Author's Note: I know, it has been literal 'years' with this one. In all honestly, I didn't plan on ever finishing it. I really didn't want to and or intended to after they killed off Claudia and then made the silly story that she was actually Johnny's mom. But I started watching YouTube videos and fell in love with the character again, and I felt she deserved better. So, I am going to finish this probably in one more chapter. It has been years since I last worked on this story and I am sure my writing style has changed (hopefully for the better :) ) So, hopefully, everything still meshes and you will enjoy the read. I hope you will leave a review of your thoughts.

"I truly hate to interrupt you," Corelli spoke from the open door where he had been standing silently watching a moment before he finally spoke. Claudia glanced up at him only briefly, the smile she had held since first gathering her son in her arm still fixed upon her face. "There is nothing more beautiful than a mother with her child, but we have arrived home," These words made the smile melt from Claudia's face as she gave the man before her, her full attention. He could see the false hope in her eyes. "No, not Port Charles but my compound in Italy, your new home...Our new home."

"This will never be our home, Michael," Claudia spoke with a sigh as she focused back on her son while she slowly rocked him in her arms. "Our home is back in Port Charles with Sonny and Sophia."

"Amate, in time you will come to love our home and the family we will raise here. Steffano, will be the first of many children we shall have," Corelli declared and Claudia looked up at him as if she finally realized how insane he truly was.

"I am not your beloved and in time I will only loathe you more than I do now," She hissed out through clenched teeth. "I will never bear you children, I'd rather die than allow you to touch me," She saw Corelli flinch a little and for the first time saw coldness reach his eyes that now leered at her.

"Claudia, I will try to be as patient with you as I can be, but know this … You will be my wife as was arranged by our fathers years ago. You will also share my bed, accept my seed, and bear my children whether you want to or not. I know that if you were more willing it would be a very pleasant experience for you. But that is entirely up to you," Corelli then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them once more. His kind, loving eyes once again looked upon Claudia. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat from his words and dueling personalities. The man standing before her had just told her he was ok with raping her if she tried to refuse his company, and she fully understood that he had every intention of following through with that plan if she refused him. She figured she'd have a few weeks as she healed to try to find a way to get her and Steffano to safety, to her Uncle Rudy. She knew her Uncle was much more respected and feared than the head of any other family in Italy. She just had to find a guard or servant who would be aware of that fact, buy them off, and get them to help her escape.

A Short Time Later

A car had been waiting for them and although the jet was housed on the huge estate, the small airport and landing strip were situated far from the mansion. As they drove up to the place that would be her prison, Claudia sat cradling her son as she gazed out at the gorgeous landscape that surrounded the compound. When they finally arrived at the door to the mansion they were greeted by guards and staff welcoming their master and new mistress home. Michael helped Claudia from the limo and she inwardly groaned as she noticed in a side garden to her right that staff were busy setting up for a large party of some sort, and she knew it was for her impending nuptials.

"Do not worry Amate, our wedding is scheduled after nightfall, so you shall have several hours to rest and then time to get ready. You will have ladies to help you dress and to do your hair and makeup," Claudia had stalled in her steps as she stared up at him in complete shock.

"You want to get married today?" She asked as her mind raced and her heart pounded in her chest.

"Yes, I want us to start our lives together as soon as possible," Michael stated. "Also, once we are married here in Italy it would make any attempts Mr. Corinthos might try to reclaim you virtually impossible in the eyes of our laws."

"Especially when you have the lawmakers in your back pocket, right?" Claudia sneered out a reply and Michael only smiled and winked at her in response. When they finally crossed the threshold Claudia had to admit the place was quite beautiful and under different circumstances, she would have been proud to be the mistress of the place. She looked around in slight awe at how immaculately it was built and styled.

"For now, I have arranged for us to use the master bedroom downstairs," Michael stated as she steered her down the long hallway which had large paintings for Corelli ancestors lining the walls on both sides. "Once you're fully healed, we will then move to the grander master bedroom upstairs," He spoke this as he approached a huge mahogany door that had two guards on either side of it. One of the guards opened the bedroom door and stepped back to allow Corelli, Claudia, and the baby to enter, and then the same guard closed the door behind them. As Claudia looked around the massive room, she could not imagine a 'grander' bedroom being in the mansion. "And just through those doors there, is a little nursery. It was quickly put together a few hours before we arrive, as it was such short notice. I had not anticipated that we would start our family so soon, but I am not disappointed either," He spoke this as he moved to stand right beside her, where he reached out and gently stroked Steffano's soft jet-black hair. "I promise you I will be the best father to your son. I will love him and treat him as my own flesh and blood, and from this day forth he will only know me as his father," As he said this he looked directly into Claudia's eyes and she fully understood that he was warning her to never divulge to the child that he was not his true father. She had to bite her tongue to keep from spewing the venomous words she wanted to scream at him. She decided she would choose not to battle at this moment but instead start working on her plan of escape. She stood silently watching as Corelli moved to the side of the huge bed and pressed the intercom housed in the bedside table. "Emilia, vieni a prendere il bambino," He commanded, and Claudia's eyes widened and she clutched her son closer to her bosom as the door to the nursery opened. Then a young woman who looked to be barely out of her teens entered the room with her bowed head and her eyes averted to the floor.

"No," Claudia said as she stepped back from the younger woman. "I want to keep my son with me, he needs to stay with me."

"You need your rest, Amore Mio," He said as he moved to her and carefully pulled the baby from Claudia's arms. "You'll only have a few hours before it is time for you to prepare for our wedding tonight," He continued as he handed the baby to the awaiting nanny. "No harm shall come to our son, I promise you, because if so much as a hair gets out of place there will be hell to pay," He spoke this as he sneered directly at the young nanny who visibly trembled slightly as she took the baby, nodded her understanding, and then exited back through the adjoining nursery door. "Come," He grasped Claudia's arm and moved her to the bed. "Get in and lie back," He instructed and she complied by climbing into the large bed as he tugged the covers up about her waist. He then sat on the side of the bed next to her.

"I want my son, please Michael, he needs me," Claudia pleaded as she stared at the closed nursery door. A new fear filled her, one she should have noticed before but she had been so overjoyed at being reunited with her son that she hadn't dwelled on it. But she could see that Corelli would use Steffano as a pawn to control her, and she also knew that it would work. "Look, both of my breasts are leaking milk, so I probably didn't feed him enough. Please allow him to be in here with me so I can feed him regularly," She said in the hopes it would allow her to keep her son close by, but the way Corelli now stared at her swollen breast lecherously she instantly regretted her words.

"The nursery is stocked up with formula and anything else he may need. I have instructed the two nannies to alternate bottle feeding and breastfeeding. So, the burden of feeding him will not fall fully on your shoulders. Because there will be times when you must take care of the father instead of the son. But I understand it can be uncomfortable for mothers, painful even if you don't get the milk out," As he said the words, he reached out his right hand and cupped her left breast, which was enlarged, heavy, and heated from being full of milk. She flinched at his bolden touch as she looked at him with large shocked eyes, but she didn't speak out. Then he casually stroked his thumb against her sensitive nipple causing it to harden, and Claudia recoiled from his touch as she pressed her back against the pillows behind her. "Do not worry Amate, I will be here to help ease your discomfort and pain," He spoke softly to her as he grasped the strap of the gown and slid it from her left shoulder fully exposing her supple breast. She trembled in her fear and outrage at his behavior as fresh tears spilled from her eyes, but still, she did not speak out. She simply fisted the bedding in her hands and stayed stock still as he leaned down and latched his mouth to her breast and began to suckle her greedily. As his eyes rolled shut and he moaned in his delight at tasting her sweet milk, her face crumbled under her despair as she quietly sobbed to his assault and to the understanding that this was just the tip of the iceberg of things to come. He would take her sexually whenever he wanted, and just based on what he was doing to her at this moment, she knew he would not wait until she was healed from her c-section. He would likely expect to consummate their marriage that very night. Suddenly a firm knock came from the other side of the mahogany bedroom door and pulled Corelli begrudgingly from Claudia's breasts. He pulled her gown back up to fully cover her once more, leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, and then moved to the door. He opened the door and there was an older, shorter man on the other side who began whispering to Corelli, who nodded as he listened. The man then stepped back and waited while Corelli returned his full attention back to Claudia. "There are some last-minute arrangements I need to go take care of, Amore Mio. Rest now, when it's time I will have your bridal party bring you your dress and help you get ready," With that said, Corelli exited the room closing the door behind him, and Claudia collapsed fully back against the pillows and cried at the unfortunate circumstance she and her newborn son found themselves.

Elsewhere on the grounds

The two men stood close to the side of the building as they watched the other man they had traveled there with speak to another man, he then returned to where they huddled.

"That was one of the guards whom my Uncle Rudy has paid off to help us, and he says there are more already stationed around the grounds and throughout the house," Johnny Zacchara announced to Sonny and Jason.

"What did he tell you about Claudia?" Sonny asked.

"Both she and Steffano are here, they arrived less than an hour ago," Johnny answered with a smile and Sonny closed his eyes and said a quick prayer of thanks before he focused back on the younger man.

"Was he able to give you their exact location?" Jason probed further.

"Yeah, he said that Corelli has set up in one of the downstairs bedrooms because in Claudia's condition he didn't want her having to go up and down the stairs, and the patio to that bedroom is right around this corner," At hearing this Sonny moved to go save his wife and son, but Johnny grasped his arms and stopped him. "There are also four guards outside the patio."

"Then we take them out," Sonny whispered harshly as he once again tried to move around Johnny.

"No, Sonny, before we left my Uncle Rudy pulled me to the side and said there would be a change of plans," Johnny began to explain as Sonny and Jason both scowled at him.

"And he didn't think he should have discussed that with me?" Sonny questioned.

"No, he's not one for sharing his plans with strangers, and this is about making sure Claudia and Steffano are rescued safely. So, my Uncle Rudy will be coming any minute now accompanied by Dominic Corelli, but Uncle Rudy plans to bring a small Army with him to ensure that if Michael Corelli decides to fight, he won't have a chance at winning."

"I can't just sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for your Uncle Rudy when my wife and son are 'right there'," Sonny stated.

"I know and I didn't expect you to," At that moment the other man Johnny had been speaking with returned. Johnny moved to the man and they spoke low in Italian, then the older frail-looking man bowed, grasped Johnny's hand, kissed it, and then walked back around the corner. "So, I just bought the loyalty of the four guards stationed at the patio. They will allow us inside the bedroom through the patio doors and then provide us protection for getting my sister and my nephew out. Now, let's go get our family back," Johnny said with a smile as he smacked Sonny on the back, and then the three of them followed the trek of the old man.

Rough Google Translations (please don't come for me if it's incorrect, thank you):

Amate – Beloved

vieni a prendere il bambino – come take the baby

Amore Mio – My Love