Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own all my own people

Three Weeks Later

"Thomas, stop. 'Ee's gonna catch us," Mrs. Lovett giggled as he pressed her up against a shelf of flour in a small, dim, baking closet, kissing her neck.

They had been dating in secret for the past three weeks, unbeknown to Sweeney. He spent his time up in the shop, and the only time Mrs. Lovett saw him was when she brought up his meals to him, and he rarely spoke to her even then. She had told Toby that they were an item, and he promised not to let it slip to Sweeney.

They had met in secret, and on the nights he came over to spend the night, they made love in almost silence, which proved difficult to Mrs. Lovett. With each time, he had gotten more rougher with her, more violent. It had taken all of her will the last time not to scream in pain as he pushed himself in her, becoming more angrier with every thrust.

"Come on. I got to see to me customers."

"Let them wait," he mumbled as his hands moved to her back and began to untie her corset.

"I can't, love, I don't want Toby handlin' the dinner rush by 'imself."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before trying to move past him, but he grabbed her and forced her back. He kissed her hungrily on the mouth before moving to untie her top once more.

"Thomas, come on, stop."

He pushed up against her harder, making it hard for her to even move. Her top was almost all the way undone.

"Let go 'o me," she said, her usually timid voice sounding demanding.

He ignored her and with a final tug at the strings, the dress slackened on her, and would it not have been for the fact that he was pressed up against her so hard, it would have slid off her.

He released the grip he had on her waist and moved it underneath the dress to the inside of her thigh and began to move up, her soft, smooth skin agaisnt his rough hands.

"Don't!" she yelled, pushing him away with all the force she could muster. He stumbled back, surprised that she had fought him like that.

His eyes narrowed in anger and her eyes widened in fear. He made a move towards her, but stopped short as the door opened and Toby walked in.

"We're out o-, I'm sorry!" he cried hastily, averting his eyes as they landed on Mrs. Lovett, whose dress had slid down around her ankles the moment she had pushed him away.

She quickly pulled up the dress and began to tie it up again.

"What is it you wanted, dear?" she asked in a shaking voice, not being able to look at either of them.

"Ale, we need more ale, mum," Toby muttered, still averting his eyes.

She grabbed a large bottle of ale and handed it to him.

"I'll be out in a moment, alright?"

He nodded before he shut the door.

"I'm sorry," Thomas said, seeing her mouth begin to open, "I didn't mean to get that rough with you. It's just," he caressed her cheek and smiled at her, "you're irresistible, Nellie."

"Why didn' you stop when I told you to?" she asked, still tying the back of her dress.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I just can't seem to keep my hands off you."

He ran his hands through her mess of curls and she managed a small smile. He pulled her in closer and gently kissed her on the lips, running his tongue across her bottom lip.

He pulled away and he was pleased to see that a shy grin was on her face.

"I really am sorry, Nellie," he said as she made her way past him.

"You're gonna 'ave to make it up to me some 'ow," she told him, smirking, opening the closet door and stepping out.

"I look forward to it."

As she walked away, leaving him to himself, he let out breath of air and felt the knife in his trouser pocket.

"Keep your head on," he reminded himself. "Pretty soon you can have her just as you pictured. Screaming and begging for death to come."

The thought brought a rather cruel smile to his lips as he walked away from the closet, keeping a sharp eye out for Sweeney, and as soon as he saw that the coast was clear, he walked out of the front door and left.

"'Ee didn' mean it, 'e jus' got carried away," she told herself serving an older couple two hot pies.

Still, she couldn't forget the mad look in his eyes when she had pushed him away. He had looked frightening, mad, angry. Like Sweeney looked when he talked about the judge, or how Albert used to look right before he would strike her.

"Mum, we're almost sold out. We've only got 'bout twenty left."

Mrs. Lovett nodded before she went over to the sign and flipped the sign to sold out before returning to the remaining customers, pushing the event out of her mind.

Two hours later.

With a sigh, Mrs. Lovett collapsed on the couch, wanting nothing more then to sleep and never get up again.

She closed her eyes and let out another sigh that her work was done for the night.

"Mum," Toby said walking into the parlor. She suppressed a groan and opened her eyes to look at him,

"Yes, Love?"

"Do you wan' me to make you some dinner or tea or somethin'?"

Mrs. Lovett gave him a tired smile and closed her eyes again.

"No that's fine, dear. But go ask Mr. Todd if he doesn't min heatin' you up somethin' for dinner. My poor bones are just ready to drop, love."

"I could heat me self up somethin', it's no trouble."

"I don't want you messin' 'round with the oven, love. Go ask Mr. Todd. He won't bite."

Toby swallowed a retort and nodded. He knew she was tired and had no will to argue, even if it meant him going to the man he feared more then anyone.

"Yes, mum." She didn't respond and he could tell that she was already asleep.

With a deep breath, he made his way up the steps that led to Sweeney's room.

As soon as he was gone from the room, Mrs. Lovett heard a tiny tinkling of the bell from her front door followed by footsteps.

Cursing silently for not locking the door properly, she rolled over to face the cushions.

"We're closed," she yelled, "come back tomorrow'."

But the footsteps walked into her parlor. She sat up in the couch, glaring at the person who had just walked in.

"I said we're closed, and no customers are allowed back-" but when she saw who it was, her face softened.

"Hello, love." Thomas said with a smile. He held a large bouquet of roses in one hand with a large card tucked in. He walked up to her and handed her the roses. "These are for you. For earlier. I'm sorry for making such an ass out of myself, Nellie."

"Oh, Thomas," she breathed softly, taking the roses and inhaling there sweet scene. "They're beautiful!"

"Just like you," he told her as she flushed.

"Love, you really shouldn't-"

But what he shouldn't have done he never found out. For at that exact moment, a heavy set of footsteps were doming down the steps.

"Bloody woman," Sweeney muttered, "thinks he's a child when he's ten bleedin' years old."

Mrs. Lovett bolted up and threw the roses down on the couch.

"You 'ave ta go," she whispered running towards the door.

"Nellie, really," Thomas said a little annoyed, "hasn't this gone far enough?"

"Please jus' go," she begged as the footsteps got closer.

"Nellie-"

"Go!"

With a glare, he stormed out of the parlor and just as Sweeney came to the landing, she slammed the door shut.

"Who was that?" he asked a little annoyed. Toby had told him that she was fast asleep, yet here she was, wide awake and walking around.

"Oh nothin', love. Jus' that begger woman come 'round 'gain. I told her to leave."

"The ugly one with the stringy hair?"

Mrs. Lovett forced herself to contain a grin as he talked about Lucy like that.

"The same one, Mr Todd."

Sensing he was able to see the smile on her face, she yawned and stretched.

"Blimey I'm tired. Well I think I'll be hittin' the sack now, Mr-"

"What are those?" Sweeney asked walking over to the flowers.

"Nothin'," she lied, "jus' somethin' Toby got me at the market, bless 'is soul."

He took the card from the flowers, opened it, and read it.

Mrs. Lovett was frightened to see his face go form bored, to astonished, to pure, unrelenting anger.

"TOBY!" he bellowed, throwing the card down, "GET DOWN HERE NOW, BOY!"

Mrs. Lovett now felt an immediate sense of dread as Toby bounded down the steps.

"Wots goin on?" he asked, clearly confused, before Sweeney grabbed him by the scoff of his collar and threw him to the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT, YOU SICK, DEPRIVED, FREAK?!" Sweeney roared at the trembling boy with a rather painful kick to the ribs. He grabbed his razor out of his holster and opened it. He grabbed the front of his shirt and hoisted him up, razor held high. Toby let out a scream of fright. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU DISGUSTING SON OF A BITCH!"

But before either one could blink, Mrs. Lovett let out a yell , ran forward and jumped on Sweeney's back, her arms go tight around his neck making him release his grip on Toby.

"'OW DARE YOU 'URT MY SON!" she screamed right into Sweeney's ear, making her grip tighter.

He staggered over to the couch and jumped on it back first. Mrs. Lovett hit her head on the arm of the couch and loosened her grip. Sweeney yanked out of her grasp and backed away several steps in shock. At once, she rushed over to Toby, who was sniffling slightly and holding both hands to his chest.

She gently sat him up before hugging him softly, running her hands through his hair, muttering that he was going to be alright.

"How I long for the feel of your lips on mine," Sweeney spat, making Mrs. Lovett and Toby look at him in bewilderment.

He was reading from the card that was attached to the flowers, holding the card at arms length as though it might bite him. "How I dream of our bodies pressed up against one another, while I run my hands through your fiery red curls, the color of love, the color I hold in my heart only for you. How I want to hear your moans of pleasure as my lips whisper your name softly. How I wish I could be with you now, embracing you, touching you, loving you, with all the passion a woman like you deserves. Always yours, your lover."

Sweeney threw down the card again and glared at Toby. "That sick, abnormal child wrote that about you, Mrs. Lovett, his mother. Either you throw him into the streets, or throw him into Figgs. Because either he leaves within the next ten seconds or I'm going to kill him."

"I would never write those things about mum!" Toby cried, tears filling his eyes.

He had never had a real family before, and even though she was just one person, he still considered her family. He was not about to do anything to mess that up, especially something like that. Toby loved her, of course, but not the way whoever sent her the flowers loved her.

"Lier!" Sweeney shouted, making both Mrs. Lovett and Toby flinch.

"I swear I didn'! It was probably that man 'oo was 'ere earlier!"

"What man?" he growled.

"That Thomas fella mums been seeing for the past month or so!"

Mrs. Lovett let out a quick gasp, and Sweeney turned his attention to her.

"Is it true?" he asked, his voice quiet, but there was no mistaking that look on his face. She quickly stood up as he advanced on her.

"Mr. Todd, calm down. I-"

"After I told you, after I specifically told you to stop seeing him, you go behind my back to date him?"

His voice was rising with anger with every step he took towards her. She quickly backed up even more.

"Lo- love please," she tried to say calmly, but her voice came out with a twinge of fear attached. "I just wa-"

With a yell of rage unlike the one she had given when she jumped on him, he pinned her to the wall and held his razor to her throat.

"Let 'er go!" Toby yelled, running over to him, but with one look towards the boy, he was held in his tracks, looking in paralyzing fear from Mrs. Lovett to Sweeney. He turned back to her and she had to force herself to stand under his powering gaze.

"You stupid, insignificant woman!" he roared, making her whimper in fear. "I told you not to date him, I told you not to see him again! Why the hell didn't you listen to me?!"

He held the razor closer to her throat, making a few droplets of blood appear there. She gave another whimper of fear as her eyes flickered from the blade to his eyes.

"Please," she begged in a hushed whisper, "please don't hurt me."

He glared at her for a moment before took the razor away from her throat and stormed away from her.

With a gasp, she sank down the wall and began massaging her neck, looking at Sweeney with apprehension.

He went over, grabbed the card and read where he had gotten it from before he stormed over to the door.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Lovett asked, quickly standing up and rushing over to him.

He didn't even turn around to face her, "I told you what would happen to him if you kept on seeing him. I don't care what I have to do, I'm going to find him and kill him."

"Mr. Todd, no!" she cried, but he already had opened the door and walked out. She ran to the door and cried out, but a loud clap of thunder made her unheard.

"Sweeney!" she cried over the sudden pounding of rain, "Mr. Todd, don't! Benjamen, please!"

But he didn't listen, and walked down the street, the rain pouring down and the lightning flashing all over.

Mrs. Lovett closed the door and sank down the door and pulled her knees up to her chest and put her head in her arms, her body shaking slightly from the sobs. Toby slowly walked over and, unsure of what to do, he got on his knees and hugged her, letting the woman who had done everything for him, cry into his shoulder.

"I'm gonna kill him," Toby thought bitterly, glaring at the door as it were Mr. Todd.

Little did he know, someone else thought the exact same thing at that precise moment.

"Bloody woman," Sweeney muttered, ignoring the pounding rain. "Stupid, idiotic, woman. Can't she see I'm doing what's best for her?"

Still lost in his thoughts, he turned a corner. So lost was he, that he didn't see the man lurking in the shadows, holding a short silver knife, ready to pounce. A flash of lightning struck, and it happened.

Someone grabbed his arms and slammed him against a darkened alley wall. Sweeney quickly wenched out of the mans grasp and reached for his razor and flicked it open. The man raised his knife, and they struck. metal hit metal with a loud clang and both men withdrew their weapons and raised them again, like swords, ready to fight to the death.

They circled one another for a moment before Sweeney struck, barely missing his target. The man jumped back and thrust his arm forward, striking Sweeney deep in the shoulder.

Sweeney let out a shout of pain as he dropped his razor and grabbed his shoulder. The man struck again, this time catching Sweeney in the chest.

His eyes bulged as he felt warm sticky blood flow from him. He fell to his knees and looked up at his still unknown attacker.

"Shouldn't of tried to keep me from what was mine, Todd," the man said with a cold happiness in his voice. Lightning struck again and Sweeney saw his attacker for the first time, and his eyes narrowed.

"You," he growled.

The man chuckled and bent down so that he was right in front of him.

"Yes me," Thomas whispered. "And pretty soon, your dear Mrs. Lovett will join you," he pushed the knife deeper into Sweeney, "in hell," he finished, giving the knife a sharp twist.

Sweeney closed his eyes and fell backwards onto the cold, muddy ground, his hand mere inches away from the one he called his friend.

(Ducks from flaming objects thrown at me.) Please review!