Hi everyone. All right, so there are six puppies to name. Four female and two male. Part jack Russell terrier, part shih tzu. Please voice your name ideas in a review :D Thanks!

Chapter 44- Willow's Birthday

The next few weeks, Sam was constantly taking pictures of the family which was starting to annoy Danny, and she even found some magnets at the castle so she could pin the photos to their fridge.

Danny kept borrowing tools, glue, sandpaper, paint, wood, etc. from Wyndemere. He spent most evenings and weekends in his room, which his parents were concerned about, but he told them it was a project for school. He didn't want them to think he was a sappy brother…

All five of them went to the castle one day though, when they got word that Annabelle the Second gave birth to six puppies. Her little boyfriend was a stray shih tzu on the island, that Kevin Collins took in. Danny wasn't pleased to see so many people on the island coming to visit the pups as he and Scout wanted to bring them all home with them. Willow though, bonded with one in particular. One of the only two males with white and brown fluffy fur. And for someone who was depressed being at Wyndemere, she kept going every day to visit him. Danny wasn't pleased however when he and Scout kept asking their parents for at least one, they kept saying they'd think about it. But the puppies were being claimed fast… Jason and Elizabeth put their name down for one of the females to give to their kids; Dante and Lulu let Rocco pick one of the males, which to Willow's relief wasn't the one she'd bonded with; the Drakes claimed another female; while Lucy Coe claimed the littlest female.

That only left one male and one female. Leo expressed wanting to keep one of them, but Alexis thought Annabelle the second was enough for them. Danny almost complained about being bonded to Annabelle the second first and it wasn't until they were separated that she bonded so well to Leo in the sewer. But then he remembered she was originally given to Jake from Franco without his parents' approval and Monica ended up taking her in. The poor girl had been moved around so much, it would be cruel to take her away from Leo now.

Danny sneaked into Scout's room early the morning of November 8th. She was already awake and hadn't slept much. They made their way to the kitchen and started making Willow's surprise birthday breakfast.

Danny groaned and let Scout take the lead. He hated cooking, baking, and anything to do with a kitchen unless it entailed him being served something yummy to eat. Scout had helped prepare meals a few times and baked once with Willow, but she didn't seem to know what she was doing either.

Scout scratched her chin, then poured the entire bag of flour into the mixing bowl. Then she poured whipping cream in it, with an entire bag of chocolate chips. She began stirring it. "I think we need more whipped cream."

"All right… if you say so." Danny grabbed another carton from the fridge and handed it to her.

She poured its entirety into the bowl and stirred some more.

"Okay, what next?" Danny asked.

"Now we bake it," Scout said. "I think."

"Okay…" Danny said.

Scout pulled out a square cake tray and Danny poured the contents inside it.

"How do we get the little circle shapes?" Danny asked.

Scout shrugged. "Maybe we cut it when it's done?"

"Oh, maybe…" Danny opened the oven door and Scout put the tray inside. "Do you know how to work the oven?"

"I think Willow puts it at 350 degrees," Scout said.

"All right…" Danny changed the temperature and they sat at the table.

Danny grabbed the cards and they started to play Go Fish. Moments later Drew and Sam came up the stairs.

"Good morning," Drew said.

"Morning," Danny replied.

"What'cha guys doing?" Sam asked.

"Making Willow's surprise birthday breakfast!" Scout said.

Sam smiled. "That's really sweet of you guys. I'll go check on her." She knocked on Willow's door, then opened it. "Happy birthday!"

Soon Willow walked out, still in her pajamas, and Sam hugged her.

Scout scurried over to Willow and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks Scout." She lifted her nose in the air and sniffed. "What's that smell?"

"We made you a surprise birthday breakfast," Scout said. "Me and Danny."

Willow smiled and looked over at Danny. "Oh, thank you. That's really nice."

"Maybe it's ready…" Danny grabbed a couple potholders and pulled the pan out of the oven. It really smelt rich and was dark brown…

Drew, Sam, and Willow sat around the table and Sam wrapped her arm around Willow.

"Now we gotta cut it into circles," Scout said.

Drew scrunched his face. "Cut it into circles?"

"Uh huh," Scout said. "They're pancakes."

"Are you sure we made it right?" Danny whispered to Scout.

Danny grabbed a knife from the drawer and began cutting uneven circles… he tried to lift one out with the knife, but it crumbled. He sighed. Then he just lifted them using his fingers onto five plates. Scout climbed onto the counter and grabbed the syrup from the cupboard.

They set everything out on the table and sat next to Drew.

"Wow it looks…" Willow bit her bottom lip, them brought it close to her mouth. "Wow…"

Drew and Sam each took a bite and their eyes grew wide before swallowing.

Danny placed a piece in his mouth and spit it right out. "That tastes awful! It's way too rich!"

Silence dreaded the kitchen for several seconds, before Scout busted out laughing. Danny looked between Willow and his parents and they all sniggered a little. But Scout wouldn't stop laughing.

"You think that's funny, Scout?" Sam asked.

Scout nodded. "We are bad cooks like you, Mommy." She started laughing again.

"Oh, hilarious," Danny said sarcastically, but chuckled again.

GHGHGH

Alexis had suggested having a triple party since Kristina and Molly's birthdays were in November too, but Sam said they needed a party to focus on Willow since it was her first birthday since they were reunited.

When they gathered in the Wyndemere ballroom, it was decorated with balloons and party décor which Alexis said Kristina and Molly helped prepare.

Julian, Leo, and Alexis greeted them when they walked in. Drew, Sam, Danny, and Scout each carried a gift. Among the guests were Jax and Josslyn, Sasha and Elias, Kristina and Chase, TJ, Molly, and Lexie, and Lucas and Jonah.

Jonah walked over to Willow and handed her a square gift wrapped in tissue paper. "Happy birthday, Willow."

She hugged him. "Thank you, Jonah."

"I'm sleeping over with Daddy Lucas and my Grandma and Grandpa tonight," Jonah said.

"Happy birthday!" Jax and Josslyn greeted her with a hug.

Lexie tugged on Molly's shirt. "Mummyyy… I wanna play with Scout and Jonah."

"Okay, go ahead," Molly said. "Just stay where we can see you."

Lexie walked over to Scout and Jonah and held each of their hands, then Elias joined them.

Molly's face turned a slight shade of green and she covered her mouth. "TJ, watch Lexie…" she said in a muffled voice before running out of the ballroom.

Sam raised an eyebrow.

TJ grinned.

After eating homemade pizza from the kitchen, Molly and TJ sat next to Drew, Sam, Danny, Alexis, Julian, Leo, Kristina, and Chase.

Lucas followed Scout, Jonah, and Lexie around the room while Willow talked to Jax and Josslyn.

"Okay, Molly," Sam said. "Spill…"

"Spill what?" Molly asked.

"The beans," Sam said. "The reason why you were running to the bathroom."

Molly and TJ grinned at each other.

Molly cleared her throat. "I'll tell you tomorrow. This is Willow's day."

Kristina almost choked on her pizza. "You're pregnant again, aren't you?"

Alexis stopped mid-chew and placed a hand over her heart. "You're having another baby?"

Molly sighed, then smiled. "Yes, we are. I'm sorry, Sam. We didn't want to steal Willow's thunder."

Sam smiled. "Don't be sorry." She hugged her. "I'm so happy for you."

Alexis and Kristina walked over and joined in on the hug.

After dinner, everyone gathered around Willow as Scout, Jonah, Lexie, and Elias handed her the presents, which mostly consisted of home-made gifts and things that they found around the castle or the island. Alexis gave her an old watch made out of diamonds that she found in the castle. Sam made her a necklace with some jewels she found. And finally, when it came to Danny's gift, he wanted to hand it to her himself, which made Scout, Jonah, Lexie, and Elias pout.

He handed her a large box. She opened it and her eyes grew wide. "Wow, a chess board?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Is that what you've been making these past few weeks?" Drew asked. "Why you've been locking yourself in your room?"

"Yeah," Danny repeated.

"You made this?" Willow asked. "For me?"

"Don't get all sappy now…"

Willow walked over and hugged him. "I love it. Thank you."

Danny started to return to his seat, but Drew stopped him.

"Now we have a gift for all three of you," Drew said.

"Technically it's a Christmas present," Sam said. "Because we won't be able to bring it home until Christmas."

Sam handed Willow an envelope, and Danny and Scout gathered around her. She opened the envelope and pulled out a photo of Willow, Danny, and Scout sitting together and smiling brightly with the little male puppy on Willow's lap. Their faces all lit up.

"We're getting a puppy!?" Danny said brightly.

"Yes, we are." Sam wrapped her arms around Drew's waist and leaned against his chest.