Disclaimer: I own no one, not even Nessarose, which is a spin off of the Wicked character. All characters owned by their respectable owners.
AN: Yeah, this one was rather upsetting to write. . . Ooooh! Kudos to anyone who can spot the The Rocky Horror Picture Show quote!
Sweeney and Nellie were sitting in a booth in her pie shop drinking gin when all of a sudden Sweeney asked an unexpected question.
"Just out of curiosity, why don't you have children, Nellie?"
Nellie choked on her gin, suddenly uncomfortable.
"That's. . .quite a tender subject, Mr. T," she managed with a slight wince. Sweeney noticed this.
"My apologies," he mumbled.
"Oh, no. It's okay. Quite unexpected is all," Nellie said. Sweeney grunted in reply. "I 'ave a daughter, er had a daughter," she continued. Sweeney was interested now.
"What 'appened to 'er?" he asked. Nellie sighed heavily.
"Remember when I was married to tha' oaf, Albert?" she asked. Sweeney nodded."Well, five years after yeh were. . .deported we 'ad ourselves a beautiful daughter called Nessarose. After a couple weeks, Albert vanished, leaving me all alone to take care of darling little Nessarose. After a month or so I got used to it being just the two of us, enjoyed it even. She was growin' up so fast, darlin' little Nessa, she was really startin' to resemble me," Nellie's voice had a dreamy tone. "When Nesssarose was two years old, her bastard of a father returned. I kicked him out, telling him never to come back again -" her voice cracked. "He came back, late at night, and stole me little Nessarose away from me. When I awoke I was devestated. I went downstairs and. . ." tears slid down her cheeks as she relived the horrible memory. "On the couch, me daughter was there, a bloody mess wrapped in a blanket, massacred -" she sobbed. "There was a - a note next to 'er an' it said - it said, 'Maybe this will teach yeh not to get knocked up again, yeh dumb bitch,' 'E killed her," she buried her head in her hands. "'E killed our little Nessarose," her body was trembling now in silent sobs.
Sweeney reached a hand out to her. He lightly caressed one of her hands tentatively.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized, whispering. "I 'ad no idea. I really shouldn't 'ave asked,"
Nellie looked up, her tearstained face slightly red, her eyes meeting his.
"It's alright," she forgave. "Was just out of curiosity like yeh said," His hand found her's.
"I'm sorry," he whispered again. Her lips twisted into a part smile part grimace before the tears took over again. Sweeney slid closer to her in the booth and wrapped an arm around her comfortingly, protectively. She turned her head into his shoulder and cried.
Sweeney felt something spark inside him that he hadn't felt for a long time. Compassion, empathy. He tenderly kissed the top of her head.
When Nellie finally stopped crying she lifted her head off his shoulder.
"Thank yeh for givin' me a shoulder to cry on," she thanked him.
"I'll be here if you need me," Sweeney replied. Nellie's eyes sparkled.
"Really?" she asked in hope.
"Really," Sweeney confirmed. "The years haven't been particularly kind to yeh either, Nellie. An' I was yer friend before bein' shipped off, that doesn't have to be any different no that I'm home."