Disclaimer: I do not own PhofOp.

Point of No Return

"So we're doing this? We're really doing this?" Raoul asked for what seemed like the hundredth time to Christine.

She rolled her eyes. Reaching over, she pinch his arm lightly, not at all painful but Raoul let out a noise anyway. They both got out of the car and headed towards the theatre. Christine noticed that they were both walking slower then they usually did, but she found that she couldn't make herself go any faster. The knots in her stomach were preventing her from doing so.

It seemed like an eternity before they got to the door, when they reached it though they stopped. They stood there eyeing the door quietly, neither wanting to break the silence or move. Eventually, Raoul finally spoke.

"Here's the make it or break it point huh? Finally arrived." He tried to play it off in a joking manner but his nerves were leaking into his tone all too easily.

"It's not like we're going to just come right out and say it. We'll do it after practice. Maybe by then, we'll feel better." Christine replied as she determinedly reached for the door.

"Or make us feel that must worst." She heard Raoul mumbled behind her, but she ignored it and opened the door.

They made their way towards the stage, as they got closer they began hearing piano music being played. Music they have never heard before.

"He's composing." Christine whispered in awe, loving each and every note already as the music came to them through the halls of the theatre.

Raoul didn't say anything so they continued making their way through. As they came closer they could hear Erik's voice as the music continued.

—eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams
purge your thoughts of the life you knew before.
Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar
And you'll live as you've never lived before.

They could now see Erik playing the piano on stage, his back to them, the top of the piano covered in music sheets. His hands almost floating over the keys, long fingers delicately pressing them down then shifting to the next. The couple stopped at the wing of the stage not wanting to disturb him as he worked. His voice and music surrounding them in wonder, hypothesizing them in the one spot.

Softly, deftly, music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Open up your mind,
Let your fantasies unwind
In this darkness that you know you cannot fight
The darkness of the music of the night

After that, Erik stopped, letting the note drift before bringing his hands up to stop that as well. He rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture Christine found adorable, and picked up a pencil to make whatever notes on one of the music sheets. He didn't seem to be aware of them yet so Christine started forward.

"Let's go." She whispered, but Raoul grabbed her hand to stop her.

"I'll be in a little bit. Say I'm still parking the car or something."

Christine turned back to him confused but then took in his flustered appearance and smirked.

"You're turned on."

Raoul dropped her hand with a glower but said nothing and Christine had to stop a laugh from escaping. When she knew she wouldn't laugh, she patted his cheek in pity.

"Go on then and take care of yourself. But don't take too long, or he'll get suspicious." Without waiting for a reply, she walked out onto the stage.

She didn't bother trying to be stealthy and when she got within a couple yards Erik raised his head from the music sheet to turn to her.

"Ah, Miss Daae, I will be with you shorty, allow me a few moments to finish my thoughts."

Christine nodded her acceptance and he turned back to the sheet. She watched him as he made what seemed to be random scribbles here and there. But based off what she just heard, she knew the finished product would be spectacular. She also thought, as her eyes lingered at the way Erik's shoulders moved under his jacket as he wrote, the composer himself is likewise, spectacular.

After a few minutes, Erik put his pencil down and turned his full attention to her, the focus of those eyes still able to send thrilled shudders through her. But today that might all stop, she thought sadly but then mentally shook herself, not wanting to give anything away for Erik to observe. There was no reason to make him suspicious or gain a hint towards her nerves that she was not at all ready to explain if he asked.

"I apologize for the wait, you have my complete attention now."

Christine shook her head. "It is alright. You are working on something?"

Erik waved his hand as if to brush the topic away.

"Yes, but enough of that now, this time is about you." He paused and looked around her in confusion. "Is Mr. de Chagny not with you?"

She allowed a little smirk to show up on her lips but replied, "Oh, he dropped me off before going to park, he'll be here any minute."

Erik frowned at that.

"That is strange, I could have sworn I heard another as I was writing…" he shook his head and raised his hand to her. "Come we shall start. Mr. de Chagny can grace us with his presence later."

So they began like always. Christine felt her nerves drift away as she focused on her singing. She could tell Erik was in a more playful mood this evening, probably because he was able to make progress on his music. After the warm up exercises and the first couple songs he made sort of a game of the lesson. He would be playing one song from one genre but then begin playing the middle of another song from which contained a completely different atmosphere. He would switch from a middle to beginning then go to an end or vice versa or really go to any position of a song he found fit to play. He wouldn't play a part where there was singing at first, picking a spot where there was only music, giving Christine a little bit of time to recognize what was being played. Erik still advised as she sung, so it wasn't all for fun but she found it refreshing and challenging, smiling when the music would allow.

Raoul came during a tragic song and when he sat down in his usual spot on the stage a few feet from where Erik sat the song change to a fast upbeat song, startling him. He looked so confused, Christine wanted to laugh again but didn't, however she did see the pleased smirk Erik was trying to hide, making her feel lighter than air. It took Raoul a couple song changes before he realized what was going on, after which he leaned back on his arms and watched Erik play and Christine sing.

When Erik finished the session with a simpler piece, Christine felt both exhausted and exhilarated. Raoul gave his normal after session applause, though this time he seemed more delighted, taking on some of the energy that filled the air. Erik stood from the piano and closed the cover before stepping away. He look tired yet thrilled as well, a sweat drop gleaming off his cheek but had a satisfied smile on his lips with sparkly eyes.

He made his way to Christine and took her hands in his. Leaning down, he gave a quick peck on her fingers, causing her whole body to be overwhelmed in warmth and breath to stutter. Luckily, Erik didn't seem to notice, straightening back up with a grin.

"Stunning. Simply stunning Miss Daae. I shall undoubtedly miss you these next few weeks without our sessions. Promise me you will practice over your holiday." Erik implored.

For the few moments, she could only give a nod as her answer, which seem to satisfy him enough as he let her go. As Erik moved away from her and back to the piano, Raoul made his way towards her. Stopping by her side, Raoul gave Christine an expectant look and suddenly all her nerves returned to her, only this time they felt more like lead attempting to drag her down. She cleared her throat.

"Erik."

"Yes, Miss Daae?" Erik answered without turning from the piano where he had begun organizing his music sheets.

Since he was not looking at her that gave Christine slightly more courage to continue.

"There is something we need to talk about."

She watched as Erik paused from his gathering of sheets. When he spoke his tone was calm, but his stiff shoulders gave him away.

"Tell me you are not thinking of ceasing our sessions after you return from break."

"No, of course not!" she hastened to say. Though she shouldn't be surprise that was what Erik had first guessed.

Erik visibly relaxed when she said that and turned towards them, now curious.

"What is it you wish to discuss then?"

"We…Raoul and I," Wow, this was much harder then she believed it was going to be, Christine thought, taking a breath before continuing. "We're…"

By now, Erik was not only watching her confused but concerned. "Miss Daae—"

"We're polyamorous!" Christine blurted out before she could stop herself. Ah, that was not how she wanted to say that.

Erik didn't move for a moment, then another. His eyes expressing his surprise at the statement and the volume at which she said it. Eventually, he glanced at Raoul for confirmation, when he gave it he turned back to Christine, who was biting her lip with worry.

"Okay."

That made the couple blink, then stare at Erik in shock. "Okay?"

Erik frowned in confusion, tilting his head to the side. "Yes, okay. I am aware of what polyamory is, and I am in no position to judge anyone's preferences what with my own, but do not understand why you would feel the need to tell me. Unless…"

Erik broke off and Christine eagerly jumped in.

"Yes, it's what you're thinking!" Christine should have known Erik would guess what she was trying to say, that sure made things a lot easier. However, when she saw the lingering frown on Erik's face, her heart skipped a beat and not for a good reason.

"I should then be expecting another to be attending your sessions with me along with Mr. de Chagny? Yes, I understand, I suppose that is alright as long they do not interfere." Erik accepted, looking to the side, making it difficult to see what he was thinking from his eyes.

Christine didn't speak for a few moments because the shock she was feeling had frozen her brain's speaking ability. When she finally got it back she made her way towards Erik quickly.

"What? No! That's not what I meant!" she stopped by his side but didn't touch him.

Erik didn't look at her but went back to his music sheets. "Oh? I do not see what else you could have meant."

"We're telling you because we were hoping you would be interested in being with us." Raoul spoke for the first time, standing where Christine had left him, arms crossed.

At that, Christine saw Erik become a living statue before her eyes. His whole body unmoving in one spot, even the hand that was half raised from moving a music sheet. His eyes got wide but he didn't blink, which after more than a few moments begin to concern Christine.

"Erik…" she whispered reaching out to him.

Before she could touch his arm, he flinched away violently, the bench in front of him moving a couple inches from the movement.

"This is a most inappropriate joke Miss Daae, Mr. de Chagny." Erik proclaimed softly.

If one didn't know him, his voice would sound completely calm but Christine could hear the slightest tremble in his statement. Her chest tightened making her feel like her heart was too big as it pounded.

"It is furthest from what a joke can be. We've been flirting with you for months trying to see if you might be interested." Raoul refuted.

Erik scowled at him when he said that. "What are you talking about?"

Raoul blinked, mouth falling open in his astonishment.

"Are you kidding me? We've been flirting with you every chance we got for the past two months! Of course we never did anything during Christine's lessons, well not really, but all of those outside meet ups? Yeah, loaded with our failed attempts at getting your attention that way. You mean you never noticed any of it?!"

Erik hesitated then glanced to the side again, unsure and tried to remember an occasion that might have had a form of flirtation from either of them. But gave up soon after when he realized it was pointless.

"It does not matter, even if I did notice I would have brushed it off since the two of you are together. And if for some reason I thought of them as such, why would I take them earnestly enough to think seriously about? Not only am I twelve years your senior, you are also aware of my orientation. Which I do not believe you quite understand the meaning of."

"Twelve years isn't really all that bad when we are all adults, plus as we get older, it'll get even more meaningless. As far as you being asexual, we know what you have told us, and we even did some of our own research. We are more than willing to accept what you're willing to do and not do with us." Christine countered.

Erik still appeared more than unconvinced but neither Christine nor Raoul made a move towards him, feeling that it might make him flee. After a while he gestured towards his face, indicating the mask.

"You do not even know what I look like. And if I can, I will make it so you never do, that way at least when you get over these thoughts of wanting to be with me, you'll remember me handsome. Or maybe I should show you, that way you will be able to get over them much faster. However, I will not, seeing as I wish to continue being your teacher Miss Daae." He stated sarcastically, taking on a darker tone in the second part.

"We're telling the truth! We want you to be with us!" Christine argued desperately, seeing that he was going to start leaving.

"Forgive me, Miss Daae but I cannot…" Erik trailed off with a shake of his head. Without stopping again he picked up the pile of music sheets and then half-ran off the stage, ignoring Raoul's and Christine's calls for him to wait.

When they knew he was too far to hear them anymore, Christine turned to Raoul with tears in her eyes.

"That was a disaster! He didn't even believe us!" Christine choked out.

Raoul immediately put his arms around her, holding her tightly against him as she wept into his chest. They stayed like that for many minutes, Raoul finally pushing Christine back gently when her tears stopped. Placing both hands on her cheeks, he brushed the tear stains away with his thumbs. Once down he placed a kiss on her forehead and drew back to show his own sad smile.

"Well then, I guess we'll just have to make him believe we are serious."

Don don doooonnnnnnn!

Okay, so that's done. Next few chapters are going to be in Erik's POV. Get to know what's in his mind after such a disaster!

Will I get reviews? I don't know but they are loved.