Summary~ Time can be a fleeting thing and every toll of midnight pushes it farther forward as Sweeney Todd has come to lean.
A/N: Hello dears, so while the next chapters for Scars of Our Hearts and The Light After the Dark are in the works (I am having to re-write the third part for the later title because I didn't like the original content) so to help pass the time please enjoy this one shot! I came up with it while listening to Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman (go give it a listen while you read) so that's why it involves certain points in life. Please Enjoy and review darlings!
It had been a long day full of shaving men that crossed the threshold of his shop and Sweeney Todd felt exhaustion seep into his bones as he sank into an armchair in the parlor while Nellie sat at the harmonium in the room's corner playing it expertly while beside her a little girl with burgundy tresses and soft ivory skin giggled and clapped watching with gleaming onyx eyes. Sweeney smiled watching the two lights of his life before him, seeing his wife and daughter Katherine happy always managed to infect him with joy so he couldn't help but smile.
Katherine looked over her shoulder at him and her smile widened revealing a missing tooth before she moved from her place and walked to his side grabbing his hand in both of her tiny ones tugging it with surprising force for a 4 year old.
"Dance with me daddy please?"
He felt the weariness in his body ebb away with her words making him chuckle as he stood and in a quick movement lifted her into his arms making her laugh wildly as he waltzed them around the room placing a kiss to her burgundy curls as she yawned resting her head against his shoulder falling asleep as the clock in the room began to chime midnight.
After placing a kiss on his wife's cheek he carried their daughter to her room where he tucked her in and kissed her forehead before leaving the room shutting the door at the last chime of midnight.
XxXx
"Katty there's someone to see you in the shop."
Katherine looked up from the book in her lap as her mother stood in the doorway between the parlor and the pie shop. Raising an eyebrow she closed the novel and followed her mother back to the shop a smile gracing her lips as she seen a young man with blonde hair standing in the in the middle of the shop holding an envelope in his hands as he looked around rocking on his heels almost nervously.
"'Ello Robert, what brings ya 'ere?"
Katherine's tone is playful making the young man smile as he turned his blue eyes to her, Robert Clark was the youngest son of the tailor down the road and it was clear he fancied her greatly but hadn't found it in himself to ask her father's permission to court her yet though Katherine knew her mother had nothing against it as long as she was happy but her father on the other hand was protective over her.
"Hello miss Todd, I stopped by to give you this invitation, my sister is getting married and she thought it would be nice for me to bring someone along...that is if your parents do not mind."
He turned his eyes to Nellie who smiled seeing the pleading look on her 16 year old daughter's face.
"I don't mind it, I'll talk to 'er father but if she wants to go along she can."
Katherine smiled to the point it hurt as she turned to Robert eyes gleaming happily.
"I'd love to go Robert, thank you for inviting me."
The young man smiled and kissed her hand before leaving the shop, as soon as the door closed behind him Katherine turned to her mother looking worried though she didn't need to voice why for Nellie to know why and walk to her side hugging her shoulders.
"You just worry about findin' a dress to wear and let me worry about your father alright pet?"
Katherine broke into a smile again and placed a kiss to her mother's cheek before going to her room. Over the next couple of days Nellie kept her word and tried to persuade Sweeney into letting their daughter go with Robert and finally after two days she wore him down enough to say yes. Between her own closet and half her mother's Katherine began to think finding a dress was going to be impossible, she had found one of her mother's that was a pale lilac color with white lace sleeves she'd adored but her father shot it down at once for it's deep neckline and so she began searching the dress shop to no avail.
There was just 48 hours until Robert would show up to escort her to his sister's wedding and she still had no dress. A soft knock sounded on her bedroom door making her look up from the invitation.
"Come in."
Nellie opened the door hiding something behind her back with a wide grin on her lips making her daughter raise an eyebrow giving her the same look Sweeney did when wondering what she was up to. Without a word Nellie handed her a white box sitting on the bed beside her waiting for her to open it. Slowly Katherine lifted the lid and took out the mass of lilac fabric to revile the old dress her her mother's she'd liked, she looked to Nellie confused making her smile softly.
"I took it to Robert's father and fixed the neckline so it isn't as low, I alway bought this."
She reached into the box and took out a new silken white corset making Katherine's eyes widen before she dropped the dress onto the bed and hugged her mother tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Thank you mum!"
Nellie laughed and hugged her back before wiping her tears away.
"Now try them on, I'll be in the parlor waiting to see it on you."
Katherine nodded and began changing as her mother left the room. When she set foot in the parlor her mom was playing the harmonium and her father was in one of the armchairs listening, she cleared her throat drawing their attention making her mother smile widely and come to her side.
"A perfect fit! Oh Katty you look a vision!"
She blushed with a smile at the floor before looking up at Sweeney waiting to hear his thoughts. Sweeney looked over his daughter and smiled as he joined Nellie by her side.
"You look stunning pet."
Katherine smiled and threw her arms around his neck laughing as he returned her embrace and kissed her head. She bit her lips hearing her mother began playing the harmonium again.
"Daddy, will you dance with me please?"
Her words are muffled by his shoulder but they were clear as day to him. She smiled as he began to lead her in a waltz around the room. After a while her eyelids dropped and she yawned making Sweeney chuckle and carefully lift her off her feet bridal style and carrying her to her room where he laid her in bed and kissed her head silently wondering when his little girl had suddenly grown up as the chimes of a clock tolled out midnight.
XxXx
Sweeney's heart hammered in his chest and his throat was dry as he stood with his daughter just outside the church doors his mind unable to process the words leaving her lips as she fixed his tie for him. He looked down at her and his heart squeezed painfully, it was her wedding day and even though she was standing before him in a wedding gown, her curls pinned up elegantly with a few framing her face, but it was impossible for him to see anything but the little girl that used to play dress up in her mother's dresses, the little girl he danced with in his arms until she fell asleep. Tears stung his eyes making him look away to stop them from falling.
The music began and he walked her down the aisle his chest tightening with each step until the reached the alter, with a final squeeze of her hand he carefully placed it in Robert's before going to sit beside Nellie in the front pews squeezing her hand as she placed it in his. The ceremony seemed to fly and before long the priest smiled smiled at the young couple.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride."
As Sweeney watched Robert lift the veil covering Katherine's face he felt a tear slide down his cheek as the pair kissed and the assembled crowd clapped and cheered. An after wedding party was set up in the courtyard of the pie shop, all the tables moved out of the way, with people alternating between congratulating the newlyweds and dancing. Darkness soon claimed the area but lanterns were lit keeping it lit enough for the party to continue, Sweeney was watching as Nellie danced with Robert's father when someone tapped his shoulder making him turn to see Katherine at his side smiling at him.
"Daddy, will you dance with me?"
Allowing himself a smile he followed her to the dance area and began leading her in a waltz holding her close letting a tear slip from his eye as he remembered the many nights he danced with her in his arms something he may never get to do again making him tighten his hold on her which she returned nuzzling into his shoulder her eyes closing as her own memories filled her mind.
Somewhere around them someone made a comment about it being midnight making Sweeney mentally count the chimes as he watched Katherine leave with Robert, each chime made his vision of her younger until once she reached the carriage looking like the little four year old who used to hang on her mother's hand waving to him in his shop before they left to market.
After helping Nellie clean up the leftover mess Sweeney found himself perched on the bed in their daughter's room looking at an old photo of the three of them wondering why it seemed at the final toll of midnight life jolted forward and his little girl became older. He knew it was only in his head but he also knew he would never change any of the past 20 years for anything and he'd keep the memories of shared dances close to his heart until his last breath.
XxXx
Five years had passed since Katherine had married Robert and four since they welcomed a daughter of their own into the world. Living just outside of London now allowed Nellie and Sweeney to see their daughter and granddaughter often and Elizabeth was just as attached to her grandfather as her mother before her, not that he minded it in the slightest. The family sat in the parlor of Nellie and Sweeney's home enjoying eachother's company with Katherine and Elizabeth visiting while Robert was away on business when Katherine got up from her place on the sofa and went to the harmonium in the corner and began playing the song her mother played years before making Elizabeth smile wide and go t Sweeney gently tugging his hand.
"Dance with me?"
Sweeney couldn't help but smile and scoop the child into his arms and dance around the room with her making her giggles fill the room.
XxXx
A/N: Now that I think about it this story should have been a father's day story but the idea came too late so lets say it's early for next year. I hope you enjoyed the story I know I had fun writing it so please share your thoughts!