Chapter 22- The Offering

After finding out that hiding Charlotte at Nikolas' didn't work, Sam wanted to keep Willow at their house and hide her as much as possible. The plan was that Sam would pretend to be pregnant and they'd be on the defense if Matteo or his men showed up. Willow quit her job at the school and they decided to homeschool Scout. A lot of parents chose to homeschool as well when they found out that Diane would be teaching. They were suspicious that she had been mind-mapped and would indoctrinate the children like back in V-Town. Rocco also left his parents to work for Matteo.

Matteo had knights stationed around the island and at Wyndemere. They would rarely let Scout go out unless Sam or Drew were with her and those times were to visit Monica or her cousins. Only Drew and Sam walked Franklin, and those were on rare occasions. They would mostly just take him out to the backyard (which was tiny) and Scout was always supervised out there. Any attempts they made to take out Matteo or his knights someone always ended up hurt. And Nikolas was even shot in the chest; the bullet just narrowly missed his heart. It was difficult considering Matteo had all the high-tech weapons and very few of the villagers had simple handguns. Sam and Drew decided to keep theirs hidden to prepare for when Matteo arrived.

Fear dreaded the village even more when Father Coates was killed. It turned out that he refused to marry Matteo and Charlotte claiming this union was ungodly, so he was martyred for it. Matteo ended up giving Diane, as judge of the island, authority to marry anyone he told her to, so she ended up performing the ceremony.

Josslyn and Cameron also discovered that they were expecting their first child. Jax was overwhelmed that he would be a grandfather to two children.

As the months went on, they were no longer concerned about a food shortage and Sam started wearing a fake baby bump whenever she left the house. She even told Nikolas and her sisters that she was pregnant in case they were being watched. One day, Sam came home with news for Willow and Scout that Kristina gave birth to another boy, whom they named Markus Harrison.

One of the few visitors that they had was Michael. He was in a huge panic when mind-mapped Lucas took Jonah away to live at the castle with them. Sam was under a lot of stress, and was having a hard time hiding it in front of Willow and Scout. Danny and Alexis had been missing for almost four years now and her dad and brothers were stuck at Wyndemere under Matteo's control. Not to mention she was afraid of losing her daughters and grandchild.

Finally, nine months after the rape, Willow gave birth at home to a baby boy. Brown silky hair and blue eyes, he looked just like Willow. Holding him in her arms for the first time almost made Willow forget all about the rape, Matteo, and V-Town.

"I don't know what our lives are going to look like, but I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure we're always together so I can protect you," Willow said before kissing his forehead. "I love you so much, Andrew Jasper."

Drew and Jax were quite honoured when Willow told them her son's name. They decided though that in public they would call him Andrew Cain Jr. to keep up the act. Scout was acting jealous of Andrew getting a lot of the attention. But Sam reassured her that they still loved her.

They didn't hear much of what was going on at Wyndemere the next few months, though Willow was sure that Charlotte and Harmony had given birth by then. Josslyn gave birth to her baby, and she and Cam brought her for a visit a few days later when Carly was visiting Jax. They named her Katelyn Elizabeth, something Carly didn't seem too pleased about. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. Willow wanted so badly to tell Joss that Andrew was her baby, but they decided to keep the truth between Jax, Drew, Sam, Scout, Michael, and Willow.

Andrew had begun rolling over and could bear weight on both legs. And Scout was finally getting past her jealousy and would play with him a bit. His grandparents bonded with him quite a bit, though they were afraid to take him outside.

Their little bubble at home became quite the comfort zone, though Willow was starting to get cabin fever. But as long as she was with Andrew, nothing else mattered.

All that came crashing down though, when Matteo showed up again at their front door with his knights, all carrying rifles.

Sam and Drew pulled out their guns and sent Willow to the basement with Scout and Andrew.

"I'm here for my heir," Matteo said.

Willow's heart pounded rapidly and she held Andrew tightly.

"You don't have an heir here," Sam said. "Now get out of our house."

"I'm not leaving without that baby," Matteo said.

"That baby is our son," Drew said. "Andrew Cain Jr. And you're not getting anywhere near him."

"You think I'm stupid?" Matteo raised his voice. "That kid is mine. I've been watching all of you closely since I came into power."

"You need to leave right now!" Sam shouted. "Leave my family alone!"

"Kill them," Matteo said.

Bang!

A scream pierced the air and Scout and Andrew started crying.

Willow's head moved side to side. Why didn't they make windows for the basement?

"Under the bed..." Willow scream whispered to Scout.

Scout hastened under the bed and Willow gently placed Andrew beside her after kissing the top of his head. She unplugged the bedside lamp from the wall and held it high in the air with shaky hands.

When the door swung open, she pounded the lamp over one of the knight's heads. It did nothing however, since he was wearing a helmet.

Willow started trembling when Matteo followed him in. Where was Mom and Drew?

The knight grabbed Willow by the hair. "Got her, sir."

Matteo knelt over and lifted a screaming Andrew in his arms.

"Stop it!" Willow shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Let him go! Please, let him go!"

Matteo glared at her. "You tried to keep him from me!"

"Do you still want her, sir?" the knight asked.

"I want her to come begging on her hands and knees to be one of my wives," Matteo said. "And she will if she ever wants to see him again."

"Please..." Willow begged. "I'll go with you if you let my baby stay with Sam..."

"I'm not leaving him here with those wimps," Matteo said. "This is my heir. And I want you to come crawling to Wyndemere to beg me to marry you. All on your own without anyone dragging you there... If not, then you'll never see him again. Ever."

"I will never marry you!" Willow shouted.

Matteo turned to the knight. "Knock her out. She'll come on her own."

Willow struggled against the knight, but then he pounded her over the head and everything went black.

GHGHGH

When Willow finally woke up, she was lying in Sam and Drew's bed feeling woozy. Scout was fast asleep beside her and Sam was leaning over her holding ice to her goose egg.

"Hey," Sam said. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

Willow swallowed back the nausea creeping through her throat. "Wh-what happened?" She rubbed her eyes, then sat up really quickly. "Andrew! Where is he? Where's my baby?"

Sam frowned. "Drew and I tried to fight them off, but they bound us to the kitchen chairs. We heard everything he said to you... It took Scout quite a while to get the courage to come out from under the bed and she came up to untie us."

"But Andrew?"

"Drew and Curtis went up to Wyndemere to try and get him back. Your dad just got home a few minutes ago."

Willow started to climb out of bed. "I need to go with them. I need to get my baby back."

"But that would be playing right into Matteo's hands."

"But Andrew needs me..."

"Drew and Curtis will get him back," Sam assured, though it wasn't very convincing.

Sure enough, Drew returned a few hours later with no baby, and his shoulder was bleeding. As Sam mended his wound, Drew explained that he was stabbed and couldn't even find where Matteo had taken Andrew. They would head back out first thing in the morning to get him back.

Sam stayed up with Willow for a while telling her that they would find him. But history told Willow that the Almighty V and company always found a way to keep children from their parents. They wouldn't be able to take Andrew back. Matteo would corrupt her sweet baby boy and she wouldn't see him again until years later, if she was even that lucky.

She needed to be with her son. Even if that meant offering herself up to Matteo.

After everyone else fell asleep, she grabbed four pieces of paper. The first note was for Scout.

Dear Scout,

You are such a bright, funny, sweet little girl. I have loved all our card games, teaching you to play chess, doing each other's hair, being there for each other in V-Town. I know you have a big future ahead of you and you can do anything you set your mind to. Remember to always think critically and not take what people say at face value. I need to leave, hopefully it won't be for too long, but I need to be with Andrew. Mom and your dad will protect you, always heed their advice, because they want what's best for you. I love you so much and I'm proud that you're my sister.

Love,

Willow

After setting it next to Scout's pillow, she wrote the next note for Drew.

Dear Drew,

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your family and making me feel like your daughter too. And thank you for trying to find Andrew and trying to protect us. But it's my turn to step up and protect my son. Try not to worry about us. Mom and Scout are your priority. Please take care of them and assure them that I will be okay. I love you as a second dad and appreciate everything you've done for me.

Love,

Willow

Next, she wrote to Jax.

Dear Dad,

Writing Dad is very bittersweet. I wish I called you that sooner, because I'm so glad that you're my dad and I'm so grateful that we found each other. Thank you for always being there for me and Andrew. But I need to be with my son no matter where that is and who else is there, good or evil. I need to protect him. Please don't worry, this is what I need to do. I hope it won't be for too long but even if it is, at least Andrew and I will be together. Please tell Josslyn that I love her, and I love you too.

Love,

Willow

By the time she got to Sam's letter, she started crying.

Dear Mom,

A tear slipped down Willow's cheek and landed on the word Mom.

This is the hardest letter I have to write. I'm so sorry, but I have to leave you as much as I don't want to. I need to be with Andrew and make him my priority. I know you'd do the same for me. Thank you so much for all you've done for me and for being there for me. I'm so glad that you're my mom. I will do everything I can to escape with Andrew and come back to you, but no matter what I need to be with him always. I need to be strong like you. Please focus on Scout, she needs you. There's so much more I want to save but I don't have much time. I love you so much. This isn't goodbye, it's just toodaloo.

Love,

Willow

Willow stared at the letter for a few moments as more tears streamed down her cheeks. Then she delivered the letters to her parents' bedsides as quietly as she could. She stood at Sam and Drew's doorway and looked at her mom. She never would have even dreamt of choosing to leave her, but this was second time in the course of a year, the first time being after Matteo raped her. Except this time, she was running to the enemy instead of hiding from him. As much as she loved her family, as much as she loved her mom, she loved Andrew more. She gently closed the door and retrieved only her pink blanket and a flashlight before leaving home.

The village was dark and eerily quiet, the only people on the streets being Matteo's knights. But none of them approached her as if they were expecting her to go to Wyndemere that night. She knew she was playing into Matteo's hands and that her family wouldn't approve. But it wasn't about pleasing Matteo, it was about being with her baby who needed her.

She approached Wyndemere. The castle that rightfully belonged to her grandmother, the castle that depressed her so much. Two knights stood on guard at the front doors. One immediately opened a door for her. Chest heavy, hands shaking, she entered. And there he was, grinning away and waiting for her.

"I'm surprised it took you this long to come," Matteo said.

"I... I..." She forced herself to look into his eyes. The same eyes that haunted her dreams. "I want... I demand to see my baby."

"The brat won't stop crying. He's keeping Matteo Jr., Melody, and those stupid boys awake."

Willow swallowed hard. "Where is he?"

"In the nursery. Your room is attached to it. You're in charge of all the children and future children. Harmony's duties occupy her time and Charlotte's duty is to me. Tomorrow is our wedding. Harmony has been anxious to marry me, but I have an order and you're second. Next will be Julie Teeger once I am able to obtain her. I already have Trina Ashford and Sasha Gilmore here. Harmony is sixth in line to be my wife. I wouldn't marry an old woman if she didn't have my child, but it is what it is. Now follow my knight to the nursery and get that brat to shut up."

"His name is Andrew," Willow said through gritted teeth.

"I don't care what the hell you call him. I only care about Matteo Jr. He's first in line for the inheritance because he's my child with Charlotte. Just get the brat to shut up and get some sleep before our wedding."

One of the knights took Willow by the arm, but his body language appeared rougher than he really was with her. He led her up the stairs and to the west wing. She could hear Andrew wailing from down the hallway. The knight opened the door and once they were inside, he let go of her and shut the door behind him. Six numbered cribs lined up along the wall and across from them were three twin beds with Jonah and Elias sitting up in two of them and Julian snoring softly in the third. Three of the cribs were empty. In the first crib with a #1 on it, a baby with light brown hair wearing a blue onesie sucked on his finger. The end crib with a #6 on it, a baby girl with curly brown hair and a pink onesie looked up at Willow. Next to the first crib was Andrew, crying and screaming in the crib with a #2 on it.

Willow bolted over to him and lifted him in her arms. "Shh, it's okay, baby. Mommy's here." She kissed the top of his head, then looked nervously at the guard. She rocked Andrew back and forth and slowly he started to calm down.

The knight slowly lifted his hand to his helmet and removed it. Willow gasped.

"Daddy!" Jonah shouted out.

"Shh, Jonah," Michael said walking over hugging him and looking up at Willow. "Shh... no one can know I'm here."