That night, when Toby heard the screams from Mrs. Lovett and smelled her burning skin, a part of him died. Disappeared in the fire, along with the only mother he'd ever had. He knew he would never be whole again.
He picked up a fallen razor and moved forward. The demon sat there, holding a dead woman in his arms. Toby recognized her as the beggar woman who Mrs. Lovett told him to throw out when they served her pies to costumers.
Mrs. Lovett. Mum. You're gone forever, you will never make anymore pies, never smile again, talk, sing… Or hug me and tell me everything is gonna be alright…
Most of all, Toby wanted to sit down in the bake house and cry, until he died as well. But some part of him told him that he couldn't let the demon live. What if he killed more people, someone else's mother…
Strangely, sitting like that he didn't look like a demon. He didn't even scare Toby anymore. Because when he looked into the eyes of the man who killed his mother, he saw nothing but sorrow. The man Toby used to fear now lifted his head and laid his throat bare, waiting for Toby to slit it. Wanting him to.
Maybe that was why he hesitated. He had thought about killing a demon that had killed hundreds of people, not someone who looked like he had lost everything. Like Toby himself.
"Why, Mr. Todd? Why did you kill all those people? Why did you kill… her?" He couldn't even say her name. It hurt too much.
The demon sighted heavily, still with that look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Toby. I'm so sorry for all of this. Many years ago, Judge Turpin sent me away and took my family from me. I came back, searching for revenge, and the wrath poisoned my mind. All I thought about was how to kill that judge. I was so blind that I didn't notice that my beloved Lucy was right in front of me. All I saw was a crazy beggar woman, a beggar woman who was in my way and who I therefore killed…"
Toby had seen much at the age of twelve, but he had never seen that much pain in anyone's eyes before.
"It's not Mrs. Lovett's fault." Hearing her name almost made Toby cry. "She was a good person, doing her best. She was certainly naïve, but so was Benjamin Barker…" He sighted again. "At least I won't have to face my pretty little girl, tell her who I am and what I have done. I will die here, tonight, and she will never have to know anything…"
"You have children, Mr. Todd?" The image of the demon holding a baby girl in his arms made Toby confused.
"Yes, a beautiful girl named Johanna. She has left with Anthony now for sure, and they will have a good life together and have lots of children…"
Tears in his eyes. Tears? Demons don't cry, demons don't have feelings…
"Now kill me, boy. Slit my throat and make the pain stop…"
"Sir… If I see your beautiful Johanna, I will tell her that you loved her…"
Sweeney Todd smiled a sad smile. "And if I see Mrs. Lovett in hell, I will tell her that you loved her."
Toby's compassion disappeared as quickly as it came. He slit the throat of the demon and then ran away from the darkness, the blood, the burning fire what had swallowed his mother…
He didn't stop until he realized that the pain would never go away, no matter how much he ran.