Disclaimer: No one but my nice little Time Travelers and any thugs, mugs, bugs, villains, evil doers, bikers, mikers, desperados and other people who were attacking Rock Ridge but came to torment Phileas and the others belong to me, or, in case I slip up, Mel Brooks. :)

Author's Note: Rock Ridge is from the movie "Blazing Saddles". This is the sequel to 'Rose's Madness'.

Prologue

Lily sat in bed, looking at the soup that had been placed before her. She had a feeling that she was being babied by all of them. It had been a few days since she woke up after being poisoned (accidentally or not) by Rose after her mad dive at Jessica. Lily was beginning to consider running away from the Aurora, especially if this behavior continued along the same lines it had been going during the day.

Phileas walked in, holing his own tray of soup and bread in front of him before setting it down on the table nearby and taking a seat where he could eat and talk with Lily. Lily could already guess his first words to her today.

"Feeling better, Lily?"

I was right. I get five points, Lily thought sarcastically as she nodded a little before taking a sip of her soup. It was a nice type, somewhat grainy with some rice floating around in it. It tasted good and filled her quickly before she said to Phileas, "What's new outside?"

"Chatsworth was rather angry at you stealing Rebecca from him," Phileas said, sounding amused, like he was about to laugh. He looked back at her and his eyes showed some mischief behind them. "However did you pull it off?"

"A woman's touch, Phileas. I ran circles around him, waited until he was confused, then left him none the wiser. I'm really very proud of it." Phileas smiled at her warmly, and the two continued to eat their soup.

Nearby, unnoticed by the two, a shadowy figure floated behind the window, his eyes an emerald green.

Chapter 1

Phileas walked into his room, slowly closing the door behind him as he went to go to bed. Lily had been recovering quickly from her poisoning, but things like that left Phileas unnerved because, for one thing, he was completely helpless in those perspectives.

Phileas lit the lamp as a chill suddenly ran though the room. He turned, seeing an open window but little breeze. Walking forward, he closed the window, looking out quickly at the empty streets.

"You love her, don't you?" an empty voice asked behind him. Phileas whirled around to star at his mirror image, a blurry ghost with emerald colored eyes that seemed to be the only solid thing in it, floating within the mist.

"I don't know what you mean," Phileas said when he got his voice again. This was almost as bad as facing the Cardinal, only the Cardinal was real, or had been.

"You know perfectly well. You know I mean Lily, I mean the one that gave her love to me, and only me, for all time," the mist started forward, trying to make Phileas back up against the wall. Instead, Phileas moved slowly sideways, towards the door. Seeing his opportunity, Phileas opened it and got out quickly, not sure what to expect outside.

The Aurora was silent except for the silent hum of some machine going. Phileas walked slowly to Lily's bedroom, seeing a faint light underneath the door and knocking before entering.

Lily was, indeed, awake, and was just sitting up looking out the window. "Phileas? What's wrong?"

Phileas began to tell her, but stopped. Tell her that her love was a ghost with envy and murder in his eyes? Tell her that the man she had loved and escaped with was threatening him? "I...I saw your light on, while I was going to get a drink."

"Do you always dress in your night clothing before heading for a drink? If so, then I wish to come and join you, but I'm off the stuff for right now."

Phileas put his hands on his hips, a little annoyed with Lily, "Are you going to always be this sarcastic?"

"You should see me when I'm really sick. You'd never know it was sweet ole me," Lily smiled, but still gave him an inquisitive look, "Spill, Phileas. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Now, I must go get that drink." Phileas left, but was sad that he did. Lily and he could open up to one another because they understood hardships such as losing a loved one. He hadn't told her about the belle that had died in his arms because of the half-mechanical Count Geophry, even though she had told him about David, though not that much. They both knew when one was hiding something, and he had a feeling that she would not let her curiosity stay unsatisfied.

Chapter 2

Phileas sat up again, not wanting to go to one of Verne's plays that he and Rebecca had gone to and sad that Passepartout had to leave. He felt alone in the Aurora, since Lily still couldn't leave her room because she was still "weak". He didn't want to think of Lily's answer to that when the doctor had come in a day ago.

"You're thinking of her again," the voice of David sounded off behind him. Phileas didn't turn, didn't even give the spirit an answer. The ghost floated over to his view, and stopped, glaring evilly at him. "She's not yours, she never was."

"That is true," Phileas answered, "but she isn't yours either. Not anymore, anyway. If she was, then I could think and I wouldn't act at all. As it is, I won't act, either."

"You did, though. Don't think I can't see into your mind. You kissed her, when she was sick."

The accusation was just something that the spirit was trying to use to rattle Phileas' cage, and Phileas knew it. "She kissed me, and I was taken by surprise at the action. I'm sorry if you interpreted it wrong."

The spirit glared angrily at him, as if he had cornered him, and stood. "I won't let you have her!"

"I have no intention of having her," Phileas said in a bored tone. His eyes suddenly grew wide as the spirit's hand touched a part of his throat and the breath caught there. He tried to breath as the spirit of David advanced on him, slowly moving into his mind and disappearing in through his gasping mouth...

Chapter 3

Lily heard soft footsteps walking towards her room, and slowly stood. She was getting better, but still confined to her room because of "doctor's orders". What got her rattled was the fact that Verne was taking both Sue and Rebecca to the production of his play, and she wanted to see it. She hadn't seen a Victorian playhouse, and while she would prefer a San Francisco Dead or Santana concert, she would've liked to see what it was like.

The door opened to admit Phileas, and warning bells began to ring inside of Lily's head. Phileas usually knocked before entering.

"Hello, Phileas," Lily said politely as he walked up and stopped at the edge of the bed, "What's wrong? Or did you just want my company?"

Phileas smiled, as if he had thought of something funny and Lily wouldn't get the joke, "I wanted...to talk," he said before coming a little closer. Lily's warning bells were sounding off a lot clearer now, and she nearly backed away, "I wanted..." he stopped, and leaned forward, their lips meeting once again.

It wasn't the half-kiss that Lily had given him before going under, it wasn't the surprised one that he had given her back. It was a full kiss, his mouth and hers exchanging heat and touch, senses becoming overloaded. This was one that wanted just one thing either during or after the kiss.

Lily broke it off, blinking at the suddenness and also at Phileas' change of mood. Why would he act like this now? Phileas was the perfect gentleman; why act like this to her?

"What's wrong, Lily?" Phileas asked, seating himself on the bed, "Am I not good enough?"

Lily shook her head mutely, trying to figure out what was wrong with Phileas besides the sudden breach in gentlemanly manners.

Phileas rose again and hugged her close, kissing her head. "Then what is it?" his voice was soft, dangerous. Lily couldn't think of any reason to be afraid of him right now, but she was, and she had to play her cards right.

"I was...surprised, that's all, Phileas," she said quietly, as he looked down at her in his embrace. He leaned forward and kissed her again, the same kiss that seemed familiar and distant at the same time. He lifted her up and placed her on the bed, Lily sure the resisting would be a big mistake at this point.

Chapter 4

Verne and the others returned later, to find that Phileas was asleep, and Lily was up, sitting on her bed and thinking. Sue had a bad feeling, and quickly got Rebecca to come and talk with Lily. When the two came in, Lily smiled, but it was troubled.

"Lily, what's wrong?" Sue asked, then had a horrible thought come to her head, "Did--."

"Neither of them...well...it wasn't rape, I'll tell you two that," Lily said as the other two women sat down, "Its...well, Phileas acted strangely today. He came in, without knocking...and afterwards...I have a bad feeling that something's happened to him."

"What?" Rebecca asked, "Phileas is the perfect gentleman."

"He wasn't, this afternoon. It was strange, because I had the strangest feeling that I wasn't seeing Phileas, but someone else..."

Rebecca now looked worried, as if some bad memory surfaced on account of what Lily was saying. "I should call on someone, and let Verne and Passepartout know. Maybe then we can figure out what's wrong with him."

"I hope you're right," Sue said.

Chapter 5

Rebecca walked out onto the main room of the Aurora in time to see Phileas sitting down, smiling at her with a look in his eyes that she had never seen before. Remembering what Lily had told her and Sue last night, Rebecca smiled back. "How are you, Phileas?"

"Fine, dear cousin, fine," he answered, and Rebecca felt goosebumps on her arm. This was not the Phileas she knew, and she was sure that something horrible had happened to him.

"Why, Rebecca, you look like someone's walked over your grave," he said, standing slowly.

"Oh? I was just...thinking of something when I remembered...it's nothing, Phileas."

"But it is," he said, "I am, after all, your cousin. Your only living relative," he had cornered her, "Now that's something that entitles me to know what's wrong, doesn't it?"

A new voice cut into the conversation, stopping Phileas' advance, "David!" In the hallway, standing tall and rigid, was Lily, her hair a little longer now and her hands clenched. Phileas looked up at her, trying to look surprised or something other then frightened, but was failing miserably. He backed away from Rebecca, and stared at Lily. "What?"

"What have you done with Phileas, David, tell me now," Lily demanded, her hands still clenched, "I remembered that kiss from somewhere, and you're behaving too strange, to ungentlemanly to be Phileas. What have you done with him? Tell me!" the last part was shouted, for just then Phileas' face broke into a huge smile.

"If it was anyone, it's you, flower. I was hoping you'd figure it out sooner, but I guess you've been thinking of...others," the last part was harsh just as Verne and Passepartout came from the other side of the Aurora with a familiar man.

"Perhaps, Master," Passepartout said, "Doctor Draco should see you for a few days." Phileas' eyes went wide, and he nearly turned when Lily hit him in the stomach. Phileas, the gentleman that Rebecca knew, wouldn't strike a lady. The other man, the one that was holding onto Phileas right now, glared up at her and was ready to attack. Lily, however, stood her ground, and Rebecca motioned for the three not to advance.

"Why are you so interested in getting him back, Lily?" he asked savagely, " Did what we have mean nothing to you?"

"It did, but not now. David, you died in my arms. I can't make-believe that you're alive and well. I can't wait for death, either. It's not my fault that Phileas looks like you, and it's not his either."

David/Phileas stood now, glaring with hell-fire in his eyes, "No, but you fell in love, and I can't forgive you for that."

Lily still stood her ground, "I can. You're gone, and I wouldn't have cast a glance if you were alive, David. Let him go, now!"

"NO!" Phileas leaped at her, but she sidestepped and hit him down, knocking him out. He fell to the floor just as Sue opened the door and stopped not only at the sight of Doctor Draco, but also at the scene that had played itself out before her eyes.

Doctor Draco and the others went and picked Phileas up, taking him out to the waiting carriage. Lily was shaking badly, her hands now open and almost unsteady. Sue moved only to let the three pass, then turned back at Lily. " Should I get Anna, Lily?"

Rebecca didn't know who Anna was or what she did, but maybe she could help with Phileas. Rebecca shuddered at her own memory of being pushed aside by the entrance of Lazarus into her body, and not remembering anything until she awoke on the strange machine that Draco had built, Phileas with a bloody lip and not looking very well, but happy that she was fine.

"Who's Anna?" Rebecca asked as Lily nodded.

"A necromancer, of sorts. She can see what's wrong with whoever--."

"David. It's David's spirit," Lily interrupted. Sue cursed under her breath, as she had found out about David during their first visit to the future, and things were getting out of hand with Lily's past coming up over and over again. "Anyway, she'll be able to banish him, or at least see if he's something that just...looks like David."

Rebecca asked to come, but stopped when she noticed Lily getting ready to go somewhere.

"I'm going to go and make sure they wait for Anna. I don't want Phileas or anyone else hurt because of David," she said, and walked out to get a carriage. The two came shortly afterward, going to the Checkpoint.

Chapter 6

Lily walked into the room just as they set Phileas down on the table and strapped him in. Draco was surprised to see her, and Jules was, to say the least, very angry.

"What are you doing here? You should be in bed!" he yelled at her, not really meaning to be angry but scared for her.

Lily said a few things she probably shouldn't have, which got everyone else in the room to turn red (well, except Phileas, as he was still out), and said, "Sue's getting a necromancer to help with the problem. She's a very good friend named Anna Fieldwinder. I hope you three can hold off anything until she gets here."

The group nodded, Jules looking a little ashamed at what he had said and at his sudden outburst. Lily walked up and kissed him softly on the cheek. " Don't worry about it, Jules," she said, "Even I make mistakes, and I have done a few during the past few weeks."

Rebecca, Sue and Anna walked in a few moments later, Anna carrying her things just in case of need. Phileas was still out, and Lily was beginning to wonder if she hadn't hit him too hard.

Or, if he woke up soon, too softly.

"What's happened?" Anna asked, checking Phileas in the usual medical method. He opened his eyes suddenly, two emerald-green orbs staring at the group around him before they changed back to the same color they had been. A chill ran down Lily's spine. David's eyes hadn't ever been green, and if they had, they weren't the vivid green she had just seen.

"Well, what am I doing here?" Phileas/David asked, his voice full of malice. Anna stepped forward and placed on hand on Phileas' chest. Closing her eyes, she let out a small, low whistle. Phileas' eyes closed, and a strange glow appeared around him. Above his closed eyes was the faintest glow of emerald green. Anna whispered a few things that no one could hear, then removed her hand. The glow disappeared, and Phileas opened his eyes.

They were still green, and they stayed green.

"Could I speak with all of you for a moment outside?" Anna asked, her voice controlled and the same. Lily wondered what the glow was, and followed her outside before she closed the door.

"What is it?" Draco asked, looking back at the door and room beyond.

"A twisted spirit, but only part of it," Anna said, "Still, he's very strong. Not many half-spirits can overpower the reigning spirit of the body, especially if the body has a strong spirit. It might have to do with the physical resemblance, but I'm not sure."

"Is Phileas okay, though?" Rebecca asked quickly, and received a nod.

"He's well, but very weak. I'm not sure if his spirit and consciousness have been overpowered to the point that they cannot see or remember what's happening, but that's because the other one is keeping him under close watch," Anna paused, thinking, "I may be able to get the spirit out, but it must be fought off by an equal spirit, or it's other half. If I found that spirit, then I could very easily...no, that might hurt Phileas."

"I could extract the invading spirit," Draco said, "with the machines in there. If you could get the other spirit into the containment place, so they could fight there instead of inside Mister Fogg's body, then I'm sure this will be settled soon."

Anna nodded in agreement, and the group walked back into the room, looking around quickly as if to make sure no spirits came out of the cold walls.

Chapter 7

The figureless mist floated near Anna right after she had closed her eyes, and she talked to it quickly, explaining the plan outside before it drifted inside to where the others were and went into the bottle nearby. Draco and Jules had put Phileas out again, mainly by hitting him upside the head with his own cane. Lily was nearby, hovering as closely as Rebecca was while Sue, Draco and Passepartout go everything ready.

Draco moved the bottle with the spirit over Phileas' head, placing a holder over his mouth. Everyone placed their goggles over their eyes as Draco and Sue stood near the machine. Draco pulled the lever, and light burst from the various wires that were around. Phileas' body jerked at the sudden jolt of strange energy, and his mouth opened.

>From inside came a dark cloud, not like when Lazarus had escaped Rebecca's mouth but a darker substance, like tar that floated upward into the huge bottle. The light gray mist collided around it, and the intense light went out as the bottle began to shake rapidly, the two clouds within battling for control in the tiny hold. Part of the dark cloud nearly left, to escape back into Phileas' body, but Draco pulled the rattling bottle and holder away quickly and everyone stepped as far away as possible, Lily, Rebecca and the others from the Aurora quickly turning into a human shield around Phileas.

The bottle began to crack, and darkness oozed out a little before being sucked back in. the whole group was holding their breath as the gray mist engulfed the whole bottle, leaving no trace of the black tar-mist. A small dot of tar appeared near the crack, but was quickly swallowed by the mist until the mist floated downward and through the opening in the bottle. Everyone took a deep breath, letting out the one they had been holding, as the mist formed itself into some human shape, one that looked a lot like Phileas.

Lily took a step forward, watching and waiting until the face had been formed. She stood, the two looking at each other for a long time until the mist leaned forward and kissed her lips once. Lily felt the cold brush her lips, and felt as if something had been swept away from there. She opened her eyes and looked back at the mist, realizing that she had felt the cold ground which kept her other emotions and feelings at bay had broken with that kiss, and she was going to let David go for the last time.

Smiling, she whispered a quick goodbye as the mist floated out the window. Tears rimmed her eyes, but she held them back. She needed to find out if Phileas was okay.

Phileas could hear sounds around him, and slowly opened his eyes to face his cousin and Lily. Nearby was Verne and Passepartout as well as Draco, Sue and someone else. Memories flooded back, and Phileas was about to say something but decided not to. What had happened was between him and Lily alone.

Chapter 8

Lily gathered her things from the Aurora, sad that she would have to leave but glad that she could return later, if need be. There was a knock on her door, and she opened it to see Phileas outside, looking better then before. The ordeal with the Evil David had not cost him much, but he had seemed worried about something and was treating Lily like she was a very fragile china doll.

"May I come in?" Phileas asked, his voice calm but urgent at the same time.

"Of course, Phileas," Lily had never addressed him as 'Fogg', since she couldn't see the point in that.

Phileas walked in and closed the door, watching as she packed. "Leaving soon?"

"Sue was reassigned. They don't want us to try and change history, and they also don't want you to know more they you need to. Besides, I think Sue would like to go back for a while."

"Yes..." Phileas paused, and Lily turned. He looked very uncomfortable about something, but what it was Lily couldn't tell.

"But?" Lily asked, trying to see what was wrong.

"Well...I haven't told anyone but...well...I remembered...what happened--."

"Between us? Fun, wasn't it?" Lily was trying to make a joke, to try and lighten Phileas' mood. The joke didn't work.

"Lily, please...I...well...what if you got pregnant?" Lily looked very seriously at Phileas, who was turning redder by the minute.

"I won't. Wasn't anywhere near my time of...well, I won't, either way. And if I did, what then? Why would I tell you?"

Phileas was at a loss for words. Lily realized that he did love her, but he probably didn't want anything to do with marriage. If so, then he would've asked. She also realized that both of them were scared to show their feelings towards one another because of past results.

"Phileas," she said again, now making him sit in a chair, "It might or might not work. And anyway, it's not your fault. You couldn't escape, and I'm sure you fought against it with all your might. I think you might meet up with someone else along the line and love her instead." Lily stood, realizing that she didn't want to leave him or let him leave her just yet. She sat on the bed, waiting for him to say something.

"Well..." he stopped, "what are we going to do?"

Lily and Phileas were silent for a long moment before Lily said, "Hope that Fate will bring us together again."

Phileas and Lily stood, looking at each other before they both embraced and kissed. The kiss was prolonged, sweet to both of them and full of longing and wants that might never happen. The two broke off, and Phileas helped Lily pack for her trip back to the twenty-second century.

Feedback to: celestialangel666@hotmail.com.