Well here's the second chapter for you all. I can't believe the response after only one day! I'm so glad you're all enjoying it :)

Thanks to RubyRosette5, EleanorLovett55, jjsaywat97, Thalia-Sandy and Redejeka for your reviews and to everyone who has favourited or alerted the fic. There will be a final update tomorrow so keep an eye out! :)

Chapter 2 – Christmas Present

"Sweeney Todd? Sweeney Todd." A deep man's voice said, rousing the barber from his sleep. His eyes shot open, focusing on the tall, round, bearded man hovering over him, "Aha, you're awake!" he said, a wide grin stretching over his lips.

"Well I am now." Sweeney grumbled, straightening up in the chair. He looked the man up and down, raising an eyebrow at his dress; a long fur trimmed green jacket fastened with a thick black belt with a wreath of holly round his head. "Who are you?" Sweeney asked, standing up when the man turned away and strode over to the window to pear outside.

"Haven't you been warned? Have you not seen the Ghost of Christmas past?" The Spirit asked, turning to Sweeney. The barber nodded. "Then you should know who I am." He said, turning back to the window, "I am the Ghost of Christmas present."

Sweeney strode over to him and held out his hand, "Well let's get on with it then. I don't have all night. Show me what you have to and be done with it. I have other things to be doing."

The spirit raised one eyebrow, "Because you looked so busy when I arrived." He commented with a smirk, taking Sweeney's hand before the barber had time to reply.

-x-

The sound of off key singing filled Sweeney's ears before his eyes had chance to adjust. Looking round, he realised they were in the parlour where he had been moments before. Looking up at the Spirit, he frowned.

"It is Christmas day." The spirit said, "Tomorrow I suppose." He said thoughtfully.

Sweeney looked back at the scene, watching as Nellie poked and prodded the embers in the fire, trying to get them to catch. Toby was by the tree, lighting the candles nestled in the branches, their voices sounding out into the room in unison. Sweeney couldn't help but smile slightly, he remembered Nellie singing all the time at Christmas when they were younger.

"HA!" Nellie exclaimed, her singing ceasing. Sweeney glanced down at the fire, watching as a small flame began to creep its way up a piece of kindling she had laid in the embers. Toby wandered over and smiled.

"I done all the candles ma'am." He said cheerily, obviously looking forward to the day ahead.

"Good lad. We gotta have the place lookin' nice fer when Mr. T comes down now don't we." She said, standing up and brushing her skirts down. Toby nodded less than enthusiastically which didn't go unnoticed by Nellie, "What's the matter love?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"Well... 'e don't exactly like me do 'e?" the boy asked, his eyes on his shoes.

Sweeney frowned, watching the boy closely. Rather than looking disinterested at his lack of affection towards him, he actually looked upset about it. Sweeney had never considered that the lad would actually want to know him. He had never really thought anyone would after he had come back from prison. It seemed he was wrong there.

"I'm sure 'e does love, 'e's jus' got... a funny way o' showin' it." Nellie replied, busying herself with the fire while she spoke. Sweeney moved to the side so he could see her face. He knew she was lying.

"Well it is a very funny way o' showin' it then. I wish e'd jus' do it normally. I'd love ter know how ter shave like 'im one day. I watched 'im once. Through the window in the door. 'E was amazin'. Can't do it anymore though, 'e always 'as the blind down."

Sweeney felt his heart pause momentarily when he heard the boy had been watching him. What if he'd seen him slice a man's throat? What if he'd seen the chair tip back and the man fall down the trap door? Staring daggers at the boy for spying at him, he stepped back to allow the pair to stride past him and through into the shop.

As Sweeney emerged into the shop, he heard Toby's voice from over by the counter, "What time's Mr. Todd comin' down then ma'am?" he asked, resting his elbows on the counter top.

Nellie paused and looked down at the cloth she began fiddling with, "I don't know love. Soon I'm sure." She mumbled.

Sweeney looked at her, pity and regret washing over him, something he hadn't felt in years. "How long will she be waiting?" he asked the Spirit who was quietly standing behind him.

"It depends on how long you keep her waiting." He replied, "Come with me." Sweeney turned and followed him through the corridor and into the kitchen. Sweeney frowned when he saw Nellie stood at a worktop on the far side of the shop. How could she be here when she was just out there? "It's midday." The Spirit said as if reading his thoughts. Sweeney nodded his head, pretending to understand how stepping through a door could progress the world four or five hours.

Turning his attention back to Nellie, he watched closely as she prepared the lunch. She was humming softly but her heart was not really in it. She seemed distracted and edgy. A voice from the doorway made him look across.

"Here y'are ma'am." Toby said, placing a brown paper bag on the table in the middle of the room, "They were the only ones left." He said, peering in the bag. Sweeney stepped closer to try and see what was in there but the boy closed the bag before he had chance.

"Thank yer love. I can't believe I forgot to buy some. How silly!" Nellie said, taking the bag from Toby and carrying it back to the worktop where she had just been. "Yer see they're Mr. T's favourite. 'E wouldn't be very 'appy if I served 'im Christmas dinner without roast spuds."

Sweeney raised his eyebrows; she'd sent the boy all the way to the market especially to go and get him potatoes? Looking across at the baker he wondered how she remembered. He knew she always used to make a big thing of getting the potatoes just right when he was living above the shop with Lucy but how she remembered that was beyond him. Watching her now she still had that look about her, like she was not really one hundred percent happy. Before he had chance to work out why this was, the boy began speaking again.

"What time is Mr. Todd comin' down then ma'am?" he asked, leaning on the table.

Nellie paused, her eyes glued to the potatoes she was washing in a bowl of water, "Not sure love. Why?"

"Jus' wonderin'. Thought 'e would o' been down by now is all." He said, oblivious to the face Nellie was now pulling.

"So did I love, so did I." Nellie mumbled so quietly that Toby couldn't hear. Sweeney did though.

The barber turned back to the Spirit, a pleading look on his face, "I've had enough of this now. Please just take me home." He said, stepping closer to him. The spirit shook his head slowly.

"I have things still to show you." He said, turning from the kitchen and leading him out into the shop. It appeared they had jumped through time once again; Nellie and Toby were sat at a table in the shop, a feast of meat and vegetables laid out in front of them. The pair sat however, not touching anything. Sweeney stepped closer to the table, his eyes glued to Nellie's. She still had that same look, the one from the kitchen.

Toby cleared his throat next to her, snapping her attention to him. "Aren't we goin' ter eat it?" he asked, his eyes raking over the food hungrily.

Nellie sighed, "Yes, alrigh', if yer like." She said, her eyes watching but not really seeing as the boy began loading his plate with food. The baker however looked to the head of the table, to the empty seat before back down at the food and to the seat again. With a heavy sigh she slumped back in her chair and folded her arms. Her plate remained empty. The barber didn't need to be told why.

He felt the Spirit's hand on his shoulder making him turn around. "Shall we move on?" he asked, turning and heading for the parlour. Sweeney followed half heartedly; he was fed up of this now. As soon as they passed the threshold, the skies darkened outside and the candles around the room lit. It was as if hours had passed in the space of seconds. Sweeney's eye was caught by Nellie sat on her chair almost immediately. She was slumped back with her head resting sideways on the headrest. Sighing deeply she rolled her head away from him so her eyes landed on Toby asleep on the floor in front of the fire.

The boy stirred gently, his eyes fluttering open to land on Nellie sleepily. "'As 'e come yet?" he asked groggily.

Nellie shook her head slowly and Sweeney could have sworn he saw tears swimming in her eyes before she turned them back to the fire. He frowned as he stepped closer to her. Was she still waiting for him? Running his hand through his matt of hair, he turned back to the spirit.

"Surely there must have been something good about her Christmas?" he asked, hand still half way through his hair.

The spirit shook his head, "No. She was waiting for you this Christmas. She wanted to make it a good one for you because it was your first one since coming back from prison. It seems she will be waiting a long time."

Sweeney bowed his head and sighed deeply, "Can we go now? Please?" he asked again, suddenly feeling the need to see the baker when she could see him too.

"Not yet. We have one more place to go before you can go home." He said, striding over to her bedroom door. Slowly he opened it and stood aside for Sweeney to enter.

"I can't go in there." He said, hovering on the spot, "It's private."

The spirit shook his head and smiled, "Of course you can, she can't see you, you're here as a spirit like me."

Hesitating, Sweeney sighed and strode across the parlour and into her room. It was lit well with candles dotted all round the room. Nellie was sat at her dressing table singing silent night quietly to herself as she unlaced the bodice of her dress. Sweeney turned away as she peeled the lace from her arms and slipped out of it. After a few seconds, he turned his head back round cautiously, his eyes landing on a white cloth against her neck, a small reddish brown stain in the middle. Frowning, he strode over, crouching down next to her chair.

It couldn't be surely? Not the cut he'd made when he'd pressed his razor up against her neck. He held his breath without realising as she peeled the cloth away slowly, hissing as it stuck to the wound slightly. Sweeney froze, staring wide eyed at the long red line staining her pale neck. Shuffling closer, she sighed at the mess her neck was. The wound was puffy and sore, blood trickling down her neck from several places.

Nellie reached for a china bowl at one end of the dressing table and reached in for a cloth, ringing it out before pressing it to the cut, wincing at the slightest of pressure. Sweeney stood up and turned to the Spirit. "Will it get better? It will, won't it?" he asked, not bothering to hide the worry in his voice.

The Spirit shrugged, "I don't know. What do you think?"

Sweeney frowned, "Well I don't know, that's why I asked you?" he growled, glancing back at Nellie who was gently wiping the cloth over the blood stains down her neck. "It's got to get better. It can't get worse; she can't be in pain forever." He muttered, wandering back over to her and crouching down, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder. "We'll make it heal, we'll make you better." He said, rubbing his thumb over her bare skin.

"We need to leave now." The spirit said.

Sweeney stood up and turned to the Spirit, "Home?" he asked, looking hopefully at him. The spirit nodded and reached out his hand. Sweeney reached out and took it gratefully, the familiar cold rush washing over him.

-x-

Sweeney opened his eyes and looked round the parlour. It was dark, only being lit by the dying fire and a candle that had almost burnt down to the wick. The clock chimed, alerting Sweeney to the fact that he was back in the present. Hauling himself up out of the chair, he strode across to Nellie's room and let himself in quietly, taking with him the barely flickering candle.

Closing the door slowly behind him, he squinted, looking round the room until his eyes fell on a candle on her dressing table that had been blown out. Wandering over quietly, he lit the candle just as his burnt out. Placing the brass stand on the dressing table, he picked up the now flickering one and turned to Nellie, stepping closer until he was stood in front of her bed. Crouching down, he placed the candle down on her bedside table before reaching out a tentative hand and brushing a strand of auburn hair away from her face. Slowly, he pulled the sheet away from her neck, exposing the red line staining her neck. Brushing his finger gently over it, he frowned when he felt how hot it was. He withdrew his hand quickly when she shifted uncomfortably.

At the quick movement, the baker began to stir. Sweeney panicked and shot up, shuffling as quickly and quietly as he could out of the room. Closing the door behind him, he let out a deep breath and blew out the candle, placing the holder on the mantelpiece before striding quickly from the parlour back to his shop.

Hope you enjoy and don't forget to review! :)