I sat on the cold floor, bits of straw the only thing covering it. I curled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. A stray tear fell down my cheek but I didn't wipe it away. I was surprised I still had any tears left in my body. A single chain led from my right wrist to the wall.

I stared anxiously out the bars of the large cage. Toby was being held in front of the judge and he'd been there for nearly half an hour. They stated they'd give me the same sentence as Toby but this didn't calm me in the least. He'd been gone so long…what if they already had done something to him…torture him, or hanged him. I clenched my teeth at the thought, terrified.

Suddenly, the dark jail was illuminated. The doors shot open with a loud bang. I stood and rushed to the bars. My wrist hung out behind me, seeing that the chain wasn't long enough to reach the front of the cell. My eyes were wide with anticipation and fear. Toby could be led out of that room alive and well…or dead. I held my breath but it turned out I didn't need to.

Sweeney's dark boots were dragged across the straw strewn floor. Mum wasn't far behind; however, she was in much better shape than Sweeney. A man demanded I go to the back of the cell and then threw Todd and my mother in. Sweeney was nearly unconscious but mum was very much awake.

"Jess!" She cried, running over to me. "Are you okay? Why didn't you go to the train?"

"Oh mum," I whispered, embracing her. "You know I couldn't leave you." She smiled but then went to attend to Sweeney.

"Sweeney, Sweeney it's okay. We're safe. Jesse's here and it's all safe." She cooed, rubbing his forehead and pushing his hair out of face. He was stirring but his eyes were still closed.

"What happened?" I asked.

"When we were on trial, I think he had a flashback or something. He started breathing really deeply and sweating. Something was wrong. It was when the sentencing happened when everything really went wrong. He was clenching the table in front of us so tight, his knuckles were turning white. Finally, I don't think he could handle it anymore, and he fell into a faint." I gasped and looked at his head, looking for any sign of a bruise or cut.

Finally, he began to come to. "Ne-Nellie?" He muttered, squinting his eyes open.

She smiled and brushed his face with the back of her hand. "It's all right. It's all right." She repeated. There was a moment of silence and then Sweeney sat up.

"Where's the boy?" He asked, looking around.

"Yes, dear. Where is Toby?" Mum inquired.

I stared down at the floor. "He's…still on trial." Sweeney and my mother exchanged a glance. It wasn't a good sign.

A few minutes later, a man came in with our dinner. He also chained mum and Sweeney to the wall, like me. We ate our dinner in silence. Suddenly, I realized something. "What was your sentence?" I asked quickly. They looked at each other and then back down to their food. "What was it?" I demanded.

Suddenly, Mum put her hands over her face and began to cry. Sweeney pulled her in close. They didn't need to say it. I knew what it was. A hanging. It was a hanging. They were to be hanged. And Toby and I would be hanged as well. What if Toby was already…? I grabbed my chest in horror. "No!" I gasped, sucking in a painful breath.

I walked closer to the wall and stood against it, fear coursing through my veins. Sweeney looked up and saw me. Patting mum's shoulder, he stood up and walked over to me. He then reached around and pulled me into his arms. I stood there for a few seconds, feeling confused and rather awkward. Until, I heard him whisper, "I'll do all I can to keep your pretty little neck out of that rope." I bit my lip to keep from gasping. I then wrapped my arms around my waist and squeezed hard, wishing to never let go.

As we embraced in the darkened cell, I once again saw the light shine through the dark. I shot out of Todd's arms and ran at the bars. The chain pulled at my wrist, causing the rough iron to pull at my skin. However, I didn't care, because through the doors came Toby. He held his head high, despite his black eye. He was led into our cage and chained the wall like the rest of us.

It was only until the door was closed once more then Toby and I ran to each other. He grabbed me and held me close. "What happened? What are they doing? Toby, please tell me!" He didn't let go or lessen his grip. I pushed him back. "Toby, damn you, tell me what our sentence is!" He stared into my eyes. The hardness and terror that shone behind them were words enough.

I cried into his shoulder, clutching his shirt. Sweeney stood up, after sitting to comfort Ms. Lovett once more, and stormed over to us. "No! They can't. How can they? On what grounds?"

Toby stared down and then gulped. "We knew. We knew about the murders and didn't report it." His voice shook.

"When?" I gasped, staring down at the ground.

Toby bit his lips and a tear fell down his face. "Tomorrow!" He cried and I gasped, covering my mouth in utter shock.

Sweeney stared straight ahead. "Damn it! Damn them! Those absolute utter bastards!" He cried, hitting the wall.

Mum stood and wiped her eyes. "Sweeney…" She muttered. He stopped and walked over to her. They embraced and, after a second, Mum put out her hand to me. I blinked, tears still falling and led Toby over to the pair. We joined their hug and then, after a moment, lowered our hug to the ground. We sat there as one unit; one family. We were all crying by now, terrified about our fate.

As we hugged, I stared off into space, my eyes wide open. What was going to happen to us? I didn't normally pray or do anything remotely close to it, but all I could think as we embraced was, Please, God! Please don't let us die. Please… please…please.

Later that night I was lying awake, terror still racking my brain. Sweeney and my mother were talking quietly a corner of their own. Toby had been lying down, facing the wall, but now he stood and broke the silence by trudging over to me.

He looked at me. I looked over at him. "Toby," I whispered. He tried to smile but it didn't succeed in charming me like all his others did.

He finally sat next to me and pulled me in close. I pushed myself down on the ground so we laid side by side, his arms still around me. "Tell me a secret," he whispered, staring up at the ceiling, as if he could see the stars behind it.

I paused for a moment, but then said, "I want nothing more than to be alive tomorrow night."

He didn't say anything and then whispered, "I agree with that statement…as long as I'm with you." I gripped his hand tighter at his words.

I then said, "I loved you from the first second I saw you. When you gave me that bread." He laughed (laughed!) slightly and pulled me in even closer.

"I remember the day you arrived at the workhouse. You skin was dirty, your face blotchy with dirt. You wore a simple brown dress and no shoes. You looked so sad, so pitiful and yet…I couldn't help but find you pretty. And then you took the beating for me and I knew I just knew I loved you." As he spoke, I rolled over so I lay on top of him.

A tear fell down my face. "Toby…there is no other person I would rather spend my…my last hours with."

He smiled and we kissed…and kissed. Eventually, I rolled over and fell asleep, wrapped in the arm of the man I loved maybe for the last time.