Tara grew up quickly yet beautifully and at a young age, both Sweeney Todd and his wife could determine what traits she had inherited from each of her parents.

Sweeney Todd was not much for the sun. He hated it frankly, simply loathed it. It didn't help that they practically lived in sun city but the view of the water was great, and that was exactly what he came out to look at that morning. Unfortunately, when he finally got a minute to relax, he was distracted by a sight he would rather not see.

The sight he saw was that of his 5 year old daughter Tara, climbing on top of the broken bridge that hung across the water. Her white dress that flew gracefully in the wind made her look like a dove, his turtle dove, and her rebel like behavior would make him go gray...well at least the rest of his hair.

"TARA TODD YOU GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!!" Sweeney demanded rather loudly, he could have screamed louder but the sound travels on water, and he was rather sure that her bat like hearing would catch what he said.

"CALM DOWN FATHER I'M QUITE ALRIGHT, NO NEED FOR WORRYING!" She screamed rather faintly for her tiny soprano voice couldn't carry as much force as her tenor father's.

"'Ello father, nice weather we're 'aving ain't it?" Toby exclaimed as he walked out onto the porch and put a hand on his adoptive father's shoulder.

"Yes, yes quite a beaut but do me a favor and get you bloody sister off that damn bridge!" His voice stressed at the last part of his sentence.

"'Ow she get up there?" Toby asked, looking astonished that such a small child could climb to those heights.

"I do not know nor do I care, but just get her off before your mother finds both you two up there!"

"Tara, father wants you off this bridge before you 'urt yourself." Toby said calmly to his acrobat sister.

"Ah 'es just a worrier 'e is. I'm perfectly fine up 'ere." Tobias Ragg Todd was fast, but Tara, with her age on her side, was much slicker as she dove into the sea.

Sweeney's face turned pale...er then usual as Toby's face turned into shock. Before Sweeney could think of anything else, he ran towards the water, taking off only his jacket as he dove in heroically to save the damsel in distress. He needed only to go in halfway for then he saw his little girl tredding like a fish out of the sea.

He grabbed her wrist, yanked her towards him and began to hug and kiss her. That lasted for a good...3 or 4...seconds until he finally pushed her shoulders away from him as he moved her wet hair that stuck against her pale face away from her.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT!?" He roared to Tara.

"I was fine father, you over-react a little..." She rolled her eyes and looked up at the bridge from which she jumped.

"We're going to your mother about this young lady." He said sharply as he picked her up from the water and carried her into the cottage.

There Mrs. Todd stood, pounding sweet dough for fruit pies as she saw her husband and child walk in, drenched from head to toe.

"I'm afraid to ask... where 'ave you two been all day?" She said with a wide grin, giggling at Sweeney who seemed very unamused that his white shirt was clinging to his chest as his hair was to his head.

"Well... I was enjoying the calming water until I saw your daughter jump off of something very high into the damn water and I 'ad to fish 'er out. That's what I did all day. 'ow about you my love?" Nellie gasped as she noticed the truth lied in their soaking forms.

"'E didn't fish me out I swam all by myself I did!" Tara disagreed rather angrily.

"To your room." Nellie pointed out the kitchen into the hallway.

"But...but"

"No buts, to your room...now." She said bitterly through her teeth.

Tara grunted in anger, and as she left to leave she sent out a piercing dagger stare towards Sweeney. "Nice going father." She said thickly.

Minutes later, Nellie came back in with a frown but quickly turned that frown upside down, trying to lighten up the room.

"She could be a lawyer wif all that persuasive nonsense she tried to sell me..." Nellie said lightly as she walked up to her Sweeney and kissed his neck that was still dripping with salt water.

"You were too harsh on 'er..." Sweeney murmured through the kiss that Nellie now gave to him.

"Wot was that love?" She asked, tangling her hands into his wild hair.

"You were too 'ard on 'er." Sweeney said again, but now in a whisper.

"'Scuse me?" Nellie said rather aggravated, putting her hands on her hips and stepping away from her husband who was shoved onto the couch by his wife.

"You...you was just a little too harsh on her is all... i mean... whats the point of sending 'er to 'er room..." He completely regretted what he had just said.

"Well sorry I 'ave to be the big mean old mommy in this family but it seems that you do nothin but love yer children, ye always 'ave. Ye never 'ad to take care of Johanna when she got into a temper tantrum you just smiled and said she looked so cute when she was angry! When Tara would scream or start hitting her brother while in town you would just give her a bloody flower to shut 'er up! There's no disiplin to ye Sweeney!"

"Don't talk to me about how I raised Johanna!" He scowled as he got up from the couch.

"Ye didn't even take care o 'er, I did!"

"SHUT UP GOT DAMMIT!" He roared, grabbing Nellie by the throat and pushing her to the wall. He the reached for the blade that once was secured around his belt but sighed as he could only press his hand against her harder. "I GAVE UP MY THOUGHTS OF THEM...FOR YOU!... FOR US! AND THIS IS 'OW YOU BLOODY REPAY ME!?" His grasp grew stronger and Nellie's face turned into horror, not because the love of her life was threatening her, but because someone was behind him... a very angry someone.

Just then, Sweeney felt the edge of a knife against his throat. He stood there, his body numb as his heart beat fast, but not as fast as Nellie's, she gasped, first for air and then jolted towards her daughter who had the knife against his throat. Her vision was blurred with red and anger as she screamed "DO NOT TOUCH HER!" Those words came out of her mouth so sourly that it made Sweeney cringe. It took only seconds for her mother to release the grasp of the knife and she calmly told Tara to go to her room and that she would be there in a minute.

"Now I 'spose you know 'ow it felt for the customers." Elenore said through her teeth

"Those customers were nothing to me. She is everything to me. Completely different." He scoffed as he folded his arms across his still wet chest.

"She gets it from YOU!" She sneered in a strong whisper.

Everyone seemed to need a rest after that. The day went by as it did as always. Nellie shooed Sweeney into the bathroom to fetch himself a bath as she got Tara into the other bath in the upstairs room, making sure she got every ounce of salt out of her hair. Toby was out for the day as Nellie quietly tucked her daughter in for a nap, it was only 2 o'clock and dinner was a long while away.

Downstairs, Mrs. Todd finally got a chance to relax. She laid on her bed peacefully as Sweeney walked in with a white shirt and black trousers and still towel-drying his hair.

"Ah, you great useless thing, come 'ere." She waved her hand to him, motioning for him to sit on the bed. He cocked an eyebrow, seeing if she were serious, and then settled down next to his wife. He sat down quietly, not giving her any eye contact. He felt truly embarrassed for his inexcusable actions earlier. Leave it to Nellie Lovett Todd to forgive and forget, as she stood behind him, ruffling his hair in the towel to dry it faster.

"I'm sorry for what I did earlier... I ... I don't know what got over me..." Sweeney said as he quickly turned around to face Nellie, she jumped at his sudden movement but she hushed him, stroking his face.

"It's quite alright love." She said as she yawned and went under her covers to take a nap, something that is very rare for her.

"I love you Elenore Todd with all of my beating heart, with all of my my living breath and I will love forever even after my heart stops beating and my lungs stop breathing." He whispered this into her ear as they both lay in bed, his arms wrapped around hers and her head buried into his strong chest. Nellie heard his melodic voice and sobbed into his shirt, hot tears now staining it. He lifted her chin with his finger and had a puzzled look on his face.

"I love you." She said through sobs. "Forever and beyond." He smiled sweetly at her, her tears filled with joy as she now laid her head upon the crook of his neck, drifting into a peaceful slumber.

"Mum, Dad...ye in 'ere?" Toby asked timidly as he creaked his parents bedroom opened.

"Don't wake your mother." Sweeney whispered quickly.

"Too late love." Nellie kissed his cheek. "Wot's it ye want dearie?"

"Uh... well i'm in need to be going to a store in town mum...me pants ain't wot they used to be and I need to get a new pair...due to me...well... ripping them...sort of..." Nellie widened her eyes as Sweeney rolled his. It was getting late, there was dinner to make and many things to do, but she didn't want her son walking around in a pair of his father's which would be way too big on him. His other pairs were getting to short and this was his last good pair of pants.

"Well dear we best be off then. Sweeney, make sure dinner is done when we get back."

"Anything you say." he said blankly into space.

Nellie and Toby left the house in a rush to make sure the store didn't close and Sweeney walked groggily into the kitchen, noticing that little Tara had everything under control. He shrugged and turned straight around back into his quiet bedroom, though he was in need of blocking out the sounds of the constant pots and pans smashing around like it was new years eve.

"Sweeney, Tara, we're ho..." Nellie stopped mid sentence to be staring face to face with a flour-covered 5 year old and a dinner table setting that was simply stunning.

"Tara... did you do this all by yourself?" Toby asked in awe.

"She did, wifout any 'elp from me." Sweeney interrupted with a proud smile that matched his daughters. They all sat down at the dinner table, being served a delicious meal made by someone not even half their age, and size.

Sweeney then sat down to his wife and put a hand on her lap while murmuring into her ear.

"She gets it from you."