Things you should know: Sweeney sings "Into the Night" by Carlos Santana and Chad Kroeger (I figure Chad's voice is a good match to how I wanted Sweeney to sound anyway) as those of you who've heard the song will see, I've changed the lyrics a bit to better suit my needs in this chapter and as a general note, the lyrics are not in quotations they are in brackets. At no point in this chapter is Sweeney actually singing the words aloud to anybody, I thought it made a better affect to have them in his head.
Thank-yous go to: -my-forgotten-rose- , xBelekinax , tardisandafirebolt , Cheeto-ScorpioDimagram , peaches , Loki211 , E. Lovett , axelkairi , rockndasha , and of course (as always) ThePurpleness sorry love, I promised before Saturday and as of 25 minutes ago it's Satuday, oh well it's out now ;)
Women are natural guerrillas. Scheming, we nestle into the enemy's bed, avoiding open warfare, watching the options, playing the odds.
~ Sally Kempton
"It's such a lovely day out, don't you agree?" Mrs. Lovett chirped Saturday morning as she brought out some porridge bowls, "I'm feeling the need in me bones to just take a day off and relax, maybe go to a lovely park, Toby darling you can learn to fly a kite." She smiled, planning the day, "What do you say Mr. T?"
"As you wish Nellie, it's your decision what you wish to do." He mumbled, barely paying any attention.
"I meant you to come with me Mr. T." She grumbled, pouting.
"And the shop? What if the judge should come by? What if he's forgotten his grievance in desperate need of a shave?" He growled, any chance – no matter how slim – could not be overlooked.
"Well you've got Ms. Reynolds now don't you? I dare say she knows enough not to run your business into the ground. How 'bout it dear? You wouldn't mind watching the barber shop while we go sit in the sun for a bit would ya?" Her eyes narrowed at Linnet, almost daring her to object.
"Not at all Nellie, what with how hard you work, you deserve the day off." She replied, the largest, fakest grin on her face as she spoke through her teeth.
"Oh yes dear. Thank you." Mrs. Lovett replied, equally as fake. Sweeney simply watched the interaction in amusement, "How about it Mr. T?" Lovett asked again.
Sweeney was all set to say no when he looked at Linnet and Lovett again. It wouldn't hurt, and maybe Nellie would see that he wouldn't cast her out to sea just because he did not return her addled affections, "Why not." He mumbled.
Linnet rolled her eyes and marched upstairs, honestly Nellie was pushing her luck now. Sweeney had clearly taught her how to wield a razor with precision and malice, and yet the bloody baker was stupid enough to continually rile her anger. As if Linnet couldn't see the way Nellie pined for Sweeney, her simpering voice calling 'Mr. T this' and 'Mr. T that'. She picked up an old rag and began dusting things down furiously. Oh how that woman vexed her. Honestly, she worried for Toby, she feared that Mrs. Lovett might actually brainwash the poor lad into believing Linnet was some barbaric she-demon from the pits of hell come to swallow him whole.
She'd rather swallow Nellie.
And why would Nellie suddenly have the fancy to go to the park? The day was looking rather dreary in truth; it would probably rain later in the day. If Nellie had really wanted to go out on a beautiful day, then why not corral Sweeney four days ago when the weather was beautifully summer with a gentle breeze? Oh that's right, Linnet snickered, carefully wiping down each of her and Sweeney's friends, because I was enjoying the day with him trying to track down that filthy rotten snake.
The two had walked almost the perimeter of the city and through the markets and had not seen hide nor tail of Michael Reuben, but the day was not lost on them as it had given Sweeney to relax, if only in the most miniscule amount. Linnet had also had the opportunity to converse once more with the kindly lady who had warned her of Reuben that first day in the market. She had learned that Elsa Ashwin was a lonely widow with no children. Her husband had been unable to conceive and had died young when his train – homeward bound after affairs of business had finally been settled – had mysteriously derailed.
Linnet sighed, it seemed there was no end to the suffering in London; she hoped Elsa would manage in life. She seemed very undeserving of the life fate had handed to her. Then again so were they all.
It had officially been one hour and thirty minutes since Lovett had swooped in like a hawk and stolen Sweeney and Toby for a day at the park. Linnet was flopped onto Sweeney's barber chair, bored. She had cleaned the shop spotless and was contemplating going downstairs to clean Lovett's as well in the desperate hope to cure her boredom before deciding against it. Let the bitch do it herself. She thought spitefully. Although she'd probably have poor Toby do it, Linnet huffed. Damn it all. She raised herself from the chair and stretched her stiff muscles, bending to take up the rag once more in order to go downstairs and see what could be done.
The ringing of the bell above the door halted her movements.
Sweeney was getting rather fed up of Nellie Lovett. The first half hour at the park had been spent showing Toby the proper technique to flying a kite in order to get the greatest height and flight time. Lovett seemed to take great pleasure in mothering the boy and yet something about it did not seem right to him. While he would admit Lovett was good with the boy and probably would have made a good mother at some point in her life, this boy and this situation with her just did not seem to fit properly. There seemed to be an underlying motive to everything she did nowadays. Sweeney shrugged mentally, it was probably just his paranoia creeping up on him.
He had gotten better at noticing those moments. The moments of complete irrationality. He had gotten better at controlling them ever since he had accidentally harmed his dear Linnet. Such an act could not be committed again. Killing the nameless bastards of London was one thing but he would never forgive himself if he harmed Linnet or even, he grudgingly realized, Mrs. Lovett or Toby. Though he had a reluctant acceptance of Toby and he would get annoyed to no end with Lovett, they and Linnet were the only people he had left. Although, he mused, if Linnet's hopes were anything to go by then once this was all over he would have Johanna again and he would even have a son to call his own.
Antony was a good lad all things considered. A little hasty in action and sometimes foolhardy but he was a good lad. Sweeney supposed he could be proud one day to call Antony his son. He only hoped Antony would feel the same. And Johanna. What would she think of him? Would she see the man as Linnet could? Or would she only see the monster? All would be revealed in time but first he had to get the judge. "Of course." He muttered to himself. The judge was the solution to all, "There must be a way to the judge."
"Judge." Lovett hissed, Sweeney almost jumped at the realization that he was no longer sitting alone, "Always harping on the bloody old judge." She continued, oblivious to his surprise, "We got a nice respectable business now. Money coming in regular-like. And since we're careful to pick and choose strangers, people who won't be missed, who's gonna catch on?" She smirked. She crawled up to him and placed kisses over his cheek singing about their could-be life on the sea and as uncomfortable as it was for him, he sat complacently and listened to what she had to say.
All-in-all her idea of what life could be wasn't too bad. Sweeney mused on what it would be like to live a quiet life by the seaside. Perhaps even raise a family and start from scratch. Live a life by the law far away from the horrors of London in a place where the law did its job as it was meant to. His hand reached out to pat Nellie's knee.
And Linnet's face swam before his eyes.
Though Nellie's dream sounded nice even to him, it was not meant for the two of them. He felt a small guilt stealing her dream but as he brought his hand back to himself he contended himself with the thought that this dream was better suited for himself, Linnet and a sailor boy with his…wife? Well shit. He had never allowed his thoughts of Antony's relationship with Johanna to progress much further than her rescue from the judge and this was exactly the reason why. She was far too young to be married, even if he did somewhat trust the boy if only because of his status as Linnet's son. But no, his – or rather Benjamin's – little girl was not yet ready to be married. No sir. There was no harm in waiting a few years for them to actually know one another was there? Oh, my head. He moaned internally. He had to see Linnet. They had to talk about this before her hormonal son whisked his – Benjamin's – daughter away.
"Mrs. Lovett, I'm afraid I am not feeling too well. I'm going back to the shop. You and Toby enjoy the rest of your day off." He clipped before taking off towards the shop in a hurried walk. He had just rounded the corner back to Fleet Street when he saw the distinct figure of Michael J Reuben opening the door upstairs. No. His chest convulsed and for one minute he stood frozen on the pavement before his legs kicked into action and he bolted up the stairs three at a time. She's not ready, she won't be able to- his thoughts came to a screeching halt at the sight that greeted him through the small open window. Never in his life had he seen something so…erotic.
[Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell,
It was love from above that could save me from hell,
She had fire in her soul, it was easy to see,
How the devil himself could be pulled out of me.]
"Michael," Her voice purred as she circled the barber's chair, her prey oblivious to her intent, "I can't tell you how deeply affected I am that you remember me darling." Her hands trailed slowly down his stubbled cheeks, "Enjoy this moment," she leaned into his ear whispering, taunting, "the calm before the storm."
Reuben smirked at the thoughts no doubt flitting in and out of his mind. The storm in his mind one of lust and passion as Linnet picked up the crème pot and lavished his face.
[There were drums in the air as she started to dance,
Every soul in the room keeping watch of her hands.]
Carefully and seductively, she placed herself between Reuben's legs at the chair, her eyes boring into his as she stroked the deadly razor down each cheek, "My dear, you've kept me waiting far too long." She crooned, "I only realize now how long I've waited to have you at my hands."
Reuben's smirk grew, "Well here I am doll face. I'm at your disposal." He chuckled.
Linnet's eyes grew dark and the seductive tone turned cold, "Indeed." The razor came down and buried deep into his left pectoral. She twisted her hand and withdrew the blade watching as the muscle beneath his skin squirted his blood in a timely fashion, "Well look at that. You do have a heart. Small, shriveled and black as it is." She growled.
[And we sand ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices rang like the angels sing
We're singing ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And she danced on into the night.]
Michael Reuben now sat dead before her, his body having lost too many rubies to continue, the look of utter shock and distress frozen forever on his face. Linnet spat at him before slamming her foot on the lever to dispose of him to the bake house. Sweeney took this as his moment to enter.
[Like a piece to the puzzle that falls into place,
You could tell how we felt from the look on our faces,]
Sweeney took her into his arms and wiped the blood away from her face. He wrapped his right arm tightly around her waist and took up her right hand in his left and they swept around the room in an impassioned waltz.
[We were spinning in circles, with the moon in our eyes,
All the rest disappeared but for she and I.
We forgot where we were as we lost track of time
And we sang to the wind as we danced though the night.]
Their dance had led them to the balcony.
[And we sang ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices rang like the angels sing,
We're singing ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And we danced on into the night.]
The two stopped dancing and stood gazing at the other, falling deeper and deeper into each other. Sweeney's eyes closed as his lips brushed hers in the sweetest embrace before locking his eyes once more to her own.
[Like a gift from the heavens it was easy to tell,
That the love in her eyes, it would save me from hell.]
His lips graced hers once more in a tango so passionate, the world fell away, and neither noticed the return of the baker and her ward.
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