The last body had been dropped as the moon rose into the sky. Sweeney Todd was done.. For today at least. He lovingly cleaned his razor free of blood one last time before he set it back into its velvet lined box. He could hear the chatter and laugher of the customers Mrs. Lovett served below. He smirked at the thought of her. It wouldn't hurt to go and see what she was up to... He did just that, leaving his shop, the little bell ringing annoyingly in his ears. He'd have to remember to take it down... He stood on the balcony of his shop, looking down onto Mrs. Lovett's busy dining room below. He watched as she flitted through the tables, serving a pie there or a drop of ale here. He watched her like a hawk, his blood already hot at the thought of his plans for her tonight. Hot, deadly, poisonous rage went through him as he saw her talking to a male customer, the middle aged man's face full of concern. She was his, the little bitch.. Not in a romantic way.. Oh, he would handle this! He turned to the steps, and started to walk down them, one by one, until he was in the dining room itself. Then he put on an expression as close to calm as he would get, and slowly walked toward his little baker and her little.. Friend...

Mrs. Lovett felt him coming from a mile away. She could feel his eyes burning into the back of her head, the heat of his rage on her skin. Though she kept a calm demeanor as she talked to Mr. Walters, a forty year old, retired constable who was a widow, with no children to speak of. "Are you sure everything is alright, Mrs. Lovett?" He inquired of her, not for the first time. She nodded, keeping the smile on her face even though it hurt. "Everythin's alright, sir. I only look a bit tired because I've been sleeping a bit rough, on a count of the fact that I've been missing my Albert. Been gone a long while, now..." That was a lie. But he couldn't know the truth. No one could. "Excuse me, sir.." Sweeney's eerily calm voice sent chills down her spine. Mr. Walters turned his head at the sound of the barber's voice. Mrs. Lovett reluctantly did the same. "Mr. T," she greeted him, nodding her head a bit, though all she wanted to do was run. Sweeney ignored her. His dark eyes were all for the retired constable. She saw that look.. This would not end well. "Mr. Todd!" James Walters greeted him warmly. 'Oh, you poor soul,' Nellie thought. Sweeney tilted his head. "Is there any reason why you were speaking with my landlady so.. Warmly?" He asked, trying to play the part of the protective gentlemen, when in reality it was all he could do not to kill him right then and there, in front of the public eye. Mr. Walters frowned. "She seemed a bit out of sorts to my eyes, so I wanted to see if everything was well with her," he told him. Sweeney shot the baker a look that said a thousand words in one second. She stared him down, but inside she flinched. Sweeney turned his dark gaze to the other man, and a smile slowly came to his face. "Care for a shave?" the barber asked. "NO!" Nellie shouted before she could think. Half the people there turned to look at her, and Walters had a shocked look on his face. She didn't dare look at Sweeney's face.. "Yes," Mr. Walter's voice sliced through her silence. "I would indeed like that shave, good sir." Sweeney bowed his head a little. "Follow me then, sir.." He swept his arms toward his shop. The man got up and followed him. Nellie knew he would not be coming back down those steps again...

Much later, when the customers had cleared her shop, and the mess with the plates cleared away, Nellie stood at the sink, washing her hands one last time, trying to control the faint trembling in them. Sweeney saw her with him... He knew. She hadn't told the man a single thing, but still.. He'd become suspicious, and so, he had paid for it with his life. Suddenly her head was slammed down onto the counter, and a dark voice whispered in her ear. "What did you tell him?" She whimpered. "I didn't tell him anything, Mr. Todd!" She cried. "LIAR!" Sweeney roared. "I didn't, I swear!" the baker pleaded, whimpering in pain from the hold Sweeney had upon her. The demon barber growled softly in his throat and spun her to face him. Then he struck her, making her gasp and cry out. "You stupid whore," Sweeney hissed. "Now the whole TOWN is going to start talking, and people are going to wonder. Do you see what you've done?!" His loud voice made the baker cower. "I didn't mean to," she said softly. He growled again and jerked her head back, whipping out his blade quickly and placing it at her throat. "You will keep your mouth shut," he whispered darkly in her ear, pressing the silver blade hard enough against her skin to make her bleed. She let out a strangled noise, causing Sweeney to smile. He took the blade away slowly and chuckled wickedly. That was one mark on her to claim her as his.. He should make another.. He did, biting painfully into her neck, deep enough to leave bites in her skin that would scar.. He licked the blood away, making the woman shiver despite herself. "Mine.." The word was spoken quietly, but with a final, deadly tone that left no room for argument. "If I see you speaking to another man that way again.. You'll be joining your little helper boy much sooner than planned.. Do you hear me..?" Nellie nodded, too afraid to speak. The demon barber chuckled. "Good.. Go rest yourself.. Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day.." With that, Sweeney turned away and left her there, the weight of his claim and his warning hanging in the air around her.

The next day came, cloudy, windy and chilly.. Nellie woke with a throb in her neck and throat, as well as stinging. Sweeney's silver blade had left a cut on her throat, but it was not deadly. His teeth had also left bite marks in her neck, ones that would scar. These were symbols and reminders of who she belonged to. Also warnings for her not to step out of line again... She was at her mirror, slowly and painfully applying make up to the marks to hide them from wondering eyes. Her bruises were fading, that was good.. She didn't bother hiding those. She was dressed in one of her many elaborate dresses with fingerless lace gloves on her hands. She had a pair to go with almost every dress she owned. One of the very few positives of the twisted business she and Mr. Todd ran together. She quietly stepped out of her room, only to be met with an iron cold hand on her wrist, squeezing it painfully. "The shop is closed today, Mrs. Lovett," said a cold, chilling voice. One that had begun to haunt her at every turn. She whimpered. "Why do ya say that, Mr. T?" The baker asked, dreading the answer, even though she already knew. Sweeney laughed softly. "I warned you about today, did I not...?" He pulled her backwards, so she was pressed against his body. "Maybe after I'm finished with you, the shop will open," he whispered in her ear, making her shiver and sob softly. "but not before..."

Sweeney Todd had been true to his word. It was almost afternoon by the time he was finished with the little baker... The sun had decided to come out from its blanket of clouds to warm the cold London streets below. Nellie Lovett was an unrecognizable wreck.. Her dress was torn violently, her breasts exposed to the chilly air, almost purple from the force of Sweeney's touch. Bite marks were plain on her skin.. Her face was swollen and red, the once healing bruises forming anew, and one of her eyes was swollen shut.. The price of fighting Mr. Todd when he took her.. Her only saving grace from his savage torture was that she did not bleed. Her body had finally gotten used to the feeling of him inside her. But that didn't mean it made it pleasurable.. She hurt so much she could hardly move. "I can't work like this," she managed to croak to the barber. Sweeney only smirked. "You can and you will.. Simply change your dress, and use your wits..." She had, though it'd pained her much to do so. She worked with what limited vision she had, serving what customers came into her shop. Luckily it wasn't as busy as it had been the previous day, and what questions she had been asked, she gave a lie in answer, saying it was a robber who'd come through, trying to make off with her earnings and he'd raped her, though Mr. Todd had saved her before the crook could do worse. How she wished she could tell the truth.. Not now though. Not yet. But she would, somehow, without Sweeney Todd taking notice...

AN: I'm soooo sorry it took so long. My life is kinda crazy right now so this really may not be the best. I'm working very hard on this.. My mind has been all over the place. Please, I hope y'all enjoyed this and I PROMISE the next chapter will be better.