A/N: So I'm sitting here, on my 16th birthday, not really doing anything. And what pops into my head? "OMG GO WRITE SOME FAN FICTION!!!" So here I am. I think it was time to write a new chapter, anyways. I've held off long enough. Please read and review, for a birthday gift to me :) PS: Sorry if I went over board with the explanation flashback, I simply adore the aspect of younger Nellie and Benjamin.
Chapter Seven
Nellie Lovett was thoroughly glad that she hadn't slipped into one of her corsets, for even without one, the baker was at a loss of breath. She never before had a reason to run or jog without stopping for large periods of time, and was now regretting her lack of fitness. Her chest heaved and her throat seared from inhaling cold air repetitively, tears forming in her eyes from the wind blowing into her face. She didn't want to even imagine what her hair must of looked like, not even having pins to hold it in place. Nellie squinted, making sure she wouldn't trip over anything, hardly realizing that she wasn't wearing anything on her feet. It had become very apparent, however, when a sharp, piercing pain shot through the center of her right heel. A small noise escaped her lips but she knew that she'd have to ignore it for now.
Young Toby, on the other hand, was doing just fine sprinting beside her along the shadowy buildings. Still grasping tightly onto Nellie's hand, he kept an easy pace, his keen blue eyes set in front of him. The lad was mighty bugger for his age, having developed a brawny strength from lifting, cranking, dashing, throwing, fetching. Nellie gave him an irritated side glance. He was making this whole getaway deal look effortless.
Never mind that, Nellie's thoughts nitpicked and she looked ahead of herself once more. Johanna's tree.
Part of her wanted to cry out when she had realized what Mr. Todd ordered. She was astonished that he had recalled such memories, memories that didn't include his Lucy. Memories that Nellie often looked back to when she felt hopeless in her relationship with Mr. T. Maybe Nellie shouldn't be surprised, however. It was Johanna's first word.
It warmer than usual on the second Sunday of May, finally warm enough for Nellie to wear the darling, pale yellow dress that hung in her closet. An eager smile spreading over her lips, she quickly donned it and raced in a merry fashion to the washroom's mirror to see how fitting she looked.
She slowly opened the washroom door with a childlike anxiousness, and squeaked in delight at her reflection staring back at her. The young baker was proud to admit that she looked lovely in this lacy yellow dress. It hugged her small frame warmly and fell lightly an inch above the ground. White lace was embroidered in stripped patterns in the center of the bodice, tiny bows lining the material below her bosom. The light hue of the dress made her skin appear less pale, and this made Nellie smile even wider. She padded up to the mirror and let down a couple of pins from her hair, letting a few of her auburn curls drop nicely onto her shoulders.
After pinching her cheeks a bit, Nellie Lovett left the washroom, an extra spring in her step, only to run face first into a strong chest.
"Oomph."
Blinking a little, Nellie felt a pair of warm hands firmly grasp her shoulders to steady her. Looking up, she couldn't help but blush a little, her heart dancing.
"Good morning, Nellie," spoke the deep voice of Mr. Barker, offering her a smart smile. He let go of her shoulders.
Nellie snorted. "And to you." Noticing their close proximity, she moved back a couple steps, smoothing out her skirts.
Benjamin was giving her a funny, new look, but noticing as he fidgeted with the lapels on his jacket, Nellie wasn't too worried. He cleared his throat a little. "That's a lovely dress."
Nellie gave him an easy smile and looked down, deciding not to let him know that she was very flattered indeed. "Jus' a lil' thing I picked out for me birthday las' month," she paused, locking eyes with him now, her voice a little lower, "but thank ya, Mr. Barker."
Placing a hand on her shoulder, he mirrored her smile, seeming to not feel awkward anymore. "Do call me Benjamin," he said, his voice serious. "I'd like to think of us as more than acquaintances."
Nellie opened her mouth, knowing he heard him wrong, interpreting his words falsely. Her eyes wide, she couldn't speak.
Quickly catching onto what he had said, Benjamin's face grew hot. "As, well, friends, of course," he sputtered, politely removing his hand from her shoulder.
Nodding quickly, Nellie let out a chuckle. "Ah, yes, a'course," she agreed, her response jumbled. They stood, facing each other in the small hallway, an uncomfortable silence taking over them.
Fortunately, the small wail of baby Johanna broke their thoughts.
Nellie looked over her shoulder to the parlor, only to feel Benjamin quickly brush by her, rushing to his daughter. She placed a hand on the wall, leaning a little as she watched the father pick up a crying bundle from a nearby cradle.
Holding Johanna lovingly in his arms, Benjamin leaned down to shush the babe, kissing her cheeks, some of his brown locks falling into his eyes and tickling the fair skin of his daughter. The small child sniffed loudly, letting out little cries, but they soon died down as she snuggled into the arms of her father.
"There now," he murmured, smiling down at his angel. "Daddy's here."
Nellie was glued almost to the spot, very moved, still leaning sideways against the wall. She quietly imagined herself to be his wife, the baby's mother, looking upon her family.
And yet, as always, the yellow haired, virtuous slip of a thing was there to ruin everything.
Breathless and rosy faced, Lucy Barker rushed to her husband, slipping some shoes on in the process. A slimming pink gown made her look stunning, of course, which made Nellie feel very small in comparison. Benjamin chuckled, placing Johanna in her mother's arms, and reached to place a matching pink bonnet onto Lucy's head.
Strangely, Benjamin was giving Lucy the same look he had given Nellie only minutes before. "You look beautiful," he whispered, kissing his wife tenderly on her lips, both cheeks, nose, forehead, and possibly more if Lucy hadn't stopped him.
She had placed a soft hand on Benjamin's cheek. "Darling, I have to go," she giggled, giving Johanna a quick kiss before placing her back into Benjamin's arms. "Sophia is waiting for me."
"Ah, yes. Don't be too long," Benjamin called with longing, watching her leave.
Nellie, meanwhile, leaned off the wall and threw a glare in Lucy's direction. The little nit hadn't thanked him once, and seemed hardly appreciative of Ben's affection. Lucy didn't deserve his love, not at all.
Shifting her gaze back to Benjamin, she noticed that Johanna had began crying again, and wasn't stopping. A sort of motherly, protective vibe shot through Nellie and she approached the two of them. She gave Benjamin a shy look and he nodded, handing the wailing Johanna over to his landlady.
Johanna was lighter than she looked, Nellie discovered, gazing into her hazel eyes. The baby squirmed a little, having this be the first time Nellie held her, a bit frightened of this new woman. The baker soon gave Johanna the warmest of smiles, twirling a strand of her baby's blond hair with a delicate finger. Johanna sniffed again, seeming to settle, and gave Nellie a teary glance before reaching out and placing a pudgy hand on the woman's lips. A lovely feeling building up inside of her, Nellie kissed her hand, looking up into Benjamin's eyes.
Mr. Barker watched them in awe, never having seen Johanna become comfortable around strangers so quickly. The words that came from his lips were inviting and new. "Would you like to take a stroll?"
Ten minutes later, picture perfect, Nellie, Benjamin, and Johanna were walking comfortably in a fresh London park. Though Nellie and Benjamin weren't arm in arm, they still stood close enough to seem as if they were more than friends, at least to passer-byers. Delighted, Nellie smiled, talking to Mr. Barker about nothing and anything, a light breeze cooling their skin. She knew that he was only being friendly to her, and that this was nothing more than a common walk in the park, but to Nellie, it was all she had ever dreamed of.
They stopped at the far side of the park to rest a moment, sitting on a wooden bench. Johanna had been dozing lightly in Nellie's arms, but now as they sat in tranquil silence, her eyes fluttered open. Benjamin poked Johanna's nose and she giggled, her curious eyes exploring in amazement of everything around her.
Suddenly, the little Johanna's gaze stopped on a large tree that had began to bloom beside the bench. It's branches were sagging elegantly, thin petals twirling downward as the breeze shifted. The child gasped almost, pointing her finger at it, her eyes twinkling.
Benjamin looked behind them to see what was so interesting, only to laugh warmly in spite of the simplicity of Johanna's amazement. "My love, that's a weeping willow."
"Wiwow."
Nellie Lovett, who had been interested in Benjamin's tan complexion until this moment, focused her eyes now on the baby in her arms. "Did she..?"
Mr. Barker let out a hearty laugh now, clapping, taking Johanna from Nellie's arms to lift the baby high in the air. "Yes, yes she did! My angel said wiwow."
Johanna giggled a little, her tiny white dress blowing in the breeze, and she stared lovingly into her father's eyes. "Wiwow!"
Benjamin stood, so in love with his little wonder, smiling brightly. He moved so he was directly under the tree now. "Well, it's settled!" he declared, and Nellie stood, watching the two of them closely. "I here by name this weeping willow, Johanna's tree!"
It was then, Nellie knew, that she would always be head over heels in love with the barber upstairs.
This said barber violently pulled Nellie Lovett from her day dream, and she let out a yelp, feeling her back slam against a brick wall. Sweeney Todd placed a finger to her lips and she immediately silenced, everything much darker, everything aching again. She soon came back to earth and almost yelped again, remembering that London wasn't bright and glowing anymore.
Rolling his eyes in irritation, Sweeney kept his accomplice pressed against the wall, his right hand now on her shoulder, his left on Toby's chest. The boy had began to speak, bewildered from having been grabbed roughly and thrown into the shadows.
"Shut it," Sweeney whispered harshly, and not a second later did a handful of large, shouting men rush past them, carrying sticks with flaming torches, clubs, rakes, anything large that could be used as a weapon. Toby quickly understood, swallowing, closing his eyes tightly, and Sweeney pressed his body flat against Nellie's, making sure none of them could be seen.
A sort of a mob had formed, unfortunately, and they, too, were searching for the demon killer and devil woman. Word of them had spread like wild fire, and even though hardly anyone resented the death of Judge Turpin, it seemed that almost everyone had lost a friend, loved one, or acquaintance, to this killer.
The large crowd of men seemed fierce enough to kill, too, bearing their teeth, holding their hats to their heads, growling. They weren't, however, fierce enough to notice that their three enemies were only feet away.
Even when the wave of angry men were long gone, Sweeney kept Toby and Nellie pressed against the wall, none of them breathing.
Nellie Lovett wanted to faint. Sweeney's face was hardly inches away from hers, and even though his head was bloody and turned to the side, the warmth now radiating off him was overwhelming. Her eyes fluttered a little, and she shivered, wanting so much to never move again.
Almost a whole minute passed before Sweeney shifted away from the baker and boy, stepping backward and wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. Nellie and Toby stood, rigid with fear, their backs still pressed against the wall, afraid to move.
Todd gave them both a sharp glare. "Come, both of you, I managed to contact Anthony, and he produced the coach." He turned on his heel, walking into the darkness of the alleyways.
Nellie loosened a little, nodding, breathing shakily. The both of them had planned so much previously, and she was now pleased with their work.
Toby was giving them both a puzzled, exhausted glance, and Nellie pulled him gently from the wall, patting his back. "It's alrigh', love. Let's be speedy now, follow 'im..." They were off again, following the hunched barber in a brisk stride, eyes adjusting to the darkness. It was late afternoon and the skies were already beginning to darken, longer nights approaching with cold weather.
Nellie's foot had acquired a pulse now, and it throbbed painfully with each step. In fact, it had grown so intense, that her heel began to distract her from her other aching limbs. A little limp in her step as they silently turned a corner, she tried to avoid stepping in anything too filthy.
"What's wrong, mum?" Toby whispered, having noticed her pained gait.
"Stepped on somethin' sharp," she admitted, deciding that ignoring this wouldn't be a smart idea, "Let's git in the carriage, first, Toby. Keep an eye out for dodgy things, now, not 'ow I'm keepin'."
Letting out a small noise of disapproval, Toby looked back in front of them to finally gaze upon two large horses strapped to a buggy.
Nellie looked to Sweeney now, a bit of apprehension in her voice. "Mr. T, whose gonna steer this thing, eh?" she asked, brown eyes flashing.
Todd looked behind his shoulder, raising an eyebrow, then turned back. "I will, of course."
She raised her eyebrows. "Oh. Well then."
They quickly approached the carriage, Toby gallantly helping Mrs. Lovett inside with a strong arm. Sweeney pulled himself into the buggy last, closing the door securely behind them, before giving them both a bold, serious stare.
"You both have entered an entirely different world," he declared lowly, his gaze shifting sharply between the both of them. "Don't expect things to get easier over time. If anything, they will get much worse." Todd paused, seeming to struggle with his next words. He looked down to his feet. "This venomous world we live in does not offer second chances. It will suck the joy from you when you're the most happy, crush the love you once held so dear in it's greedy palm. Do not expect times to work in your favor."
Sweeney Todd looked up, sending a shiver through both Toby and Mrs. Lovett, and moved his way into the front of the buggy without another word.
Quick as anything, they were off, racing to leave London in this stolen carriage. Mrs. Lovett reached over and held Toby's hand tightly, squeezing it, having him squeeze back, both struck by the barber's words. They now knew that things would be much, much different from now on.
A/N: Ha! Sorry, only about 30 minutes passed in this chapter, but I'm happy with it. I'll try to update again soon! I was watching the Oscars the whole time writing this, nearly yelled out when ST didn't win for costume designs, and ACTUALLY yelled out when Johnny didn't win. But hey, that's life. They won for set design, though!
Please, do review. I love you all. :)