Let's see... Flowers? No. Candy? No. A card. OK, but what else?

Matthew wanders around the shop looking for a suitable gift for his friend, Mark Burton. The young man had managed to get himself hospitalized in the process of becoming a city hero. And he was worried about me. Matthew shakes his head at the wry thought.

Racking his brain for an idea, Matthew turns to stare out the window when inspiration hits him. He quickly pays for it and heads across the street.

A few minutes later, Matthew walks into Mark's room carrying a small duffel bag. "Hi, Matt," Mark says, a wild look still lingering in his eyes. Boy, he must be out of sorts, thinks Matthew, He only calls me... that... when he's excited.

"I'd thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing," Matthew says, fishing a chocolate out of the newly opened box sitting on the table. "Mmmmph.. try these, they're pretty good."

"Anyway, you look a little tense, so..." Matthew's hand reaches into the duffel bag and brings out a card and two dark brown bottles of beer. "Don't tell the doctor..."

Follow the blue line, that nurse said. Follow the blue line. Well, I've followed the blue line and so far all I've seen is the maternity ward - three times. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear someone was trying to

send me a message about my ticking biological clock.

"Excuse me nurse," Cassie says flagging down a tall nurse with a chart in his hand. "Could you tell me how to get to room 307."

"Follow the blue line......"

"Maybe it's an in-hospital joke," Cassie thinks.

Mark lies in bed with his leg suspended in traction. A box of chocolates on his chest with about half of them gone. Matthew is sitting a chair drawn up next to his friend's bed. He is reaching for another chocolate covered cherry when Mark suddenly says, "You know it was Sarah who sent the flowers and the chocolate too. She and her dad stopped by...."

"Hello," Cassie says, knocking on the door to the room. She walks in carrying some flowers. "Oh, looks like someone beat me to it. Well you can never have too many flowers," and she sets the arrangement next to Sarah's.

"You're a difficult man to keep track of Mark Burton. One second you're outside the museum, the next you're being whisked off to the hospital. It took a devil of a time to track you down. I think you are the first secretary I've had who has been hospitalized in the line of duty. You realize of course this does nothing for my reputation."

"I guess I'll have to heal you up," she says, humor and an edge of laughter sneaking into her voice. "If I don't who will I get to work for me?"

"They warned me you were hard on secretaries, but I didn't expect this!" Mark's voice returns the laughter. "You remember my friend Matthew," he gestures at the other man.

Smiling at Mark she glances over and notices Matthew sitting by the bed.

"I'm glad to see you survived the evening unscathed Matthew," Cassie says, her voice taking a more serious tone. "Needless to say, I fervently hope that the next museum opening is not quite as spectacular - for everyone's sake"

"It was touch and go for a while," Matthew replies with a smile, "But I had some help. I hope things aren't going too badly for you." He nods at the copy of the "Examiner" sitting on the side table. "We've seen the papers."

"Well, as far as I know, I've still got a job," Cassie says. "But then again, the museum board has a meeting scheduled Thursday. I think every reporter in a three-county area is camped out on what passes for my lawn. I'm afraid to throw away anything that might be recyclable out of fear that it will end up on the 6 o'clock news. Odyssey - Bay area heroine or environmental abuser."

She sighs, sitting down on the edge of Mark's hospital bed.

"I honestly don't care what they say about me. I'm more concerned about those who were hurt or killed in the attack. There were two children who were orphaned when their parents were killed and a lot of people are still in the hospital."

"Which, you sir, should not be in," Cassie says looking at Mark. "I promise this will only tickle or a minute."

With that, she puts her hand on Mark's burns and her forehead furrows in concentration. A golden light seeps out around her hand, traveling down Mark's body were it is absorbed.

"There - that should do it - but you'd better have the doctor make sure that leg is OK," she says.

"Visiting is over." With a firm tone accustomed to obedience, the nurse strides into the room and motions for the others to depart. Matthew moves slightly, and there is a faint and curious clink from the wastebasket.

"See you soon, Mark." Cassie and Matthew stand and head out of the room under the watchful gaze of the nurse. Matthew zips shut his open duffel bag as he goes. The nurse, meanwhile, sniffs the air experimentally. She could have sworn there was... no, that's to improbable to be true. She turns to her patient. Her mouth drops open in disbelief as she notices that the burn scars are all gone.

"I want to thank you for what you did Friday," Matthew says as he and Cassie are waiting for the elevator. "That took a lot of courage. I also owe you some personal thanks - if you hadn't healed me, I probably would have died."

"I was pretty tired then," a confused Cassie says as the two step into the elevator, "But I don't remember seeing you, let alone healing you."

Matthew smiles and holds his right arm in front of his torso where it can easily be seen. His fist clenches, and undergoes a rapid change. The skin darkens, becoming a deep shimmering green and covered with small scales. The nails lengthen slightly, transforming into something reminiscent of talons. Suddenly, fire runs along the length, giving it a brief red aura.

"I call myself Dragon Fist," Matthew says to Cassie's shocked look, "I was present at the museum and you did heal me, but I was in another form."

"I, uh, you, uh, you are the dragon," Cassie says, trying to recover from the shock. "Wow, I mean, a you're a lot smaller than, ah, it. Wow. Is this like a spontaneous thing?"

The elevator doors open and they get out.

"Perhaps we should talk about this outside," Cassie suggests, slightly recovering her wits.

A few moments later they are outside of the UCSF Medical Center, pushing through the screaming anti-paranormal protesters. "Protect the Public!" one sign reads. "Paranormal Menace, Go Home!"

"I see PRIMUS is still here," Cassie says, inclining her head toward the government vehicles parked outside the hospital. "I wonder if those VIPER agents have recovered consciousness yet."

Coming down the steps, she spies a bench and goes and sits down.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise," she says looking at Matthew. "So you're telling me that you were the dragon at the party. I'm not really sure what to say. I mean this is pretty amazing. You just - just transform. That must play havoc with your wardrobe."

A slight realization dawns, and Cassie spurts out, "You're responsible for those dragon sightings in Chinatown aren't you?"

Her manners catch up with her mouth and she adds, "I'm sorry, it' s just rather incredible. You don't meet 5-meter tall dragons every day - even in San Francisco. How long have you been able to do this?"

Before Matthew is able to answer, the crowd notices Cassie. "There's the witch from the museum!" one person screams. "Get her!"

Oh Lord, give me wisdom do deal with this, Matthew prays fervently.

I could deal with it, a voice suggests in his head.

I don't think that would be the best course of action. I'll handle it, Matthew shoots back.

"Get out of here!" Matthew smoothly leaps to his feet to stand between Cassie and the crowd. He begins to walk towards the mass of people; the slow steady stride showing nothing but confidence in the face of their threat.

Like hell, Cassie thinks. I'm not leaving you here to face this group alone, even if you might be a dragon. She concentrates on Matthew's back and pictures her front living room -just in case a quick escape is necessary.

"No one is going to 'get' anyone." Matthew's voice rings out over the noise of the crowd. He leaps to the top of a cement trash can and stands, hands on hips, facing the crowd. "You are afraid. That is OK, but the hate that springs from your fear is misplaced. There are people - normal everyday people - in that hospital who would be dead if she had not healed them, yet

you want to 'get' her because of what she is."

"This is the same attitude that lynched blacks in the South. This is the same attitude that killed 6 million Jews in Germany. How many more must die on the altar of hate?"

"'Love thine enemy; do good to those who persecute you.' Where are the Christians and people of conscience in this city?"

Matthew jumps down and turns his back on the crowd. He walks slowly back to Cassie.

Cassie crosses her fingers, but keeps her concentration fixed on Matthew and the crowd, who do not follow.

"No, I drove, but thanks anyway. Lets go." As the two walk towards the parking lot, Matthew fishes an old receipt and a pen out of his pocket, and hastily scribbles something. "Here's my phone number and beeper number. If you ever need me, please give me a call."

He stops and thinks for a second. "I'm getting together 'in costume' with Morgana Windrifter for lunch tomorrow. We're going to be talking about Friday's disaster and the backlash from it. We'd be honored if you'd join us. Umm.. Morgana was supposed to pick a place, and she hasn't given me directions yet. You might want to call her." Matthew scribbles another number on the receipt, then hands it to Cassie.

PBEM Turns