Okay, everyone! The new chapter is here!
I want to thank: Nala162024, CaptainFlyingSparrow, BlueStar33, Aymie Lestrange, alchemistic, Lady Nightlord, Neighbourhound Squirrals, Shiloh, Emma, JainaZekk621, Phantom's Ange, TeachYouHowToFly BabyBlueSkys and Loonalily! Thank you all for your support! :)
Replies to unsigned reviewers:
Emma: Happy you liked the chapter, love! You'll see if Sweeney will come back. Thank you! :)
BabyBlueSkys: Yes, he's a nice daddy! Glad you enjoyed the last chappie, hon! Thank you for reading and reviewing! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd!
Chapter 51
A few months later, Sweeney was standing with Maddy inside the bathroom. He was holding her at arms length with his nose wrinkled in disgust. The baby girl was in need of a nice warm bath and he was the only one in the house at that moment. He looked around the bathroom and groaned.
"All right, missy…wait here…" he mumbled as he placed her on a towel. He brought water and prepared a bath for her. He rolled up his sleeves and looked nervously at the wiggling baby.
"How the hell am I suppose do this?" he mumbled. It was the first time he had to bathe her and he really didn't know how to do it. Madeline had to be bathed for she had a tiny accident and Sweeney had to take off her clothes. He approached the baby and picked her up.
"Okay, let's see…um…ah…" he muttered as he stared at the water. He kneeled next to the tub and carefully placed her in the warm water. The moment her feet touched the water however, she started crying and whimpering in distress.
"What is it? Too warm? Too cold?" he asked but the baby just continued crying, making him wince.
"Um…no need for that…it's just water ,love…besides you really need a bath…your mother will kill me if she knows that I didn't realized sooner that you had …an accident…, a smelly accident that is…" he said to her but she just continued her whimpering, wiggling her small feet in the water, splashing her father who sighed.
"Maddy…" he warned seriously but the baby continued her crying fit, waving her hands towards him, trying to reach for him.
"Madeline!" he snapped in a loud voice, his tone authoritative but not angry or mean. The baby stopped, her small red eyes looking at him, a few whimpers escaped her small pouting mouth. Sweeney looked at her, his hands supporting her weight. He bit his lip as he saw her red eyes, slight guilt creeping up on him. He really didn't mean to frighten her but she had to stop being so stubborn every time they tried to bathe her. Grace and Johanna had an entire battle with her in order to clean her up.
"There now. No more crying. Daddy is going to clean you up and you'll be a good girl." He said more softly and she hiccupped a couple of times, her small fingers wrapping around his finger for support. He rubbed her back slowly and looked around for soap. He reached with his hand and grabbed the lavender soap. He lathered up a cloth and started washing the baby's back and front. Her small feet wiggling in the water, her eyes transfixed with the bubbles the soap produced.
"What is it, love?" he asked as he saw her staring. He followed her gaze and smirked as she started giggling. She was a weird one. One moment she would be crying her eyes out and the next she would be laughing.
"The bubbles? You like the bubbles?" he asked her and she giggled, her thumb going in her mouth for a moment before pointing at him and then the bubbles again.
"God, you're cute…" he mumbled with a wide grin, as he caressed her smooth cheek. Madeline giggled again, her laughter causing a cute blush on both her cheeks that reminded him of her mother.
He washed her few light brown hair as well and then rinsed the soap from her. Finally he pulled her out of the water and wrapped her in a towel, holding her close to his chest.
He stood in the middle of the room looking at her with a smile and a far away look.
See? I told you we are the same. A voice he hadn't heard for months said and he grimaced, adjusting Madeline in his embrace.
I don't think so.
Then why have you suddenly turned so soft?
I'm not soft. I love my daughter is all.
All right. You have been acting like this almost to everyone. Grace had noticed.
So?
There has to be a reason for that sudden change.
Yeah, you must have brainwashed me, Barker. He mumbled as he walked out of the room, the baby playing with his vest buttons happily, while he tightened his hold around her small form almost possessively. He rather enjoyed holding her like that. Johanna was far too old to cuddle with him.
You know that's not the reason. Tell me.
No. Not your business anyway.
Yes, it is.
Sweeney gritted his teeth as he walked up to his room with Madeline still locked in his embrace.
You might as well say it. It helps.
I…
Yes? The smooth voice encouraged, making Sweeney roll his eyes.
I don't want to loose them. I don't want Grace to hate me for what I did to her. I…want them to love me.
Aha…and you realized that only behaving like you used to, will make them stay.
Wow, you figured it out. He mumbled as he placed the baby on his bed and walked to the closet to bring some clothes for her.
You must have realized that Grace loves you…I mean us even when you behave like an asshole.
She doesn't love you. You annoy her.
Do I? Last night proved you wrong. Remember last night? The voice asked smugly and Sweeney growled as he returned back to the bed with a nice light green dress for his daughter.
She called 'Sweeney' all the time not bloody Benjamin. He thought angrily and the voice laughed.
Whatever. Just try not to be too weird. This behavior really doesn't fit you.
Sweeney rolled his eyes as he dressed Maddy who was playing with her hands and wiggling her toes.
"I'm not weird." He muttered, looking at Madeline. He finished and picked her up, setting her in her crib. He placed her bear next to her and kissed her head. He walked to his barber chair and sat down with a sigh. He leaned back and closed his eyes, thinking about everything his inner voice had said to him earlier.
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Grace and Johanna came back from the market and entered the pie shop, bags in hand. Johanna huffed as she placed the two heavy bags on the counter.
"Next time, I'm getting dad with me. These are way too heavy." She said and Grace nodded as she too placed the other two bags on the counter. Grace sat down at a chair and sighed. Johanna moved her hair from her face and sat down too, her face troubled. The young woman had been acting a little weird lately.
"Johanna? Something wrong, dear?" Gracie asked. Johanna looked up and smiled a little.
"Um…just some things I've been thinking…" she muttered and Grace frowned.
"What things?"
"Um…has father ever talked to you about my…guardian, Gracie?" she asked and Grace started feeling rather uncomfortable.
"Um…I …he did…he's dead right?"
She said and Johanna nodded a troubled look on her pretty face.
"He's dead…the thing is…I don't know who murdered him. I'm not missing him or anything. My life with him was rather…distressing really…I just…" she trailed of and Grace didn't like where this was going.
"Um…I don't know, Johanna. I… don't know." Grace lied, her palms sweating.
"You don't? My father didn't say anything?" she pressed and Grace panicked.
"No…why?"
"Grace…I want to tell you something…but you can't tell my father." She said in a hushed voice, looking around her.
"All right…" Grace said hesitantly, not liking where the conversation was going.
"Okay…you know that A…Anthony took me away from the judge, right?" she asked and Grace nodded, looking at the ceiling for a second.
"He brought me here the night before we escaped. That's when I first saw my father…he…" she trailed of and Grace frowned as she saw the young girl shaking, her hands trembling.
"What? What happened?" she asked softly.
"If there hadn't been for a scream I wouldn't be here now, Gracie…you see Anthony had me dressed as a boy so I wouldn't attract attention…I hid in the barber shop upstairs…I…had to hide in the old chest my father keeps there. Then after a while I heard voices…a woman's voice and…dad's…and then…the judge came…I don't know what happened…and then I look…" she muttered and Grace's eyes widened. Johanna knew all this? And hadn't said a word? And most of all she stayed here with her father?
"You look and you see what?" she asked in a whisper.
"I opened the chest and I saw him…with his razor…blood all over him…" Johanna finished shakily.
"What?" Grace rasped and Johanna shook her head.
"I didn't remember it was him, Gracie…only after I stayed here for a while I realized that he was the person I saw that night." Johanna whispered and Grace eyes were wide, her throat dry from the shock.
And now what? She thought as they stared each other, listening to Sweeney's pacing from upstairs.
End of chapter 51
Author's note: Thank you for reading! So, Johanna remembers what happened that night. What you think it's going to happen next?
Please review and tell me your thoughts! :)
