AN: Written for 30 screams, prompt 10 Nightmares, and comments or constructive criticism welcome.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Never had dreams

Nellie Lovett lay in her bed thinking of her plans to move to the seaside. Their picnic today had been so lovely, just as if they were a real family. She had just begun to plan the house out when she heard muffled screams from above her head.

Without hesitation she got out of bed and threw on an old dressing gown before hurrying upstairs to Mr. Todd's shop.

She hadn't been sure what to expect to when she unlocked the door with the spare key and entered the room. But it certainly wasn't to see Sweeney Todd asleep in his chair, tossing about and muttering caught up in the throes of what seemed to be a rather vivid nightmare.

She approached him cautiously, not wanting to scare him awake and end up with her throat slit. She debated with herself as to whether or not she should wake him or just go back downstairs and try to sleep. But when his muffled screams became louder she knew she couldn't leave him like that.

"Mr. T?" she called softly, but then shook her head muttering to herself about her foolishness, of course that wouldn't wake the man, his own voice was louder than hers right now.

"Mr. Todd? Sweeney?" she called louder this time and moving closer to the sleeping barber as she did. "Wake up love it's just a nightmare, nothin' more."

Finally he seemed to be waking. He moved restlessly in his chair and then a moment later was up and had hold of her wrist. His movement was so sudden and unexpected that she let out a small scream of her own.

"What do you want Mrs. Lovett?" his voice was low and cold and he had not yet released his tight grip on her wrist.

"You was havin' a nightmare Mr. T, I heard you from downstairs and came to see what was goin' on."

He finally let go of her wrist and stepped back, turning to look out the window instead.

"Well as I am now awake you can leave Mrs. Lovett," his voice was so low that if the room had not been otherwise silent she never would have heard. She didn't leave though; Nellie Lovett did not give up so easily. Especially when it came to Sweeney Todd. So instead of turning to leave she took a tentative step closer.

"Mr. Todd, what were you dreamin' of?"

"What do you think?" he asked harshly, still facing the window.

"Well I'm assuming it was your time in Australia."

"Then you would assume rightly. Now I'm asking you once more, nicely to leave me. I won't ask again."

Nellie just stopped herself form snorting aloud at that but she knew just how dangerous this man could be and decided not to push her luck lest he decide to put his 'friends' to use on one throat she would rather he not.

"Alright then Mr. T, I'm just downstairs if you need anythin' and you're quite welcome to come and sleep down there-"

"Out!"

"I'm bloody goin'," she muttered as she hastily left the room retreating to the relative safety of her own establishment below.

Once she was back in her own bed she lay there restlessly, not longer able to recapture her dreams of living by the sea, but instead her thoughts lingered upon what he may have been dreaming of that would cause him to scream.