I tried not to look at the screaming figure in my arms, and instead concentrated on not tripping as I walked down the steps backwards. I could see Mrs Lovett was sweating slightly with the effort of keeping Johanna still, but it was no use. She was small, but Johanna fought strongly. I could see something behind her screams, though. There was a slight whimper in the back of her throat, as if she were in pain. No doubt she was. I suddenly realised how tightly my arms were gripped around her as we carried her, and the shock of it almost caused me to drop her.

In no time at all, we were inside the pie shop. I didn't like to go in there, usually. It was almost strange to see the difference that a few corpses had made to the riches. I wrinkled my nose at the sight. Johanna was still fighting us, but her efforts were slightly more feeble, making it easy enough to open the nearest door I could find past Mrs Lovett's parlour. I didn't bother asking which room to put her in, and simply let go of her in that nearest room.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, barely audible to myself. Yet Johanna seemed to hear it. Her eyes widened.

"You can't just leave me in here!"

"We'll speak again tomorrow."

"No-" I didn't allow her to finish her sentence, and closed the door behind me and Mrs Lovett. She handed me the key and I hastily locked the door. After mere moments, Johanna's fists were banging against the door.

"Let me out!"

"You'll stay in there until I say so."

"You can't do this to me!"

"I'm your father and I'll do as I see fit."

"You're not my father," she screeched at me, her banging stopping suddenly and her voice higher than it had been before. "You're not my father! You're not my father!" She repeated herself mindlessly, on and on until I couldn't take it any more. I pushed a wary Mrs Lovett out of my way and charged from the parlour, directing myself back to the barber shop.

"Wait, love-"

"She needs time to calm down."

"I ain't denying that, but yeh've gotta by a bit more sensitive in this kinda situation."

"I've tried explaining, but she isn't listening."

"I 'eard yehr explaining, Mr T, and I've gotta say, yeh ain't that calm yehself." I turned sharply, glaring at Mrs Lovett's exasperated face. Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes were sparkling with vexation. I paused, my face dropping from anger to a more subtle tone of regret.

"There's still no chance she's getting out of there today."

"Never said that, now, did I, Mr T? I just think yeh need to be more careful with 'er. She's 'ad a lot to deal with."

"And I haven't?" I snapped back.

"Yeh're making assumptions again, Mr T. If yeh'd listen to me carefully for a little bit, then maybe yeh'd understand."

"There's no need for that, Mrs Lovett," I said coldly, turning back to the door. "She's my daughter. Of course I'm treating her as kindly as I would Lucy, and as kindly as I ever would have treated her had this never happened."

"I'm not denying that either, Mr T, but yeh've gotta understand that yeh kindest ain't what it used to be." I bared my teeth threateningly, and was dissatisfied when she simply sighed.

"Don't yeh start taking it out on me, Mr T." She folded her arms, staring me down. In that moment, I became slightly calmer, but not by very much. The only thing that changed for me was that I no longer felt the need to leave the room, and surrendered myself to one of the booths by the window.

"You got any gin?" I asked gruffly, not looking her in the eye. There was a hurried clatter of glasses, and before I knew it the glass was in front of me. I downed it in one.

"Yeh should take it easy," she said thoughtfully. "Drinking ain't gonna make yeh any more the father figure to 'er."

"I know," I replied dully, pushing the glass away from me. I slumped forward, covering my face in my arms. Mrs Lovett did not move from where she was, even as I sighed heavily. It was strange. She usually would have made much more of a fuss. Of course, it had always annoyed me, but without it, I felt as if I were…alone. Fifteen years of my life had been wasted in solitude, and when I came back to London, yet again I was alone. But somehow, having Mrs Lovett- as annoying, loud and provocative as she was- there to attempt to comfort me, I was more…approachable. That was not to say I liked her in any way, nor that I ever should have with anyone else but my daughter. Yet while my daughter ran from me and screamed as if in pain, I needed at least that one person to take comfort in soothing me.

"Mrs Lovett?" I said brusquely. "You've suddenly become quiet." She turned from me for a little while, not speaking as she began towelling some of her glasses.

"Yeh need some peace," she said finally.

"Never bothered you before."

"It bothers me now."

"Why?" She looked at me, her face much more composed than it had been before. She smiled slightly.

"Mr T, yeh're looking far too deeply into this."

"I'm not," I mumbled, suddenly realising how childish I sounded and then slumping back into my arms. Mrs Lovett sighed, stepping from behind the counter back towards me.

"There, there, love. There ain't nothing to worry about. She'll come round."

"Mrs Lovett, for the past few weeks, the only company you have had apart from myself is that lad Toby, and even he adored you from the start."

Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Toby?"

"Yeah. Course, that was then, this is now." Mrs Lovett lowered her head slightly, staring down at the floor. She breathed in deeply.

"Mr T, we never found 'im, did we?"

"What are you talking about? Of course we-" Then I remembered.

"I'm sorry, love," she said quietly, looking at my now detesting face.

"He's gone, then."

"I really am sorry, love, but-"

"No, you're not!" I banged a fist onto the table, standing up abruptly and staring her in the face. "You loved that boy, and without me being there you wouldn't have even tried to find him."

"Yeh know I would, Mr T. I'd 'ave done it for yeh." My hand shot out and grabbed her neck, pushing until her back hit a wall.

"And you never told me?"

"Mr T, yeh were busy with Johanna. I wasn't going to disturb yeh." My hand tightened for a second, then relaxed. It only rested for a second on her neck, and then I walked away.

"You burned the bodies?"

"Yes."

"And their clothing."

"The beadle and Judge were burned with that as well."

"There was an old beggar woman as well. Did you burn her too?" A slight pause.

"Yes. 'er as well."

"Good. And I want you to make sure everything else is burned. The bones, any fingers, toes, whatever is left. I'll help you clean it tomorrow." There was silence for what could have been seconds, or minutes, or hours. However long it was, I grew impatient. I snapped at her:

"Then what are you waiting for?" As if she had been poked with a hot iron rod, she jumped and ran from the room, mumbling her apologies. The moment she had left the room, I banged my fist against the table again. The vibrations cause one of the chairs to fall, but I was past caring. I suddenly realised that there was silence. Which meant that Johanna had calmed herself finally.

I made my way towards to the door that she waited behind. I knocked gently.

"Johanna?"

A whimpering sniffle.

"I can have Mrs Lovett make you a pie if you're-" I suddenly stopped. The only meat stocked in the building was human. I shook my head. "I could go and get you something from the bakers, if you like."

Again, there was only a whimper.

"Or…or I could go and get you some water. You must be thirsty."

"Go away." The voice was so quiet that I had barely heard it, but understood it well.

"Just…bang on the door again when you want something."

Again, there was more silence. I sighed lowly, and walked back to my apartment above the shop.