Chapter 7

There's A First Time For Everything...

"Toby, stop wanderin' off love. It's awful crowded here today..." I watched Sweeney absently as I snatched my son by the shoulders, pulling him next to me swiftly.

"Aw, Mum, I'm out here by me-self all the time! Don't go crazy on me." He gave me a smile and shrugged from my grasp, and I smiled wistfully as he trotted along to walk along side Sweeney. Never in a million years would I have dreamed it to happen, but the two men in me life seemed to be growing close. I grinned even brighter, feeling freer then I had in years.

"I'm still crazy, eh? Goin' on about that again loves?" I cheerily called out to them, making a quasi-attempt to catch up. It wasn't an easy feat in this dress, mind you. Miraculously, both men, or man and boy rather, slowed to allow me to walk alongside them.

"I ain't never said you was crazy mum -" he paused for a beat, truly showing his future as the master of comedic timing, - "Mr. T did, n' I wos only agreeing with him." Wonderful.

"That's right, tell her boy." Sweeney said forcefully, but then showed he was joking, I think, by chuckling and smirking briefly. Very briefly. Bloody hell, who was there to tell me I wasn't going barking mad, what with the entire buggering world being flipped upside down underneath my feet? Sweeney Todd was laughing! Again! If that wasn't a sign to call in Mr. Fogg, I don't know what was. One of us needed a bloody straight jacket, that's for sure.

"Woman, are you even listening to me?" I was snapped to attention after God knows how long by Sweeney's strong arms grabbing my shoulders as his eyes bore holes into me skull. God in heaven, I could've fainted right then. Instead, I put on one of my brightest, carefree smiles and spouted off "Oh no dearie, don't mind me! Just havin' one of me delusional spells is all!" I cracked a sarcastic little smile and he gave what I might've hoped to be an appreciative raise of the eyebrows back, before turning serious again. "What I was saying" - Insertng a pointed look at me here - oh for the love of all bleeding holiness, I got it already! I was going deaf, blind, crazy, and all that fun stuff. Yea, yea, keep laughing hon'. Ye know I secretly don't mind.

...I glared at 'im anyway, for a second at least.

He continued, " I sent Toby off on his own to buy himself a good razor, but it's getting awful dark and I'm sure he's got one by now. We aught to go find him." If I didn't value my arteries, you know, the ones in the general vicinity of my neck, I would have cooed "awww" at the poor bloke, or something equally unlike me, come to think of it. It was a rare moment.

But again, I was rather attached to my 'precious rubies'. So I toned my sappiness, or happiness, whichever you prefer, down a bit.

"Well," I stated teasingly, "good to see ya finally caring about my boy's welfare, eh Mr. T?" I winked at him, something I could definitely get used to doing, if my safety allowed it. "Off we go then, lets go find him." I snatched him by the hand, not really thinkin' mind you, and half-dragged, half - waltzed him through the streets of London. Finding Toby was fairly easy, as we both knew our way around the markets. When he saw us he bounced over to us, looking rather like an over-excited rabbit, and brandished his new razor like a sword.

"Look! I found a perfect one sir! N' I don't think I'll be cutting you with it no more neither! It doesn't look as deadly as yours Mr. Todd." I suppressed a rather evil chortle.

"That's good my boy, now I won't have to share my precious tools. I'm, er, glad you found one ya like." He seemed to be trying his best to sound bored, but I knew, or hoped rather, that he found the boy's enthusiasm almost as endearing as I had.

"Thank you though," Toby continued, calming greatly due to Mr. T's calm response, "Mum, Mr. Todd, for taking me out on the town with you today. For the first time I - I almost feel like I have me own family."

My heart was swelling in my chest, though I would deny that I ever noticed the tears welling up im my eyes. It was then, ironically, that I noticed I was still holding onto Mr. T, and I almost dropped my arm and moved away from him in embarrassment. But bless my soul, Sweeney squeezed my hand briefly before letting go himself, and replaced his own hand only somewhat hesitantly on Toby's shoulder.

"You're welcome, Lad", he grunted. But oh how I loved him for it. Toby smiled up at him and inquired,

"Really though, sir, will you give me another chance? How 'bout a shave?" Wow....what an unfortunate way to put it. I snickered as silently as I could at the eerie double meaning. Sweeney made the moment even more amusing, for me at least, by stiffening slightly and turning noticeably paler than usual. I can only imagine the circumstances in which he had last used that very same line.

"Sir?" Toby asked uncertainly. I reached up to Sweeney's cheek and fiddled playfully with one of the bandages I'd placed there before we left for the day.

"Now, now, love. Give the man time to heal from the first time!" I teased. Toby looked down to the ground bashfully like the good, obedient little apprentice I'm sure he was, and Mr. T let my hand linger on his cheek for a few more meaningful moments before remembering to pull away.