Author's Note: I'm soooo sorry for making you lovely readers wait, and I know this whole apology thing has become a common thing but not to worry! I have already started chapter 15 :) so it should be up at the latest by the end of next week. Anyways, this chapter might be e bit dull :/ but I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: It's belongs to those whose names I'm not allowed to mention, for unknown reasons. But if I did own him I'm sure you would all know XD.

Swapping Sides

A week had past since Mr Todd had overheard Mrs. Lovett and Toby's little conversation in the kitchen. It had been a long and uneventful week; Mr Todd was having no luck in enticing Mrs. Lovett. She had been pushing him away, just as Toby had suggested- more like ordered- even though it killed her to do so. She was not finding it to be so easy either; brushing off affection from the man of her dreams was not something she took pleasure in. There were other things she could be taking pleasure in that, too, involved the same man.

Mr. Todd couldn't understand it. For the past week, he had practically stalked her (if that was even possible seeing how he was already her tenant) she had completely ignored him except for when she brought him his food or when she told him to go away. He knew Mrs. Lovett had listened to Toby's accusation on why Mr. Todd had done what he did, but he didn't think she would stop acknowledging him. After all, why would she want to push him off? She loved him. Not that that really mattered to Mr. Todd but it was something he thought she would have put in front of her feelings of righteousness. Women were so confusing sometimes.

Mr. Todd was at the point where he was just going to go downstairs, make her drop everything and just shag her right there in front of her customers. The tension was too much for him, he couldn't take it anymore. But somehow he couldn't get up and go through with it; maybe he was starting to respect her? No! He obviously wasn't thinking clearly; of course he didn't respect Mrs. Lovett, she was…well- Mrs. Lovett.

The razor in his hand had begun to slip, he must have stopped cleaning it. Too much thinking, not enough cleaning. He started sliding the cloth back over the blade; the process was so calming he found himself returning to thoughts of Mrs. Lovett.

She came through the door holding a tray of food, she barely had time to finish her greeting before he had her pinned to the wall and the food on the floor. He held the razor to her neck and with a glint in his eye he grinned at her, showing he wasn't going to take 'No' for an answer. He pressed his dry mouth on her soft plump lips and kissed her harshly, plunging his tongue into her mouth, he kept the razor on her neck. She began to kiss back with the same force.

He whipped her around and pressed her chest into the wall, her breathing quickened. The razor was removed from her neck and he sliced it down through her bodice and dress.

"Mr. Todd!" she cried, still breathless. The dress fell to the floor and he ripped the bodice from her; she stood with her back to him, half-naked.

He undid his own clothing; Mrs. Lovett could hear him behind her untying his belt and the sound of his trousers hitting the floor. He stepped up behind her and began kissing her neck softly-

"Mr. Todd…" he responded with more kisses before he turned her around again and threw his body up against hers; shoving her once more into the cold wall making her wince in pain, the look in her eyes was empty. It was unusual for her eyes to be empty, they normally showed so much emotion that it would be spilling out of every inch of her body.

Something wasn't right, he searched her eyes again.

"Mr. T?"

They still showed nothing.

"Mr. Todd? What are you doing?" there was uncertainty in her voice, fear flashed across her eyes.

He blinked and looked around. He had Mrs. Lovett shoved against the wall with his razor pinned to her neck. Their clothes were still intact. He released her from his grip and stepped back, feeling a little tipsy as he did so. Then he noticed the tray and food scattered all over the floor and an empty bottle of gin hidden in the corner on the room. Mrs. Lovett followed his gaze over to the bottle.

She sighed, "Been drinkin' again I see." She walked over and grabbed it out of the corner. He stood there and watched her as she did so.

Mrs. Lovett also had another reason for pushing Mr. Todd's affections away: he had been drunk almost every time. She could smell the gin on his breath when he leant into her. Once, she'd almost given in but had managed to recollect herself and dodge him just at the last minute leaving him leaning into thin air. No matter how much she wanted it she just couldn't give in, especially when he was drunk. It was one thing to give in but it was another to take advantage.

"I s'pose I'm gonna have to make you some more lunch now." She tutted.

"Sorry."

"Yeah, you should be... lunging at me like that, gave me bloody heart attack."

He scuffed his boot on the wood. Mrs. Lovett collected all the mess off the floor and gave him an annoyed look before she left. Mr. Todd returned to his chair, razor still in hand. It wasn't before long that his thoughts found their way back to Mrs. Lovett, nor was her return that long after she left. This time instead of knocking everything out of her hands as she stepped into the room he just watched her enter and place the tray on the dresser, he gave a glance of recognition and then she was gone.

Once again, he'd let her slip through his fingers. Once again, he'd let her have control over him. What worried Mr. Todd the most was that he was no longer chasing after Mrs. Lovett because of Toby's orders but he was now doing it to benefit himself.

---

There were so many things she could have done when he had her up against the wall, so many things she longed to do but had instead swept them under the rug and done the proper thing of ignoring her feelings.

Little did she know that Mr Todd had done the same before they had kissed for the first time down in the living room, he had ignored his feelings of propriety and those that made him feel resentment towards her and instead listened to those of Toby.

Mrs. Lovett had managed to visit Mr. Todd in the little time she managed to have during the lunch rush. It was always like this, leaving her shop just to bring him food. Making Toby run around by himself for ten or so minutes while she prepared his food and then took it up to him.

She looked around her busy shop and sighed contently. She caught Toby on his way past,

"You think it'll be like this all through tonight?"

"Looks like it." He said quickly and went off to finish the order but Mrs. Lovett still had him by the arm.

"Love…go and have a rest. I'll manage on me own for a while, I'll sing out when I need ya okay?"

Toby nodded, took off his apron and headed to the living room.

Mrs. Lovett took over the order and grabbed three pies out of the oven and a large jug of ale and took it to her hungry customer. She fed every person that walked through her shop door for the next five hours. It was four in the afternoon and her business hadn't slowed down at all, not even for a minute. She didn't even know why, after all, it was a normal day like no other; not like it was raining or overly sunny. Just an ordinary day that apparently had everyone wanting her pies.

The door opened and young man walked in, he looked to be in his early thirties. Mrs. Lovett turned and gave him a smile as he entered. It was then that she thought of it, Toby had said not to give in to Mr Todd but he never said she couldn't tease him. The man took of his hat and nodded in response, she walked over and greeted him politely,

"How may I help ya sir?" she grabbed him by the arm and led him to a free table "We have a nice range of home made pies and pastries here at my emporium, some say they're the best in London." Mrs. Lovett let go of his arm and gestured for him to sit down.

She picked up a dirty plate and placed an arm on the table and leant over, making sure he had a clear view of her cleavage.

"So what can I do ya for?" she said batting her eyelashes in a manner that even a blind man could see what she meant. He was a polite young man, he didn't even glance down once and kept smiling all throughout their conversation until Mrs. Lovett got up to get his order. She glanced up at Mr. Todd's shop window and she could see him glowering down at her. It was working. He was jealous.

---

Mr. Todd could see the way she was intentionally leaning over and making smiling conversation with the young man. It infuriated him. Why was she being so stubborn? Was she trying to get him angry? Of course not, she just wanted him to be envious of all the other men who were on the receiving end of her flirtatious acts.

Slut.

But he had to make her know that she was his and for his pleasure only.

---

Mrs. Lovett was yanked into the hallway behind her shop.

"What the hell are you doing?" a voice seethed into her face.

"What do you mean?" she said innocently.

"I know what you're playing at."

She raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Suddenly Toby appeared in only his underclothes, "Marm? Why aren't you outside with the customers?"

Mrs. Lovett jumped and turned to face the drowsy eyed boy, "I'm talking to Mr. T. Can you take over for me love? This might take a while." She said bluntly, returning her gaze back to the accusing Mr. Todd.

"Okay…" Toby gave her a suspicious look and then went out into the shop. Mrs. Lovett whipped around and caught him by the back of his shirt.

"You might want to put some clothes on, love."

"Oh. Right."

Mrs. Lovett watched him retreat to the living room and then head out into the busy shop.

Mr. Todd immediately started again, "I know you want me, so stop pretending otherwise."

Her tone went flat, "Is that so."

He stepped closer and her breathing quickened.

"I know it is." His reply was stern, his cold eyes staring into hers.

Mrs. Lovett wasn't sure what she wanted anymore, maybe it was time she starting doing things for her own benefit. Why not?

Before she had even time to think this through Mr. Todd was already working his way under her dress.

"Mr. T!" she hissed.

It didn't stop him, he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

This wasn't happening, not here in the hallway, not whilst she had Toby serving customers just around the corner. She didn't mind that it was happening of course, just not here and not now. She tried to push him off her but his grip on her waist was vice-like.

He had been waiting a long time for this and it was going to happen. Right here. Right now. And there was only one way he could make sure that happened.

He stopped. Her heart was beating so fast she swore he could hear it himself. He lifted his mouth to her ear; she could feel his breathing hot against her skin.

"I love you."

She wasn't sure she heard correctly. Had he just said what she think he said? She couldn't be sure. She had dreamt of it so often it was hard to tell if this was reality or not.

"W-what?"

"I love you."

And at that exact moment, nothing else mattered. It didn't matter that they were in the hallway, it didn't matter that there were tens of people just outside, the only thing that mattered was that he had said it.

Like they had both been hit by lightning, their lips collided and moved together, both of them just as hungry for the other. Mr. Todd was once again working his way through her many skirts. At the same time Mrs. Lovett was fumbling with his belt whilst they were still locked on each other's mouths.

As fast he could've killed a man he was inside her, Mrs. Lovett gasped and Mr. Todd had to tell her to keep quiet. She tried to stifle her cries as he moved hard and fast whilst trying his best to keep her on his hips and against the wall. Mrs. Lovett's nails ran over his skin causing him to shiver and drawing a low moan from his lips.

Mrs. Lovett bit into his shoulder as she climaxed, making Mr. Todd cry out, luckily she pushed her tongue into his mouth turning his cry into a growl making her own climax even stronger. He soon followed. Their breathing slowly became normal and Mrs. Lovett unwrapped her leg from his hip as Mr. Todd put her down.

Mrs. Lovett righted her dress as Mr. Todd did his trousers back up. They both looked up at each other and Mrs. Lovett placed a lingering kiss on his lips,

"I love you, too." And then smiled and returned to her shop to help Toby.

As Mrs. Lovett entered her busy shop Toby gave her the most gob-smacked expression she'd ever seen. As soon as she had walked through that door and he'd had one look at her he knew what she'd just done. Judging by the fact that her hair was completely dishevelled and her face was still slightly pink, Toby-and the customers- had a pretty vivid idea of what she'd just been up to.

This didn't stop her from getting on with her job, nothing mattered. Mr. Todd loved her, Mr. Sweeney Todd. The man she had been harping over for most of her life finally loved her back. She couldn't help her euphoric attitude; it was an inevitable side effect. She continued on serving customers for the rest of the day and into the night, her cheery disposition never subsiding even for a minute. Everyone had gotten over the shock of seeing Mrs. Lovett's dishevelled appearance and got back to their food and conversations.

It was the happiest day of her life and nothing in the world could change that.

---

That was too easy. Way easier than Mr. Todd had expected, she was so easy…no, that wasn't the right word…gullible more like. If only he had used the power of those three little words earlier on he wouldn't have had to try and seduce her, all the while making a drunken fool of himself.

Oh well.

He had her back under his control and as long as he didn't lose that power over her again everything would be fine. Mr. Todd did not want a repeat of the last week's embarrassing happenings: him chasing her day and night, begging for her- and most of all, being ordered about by a twelve-year-old. The only good thing he could say on his part was that he hadn't been sober throughout it all.

There was still one thing that was niggling at him inside; would he have to say it again? He hoped not. It was hard enough the first time, but then he had been using it as a last resort- not really as a choice.

He could feel the cold air swallow him up as he opened the door to his shop. It was too late to open now, not that he particularly wanted to but he felt like he needed occupy his hands; take his mind off things.

He could see the sun setting behind the city, clouds had started taking over the sky, showing that London was going to be in for some rain. It was Sweeney's favourite weather. Rain had the feeling that it was the darkness of gloom washing away all the happiness from the world; he of course was too familiar with the workings of this.

He walked over to the window and the rain had begun to fall, the water droplets hitting the glass and then sliding to their death onto the stone cold pavement below. He peered out through the rain and onto the wet streets of London. He hadn't done this in a while, he'd had no need to look out for the Judge and to be ready for the day when he came through his door, he'd plainly just sat in his chair doing nothing but letting his mind wander. Wandering to things he would never have dreamed of, things he shouldn't have dreamed off. This was inevitably Mrs. Lovett.

A/N: just to clarify, ol' Toddy did not mean it, just so you don't think it's OOC or whatever.