Sawyer POV  

Watching your babies grow up is one of life's joys but when your babies are hurting, lost, and depressed, you feel lost yourself. When Connor was taken as a child and when he was brought home, it took a while to get him to be a little comfortable and back to himself but when he became a teenager he got worse. That all changed when he met Skylar, Eric, and lastly Sam. The support we all gave him helped him tremendously and as the years passed he didn't have those nightmares or terrors anymore, that was until Collen. Now both my babies are hurting in different ways but also the same. 

Connor being the amazing big brother he is has been talking to Collen, even if he doesn't get a response, he still talks to him just like we did with him. I only know a little bit of what happened to Collen from Jake when Collen told him the other day and what I learned made me want to trade places with him because he feels like he's worthless and he isn't. I know his mates have been trying to talk to him but just like with Connor, he doesn't respond and we even had a therapist come talk to him but he wouldn't talk. I have an idea and I hope he goes along with it.

"Collen?" I called his name as I knocked on his door to the hospital room. He refuses to go home, he doesn't want his mates to be close to him right now. I opened the door and sighed, he is always looking out the window, all day and into the late hours of the night. 

"Why do you always look out of the window?" I asked and sat in the chair next to his bed that he made sure was a good six feet away. 

"I wasn't asking to be a smart butt, I'm just curious. The weather is nice, do you want to go for a walk with me?" He looked at me for a second and back out of the window and sighed softly. He kept looking between me and the window, I can tell he's thinking about it.

"I will be there the whole time and if you start to feel uncomfortable we will come back, I promise. I just want you to get some fresh air, that's all." 

"Just a walk?" He whispered and I nodded. He got off the bed and I stood up and walked out of the room first because he won't move unless who he is with is in front of him. I heard his footsteps and we walked with a good distance between us and he kept looking all around him as we headed outside. When I opened the door and walked out I saw the family and his mates near the barbecue and I groaned, making Collen stop.

"It's nothing to worry about son, just everyone is outside right now. They won't come near you though, just look ahead and don't worry. We're going on a walk, just you and I so come, let's go." I said and patiently waited as he came to the door and stopped, looking around nervously and I wanted to cry, my grown son is scared to just walk outside and be with his family. After about ten minutes of waiting, he took a slow shaky step outside and I saw him tense up when he noticed a ball being thrown in the air. He watched it as it landed at his feet and Callahan's daughter ran over to pick it up. 

"Sorry, sir." She said quietly and Collen looked down at her and studied her. We all watched as he squatted down and looked into her eyes.

"It's ok, I'm relieved to see you are safe and back with your papa. Are you doing alright?" He said, shocking all of us that he even said more than one word but being a child, he doesn't feel threatened I guess. She gave him a big bright smile and nodded her blonde hair filled head, making it fall in her face.

"Yes! My sister and I are happy we're with our daddy again. How do you know my daddy?" She asked and he smiled at her.

"Because he is my mate, he's a wonderful person. You are lucky to have him as your daddy." He said and she smiled.

"You were with us in that place, weren't you? That's why you seem sad, you don't need to be sad no more, you're safe just like we are." Goodness, this child is so amazing. Why didn't we think of having the girls talk to Collen before? He seems more relaxed and isn't paying attention to the family as they all moved closer to us.

"What is your name sweetheart?" 

"I'm Freya and my sister is Valarie. What's yours?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I'm Collen. I know in my heart I'm safe but my mind, it doesn't think so right now. I heard you and Valerie when we were there and I wanted with all my might to get to you both to protect you but I couldn't and I'm sorry I couldn't, I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to protect you both." After Freya heard him say that she dropped the ball and threw her arms around his neck, making him lose his balance a little from the sudden impact. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and he closed his eyes.

"Don't be sorry Collen, they did bad things and had bad magic, none of us were able to move or do much of anything. We're ok now so don't feel bad about it no more." She said and I saw tears on my son's cheeks and Freya looked at him and wiped his cheeks and kissed his nose. 

"Want to play ball with us? I'll let you kick it first." She asked and I knew he was going to say no, he's not ready for that yet.

"Maybe later ok sweetheart, I'm going to take a walk with my papa and thank you, your words were beautiful and mean a lot." He kissed her forehead and she giggled, picking up the ball and ran back over to the other kids. I looked at Callahan and saw he was smiling with tear-filled eyes, along with his other mates. 

"She did more in ten minutes than any of us did in weeks." Jake said in our family link. Everyone nodded and went back towards the house and Collen and I continued on our walk. 

He seemed more relaxed but kept watching as we passed people, on guard which I understood, Connor was the same for years. 

"Collen?" I stopped and turned around to talk to my son, alone with no one around. 

"Papa." He said and sighed, knowing what's coming.

"I know you have heard this from everyone and we will keep saying it until you believe it. What happened to you isn't your fault, your mates don't think any less of you and we all love you. You have to know that son, we will always be here for you and will never give up on you. I also need to say this and you can get mad at me for it but it needs to be said. You need to go home and you need to bond with your daughter. She is innocent in all of this just as you are. She doesn't even have a name yet, we have been calling her baby girl and she will eventually learn that as her name unless you give her one. She needs you just like you need her." 

"She was created with a damn spell with the intention to take us all out. How do I know she isn't going to do just that when she gets older? We don't know if something will or is controlling her mind. I won't have that be on my shoulders if everyone dies because of her, whether she is in control or not, you can't blame me for thinking that, not after the shit I have been through. If you want her, take her and raise her as your own but I want nothing to do with her." He said and shifted, running in the opposite direction of the house.