A/N: Holy crap. Hello everyone. Thank bellovettrix for this, because I saw her message and decided that I wanted to write again. I might even finish this series, but who knows, I could not touch it for another two years. Haha. I'm not even going to apologise because I thought this was over, but apparently not :D

Also, holy crap - go back and read the beginning of this fic and look at how much I've improved! Wowzers!

When they left the building, everyone was dead.

Sweeney Todd had left no survivors – nobody to run off and tell the law.

Mrs Lovett collected what she could – small knickknacks here and there, just in case. She raided the drawers, collecting money.

"I liked this town," she said quietly, biting her lower lip gently as she pushed the wad of notes into her corset. "Oh well…"

He was glad he didn't have to tell her the obvious. They had to leave, once more. Sweeney was already panicking – people knew of him. They knew what he did.

They'd always be on the run.

"We have to find Jess…" Mrs Lovett breathed, dusting off her dress. "Where could they have gone?"

"They could come back…" Mr. Todd murmured quietly, wiping off his blades.

She shook her head. "He could be doing all sorts of 'orrible things to her. Come on!" she exclaimed, already heading to the back of the blacksmiths'. There was a deep forest behind the workshop, and a path leading into the woods.

Mr. Todd's eyes narrowed. "We need to leave this town before anybody comes to investigate," he told her. "And all of our things are back at our house."

She glanced back at him, a pleading look in her eyes. "I can't lose her, Mr. T…. not her…"

His eyes softened and he nodded, already starting down the path. She followed him, hitching up her skirt as she walked.

"Do you think we'll ever be free…?" she asked quietly, scanning the forest for any sign of Jess.

He didn't answer her. Of course they wouldn't.

"What kind of money could we earn, living on the run?" she fretted quietly – anything to keep her mind off Jess. "What future do the three of us have?"

"There are hoofmarks here," he finally cut her rambling off. "Whoever has taken her… they're probably long gone."

She stopped, swallowing hard. "Mr. T…" she breathed in defeat, her face falling.

He sighed quietly. "Come on," he murmured. "There's a stream nearby. We can rest, then head back to our house and pack up. We'll come back along this way – we'll find her."

Sweeney Todd didn't generally spare her feelings, and it instantly reassured her. They were going to try to find her, at the very least. He hadn't given up.

He walked forward, following the sound of the stream. As she caught up to him, her hand slid into his, squeezing gently, tentatively.

"Thanks, Mr. T…"

She wouldn't say anything, but she could've sworn she felt him squeeze back.

As they stepped into the clearing, Mrs Lovett couldn't believe their luck. She lay in the sun, on her back with her arms in the water. A young man was tending to a horse a little way off, keeping a close eye on her. He looked up as he saw Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd.

"You escaped…" he hummed, a weak smile on his face. "My uncle…?"

"Dead," Sweeney Todd murmured, voice dark and low as Mrs Lovett rushed forward.

"Jess?" she whispered, fearing the worst. Jess' eyes fluttered open and she gave Mrs. Lovett a weak smile.

"You found me…" she whispered, stiffly sitting up.

"Oh love…" Mrs. Lovett cooed quietly, taking her scratched and bruised arms. "I'm sorry we didn't find you sooner…"

She shook her head, looking up to where James and Sweeney were having a stand off. "He… he saved me," she said urgently. "Don't hurt him!"
Sweeney looked to Jess, and then to James. "I trust you won't kill me in my sleep?"

"Only if you promise not to kill me in mine?"

Sweeney smirked and nodded, offering his hand. James took it and they shook briefly. "I take it you and your uncle weren't on close terms?"

"He was my employer first," James said quietly. "Do I hold a grudge against you for killing him? Yes… but not enough to kill you for it."

Sweeney Todd regarded the young man seriously. He seemed young, but there was something about him – something Sweeney would have to keep an eye on.

He turned to Mrs. Lovett, who was carefully tending to Jess' wounds. They spoke in hushed tones, and Jess was crying, most likely telling the tale of her kidnapping.
A sense of fondness washed over Sweeney Todd, surprising him. He had worried about Jess – it was true, losing her would've been hard. She was a great worker, much more resilient than the boy… not that losing Toby was easy. But he found himself more attached to her.

"What's it like being known for chopping people up and putting them into pies?" James asked quietly, polishing his saddle.

Sweeney's narrowed eyes flicked to James, "You know who we are?"

"My uncle was going to hand you into the law, remember?"

Unamused, Sweeney Todd raised an eyebrow. "And you're not interested in the same?"

"What? Taking down an armed man and his partner in crime? No way. And if you can't beat them, you might as well join them, right?"

Sweeney's eyes narrowed. "We're not hiring, kid. This isn't a gang."

"Maybe I could turn to the law then. There's a pretty hefty reward…"

"Maybe I could gut you, right here…" he growled.

"Mr. T…" Mrs. Lovett scolded quietly from her position on the bank of the stream. "Be nice… he's only trying to help."

He raised an eyebrow, giving James a sidelong glance. He simply smiled, heading to the bank and flopping down net to Jess.

"Feeling better?"

She shrugged. "I don't know," she murmured. "I still feel… empty," she said quietly. "And… weak and sore."

"You'll be okay, love," Mrs. Lovett murmured convincingly. "We'll look after you."

Glaring at the three of them, Sweeney turned around. He could just walk into the forest – disappear and leave them to fend for themselves. It would be that easy…
But he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself otherwise, he was attached now. Mrs Lovett… he loved her, of course. He could never leave her. Jess, well… she was just an extension of their lives. The deepest pits of his mind told him that it was his replacement for Joanna… but he'd never willingly admit that to anyone.

Loving Mrs. Lovett and being in love with Mrs. Lovett felt like two very far removed things. He sauntered around the borderlines of them both, tiptoeing around the edge and never really falling over onto the 'in love' side. He kept himself well guarded from that.

To give over to her – to let those insecurities from so long ago take over and let himself really fall in love with her?

It would make them vulnerable.

It would make him vulnerable.

Sometimes he indulged himself, and wondered if it would be worth it. To let himself be vulnerable, and maybe even happy again. He was always happy with her.
His eyes closed as he stepped forward, sitting with them.

If he let himself fall in love with Eleanor Lovett, would happiness return?

It couldn't be guaranteed, and the uncertainty was what scared him the most.