Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Thank you all so much for your patience while waiting for Chapter 4. My two fabulous new betas Aecarlso and Tiffanyanne03 have been working frantically on the first few chapters – thanks to both of them for aiding in my ongoing battle with my nemesis the comma. Now that we're caught up, expect an update about every week.

Just a note of clarification: I know that Twilight was published in 2005, and New Moon in 2006 but for the purposes of this story I've played with the timeline a bit. Call it artistic license, if you will. For this story, Bella's 18th birthday was September 13th, 2009… Edward and the Cullens left a short time later… Bella took part in the Spirit Walk ritual in La Push in March, 2010… and arrived in Chicago on March 11, 1918. Of course, that's assuming that this is all real and not a hallucination.

"The timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness; and knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream."

-Kahlil Gibran

Chapter 4 – Of Finding a Job and Formulating a Plan

Daylight found me with gritty eyes and aching bones. I guessed passing out on a hardwood floor was hard on your body. I stretched slowly, wondering what time it was.

I reflected on my odd dream of the night before, contemplating what would bring Alice to my subconscious… and why she would find it necessary to interrupt at such an inopportune moment. Shrugging inwardly, I stood and peeked out the doorway, desperately wanting to take a shower.

The hallway was quiet so I collected my clothing - or Maggie's clothing, as was the case - and made my way to the bathroom. The small black and white floor tiles were cold against my feet so I locked the door and stepped quickly onto the soft rug by the clawfoot tub. Glancing around the room, I spotted a stack of towels on a shelf by the sink and lay one next to my bundle of clothes.

The tub was large and I was glad to see a shower head and curtain suspended from a ring encircling it. I didn't mind baths when I had the time, but this morning I needed the pounding water of a shower to clear my muddled mind.

Well, it wasn't exactly pounding, but once I figured out how to work the taps the water flowed steadily. Pulling the curtain closed, I grabbed a bar of soap off a tray on the side of the tub. I sniffed it skeptically but was surprised to find the scent pleasant – a mix of lavender and vanilla. I scrubbed myself quickly then - seeing no evidence of shampoo anywhere - used the soap to wash my hair as well. Letting the warm water wash over me, I contemplated my predicament.

I couldn't deny the facts anymore. It was illogical. It was impossible. But it appeared to be the truth.

Somehow I was in Chicago in 1918. And as I finally thought the words I realized the truth of them. My crazy, drug-induced Vision Walk had landed me in the past. I didn't know how, but I had a feeling I needed to figure out why.

Obviously, it had something to do with Edward. He was the focus of everything in my life. It couldn't be a coincidence that I'd end up here, in his hometown, at this particular point in history. Carlisle was here as well and I couldn't escape the gut feeling that he was part of this also… that, as always, he could be a guiding light to help me figure out my purpose in this strange world.

The water cooled so I turned it off and briskly toweled myself dry. I frowned at my legs and decided to add a razor to my ever-growing shopping list. Did women shave their legs in 1918? I didn't care. I was going to.

Maggie had loaned me a nightgown so I was able to wash out my undergarments and stockings before I went to bed. They were still slightly damp but better than nothing. I dressed quickly, donning the gray ankle-length skirt and white button-down blouse Maggie had given me. I didn't have a comb or brush so I straightened my hair as well as I could with my fingers, pushing it back from my forehead.

Gazing into my reflection, I decided I needed a plan. If I was going to survive here and accomplish whatever it is that fate… or God… or whoever sent me here had for me to accomplish, I needed to participate in this life and become part of this world.

I needed to make a list.

Yes, I was one of those people who likes lists. They kept me organized… kept me sane. And if there was one thing I desperately needed in this situation it was to keep my sanity.

If I wasn't bonkers already, that is.

Number One: I needed money. I couldn't impose on Maggie's hospitality forever, and I needed to get some more clothes – especially underwear.

That meant Number Two: I needed a job. I considered that for a moment. I could try to find something at a restaurant or maybe Tom knew of an opening at the newspaper. I could be a gopher or assistant. I did know how to type… maybe a secretary?

Then the pieces fell into place: We're a little short-handed. I could work at the hospital. Not as a nurse of course, but maybe as an orderly or nurse's assistant… candy-striper… whatever they called it.

The more I thought about it, the more it made perfect sense. I could work with Carlisle. He would help me do what I needed to do.

Which led me to Number Three: I had to find Edward. He had to be the reason I was here. I didn't know what I was supposed to do when I found him, but I knew there was no way I could keep away from him.

The question was: How? Even in 1918 Chicago was a big city. I couldn't Google him. Did they have phone books yet? I knew there was a phone in the boarding house so maybe that was the way to go.

I shook myself out of my reverie. Numbers One and Two were first… once I got those figured out, I'd look for Edward. Squaring my shoulders, I fluffed my damp hair once more and left the bathroom.

The house was still quiet and the clock at the top of the stairs read 10:30. I'd slept in and missed breakfast. My stomach growled in resentment and I made my way to the kitchen, hoping to find a banana or maybe a bowl of cereal; although I realized it would probably be granola or something and not the sweet deliciousness of Captain Crunch.

I found Maggie kneading bread on a white table, her sleeves rolled up and arms dusted with flour. She looked up and smiled.

"Oh, you're up," she said. "I let you sleep in as I knew you'd be exhausted." She nodded toward a large, black stove. "I kept a plate for you on the hob. Just help yourself."

I thanked her and she turned back to her kneading. I used a towel to pick up the warm plate and took a seat at the small kitchen table. Lifting a linen napkin off the plate, I smiled at the eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast piled on it. Cholesterol, schmolesterol.

There were some things about 1918 that I liked a lot.

The kitchen was quiet as Maggie kneaded and I ate. Then finally, she slapped the dough one more time, covered it with a towel and turned to me.

She gave me a piercing look. "So, what's going on with the doctor?"

I choked on a piece of bacon and she poured me a glass of water, handing it to me silently.

"Nothing!" I said finally. "There's nothing going on!"

"That's not how it looked to me," she said skeptically. "The man followed you home. It's a bit strange, isn't it? I mean he's a fine thing - easy on the eyes, that's for sure - but what do you really know about him?"

"Really Maggie, there's nothing to worry about," I reassured her, scrambling for a believable lie. "He had written some… notes… for me and I forgot them at the hospital. He just came to give them to me and make sure I was all right." I looked away, unable to meet her inscrutable eyes.

"Mmm hmm," she murmured, unconvinced. "Well, I can't imagine a doctor taking time out of his day to do something like that… not without other motives." She looked at me pointedly. "I think he fancies you."

Eeww. I mean, I liked Carlisle but he was like… Edward's dad… gross!

"Believe me, it's not like that," I stated firmly. She shrugged and turned to wash her hands, saying nothing more.

I finished eating and took my plate to the sink. Maggie shooed me away, and I could tell that she thought I was keeping something from her. I gave her a quick hug.

"Maggie, I promise if there was something going on with Dr. Cullen and me, I would tell you," I said vehemently.

She paused for a moment then offered a small smile.

"All right then. Off with you." She shooed me out, turning to the sink. "But mark my words, that man is interested in more than your medical condition."

I rolled my eyes at her and told her I'd be back shortly. She didn't ask where I was going and I was secretly glad. If she found out I was headed to the hospital I knew there would be more of the third degree, Maggie style.

The air was warm and I noticed flowers just beginning to bud along the sidewalk as I made my way back to County. I was a little nervous about what I was about to do but squared my shoulders and marched in confidently. A different nurse was at the reception desk. I waited patiently as she conferred with an older man in front of me. When he turned and sat down in the waiting area, I approached the nurse with what I hoped was a self-assured smile.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied. "My name is Bella Swan. I was here last night and heard that you are currently understaffed. I am looking for work and was hoping to speak to someone about a position."

The woman smiled and asked me to wait, then left the room only to return a short time later accompanied by an older nurse carrying a folder and a pencil. She was tall and thin - almost brittle-looking - but her blue eyes were clear and caring.

"Miss Swan? I am Katherine Chambers," she introduced herself with a smile. "I am in charge of the nursing staff here. I understand you would like to apply for a position?"

I faltered a bit. "Well, not as a nurse, I don't think," I stammered. "I'm afraid I don't have any experience or schooling for that." The older nurse's face fell a bit and I rushed to continue. "But I could learn. Maybe I could be an assistant or an orderly? I could clean up… change sheets… that kind of thing. I just really need a job, and I would like to work here if it's possible."

"Why?" the nurse asked simply.

Well, I couldn't tell her the real reason. Because my vampire boyfriend's vampire dad works here and I need his help to find said vampire boyfriend, except he's not a vampire yet and he's really not my boyfriend anymore since he left me a hundred years from now.

It didn't exactly roll off the tongue.

"I'd… um… like to help people?" I asked more than said, then tried for confidence again. "I'd just really like to be in a position to do something positive and I think this would be a good start."

Katherine Chambers eyed me carefully for a moment, chewing on her pencil before she asked simply, "Can you work nights?"

I smiled. "That would be perfect."

Nurse Chambers led me into her small office and we sat across a wooden desk to iron out the details. I would work from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Monday through Thursday, and earn fifty cents an hour. Twenty-four dollars a week. Wow. Well, the good news was that income tax withholding hadn't been created yet. In fact, Nurse Chambers looked at me a little funny when I brought it up.

I'd be given two uniforms, the cost of which would be deducted from my first three paychecks. Three dollars a piece – Two dollars per paycheck… plus five dollars a week to Maggie. That left me about seventeen dollars a week.

The bad news was that I wouldn't be paid until the end of the week, and I really needed underwear… and a razor… and my own clothes to wear in my off hours.

"Nurse Chambers," I began carefully, "I was wondering if there were any chance I could get a small advance on my pay?" Her mouth turned down in a tight frown so I continued before she could refuse me. "You see, I'm new in town and my bags were… stolen. I have no extra clothes and my landlady has been helping me out, but I hate to impose…"

The older woman held up a hand to interrupt me. "If you can start tonight, I'll give you tonight's pay at the end of your shift," she said. "The rest will have to wait until Friday."

"Thank you," I breathed with a large smile. I could make it until tomorrow. I could do this.

Nurse Chambers walked me out, introducing me to a few doctors on the way.

"Of course since you'll be working the night shift, you'll be working mainly with Dr. Cullen," she explained. "You met him last night, correct?"

"Yes." I smiled. "I know Dr. Cullen."

"Good." She nodded firmly. "Nurse Patty will begin your training. Be here promptly at six." She shook my hand firmly and walked back to her office. I nearly skipped out the door.

Job: Check.

Money: Check.

Carlisle: Check.

Edward: Still working on that one, but I had a feeling I was getting closer.

x-x

Knowing I would be up all night, I tried to take a nap in the afternoon but my excitement had me tossing and turning. I don't know why I was so keyed up. Maybe it was just the fact that I was doing something. Whether or not I knew the purpose of my trip here, I was embracing it. I was looking for answers.

I finally gave up on sleep and put on my new uniform, smoothing the light gray skirt and white blouse and folding the new white apron over my arm. No cute cap though. I was a little bummed about that.

Instead I wrapped my hair up into a bun and fastened it with pins before putting on my wide-brimmed hat. With a triumphant grin, I left the room and walked down the stairs.

Surprisingly, Maggie was thrilled at my new-found employment. I half expected her to give me a bunch of grief about Carlisle, but she was unexpectedly silent on the subject. Instead, she made a thermos of strong coffee and a ham sandwich from the dinner leftovers and told me to have a good night.

Tom wanted to walk me to work but I assured him I would be fine. I was glad it was warm as I didn't have a coat yet – one more thing to add to my shopping list.

The sun was low in the sky but still shed enough light for me to be comfortable as I walked toward the hospital. As I neared the front door, it began to sink below the horizon and once again I thought of Edward.

Was he watching the same sunset right now?

I pulled the door open and found Nurse Patty talking to a dark-haired nurse at the reception desk.

"Bella! Good to see you," she called. Smiling, she added, "I was so glad to hear you'd be joining us."

She turned and gestured to the other nurse, "This is Olivia. There are six nurses who will be working the night shift but Olivia and I will be the ones you'll be assisting."

I nodded and followed her as she led me through the examination area and into the large room lined by beds that I had seen the night before. She pointed to a coat rack and I removed my hat, hanging it on one of the hooks. I set my coffee and sandwich out of the way on a small shelf. Tying on my apron, I followed her to a rumpled bed.

"All of the linens in this room need to be changed," she instructed. "You'll find clean linens in those cabinets, and the soiled ones go in the basket over there." I followed her over to the far wall where a large wheeled basket was tucked in a corner.

"You can roll the basket down the hall. You won't have to wash the sheets. Just bundle them up tightly and leave the bundles by the back door. We have a laundry woman who will come and get them."

I nodded and looked back into the ward. "What about the beds with patients in them?"

"It's a little tricky," Patty admitted. "Come on I'll show you."

She approached one of the beds.

"Mr. Jamison, I'll need to change your linens now," she said, then turned to me.

"You just need to roll them to one side, push the linens over, then put the new ones on…" She demonstrated efficiently as she spoke. "…then roll them to the other side, pull off the soiled sheets and tuck in the new ones."

She made it look so easy.

"All right." I nodded. "I think I can do that."

It was a little harder than it looked, but after the third bed I had the system down pretty well. Still, there were 40 beds in the room, so it took me several hours to get all the sheets changed and bundled up neatly by the back door. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and tucked back a wayward tendril of hair as I sought out Patty for my next assignment.

"Miss Swan?" I turned to see Carlisle approaching me, taking in my disheveled appearance and my uniform. "You're working here?" he asked, sounding confused.

"Yes." I smiled. "Patty mentioned you needed some help around here. I needed a job… so here I am."

"Oh, well… that's…" he seemed to be looking for the right word, "…good news. How has it been going so far?"

"Fine." I swept the room with a hand. "I just finished changing all the sheets. Making my mark on the world one bed at a time," I said wryly.

Carlisle grinned. "Well, we all do what we can." He looked around then asked, "What are you doing now?"

"I don't really know," I admitted. "I was just looking for Patty when you came in."

"I believe she's assisting in an emergency surgery right now… appendix," he explained. "So why don't you come with me? I could use your help for a bit."

I grabbed my thermos, tucked my sandwich into my skirt pocket, and walked with him up a flight of stairs through another large ward. Only a handful of beds were occupied, all by pregnant women.

"This is the maternity ward," he explained, pointing into an adjoining room. "The nursery is in there."

I nodded and continued to follow him down another short hallway and into a large office. To my left sat a beautiful wooden desk with a red leather chair, as well as a row of filing cabinets. The other side of the room was a laboratory with beakers, Bunsen burners, test tubes, and a device I could recognize as a microscope - as well as some other instruments I couldn't recognize - lined up neatly on a metal table.

"This is my office… and laboratory, obviously," Carlisle explained. "It's where I do my research."

"Research?"

"Infectious diseases, mostly," he explained. "I work nights and generally it's pretty quiet around here. I spend a lot of my time studying. I'm trying to find new treatments for influenza."

My ears perked up. "Influenza?"

"Yes," Carlisle said, visibly excited by being able to share his thoughts. He walked over and perched on the edge of the desk.

"You see, for years we've believed influenza is caused by a bacterium. That's actually how it got its name. But I believe it's something else."

"What?" I asked, my face impassive.

"A virus," he replied, reaching out to pick up a piece of paper off his desk. "I've been corresponding with a colleague of mine at Harvard University and he thinks my research may have merit. If it is a virus, then our approach at treating it has to be completely different."

He paused, lost in thought, then turned to me sheepishly.

"I'm sorry. I'm boring you. That's not why I asked you to come in here."

I cleared my throat, aching to tell him he was on the right track about the virus, but wondering what impact that would have on the future. What did I know about viruses anyway? I could end up really steering him off track. Then what if nobody ever invented the flu shot?

Geez, this time travel stuff was complicated.

"What is it you need?" I inquired instead.

He picked up a pile of papers from his desk.

"Filing," he said, standing up and waving me over. I approached the desk, looking over his shoulder.

"These are patient records. The name is stamped in the upper left corner." He walked to the filing cabinets, sliding a drawer open. "Each just needs to go in the appropriate file… just put it in the front."

He turned to another stack.

"These are my research notes… letters and correspondence from colleagues… articles from medical journals." He pointed to another cabinet. "They go in that cabinet. Each folder is clearly labeled by category. It should be relatively simple, but if you're not sure where something should go, just set it aside and we'll go over it later."

I looked around at everything, absorbing the instructions, and nodded at him with a smile. "No problem."

He hesitated like he was going to say something else, then rose and strode to the door.

"I'll leave you to it then. When Patty returns, I'll let her know where you are."

He stepped through the doorway, then poked his head back in. "I'll be back to check on you in a little while."

"Okay," I agreed, rolling my eyes when he didn't leave right away. "I'll be fine," I assured him.

Carlisle returned to the ward and I focused on the work at hand. I sipped from my thermos, organizing the paperwork alphabetically before moving to the filing cabinet. It was mindless… really monotonous… but I welcomed the task and was surprised when Carlisle popped his head back in and asked me how I was doing.

"Fine," I said with a loud breath. "I'm done with the patient charts, and about halfway through the research."

"You should really take a break," he said. "Have something to eat and you can finish later. Come on, follow me."

I set the papers I was holding back on the desk, and Carlisle led me into a small room with a wooden table and chairs, motioning for me to sit down. I pulled my sandwich out of my pocket, suddenly ravenous.

To my surprise, Carlisle sat down across from me.

"Don't you have something you have to do?" I asked. Then, realizing how rude I sounded, I added, "I mean, you don't have to babysit me. I'm sure you're really busy."

Carlisle's lips quirked. "I have a spare moment. I thought we could talk."

Uh oh. That didn't sound good.

I took a bite of my sandwich. "About what?" I mumbled through the meat and bread.

Carlisle frowned a bit distastefully and I couldn't resist asking him if he wanted a bite.

"No, thank you," he said firmly.

Sometimes it was really fun messing with a vampire… at least when you were sure he wasn't going to kill you.

I continued to chew carefully, avoiding Carlisle's intense gaze. He examined me silently for a moment and I squirmed.

"What is it?" I asked finally, huffing loudly.

Carlisle tented his hands in front of his mouth, his topaz gaze piercing.

"I was thinking about what you told me last night… about how you know things."

I swallowed. "Yes?"

"And I was thinking I'd like to hear a little more about what you know."

"You'll have to be a bit more specific," I stalled.

"About me."

"About you?"

"Yes."

"Well…" I set my sandwich down, my stomach churning. "I know you're an excellent doctor…"

He smiled at my flattery. "That's not what I mean, and you know it."

I swallowed dryly. "Ummm… You were born in England… and you're on the right track about the influenza virus," I blurted. Maybe I could distract him.

I couldn't. His gaze sharpened.

"How did you know I was born in England?"

I looked away from him, drawing a deep breath. How much could I tell him? How much should I tell him? The fact was I knew I could trust Carlisle, but I didn't know what impact anything I did or said could have on the future.

I mean, I saw The Butterfly Effect. Ashton Kutcher made one little change in the timeline and Amy Smart went from Sorority Girl to Crack Whore.

I didn't want to turn Carlisle into a Crack Whore.

"Look, Car… Dr. Cullen… I can't really tell you what you want to hear." He started to respond and I held up a hand.

"Think of it this way," I explained, searching my brain for a relevant example.

"The Kaiser is a bad guy, right?" I asked finally. Carlisle smirked in agreement but said nothing, so I continued. "Well, imagine you were a kid growing up with the guy who would one day be the Kaiser. You knew he was going to do all this bad stuff when he grew up. Would you stop him?"

"I don't know," he replied.

"Okay, well let's say you did stop him somehow. You got him kicked out of school for cheating or…"

"He's a prince. I don't think he went to a traditional school," Carlisle interrupted with a grin.

I scowled at him. "Just stay with me please. I'm trying to make a point." I held up my palm as I thought. "Maybe you became a kind and understanding friend so he never felt the need to declare war on anyone, okay?" I amended.

Carlisle shrugged at my ridiculous analogy.

"So the war doesn't happen… that's a good thing, right?"

"Of course."

"Well, maybe because the war never happens, some private somewhere isn't killed in battle… also a good thing, right?"

He nodded.

"Okay." I was on a roll now. "So maybe that private, who didn't die, ends up driving down the road one evening - and he's had a beer or two - and he hits and kills a little boy who one day would have grown up and invented a vaccine for polio."

Carlisle was silent and I looked at him intently.

"I can't make that kind of choice," I stressed. "I can't tell you everything you want to hear," I said again. "But you can trust me. I will not betray you."

Although the words were not said out loud, we both knew what I meant.

"I believe you," he replied.

x-x

The rest of the night passed in relative peace. I finished the filing in Carlisle's office, then Patty had me organize medical supplies in a large storage room in the basement of the hospital. Finally, just as I was about to enter yawning into my last hour of work, Carlisle once again tracked me down.

"Bella, I could use your help upstairs, right now."

"Is something wrong?" I brushed my hands off on my apron, hurrying to the door and shutting off the storeroom light.

"I have a patient upstairs with a dislocated shoulder and a large cut that needs stitches," he explained as we stepped quickly up the stairs. "All of the nurses are occupied at the moment, so I thought you could assist me."

"I don't really have any experience with that," I said nervously, worried I'd pass out… or throw up… or something equally embarrassing.

"It's all right. Just do what I say and everything will be fine," he reassured me.

A middle-aged man in a plaid flannel shirt and heavy trousers sat on one of the exam tables, his booted feet dangling off the end. He cradled his left arm against his chest, his face contorted in pain.

"Mr. Jackson?" Carlisle approached the man.

"Hurts like a son-of-a…." he spotted me and broke off. "It hurts," he repeated.

"Well, I'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better," Carlisle admitted. He turned to me and said quietly, "Distract him."

Flustered, I stood on the other side of the table.

"Ummm… I'm Bella," I said. Carlisle rolled his eyes at me and I shrugged.

The man looked up at me. "Henry Jackson."

"How'd you do this, Mr. Jackson?" I asked as Carlisle gently extended the man's left arm.

He grit his teeth. "I was up hunting this weekend. Just got back yesterday."

Carlisle shot me a glance and I nodded. He pressed a hand on the man's shoulder and I heard a muffled 'pop.'

"Oohh," Jackson exhaled, "that's it."

"Better?" Carlisle smiled.

"Yes, so much better."

I arched an eyebrow at Carlisle and he met my gaze. I had seen doctors reset dislocated shoulders before, and it took a lot of strength. Carlisle had barely pushed on the man's shoulder with his fingertips. I knew he was purposely letting me see his power. He wanted to see my reaction.

So I didn't give him one. Instead I turned back to Mr. Jackson.

"You've been like this since yesterday?"

"Well, no," he admitted sheepishly. "Truth is, I hurt my shoulder today while I was unloading my truck. I lost my balance and slammed into the side of my house."

"And this?" I pointed to the gash on his arm.

"That happened up in the mountains. Friend wrapped it up real good and I thought I'd be fine, but it started aching terribly last night. Then when I fell today I tore it open again."

Carlisle peered at the wound. "Actually, it doesn't look too bad. I'll need to clean it and stitch it up, but you should be fine."

He turned to me. "Bella, there is some alcohol in the cabinet behind you. Could you hand that to me? And there should be a basin and some cloths in there as well."

I opened the cabinet and retrieved the items. Carlisle poured some alcohol into the basin and proceeded to treat the man's wound. He stitched it with a needle and thread, clipping the end neatly before telling me to wrap it with gauze. I breathed through my mouth and avoided watching Carlisle make his stitches, but surprisingly I felt no queasiness as I followed Carlisle's instructions.

"That should do it," Carlisle said finally. "Just keep it clean. Change the dressing daily, and no hunting for a while," he added.

"Damn." He glanced at me. "Sorry… it's just that I heard the pheasant are great up north right now. I was hoping to get me a couple this weekend."

"Sorry about that." Carlisle made a note in his chart.

"You like to hunt, Doc?"

A burst of laughter escaped my lips before I could stop it. Slapping my hand to my mouth, I looked first to Mr. Jackson - who was staring at me, aghast - then over to Carlisle, who was fighting a laugh himself.

"Sorry," I croaked. "I was thinking about something… funny."

Carlisle smirked, turning back toward Mr. Jackson. "Yes, I like to hunt on occasion." He shot me a quick glance. "Mostly big game."

I had to turn my back and bite my lip to keep from laughing.

I guess vampires liked to mess with humans a bit too.

x-x

Before I ended my shift for the morning, I revisited Carlisle's office on the pretense that I had left my thermos inside. I quickly walked to his desk and picked up the book I had spotted earlier… the book I had picked up several times through the night, but just then worked up the courage to open.

1918 Directory of Chicago and Surrounding Areas

Holding my breath, I flipped through to the M's. It actually took no time at all to find what I was looking for halfway down the page.

Masen, Mr. & Mrs. Edward A. Sr., 141 N. Lakeview Ave.

I let my breath out slowly, grabbed a slip of paper from the trash can, and copied down the information.

A/N: Yes, she's getting closer to finding Edward!