So here's the next chapter (No? Really? :O) Ehm, I can't decide if I like or don't like this chapter... Well, see for yourselves...

Chapter 10

They stood there, Frida-too shocked to utter a sound and, Mr. Todd-also not speaking or moving. An uncomfortable silence followed and they stood there staring at each other in some sort of awe. Frida was beginning to feel uncomfortable with all this staring and turned her gaze away from her father.

"W-what are you doing here, someone will recognize you…" Frida said speaking to her toes.

"No, no one will recognize me…" He said in a cold and unfeeling voice. "It was a long time since I lived here and people also tend to forget poor, condemned criminals' faces. Also I don't look like the me from 13 years ago."

No he certainly didn't. Even though Frida didn't remember her father so well she could remember his gentleness and that she had loved him very much. The man before her bore no resemblance to the father she remembered and had none of that gentle touch which he had had. Frida felt her anger surface again and lash out at this stranger who had so indelicately turned her life upside-down.

"Well what if someone does! Not only your life but mine and Mrs. Lovett's fates are at stake just by you returning home! I asked what you were doing here!" Frida almost yelled while peeking out at the overflowing crowd on the other side of the market stall.

He took a step back and suddenly wore a pained expression as if she was hurting him. Frida immediately regretted her harsh tone when he turned around and was about to leave.

"Wait! Wait." Frida exclaimed and took an unconscious step forward, "I'm sorry if I sounded wicked, I meant no ill. I was just surprised that's all. Your return was like a bolt out of the blue, you know." She put her arms around herself as if to protect herself. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"I'm sorry." His answer was short with his back still facing her. Frida felt close to tears for the second time this day. She didn't want things to be like this. It was so distant and awkward.

"So….you help Mrs. Lovett with the shop? Do you hang out with friends sometimes to?" He said slowly as if he was putting a thought into every word that left his mouth.

What? Frida thought. What did this come from?

"Well I suppose… No not really, I don't usually. Why?"

"No reason." His answer was once again short and impersonal. "But… You're doing fine right? You're getting enough to eat and…" He broke off.

Frida suddenly understood his awkward questions. Could it be? Is he trying to get to know me…? Maybe it was just her imagining thing but she could almost sense that familiar gentle tone in his voice.

She walked up to him and put a hand on his arm at which he turned, surprised, back towards her. She smiled.

"No need to worry about me, I'm doing fine."

She saw his mask crack up and he let out a surprised smile before building the defenses up again. He walked out from their hiding behind the stall and Frida followed, still smiling.

They pushed themselves through a great mob of people, making their way towards a small scene of some sort with a sign which said "Signor Adolfo Pirelli, Pirelli's Miracle Elixir". At some point Frida was almost swept away by the enormous number of people and had to reach forward and hold onto Mr. Todd's coat to not lose him completely. He didn't seem to notice and Frida was secretly happy for this little contact with the man who was so important to her in such a strange way.

Mr. Todd came to a sudden stop and Frida crashed into his back surprised. She stood on her tiptoes and glanced over his shoulder to see why he had stopped. Mrs. Lovett's dark brown and very annoyed eyes met Frida's.

"Oh, It's you. I was wondering where you had run of like that Mr. T. But what're you doing here Frida?" She said in a stern voice as if she was lecturing children and both Frida and Mr. Todd shrunk a bit under her hard gaze.

"You said that I should find something useful to do while you…" Frida trailed of and began fiddling with the hem of her dress.

Mrs. Lovett sighed. "You really are hopeless are you…." She drifted of and stared questioning somewhere about Frida's stomach. Frida looked down and realized that she still was holding on to the hem of Mr. Todd's coat. She quickly let go. Mrs. Lovett put her arm around Mr. Todd and pushed him in front of her towards the scene. After placing him like a doll somewhere close to the small stage she turned to Frida.

"I told you not to get to close didn't I. It's for your own good." She whispered to Frida bending down so that Mr. Todd wouldn't be able to hear.

"I wasn't the one who initiated the "bonding time". He started it!" Frida whispered back angrily.

"Yeah? Well I'm ending it all!" Mrs. Lovett replied, eyes narrowing.

A young boy with long blond hair over by the scene started drumming on a drum and the rest of Frida's sarcastic words were drenched in the sound.

Mrs. Lovett spun around, ignoring Frida and walked back to Mr. Todd.

Frida followed and noticed that Mrs. Lovett had placed them in such a manner that it was impossible for Frida to squeeze herself in next to them and thus it was impossible for her to see the stage.

Frida tried to see the stage over Mr. Todd's shoulder but he was too tall even if she stood on her tiptoes. She even tried jumping but the only thing she could see of the stage was glimpses of the boy with the tattered hat and in the attempt she jumped straight onto a woman's foot. Frida turned around and was about to apologize when she suddenly felt an arm sneak around her and she was pulled backwards towards the stage.

Frida looked up at her father but he was staring intensely at the boy on the stage and pretended to not notice Frida's questioning glance. Frida was now standing in between Mrs. Lovett and Mr. Todd and had a perfectly clear view of the stage. Mrs. Lovett looked at Frida, clearly irritated but said nothing.