnie eyed him over her shoulder, her facial expressions heady with need.

"Just appreciating this fine view I have."

"Why don't you show me such appreciation!" She challenged.

"Oh, I will, trust me I will!" Damon inched closer to her.

He moved closer to her until he was upright on his knees, with her still on her hands and knees, with her ass facing towards him.

He was so close to her now, she could feel the hardness of his cock against her ass which made her shudder out.

Damon ran a hand from her shoulder blades, down the entire length of her back until his hand rested just above the curvature of her butt.

She continued to look at from over her shoulder, eagerly anticipating for him to make his next move.

"I want you to fuck you so badly right now." Damon told her.

"I do too!" Her voice was filled with want and need. She just wanted him inside of her already.

He wished to be inside of her as well, yet decided to play around with her for a bit to see how worked up he could get her, because he wanted to hear her beg him to put his hardened cock, into the glorious tight wetness of her walls.

So instead of entering her immediately. He brushed the tip of his length against the lips of her sex, in a manner which had the both of them crying out. He brushed the head of his length over her from top to bottom. And kept doing this over and over and over again. Until she the juices were flowing from her to the point where she was nearly squirting for him.

Her scent was so over powerful and strong at this point, it made his mouth water, to the point where he wished to put his mouth on her pussy. Yet, he decided that, that part would have to wait until another time. Instead, he kept repeating teasing the her sex with the head of his cock.

She was crying out, mewling as she was so wet with arousal at this point, she could feel some of her juices slide down her inner thighs.

He breathed in through his nose, while releasing another growl. Not only was his routine of teasing her with the tip of his cock working to get her more aroused, it was doing a number on him as well, as he was so rock hard and horny at this point that precum oozed from its head.

Yet, he kept repeating this process, teasing the both of them, as he drove them both near the edge of ecstasy.

With her core so burning and wet that she felt like she had an ocean leaking from between her legs, Bonnie ached to have him inside of her so badly. That she just had to speak out about just what he was doing to her.

"Damon, I love you, but I'm going to need you to hurry it up a little bite." Bonnie groaned out as the pressure of pleasure built up inside of her.

"Patience is a virtue, Bonnie!" Damon smirked knowing what a pleasant impact he was having on her entire body.

"I'm going to need you to get your dick inside of me, before I explode." Said Bonnie as her tone implied the extra heavy lusted desire she felt.

He returned to her with his tone equally heavy with desired lust. "I'm going to need you to say the magic word."

Her lips curved slightly in amusement. "Are you really going to play it like that?"

"Oh, yes I am!"

"And what is this magic word you want me to say?"

"I have a feeling you know what the word is, I want you to say it, matter of fact I want you to beg me to take you." Damon traced a circles on her lower back.

"I'm not saying any magic word and I'm fore sure not begging." Bonnie playfully defiant.

Damon snickered just as playfully. "Are you sure about that, Bon Bon?"

Bonnie replied. "Yep." With a little laughter added into it.

The fact of them being playful even where they were currently in the throes of passion, with the sexual and sensual build up around them so thick that one could taste it, was a sign of the strength of their relationship.

Damon accepted her challenge. "We'll just see about that then."

"I guess we will"

So, he proceeded to doing what he was doing by the teasing of his cock against her heated walls, then he added in his pointer finger by ghosting it over her sensitive button peeking out from under its hood due to just how aroused she was.

This made her body shudder as she felt like she was on the verge of coming.

Breathing heavily from the tightening of his balls begging for his length to be inside of her. He ghosted his finger over her clit once more.

"Damon."

"Say the magical word, Bon."

"I need you inside of me." Bonnie breathlessly admitted.

"Then beg me, beg for me, Bonnie." His voice was strained as he was barely holding it together himself.

She pleaded wantonly. "Fuck me, Damon, please, please fuck me."

Hearing her beg was exactly what he wanted, having her exactly where he wanted her, he aligned his dick perfectly with her dripping sex, and snapped his hips forward. With one motion, he was buried inside of her to the hilt.

She hummed out in vocal approval as the walls of her pussy immediately took a hold of his hardened rod. Him feeling so good inside of her enticed her to add in a purr along with that humm.

Once he dick was inside of her, Damon let out a low rumbling howl out of the back of his throat. Then thanked the heavens for the woman before him. Being inside of her like this felt like home, it was his home. Which made him add in another howl.

Still looking back over her shoulder at him, she semi circled her hips, then added an expert squeeze of her walls around him.

This got Damon to take off, he grasped onto her waist and started to pound into her from behind. Since they had become a couple in the past month, they had, had sex and made love more than they could count on either of their fingers. Giving them plenty of time and different ways to make love, as well as different creative ways to pleasure each other. If they weren't travel walking, foraging buildings for supplies, eating, sleeping, or doing other things, then they were doing one particular thing.

And this one particular thing was the two of them getting naked with each other whenever they could manage to do so. Always expressing their sexual passion and hunger for the other. They expressed this in different ways. Sometimes it was just through tender, gentle, slow love making. Other times it was more passionate, rougher, and harder. As a good fuck was.

Which was exactly what they were doing at this very moment, just having a rougher, good fuck. They were just a couple who could either make sweet, tender love to each other, or have a good, hard round of sex which each other.

As they were having such round of sex currently. Damon was bucking his hips forward at a wild, frenzied pace. Grinding himself in and out of her hard and fast. His grip on her hips nearly bruising as his balls smacked against her with nearly every inward thrusts.

All Bonnie could do was attempt her best to keep up with his frenzied pace. She could no longer keep eye contact with him and had to turn her head, looking forward with her mouth hanging over from the pleasure of it all.

The cave walls, held in and echoed their mixed cries,moans, and groans of ecstasy, absolute pleasure, and bliss. With the both of them breathing heavily, panting as they could feel the pressure of release building up in the both of them.

Mewls, whimpers, and cries of pleasure loudly came out of Bonnie's mouth. As she felt like she was in pure heaven with his hard, fast paced ramming into her.

The sounds and noises she made overwhelmed him with a feeling he couldn't quite put into words. It made him feel arrogant, proud, and powerful to always know he could make her vocalize those types of noises.

And yet, she had this similar type of power over him and perhaps even more so. Since he had first made love to her, since he had first been inside of her, he had become addicted to her. Always wanting her, always craving her body. Always being in this never ending quest to need and have her.

He figured he would live the rest of his life feeling this way. And that he would go to his grave wanting her still, a scenario he was perfectly fine with as long as this was the result. With his never ending quest including wanting more of her, he wished to feel more of her and a different way. So, to meet this quest he pulled out of her from behind.

Bonnie opened her mouth to protest at the sudden loss of their connected bodies, since she was so close.

He moved quickly, flipping her onto her back to change her position, wasting no time he plunged himself back inside of her. Rejoicing as her walls instantly took ahold of him once more.

Whatever protest she had in mind, was cut off by a verbal cry of bliss as he buried himself deep inside of her again, this time with her laying on her back. So, the position of him being inside of her felt different, yet still oh so good.

Once again, Damon resumed his pounding inside of her, pushing himself in and out of her at that fast, rough pace they both desired at the moment. And for a while the cave was filled with the overpowering sounds of their heavy breathing, with the sound of flesh connecting against flesh.

He panted out grunts as he could feel himself getting close to that glorious release, knew she was getting there to from the noises she was making, combined by the fluttering of her walls around him. And now he wanted the both of them to get there at the same time.

Encouraged by the noises coming from her, he bent his head down engulfed her right breasts in his mouth, before biting down slightly on her pebbled nipple, while reaching down between their bodies to pinch her clit, all while his hips were pistoning at a maddening pace.

The combination of him doing all of this to her at the same time, was like a pleasure overload to her system. She hollered out his name as she had an orgasm so intense, it brought tears to her eyes.

Seconds later, he joined her in release, half grunting, half moaning he ecstasy as he emptied himself inside of her. For a minute, after they were done, he just laid on top of her as they both of them were panting from the incredible ordeal they had just completed together.

After taking a half minute more to catch his breath, he slipped out of her, rolled from off top of her and ontop his back on their makeshift bed. The two of them maneuvered themselves together. He pulled her close to his body with one hand, then pulled the blankets over them with the other, so that their nude bodies were covered.

She snuggled up against him, feeling one hundred percent contentful.

"You know what?" He spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"What?" She returned.

"This was quite a way to end a Thanksgiving feast wouldn't you say!" He exclaimed.

"Uh huh!" Bonnie agreed with a overwhelming joy, as her body was buzzing from what had just happened between them.

"Much better than any Thanksgiving day dessert. I would take this over apple and pumpkin pie one hundred times out of one hundred!" Damon grinned.

"Me too! Me too!" Bonnie declared as she buried her face into his bare chest and let out a fit of laughter.

He hold her close to himself and let out a fit of laughter with her.

BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK

Over the course of the next session of months, they keep on their journey to the east, with the both of them more determined to make it to their final destination with each step they took. They continued with there pattern of travel walking some days in a row, then taking time to rest for a few days in a row.

They attempted to seek out shetler along their journey whenever they could and sought out shetler more often than they did in the spring and summer time months of their traveling. Along the way, when they needed to stop to sleep somewhere for the night, they made sure to seek out a building, house, or some other types of shetler which would allow them to be inside.

As they did this because of how much colder it tended to get at this time of year due to the weather. Which was again different from the spring and summer months, where they didn't mind camping or sleeping outside more often. So, whenever available they made sure to sleep inside of a place, then cuddled and snuggled up against each other for warmth while they slept at night.

And the other way they tried to keep warm was of course by building themselves a fire. And whenever the option was available for them to do, they build fires inside of the places they had sheltered in from the cold.

With their combined survival skills, they managed to do a decent job at keeping warm without getting too dangerously cold. However, even while they worked to conserve the food they had found, the bacon and noodles they had discovered back in Louisiana eventually ran out. Which made them have to go to a different method of feeding themselves.

This was the method of them having to hunt more for their food. Which meant hunting animals. And over the course of the weeks, hunting animals wasn't as easy as it may have sounded to some, as many of the animals had tended to seek shelter themselves or not be as out and about as they tended to be during warmer times of the year.

But, they still managed enough animal sightings along the way to hunt, kill, then prepare and eat them. With Bonnie's bow and arrow they had tracked down and killed a variety of animals for their meals. Some of which may not have been appetizing to the average person back before the world ended.

Yet, then again those in the current world couldn't quite afford to be picky eaters as much, so the two of them didn't complain about the types of animals they ate along the way. They hunted enough to keep themselves from starving, ate enough to give their bodies the energy, and cooked the meat well enough for it to be tasty or at least edible.

Food had already been so hard to come by in this world, yet the colder, fall and winter months could make it even more difficult to come by. Some people really struggled to find what they needed to feed themselves. Which was why some even went as far as to kill others just for a bite of food or survival supplies.

No where was this more apparent than when Damon and Bonnie had stopped to rest in Georgia, As they went to Georgia to go their way up North to where they needed to go. Being rather hungry, they had managed to spot a duck in a nearby pond. It was a wonder as why they duck was there considering the weather, yet they didn't question it.

Instead, Bonnie shot the duck with her arrow, Damon defeathered and did what he needed to do in order to prepare the duck for proper and safe consuming. They built themselves a nice fire and soon began roasting the duck over the fire for their next meal.

However, it seemed like they weren't the only ones looking forward to eating the roasted bird meat. Two people, a man and a woman who was complete strangers to them, approached them. The two of them had no idea who these two people were, other than the fact that they seemed like a couple themselves from how they interacted.

Whatever the case, this couple who was the first people Bonnie and Damon had seen since the Parker Village, had somehow spotted them, their fire and saw they were fixing up a meal. The man and woman dressed in dirty, ratty clothes wanted some of the duck which had been currently roasting on the fire when they had approached Damon and Bonnie.

As a matter of fact they didn't just wanted some of the duck, they wanted all of the duck for themselves. And they didn't ask for it, they demanded it. Along with demanding all of the other supplies they had seen when they approached.

All this man and woman had, was the dirty, ratty clothes on their backs and a guns strapped to their hips. So. they wanted Damon and Bonnie to hand over everything they had including the duck, sighting how hungry they were.

Having worked so hard to scrap for every single item and object they had with them, which included collecting some of their supplies from various buildings and homes they had gone through and searched through along the way of their traveling, Damon and Bonnie of course refused to get the man and woman anything for theirs. Especially because they had no clue as to who these two people were and especially because they weren't just going to hand over their survival necessities and supplies to people who didn't earn them, after all of the work they had to go through to get the supplies in the first place.

Plus, the process of hunting down the duck wasn't exactly an easy one, first they needed the luck to find the duck, then Bonnie had to use her expertise skill with her bow and arrow to shoot the duck down before their meal could escape. SO, the pair of them let it definitely be known to this man and woman on how they weren't going to give up any of their supplies nor would they give up their duck. And told them they ought to go and find their own supplies and food, then added for them to get away from them.

Apparently, the man and woman took offense to this, as if they were entitled to Damon and Bonnie's supplies, items, and food just because they demanded it. They implied in a threatening manner for Bonnie and Damon to hand over everything or they would end up taking it by force. Which obviously did not sit well with The Salvatore man and his Bennett woman. Neither of them took very kindly to having their life threatened, as people who had ran across them and done so before, learned a harsh lesson on why it was a mistake to threaten the pair of Damon Salvatore and Bonnie Bennett.

Yet, this man and woman seemed destined to want to learn this very same lesson. As they did what other people often did in this world, when they wanted to get important survival necessities and food from other humans, they killed for them. And then proceed to steal from the person they killed to steal the stuff from.

And this man and woman fell into the line of those who threatened violence to take from others want wasn't rightfully theirs. As this man and woman with the dirty, ratty clothes took offense to their demands being refused, they gave away their next move and how that next move would be violent. They reached for the guns they had on them, as if they were prepared to shot Damon and Bonnie for all they owned.

However, this man and woman either wasn't aware of the other pair being armed as well or they figured they could beat Damon and Bonnie to the punch to shoot them. Either way, it was a grand mistake they made. Because with the priority of their lives at hand, combined with them both predicting the next move of that man and woman.

Damon and Bonnie drew their guns faster than the other pairing did, then before they knew it, the other two laid dead at the hands of Damon and Bonnie, from the single gunshot wounds to the vital parts of their bodies. So, with the short lived gun fight, if one could call it that, two more people were added to the list of those who mistakenly crossed Damon Salvatore and Bonnie Bennett.

All this confirmed to the two of them was that they needed to always be on their guard for threatening and dangerous folks, even if those folks they ran into was few and far between. Not at all fazed by the pairing they had just killed, because they had done it in self defense, they disposed of the bodies of the now dead guy and girl away from where they were cooking their duck (Just far away enough where the bodies wouldn't be a disturbance to them in any form).

Once they did that, they returned to where they were and what they were doing, just in time enough for the duck to finish cooking over the fire. They brushed themselves off and enjoyed some fire, freshly roasted duck. Before they moved on further down the way until night time had fallen later on.

Although their expertise survival skills was a large factor in them making it this far. And although their ability to improvise and be innovative even under the most inconvenient circumstances was the reason for them still being alive. Another factor across the way,was the reason for why they had made it this far. Which was the reason of luck.

Luck helped them get by in how they were able to find non perishable foods every now and then through all of the time they had been traveling. Every single time they were lucky enough to find such foods, they were well aware of how fortunate they were to do so with food in this world being so rare and hard for most people to find. Which was again why hunting skills or knowing how to grow ones own food was essential to survival.

One of the reasons they did conserve non perishable food items when they did find it, was because they knew the planet had a severe case of food storage going on, food storage which had caused the death of many to die by starvation.

So, they were thankful whenever they found food and always said they were lucky whenever they did so. However, every once and a while even the most luckiest of people could find their luck running out sometimes.

And this case was no different for Damon and Bonnie, considering how this world was rather harsh on luck and fortunes in the first place. The two of them had ran into a wall of actual bad luck, at least as finding food went.

Since they had ran into the treasure trove of bacon and ramen noodles in October, they weren't able to find any types of foods falling into the category of pre produced or processed food. As the next months passed by, they searched through abandoned buildings and homes, hoping to hit a homerun in the food department. But, instead they only managed to strike out, which resulted in the food shortage situation of the world coming back to put a damper of their foraging for processed foods attempts.

They compensated for this through hunting, as they had taken turns to hunt down and kill some of the animals they had come across along the way. And for a few weeks this compensation worked, allowing them to get by and sustain themselves by killing and then cooking over the fires they made a variety of wild animals. Yet, still to do this they had to look for the animals to hunt down and it was sometimes harder to find them than in other times. And hunting was easier said than done. But, they still somehow managed to get by for some solid weeks with hunting as their main food source.

They were left with little other choice for this to be their main food source at the moment, since the vast majority of any potential wild edible plants, fruits, or vegetables had died out or went dorimant due to the colder weather and winter coming on. Hunting for animals kept them going for a decent while.

But, even that soon get very difficult for them, after of some weeks of finding animals to hunt down, they started to run into some difficulties on that front. As they kept moving through the way, eventually the supply of animals stopped, from either hiding or being elsewhere. Whatever the case was, when the animals were no longer available to them, this meant that food was no longer available to them.

The severity of food storage and availability caught up to them and impacted them in an negative manner. They had from time to time came across periods of days where they couldn't find any food. Yet, managed to always find some through either fishing,hunting, foraging for wild plants, or finding pre-produced and processed foods in buildings and houses.

Yet, now they were having a particularly difficult time, exaggerated by the cold weather. And no matter how hard they tried or where they looked they couldn't find anything at all to feed themselves.

Currently, it was presently in the middle of February 2048 and they were now presently in the most Southern parts of North Carolina, with just one more state between them and Virginia to where they needed to get to.

They would have been very pleased with this development of being just one state away from the salvation of Anex if it wasn't for the current situation bringing down there moods. And this current situation was a lack of food. The lack of food had hit them hard. As neither of them had eaten a bite of anything for the last ten going on eleven days. The last thing they had to eat was a rabbit they had hunted down and prepared over a fire.

Which was ten, going on eleven days ago, so course the rabbit had long ago been digested in their bellies. Without having anything to eat in so long, they could both feel the impact of this on their bodies. As their stomachs growled from the extreme hunger they felt and their bodies protested the lack of food by them losing a couple of pounds each.

Water is what kept them going and alive, they still had water with them to prevent their bodies from completely collapsing. Yet, they knew they needed to find something to eat soon or their bodies would eventually give out.

Which was why in they were now walking down a road in the most southern parts of North Carolina searching for food. This was a rural road of the state, so the houses weren't a plentiful. But, they came across a handful of them and had searched through each of them in hopes of finding the food they were so desperate to find.

They searched high and low through each of these houses, yet kept coming up short and empty handed. After they had looked through the fifth house in a row with zero results, they stepped out into the cool North Carolina air.

"Nothing, what about you?" Bonnie questioned to Damon hoping he had found anything at all to eat.

"Sorry, I turned up nothing." Damon spoke off the last house they had rummaged through. "Couldn't come up with what we needed either."

"Fuck, Damn it." Bonnie expressed exasperated with the situation.

"Tell me about it." A frustrated Damon know exactly how she was feeling.

Bonnie kicked a rock on the ground, watched as it skipped several feet away from her. "Why can't we find something to eat."

Damon scowled. "Symptoms of the post apocalyptic world, it fucking sucks I know."

Bonnie shook her head. "Yeah, I know all about the reason why we haven't found food, I'm aware of the whole food storage situation. Just that we've managed to always find what we needed to in order to feed us. And we have gone all of this time without finding anything at all."

He understood where she was coming from completely. "True, I don't think we've ever gone as long as nearly eleven days without a bite to eat."

"Longest we've ever went without a single food source is a handful of days, I believe." Bonnie said.

"Correct." He confirmed.

"I would just give whatever I could for a few bites of edible food right now."

"So, would I."

Bonnie who was disappointed on how their efforts have come up so recently short stated. "I'm so freaking hungry."

Damon went with a frown. "Me too, I wish our luck wasn't so shitty as of late."

She rubbed at her forehead. "So, what do we do now?"

He shrugged. "Nothing else we can do except for keep searching for what we need and not to stop searching until we find what we need to feed us."

"You're right, we don't have much of a choice other than to keep going, if we still aren't able to find non perishable food items, hopefully we'll find an animal to hunt at least." Bonnie sighed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure something will come up soon, we'll just have to keep fighting and grinding." He assured.

"Yes, we didn't make it this far without having to fight and grind." Bonnie took on encouragement, despite the factor of the lack of food having her feel somewhat cranky. "We can't give up, we'll have to keep going."

"Never give up." He fully agreed.

Which earned a half smile from her behalf despite the situation.

Damon made a gesture in the direction ahead of them. "Let's keep going, we have to luck out hopefully."

She nodded, then the two of them proceeded to walk down the North Carolina rural road for a little while longer. About an hour later they still hadn't found much. But, they did come across an four way intersection. All of the roads were paved. And they stood in the middle of the intersection looking in all of the directions of the roads, with the exception of the direction they had just came from.

"Which way to go?" He asked her as he had his hands in his pockets.

"Um, good question." Bonnie mentioned as her eyes scanned the roads around them.

"One step in the right or wrong direction could be the difference in whether or not we find food." Damon pointed out.

"You do have a point there." Bonnie commented.

Damon whistled out. "What to do, what to do."

Bonnie suggested. "We've been going straight for a while, haven't find what we needed, so perhaps we should go left or right."

His eyes scanned the road right in front of them, all he could see was road and empty lands, no houses within eyesight. "Yeah, maybe turning left or right will work out for the best of us."

"Then which way should we go?" Her arms stretched out to either direction to imply both ways.

"Go down the left road or right road." Damon pondered turning his hand in both directions as he spoke. "You choose."

"What why do you choose? I trust your discretion."

"Well, I was going to go whichever way you picked."

So, they stood there for about five minutes, wondering which road they should take. Picking the correct road could have very well been the difference between them eating soon or not. Which was way neither of them could exactly decide. The wrong direction and they would strike out.

Then Damon put in after a while of them just standing there. "I have an idea."

She reached into her pocket, pulled out some gloves, put the gloves on to protect her hands from the cold. "Which would be?"

"A coin flip."

"A coin flip?"

"Since we can't decide on which way to go why don't we have a coin to decide for us?"

"You believe on fate should rest on a coin?" A creased formed in her brow.

An arch formed in his. "Have a better idea?"

She pursed her lips. "No, I don't let's flip a coin, guess it couldn't hurt to try."

He dug a coin out of his pocket, which was one of those rare types of coins the US treasury department had made. Of course it was useless now since money could no longer buy things in the current world. Still he held onto it because it was so neat to have.

"Heads we go right." Said Damon.

"Tails we go left." Said Bonnie.

Flipping the coin in the air, he let it fall to the ground. The both of them looked down at the coin to see what side it had landed on.

"Tails." Bonnie pointed out for the side which was facing upward.

"Alright, you called it, down the left road we go." Pronounced Damon.

She uttered. "We could always turn around and back if we don't find what we need to find."

He mumbled. "Yeah, we'll see what the left road provides and it we don't find something, I would say another an hour, we could turn back and try to see if we can find some food down the right road."

She flexed her gloved fingers. "Sounds like a plan."

So, Damon picked up his coin from the ground, pocketed it and the two of them turned proceeded to turn on the left road, walking down it. For the first ten minutes they walked down this direction of the road, they found nothing. So, they continued down it. Ten minutes later they started to see a small group of houses down the way, a little off into the distance. From where they were, it was about an walk of an addition fifthteen more minutes before they could reach that particular group of houses.

Figuring these houses were abandoned like most in the nation were, they began to head towards them, hoping for better luck in finding something in them that they had failed to find in the last ten days.

However, when they took just a couple of steps forward, they heard something that caused them to stop in their tracks.

"You hear that?" They asked a the exact same time as they looked at each other.

"Yes, I heard it." Bonnie was answered their question.

"Something's near." Damon stated under his breath.

Sure enough there was a time tale sign of a noise, which told them they weren't alone. And that whatever they weren't alone with was alive. And this thing which was alive was within very close distance of them.

They strained their ears to center in on just what it was and the noise they had hard the first time, made another sound. And it was clear this thing was an animal. Yet, it wasn't just any animal if was a….

"Donkey?" Damon spoke of the animal sound. "Is that a donkey."

"I believe it is a donkey." Bonnie replied. Wasn't like either of them had seen many donkeys in their life times, yet the sound of the particular species of animal was so unique that anyone could identify the animal from the sound.

Remaining standing where they were, they looked around to see where this donkey was coming from. The animal honked softly once more, coming in the direction of their right and slightly behind them. At the same time, they turned around behind themselves, then looked in the direction of where the animal was coming from.

Sure enough, what they heard was confirmed to them when they saw a donkey a few feet away from them, the donkey let out a soft, relaxed honk in their direction. And immediately they understood that the donkey wasn't alone. This donkey apparently had an owner.

On the edge of the road they had been walking down now for the last twenty minutes, was a narrow dirt driveway which extended back from the main road a good ways. Either they had bypassed the dirt driveway completely without noticing it or they were so laser focused on getting to the small group of houses they had spotted in the distance, which made them not pay any sign to this particular dirt driveway.

Whatever the case, they weren't alone, neither was the donkey alone. Because standing next to the donkey on the dirt driveway was an very old elderly woman, who stood frozen to the spot, eyeing the pair of them down with the eagle eye.

The two of them studied this elderly woman's appearance. She appeared to be at least in her mid seventies, if not older. She was a black woman, of dark skin, skin which was wrinkled some with age, yet was still smooth on the majority of the surface of her skin. This elderly woman, who was thin almost to the point of looking frail, was tiny in structure.

Her height, barely reached five feet. Her hair was a flattering grayish white, and she wore a grey sweat suit, with a jacket over the top to keep her warm from the cold weather. For an half a minute. There was silence hanging in the air.

Damon and Bonnie was completely caught off guard by seeing her there, because she must have been so quiet for them not to notice her so near them. And they were usually the ones who was extra heightened about their surroundings to see something or someone coming towards or near them.

This old black lady spoke in a voice that was surprisingly strong for her size being so tiny. "Who are you two?"

"Um, hi, we're just travelers, who are making our way through this area." Bonnie was the first to speak to the old woman.

"Uh, yeah we're just traveling through here, trying to rummage to see if we can find anything useful to us. We're not here to hurt you or cause any harm to you." Damon told the old woman, just in case she got the wrong impression of him and Bonnie.

"No need, I can sense when people are trouble or not. And my sense tells me you folks are safe, so I won't have to worry about my safety around you at all." The old woman stated.

The two of them exchanged glances, wondering how this woman had the instinct to know such a thing about them.

Her eagle eyes shifted between the young pair of them. "What brings you around this particular area?"

"We were just trying to come through this direction to search for some items of need, that's all." Damon made sure to keep his tone non threatening, she didn't appear to be afraid of him or worried that him and Bonnie would cause her harm in some way. He just wanted to keep it in such a way, even while having no idea who this old woman was or where she had come from.

Adjusting the beanie hat on her head, Bonnie added towards the elderly woman. "We'll just keep heading in the direction we were heading in, we'll get out of your way, so you won't have to worry about us."

"Right, we'll just move out of your way, don't mind us at all." Damon went along with Bonnie.

However, the old black lady held up her hand to prevent them from walking away or moving further from her. "Now just wait."

Neither Bonnie nor Damon moved another step, they stopped and looked over at this old elderly woman, unsure of who she was or what she suddenly wanted from them.

"The both of you look worse for the wear." She voiced in a way a concerned person might when they suspected another person was struggling in some fashion.

The young couple said nothing to this, instead sharing yet another glance of curiosity with slight confusion.

"I'm old enough, plus observant enough to know the signs of people struggling through something. And I would say you both are struggling through something." The old black lady was laser focused on them.

"There's no need to worry about us, Miss. We can handle ourselves." Was all Damon could come up with to say.

"Are you two in some sort of trouble?" This old black lady questioned them as if she was an investigator trying to uncover some information for an important case.

"I, We...um…." With his mind coming up blank with how exactly to speak to or address the elderly woman, Damon cut off his own self on what he was about to say.

This old black woman pursed her lips in the way in which old women tended to purse their lips. "Are you shy or something?"

Shaking his head, Damon shifted on his feet. "Not at all."

Clearing her throat, Bonnie put in. "We just haven't seen a lot of strangers or other people as of late, so we're not one hundred percent sure on how to react or what to do."

The old black lady seemed slightly amused by the demeanor and presence of the two young people before her. "Promise the both of you, I don't bite."

Bonnie could only offer the woman her attempt at an friendly smile.

"Seems you two maybe struggling some in some sort of way, I'm correct as I said I know these things." The old black lady implied firmly.

"I guess you could say that." Bonnie commented, only because this elderly woman didn't seem like she was going to drop the particular subject until it was addressed like she wanted it to be addressed.

"So then, just as I know. You're struggling with food." She guessed after observing the appearance of them. "Y'all are struggling with being without food for a while, that's it, you've got the haven't eaten in a while look about you, the both of you do."

Pausing in wondering how this old, elderly woman could have been so spot on about him and Bonnie, just by viewing them through their eyes, Damon went to say. "We are, but…"

This old black lady interrupted what he was about to say. "Y'all need to get some food into you, among other things I can tell you might need….I tell you what, why don't you both come with me and I'll care take care of your hunger."

Bonnie enunciated. "We're not asking you to take care of our hunger for us, we couldn't ask you to do that, we've got ourselves handled on that front."

"No, Child, you didn't ask me. I'm telling you I can be the one to take care of your hunger, then I can be the one to feed you both."

The tone of voice, along with the demeanor from this old black lady as she said this, made Bonnie nearly arch a brow, while small in structure, this old lady sure did seem to have some fierceness and fight about her.

""We mean is, we were just searching through here for our own sources of food, we don't have to take food from any person, as long as we came get something of our own to eat. Just as we've done before, we've searched for food and manage to find it before. We're just attempting to take care of ourselves." Damon explained politely to this old woman.

"You could try searching all over this area for something to eat, but I'll tell y'all now, it would just be a waste of time, y'all must have not found what you needed to as of late, as you two are quite worse for the wear." Her eagle eyed look returned as she studied them both.

And they both knew, for however she guessed that she had a point, they weren't at all recently successful at finding a substantial source of food to put into their mouths.

This old black lady additionilized. "As I said, you could try, but you won't find something of use in the eating department no where around here, whatever was edible around here was picked through, taken or eaten a long time ago. Trust me when I say this to you, as I've been around here for a while now.

"Your best bet is to come with me so I can feed y'all." She stated through a keen tone.

Damon said nothing, as he wasn't exactly sure what decision to make, this elderly person offering them some of her food was almost too good to be true, yet still..

Said Bonnie. "We wouldn't want to be of any sort of trouble for you."

"And you won't be. I'm offering this to you, there's no need for you to be hungry if there is food available." This old black lady insisted.

"No, it isn't." On this which Bonnie agreed with the woman.

"Then come on, follow me to my home, just a little down this driveway." She gestured towards the dirt road she was standing on. "You just come on and I'll feed you."

"Well…" Bonnie dragged out.

The old elderly black woman pressed. "Well, will you let me feed you or not?"

Bonnie considered what this woman was offering to them. They had gone over a week without food, which risked dragging out to an eleventh day without food, they could very well just proceed further down the road to the small group of houses her and Damon were headed in before this old woman let her presence be known.

Yet, she had told them there was nothing they would find, at least not in the category of something edible to eat or something that would give their bodies the nutrition they had been missing out on the last days, and since this old woman appeared to be a resident of this area, Bonnie believe her when she said there wasn't any other option for food around, besides what this old woman was offering to her and Damon.

Just as she considered this, there was something in which greatly assisted in Bonnie's decision about the old woman's offer. Which was her stomach rumbling, complaining about the lack of being fed in the recent days.

"So?" This old black lady was waiting for an answer.

"Yes, of course, if you're volunteering to feed us, then we will gladly accept whatever it is you have to offer to us." Bonnie quickly answered for both her and Damon.

"Smart of you, it's the common sense thing to do." The old black lady muttered.

"Such a generous thing for you to offer under these circumstances. So, very grateful!" Bonnie stated relieved. After their food situation had looked so bleak, she was just relieved this old woman had appeared to her and Damon to end the struggles they had been going through for the past several days.

This old black lady patted her donkey, who was standing there this entire time, calmly taking it all that was going on around it between these two people and it's owner. "As I said, follow me and I'll take good care of y'all."

Bonnie nodded kindly. "Okay, we'll follow you to your home."

The old black lady signaled for them to follow. "Just down this dirt driveway."

Just as Bonnie was about to follow the old woman done the road, she turned to Damon to see him standing in the same spot he had been standing in through their whole conservation with the elderly woman.

"Damon, isn't this turn of circumstances just great!" Bonnie expressed with her mood now lifted.

"Um, yeah, I guess?"

"You guess?" Bonnie took notice of him seeming to hesitate with the developments that just happened. "What could possibly be wrong?"

He hesitated. "You sure this would be for the best….just to go along."

Bonnie was perplexed. "It's for the best, isn't this the luck out you hoped we would get, you know to end our food shortage situation."

He admitted. "Right, I did hope we would luck out in ending our food storage situation soon, it appears we might have. And if this lady is telling the truth then thank for heavens for us both, on the other hand."

"On the other hand what?" Bonnie cocked her head to the side.

"Not saying she is up to an bad deed or anything." He lowered his voice for only Bonnie to hear, since he didn't want to offended the elderly lady with what he was about to say next. "You know we haven't had the most positive run in with the people we've come across in our journey."

"What are you saying we have reason to be suspicious of her intentions?" Bonnie too lowered her voice so only Damon could hear her.

Damon frowned. "No, not exactly, I don't know, you know the last time some strangers volunteered to take us in and take care of us….which just turned out down right awful to the point of nearly costing us our lives."

Bonnie knew he was speaking of their time back at the Parker Village. At this point and time, the events of the Parker Villiage had now happened months ago. Yet, it was still fresh enough in both of their minds for them to always have their guards up around any strange people they didn't know, outside of the settlement in Virginia they were trying to reach.

And it was true, the Parker Family did manage to con them in with the act of being friendly people, who just wanted to show some hospitality to them as they were passing through next to the Louisiana village. Trusting them had nearly caused her and Damon to lose their lives or be at serious risk of having severe bodily harm caused to them.

Still, despite what had happened months ago, Bonnie was completely at ease when it came to trusting the elderly black lady before them who had offered them some relief from their hunger.

"Don't tell me you believe she could be dangerous or we have some reason to fear this situation." Bonnie was in slight amusement by this notion from her guy. "I mean come on, she's an old woman with a donkey here."

"No, of course not, I don't actually believe the old lady is dangerous or we have something to fear from her." Damon shook his head as he attempted to collect his thoughts on the matter.

"Then let's just follow her to see what she has to offer us, this is the break we need." Bonnie prompted to him.

Once he had collected his thoughts on the matter, Damon knew there was good reason for them to always keep their guard up. But, he knew that in this particular situation he would be practicing way too much caution, if he turned away from what the old lady was offering them, just because a group of sick and twisted cannibals had deceived him and Bonnie into a false sense of trust for their sick and heinous plans.

However, this elderly woman, for whoever she was, surely wasn't them or any of the bad people they had ran across who tried to kill them during their journey across America. She was her own individual person, who was harmless and seemed to truly and honestly want to help him and Bonnie out of the goodness of her heart. So, Damon also knew him worrying about this old lady being any type of serious threat to him and Bonnie,would just be jumping into paranoia at that point.

"You're absolutely right, I'm sure she's safe and we would be safe around her, plus it would be pretty silly of me to be extra cautious of an harmless old woman, wouldn't it? Making me look really off kilter and paranoid." Said Damon.

"Exactly, there may be lots of bad people out there, but there's still good people out there as well. And she is one of the good ones, I'm sure of it." Bonnie gave a head nod of acknowledgment in the direction of where the old black lady was.

"Again, you're correct, There's good willed and good hearted people out there, we shouldn't let the bad ones defer us from the good ones." Damon uttered.

"Absolutely not." Bonnie completely concurred.

Damon's lips curved upward. "Just like we'll have a chance to meet up we and get to know plenty of good willed and good hearted people in the Anex Settlement."

Bonnie gave him a smile. "Yep, we've just been presented with an opportunity to meet an good natured person before we even expected to. This is a perfect chance to get some practice in being around good natured people, if we accepted this offer from the old woman over there. So, what this being said, you agree with me on seeing what she may have for us, don't you?"

Studying the situation for what it was, Damon saw this as the absolute best opportunity he and Bonnie had to get their hands on some food, for the first time in ten, going on eleven days. He also could see that there might be little chance that he and Bonnie would find any substance close to ebiable in the area, and to risk turning this old lady on her offers of food, would be a foolish one for him to make, which would leave him and Bonnie starving if he didn't take it. This was the best shot they could have at receiving some food for a while.

Then there was also the factor of his empty stomach, which was so empty, it felt hollow inside from the lack of having something to eat the last days. So, this is what drove Damon to say. "I agree with you there, Bon, this is too great of an opportunity to pass up, so yes we should she what the lady has for us."

"Good!" Was Bonnie's response.

Meanwhile, during the short conversation between the two of them and the matter they had just discussed, the old black lady who was walking down the dirt driveway with her donkey, stopped in her tracks and turned around when she noticed they weren't following her.

"Well, are y'all coming to let me feed you, are you not?" This old black lady asked them from where she was.

"Yes, we're coming, we're going to let you feed us." Damon called out to the old lady.

"Smart young man." This old lady directed at him.

Damon directed at her in his nice manner tone, the type a younger person would use when showing respect to an older person or elderly person. "We're thankful to you for offering us food, might not have known what to do if you hadn't come along like this. Especially knowing how hard food is to come by these days, your taking of a precious source from yourself to help give to us."

This old black lady shrugged. "I have plenty of food for three people to eat. I can feed you both and still have plenty for myself, so I don't mind."

Bonnie put in. ""Still, this is so kind for you to offer some of your food to us, even if you do have plenty. We're just very thankful for sharing some of what you have with us when we needed it the most, So, Thank you."

"Yeah, Thank you, Ma'am." Damon emphasised his thankfulness.

"You're very welcomed, the both of you."

The pair of the gave her a gesture of acknowledgment upon those words.

Then she eyed them much like a grandmother who eyed her grandchildren or younger people in general who needed a good meal or a deal of help of some kind. The type of grandmother who would insist a hungry grandchild ate or had a good meal.

So, this grandmotherly instinct of her carried over towards these two young travelers see saw before her.

She added in a kind tone. "When I see a person in need, it's just my nature to help them. I just can't let someone linger on without doing by best to help. Especially if they're hungry, my nature all of my life has been to feed the hungry. So, I'm glad to have the chance to feed you, even if I don't know you. It helps me sleep better at night to know it."

"We appreciate it." Said Bonnie towards her.

"Samantha." This old black lady said.

"Pardon us?" Questioned Damon.

"Samantha." This old black lady mentioned. "That's my name, Samantha."

Damon and Bonnie returned at the same time. "Hello, Samantha."

Samantha patted her donkey who was currently standing right next to her once more. "Since you're coming into my home, I guess it's best for me to tell y'all my name and for you to tell me yours."

Bonnie greeted. "I'm Bonnie."

"And you young man?" Samantha asked of Damon.

"Damon, Damon is the name." Damon introduced politely.

"Bonnie, Damon…." Samantha gave them a sweet grandmotherly smile. "I'm a woman of the Christian faith, something tells me God must have sent y'all my way because he knew you were in need of help and knew I would do it."

Damon and Bonnie glanced at each other with a shared smile, said at the same time. "He must have!"

BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK

The pair of them followed Samatha down the long dirt driveway, as she pulled the donkey along with her by it's reigns. Soon, a house came into view, which appeared to be the home she was speaking of leading them to so that she could feed them.

This house was a single story brick house, with smoke billowing out of the chimney, which was a symbol of some sort of fire burning from within the house to keep it warm. As they approached closer to the home, they could see the outside bricks of the house was faded from red to more of a brownish color, Along with some of the bricks having some cracks in them. Which showed the house was a several decades old.

Despite its age, however it was a solidly built house, which provided a sturdy place to occupy or live in. Next to the house was a garage, which was set up as sort of a stable, big enough for a horse to stay in. And since a donkey was smaller than a horse, Samatha's donkey had more than enough room to live inside of the garage.

Samantha placed her donkey inside of the stable garage to give it some warming shelter from the cold, then proceeded to turn towards the front door of the single story house. Standing behind her, Damon and Bonnie waited as she opened the door to her home.

"Welcome to my home." Samantha waved a hand, before stepping inside of the house.

The pair of them stepped inside of the house and was immediately hit with the core warming heat, that only a wood burning sort of fire could provide. As the door closed behind them, the both of them took a chance to look around this old woman's home.

First thing they noticed upon their observation of this house was how it looked smaller from the inside than it appeared from the outside. With the rooms being more compact and closer together. There were just about five rooms total in this house, with the first room they walked into when they came in being the living room area.

Around the living room, there were nit nack types of decorations, along with old furniture. Yet, although the house was compacted, with nit nack decorations and old furniture, the obvious thing which stood out was how clean the house was.

There wasn't a speck of dust, dirt, or messiness around. Everything was neat and tidy. Which proved that even in old age, Samantha was the type of woman who put a lot of effort into keeping a clean house.

And in the corner of the living room, was one of those wood burning Englander heating stoves, which was burning and going strong. And which explained the smoke coming out of the chimney, as this was what Samatha used to warm her home in the winter time.

"Y'all make yourselves comfortable and right at home." Samantha spoke up bringing their attention to her, as she took off her jacket hang it up on the hanger, then slid her well worn sneakers off of her feet. "Also take off your shoes please."

As she was the type of person who preferred people not to wear shoes all around her house.

So, Damon and Bonnie followed her suit, they placed down their bags on the floor next to the couch, un holstered their weapons, which Samatha made no mention of as she watched them do this, Bonnie took off her jacket and Damon took up his coat, with them hanging their outer wear up. Then they took off the boots they both were wearing. As Damon had Brooklyn Boot Men's shoes colored in brown, while Bonnie had black Arizona Jean Co combat style boots.

Once they had completed making themselves more comfortable and therefore more at home like Samantha requested of them, the next thing they took notice of was the scent of the entire home. She had the home smelling like an appealing scent of cinnamon, combined with another even more appealing scent to the nose.

Which was the heavenly sent scent of the aroma of food cooking. The kind of delicious aromas which made a person's stomach growl and their mouth water in anticipation of tasting what was cooking. Damon and Bonnie had no idea what exactly was cooking, but it was clear from the scent of it on how the food would be quite tasty for anyone to eat. And for them, who hadn't had anything of substance for the past ten days, smelling the food, was like a person seeing a body of fresh drinking water after days of walking in a hot, dry desert.

"Come on into the kitchen, where I can feed you." Samantha gestured in the direction of where her kitchen was, before heading into that direction.

Damon and Bonnie gave each other quick high fives of relief before heading into the kitchen.

The kitchen was as speckless, clean and tidy as the living room area was. There was a handful of cabinets where Samatha must had used to store all of her kitchen related items. There was a round table seated for four. There was a two sectioned sink and over the sink there was a window which overlooked the backyard.

Yet, the most interesting part of the kitchen was the stove, as it was an completely old fashioned type of stove. Not like the cooking stoves the pair of them had seen in the abandoned houses they had explored, stayed in or taken shelter in along the way of their travels. Those stoves were either electric or gas run stoves, which were completely useless due to the state of the world's infrustructures.

This stove, unlike those ones was completely old fashioned. As this stove, much like the heating Englander wood burning oven in the living room, was heated and worked by using wood. Wood which was placed in a dedicated part of the appliance at the bottom of the stove, then making the person have to light a fire with the wood.

And once the firewood was heated up with a fire, the fire would then he used to heat the stove, so the uprising heat would then allow the person using the appliance to cook. Out of all of the homes they had come across during the months, this was the first old fashioned stove which used wood as a method to heat it, either of them had ever seen.

Yet, for the two of them who had to rely on innovation and improvisation to survive and do things, they were quite impressed with what Samatha had managed to do. And now she was using the old fashioned cooking stove to prepare a meal, as if appeared she had been using it for a while from the looks of it.

"Have a seat." Samantha told them.

So, once again, the two of them did as she requested of them, taking a seat next to each other at the round table.

The aroma from which created the heavenly scent of food cooking, was revealed to be coming from a large pot that was on top of the stove. Samantha turned towards the stove to tend to whatever was cooking inside of the pot.

"Had this cooking for a couple of hours, that's how long it takes this particular recipe to get done." Samantha stirred whatever was in the pot with a large spoon. "Was almost done when I stepped outside for fresh air for a bit, luckily I did or else I might not have spotted y'all, meaning y'all might have gone without food until you were skin and bones."

"Smells wonderful." Bonnie commented, just glad that Samantha had stepped outside to run into them, or they would have missed out on smelling and eventually tasting whatever she was cooking up.

"Thank you, child." Samantha directed at Bonnie.

Rubbing his hands together, just relieved they were four enough to have met Samantha, Damon pondered. "Mind me asking what's in the pot which smells so wonderful."

Samantha continued to stir. "No, I don't mind. What's been cooking in the pot is soup."

"Soup!" Damon perked up. "Sounds good."

"Sure does." Bonnie fully agreed with her man.

"Oh, trust me it's very good. Ought to be especially good since you two seem to have been walking out in the cold for a while." Samantha stated.

"We have." Bonnie confirmed.

Samantha nodded. "Then soup is just what y'all need to warm you up some."

The both of them concurred with her on that.

Within minutes of more stirring of the soup in the pot. Samantha let them know the soup was done and how they were all ready to eat, much to their relief.

So, Samantha got out three bowls out of the cabinet, along with three small saucer plates. Using her big spoon, she spooned some of her soup into the three bowls. Then she got three pieces of unleavened bread out of the bread container, placing one piece of bread each on a plate for all three of them.

Then she proceeded to grab some soup spoons for each of the bowls, then carried over the bowls of soup, and the plates with the unleavened bread before Damon and Bonnie, giving them a bowl of soup and a plate of the bread each.

The aroma of the soup hit their noses and made their mouth water, as the steam rose from the hot soup. The two of them looked down at the soup to see what kind of soup it was. They saw a red tomato broth and in the broth was packed with vegetables of different varieties. Some from the summer and other more fall like vegetables. There was also grains which resembled barley. There wasn't any meat in the soup, yet it still looked and smelled incredible nonetheless.

Samantha took her own share of the soup and bread, joining them at the table. She sat down and eyed them, as they eyed her soup and unleavened bread.

"The soup is homemade." The older woman let the younger duo know. "Been a recipe of mine's since before the 'end of the world' came and everything was more normal in the sense of the word back then."

"Since before 'the world ended.' So, you've had this recipe for over thirty years then." Bonnie pointed out being curious.

"I sure did, as it's been a staple to keep me going in after electricity went down, I still found a way to make this soup, which helped sustain me a many times. Especially in the winter months. Recipe has never changed, all that's missing is the chicken I used to put into it when the before apocalypse world had meat and all of that stuff delivered to supermarkets." Samantha put in.

Damon added once again in his respecting elderly people tone. "Well, we understand why you don't have chicken available under the circumstances. And we're not going to complain about meatless soup when you are so generous to offer this to us hungry people."

Bonnie added. "Nope, won't complain about this meatless soup at all."

Samantha requested of them. "Just hold on a second while I say my grace."

And the pair of them respectfully did. As she was a woman who was strong of the Christian faith.

"Let's eat shall we." Samantha signaled to them once she had finished saying her grace.

"We shall!" Damon exclaimed.

Which caused Bonnie to let out a little chuckle towards him.

They picked up their spoons, spooned up some of the soup with the spoon. And they each brought the spoon to their mouths. Finally, for the first time in days, food hit their tongues.

Samantha held her spoon above her bowl of soup, but didn't yet eat hers. Instead she eyed the young pair as they tasted her homemade soup, like how a chef would watch other people taste a hard cooked meal, to see how their food was judged and viewed.

As soon as the soup hit their mouths, Damon and Bonnie's tongues were instantly impacted with an amazing bursts of flavors, deliciousness, and Umami. The flavors of the soup was so bursting and robust with flavor, that it put a lot of the foods they had tasted before to shame. With tastes so good it was hard to explain.

"Oh, my word!" Bonnie was the one to exclaim after she ate her first spoonful.

"So, you like it then?" Samantha wondered.

"This soup is excellent, incredible. I love it." Bonnie stated.

"Best food I've ever put into my mouth, I'm not just saying it to be nice either." Stated Damon with enthusiasm. "I've never tasted anything this yummy before, it darn spectacular."

Samantha beamed like a cook proud of their good cooking. "Then nothing much has changed, people who I'd fed with this soup, used to always tell me I had the best homemade soup around. But, I haven't fed anyone with it for a while. So, I was wondering if I had lost my touch."

Bonnie told her. "You've haven't lost your touch at all."

"Nope, not at all." Damon was in agreement with his lady love.

"You should try some of the bread as well." Samantha prompted.

So, they did, the two of two them picked up their bread off of the plate and bit into it. Much like the soup the bread was a burst of flavors. Which got compliments from both Damon and Bonnie.

"That's a flat version of cornbread." Samantha let them know. "I managed a trick to get it to work, even if some of the ingredients weren't available to me."

Damon chews and swallowed before speaking. "Cornbread, that's why it's yellow."

Samantha confirmed. "Yep, it's yellow from the cornbread I used to bake it with in the wood cooking stove."

Bonnie commented. "Well, it's delicious, just like your homemade soup is."

Speaking of said homemade soup, the pair of them really went to work on it. Spooning it up, scooping it up from the bowl with the spoons. Rapidly chowing it down, before quickly spooning up more. After all they haven't eaten in days, so this was the action of people getting some much needed food into their bodies.

Samantha who had ate a few spoonfuls of her own soup noticed them rapidly eating her homemade soup. She paused in the eating of her own soup to watch the two of them in amusement. There was an old joke that her folks would make if she, in her younger ages would eat food in a rapid manner as these two were doing.

Which was 'Slow down, the food isn't going anywhere'. But, she wouldn't make that joke towards these two as she understood the circumstances surrounding why they were doing it.

All at the same time, they noticed how Samantha was watching as they were wolfing down the soup.

"Our bad, hope there's no offense to eating like this." Damon commented after eating a bite of bread.

"We're sorry, hope we didn't come off as rude." Bonnie wiped her mouth on the handkerchief provided for them to wipe their mouths and hands on as they ate.

"Please, neither of you have a thing to be sorry for." Samantha waved a hand. "I know under the circumstances how hungry y'all are."

"Correct, we're starving." Bonnie admitted.

Samantha began to eat her own bowl of soup again. "There's a whole big pot, so y'all are welcome to as much as you want until you get full."

Bonnie chewed her piece of cornbread. "In that case, I'm sure I'll have more, what about you Damon."

He voiced. "I'll be sure to get seconds then too."

Samantha reached for a towel, wiped her hands. "Help yourselves when your ready."

Soon, the first bowl of soup either of them had eaten was gone. So, Bonnie made a move to get up to get more.

"I've got it, Bon Bon." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, Damon." Bonnie directed at him.

"You're very welcome." Damon gave her a grin, before he got up. He took their empty bowls over to the stove. Used the big spoon to full them both up with more piping hot soup. Then carried the bowls back over to the table.

He sat one bowl in front of Bonnie, the other bowl in front of himself and took his seat next to Bonnie.

Bonnie gave him a grin, before proceeding to eat her soup.

Then Damon proceeded to eat his.

As they worked on their second bowl of soup, once again Samantha was proud of her cooking skills.

"I really put my foot into that." Samantha boosted.

"You what?" Damon furrowed a brow.

"Just means she really did an excellent job at preparing the meal." Bonnie hinted to him.

"Oh." He muttered.

Samantha arched her brow at him. "You don't know a figure of speech, Damon?"

He pressed his lips. "Oh, I know lots of metaphors, that just wasn't one of them until now."

Samantha chuckled a little. "Then I guess we learn something new everyday."

The three of them ate the homemade soup and the flattened cornbread in silence for a few minutes. Samantha got up to get another piece of the cornbread for herself, once she had finished her first piece.

"Where did you get all of the vegetables for this soup, Ma'am?" Damon questioned towards the older woman in the room.

"Please, call me Samantha, it's nice that you're being so respectful, yet I prefer for folks to call be Samantha over Ma'am. Makes me feel a little younger." Samantha proclaimed.

"Okay, Samantha, where did you get all of the vegetables for this wonder soup, it's packed with the stuff. Do you have a big storage of canned vegetables collected in here?" Wondered a curious Damon.

"I know that finding canned foods all around is one of the things those left on this earth does to try and eat. Just as you two must have been doing when I found you searching around in this area. Y'all were searching for canned food from being hungry." Samantha guessed.

Bonnie spooned up more of her second bowl of soup. "Among other things, we were just searching and hoping to discover canned foods or some sort of non perishable, shelf stable, foods. Which was often difficult for us to come by on our travels, but recently we ran into a very hard time finding canned foods or any sorts of non perishable, processed food at all."

Damon muttered. "Tell me about it, finding the canned stuff or non perishable stuff was always tough to come across, unless we lucked out, yet our luck ran out before we were lucky enough to happen to come across this place."

Samantha nodded once more. "Being around right after the apocalypse, during the first weeks and months afterwards, canned foods of all kinds was how I and my loved ones survived from going hungry, It's how many survived, before food companies got hit with all of the natural disasters and could no longer produce and distribute food on a mass scale.

"So, then the stores all over soon were out of all food, then it even canned foods eventually became much harder to come by, unless there were isolated areas where they were still stockpiles or not found yet. But, to answer your question, Damon, no this soup isn't made with canned vegetables."

"It isn't?" Damon wiped his mouth.

"It isn't." Answered Samantha.

"Then where did you get them from then?"

Samantha replied to him. "A place which is much better than getting them from canned, from my own garden."

Bonnie leaned forward a little. "Really?"

Samantha took her cup and sipped something out of it. "Really, I grow vegetables from my own garden, organic with no pesticides. Healthier and fresher than canned. Tastes better than canned too. Hard work to get it all done and for them to grow in the correct way, but it's worth it. Because I've been living off of feeding myself from the garden for years."

"Where is this garden of yours?"

"In the backyard." Samantha directed at Bonnie, since Bonnie was the one to ask the last question. "Just big enough where I can grow different sorts of vegetables throughout the growing season. I grow enough different varieties so I don't get bored or tired of eating the same thing all of the time. Most of my diet consists of plant based food among other things."

"Growing your own plants." Damon said. "An guaranteed way to feed yourself in times like these."

"Right, learning how to grow your own plant based food would be useful in surviving." Delivered Bonnie.

"Yes, as it worked out so well for me." Stated Samantha.

Damon finished off his second bowl of soup.

Samantha looked over at him. "Want a third bowl?"

Damon shook his head. "No, surprisingly, I'm almost full. I could use another slice of the cornbread though." As the bowls they were eating out of were bigger than the average sized eating bowl, he got fuller faster than he expected to.

Samantha reached over, grabbed the container filled with unleavened cornbread. She placed it in the middle of the table.

"Help yourselves to all you can eat." Samantha elicited.

Taking two pieces of the unleavened corn style bread, Damon handed one over to Bonnie, while keeping a piece for himself.

"Thanks." Said Bonnie.

"You're welcome." Returned Damon.

Bonnie took the piece of bread, dipped it into the soup she had remaining and ate it.

"So, you sustain yourself mostly on your own stuff you grow." Damon put towards Samantha.

"I do. As I was saying, I grow all different varieties of vegetables. I use my donkey I have out there to help assist me to plow and tend to the soil to prep it for growing. He does so by pulling along one of those plowing tools you can hook up to an animal like horses, cattle or such..

Samantha explained to them and enjoyed explaining the process of growing food to them, as the young pair of them seemed to honestly be interested in what she had to tell them. And she had enjoyment is sharing with them her standard of living and way of life during these times.

Samantha went on with her explanation. "...Once the soil is ready, I plant the seeds into the ground, sectioning the vegetables off by each variety they are. Make sure to water them. The kind of plants I grow depends on what season it is for the specific vegetable. Then once they are in season and ready to eat. I pick enough to feed me at the time. Then make sure to grow enough to harvest the rest. So, I can and seal them into mason jars using an old fashioned tactic. So, when the fall and winter time comes, I have enough in the mason jars to tide me over, until it gets warm again where I can start the process of growing what's needed in my garden all over again."

The young couple ate their bread, as they had a shared fascination for this elderly lady before them. She may have been old, but she sure had all it took for a human to survive under the harsh circumstances of the world. And with the two of them being survivors themselves. They had to respect that.

"Everything in this soup is made from the vegetables I have grown this year. Even the tomato broth is from the tomatoes I grew when it was in season. Now, I do have spices with a long shelf life I have use to season what I cook. And I don't grow the barley that's in this soup. I have barley, dried pasta, cornmeal, and a little flour sealed off in some barrels to prevent them from rotting or going bad. But. this is all how I just feed myself through the year." Samantha finished.

"Seems like you have developed an expertise in surviving with feeding yourself. And because of it, you never are at risk at going hungry. You've just earned a ton of my respect, not that I didn't respect you already." Commented Damon, sincerely having respect for Samantha.

"Right, I'm very impressed with you too, Samantha." Bonnie vocalized.

Samantha returned. "Seems like y'all developed somewhat of an expertise at surviving since you've managed to live this long."

Damon bit into his bread. "Guess you could say that."

Samantha folded her hands in front of her. "All I did was adjusted to do what I needed to do in order to live, otherwise I knew I would have been dead a long time ago."

Bonnie mentioned. "So, I'm guessing we're the first visitors you have had."

"Both of you are the first two human faces I have seen in over two years, longer than that if I didn't count the folks I didn't know." Samantha implied.

"Wow, so there's really no one else living around in this area besides yourself?" Asked Bonnie.

"Not another soul besides myself." Samantha shook her head.

Pondered Damon. "And you're sure there's no one else staying anywhere in this area besides yourself."

Directed Samantha. "Positive, as I've been around here long enough to know. Most of the people who were living around here, either died out over the last three decades or they left to go elsewhere in hopes of finding better chances at survival. So, I'm the only one around."

Damon nodded. "I believe you."

Samantha blow out a breath. "Yep, me was the only human around this parts, until y'all came along. But,, other then that, besides me, no other human is around for an radius of hundreds of miles."

"And you don't get lonely at all or feel alone by having no human contact at all?" Bonnie tilted her head.

"Nope, not at all. And for a lot of the time, it's best to avoid human contact, if the humans have ill will or ill intentions." Samantha uttered.

"True." Bonnie knew she and Damon knew the subject of ill willed humans better than anyone else.

Samantha pronounced. "Besides, even though I've haven't had human contact with anyone in these last few years, I wasn't always exactly alone. I told you how it has been some years since I last saw a human face that belonged to someone I did not know. However, when it comes to a person I did know, they did live here with me."

Damon brought up. "So, you do have another person living here with you."

Samantha have him a nod. "A man."

Bonnie looked around to see if she had missed any signs of a man living in the house. As it seemed like Samantha was the only one living here when her and Damon had came. Yet, Samantha just mentioning how she had a man living there, made Bonnie wonder if she had missed any signs.

"A man lives here with you? Didn't see anyone else around when we came in." Mentioned Bonnie.

"Yeah, where is this man, sure would like to met him." Damon was also looking around for any potential signs he missed of said man.

"You're mistaken. I used to have a man living here." Samantha corrected them. "But, he doesn't anymore."

"He doesn't?" Bonnie put in. "Where did he go if you don't mind letting us know."

Samantha shifted in her chair. "This particular man I speak of, well he's my husband or at least was my husband."

Bonnie made sure to understand. "So, you were married?"

Samantha confirmed. "Married for about sixty years."

"Whoa, that's a long time." Damon whistled.

"It is!" Samantha agreed.

"So, where did your husband go to then?" Damon wished to know.

The elderly Samantha replied in a calm manner. "He died about three years ago. Had to bury his body myself and give him a funeral, since I was the only one around and no one else could do it. So, I laid him to rest in a grave and that's where he is now, resting in peace."

Bonnie frowned. "So, sorry to hear that, sorry about the loss of your husband."

Damon sincerely added. "You have my condolences, must be a tough take to lose someone you love, then have to bury that person yourself."

Samantha templed her fingers. "Believe me, it's not at all easy to put someone you love into a grave."

The both of them gave her sympathetic expressions.

"And when he passed away, trust me I was sad and I did shed a few tears. But, losing my husband didn't cripple me emotionally like one might think it would. Reason for that being is because Jeremiah, his name, gave me many decades of happiness, togetherness, and love with him..

"Jeremiah gave me sixty wonderful, loving years of marriage, did all of his husbandly duties to make sure my needs got taken care of, even when the world turned tough. He was an loyal and honorable husband. And I was happy with him for the longest time. Got much more time than what a lot of people get with their loved ones these days, so I'm grateful for that."

They could hear the peaceful resolve in Samantha's voice, when she spoke of her life with her late husband Jeremiah.

"And I'm also grateful for Jeremiah living for a long as he did, lived to be over eighty years old, close to ninety. Which is a blessing, considering how many how died at a much younger age. People have also went in much nastier, more violent ways. Yet, my Jeremiah left this earth due to natural causes. And I know it was just his time with God to go, I know he's now in heaven, which is why I've made peace with his death." Samantha finished with her peaceful resolve.

"Well, I speak for us both when I say, even though we're still sorry for your loss. We are glad to learn how you have gotten such a long marriage and life to live with your husband, Jeremiah." Bonnie stated sincerely.

Next to her, Damon nodded in full agreement.

"Now, can I ask y'all something?" Samantha pondered.

"Go ahead." Was Damon's response.

Samantha transitioned from the subject of her husband, to what she wished to know about these two young people before. "You said you were travellers."

"Correct, we're travellers." Bonnie confirmed.

"Where are y'all from?"

"We're from out West." Was Bonnie's reply.

"All the way out West? You mean the Western United States?"

This time Damon replied. "Yes, we travelled here from the Western states of this country."

Samantha eyed them both. "Then you've come all the way here to the east coast from the west coast. How did you manage to get here from over the way over there?"

Damon told the elderly woman. "We've travelled, mostly on foot."

"Is that so?" An expression came over Samantha's face.

"Yep." Damon popped the p. "The majority of the time, we have been travelling on foot."

"In that case, must have taken y'all a while to get over here." Samantha sounded intrigued to learn of this.

Bonnie established. "We started this trip in May, so this means it has taken us about ten months in total to make it here to North Carolina."

Samantha was even more intrigued to learn more from them. "And what in the world would inspire you to walk on foot for ten months, from the West Coast to the East Coast. Where would you need to travel to that is obviously so important."

Damon started. "Well…."

"Well?"

"We have made our way over to the east coast for something important, because of having a particular goal in mind." Directed Bonnie to Samantha.

"And this goal would be?"

Damon and Bonnie exchanged a gaze, since they had discovered how the settlement in Virginia existed, they told no one else about it. And kept the secret between the two of them, in order to protect the people of Anex, as well as protect themselves. Knowing that the tape recording they had on them, along with the map could put them in grave danger, from anyone of ill will who wanted to get those things off of them.

They had managed to keep the secret safe for all of these months, even against the various foes and enemies they had ran into along the way. They knew that this secret shouldn't just be shared with anyone, for obvious reasons.

Yet, Samantha had taken them in, so she was clearly one of the good guys, who had fed them when they were most hungry. They could tell she was a woman with a good heart. So, therefore they decided with an non verbal agreement that they could trust her by telling her this secret.

This was why Damon signaled to Bonnie. "Go ahead."

Bonnie turned to Samantha. "The reason why we're travelling over here, why we have spent ten months making our way across the country, is because we have a incredibly important destination to reach up North. There's this very promising community…"

"A settlement in Virginia." Damon finished explaining. "Where the chances of surviving are said to be much higher. They have everything there needed to heighten a person's chances at surviving, along with a better standard of life, that's where were trying to get to, the place called…"

"Anex." Samantha interrupted him as soon as she recognized what the two of them were explaining.

"Wait…...you know what we're talking about?" Damon questioned after a pause.

"Yes, I do." Samantha answered.

Leaning forward, Bonnie held her voice just above a whisper. "So, you're aware of our destination existing?"

A gesturing Samantha pointed her finger in the air, as if to hint pointing in the North direction. "A settlement in Mystic Falls, Virginia that's surrounded by walls, has electricity, an abundance of food and a good life for all who live there, yes I know about it."

Bonnie and Damon did a double take in shock.

"How did you learn of this place?" Bonnie needed to know.

"Have my ways of finding out some things, won't tell you exactly how I know, but I just know." Samantha shrugged.

"So, you know Anex exists and know all that it is said to offer. But, you've never tried to make it there?" Bonnie observed.

Samantha shook her head. "No. I've haven't bothered to even go up to the community in Mystic Falls."

Damon studied Samantha. "What stopped you, I mean there's no doubt how you've built a impressive way to sustain yourself with food and all. And how you know how to survive for yourself. Still, Anex is somewhere that provides an higher quality of life for those who make it and live there. You wouldn't even have to grow your own food, because others grow it for you. And your life would be easier there, so what stopped you from going."

Samantha shrugged. "Just haven't been able to make it there for my own reasons. Although, I have known about this place for a couple of years now."

Questioned Bonnie. "Then how about going with the two of us, where going up that way. You'd could come up to Anex with us if you'd like to."

"Right, once Bonnie and I leave here to continue on our travels, you can leave to and go to Anex with us. Then you won't have to worry about as much any longer, because the community, in Virginia will take care of it all for you. You'd could come with us and they'll take care of you once you get there." Damon mumbled.

"Oh, I couldn't come with y'all." Samantha dismissed.

"Of course you could, you could even take your donkey along!" Damon exclaimed.

"Young man, I would just slow you down if I just went with you young folks." Samantha chuckled.

Damon said. "Going to take us a few more weeks to get there on foot anyway…."

Bonnie added. "So, we don't mind you coming with us at all, it's truly a better life."

Samantha stated. "With my old age, it would take me longer than a few weeks to walk on foot across all of North Carolina into Virginia, I would just slow y'all down and I don't want to do that."

Bonnie insisted in a respectful manner. "But, if we could somehow accommodate you to go along with us to Anex, so you wouldn't have to walk there all the way on foot, would you come with us for a chance to reach that settlement."

"No, Bonnie, I wouldn't." Samantha put in without even hesitating a second.

"You wouldn't….at all?" Bonnie was taken aback by this.

"No, I'm not interested in going with y'all to that settlement. Even when I learned about it a couple of years back, I wasn't interested in ever going there." Samantha answered her.

Both Damon and Bonnie looked surprised by his notion coming from her.

"I know you may be caught off guard to hear me tell you this." Samantha spoke upon seeing the surprise expression on their facial features. "And it maybe hard for you to believe, but while most folks would jump at the chance to take a trip to Anex for what it is and what it offers in this world, I'm not most people…

"I prefer to stay here. I'm rather contentful and peace living, in this house right here, this is my home and has been for years. The home in which I lived with my husband for years, him and me took it from nothing and made it into a true home. And after all of the work we put into it, I would never just leave it behind."

The two of them listened to what Samantha was saying to them.

Samantha went on with more of the resolve she showed before. "I'm contentful here, I'm happy here. And I always grow enough food to last me all year long. I'm fine here just by myself and with as old as I am, I wish to live however long I have remaining on this earth, peacefully here in this home. So, while it may be hard for some to believe, I'm not interested in joining y'all in going up to Anex."

Damon respectfully said. "You do seem well of here, so we'll leave you be if that's what you wish and trust you'll be alright to take care of yourself."

Samantha commented. "I can take care of myself. Nice of y'all to offer that to me, but I wish to live the rest of my life here in solitude."

Said Bonnie just as respectfully. "And we respect your decision, meant no offense by the offer to go with us."

"None taken, I do wish you both good luck on your journey to Anex, you're much younger than I am and once you make it there, I believe you'll be able to fully enjoy and live all it has to offer." Samantha pursed her lips. "Besides, even once y'all leave to keep on your travels North it won't be like I'm living here by myself."

"It won't be?" Bonnie cocked her head to the side.

"I have Walter here with me to keep me company."

Damon perplexed. "Who is Walter?"

Samantha's eyes lit up. "Walter is the name of my donkey out there."

Damon raised a brow in amusement. "You named your donkey."

"Of course I gave my donkey a name, people name their pets all of the time don't they!"

"Yeah, they do." Damon admitted.

"Walter keeps me great company, like an human child, except far less troublesome. He listens to what I have to say, follows my rules. And helps with the chores in the garden and outside of them house. Plus, he shows me the type of affection an pet shows to their owner, the same type a dog or a cat would show to their human owner. So, even without humans around, I'm not exactly lonely, because Walter keeps me company and brings life around this house!" Samantha emphasised with humor.

Bonnie expressed amused. "That Walter fellow sounds like quite the character."

Samantha laughed. "He is and then some."

This made both Damon and Bonnie laugh.

"Going to stay here with Walter for the rest of my days, a ninety five year old woman can't afford to walk the over hundreds of miles between here and Virginia."

Their mouths dropped open at the same time.

"You're ninety five." Damon gawked.

"Yes, I'm ninety five." Samantha confirmed.

"Whoa, you don't like ninety five." Damon vocalized.

Bonnie jumped in. "You don't look ninety five at all."

Samantha's eyes looked between them. "How old do y'all take me to be?"

Damon answered. "At least twenty five years younger."

"Around your early seventies, I would say." Bonnie replied.

"Thanks, I take that as a complete compliment." Samantha patted her grayish-white hair.

"What's your secret to looking twenty years younger, did you find some fountain of youth?" A questioning Damon had to know.

"What's my secret? You mean besides the fact that black doesn't crack."

Bonnie had to laugh at Samantha's comment, along with the humor in her tone as she said it.

Samantha chuckled again before saying. "If there was some sort of secret I had to looking twenty years younger than what I am, I would say it's me always keeping busy, staying working around the house doing chores inside and outside of it, always making sure I have something to do to keep me busy. Then I go for walks with my donkey, Walter out there…

"And perhaps me having a staple of a mostly vegetable or plant based diet might also have to do something with it. Then there is the wine I drink. So, all of that combined must help me look younger."

"You have wine!?." Damon perked up as if this was the best news he heard.

"I have a handful of bottles of wine left, I drink just one cup of wine per day. They say an apple per day keeps the doctor away. Guess for me it is the one cup of wine per day, as I feel younger than what I am!" Samantha expressed.

"Must be some seriously great wine then." Bonnie said.

"I'll say." Damon said.

Samantha returned. "Very great wine, would y'all like some?"

The pair of them exclaimed in unison. "We sure would!"

Samantha got up from the table and walked over to the cabinets. As she searched through them, she spoke to Damon and Bonnie.

"I'm ninety five, now in some ways, my age has caught up to me. Mostly with my memories, as I might have slight, but not severe dementia. Couldn't know for sure if that's the reason or if it is simply old age. But, my memory is impacted the most. Especially my long term memory at times. Some of my long term memory I have no problem remembering."

She got out a bottle of wine out of one of the cabinets and began looking through another cabinet.

"Then other long term memories I have trouble recalling. So, it usually takes a spark or a reminder of something familiar related to that particular memory for me to recall it. But, I don't always remember things of the bat. Yet, I guess I can't complain, as other than my memory, my health is very good for my age."

Once she got three cups out of the cabinet, she brought them and the bottle of wine over to the table. She opened the bottle of wine and poured three cups. "Here you go."

Bonnie and Damon each grabbed onto their cup of wine.

Samantha held up her cup. "Here's a toast to the two of you following along in my good health."

"To good health." Damon and Bonnie said in unison, clicking their cups to hers.

After an hour or so of enjoying wine with Samantha, Damon and Bonnie had taken note of just how many hours had passed by since they had been in Samantha's house. They figured it might be their time to leave.

Which was why Bonnie said. "Damon and I thank you for all you have done for us in feeding us, but we think it's our time to go."

"Y'all are leaving?" Samantha furrowed her brow.

"We appreciate the food...and wine, but figured we should head out on our travels before it gets too late in the day." Damon explained to her.

"Why should you have to go?" Samantha questioned.

"We just figured we should get going." Bonnie stated.

Samantha hinted. "I mean why should you have to go, when you have room here to stay?"

Bonnie returned. "We don't want to burden you with having you room us or anything, you've done enough by feeding us."

Samantha pondered to them. "Where do y'all plan on going from here."

Gestured, Damon. "Well, we would just leave here, then do what we usually have done. Which is walk until it gets dark and then we find a shelter to sleep it for the night."

"No need for you to have to leave to find shelter to stay for the night, when there's already one here I'm offering. It's going to get dark in about two hours, I already have the wood furnace burning to keep it toasty warm in here, as I'm sure temperatures will be low tonight. Doesn't it make more sense for y'all to just stay here, instead of venturing out."

"Yeah, it does." Said Bonnie.

"Then why should y'all leave here today?" Samantha shook her head. "I have plenty of room for y'all to stay. You should stay here a couple of days at least for rest, especially because of their being food here, then you can keep up on your travel afterwards. But, at least rest here for a day or two."

"We didn't want to overstay our welcome here with you." Said Damon.

"Or cause you trouble by feeding us more than you already have." Added Bonnie.

Samantha had a certain cadence to her voice that signaled how she meant business. "Nonsense, I know y'all don't want to put too much burden or trouble on me, but that's not what you're doing. I'm opening up my home to you of free will, because it's what I want to do. And like I said before, it's my nature to help out those in need..

She continued with that same cadence. "There's enough room for both of you to stay and enough room where each of you can sleep. Stay here for a day or two, matter of fact, I insist y'all are staying."

For the countless time since they arrived at this home, Damon and Bonnie exchanged a look. They could hear the no nonsense, take no shit, and take no mouth from anyone, tone in Samantha's voice. The type that grandma's would often use on their children or grandchildren to let them know that there was no point in debating or arguing, because they weren't going to win the debate. As the grandma had what it took to win the debate every single time.

And though neither of the two of them had grandmas, the both of them knew it was no use in denying Samantha, as they weren't going to win.

So, once again they said in unison. "We're staying."

"Good." A satisfied Samantha nodded. "Now since you're staying is there anything else y'all need?"

BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK

Later that night, Damon and Bonnie were settled into one of the spare bedrooms Samantha had selected for them to stay in. This bedroom was about average sized. And had a twin bed and a dresser. And one window.

The two of them had retrieved their bags from the living room and had taken it into the bedroom, since Samantha had selected it for them to sleep in during the couple of days or so they would be staying here with her.

Since it had been a close to two weeks since either of them had been able to bathe, other than food, one of the other things they were in most need of was having a way to take a bath or shower. And they had wanted to find ways to take one, as they were always keen on keeping up with their hygiene as often as they could. Yet, once again in today's world being able to bathe every day was rare due to the circumstances.

As they had ran into such circumstances, it had been difficult for them to find a way to get a bath in, since they could not find a source of water big enough that would allow them to do so. So, because they were in need of it, they asked Samantha if there was any way for them to get clean. Then Samantha told them had she used an washing basin a few times a week to get her body clean and to keep herself clean.

When the two of them expressed to her their desire to get some sort of bathing in, she gave them an extra washing basin she had, she placed it into the room, where she had selected them to stay. And put the basin on a stand, then filled it up with warm water, almost to the brim so they would have plenty of water to wash up with. Then she filled up a smaller basin with more warm water and told them they could use it as well to help them wash up.

Once she had done that, she gave them instructions on how to use the bathroom, if they needed to use it, asked them if there was anything else they needed and when they told her they were all set, she let them know how she was going to retire to her bedroom for the night and how she would see them in the morning time.

After Samantha had retired to her bedroom, this left Damon and Bonnie in the selected spare bedroom alone with each other, they shut the door to this bedroom for privacy, even though they were sure Samantha was getting ready to go to her bed and perhaps sleep for the rest of the night.

With the large water basin filled with warm steaming water, they stripped out of their clothes until they were nude, using the fire lit oil lamps Samantha had in the room, to light up the room and see what they were doing.

They grabbed the washcloths, along with the soap Samantha had given them to wash up with and stepped up to the large basin on the stand, which came up to the midsection of their torsos, allowing them access to the warm water without having to bent down to get it. The basin wasn't big enough for them to get their bodies into. But, it was large enough where it was filled with enough water, that it allowed them to take a bathing at the same time.

Which was what they decided to do, Bonnie stood on one side, Damon stood on the other side, so that they were facing each other.

Bonnie dipped her washcloth into the warm water, first she ran the washcloth along her face before she would start to work on washing the rest of her body.

Damon too cleaned his face with his washcloth.

Then Bonnie dipped her washcloth in the water on to get it soaked, she took the soap and lathered up some scuds on the washcloth. And ran the soapy washcloth over her collarbone.

"Man, that feels good." Bonnie sighed.

"Yeah?" Damon was lathering up soap on his own washcloth.

"Yeah, for the first time soap or water has touched my skin in a couple of weeks, it feels great."

"Hmmm, has been a while since we last took any sort of wash up, but not too overly long."

She observed her man apply his soapy washcloth to his chest. "Yes, but long enough where a stench may have started to work up in us."

He observed his woman as she applied her wash cloth to her shoulders. "Right, good thing we found this place didn't we."

She agreed. "Very good thing."

Damon ran his washcloth along the area around his neck. "That Samantha is quite the character isn't she."

"And how would you judge Miss. Samantha's character?" Bonnie pondered, as she dipped her washcloth in the water, then added more soap to it.

""Would judge Miss. Samantha as a woman with very high-spirits and a excellent sense of humor which makes me like her a lot." Stated Damon.

"She's a high spirited woman, who not only had an excellent sense of humor, but she is totally sweet, kind, caring, and compassionate." Bonnie stated.

Damon muttered. "Completely agree."

Bonnie mentioned. "Lucky for us, we managed to come across her, or else we could very likely still be starving by now."

Damon soaped up his washcloth some more. "We find her. So, then she gave us some of her awesome soup and cornbread, to end our hunger. Now we're here presented with the opportunity to bathe ourselves. Plus, we have a warm place to sleep tonight."

Bonnie commented. "And not just any place to sleep tonight, but as warm soft bed as well in which we can sleep in the for next two nights or so. Better than other surfaces we have slept on at times. So, here we are ending this day with a nice hot watered wash up and warm bed to sleep in."

He pointed out. "Fourtunate you won the coin toss, huh. Otherwise, we might have missed out on meeting Samantha and therefore could have went down the other road, missing out on putting food in our bellies and this opportunity to bathe."

"Maybe I should win the coins tosses from now on if this is going to be our fortune then." She winked.

"I'll ensure you win all of the coin tosses between us, if this is going to be our luck." Damon wiggled his eyebrows.

Bonnie let out some slight laughter.

Then they proceeded with bathing themselves, in their shared basin of hot, steaming water. They lathered up a bunch of soap on their washcloths, scrubbed the top parts of their bodies for a few decent minutes, making sure to get every inch. And especially scrub and wash the areas of their underarms. After repeating this process to the top parts of their bodies to make sure they scrubbed away the dirt that had gotten there over the last couple of weeks. Taking turns to wash and rinse each other's backs in this process, since their backs were harder for them to reach. They rinsed the soap away from the top half of their body.

Moved on to washing their lower halves, which included their feet and legs. Finally they soaped up and washed on and around their private areas, bathing the area thoroughly, several times over before rinsing. And ended the bathing of their bodies by washing their bottoms, as getting that part clean was as important as having the private area clean.

By the time they rinsed themselves off. They had bathed all of the dirt and grime which may have been on their bodies off. And had successfully washed away any hint of body odor, although not overpowering, which might have gathered on them.

"Body's taken care of." Bonnie announced. "Now, if only I could wash my hair."

"My hair needs washing too, but we can still wash our hair, you and I." Damon gestured over to the smaller container of water they hadn't used. "We have enough water left over to each wash our hair."

"Alright, so let's wash our hair then." Bonnie nodded.

"Here's a idea" His eyes were roaming over her naked form.

She half smiled, as she saw that familiar look in his eyes. "Damon, we're not having sex in this house, out of courtesy to Samantha, I don't think we should be getting busy in her home or on her bed."

He snorted. "Wow, Bon Bon, I wasn't going to offer or suggest we have sex, get your mind out of the gutter why don't you, besides I wouldn't wish to be rude to Samantha while she's trying to sleep, knowing how loud you can be when I pleasure you."

Bonnie playfully rolled her eyes. "Geez, you're just too much at times."

Damon snickered.

"So, what's this idea of yours?"

"Was going to say, I'll wash your hair and then you could wash mine."

"Oh."

Damon cocked his head to the side. "Do we have a good deal then."

Bonnie took him up on his suggestion with a grin. "We have a good deal."

Damon grinned back. "Great, so first I'll wash your hair."

"Then, I'll wash yours!" She gave him a thumbs up.

So, they used the water in the extra container Samantha had filled with warm water, they took turns washing the other's hair. To wash the hair, they used the shampoo they had been carrying along with them in one of their luggage bags.

They plopped a large amount of the shampoo in their hand, used it and the water to lather up plenty of shampoo on the other's head. Washed the each other's hair thoroughly, until they were positive they hair was free of dandruff or dirtiness, then they rinsed all of the shampoo out of the other person's hair.

When their hair washing was completed, they finished by patting their hair dry with the towels, as well as making sure the rest of their bodies were dry from the bathing they had done.

"I feel so much better now." Bonnie sighed in relief since she felt much cleaner than she had been feeling for the last several days.

"Mmmm, washing away the grime, dirt, and some body odor does rejuvenate the body." Damon glanced at the water they had used to rejuvenate themselves, Samantha had instructed them to carry out the basin full of water in the morning, then dump it outside in the yard. So, he figured he would be the one to do that. Since he was sure the basin would be heavy for Bonnie to handle.

"I feel fresh and clean." Bonnie stretched out her eyes.

"Me too, almost like a entire new person, after the last couple of weeks prevented us from bathing. Glad we had this opportunity to wash ourselves off and get clean." Damon expressed.

They had yet to get dressed, so Bonnie walked up to him, and from behind, she wrapped her arms around him, and pressed her front against his back.

Damon placed his arms hands over hers which was wrapped around his torso, to hold her into place, as he took the moment to enjoy her embrace.

Bonnie whispered to him. "Thanks."

It took all of the will power he had in him not to get distracted by the feelings of her breasts mashed up against his back. "Just what are you thanking me for?"

"Just the small stuff you do for me, which is why I love you. Like how you offered to wash my hair. And you did a expert job at it by the way. Feeling your fingers massaging the shampoo in my hair was very relaxing."

"Same here, I mean on the loving you part and the you did an expert job at washing my hair as well."

"You know, you smell really fabulous." She directed at him.

"Do I?" His lips curved upward.

Bonnie breathed in a deep scent of him. "The Irish Spring soap you used just now makes you smell very manly, sort of a turn on."

Damon turned around so he was faced to face with her and now they fronts were pressed against each other's. "You smell nice as well."

Bonnie smiled.

Leaning in he took a deep sniff of her. "Like lavender, mixed with a little lemon. Totally intoxicating and makes you enticing to me."

"We'd better stop this talk about how good the other's scent is, before it leads us to end up having sex after all." Laughter danced in her eyes.

"We'd better, indeed. We'll get back to this talk once we leave here and go somewhere else more private for love making, where we won't have to worry about waking an old lady with your loud sex noises." Damon smirked.

"Please, you can get loud during our love making too." Bonnie lightly slapped him on his bare chest.

He admitted with an grin. "Yeah, I do."

She smirked. "Hmmmm."

The two of them separated to put some clothes on. Since it had been a while before now since they last bathed, they both put on some fresh and clean underwear which they had collected back in the house they had stayed in Louisiana. Then they put on the clothes they had on back on.

With them, they always made sure to try and put on a new set of clean clothes, every few weeks or a couple of months or so at least. Because they didn't have enough room in their bags to carry about extra clothing with them, they'd always attempted to search through abandoned houses or clothing stores for new clothes to wear. So, that they didn't go around for an extended period of time wearing the same dirty clothing.

Last month, which was January, they had come across one of those thrift stores. And had prid the doors open to see if they could find new, clean clothes to wear, since they had wore the ones they were wearing at the time, for a few months in a row at that point.

Unlike grocery stores or any buildings which used to have contained food, but then were long ago picked apart and ransacked in the months and years following the events of the apocalypse. There were many clothing stores, which had clothes left in them, even if they had been picked through following the events which lead the world to end, there was still lots of clothing left over, as clothing wasn't as high on the priority list for the people who tried to survive in those days.

Which was why Damon and Bonnie had been successful at finding clothes in this long ago abandoned thrift store. They exchanged the clothes they had found in October, for the ones they had found in January and changed right into their new, warm winter clothes in that thrift store.

So, currently the clothes they had worn and were now putting back on was the clothing they discovered about a month ago. They got dressed, but not before making sure to put some deodorant on their underarms.

Once they were dressed again, they stayed up for about forty minutes just to have some small talk.

Then Bonnie let out a yawn.

"Sleepy?" Damon noticed her yawning.

"Very tired and yes sleepy."

"I am too."

Bonnie asked him. "What time is it?"

Damon looked at his watch. "About close to eleven now."

Bonnie responded. "Wow, later than I thought it was."

"Feeling completely exhausted at the moment." He told her.

"As I'm feeling very sleepy, it's been a very long day." She pointed out.

"It has." He thought about how early they had gotten up on this morning to get going on their travels. They had started just at the crack of dawn, before the sun even came up.

Bonnie yawned once more, which in turn made him yawn and caused the both of them to let out a short laugh.

"Why don't we go to bed, we both surely could use some sleep." Damon suggested.

"I'm with you on that, ready to get into the bed and get some major sleep eye." Bonnie rubbed at her eyes with one of her hands.

"Ladies first." Damon gestured to the bed.

They approached the bed together, he waited for her to get into the bed first. However, she stood up in front of him before getting in.

""Aren't you going to kiss me good night first?" She gave him an lovingly, warm expression.

Obiliging her, Damon remained silent. Instead, he just tunneled his fingers through her hair, placed a brief kiss on her lips, before following it up by pressing his lips to her forehead.

Bonnie smiled at him once more before climbing into the bed.

He waited until she was on the side of the bed, before he climbed in with her. They shifted until the both of them were laying comfortable in the bed. They were facing the window, so they had the vantage point of seeing a full, bright, yellowish moon in the sky.

They laid on their sides, with her back facing his front.

Bonnie inched over to him until her back was against his chest. "Put your arm around me."

"Yes, Bon!" Damon again gladly obliged her by throwing his arm over her body.

She then put her arm over the one which was thrown over her, moved her hand down until her hand was on his that over her, then she laced their fingers together, brought their joined hands up to her lips and kissed his knuckles tenderly.

This stirred up the tender feeling of love he had for this woman.

"Good night, Damon."

"Good night, Bon."

He pulled the comforter cover over them. And the couple fell asleep, in the spooning position, as they held and snuggled each other through the night.

BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK

Sunlight poured through the window, shining onto the couple that were sleeping in the bed, sunlight flowed over Bonnie's face, as she was still facing the window, which caused her to wake him with some sun in her face.

Squinting her eyes, Bonnie could see through the view of the window, the orange sun had been in the process of rising over the horizon for at least about twenty minutes. Feeling very much well rested and like she had gotten plenty of sleep in the comfortable, warm bed, she turned to see if Damon had also waken up.

He wasn't woken up yet, he was still in a deep sleep, out to the world, having no clue she had woke up next to him. Although she was now awake, Bonnie made no move to get out of bed just yet, instead she just propped herself up on her elbow to study him for a minute.

How the orange morning sun washed over him, casting him in a orangish glow. During some time, he had shifted from his side, to onto his back. He was laying on his back, with his head tilted her direction on the pillow. And some of his hair had fallen onto his face, blocking half of it's view.

To get the full view of his face, she brushed his dark locks from his face, to reveal his handsome features being very relaxed in his sleep, his mouth was slightly parted as he snored ever so softly. She stayed there studying him for a good minute, watching his chest rise and fall as he inhaled and exhaled. And thought about what a sight he made.

She wondered if she should tell him that she was awake, but quickly decided against it. He looked so peaceful and restful in his current sleep, she didn't want to wake him. Instead deciding to let him sleep until he woke up on his own.

Leaning in, she kissed him on his forehead, leaned back to see how her forehead kiss didn't wake him. Although he was still sleeping, she figured she had gotten enough sleep and wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. And she didn't wish to exactly stay in the bed, waiting for him to wake up.

Looking back at the window to see the sun continuing to rise in the morning sky, she wondered what time it was. She did not have her watch on, as it was in her bag pack. But, Damon was still wearing his watch. She gently lifted his wrist, careful not to wake him to check what time it was.

It was about 7:25 a.m., which meant she got about nine and a half hours of sleep in at least. Which was more than enough to get her started on the day. As slowly as she could, she got out of the bed, because she didn't want to cause a big enough shift to wake Damon.

Once she had gotten successfully out of the bed without waking him, she pulled the covers back over him, until they came up to his chin. During the night before, she hadn't put on any socks, so she went over to her bag and retrieved a pair of clean socks placing them on her feet.

Bonnie then approached the closed door to the bedroom, wondering if Samantha had woken up or if she was the only person awake out of all three of them at the moment. Bonnie cracked the door to the bedroom open to see if she could figure it out, when she heard some noise coming from the area of the kitchen. Which answered her question, Samantha appeared to be awake.

Deciding to join Samantha, Bonnie casted one look back towards the bed, could see Damon still laying in it deeply asleep. She stepped outside of the room, softly closing the door behind her. Then headed towards the direction of the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Bonnie could see Samantha over the wood cooking stove, whistling out what sounded like a gospel tune. Samantha was bend never the oven compartment of the wood cooking stove. She used her ovenmit to slide something into the oven, them she shut the oven door.

Bonnie cleared her throat so that she wouldn't startle the woman.

Samantha turned to see how Bonnie had entered into the room.

"Good morning, Samantha." Bonnie greeted cheerfully.

"Good morning, Child." Samantha returned to her in a sweet grandmotherly way.

"Mind if I come in here to keep you company?" Bonnie asked in a friendly way.

"Not all at." Samantha swung an kitchen towel over her shoulder, after she wiped her hands on it. "I was wondering when others in the house would wake."

Shifting on her feet, Bonnie stated. "Well, I just woke up a few minutes ago."

Turning her attention to a medium sized tea kettle on the stove, Samantha mentioned. "I've been up for about an hour now."

Calculating the time in her head, Bonnie realized that this meant Samantha had been up around 6:30 a.m. in the morning "That's pretty early."

"I've always been a morning person, never sleep past eight in the morning." Said Samantha.

"What is it that smells so wonderful." Bonnie's nose suddenly put with a delicious cinnamon smell. Similar to what she smelled, when she and Damon arrived at this home the day before. "Reminds me of cinnamon."

"That's because it is cinnamon."

"Oh?"

Samantha explained to the younger woman. "Breakfast, for breakfast I worked up some flour, other ingredients and water into a dough, Mixed it with some cinnamon and sugar. So, for breakfast all of us our having cinnamon sugar bread."

Bonnie took in a breath. "Smells great, I'm sure it will even taste better."

Samantha let her know. "Should be ready in about twenty five minutes or so, I made enough for all of us."

"That's great." Bonnie commented.

"Where's the young man by the way?" Samantha looked over Bonnie's shoulder.

"You mean, Damon? He's still sleeping, so I decided to let him sleep in." Bonnie replied. "Him and I got up very early yesterday, so I guess he is still catching up on his sleep."

"Nothing wrong with sleeping in." Samantha uttered. "We'll just save him some cinnamon sugar bread whenever he wakes up."

Bonnie nodded. "Alright."

Samantha added. "While we're waiting for him and the bread to bake, why don't we have some coffee."

Bonnie perked up. "You have coffee!"

"The instant coffee kind, with the crystals you just need to make with some hot water. I have a couple of cups every morning to get me started on my day." Samantha explained.

Since this was mentioned, Bonnie now could smell the coffee brewing up.

"I have it boiling on the stove, in the big kettle. So, would you like a cup?"

Thinking about the last time she had tasted coffee, Bonnie recalled how it had been a while, she hadn't had coffee since her and Damon had discovered the MREs, in that bunker they had found. That was months and months ago when the weather was still warm and not frigid as it was now. And one of the beverages Bonnie wished she could have more of was coffee.

This is why she answered. "Absolutely!"

"Take a seat while I fix you some." Samantha waved a hand towards one of the chairs at the table.

And Bonnie took a seat at the chair.

Samantha got three mugs out of her cabinets, she placed the third to the side. Then took two over towards the kettle on the stove, she filled the two mugs with the brewing, hot instant coffee, then proceeded to take the two mugs of coffee over to the table.

She slide one of the mugs of coffee over to Bonnie.

"Thank you." Bonnie expressed to her.

"You're welcome." Samantha returned.

Bonnie inhaled the coffee through her nose, it may have been instant, but it still smelled like damn good coffee.

Samantha grabbed her sugar dish and a couple of spoons. She placed the sugar dish in the middle of the table, held out a spoon for Bonnie.

Taking the spoon, Bonnie have Samantha her thanks again.

"Don't have anything in the form of cream, all I have is sugar. So, we'll have to drink our coffee black."

"Don't worry, I'll take coffee in any form I can get it." Bonnie assured.

"Me too!"

Bonnie guessed. "So, you're a coffee lover then."

Samantha gave a nod. "Been one since I was in my late teens."

"A long time to be a fan of coffee."

"Actually, I have several cans of this instant coffee, saved up."

"You do?"

Samantha put in a spoonful of sugar into her coffee. "I could live without eating meat for the rest of my life, but couldn't quite get by without my coffee, so I made sure to stack up on the instant stuff."

For some reason, Bonnie was amused by this. "Well, that's something else."

Taking a sip of her coffee, Samantha commented. "One of the things I relied on to keep me going, other than the things I already mentioned to y'all, was coffee."

"Couldn't blame you for that." Bonnie put in two spoonfuls and a half of sugar into her coffee, stirred it around with her spoon. "I would have coffee more often too, if I had more access to it."

"Wouldn't be all!"

"Are you from North Carolina, I mean have you lived here for most of your life?" Bonnie questioned to make conversation.

"I'm originally from Iowa." Said Samantha.

Bonnie sipped some coffee, for instant coffee, it was pretty good. "Really?"

Samantha emphasised. "Lived in Iowa for most of my life."

Bonnie pondered. "When did you move here?"

"Some years after the apololasype, weather events." Answered Samantha.

"After?"

"Ummm Mmmm."

"So, what made you move then?"

Samantha let Bonnie calmly know. "We were so of forced to."

Bonnie was very curious now, as her brow furrowed upon hearing this. "Forced to, you mean someone forced you to leave Iowa."

Samantha shook her head. "Not exactly, not directly. I mean, I guess instead of saying we were forced to go, I would word it in how we had no choice but to leave, due to circumstances changing for the worst."

"And what made you have no choice."

"There's was a particulier, vicious, violent group of people around, reigning terror across the state of Iowa. And they were invading the counties of Iowa one by one to reign down that terror. They would kill anyone left living who didn't follow their rules and demands. Or just simply be killing innocent people because they could. They were responsible for at least one hundred deaths across Iowa."

"How awful." Bonnie frowned. As the practices of terror from the group Samantha was describing sounded familiar. But, she didn't wish to jump to conclusions.

Samantha went on. "Due to this group of vicious people killing random folks on sight, it got very dangerous for folks to be living in that part of Iowa. And they were closing in on the area where I was living with Jeremiah. The isolated people who lived around in the county was doing pretty well off for themselves, us included. Or about as well off as folks can do after they have lived through the events that nearly ended the world…"

"Yet, the group who was causing terror, didn't seem to satisfied with allowing people to mind their own, as long as they weren't messing with anyone. People who were innocent and minding their own business, were attacked by this group and had whatever survival resources they had depleted or stolen, as if these people believed they owned the place…"

'Oh, yeah.' Bonnie thought grimly to herself. This group in which Samantha was describing sounded a lot like the New Dawn, but again, she didn't want to jump to conclusions, since Samantha had not actually called this group who had reigned terror in Iowa, The New Dawn.

Samantha stared down into her coffee, with the way that people stared when they were recalling something. "With them reigning terror in our area, Jeremiah knew that it would only be a matter of time where they could get where we lived, and therefore get to us and ambush us to kill us. We knew we had to escape from the state of Iowa, to get away from the potential danger of that group."

"At the time, in Iowa, years ago, it wasn't just me and Jeremiah who were living together, we had other members of the family living with us, the ones who had lived in Iowa as well and who had survived all of the weather disasters. We had all come together, seeing how there was better survival chances if family members sticked together and had each other's backs. And it was like that for a while….

"Jeremiah, me, my sister, nephew and my nephew's wife. The five of us had each other's backs and watched out for each other. But, then when me and Jeremiah said that we should get out of there for our safety, my sister didn't agree with us."

Bonnie grasped onto her mug of coffee. "She didn't want to leave Iowa, your sister?"

"Margaret, she was always stubborn as a mule." Samantha vocalized in a manner in which a person was wistfully reminiscing about a family relative. "And her stubbornness carried on when she told me how she wasn't going anywhere, how she wasn't going to leave Iowa, how she wasn't going to let the vicious group of devils run her out of town or make her live in fear. When I tried to talk some sense into her to get her to come with me and Jeremiah, she had put her foot down and said she wasn't going anywhere…"

"After some back and forth, I knew we wouldn't see eye to eye, as I knew she wasn't going to change her mind. She wasn't going to leave, yet I knew I couldn't stay either. So, her and I embraced in a sisterly fashion, said we loved each other and parted our ways."

Bonnie wished to know more. "And the nephew and his wife, what was their decision about leaving or staying in Iowa?"

Samantha implied. "Seeing, as my sister was my nephew's mama, he stayed behind with Marget to protect her."

Bonnie made a movement with her head. "Of course, makes sense he would stay to be with his mother."

"Naturally my nephew's wife would want to stay with her husband, so the five of us parted ways. Me and Jeremiah leaving and Margaret, my nephew and his wife staying behind. Once we left, we never saw the three of them again. Anyway, as I was saying, Jeremiah and I packed up the Uhaul with everything we owned, we gassed it up with as much gas a we could. And we got on the road with it, driving away from the state of Iowa. ….

"We wished to get as far away from the state as possible, we decided to head East, instead of going West, or further North. Jeremiah drove us over to the east coast, where we picked here in North Carolina to live." Samantha finished.

The younger woman looked around the kitchen. "And you and your husband moved here into this house."

The older woman explained. "We knew what we needed first, was a new house to live in since we were new to the area. We looked for a house which was best suited for us and the conditions we needed to live in. And found this one. It had an for sale sign on it, but the thing was that even though we have money in the sense of having enough in the bank to buy a house, we couldn't even use it. Because of the collapse of the financial infrastructures, currency was useless by that time…

"When we found the owner of this house, we couldn't exactly offer her money or cash to sell it to us."

Sipping on more of her coffee, Bonnie wondered. "So, did you and Jeremiah trade something with this woman for exchange of the house?"

"Traded nothing for it, the woman just gave the house to me and Jeremiah for free."

Bonnie was somewhat taken aback to hear this, as she knew most people didn't give anything away for free in the current world.

The old elderly black lady went on still. "Jeremiah and I were shocked this woman was offering a house to us for free. But, she said she already had a home to live in and told us that there was no longer any use in keeping it up for sale, due to all the destruction around which had happened by that time. This woman had just been tired of all of the eviliness she had seen from the actions of some people. She wanted to believe there was still some hope for humanity, that there was still some out there who could do good…

"And she wanted to be an example of that, so she just gave us this house here, out of the kindness of her heart. Told us she wanted nothing in return, expect for us two return it with a kind act to another person, which I have no problems doing. "

Bonnie looked over at Samantha. "It was a very kind thing for that woman to give you this home for free, because some people wouldn't give away bottle of water away for free, much less an whole house."

"In my heart, I feel like me and Jeremiah coming across that woman was a blessing from God, who knew we needed a new house, after we had fled from Iowa. And this woman just wanted to do good, because of there being so much bad people around.

"Once we got this house off of the hands of the woman, Jeremiah and I went to work quickly, we went to work in building up this house to be our home. First we converted it into the living standards that were created from the fall out of the electricity going out all over the place. The electric had been out for many years at that point. And you see, folks had to learn to adjust to life without electricity. Some did better than others. And other folks struggled to get adjusted to it.

Samantha moved her head in a sideways fashion. "...Back then before all of the weather destruction, when there was still widespread electricity, people would freak out or have a fit even if the electricity went out for five minutes, so you could imagine what it was like for some people when they learned that the electricity was out for good this time.."

Bonnie tried to imagine, she never grew up in a world with electricity, so she really wasn't aware of what it was like to have it, be use to having it for most of your life, then losing it. But, she knew the reaction back then to losing it couldn't have been pretty.

"As I was saying, some adjusted better than others, and we were one of the ones who adjusted better. We learned to live like the people did back before electricity was even invented. If humankind lived hundreds of years without it, then we could too. So, when gotten this house, there was the England wood burning heating stove, you see in the living room already here. But, the stove in the kitchen was still one that ran by electric. It couldn't be used…

"But, we knew we needed to cook. So, Jeremiah got rid of the electric stove. Then took he Uhaul and used the gas left in it, to drive around, until he found an local museum a few miles away from here, this museum stored artifacts from the 1700s to the 1900s. He found an old wood burning, cooking stove with an oven and put it up on the U Haul, to haul in back here."

"He installed the wood cooking stove in the kitchen and together, him and me built this house up and converted it into our home. We prepared an area of the backyard to turn it into a garden, gathered up a bunch of seed packages of different variety of vegetables and began growing our own food. And soon enough this house was our home. And we made it work, it was about nine years ago where we moved here to North Carolina and this home. And I've been living with Jeremiah here until he passed away. And still I carry on making this house a true home." Samantha finished with pride.

With her eyes scanning around the area, Bonnie gave her take. "Well, you've done an above fine job at turning this into a home, I've only been here for a short while, yet it doesn't just feel like a house, it feels cozy, as a home should feel in every sense of the word."

The expression of pride heightened on Samantha's face. "Makes me feel something proud to hear you say that, sweetie."

Bonnie complimented. "As you should feel."

The two women sipped on their coffee in silence for a couple of minutes. Yet, Bonnie still wished to know more about the older woman's experiences.

"I don't mean to be a bother to you."

"Why would you be a bother to me?"

"I meant, I know I already asked you many questions, I don't wish to get on your nerves, my asking you more." Bonnie clarfield.

"You're not getting on my nerves." Returned Samantha.

Bonnie pondered. "Are you sure, if I asked you more questions, it wouldn't feel like I'm intruding or pressing you too much."

Samantha shifted her eyes from her mug to Bonnie. "No, it wouldn't feel like you're pressing too much. I find it kind of endearing that you would be interested in wanting to know so much about how my life went."

Bonnie said this. "Okay."

Samantha pressed. "You wish to ask me something else."

"You were old enough to be here, before it all changed into the world we know currently, for the 'before."

"Correct."

"Mind telling me what your life was like around the time the world went hectic.?"

Samantha guessed. "You mean around the time the natural disasters started to happen."

Bonnie hinted. "Yes, how was your life around the time and what happened with your life, during the timing of those events."

Samantha didn't need Bonnie to specify what events, she knew the events were what the machine had caused to happen around the world. "I'll tell you most of what my memory can recall."

Bonnie gave the older woman a nod.

"I graduated from college, where I had met Jeremiah, then once I graduated from college, I went into nursing. Nursing was an hard job, with a lot of hours, but I loved doing it, as I loved the reward of having sick and injured patients get better and heal them. I worked in this practice of healing until retirement age, which was sixty five." Samantha took a big gulp of her coffee.

Listening closely, Bonnie continued to drink her coffee.

Pushing her coffee mug to the side, Samantha templed her fingers in the way that she did. And soberly began to tell Bonnie her story.

The older woman started from the flashback story, by telling the younger one about the events which sent the world into a talespin and on a downward spiral towards the apocalypse. The story started off with how life was normal for everyone and how she was going on about her everyday life. Before, without warning it all started to change.

One day in 2017, massive storms broke out all across the United States and how the world, and meteorologists didn't predict or forecast these storms happening and was in total confusion when they did. Because the first set of storms happened without warning, many people had died in them or millions of dollars in damage was caused.

From that day the weather events only started to get worse or intensify. Every part of the world was experiencing the horror of some type of major weather disaster or natural disaster. All news situations were covering this outbreak 24/7, due to everyone trying to figure out what in the world was going on.

Moving on, Samantha described how this subject remained at the top of what every news channel was covering, until they couldn't cover it any longer. Because of either the destructive weather laying waste to the area's around the news stations or to the news stations themselves. Or either because power and electricity cut off access to the news channels for millions of people.

Samantha mentioned how eventually electricity went out in one hundred percent of the planet, during the months following the disaster, either from the direct destruction of the weather itself, or because the power grids were overwhelmed. Or because Nuclear power plants had been abandoned by those who worked there either fleeing or trying to find places to hide from the destruction.

And once the power went out, and people realized that electricity was never coming on again, there was panic and chaos. Some people adapted to this notion of a suddenly disabled electricity world better than others. For a little while, some were able to counter the loss of electricity with generators. But, even those only lasted for a short time.

As the natural disasters prolonged, the mass production of food had began to stop, factories began to shut down. And as this happened, the demand for food in any form and water went up. Some greedy businessmen had tried to take advantage of this by price gouging. Running up everything from gas, to packages of water, and even cans of food.

People didn't take to kindly to this and some just countered with looting the stores that charged a ridiculous about of money of a pack of water. Over the course of months, as Samantha explained it, terrible weather events was happening in every section of the globe. There wasn't a single habitable continent which a person could escape from and not be faced with some sort of weather destruction.

Because of this, millions had died over the course of these months. Which made more panic and fear spread all over the globe. Governments were overwhelmed and couldn't handle all of these things happening all over the world at the same time. Even the richest and most stable countries were worn thin by it all. Not being able to keep up with the resources and manpower needed to help the millions of people in turmoil.

So, governments eventually collapsed. And whatever government officials left alive, left the people to fend for themselves, as they were worried about the survival of themselves and their families. Samantha stated how in the aftermath of the destruction, how many still died to to various reasons, indirectly related to what the machine did.

And how nasty, mean, and cruel the world turned into. She mentioned how people were getting so desperate for food. And how she witness one man shoot another man over a loaf of bread. Mentioned how she herself, along with Jeremiah had to fight tooth and nail to live. How difficult it was for her and her loved ones during the months and years following.

By the time Samantha had finished updating Bonnie in on what happened back then, Bonnie was on the edge of her seat, captivated by this woman's story. She had heard about what the world was like before, from the view of her father.

And yet, Samantha had a perspective which was unique to Bonnie.

"How did you get through all of that? I meant emotionally and mentally." Bonnie directed the question for what she meant.

"Emotionally, mentally. I got through those times, just like I've gotten through the tough times in my life before, through my steadfast faith. My belief that Christ would see me through my trials and tribulations, helped me through it. I prayed to him to protect me and my loved ones and we remained alive, I believe because he answered my prayers…" Samantha stated in the tone of someone with a ton of faith.

"Besides my steadfast faith, another thing which helped me get through the rough times of the world was Jeremiah and my loved ones. WIthout my faith and loved ones, I don't think I would be able to make it through."

Bonnie slipped down the last of her coffee. And during her story telling, Samantha had drunken down all of hers too. Seeing they were both out of coffee, Samantha rose, refilled both of their mugs. And brought them over back to the table, where they could finish their conversation.

"I'm truly inspired by your strength and how you used your faith to assist in seeing you through the horrific times." Bonnie let Samantha know, with some admiration.

"A person just has to grasp onto whatever they believe in, during troubling times and not let go." Samantha gestured. "For me it's the Christian faith, for others it maybe another religion, and still other folks who don't believe in religion at all may cling to something else. Doesn't matter what it is. As long as it's good and you believe in it. Then hold onto it, never let go, it will see you through the most difficult times."

"I have to agree." Bonnie uttered.

"You know, you remind me of myself in a lot of ways."

Bonnie paused in putting the sugar into her coffee. "...I do?"

Samantha confirmed. "You do."

Bonnie cocked her head to the side. "How so?"

Samantha stated firmly. "Just the strength and will you have in you reminds me a lot about myself. I see your strength having a lot to do with you still living to this day, especially at your young age."

"Wow." Was the best reaction Bonnie could come up with on the spot.

"In a ways, I feel like you may even be stronger than I am."

Bonnie opened her mouth, then closed it, not knowing exactly what to say towards that.

"Because you never knew what it was like before, but only experienced how the world was in the after. I feel sorry for the children born in the after which would include you. Growing up only knowing the current, cruel conditions of the world and having to live through it. Yes, those of us born before may have lost out on certain luxuries, but at least we experienced those luxuries..

The elderly lady filled the younger lady in on what she meant. "So, in that way, you are stronger than me."

Reaching over, Bonnie placed a hand on Samantha's shoulder. "Coming from you, a woman who casts the aura of the strength of a thousand suns, I'm honored to hear you believe I have so much strength."

"Because it's the true." Samantha patted Bonnie lightly on her hand.

Bonnie pulled her hand away, went back to mixing the sugar in her coffee.

"Something else that reminds you of myself, if your relationship with that young man."

"Pardon me?"

"Damon, your relationship with him."

"Oh, what about it?" Bonnie asked in a curious tone.

Samantha worked on her second cup of coffee. "Your relationship with me, reminds me of my one with Jeremiah's, especially in our younger years as a couple. Not exactly, yet emotionally your romance reminds me of the one I had with Jeremiah."

Bonnie cleared her throat. "How do you figure Damon and I are together like that?"

Samantha announced. "Developed a feeling yesterday soon after I met y'all. With how you all reacted, interacted around each other. Plus, with how you looked at him and vise versa a few times, although subtle at times. I just got the notion that y'all are more than just friendly travelers towards the other."

Bonnie arched a brow, "Interesting, because I don't recall Damon nor I letting you know that him and I were in a romance."

"Naw, neither of you told me, as I said I got this notion, you give off the aura of like how two people are when they're yearning and betrothed with each other. Then when you two agreed to share a room and bed together, it sealed my notion for me. Most of the time when a man and woman share a bed, it's either because they are already lovers or because they want to be." Samantha vocalized as a matter of fact.

This made Bonnie blush for some reason, she fully and excitingly embraced Damon Salvatore as her lover, plus then some. Still, hearing someone else bring up the subject of how he was her lover, made her blush like a schoolgirl.

"Are you embarrassed to reveal him as your lover?" An knowing expression appeared across Samantha's face. The type a woman would get when she was discussing such things as romantic partners with another woman.

"No, No, not at all. I'm not all embarrassed to admit it, there's nothing embarrassing about admitting that he is." Bonnie returned without hesitation.

"All right." Samantha murmured.

Bonnie boldly acknowledged. "Yes, I and Damon are lovers, more than that even!"

Samantha actually patted herself on the shoulder. "Figured, I know these things. Ain't nothing better than having the right man to warm your bed at night."

Blushing once more, Bonnie cleared her throat.

"As I can tell you by watching how you are around each other, there's a lot of love there." Samantha pushed on, again in the type of fashion a woman did when discussing romantic partners with another woman.

"Yeah." Bonnie confessed warmly. "I love Damon, I love him a lot."

"And the young man loves, you too. He's in love with you a lot. Just from the way he looks at you, as if you were the most precious thing on earth to him." Said Samantha sweetly.

Bonnie brought her mug of coffee up to her lips to cover her smile. "Yes, you know, it stirs something up inside of me to love and be loved in return."

Samantha emphasised with a nod. "Embrace that, embrace being loved and being loved in return. Welcome love with open arms. It's a blessing to the soul to have and be with someone you're in love with and who is in love with you. Especially during these times. So, you embrace it and you hold into the love."

The younger woman stated. "I have and I will!"

The older woman eyed the cooking stove for a brief moment, before returning her focus to Bonnie. "This is why you and him, reminded me of me and Jeremiah when we were young. Jeremiah and I, were the crazy in love type. Which lead to us being together for many decades."

"Trust me, I wish for nothing more than my relationship with Damon to last as long as yours with your husband did. I want to be with him for decades, I want to be with him for the rest of my life." Bonnie sighed.

"You will be, y'all will last, you just have to believe in your heart you will."

"I honestly believe in my heart, my heart tells me that I'll be with him for many decades, until him and I grow old." Bonnie pronounced with the wonderment of love.

Samantha petted her on the top of the head. "And since you believe, that's exactly how it will happen."

A beaming Bonnie proceeded to drinking her second cup of coffee.

Getting up, Samantha approached the stove. "The cinnamon sugar bread should be ready."

Observing Samantha, Bonnie watched as the older woman opened the oven door.

Bending down, Samantha peered inside to check on what she had put in the oven. She spoke a short time later. "Just as I said, twenty five minutes on the dot, breakfast is ready."

Since she had tasted her cooking the night before, Bonnie could anticipate what it would be like to taste Samantha's cinnamon bread.

"There it is." Samantha used her oven mit to take out the baking sheet of bread. "My world famous cinnamon bread."

"Can't wait to taste it!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Going to match up perfectly with the coffee we're having!" Samantha also exclaimed.

Taking a whiff, Bonnie declared. "Smells wonderful."

"Sure does." Boomed a male voice.

Both women turned to see Damon walking into the kitchen. He had the obvious look to him of someone who had just woken up out of bed.

"Morning, Ladies!" He greeted them with cheerful charisma.

"Morning, Damon." Bonnie gave her man a bright smile which spread ear to ear.

"You're up, young man." Was Samantha's greeting to him.

"Just got up about three minutes ago." Damon directed.

Bonnie watched as he approached closer to the table, with his eyes trained on her.

Damon focused his attention on her for a moment. "Woke up in bed, reaching for you and saw that you weren't there."

Bonnie directed at him. "You were still sleeping, in a deep sleep and looked peaceful while doing so, I did not wish to disturb you."

He eyed her with sweetness. "Understood, some extra shut eye never harms anyone."

"And did you get plenty of sleep, how was your rest?" Samantha wiped her hands on the kitchen towel.

"Rested very well, slept like a log, up now with enough energy to keep me going for the rest of the day." He replied to Samantha.

"Good, then you're just in time for breakfast." Samantha said.

Damon's attention was drawn. "Did you say breakfast? What's for breakfast!"

Bonnie proclaimed. "Cinnamon Sugar bread."

Damon beamed. "Cinnamon sugar bread?"

"Yes, Samantha baked us some cinnamon sugar bread." Beamed Bonnie by his reaction.

"Awesome! Thanks for the sweet bread, Samantha."

"Glad you're looking forward to it." Samantha returned to him.

Much like how Bonnie had done, Damon took a deep whiff of the air. Other then the cinnamon sugar bread, his nose caught the scent of something else. "Is that coffee?"

"It's coffee!" Bonnie lifted her mug to show him.

"Been awhile since I last had coffee." Damon perked up.

"Certainly has been." Bonnie delivered.

Samantha put in. "There isn't any cream, only sugar, so the best you can take it is black or sweet plus black."

Damon assured. "I'll take coffee anyway I can get it, especially since I've haven't had it in a while."

Sipping more of her coffee, Bonnie thought about going for her third, after Damon had gotten his share. "Yep, said the exact same thing."

"I'll take my coffee sweet and black." Damon announced.

"Coffee is in the kettle on the stove, I'll get some for you." Samantha told him.

"That's okay, I'll pour it for myself, just to save you some steps." Damon held up his hand.

"Alright then." Samantha tilted her head towards the stove. "Coffee's there, should be still enough left more a several more mug fulls."

Maneuvering himself towards the stove, Damon grabbed onto a empty mug, then he poured himself a mug full of the coffee, which was still warm from being near the hot stove. He took his mug over to the table.

Bonnie had her eyes on him during his entire approach to the table.

Seating himself to Bonnie, Damon eagerly filled his coffee with three spoonfuls of sugar. Stirred it with his spoon.

During the entire time he did this, Bonnie found herself captivated by his appearance. His mane of thick black hair was disheveled from the night of sleep he had. And Bonnie found herself wanting to stroke her fingers through it, yet she resisted the urge to do so, reminding herself of their company.

As he was preparing to drink his coffee, he caught a glimpse of her out of his side eye, noticed she seemed to be looking his way. So, he turned his head to get a full view of her in his eyes. Noticed how she was staring him down as if she really wished to do something inimated to him.

And this made him wish to do something intimate to her in return, like stroke her cheek with his hand, followed by giving her a searing kiss. Especially since when she looked at him like that, he found himself getting lost in her emerald green eyes. Instead he just gave her a brief heated staredown on his own, followed by a flirty wink.

In response, Bonnie found herself getting the giddy feeling she got inside of her, whenever she was reminded of just how this man let her know exactly what and how he felt for her. She gave him a delighted grin, as she recalled the conversation she and Samantha had over him, just moments before he came into the kitchen.

Across the way, Samantha observe the two of them interacting in the manner they did. Out of all of the couples she had an outsider view of before, she had never witnessed two people in love like Damon and Bonnie obviously were and this was even in during the short time she had met them.

Samantha bemused at how they gave off the vibe of two young people who were very passionately in love and who had fallen deeply for each other. She was glad for the duo and how they attained the type of love, she had been blessed to have gotten with her husband. It lifted her spirits how even the most destructive, catastrophic events that nearly wiped out mankind, couldn't put an end to the most powerful of love stories.

Turning her attention from the young couple. Samantha grabbed out a large serving platter. Then transferred all of the cinnamon sugar bread she had made onto the serving platter. With the platter piled high with the sweet bread, she took the platter over to the table.

The two of them stopped their flirty staredowns, to turn their attention to Samantha.

Damon took a sip of his coffee and declared. "Man, this is some darn good coffee or maybe it's because I haven't had any in awhile, but it's still good."

"Yeah, I'm working on by second cup right now, even thought about going for a third." Bonnie declared.

"Can't blame you for that, I'll most likely have a second cup as well." Damon put in.

"Three coffee lovers in this house, at least I have something in common with y'all young ones. Drink all of the coffee to your heart's content."

Damon and Bonnie gave a nod of acknowledgement towards Samantha for her coffee comment.

"Here's is the cinnamon sugar bread." Samantha represented the platter full in the middle of the table. "Nice, warm and more than enough for more than one piece, if you want to have more than one piece."

"Looks yummy." Damon eyed the bread.

"Can't wait to taste. Been smelling them for the last twenty minutes and they smell absolutely mouth watering." Bonnie added.

Samantha reached for some cinnamon bread, telling them. "Eat up."

They chatted it up as they drink coffee and ate cinnamon sugar bread. And as the young pair of them discussed some things with her and each other, Samantha's attention was drawn to Damon for a particular reason.

Out of nowhere, it dawned on her that there was something recognizable about Damon. Which was a bite strange to Samantha, because although it had been over a day since she had seen him, this moment was the very first time she had seen something recognizable about him.

There was something about his aura or something specific in the features of his face, which she had this gut feeling on how she had met him before. Or there was just this gut feeling she had on him being familiar somehow. Yet, she couldn't put her finger on why she was suddenly feeling this way about him. Samantha just pondered to herself what was going on in her mind.

BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK

Once they had their bellies full of coffee and cinnamon sugar bread, breakfast was over. So, Samantha put the rest of the sweet bread into a ziplock bag to be eaten by them later.

"Well, it's was nice having coffee with y'all, but I'll have to start getting to work on my chores for the day." Samantha spoke.

"What chores do you have to do?" Bonnie questioned curious.

"First, I have to wash the dishes we ate off yesterday and this morning. Then I have to tend to Walter, feed him, then take him out of the stable, so that I can clean his stable. Then I need to go to the well out back, collect some barrels of water from the well by hand."

Samantha directed as she explained her chores to the two. "...I always collected a ton of water every other day, or every day if I need to collect it every day. Half of the water collected is used for washing up the body. The other half, I boil to sanitize it to kill the germs, then filter , so I can bottle it in the gallon jugs. Then those gallon jugs are used for the water I cook and drink with. Once I have that done, I need to go out back and chop some firewood, for both of these stoves in here."

Bonnie's eyes widened. "Whoa, that's quite a lot of chores in one day."

Samantha shrugged. "As I say, I keep myself busy, sometimes to the point of doing chores all day long. Helps keep up my energy. Although on some days I'm not always this busy."

Damon offered. "Why don't we help you?"

"What do you mean?" Samantha questioned.

"No need to do all of these chores all alone, since the two of us are here and can't assist you with at least with some of them." Damon suggested.

"He's right, I know you're probably use to doing all of the chores, but that's still a lot for you to do by yourself. We could take some of that off of your shoulders." Bonnie offered.

"Now, I may not be a young spring chicken. And I may look frail, but I have more strength than you know. I'm perfectly capable of handling all of the chores on my own, as I have often did them on my own." Samantha returned to them sweetly.

Damon pronounced with politeness. "Yes, there's no doubt that you can handle them on your own. We're just saying that you don't have to or shouldn't have to while we are here. Let us help you, out of gratitude for you not only feeding us, but giving us a warm house to sleep in, with an added bonus of giving a an opportunity to bathe."

Bonnie vocalized with kindness. "Again, he's right. There's no way you should do all of this work by yourself, when we are here. We want to help you, you deserve our help, just as a token of our appreciation for what you have done for us. Please, allow us to help you."

Samantha pursed her lips. "If y'all insist."

"We do." They said at the same time.

"Well, alright. I'm not going to turn down offers for help too many times. I'll indeed make use of the two of you while y'all are here." Samantha expressed. "With that said, let's get to work."

Rubbing her hands together Bonnie stated. "I'll get started on washing the dishes. Then I'll assist in feeding Walter outhere, along with cleaning out his stable." And Bonnie made a move to do just that. She gathered up the mugs from the table they had drunk out of. Then carried them over to the sink to get started on washing them.

Raising from the table, Damon jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "First, I'll dump out the water which we used to bathe with yesterday night. Then, I'll collect the water out of the well and chop up some firewood for you."

Samantha called out to him before he could move away from the table. "Young man."

"Yes, do you need anything else, Ma'am….I mean Samantha." Damon corrected himself.

"A thought just now came to me, in relation to you." Samantha mentioned.

"Really." Damon commented. "What thought would that be?"

Bonnie who was washing the dishes listened in, while remaining silent.

Samantha focused in on him, studying his features closely. "Out of nowhere, I just saw you and then recognized something about you. Like there's a familiarity about you."

Damon paused before saying. "...Hmmm, interesting. Is there something specific you find familiar about me?"

Shaking her head, Samantha replied. "If there's something specific about you, then for me, I guess it would in particular your presence. Almost like I'm met you before."

Near the sink, Bonnie's eyes met up with his. And they exchanged the same peculiar gaze as to what Samantha was preferring to. But, again Bonnie said nothing.

"Again, Interesting." Damon shifted his eyes back to Samantha. "Because you and I have never met before yesterday."

"That's what I know." Samantha rubbed at her forehead. "Can't put my finger on why this came to me all of a sudden, must be one of those things."

Lifting his in a slight shrug, Damon uttered. "Must be."

BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK

When Bonnie got through with washing the dishes and Damon got through with disposing of the water they had bathed in, the two of them brushed their teeth, then they put on their boots, and she her jacket and him his coat and stepped outside.

Outside they joined Samantha who was out, already getting to work on her outside chore. Just as they said they would do, they assisted her in doing all of her chores, so she wouldn't have to do them alone while they were there.

Didn't take them long to see how difficult the chores were, cleaning out the donkey's stable wasn't exactly an easy task. And there was some heavy duty labor involved in chopping enough firewood to last. Along with collecting all of the water out of the well, using a bucket that was connected to a rope. Then a hand crank had to be used to lower the bucket into the well for water to be lifted by out.

Which wasn't an easy task again, considering how heavy a bucket filled with water could be. All of these hard tasks they did, just made the duo of Damon and Bonnie admire the older human among them on this day, in a respect filled way. As they knew how Samantha did these same chores multiple times as week all by herself, while managing to keep herself up and going.

For her part, Samantha was mighty grateful to have their help while they were there and she let them know more than once how grateful for their help she was. It took all three of them several hours to complete all Samantha needed done, but because she had two more people helping her, they did get done faster than she normally completed them. Normally, she would have to take a break in between before resuming the remainder of the chores. But, with help, Samantha got them done without having to take a break.

By the time they successfully finished up with the chores, ending it by putting Walter back in his now cleaned garage stable, hours had passed by. Making it about just before four ' o'clock in the evening, by the time Samantha had boiled and filtered the water she wanted to use for drinking and cooking, followed by bottling the water once again with their help.

Samantha rewarded Damon and Bonnie helping her out, by heating up the soup she had made for them before. So, the young pair cleaned and sanitized their hands. Then joined Samantha again at the table. Where they had several more bowls of her homemade vegetable and barley soup in tomato broth.

And once they were full up the soup, they enjoyed some of the wine Samantha had to offer to them.

For as much as she was enjoying the company of the young couple, Samantha couldn't just shake the feeling which had been remaining with her all day long. This feeling she had gotten in relation to Damon.

This notion which was constantly nagging at her on how she somehow met Damon before in her life or this intuition she felt deep inside of her gut, on there was just something about his presence and his features which was so familiar to her. She suddenly had recognize features on Damon and couldn't put her finger on why or how she recognized him.

At first she tried to brush it off as just one of those things a person made a mistaken confusion on. Yet, the more she had studied him during the course of the day, the more this intuition feeling in her gut kept nagging at her. And since her intuition was usually correct, Samantha wondered what her brain was attempting to remind her of.

So, all day long she dug through her memories to find out exactly why she had developed this feeling about Damon being so familiar do her. And because of her age, her memories, especially the long term ones weren't as easy to come by. And she had to concentrate very hard to get them to come back up.

So, she concentrated during the chores, concentrated as they had soup and then wine. Yet, still couldn't figure out why she had this intuition about her when it came to Damon. That was until about seven o'clock that late evening. When the focusing on her memories paid off. A lightbulb went off in her head, as she remembered exactly why there was a particular familiarity in Damon.

"Knew I wasn't losing my mind." Samantha slapped her hand against her thigh, in relief of the memories that had resurfaced in her mind.

And now she was also relieved that Damon happened to have come across her way, because this specific memories she had just recalled was groundbreaking, and she had no idea how it would be until just now. And knew due to the circumstances that Damon had no idea as well.

But, since Samantha now recalled this things, she knew she had to reveal them to Damon. As she felt like this was something he needed to know. Samantha was glad that Bonnie and Damon had decided to stay another night, due to the chores having them work until the evening time.

Otherwise, they would have already left to continue on their journey north to Virginia. And then there would be no way for Samantha to communicate to him, what she was about to communicate to him.

Yet, she was determined to let him know about this, because in her eyes. The young man deserved to know this.

Samantha had been in her bedroom, tidying up when this Damon related light bulb went off in her head. So, she left her room to find out where in the house Damon was. She found him in the living room, with Bonnie. The young couple was sitting on the couch next to each other, looking through some books Samantha had collected, to pass the time.

In order to draw their attention to her Samantha made a noise with her throat. Which caused the pair to look her way.

"How are y'all feeling?" Samantha questioned.

"We're feeling fine, just decided to look at some books until we go to bed tonight." Was Bonnie's reply.

"Can I speak to you all about a certain subject?" Asked Samantha.

"Sure, no problem." Bonnie replied to the old woman once more.

Taking a deep breath Samantha spoke. "This subject I've about to speak on is an extremely important matter, having to do with Damon."

Damon placed a hand on his chest. "Me?"

Samantha nodded. "Yes, you young man."

"What could the extremely important matter having to do with me be about?" Questioned Damon.

Beside him, Bonnie eyed Samantha waiting for her answer.

"Remember earlier, when I told you about how there was a thing about your presence that seemed familiar to me." Samantha started.

"Correct, I do remember you telling me that." Damon returned.

"The feeling has been picking my brain all day long, about there being something familiar about you or an intuition I just got about recognizing you out of nowhere all of a sudden. Turns out that it's not just a coincidence or a thing."

He waited for Samantha to go into further detail.

"As I stated before, at times my memory can be faulty or my age makes it more harder to remember certain things right off of the bat, as it takes focus for me to dig up older memories at times. But, I did just now manage to dig up some of those memories. And I realized something, which as I say is a extremely important subject pertaining to you, young man.

"There's actually a whole reason for me having this recognition and familiarity when it comes to this subject I mentioned, a very good reason on why this feeling didn't just come over me for nothing." Samantha finished.

Both Damon and Bonnie were bewildered by this statement coming from Samantha.

"What are you trying to say? What are you getting at concerning, Damon?" A confused Bonnie wanted to know.

Samantha clasped her hands together eagerly, figuring out the best way to explain. "My memory is slower than what it use to be, so it was slow for me to recall what I did, but now that I did, it's getting as clear as a sunny day to me. I've figured it out, my brain has figured out the reason for my seeing something familiar in Damon…..is because I have seen him in my life before after all."

Bonnie was taken aback to hear Samantha say this. "You have?"

"That's can't be right." Damon was more thrown for a loop than Bonnie was, to hear these words come out of Samantha's mouth.

"I wouldn't be telling you this, If I honestly didn't know what I was talking about, young man." Samantha insisted gently.

"No disrespect, but I've never met you or saw you before in my life, until a couple of days ago. So, you couldn't have seen me in your life before now." A puzzled Damon furrowed his brow.

"Mainly because you were too young to remember, so it would have a lot to do with you not remembering me. Heck I did not remember you until now." Samantha commented with a slight frown.

Bonnie was too perplexed to respond.

While Damon just shook his head. "I don't understand."

Samantha pressed her lips together in a firm line, focusing on him. "Please, tell me your last name."

He casted a look in Bonnie's direction, Bonnie just shrugged, having zero clue what was going on now.

"Your last name, young man." Samantha repeated.

"Salvatore." He sighed. "My last name is, Salvatore."

Samantha gasped as it all game flooding back to her, like a dam breaking. "Salvatore, that's it, that's what familiar about you. That's how I saw you before in my life, through your mother. Years ago I met your mother and her name is Lily Salvatore!"

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I didn't expect this chapter to be over 100 pages long, lol, but I just write down everything that is planned out in my head, not knowing how long chapters may turn out to be. I can get carried away with the length of my chapters, but I just feel the need to write down all I have planned. Otherwise, it would feel incomplete in my mind.

Hopefully, the long chapter will at least make up for your wait in having to wait for this update. I hope you enjoy this update, please leave feedback if you can. Thank you to all of those who have been reading and supporting this story. It is always appreciated!