Kagome sighed with contentment as she stretched over the couch, a heavenly smile spreading over her slightly chocolate covered face. Her mattered black hair slung messily over the arms of the couch, hanging just above the wooden floor as her arms and legs were thrown in every which way.

Her hand reached for the remaining toffees in the nearly vacant jar before she were footsteps.

She quickly sat up and tried to straightened out hair while also cleaning up the toffees that had escaped her mouth when she tried to throw them in. The door opened and Kagome froze, the jar tilted in her hand with a handful of melting chocolate toffees in the other, looking like a deer caught in the head lights.

Nellie froze, staring at the girl for a moment before a big grin spread over her face and laughed uncontrollably. Kagome just stared at her like she was insane, which is what it looked liked as the baker doubled over, clutching her stomach as her loud laughter turned into ear piercing scream.

Just when she was about to slink away, fearing her insanity would take an abusive form just like Pirelli had always done, Nellie sucked in a big breath and tried to compose herself, wiping away a tea, a big, almost disturbing grin, still on her pale face.

"Oh, I-I'm so s-sorry, love!" the baker gasped as she tried to speak, her laughter threatening to bubble up and take over again. "I-Its jus'...Ya looked so hilarious there, ya did! Lookin' like I was the bloody law!" she giggled childishly

Kagome visibly relaxed, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding in relief, her shoulders slumping and her arms falling limp at her sides.

This only made Nellie giggle more.

She smiled as the giggles subsided and she sat next to her, hugging her quickly. "Oh, 'M sorry, love. I didn't mean to interrupt your little fun time." Kagome blushed furiously and scratched the back of her head nervously. "Oh, its OK I guess I just really like my sweets." she smiled sheepishly Nellie smiled warmly and patted her head, her fingers quickly tangled into her black tresses. She winced.

"We really should do somehtin' abou' that 'air, love." she hissed as the strands seemed to cut into her skin as she tries to pull her hands out of the monster of the girl's hair. Kagome winced as she felt her skull start to throb, but she didn't say a word. She simply let the baker yanked her hand out of her hair.

"I don't know, Mrs. Stewart, I never brushed it out or anything. If you even tried I'm sure I'd break your brush." she informed shamefully, as if she had already broken her brush on purpose.

But she only smiled and shook her head.

"Oh, don' worry abou' somehtin' like that, dear," she tried to run her thin fingers through her fiery red hair only to have to yank violently to free it form her own hair.

"See? You ain't the only one 'ere with a rat's nest of 'air, love." she giggled. Kagome only looked at her blankly. Nellie stopped giggling and looked pained, like she had accidentally banged the poor girl on the skull.

"I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean to make fun o' you-", "You didn't. I just didn't think you thought of yourself as anything but beautiful, since its obvious you are." she smiled sweetly with adoring eyes. The baker looked surprised, her eyes widening slightly as a light blush came over her pale cheeks. "Oh, I'm nothin' special, love. If you think I'm pretty you should see all the upper class ladies. 'Em are real fanly an' pretty lookin' if ya asked me." Kagome scoffed, a playful grin on her face a she shook her head.

"Nah, I've seen them. Pirelli did get around and I think all them ladies make themselves up like silly! They look like clowns, they do!" they both giggled at this. "You don't wear make up or nothing," she continued shyly. "You've got natural beauty. Your husband is very lucky to have you." she blushed again and looked away.

"Thank ya, dear, but the truth is-" that I love someone who could never love me back. "that I'm jus' like any other woman aroun' 'ere," here she leaned and cupped a hand to her mouth as she whispered gleefully, "Jus' a little more...practical." they both laughed aloud.

When the laughter subsided, Nellie took her by the hand. "C'mon, love, enough laughter an' fun. Time to ge' to work, this is a pie shop mind you." Kagome nodded in response and sipped happily into the kitchen, awaiting instructions

Groaning, James clutched his head as he struggled to calm his painfully strong head ache. The pillows muffled his curses as he tried to push himself off the bed, only to crash back into the mattress, moaning loudly in pain. He lay there for a few moments before he heard the door open slowly. He couldn't see a broad shadow over the threshold.

James' closed eyes burn
ed as the daylight pierced into the dark room, hitting him in the face. He groaned, "For Christ's sake, Nellie, close tha' damned door!" he heard a low snarl in reply. "Oh, Nell ya can pissed off at me later when me 'ead ain't abou' to explode.", "Maybe you should keep your mouth shut instead of drowning it in gin, you bloody moron." the apothecary's eyes shot open. "Maybe then you'd see who you're talking to."

Sweeney sneered at the helpless man as he tried to raise himself off the bed, only able to shot him a dark glare and a growl before falling back face first. "Ge' the 'ell out o' my room ya damned madman!" James screamed.

The barber fought back the urge to smack him. "It is not only your room, Stewart," he growled before a large, wicked grin spread over his darkened face. "And I believe the other occupant would be more than delighted to have me me in her bedroom-" in a flash, despite the mind splitting pain, James shot out of bed and as quick as lighting was in his face, hand twisted in his collar.

"You dare to insult my wife?" he hissed with seething anger, his teeth bared and disturbingly sharp so up close. Sweeney was taken aback for a moment, not really sure whether to fight back or laugh. He had never suspected the apothecary had a back bone, being married to a woman such as the baker making him a helpless love love sick slave.

He grinned, his coal black eyes flashing before he shoved the man against the wall, a razor quickly flew to his neck. "If you were smart enough to have your job," Sweeney snarled, the gleam in his eye unchanging. "Then you should be smart enough to know what will become of you if you were to make me cross once again, Stewart." He smirked, "For I have a strong feeling I'll be here longer than you expect. Perhaps even longer than you will..."

James let out a yell of anger as he pushed Sweeney to the ground, the razor flub from his hand and skidded across the room and quickly forgotten. "YOU STAY THE 'ELL AWAY FROM MY NELLIE!"

WHACK!

He had punched the barber square in the nose. Sweeney didn't get the chance to return the gesture before he was repeatedly pummeled over and over, the only sound he could hear was the apothecary's rage filled screams and the hard smacking and pounding sound of skin on skin.

"YOU DAMNED-"

WHACK!

"VILE-"

BAM!

"INCONSIDERATE-"

SMACK!

"SON OF A WHORING BITCH-"

WHAM!

"

BASTARD!"

"JAMES!"

He froze in mid hit. Sweeney's face was bleeding rivers of dark red rubies, his nose looking hopelessly broken, and battered and bruised, the rest of his body obviously in no better condition. Still, the two looked to the door, open wide, in its opening, there stood Nellie, a tray of hot pies in her hands, her face twisted into a look of fury.

"WOT THE BLEEDIN' HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" she screamed her anger, throwing the tray into the ground, the loud clattering of the metal tray smashing against the wood making both men flinch, as if it were they who had been struck by the tarnished object.

Nellie quickly stomped over and shoved James off the barber and onto the floor with a crash. "Are you alrigh', love?" she asked gently as she leaned over Sweeney's broken form, taking his hand carefully into her own. "I'm fine..." he relied with a pain filled grunt as she tried to help him up. "Can you stand, love?" she asked, her voice filled with so much concern and love that it broke James' heart.

He stood, clutching at his side he was shoved onto the floor and staggered slightly over to the two. "Nellie, wot are you-", "DON' EVEN TRY TALKIN' TO ME RIGH' NOW, JAMES!" the baker snapped angrily, her eyes changing from kind and loving to rage and anger so fast he almost thought her a different woman.

"But Nellie, 'e-", "I DON' CARE WOT 'E DID!" she shouted in frustration as she held up most of the barber's weight as he leaned on her for support, his legs shaky and obviously threatening to fold from under him.

"Its you wot done started pounding away at 'im!", "Nell, you don' understand, 'e-" the baker carefully laid Sweeney on the bed as he hissed out in pain. "Don' even call me tha' right now! 'M so pissed righ' now 'M seein' red!" she snapped, giving him such a nasty look at him that silenced him instantly.

Suddenly, Kagome's head popped into view of the door. "Mrs. Stewart I don't think I'm pounding the dough the right- Oh my gosh!" she gasped when she spotted Sweeney's bloodied face. She quickly scurried into the room at Nellie's side, her face filled with shock as her eyes widened and her mouth hit the floor.

"What happened?" the girl gasped as she looked the poor barber over, instantly recognizing the fist shaped bruises over his face and body.

"Not to worry, love, I'll 'ave him fixed up in two shakes," she panted in reply she left his side to search around the room for the first aid she always kept in every room of her shop. Still, Kagome looked frightened and worried. "D-Do you want me to do something? Surely I can help-", "Yes, dear, go fetch us a bucket o' cold water an' a rag, would ya, love?" the baker ordered hastily, looking underneath the bed. She rose but bumped her head on the bed frame in her hasty search. "Ow!" she yelped, rubbing the sore spot on the back of her head.

Kagome nodded and ran out the room. James was by Nellie's side in a flash, "Are you alright? You didn't 'it your noggin too 'ard, did you, love?" he tried to see if he could spot a bruise, but she just swat him away like a bothersome fly.

"Oh, jus' leave me alone already, would you?" she griped, hissing in pain when she found a bruise on her head. "Kagome! Grab some ice from the ice box too, will ya!" she shouted as she pushed the apothecary out of the room. "Sure thing, ma'am!" she just barley caught the girl's reply as she slammed the door in her husband's face.

know I'm ending it a bit early, but I'm also working on two other fanfics, mind you and I know how you all just love this one. Hopefully you find it long enough and don't hate me for Sweeney's pain.

Sweeney: My pain? I don't see any logic in the wimp pummeling me! I can break his neck with one hand!

James: (breathes in and breath out calmly, eyes closed) Well, i suppose its true what they say: you can't have brains and bronze.

Sweeney: (glare) what that's supposed to mean?

James: (Sighs) yes, true indeed.

Sweeney: You wanna go, Stewart?

Nellie: Now now, boys, we've 'ad enough fightin' for one chapter.

James: Oh, you're always taking his side (pouts)

Nellie: No, 'M not! I'm jus' sayin'-

Me: ACTUALLY, Nellie, you DO sorta take his side a lot in this story.

Sweeney: (smirks) I knew she always had the hots for me

Nellie: O_0

James: WTF?

Me: Hey, I'm sorry, but its what the people want. And I'm not having this fanfic down the toilet after all this hard work just because you can;t take a hint!

James: :'(