A/N: Hello, my lovelies! I hope you had a nice week.

I want to thank my reviewers: livicullen01, Rose Red Ladybug, AdaYuki, KarenK, skycord1990, TinkerbellxO, Dionne dance, Leyshla Gisel and terrier2468. You rock!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd.

Chapter 21

Anna's head was throbbing as she stood up from her bed and looked at the clock. It was after twelve already and she felt as if she had just gone to bed. She walked out of her bedroom and headed for the washroom. Once she was inside she reached for the cabinet in the corner. She opened it and extracted a ribbon to pull up her hair. As soon as she was done she tied her robe around her waist tightly and splashed her face with cold water. She looked at the small mirror and grimaced at the image she made. Her eyes were bloodshot and her skin paler than usual.

She sighed and leaned her head against the mirror. She had to stop thinking about him and his attitude. If he wanted nothing to do with her then she couldn't force him to do something he didn't want. He had chosen to walk away from her without explaining why and she had to respect his wish. Perhaps living the way he did helped him to redeem himself. The thing that she had to achieve was to live without him; and she would no matter how much it hurt her. It was a grave mistake to tie her heart to him. Because he didn't have a heart to give back; he had already given it to someone else.

Taking a deep breath she walked out of the washroom but she paused at the hall when there was a knock on her front door. She closed her eyes tightly and she turned to walk towards her room, deciding to ignore it. When she was at the threshold of her room the knock returned along with a small bark. She froze and her eyes widened as she turned towards the front door again. She frowned and with hesitant footsteps she went to unlock the door.

As she opened it and saw who it was her heart climbed up her throat in shock but she tried to keep her expression neutral. She opened the door fully and looked at him questionably.

"So who is it now? Todd or Barker?" She asked the former barber and his lips thinned into a line as he stood there with his hands crossed over his chest in a protective posture.

"For the sake of my…bloody safety, it's Barker." He replied hoarsely before he coughed a little.

Anna's eyes shifted from his face, even though all she wanted to do was look at him, and went to his arms.

"Something just moved." She told him and he looked down at his arms before he pulled back the lapel of his worn jacket.

"Oh, yes. This." He said quietly as a tiny puppy head peeked from behind his jacket and his little brown eyes zeroed on Anna.

Anna stood there in confusion, "A puppy? You're holding a puppy." She said and he nodded.

"Why?" she asked and he cleared his throat before he extracted the dog from his jacket and held it out to her as if it was suddenly contaminated with a disease.

"There was a seller at the docks and I bought him." He said gruffly as he looked around uncomfortably. It looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there at the moment.

Anna hesitated before she took the dog form him and held him close. He was a Lesser Newfoundland with smooth white fur and beautiful cinnamon eyes. Anna blinked several times before she spoke.

"You…you bought this." She stated and the barber slipped his hands in his pockets with a nod, "For me." She continued and he looked away.

"Why?" she asked him softly, "I was under the impression that you hate me."

Sweeney's head swiveled towards her sharply, "Hate you? You think I hate you?" he asked her hoarsely.

"You threw me out of your room." She accused him and he shook his head.

"I don't hate you." He murmured as he looked at her hands which were holding the dog close to her chest, "I'm sorry if I gave you that impression." He said as he stepped back, ready to flee.

"Why would you spend your money to buy me a dog?" she asked him before he could walk away. He paused and then looked up at her.

"Why wouldn't I?" he replied with pursed lips before he turned on his heel and walked out of her porch and down the street.

"Wait!" she called before he had the chance to leave. He paused and slowly turned his head to look at her from over his shoulder.

"What?" he asked hoarsely and she swallowed hard before she answered.

"Are you alright?" she called and when he frowned a little bit she clarified, "Your coughing, I mean."

Sweeney's eyes searched her face with the frown still on his face before he gave a slow nod.

Anna nodded back and without another word he turned and carried on walking down the street, his shoulders hunched.

Anna picked up a towel and enveloped the puppy inside it as she pulled him out of the water.

"He didn't hurt you or anything, did he?" she asked the dog as she dried him and set him on his feet. He wobbled and then shook his body energetically. Anna smiled and gazed at him carefully, wondering why on earth he brought her puppy. That man was confusing her, giving her mixed signals and her emotions were in a bloody turmoil.

"I am going to name you…" she trailed off and the puppy wiggled his little tail, anxiously waiting for her to speak again.

"Um…how about Vince? You know from Vincent. I think it's regal and…handsome." She told him as she reached over and scratched behind his ear. He whimpered and barked cutely and she smiled.

"Well, here's a man with whom I can finally agree." She chuckled as she stood up and walked out of the washroom.

Vincent followed her as she walked to the parlor and picked up her coat.

"Now, I have to leave but first…" she leaned down and picked him up. She looked into his eyes before she placed a kiss on his head.

"There. Don't completely destroy my house. I have to live in it." She told him and his tail started wiggling uncontrollably. She laughed quietly before she walked out of the house, closing and locking the door behind her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?" Kate asked her and Anna shook her head.

"No. You can't leave anyway. You have to work. It's just a sprain anyway." Anna replied as she carefully moved her wrist, "I'll be fine. I have the day off tomorrow anyway." She said as she put on her shawl and smiled at her friend.

"Alright, if you're sure." Kate smiled back and pecked her cheek.

"Goodnight." Anna waved as she walked out of the pub and headed home.

The night was a little bit chilly and it did no good to her hurt wrist. How she had fallen was beyond her. Usually she was cautious of where she was going and that wet rug had appeared out of nowhere. She had stepped on it and down she went. She fell on her hand and hurt her wrist. It was red and swollen and it throbbed but at least she hadn't broken it.

In a few minutes she finally arrived home and she exhaled a sigh of relief. She went to push open the porch door but it was already open. She frowned but stepped inside her porch nonetheless. She made to take a few steps closer and when she did she paused. There at her doorstep was the barber. He was sitting on the first step while sipping from a small flask. Anna blinked rapidly to make sure she wasn't hallucinating before she finally found her voice.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him as he stared at her.

"Sitting." He answered gruffly and Anna frowned.

"I can see that. Did you come to take your gift back?" she asked him as she stepped closer to him.

He snorted, "The mutt? The mutt's yours, Anna." He muttered as he took another sip and then slowly stood up.

"Are you supposed to be drinking? Weren't you sick?" she asked him tentatively but he remained silent. His eyes bore into her own and she averted her gaze, feeling uncomfortable.

"You wanted to know why I left, didn't you?" he asked her suddenly and she blinked, surprised.

"I guess I did." She confirmed, "Is that why you're here?"

"Do you still want to know?" he asked angrily and she recoiled.

"Know what?" she challenged and he huffed.

"You know what." He hissed and she swallowed thickly.

He meant about that night. The night he had come with blood all over him. Did she? Did she wanted to know? She wasn't sure.

"I…I don't know." She admitted.

The barber nodded almost to himself before he started speaking, "Do you remember my wife, Anna?" he asked her and she fidgeted, "Do you remember Lucy?" his voice was a mere whisper and she slowly nodded.

"Of course I do."

"When I came back, I was told that she was dead. That she had killed herself." He started as he stepped closer to her and looked into her eyes, "Imagine my surprise when I suddenly find out that I had been lied to." He whispered and Anna shook her head.

"How did…how did you find out?" she asked quietly as her hurt hand brushed against his cold one.

"By killing her." He said in a barely audible voice.

Anna's breath left her in a gasp and she made to take a step back but his fingers curled tightly around her wrist, causing her to hiss.

"I realized who she was after I had killed her. My hate was so great that it had blinded me. I once again became the fool I was before. I was so ignorant of reality that I didn't even recognize my own wife. Do you realize what I have done?" he asked her with dark, bottomless eyes as he squeezed her wrist, causing her to cry out.

"My hand." She told him as a tear of pain slipped from her eye.

"Do you understand why I left now? Do you realize what I am capable of?" he asked her as if he hadn't heard her. His fingers were a vice hold around her injured bone and she panted for breath as she started tugging her hand from his hold.

"You're hurting me!" she cried as her attempt to break free from his hold hurt her even more.

Sweeney's eyes narrowed in surprise as he looked down at their joined hands and he immediately noticed the redness of her skin. He let go of her with lightning speed and she gasped for breath as she held her injured hand close to her chest.

"Jesus." She whimpered as she carefully massaged her wrist while he stared at her with unfathomable eyes.

"What happened to your hand?" he asked her thickly and she looked up at him.

"I sprained it…At least I think I did." She muttered as she wiped the stray tear from her cheek.

"How?" he frowned and they were still close enough for her to smell the gin on his breath.

"I stepped on a wet rug and fell." She explained reluctantly and of it hadn't been dark she would have seen the twitch of his lips as he tried not to smile.

"Let me see it." He told her as he extended his hand out towards her.

Anna looked at his hand and she scowled, "What makes you think that I'll let you touch it since you're the one who made it worse in the first place?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and he rolled his eyes as he pocketed his flask and wiggled his fingers impatiently.

"Let me see it, I say." He said tersely and she sighed.

"Let's go inside. I need to feed Vince anyway." She mumbled as she pushed him aside by pressing on his arm. He complied with a grimace of distaste.

"Vince? As in Vincent?" he asked as she unlocked the door.

"Yes." She muttered as she pushed the door open and Vincent immediately went to them, tangling around their legs excitedly.

"What kind of name is that for a dog?" he asked as he stepped away from the puppy's way so he could get away.

"Well it was either that or Benny." Anna said as she shut the door and petted Vince's head.

"Charming." The barber muttered as he looked around her house, noting that everything looked the same.

Anna disappeared in the kitchen and when she returned she had a bowl filled with milk for the dog.

She walked into the parlor and found Sweeney in front of the fireplace. When he heard her he turned to face her and extended his hand again. Anna placed her hand in his and he inspected her swollen wrist by pressing just his fingertips against her skin.

"Ow." She winced and he looked up at her.

"It's not broken." He stated as he turned her wrist, moving her hand around to see if she could really move it.

"Go get a cold compress for it. It'll bruise anyway but it will help with the pain." He told her and she nodded as she walked away.

When she returned with the soaked cloth she found him at the door, ready to leave. The sight of him there, ready to walk away made her panic. Something was severely wrong with her. He had just confessed that he had murdered his wife and there she was depressing over the fact that he was about to leave.

"Thank you." She motioned to her hand as she sloppily held the cloth around her wrist.

The barber looked from her face to her hand and clicked his tongue before he stepped closer and took hold of her hand. He took the wet cloth and carefully wrapped it around her red wrist before he tied the ends to hold it together. His fingers lingered a little bit and his eyes stared at her face before his hand slid up her arm towards her neck. His gaze fell from her wide eyes to her slightly parted lips and he bit his lip in thought.

"You're still not afraid of me." He murmured, "Even after everything I've said to you." His eyes flicked to her eyes again and she found herself flushing at his scrutiny.

He blinked a few times as his fingers played with the hair at the nape of her neck, "You're a peculiar creature, Anna." He whispered as his hand fully cupped her neck and pulled her closer to his face. Their breaths mingled as they breathed and suddenly his lips were pressed against hers in a firm kiss.

At first his mouth remained closed against hers, simply pressing against her as he breathed harshly through his nose. But when she pushed back against his lips with her own his mouth fell open with a small groan. His free hand coiled around her waist and he used it to bring her closer to him, almost pulling her off the floor in the process. Anna's good hand grasped the lapel of his jacket for leverage and she gasped when his tongue reacquainted itself with her bottom lip. Her lips dropped further open and when they did he didn't waste time deepening the kiss. His tongue slipped into her mouth hungrily and his lips pressed harder against hers. He pushed her backwards until her back hit the wall and briefly broke the kiss to take a quick, hurried breath before he resumed from where he had stopped. His hand slipped from her neck to stroke the skin of her throat before it skimmed down her collarbone and chest.

When her hand went to touch his cheek he was gone as quickly as he had come to her. He pulled away with a strangled groan and stepped back. Anna was left dizzy by the suddenness of it all and by the time she managed to open her eyes he was gone.

End of chapter 21

Author's note: He keeps coming back, eh? I wonder why? XD

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Thank you for reading!

Xxx Lina :)