Note: This has only a little to do with Sweeney and Nellie. It's a little strange, and obviously AU, but you could tie it loosely to what happened to Lucy, Sweeney, and Turpin. And I do mean loosely. This is more of a spin off than anything, so…sorry to the Sweenett fans.

Chapter One

Nellie had put a sign up in the window that said help wanted shortly after Toby had "run away." That was why she showed up one night. Seventeen, with a newborn babe tucked under her coat away from the cold. It was late when she showed up and Nellie was closing up shop.

"Ma'am, may I come in?" the girl asked, stepping lightly into the shop.

"Sorry, deary, you'll 'ave to come back tomorrow. We're not serving at this 'our," Nellie told her.

"Oh, that's fine. I just noticed your sign in the window, is all, and I wondered what exactly someone interested in the position would be required to do," she said. Nellie could hear something off in her speech, but she was so quiet, it was impossible to pinpoint it.

"Cleaning, serving, small stuff like tha'. Can you bake?" Nellie asked.

"Sweets, like cakes and cookies," the girl answered honestly. "What's the pay?"

"Room and board and four pounds a week. But you'll 'ave to do your own laundry," Nellie warned.

The girl smiled, and then looked concerned. "Room and board for two, possibly?"

That was when Nellie realized that the young woman was holding something under her coat, sheltering it in her arms. She saw how thin the girl was, and how tired.

"Sure, deary. What's your name?" Nellie asked. She always had a soft heart for people in need.

The relief on the girl's face was immeasurable. "Catherine Rein, but you can call me Cat," she told Nellie with a smile.

"Who's the second one then?" Nellie asked. The girl hesitated before unwrapping the bundle. Inside was a sleeping baby, rolled in an old sheet. It was only a few weeks old and despite its mother's thin appearance, its cheeks were full and rosy, and the rest of it was just as plump.

"Her name is Jessica," Cat told her. Nellie saw the love in the young mother's eyes and immediately felt kin to the girl.

"Come on, we'll make you up a bed in the parlor, as well as one for your babe," Nellie told her.

"Thank you, Miss…"

"Lovett, deary. And the man upstairs's name is Mr. Todd. Is that all right?"

"Yes," the girl answered quickly. Nellie handed her some blankets and a basket from the linen closet.

"Thank you again, Mrs. Lovett. You have no idea how much this means to me," Cat said with a small smile.

"I 'spect you to work 'ard, Cat. No lolly-gagging, no men around, and no stealin'. Those are me rules. Are they clear?"

"Crystal. And don't worry about the men; I'm sure Jessica will scare them off."

Nellie nodded, but wasn't sure. Johanna definitely didn't scare of the judge, and once the girl got some meat back on her bones, she would be a very attractive girl. Nellie waited until she was sure the girl was asleep before retiring herself. Cat didn't look like a thief, but you could never be too careful…

The next morning

Sweeney sat at the breakfast nook and was leaning a little to the side to see the tousled head of auburn curls and the lump of blankets on the couch.

"Good morning, Mr. T," Nellie said as she cleaned the counter.

"Who's she?" Sweeney asked, foregoing the morning pleasantries.

Nellie glanced to the parlor as well. She's the new 'elp. Sweet li'l thing, single mother."

Sweeney was still staring while he drank his morning tumble of gin. "A widow?"

"I don't think so," Nellie confided.

Sweeney nodded, and then looked down at the paper sitting on the table. "They've sworn in a new judge," he observed.

"Really? What's 'is name?" Nellie asked, half- listening.

"Daniel Harper, youngest judge ever to be elected," Sweeney paraphrased as he scanned the article. There was a portrait of the man in the corner of the paper. He was a strong looking character, especially at twenty-seven.

Before Sweeney could continue, the bump on the couch appeared in the doorway. Her hair was in disarray, but strangely orderly. She had put her coat back on and pulled it around herself tightly.

"Good morning, dear. You ready for your first day?" Nellie asked the girl.

"Good morning," the girl said, her voice soft. Sweeney heard something different in her London accent, but wasn't quite sure what it was.

"Mr. Todd, this is Cat, she'll be 'elping me with the customers. Cat, this is Mr. Todd, he runs a barber shop upstairs."

Cat bowed her head politely to Sweeney. "Pleasure to meet you, sir," she addressed him with her soft voice.

Sweeney just nodded back, looking the girl up and down. He didn't say anything, and before he could decide whether or not to, the chance was taken by the screaming wail from the basket on the floor.

"Oh, sorry," the girl apologized. She hurried to the basket and picked up the baby there. Then, she moved out of sight, presumably to feed the infant.

"She seems safe to you?" he asked Nellie.

"Safe enough. She looks to need this job, Mr. T. I don't think she'll do anythin' to lose it," Nellie said honestly.

When the girl came back to the room, her coat was off, revealing men's clothing and fingerless leather gloves. Before Nellie could ask, Cat explained, "It's easier to feed Jessica this way."

Nellie nodded, then said, "Wash your 'ands and come back to kitchen. Can you make simple sugar cookies?"

The girl smiled tentatively and nodded her head. Then, she hurried off to the wash basin and poured some water.

"Seems eager to please," Sweeney pointed out.

"Tha's all right. Easier to handle that way," Nellie defended.

"She might not stay that way," Sweeney argued. The girl had a steel-like quality about her, like she had been through hell and was a little cautious, but still wildfire. "How old do you think she is?"

"Twenty, if that. Probably younger," Nellie figured.

The girl was coming in at that point and answered his question. "I'm seventeen, Mr. Todd. And Jessica is a month old."

Sweeney was shocked at the girl's candidness, but was glad to see honesty in her. Then he saw her face as she glanced at the portrait of the new judge. All of the faint color in her cheeks faded and she forced her attention away.

"Do you know the new judge?" Sweeney asked her.

"Oh, is that who that is? And no, not really. I think I met him at market one time."

But Sweeney knew that when you saw someone in the market in the paper, you don't go pale. Not unless you fear the person for some reason. Instead of pursuing it, he let her have her secret. He nodded to Nellie, placed the empty tumbler on the table, and then headed upstairs to open his shop for the day.

"Ready for work, Cat?" Nellie asked again with a smile.

"Yes, ma'am," Cat said, a little too eagerly.