Aria couldn't believe it, her mind racing as she walked the empty streets. She'd just finished with the doctor, sadly it was bad news. 

"Happy birthday Aria, you've got cancer!" She laughed bitterly. 

Today was her 18th birthday, the news stung. Already in stage four. The doctor had made it a point to tell her that many patients survived years after diagnosis, but in her mind, it was a death sentence. She'd watched her mother go through it, how quickly it had happened. She'd be fine one day, then the next, bedridden in pain. She didn't want that.

Funny how she had been feeling fatigued and ill while not actually falling sick. It had been a coworker that had pushed her to see a  specialist and get tested. But what was she meant to do now?

Her car was parked on the other side of the bridge, parking so thin it was all she found. Quiet a walk away, but maybe the cool air was doing her some good. Processing this wasn't easy. Breathing deep she ran over what the doctor had said again.

"Think of it like this, your body is fighting the foreign invader causing you to be weak and fatigued."

Okay, that part she could understand, it explained why she felt so out of late.

"The disease has spread to your lymph nodes, it has sadly reached your liver and lungs already."

To her, it sounded as though her body was riddled with it. Was there any hope of getting rid of it? Or was she destined to just waste away?

"I recommend beginning treatment right away, I want to have you in for chemo starting Friday."

And yet it would only extend her life, her body was shutting down as it was, putting more chemicals in would only make her more miserable... right?

She stopped at the centre of the bridge, her eyes lingering on the rushing waters below, the sound deafening. Her feet moved before she could even think. her hands gripped the railing as she looked down into that dark abyss. It would only hurt for a second before she was... at peace.

No one would miss her, she had no one. Everyone she cared about had already left. She was secluded by her own insecurities and found it hard to make friends. She was alone in the world, so what was the point of suffering meaninglessly? And for what, a few more years?

She leant forward over the railing, she just needed to fall in and all this would be over. The wind tugged at her long black-blue hair as though it were pulling her forward, welcoming her into the waters, pleading with her to let go. 

She closed her eyes and wished for a new life, something like she had dreamt about so many times before. A world of wonder, a world of escape. Maybe that's where she would go after this, maybe it was better on the other side, maybe she could finally feel whole.

She gasped as someone yanked her back from the railing, she hadn't known she had been crying until she was shocked back to reality.

"Please don't." His voice was like nothing she had ever heard before. Smooth and deep with an accent she couldn't pinpoint.

"I-I wasn't going to..." She lied, what else could she say in this situation?

His hand was still tightly gripped around her arm, she turned to face him. Her breath caught as her eyes widened as she took in the scene behind her. She couldn't even focus on him as a swirling mass of lights had her mouth falling open in disbelief. It looked like a portal to another dimension, the air crackled and fizzed around her as her mind tried to make some sense of what she was seeing.

"I know it feels hopeless right now, but there's a reason you're sick. I can help you." His voice drew her attention.

"What- What's going on?" She asked as she searched his glistening blue eyes. His hair was short and styled so it didn't fall into his eyes. He wore strange clothing that looked like a figure-hugging sports suit with neon-coloured lines running up his arms and legs.

"Come with me, I'll explain everything." He gently pulled her toward the swirling mass.

She wasn't sure why she didn't protest, either she'd already jumped and gotten her wish at a new life. Or she was still alive and this was... real? Regardless, what did she have to lose?

Stepping through the portal was like stepping into another world. Objects she'd never seen lined a circular room as they appeared to enter the space from an open doorway. She heard a few light beeping noises from behind her, turning she watched as he typed something into the console at the side of the doorway. The swirling lights dispersed leaving behind an empty arch. What was this place?

"Welcome to the crossroads." He smiled as though he had read her mind. "We don't have a lot of time, so I'll get right to the point."

She blinked at him a few times, finding it hard to take in the futurist-looking place.

With her lack of response, he took it as a sign to continue. "This place is a central hub that will allow you to travel through time. You've been having dreams of yourself in different time periods correct?"

"How do you know that?" She frowned.

"Because you told me, this time will be different. I promise." The sadness in his tone sent a shiver down her spine. "Those are not dreams, but memories. I've pinpointed the exact dates, the rest is up to you." He motioned to the other doorways that stood void of light. "Ancient Greece, the late Middle Ages, the French Revolution and your current time."

"Wait, what? This isn't making any sense. Are you saying I can travel through time?" Shaking her head she furrowed her brow, was he insane?

"Precisely. Your previous lives are the key to saving you. Your soul has been fractured across time, you must retrieve it's pieces to become whole again." He instructed.

He was already typing on the panel of the first door. "Come now, you must find your soul fragments." She had to shield her eyes as light erupted nearly blinding her.

She felt something being fastened on her wrist as her eyes finally adjusted. Looking down she found a bracelet with an odd clock face, she watched as it slowly moved.

"I can pinpoint your location with this, don't take it off." He pushed her toward the swirling mass.

"Wait, wait! I don't even know what I'm looking for!" She pleaded as she was shoved forward.

"Use your memories, they'll guide you." With another nudge, she was plunged through the portal and into another world.

-The First Fragment -

She had barely enough time to recover as she was hurled through the portal. Landing on a dusty dirt road she tried to take in her surroundings. What in the hell had just happened!? Where was she and what was she meant to do now!? Use her memories? How was that meant to help? Her dreams were of a time in Ancient Greece when she was a part of a festival, heavens she didn't even know which god the festival was meant to honour.

Scurrying off the road as she heard approaching voices she tried her best to hide. She wasn't in the correct clothing for this time period, she was going to give Mr. Body suit a piece of her mind the next time she saw him! Realistically, if she could just find a sheet or material cloth of some sort, she could blend in, she'd make it work.

Quickly, she followed along behind the small convoy of people headed into town. Thankfully the festival was yet to be in full swing, she had time to attempt to... What? What in the hell did she plan to do? Her idea was to go to this ancient festival and see what happens. Worst case scenario she was dreaming right?

As the sun began to set it was easier to move around unseen, she was able to head into the temple on the outskirts of a large town. She'd seen pictures of the ancient ruins in textbooks, but nothing compared to the vastly decorated space before her. The columns were draped in silks, food and drink lined the centre tables while lanterns and torches lined the walls and entrances.

Her hand rested on a folded piece of silk yet to be strung up when a sense of deja vu hit her. Shaking her head she couldn't stop the hair from standing up on the back of her neck as she stole the material. Her pockets held a few supplies, a couple of hair ties and some hair clips. She let her hair loose and stripped off her shirt before wrapping the silk around one shoulder and around her waist. She used the hair ties to bunch the fabric at her hips allowing it to flare out around her legs covering her jeans.

She cursed to herself as one of her tattooed arms was now completely exposed. She would still stand out like a sore thumb. She needed to find whatever it was she needed and fast. Thinking on her dreams she assumed that the feast would start soon since she could see the servers making the final preparations.

"What are you doing there!" A voice sounded from behind her.

She froze, her fingers clenched the pillar in front of her. The spoken words she didn't know, but for some unforeseen reason she could understand the language even though it wasn't English.

"Aria! You know you can't be here, father will be furious." 

Someone grabbed her arm. Had they just said her name? Looking up at the well-dressed woman of around 16 years her mouth fell open, she looked like her mother when she was younger. 

The woman frowned down at her arm. "Sister, seriously! You had to play with the ink again!"

Aria's eyes were searching for answers in the woman's face.

"Heaven's you're not even dressed properly. Come now, you are the sacrifice this year, you know this! Father must be looking for you, your part must be played before the feast." Her sister told her rather eagerly.

The nightmare that had haunted some of her nights suddenly came back at an alarming rate. Her heart began to pound as she was pulled from the festival hall. She remembered this now, but why was she living it? Wait... could she stop it from happening? Was that what she was meant to do? Then all she needed to do was run!

"And after all that work I put in this morning too! Hurry back to your room!" The woman eagerly pulled her along.

She was dragged to the other side of the compound. No point in running yet, she knew the room she was going to, she could use it to her advantage. The door was slammed and locked behind her, her mind already running through her next steps. She didn't have much time, she ran for the window but it was barred. She tried the door only to stop dead as she heard arguing voices approaching from outside.

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" A male voice boomed.

"I would never father! I swear, I found her in the hall." That was her so-called sister.

"Blasphemy! I have already driven the blade through my child's heart and you see it fit to continue to ail me." The man sounded angry and worn, saddened almost.

"Please just come and see." The woman pleaded.

She jumped back suddenly as the door opened, her eyes locked on the man that she had seen many times before, her blood running cold. He was her father in this life. He held a bloodied napkin and she knew, all at once it was clear.

"Take me to my corpse." Aria held her head high as the man's shocked expression met her stern glare.

Unable to speak he stepped aside, eyes wide as he motioned for her to follow. She was lightly shaking but she held herself together as she walked. He led her to the dreaded room, lowering his head he opened the door to reveal a site that gave her chills.

It wasn't her, but it looked like her. The lifeless expression the corpse wore made her feel sick to her stomach. But the most unsettling thing of all was the wavering ghost-like form that stood behind the body. The translucent figure reached out its hand for her and she felt as though she were in a trance. Compelled to move forward and touch the eerie spectre.

The moment their fingers touched the ghostly form rushed forward and collided with her. She gasped as her body was engulfed with a wave of cold energy. Aria stumbled backwards as she couldn't catch her breath, about to fall she felt strong arms wrapping around her as she was pulled from the ancient world and back to the crossroads.

The sound on her wrist caught her attention, looking down at it she watched as it rewound.

"You did it!" He sounded relieved.

"You could have warned me that my fragments are versions of dead me!" She protested as she fumbled out of his arms to turn to glare at him.

"You've always had ill-fated lives, never truly whole." He didn't appear to stop to check on her. He went for the second door and began typing.

Gods she'd have to go through that again? Finally able to breathe normally again she looked down at herself. She actually felt different...

"Feeling better already?" He smirked at her as the second portal burst to life. "It will only get better from here, I Promise."

She clenched the material at her chest, reminding herself that she had nothing to lose. She walked through the second doorway and into another time.

- The Second Fragment -

The first thing that struck her was the smell in the air. It was foul, damp, musty and rotten. What had he said was second... the late Middle Ages? Her hand flew to her face to cover her nose. She found herself down a back alley between houses. Walking out of the alley she tried to look around and find her bearings, but the town appeared to be abandoned.

Coughing she ran for the docks, if this was the life she was thinking of everyone would be attempting to flee, likely via boat. Rotting corpses could be seen out the front of many establishments and the light scurrying she could hear was setting her on edge.

The boats were gone, there was nothing but the dead left. Her heart sank, she understood now that she needed to find the version of herself in this time. But this wasn't a life she wanted to remember. The signs on the building told her she was in England somewhere, but that was all she knew. Though a thought had crossed her mind, she would have to head for the outskirts of town to confirm it.

The air grew less stale as she headed for the hills behind the small town, the smouldering remains of touches and fires leading her to where she needed to be. Approaching the pit that had been dug she tentatively looked over the edge. Her eyes bulged as she fell backward landing on her backside as she gasped for air, fear gripping her.

The black death. It was as she feared. The bodies were piled on top of each other, faces, arms and necks swollen beyond anything she had ever seen. Faces were morphed and disfigured, stuck as though frozen in endless agony.

She knew this, she'd put her husband and child in this very pit. She felt tears threaten to spill. For anyone to have gone through that would have been unbearable. But she remembered that she hadn't died from the plague, she'd never gotten it.

Crawling away from the pit she retreated to the tree line, she didn't want to see it anymore. The entire village had fallen, many had gotten out at the first glimpse of it spreading. While others didn't had a choice, they were forced to stay. Trying to live in the town had only gotten worse with time as more and more death spread. The few that remained had made a small camp outside of town and begun to burn the dead trying to clean up the town. But the efforts only proved to be futile, as one by one the remaining members of the town all fell to the plague or to hunger. With the land tainted by the rats, of which the town folk didn't know were spreading the plague, the food source ran dry rather quickly.

She didn't want to remember all this, but she did. She couldn't stop from feeling the sadness, the loneliness and worst, the unbearable hunger. She knew where she needed to go. The camp wasn't far from here, that's where she would find herself, or what was left of her.

It was only a short walk until she found the remains of a fairly fresh fire. Turning her head she looked to the left to find the extremely thin remains of a woman lying on the ground. She was nothing but skin and bone, she could barely recognize herself. Approaching the body she watched it begin to let off a soft glow. 

Crouching down beside the frail form she could see the outline of a ghostly figure lying on top of the body. This felt different from the first fragment. The first had been waiting for her, wanting an escape from the life of a sacrifice. This fragment was sleeping with the corpse, waiting to find peace.

"Come with me." She spoke in a soft tone. She gently stretched out her hand and watched as the ghostly form seemed to slowly open its eyes. It's mouth slightly opened as though recognizing her. Their hands touched and she felt a sense of fulfillment, like a piece of her had returned home.

"Getting used to absorbing them now?" His voice almost scared her.

She spun around to see him behind her, she had been so focused on the fragment that she hadn't even heard the portal opening behind her.

He motioned for her to walk through, she did so frowning at him. "I don't even know your name."

"It's not relevant." He responded as they once again entered the crossroads. He walked to the third door and got to work as she studied the clock on her wrist. "It's purpose will become clear much later."

She was starting to believe that he could really read minds.

As the next doorway of light erupted he turned toward her with a soft smile. "Halfway there, you can do this."

Stepping forward she stopped as something occurred to her. "Why help me?"

He chuckled, his smile setting butterflies wild in her stomach. "Let's just say it's in my better interest."

Shaking her head she stepped through to the next time period.

- The Third Fragment -

Aria was standing out the back of a small dwelling. She could hear voices coming from inside. Seeing some clothing hanging on a line she quickly dressed. It was a white frock with a black apron, did it belong to a maid?

being careful she darted around the side where she found a gate to exit the dwelling backyard. The last thing she wanted was to be caught trespassing. Hearing a door opening in front of her she pushed her back to the wall, holding her breath.

"And don't do anything stupid! Just finish the chores before I'm back from the factory." A man in a top hat and suit huffed slamming the door behind him. "Good for nothing woman." He muttered before he stormed off.

Her heart was pounding as the scene played out, she remembered him. That man was her husband in this life. He was a cruel man who believed a woman's place was in the household and beneath his sheets. She shivered just remembering it. This was Paris, she realized. But this was the first time she would encounter herself still alive.

She couldn't help but wonder, could she stop it from happening?

She waited for her past self to leave the house, she was carrying a basket and was headed for the market. Quietly, Aria followed herself staying out of site. With a short walk, they ended up in the bust market square. She watched herself meet up with some friends, most likely talking about shopping and how the price of simple things had gone up so drastically lately.

It wasn't long until she heard what was the most amazing turning point for the women of the French Revolution. An argument had been going on about how the price of bread was utterly ridiculous. A common household necessity now only a luxury for the rich. 

A woman began to beat a drum in the centre of the market, in no time at all more women began to gather and join her. Eventually, a large crowd gathered and began marching the streets heading for city hall. This was the beginning of the March on Versailles.

Hanging back, Aria watched and waited for the moment that would be the beginning of the end of her life at this time. The man who was her husband would exit the factory and see her in the marching crowd. She would be ripped from the marching women and dragged back to her home.

With a heavy heart, she watched herself struggle, fear on her face as she was forcefully yanked from the other women. Aria ran after them, not bothering to stay out of sight now as everyone's attention was focused on the mass of women storming the streets demanding fair prices.

Reaching the front door of the home, regretfully it was locked. She heard a scream from within and she knew what was happening. She lunged at the door it didn't budge, only proving to make her shoulder ache. Her teeth ground as she grew frustrated. She heard the sound of breaking glass and she ran for the side gate, there was a back entrance.

The back door was open, flinging the door wide she raced inside. She needed to stop it. She ran toward the sobbing, she was running out of time! Skidding around the corner she lunged for the woman that was holding the knife to her own throat. "DON'T" She screamed.

The woman with a bruised and battered face, which reflected her own appearance, looked up at her with a sorrow-filled gaze. "You've come..." She muttered.

Confused she slowly lowered herself down to the ground and took the knife from the woman's hands. "You don't need to do this."

Light laughter filled the room as tears fell from the woman's face. "I can live on through you in a different time, like in my dreams." She pleaded. "Please... Save me." She whispered.

Shaking her head Aria's bottom lip trembled. She had already come to the conclusion that her past self needed to die to release the soul fragments in order to merge with them. "I- I can't."

The woman's hands closed around hers, still holding the knife. She lifted it up to her heart as their eyes met. "You can. Take me with you when you leave this place." 

Aria gasped as the woman plunged the knife into her own chest, why she held on she didn't know. She felt her fingers being coated with a thick warm liquid as the figure before her grew frigid and stiff. As her past self slumped forward she caught her and laid her down on the ground watching the light fade from her eyes. As she let out her last exhale the same ghostly figure she had seen before appeared. A kind smile on its face as it looked to her own sorrow-ridden expression.

The figure held out both its arms as though asking for a hug like it wanted to be accepted. Standing Aria didn't hesitate to give the woman what she wanted. They embraced as a tear fell down Aria's cheek and she heard the faintest whisper of a thank you.

She heard his approach this time, the crackling energy rippling to life behind her. She wiped her eyes and turned to walk through the portal. "One to go." She said avoiding eye contact with him, afraid that she may break down in tears.

"They- You will live a better life as the complete you." He commented with a hint of sadness.

"But why do they have to die?"

"One could argue that because they aren't whole, they were never truly living. By joining your fragments you are giving them and yourself a new lease on life." He opened the last portal for her. "Don't waste this chance."

Tilting his head he leant down and looked up at her. She couldn't help but meet his gaze with him so close. He held out his hand for her, a shy smile on his face. He walked her through the next portal coming with her.

- The Final Fragment -

Stepping through the portal she found herself on the bridge where all this started, it was lightly raining now, the sky bleak and dark.

"Wait." She looked up at him confused. "This is the present day, I think you might have it wrong."

He held a grim expression as he shook his head, making her uneasy. He pointed to the bridge's railing. "This is a timeline in which I didn't make it, this is your last stop. Your last fragment."

Turning slowly she felt her stomach sink, in this time she had actually jumped. She forced one foot in front of the other as she approached the railing. Only hours ago she had been here, in this very moment, she could have been the one at the bottom of this river... she was.

Her shaky hands gripped the metal edge as she looked below to the waters, her body had hit the rocks and was lying at an uncomfortable angle. She understood the reasoning behind why she had done it. Now, however, she felt different. Not just her life was filling her being. her past lives from different times were also relying on her to make them all complete, so they could finally live a life to their fullest.

"I'm sorry I failed you... me." She whispered. "This time around, I'll do better." It was then she knew what she had needed, what she had been lacking at that moment. It seemed so silly now. She could throw her life away so easily because she had no love, not love from others, but love for herself.

"Finally ready to accept me?" A voice asked.

She gasped looking up, lifting her gaze from her body to her floating form that drifted on the other side of the railing in mid-air. Her last fragment, the piece of her she would have thrown away that day if she hadn't been stopped. 

"Yes." She responded.

The ghostly figure of herself smiled and nodded. Reaching out her translucent hand, waiting for Aria to do the same. She hesitated for a moment glancing back at the man that had made all this possible. He stood watching, a sad smile on his face.

"Go ahead." He encouraged.

As she reached out to touch the last remaining piece of her soul, the light from the figure faded as her body filled with a warmth that was unconscionable in the rain. She was wrapped in a soft warm light as she breathed deeply, closing her eyes she let the feeling take hold. It felt as though she finally had accepted herself, it was healing.

"Come, we must get you back to your timeline now." The man opened the gateway to the crossroads once more.

Standing in that strange room once again, something stuck her as he typed away on the console at the door they had just walked through.

"You know me, don't you?" She asked.

He smirked but didn't answer, instead continuing to work on the next gate that he was to open for her. Silence fell over the two as she waited. The gate burst to life and he finally turned to her. "It's time for you to live." He stepped aside allowing her to walk toward the swirling mass of lights.

She hesitated before she walked through, turning to him she asked. "Will I ever see you again?"

The smile he gave her set her heart aflutter. He laughed, reaching forward he took her hand lifting the strange clock-like device to eye height. He tapped the face with his finger. "Only time will tell."

- 4 Years Later -

She'd moved country, choosing to live in Paris. After the doctors couldn't figure out how she no longer had any trace of cancer, they wanted to study her. If she had been cured by a normal method, or her body had been special and not put together by time travelling she would have stayed. It could have helped a lot of people, but her recovery was far from anything that modern science could explain.

She was working as a bartender while studying the language. Her goal, to be an English teacher, but first she needed to learn French. She was lost in thought as she rounded a busy street corner, not noticing the person she collided with until it was too late. The impact knocked books from both their hands, loose pages flying everywhere.

"Je suis vraiment désolé!" The man fumbled to the ground to pick up the mess.

She did the same, stacking books on top of each other until she noticed something interesting. One of his books had fallen open, an image of the same watch-like device that she wore illustrated on the page. He closed the book and she noticed the term 'Voyage dans le temps'.

"Time travel?" She mumbled out loud.

"It's only a hobby of mine." He spoke English this time, taking her by surprise.

She looked over at him shocked, she recognized the voice now. His face was the same but younger, the same man that had saved her life all those years ago. She blinked as though in a daze.

Her sleeve slipped from her wrist exposing the watch she still wore. His eyes widened catching site of it. "Where did you get that?" He asked curious.

"I- Did you want to get a coffee?" She blurted out.