Author's notes: I hope you liked the first chapter. As you've probably noticed, it's starting to tie in with the film now. In this chapter, I was trying to change the song 'My Friends', which I love, into dialogue and I had a hard time, so please give me your opinion. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Sweeney Todd, its plot or its characters.

Chapter 2 – Poor Thing

The man reached for his ale, and took a large swig. He began to cough as soon as he swallowed though, a surprised look on his face.

"Trust me dearie, it's gonna take a lot more than ale to wash that taste down. Come on, I'll get you a nice beaker of gin, eh?" she offered. "You too, love."

I stood up, placing my uneaten pie on the counter. I followed them down a corridor, passing a flight of stairs leading upwards. The man stopped, looking up them. Then he carried on, walking into a sitting room.

It was rather mismatched, the walls covered in various objects and pictures, an old piano against one wall and a sofa against another. Mrs Lovett walked towards a dresser and poured out three glasses of gin.

"Ain't this homey now? The cheery wallpaper was a real bargain, it was only partly singed when the chapel burnt down," she chattered, offering a glass to us both and gesturing for us both to sit down.

The man sat on a chair across from the sofa Nelly and I were perched on.

"You've got a room over the shop haven't you?" he asked casually. "If times are so hard, why don't you rent it out?"

"What, up there?" Nelly asked, nodding her head upwards. "Nah, I wouldn't go near it."

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

"People think it's haunted," she answered, eyes wide.

"Haunted?" whispered the man, a strange look in his dark eyes.

"Yeah. And who's to say they're wrong? You see, years ago, somethin' happened up there…somethin' not very nice."

You could tell this was a story she told often, but we both listened intently.

"There was a barber who lived there. Beautiful man he was, real artist with a blade. But they transported him to Australia for life…we all thought he was gone for good. Barker his name was…Benjamin Barker."

"What was his crime?" I asked.

"Foolishness," was her simple answer. "He had a wife you see. Pretty little thing, silly though. She had the chance for a perfect life. But there was this Judge, and he wanted her like mad. He'd send her a flower every day, but she'd never come down from her room, just sat there and sobbed."

"How awful," I whispered.

"There's worse yet, love. You see, one day, the Beadle called on her, all polite. He told her that the Judge was sincerely sorry, and blamed himself for everything that had happened. He invited her to his house, said she must go. But of course, when she gets there she discovers that they're having this masked ball. There was no one she knew, and she just wandered through the room and drank, the poor thing. She asked everyone where Judge Turpin was, coz she couldn't see him. But he was there…just not so contrite. She wasn't a match for him, and everyone thought it was so droll. They just figured she had to be daft, just stood there watching and laughing. Of course-"

But she was cut off by a yell from the man.

"No! Would no one have mercy on her?"

Anger now filled his eyes, as he towered over me and Nelly.

"So it is you…Benjamin Barker," Nelly whispered, amazed.

"Where's Lucy? Where is my wife?" he asked.

"She poisoned herself," she muttered. "Arsenic, from the apothecary 'round the corner. I tried to stop her…And he's got yer daughter."

"He?" Sweeney looked at Mrs Lovett, his face a mixture of sadness, anger, and confusion. "Judge Turpin?"

"Took her in like one of his own." She replied.

He pulled his jacket off and tossed it onto the chair, while muttering:

"Fifteen years, sweating, and living hell on a false charge. Fifteen years dreaming I might come home to a wife and child."

Tears filled my eyes as I heard the conversation before me. It was so terrible. Nelly stood up.

"Well, I can't say the years have been particularly kind to you, Mr Barker."

"No!" he cried again. "Not Barker. That man is dead. It's Todd now. Sweeney Todd. And he will have his revenge."

Mrs Lovett stared at him for a minute, before simply saying:

"Follow me."

She led him back to the shop, me following behind. She opened the door and showed us out to the streets, before taking us up the rickety wooden steps leading to the old shop above.

"I'm sorry, Mr Todd," I said as we walked up the stairs.

He turned to face me.

"About what?"

"Everything that's happened. It's so sad."

"Just be grateful it's not you whose life has been ruined," he snapped, then turned and walked to the balcony outside the door.

As he got there he paused, and looked around him, shadows of memories reflected in his eyes. I was half-shocked by his rudeness, half-understanding. I decided to let it go, just this once.

"Come on love," said Mrs Lovett. "Nothing to be afraid of."

He walked in, the same haunted look still on his face. I followed, gasping at what I saw. The room was once well-loved, that was obvious. The faded wallpaper was once sunshine yellow, the dusty cot once contained a beautiful child. The mirror in the corner wasn't always cracked; the wooden floor was once polished. Mr Todd walked to the old cot, lifting back the old blanket. I wasn't sure what was in there, but it obviously brought back memories. Nelly however crouched down on the floor, in front of a huge skylight that looked down on the street. She began to pry open a floor board.

I walked towards a dresser which had nothing on it except a double photo frame, both containing pictures of a pretty young woman holding a small baby. I picked it up gently in my fingers, holding it up to my face. I heard a thud but didn't turn around, my tear-filled eyes gazing at who I guessed was Lucy and his daughter.

"Put it down," a voice ordered me.

I set it back down and turned to face Mr Todd. He was glaring at me from next to Mrs Lovett. Then he crouched down next to her. I joined them. Nelly was holding an engraved metal box. She handed it to him. Frowning, he opened it, and gasped. So did I. Because inside, were six razors, shimmering silver with detailed handles. They were beautiful.

"When they came for the girl I hid 'em. I could of sold 'em, but I didn't," Mrs Lovett stated. "Those handles is chased silver ain't they?" she breathed, watching Sweeney carefully pull one out.

"Silver…yes," he muttered, for the first time a smile creeping across his face.

"They're…" I couldn't think of the words.

"My friends," Mr Todd murmured.

"Beg pardon?" I asked, not knowing what he was talking about.

"These blades are my friends," he repeated. "They're faithful to me," Me and Nelly exchanged glances, watching as he stood up and walked across the room, the open razor still in his hand. "They know what I've been through, being locked out of sight all these years. But now I've come home, to find them waiting. We're together and we'll do wonders…won't we?"

I was having my doubts about the sanity of Mr Sweeney Todd. Mrs Lovett on the other hand, stood up and walked towards him.

"I'm your friend too, Mr Todd," she began, as he stared at his 'friend'. I wasn't sure if he was actually listening.

She rested her hand on his shoulder.

I frowned. Nelly had feelings for him too? "I'm so glad you've come home. I always had a fondness for you."

He walked back towards me and knelt down again. I shuffled away from him. I could tell by the glazed look in his eyes that he hadn't been listening to a word Nelly had said – which was probably just as well.

"Don't you worry, Mr T. You can move in here, with me and Sarah," At least she hadn't forgotten me. "Don't they shine beautiful?" she whispered, looking at his razors.

"You'll soon drip rubies…" he murmured.

I frowned. What did he mean by that? Suddenly I realised. Blood…rubies. Oh my goodness.

I think it was only then when he noticed Mrs Lovett, after spying her reflection in his razor.

"Leave me," he said to her, so quiet I could barely hear.

She stood up slowly, beckoning for me to come too.

I stood also, interrupted by his voice:

"Leave the girl."

Nelly smiled sympathetically before leaving, shutting the door after her. I watched her leave, dreading what Mr Todd might say. When I turned around, he was standing by the window, holding his arm out, admiring the razors dazzling shine. Then he turned to face me, pocketing the razor.

"So you're working for Mrs Lovett?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Do you really think she needs help? What with me being the first customer she's had in weeks?"

"What are you getting at?"

"I've decided to re-open my shop. I want you to help me."

I gaped.

"Well, it's not really fair to leave Nelly on her own-"

He snorted.

"Why do you need me so much? Why not someone else?" I said quickly, making up excuses.

"Pretty girl attracts customers," he said casually, shrugging.

I felt myself blushing.

"You can start after you've told Mrs Lovett the change in plans," he informed me, placing his hand on the back of my neck and leading me out of the shop. "Because you will work for me."

And then it was official. I was working for handsomest, most terrifying man I knew. And the one thought going through my mind was help.