Chapter One

…His hand travelled down the length of her spine, making her shiver through the fabric of her dress. She could feel his hot breath on her neck, the moisture of his mouth on her collarbone. "Mr. T…" she breathed, their mouths coming together, melting into one another. She felt his hand on her cheek, his eyes staring wildly into her own. Still keeping his gaze locked on her, his hands moved upwards and they began to slowly and deliberately unlace her dress, exposing a line of white flesh. She muttered his name in delight, knowing that in a moment he would satisfy her every need…

Nellie Lovett awoke with a gasp, her already heavy heart sinking as she looked around her gloomy bedroom. Just a dream, just a bloody dream. She had been dreaming again, of him. She put a hand to her face, the touch she had so vividly felt in her dream still tingling on her skin. She knew he was upstairs, in a deep sleep that did not involve her, nor ever would. She was invisible to him, a mere instrument in his planned revenge against the ruthless Judge Turpin. Not that she blamed him, really. The blasted judge had taken everything from him, his wife, his daughter, and ultimately, his life and the man he used to be. With a heavy sigh she got herself out of bed, dressed herself and fixed her hair before making her way down to the kitchen where she found Toby waiting, his eyes wide with a big grin on his face.

" Mornin' mum!" he chirped.

"Good Morning, love," answered Mrs. Lovett, smiling at the boy as she lightly ruffled his hair. "Sit down and I'll make ya some breakfast, eh?" she said.

"I can 'elp you, mum, if you like," came Toby's quick reply.

"I'm fine, dear, but would you mind goin' to fetch Mr. T for me? Tell 'im 'is breakfast will be ready soon."

"'Course I will!" and with that he raced out the door, his footsteps banging up the staircase as he ran to Mr. Todd's room. Mrs. Lovett smiled to herself. What a sweet lad. She really did love that child. She had wanted a son since she was a little girl, for a long as she could remember. Toby was the answer to that. He was a splash of light in her otherwise gloomy days.

Her large dark eyes snapped to the door as she heard two sets of footsteps descending. Her usual touch of panic at this set in as she quickly eyes her reflection in a shiny metal pan, fiddling with her hair before hastily getting back to the tea she had put on the stovetop. The door to the kitchen opened, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was him- Sweeney Todd. He was the man who dominated her every thought, her every desire and fantasy. She shook herself slightly, tearing her eyes of his strong, dark form. "Morning, Mr. T!" she chirped, a little too loud and brightly, wincing at how that had come out.

"Morning," he grunted in reply, roughly yanking a chair out and sitting himself down in silence. Toby sat down across from him, nervously avoiding eye contact with Sweeney. Mrs. Lovett could feel the tension building in the room, her hands shaking slightly as she prepared the toast and eggs, pouring two cups of tea for herself and Sweeney.

"Here ya go, love," she said, placing a plate of toast and eggs in front of Sweeney. He grunted in thanks, picking up his fork and digging in. Toby was well close to finishing by the time she sat down herself. Keeping her gaze on Sweeney, she slowly sipped her tea. He really is beautiful, even brooding as he is. Sweeney continued to sit in silence, unusual even to himself. Strangely enough, their gazes kept finding their way back to each other's, before quickly snapping away.

With a loud clank Toby dropped his fork and knife. "Well, thanks for breakfast mum, gonna get a start on cleaning up around the shop," he said, breaking the silence.

"Thanks, love. What would I do without you," replied Mrs. Lovett with a small smile. Toby quickly walked out of the room, leaving Sweeney and herself to themselves. He'll never know, really, how much I want him. The truth was, she did want him. Terribly. It was a consuming type of love, she had for him. A need that only he could fulfill. Nellie Lovett had never really felt love, never really believed in it. Not until she met Benjamin Barker, the tenant who lived with his wife and daughter in the room over her meat pie shop. He treated her with the kindness and warmth that had been so long missing from her life, the kind of warmth she never got from her husband, Albert. It was the terrible Judge Turpin who had taken Mr. Barker away, sending him unjustly to prison. When he returned, he was not the gentle, proper Mr. Barker she had dreamt would return, but a new man. A man reborn by the power of hate and vengeance. Strangely enough, it was this man that she so desired. Not Benjamin, but Sweeney.

"Do you bloody ever stop staring, woman?" came Sweeney's voice, sharply piercing her thoughts. She shook herself, realizing she had been staring straight at him for a good minute or so.

"Sorry, Mr. T. Right lost track of me thoughts, I did," she spluttered he eyes growing wide and flustered. Why am I like this around him? He nodded, in a sort of acceptance to her excuse. She got up off the chair, beginning to clean up the dishes. Walking over to the sink, she set them down on the countertop, watching Mr. Todd as he got up himself, and made his way over to the doorway. Strangely, he stopped momentarily as he passed behind her. She felt his hand brush against her shoulder as she looked around to see him staring down at her with a strange look in his eye.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lovett, for the breakfast," was all he said, eyeing her up and down before striding out of the room to open his barber shop. Mrs. Lovett stared after him, her breath stopping for a moment. There was something strange in the way he had looked at her. A spark she had never before seen in the normally hollow, dark eyes of Sweeney Todd. A spark that looked almost like…it couldn't be…desire? She thought back to her dream the night before, all the little fantasies that kept her awake long after she blew out her bedside candle. Mr. T…She felt the all too familiar tingling feeling between her legs at the thought of him. She could not get those eyes; that look out of her head as she began to slowly wash the dishes. Mr. T…She knew she was a dreamer, and this may just be another one of her foolish imaginings, but for some reason it seemed as if this one might just be different. Maybe you have a chance after all, Nellie. Maybe the ominous Sweeney Todd is closer to reach than you may think.