The thick smoggy sky hung heavy, a practical London day. Snug neatly in the middle of London was Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop, right below Sweeney Todd's Barber shop.

The barber's door creaked open, causing the bell to jingle lightly. And around the corner popped out Mrs. Lovett's head.

" Mr. Tee? " She asked playfully.

" What? " He grumbled, frustrated and annoyed. He slumped in his cherry wood desk, Working busily with papers.

" I know you've been irritated with with the lack of customers and all. " She said, pacing into the room. " But no one's been hankering for any of me meat pies either. " She said in a disappointing tone. " Were running pretty low on money. " She sighed.

" I know. " He bitterly replied. The papers in front of him were filled with numbers, of the intake of money they were getting. And it wasn't that much. " We won't even have enough to pay the bills this week. " He mumbled, now looking over his math.

" It will be alright, love. " Said Mrs. Lovett, placing her arms on his shoulders, and gently massaging them. " At least we'll still have each other. " She cooed, trying to change the mood.

Sweeney enjoyed the comfort for a moment, but then sat up. Leaving her delicate fingers behind. " Times is only going to get harder, pet. " He muttered.

She loved it when he used his pet names with her. " Well then, we will just have to make through it as best as we can, ey love. " She said with a sigh. She was brave enough to take the chance of getting closer to him, letting her head rest on his shoulders.

His glance shifted to her, his face stern, as it commonly was. " Get out. " He said quietly, closing his eyes. He was better at controlling his temper. When business was slow anyways. The sight and smell of blood is what fed the crazy man, that lay burrowed deeply in his mind.

She reluctantly pulled away, and gave him the satisfaction of solitude. She never understood how he could spend so much time alone. Yet she did know the former Benjamin Barker she once knew was now long gone. The sweet look in his eyes were now cold, his skill of a barber had been twisted into the skill of a murderer. And his heart? She hadn't a clue. Something told her that Benjamin was still in there, weeping to himself, longing for humane affection.

Through her strain of thoughts, she managed to leave Sweeney's shop, and enter her own. Rag in hand, she leaned over her counter. It was dirty, but the shop was always dirty in some ways. The dust, the bugs. The memories.

" Ma'am? " came a voice from the man in front of her. She had been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to realize he had entered, Or was he already there? She didn't know or bother.

" Oh! " She gasped. " I'm terribly sorry sir, please forgive me. Just a bit off right now. " She stopped herself from staring off again. " So what was it you wanted? " She asked, throwing in a flirty smile. " Hopefully a pie. "

The man chuckled. " Just a shave. " He tipped his hat, and threw in a charming smile. " I may get a pie on the way down though. "

Mrs. Lovett forced a smile, rolling her eyes as she closed the door behind him. " You'll get a pie on the way down alright. " She muttered to herself. The stairs outside creaked as the man extended them, and Mrs. Lovett was already heading to the basement.

She couldn't help but think how elegant Mr. Todd was with his razors, how people were always filth compared to them. She didn't know why, but she giggled as the corpse of the man fell limply from the opened trap door, and cracked onto the floor. 'Her Sweeney Todd sure did have strange hobbies' , she thought to herself as she pick pocketed the man's possessions.

Above the basement, Sweeney paced the floors, polishing his blade. He was at ease now, the latest customer had calmed him. But it would only be for a while. The addiction now ran through the blood in his very veins. The sight of blood would always excited him. The shrill screams of vulnerability that escaped the throats of strong men beneath his blade. The power he had over their lives. Even though he didn't have much control over his own life.

The thoughts much greater then addiction, but obsession always swam through his mind. The thoughts of having this kind power over Beetle Banfard. Over Judge Turpin!

The judge's name was enough to start his blood boiling again, and he paced the room, uneasily awaiting the harsh fate that would soon be his own. The time that would soon come, the end of the month. When they would owe money, they didn't have. And they would end up tossed onto the streets. Once you were in the streets, it was hard to get back on your feet. And the cold winter wind that pushed at his window, worried him.

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OK, well. After all of those fics I did, of love-dovey blah-blah-blah. I felt like writing a Sweeney fic that was a bit more serious. ( With a smidgen of lovey dovey ;P ) So tell me what you think, reviews always help me out with continuing :D