Chapter 4 here we go!

Special thanks to:

Pouka Lovett: thanks for your feedback, sweetie!

linalove: I'm glad you're liking it, lina!

…because it's nice to know someone is actually reading this :D Hope you like this chapter, ladies!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd. I do however have a pale barber, who bears a remarkable resemblance to Johnny Depp, tied to my bed. He holds me at night. I force him to.


For once, the pie shop was completely silent. No happy chatter, no pans clashing while being moved around, no humming while beating the dough. The only possible sound was produced by my own breathing, quick and anxious, as I found Nellie Lovett lying unconscious on the floor. After the initial shock provoked by my finding, all I could do was scream. A loud, piercing scream pleading for help. Then I remembered: I was not entirely alone.

"Mr Todd!! Please! It's Nellie!" The last words came out somewhat choked by sobs. I threw myself to the floor, by her side, and touched her face. It was cold as winter could be, yet small droplets of sweat adorned her pale forehead. Next thing I knew Todd was kneeled across me, reaching for Nellie's neck with his fingers.

"Go call a doctor." He remained composed. I looked at him, searching for any form of comfort in his eyes. "Now!"

I scrambled to my feet and ran out the shop and onto the streets as fast as my legs permitted me to. I could not afford to lose time.


"She will wake in a few hours." I sighed in relief after two agonizing hours of waiting in the parlor for the doctor's diagnose. When he finally came out of Nellie's room, both Mr Todd—who had been staring blankly out the parlor's window— and I snapped our heads in his direction. "For now, she just needs rest."

"What caused her to black out in the first place, doctor?" I somehow felt guilty after seeing Nellie work so hard; she had seemed very tired these past days. "Was it exhaustion?"

"No, madam, I fear there might be another cause to it." I gasped. Mr Todd frowned deeper.

"Another cause?" his voice was husky, since he usually went for long periods of time not talking whatsoever.

"Yes, Mr Todd. I believe…and this must not be taken for granted until I see how she heals… that she might be inflicted with a rare type of fever."

"But she will get better?" What I had wanted to come out as an assumption turned out to sound like a question, a plea for certainty. The doctor gazed at me with what I recognized as pity.

"Only time will tell, dear." I fell onto the nearest chair, not knowing what to think or do next. I barely registered the doctor excusing himself and Todd walking him out the shop, their conversation blurred to my ears. I kept my eyes on the old carpet, oblivious to the world beyond myself. I did not even hear a voice calling my name. Mina.

"Mina." A hand shook me gently by the shoulder. I lifted my gaze and found Todd's eyes searching any sign for sanity in mine. He had called me by my name.

"Go lay down. You could use some rest." I remained mute as he led me to the chamber Nellie had arranged for me when I arrived, already months ago. He sat me on my bed and turned to leave.

"Nothing must happen to her, Mr T." My voice, although pathetically weak after choking tears, managed to make him stop on his tracks and look at me.

"Nothing will, Miss Thatcher. Now rest." And with that he shut the door behind him, my silent sobs escaping once and for all.

Hours later I woke from my sleep, my eyes struggling to remain open from all the tears and puffiness they'd endured. I found myself lying on my side, facing the wall. I sat up on the bed, feeling a little disorientated with the previous events and the darkness of the room. Slowly, I got out of the bed and the room, silently walking through the dark corridor until I came face to face with a closed door. Nellie's room.

Tentatively, I raised my hand to knock, but backed away as a strange insecure feeling know reigned over my body. I slowly inhaled, gathering boldness toward anything I might possibly find behind the door. Once again, I made to enter the room, not bothering to knock before turning the handle. I winced as the door shrieked while being opened.

My eyes squinted in the darkness while I peered through the door, searching for Nellie. I found her on her bed, resting peacefully with an almost smile playing on her lips as her head cocked to the side. Something told me to leave her so she could rest, and I was about to get out before she stirred, mumbling a load of phrases with no sense in her sleep. A small smile involuntarily appeared on my face and I couldn't resist the urge to get closer to her.

I sat on the bed beside her still sound asleep form, softly caressed her white cheek, frowning when I felt it burning below my fingers. My hand went to her forehead, finding it hot as well. A quiet yelp escaped my mouth as I retrieved my hand and found her doe eyes gazing up at me. She blinked a couple of times to shake off her sleep, making her calm expression look angelic.

"Mina…" Only after she whispered I became aware of her hoarse voice, gravely affected from the fever.

"Sshh, Nellie…I'm here. Rest your voice." She smiled and removed her hand from the covers, reaching for mine. As her fingers brushed my skin, I shuddered. In opposition to the rest of her body, her hand was frozen.

I took her hand and held it to my lips, kissing her white knuckles before placing it between both my hands and rubbing them together to warm hers up.

"Are you feeling any better?" She opened her mouth as if to speak but remembered she had almost no voice. Her face fell a little and she nodded sadly.

"Good. Mr T and I got very worried when I found you passed out. Everything was so quiet…" I trailed off as I remembered Mr Todd's expression when he got downstairs, where I was sobbing beside Nellie on the floor. "You scared the hell out of us."

Her face lit up with surprise after I said the last sentence. She suddenly forgot about her voice missing.

"Mr T…was scared?" A glint of amusement and, should I dare say, hope adorned her eyes. I nodded silently, reaching to brush a lock of hair away from her eyes.

"He remained calm, though, which is more than what can be said about me." I chuckled, and she grinned. "He told me to go fetch a doctor while he stayed to keep an eye on you. God knows what would have happened if I hadn't had him to tell me what to do."

I looked down at my hands, with her fragile fingers in between, when I remembered what the doctor had said. A single tear managed to travel down my cheek and suddenly Nellie's other hand rested atop of mine. I carefully cast a glance at her, afraid she could notice my red eyes. She was smiling at me as she mouthed the words 'Thank You' silently. I nodded and looked back at my lap, suddenly feeling cold fingers brushing my cheeks. Apparently more unwanted tears had managed to fall from my eyes, for now Nellie was using her hand to wipe them softly. "Oh, Mina…"

A kind tug of my hand made me turn me head toward her, realizing she was moving to the opposite side of her bed, motioning me to lie down next to her. I hesitantly did as she told me and laid my head on the pillow next to her, her arms locking me up in a warm, motherly embrace. I sighed and settled beside her. Only a few minutes must have passed by before I fell soundly asleep.


"What the hell is happening here?"

I squinted confusedly before opening my eyes completely, snapping my head up as I recognized the gruff voice coming from the doorway. I lifted myself on one elbow and opened my mouth to explain myself to an obviously upset Sweeney Todd. However, a sleepy groan stopped me from doing so. Both the barber and I looked down at the redheaded baker stretching herself between the sheets, yawning before finally sitting up. Both Todd and I stared at her, expecting her to speak. She sighed and looked from me to the barber standing feet away from her bed.

"Morning!" she smiled and reached for her robe. "Oh my, 'tis been years since the last time I had a full day of sleep! With all my chores and whotnot. Oh well, y'know what they say. A day's rest's no big waste, eh?"

In the time it took her to speak she had managed to get out of bed, in and out of the bathroom fully dressed, and in front of her vanity's mirror to pin up her hair. She sighed again and turned, raising her eyebrows when she became aware of my and Todd's stare on her. "Whot?"

"What do you mean 'whot', woman? Did you hit your head when you fainted?" the barber snapped as he walked toward her and grabbed her arm, pulling Nellie to the bed. "You should be in bed, healing!"

"But, Mr T—"she was cut off by Todd's yelling once again, this time directed my way.

"And you! What in the world was going through your head when you decided it was safe to sleep inches away from a severely sick woman? Have you no common sense or it just disappeared with your memory?"

During his rant, the man had successfully made Nellie lay down and got me out of the bed, now grabbing me by the arm.

"Now Mr T, I asked Mina to lie down next to me. She was just in to check on me and, well…I felt kinda lonely." She pouted while straightening her dress, looking away from Todd's irritated face. I smiled at Nellie's cheery self; it seemed the hours of sleep had indeed served as therapy. The subtle blush that adorned her cheeks whenever she spoke to Todd was now more apparent.

"We both needed a little company." I spoke looking at her, my smile stretching further as she winked my way.

Todd, however, found no amusement in our display of emotion, for he just rolled his eyes with a growl before dragging me out of the room. He glanced at Nellie one last time before ordering "Sleep." And shut the door soundly behind him.

I shook him off my arm, earning a little shove toward my own chamber's way. I scowled at him, even when he pointed his finger at me with menacing eyes.

"Abstain yourself from doing another stupidity that might worsen things. Last thing I need is two feverish women lying useless in the house…"

With that he turned away and walked off, leaving me staring at his broad back angrily while rubbing my soon-to-be-bruised arm.

"And get dressed. You have a day of two's work ahead of you."


Sorry this chapter sort of sucks… But I think Mrs Lovett's tragic ending in the movie/play deserves a little amend. This chapter goes to Nellie, hoping her love story comes true in any other fanfiction… ;)

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