The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

My life was very calm during this time. I was on strict bed rest, only allowed to take a shower once a day. Even then, Salvatore always kept an eye on me to ensure the water was warm enough. There was a chair where I had to sit, and sometimes they even helped wash me.

The time in the shower was limited, and then it was back to bed. Three times a day, my blood pressure was measured. There was a big bowl of sugar-frosted fruit pieces on my nightstand that I had to eat a certain amount of. Food was brought to me many times a day, and I had to force myself to eat.

It felt suffocating, but I had to go with the flow. The scare with the babies had made Damon extra vigilant with me. Mariella was still sedated, not in the med bay but in a bedroom. I wasn't sure about her status or that of the wolves.

Wulfe was with me as much as he could, but the binding potions took up a lot of his time. Elena and I had watched Jurassic Park movies late at night. The strong painkillers helped with the dull ache in my lower back and made me cranky at times. I usually took them at night and they helped me sleep.

With four weeks left until my due date, I wasn't sure when Damon would operate on me. My breasts felt heavy and tender, a clear sign that I was getting ready to lactate. I didn't mention it, perhaps because I didn't want extra attention or because I trusted they would address it when needed. 

I was lying in a semi-sitting position, slightly on my side, listening to Elena's soft breathing as she had already fallen asleep. I wondered what it would be like when the babies arrived. Would there be hustle and bustle everywhere, or would the men focus on Mariella and the wolves as they had more babies?

I would have to take care of the babies myself, but it didn't seem daunting. I knew I could handle it, even though it would require energy and time. Being with them, getting to know them, was such a precious time. I thought about how my nursery would work and what could be improved.

I was already thinking about names. I was sure that Damon would be busy with Mariella and maybe with the wolves too, considering they were so close before her preeclampsia. After all, she would have nine babies and the wolves seven each, while I only had five.

However, I knew I would have my support system: Wulfe, Magnum, Colin, Murdock, Dexter, Alaric, and the boys. Everything would be fine. I let sleep take over me and drifted off.

I started dreaming, nothing too distressing, but irritating nonetheless. It was a recurring dream I had since I was human. I dreamt that I needed to use the bathroom urgently but couldn't find one. I was walking around, trying to locate a bathroom as the urge intensified, almost turning into pain.

There was no bathroom nearby, and I couldn't go outside as I was in a city, unsure of which one. It was a frustrating dream, and I could almost feel the urgency of needing to go. 

In my dream, I finally found the bathroom after navigating through several weird stairs and jumps. Throughout, I felt a dull ache in my bladder and a strong urge to urinate. As I reached the toilet and relieved myself, it felt like a flood of hot liquid pouring out of me, bringing immense relief. Leaning back on the toilet, I felt the last drops trickling out.

"Phew, that felt good," I thought in my dream.

Just as I reached for toilet paper, I began to feel pressure in my stomach. Realizing I needed to take a dump, I started to push, feeling the pressure build up. Though frustrated by my constipation, I pushed with all my might, determined to get it out. 

The burning pressure increased gradually as I pushed with all my strength. Just as the pressure shifted to my pussy instead of my ass, I suddenly woke up. "Fucking hell!" I realized I was in labor.

As the alpha female, I was prepared to handle this alone or with Elena. Knowing that Damon had been with Mariella, I could sense his lingering scent on him, and our connection seemed distant as always. I understood that he didn't want anything from me while he was with Mariella. I found myself on my back, pushing hard, and at the same time, I woke up Elena with a slap.

"What... why did you slap me?" she mumbled in her sleepy voice.

My heart was racing, and in a flurry of emotions, I acted instinctively.

Looking into Elena's eyes, I compelled her, "Go to the bathroom, bring a big stack of the softest towels, and my larger first aid kit from the lower left cabinet. Don't ask questions, just act."

She jumped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. I placed my hand between my legs and felt my baby's head crowning. It was time. I pushed with all my might, feeling like my body was splitting apart, but I could feel the progress.

Elena rushed back, and I instructed her, "Place some towels under me, not all of them, just four. The bed is soaked."

I lifted my hips so she could position the towels properly underneath me and then I said, "Now, take out the scissors, Pean forceps, a packet of sutures, clean drapes, and some gloves from the bag. Put on the gloves, and support the baby's head and body as it's born."

She nodded, looking pale, and asked, "Should we call for help?"

I replied, "No time yet. This baby is coming, and we need to focus on delivering it."

She put on the gloves, and as I continued to push, she supported the baby's head. The head emerged, and despite the excruciating pain, I pushed on, sweating profusely and feeling somewhat disoriented by the painkillers, panic, and instincts. Finally, I felt some relief as the head was born.

Elena reassured me, "The head is out, keep pushing, keep it going."

With all my strength, I pushed, and the baby's body slid out.

Elena placed the baby on a towel, and exhausted, I said, "Now, take the Pean forceps, place them on the umbilical cord near me, and cut the needle off the suture. Tie the suture near the baby."

She located a part of the umbilical cord and tied it off as instructed. I directed her to pour the cleaning solution over the scissors and then cut the cord between the two points. She followed my instructions.

With tears in her eyes, she said, "It's a girl. Congratulations, it's a girl."

Elena gently rubbed and dried the baby, causing her to squeak weakly without crying. She seemed calm and was breathing and moving fine. Tears welled up in my eyes too.

Feeling overwhelmed by the surprise, I managed a tired smile and instructed, "Wrap her in a clean towel and hand her to me. Place the kidney bowl under me. Now, pull the cord. It's crucial to deliver the placenta."

With each pull, the placenta eventually slid into the kidney bowl.

"Get the sterile drape, cover the bowl, and place it on the table," I directed.

The next contractions began as I gazed at my firstborn daughter. Her face was squished from the tight delivery, her black hair wet and her body not yet cleaned, but I held her close, feeling an unparalleled love.

In the dim bedroom, the miracle of life had once again unfolded, as amazing as ever.

Elena, sensing the emotional atmosphere, remarked, "Wow, that was something. She's wonderful."

The baby, pink and breathing well, opened her blue eyes, trying to look at me.

I pushed with determination while Elena, wiping her eyes, murmured, "Oh my gosh, I've never felt anything like this. She's just..."

Smiling, I opened my nightgown and let my baby girl nurse, happy to find milk in my breasts as she latched on. As I felt the next baby moving, Elena focused intently as a little more light revealed something starting to emerge.

She noted, "Oh, it's coming out backward, legs first. Breech, not ideal."

With strong contractions, more of the baby's body was born, but the head remained inside me, the most challenging part.

Elena observed, "It's a boy. I can see it."

Urging her, I said, "You have five minutes to get help and then return," emphasizing the urgency. 

Elena rushed out while I was still experiencing contractions and felt the urge to push. I resisted pushing, hoping she would find someone to help. If not, I would have to guide her through it because it wasn't that easy. 

Lepard was on his way to the medbay to get cannulation supplies for Mariella, as Damon wanted her cannula to be changed every few days. Damon was sleeping next to Mariella, and Lepard was preparing supplies for the morning when suddenly Elena bumped into him.

He grabbed her shoulders and asked, "What's the hurry? Why are you running in the middle of the night?"

Elena's voice was breathless, "Mimi, labor, come."

Lepard frowned, thinking it was too early, but maybe she was experiencing false contractions.

He calmly said, "Come on, let's go and see. It's probably a false alarm."

Elena rolled her eyes as Mimi's compulsion pulled her back. Lepard walked briskly next to her, feeling the urgency of the situation. He thought to himself that Mimi might have woken up due to Braxton Hicks contractions and got scared.

As he approached the bedroom where Mimi was, he smelled birth in the air. He heard Mimi cooing to someone, followed by the small hiccups and squealing of a baby. Lepard walked in and instantly processed many thoughts, causing his heart rate to rise and his breathing to quicken as adrenaline flooded his system.

Mimi was in a semi-sitting position, holding a little baby in her arms. Another baby was on the way, with half of its body already out and looking big.

Lepard took a deep breath and walked next to Mimi, saying, "Honey, you sure know how to surprise us. Let me check you over."

Mimi replied, "No time, the baby is breach, we have to get him out."

Lepard cast a special spell around the baby and reassured Mimi, "I just put a stasis spell on him. He's fine. I know you will absorb my magic, but it's a strong spell and gives us some time."

Keeping his tone calm, he instructed, "Give the baby to Elena for a while. I need to check things over."

He gently took the baby girl from Mimi's grip and handed her to Elena. Lowering the headboard slightly, he used a spell to remove Mimi's nightgown and create transparency. Realizing the baby's head was too large for Mimi's pelvis, he would have to break her pelvis to deliver the baby.

He noticed more complications as he realized the last three babies were identical triplets. This would require surgery, but first, he needed to deliver this baby.

Putting more power on the stasis spell, he calmly said, "I need to get a few supplies from the medbay. Don't worry, my spell will keep the baby safe. You stay here, and I'll be right back."

Lepard hurried to the medbay and was surprised to find Damon, along with numbers two, ten, nine, and four, gathered around a computer, speaking softly.

As Lepard approached the computer to access the drug system for painkillers for Mimi and a cocktail for the operation, he asked, "Do you need the computer? I need to get a few drugs."

Damon frowned and inquired, "For whom?"

Lepard, in a brisk tone, replied, "Mimi. She's in labor. She already had one baby, a girl. The next one is halfway out, breach. I have to break her pelvis. I used a transparency spell and there's no way the head will fit out. I need a decent painkiller because it will still be nasty. The last three are identical triplets, so it will be an operation."

Damon took charge, tapped a few buttons, and assured, "We're on it. Numbers ten and nine, start prepping the operating room. We'll operate on every female now, starting with Mimi. We'll go deliver the first baby, then proceed with the operation."

Lepard gathered supplies, while number two ensured everything was in order. Adam, Wulfe, and Charles entered the room.

Charles inquired, "She's in labor?"

Lepard nodded.

Damon instructed, "You three, take care of the baby that's already born. Administer any necessary drops, check on it, and we'll move on to delivering the next one. Once that's done, check on that baby too before we take her to surgery."

The men nodded, and Damon swiftly prepared various medications, filling syringes, while number two readied cannulation supplies and the operating room. 

I was feeling an ever-increasing need to push, and I could feel Lepard's magic slipping. Elena was still holding my baby, marveling at her, when I heard several footsteps approaching. Damon walked in, along with several Salvatores and Leopard, Adam, Charles, and Demon, as well. They went to check on my baby.

I said, "The placenta is on the table."

Number four grunted happily, took the bowl, peered in, and said, "Looks healthy; it's useful for us."

He put it back on the table. Damon came to sit next to me, taking my hands in his.

His voice was calm as he said, "Listen to me, we have to break your pelvis to get this baby out, and the last three are identical triplets—boys—so it's operating time. I have good drugs with me, but I'm sorry, you will feel this, no matter what. You have to push, but everything will be okay." 

I nodded and spoke in a hesitant voice, "I woke up in the middle of freaking labor. I mean, the baby was already crowning. I just acted without thinking,"

Damon smiled and said, "First, let's get you in a better position and dried up too."

Several Salvatores, a few of them, lifted me up while Wulfe, Adam, and Charles quickly removed the wet bedding and replaced it with clean ones. Of course, the mattress was soaked, but they added many layers to keep it dry for a while. Someone was opening many packets, and I saw Adam and Charles going to check on my firstborn. Damon walked over as well, as the number two was cannulating my central vein.

Damon washed his hands, put on gloves, took several syringes, and said to me, "Okay, I will use my magic to break your pelvis in many places, and others will use their energy to widen it so we can get this guy out."

I nodded, my mind muddled and everything hazy as he injected the first syringe into my cannula, but soon the pain hit me, causing me to gasp many times.

I was moaning in pain as I felt my pelvis being widened. The hot, dull burn of contractions intensified when Damon injected something into my cannula. It turned out to be oxytocin, making the contractions stronger. Someone was urging me to push, and it was excruciating. The pain behind my eyes made me think I couldn't bear it, but then the next dose muddled my mind, and I continued to push, torturing myself.

I could sense the baby moving and hear men's hushed voices, but I was too drugged to understand clearly.

"More, give me a big push, baby, come on now," Damon urged, and I pushed with all my strength.

My mind was foggy from the drugs, my body in agony. I wasn't sure if I was making any sounds, but sweat poured out, and I trembled from pain and exhaustion as I kept pushing. Finally, I felt the baby slide out, and the pain eased slightly, only to return as they released the pressure, my broken pelvis causing bone shards to rub together, making my breath catch.

Then, darkness engulfed me in a painless place as Damon said, "You did well, baby, time to rest. Sleepytime." The last thing I heard was my baby crying loudly.