Hello my fellow readers! Here is a bit of a one shot (now when I say 'bit' I mean hardly anything at all) I wrote back in December of how Sweeney Todd would act if he found out who Joanna was. Yeah I know - it is NOT a new idea but I decided to write it anyway. I hope you all enjoy it and hope it is not too emotional - well I mean, if you were separated from your kid for about a million years or so, you wouldn't be too stoic. lol

Wow, is this like the first rated G Sweeney Todd fanfic? YAY! I'M DA FIRST! no just kidding .. :P

I do not own Sweeney Todd.

He turned to face me, and I froze, bracing myself to run in case he tried to seize me again. He did not come after me. The look of fury - one that would've put the Devil himself in shame - that had contorted his face was now replaced with a strange, wide eyed astonishment; I've seen such a look on women once before, but never on a man; it looked so strange and foreign, it unnerved me greatly.

"Joanna?" my forehead prickled at the sound of his rattling breath pronouncing my name. I swallowed, cleared my throat and began, my voice trembling , giving away my fear immediately "Anthony s-said you were my..umm," I had to stop to compose myself. I shot a glance over my shoulder at Anthony who stood there encouraging me with those beautifully enormous eyes, he had no fear of this man.

Of course he had not seen how he tried to kill me.

"You are .. my father..is that true?"

"Yes."

All my life, I had dreamed of meeting my real parents. Having no photographs of them anywhere in the judge's house, nor in the newspaper (for whatever reason they ought be there) I couldn't begin to imagine what they had looked like - the judge forbade me to ask questions about my real parents. I've dreamed of them at different times, of them talking to me softly, comfortingly like one would to a very small, very frightened child.

Now that the strange man before me confirmed it, I felt not the excitement that I relived over and over in my mind upon meeting them at last, only an estranged confusion.

Again I saw the silver blade flashing against the light poised ready to claim my life and I shuddered. His arms were outstretched as if to gather me into them, but I hurriedly took a step back and bumped into my rescuer "Joanna, I -" the man had begun but stopped.

"It's alright, Joanna, really," Anthony whispered in my ear "It was all a big, bloody mistake - er no pun intended." he grinned up at the stranger. I glared at him, how dare he make a joke out of this?

"He tried to kill me!" I spat in his ear.

"He had no idea who you were, Jo." he retorted and raised his eyebrows sharply.

I looked back towards the barber and immediately caught his intent gaze; I observed with a sudden stirring in my breast that he looked as if his heart had been ripped to pieces, I thought for a moment that he might actually cry. I had never seen a man cry before in my life.

"Joanna," he said, his voice catching "Please, I'm so sorry, my dear Joanna, my baby girl - " he sniffed and blinking his eyes rapidly he went on, voice thick with emotion "I've been waiting fifteen years to come back home to you and your mother, Joanna, I tried to get you back from the judge and if it weren't for Anthony here, my friend - " he nodded at him and said "You wouldn't have been here - but back at that God forsaken prison -" he stopped and took another cautious step towards me.

I felt Anthony gently nudge me in the back, his whispered "I'm here love." in my ear and here I stood just an arms length from my attacker - or father- as he claimed to be. I was scared to the quick. And yet intrigued by his gentle words and tender expression, I moved forward and faced him bravely, searching him for any sign of a weapon on him, but finding none.

"Joanna."

I allowed him to pull me into his arms - my body immediately began to silently scream for release - but I remained stationary in his embrace, too scared to move to do anything really; only to listen to him shudder and sigh with relief into my hair. Drawing me back he studied my face; his eyes - black as the abyss - grew more gentler as he held my face and, as they began to spill over, he pressed his lips to my forehead "Joanna," he sobbed "Joanna, my dearest Joanna.."

I found myself crying as well as I realized that this man was not a threat - at least not to me.

He was my father.

My father.

At last I looked up into his face. His eyes were closed but still leaking tears but he immediately snapped them open. I have never seen such sadness, such tenderness and astonishment and gentleness - all melded into one expression that was painful to look at but harder to look away, in anyone's eyes.

Cautiously I stood up on tip toe and gently kissed his cheek.

"Father?"

I opened my mouth to speak further, but nothing came out; I had forgotten what I was going to say.

"Father, please don't cry, I'm here now," I whispered "I'm here.."

"I know, my sweet," he sniffed, drying his face on the sleeve of his shirt "I'm just so happy you're here .. I'm able to hold my darling girl again after all these years .. I - oh God!" he suddenly cried out "I almost killed you!" he gasped as if it had suddenly struck him for the first time.

"Father, it's alright - "

"No, it's not alright!" he practically roared him my face, I instinctively back up but he held me fast in his arms "Do you not realize, child, that I have nearly taken away the only thing that has mattered to me in this world? What was left of my dear family? My only treasure? My own daughter?" His eyes roved fervently over my face, which was gripped between his hands - but he did not harm me in the slightest - those dark eyes had took on a renewed flame that was far more powerful than what possessed them before.

I shook my head, warding off what nerves had been stirred up by his sudden outburst and pressed closer to him, wrapping my arms tighter than before "Shh, father, there is no need for this - I'm here!" I patted his shoulder "I'm here.."

"But I was too close," he groaned "My baby girl, can you ever forgive me?"

"I already have."

But he was not to be consoled - not yet anyway.

Strangely I feel very satisfied at the amount of emotion in this scene. I know, it's never really been completed and I have no idea how this should end - please throw some ideas into your reviews! Until then CHEEERIO!

Skye Mage