IMPORTANT: here's the deal with this chapter, Toby never sang to Lovett, he merely explained what he thought to her before she locked him in the bake house. Toby's singing is the underlined and bold text and as for Toby's fate, it's up to you to ultimately decide whether or not things worked for the best...you'll see what I mean

Thanks to peaches , TheBrightsider , and of course ThePurpleness and by the way oh great purple one we are definitely making this cafe thing a monthly if not biweekly occurrence lol we'll hash out details later ;)

enjoy!

Consistency is the last resort of the unimaginative

~ Oscar Wilde

Most Honourable Judge Turpin,

I write this urgent note to warn
you that the young sailor has
abducted your ward Johanna.

Hoping to earn you favor I have
persuaded the boy to bring her here
tonight to my shop.

Hurry after night fall and she
will be waiting.

Yours,
Sweeney Todd

Sweeney held his letter up for Linnet, "It will do fine, short and to the point." Antony had, hopefully, by now already reserved a carriage to Wellingborough and was on his way to free Johanna from the asylum, "Toby, darling do you know where the Old Bailey is?" She asked as he entered the shop.

"Yes, Mum. Not that I ever been there."

Linnet smiled gently at him as she passed a hand over the top of his head and down his cheek, "I need you to do us a small favor, hm? Take this letter there and seek out a Judge Turpin."

"No problem, Mum. Take this to the Old Bailey and seek out Judge Turpin."

"Good lad, you are to give this letter to him, and only to him do you understand?"

"Yes, Mum. Only deliver the letter into Judge Turpin's hand. And while I'm out, do you mind if I stop by the grocer just to pick.."

Sweeney stood abruptly, advancing on the boy, "No. You're not to stop, you're not to speak. You're to deliver the letter. Do you understand?" He hissed as he backed Toby into the door.

"Yes, sir." He muttered before retreating quickly through the door.

Linnet sighed, "Sweeney, love was it really necessary to frighten the boy?"

Sweeney shrugged, "I would be lying if I said it didn't give me some amusement." He smirked, "Besides, it's not like we'll be staying long here after Turpin is dead is it? We take care of business and then we take off, never to return to this retched town ever again."

"That does sound lovely, just the four of us."

"Four?"

"Did I forget to mention? Ah, that's right," She slung her arms over his shoulders and twined them behind his neck, "I was going to tell you earlier today before you realized how deliciously ruttish we both are."

Sweeney hummed in satisfaction as he enclosed her waist and brought his lips to her neck, "Well go on then woman we don't have all day."

"I convinced Antony to book passage to Wellingborough. You and I are to meet him and Johanna at Thatcher's home where the four of us will take off on our lifelong adventure together."

Sweeney's face, for once, conveyed his shock, the softness entering his eyes once more, "Truly?"

"Yes, my darling. My amorous son and my beautiful soon-to-be daughter-in-law will be with us."

From Sweeney's lips burst a laugh so pure, Linnet's heart soared just as Sweeney himself lifted her into a twirl, "Things are finally going right." He smiled as he put her back down.

Linnet kissed him soundly on the mouth, "I'm going to go pack things up and you get ready to put this all to rest."

As Linnet came down the outside steps, she saw Toby jumping off a buggy. She chuckled as she realized the little sneak had hitched a ride on some unsuspecting horseman's carriage, "All went well Toby?"

"Yes, Mum. I was wondering though, if I could have a word with you."

"Of course darling, what is it?" She asked placing a hand on his shoulder.

"On the way back, that buggy I was riding passed by the workhouse, and I got to thinkin'. But for you and Mrs. Lovett, I'd be there now. Or someplace worse." He looked down, shying away from her fixed gaze.

"Oh Toby, come here love." She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and gently led him to a seat at one of the tables, "I know things seem bleak at the moment dear but things always turn around in the end for those that deserve it. Nothing's gonna harm you, darling. I'll make sure of that hm?" She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and went off towards her shop. She would have to abandoned most of her perishables and the thing she couldn't take with her to Mrs. Lovett but that would be small compensation for stealing Sweeney away forever. Linnet chuckled at the idea, poor Nellie would be left alone but for Toby. Hopefully she'd manage, and if she didn't…well it's no skin off my nose, she thought.

In a short while she had what little clothes she had packed and ready to go along with her hidden box under the floorboards and a few precious mementos she's like to take as well. She hefted the bag onto her shoulder and in her hands carried a small envelope. As long as she was taking Sweeney away from Lovett, what small compensation she could give to her would help to ease her guilt. After all, Nellie couldn't have really meant her any harm, she'd only let her want for Sweeney's heart cloud her judgement. In her hands she held the deed to her property, Linnet decided she would hand it over to Nellie and allow her to either relocate to the nicer shop and sell her old one or keep her old location and sell Linnet's. Either way it would definitely eradicate any remaining debts and assure that Nellie could purchase quality meats now that her business was booming.

"Nellie?" She called as she entered the shop, upon receiving no answer she moved further into the house, "Nellie are you there?" Having still received no answer she moved toward the steps leading to the bake house when she heard a faint pounding. Is that Toby's voice? She thought. When the noise continued she ran down the steps and flung the door open to catch little Toby as he fell into her clutching her waist and crying into her stomach, "Toby darling, what's the matter? How did you end up down here? Nellie told you, you weren't allowed down here didn't she?"

"It was her Mum! She said she'd bring me down here to teach me how to make the pies and then she left me here. I dunno if she meant to lock the door but I was so scared, I didn't want to be locked here."

"Hush, darling, hush. I'm sure it was an accident now come with me, let's have a little sit down on the sofa shall we? I'm sure once Nellie gets back you'll see it was all just a misunderstanding."

"I was warning her about Mr. Todd, Mum. I feel like I should warn you too. She tried to send me off for toffee when I saw Senor Pirelli's purse. I thought Mr. Todd had done something terrible and when I said we needed to call the law she brought me down here."

Linnet hesitated with this new information but plastered a smile on her face none the less, "I'm sure it's all just one big misunderstanding. Now who's to say that there's not more than one purse in the world like that old codpiece's, hm? Why just the other day I saw two different women wearing the same dress as me!" She laughed sitting him down next to her on the sofa.

"I suppose you're right." He mused turning towards her, "Seems like the good lord sent you for me, Mum."

"Aw, well that's very sweet of you to say." She smiled.

"Listen to me please, you know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. But what if there was someone around, someone bad? But you didn't know it."

"Toby.."

"Nothing's gonna harm you,

Not while I'm around.

Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir

Not while I'm around"

"Darling, there's no one bad that you need to worry about."

"Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays!

I'll send 'em howling,

I don't care, I got ways."

"Sweetheart, you've no need to worry about this you're just a boy love."

"No one's gonna hurt you,

No one's gonna dare.

Other's can desert you,

Not to worry, whistle I'll be there.

Demons'll charm you with a smile, for a while,

But in time, nothing's gonna harm you,

Not while I'm around."

Linnet stroked his hair back and pulled him into a hug.

"Not to worry, not to worry,

I may not be smart but I ain't dumb." He continued, pulling out of her hug to look her in the eyes, "I can do it, put me to it

Show my something I can overcome!

Not to worry, Mum.

Being close and being clever,

Ain't like being true.

I would never, I don't need to

Hide a thing from you,

Like some." His eyes shifted to the sound of Sweeney pacing above.

"Now darling, Mr. Todd has been nothing but wonderful to me and to you. Mrs. Lovett may be a bit angry with him or maybe even me because of some things you're a bit too young to know about, but all is well dear. Do you trust me?"

"Yes, Mum I do. It's him I don't."

"Well then if you trust me, you can trust him. Because I trust him. With all my heart." She pulled him back into her embrace as she sang to him, stroking his back, "Nothing's gonna harm you,

Not while I'm around.

Nothing's gonna harm you, darling.

Not while I'm around."

"Demons'll charm you with a smile,

For a while.."

Linnet cut him off by putting her finger gently to his lips and looking into his eyes with utmost patience, "You need to trust that I'm no fop,

I know tops."

"What's going on in here?" Nellie's voice called from the doorway. Linnet looked up to see Sweeney standing behind her.

"Nothing at all, Nellie." Linnet replied, "Toby was just under a bit of a misunderstanding, weren't you darling?" She asked looking down at him and nudging his shoulder.

"Yes, Mum. Just a misunderstanding is all."

"Toby, dear is there something you wish to tell Mr. Todd?"

Toby stood and made his way to stand in front of Mr. Todd, gulping slightly in fear at the site of an open blade in his hand, "I'm s-sorry sir, I suppose I let my imagination run wild and I judged you in a manner that was wrong." He looked, pitifully up at Sweeney and received a nod of affirmation. Toby let out a breath of relief and turned back to Linnet with a smile.

"Well isn't this just beautiful." Nellie scoffed, "Is there anything you won't leave to me?"

"Nellie the poor boy was locked in the bake house what did you expect me to do?"

"Leave him there! For all I care he could have ended in the sewer! The little traitor turned to you as well? It wasn't enough that you stole Mr. T but you had to take the boy away as well?"

"Nellie calm down, I came here to.."

"I don't bloody care WHAT you came here to do you harlot!" Nellie was crazed, and Toby ran to Linnet in fear, "You just couldn't make this easy for me could you? No, you had to bloody TRIUMPH! Even when I sent that pathetic excuse of a man to the shop. I told him you'd be all alone and you'd be his for the taking and the bastard couldn't even handle that! The perfect set-up blown because he couldn't take care of you but I'm through coming in second place!" Nellie shoved Sweeney, who stumbled in surprise and grabbed his razor, lunging at Linnet so quickly he had no time to react.

Toby lunged at the same time as Nellie and shoved his elbow hard into her stomach causing her to double over, stumbling in her step she tripped over the wrinkled throw rug and smacked her head on the stone mantle landing face down in front of the fireplace, unmoving. Blood pooled by her head and seconds later another formed near her stomach. Sweeney moved forward and turned her over to find her frozen face, dazed in shock and her own hand clutching the razor buried deep into her abdomen.

"I-I didn't mean to..she was going to..I couldn't just let her.."

"Hush Toby, hush." Linnet pulled hid his face from the horrific site, "It wasn't your fault dear, we know that, and I thank you so much for protecting me."

"Knock, knock." Beadle's voice came from the front room.

"Oh dear lord, what now?" Linnet asked rhetorically.

"It's the Beadle, maybe he heard the screaming and came to find out." Toby panicked, tears welled in his eyes, "I can't go to prison, Mum. Or what if they hang me? I just got to know what it's like to have someone who cares."

"I'm waiting!" Beadle's voice sang.

"Sweeney, love go see what he wants, I'll take care of Toby."

Without question, Sweeney swept into the front room to confront Beadle Bamford and Linnet could just make out something about stinking chimney's before she turned back to Toby, "Now love, I know what we'll do. There's a little old lady not far from here. She's a kindly old lady who lives alone and wouldn't argue for some company. Tell her your name, and that I sent you to her for protection from the work house. If she doesn't remember me, remind her that she warned me of a man named Michael Rueben some time ago in the marketplace." Toby hesitated, "Run, Toby. Go! Now!" She hissed.

Toby ran out the back door and into the street, startling some poor horse. Linnet heard the frightened whinny, heard the sound of an aggressive horseman cursing stupidity, heard Toby squeal in fear at the crack of a whip and then nothing more than the sound of a carriage continuing its way. She hoped beyond hope Toby had made it through alright, but she hadn't the heart to look.

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