Chapter 35: In Love. Expected. Arrived.

"Well come on! We can't just stand around! Get some towels an' I'll see to 'er."

"Shouldn't I go for the midwife?" Sweeney asked worriedly, running his hands stressfully through his hair. Violet huffed.

"I don't 'ave time for this! Nell's baby's comin'! I've already helped deliver a baby before... Don't ask."

She ran up the stairs, rolling her sleeves up as she opened the basement's door. Sweeney hurriedly followed her, short frantic breaths escaping him. He heard her murmur for him to "Calm Down" but all he was now concentrating on, was doing as he was told to do in order to assist Violet.

When they reached the door underneath the stairs, the air was less stuffy and was more calming than the claustrophobic basement.

"Towels!" she reminded him loudly, rushing towards the parlour where the loud shouts and pleads were coming from. "Oh and maybe some warm water. But don't get scared, she'll be fine."

Sweeney rushed off upstairs to find the items he'd been assigned, his breathing in rags as he reached the landing. He was probably close to having a panic attack, but he knew that he was being stupid.

'Calm down' he told himself, collecting a whole pile of clean towels into his arms. 'Nellie needs all the help she can get. Violet's clever... and she's probably studied this. Get yourself together and bare with it. You're Sweeney Todd, not a blundering idiot!'

He sprinted down the corridor, away from the bathroom; He fled down the stairs, pausing on the last step when he heard her ear-splitting cry of pain. He winced, as if the sound had stabbed him where it truly hurt the most.

He felt a lot more satisfied when he heard the murmur of Violet's soft voice and her hushes. She must have done it before...

Sweeney stepped down the last stair and quickly strolled over to the parlour door, which was closed. He knocked loudly, swallowing in apprehension.

"On the floor Sweeney!" a voice called, clearly annoyed for his interruption.

He crept in, silently and nervously - as a child would have done in a room full of adults.

His eyes seemed to pass past the scene on the settee, and landed on the floor next to them instead. He carefully placed the towels there, accidentally standing back up, and unintentionally settling eyes to meet Nellie's.

She narrowed her eyes at him, breathing in and out heavily.

"Get. Out!" Nellie shouted, taking him by surprise. He looked at her sadly, frowning in confusion. Violet glanced at him, mouthing the word 'hormones' to him and motioning with her head towards the door.

He strode over to the door, leaving as Nellie had asked. As he shut the door, he cringed when she let out another half screech, half scream. He knew that what she was feeling would be painful... but why didn't she want him in there?

Oh.

He could kind of see why. He'd helped make the child with her, after all.

"Shit!" he whispered sharply, hands messing up and knotting through his raven locks again. "I forgot the water!"

After disturbing them again, because of the warm water he'd meant to have gotten, he'd skulked out of there hurriedly. Mainly because of the incessant crude insults Nellie was throwing at him. He would've laughed at it if she was being nasty to someone else... But, he felt kind of hurt by it.

'She needs someone to shout at... She's in utter pain. I don't blame her.' the voice inside his head said, making him smile.

"Fair enough," Sweeney said shakily, perching on the dining table in the kitchen, hot mug of untouched tea in his wobbly, hot hands.

He looked down into the swirling liquid that was enclosed by the cup, feeling dizzy and hypnotised by it moving so quickly. Another large yelp from Nellie made him jump and spill a small amount of boiling hot tea down his waistcoat.

"Shit!"

He placed the cup of tea on the table beside him, where he was sat. He shrugged off his waistcoat, doing it so quickly that he ripped three of his shirt buttons off too in the process.

He sighed, cursing again when he tossed the piece of clothing to the ground.

He sighed and sat back on the edge of the table, placing his head in his hands.

"Come on Nell! Ya almost there!"

Sweeney frowned, raising his head at the joy coated voice.

"Nearly there now..."

His eyes widened as a large terror filled shriek echoed about the house, piercing his ears and making him gasp with worry.

'She'll be fine'

Great. The voice was back.

He couldn't take it anymore. He was sick to death of worrying, of creating fears.

His patience had ran out.

Sweeney hopped of the table and plastered a scowl on his face; He marched up to the parlour door. He took a good, long, deep breath. He turned the door handle and walked in, shutting the door after himself.

He paused at the door, turning back to the room.

It was quiet.

Then Violet's laugh, made him lose all of his tension.

He walked closer towards where the two females were, hearing a muffled... cry?

Nellie was laid out over the sofa, eyes closed yet her breathing assured him that she was alive.

"Nell?" he whispered hoarsely, kneeling down next to where she was laid out. He stroke a hand down one said of her sweltering, sweat soaked face, causing her eyes to open.

A young, soft cry coming from behind him, made Nellie smile warmly when she looked into his eyes.

Violet (who was smiling over at the couple) was crouched behind him (Sweeney had completely ignored her when he'd walked in), lightly washing the little new born with a soft, damp towel.

"I'm so tired," Nellie whispered, eyes drooping as she talked to him.

She reached an arm up to touch his cheek, but as she was so fatigued, it just fell back down next to her limp body. She really, truly ached. Her eyes slid shut and he was left staring at her smooth eyelids.

"Come on Sween's." Violet whispered, drying the baby gently now with a fresh, fluffy towel. "Let 'er get some rest."

His ears pricked up at the girl's voice, and he immediately swivelled around to face her.

He blinked a few times, gawping at the sleeping baby in her arms.

"I-Is that o-our -"

"No. It's a doll," she whispered sarcastically, smirking. "Could you pass me that blanket?"

Sweeney nodded, dazed by the creature in her arms. It's little nose flared as it breathed air in and out, tiny bare chest rising and falling.

'You made that.' the voice whispered. 'You and Nellie made that.'

He swallowed, crouching down to pick up a blanket from the carpet, never taking his eyes from the sight before him. He stood, holding the patchwork blanket awkwardly.

"Wot you holding it like that for? Fold it up and lay it 'cross your cradled arms."

He did as she said and knelt down on the floor before her, watching intently as Violet shuffled forward and carefully, securely slid the snoozing baby into his arms. His heart knotted as he felt the little life form in his arms, wriggling slightly as if to shuffle to get comfortable. Violet smiled at him, not expecting him to be so overwhelmed by the child's existence.

She tucked the woollen blanket around the baby carefully, making sure it wasn't too tight so the little one could wriggle around as much as it pleased.

"So delicate," Sweeney whispered, eyes shining with obvious care as he watched the sleeping human in his cradled arms.

Violet sat crossed legged, watching positive emotions strike his features as the baby let out a little moan of comfort.

"Aw. She likes you don't she? Wot y'gonna call 'er?" she asked, bloodshot eyes not seeming as sore or tired when she looked at the scene before her.

Sweeney raised his head towards her for the first time since entering the room, dark eyes swimming with an unclear joy.

"She?" he whispered, smiling back down at his girl that he was holding.

"We're gonna call her... Rue."

"Rue?"

He nodded, studying Rue's little face in the fire's glow.

Christmas hadn't come yet, but Sweeney knew, that this was the best present he could have ever been given. He knew now, as he looked down at his beautiful little daughter, that he would treasure the moment as a permanent gold memory that would never be forgotten.

He had a beautiful, sleeping little girl.

He had a gorgeous, slumbering wife.

Sweeney Todd felt as if he were the luckiest man alive.

Hey! Thank you for reading, only 1 chapter left after this! I want to thank everyone for their support in following this story from wherever you picked up from... EVEN IF ITS THE END XD Thanks to all of my slave reviewers, who have made it a ritual to review every time I update, to those who have PM'd me lovely things about this fanfic because it always made me smile... and to all of the majority of the silent readers who I just can't leave out... I LOVE YOU ALL!

The end is nigh, minions. Yet this story was made to stay with you forever. Don't feel lost, feel found :)

SecretSparrowTodd, Forever in your gratitude ;)

-Keep writing, reading and reviewing x