Author's Note: Welcome to my new full-length Sweeney Todd story! So just so you know, this will be AU and only following the plot of the movie slightly. Slightly being the key word there. It is also Sweeney/OC. If that doesn't tickle your fancy, don't feel as if you have to read it.
Well, let's get this party started. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd. No part whatsoever, not even the barber himself. Sadly :(
Chapter One
Cold and stormy. Those were the two words that could be used to describe London at that current moment. The muddy streets made it impossible for carriages to travel in the rain. Equally so for a run-down gypsy carriage. Said carriage came to a slippery stop on the corner of Bouverie Street and Victoria Embankment. Only one passenger exited the carriage.
The young woman, who now stood on the street in the pouring rain, was dressed in a deep maroon, mid-calf length dress, shrouded by a black coat the same length. Her black half-boots were muddy as she continued to step around on the street. Her raven hair was plastered to her pale face as the rain pelted her, immediately contrasting her to her tanned gypsy companions. In one hand, she held a carpet bag holding her belongs while the other reached into her pocket and grabbed some florins, and paid the driver. She shouted something to him in Italian and then reached inside the carriage to grab her guitar. A woman inside beamed at the girl, and said in a thick Italian accent, "We will miss you, Madeline."
"As will I," Madeline said.
She looked to the driver and smiled. He reciprocated the smile and took the hat he was wearing and placed it on top of her head.
"Ciao, Madeline,"
"Goodbye, Leo. Grazie!" She smiled and waved. She walked around the carriage to get off of the road, and then watched as the carriage pulled away. She watched as it grew smaller and smaller, and then it was gone.
As she walked up Bouverie Street, Madeline tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. But the thought of never seeing her adoptive family again caused a few to fall.
Now is not the time to be crying, she thought. This is a new beginning.
With firm determination, Madeline continued down Bouverie Street and then turned a corner onto Fleet Street. The people she did see were rushing to find shelter from the rain, and she found it rather amusing. As she continued on, she began to feel a slight chill and decided that it was time that she found refuge as well. She became disheartened when she found that every shop she came across was already full to its maximum capacity.
Where am I supposed to go? she wondered. I need to find shelter fast.
Eventually, Madeline came to another street corner, where she found the answer to her unspoken question. Across the street from her was a two story building; the top story made distinguishable by a large window, and the bottom story, more easily accessible, had yellow lettering painted above several doors which read "Mrs. Lovett's ".
Praying to whatever God there was, Madeline ran across the street and opened the door to the pie shop. When she walked inside, she noticed how dark it was and that no one seemed to be there.
"Hello?" she called out.
No one answered her. Did no one hear the bell ring? she wondered.
Just then, a woman with wild, curly, dark brown hair walked in from a room on the side. She wore a black dress with dark red ruffles on the trim, which contrasted with her pale skin and seemingly tired brown eyes. As Madeline looked her over, she noticed that the woman had patches of flour on her dress.
"Mrs. Lovett's," she said. "Can I get ye a—well, my, you are soaked ain't ya?"
Madeline gave the baker a small smile. "Yes. I was just seeking refuge from the storm brewing outside."
Mrs. Lovett nodded and eyed the girl's luggage. "Ye from out of town?" she asked. Gesturing towards the table, she added, "Go ahead and sit down."
"Thank you," Madeline said. "Yes and no. I was born in London, but my parents died and I was left on the streets."
"Oh, you poor thing," the baker said as she made her way behind the counter.
Madeline shrugged. "It happened, and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm just lucky that a gypsy caravan found me first and not a workhouse."
"Gypsies?" Mrs. Lovett asked, eyebrow raised. "Well, I suppose it is the better arrangement, eh?"
"Very much so."
"Can I get ye somethin' to eat, love?"
Madeline shook her head. "I haven't anything to give you. All I have is florins."
"Oh, well, then. Don't worry about it. It's on me. Ye look hungry."
"If only you knew. We didn't bring much on our trip."
Mrs. Lovett placed a plate with a meat pie in front of Madeline and then walked towards the parlor and grabbed a bottle of gin. "Florins," she said as she walked back to the table with a glass. She poured some gin into the small glass and handed it to Madeline. "Ain't that Italian money?"
"Yes. The caravan I joined was from Rome. When we got enough money together, we got passage back to Italy, where they raised me as their own. A couple of months ago we were able to come back and I had decided that I was ready to be back in London. It hasn't changed much."
"Must 'ave been nice to be in a city like that, eh?" Mrs. Lovett asked, sitting in front of the girl.
"Yes," Madeline said. "It was absolutely beautiful."
The two of them sat in silence for a moment, giving Madeline time to eat the meat pie and take swig after swig of gin. The pie wasn't the best—it was horrible—but it was definitely better than some of the foods she had tasted over the years. The girl looked out the window and saw that it was still raining, but it had lightened up a bit.
This cheered Madeline a bit. Looking to Mrs. Lovett, she asked, "Do you know where the nearest inn is?"
Mrs. Lovett gave the girl a smile. "Now, I know wot you're thinkin', and you don't 'ave to worry about it. I've got a spare room ye can stay in."
Madeline's deep brown eyes widened. "Oh, no, ma'am. If it's all the same, I'll—"
"Nonsense," the baker said, getting up from her seat. "It'll be no trouble for me, dearie."
"But I haven't a way to pay you back."
"Don't worry a tick about it. Ye need a place to stay and got no money, in a sense. It'll be nice to 'ave a female around 'ere anyway."
Madeline beamed at the baker. "Thank you so much," she said. "If there's any way I can repay you—"
Mrs. Lovett interrupted her with a smile. "Ye can help me down 'ere in the shop, if you'd like."
"Thank you."
"Why don't I show ye to your room, eh? That way ye can get settled."
Madeline didn't hesitate one bit. She grabbed her belongings and followed Mrs. Lovett out a side door and then up a set of stairs. When they got to the top, they passed by another room to a door adjacent to it. Mrs. Lovett put the keys into the lock to get it opened.
"Who lives there?" Madeline asked, pointing to the shop next to her new room.
"Oh, just Mr. Todd. He's a barber, plies 'is trade there," Mrs. Lovett explained.
"Oh." Madeline jumped a little when the door to the small apartment opened.
The baker gestured her inside. It was bigger than she thought it was. There were no windows, but that didn't really bother Madeline. Next to the door, there was a small night stand. On the opposite wall from the door was a large wardrobe. Along the left wall was a four poster bed with pale white drapes and matching sheets and across from that was a small vanity. Madeline walked further into the room and placed her belongings on the bed.
"There's a washroom just down that small hall right there," Mrs. Lovett pointed out. "The washroom itself connects back to Mr. T's, so you'll 'ave to knock before goin' in."
Madeline nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Lovett. For everything."
"You're welcome, love. I'll leave ye to unpack, then."
With that, the baker left Madeline to unpack. She pulled her coat off and hung it on the door knob. She opened the wardrobe and placed her two other dresses in there, and then she placed her brush and stationary set on the vanity. All of her other trinkets were placed either in the drawers of the vanity, or on top of it with the rest of her things. Especially the picture of her mother and father that she managed to hold on to.
Deciding that it was best, Madeline grabbed one of her other dresses, a dark emerald green one, and change out of her soaked one. As soon as she was done, she ran the brush through her dark tresses and put it into a braid. Considering how long her hair was, it took a couple of minutes to do so. When she was done, she grabbed her soak clothes and headed for the washroom. Following Mrs. Lovett's advice, Madeline knocked on the door first. When no one answered, she carefully opened the door and placed her wet clothes on a rack for them to dry. She walked out, closing the door, and back into her room. She contemplated on what to do next. She felt that she should go back downstairs, but decided that she would rather strum on her guitar to relax from her long trip. It was only then that she realized that she left her guitar down stairs.
"Bugger!" she exclaimed.
Madeline walked back outside and down the stairs, not even giving the barbershop a second glance. She opened the door quickly.
"Sorry, I just left my guitar…" Madeline trailed off when she realized that Mrs. Lovett wasn't alone. There was a man standing at the counter talking to the baker. He was maybe a head taller than herself, with dark eyes and raven hair that matched hers, but had a strange, pure white streak of hair that started above the right eye. He was pale and lean, but still looked strong enough that he could hold his own. He also seemed as if he were suffering greatly from insomnia.
"I'm sorry," Madeline said. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Nonsense," Mrs. Lovett stated. "Nothin' ye need to apologize for, dearie. Mr. Todd and I were just talkin' about ye."
"Oh?" the girl asked.
"Yes." Looking towards the barber, she said, "Mr. T, this is our new neighbor, Miss…" Mrs. Lovett turned back towards Madeline. "Sorry, I never caught your name."
"Oh! Sorry, how rude of me!" Madeline stepped closer to the two and extended her hand to the barber. "Madeline Hayes. Pleasure to meet you."
Sweeney Todd regarded the girl in front of him before finally taking her hand. "Likewise," he murmured.
Madeline couldn't help but shiver at his touch. It was as cold as he was acting. She withdrew her hand and then looked around, anywhere but at his cool gaze. It was then that she found what she was looking for.
"Well, I know I interrupted something, so I'll just grab my guitar and head back to my room, and you can finish your conversation." With that, Madeline grabbed her guitar and out the side door to the stairs, up the stairs and into the safety of her room.
She never noticed a certain barber watching her as she made her escape.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you, and your reviews make me happy and motivate me as well. I have a Facebook page set up for updates and pictures for my fics, and all sorts of other awesomeness. There is a link for it on my profile, so feel free to drop on by. :)
~Xanthe :3
