XXX
Sweeney Todd woke up feeling strange. As he went about preparing for his morning, he tried to figure out what exactly was different on this particular morning. When he looked in the mirror, he saw nothing different, and yet, something felt like it had changed. He frowned as he stood next to his chair, slowly stropping his favourite razor. What is so different?
"Morning, luv, brought you some breakfast 'fore the crowds start coming in," said a cheery voice from behind him.
He turned slowly to see Mrs. Lovett standing at his vanity and setting down a tray of food. And that's when it hit him.
He had dreamt of Mrs. Lovett last night.
He could remember now, how she looked the first time he saw her, and he had to admit, she did look lovely back then. He frowned when he looked closely at her, and found that her appearance hadn't changed that much. With the exception of her ghostly pale complexion and the dark circles around her eyes, she still looked much the same as she had all those years ago. Same unruly red curls, same hazel eyes, same beauty.
She was still chattering away, not seeming to notice that he wasn't paying attention. Still, he could recall every detail of his dreams, even up to the kiss they shared. Oh, that kiss. He could almost taste her lips, and feel the silkiness of her hair under his fingertips. It made him itch to want to do it again…
"Mr. T? You alright there, love? Look like you seen a ghost, you 'ave," she said as she turned to him with a small frown on her face.
He looked mildly startled for a minute, but quickly regained his composure.
"Don't you have work to be doing, woman? I have no time for your incessant chatter. Get out," he growled.
Mrs. Lovett scowled at him for a moment before rolling her eyes, slamming the door as she walked out.
"Bloody woman, doesn't know when to shut up," he grumbled to himself, moodily going back to his stropping.
XXX
"What's the easiest way to make Todd realise that Nellie's been here for him all along…?" Bella mumbled to herself as she sat on the couch in the sitting room, plotting.
"Ah! Jealousy! Of course!" she finally said after a few minutes of pacing.
"What's that you're mumbling to yourself there, Bella?" Nellie said as she breezed through the parlour.
"Ah, nothing, Nellie. Just hoping my bastard of a husband doesn't find me here," she said quickly, fiddling with one of her rings as she invented the lie.
Nellie chuckled.
"Oh, I doubt that, luv. London's a big place. Plus, he'd have to search through too many alleys of beggars n' whores 'fore he finds ya," Nellie replied, finally locating her hat and using the dirty mirror to pin it into her unruly curls. "Anyway, I've to go to the market, would you like to come with?"
"Um, yes, sure. I mean, I wouldn't mind," Bella hastily replied while nodding her head.
"Great! Come on then, dove. Let's get goin'," Nellie told her as she shoved her purse into her bodice and grabbed up her keys before leaving.
Bella quietly followed her, listening to her chatter on about how dreary London is, without any sunshine or warmth. She proceeded to then go on about Mr. Todd, and what a dreary fellow he is, all stuck up in his room.
"You know, Nellie, I've been wondering, you speak so much of Mr. Todd, but he doesn't seem like the best kind of man for you. What do you look for in a man?" Bella asked curiously as they walked together.
Nellie couldn't help but blush.
"Well…I mean… I- what do you look for?" she asked, avoiding the question.
"Well, I'd like someone strong, who can take care of me, maybe tall, some pretty blue eyes, maybe dark hair…" Bella replied, "Now, come on, what do you look for?"
"Well…he has to be appreciative, and kind, a caring gentleman, really. I like your description, I've always gone for Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome," Nellie told her, her cheeks still blushing.
They turned down an alley to get to the market quicker, and could go no further. A shadowy, hunched figure blocked the alley, and a bony, dirty finger pointed at Nellie.
"You! You're the Devil's Witch, y'are!" the woman cackled. "More like the Devil's Bitch!"
Nellie sighed in annoyance.
"Just ignore 'er. She's mad she is, just like ev'ry other beggar on these streets," she said, moving to push past the woman.
Before she could fully pass, the woman shot out with filthy hands, grabbing Nellie around the throat and slamming her against a grimy wall. Nellie struggled, gasping, her hands clawing at the hands restricting her airways, her eyes wide.
"Die, filthy witch, die! The devil's witch, the devil's bitch, you die, die, die!" the mad woman crooned, slamming Nellie's head into the wall each time she shrieked the word 'die'.
"What are you doing, get the hell off of her!" Bella shouted, trying to desperately pry the woman off. Nellie's lips were fast turning blue. Bella grasped the mad woman by her own throat, finally managing to pry her off, and if she accidentally sent off a blasting hex, nobody knew. The beggar hit the other wall with a dull thud and a crack, but Bella was only concerned with Nellie. She was slumped on the dirty street, gasping heavily. Her eyes were dull, and Bella managed to get her to her feet before slowly making their way back to Fleet Street.
She burst through the pie shop door, now basically carrying Nellie, as she appeared to have lost consciousness.
"Where the hell have you two been? It's been hours! What's wrong with her?" Sweeney Todd shouted as she came in, dragging Nellie into the parlour.
Bella glared up at the man, before replying.
"Well, the market isn't exactly next door, Mr. Todd. Nellie was attacked by a beggar. I think her head is bleeding," she told him.
"Wait here," he muttered, looking frustrated.
He returned a few moments later with a handful of soft cloth and a bottle of gin. He knelt on the ground next to the settee where Nellie lay.
"What's wrong with her neck?" he asked, tilting her chin up to see the bruised skin.
"The beggar was trying to strangle her, almost succeeded, too," she replied, folding her arms and waiting to see how the scenario would play out.
She never expected him to reach behind her and loosen the ties of her dress, his hand slipping inside.
"What are you doing?" she spluttered, surprised.
"Relax. I'm only loosening her corset so she can breathe easier," he replied, looking disgruntled and annoyed. He turned Nellie's unconscious body on her side, parting her unruly hair to see the dark blood that was coming from a gash at the back of her head.
He wet a cloth with gin and gently pressed it against it, repeating the cleaning process till most of the blood was gone and the cut was clean. When he was finished he stood, walking out of the room before Bella could thank him, though she preferred to have as little interactions with him as possible. A few minutes later she heard his footsteps on the stairs, signalling that he was going up to his shop.
Bella sighed and looked back at Nellie, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Well, only one thing to do, she thought, wait until she wakes up.
XXX
What a day.
And it was barely even gone noon.
Sweeney turned the sign on his door to say 'closed'. It made no sense working if Mrs. Lovett was incarcerated.
Mrs. Lovett… oh, she did look ever so lovely today… Stop that!
He sighed and sank into his chair, massaging his temples. Perhaps a nap would do him some good.
xxx
"Happy Birthday, Nellie," Benjamin said with a fond smile as he handed her the small wrapped parcel.
"Oh, Ben, you didn't have to!" she gushed, a delighted smile on her face as she unwrapped it to find a beautiful silver locket. She shot him a grin, her hazel eyes dancing. "It's gorgeous!"
He smiled and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Not as gorgeous as you, Nell," he murmured to her.
She smiled and blushed, leaning up to give him a quick kiss on his lips.
"Thank you, Ben. I really do love it," she told him as she reached up and clipped it around her neck, allowing it to hang elegantly.
"Nellie?" he murmured.
She looked up at him questioningly, though a smile graced her lips.
"I love you," he said, and then blushed, wondering if she would think him daft.
Instead, her smile grew wider. "I love you too, Ben," she replied, and delighted, he reached down and kissed her lips again.
xxx
"You do realise that you're threatening me with a stick, don't you?"
The blonde woman laughed.
"This is no ordinary stick, fool. But, let's get down to business, shall we? Imperio!"
Benjamin's face slackened, a glazed look to his eyes.
"You, Benjamin Barker, shall love me, Lucy Stone, for the rest of your days. You will not remember Nellie Pearce, or anything to do with her after tomorrow. Tomorrow, you will meet with her as usual, and you will tell her that you no longer love her. You only love me."
The glazed look to his eyes faded, replaced by a goofy, lovesick one instead.
"Hello, darling," he said lovingly, reaching out to stroke her cheek.
Lucy smirked cruelly.
xxx
The young man and his lover were cuddled together under the tall oak, basking in the rare sunshine of summer.
"Ben!"
He looked up, catching sight of the petite redhead as she approached. She pulled up short as she saw his arms wrapped around the tall, willowy blonde next to him.
"Oh, hullo, Nellie," he said, his gaze cutting back to the blonde next to him.
"Benjamin? W-what's the meaning of this?" she asked, confused and hurt.
"Look, Nellie, you didn't truly think that our relationship would last did you? I mean, it was just a fling. I need someone more mature in my life, someone to settle down with. I'm sorry, Nellie, but we're done," Benjamin said as he stood to look down at her.
Tears welled in Nellie's hazel eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Her fingers clenched in a fist at her side, and before he even knew it, Benjamin was knocked back on the grass, one hand held over his right eye as he grunted in pain.
"If that's the case, perhaps I'll go find myself a real man. Good day, Mr. Barker," Nellie said through gritted teeth before storming off.
xxx
He sat up, gasping for breath unevenly and sweating profusely.
Disoriented, he stumbled out the door and down the stairs, bursting through the door to the pie shop, startling the dark haired woman there.
"What the hell's wrong with you?" she asked, as though annoyed by his presence.
"Nellie…where's Nellie…Where's my Nellie, please, Miss, you have to help me," he gasped as he approached her, his eyes wild.
"Hang on a minute, what's wrong with you?" she said, her dark brows crumpling on her forehead.
"Please! My name is Benjamin Barker, and I'm looking for my girl, her name is Nellie Pearce, please! I need your help!" he cried, clutching her forearms tightly.