For this chapter I want to thank She-Elf4 for helping me edit this and hope you all enjoy! Please review me to let me know how I'm doing thanks!
As Azrael slept, she dreamt of her husband's and child's deaths. How the heartache was bearing through her as these horrific visions flew before her eyes. It killed her to have these memories haunt her; her husband's sweet voice whispering that he loved her, her child's sweet coo's she heard while she held her. At first, Azrael felt that this dream was a good one, something to take her back to her past, but how wrong she was. The memories then showed her the night she and Gerry found their child laying dead in her crib, and then it flashed through to the day of Gerry's hanging. Moreover, as all these visions appeared to her in her sleep, she only heard one voice that whispered to her: "Next time you will learn not to refuse me…" and that voice was from the man who took her whole world away from her. In addition, that voice is what roused her from her sleep, causing her to gasp and spring up from her bed with a cold sweat shining her body.
Azrael had to take a couple deep breaths before she could regain her composure. Once she finally did, she broke down into tears once again and cried for a good ten minutes, until she had had enough. She then gently rose up from the bed, stared at that picture, and softly started to sing, "Stay low… Soft, dark, and dreamless… far beneath… my nightmares and loneliness… I hate me, for breathing without you. I don't want to feel anymore for you." she then gently took the picture off the dresser and stared down at it. "Grieving for you, I'm not grieving for you. Nothing-real love can't undo, and though I may have lost my way, All paths lead straight to you." She started to feel her tears come back again as she clung the picture to her heart and closed her eyes. "I long to be like you, lie cold in the ground like you." She then softly started to hum, opened the door, and quietly walked down the stairs.
What she didn't realize was that Sweeney was waiting for her to wake, heard her walk out of her room, and saw her walk down the stairs singing softly to herself. "Halo, Blinding wall between us, Melt away and leave us alone again. The humming haunted somewhere out there. I believe love can see us through in death." As Mr. Todd strode down the stairs quietly, he saw Azrael now in the shop. As she looked around, she sighed and gently sat down in a booth and continued to stare at the picture. "I long to be like you, Lie cold in the ground like you. There's room inside for two and I'm not grieving for you, I'm coming for you." She then gently rose up from the booth and saw a large knife lying on the counter. She took her picture and picked up the knife and examined it. "You're not alone, No matter what they told you, you're not alone. I'll be right beside you forevermore." She rushed into the sitting room, not noticing the man who was staring at her intently in the darkness. "I long to be like you, my love, Lie cold in the ground like you did. There's room inside for two, and I'm not grieving for you." She fell down onto her knees, staring at the fire that was roaring before her in the fire place, put down the picture, and stared at the knife she held in her hand. "And as we lay in silent bliss, I know you remember me. I long to be like you, Lie cold in the ground like you. There's room inside for two and I'm not grieving for you, I'm coming for you..." That is when she lifted the knife up, aimed the blade towards her heart, and tried to stab herself.
However, before she was only mere inches from doing the deed, she felt someone yank her arm away from her. She felt that same person rip her off the floor and turned her to face them. That person was Sweeney Todd. Sweeney stared at her, anger seeping through him, as he saw this woman try to take her life. He then looked down at the knife she held, grabbed it, and threw it away from them. He then roughly grabbed both of her arms and shook her. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!?" he shouted. Azrael broke down into tears and slumped into his arms.
"I want it to end! I want these visions to leave me, and the only way that can happen is if I end my life! I don't want to live anymore, Mr. Todd! I do not want to live this life any more without Gerry and Shannon! I have nothing to live for anymore!" she sobbed.
Sweeney sighed and embraced her, holding her close to him. "Let it out… let all of yer anger out." And that's what Azrael did; she fought against his embrace, screamed out of frustration, and even pounded against his chest.
"I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM, I BLOODY HATE HIM!" she shouted, and during all this he allowed it, knowing that this woman has been through so much, just like he. As soon as Azrael finished her tantrum, she gently slumped against him again, clutching onto his vest, her head buried into his chest. "I miss them so much…" she cried. Sweeney sighed and gently lifted her up bridal style and carried her towards the love seat as she held onto him. He sat down with her sitting sideways on his lap as she continued to cry. Sweeney didn't know why he was doing this, but in a way he felt that maybe they can both ease their pain together. Azrael didn't understand why this man was doing this for her, but at the same time, it made her feel so much better. Maybe she wasn't alone in the world after all. She knew that this man bore great heartbreak; it was obvious in his eyes. She gently looked up at him and saw that he was deep in thought while he held her. "What's your story?" she asked softly.
Sweeney then quickly looked back at her and gave her a confused look. "My story?" he asked, acting as if nothing was wrong with him. Azrael sighed, slowly moved off him. She moved her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "Yes your story… I see it in your eyes Mr. Todd. You suffer from heartache just as I."
Sweeney stared at her, surprised from her observation, and turned his body to look directly at her. "Your very observant, aren't you Mrs. Rowena?"
Azrael could not help but smirk at him as she laid her head down on her knees. "My husband used to say that was my worst quality, because I always got myself into trouble for that reason."
Sweeney could not help but smirk at her. "I would say he's right on that one."
Azrael sighed, slowly shrugged her shoulders, and then raised her head from her knees. "So, Mr. Todd, what's yer story?" she asked softly, noticing the far away gaze he had in his eyes.
He sighed and softly sang, "There was a barber and his wife, and she was beautiful. A foolish barber and his wife, she was his reason and his life. And she was beautiful, and she was virtuous, and he was naïve. There was another man who saw that she was beautiful. A pious vulture of the law, who with a gesture of his claw removed the barber from his plate then there was nothing but to wait, and she would fall So soft, so young, so lost And O so beautiful O that was many years ago I doubt if anyone would know. Barker his name was. Benjamin Barker. A proper artist with a knife, but they transported him for life."
Azrael then asked, "Transported? What was his crime?"
Sweeney sighed and continued. "Foolishness... He had this wife, ya see. Pretty little thing, Had her chance for the moon on a string... Poor thing! Poor thing! There were these two, ya see... Wanted her like mad! One of them a judge, one of them his beadle! Everyday they'd nudge and they'd wheedle! Still she wouldn't budge from her needle! So they merely shipped them for blighter off south, they did! Leaving her with nothing but grief and a year old kid! Ah, but there was worse yet to come! Well, Beadle calls on her all poor light. Poor thing! Poor thing! The judge, he tells her, is all contrite. He blames himself for her dreadful plight. She must come straight to his house tonight! Poor thing! Poor thing! Of course when she goes there... Poor thing! Poor thing! They're having this ball all in masks. There's no one she knows there! Poor dear! Poor thing! She wonders, tormented and drinks! Poor thing! The judge has repented, she thinks. Poor thing! "Oh where is Judge Turpin?" she asks... He was there, alright! Only not so contrite! She wasn't no match for such craft, ya see. And everyone thought it so droll. They figured she had to be daft, ya see. So all of them stood there and laughed, ya see! Poor soul! Poor thing!"
Azrael gasped and placed her hand up to her mouth, feeling tears well up in her eyes for this poor soul. "Would no one have mercy on her?" she asked softly.
Sweeney sat there, stared out into nothing, and slowly shook his head "no…"
Azrael scoffed in frustration, angry with the world. "Bloody Blighters! How could they allow something like this?! That poor woman. Mr. Todd I'm so sorry… whatever happened to her? Is she still around? And what of your daughter, is she around as well?"
Sweeney sighed, clenched his fists out of anger, and looked back at her. "She poisoned herself; arsenic, from the apothecary on the corner."
Azrael gasped. "No! And what of your daughter?"
Sweeney rose up from the couch, stood in front of the fire, and crossed his arms as he watched the flames dance. "He's got her" he said grim but softly.
Azrael then rose up from the couch and slowly walked towards him. "Judge Turpin, isn't it? Governor Turpin's cousin."
Sweeney slowly nodded. "He adopted her while I spent fifteen years sweating in a living hell on a trumped up charge. Fifteen years dreaming that, perhaps, I might come home to a loving wife and child. But let them quake in their boots, Judge Turpin and the Beadle, for their hour has come."
Azrael then turned Sweeney to face her, giving him a very determined look. "And our hour has come as well…"
Sweeney arched his brow at her. "Our hour?"
Azrael then had a menacing smirk on her face. "Aye, our hour… don't you see Mr. Todd? We can seek our revenge together!"
Sweeney scoffed and shook his head. "And how do you propose to do that?"
Azrael shrugged. "I haven't figured a plan yet, Mr. Todd, but what I figured was that we were both wronged by two men, who are in the same family, and we both yearn for our revenge on them… why not work together in it?"
Sweeney thought about her proposal and figured that it would be nice to have someone accompany him on his revenge. Maybe this woman would be the perfect accomplice, but one could only know. He then sighed, placed his hand behind his neck, and slowly shook his head. "As interesting as that sounds, Mrs. Rowena, I'll have to think about it."
Azrael then frowned. "Mr. Todd, don't you see if we work together we can finally fix our wrongs of this world, and finally have the right people pay for them? Mr. Todd, I am not usually a vengeful woman, but I cannot allow my husbands and child's death go unnoticed! I am sorry, but I need to do something, and you need to do something for your wife and child! We both have been hurt tremendously and had to suffer the consequences for such heartache!" She then notices him starting to walk away from her, so she rushed up to him and quickly turned him around to face her. "Please help me…"
Sweeney sighed, knowing that this would be a drastic leap, but figured he may as well jump. "Fine, but I'll do the planning for said revenge, get it!" Azrael smiled and quickly nodded her head "yes!" Sweeney nodded and moved out of her grasp, giving her a very dark look. "Good… because we'll be doing this my way and no one else's… now I suggest you go get some rest, Mrs. Rowena, for we have a long day of planning to attend to tomorrow."
Azrael nodded and started to walk out of the room. However, before she did, she walked up to him and hugged him. "Thank you."
Sweeney gave her a confused look and softly pushed her away from him. "For what?" Azrael gave him a small smile, then walked back to get her picture and turned to face him. "For saving my life…" and with that, she left the room. Sweeney stood there in shock for a moment. How could this woman honestly believe that he saved her, what from not allowing her to plunge a knife into her heart? He probably should have allowed her; after all, that is what he secretly wished to do himself, but not until he sought his revenge. However, at the same time, he could not help but smirk at this woman's determination and stubbornness, and could not help but figure that she will be a very good partner. He decided that he really did make the right decision by allowing her in on his planning