A/N: That took an epically long time -.- Sooooo sorry for the wait. I started Year 11, and got homework the first day...and then on the weekend I was busy. And then it was Monday arvo and I realised I STILL hadn't finished this chapter. So here you are :D

This is where my rating starts to come into place.

The first thing Jess noticed was that her brain was mercilessly throwing itself against her skull in a way that made her want to throw up. A warm sticky substance ran down her forehead, which she could only imagine was blood.

Her hands and feet were bound behind her on the wall, chained there with thick metal. She tugged gently but they didn't budge.

Where was she?

A quick glimpse around told her dungeon, as her heart started to speed up. She struggled harder against her restraints, pulling and grunting with exertion.

"I like those sounds," a voice sneered from the darkness, as heavy boots clunked on stone.

Jess stopped moving all together, her heart included.

"Who are you?" she asked softly, her timid voice echoing in the empty room.

"Never you mind, little girl," another voice said from beside her, making her jump – she hadn't noticed the man watching her.

Her eyes narrowed as she fought to remain calm.

"What do you want?"

"Sweeney Todd,"

Mrs. Lovett walked into the bakery, greeting Jenny and her daughter, Melanie.

"I see Rachel isn't in today – is she okay?" Jenny asked from the oven, where she was helping Melanie lift the first batch of the day into the cooler.

Mrs. Lovett frowned. "She left this morning..."

"Oh," Jenny said shortly. "Well...I suppose it's important. She didn't pass by here though..."

Mrs. Lovett looked lost for a minute, before she heaved a sigh. "I hope she hasn't gotten sick of working already. She's been so great since her parents died,"

"I'm sure she's fine," Jenny placed a hand on Mrs. Lovett's shoulder. "Maybe she's found a boy to sneak off with,"

Mrs. Lovett frowned, but masked it with a short laugh. Jess wasn't like that. She wasn't one to shirk her responsibilities either. She started filling the display cases with cold pies – ones that could easily be heated if there was a shortage. Her mind wandered to Jess – where could she have been?

"You seem distracted." Jenny commented as she finished serving a customer.

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Lovett sighed, rearranging the pies again.

"Look, if she's not home by tonight, I'll give you the week off. I'll understand if you don't turn up tomorrow," Jenny said softly. "But I'm sure she's fine,"

"Thanks...and...yeah, she should be fine. She's a big girl – she can look after herself,"

Mrs. Lovett spent the rest of the day worrying, thankful that Jenny let her off early.

"Good luck!" Jenny called and Mrs. Lovett thanked her, hurrying into the dress shop.

"Hello Ms. Calloway," she called and the woman nodded. "Did Rachel come in today?"

"No, she didn't," Mrs. Calloway answered, frowning. "It's a good thing I didn't need her badly,"

"Oh..." Mrs. Lovett sighed. "I'm sorry..."

Seeing her face, Mrs. Calloway's frown disappeared.

"Do you know where she is?"

"No...I don't. If she's not home...I don't know what I'll do,"

"Well, all the best. I'll tell her to go straight home if I see her,"

"Thank you," Mrs. Lovett sighed deeply. She was starting to get a headache.

She started the short trek home, meeting a clean-shaven man on the way.

"Evening Ma'am," he grinned, and she smiled back at him, although inside she was about to burst into tears.

She couldn't lose another one. Not now.

She quickened her pace, reaching Sweeney's shed in no time. She burst in, praying he wasn't with a customer.

He wasn't.

"Jess here?" she asked breathlessly and he looked at her.

"What?"

"Jess. Is she here? Has she been here today?"

"Not since I saw her this morning..."

Mrs. Lovett slumped into the barber chair, letting out a moan.

"What's wrong?"

"She didn't turn up at work...nobody has seen her today," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

Sweeney stood in front of Mrs. Lovett, kneeling so he was face to face with her. Her eyes overflowed, dripping down her face. He caught a tear with his thumb, wiping it away. He gripped her shoulders, looking her in the eye.

"She won't be far," he said softly, a little unsure of himself.

"She will. She's gone – she's gone and she isn't coming back," Mrs. Lovett hissed, "I'm a terrible mother."

Sweeney's eyebrows knitted together, concern strewn across his face.

"Don't blame yourself,"

"Who else is there to blame?"

She pushed away from him, pacing the shed.

"She's probably already on the boat – she probably got away as fast as she could..." she suddenly turned to Sweeney, in a state of shock again. Her tone was gentler, more upset. "It'd be the job that did it. I forced her to work..."

"Have you gone mad?" he asked, as simply as if he was asking about the weather.

She burst into a fresh set of tears.

"Maybe I am mad. Send me to an asylum...just take me away. I don't deserve-" she was cut off by a short kiss on the mouth from Sweeney, making her speechless.

"You don't want to go to an asylum," he whispered. "You'd miss me too much,"

She gazed at him, marvelling at his good mood. The thoughts about Jess were suddenly pushed back, and all she could think about was him.

It was short-lived.

"What are we going to do about Jess?" she asked, wiping her eyes.

"In the morning, if she hasn't returned, we'll go looking. Okay?" It wasn't meant to be a question, but she nodded anyway.

"Thanks love..."

Another slap across the face sent Jess' vision tumbling. Her heart raced, louder than a beating drum. Her face stung, along with half of her body parts that had been beaten.

"Keep her pretty little face safe," one man, she'd come to recognise as Andrew, hissed. He seemed to be the leader,

The man who'd been hitting her for the past hour was called Peter.

"Tell us blondie," Peter growled. "The man you're with. Is that Sweeney Todd or not,"

Jess remained silent, cringing for the blow she was about to receive.

Another crushing blow, this time to her stomach. She keeled over, but was restrained by her chains. She let out a choking sob, tears making steady tracks down her cheeks.

"Aw, you made the silly baby cry again," Andrew called, and Jess glowered at him.

"Let me go," she hissed.

Her world went dark.

A/N: Aw. I is mean :'( Thanks my wonderful reviewers :D Any suggestions are appreciated.