A/N: 'Tis me again! Hope you all had a great Halloween!

Thank you all so very much for your wonderful reviews! I am uber-grateful as always. It's great to know that you're still reading and enjoying my lil story. Thank you to you all!

This chapter deals with our other characters again, because as you know they are desperate to find E&C before the other does. It begins in Madame Giry's POV and ends with Raoul's. Oh, and forgive me my poor attempt at a sort of chess analogy, I just couldn't help myself. (",)

Anyway let's see how they are getting on shall we?

Read, Review and Enjoy!

Chapter 12

The Pawns' First Move

My daughter had questioned me endlessly about why I had to leave the Opera for a time with Monsieur Khan. I did not feel it wise to divulge the details of Christine's disappearance to her yet. My Meg was a good girl and Christine was her friend, but she was prone to gossip even at the worst of times. And Heaven forbid she should spill her secrets to a certain young man who was most definitely eager to find Christine as well.

I think my daughter was suspicious that our intentions were less than pure. I found this to be almost comical. Nadir and I, really…Where would we find the time?

She refused to acknowledge Nadir's presence in the room and regarded me sternly as I left.

"Remember Papa." She whispered imperiously

"Young lady!" I reprimanded instantly and she bowed her head shamefully.

That girl was growing up much too fast!

I knew I would have to explain the situation to her eventually. I only hoped it would be good news I could give her.

The sun had barely risen as Nadir and I exited the Opera House, therefore there were not many people around. This suited our needs rather well as we did make an odd pair, and the last thing we needed was to be noticed. Our pursuit had to be kept a secret for everyone's sake. However, the earliness of the hour meant that there would be few hansom cabs for us to acquire to get us to our destination.

"I believe we may have to walk, Monsieur."

My voice betrayed no hint of emotion but I certainly was not relishing the thought of walking so far a distance. However, I would never admit that. I had a reputation to maintain, after all.

"Have a lady such as yourself walk such a distance at this hour? Never, my dear Madame"

I had no time for such theatrical flattery.

"Then what do you suppose we do, Monsieur Khan? As you can see it is a little early to expect an abundance of hansoms!"

Boldly he took my arm and began to lead me around the side of the Opera House,

"I had planned for just such a problem. So I persuaded this young fellow to be here this morning if he wished to receive a fare with a handsome tip."

Sure enough there was a hansom waiting for us when we turned the corner.

"I am most impressed, Monsieur. And I am not easily impressed."

"Then I shall treasure this moment dearly, Madame."

I couldn't help but laugh. For such an upstanding gentleman, Monsieur Khan could be quite the rogue!

All levity was abandoned, however, as we got on our way. It was time to speak with Monsieur Jules Bernard.

Jules' house was situated in a pleasant enough area. He had done well out of his association with Erik, financially at least. There was something sadly unsettling at times about Monsieur Bernard's connection to Erik. Erik terrified him and yet he was undyingly loyal to him. Anyone could see that his loyal devotion was not born from fear but genuine gratitude and concern. Anyone but Erik.

Yet, that wasn't to say that their acquaintance hadn't taken its toll on Jules. He was a troubled man, but I refused to believe that all of this was due to Erik.

After all, I had met Madame Bernard…

But perhaps that is cruel of me to think…

Monsieur Bernard's face was indeed a picture when he opened the door to my travelling companion and I. Such a nervous creature already, this unexpected visit surely was not good for his health.

Yet as always his first concern, though hesitantly asked, was for his employer. It had always endeared him to me somewhat.

"Madame, is he alright?"

We both knew to whom he referred. Jules seemed hesitant to speak his name before Nadir though. It seemed that they had not met before, or if they had it had not gone well. Monsieur Khan most probably acted too much the detective causing Jules to instinctively become cleverly secretive. From what I knew of him it was his way.

He was a clever man despite his unassuming demeanour; Erik had not employed him for nothing.

"I am afraid that that is what we need to ascertain, Monsieur Bernard. May we come in?"

Jules glanced furtively at Nadir but I was in no mood for such caution and paranoia.

"An old friend of Erik's I assure you Monsieur. One on whom Erik would not appreciate you casting doubts."

I stated rather haughtily for effect as I barged in past the poor man. Nadir seemed unsure whether to be shocked or amused.

Jules spluttered his apologies nervously and I almost regretted bullying him so, but we needed to be on our way.

I had the distinct feeling that time was our enemy.

Jules led us to the parlour where his wife sat sewing. She raised her head with a slight smile but her expression hardened when she recognised my face. She immediately stormed from the room.

"Your wife is as charming as ever, Monsieur." I sniffed; I was unaccustomed to being treated so rudely. It did not sit well with me. Had I been any less of a lady I would have had a few choice words for Madame Bernard.

"You must excuse her, she does not understand. She only wants what she thinks is best for me…" he shrugged helplessly.

This only furthered irritated me. Did that woman not see how much Erik had done for her and her family? I opened my mouth to respond but Nadir's discreet cough halted me. I was getting off track. My emotions were certainly running high today.

"Monsieur Bernard, we need a list of any properties Erik has purchased. Are you able to give us such a list?"

Nadir's words were straight to the point and I waited expectantly.

Monsieur Bernard seemed to squirm under my gaze.

"I…forgive me Monsieur, Madame…but Erik would not want me to…"

"For God's sake man, Erik's very life may depend on us receiving this information! So do you have what we need or not?!"

My outburst startled even myself but I couldn't help it! Erik had done God knows what with Christine and her young man was determined to retrieve her.

Erik would need me…whether it be to help him and Christine escape from Raoul or to pick up the pieces when we allowed Raoul to find Christine. Erik needed me…

Nadir placed his hands gently on my arms to calm me.

He turned his earnest gaze on Monsieur Bernard and spoke evenly but haltingly,

"Monsieur, Erik has…left with a very dear…friend. However, there is a young man who does not like the idea of this friend being in Erik's company. It would greatly upset Erik and his…friend if this gentleman were to find them. Therefore it is our duty to warn them first. We must find him, Monsieur…we must…can you help?"

Again, Monsieur Bernard hesitated and I began to despair. I was not prone to such excessive displays of emotion, but I was unused to feeling so helpless.

"Monsieur…Jules…please…" I urged softly, my eyes beginning to sting a little.

I cannot be sure whether it was Nadir's rationally persuasive words or my pleading expression, but Jules seemed to surrender and excused himself for a moment.

When he returned he seemed a little distressed, but he handed us a folder containing various documents and I felt my heart lift a little.

"These are a copy of all the details concerning Erik's various properties. He had many copies made. There are several properties detailed within, three of which are situated abroad…but I doubt that he has gone that far, else I would know about it I'm sure." He smiled wanly, before turning sombre once more.

He turned to address me, still not quite comfortable with Nadir.

"Please Madame, see to it that he comes to no harm…he and his dear friend. He at least deserves peace and if that is all I can help him have, then…"

He trailed off, mildly embarrassed and almost worried by his little speech.

I took his slightly shaking hand and squeezed it briefly.

"Erik has always appreciated what you do for him. You are a good man Jules Bernard and a stronger one than you think."

My words seemed to touch him greatly and I felt that I had redeemed myself for my earlier mistreatment of him.

We left Jules at the door to his quaint little home. His children had begun to engage in a rather rowdy game of chasing and we were glad to escape.

Yet I couldn't help looking back as we walked away from that house.

Jules stood there watching us off. His concern was palpable yet he hid it behind a shaky smile.

He had harboured many of Erik's secrets for a very long time.

He had all the information he needed to have Erik condemned and rid himself of his presence forever. Yet not once had he shown any signs of doing so. And I knew it was not just fear that motivated him. He was a shaken man but as I had told him he was strong too. He was worthy of my respect and I did not give it lightly.

I nodded at him and he returned the gesture before retreating into his house.

How would he have been had he not met Erik? How would his life have turned out? Had Erik saved him, or damned him?

Were these not questions one could ask of all of us who knew the infamous Trap Door Lover, the tortured genius that was Erik…

But there was no point in dwelling on how Jules might have been; this was how he was.

He was as haunted as the rest of us…

"So my dear Madame, what is our next move?"

Nadir asked when we were safely in our hansom again.

"We begin searching these properties. It will take some time, I suspect, but we must hope we are not too late."

"And if we are?" Nadir murmured almost imperceptibly.

"Then you shall pray to your God and I shall pray to mine…for only God could help us then…"

The hansom began its journey back to the Opera House, and I do believe that both of us got a head start on our prayers.

From what I could see of the sky, it looked like rain…

Raoul's POV

I had tried not to dwell on how low I felt following the Persian fellow and Madame Giry, but I had promised myself that I would do anything to bring my Christine back safely to me. And so, I had to put my pride aside and skulk in the shadows as they seemed to force their way into the home of a Monsieur Jules Bernard.

An employee of that monster's he was. I still found the idea incomprehensible. Who could work for such a beast?

I found myself almost dozing as I waited for the pair to leave the house. It was after all very early and I was not used to being awake at such an ungodly hour.

Yet, every time I closed my eyes all I could see was my beloved in the arms of a malevolent shade. I never saw his face and it was most unsettling. Yet, it was not his face that disturbed me most, it was Christine's. She seemed to enjoy the embrace she was trapped in. I shuddered and opened my eyes to see Madame Giry and Nadir Khan leaving the house at last, a folder in hand.

I waited until the hansom had left before I approached the house.

Straightening my jacket, for I was ever aware of the importance of appearances, I knocked politely on the door.

The man who opened it was a nervous fellow but his manner seemed pleasant enough. Indeed I felt a great deal of pity for him. What had he endured under his employer's reign?

"Good day, my good man, I am terribly sorry to impose on you but this shan't take long. I am need of the whereabouts of your employer, Erik. He has taken something that does not belong to him and I wish to see the situation rectified. If you could just give me the same information you gave to my friends Monsieur Khan and Madame Giry, I would be most grateful and be on my way."

I felt it best to be as straight forward as possible. I was certain that this poor man would jump at the chance of ridding himself of the burden of his Phantom task-master. I was shockingly mistaken.

The man's face instantly hardened and he regarded me with cool suspicion.

"Why can your friends not share the information I supposedly gave to them with you, my good man."

From his appearance I had expected a spineless creature but Monsieur Jules faced me with a certain arrogance almost. It quite threw me.

"Ah, well you see, I-I fear that this may be too dangerous for them…and so I wish to find this thing first. I am sure you understand."

Monsieur Jules' eyes seemed to fill with outrage at my words. I could not think what had so offended him. I was helping him by dealing with Erik surely!

"A thing, Monsieur! A…You will leave here this instant, do you hear? I do not know you and I will not have my employer insulted in such an ungentlemanly manner!"

He began to close the door on me but I pushed my arm through.

"Please Monsieur Jules, if he has threatened you in any way. I will rid you of him; mark my words, my friend!"

"You will do no such thing Monsieur! I do not betray Monsieur Erik to any stranger who comes along and asks, and I would never! You will never return here, never speak to me again! And do not presume to know of my employer! He is more than you will ever comprehend. Perhaps this 'thing' that Monsieur Erik has taken does not wish to be found by you, have you ever considered that!"

He all but spat the words at me before slamming the door on me. That impertinent man!

I stood outside the door for quite some time in a state of angry shock. I had half a mind to barge in there and take what I required but alas, I had heard the shouts of children inside…and I was not yet such a brute who would risk frightening them.

Perhaps I could take them by force from Madame Giry…

My God, had I already become such a craven creature that I would steal from an elderly woman! But I had hit quite a dead end…what was I to do if I did not get my hands on that folder? Erik had been a Ghost for years for God's sake, if there was one thing he knew it was undoubtedly how to disappear!

I began to wander numbly away from the house, my mind running in circles looking for a way out of the maze it had trapped itself in.

Suddenly I heard a shout from behind me. There was a woman chasing after me.

Curious, I stopped and waited for her to reach me and catch her breath.

She was rather pretty in an unassuming way, certainly not the angel my Christine was! She looked weary. I bowed politely.

"Monsieur, you are looking for a…a man…named Erik, yes?"

I was startled, what did this woman know of Erik? Could she help me?

"Who are you?" I blurted out, somewhat rudely.

"Forgive me, Monsieur, of course, I am Madame Jules Bernard."

Jules' wife? What a turn of events! Had she come to chastise me for my conduct at her door? I made to apologise but before I could she grabbed my hand and thrust a folder into it.

"Take this!" She urged breathlessly, "And do not tell my husband of this! This is the same folder he gave to those other two…it is what you wanted, yes?"

She was frantic in her manner and I was a little unnerved. She should not have been giving me these things behind her husband's back, it was highly improper. Yet, how could I refuse the information I so desperately needed…and so I nodded and took the folder from her.

"Please find him, Monsieur! Find him and make sure he never returns to my home again! Never, do you hear?! He wants to destroy our lives, I know it! Do what ever you have to to put an end to his terror…whatever you have to!"

Finally, someone with a semblance of sense…though I cannot say I felt comforted by her desperate zeal…

Nevertheless I took her hand and kissed it most sincerely.

"You have done me a great service, Madame, and I thank you! You are a very great lady!"

She blushed charmingly and seemed to forget her frantic state for a moment.

Just then a child's voice rang through the air,

"Mama! Mama, where are you? Papa is worried!"

Instantly, Madame Bernard withdrew, her face an icy mask.

"Do whatever you have to."

She reminded me forcefully before abandoning her dignified stance and running back to her house, where one of children stood waiting.

Looking down at the folder in my hand I felt a great sense of triumph well up inside me. I now had the means to find Erik and deal with him…in whatever way I had to.

Still, the image of Christine in that shadowy embrace would not leave me.

And Monsieur Bernard's words borrowed deep into my mind…

Perhaps this 'thing' that Monsieur Erik has taken does not wish to be found by you, have you ever considered that!

Quickly I made my way to my carriage, ready to begin the search.

And yet those words still followed me…

And so it seemed the game had suddenly truly begun.

The pawns were all in motion.

But where would it all lead?

And what of the King and his Queen…

So there ya go! Please don't forget to let me know what you think!

Should be E&C next chapter. (",)

x Restless And Tempted x