Ok. So this is gonna be a nice little multi chaptered thingy in an AU, with a whole bunchezz of Sweenett fluff :D

So basically this is set before Benjamin is sent to Australia, he's still with Lucy, and they live in the apartment above Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shoppe. Nellie still has that fat husband Albert, & they live on the first floor. So yeah, it's kinda different. Oh, & Benjamin never gets sent to jail, but the judge is still after Lucy.

Alright. The regular font lines are well, the story. Lol. And the italicized lines are the song lyrics.

The song is "Realize" by Colbie Caillat.

Well, I've taken up enough time talking, so R&R puhh leazzee :D

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Benjamin looked up from his plate of lasagna as Nellie sat at the other side of the table.

"Enjoyin' your lunch, Ben?" she said as she placed her plate on the table & watched Benjamin's dark chocolaty eyes roam her face. She took her fork in her hand & began to cut off a bite size piece of lasagna. Mr. Barker realized that he was staring & looked back down at his half eaten food.

Take time to realize,
That your warmth is
Crashing down on in.

"Yes, delicious, Nellie. You really should think about selling this in your shop."

Nellie looked back up at Benjamin as he took another bite. "Well, that would be nice, but it would take too long, & we wouldn't have the money," she continued, "So how has work been for you in the barber shop?" She could just get lost in his eyes.

Take time to realize,
That I am on your side
Didn't I, Didn't I tell you.

Benjamin looked back up to answer her, but his eyes wandered to another figure in the doorway. His face lightened, & he stood up, walking over to his wife. Nellie looked over her shoulder to see who it was, already knowing good & well who it was, seeing Benjamin wrap his arms around his wife. Almost melancholy , she turned back around to her lunch. She could hear Ben & Lucy talking about Johanna's 1st birthday coming up this Saturday.

But I can't spell it out for you,
No it's never gonna be that simple
No I cant spell it out for you



Benjamin looked over at Nellie, wondering why she seemed to slump down in her chair. Then he remembered that she didn't have the kind of marriage that he & Lucy had. She had been forced to marry that fat rat, Albert, by her cruel parents. He felt a sort of pity for the young woman, only 26 and already looking like a 40 year old over-worked hag. Not to say she looked ugly. To be honest, Sweeney thought Nellie was one of the most beautiful creatures he'd ever met, even more so than his beloved Lucy.

Take time to realize
This all can pass you by
Didn't I tell you

Benjamin looked back down at his wife, as she began to lead him to the living room, all the while explaining how Johanna had just uttered her first words.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Nellie watched as her best friend left the room with her husband, talking about their angelic daughter. Longing swept over Nellie's usual cheerful face. How she wished she could have a husband who loved her so, & a child to love & care for. All she had was a fat ass, drunk around the clock. The only time he ever wanted to spend time with her was in bed, which, thankfully, didn't happen often.

If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
and will never find another
Just realized what I just realized
we'd never have to wonder if
we missed out on each other now.

Now, more than ever, she wished she'd let Ben know how she felt when she first laid eyes on him. She was 15, Benjamin, 17. And at that time, Nellie didn't even know Lucy.

Nellie sat under the big oak tree in Maple Park. The wind blew gently through her auburn curls, falling loosely over her shoulders. She held the book in her lap, her lollipop in her mouth like a little schoolgirl. She looked up from her book, Anne of Green Gables, to see a boy coming her way.

He had thick, wavy, brunette hair, & the deepest eyes she'd ever seen. He was walking towards her. Nellie was struck by how attractive this stranger was before her. He carefully walked up to her, blushing the entire time.

But I can't spell it out for you,
no it's never gonna be that simple
no I can't spell it out for you.



"May I sit here?" the boy asked, motioning to the other side of the tree. Nellie merely nodded, not knowing what else to say. Her face was the same color of her lips, a pale pink shade. Funny thing, the boy's complexion matched hers exactly.

Nellie scooted over a few feet to make room for the stranger. As soon as he sat, he held out his hand. She cautiously took it, saying, "I'm Nellie. You new to this part of Fleet Street?"

"Benjamin Barker. Actually, I'm not from Fleet Street. I live on the other side of London. I just come here to relax & draw," he said as he motioned to his sketch book. Nellie eyed the book with curiosity. Benjamin could see it in her eyes.

Take time to realize,
That your warmth is
Crashing down on in.

"Would you mind if I drew you?" he asked carefully, not wanting to push the pale skinned beauty before him. She looked into his eyes with compassion & surprise.

"…Sure," she giggled, seeing the relief in Ben's eyes.

He took the charcoal stick out of his pocket, & opened his book to a clean page.

As he got more settled in, Nellie took this opportunity to study the boy's features more closely. He had high cheekbones, & full, luscious lips. But the thing that kept crawling back into her mind were his deep chocolaty eyes. They were the most beautiful she'd ever seen. They were like a dark abyss, glistening to the brim full of mystery & and riddles, piercing right through her soul every time he locked eyes with her.

If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
and will never find another

Benjamin had already got a sufficient amount of the drawing finished, & he was getting very caught up in the process. As he was working on the lower half of the picture, he realized it involved her bodice. He blushed like crazy at this thought, but pushed it away, for the sake of finishing. Every time he laid eyes on that particular spot, Nellie could see him blush, & it made her giggle even more.

A few minutes later, through the torturing silence that lingered between the two, Benjamin sat upright, & admired his latest masterpiece. It was beautiful. He lowered the drawing, & examined the subject, making it seem like he was comparing the two, but in fact he was just admiring the lovely lass he had formerly captured in his artwork.

Nellie locked eyes with Benjamin, & gave him a questioning look. Ben finally came out of his reverie, stood up, & brushed off his pants. Nellie did the same, noticing her dress had been covering less than it should have been.



Just realized what I just realized
we'd never have to wonder if
we missed out on each other now.

Ben looked over at Nellie, & placed the drawing in her hand. "Here, I want you to have it."

There was nothing less than compassion & mercy in her eyes as she gratefully took the picture. Once she laid eyes on the beautiful strokes planted on the page, her eyes had gotten wider than the sin itself.

"This can't possibly be me…" she exclaimed, admiring the careful smudges placed on the portrait. "It's way too pretty to be me. This is beautiful, Benjamin!"

Ben looked down at his feet. "Well, it's not half as pretty as the girl it's supposed to be," he said, blushing up a storm.

Before Nellie had a chance to reply, she heard her mother from the other side of the park.

"Nellie! Get your bloody arse over here!"

Nellie looked over at Benjamin, ashamed & embarrassed from her mother's outburst. "I have to go…"

"Will I see you again?"

Nellie looked deep into Ben's dark & mysterious eyes, & felt pain rush over her. "I hope so,"

missed out on each other now
missed out on each other now

Realize, realize
realize, realize

And with that, she placed one soft kiss on his cheek, & ran away before he could object.

How she missed that day. The first time she met Benjamin. If only she could have those days back. Before there ever was a Lucy, or a Johanna, or an Albert…

It's not always the same
no it's never the same
if you don't feel it too.
If you meet me half way
If you would meet me half way.
It could be the same for you.

The best days of her life, now washed away by the memories of having to see him with a wife & child, while all she had was an arse for a husband & dirty old pie shoppe.



If you just realize what I just realized
then we'd be perfect for each other
then we'd never find another
Just realize what I just realized
we'd never have to wonder
Just realize what I just realized

If you just realize what I just realized…