Chapter 1
She lied to me.
That was his first thought upon examining his late wife's face. His Mrs. Lovett had lied to him.
He stroked the hair away from his Lucy's face, watching as some of her golden locks ran through her spilt blood, the crimson liquid glistening in the warm light from the open furnace.
Why? His heart ached, as if one of his own blades had punctured his chest.
"You knew she lived." He said his question more than asked it. It was a fact; nothing was left for debate or reconciliation.
"I was only thinking of you," he vaguely heard her say. He stroked Lucy's hair again, gazing confusedly upon her pale face.
"You lied to me." He tried to hold back the disbelief as he uttered that simple, agonizing statement.
He looked up at her, confusion and rejection filling his mind. Mrs. Lovett, his beloved pet, had been lying to him all along. Did that mean she didn't –
She started to walk towards him, saying something about how she'd never lied to him; she never said she'd died. He couldn't hear her after that. The thumping of his heart was too deafening.
Mr. Todd stared down at his deceased wife, moaning her name, as he tried to figure out why he was so confused. He loved Lucy, she was his reason and his…no Mrs. Lovett was now; he wasn't Benjamin Barker anymore! Lucy wasn't his wife; she was Barker's wife.
No! Lucy was his whole reason for his vengeful actions over the past few months. He was avenging her, wasn't he?
He looked down into her face again. As Mrs. Lovett's footfalls got closer, he realized that he no longer recognized the woman he was holding: not as Lucy…not as anyone…but another faceless victim whose throat was no longer whole.
He stood, moaning something incomprehensible even to himself, as Mrs. Lovett stepped closer all the while. Sweeney couldn't understand anything that was happening.
And my Lucy lies in ashes and I'll never see my girl again. He thought painfully.
NO! She's not mine; neither of them are. I'm NOT Ben Barker anymore!
He stood there before the corpses of his nemesis, his nemesis's right hand man and…
Suddenly, Mrs. Lovett's scent reached his nostrils. It struck him as odd at first. He'd been near her so often and yet he'd never really noticed it before: flour, cinnamon, fire. He started to relax…until the final scent reached him: daisies.
Wait, love, wait! She'd cooed to him that day in the upper room. His lips almost curled into a snarl.
She's the one who held me back. This would have all happened a long while ago if she hadn't –
He whirled around, his lips forming a cold and crafty smirk.
"Mrs. Lovett, you're a bloody wonder." Instantly, she retreated several steps, until she was up against the furthest wall.
"Eminently practical and yet appropriate as always." She gave him a look of confusion. His smile broadened. "As you've said repeatedly there's little point in dwelling on the past!" He reached out with both hands to her, one hand grasping his faithful – his only faithful – friend.
"Now come here, my love!"
She remained plastered against the wall, mumbling something about still getting married.
He sneered at her.
What do you think, you traitorous…?
He grabbed her shaking hand in his free one, encircling her waist with his other.
"The history of the world, my pet…" he sang to her.
He started dancing with her, swirling her around as he had that wonderful day all those weeks ago when this crude yet poetic agreement had been forged. When he had looked at her then, he'd seen a woman of beauty incomparable to any he'd ever known. He had marveled at her strength and bravery in his arms. When he looked on her pale face now, saw slight confusion changing rapidly into blissful remorse and forgiveness.
No fear blemished her face.
It never has.
He shook himself mentally, unable to understand the increasingly painful ache in his heart.
"…is learn forgiveness and try to forget." He swung her around, starring down into her enlightened eyes. Her eyes…
All he saw in her eyes as she beamed at him was kindness and compassion; in her smile, love, forgiveness, patience, understanding. In the way her hands were relaxed against his bloodied skin, all he felt was trust.
She's never been afraid of you…
His mind flashed back to their conversation not 5 hours ago.*
Not what you could do to me, Mr. T, but if you would hurt me.
He turned her faster now, trying to escape his inner pains.
Would you hurt, Mr. Todd?
His heart thumped against his chest, setting the pace for their death waltz.
She told me to wait.
"Life is for the alive, my dear!" He continued, smiling cruelly at her as they spun in the fire light.
I never want to hurt you, my pet, he breathed, brushing her soft lips with his own…
His mind was a blur.
Held me back…
His emotions out of control…
Mr. T, she had cooed into his hair…
…incomprehensible.
…as he sung a love song to the things that mattered most to him…
The warmth from the furnace lashed at his face.
"So let's keep living it…" His voice was strengthening to envelope the pain in his tone.
We could have a life us two…
"Just keep living it…" She sang along with him, all beauty and betrayal and redemption in his arms. He could feel the fiery tongues against his back as he turned from them one last time.
Her sweet, sweet smile… I love you, Mr. T.
As he dropped his hand from hers and grasped her shoulder, everything slowed down. Turning them back towards the fire, he saw how the light warmed her features. Her frightened, confused, …beautiful features…
No more waiting!
Down by the sea, she sang happily…
Held me back!
Her radiant smile…
She lied to me!
Mr. T!
"REALLY LIVING IT!" He cried with her, his heart wrenching as he turned them violently towards the flames of Hell that roared before them. He glanced down once more into her pale face and lovely eyes as he jerked her towards the furnace.
I love her.
"Mr. T!" she screamed.
He stopped them dead in their tracks.