"She didn't survive. I'm so sorry."

For over a year, I could still hear Cara's voice saying this to me. Every morning when I woke up, that was the first thing I thought of. Then, the other memories followed.

Tris' lifeless body lying in front of me as I yearned for eyes to open again. Listening to Christina lecture me out of taking the memory serum. Tris' blond hair blowing behind her as she jumped on to the train. Tris' hands running down my spine as she kissed me. Tris' cremation.

Ashes. That's all that was left of her.

Some mornings, I'd cry. Sometimes I'd get sick thinking about all of it. Other times, I'd scream into my pillow until my head hurt.

No matter what I did, the pain would never subside. Sure, sometimes it would be less sharp. The stabbing pain in my heart would morph into a dull ache for a short amount of time. However, it only took one more memory to increase the pain once again.

It was like that for a long time. I didn't think it would ever get better. Thankfully, I had people to help me through it, people who were grieving as much as I was. Johanna gave me a job. Christina gave me a friend. My mother gave me strength.

I definitely hadn't completely healed; I doubted I ever would. Three years had passed, and I still didn't go a single day without thinking about her. I still loved her, and I doubted I could ever love anyone again. I couldn't imagine sharing what I did with her with anyone else. It was getting easier, though. My memories of Tris didn't sting nearly as much as they used to. They brought me happiness. I knew she was watching over me, and I knew I could live a good life. She'd be happy for me.

I was spending a normal, monotonous Monday in my office going through paperwork when an unlikely person changed my life. I was very focused on my paperwork, so I did not notice someone standing in the doorway. He cleared his throat, and I looked up at him.

It was Caleb.

"Hi," he said.

I nodded at him. I hadn't seen him since we scattered Tris' ashes about six months ago. He didn't look much different, but there was something strange about him that I couldn't put a finger on.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you about something. I know you're working right now, but I assume you get off soon?" he asked.

I looked at my watch. It was 4:00pm. One more hour.

"Yeah, almost. Is everything alright?" I asked.

Caleb looked…shaky. It was almost as if he'd seen a ghost.

"No. I mean, well, yes. Things could be…amazing. But I just…I don't know," he said.

I stood up to get a better look at Tris' brother. His hair was standing up all over the place, he had large, dark circles under his eyes, and his face was very pale. There was something very wrong. But what? Why did he need me?

"You know what, I can pick up where I left off on this stuff tomorrow. Where should we go to talk?"

"I live right down the street if you wouldn't mind stopping by my place. This needs to be private," said Caleb.

"Sure," I said, and I followed him out the door.

I had never been to Caleb's apartment before. We weren't exactly close. It was still hard to be around him for too long without being too reminded of Tris. Today, however, he barely even looked like Caleb.

When we made it to his apartment, Caleb immediately shut and locked the door behind him. I opened my mouth to ask him what was going on, but he beat me to it.

"We can save her," he gasped the words as if they'd been fighting their way out this whole time.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, utterly confused.

"Tris. We can bring her back."

I blinked at him. At first I was angry because of this cruel joke he was playing on me. Then I was sad, because I knew he must miss her, too. Maybe. I still questioned Caleb's morals to this day. Eventually I reached a solid conclusion: he had to be on drugs.

"Caleb, what are you on?" I asked him with a sigh.

The exasperated look on Caleb's face changed. It became very serious, and he looked as if he may punch me. I stayed on my toes just in case.

"This isn't a joke, Four. I've been working at this for almost three years. There's a way. The Erudite were working on this project for decades, and I think I've finally cracked it. I'm still trying to get the timing and location logistics right, but I really think I have it this time."

I was still extremely confused, but I couldn't stop the odd, hopeful feeling forming in my stomach.

No. No. She was gone. She was gone and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

"Caleb, I don't have a clue what you're talking about, but – "

"Time travel, Four. Time travel! I can send you back to the day she died, and you can save her!" he shouted.

I stared at him. He had to be out of his mind. Of course I'd heard of time travel. It was something people dreamed and fantasized about it. It was fictional. It wasn't real. It wasn't possible.

"That's impossible, Caleb. I think I'm going to leave."

I headed toward the door, but Caleb shouted, "Wait!"

I turned around and watched him dig through his bag and pull out a thick file folder. He handed it to me.

"Look through this. It's all of the Erudite research and formulas. It outlines all of the tests, trials, and results. They were getting so close, they just needed to push a little further. I'd imagine Jeanine slowed that down a little. This wasn't the only project placed on hold to make way for her other antics."

I chose not to point out how quick he was to assist Jeanine with her "antics," and took the file folder from him. The documents inside did look rather official. There were pages and pages full of mathematical formulas, there were pictures of machinery and compounds, there were diagrams of the human brain, and a ton of scientific journals written by people who must have been some of the smartest people to walk the Earth.

"That's only a fraction of the work that's been done on this project, and I've completed it. I just know I have. It works. It really works and we can save her!"

I looked up at Caleb. The hopeful feeling in my stomach was on its way back. It had been three years since I'd lost her. I guess he lost her, too. He hadn't given up. He worked for three years to try and find a way to bring her back. Could I really see her again? My hands began to shake slightly, and I handed the folder back to Caleb.

"Do you really think it will work?" I practically whispered.

"Yes. I tested it. I can show you," said Caleb.

I looked directly into his eyes. I was always good at knowing when people were lying to me.

"Show me."