A Passionate Betrayal
Summary: We all know the ending for the Barber, his wife, and the Baker, but what if we weren't told everything? What if what we know isn't the whole story, but a fragmented version? This, my friends, is the real story of a tragic pair known as the demons of Fleet Street.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd, I am merely a lover of the story and like to play with the characters. If you want to talk to the creative geniuses behind this wonderful piece, go find Steven Sondheim, Christopher Bond, and Tim Burton.
Chapter One: A Common Phrase
"You lied to me."
As Nellie Lovett looked into the flaming eyes of her beloved Sweeney Todd, she thought about all the times that phrase had influenced the courses of their lives.
"I didn't lie; I just never told you the whole story. I wanted ta protect you."
"Protect me? You call letting this happen, protecting me?" Sweeney swung his arm in a gesture to indicate the dead body of a formerly beautiful woman laying dead on the floor.
"I- "
"Lucy is dead and I don't know if I'll ever see Johanna again!"
"But Mista T—
"This is all your fault!"
He suddenly drew out his razor, already stained with the lifeblood of Judge Turpin.
"Please! You have to let me explain! There are things you need to know!"
"Like what?"
"Like the real reason Lucy took the poison!"
"You've already told me Lucy poisoned herself because of what the judge did to her. Don't you dare try to drag her into this!"
"But you don't know the real reason why she did what she did. I didn't tell you everything, so that you'd be spared from the truth."
"And what truth is that? What else could have possibly persuaded my wife to poison herself?"
"Not a what, a who. There's a girl-"
"And what's so important about her?"
"She's your daughter!"
Sweeney was taken aback by this. Surely by now Johanna should be far away by now with the sailor boy, Anthony.
"But Johanna-"
" It's not Johanna, you had another daughter. One you never really knew. Jus' put the razor down, love. I'll take you ta her."
Sweeney hesitantly put his razor back into its resting place in his belt. He was eager, in Sweeney terms, to meet this girl and to see if Mrs. Lovett was actually telling the truth.
"What about the boy?"
"I told him ta go buy some more gin, he'll be gone for hours. No need ta worry about him."
By this point Sweeney was slowly starting to approach Mrs. Lovett. He backed her up against the wall of the bake house and wrapped his hand around her throat.
"Take me to her. But if you lie to me one more time," he squeezed her throat threateningly, "You'll regret the day you were born."
Struggling to inhale, Mrs. Lovett gasped out, "I swear Mista Todd! I'm telling you the truth! Just let me go and I'll show you where she is. Please! I promise you!"
The baker drew in a breath of relief when he took his hands off her. Still gasping in air, she realized something.
"Mista T., before I take you to her, don't you think we should get rid of the evidence?"
Sweeney looked at the bodies of the Judge and Beadle, lying broken on the stone floor.
"Burn them," he said, turning to the body of his beloved Lucy.
"What about her?"
He bent down and lifted the corpse into his arms and started up the stairs.
"I'll take care of her."
She heaved a sigh of relief as she started to drag Bamford's bloated body to the oven.
"At least it ain't me lying on the ground yet."
Some time later, Nellie had finally managed to get rid of the two deceased men. She leaned against the wall breathing hard, as she processed everything that had happened that night. When she thought about how close she came to dying, tears started to well up in her eyes. Then, she realized the truth that she had denied Sweeney all those many years. She slid down the wall, finally letting the tear flow, weeping for them all. All her past sorrows came forward, but Nellie knew the pain that she was feeling would not, could not compare to that of the Barber's.
Nellie didn't know how long she had sat there, but the next thing she became aware of was the loud creaking of the heavy bake house door. Sweeney's heavy boot steps resounded throughout the room. But for Nellie's quiet sniffles and the fire in the oven, it was deathly silent.
"Get up!"
Nellie shot up off the floor, scrambling to her skirts in order. Her heart was pounding out a furious, fast-paced beat at the sudden reappearance of him.
"Ah! Mista Todd, you gave me a fright! I didn't expect you back so soon.
"Come here!"
She rushed forward at the growled command, dallying was not on the agenda for tonight. As she made her way to him, she caught a glimpse of something metallic on the ground. It was Sweeney razor! She reckoned that when he bent down to pick up Lucy, that it must have fallen off his belt. Ignoring the forgotten razor for now, lest Sweeney notice, she focused her attention back to the man in front of her.
"I want to see her," he said quietly.
"Alright, I'll take you ta see her tonight."
She opened her mouth to say something else, but he had already turned and started back up the stairs. While his back was turned towards her, Nellie dashed over to the fallen razor and stashed it in the bodice of her gown. She knew she might need it later.
A/N: Alright, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Constructive criticism is much appreciated; this is my first fanfic, so I need your help to improve. This is un-betaed, so if you find any mistakes, don't be afraid to tell me. I have no idea how long this might be or when I might be able to update. I'm currently in some heavy classes, (Curse you Anatomy and Physiology II!) so updates may be sporadic. Stay with me please and I hope to hear from you!