Author's Note: After attempting to write a story about Johanna and Anthony, and then deleting it due to the realization that I'm no good a writing about them, I have decided to write this story(And yes the main characters are Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett once again!) Hope you guys enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters Sweeney Todd, , or Toby Ragg; they belong to Stephen Sondheim.

*Side Note: There will be multiple chapters so check back frequently for updates*

CHAPTER 1

"Mornin' my love." Mrs. Lovett said cheerfully as Toby walked into the shop, just waking up for the day. It was unusual for him to sleep so late, but Nellie didn't mind. The clock struck ten.

"Good morin' mum." Toby replied, only half awake. He was already dressed, though his tiredness was apparent for he skipped three buttons on his shirt.

Nellie chuckled in amusement upon realising Toby's mistake, then turning back to her latest concoction. This batch was fiddle player, and happened not to sell as well as it could due to it's ironically stringy and slightly bland nature. Then Mrs. Lovett had a most brilliant idea.

"Toby, dear... could you go down t'Mista Bayard's shop for me?" She cooed.

"Bayard?" Toby asked as he re-buttoned his shirt correctly. "Whose he?"

Nellie realised that Toby had never been asked to pick up meat for her before, and willingly explained. "He's the butcher who owns the shop 'bout two streets ov'a..." She paused, "Big burly man, rather plump 'round the middle... not very bright in the 'ead."

"Oh yes! I know just the shop!" Toby remembered the man, he had come to see where Mrs. Lovett purchased her "ever so savory meat products" in attempt to solicit his business.

"Well love, take this," She handed him enough money for just a small ammount of meat. "And go out and get as much beef as you can." She smiled. She was quite pleased with her little plan.

"Alright, mum!" Toby scurried out of the shop taking a meat pie with him to eat on the way.

Soon, Sweeney made his entrance in his usual abysmally plain, brooding state. "Wot's the boy run out so excited about?" He seemed to hate to see Toby enjoying himself.

"Just thought up an idea to improve my..." Nellie paused and chuckled hammering the dough with her rolling pin. "Well, my less popular pies."

"The ones made of pussycat?"

"No! Now, love y'know I quit usin' pussies once there was a regular income of..." She made a throat slitting motion and a gagging noise. "I was thinkin' to improve pies like... fiddle playa'." She finished.

"Oh, awfully bland and stringy that one is." Sweeney said dryly.

"Yes I know, love.I was thinkin' just mix in some beef for the stringy, bland pies; an' somethin' light for the heavier, dark meat." She smiled, though she knew her beloved Sweeney could care less for her would-be intelligence. She paused to look up at Sweeney.

"I s'pose that could work..." He met eyes with her, causing Nellie to remain focused on him, "Or it could result in somethin' awful..." He grinned.

There it was, Nellie had expected something rude from the man sooner or later. "We'll see soon enough now won't we?" She broke her gaze with him and smiled happily going back to rolling out the dough as Toby burst through the door, obviously he'd been running.

"'Ere mum! Fresh beef..." he paused looking down at the relatively small amount of meat in his hands. "Sorry it ain't much mum, its as much as I could afford with that money."

"Now now! Don't fret darling, we'll make it last." She smiled and took the meat from the boy. "You didn' steal this now did ya?" She made her sarcasm obvious as not to hurt the boy.

"Oh, no mum!" He paused "Well... better get s'more meat from the bake house for ya' mum." Toby smilede, but before he left he added, "Mista' Bayard says thank's for bein' such a loyal customa'!"

Sweeney's gaze shifted to Mrs. Lovett curiously. The woman froze and her mouth fell open in surprise. She slowly turned to meet Sweeney's gaze. "Wot the bloody hell does that bastard know about my pies?!" She was fueled by a sudden burst of frantic anger and confusion.

Sweeney was silent for a minute. "It sounds t'me like he's found out..." Sweeney's serious face looked up emotionless at Nellie.

"Y'mean about my... ingredients?" Her voice lowered to a whisper and her brown eyes widened.

Sweeney nodded.

"Well, we'll handle this one... My way." sighed and angrily beat her dough as if it were Mr. Bayard's head.

The day wore on, and Nellie prepared her latest batch with just enough time to spare. Once the bell struck six, hordes of civilians rushed out for more of 's "World Famous Meat Pies"; of course, some customers came for a shave. 's notion had been correct, within an hour of the evening rush all but twelve of the fiddler was gone. bounced happily calling upon Toby occasionally to refill mugs. Everything was going extraordinarily well, everyone seemed happy- even the birds Nellie kept in the cages above every other table.

"Toby, dear!" She called. "Could ya bring out two more of the Fiddl-" she paused immediately and "corrected herself". "More of today's batch, the mixed meat." She turned to the two men whom ordered seconds, collected their money with a beaming smile and turned around, nervous someone would figure out that she had nearly called the pie "Fiddler". She shook it off as Toby brought two hot pies out to the hungry men. She continued on in a merry mood, occasionally showing off her dress.

The rush kept up, and Nellie was getting quite tired. "Toby, care t'close up early t'night?" She pleaded kindly, bending over praying Toby would agree.

"Close early?" He asked meekly, "You gettin' tired mum?"

"Oh yes darling, quite so. Me poor bones is 'bout to drop." Her eyes felt heavy, the room seemed blurrier than before.

"Yes mum, sounds alright with me!" Toby hurried outside to let everyone know that the shop was going to stop serving in ten minutes and asked politely that everyone finish up by nine; in a half hour. Mr. Todd made his way down the stairs, causing Nellie to gaze admirably in his direction. He' so beautiful... She thought, Maybe one day us two can...

Mrs. Lovett's body then collided with something massive.

"Oh!" She gasped, shaking her head to clear herself up. "I'm terribly sorry..." She muttered in embarassment then she looked up. She froze, looking up at the monster before her. Her face reddened a bit upon recognizing the rounded, burly man before her. "Mr. Bayard!" she muttered, doing her best to disguise her pleasure in his arrival as simple shock. T'was the very man who had talked to Toby as if he knew something about the pies' contents. She certainly wouldn't let this opportunity come and go without interfering. She smirked as the man nodded politely.

Before he could walk away Nellie grabbed his sleeve. "Could I 'ave a personal word with ya now, deary?" she muttered pulling him into the interior of her shop, she hoped he would come clean. Though it shouldn' be to hard to get a confession from this one, Nellie thought. He's got more brawn than brains... rather ignorant man he is! Mess with me shall he? I think not! She smiled with satisfaction that Mr. Bayard had chosen to drop by.

Once inside, Mr. Bayard looked confused. "Uh..." He groveled dumbly, sitting down with confusion plastered across his face.

"Now don't play dumb!" She exploded. She shot a quick glance outside to Sweeney, motioning for him to come in, now.

The door opened, Sweeney entered with agility, then quietly shut the door. Afterwards he silently slid the curtains closed, as if he could for-tell what would happen next.

"Now wot in God's name d'you propose you know about my business, eh?" Mrs. Lovett was making a reference to Toby's words, which still rang in her ears. 'Thanks for bein' a loyal customer!'

"I dont..." Mr. Bayard's voice was deep and unsure. "What are you talking about... I don't... I don't get what you... I don't get what you mean." His eyebrows squinted and his eyes fell to the floor as he thought. "Was there something wrong with the... the uh, meat I sold to your lad this mornin'?" He looked up earnestly.

"No, sir..." Mister Todd chimed in. "She's talkin' about what you said after sellin' your meat to Mrs. Lovett's assistant." Sweeney's eyes were icy and cold as they stared into Mr. Bayard's cunning, dull green eyes.

Mr. Bayard removed his hat, revealing his matted, dirty blonde hair. "I don't recall..." he said.

"Oh, hell." Mrs. Lovett sighed. "Listen forget this mornin'! Now all I want is you to tell me wot all y'know 'bout the ingredients to my pies!" By now Nellie was frustrated and very disturbed by the fact that this man knew what was inside her pies.

"I dunno..." He studied the pie. He lifted it up to the light, sniffed, then took a bite. He chewed and then swallowed.

Nellie looked angrily at Sweeney, her eyes seemed to glow with a passion to kill the man. Sweeney took notice and pulled his razor from his pocket.

"Tastes like... uhm, hmmmm." deep voice droned. "Oh, I know! It's beef, and..." he paused and smiled.

Sweeney was clutching his razor tightly, standing a foot away from the back of Mr. Bayard's chair.

Nellie was studying the man's lips carefully waiting for that next word.

Mr. Bayard's lips began to form his last word, face beaming. He looked up at , "Taste's like...Hu-"

Before he could finish his scentence, Sweeney pounced upon him and slit his throat. Blood sprayed toward Nellie. She screamed and covered her eyes. Sweeney let 's body fall to the floor. Blood coated the floor in front of where he had been standing.

" mum!?" Toby's voice called. Toby's shoes thumped along the ground with each leap he took, nearing the door.

Toby's hands slammed into the door's frame, and it swung open...