I don't have much to say about this chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I still do not own Sweeney Todd.

WARNING: Slight abuse.

Trust Me, Nellie.

Chapter 4

Nellie sat on the couch in the parlour, book in hand and staring nervously at the clock on the fire place. He was late and he didn't arrive for lunch eight hours ago.

Just as she was about to get up and go to bed there was a click as the door unlocked. Heavy footsteps made their way towards the parlour. Panicking, Nellie quickly lifted her feet onto the couch and opened her book to a random page to pretend she'd been reading the whole time.

Albert stomped into the room and as he passed Nellie she could smell the gin emanating from him. He slumped into his chair with a groan as his chest heaved.

Fat lump wouldn't be in so much pain if 'e 'adn't scoffed all me pies

"Wot y' bloody lookin' at, woman?" he growled when he noticed her scowling at him from behind her sappy romantic novel. "I should smack that look from y'r face but I'm bloody tired."

More like too fat t' stand up again she thought as she lowered her gaze back to her book.

She'd opened it to a part that she'd read before: The handsome man and his beautiful lover meet secretly behind their partner's backs. Nellie liked to imagine the handsome man was Benjamin Barker and she was his beautiful lover.

Albert's sharp raspy breaths interrupted her train of thought. She could hear him over the roar of the fire. It pained her to light the fire again after what Albert did but she couldn't stand looking at the pink fabric that was left behind. She had to light some candles to engulf the smell of burnt flesh.

"'ow was work, dearie?" she tried to sound relaxed and cheerful in an attempt to not anger him.

"Fine." His voice was emotionless as he looked around the room. "Wots wiv the candles?"

Nellie pretended to be too involved in her book to hear him. Her candles never bothered him before but now in his drunken state he was trying to pick a fight. As he rose from his seat she realised that ignoring him was a bad idea.

Looking up from her book she notices he was inches from her face as he kneeled next to the couch.

"Did y' say somethin', love?" her voice cracked as she tried to sound innocent.

"Y' shouldn't ignore me, Nellie." His voice was surprisingly calm and the smell of gin was overpowering now.

"I- sorry, love." Her voice cracked again.

"Oh I know y' are, Eleanor." He reached over her to the end table and Nellie couldn't quite see what he was reaching for.

"Al, maybe we should go to bed. We've got t' open early t'morrow."

"Shut up." His voice was hoarse this time and Nellie could see what he'd been reaching for as he held one of her candles in his hand.

"W-wot y'doin' wiv-" she was cut off when Albert lifted her skirts and poured the hot wax onto her thighs.

Benjamin sat at his desk in his barber shop, writing a letter. However, every few minutes he'd stop and think about his earlier encounter with Nellie.

"How did you not notice?" he asked himself. "She loved being pregnant. You should have noticed."

He got up and made his way towards his empty bed. After their visit to the market Lucy's sister picked her up for a visit with her family. Ben had to stay home to work and support their family.

Ben prepared for a night of lonely sleep, removing his shirt and shoes. Just as he was preparing to remove his trousers, he heard the most heart wrenching scream he'd ever experienced.

Albert watched the hot white wax drip and run down between her thighs in an almost admiring way. He loved the howls coming from Nellie's throat. He'd stuffed his tie into her mouth after she screamed when the hot wax first made contact with her skin and these howls were much more appealing to him.

As more wax hit her red thighs Nellie let out another high-pitched howl and wriggled under Albert's hold. She wanted this to be over as soon as it had started.

Suddenly there was a crash in the pie shop and before Albert could stand to inspect the noise a half-naked Benjamin Barker stumbled into the room.

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Lucy's out of town? Benjamin is playing hero? LOOKS LIKE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET SAUCY.

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