A/N: Hello, loves. I am sorry for the wait but life got in the middle again.

I want to thank: iwantfreedom, ForeverACharmedOne, TinkerbellxO, xBelekinax and Mrs. Imaginative. Thank you all so much for your support.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd.

Chapter 21

Oliver was standing in front of the counter in Mr. Logan's grocery store, pouting up at his mother who was servicing a customer.

"Here you are, sir. Have a pleasant evening." Eva said with a smile as she handed the man his groceries and took the money from his outstretched hand.

"You too." He replied dully as he slowly made his way out of the store with lazy footsteps.

Eva removed her eyes away from the man and shook her head, mildly amused. Her eye caught the still pouting face of her son and she sighed.

"I already said no, Oliver. Pouting like that will get you nowhere." She said as she put away the money and leaned over the counter to look at him.

"But-…" The child started protesting as he looked at the pie shop with hopeful eyes.

"No buts! Why are you being so persistent? You know I have work to do right now, don't you?" She said sternly and Oliver lowered his head in defeat as his shoulders slumped.

"I could go alone, momma." He whispered and Eva hid her face in her hands.

"You're going nowhere near that place again! Especially alone. You understand?" She snapped, having had enough of the child's insistence.

Oliver flinched at her harsh tone and his lower lip stared trembling before he fled the main shop to hide at the small back room.

Eva watched him go and immediately her face softened.

"Jesus." She whispered as her own eyes filled with tears. She refused to let them fall though and she quickly composed herself. She was not letting her son go there after what had happened and especially after her suspicions. Her son's stubbornness would pass at some point.

She knew when she was not wanted. Not that she wanted to go to that shop ever again. She was better off away from him. If she was away she couldn't get hurt. If he had reacted like that over a picture, imagine how he would react if he found out that Oliver was his son; if he knew that she had lied to him.

Shaking her head with a shudder she looked up when she heard the doorbell. The pie shop's little helper Toby walked in with hesitant footsteps, holding a piece of parchment in his hand.

"Good evening." She said with a small smile and the boy came closer.

"Evening, Mrs. Eva…Mrs. Lovett send me for some groceries." The boy said as he handed the small piece of paper over to her and stepped back while shuffling his feet.

"Of course. Just a moment." Eva said as she started gathering the things written on the paper.

"How is your mistress then?" Eva asked as she placed the onions and carrots into paper bags.

"Fine…Um…Missus?" The boy stammered and Eva turned to him.

"Yes?"

"I have something for you from Mister Todd…" The boy mumbled as he reached into his coat pocket. Eva's breath hitched as she waited. The boy pulled out something that looked like a small book wrapped in plain brown paper and placed it onto the counter.

"I don't know what it is…He asked me not to open it for any reason." Toby said before his eyes widened, "Not that I would!" He quickly defended himself, but Eva could only stare at the small package. Slowly, she reached for it but then she changed her mind and looked up.

"Thank you, dear. Let me finish with your things." She said as she finished with his groceries and handed him his bags.

"Mrs. Lovett asked if you could put them on the book. She'll have the money first thing in the morning after tonight's dinner rush." The boy explained.

"Yes, of course." Eva said as she smiled shakily at the boy and stepped behind the counter again.

"Tell her not to worry." She said and the boy nodded and with a quick smile exited the shop with his arms full of bags.

Once he was gone, her hands quickly reached for the package and carefully opened it. Her hand reached inside once she had one end free and her fingers came in contact with something cold. Her breath hitched again and she slowly pulled the object out of the paper. Her eyes widened at the sight that met her eyes. It was a picture of the young barber himself; framed and in perfect condition. It was even clearer than the one she had had in her possession before the barber's temper tantrum. Her eyes blinked; once, twice, thrice, but she still couldn't believe what she was seeing.

What did this gesture mean? Was it an apology?

She breathed in deeply before she placed the frame inside the package again and headed off to find her son who was still sulking in the back room… Or so she thought.

When she entered the back room he was nowhere in sight and Eva's heart stopped.

"O-Oliver?" She called shakily and then she noticed that the back exit door was open. She walked out of the shop and started looking around like a mad woman.

"Oh my God…" she whispered as she turned the corner and got to the front side of the grocery store. She stepped over the pavement and started looking at the shops and people that were passing by.

"Oliver!" She almost screamed in a panicked voice as her hands started shaking like leaves.

"Eva, love!" a female voice called and Eva turned towards the sound only to find Nellie Lovett looking at her with a frown. Eva walked hurriedly towards her with wide eyes.

"Mrs. Lovett, have you seen my son? I-…I left him alone for a few minutes and-…"

"Your son is in me shop, dearie. He's helping himself to a pie. You didn't know he was here? He said you knew." Nellie said and Sweeney must have heard the commotion because he looked down at them from his balcony.

"He's here?" Eva asked before she burst into the pie shop in search of her son.

"Oliver?" She cried and she found him sitting in the window booth, his small legs dangling off the seat. He looked up guiltily and immediately let go of the pie he was holding.

"What are you doing here? And alone? Didn't I tell you not to come here? Why are you not listening to me? I thought something happened to you!" Eva yelled as angry tears threatened to roll down her cheeks. Oliver bit his lip as it started trembling and looked down while the barber, who had come down at Eva's appearance, and the barker stared at her shocked at her outburst.

"Dear-…" the baker started, but Eva ignored her.

"Why didn't you at least tell me? Didn't you hear me yelling?" She demanded and the boy looked up.

"I heard, momma." He whispered and Sweeney looked at the child and his mother with increasing interest.

"Then why in God's name didn't you answer?" Eva asked as she stared at her son.

"Because I knew you would be angry if you knew I was here….b-because you told me not to come here and-and I did." The child stammered and the barber's eyebrows rose at the last part of the child's sentence. His eyes focused on Eva who was angrily wiping at her cheek.

"If you knew I'd be angry, why did you come here without telling me?" She asked as she looked around her, conscious of the people looking at her.

"Because I like it here." He said and Eva sighed, "There are a lot of people here." The child said solemnly and Eva's anger quickly left her. She knew her son didn't have friends. She knew.

"Alright, Ollie. Just…just finish your pie and then we can go." Eva said quietly and the child's eyes lit up.

"Really?" He asked with excitement and the baker's chuckle rang in the air.

"Yes, really…I'll just go close the store for the day and then I'll be back to collect you." She said as she turned towards the door.

"I am sorry for the commotion. I was just concerned." Eva apologized at the baker while the barber kept looking between Eva and her son with an unreadable expression.

"No worries. He'll be fine until you come back." The baker winked before she walked over to her counter.

Eva pushed some hair out of her face and passed by Sweeney in silence. He merely turned to look at her as she crossed the street and closed the store.

When she retuned she was holding her coat and small package in her hands. The barber noticed and quickly looked away from the hidden frame.

"Thank you for this." Eva whispered as they stood alone in the courtyard.

"Think nothing of it." He answered mechanically and she swallowed hard.

"Thank you anyway. I don't know why you did this but…thank you." She repeated quietly as she made to pass by him to get inside the busy pie shop. The barber's hand closing around her arm halted her though.

"You know why." He murmured and she was sure that she could feel his thumb moving in circles on her inner arm. She shuddered at his touch and looked up at him. It was a mistake for her knees started trembling when they locked eyes. Sweeney's eyes left her eyes and focused on her parted lips instead. His tongue darted out to moisten his own lips and her breath hitched. She parted her mouth to speak but the barber's hand closed over her mouth to stop her.

"Shh…" he murmured as his hand remained pressed against her lips, "Not here. Do you have work tomorrow?" he asked, but before she had time to answer Mrs. Lovett's voice interrupted her.

"Eva? Are you outside? I got the money for the groceries." The baker called from inside. Eva made to walk away, but Sweeney's grip on her arm remained strong and insistent.

"Do you have work tomorrow?" He pressed on as he released her mouth. He looked strangely desperate for an answer.

That's new. She thought.

"No…But I have Oliver-…"

"Find a way. I'll leave the door open for you after ten." He said and with that he released her and turned to walk away in his usual, calm way.

She was left breathless in the courtyard, staring after him with wide eyes.

End of chapter 21

Author's note: Thank you for reading. Please, please review. Reviews are love and my only payment for writing this. Pretty please?

Xxx Lina :)