A/N: Hello everyone! Did you miss me? I missed my writing that's for sure, I hope you took a look at my newest Dark Shadows story or any of the Sweenett one shots I've posted if not please go check them out and let me know what you think. Now that the self promotion is done let me welcome you all once more to this story please enjoy!
Chapter 7,
15 long years had passed and London looked unchanged as Sweeney Todd stepped off the docs and into filthy street before looking around, darkness had fallen long before but no one could tell by looking up because of the heavy rain clouds in the sky threatening a downpour. There was not a soul out save a woman standing under a flickering street lamp her eyes scanning the ships as though watching a fond memory on each one, a sailor's wife most likely waiting for her husband's return or the slight chance she was who he was looking for. He made his way closer to her but as he got within 5 feet of her he recognized the golden locks of hair and blue eyes as they flickered up to look at him. Lucy Walker looked at him but there was no hint of recognition in her blue eyes as she lifted her head to fully see him.
"Can I help you sir?"
Fifteen years clearly hadn't changed her, she still spoke properly and her porcelain face was hardly touched by age. He cleared his throat meeting her eyes.
"I'm lookin' for a woman by the name of Eleanor Walker."
As he watched Lucy tried to hide a smirk, though she was failing, as she looked at the docked ships again.
"She's no longer living sir, died a year ago in a cell in Bedlum, she lost her mind after her fiancé was sent to Australia for committing a crime."
Lucy was almost cackling as she finished speaking but Sweeney had stopped listening after her first sentence his mind struggling to fully grasp the words but he felt his words leave his lips without his consent.
"Where about is she buried?"
Lucy looked at him, blue eyes gleaming as she pointed behind her."
"Go through Fleet Street to the cemetery it's a grave with a white stone cross nearest the entrance."
Sweney watched her, the Lucy he remembered had not been fond of her own sister after Benjamin had chosen her but to smile like a fool when talking about her death was wrong, maybe she should be the one in a cell like a caged animal. He nodded once in thanks and began walking away his ears picking up on Lucy's laughter as he walked. He navigated the streets and alleys with ease until he found the one he was looking for, a quick glance around told him it wasn't the best or most popular street in London, half of the shops were boarded up and the few that were still open looked horribly run down.
His eyes scanned the shop fronts as he walked when one caught his eye, a meat pie shop, through the threadbare curtains he could make out a woman at a counter working away on some kind of dough. Something was pulling him to the shop, though he had no clue why, his feet moved on their own until he stood before the door that read in chipped painted letters 'Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pie Emporium' he paused for a moment before opening the door his eyes looking around before stopping on the woman in front of him. Something stirred in him as he took in the unruly auburn curls pinned up on her head, the corset of her faded black dress was dusted with flour, much like everything else, her skin was milky white and smooth.
His throat tightened slightly as he waited for her to look up, she looked so much like his Nellie, maybe Lucy had lied to him in telling him Nellie was dead but before he could make that conclusion he needed to see her face to see if she had the warm chocolate brown eyes he had once loved. After what felt like a lifetime she looked up and gasped a smile breaking over her red painted lips. Her face was the same one Sweeney had seen every time he closed his eyes, the same face that pushed him to escape the hell he was wrongly thrown into, but there was something out of place, maybe it was the sunken look of her eyes or the red on her lips.
"Good evenin' deary, I was just goin' to close shop for the night unless you're 'ere about the room above for rent?"
Sweeney couldn't find his voice as her's echoed around him a dead ringer for the sweet tones he loved years ago so he only nodded while his eyes followed her as she moved from behind the counter dusting flour from her hands onto the skirts of her dress then brushing it off as she walked to a door on the side of the shop leading to a patio filled with tales and the bottom of a set of stairs peeked around the corner.
"This way then love."
She waited until he began to follow her. She led him out the door, up the large flight of creaking stairs and through another door.
"It ain't much but there's a small bedroom and bathroom through that door so this could be a work space."
Sweeney looked around the empty room until his eyes fell on a trunk near the large picture window and atop its lid was a small wooden box he recognized even after 15 years. Slowly he made his way to the trunk and lifted the box running his fingers over the smooth wood hardly aware of the woman now next to him.
"A few things of me 'usband's, I can 'ave 'em out of 'ere by tomorrow afternoon if they will bother ya…"
She trailed off watching as Sweeney slowly opened the box to revile 6 gleaming silver razors and 7 velvet slots making his brow furrow as he looked at the woman anger flashing in his eyes making her flinch.
"And just how is it your husband got his hands on my razors?! The bride of a thief! Where is the seventh razor?!"
The woman took a step back but he advanced on her quickly teeth clenched and his hand hel the box of razors so tightly he silently worried it would splinter."
"W-well they wasn't me 'usband's persay sir ya see 'e was goin' to be then 'e was arrested for somethin' 'e didn't do."
She swallowed thickly her eyes locking with his as he cornered her between the wall and himself.
"What was his name?"
His voice was teasing as he watched her though is long dormant heart began to beat a fraction or a beat faster with an idea of her answer.
"Benjamin Barker."
Her voice was quiet, just above a whisper, as her brown eyes searched his face a small flicker of hope in them as he drew in a quiet breath and struggled to speak past the lump in his throat.
"Nellie? Nellie Walker?"
The woman blinked but not in confusion but to keep tears from her eyes as she nodded looking him over.
"Yes Ben?"
He felt his heart stir again as she confirmed his thoughts and before he could process the action he'd dropped the box of razors, ignoring the sound of them hitting the floor, and grabbing her wrist pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her his face showing none of the relief he felt but his actions spoke more than loud enough to Nellie as she balled her fists around his shirt and nestled her head against his shoulder. Suddenly his arms were gone and Nellie found herself pressed against the wall rather roughly by her shoulder making her gasp as fear settled into her chest. Cool lips brushed over her ear earning their owner a shutter as she let her eyelids droop.
"Where is the last razor Nellie?"
His voice, though cold, held the smallest undertone of gentleness only enforced by his hand as it slipped from her shoulder and found her hip. She couldn't respond at first, his hand was like a white hot iron even though her corset and she reveled in the feeling of it after 15 long years.
"I-I 'ave it, keep it with me all the time."
Her hand moved from her side drawing Sweeney' attention thinking she was going to try and push him away but quickly found that wasn't her intent as her fingers disappeared into her cleavage before producing the razor in question. She held it between them and opened its blade catching the flickering candle light, it looked well taken care of, its blade still smooth and sharp ready to do the yelpers bidding.
"Keep it at arm's length, can't be too careful round 'ere or incase my lovely sister comes pokin' around."
There was clear animosity in her voice as she brought the razor closer to her and ran it lightly over the back of her hand testing its sharpness, Sweeney watched admittedly slightly impressed not only to see the razor was sharp as ever but that Nellie seemed to know how to wield the small silver object. She closed it once more making his eyes meet hers as she held the razor for him to take.
"You can 'ave it back if you want it."
He shook his head stepping away from her enough she could move away from the wall but their eyes stayed locked as if a magnetized to each other. Nellie placed the razor back in its place as she tuned to the door.
"Come back down and I'll pour us some gin."
She glanced back at him and after making sure he was following she descended the stairs to her shop, as they got half way down the creaky steps she smiled to herself feeling his hand lightly grasp hers at her side and hidden by the dark. They entered her shop moments later and he released her hand to sit in one of the booths while she disappeared into the room across the shop, seconds ticked by before she finally returned with two shot glasses in one hand and a bottle of gin in the other. She set the glasses on the table as she sat down, she uncorked the bottle and poured the remaining liquid into their glasses.
"Looks like a trip to the market in the mornin' for me."
Sweeney didn't respond past a glance at her as he took a sip from his glass but it was enough for her to continue.
"'Ow'd you find me Ben? Not even Lucy knows where I am and the word on the street about a year ago was that I were in Bedlum."
Silence fell over them as she waited for an answer tracing the rim of her glass with her finger watching him as he stared into his glass before he answered.
"Lucy, she told me you had died a year ago in Belum and that the way to your grave was through Fleet Street."
His eyes finally met her's as she bit her lip looking nervous at first but rage soon filled her dainty features as she stood from the table and walked to the counter and began pounding the blob of dough aggressively.
"So that's what she tells 'em is it? 'Er poor lil' sister gone and went mad after 'er fiance was arrested, bleedin' slut!"
She said angrily smacking the dough down on the counter sending up a cloud of flour in the process.
"Failed to tell 'em that she sent me there out of jealousy then after three weeks of living hell that bloody judge comes and tries to make me 'is sex slave, wait till I get me 'ands on 'em!"
In her rage Nellie failed to see Sweeney leave his place at the table and came to her side until he grabbed her wrist as she inches to hitting him in the face with the rolling pin as she unknowingly brought it back. She blinked surprised to being restrained and looked up at him but his eyes were elsewhere, focused on her temples where the faded ivory pink scars peeked from under her auburn hair. Slowly he brought his free hand up and brushed her bangs back a little farther letting his thumb lightly brush the barely visible mark.
"What did they do to you?"
Nellie shuddered remembering the endless days of torture, ice baths that left her skin burning, pills that made her body limp so they could poke needles and scalpels into her, the endless nights of torturess screaming around her but worst of all were the electric shock therapy "treatments" she was given until her body stopped fighting and her throat was raw from screaming. She whimpered opening her eyes, unaware she'd closed them, and looked up at Sweeney tears stinging her eyes.
"Things I don't want to remember Ben, please don't make me."
Sweeney nodded letting his thumb trace the scar once more before his hand moved down her jaw to her cheek eyes still locked with hers. There was a noise from near the parlor like an opening door followed by shuffling foot steps that sounded too small and light to be a full grown person.
"Mum?"
The voice definitely did not belong to an adult making Sweeney glance to the parlor to see a boy, maybe 10 years old, with messy chestnut hair rubbing his eyes sleepily as he looked around the parlor still lit by a slowly dying fire.
"In the kitchen love, just preparin' things for tomorrow, go back to bed."
The footsteps stopped and the boy looked in the direction of the kitchen unable to see Nellie or Sweeney in the barely lit room.
"Go back to bed Toby."
There was annoyance prominent in her voice as she looked in the child's direction.
"Alright, good night mum."
Without another word the boy turned and left and soon after a door closing echoed into the kitchen making Nellie sigh.
"Boy worries too much about me."
She mumbled to herself before lifting her hand letting it rest against Sweeney's cheek making him look at her.
"Speaking of Toby, 'e 'as no idea that I'm anythin' other than Mrs. Lovett just like the rest of this bloody town so it may be safer for you to call me Mrs. Lovett or Nellie."
There was a flicker of confusion in Sweeney's eyes that made her smile softly.
"For the past 15 years I've been the youngest daughter of the sister of the old widow that owned this shop after 'er daughter died, for the past 15 years I've been Eleanor Lovett."
Feeling her thumb lightly brush over his lips Sweeney felt a wave of warmth wash over him as he leaned into her touch as though the past 15 years hadn't happened.
"You'll always be Nellie to me pet but you'll have to stop calling me Ben...Benjamin Barker is dead."
Nellie looked confused this time as Sweeney moved away from her to sit back in the booth they had occupied before.
"That don't make sense love, 'ow can you be dead if you're sittin' 'ere before me eyes?"
Sweeney didn't look up from the table listening as she moved from behind the counter to step closer to him.
"Benjamin Barker is dead, its Todd now, Sweeney Todd and I can promise you this Nellie, we will get revenge for what they did to us."
He finally looked up so his black eyes met her chocolate brown ones as they watched him with a mix of confusion and something he hadn't known since being taken away, love. Nellie nodded unable to speak for a moment before looking at the clock as it chimed the late hour.
"Well Be-Sweeny it late, you're welcome to spend the rest of the night in the parlor, ain't much but Toby sleeps in the spare room and that room above get 'orribly drafty, roof leaks a bit to…"
She trailed off as Sweeney got to his feet before grabbing her wrist and pulling her closer so he could place the perfect kiss she'd ever known to the scar on her temple before turning on his heel and leaving the shop to return to the one upstairs. As she watched him go electricity shot through her, but not painfully like when she was torchered in the mad house no it was a warm feeling that had been absent from her for 15 years. After hearing the door upstairs close and pacing foot falls she shook herself and walked through the parlor to her room pausing to grab a lit candle before slipping into her room. She quickly lit the pair of candles at the bedside before changing out of her dress and into a pearly pink nighty before crawling into bed listening to the sound of Sweeney pacing as her eyes closed and sleep overtook her.
