On their walk to the bunker, Jasmine kept expecting something horrible to happen. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop because many apocalyptic scenarios were running through her head, all equally scary to her frightened mind.

The aliens could find them and whisk them away again. Some unfriendly human faction could get to them. Melissa, Plague, and Jeremiah could turn on them and sell them to the aliens or the humans. There were so many ways things could go wrong, and Jasmine was so busy thinking about them that she didn't consider all the ways things could go right.

"Are you okay?" Isaac asked her from time to time, clearly worried.

"I'm fine," she always responded.

After all, what was she supposed to say? That she was a terrified mess. She was the adult she needed to always be there for the children. Wasn't that her job? She couldn't afford to be weak.

Still, Jasmine couldn't stop being suspicious of the three additions to their group even though they followed one of the strangers to his secret bunker.

Jasmine realized that she didn't trust anyone besides Asher and the children, and she couldn't decide if that was the smartest thing or the dumbest thing ever, but it was the truth.

"You all, welcome to my bunker!" Jeremiah suddenly exclaimed while they stood in the middle of the forest, seeing nothing but nature all around them.

"Grandpa, have you gone senile or something?" Plague exclaimed frustratedly. "There is nothing here!"

"You watch your tongue, boy," Jeremiah said sternly. "If your mother were here, she would've washed your mouth with soap."

"But she isn't, is she?" Plague countered vehemently.

"You ain't got to worry, my boy. I'll do that in her place," Jeremiah said, giving Plague a death stare, which managed to shut him up for the moment.

"I guess your bunker entrance is hidden because what's the point of a secret bunker if anyone can find it," Asher said thoughtfully, as he held tightly to his daughter, who had gotten tired along the way and fallen asleep in his arms.

"Ain't you a clever one," Jeremiah told Asher proudly as if he was responsible for the said cleverness. "That ivy over there is a camouflage. Now, if my idjut of a grandson would help me get it out of the way, we'll go in sooner as you folks look mighty tired."

Plague glared daggers at his grandfather, but he still followed the man's lead as they poked through the ivy and found a secret door to which the ivy seemed to be melded, so it moved with the door instead of sliding away and revealing their hiding place.

Jasmine, with her one hand in Arman's little hand and with the other in Isaac's firm grasp, watched with wonder and trepidation as an entrance to the bunker was fully revealed. She was still on high alert, but nothing screamed danger. The place was clearly empty for quite a long time and creepy as they had to basically go underground, but she trusted her instincts which told her they might as well go in and rest. Even if something dangerous was to happen, at least they would be well-rested to face it.

The bunker looked much better than expected. While Jasmine expected old furniture and a rusty interior with only enough things to survive, this bunker turned out to be much more. It was more like a proper house than anything else. It was even decorated as one, which was surprising. Why would someone even decorate an emergency bunker?

"Many people who build bunkers try to make them look as much like a home as they can because they don't know how long they would have to stay underground if something happens," Asher answered her silent questions, suddenly appearing behind her, his breath so close to her ear that she shivered unconsciously.

"Ah...Yes, I see," Jasmine mumbled, her brain completely scrambled from his proximity.

"Daddy, can we go explore?" Ariyana asked, giving him huge puppy eyes that she knew he couldn't resist.

"I am not so sure about that," Asher said, conflicted as he wanted to please his little girl but also worried that the bunker might hide some dangers. "We are in an unfamiliar place. We should probably stick together."

"Please, Daddy," Ariyana continued the begging, unperturbed by the rejection. "Pretty please."

"Yeah, Dad, please," Arman added to the pleading fest, making it even harder to say no.

Clearly, they wanted some freedom to explore without their old dad following them every step of the way, which was understandable since he hadn't allowed them any freedom since the whole invasion started, as he needed to be able to see them at all times.

However, he did leave them before when he shouldn't have done that, and the guilt was eating up at him because Asher knew that he made the wrong decisions that could have cost him his children.

This time around, there didn't seem to be any actual danger, but he was afraid that he would end up getting his children in trouble again. Being separated from them by the aliens was the hardest thing he had ever experienced, and he was determined to hold onto them tightly to prevent anything like that from ever happening again. Yet, he could see how suffocating that would be for them. Especially since they were so young and they bounced back so easily, unlike him.

"Don't worry, Asher, I'll take care of them," Isaac said determinedly. "You can stay and have a chat with Jasmine."

The boy went even as far as winking at Asher, and Asher couldn't help but wonder how Isaac had grown up so fast and wondered if that would have happened to his own children if he had been taken by the aliens as well. Still, as he looked into the boy's eyes, he realized that no matter how young he looked, he would find a way to protect the others or hide them, in case of danger. He was clever, much more so than Asher, and he trusted him.

"Very well, but don't go too far and don't break anything," Asher said sternly, leading Jasmine to the couch in the space that could only be described as a living room. "If anything feels off, or if you get scared, run straight back to me."

"Okay," both children said simultaneously in that tone that suggested they were exasperated but willing to obey nevertheless.

Then they took Isaac's hands and ran, pulling the poor boy with them at a speed that was definitely not appropriate for a house-like environment. Still, Asher didn't say anything. Maybe Jeremiah, Melissa, and Plague wouldn't appreciate it but since they were already off somewhere doing something, probably discussing sleeping arrangements, he didn't bother disciplining his children. They needed to have some fun.

"So," Asher began, focusing on Jasmine as they settled on the sofa. "I guess we need to talk."

He didn't mean to make it sound so ominous, but he couldn't find the right words, and he was always a blunt guy who didn't beat around the bush.

"Look, I am sorry for kissing you just like that out of the blue, but I've wanted to do that for a long time, and then we were separated, and I was scared, and we finally found you, and you were there, and you were safe, and I guess something in me just snapped, and I realized how I felt, but I understand if you don't feel the same way and I am sorry for not asking..." Jasmine rambled on as she always did when the nerves got the better of her.

"Jasmine, breathe," Asher said, smiling at her brightly, fascinated by the strong woman before him.

Jasmine did as she was told, finally regaining some composure but still unable to look him in the eye, embarrassed that she was the one who took the first step. However, she also didn't ask for his consent, which was annoying as she was the one who always insisted on consent and hated when books and movies made it look as if it was okay to go around kissing people to see if they liked you.

"Jasmine, look at me," Asher said, slowly lifting her head. "I've wanted to kiss you for a long time as well, but there was always something going on, and it was never the right time..."

"Well, there is no better time than now," Jasmine said, emboldened by his confession.

"May I?" he asked, looking at her lips.

"Absolutely," Jasmine replied breathlessly.

His lips touched hers gently in what she was sure he meant to be just a tender brush of lips, but the moment their lips touched, it felt like a fire had ignited. The kiss deepened while Jasmine's hands went around his neck, and his hands cupped her cheeks, warming up every part of her cold body with the simple act of passionate kissing.

"Well, it was about time!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

It was Isaac, of course, grinning from ear to ear, satisfied that his predictions were correct. Soon, the other two children stumbled into the room as well, running to Asher and Jasmine and engulfing them in a big hug.

When he didn't join the hug, Jasmine looked at Isaac questioningly as if asking what he was waiting for, and Isaac hurried towards them as if he was only waiting for permission to join in. To join the family embrace because that's what they were now, a family. An apocalypse found family, but a strong one nevertheless.

Maybe there was hope still left. If they had each other, if they stood together, surely, they could find a way not to only survive but to live as well. And maybe, just maybe, one day, they would find a way to reclaim what was theirs, their home, their mother, Earth.