Hello, dear friends and obsessed readers. We are now so very close to the very end of this fanfic. It has taken me a while, because I wanted the perfect reasoning for an ending to this particular fic. And this one, well... read and you'll find out :) [LUCKY YOU ITS A DOUBLE POSTING !]

Thank you to these amazeballs for reviewing! :

Noodlemantra, Black Raven 2539, Redejeka and thelovelyflorencelovett :)

3 Chapters to go O.O And you're still reading this far? Not bad for a spontaneous story, eh? xD Oh and this is a few months later ;)

Chapter 34: The Basement

December 5th

The bakery was still busy, as it always was. The Todds now had a very respectable business, and were practically soaking up the wealth they now had.

December was always a good month to catch customers, due to the Christmas feel and warmth the bakery emitted. However, this week, it had just been abandoned- closed without any notice whatsoever.

The reason behind it, was that Nellie quite simply was so big she couldn't actually walk from one end of the counter to the other due to the awful contractions she'd get from each stride she'd take.

She knew that she wouldn't have to wait long until the baby was born... The kick of the little one never seemed to cease. And her mood was like a seesaw, which was amusing for Sweeney, yet still hell to live with.

Violet was still living with them, which was a miracle since she'd usually move out and migrate to some other place within at least two weeks of arriving. Sweeney knew why she was staying though, it was clear she wanted to be with Nellie when the baby was born. And although she was extremely odd, and incomprehensible at times (actually most times), she'd helped the Todds out a damn lot. She'd even brought in money in from her scientific experiments - from selling medicines and other stuff that Sweeney didn't really care to know the name of.

For the last few months (apart from at meal times and when she worked in the bakery), Violet was rarely seen when they had free time.

They knew where she was, and at night they could hear her from their basement (which was now her official lab and bedroom. Dangerous? Extremely.) conducting all sorts of improvisations and trials, that would probably never count to anything.

And one of those nights, was occurring this very night, on December 5th.

The Todds could hear it clearly from their places in the parlour, since the basement stretched out directly beneath the whole ground floor.

They regretted her taking the cellar. But they were using her old room as a nursery now, and it was perfect. The room was the most colourful place in the whole house! Sweeney spent most of his time in there now too, whenever he got the chance... In order to imagine and daydream about what family life would bring him - or take from him.

"God," Nellie groaned, shielding her eyes from the blazing, lit fire as she laid back into a comfortable position on the settee. "I've got a bangin' 'eadache."

"Is it 'er? Shall I tell her to shut up?" Sweeney asked, looking worriedly towards his sprawled out wife. When she nodded he stood up abruptly from his crossed legged position in by the fire.

"She 'asn't 'ad her post today either. Could ya take the letters to 'er? They're by the door."

Sweeney nodded, walking closer to her. Her left a light kiss on her feverish forehead.

"Shout if you need me."

She smiled and nodded, "I'm sure I will. Now go on, I would go meself... but I'm slightly disabled for the while."

He smirked and gave her lips a peck, standing back up.

"Alright. But remember, do shout if anything 'appens."

Sweeney crept down the cellar's stairs, frowning from the glare of the lit candles around the decidedly pitch black basement.

"Violet?" he called, spotting a shadowed figure fitting her description hunched over her desk, which was filled with scribbles and empty bottles of gin... and other spirits.

The figure lifted their head slightly, acknowledging the ex-barber's presence.

"Are you alright?" he asked, eyes widening when he stood directly next to where she was sat, her face was ashen and her hair was knotted and uncared for, unlike her usual smart demeanour.

"Me? Fine. Never been bloody better," she said quietly, burying her head in the abyss of her arms on the untidy desk. "I feel awful."

"You've been drinking, that's why." Sweeney replied sternly, frowning at her. "Y'knew I was comin' down to tell you to stop y'experiment, so you stopped as soon as I opened the door, didn't you?"

"Mm."

"You annoy me. But I'm gonna think nothin' of it, all 'cause we're technically related. Now get your head up from that desk, you've got letters."

Violet gasped and quickly lifted up her head to face him. Her eyes were bloodshot, and it was clear it was a downer that she was going through... Or a withdrawal.

She snatched the mail out of his light hands, scanning the different styles of writing on each envelope. Her eyes looked like they were reading each loopy letter of each word, but secretly, all she was reading was a blurred picture... It was meaningless.

Sweeney looked around, looking at odd, gooey liquids in toxic marked bottles.

"What've y'been makin' in here?" he asked, glaring at her as she ripped open the letters and immediately began to read them.

"Medicines." she whispered in an empty reply, crazed insomniac eyes widening as she continued to read on.

"Medicines aren't usually marked toxic are they?"

"Are ya a scientist? No. So ya wouldn't know then."

"You're makin' poisons aren't you?"

She switched her tired, mad eyes from the page of paper to his face.

"You are clever." she said dangerously. Then her face quickly turned from a strong, crazy emotion to a saddened wince when she turned herself back to the letter.

"Look, I won't tell Nell. I would never drop y'in the shit. I just came down t'give you some letters and to tell you to 'ave a rest tonight. Nell's feelin' a bit rough tonight." he said, their eyes meeting in a silent understanding.

"She alright?"

"Yeah. But she's a few days late... So she'll be due any moment, pretty much."

Violet cursed and dragged her nails through her matted hair, "And you should be watchin' 'er! I'm wastin' y'time, she could be in labour right now- she'd be all alone wi' no one t'help her! Christ! I knew I were too caught up in my own shit life!"

Sweeney frowned at her change in emotion, not really following her maddening rant about herself after that. She continued to loudly cuss herself as she read her letters, and he just watched in silent disbelief.

She began to murmur what she was reading under her breath, she clearly forgot about Sweeney's existence.

"What do they say?" he piped up, alerting her again.

She ripped up the letters, wincing and cringing as she turned back around to face him - it looked almost heart breaking, a hurtful thing for her to do.

"I'm gonna 'ave to leave. As soon as possible. I can't 'ave Nell and you in trouble... or the little one. It ain't fair."

He looked bewilderedly at her, "And why? What 'appens if y'stay? Would we be 'urt?"

Frustrated tears filled her eyes as she nodded.

"Where will you go?! We're the only ones you 'ave!"

She swallowed the lump in her throat, sighing.

"I'd rather die myself for my own actions. None of you need be involved. Nellie can't know 'bout this... It'll break 'er 'eart. An' we can't 'ave that. Not again..."

"Again?" Sweeney muttered, eyes losing all hope.

Violet continued, clearly not hearing his input, and immediately began planning her escape.

"I'll take a ship from the docks, and I'll 'ead for France. I know another scientist there. I'll stay wi' him for a while. Unless they find me."

Sweeney shook his head, "Who are they?"

"The Haraways. They're a huge criminal gang. And Thorn was one of their spies. I owe 'em my knowledge, services and research in poisons... and 'o course quite a bit 'o money too."

There was a long, melancholic silence between them. The two of them were both trapped inside a social barrier that was too strong to break through ...

"We..." Sweeney started, frowning because he'd never felt sadness in such a depressing way since before his marriage. "We'll miss you."

Violet swallowed, nodding.

"I'll miss you too..."

They exchanged smiles, sighing with disappointment.

A great crash sounded from upstairs, along with a huge shout - or rather scream.

The two of them glared at each other, mouths gaping.

"Nellie."