A/N: I was going to wait a few more days, but I decided to be nice. Here's chapter seven, lot's of drama ahead!
Disclaimer: -_- I don't own Sweeney freakin' Todd, okay?
"Dinner!" Nellie called from the kitchen, her demeanor more cheerful than before. She had called out that it was dinnertime knowing that if Sweeney wanted to eat with her again, he would come down. And if he didn't, he would just yell out to bring it up.
But Sweeney did come downstairs again and inhaled deeply, letting the smell of Nellie's soup overcome him. He truly was hungry and figured that if breakfast was good, dinner should be as well.
When Sweeney entered the kitchen, the table was already set and he took his place. Nellie served the soup and sat down as well. Without a word, the two began eating. The silence was particularly unbearable for Nellie now that she was practically back to her normal self.
"So, how was your day?" she questioned, just as Sweeney dipped his spoon in his bowl of soup for more.
"I spent most of it with you," Sweeney pointed out in a rather dry manner. Realising his tone of voice he quickly added, "It was very well. And you?"
Nellie shrugged, "Same thing as you, it was very well." Neither of them brought up the little moment on the sofa. Though it was more than just a moment, it was a half hour before either of them moved.
Once both had finished their dinner, Nellie cleaned up, actually washing the dishes and putting them away instead of just leaving them in the sink. Sweeney stayed at the kitchen table the whole time, watching her hands move. He almost smiled when one of the dishes slipped into the sink, causing soapy water to splash everywhere, partially soaking the front of Nellie's dress. She let out a small squeal of surprise and amusement.
"Oh bugger," she muttered, reaching for a towel and scrubbing the fabric of her dress to dry it off. Though he was not laughing, Sweeney was smirking. Nellie glanced over at him and saw this.
Placing her hands on her hips, she said, "And what are you smirking at?"
Sweeney stood up and walked over to her. When he was close enough, Sweeney took the towel away from Nellie's grasp and started dabbing at the front of her dress. Taken aback, Nellie took a single step away from Sweeney.
"What are you doing?" she asked with a hint of concern. Sweeney still had a smirk upon his face.
"Not a thing to fear Nellie," he assured her as he stepped closer. Though she was still uneasy despite his words, Nellie let Sweeney come closer. The few inches of empty space between them was filled with the towel and Sweeney's hand as he started dabbing at her dress again, knowing that this was better for drying than scrubbing like she had been doing.
Sweeney finished, resting his hand holding the towel at his side. Nellie relieved him of his burden and placed the towel of the counter. Other than that, there was no other movement. Then, Sweeney did it, he stepped closer.
"Sweeney?" Nellie gave Sweeney a look of curiosity, unaware of what his plan was, though she had a pretty good idea.
"Yes pet?" he asked, though it was very apparent that he did not want an answer, just wanted this moment to be in a hush. Yet Nellie ignored this. She placed her hand on his chest and slightly pushed back, creating a little more space between the two.
Nellie gave a subtly shake of her head. "I can't do this Sweeney; I can't do this to Lucy." This confused Sweeney. Why would she be so concerned with his dead wife? In fact, Lucy had been temporarily forgotten by the barber as he made his moves.
"Whatever do you mean?" his brow furrowed as he thought on her words.
Nellie didn't want to admit the truth, how she bought the arsenic, did nothing to stop Lucy, burned her body… but it had to be done, the guilt was eating her alive. It wasn't just thoughts of Toby that had been keeping her up all night.
"Sweeney, there's something I have to tell you."
Sweeney had been led to the sofa, Nellie sitting close, but not as close as he would have preferred. But she knew that the further away, the safer she'd be (at least in her mind). She held Sweeney's hand; her fingertips ghosting his skin as she gently caressed it as she stared at it, not wanting to see the hate that would surely appear in his eyes soon.
"Now before I begin, you mustn't be mad," Nellie's voice was hushed, forcing Sweeney to strain his ears to hear. Her statement thoroughly confused the barber, but he nodded in understanding, having this sudden urge to listen to every word Nellie had to say.
Nellie drew in a shaky breath and continued. "When Lucy took the poison, she died...and yet…she didn't." It made no sense, and at the same time, it did. "Lucy's heart didn't stop beating, but she wasn't the same. Lucy had died, a new woman was created."
Sweeney raised an eyebrow and Nellie made a noise of frustration. This was harder to explain than she thought. Then, an idea hit her. "Remember the first day you came back to my shop after fifteen years? I had called you Mister Barker and you said that he was dead, that it was Sweeney Todd. It was like that."
"Was?" Sweeney inquired. "What do you mean was?" Surely if Lucy had survived the poison and was just in a different state of mind, then she was still alive.
Nellie had looked up at Sweeney for a brief second before averting her eyes again. "Lucy's dead now, really dead. The beggar woman…" she trailed off and could've sworn she saw emotion overcome Sweeney's face. Sweeney felt it too. He could feel his face transform from a blank expression to a countenance of horror.
Lucy was the beggar woman…the beggar woman he killed…Sweeney didn't want to believe it.
"No," he barked. "No, you're lying." He took his hand away from Nellie.
Nellie shook her head. "I wish I was. But it's all true. Lucy's gone for good."
Sweeney's next question was the one Nellie dreaded. "I didn't see her in the bake house. Where's her body?"
The guilt had become too much for Nellie. She stood up abruptly and went to the staircase to go to her room. She came close to escape, but when she was halfway up the stairs Sweeney came to the bottom of them.
"Where is her body Nellie?" he growled, still using her first name. Eleanor turned around for a brief second to face Sweeney, tears making her eyes shimmer. With a quiet sob, she rushed up the stairs and slammed the door to her room, leaving Sweeney's question unanswered. So he slumped back to the sofa and racked his brain for possibilities.
Sweeney had entered the bake house to find Nellie dragging the body of the judge to the oven. That was when it struck him hard. Nellie must've burned Lucy before Sweeney came down when he heard the scream. Anger and hatred flooded Sweeney when he came to realisation. How could Nellie do such a horrible thing? Muffled sobs could be heard from upstairs.
Nellie was locked in her room, hugging a pillow to her chest. She absolutely hated herself for what she had done. Lucy may not have been her friend, but she was Benjamin's wife and Benjamin was a friend to Nellie. And now, both Benjamin and Lucy were dead. Benjamin had been replaced, but Lucy was gone forevermore.
The barber had become lost in his thoughts to notice that four hours had gone by. He hadn't moved a bit since sitting on the sofa, but his thoughts changed quite drastically. Sweeney was even angrier with himself for almost kissing Nellie. No, she had lost the privilege of having him call her by her first name. Mrs. Lovett, that's who she was in the first place and, Sweeney was convinced that that's who she would stay.
Eleanor had stopped her sobbing, but still held the pillow to her body tightly, as if that mere, inanimate object would protect her from harm. She heard Sweeney's rough steps as he tread up the staircase and she flinched when his door slammed shut.
She and Sweeney were back to their insomnia habits.
