After leaving Lysette in her motel room, Mulder had wasted no time in returning to his apartment. He could tell that Lysette was just as shocked with her past as he was. He was glad that he had convinced her to not go to rehearsal tonight and go with him to the antique store instead. He had reassured her that after tonight everything would be back to normal again. But now he wasn't so sure. What if something went wrong tonight? There was always the chance that something could. No, he couldn't think of that now. He had turned off his cell, as the last thing he wanted to deal with was a thing to do with work or people in general. As he got ready to leave and get Lysette, his home phone had been ringing as well. He had been partners with Scully long enough to know when she was calling him. It's true he had made a promise to her to let her know what he found about Melinda but he couldn't talk to her about it just now. Once he took care of this thing with Lysette and sent the ghost of Erik away, then he would tell her. Because he knew if he did tell her now, she would tell him how crazy he was and try to prevent him from going. That would be typical Dana Scully behavior indeed.

He finished getting ready and grabbed his leather jacket before closing the door behind him. After locking the door he made his way down the stairs and to his car. He glanced around and found no sign of Scully, which was good news to him. He started his car and pulled out heading toward Lysette's motel. Maybe he was wrong about Scully? Maybe she wouldn't try to track him down after not reaching him by phone? It sure would make his night easier if that were the case!

After driving down the dark, Washington streets, he finally reached his destination and parked the car. Climbing out of the car, he closed and locked the door before heading toward the motel. He continued to glance around for any signs of Scully or Skinner. He couldn't forget that he was still on Skinner's shit list. But he was pretty confident that Lysette would do her best to keep him away tonight. He was just about to grab the door handle to the entrance when he heard a familiar voice.

"Somehow I thought I might find you here."

Mulder sighed and turned around to find Scully standing with her arms folded. So he had been right after all. "Scully, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? I should ask you the same question!"

"Did you follow me?"

"Mulder, I've been your partner for years. This wouldn't be the first time I've had to follow you. Anyway, why haven't you returned my calls? I've called you I don't know how many times in the past few hours!"

"I was busy."

"Busy doing what? It looks to me like you were too busy getting ready for a date with miss…miss soprano!"

"Scully, it's not what you think, I swear."

"All right, then you tell me what it is."

Mulder sighed. "I know….who killed Melinda Cuthbert, Scully."

"What?"

"His name is Erik and he strangled her."

Scully gave him a confused look. "Strangled her? I heard that she just died due to an anxiety attack of some kind brought on by her condition."

"She wasn't killed in the physical realm, Scully."

"The physical…Mulder what are you talking about?"

Mulder took Scully by the shoulders and moved her to the front of the motel. "Look, I can't expect you to believe this right now but she was murdered by a ghost."

Scully chuckled. "A what?"

"It's true, Scully. Melinda was murdered by a ghost, the same ghost who tried to kill me on the cat walk."

Scully shook her head. "I don't believe this. You're telling me that there is a GHOST going around killing people? If this is the theory you presented to Skinner, I can see just WHY we were taken off this case!"

"Look, I don't have time to explain everything to you right now, all right? As a matter of fact, I'm still having a hard time taking all of this in myself. I'm involved in this too, Scully and so is Lysette."

"What the hell are you talking about? What do you and a soprano have to do with a ghost going around murdering people?"

"Fox?"

Mulder turned to see Lysette standing outside the motel door dressed in a blouse and blue jeans with the choker around her neck. "Lyssa, what are you doing down here?"

"I heard your voice down here so I just figured I would come to you." Lysette answered before looking at Scully. "Agent Scully."

"Miss Willoughby." Scully answered as she acknowledged her.

"Fox, we're still going to the antique store, right?"

"Yes, Lyssa we are." Mulder answered as he smiled at her. "Scully, I hate to do this but there is someplace we have to be. We can talk about this later, all right?"

"Dammit, Mulder you ignored my phone calls and now you're telling me that….this.. this case is involving a ghost who goes around killing people which involves you and Miss Willoughby? And you expect me to just talk about this later?"

Mulder sighed and looked at Lysette. "Lyssa, do you mind if Agent Scully comes with us?"

"No. Does she know about what you told me?"

Mulder shook his head. "No but she will by the time we get to the antique store."

"So, you're telling me that Miss Willoughby is the reincarnation of Christine Daae from the story The Phantom of the Opera? The fictional novel by Gaston Leroux?"

Mulder pulled up by the antique store and parked. "If you see the beginning you see it stated that Leroux believed that the opera ghost existed and was not just made-up Scully."

"But it is a work of FICTION, Mulder! And if you remember fiction is something that is NOT true. And what Leroux was saying in that part was just a part of the book! He was journalist you know that right? It wasn't like he couldn't spin out something like that."

Mulder ran his hands through his hair. He should have expected that Scully would think this was all crap. "Scully, I didn't want to believe this either! But I talked with Margaret and she showed me the pictures! I saw myself, Scully! And I saw Lyssa too! Too many things have been happening around us to dispute this! And even Margaret knew about them! There is no possible way she could have apart from us telling her!"

"Who is Margaret?" Scully asked.

"She's the cleaning lady from the theatre that we talked to that day."

"Oh, I see so you are taking the word of a cleaning lady who pretty much proved she was senile that day we interviewed her? Real smart, Mulder."

Lysette could tell that Mulder was getting flustered with Scully's naggings. "It's true, Agent Scully. I…I saw her in a mirror."

Scully looked at Lysette. "Saw who?"

"I saw…Christine looking back at me." Lysette answered in a whisper.

At this point, Mulder turned toward Lysette. "Lyssa, when did you see this?"

"After you left. I was looking at myself in the mirror and the reflection changed slightly."

"What did you see, Lyssa?"

"I saw it change to a younger girl with more delicate facial features." Lysette answered. "I reached out to touch her and she disappeared."

"Is that the first time you've seen her, Lyssa?"

"No, sometimes I see her in my dreams too. But….I thought it was just because it was a dream and never thought anything of it."

"Did either one of you think that the reason all of this is happening is because Miss Willoughby is performing the role of Christine Daae in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera?" Scully asked. "That you are…just using that as a way to jump to these conclusions?

"But Scully I'm not in the production." Mulder answered. "And I sure as hell knew nothing about Raoul before this."

"But you saw the show, Mulder."

"Yeah, ONCE." Mulder answered with a chuckle. "I find it highly unlikely that would just instantly know everything about the character of Raoul in one sitting and then just tie this all in together based on that!"

"And isn't it just romantic that you and Miss Willoughby are the reincarnation of two lovers from a past life? I mean, what could be better for a relationship then that?"

Mulder could feel his anger rising at Scully's comment. He took Lysette's hand. "Lyssa, would you mind waiting by the entrance for just a few minutes? I promise I'll be right there."

"Ok, Fox." Lysette replied before she climbed out of the car and headed to the antique store.

Mulder turned back to Scully. "I want you to stop this right now, Scully."

"Stop what?"

"Stop saying I'm making this up because I like Lyssa!" He paused. "You want to know where I was last night, Scully? I was out with Lyssa having dinner! That's right! And not just some crappy restaurant either! I took her to a fancy Italian restaurant! And she sang and we danced! I had the time of my life! And it has NOTHING to do with this past life stuff! I took her out BEFORE I knew about any of this! She…"

"Do you love her?" Scully whispered.

"What?"

"It's a simple yes or no question, Mulder." Scully turned toward him. "Do you love her?"

Mulder had not expected Scully to come at him with a question like that. And what was worse was that he had to give her an answer. "I…I don't know. I think I do."

"You THINK you do? Mulder, love is not just something you can THINK you know! It's a feeling from deep within."

"Scully, I've only been with her a short while. Look, I don't expect you to understand what I'm feeling for her! Yeah, you think I'm crazy because I'm telling you I might love someone that I've only known a few days. You know what? I don't care, Scully. And you probably think the only reason I was interested in her in the first place was to get her in bed. Well, you're WRONG, Scully. Just like Skinner is wrong. I care deeply for Lyssa. And…after tonight things may change."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm thinking of leaving the Bureau, Scully."

"What?"

"Lyssa is going to be touring in the show for a while. But….when she's done, I want to be with her."

Scully shook her head. "I….I can't believe I'm hearing this! You are willing to just throw away your life's work in order to be with a young girl that you have known less than a week? What about your truth that you've been searching for all these years, Mulder? What about your obligation to the FBI and The X-Files?"

"And let's talk about that truth, shall we Scully? It's that truth that has almost been responsible for our deaths. It's the truth that has prevented us both from having a REAL life."

"And what about your sister, Mulder? Are you just going to….let her disappearance fade away? She's the reason that you have been pursuing this truth, remember? Are you going to let a young girl replace her?"

Mulder turned to Scully and pointed at her. "Don't you EVER think that! Don't you ever think that I will just forget about what happened to my sister because I'm choosing to try and start a normal life!" He sighed. "I don't expect you to understand any of this, Scully and that's fine. But even if I choose to leave the Bureau I will never give up trying to find out what happened to Samantha. And never forget that." He then moved away from Scully and climbed out of the car.

Scully sighed as she watched Mulder head up the steps to the antique shop. She had never seen him act like this. Maybe he really did love this girl? Mulder leaving the Bureau was something unheard of and he would have sooner died then give the government the satisfaction of quitting. 'If only Mulder had thought that same way about me. Lysette is one lucky girl.'

Mulder walked up to Lysette and took her hand. "I'm sorry about that, Lyssa."

"She doesn't like me, does she?" Lysette asked as she lowered her head.

"No, that's not true, Lyssa. She just….she just doesn't understand what's happening to us, that's all."

"Not even I do, Fox."

Mulder placed his hand under her chin and gently raised it. "Lyssa, when this is all over, when you are done touring the show…"

"Yes, Fox?"

"I…I wanted to ask if you would mind if I came to be with you. It doesn't matter where it is, Lyssa. It…"

"Oh, Fox!" Lysette answered before kissing him tenderly.

Mulder returned her kiss for a moment and then pulled back to her forehead. "Is that a yes?"

Lysette giggled. "What do you think?"

"I…I can't guarantee where we will end up but…I have some money saved up."

"I don't care where we end up as long as I'm with you, Fox."

Mulder smiled. "All right, it's settled then. When you are done with your tour, we talk about where we will live."

"But what about your job in the FBI?"

"I can either transfer or I'll just find something else. Nothing is going to keep me away from being with you, Lyssa." He reached down and kissed her lips once again.

"I see you kept your promise." Came a voice from behind them.

Mulder pulled back from Lysette and turned to see Margaret standing in the doorway. "Hello, Margaret."

"Hello, Raoul." Margaret replied with a smile. She then looked at Lysette. "And this must be the young lady who is your Christine?"

Lysette smiled at Margaret. "I…I am."

Margaret reached forward and touched her face. "You are just as lovely as she ever was. Don't worry my child; I will not let Erik claim you. We shall defeat him tonight." She then looked behind Mulder and Lysette. "And who is this?"

Mulder turned toward Scully. "Oh this is…"

"Special Agent Dana Scully." Scully replied as she interrupted him. "I'm merely here on a partner capacity involving the case we're working on involving the murdered stage hand."

A twinkle appeared in Margaret's eyes. "Of course you are. Please, come in you are most welcome." She glanced at Mulder and Lysette "Come, you must come inside so that we may begin. Time is short and he will use it to his advantage if he can." She then stepped inside the store.

Mulder kissed the top of Lysette's hand. "It's ok, Lyssa. Don't be afraid. Whatever happens I will be with you." He then led her up the stairs and into the store.

Scully stood for a moment at the bottom of the stairs contemplating what had just happened. Why had Margaret looked at her like that? And why had she welcomed her into the store with such open arms? She was still skeptical about what Mulder had told her but she decided to head in anyway. It would be very difficult for her to get past Mulder and Lysette being together. But she was a good friend to Mulder and wouldn't risk their friendship over something so trivial. Not after all these years and everything they had been through. She would never do that to him.

NOTE: First of all, I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. Real life for me has been HELL these past few weeks! But things are starting to get back to normal now. Also to answer the question of what the name of the movie was with Robert Englund? It's simply called 'The Phantom of The Opera'. And yes I did know that the movie version of 'Phantom of the Opera' got released on DVD this week! Plan on getting it next week for my DVD collection! Thanks for continuing to read this fic and there is MUCH MORE to come!

Dana