Author's Note: Enjoy! I'm working on a couple of stories now so I'm going to need a lot of reviews if you'd like me to update quickly! Thanks for the wonderful reviews I've already gotten, I really appreciate the support! I'm glad you all like it hopefully this will keep you happy for awhile, because I have another Sweeny story I'm working on so check that out too! Sorry for the late update hopefully this will make up for it. (This is where it gets a little lovely)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Tiffany.
(WHO KNOWS HOW LONG LATER?)
"Tiffany! Mr. T! She's coming through!" Mrs. Lovett's voice sounded off in my head and reverberated over and over.
"Tobias. That's enough of that dear. Why don't you go meet me downstairs I want to talk to you." I hadn't realized I was being patted down with a wet rag, well I wasn't anymore. I cracked my eyes open.
Mrs. Lovett was sitting on a bed…that wasn't mine…and wasn't in my room. I quirked an eyebrow at her. This room had yellow and pink stripes running vertically up the walls. There was a crib in the corner and I was lying on a bed on the side of the room. It was definitely dreary in here, there were curtains closing out the sunlight on both windows. I shivered and Mrs. Lovett pulled the blanket up to my chin.
"Do you remember who I am dear?" she asked cautiously.
"Mrs. Lovett?" Suddenly I found myself hoping I was right.
"She knows who we are." I hadn't even noticed Sweeney leaning on the door frame.
"You gave us a right down fright Tiffany dear."
"I did?"
"Yes you did. You fainted in the middle of Mr. Todd's shop. He says your corset must have been a bit too tight." My eyebrows raised and he shook his head at me as if signaling he would explain in a moment.
"Why don't we give you a few tests to make sure you're fine. You do look a bit confused." Mrs. Lovett said.
"That would be a good idea Mrs. Lovett." Sweeney nodded sitting down on the bed next to my head.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Four."
"Alright, how many eyes do you see on me?" Sweeney looked at her as if she'd grown another head and I laughed.
"Two."
"Ok, she'll be fine."
"Get out!" Sweeney told her and she nodded, grabbing the bowl of water and rag from the bed side table.
"I'm sure you figured out why I told her your corset was too tight."
"No sir." I answered.
"I couldn't tell her you fainted when you killed somebody, she'd want to kill you."
"What? Why?"
"I refused to let her kill people with me. I told her innocence was too important to me." I looked up at him questioningly.
"Then why am I in a shift?"
"Well I changed you dear. Had no other choice really." I felt my face go sheet white. I looked down at myself. The shift is always the last layer you put on for a dress. So he had to take all of my clothes off of me to put the shift on. Then go through the dresses I wear and choose one that I would be 'wearing'. And not to mention it, but this shift is extremely thin.
"Oh. I see." He laughed a rough laugh that made me cower slightly.
"Not to worry dear, your innocence is still in place." I blushed as he noticed what I had been thinking about.
"That's not what I'm worried about!" I said rolling my eyes as if I didn't have my maidenhead anymore.
"Then what are you so red for?" His voice had gone down to a low whisper.
"My self decency."
"Worried to be known as your master's whore?"
"No! No that's not it sir."
"I see. So me saying you are aloud to call me Sweeney means nothing to you any more?"
"Sweeney listen to me please…" I begged but he shook his head.
"I think we know it is."
"Benjamin Barker you and I know equally that is not what I meant!" I screamed. He looked at me, absolutely shocked and I was surprised when he grabbed me by the back of the head so he could his lips to mine in a hungry kiss. I had to stand so he wouldn't choke me during the kiss and he backed me up and I fell over the back of the bed, we landed in a heap on the floor.
"It's Sweeney to you." He breathed out before standing up to brush himself off and walked out the door. Mrs. Lovett came bustling in while I wiped my lips.
"You ok dear? You look a bit flush. Maybe I should let you rest for the end of the day?"
"What? No, of course not. I do believe Mr. Todd has an appointment in a few minutes doesn't he?"
"Yes dear."
"Then mam I would like to get back into my dress."
"Of course." She said happily. I was hoping that my lips weren't going to be bruised; I could fell blood on the inside of my lips. I hadn't noticed that we fell that hard.
"Are you ok Tiffany? Your lips look a little red." She asked suspiciously. I felt my heart plummet, I talk too fast.
"What? Oh no! I was just biting my lips. I was nervous I was going to be yelled for making Mr. T go through all of that trouble over me."
"Ah. I see. Well what did he say to you?"
"Nothing. Nothing that concerns you." Ran out of my lips before I could think twice. She turned around from going through her trunk and turned to walk up to me. She held her hand high in the hand and slapped me…hard. I held my cheek when I was able to turn to face her. Tears were brewing in my eyes as I glared at her.
"You do forget your place sometimes Tiffany dear. You really should put that tongue of yours on a leash before it gets hurt."
When she said this I immediately knew that she also felt something for Sweeney. And it wasn't possible for her to anymore deny it to herself. She knew about Sweeney and me. And apparently she was going to keep up with having me wear her dresses, and pretend to be sweet to me. But obviously she hated me deep down with a great passion that had just unfurled it's self for the first time.
"Do you know if Mr. T's already in the shop? I'd like to talk to him privately before his appointment."
"Trust me dear if you had anything to say to him you would have said it before to him."
"Yes mam." Was all that I could muster up without 'letting my tongue off its leash'. She tied my corset up and when I was going to open my mouth to let her know she had it tight enough she gave it one last yank before tying it up. I had to roll me eyes at her shameful actions; if she wanted to play dirty then she was in for a world of hate. She quickly laced up the dark colored dress she had just put me in.
"There you are dear. Try not to disturb Mr. Todd too much." I nodded and practically ran out of that room so I could travel up the stairs to Mr. T's barber shop.
"Tiffany!" Anthony let out a hoarse whisper. My eyebrows rose beyond my consent.
"What are you doing in here Anthony?"
"Waiting for Mr. Todd to come back, he was supposed to give me directions on how to get into Mr. Foggs asylum as a wig makers apprentice."
"Ah. I see. Well then we'll just wait together because I am also waiting for him to come back." I said taking out the sharpening belt and starting to sharpen a razor blade. Anthony glanced between me and the blade regularly.
"Sorry dear. Do you mind?"
"No mam. Course not." I smiled at him and continued to sharpen the razor until I saw Mr. Todd through the window.
"Mr. T, where have you been?" He ignored my question.
"Come now Anthony lad, we don't have all day now do we?"
"Tiffany would you mind…what happened to your cheek?" He asked looking up from the trunk he was holding out for Anthony to take.
"Oh. Nothing sir. I will be down stairs helping Mrs. Lovett with preparing for the opening then?"
"That will do Tiffany. Tiffany I would like to see you in a few." My eyebrows rose and my heart dropped down into my stomach. So he was still mad at me, I thought that kiss of ours meant that I was forgiven. Well it is Sweeney Todd I was thinking about, he would never just patch things up with a kiss. Course not; I fall for the crazy man. Well that's just bloody wonderful.
I entered Mrs. Lovett's and sat down at the table. She looked at me and her eyebrows rose.
"Can I help you with something or are you just going to sit here like a lump of rubbish?"
"No mam, I was just coming down to help with the set up for tonight."
"I see. Well you can help Toby to wash the dishes." She said throwing her arm over her head to point Toby out in the washroom. He looked up at me and waved a bubble covered hand to me. I nodded and walked up to him.
"There's an apron hanging there Miss." He pointed to a washboard.
"Thanks Toby dear." I closed the door behind me as Mrs. Lovett walked out, apparently going to the bake room. We washed the dishes with herbs in silence for a few until Toby started to cough.
"You ok Toby dear? Want me to take over while you sit and talk to me? I could sue some entertainment." I proposed but he shook his head almost violently.
"No thank you mam. Mrs. Lovett wants these done in time so she can set the plates and glasses up before anybody is here."
"You really love her don't you Toby?"
"I prefer Tobias mam."
"Ok, well then do you really love her?"
"No mam. I respect her, appreciate her if not respect. She seems to be the only reason I'm not in the mad house."
"What would you say if Mr. Todd and I could get rid of her but keep you out of the work house Tobias dear?" I emphasized his name and he looked at me questioningly.
"I don't know how that could be done, but if it could be. It would be much appreciated mam. What happened to your face?"
"Mrs. Lovett happened young man." I said as I pushed him onto a stool next to the water bucket I was using to clean the dishes.
Author's Note: Please review! I've updated a lot today!