A Life Lost...

Just warning you all, this is not going to be the happiest story until the end. Scientists say that sleep forms memories, whether it's true or not (and I believe it to be true), Sweeney is definately affected in this story. Sweeney thinks that Mrs. Lovett's life is perfect, she finally has a successful pie shop and a son. So why won't she cease clinging to him? Maybe if he tries to unlock his memories as Benjamin Barker, he might be able to uncover the reason. All characters belong to Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton. I do own Johnny Depp's Sweeney though, I have him stashed away in my bedroom closet. *Recieves strange looks.* What, a teenage fangirl can have an imagination can't she?! Jeez Louise, well, I've done enough blabbing.

Sweeney stood in his barber shop looking out the window in displeasure. Why did that woman have to cling to him so incessantly, she was like a puppy addicted to a bone, and he didn't like it one bit. He could not believe that she had actually convinced him to go on a walk with her. He was miserable throughout the whole walk, but was only confused by the end of the walk by Nellie Lovett's sudden mood change. She had been so overly excited and happy to be taking a walk with him, against his wishes of course. She had begged that they stop so she could compliment a total stranger on how cute her baby was, Sweeney was just getting upset because even though this baby did not look a thing like her, the last baby he had seen was his own. The rest of the walk home though, Mrs. Lovett had seemed different. All she did was thank Sweeney and walk slowly to her room. Now it wasn't like the barber, but Sweeney could've sworn he felt a stranage feeling when he thought he heard her crying. He just couldn't understand how she could've started out so happy, and ended up so depressed, it just wasn't like her.

He eased himself into his chair and slowly fell asleep. He couldn't get one question out of his head though, "Why was Mrs. Lovett acting so strangely?" That was when the memories flowed in...

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXO---SWEENEY DEPP (HA) ROCKS!---XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Miss Nellie Summers had been so happy on her wedding day, she was getting married to a sweet man. Soon she would be Mrs. Nellie Lovett. What she didn't know whas that Albert Lovett was like some other men. He didn't show off his true self until after the wedding. They had a beautiful time on their honeymoon, but as soon as the celebration was over, she was off to work. Albert would just go right upstairs and drink and binge out on food. He would get fatter and fatter, and more and more unattractive. Everytime Nellie did something that Albert didn't like, he would give her a big bruise. Every so often he would show some affection, but those moments were short lived. He would throw her against the walls or send her tumbling down the stairs, just because she tried to be a good wife. And he wanted to be alone with his food and drinks. She had at one point had the best pies in London, but after her marrage her meat pies were tainted with emotional and physical pain and sorrow. There had only been one man who had ever been there for her, a friend since childhood, Benjamin. He would try to get her to get a divorce, worried for her safety, but she said that that would only get him more upset. Benjamin rememebered that she used to be a lot prettier, but since all of the abuse, she looked all bent out of shape. Her face was constantly bruised, and her arms were obviously covered with markings. Why else would she wear long sleeves during the summer months? A few months after this began, Mrs. Lovett started to feel naucious. She would throw up on numerous occasions, and she instantly believed that she knew what it was. She had gone to the doctor, and sure enough, she was pregnant! She ran home to tell Albert, and while she tried to supress her observations, she swore that he did not look as excited as she.

That was when it started again, Albert would try to infuriate Nellie. It actually got to a point where Nellie couldn't sleep in the same bed as Albert, she was just too afraid of him. The abuse was at a point where every touch that Albert gave her came off as abuse to poor Mrs. Lovett. Nellie always hid her tears and she cried in what she thought was privacy. What she didn't know was that someone was watching her, a man who over the years had become a best friend to her. Even though on her behalf, it more than just a friendship. For even though she was married, it was an arranged marriage, and she loved this man, not Albert. Bejamin would watch her cry and feel nothing but sadness and guilt. He just felt so horrid that he knew that this was going on, but he didn't know what to do about it. All he did was watch her cry as he wished he could help her.

Then, the worst imaginable thing happened. Nellie and Albert were in the middle of another heated argument. Albert was complaining how he was feeling neglected because his wife was so busy making pies. She defended herself by saying that the money she recieved from the pie shop was the only way they were getting money, but it wasn't enough for him. Beanjamin heard the yelling. "Lucy, shouldn't we do something? I mean, Nellie could get seriously injured, more injured that is."

His wife only rolled her eyes. 'Oh Benny Wenny, listen to you. Calling her Nellie as if she's one of your friends. No, she'll be fine, I promise." Lucy smirked behind the book she was reading after assuring Benjamin of Mrs. Lovett's safety. He pushed the negative thought of one of his closest friends getting hurt out of his head and went back to what he was doing.

Downstairs though, the argument had only gotten worse, and now Albert had poor Nellie backing away from him and his angry tone. He hit her, causing her to fall to the floor. She pushed herself to her feet again with much difficulty. Her whole body was aching, but he kept coming towards her... And that was when it happened. Mrs. Lovett didn't realize she was so close to the staircase leading into the bakehouse. Before she knew it, she was tumbling down the staircase foot first. She landed with a thud and could only lay there in pain. Albert had a fake frightened look on his face. At that moment, she rose to a sitting position and looked down, there was blood. She checked all over herself, excpet for some scratch marks and bruises she was unmarked. So where could the blood have come from?