12) -

Sweeney and Mrs Lovett decided to wait until it was dark to actually take the body down to the bake house, where they would shed it of it's skin and meat. Mrs Lovett had a large cleaver that she decided would do the trick.

It seemed like years until darkness finally fell, and Mrs Lovett was eager to start.

"Alright, off to bed, girls."

As usual, the order to go to bed was completely ignored by the girls. Johanna, who was sat by the window, continued with her needle pointing while Lily watched, attempting to copy her delicate stitches. Abby, of course, was sat in her armchair with a book on her lap. Toby was still fast asleep on the sofa.

"Oi," Mrs Lovett said loudly. "I said get to bed."

"Must we?" Johanna asked with a frown.

"Yes, you must."

"I ain't tired." Lily stated defiantly, still angry with her mother.

"I don't give a rat's arse whether or not you're tired, Lily," Mrs Lovett snapped back. "The three of you are going to bed."

Lily glared up at her. With a large scowl on her face, she threw down her needle pointing and stormed out of the room.

"Goodnight, Auntie Nell." Johanna said meekly, picking up Lily's needle pointing and placing it in the sewing box with her own. Ducking her head, she followed Lily.

"C'mon Abby, that means you as well."

Abby shut her book and stared up at Mrs Lovett with an almost unnerving stare.

"Are you going to dispose of the body?" She asked.

"Ssh!" Mrs Lovett hissed, poking her head around the doorway of the parlour to make sure that neither Lily or Johanna were lingering before checking on Toby. "Not so loud, love!"

Abby was silent as she continued staring at Mrs Lovett.

"Yes," The baker replied. "We're going to dispose of it."

Truthfully, it wasn't a lie; Abby hadn't asked how she and Mr T were going to dispose of it.

Without a word, Abby placed her book on the shelf and left the room. Mrs Lovett watched her go with a small frown, confused by the youngest Barker girl.

Shaking her head, she made her way to Sweeney's shop.


"You have really got to learn to control your temper, Lily," Johanna gently scolded, placing her sewing box under her bed. "Otherwise it'll cause great trouble for you."

Lily merely snorted in an unattractive manner, throwing her dress on the ground and making no attempt to pick it up. Rolling her eyes, Johanna did so, smoothing it out and folding it neatly before putting it away.

"I do wish that you wouldn't snort so, Lily. It isn't very attractive."

"Whatever." Lily grumbled.

At that point, the bedroom door opened once more, and Abby stepped in.

"Am I allowed in now?"

Lily glared at her. "Of course you're bloody allowed."

Abby didn't even blink at the retort, and shut the door so that she could get ready for bed.

"I 'ate it when Mum sends us up to bed," Lily muttered. "She treats us like we're kids or something."

"With your attitude, she isn't to do so."

"Shut up, Johanna!"

Lily grabbed her pillow and threw it across the room. It hit Johanna straight in the face.

Catching the pillow, Johanna glared at Lily. In that one expression, she was identical to her Father.

"That really wasn't necessary, Lily."

"I don't care. Can I 'ave my pillow back?"

"Of course."

With a devious grin, Johanna threw the pillow with all her strength, laughing as it hit Lily in the face.

Lily stared at Johanna with an open mouth, her gaze flickering from her pillow to Johanna.

She grinned.

"Right, that's it!"

Johanna squealed as Lily scrambled up from her bed and ran across the room, beating her with her pillow. Grabbing her own pillow, Johanna began to hit Lily.

"Help me, Abby!" Johanna cried. Abby, who was now in her nightdress, stared at the two of them with amusement. "Abby!"

Without a second thought, Abby picked up her own pillow and joined in the fight.

The three of them squealed, screamed and cried out as they chased each other around their room, jumping on and off the beds.

"Gotcha!" Lily yelled, jumping off Abby's bed and onto Johanna, who stumbled backwards. The two girls laughed as they landed on Lily's bed, Lily immediately beginning to hit her friend with the pillow.

"C'mon, Abby, 'elp me!"

Abby grinned and jumped onto Lily's bed, joining in on attacking her sister. Johanna squealed and laughed, begging for mercy while groping the mattress for her own pillow.

"What the bloody 'ell are you lot doing?"

The laughter ceased immediately as Mrs Lovett spoke, glaring at the three of them furiously. Lily stepped back from the bed while Abby stepped off it, allowing Johanna to straighten up. Her long blonde hair was a mess, and it would have been comical if Mrs Lovett wasn't stood in the doorway.

"Oh," Lily was the first to speak. "'Ello Mum."

Mrs Lovett simply raised an eyebrow, her arms folded across her chest as she waited for an explanation.

"Well, we were..." Lily's voice trailed off. "Johanna?"

Johanna frowned. "We were just..."

Abby didn't even attempt to try and make up an excuse.

Mrs Lovett didn't look impressed. "I'm warning you girls, go to sleep. I 'ear another peep outta the three of you, and you're going to be in big trouble."

Looking sheepish, the girls climbed into their own beds. Lily was the most daring, making a point of lying down and pulling up her blanket while trying to supress a smirk. Mrs Lovett shot her a warning look.

"Goodnight, girls."

"Goodnight."

Rolling her eyes, Mrs Lovett shut the door behind her and made her way back to the shop. Sweeney was pacing impatiently by the steps of the bake house.

"Well?" He demanded.

"They was bloody pillow fighting."

Sweeney raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really."

As Mrs Lovett took him down the steps of the bake house, Sweeney couldn't help but feel slightly amused by his daughter's.

His amusement disappeared, however, as he saw Pirelli's body.

Gathering her skirts, the baker gingerly approached the body.

"Ooh, the poor bugger."

"I hope that you're not getting second thoughts, Mrs Lovett."

"No, course not," Mrs Lovett retorted, raising her cleaver. "Ready?"


When Toby's eyes flickered open, he was very surprised when he saw that he was in an unfamiliar room.

Sitting up, he felt the gentle stroke of material as the blanket slid to the floor. Toby reached down and picked it up again, frowning.

Where was he?

"Oh, morning love!"

Toby scrambled up as Mrs Lovett bustled into the room, humming to herself cheerily.

"M-morning, m'am," He stammered. "Where's Signor Pirelli?"

"'E ain't 'ere, deary. 'E left a while ago, and you're free to stay with us for a bit."

"Really?"

Mrs Lovett smiled. "Course you are, love. I ain't letting you live on the streets if I can 'elp it."

Toby could only smile in reply; he couldn't believe that Mrs Lovett was so kind.

"Would you like some breakfast?" She offered suddenly.

"Yes please, m'am!"

"C'mon then."

Jumping up from the sofa, Toby eagerly followed the baker into the shop. Lily, Johanna and Abby were already sat down with bowls off porridge in front of them. While Johanna and Lily chatted, Abby simply sat and pushed her food around the bowl.

Toby hesitated, wondering whether or not to sit down, when Johanna looked up.

"Morning Toby!" She smiled. "Come and sit down. There's room next to Abby."

Abby looked up at the sound of her name, offering Toby a small smile before ducking her head. Toby grinned sheepishly and sat next to her.

"Good morning, Toby." She said quietly.

"Morning, Abby." He replied.

As he ate his breakfast, listening to Johanna and Lily's chatter, his eyes occasionally meeting Abby's, he couldn't help but feel happy.

He felt like he finally had a home.


Thank you CadyD, The Fanfic Critic, Bellaxtrix Nellie Le-Lovett, wickedwitchofthew and ReadyMadePhotographer for reviewing!