A/N: Alright, this is it guys! I got really inspired last night and this is what happened as a result. This way you all won't be left hanging while I'm out of town! Thank you for sticking with me! This answers a lot of the Bonnie/Damon questions. I wanted to the ending to be as realistic as I could make it. Let me know what you think. I love you all.
-Anneryn

I DO NOT OWN VAMPIRE DIARIES OR THE CHARACTERS.

Chapter Twenty-Two:

I cuddled closer to Damon and inhaled his scent. He smells like sandalwood, soap and home. He smells like home. He leaned down and pressed a kiss on top of my head. I sighed, contently. I can handle this kind of affection. I can even handle kissing and light touching, but that's the extent of it.

It's still hard for me to believe that Damon Salvatore of all people is so patient with me. He's not that man that I once thought I knew. He is so much more. I am still very much in love with him.

In a lot of ways, Alaric attacking me hurt us. In some ways, it made us closer. You really don't know a person until you've been through hell and back and they stick by your side and their loyalty never wavers. He never wavered.

Damon did things for me that I still I don't understand. I don't understand how one person could mean so much or how by just being there could help as much as it did. He never pushed me, not once. Damon was there through all of my nightmares and my breakdowns. He never judged me or looked at me with pity. He never treated me like I was less of a person. He helped build me back up and remind me that I'm still worth something. He's never stopped. I looked at him in awe.

He may not say it all the time, but I know that he loves me. I know that he loves me, even when I don't feel like I'm worthy of his love. I still don't. I'm trying and I know that it won't be easy. Every day is a struggle. I haven't been able to say it since my rape.

I don't know if I'll ever be ready for sex again, or when that might be. I just know that it's not going to be anytime soon. I know that Damon is okay with that. Making love to him is something that I think about all of the time. When it does happen, I don't want to be afraid. I want to be in a better place and know without a doubt that things won't be like they were with Alaric. I want it to be an undiluted expression of love. I don't mind waiting for that. It'll happen when it's supposed to.

"What are you thinking about?" Damon asked me. I looked up at him, but stayed nestled against his chest.

"How amazing you are," I answered, truthfully. He smiled at me.

"You're so beautiful. Do you know that?" He whispered, as he stroked my face. We were camped in front of the fireplace. It's nice. It all starts with baby-steps.

"Thank you." I told him, softly. He leaned down and pressed his lips gently to mine. I kissed him back, before pulling away. "I love you, Damon." I breathed. He froze for a minute. I could feel him studying me with his eyes.

"Bonnie…you don't have to say it." He whispered. I reached up and touched his face.

"I know I don't have to, but I wanted to. I know how I feel. It just took me a while to be able to say it. I do. I love you, Damon." I promised him. He beamed and squeezed me, tighter.

"Don't joke about something like that."

"I would never."

"I know that we haven't been together for that long and this isn't a proposal. But, I want a future with you, Bonnie. I don't mind waiting until you're ready. I'll wait forever if I have to. I want to marry you. I don't know how it'll work, since I don't age, but I want to try. I know that I will never want anyone else the way that I want you."

"Damon…" I murmured as I cried, unable to stop myself.

"I'm serious. It's just something to think about." He assured me. He pulled a little box out of his pocket and I looked at him, taken aback.

"What?" I asked him, confused. He opened it and I saw a ring.

"It's not what you think. It's a promise ring, Bonnie. I wanted a way to show you that I'm serious about you – about us. You don't have to accept it, until you're ready. I can hold onto it, until then."

"Damon, it's beautiful." I breathed. He smiled, but still looked unsure. It was a beautiful ring, but that's not that has me all choked up. It's the meaning behind it and what he's promising me. "Can you… can you put it on my finger?" I asked him, gently. His grin grew and he placed it on my ring finger on my right hand. "You're perfect."

"I'm not." He argued, playing with my hair.

"You're perfect for me."

"I think you have it backwards."

"I don't think I do."

"You're my forever, Bonnie Bennett. I hope that I'm yours." Damon confessed. I leaned up and kissed him.

"You are. We'll work our way to forever." I promised, because we will. We've gotten this far. We can make it the distance.

We're two damaged people who are a little less damaged when we're together. We're two people who I never thought would work together. We're two people who I never imagined could even be friends. We're two people who found love in the most unexpected way. We're two people who are trying to overcome things in both of our lives. We're two people who came together and forged an unbelievable bond.

We're just two people in this messed up world, who were fortunate enough to find each other. I never knew a love like this could come out of such a dangerous affair.