"Come with me, love. Got some fine gin in me parlor, eh?" Mrs. Lovett said in a brisk manner as she led Sweeney Todd into her parlor. That, too, had seen better days. The piano in the corner had not been touched in ages. A fine coating of dust covered it from top to bottom. The wall paper was peeling. It had lost all of its vibrancy. Sweeney looked around as he sat upon Mrs. Lovett's couch. The pictures on the wall were also dusty. Mrs. Lovett used to keep her house nice and tidy. She would have it closed off while the shop was opened. Albert wasn't home, anyway. He owned a butcher shop down the street, a quick walk from the pie shop. They were in sight of each other, in fact.

"Toby, love! Come on down," Mrs. Lovett yelled towards the stairs. Sweeney perked up. She had a son! The Lovetts finally had the baby they had dreamed of! Sweeney felt very happy by this. But his mind quickly darkened. What of Albert? And what of his family? Sweeney's thoughts were interrupted when the sound of feet came from the stairs. The boy was a splitting image of his mother, minus his hair.

"Mum? Who's this?" The lad asked. He curiously glanced at Sweeney. He was so much like his mum.

"Dear, that is the former Benjamin Barker. He's called Sweeney Todd now," Mrs. Lovett answered her son lovingly. Toby looked at Sweeney with a somewhat recognizing look on his face.

"He kind of looks like the pictures...but 'is hair..."

"Toby! Don't be rude," Mrs. Lovett scolded. Toby looked down.

"Sorry, mum. I didn' mean to be rude..." The boy sadly looked up at his mum, which caused her glare to soften. She pulled him into a hug.

"It's okay, love. Just don't do it again, yeh hear me?" She asked him sternly. He nodded and she ruffled his hair, "I need you to run to the butcher shop and buy me the lamb that is on sale." Mrs. Lovett reached into her bosom and pulled out her coin purse. She pulled out some coin for her lad and gave it to him, "Buy us some toffees too, dear," Mrs. Lovett winked. Toby's face lit up and he ran off.

"He's a good lad, Eleanor," Sweeney complimented. Mrs. Lovett turned and smiled at him.

"Thank you, love. He is my world." Sweeney's face grew dim.

"What became of Albert? Of my family?" He asked hoarsely. Mrs. Lovett paused for a moment before resuming her search for the gin.

"I will start with yer family, Mr. Todd," She answered softly. He could tell this was going to be hard for her but he needed to know, "Shortly after you was shipped off, Judge Turpin began to send your Lucy flowers every bloody day. I thought he was a fool! That would never work on Lucy! The git had shipped off her beloved Benjamin! The man was as gentle as a lamb! But then," Mrs. Lovett's voice got softer, "She began questioning me on if she should see the judge or not."

"He was tricking her," Sweeney stated. Mrs. Lovett casted him a worried look.

"If this is too much-"

"I need to hear it, Eleanor," Sweeney replied quietly. Mrs. Lovett gave him a short nod and took a breath.

"One night, the Beadle came to her. He claimed that the great ol' judge regretted shipping you off. He was claiming to make amends. She, of course, fell for it. I stepped in and booted the slimy buggar out while Lucy protested. I had talked to her after that to explain why it was a bad idea. She acted like she understood. I stupidly fell for it. She snuck off to Turpin's place after I had left to market. Albert was still at his shop closing up for the day." Mrs. Lovett paused to take a drink of her gin, "You should do the same."

"Agreed," Sweeney replied as he took a shaky sip of his drink. He dreaded what was coming.

"When I had come home and saw that she wos gone, I made a beeline for the great Judge Turpin's 'ouse. I had been at market for two hours, so I knew I had to make haste. When the house came int' sight, I saw Lucy and I froze," Mrs. Lovett took another sip of her drink, her eyes were moist, "She wos in the road in fron' of 'is house, sobbin'. Her dress was torn...he 'ad raped her."

"NO!" Sweeney bellowed as he flew into a standing position, "...that pious pig!"

"I am sorry, Mr. Todd."

"...where is Lucy? Where is my wife?" Mrs. Lovett was on the verge of tears.

"...she...she hung 'erself, Mr. Todd...while me an' Albert were away...she acted like she wos fine...that she wos recoverin'...it was all an act."

"M-my daughter..." Sweeney stuttered as he tried to compose himself, "What became of my daughter?" Mrs. Lovett's face darkened.

"He's got her." That's all Mrs. Lovett had to say for Sweeney to know that the judge had his daughter. Pure rage burned within Sweeney but he stayed calm for Mrs. Lovett's sake. She still did not tell him of what happened to her and her Albert. Mrs. Lovett seemed to have read Sweeney's mind, "The judge had set his sight on me, about five years after you wos shipped off. He got rid of me Albert by fabricating evidence to tie him into an unsolved murder and had him executed. All because me Albert wos a butcher..."

"Eleanor, I am so sorry." She smiled at him.

"It's okay, dear. No need to be sorry. I did not fall for the judge's tricks. He eventually got bored and moved on to some other poor thing," Mrs. Lovett finished with a sip of her drink. She, too, stood up and placed a hand on Sweeney's shoulder, "I am so glad that you are home."

"I am, too," Sweeney replied. His face darkened greatly as he took Mrs. Lovett's hand, "We will have our revenge." Mrs. Lovett smiled wickedly.

"Revenge is best served with ale."