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Right now, both of Daniel's old rooone in morphine-induced afternoon naps

In the middle of the room was the bed where he had lain after that bullet found his neck near the Piave River front It was a stupid attack; they had walked right into it But Daniel had only enlisted in the war because Lucia was a nurse, so it was just as well He rubbed at the place where he'd been hit He could feel the pain almost as if it had happened yesterday

If Daniel had stuck around long enough to let the wound heal, the doctors would have been amazed by the absence of a scar Today, his neck was smooth and flawless, as if he had never been shot

Over the years, Daniel had been beaten, battered, flung over balconies, shot in the neck and the gut and the leg, tortured over hot coals, and dragged through a dozen city streets But a close study of every inch of his skin would reveal only two small scars: two fine white lines above his shoulder blades where his wings unfurled

All of the fallen angels acquired these scars when they took their human bodies In a way, the scars were all any of them had to show for themselves

Most of the others reveled in their i Well, except for Arriane, but the scar on her neck was another story But Cahts with just about anyone on Earth Of course, they never lost toa little bit shattered on the way In a couple of days, they knew they'd look flawless again

For Daniel, an existence without scars was just another indication that his destiny was out of his hands Nothing he did ever --especially when it ca her here, back in 1918 Luce And he re the hospital

That was the one thing that could leave a scar on Daniel--on his soul

He'd been confused by seeing her back then, just as he was confused now At the tiht there was no way that the mortal Lucinda should be able to do this--to run pell- her old selves No way she should be alive at all Now, of course, Daniel knew that soed with the life of Lucinda Price, but as it? It started with her lack of covenant with Heaven, but there was ure it out? He knew the rules and para, so how could the answer elude hie into her own past herself The realizationthis very flight of hers through the Announcers Of course, sheto make all of this possible But when? Where? How? Daniel could not interfere with any of it

He had to find her, just as he'd always proed to do whatever it was she had to do, worked whatever change into her past she needed to work so that Lucinda Price--his Luce--could happen

Maybe if he could catch up with her, he could help He could steer her toward the ame for all of them He'd just missed her in Moscow, but he would find her in this life He just had to figure out why she had landed here There was always a reason, so held inside, in deep folds of her s burned and he felt ashaly death for her One of the worst He would never stop bla himself for the horrible way she had passed out of this life

But that was years after where Daniel stood today This was the hospital where they'd firstand lovely, innocent and saucy in the same breath Here she had loved hi for Daniel to show he loved her back, he had never discouraged her affection She used to slip her hand inside his when they strolled under the orange trees on the Piazza della Repubblica, but when he squeezed her hand, she would blush It always h, the way she could be so bold, then suddenly turn shy She used to tell him that she wanted to marry him someday

You're back!

Daniel spun around He hadn't heard the door behind hi, showing a perfect row of tiny white teeth Her beauty took his breath away

What did she mean, he was back? Ah, this hen he'd hidden fro her by accident He was not allowed to reveal anything to her; she had to discover the details for herself Were he even to hint broadly, she would sirilled him and perhaps forced the truth out of him He didn't dare

So his earlier self had run away He ht? Lucia asked, walking toward him You really should lie back down Your neck--she reached out to touch the place where he'd been shot over ninety years ago Her eyes widened and she drew back her hand She shook her head I thought--I could have sworn--

She began to fan her face with the stack of files she was holding Daniel took her hand and led her to sit on the edge of the bed with hiirl here--

A girl just like you

Doria? Lucia asked Yourfriend? With pretty short hair and the funny shoes?

Yes Daniel exhaled Can you shohere she is? It's very urgent

Lucia shook her head She couldn't stop staring at his neck

How long have I been here? he asked

You just arrived last night, she said You don't res are fuzzy, Daniel lied I must have taken a knock to the head

You were very badly wounded She nodded Nurse Fiero didn't think you were going towhen the doctors came--

No He remembered She didn't

But then you did, and ere all so glad I think Doria stayed with you all night Do you remember that?

Why would she do that? Daniel said sharply, startling Lucia

But of course Luce had stayed with hi

At his side, Lucia sniffed He'd upset her, when it was really hiry with He put an ar almost dizzy How easy it was to fall in love with every moment of her existence! He made himself lean back to focus

Do you knohere she is now?

She went away Lucia chewed on her lip nervously After you left, she was upset, and she took off somewhere But I don't knohere

So she had run away again already What a fool Daniel was, plodding through tih; maybe he could help steer her toward that moment when she could make all the difference Then he would never leave her side, never let any harm come to her, only be with her and love her always

He leaped up froed hi?

I have to go

After her?

Yes