AN: Eeek! I'm so sorry I kept you hanging on that cliff for so long! I honestly didn't want to make you guys wait so long. . .it just happened! By the way, I've been meaning to ask this for so long, but could someone PLEASE make a trailer for youtube of this story, PLEASE!! I don't know how to do it and I'd really like one!
"It's Christine Daae! Me French childhood friend! Wonder what she's doing here," Nellie answered. She opened the door. Christine was obviously distressed.
"What's wrong, love?" Nellie asked, ushering her long time friend inside.
"He's coming for me! I chose him to save Raoul and I fled. The Phantom's coming for me, he won't let me go if he finds me!" Christine wailed in despair. Sweeney looked at her as if she were crazy and Nellie lightly slapped his arm. She knew all about the Angel of Music, or more well-known, the Phantom of the Opera, and Christine's past. She was one of the few friends that actually believed her.
"Was is really Raoul, was he the real reason why you chose him?" Nellie asked.
"Well, ye - no. Not really. I'm so confused Nell! I love them both!" Christine answered. Nellie wrapped a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders.
"It's okay, love," Nellie assured her. "The Phantom's had a pretty rough past, right?" Christine nodded. "And so have you, right?" Christine nodded again. "And he's been there for you, helped you through life since you were, what, seven?" Nellie asked.
"Are you saying I should truly choose him? Do you truly think he's the one?" Christine asked.
"Has Raoul ever truly understood you?" Nellie asked. Christine thought about this.
"No. . .no. He hasn't," she answered.
"And you pity the Phantom, true?" by now they were on the sofa with Sweeney staring at them in confusion. This was harder to follow than Nellie's mood swings.
"Yes," Christine answered.
"He pities you, too, no?" Nellie asked. Christine nodded. "So, there. "He's the one, I'd think. People with equally bad pasts often attract," she concluded. This had a double meaning referring to her and Sweeney's relationship.
"Well, I guess you're right, Nellie. . ." Christine said as they absentmindedly stood. "I just wish I could have some parental guidance. You're lucky you still have your parents. Especially your father. He was always so nice. . . ." she trailed off when she saw the look on Nellie's face. "What's wrong?" she asked. "What did I say?"
Sweeney hugged Nellie from behind.
"She recently lost her father," he answered for Nellie, which caused tears to roll down Nellie's cheeks.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Christine apologized. "I didn't know," she ran her hand down Nellie's arms as a comforting gesture. "I'm sorry," she apologized once again in a whisper. "Will she be okay?" she asked Sweeney hopefully.
"She will be," Sweeney answered. Getting an idea he added, "Hey, you should stay here for a week or so. With me working, she doesn't see me much and she could use a friend right about now."
"Oh, oh! Sure, I'd love to! Please, pardon me if I seem rude, but I don't know who you are. Who are you, exactly?" Christine asked.
"Sweeney Todd," Sweeney answered. "Nellie's husband of one month tomorrow," he said.
"Congradulations!" Christine said with a smile. "You're really lucky, you know. To have a woman like Nellie. She's a really amazing person."
"So I've noticed," Sweeney replied. Her turned Nellie to face him properly.
"So, when did. . . ?" Christine asked quietly, trailing off.
"I'll fill in later," Sweeney told her. To Nellie, "You should take a nap, love. Might relax you." Nellie obidiently left to do so.
Sweeney sat down on the sofa and Christine sat next to him.
"So, where shall I begin?" he asked.
"Well, at the beginning, I guess," Christine answered. "Like, how you met Nellie," she suggested.
Sweeney let out his breath slowly, preparing himself. He gave her a shorter, less gory version.
"Old childhood friends, since we were. . .eight, nine, maybe," he began, answering her question in a way. "When we were about fourteen, she was forced into a marriage by law, to an abusive pig named Albert Lovett," he continued. Christine gasped.
"I never knew that! I feel bad now. . ."
"Don't, he's long gone now," Sweeney insisted, smiling inwardly. "Anyway, he forced her to open up a pie shop business. I rented the apartment above the shop, her being the kind friend she was, stopped collecting me money after but one month," okay, so the forcing part was a lie, but that's how he thought of it in his opinion. "She'd always loved me, but I'd only truly noticed recently, when I realized I had feelings for her," this was a partial lie, but Nellie herself didn't even know about their trip to the afterlife. "So, one day, Nellie receives a telegram from her father saying that he's dying and wishes to see her right away. Nellie brings me along. We get there to find that her father had passed but only five minutes before our arrival. Nellie didn't take the news well. After we married she seemed to forget about him, but recently the memories seem fresh in her mind and she is always upset about that subject. The fact that she's pregnant may have something to do with that though. . ." oops! He hadn't meant to let that one slip.
"Oh. . .how sad," Christine observed. "Wait," she said perking up. "Did you just say she's pregnant?" she asked. Sweeney gulped.
"Yes," he answered with a slight wince.
"Oh, how lovely! That'll make her happier! She's always fancied being a mother!" Christine replied happily. She then noticed Toby watching from the kitchen.
"Oh! Who's this?" she asked Sweeney who had turned to look at Toby.
"That would be Toby, miss. . ."
"Christine."
"Ah, yes. Christine. Toby?"
"Yes?" Toby squeaked.
"What are you doing in here?" Sweeney asked.
"I got curious, so I've been watching," Toby answered shyly, feeling a bit guilty.
"Well, Toby, go to your room. I'll tell you when lunch is ready," Sweeney told him. Toby obeyed.
Sweeney returned his attention to Christine.
"Is Toby your son?" Christine asked in shock.
"He's like our son. We adopted him, he's an orphan," Sweeney answered. Christine looked sad as she said,
"I know how he feels." Sweeney was puzzled for a moment before remembering her and Nellie's conversation. Christine was an orphan, too. Seemed to be a lot of them lately. Sweeney was, too.
"Don't feel bad," Sweeney said comfortingly. "Orphans are very common these days. I'm one too." Christine looked at him. She laughed.
"It sounds like we're throwing a pity party," she commented. Sweeney smiled.
"Maybe we are," he said jokingly.
"Do you think Nellie's well enough for me to talk to now?" Christine asked.
"You never know," Sweeney answered with a shurg. "But you can always try," he added. Christine took this as an okay and went to find Nellie. Sweeney headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
AN: Please tell me this chapter didn't just totally kill this whole story!
