Originally, this was going to be filler, and it still kind of is filler but I hope you enjoy nonetheless :)

Sunny Days to Come

"Mrs. Oakley," called Mrs. Taylor, trudging up the sand and grass, waving her arm. "Mrs. Oakley. Margery!"

Her long auburn ringlets jerked back revealing her pale, alarmed face. Nellie hadn't paid any mind to the woman shouting and strolling towards her front yard. Mrs. Taylor continued trotting up the hill, a basket in her hands. Oh, great. Nellie thought as she stood up from her small garden in front of her blue cottage, gracing her features with the fakest of smiles. "Mrs. Taylor, how are you, dear?"

"I'm quite well Mrs. Oakley," basket looped around her arm, she stopped in front of Nellie seeming as if out of breath. Seconds later after catching her wind, she gabbed both of Nellie's hands, squeezing them lightly and leaning in towards her. "Those pies you sent over the other day were absolutely delicious." She implored.

"Oh, glad to hear it." Nellie spoke, throwing in a fake chuckle to match the smile. She wanted to be sick.

"I just had to repay the favor," Mrs. Taylor said, shoving the basket into Nellie's arms.

"Oh, dear you shouldn't have." Nellie said looking down at the plate of what looked like a slab of wet steak and Nellie was most certain she would retch now.

"It's stuffed steak with mushrooms."

"Thank you, goodness it looks heavenly." She said with more fake smiles, hiding her obvious disgust. "I'll just take this inside." Nellie said fleeing from the conversation.

"Your flowers look so lovely." Mrs. Taylor hung on.

Nellie spun back around, "Oh," she stopped herself from speaking any gratitude looking at the mess of dirt and daisies that looked as if they were hanging onto life by a single thread. "I don't exactly know what I'm doing." Laughed Nellie honestly. "I've never had a garden before."

"Plant them farther apart, the roots need room to grow." She advised. "Enjoy, the steak." Mrs. Taylor waved off with a cheery look, heading back to her home.

While stepping onto the porch, Sweeney stood in the open door waiting for her. "You look like you needed to be rescued." He commented, stepping aside for her to come inside.

"Yes, I'm sure you raced at the opportunity, love." She teased.

He eyed the slab of meat in her hands quizzically. "What is that?" he asked with a tone of disgust.

"Steak with mushrooms. I'm not eating red meat every again, so it's all yours." she spoke holding the basket out for him.

"No, I don't fancy mushrooms." Sweeney said walking away from the thing.

"Well, what am I to do with it then?"

"Throw it out."

"That'll be such a waste." Nellie said taking a whiff that almost made her gag.

"You've really developed an allergy, haven't you?" he spoke with a coy smile tugging at his lips. "Add it to your menu."

"I haven't had an appetite for much things as of late." Nellie said setting the basket down in the kitchen. Her comment made Sweeney practically launch himself in front of her. "Besides, I can't add it to my menu, it'll have gone bad by time I open tomorrow."

"Nellie?"

"Hmm?" he turned her around to face him. stroking a hand up her arm and placing the other on her abdomen.

He leaned into her ear and whispered, "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"No," she said nonchalantly before cracking a smile. "Patience, love. I'm going to the shop; I have some things to prepare before opening tomorrow."

"I thought about going fishing in the morning." She looked his way. "Thought it'd be beneficial. We wouldn't have to keep spending coin on chicken as meat."

Nellie smiled, "that's a lovely idea."

"You sure you won't need help in the shop tomorrow?" he asks.

"I'll manage just fine." She spoke, placing a chaste peck to his cheek before leaving the cottage, taking the steak with mushrooms with her.

She placed the dish of meat deep in the town muck behind her shop where the occasional cat or rats liked to lurk. "Whoever wants it." Nellie said after scrapping the slab of meat onto the filthy street. She looked down at the painted dish, half tempted to steal the thing. It would be a nice little memento of this town when the day comes for them to move on.

Work in the shop has been insufferable busy lately. With the season changing to summer more and more customers wanted pies, and this particular day was no exception. Nellie actually preferred to be outside in the warm sun. The lunch rush had just ended giving her a few moments of peace.

She rested her head onto her hands, smiling warmly as she spotted children happily running along the street, kicking a wadded piece of cloth in the shape of a ball to each other. The bell atop the door jingled and she straightened herself up in alarm as a bobby walked through the door looking her way. "Evening ma'am."

"What can I do for you sir?" Nellie smiled despite her nerves. What the devil is a man of the law doing in her shop on a Friday afternoon? "Would you like a pie? Free of charge for all your service."

He smiled, "That's very kind of you ma'am, but no." he displayed a missing persons flyer to her. "May I hang this up in your window?"

She relaxed a bit. "Of course, sir. I don't mind."

He showed the flyer to Nellie, "Do you know anything about him?"

Nellie stared down the picture of the man her and Sweeney served to their neighbors last week. Her first thought was to obviously say she doesn't know anything about him. A fear of more police or detectives poking around the town near her shop shook her to her core. Nellie decided to go with sending the bobbies onto a different trail. "He does look a bit familiar." She began. The officer leaned in closer to her. "He came in here the other night, a couple days back, he was drunk and rambling nonsense. He ordered a pie then went on his way."

"Did he say anything about where he was going?"

"He just mentioned leaving town, to go visit a friend."

"Thank you, ma'am," the bobby said. "I'll leave this with you." He said setting down the flyer, and exiting the shop. Once gone, Nellie retreated to the back room and sat shakingly into a chair. A wave a nausea rushed over her almost out of nowhere and she ran over to the sink retching into the porcelain. She wiped her mouth on a rag strangely starting to feel better. She took it easy the rest of the day. She had woken up that morning with a sneezing attack unlike anything Sweeney had ever seen as he fretted over her. By time the shop was ready to close, her throat felt dry and scratchy and she made her way home, not bothering to clean up or prepare for tomorrow.

"How were the fish?" Nellie spoke during dinner.

"I didn't manage to catch much." Sweeney said. He stopped mid-chew to look over at Nellie's plate, her food barely touched. "Why aren't you eating?"

"Not hungry," she spoke. "My throat's scratchy, I was nauseated earlier. I didn't even bother to clean up the shop after I closed." She took a sip of hot tea, "Sure I'll be paying for that tomorrow."

"Don't open tomorrow if you don't feel well." He spoke.

"Ah, its just a bit of stress, I'll be fine." He placed a hand to her forehead making no comment on whether she felt warm or not.

She stared down at her plate, a sad frown on her expression. "The law came into my shop today." She began, Sweeney stopped eating, looking at her with wide eyes. "The bobby handed me a missing persons flyer to hang up, it was that man." She met his gaze.

"What did you say?" Sweeney spoke after a moment of silence.

"I uh," Nellie swallowed, feeling as if she'd be sick again. "I told him that the man did come into my shop the other day, that he ordered a pie and mentioned leaving town. And that's all I knew." Sweeney's mouth was agape. "I panicked."

"You shouldn't have said anything." Sweeney growled.

"I sent them on a different trail outside of Grimsby. I thought that would help." Nellie exclaimed.

"No, they know you're a witness now and they'll keep coming around with questions. You shouldn't have told them anything."

Nellie rushed from the table and retched into the chamber pot in the washroom. Sweeney was on his feet behind her in alarm. "Nellie?" His eyes flashed with concern for her health but she ignored him.

"Too much excitement today, I'm going to bed." Her voice was coarse. She stepped into the bedroom leaving Sweeney to clean up.

The shop closed the next day even though Nellie felt better than the night before. Her nausea had subsided, leaving her with an itchy cough and sinus. Her and Sweeney determined it was simply allergies and the changing season. Nellie, however, was thankful for the day off.

"Sweeney," her voice sang, a light dance to her step. She sniffled and cleared the guck out of her throat before placing her chin on his shoulder as he read his book on the settee. "Let's go do something fun?" she asked before having to turn away and cough into her elbow.

"I think you're too sick." He commented, turning the page of his book.

"Oh, I'm just fine." She spoke before returning her chin to his shoulder. "It's the heat of Summer, July tomorrow, we must go enjoy the beautiful weather while we have it."

"What do you have in mind." He muttered still not looking at her.

"I remember seeing a wooden skiff that was abandoned by the pier." She spoke with a smirk.

"Nellie."

"Let's go out to sea," she whispered in his ear as seductive as she could with her head full of mucus. "You can sail right?"

"You're adorable." He mused, continuing to ignore her. She moved over and positioned herself in front of him. He finally looked up from the pages to see her pouting expression. After much of this, he closed the book. "How about just a stroll? You are ill after all."

It was better than nothing so she obliged.

"We should really go out on the sea someday." She commented as they trot through the sand.

"If we have money for a better boat, we will." He spoke. "I don't trust anything abandoned." She smiled brightly, tightening her grip around his arm.

Other couples were out for a stroll as well. They didn't socialize much to the commoners, or to anyone. Just like how Sweeney preferred to be kept to himself, Nellie became the same way. She honestly didn't see a point in befriending neighbors when they were planning to leave Grimsby when the year is over anyway. They were hiding in plain sight, blending in as a normal, happy couple in society. They could never forget what they are, nor where they came from, and what they had to do to get to this peace.

Nellie jerked her head up, covered in sweat. Her ghastly dream slowly fading away into nothingness that once conscious, she could no longer remember. She jumped with a gasp as the thunder roared outside. She was about to ease back into sleep when she felt something sticky and wet between her legs. She pulled back the sheet and sighed in annoyance to see blood there.

Sweeney stirred next to her. "What's going on?" his tired voice slurred.

"Everything's fine dear. I just…" Nellie stared at the mess that stained the sheets underneath her. The one night she wasn't in her gown either after her and Sweeney's vigorous coupling. Also, the weather had been so bloody hot.

Sweeney was waking up more fully, leaning over to light a candle. He held the lit flame towards Nellie and her cheeks blushed in embarrassment.

She followed his gaze down to the sheets below them. "Is that blood?" he spoke.

"Yes. I am a woman after all."

"Lovely,"

"I should probably change that." She said standing up. She grabbed her bloomers, placing a rag inside and hitching them up her waist.

"Your breasts have been tender lately." Sweeney commented, setting the candle down and leaning back as if he was enjoying the spectacle.

"That does tend to happen when a woman bleeds." Being too tired to actually do any washing, and since Sweeney looked far too comfortable and enjoying her suffering to move, she simply grabbed a towel placing it over the stain and crawling back into the bed. Sweeney looked at her quizzically. "I'll take care of it in the morning. Sorry, I know its disgusting."

"I don't mind blood." He spoke, stroking the back of his fingers to her cheek.

The month of July flew by quickly, unfortunately for Nellie, her symptoms of a seasonal allergy remained with her. The cough and sore throat melted to sinus. Her appetite was all over the place. She'd be starving one day just to be violently ill the next.

She was preoccupied with her shop for the day, Sweeney stepped out to buy more groceries, since the rain was pouring outside making business dreadfully slow. Nellie sighed, resting her head in her hands upon the counter. Her head felt like it would split into two. She ran a fever a week ago leading her and Sweeney to believe influenza was the cause of her aliments. However, the fever had worn off after a day leaving her to still feel unwell off and on in the weeks to come.

Nellie watched the door with a slight twinge of unease, despite Sweeney's words from last month. No other law or detectives had come back to question her about the, long gone by now, gentleman's disappearance. Just as this thought crossed her mind the door to her shop did open as a friendly, bright smiles looking woman stepped in.

"Margery, darling." The inn keeper, Monica chirped once leaped over the threshold.

"Monica, it's so lovely to see you dear," Nellie stepped around from the counter to greet her. "What brings you by?"

"I heard you weren't feeling well." She said taking a seat at one of the tables, Nellie joining her on the other side. Monica set a basket of several things on the table, pushing it towards Nellie. "This is for you, a sort of get well package if you will."

"You're too kind." Nellie spoke.

"Look inside I have a surprise in there." She almost grinned.

"I just had the flu, Monica, there's no need for…" Nellie's sentence halted as she stared down at the surprise Monica had left for her. It was a small gown made for a babe. She looked up at Monica in shock. "I'm not…" Nellie froze.

"It was my daughter's." Monica smiled warmly. "Her and her husband can't have children, she's barren."

"I'm sorry," Nellie began.

"Oh, its quite alright," Monica intercepted. "They didn't want babes anyway; they'd like to travel the world you see. So, since she won't by needing to hand down this baby gown, she told me to give it away to someone else." Monica grabbed Nellie's hand, "You are positively glowing my dear." She said patting her hand. "I want you to have the gown."

"Thank you for this, but I'm not…"

"You've been ill, haven't you?" Monica asked.

"Yes, but I also bled last month. It was…" Nellie paused, knitting her brows together, "It was irregular."

"And have you bled this month?"

"No." Monica started grinning like a mad woman. "I usually don't till towards the end of the month." Nellie exclaimed.

Monica stood up from the table, "Well, I must be off, back to the inn for me." She pointed a finger at Nellie, playful smile on her lips. "Take care dear. If you ever need anything. You know where to find me."

Nellie was facing the wall that night, seeing her potted daisies sway in the breeze that seeped through the open window. She had gotten ready for bed before he did, wanting to be alone. A frown etched her brow as a melancholy feeling washed over her thoughts. She inhaled deeply, suppressing an urge to cry and not understanding why she would cry. She lifted her head up off the pillow, despite the oncoming headache, and leaned down grabbing the cloth Monica had gifted to her that she placed under the bed. She rested against the pillow and stared at the flawless baby gown. Her hands ran over the soft cotton on the cream white color.

She began to smile and even though her eyes threatened to spill more tears now. Nellie turned her eyes back to the swaying daisies, clutching the baby dress to her chest. She wanted to wait, there'd be no harm in telling him now, but she wanted to be sure. When she told him, Nellie also wanted the occasion to be memorable.

His footsteps sounded, coming closer and closer to the bedroom. Nellie quickly discarded the small gown into the nightstand by their bed. Tucking it underneath an old book and some matches. She lifted her head and rolled onto her back as the door opened and he peered in.

"Feeling better?" he spoke.

She nodded, "A bit." She watched from her resting point as he got ready for bed and lifted herself into a sitting position as he slid into the bed next to her.

"Can I ask you something, dear?" she said in low husky voice.

"Hm?" he mumbled, halting from blowing out the candle.

She rested onto her elbows and side, facing him. "I know the answer now is still a "no", but…" she paused running her hand along the sheet underneath her, "Do you think, in the future, you could love me the way you loved her? Or even at all?"

"If you already know the answer, then why are you asking?" he said with a light sigh.

"I'm asking for in the future."

He hung his head. "Nellie, I'd be lying if…" she turned away from him with a loud exhale of air out of her nostrils. "There's peace between us, we're both happy, why go and ruin it?"

"Its an important conversation to have." She fired back.

"There's no use for it."

She spun back to face him, "What am I to you?"

"You're my friend." She made a soft gasp as if she was just punched. "My business partner, someone I greatly trust." She turned away from him again and he grimaced, knowing he made a mistake in this answer. "Someone I, unfortunately for you, lust after." He continued, "My wife."

"Why did you marry me if you don't even love me?" she sounded as if she would burst into tears.

"You know the answer to that. It was because of our aliases." She remained silent and facing away from him still, he scraped his brain for more words to say that could help him in this situation. "Sebastian is in love with Margery. That's why."

She picked herself back up to look at him. "That's all very sweet, but will Sweeney ever learn to love Nellie?"

Sweeney was silent for awhile before sighing deeply in thought. He met her eyes, the light from the candle reflected into them. "I'll make you a promise," he began. "That when my second daughter is in my arms, I'll tell you those three words you're craving to hear."

"And will you mean them?"

He held her hand, "I won't say them unless I do mean them." He leaned forward and met his lips to hers. "I did mention you're someone I lust after, didn't I?"

"Unfortunately for me." She quoted. "Yes, well, it's unfortunate for you this time, because I'm not in the bloody mood." She leaned over him and blew out the candle before placing her head back on the pillow.

"Fair." He muttered in the dark. He eased himself under the blanket. They faced away from each other and he almost drifted off when he heard sniffling behind him. He chopped it up as more of her sinus and ignored her, until he heard the sob that shook her ribcage. "Nellie?"

She was crying heavily now. "Pull yourself together woman." He said sitting up and pulling her frame into his chest.

"I don't know why I'm crying." She sobbed into his chest.

"Hysteria I suppose." She let out a wet chuckle to that.

She clamed down a bit after a moment, "Listen Sweeney, I…"

"Your birthday is coming up soon isn't it?"

"Why," she sniffled.

"No reason," he spoke after a pause. "Just making sure I didn't forget." He eased the both of them back onto the sheets and held her close, watching as she finally drifted into peace.