As Number Four gazed at the slumbering female in the hospital bed, he ran a hand through his longer, messier hair. Despite his clinical mindset, worry gnawed at him. It wasn't because of Mariella, who was sedated and stabilized with an IV, but because of Mimi.
Her hyperactivity burned in his mind like wildfire, and his worry deepened with each clinical realization: she would be a mess. No, correction, she *was* already a mess, and getting worse by the day. But now, with the worst of Mariella's crisis over, it was time to focus on Mimi, and it wouldn't be easy.
Medbay was a clinical space, filled with over ten medical beds and all kinds of machines. One wall held lockers, similar to those in a post office, but containing drugs. The cork floor reeked of medical cleaning solution, and an overall sterility hung in the air.
The air was hushed, broken only by the faint dripping of Mariella's IV and the soft beeping of a computer. It was once again time for Number Four to be a doctor for Mimi. He mentally listed all the possible problems she might have and how they could deal with them, efficiently yet gently.
Her state was subclinical, a medical condition that offered some potential solutions. The best course of action would be the same as for Mariella: sedation and feeding. However, that wasn't an option, as Mimi was still struggling with all things medical, and sedation was the worst. But she needed to calm down.
Therefore, their plan was to tranquilize her, bit by bit, day by day, bringing her hyperactivity down. They would also administer a special drug they had developed, designed to be delivered through the sinuses, a drug that, as special vampires, they were uniquely suited to use. This drug would slow her frantic body down. Simultaneously, they would feed her, keeping her mind from being traumatized, and they would hope, desperately, that it would help.
Meanwhile, Number One sat behind the computer, reading Mariella's latest lab results. Her gestational diabetes had caused her blood sugar to reach sky-high levels, affecting many aspects of her physiology. For the protection of her fetuses, she was sedated, and her glucose levels were being brought down.
Number Five had noticed Mimi wasn't herself; she'd released a pheromone indicating she was fine. This aroused Number Five's suspicion, prompting him to check her pheromone dossier, where he found the specific pheromone. When he informed the other Salvatore members present, they weren't overly concerned.
However, after a few spells, they discovered the extent to which she was manipulating them with that particular pheromone, essentially lying. It was the alpha female, once again concealing her weakness and attempting to manage everything independently. Mimi's willpower was formidable, pushing her body to exhaustion.
The men now needed to intervene, calm her down, and ensure she understood her responsibilities. Their immediate task was to install the same display and logging system downstairs, with upgrades in several areas, such as the laundry room.
The laundry room, for example, would have its own display. Whoever did the laundry would scan their fingerprint, and after completing their tasks, they would log them in the system.
For instance, Adam could take bedding, curtains, and Mariella's girls' clothes from downstairs to wash. He would then move the toddler's clothes, once washed, into the drying room, fold the items in the drying room, and mark the tasks as completed on the display. This was especially important, since someone had likely already put clothes in to wash.
Similar to the meticulous tracking of food preparation, the individuals meticulously logged every aspect. This included the types of meats placed in the oven, pit, and smoke cabinets. The cooks could immediately access this information to guide their use of the ingredients.
They also maintained a detailed inventory of the freezers and refrigerators, logging all items as they were used. This process required a significant investment of time, and they had to simultaneously plan for Mimi's care, monitor Mariella's condition to ensure stability, and strategize for her ongoing treatment.
Number One, burdened by a chronic headache, felt the urge to make heavy black velvet and put Mimi to sleep, but it was not yet the appropriate moment. She would rest eventually, but for now, they needed to upgrade the system.
Damon had also planned to begin inventorying the storage rooms systematically, aiming to bring order to the chaos. The children's toy room, in particular, remained a source of his frustration, and he was determined to restore order.
As the men gathered in the medbay, Damon initiated a recap: "Okay, let's review. Mariella will remain sedated until her glucose levels consistently stay below 200mg/dL, not just with our modified insulin. We'll continue changing her blood and correcting any deficiencies. Charles, regarding her feeding regimen, is it finalized?"
Charles, rubbing his chin, grunted his response, "Initially, no starchy carbs and no pomegranate juice. Lean meat is essential. She's at a healthy weight, so we don't need to overfeed her. Primarily meat. Her daily calorie intake should be between 6,000 and 8,000, with regular weigh-ins. Her metabolism isn't especially fast, and since the babies are energy creatures, she feeds them with her tanks, in her blood, though, where they primarily get vitamins and minerals, not a significant amount of calories. So she needs vitamins and such more than extra calories, at least for now."
Damon nodded as Number Three typed on his laptop. They were crafting meal plans for the females, a task that proved challenging.
Charles spoke, "Keep in mind her cravings. Her omega oils might be unstable; she breaks them down quickly as she uses her energy. They might need boosters, but salmon and oily fish would help, since her fat-soluble vitamins are also low. Those mixed fish cubes Mimi had might be good for her too."
Damon agreed, finding it helpful to plan and discuss things thoroughly.
"Now, with Mimi, we have to take things a bit slower," Number Five stated, his pale gaze sweeping over the other men in the medbay.
Ten of them – although not all were present – looked identical, each a version of Damon Salvatore. They were individuals, yet they had once shared a single body, unaware of their collective consciousness until their original life with Mimi.
Then the truth had come out, and here they were, over 100 years later, finally learning what they were and how to work together. Because there were ten of them, most were known only by their numbers, as they preferred. While each reacted to the name Damon, using their number was simpler than saying "Damon Number Five" or "Damon Number Nine."
Number Five continued, "She is hyperactive, and I have no idea how skinny she is, but we'll get her. Now, how is our tranq coming along?"
His gaze landed on Number One and Wulfe, who was also present.
"I have the potion ready; it's up to you to add your dental component," Wulfe replied.
He, a vampire wizard over 2500 years old, Mimi's soulmate, best friend, and fiercest protector, felt he had failed her. He knew he had to make this potion to calm her system and the fetuses within her, without making her feel too drugged.
Even for a wizard of his skill, it was an incredibly difficult task, as Mimi was unique, and her system didn't always obey the laws of biology. Crafting a potion for her was a delicate thing, but Wulfe's love for her was an integral part of it. Mimi, being a creature of love, made it better suited for her.
"We have a few versions ready," Number One began, "so we'll test them to see if we can calm her down and keep things tolerable. But initially, we need to bring her down hard, and she'll feel some of it. However, as I said, I'm aiming to keep it as tolerable as possible, keep her resting, safe, and hopefully, we avoid a bloom of MNDS. I have some ideas for that as well. I know we can see her issues on our radars, but then again, she can lie in her mind, as her pheromones have told us. We need to dig deeper."
Wulfe nodded, his primary concern was keeping his unicorn happy, healthy, and enjoying her pregnancy. However, things were not simple, not at all, and life would undoubtedly present its own set of challenges.
Damon hoped, truly hoped, that they could calm Mimi's system within a few weeks and understand what had caused such a frenzy. Her willpower was likely a factor, but there was more, some kind of biological process. They needed to investigate to determine if it was an imbalance or if she was overcompensating with her willpower.
With Mimi, nothing was certain. Damon knew solving this would require a great deal of finesse, a clinical mindset, and, of course, love. Combining these elements wouldn't be easy. How could one be clinical and loving simultaneously if being clinical meant stressing her with something she hated, while loving her meant keeping her from being stressed?
It wasn't as straightforward as Mariella's care. Mariella had no issues with medical procedures and could be an exemplary patient when needed. Under sedation, they could be as clinical as necessary to get her well. But with Mimi...
Damon sighed, rubbed his ear, and tapped his fingers restlessly against his thigh. He was trying to calculate the dosage, estimate the effect, and mentally list what to watch for: Mimi's stress reactions, her expressions, her scent. She hadn't logged too many pheromones related to fear or stress, so it would be a shot in the dark.
However, Wulfe had suggested temporarily applying a special ointment to her pheromone glands, suppressing them and stopping her from influencing them with her pheromones, which were her biggest weapons.
Damon, painfully aware of medical realities, knew that sedation and rest would be the easiest option. However, with their toddlers returning in a few days and Mimi's aversion to sedation – she hated it and would fight to wake up, negating its calming effects – it wasn't a viable treatment.
He hoped their tranquilizer would help her. He planned to be with her as much as possible, understanding she might not fully trust him. But once he was there, ensuring her safety, security, and encouraging her to eat and rest, she might begin to trust him again.
Of course, with so many Salvatore's openly loving her, Damon knew he wouldn't be the only one. But a tiny spark flickered in his mind: a chance for a "switcheroo." He'd get to know Mimi better. He'd heard the Salvatores speak of her in a whole new light, and he wanted that too.
The Salvatores, now more individual, would have time to help Mariella become more than just a "lust queen," guiding her toward her own desires, needs, and hobbies. This, he realized, might do the trick. Something in him had changed, and it was permanent. As long as he kept his promise to Mariella in mind, he felt a new sense of freedom.
And since Mimi had a unique way of seeing things, she was a damn good source of information. It would help them elevate their relationship and truly get to know her, flaws and all. He might even challenge her to a competition to see who was more inventive with their cursing. It might be quite damn fun, and educational as well.
The upcoming time would undoubtedly present its own set of challenges, but they needed to understand the cause of Mimi's hyperactivity, as it was not normal. Mimi was pregnant with five fetuses and was over 15 weeks into her pregnancy. She was burning calories at an alarming rate, and her neurochemistry seemed altered.
However, they would only uncover the full extent of the problem by analyzing her blood and conducting tests. First, however, they needed to drastically slow down her system. The babies were not currently stressed, but they risked growing too large. Since Mimi was using everything she consumed and more, she was essentially using her own body to fuel the babies. That had to stop.
Damon knew that Mimi was a creature of love, and since she likely had empaths in her belly, they might affect him and others. Therefore, they needed to implement telepathic shielding and ensure those babies were gently powered down during the pregnancy and when it was time for birth.
This time, it would be at home, no more hospitals. They would operate on both females in the house, as they were doctors in the real world, even if they were not in this pocket dimension.
Damon was beginning to see this pocket dimension as a blessing or an opportunity, not a punishment, even though they would have to live there for ten years. He was growing, which didn't mean he wouldn't slip up occasionally, but he had learned a great deal, and much of it was permanent.
He would overcome his mistakes and strive to do better. As for Mimi, it was time for her to learn new things and teach. Damon had shared lessons about the interrogation with the Salvatores and others. Now, their plan was to combine those methods with pheromones, which would make them even more effective.
As soon as all the potions and dental substances they made in their sinuses were ready, it would be time to take care of Mimi. They would ensure she was fine, keep her as healthy as possible, feed her, and try to be a family. Damon's plan included giving her a calming agent secretly in her food or drink to bring her down gently and then perform tests.
An implant was one option, or jelly filled with nutrients was another. However, if the fetuses mostly absorbed the jelly, leaving little for Mimi, it wouldn't serve their purpose. The best-case scenario would be to get Mimi on board, so she would voluntarily take her calming potion daily and let them care for her. But only the future would reveal how this would unfold.