A/N: Hello, loves. I am sorry for making you wait. I have been pretty busy. I hope this chapter makes up for it.

I want to thank: xBelekinax, CharlieCats, KMN91, Hawk Vercetti, Makrciana, Labyrnith Fan 23, ForeverACharmedOne, Ms. Imaginative, Amelia Badguy, deathroman13, TinkerbellxO.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd.

Chapter 26

Eva slowly stirred and she immediately wished she hadn't. Her entire body ached and her head felt as if it was about to explode. Her cheeks felt extremely flushed and her eyes were a bit fogged as she opened them. She quickly shut them again despite that there was very little light in the room. She moved around a bit with a soft moan of pain and buried her face in the chest provided next to her. Her first thought was that Oliver was sleeping next to her, but when two strong arms encircled her back she was alarmed. Ignoring the pain it caused her, she quickly opened her eyes and sat up with a gasp.

"Oh my God." She whispered when she saw Sweeney sleeping on her bed, a small frown on his face from her sudden withdrawal. She looked around her and swallowed hard. What had happened? She put a hand on her forehead and felt it hot.

"Too hot…" she whispered as she had no choice but to flop back down on her pillow. Small, but sharp pangs of pain went through her skull and she groaned. Her hand went to the barber's arm that had suddenly inched its way around her again and gently shook him awake.

Sweeney mumbled incoherently for one second before his eyes opened. He quickly sat up on the bed and looked at her. Was that worry in his gaze?

"What's wrong?" he asked and she licked her dry lips.

"Apart from the fact that you've trespassed into my house?" she asked hoarsely and Sweeney didn't seem angry by her retort. Instead of his familiar scowl the worry was still on his face. He reached with his hand to tuck away a few locks of her hair before he proceeded to check her temperature. His hand felt pleasantly cool against her hot skin.

"I didn't. Your son let me in." he said and then he frowned at the hotness of her skin.

"My son…His dinner! I didn't-…" she quickly tried to sit up, but she was held down by Sweeney's strong arm around her waist.

"He's asleep and fed. Now lie down. You have a fever." He stated gruffly.

"He has eaten? How?" Eva asked as the barber reached for the fallen soaked cloth he had placed on her head hours ago.

"There were a few eggs in the kitchen. I boiled them. He ate. He's asleep." He said tersely and Eva would have smiled if her damn head wasn't hurting so much.

"Alright then…Thank you. Why does my head hurt?" she whimpered as Sweeney adjusted the compress upon her head.

"Because of the fever. You've obviously caught a cold." He murmured as he gazed down at her. Her face was extremely flushed and it reminded him of the past. He had seen her like this, but for a different reason. He hadn't paid much thought to it back then. Unconsciously, he leaned closer until their noses brushed against each other.

"What…" Her voice broke him out of his daze and he pulled back with a nervous cough.

"You, you don't have to stay." Eva said uncomfortably as he sat up and looked away from her.

"You're sick." He said monotonously.

"So? If you hadn't come you wouldn't have known I was sick. By the way, why did you come?" she asked as she held the compress to her head.

"I hadn't seen you for days." His short reply was clipped.

"So? I didn't know you wished to see me." She pointed out and he rolled his eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous." He snorted and she frowned.

"You actually wanted…to see me?" she asked and a muscle on his jaw ticked.

"Yes. Last time you left me with some questions." He said as his dark eyes focused on her once again.

"What kind of questions?" Eva knew perfectly well what he meant, but she could at least try to play dumb.

"You know what, Eva. You're not that feverish." He said with a glare and she swallowed hard.

"It was nothing if I don't remember it." She stated, but her voice betrayed her lie and nervousness.

"Liar. Liar." He hissed as he reached over and grasped her chin between his fingers before he let his hand slide down her throat. His cool, long fingers wrapped around her throat as he leaned even closer.

"You're lying, Eva. I can see it in your eyes. You're hiding things from me. This needs to come to an end. So, why don't you just spit it out before it chokes you?" He said lowly and she swallowed hard against his hand as her breathing quickened. She couldn't tell him; not when he had that look in his eyes.

"I have nothing to say." She almost whimpered and his snarl was enough to make her cringe. He was right; she was a terrible liar. When had he become so good at reading her?

"Sure you don't. Do you think I'm an idiot, woman? You never say things just to say them. Should I start guessing?" Sweeney asked and Eva's panic increased.

"There's nothing to-…"

"Did something happen while I was in prison?" He asked her, completely ignoring her words.

"No-…""

"Is it about my shop?" He asked and she frowned.

"What about your shop?" She asked confused and the barber bit his tongue.

"I am just guessing here-…"

"Is there something I should know about your shop?" she cut him off and he huffed.

"I am the one asking the questions. Did you lie to me about Turpin last time?' he asked the question he had been craving to ask for days.

"What? Are you still thinking about that? You're impossible! It's ridiculous to even think that! The world does not spin around you, B-Sweeney." She quickly corrected herself.

"Then it's about that boy of yours." He answered slowly, trying to keep his anger at bay and Eva stopped breathing.

"N-no-…"

"It's yours, isn't it? You didn't adopt him. You slept with someone and you gave birth to his child." The barber continued and Eva wanted to laugh bitterly at the irony of his words.

"You could not be more wrong-…"

"What am I wrong about?!" he snapped suddenly as he quickly pushed her away from him and stood up, "I have to be right about this. What else could you possibly be hiding?" He spat as jealousy started clouding his mind. She was meant to give herself only to him. Not to anyone else. She was his. Even if he wasn't with her, she was his. His own.

"Stop it." Eva whispered calmly as she refused to meet his eye.

"Look at me…" Sweeney started but a small sleepy voice cut him off.

Oliver had appeared in the room and was now eagerly walking towards his mother.

"Momma!" he almost squealed as he bounced on the bed and he was quickly enveloped in her arms.

"Hello, darling. What are you doing awake?" she asked and she stole a glance towards Sweeney only to find him staring openly at Oliver's face with an intense expression.

"I wanted to know if you woke up." The child said as he rubbed his eye.

"I am fine. I'll be fine. Why don't you go back to bed?" Eva wanted to remove Oliver from Sweeney's presence, for now he was looking at the child with wide eyes. Something akin to recognition along with realization was evident in his eyes as his burning gaze followed the child out of the room. The barber took a few steps towards the door so he could look at the boy until he disappeared in his room. He slowly turned to Eva.

"Where's that picture I gave you?" he asked hoarsely and Eva's eyes widened.

"What do you need that for?" She asked, or better whispered.

"I asked where the bloody picture is!" He barked as he walked around the bed to her night stand. He wretched it open, ignoring her fearful gaze and his hand frantically groped around for the frame. His now cold hands grabbed the frame and he forcefully pulled it out from the drawer.

"What are you doing?" Eva almost whimpered as he stared at the man's face-his face- with black, stormy eyes before he let go of the picture to take a few steps back. His impossibly dark eyes locked with her terrified ones and he forgot to breathe as every piece of the puzzle connected right in front of his eyes.

"He's mine, isn't he? The boy is mine...Oh, my God." He rasped and Eva couldn't speak, in fact, she couldn't move at all. All she could do was stare at him as for a moment he swayed on his feet before he grabbed his coat and left her house with a slam of the front door, leaving her cold and numb despite her high fever.

The truth was out at last and she didn't even have to speak one, single word. He knew and he would hate her for it. She just knew it.

End of chapter 26

Author's note: Thank you for reading. So, what do you think? Did you like it or not? Please review and let me know!

Xxx Lina :)