This is the last chapter of this very short story unless any of you would like me to continue this to go until New Years Eve. I rally have enjoyed writing this, hope you enjoyed reading it! Please tell me what you think of this, it really does mean a lot to me. Thanks go out to Obscure Bird, Todd666 and Pandora Spocks.

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas eve was one of the busiest days of the year in the pie shop. Mrs. Lovett had baked pies for hours that morning. The meat she had ground into filling the previous night so all that was left was putting them together. Bringing the filling up the stairs into her shop so that the crusting could be filled with today's special "Claus". No, Mr. Todd had not been able to kill Ol' Saint Nick but instead an elderly man with a thick white beard.

The lunch rush was small and very scattered as shoppers got the last of the presents ticked off of their lists. Dinner had been another story entirely. Due to the shops close proximity to Fleet Streets church, dinner had been hectic and packed with people heading off to mass. Mrs. Lovett had smiled fondly at the young couple that paused on her doorstep under the mistletoe. ' If only I could tie up Mr. T on me doorstep' she laughed at her thoughts later thinking that doing anything of the sort would end with her baked into a pie. Toby had been a great help that evening handing out pies and ale. The spirit of the season had seemed to soak into even some of Mrs. Lovett's grumpiest customers who smiled at the pie maker as she handed them their orders. These were the things that made her enjoy the holidays so much, the small smiles and warm wishes of people that she hardly knew.

When the last lot of people cleared out of the shop Nellie had quickly grabbed a bottle of gin and two glasses for her and Toby. A pile sky high of dishes rested on the counters and in the sink waiting to be cleaned and half full mugs of ale sat along side them. Sitting down in one of the now unoccupied booths She beckoned for the young boy to join her. Pouring the clear liquid into the glasses she handed one to him.

" Merry Christmas dear" she said as their glasses clinked against one another.

" An' a happy New Year mum" Toby said smiling back at her.

They had sat in silence staring blankly into the distance until they heard soft carols coming from the street. Turning they saw the doors of the church being opened to the streets so the few people still out on the street could listen to the merry carolers inside.

"Hark how the bells,

Sweet silver bells,

All seem to say.

Throw cares away

Christmas is here

Bringing good cheer,

To young and old.

Meek and the bold.

Ding dong ding dong

That is their song

With joyful ring

All caroling."

…

All day the memories from every year previous had haunted the barbers every waking moment, the thoughts pounding relentlessly in his mind. Even the precious rubies that poured from his customer's throats did nothing to ease the vivid scenes that played behind his eyelids. He had paced back and forth across his shop during his spare moments trying desperately to think of nothing but his revenge on the judge, not even that had been able to stop the persistent memories.

It had become apparent that after a few hours of furiously trying to get rid of the memories that they were not going away anytime soon. Eventually Sweeney had resorted to simply hoping that they would pass by quickly, but alas they hadn't and still after dusk they stayed with him. Some of these memories were so vivid that he had thought he was living them only to be cruelly brought back to the real world. Slowly they had begun to fill the barber with a sense of ease and almost joy.

Much later that evening he began to hear carols coming from across the street. The church doors stood open wide to let the sound waft out into the cold streets. He found himself silently mouthing the words to the once familiar carol. Slowly he walked over to his dresser and picked up the small silver frame. Staring down into the smiling faces of his dear Johanna and Lucy his thumb subconsciously tracing their faces. He knew that there was no way they could be a family now unless in death, which was not an option until the judge rested in hell. Silently placing the frame back down he made his way over to the door.

…

Mrs. Lovett set a very reluctant Toby off to bed after having two glasses of gin. The thing that had finally won him over was telling him that Santa Claus wouldn't come until he was fast asleep, after this he had scurried off to bed. Nellie had sat quietly in the booth finish off her gin before slowly getting up to start cleaning the dishes. Picking up the first on the large stack she heard the shop bells tinkling. She spun quickly on her heels to find that it was only Mr. Todd, down for some gin no doubt.

" Evenin' Mr. T, ya lookin' for somthin'?"

He didn't reply but instead picked up one of the dishes from the counter and a spare rag that had been left beside it. Mrs. Lovett's eyes lit up and she smiled warmly at the normally grouchy barber.

" Thank ya" she said as she picked up her plate again.

Slowly but surely they got through the large pile of dishes. When they finished Sweeney went over to the now half full bottle of gin and poured out two more glasses. Handing one to his business partner. They stood in the shop slowly draining their glasses. That was when he noticed that her shop sign still showed that the shop was open. He placed his gin down on the table and walked slowly over to the door, only to be quickly followed by Mrs. Lovett.

"Where you off to love?" she questioned as he reached the door.

" Closing your shop pet. Surely you didn't intend on staying open all night?"

" No, thank ya Mr. Todd" was her reply, a slight blush creping into her pale cheeks as she came to stand beside the barber. She gazed up into his eyes nervously and smiled as she saw the mistletoe hanging above them.

" What are you looking at Mrs. Lovett?" Mr. Todd asked seeing that he couldn't hold her gaze for more than a few seconds something that normally took no effort at all.

She bit her lip not knowing if it would be better to lie to him telling him that she was just tired or the truth, that they were now stuck beneath the mistletoe. Glancing back into his eyes she decided to try the truth even though she knew that it could quite possibly end badly.

" The mistletoe" she whispered, looking down at her boots still nervous of what his reaction may be.

"What?"

" Look up" was the mumbled reply she gave, still looking at the ground.

His eyes found their way onto the twigs of small white berries that was hanging above them by a red ribbon, he knew what she was getting at. He looked back down at her, her eyes shifted restlessly trying not to hold contact with him. Slowly he placed a hand on her cheek bring her face up to look him in the eyes. She looked as though she might burst into tears from simply looking at him. Stroking her cheek lightly with his thumb as she bit down on her lip again.

It wasn't very clear how but she felt his lips brush lightly against hers. In that small moment fireworks seemed to go off inside of her as she pressed into the kiss. She wanted to make the moment last for eternity. Bringing her arm to wrap around his neck as he kissed her again, his tongue begging entrance. Mrs. Lovett felt as though her heart was going to explode from the feelings he was giving her. They stayed embraced until both needed to take a proper breath. Their foreheads stayed pressed together as their heart rates returned to normal.

" Merry Christmas pet" he whispered to her as he silently brought their lips together again.