Well I just want to start off by saying MERRY CHRISTMAS! I know it's 2 days early but who cares? :)
Here is a random little three parter that came to be while decorating the christmas tree. I wasn't sure whether I would get it written in time but I have put aside revision to get it finished for you all as it would not leave my head or let me consentrate. So if I fail my exams I blame Sweeney and Nellie entirely!
For all those waiting for the sequel to Courage, the first chapter will be up in the New Year. It was back-benched a little because of this but now this is finished I can crack on with it again.
This is unbeta-d so any mistakes are 100% my fault :D Please review, every one will get a christmas-y thankyou from me.
DISCLAIMER: Sadly I do not own any of the characters you recognise, only the ones you don't. However if anyone wants to get me Sweeney or Nellie for Christmas I will make you Christmas-y cookies...
Chapter 1 – Christmas Past
Sweeney Todd was in a foul mood. No one had come up to the shop all day. Yes he was aware it was Christmas Eve but frankly he didn't care. He had stayed open and therefore expected people to be polite enough to pop in for a shave in thanks for him being such a dedicated barber for them. But they weren't and this was annoying him.
Deep down he knew he was being ridiculous. Before he had been arrested he used to love Christmas. It was his favourite time of year. The celebrations, the decorations, the gifts; he had loved every minute of it. But the judge had destroyed that. Just like he had destroyed the rest of his life. And this year was his first Christmas back from Australia and he had to spend it alone. Well... he didn't have to spend it alone; Mrs. Lovett had been pestering him for weeks about him spending it with her but every time he had refused. All he could think about was Lucy and how this was another Christmas she wouldn't be celebrating, or Joanna and how she would spend yet another year locked up with the judge.
A tentative knock on the door snapped Sweeney from his thoughts. Spinning round he grinned sadistically, "You will see blood today." He mumbled to the razor in his hand he'd been flicking open and closed as he strode to the door. Opening the door, the polite smile he'd donned soon dropped as he saw not a customer but Toby hovering in his doorway, looking up at him nervously.
"What do you want boy?" He growled, flicking the razor open to show the silver blade, its shine enhanced by the sun reflecting off the thick snow blanketing London.
"M...Mrs. Lovett sent me up sir. Ter see if I can 'elp. It's deserted downstairs. She wondered if yer might be busier." He said with a slight quiver in his voice.
Sweeney grinned at the effect he had on the lad, "Not unless you want to show my razor some blood this morning." He spat, watching as the boy stepped away from him, "So if not, clear off!" he yelled, watching as Toby turned and dashed down the stairs, slipping on more than he stepped on due to the snow.
Sweeney slammed the door behind him, a grin lighting up his face. He was feeling slightly better from that. Striding over to his chair he slumped down and held his razor up in front of him, turning it from side to side and watching as the light reflected from it, casting shapes on the walls of his shop.
-x-
Nellie dropped her cloth into the bucket with a sigh. Bending backwards she placed her hands in the small of her back and stretched, enjoying the relief in her aching muscles. The door being opened so forcefully she thought it might be ripped from its hinges made her jump and straighten up. She watched as Toby dashed in and slammed the door behind him, out of breath and clutching his side.
"I asked yer ter go an' see Mr. Todd not run a bloody marathon." She said, turning away from the boy to slip behind the counter.
"Ran away from 'im I did." He said between breaths, "He threatened me. 'Ad 'is razor at me throat. In a right bad mood 'e is. I'd stay away from 'im today ma'am."
"I'm sure yer exaggeratin'. I'll go an' see 'im now." She said, heading for the front door.
"I wouldn't." Toby said desperately.
Nellie turned to face him, an exasperated look on her face, "Look dear. I'll be fine. It's Mr. T! It's only you 'e seems ter 'ave a grudge against." She said as she disappeared out the front door, "Along with the rest of humanity." She mumbled as she carefully ascended the stairs to his door. Without knocking she let herself in, frowning when she saw an empty shop. "Mr. T?" She called softly, wandering into the shop and towards the window.
Before she had a chance to realise what was happening, she felt an arm go round her shoulders from behind and the cool metal of a blade pressed to her neck. Gasping, she reached up to try and remove the blade, only to find her hands couldn't reach, they were pinned to her sides by the arm around her shoulders. "Mr. T." She whispered desperately, "Please love. I don't know what you're playin' at but let me go." She said, trying hard to push the thoughts of his body pressed up to her back to the back of her mind. Now was certainly not the time.
"I have not seen a customer all day Mrs. Lovett. Tell me why I should not treat my blade to your blood instead." He growled into her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck.
Nellie sighed raggedly, partly out of fright and partly out of lust. Finding herself speechless she tried to turn her head to face the barber only to have the blade nick her skin from the movement, the thin line of crimson fascinating the barber as he watched it trail slowly down her pale neck. "Please Mr. T." She gasped, "Yer've 'ad it now, me blood. Now please, let me go." She said, only half hoping he listened to her pleas.
She felt the blade being pressed deeper into the wound, causing the trickle to become a stream and a sharp pain to spread through her body, the bright red staining the white of her skin. Closing her eyes, Nellie held her breath, sure this was the end. As quickly as it began, she felt the blade being removed and the arm was ripped away from her as she was trust away from the barber, ending up on her hands and knees on the floor. Turning quickly, she looked up to see the barber staring at her coldly, her blood covered razor still in his hand.
"Get out." He growled, expression changing to anger when she showed no sign of movement, "I said. Get. Out." He growled.
Nellie didn't need asking again. Stumbling to her feet, she almost ran across the shop and out the door, straight down the stairs and into the shop, ignoring the curious looks from Toby as she headed straight for her room and locked the door. Seating herself at her dressing table, she placed a tentative finger on her wound, pressing it gently and flinching as a fresh stream of blood oozed from the line. Reaching for a cloth, she dipped it in the china bowl of tepid water that was still left from the morning and gently wiped the blood from her neck, scooting round the still bleeding cut. Rinsing the cloth, the touched the wound gently, wiping any traces of what had happened, hissing each time she pressed too hard. When she was satisfied it was clean enough, she quickly undressed and pulled an old high necked dress out of her wardrobe. Slipping in it quickly, she placed a clean cloth against her neck, hidden by the collar to cover the wound, and headed back out into the shop as if nothing had ever happened.
-x-
He had held out for a customer all day and most of the evening but at half past eight in the evening, Sweeney Todd finally flipped the sign over to read 'closed'. With a deep sigh, he trudged across the shop and through the door at the other end into the little parlour, slumping down on the couch he had sat on so many times with his little daughter in his lap. 'Not that many times' his mind commented as he closed his eyes and tried to imagine Lucy breezing into the parlour now, a smile on her face and their daughter in her arms.
The corners of Sweeney's lips twitched into something that could almost be considered a smile as his imagination continued to haunt him with pictures of long winters evenings curled up on this very couch with his family, a family ripped apart by one man's jealousy. Sighing heavily, Sweeney reached up one hand and rubbed his across his forehead and eyes.
A loud, rhythmic knocking from the parlour door snapped him from his thoughts. Sitting bolt upright, his eyes shooting open, he frowned. The knocking stopped and, believing it to be the wind or his overactive imagination, he relaxed slowly again back onto the couch. The knocking came again a few moments later, louder this time, making the door rattle and shake each time it was hit. Jumping up and whipping his razor from the holster, he unsheathed it and held it poised in front of him. Perhaps it would see blood today, he thought as he reached out and turned the handle.
Stepping back to open the door, Sweeney jumped when it flew open as if being caught in a strong gust of wind. A striking pale grey light illuminated the whole room, blinding the barber and causing him to shield his eyes. Slowly, the glow dimmed and, peering through his fingers, Sweeney saw what he thought looked like a very old and worn man stood in the doorway. Taking his hand away, he raised the razor once again and stepped forward, about to slash the blade across his neck.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The man said, his voice echoing in the small room.
Sweeney froze, staring at the man. There was definitely something not right about him. Shaking off all feelings of doubt he stepped forward, his razor still out in front of him. "And why shouldn't I?" he growled, watching with confusion as the man merely walked past him and took a seat on his couch, staring up at the bemused barber with nothing more than casual interest.
"Because I may be your only life line." The man said, brushing his long grey robe over his knees.
It was at this point that Sweeney took a proper look at the man. He was very old and withered looking with matted grey hair and an untidy beard. He wore a grey tunic and a floor length robe that just showed his sandaled feet poking out from underneath. But the strangest thing of all was the rope around his neck. Sweeney rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, deciding he must be dreaming. "Who are you?" He asked, hating himself as his voice came out almost like a whisper.
"I am no one of consequence." The man said dismissively, "However, who you meet later on will be."
Biting his lip and frowning, Sweeney sheathed his razor and stepped towards the couch. The man was examining something on the back of his hand and only paying the barber attention when he spoke, only making Sweeney more and more confused, "And er... who... who will I meet tonight?" the barber asked, watching as the man let his hand fall into his lap. Looking up, he smiled at Sweeney like he was a confused child.
"Three spirits. The ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present and the ghost of Christmas yet to come." He said with a disinterested smile.
Sweeney laughed humourlessly, "Of course, of course I will." He said, rubbing his hand over his forehead, "And er... why will I be meeting these spirits? And come to think of it, why are you sat in my parlour?"
The man stood up and looked at Sweeney bluntly, "You will be meeting the spirits because you are in desperate need of help. You can no longer continue on this path of self destruction and the destruction of all those around you, some of which are even mad enough to feel something for you. Pushing them away and hurting them like you are doing now will only end badly, not only for them but for you. And those you still hold in your heart. As for me I have no idea why I am here. Unfortunately we don't get to pick who we come and warn otherwise I can assure you I would have picked someone significantly more interesting than you." The man said, watching with amusement as Sweeney flicked open his razor and swung it at him, the blade simply sweeping through the man and coming out clean on the other side. Sweeney's expression when from pure rage to pure horror in a matter of seconds. "Feel better for that?" The man asked.
Sweeney looked down at the razor in his hand, wide eyed and shaking slightly, "Who the hell are you?" He hissed at the man, his eyes darting between the blade and him.
"I was like you Mr. Todd. Although perhaps a slightly less extreme version. I was hell bent on avenging the murder of my wife. I killed many a man, anyone I thought was involved in her death died at my hands. I did not get away with it for long. I was caught very quickly and suffered a long, painful and humiliating death." He said, touching the rope around his neck. Sweeney finally understood, "And this is the way you are heading. You are making enemies of your accomplices Mr. Todd. A bad idea in your game. You need to take a step back and look at the important things in life, the things that really matter."
Sweeney frowned, not convinced. "And why should I? Why should I listen to anything you're telling me?"
The man laughed, his image slowly fading, "You have absolutely no reason to! But I do urge you to listen to the spirits. The first will be here for you very soon." He said, his last words a mere echo as his whole body faded, leaving only a cold chill in the air.
Sweeney was frozen to the spot, staring at the place where the man had just been. Swallowing dryly, he rubbed his hand across his face. He must have been seeing things, that was the only explanation, seeing things due to being overtired.
Sighing heavily, he wandered back round to the other side of the couch and slumped down, closing his eyes and trying to forget that anything out the usual had happened. Just as he felt himself beginning to relax, a cold chill swept through the room. Deciding he must have left a window open, he relaxed again and allowed the first waves of sleep to tug at his subconscious.
A sharp gust of wind hit him front on, whistling through his ears along with a high pitched voice. Snapping his eyes open, he shot up from the couch onto to see a bright glow coming from ahead of him. From the light emerged a figure dressed in white and covered in what looked like green wreaths. Sweeney stood, mouth open in disbelief as a beautiful blonde woman stepped out of the glow and towards him, a radiant smile on her red lips.
"Sweeney Todd?" she asked, her voice light and airy. Sweeney nodded dumbly, all the time trying to convince his mind he was once again seeing things, "I am the first spirit, you have be told about me." She said, taking another step closer to him so they were side by side. Sweeney nodded again, looking down at her in confusion, "I am the ghost of Christmas Past." She added with a smile.
"Past?" Sweeney mumbled, "Long past?"
"Your past." She hummed, "I will show you your past."
"But I've seen it already. I've lived through it. So why do I need you to show me it?"
The woman smiled and held out her hand to him, "You have only seen it through young eyes Mr. Todd. And besides, there were many moments in time you did not witness, many which you should know about now. So take my hand and I will show you." She said, gesturing to her still outstretched hand. Sweeney paused, looking dubiously at the silvery translucence of the spirit's palm. "Please Sir, take my hand." She encouraged.
Deciding he had nothing to lose, Sweeney stretched his hand out and took the Spirits, a cold rush and a blinding light enveloping him as soon as his skin touched hers. As quickly as it started, Sweeney realised the Spirit was no longer holding his hand and the golden light was no longer rushing through his eyelids. Opening his eyes, he frowned as he looked around him.
They weren't on Fleet Street anymore but a respectable looking road with houses on either side. The road was free from snow, now only wearing a thin covering of frost that twinkled like diamonds in the moonlight. Looking up at the rows of houses he realised he was in the street where he had grown up. Wandering along the road, he stopped in front of house number 8. His childhood home. A rare smile tugged at his lips as he caught the shadow of a person moving around inside.
"So you recognise it then?" The spirit said, her voice making him jump.
Sweeney nodded, his eyes never leaving the window. "It's where I grew up." He said quietly, "There's people inside. Is that us? My family?" he asked, turning his head to look at her. He watched as she nodded slowly, "How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"We'll go in and see shall we?"
Sweeney frowned and shook his head, "And how will we explain that?"
The spirit simply smiled and walked through the iron gate, "We're invisible." She said, striding up the track and straight through the front door. Sweeney jogged up the path after her, letting himself in the door as quietly as he could. The sounds of cheery music and laughter hit his ears as soon as he stepped over the threshold. Following the sound, he wandered straight through into the parlour, almost keeling over in shock at what he saw.
At the far side of the room was himself, a lot younger, probably ten or eleven, talking to his father. Sweeney smiled at the sight; even today he sorely missed his father and regretted the fact that he had passed away while he was imprisoned meaning he couldn't go to his funeral. Tearing his eyes away from them, he scanned the rest of the room, picking out faces that he recognised and didn't. Eventually, his eyes came to rest on a young girl stood with a woman on the other side of the room. She was the only other child there and must have been about a year younger than himself. Sweeney smiled slightly as he realised who it was. Nellie Lovett; or Carpenter as she was before she married. It was then when it clicked that this must have been the Christmas when they were introduced.
Eyes flicking from himself to Nellie, Sweeney frowned; surely it must be any time soon. He remembered it still, the awkward introduction when his father and her mother led them over to each other and told them they would be good company for one another. Just as the clock on the mantelpiece stuck ten, the two parents grasped their child's hand and led them towards the other, knowing smiles on their faces. Sweeney stepped back, not wishing to hear the conversation played out once again, only wishing that the spirit would show up and they could go home.
As it on cue, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw the spirit, a smile on her face. "Are you ready?" she asked, as she held out her hand. Sweeney nodded and took it, dreading where they would show up next.
-x-
The first thing Sweeney thought when he found himself back outside on the same street was that she had just transported them outside. It was only when he noticed the thick blanket of snow that he realised they had indeed moved to a different time. Looking round, he tried to work out what he was going to see next. Catching sight of a front door being opened a little way down the street, Sweeney wondered down far enough to make out a young lady leaving the house, a thick dress and fur shawl covering most of her to Sweeney's gaze. He knew who she was though, the pile of auburn curls atop her head gave her away too easily.
He watched with interest as she glanced down the street before setting off at a quick pace away from them, checking over her shoulder every now and then. Sweeney looked across at the spirit, surely they wouldn't have come here just to see that. "Follow her." She said when she saw Sweeney's inquiring gaze.
Nodding, he turned and strode down the street, almost jogging to catch up with her. Staying a few paces back, he watched her every move. As she turned her head back once more, it suddenly occurred to him just how beautiful she was. Shaking the thought from his head he sped up a bit to try and catch the mumbled words falling from her cold blue lips.
"I cannot take this unknowing anymore Sir. You will set me straight. I wish to know your intentions. It is not fair to keep me guessing in this way." She said between heavy breaths producing steamy clouds.
Sweeney fell back, the crunch crunch of her boots on the snow masking any words she might have said afterwards. He knew where she was going and he wasn't sure whether he wanted to stick around and watch. His legs seemed to have other ideas though as he found himself unable to turn back and avoid watching the encounter.
It didn't take long for Nellie to reach the end of the street where a right turn into a narrow road took her to the park where she would be meeting Benjamin Barker. Sweeney knew the younger him would be sat on a bench by a large willow tree at that moment, thinking about how he was going to ask the young lady if he could court her.
It didn't take Sweeney long to spot the young man, impeccably dressed with a warm smile on his face as Nellie neared him. He couldn't help but smile as Benjamin strode towards her and took her hands in his, kissing them tenderly before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leading her towards the bench. Sweeney wandered closer as they sat down, forgetting he didn't need to be as quiet as he was trying to be. Standing to the side of the bench, he watched as Nellie tried to run through the speech she'd prepared, only to find herself stumbling over her words. Sweeney remembered thinking at the time she was about to tell him she didn't want to see him anymore. How wrong he'd been.
When Nellie eventually managed to get her point across, a wide grin spread across Benjamin's face. He took her hands in his again and pressed them over his heart. Sweeney could remember what he had said to her quite clearly, but stepped forward to hear it off his own lips instead.
"Your words have given me hope my dear. For I have felt something for you since we were very young but thought you merely saw me as a dear friend. You don't know how it pleases me to think that you may in fact have feelings for me also. Now I will of course ask your father, but I wanted to speak with you first. Would you allow me to pay court to you my love? Would you make me the happiest man?" he asked, a slight quaver in his voice as he looked into her eyes nervously.
There was a brief pause before Nellie flung herself into his arms, her head buried in his shoulder as she both laughed and cried at the same time. Sweeney stepped closer, wanting to hear her words again. "I was so worried you didn't want to see me again. That you'd found someone else. Oh Benjamin you are the only man I would be happy with." She said, her words muffled by his clothing.
Sweeney felt the spirit's presence by his side and sighed deeply, "We were so happy then." He stated, watching as Nellie lifted her head and untangled herself from Benjamin's arms.
"You still could have been." She replied, her eyes on his face.
"No. Not after what happened. She ruined things." He grumbled, turning away from the pair as Nellie stood up, pulling Benjamin with her before the pair wandered away arm in arm.
"That's what you think. We still have much to see. Do you wish to follow them?" she asked. Sweeney shook his head firmly. "Well take my hand then, and we can move on." Sweeney did as he was told and once again felt the cold rush spread through his body.
-x-
When Sweeney's eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting, he realised he was back in his parlour. The room had been redecorated from their last visit so he guessed he must have been about nineteen. Looking round he noted the ivy and holly draped around the room, along with the sprig of mistletoes above the fireplace.
Voices coming from the hallway made him spin around in time to see his family and Nellie's family flood through the door into the room. Nellie and Benjamin walked in arm in arm a few moments later. Frowning, Sweeney tried to work out what he was supposed to be here to watch. As far as he could see, it was just another of their usual big family Christmases. It was only after almost half an hour of watching and waiting that everyone began to file back out of the room, presumably heading to the dining room. Sweeney watched with interest as Benjamin grasped Nellie's arm gently and held her back, pulling her under the mistletoe when everyone else had left. Wandering further into the room, Sweeney listened in to their mumbled conversation.
"You know what you have to let me do now don't you?" Benjamin asked softly, stroking her cheek tenderly with the backs of his fingers.
Nellie blushed and looked away, nodding slightly. Sweeney shook his head, thinking about how much the woman had changed in her life. Fascinated, he watched as Benjamin cupped her chin and turned her head back towards him before leaning down and pressing a soft, chaste kiss to her parted lips.
"That wasn't so bad was it?" Benjamin asked with a smile as Nellie cuddled closer to him. Running his hand slowly up her back, she looked up at him before rising up on tiptoes and pressing her lips to his once again. Benjamin smiled against her before pulling away. "I have something to tell you my darling. And I wanted to tell you at Christmas." He said quietly. Nellie cocked her head slightly and looked up at him with big adoring eyes. "I've been wanting to say this for a while but didn't know how." He paused, biting his lips slightly, "I love you Nellie Carpenter. And I believe I shall do for the rest of my life."
Sweeney stepped to the side slightly so he could watch Nellie's reaction. Although really, he didn't need to; he'd never forgotten that face. Watching the pair of them like this stirred something inside of the barber, something which he had thought was long buried. Turning away just as Benjamin leant down and kissed her again, Sweeney strode back over to the spirit again, the anger on his face only masking the pain he felt underneath.
"That's it. I've seen enough. Take me home." He demanded, holding out his hand for her.
The Spirit simply shook her head and smiled, "But you have not seen all there is to see. You have only seen half the story. We still have places to go Mr. Todd." She said, taking his hand once more.
-x-
It took Sweeney a long time to get his bearings before it hit him that they were in the parlour of Nellie's childhood house. It was bigger than theirs meaning they often held large Christmas parties a few days before Christmas. The room was already beginning to fill with guests making it more difficult for him to pick out himself and the baker. After scanning the room for several minutes, his eyes finally came to rest on Nellie. However she wasn't with Benjamin, but with a woman Sweeney remembered as being her mother. Pushing through the growing crowd, Sweeney strained to hear what they were talking about over the chatting.
"But I don't want to meet him mother." Nellie exclaimed, "I don't need to, for I have Benjamin." Sweeney frowned, trying to think who her mother could be trying to introduce her to.
"But young Mr. Barker has no prospects my dear, no direction. I want to make sure my daughter will be well cared and provided for when she is an old woman." Nellie's mother said, smiling sweetly at her daughter. It suddenly hit Sweeney what this was all about, making his blood boil still after all these years.
"Benjamin does have prospects mother!" Nellie exclaimed, "He has an apprenticeship with a barber, and a very good one at that." She added, a look of pride flashing across her face. Sweeney couldn't help but smile slightly at her defensiveness over him.
"Please darling, just say you'll meet him. For me. You never know, you might even prefer him to Mr. Barker." The woman said, taking Nellie's arm and steering her towards the other corner of the room. Sweeney caught a young looking Albert Lovett looking hungrily over at Nellie as her mother led him towards him, the look on his face making Sweeney want to punch it off.
Following them, he heard Nellie's mother introduce the pair before leaving them together, Nellie backed into a corner making escape difficult. He watched as her eyes darted round the room, full of fear but something that also looked like hope. Sweeney realised that she must be looked for Benjamin and hoping he would come and rescued her. They had barely been talking for a few minutes when Albert stepped towards her and took her hand, the protective side of Sweeney making him want to stride over and slice his throat through. But he realised he couldn't. This was the past, it had already happened.
Suddenly, Nellie's eyes widened in horror. Sweeney turned around only to wish he hadn't. Stood in the doorway was a shocked looking Benjamin barker. His eyes flicking from Nellie to Albert, he failed to notice the look on her face, striding straight to the far side of the room. Turning back to Nellie, Sweeney watched with a tightly clenched jaw as Albert leaned forward and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Sweeney whipped round to see if Benjamin was watching. He was.
The spirit's hand on his shoulder made him spin round to face her. She was wearing a sad smile on her red lips, "If only you'd arrived to the party a few minutes earlier." She hummed, taking his arm and leading him through the doorway and to the kitchen where Benjamin had just stormed into.
Sweeney pondered over the spirit's words as he allowed her to lead him to the kitchen, wondering what might have happened if it weren't for being delayed on the way to the party. He tried to shake off the thought but found it difficult now he knew it wasn't wholly Nellie's fault for the way things had ended. In the doorway to the kitchen where two young ladies. Sweeney thought they would be carrying on through but the spirit stopped them to listen. Sweeney frowned before freezing when he realised one of them was his Lucy. Swallowing dryly, he tried to turn away only to find his legs frozen. He didn't want to hear what his dear sweet wife had to do with this sorry mess. For he assumed it was something if the Spirit had taken him to her.
Looking across to the woman Lucy was with, he recognised her as Katherine Christophers, a strikingly beautiful but devious woman who Lucy had always been friends with. Stepping closer, Sweeney felt his stomach turn when he heard their conversation.
"Well he won't want her now will he?" Katherine said, brushing a brunette curl behind her ear, "Not now he's seen that baker's boy all over her. You've get a lot to thank me for Luce, introducing her family to the Lovetts."
Lucy nodded and smiled, "I am grateful, but I can't help but feel a bit sorry for her. I mean, they were so in love." She said, the smile falling from her face.
"And he will fall in love with you. Just bat those pretty eyes lashes and smile that charming smile and he won't be able to resist. Besides, you had your eye on him before she did so he's yours by right. Not get in there before Miss Carpenter comes back." Katherine said.
Lucy smiled with more conviction this time, "I suppose your right. After all, I did know him before she did."
Katherine smile mischievously, "Exactly. And your far more beautiful and would make a far better wife than she ever would. Now go in there and get him!" she said, pushing Lucy through the doorway.
Sweeney was frozen to the spot, completely unable to move, to comprehend what had just happened. So Nellie had been set up. Her family had been set up. It was all just one big plan to get Lucy with him. Sweeney clenched his jaw. And he's been fool enough to fall for it. When all along the woman who truly loved him had been the innocent and had had to stand by and watch. He suddenly felt a desperate need to run in and shake Benjamin by the shoulders, to explain that he couldn't fall for Lucy, the dear sweet Lucy he would go onto worship for years to come. But he realised he couldn't. He would end up married to a woman who was not the one she appeared to be. He would end up married to a woman like Katherine Christophers.
Walking into the kitchen slowly, feet dragging on the floor, he watched as Lucy floated up to him, pretending to bump into him when he turned with his drink. Sweeney could see from Benjamin's eyes straight away that he was still thinking about Nellie. Even as he looked down at the beautiful blonde woman, now stained in Sweeney's eyes, his mind was still elsewhere. Lucy seemed to sense that and went to walk past but Benjamin reached out and grabbed her hand. Sweeney remembered why. He remembered the feeling well. Revenge. That was it. She had hurt him so he would hurt her. And that was why Benjamin led her into the parlour by her hand. Sweeney knew what would happen for the rest of the evening, he would talk and laugh with Lucy, all the while thinking it was the right thing to do, the right thing to help him forget about Nellie and how she had betrayed him. But he remembered her being on his mind all night.
Turning to the spirit, he looked at her with pleading eyes, "May we leave now?" he asked, trying to ignore the airy laughter of Lucy coming from behind him. The Spirit nodded and held out her hand which Sweeney gladly accepted.
-x-
Sweeney heard the sobbing before he saw anything. The room was dark bar a small candle flickering on the far side of the room. Stepping towards it, Sweeney froze in shock when he realised he was in a bedroom, and, judging by the occupant of the bed, it was Nellie's bedroom. Sweeney turned to the Spirit, an uncomfortable look on his face, "I can't be here." He mumbled.
"She can't see you." The Spirit answered.
Sweeney sighed and turned back to Nellie. Slowly he paced over, crouching when he reached the side of her bed, "Why is she sad?" he asked, deep down knowing the answer.
"This was an unexpected stop. I thought you might like to see what Miss Carpenter did after everyone had gone home from the party. This was how she spent the night. And the following nights right up until she married Albert Lovett when she couldn't cry herself to sleep any longer."
Sweeney reached out a hand and stroked her forehead softly. He knew she couldn't feel it but it comforted him slightly knowing he was watching over her. Feeling an unfamiliar feeling tug at his insides, he withdrew his hand, kidding himself into believing it was not happening. But he knew it was, no matter how much he tried to deny it. He was falling for her again. Not that he's ever really stopped loving her deep down. Standing up and stepping away from the bed, he tried to run though all the reasons why he shouldn't let himself get involved with her again. The judge, the beadle, his revenge, Joanna. As he thought about it, they all centred around Lucy. The woman who had started all this mess in the first place.
Pushing the thoughts away, he turned to the Spirit, "I don't know why you thought I would have liked to see this. Because I didn't. Now please, take me home."
The Spirit shook her head, "We have not finished yet." She said, grasping his hand and plunging them both into darkness again.
-x-
Getting tired of this, Sweeney did not hurry to attempt to figure out where he was. However, after a few moments when he still hadn't worked out his location, he began to look around more carefully. He hadn't recognised the place without Christmas decorations but it was in fact Nellie's kitchen. He felt an overwhelming sense of loathing as footsteps from a door on the corner carried in Nellie's mother. She was humming and singing. Something had obviously happened; Sweeney never remembered her looking so pleased with herself.
A creak behind him made him spin round, the sight in front of him making his heart stop. Standing in the doorway, a mere ghost of her former self, was a tired and pale looking Nellie Carpenter. Frowning as his eyes trailed her thin, night gown clad body, he wondered why he never remembered seeing like this. Until he realised. She barely went out. She would have heard stories of her former boyfriend and Lucy spending most of their time together but after the party she had barely left the house.
Mrs. Carpenter span round to see her daughter, a smile lighting up her face, "Darling!" She said a little too cheerily, "I have some good news for you. Mr. Lovett has been to see your father and has asked for your hand in marriage. And your father has said yes. Isn't this wonderful darling! Although I can't quite understand what he would see in you at the moment. You look positively sickly."
Sweeney looked to Nellie for some kind of response, anything to show him the old Nellie was in there somewhere. It didn't come. She looked like a defeated little girl, shrinking away from her mother and avoiding eye contact, "Don't I get any say in it?" she croaked, her voice hoarse and dry form crying.
Mrs. Carpenter frowned and straightened up, obviously never considering her daughter would object, "Well, yes, I suppose. But I wouldn't advise it dear. This is a very good offer. I should take it while it's there." She said, turning back to the glass of water she'd been pouring.
Nellie sniffed, a lone tear sliding down her already tear streaked cheek, "Alright. It's not like anyone else will be asking me the question now is it?" she said.
Mrs. Carpenter span round, a cheery smile still on her face, "What was that love?" she asked. Nellie simply nodded. Her mother got the picture, "Oh I'm so pleased sweetheart. We mustn't hand around though, there are things to do." She said, sweeping past Nellie and through into the parlour.
As soon as Mrs. Carpenter was out of earshot, Nellie let the tears fall freely, slumping down in the doorway. Sweeney was shocked at how small and vulnerable she looked. He wanted to rush over and help her, comfort her but he knew it was no use. He had caused this. Nellie had had to live through this.
"We can go now. If you feel ready." The Spirit said. Sweeney turned to her, head bowed.
"Yes please." He mumbled, his head full of regrets, "But, home this time?" he asked. The Spirit nodded and held out her hand which Sweeney gratefully took.
-x-
Sweeney opened his eyes and found himself on his couch in his parlour. Looking round quickly, he tried to determine whether or not it had been a dream. Slowly he stood up trying to find something that proved it was real. He frowned when he realised deep down he wanted it to be real, he wanted Nellie to be the innocent.
But that would make Lucy guilty.
Something on the floor under the couch caught his eye. Crouching down, he stretched under and pulled out a waxy green leaf. Turning it over in his hand he decided this was the proof he needed.
Striding through the door and down the stairs, Sweeney crept through Nellie's parlour and up to her bedroom door. Slowly, he turned the handle, pushing the door open quietly as he peered round. She was lying on the bed, wrapped up in her blankets and thrashing round wildly. Clearly she was dreaming. Sweeney felt torn. Should he go in, wake her. But then that would mean he would have been in her room to discover she was dreaming. But did that matter? Sighing heavily, he closed the door behind him and wandered back into the parlour, finding him unable to venture any further into her room.
Slumping down in her comfy chair by the fire, he closed his eyes again, enjoying the warmth of the flames. Slowly he felt himself drifting off and he did not resist. If he was asleep, he could escape the torment his mind was going through.
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