Disclaimer: I don't own Sweeney Todd, unfortunately.
AN: I hope I got everyone in character THIS time! Not exactly happy like my other stories, but here you go.
He hadn't meant to slap her. Honestly, he didn't. She was just being too bloody annoying for her own good, and he acted on an impulse. Nellie backed away from Sweeney, anger taking over her, hurt showing only the slightest bit in her eyes.
"Ya know," Nellie yelled angrily. "You're statin' to remind me of Albert!" Sweeney was confused by her anger. It didn't seem compatible with her words. Last thing he knew was that Nellie loved Albert, it didn't make sense that she reacted to a slap that way. He didn't have a chance to question her beacause she continued yelling at him. "How could ya ever be like Albert?! Ya wanna know what he did - how exactly you remind me of him?" tears of hurt and anger were flowing down her face.
"Nellie - calm down -"
"NO!" Nellie screamed. "I will not calm down! Because you remind me of the man who beat me every day! Who threatened if I told anyone he'd kill me and force me to write something so it would look like suicide! The man who scares the shit out of me to this day, even though he's dead! I never told anyone! And this is how it all started, with a single slap!" her anger was turning into hysteria.
"And you're the first one to know about it! I thought the circumstances would be different, though. Thought you'd care. HA! As if you'd ever care about me! Go on - keep abusing me and I swear I will throw you onto the streets because you're nothing but a cold-hearted bastard who will never love me no matter how much I love you!" Nellie hadn't meant for that last part to slip, but it didn't matter anyway.
Sweeney was shocked, to say the least, about all the contents of Nellie's "little" outburst. Albert abusing her, her loving him. That was a bit much for one sitting. And to make things worse, Nellie has slumped to the floor, crying, if you could call it that, into her hands. It was more like hysterical sobbing. Sweeney cautiously made his way over to her.
"Nellie," his voice was softer than he would've liked. He touched her arm cautiously, as if it would bite. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I had no idea," about anything, he added in his thoughts. Nellie looked up.
"Sure, now ya care!" she spat. "Doesn't matter, I'll just go back downstairs," she said as she stood up. "I won't bother ya anymore," then she left and started down the stairs to her pie shop. Sweeney just stood there, dumbfound. He couldn't determine if it was best to go after her or leave her alone, so he just sat in his barber's chair and did nothing. Didn't even think. Just did nothing. While Sweeney did nothing, Nellie poisened herself, ending the painful life she couldn't tolerate anymore.
All this, because of a slap.
AN: Please review! :D I'll give you a cookie with Helena Bonham Carter's phone number on it if you do! :D