Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own all my own people
A/N 21 reviews for one chapter?! Wow. Thanks to every single person who reviewed. I really mean it. I love it when I open my E-mail to see the little review alert messages. It gives me hope to think that I might actually be doing something right with this writing thing. You all rock out loud sooo bad! I love you all so much!
"So is your neighbor always that cheerful or am I just lucky?" asked Thomas as he and Mrs. Lovett strolled down the deserted street.
" 'Ee's 'ad a 'ard life. You gotta understan' where 'ee's comin' from."
"And where would that be?"
"Well," Mrs. Lovett pondered, choosing her words carefully. "'Bout fifteen years ago, 'ee 'ad the perfect life. Beautiful wife, lovely little baby, a profession 'ee loved. 'Ee had everything he could ever want," she added with note of spite in her voice. "Then 'is wife was raped and she poisoned 'erself, and the same man who raped 'is wife took 'is little girl away from him. 'Ee left for Australia, and then 'bout four months ago, 'ee turned up on my doorstep a changed man. Cold, bitter, angry, and 'atin' life in general."
"The poor man," said Thomas, trying to sound sincere.
Mrs. Lovett nodded in agreement.
"It's a tragedy, knowin' wot 'ee used to be and knowin' wot 'ee is now."
Thomas nodded.
"So that still doesn't answer one question."
"Wot?"
"Why is he so protective of you?"
"I'm all thats left 'o 'is old life. 'Ee doesn't want to lose that."
"Well," he stopped suddenly and she turned towards him, "I think that he should let the reins lose a little bit. You're your own person, you need to think for yourself. Not let your tenant tell you how to live your life. You're a beautiful woman, Nellie." Mrs. Lovett rolled her eyes but he shook his head. "I'm serious, and if Mr. Todd can't seem to realize that, and realize that other men are gonna take an interest in you, then I say you just let him go. Cut him out of your life."
"I can't."
"Why not? Whats to stop you from going up to him and telling him to get out?"
She opened her mouth but couldn't find an answer. What was keeping him there? Sure he was bringing in supplies for her pies, but what was to stop her from doing the deed herself? She could drag a knife across a mans throat just as easily as he could.
"I, I don't know. It's just... I've known 'im for so long, and-"
"And nothing, Nellie. If I were you, I'd tell him to go away, find his own place."
"It's not that simple."
"Yes it is. If you want we're go right now and tell him he has until the end of the week to get out."
Mrs. Lovett shook her head, "I couldn't!"
"Why not?"
"Because, because, because I just couldn't."
"Yes you can. Come on," he started off towards the bake house. "Lets go, right now."
"Thomas, wait!" she cried before racing up to him. "I'm not about to throw 'im out on the streets!"
"You're not," he said as he continued to make his way back to the bake house, "You're giving him a week."
She stopped dead in her tracks and looked after him, a little aprehensive. Why did it matter if Mr. Todd didn't like him? Thats no reason to want him out of the house. Plus they had just started courting, why was he so anxious to get him out of the house?
"Thomas, wait, please," she pleaded, but he continued to make his way to the house.
She let out a frustrated groan before running in front of him.
"I swear if you say one thing to 'im about moving out, I'll never speak to you again."
"Why must the perfect be so damn stubborn!" he thought to himself in anger, restraining himself from releasing his anger, releasing it.
He forced himself to take a deep breath before he smiled.
"Fine, I won't talk to him. But I really think that you should talk to him."
She nodded before they began to walk off again.
"So tell me a little bit 'bout yourself."
"Wot do you wanna know?"
"What you were like as a child, how you started selling meat pies in Fleet street. Just anything."
"I'm afraid it's not very interesting."
"I'm sure that's a complete lie, Nellie. You fascinate me, and I'm sure your life will as well."
"Oh come on," she said with a laugh. "Wot on earth could you find fascinating about a poor baker?"
"Everything," he said turning to look at her. "You seem like an amazing person, Nellie. You're kind, beautiful, fierce yet meek at the same time. You just amaze me."
Mrs. Lovett thanked god that it was so dark, for she had never blushed so hard in her life.
"Th- thank you," she said softly. "No man has ever said anything like that to me."
"Not even your husband?"
She scoffed and rolled her eyes,
"'Ee was as about as romantic as a toad stool."
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "You deserve a man who'll say that to you always."
"No I don't," she said softly, looking down at the ground.
"Yes," he took her hand and she looked up at him into her eyes. "You do. I don't know who or what made you think that you don't deserve the best, or that you're amazing, but they're wrong."
The two looked into each others eyes for a moment, Mrs. Lovett becoming lost in the light brown eyes that seemed to familiar before a loud thunder clap sounded over head and it started pouring. In a moment they were both soaked to the bones.
"Come with me," Thomas said grabbing Mrs. Lovett's hand as they raced to find shelter.
They finally came to a small stone bridge and ran underneath it.
"Well that was perfect timing!" said Thomas as Mrs. Lovett began to laugh.
"Oh god, look at us! We're soaked!" she said through her laughter.
Thomas held back an eye roll. He couldn't see what was so funny about being wet and cold, but he knew he had to play along. He too began to laugh and shook his head.
"Bloody London weather, always ruins everything."
Mrs. Lovett nodded, still laughing a bit. Thomas smiled at her before he tucked a piece of stray hair away from he face.
"Anyone ever tell you you're beautiful when your wet?"
Her laughter stopped abruptly as she turned to look at him, once again being lost in his eyes. Her heart began racing as he leaned in closer towards her. She closed her eyes and his lips met hers.
Slow at first before he began to kiss her more passionately, more hungrily. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer, pressing there soaking wet bodies against one another.
The Next Day
Sweeney was rudely awakened by a knock on his door. He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost nine. He got up from his chair and made his ways over to the door, opening it.
"What do you want?" he asked seeing not a customer, but Toby.
"I was wondering if you had the keys to the bake house."
"Didn't Mrs. Lovett tell you not to go down there?" he asked angrily.
"Yes, sir. But It's almost time to open and she's not awake yet. Truth be told sir, I'm not sure she's even came 'ome last night."
He ran to his dresser and grabbed a razor off of it, then with one quick motion, he pushed Toby roughly out of the way, almost making him fall down the steep steps below, and ran down the steps with Toby right at his heels.
Sweeney burst through her door and looked around, not seeing a sign of her. Usually at this time she has already been up for several hours, baking pies, preparing the meat, getting the shop set up, busy making breakfast for the three of them.
He glanced around once more before going through the kitchen and parlor to where her bedroom door was closed.
He ran up to it and slammed it open, stopping short at the sight in front of him.
Mrs. Lovett was lying in bed, a thin ragged looking blanket covering her. But that's not what held him at bay. Thomas was lying next to her, his arms wrapped around her. From the look of it, neither one had anything on under the blanket.
Mrs. Lovett opened her eyes at the sound of the door opening anf when she saw who was standing there, she gasped in fright and shot up, wrapping the blanket tightly around her.
"Mr. T! Wot are you doing in here?!"
"What's wrong?" Thomas asked, as he too sat up. When he caught sight of Sweeney, he held back a smug smile.
"He knows she's mine now."
"What on earth are you doing?" Sweeney asked her, his voice ridden with anger, barely above that of a whisper.
Mrs. Lovett stammered, unsure of what to say.
After they had kissed benieth the bridge, she had offered for him to come over to her house just long enough to warm himself in front of the fire. One thing led to another, and soon she found herself making love to a man for the first time since Albert died. She was actually surprised she hadn't woken Sweeney or Toby up. He was rough, angry, frightening. She had half a mind to tell him to stop at one point, but thought better of it.
"I, I," she shuddered, but Thomas interrupted her.
"One would assume a grown man knows what two adults did when one finds them sleeping together. Of course, with your wife being dead for fifteen years, maybe you've just forgotten."
"Thomas, you need to leave now. Thank you for last night, it was amazing, but you really need to leave," Mrs. Lovett said in a hurry, not looking at Sweeney, who out of the corner of her eye saw his eyes widen and him clench his razor tight. She grabbed a robe at the foot of her bed and put it on, not caring if Sweeney saw a glance of her or not.
She quickly grabbed his clothing and threw it at him. He hastily put it on and began to help look for his shoes.
"Mrs. Lovett, go open the bake house for Toby. I need to have a chat with Mr. Daniels," Sweeney said, narrowing his eyes at Thomas.
"Mr. T, I know wot your about to do and-"
"Out, woman!" he yelled. With a fleeting look towards Thomas, she walked out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Sweeney stormed in the bedroom, razor opened, making his way towards Thomas. Thomas reached in the pocket of his trousers and quickly pulled out a large pocket knife and flicked it open, holding Sweeney at bay.
"Stop right there," he ordered as Sweeney reached him, ready to strike with his razor. The two men looked at one another's weapons, each not moving an inch, knife and razor an inch away from it's intended victim.
"Go ahead, kill me. How would Nellie feel about you killing her lover?" Thomas asked.
"Stay away from her," Sweeney growled.
Thomas laughed and a cold smile appeared on his face.
"It's not up to you on whether or not I see Nellie. Plus why should I?"
"I see you around her again and I'll kill you."
"Oh I see. You have feelings for the wench, is that it, Mr. Todd?"
"Stay away from her," he repeated, "or it will be the last thing you do."
Thomas snickered.
"After last night, you really expect me to stay away? No, I think I might keep this one around a little longer then intended."
"You're just using her for sex? What kind of man are you to do that to a woman?"
"Not just sex, my dear Mr. Todd. Later on, I can guarantee you I will be using her for a lot more."
Sweeney saw him look at his knife with a most familiar look, the one he gave his own razors.
He swung his razor, wanting nothing more then to have his rubies spilled. Thomas jumped back, the razor barely slicing his neck, and struck.
Sweeney may have been good with a razor, but his reflexes aren't what they were fifteen years ago. He caught him right above the shoulder. With a cry of pain, he clutched his arm and dropped his razor. Thomas stepped toward him and held the knife to his throat.
"You tell her anything of what I told you, and I'll kill you."
"Try it," Sweeney growled, still clutching his shoulder.
"And, I'll kill your precious Mrs. Lovett earlier then intended. Do you understand?"
Sweeney didn't answer. Thomas glared before he stabbed him in the arm. Sweeney let out another cry of pain and looked up at him. For the first time in fifteen years, fear shone in his eyes.
The bed room door slammed open and Mrs. Lovett burst in.
"I heard yelling, wot happ-, Mr. T!"
She raced over to him and bent down next to him, gently grabbing his arm to examine it, but he jerked out of her grasp.
"Don't touch me," he told her before grabbing his razor and storming out of the room.
Mrs. Lovett looked up at Thomas who had a look of utter fear on his face.
"He tried to kill me!" he cried, clutching his throat. He tried to slit my throat! I didn't mean to stab him! I would have died if I hadn't."
Mrs. Lovett looked at him, trying to decide if he was telling the truth.
"Honestly, Nellie," he said getting to his knees, eye level with her. "I would never hurt someone who means so much to you. But he tried to kill me."
Mrs . Lovett sighed. She knew this would try to happen.
"I know, love, and I'm sorry 'e did. 'Ee just 'as a bit of an anger problem."
Thomas tried to maintain his sad and frightened look instead of showing amazement. It had worked! He had been ready for a large fight in which he would to try to lie about Sweeney and convince her he had gone mad, but she had just accepted it! Was it considered normal for him to try to slit unsuspecting people's throats?
"I'm sorry love. But you really shouldn't made that crack about 'is wife. Ee's very sensitive about it."
"I know," he said hanging his head. "I feel so bad. It's just when he was asking you something that was clearly our own business..."
"I know. Just, promise me you won't mention 'is wife or daughter in front of 'im again?"
He nodded
"Of course, Nellie."
She grinned before she kissed him once more.
"Uh, mum," Toby said softly, knocking on the door. Nellie turned towards him.
"Wot is it, love?"
"Do you want me to go down to the bake oven and 'elp with anything down there? It's almost time to open."
"No, love. You just get ready up 'ere, okay?"
Toby nodded before turning to Thomas.
"Nice meetin' you again, sir."
"Likewise, master Toby."
Toby smiled at him before leaving the room.
"God he's so precious," Mrs. Lovett said softly staring after him. Thomas said nothing and checked his watch.
I should probably get going. I'll see you later."
"Bye, love."
With one last kiss, he walked out of her bedroom and out the front door.
Please Review! Lets try for 22 this time! I love you all!!