[VOICE]

[primogen_vampirate]

[Exactly twenty four hours after her last disaster of a post, Mina's back on the system.]

I'll spare everyone any speeches about "no good deed goes unpunished" or "if you can't do a job right, don't do it at all."

Effective immediately, I shall be resigning from my position at the clinic. I leave you in Doctor Banner's very capable hands.

[Locked to Carter and Coulson]

I tried, darlings. I really did. I will, of course, still happily lend my hand to any matters of the supernatural you face.

God help anyone in this place who ever needs a blood transfusion.

[Locked to Castiel and Gabriel]

I'll thank you gentlemen to keep the rest of the representatives of your world the hell away from me. I took a goddam bullet for you, Castiel. And this is the thanks I get. Disrespected and all but announced to the entire world as a vampire by a gaggle of oversexed alpha males.

Comments

[manofiron]

If you want to help people, help them. Don't let yourself be discouraged by a few naysayers. Then they're right, that you can't do whatever they're saying you can't, and that just shouldn't be allowed to fly. One of the best feelings in the world is proving people like that wrong.

[primogen_vampirate]

Pretty words, darling.

But I cannot do my job like this. And not because of respect or pride. I simply cannot help people without the information I need.

[manofiron]

So get it another way. What you tried didn't work, right? Try something else.

[primogen_vampirate]

What did you have in mind? Sneaking into people's bedrooms in the middle of the night and draining them like a vampire?

[Oh the irony]

While the idea is sorely tempting, it doesn't seem practical.

[manofiron]

Worst case, invasive scenario.

Okay. Look, what is it you need, exactly? Medical history? List of known conditions? Let's start there. Tell me what you need, I'll help you figure out how to get it.

[primogen_vampirate]

Medical history. List of known conditions and medications. Blood type. Family health history wouldn't hurt either, to know what to anticipate if we end up here for years.

[ Private ]

[manofiron]

Heart failure. No medication. A positive. Paternal history of alcohol abuse. No history of mental illness or hereditary diseases. Prior to arrival, clean of any known viruses, diseases, and infections.

See? Not impossible.

[primogen_vampirate]

With all due respect, darling, how would I know you're telling me the truth?

[A pause.]

And heart failure?

[manofiron]

You don't. But you could verify it with Bruce if you're worried that I'm lying.

I believe that's how it's classified on my official chart back home. I'd ask JARVIS, but he's not here right now.

[primogen_vampirate]

Is that your personal physician?

[manofiron]

Among other things.

That's the best I can do. For me, at least.

[primogen_vampirate]

Well, if Bruce knows, I suppose that's what matters.

It's his carnival now. God help him.

[manofiron]

You're really going to let the poor guy handle this whole town on his own?

[primogen_vampirate]

He'll do a better job of it than I.

[manofiron]

He's one guy. And I really don't want to have to step up and fill the vacancy your resignation is going to leave him with. But of that's what I gotta do, that's what I gotta do.

Someone has to.

[primogen_vampirate]

If you can get these people to cooperate with you and save some lives, God love you for it.

I can't.

[manofiron]

Won't. Not can't. Not to get all Yoda on you, but there isn't a can't unless you give up.

[primogen_vampirate]

I have no idea what that means.

[manofiron]

That's probably a good thing. The science was shit.

Are you a quitter, Doctor Barrett? Do you give up just because something's hard or do you rise to meet the challenge and overcome it?

[primogen_vampirate]

I cannot help people who do not want my help, Mister Stark. There's an oath involved to that effect.

[manofiron]

Maybe they don't want help now. Why would they? They're fine. But some day they will. You want a real doctor to be there for them? Or do you want them to be stuck with a mechanic who read a few books and has steady hands?

[primogen_vampirate]

That is for them to decide, I think.

Clearly, they don't seem to have much interest in this real doctor.

[manofiron]

They've just been abducted by who knows who. They're scared. They want to go home. I don't blame them for that and you shouldn't either. Show them they can trust you and they will.

[primogen_vampirate]

Why does this bother you so much, Mister Stark? You didn't want to come in for a physical any more than the rest of them. The only thing that set you apart was that you were marginally polite about it.

[manofiron]

I have a very valid reason for not coming in. Some of them probably do too. But that doesn't preclude the people who don't have a reason, will come in, and want to help.

We're stuck in this place until we can figure out how to get home. No one's coming to rescue us. So we have to work together and help each other, not fight amongst ourselves, or we're going to be stuck here forever. I don't know about you, but this place isn't going to be where my bones are laid when I finally have the decency to give up and die for good.