The Soul Wears Out the Breast

"BENJAMIN!"

Lucy's shriek bounced off the dark stone walls of the holding cells, and she hardly noticed the disgusted look the guard gave her or the tears that threatened to spill over Eleanor Lovett's eyes as she collapsed in heap at the bars before her. Her dainty fingers curled around the iron bars, and she pressed her face against them, sobbing, at the sight of the man in front of her. Benjamin Barker sat, curled against the bars as well, his head buried in his hands. At her shout, he sprung out, wrapping his hands around hers as much as was possible. Mrs. Lovett swallowed a sob.

Mr. Barker leaned his forehead against the bars, mumbling softly to her as he brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes. Yet nothing would calm her. Lucy sobbed and sobbed, hysterical as she gasped for breath. "I - I- I- Oh, Benjamin" she managed, sniffling as tears fell from her face onto the lay pink dress she wore. Mr. Barker sidled closer to the barred gate, his shackles scraping across the stone as he moved. The sight was too much for Eleanor, and she turned away, not wanting to see the pain evident on his face or the way he looked at his wife, the way his face was covered with dirt and cuts or the way his ankles were crusted with dried blood from where the shackles had dug into his skin. Curling her hands into fists, she closed her eyes and fought against the hysteria that was bubbling inside her. No. She needed to be strong. For him.

"Lucy. Lucy, please. It'll be alright. I will come back for you, I promise," he whispered soothingly, causing Lucy to break into sobs once more. She hurled herself at the bars, insane, as if with this futile task she would break down the false crime parting them and be at his side once more. At this Eleanor turned around, kneeling beside her. "Hush, Lucy, dear. It's alright. Mr. Barker is fine, see?" she swallowed, willing herself not to look at him. Shaking slightly as she inhaled, Mrs. Lovett placed her arms around the small woman's body, giving her a moment. "Now, you say your goodbyes. I think it's best if you say goodbye to Mr. Barker now," she said quietly, pulling away after a moment and returning to her former place, her back to the couple. Begging for strength, Mrs. Lovett attempted to tune out the hysteric words and desperate pleas and the way Mr. Barker's voice broke when he spoke to Lucy. This must be so hard for him. He was being sent to the Devil's Island, from where Mrs. Lovett knew he would never return, and he was forced to comfort his grieving wife. After a long few moments, Mrs. Lovett heard Lucy get up and tear away from the prison, sobs rising in her throat. Not trusting herself in that moment, Mrs. Lovett desperately attempted to subdue the burning in the back of her throat.

"Nellie..."

The soft words pierced her heart more than the death of her parents, more than the pangs of hunger and the way she resented her husband. More than the deaths of her two children and the jealousy of Johanna. Gasping shakily, Eleanor turned slowly around, her eyes finally falling on Mr. Barker fully. She noticed he was crying. Collapsing at the bars, Mrs. Lovett wrapped her arms around him as much as was possible. Her forehead pressed against the bars, wanting nothing but to envelop him in his arms and show him how she truly felt, to be there for him and comfort him as he had done so often for her, to give him a moment of peace before his world completely shattered. But the cruel bars separated them, pressing vilely into their bodies with foreign metal, reminding them where they were and why they were here. "Shh, Mr. Barker," she whispered, sticking her and through the bars and pushing dark brown hair out of his eyes. "I know," she said after a moment, unable to reassure him as she knew it would not be alright, that his life would never be the same, and the fact that she could not even give him these soft words of encouragement made her heart break further.

"I can't... I just..."

Mrs. Lovett whispered soothingly to him, rubbing his back gently as she told him stories of the seaside, of how the water would glimmer and glisten and soft waves lapped at the shore, how the sun would smile on them and how worries evaporated into thin air. When her fairy tales were through and Benjamin Barker seemed somewhat calmed, she pulled back, but Mr. Barker's arm shot out to grab her and his frantic eyes caught with hers. "Please. Stay with me."

Mrs. Lovett blinked back tears, nodding shakily as she returned to him, wanting nothing more than to press her lips to his, to let him know just how much she loved him, to once, just once, have some sort of closure. But she could not upset him further and destroy this moment, this one time he needed her. Her body shook gently with each breath she pulled in. She could not last much longer. Feeling tears leak from her eyes, Nellie blinked furiously, attempting to dispel the traitorous drops before Mr. Barker could see. But he simply clung to her, his hands desperate, frantic. And Eleanor was more than willing to give in to the darkness that pulled her down.

"Oi! Time ta go."

The loud shout jolted Mrs. Lovett awake, and she jumped, banging her head against hard metal bars. It all came back to her in a rush, and she held tighter onto Mr. Barker, who was looking at her with wide, terrified eyes. "Please, Nellie, please don't go! Please, I need you, please," he begged, pressing his body as close to the bars as possible. "I won't, Mr. Barker, I promise, they can drag my body away. I won't leave you." her voice was hushed, hysteria bubbling in her throat as the large man drew closer. "Please, Mr. Barker, please remember. Come back. I know you can. You 'ave to! Lucy and I and Johanna, I-" her voice cut off as the guard dug a rough hand under her arm and dragged her away from the bars. Wrapping her fingers around the iron metal, she resisted with every muscle in her body as Mr. Barker rose to his knees, tears falling anew as he begged for mercy. "Mr. Barker!" she shrieked as her grip lost its purchase and she tumbled backwards, reeling, her arms waving in front of her, trying to hold anything, something. Mr. Barker gave a broken sob, the iron bars making impressions where they pressed against his face as he reached a hand out to her. "Nellie," he whispered, his body shaking violently. "Benjamin! It's fine. I- I'll wait for you. Lucy an' me an' Johanna. We'll be here, Benjamin! I swear!" The guard dragged her away, her feet scraping helplessly on the floor as she struggled to right herself, the tears falling at last as she watched the only man she had ever loved break on the cell floor.