"You were wonderful tonight, Christine. The angels in heaven wept tonight."

Lysette's eyes slowly fluttered open as she heard the voice. "Who…who are you?" she whispered.

"One who has always loved you and waited for you to come back to me."

"I…I don't understand."

"You will. Soon, my angel."

Lysette sat up looking around the room. "Wait! Come back!"

The door to her dressing room then opened and she turned to see a familiar face coming toward her. "Lyssa?"

"Uncle Skinner?" she asked reaching out her hand toward him.

Skinner took her hand and squeezed it tightly. "Oh, thank god you're all right! After you fainted on stage I didn't know what to think." He then reached forward embracing her tightly. "You were wonderful tonight, Lyssa."

"Really?"

"You actually made me cry. And I can assure you that is something that I rarely do. I'm so glad that I could be here to witness your fabulous performance."

"Me too. It was so strange."

"Strange how?"

"Well, I wished really hard that you would be able to see me perform tonight as Christine and it happened."

"There's nothing strange about that. It was just meant to happen that's all."

She paused thinking about the voice she had heard speaking to her. "Maybe it was."

It was then that Mulder and Scully entered the dressing room. Skinner acknowledged them and pulled away from Lysette. "Lyssa, I want you to meet two of my best agents. This is Dana Scully and Fox Mulder."

Scully walked up to Lysette. "Miss Willoughby, a pleasure to meet you. And wanted to congratulate you on a wonderful performance tonight. The best Christine and soprano voice I have ever heard."

"Thank you." Lysette replied with a faint smile.

Scully then stepped aside-allowing Mulder to come forward.

Mulder walked up to Lysette and bending down to the side of the couch, took her hand gently. "Miss Willoughby, an honor to meet someone with such beauty and a wonderful voice." He then kissed the top of her hand.

Lysette stared back at Mulder and smiled. She saw images of him but not as he was now. His hair was slightly lighter and he had a younger looking face. "You." She whispered.

Skinner and Scully both exchanged confused glances at one another. "Do you know him?" Skinner asked.

"Only from a…dream." She looked into Mulder's eyes. "You're who I was singing to, tonight."

As Mulder stared back into her eyes, he felt his head spinning. He too had seen her before but was afraid to admit it in front of Skinner and Scully. He could see her with straight, long brown hair wearing a long dress and a red scarf. "I…don't see how that is possible, Miss Willoughby as you have never met me before and did not know I was out in the audience tonight."

"I just…felt it."

Mulder cleared his throat. "I think you may still be suffering side effects from your fainting spell, Miss Willoughby."

"Yes, perhaps I am." She replied looking into Mulder's eyes dreamily.

As Mulder continued holding her hand, he could feel an almost electric charge passing between them. It was something he had never felt before. "Little lotte." He whispered.

The dressing room door then opened again as Mr. Constance came in. "Oh, Miss Willoughby! You are awake, thank god!"

Mulder's eyes blinked as he let go of Lysette's hand.

"I'm fine, Mr. Constance." Lysette replied back.

"I was afraid our star had died on me!" Mr. Constance replied stepping up toward the couch. "You have a lot of concerned fans and performers out there, you know."

"Why don't we leave you to recuperate?" Skinner asked looking at her.

"And we'll still go to dinner, right?" Lysette asked.

"Of course. You don't think I'm going to go back on that, do you?" Skinner asked smiling at her as he touched her face. "I'll be waiting outside." He then rose from the floor and headed to the door.

"Nice to meet you again, Miss Willoughby." Scully replied. "And congratulations once again." She looked at Mulder before heading to the door.

Mulder started to rise up from the floor when he felt Lysette grab his hand.

"Will I see you again, Mr. Mulder?"

Mulder touched her cheek. "You can count on it, Miss Willoughby. Rest now." He then kissed the top of her hand again before slowly rising from the floor. He then gave her a smile before turning around and heading to the door. He saw Scully standing by the door and then quickly move away from it. He made his way out into the hallway. "Scully?"

"What was that all about?" Scully asked crossing her arms.

"What was what all about?"

"In there." Scully answered pointing to the dressing room. "What just happened in there between you and Lysette?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, Mulder!" Scully answered throwing her hands up in the air. "The way you looked at her? How you kissed her hand?"

"I was just showing my appreciation for her performance."

"Oh sure, I BET you were!" Scully answered angrily before walking off.

"What the hell? Scully!" Mulder replied before walking after her and turning her around to face him. "What did you mean by that?"

"Do I really have to explain it to you?" Scully asked looking back at him. "You were more interested in her beauty than her voice and nothing more! I guess it shouldn't surprise me since she is young."

"WHAT?!"

"Forget it. I'm going home. You can do what you want. Good night, Mulder." She then walked down the hallway without another word.

Mulder sighed. "What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so drawn to this girl?"

All the way to dinner, admiring fans had surrounded Lysette. Her and Skinner had been invited to go to the same place where the rest of the cast was going. And it appeared that many of the audience members were attending it as well. She had to admit that she liked the attention she was getting. This night, she felt like she was the most important person in the world. And she was still entranced by the mysterious Fox Mulder she had met as well. She had been instantly drawn to him not knowing why. And had he called her little lotte? Or had that just been her imagination? The whole time that her fellow co-performers and Melinda had been congratulating her, she felt as if she were in a different place. It was like she was there physically but her mind was miles away. And what about the strange voice she had heard in her dressing room and on the stage? She made her way into the restaurant escorted by Skinner and was instantly applauded again. She nodded her head to the people before making her way to her table. She waited as the server pulled out her chair for her. "Thank you." She then took her seat.

Skinner took his seat. "Feeling better now?"

Lysette nodded as she took in a breath. "God, I can't stop shaking. It is truly my night. This is something that I've always dreamed of."

"And you earned it. You deserve all of this, Lyssa. After everything you've been through these past years. The murder of your friend, Rose causing you to leave the world of music. And now you return to play the lead role in one of the most famous productions in the world. I would say you more than made up for those years you were absent."

"But what happens now? I mean…I'm just an understudy and Melinda is still our Christine in the show."

"Oh something tells me even when you go back to the chorus that Mr. Constance will not let you go unnoticed. Not to mention I'm sure there were critics in the house as well as other musical entrepreneurs. Tonight's performance will not be without results, Lyssa."

"Tonight, I not only sang with my voice. It was like…I sang from the depths of my soul." She shook her head. "I can't explain it."

"It came from you, Lyssa and that's all that matters." Skinner motioned to the server. "Can I get some red wine please? The best you have."

"Right away, Sir." The server answered before walking away.

"You have to admit, it was strange though how it happened. Melinda becoming mysteriously ill and losing her voice. I've rarely heard of that happening before. And Mr. Constance wouldn't even elaborate on what happened to her."

"Don't dwell on it, Lyssa. Things like this do happen."

"Sometimes things like this are meant to happen." She whispered before looking back at him. "That is what you said tonight, wasn't it?"

"Well…yes I did."

"Uncle Skinner, you don't think it's possible…that have made this happen do you? That someone made Melinda become ill?"

Skinner gave a laugh. "Lyssa, as much as I love your voice, I highly doubt someone would purposefully do that to get you on stage. Not to mention, Mr. Constance would most assuredly have said something about it. And the police would have been involved too."

"You're right." Lyssette answered with a smile. "I guess I'm reading into this too much." She looked up as the wine was brought to the table. She watched as the server poured it into her glass and then Skinner's.

Skinner raised his glass. "How about a toast? To…the most beautiful soprano voice that will hopefully fill every opera house in the world some day."

Lysette raised her glass and clanged it with Skinner's. "To Christine Daae." She then took a sip of her wine. "Mmmm…very good." She then put down her glass. "Uncle, what can you tell me about Fox Mulder?"

Skinner nearly choked on his wine. "Fox…Fox Mulder?"

She nodded. "Yes, what can you tell me about him."

"Are you ready to order now?" Skinner asked clearing his throat as he motioned to the server.

Lyssa looked down at her menu having completely forgotten about it. She also couldn't understand just why her Uncle had gotten so skittish at her mentioning Mulder's name. It didn't matter though as she already had in mind what she wanted. "I'll have the chicken oscar with rice pilaf please. And just water to drink."

"Very well, miss." The server answered before looking at Skinner. "And for you, Sir?"

"I'll uh…I'll have the filet mignon please with a baked potato. And uhhh how about a rum and coke?"

"Very well, Sir. I'll go place your orders now." The server then walked away.

"So, are you going to answer my question?" Lysette asked before taking another sip of her wine.

"About?"

"Fox Mulder."

"Well, he's an FBI Agent."

"Uncle Skinner, I know that. I mean…what else can you tell me about him? Is he married?"

"No." Skinner answered taking another sip of his wine.

"Well…what's he like?"

"Fox Mulder, is a man who closes himself off to everyone around him. All that matters to him is his work. Not to mention that he has caused pain to those closest to him. He is a man who chooses to leave a solitary life, Lyssa. And he is definitely not one I would want you to be around."

Lysette said nothing as she took another sip of her wine. She didn't know why but she felt like her uncle was wrong. She felt like she knew Fox Mulder more than anyone. And she had heard his promise to her about seeing her again. And she would with or without her uncle's permission. She just had to see him though she didn't quite know why.

Backstage at the theatre, the cleaning crew went about doing their nightly duties. It was always something that went along with a show and The Phantom of the Opera was no different. In fact, there were extra things that needed to be attended to due to all the extra set parts and such. And some of the set crew was still around attending to things as well.

"Did you here that young lady singing tonight? Wasn't she wonderful?"

"Yes, she was. I guess she was the understudy?"

"That's what they said. I guess the other Christine became ill or something."

"Maybe she saw a ghost." A cleaner replied making scary motions with his hands.

"Oh, will you knock it off!" The other cleaner answered nudging the first. "That's just a legend you know. There's no ghost here."

"Suit yourself but I think it could be true."

"Look, there's no ghost all right!"

A voice then came from the top of the stage. "Ok, Morris lower rope C slowly now."

"I can't, it's stuck!"

"What do you mean it's stuck?"

"I mean there's something holding it down!"

"Well, pull hard on it then!"

"Ok." Morris pulled the rope as hard as he could. It finally let go and he gasped as he saw what had been holding the rope down. "Oh my god!"

"What is it,Morris?"

"I…I think you'd better see for yourself."

The set man made his way over to Morris and saw what he was looking at. He could see a dead body split up the middle and hanging by a noose. "Oh my god. It's…It's Bernie." He whispered recognizing his fellow stagehand and good friend. "Who…who could have done this?"

The two cleaners looked up upon hearing the conversation and saw the dead body hanging.

"The ghost!" The one cleaner replied. "I told you it's the ghost! It's here!"