Author's notes: In this chapter, Sarah will have her first of a few tantrums to come. Also, Judge Turpin will be arriving, and Sweeney will have his first epiphany. How will Sarah react? P.S. I loved your joke, Neighbourhood Squirrals, lol.

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

Chapter 5 – The Judge

I woke up to find myself on a chair. It was soft and…red. Like something else…what was it? Then it hit me. Sweeney Todd was a murderer. I'd known he had it in for the Judge, but had Pirelli really deserved death?

Then his face was in front of mine. To me it no longer seemed handsome, but twisted and ugly.

"Stay away from me!" I screamed.

He backed off. I could see something in his eyes; was it anger or…hurt?

"Oh good, you're awake."

Never had I been so glad to see Nelly in the few hours I'd known her.

"Oh Nelly!" I cried, jumping up and wrapping my arms around her. I began to cry.

"Shh love, it's alright. Just gave you a fright, that's all. All that blood; must've been a shock."

I pulled away, turning to face Mr Todd. I was terrified, but my anger drove me to confront him.

"Why did you kill him?"

"What was I supposed to do? He was trying to blackmail me, half me earnings!"

"That was no reason to kill him!"

"If I hadn't he'd just've run along to the Beadle and then we'd all be in trouble!"

"Surely hitting him around the head with a kettle taught him that you weren't to be messed with!"

I was bordering on hysterical by now.

"Calm down now love, you know Mr T wanted to kill the Judge…" said Nelly, her voice calm.

"That was different. The Judge and the Beadle deserved it after what they'd done. But Pirelli…or Connor or…whatever his name was hadn't done enough to deserve what happened!"

"We all deserve to die Miss Perkins, don't forget that," muttered Mr Todd, walking towards me. "Now shut your mouth, stop crying and grow up! You work for me, so pull yourself together and stop shouting."

I was appalled. I had never been spoken too so rudely. I pouted for a moment, before deciding to follow his advice. You could only be cross with those eyes for so long, especially when they were glaring daggers at you.

"Now, what shall we do about the boy?" asked Nelly.

"Send him up," he murmured, staring at the freshly polished murder weapon in his hand.

"Now Mr T, surely one's enough for today. And anyway, you don't have to worry about him, he's a simple thing."

"Send him up!" he snapped.

I had to say something.

"I know you want me to shut my mouth Mr Todd but…" I began calmly. "Do you have any idea what you're saying? You want to kill an innocent boy?" I practically screamed at him.

He began to move towards me, but Nelly stepped in, trying a different approach.

"Mr T, you know I was thinking of hiring a lad to help me around the shop, since you've got Sarah and all. Me poor knees aren't what they used to be you know."

"Alright," he grunted.

The pressure of two women, one bordering on hysterical for the second time in a few minutes, seemed to convince him to let Toby live.

"Of course we'll have to stock up on the gin," Said Nelly, almost to herself. I moved towards the small window. "Boy drinks like a sailor."

Suddenly my eyes opened wide when I saw who was coming towards the shop.

"The Judge!" I gasped.

Mr Todd looked out to see for himself.

He smiled, then realised we were both still standing there.

"Get out!" he hissed to us.

We both stood there, gaping.

"Get out!" he yelled.

We both made for the door.

"Not you Sarah," he said.

I stopped.

"Mr Todd, I don't want to watch-"

Another one of his glares cut me off. Then I realised what could become a very large flaw in his plan.

"There's blood on your sleeve."

He looked at himself in the mirror, and sure enough, on the white sleeve of his shirt was a large blood stain. He hurriedly pulled on his grey jacket which was lying next to the dresser. Just in time too, as the Judge walked in.

"Mr Todd?" his voice was icy cold.

He was an older man, in his late fifties or early sixties, well dressed yet unshaven.

"At your service," he smiled, bowing.

"Who are you?" he asked, looking at me.

"She's my assistant, Miss Perkins."

I curtsied as he introduced me, and then stepped out of the way.

"An honour to receive your patronage, sir."

"You know me?" asked the Judge curiously.

"Who in this wide world does not know the great Judge Turpin?" I had to admit, Mr Todd was doing a good job of acting, but I could feel the hatred dripping off his tongue.

The Judge smiled. He was great and he knew it.

"The Beadle tells me that you are the most accomplished barber in London, yet these premises are hardly…" he struggled to find words.

"That his gracious of him sir," muttered Sweeney as he took Turpin's coat. His dark eyes were nearly burning holes in the Judge's back.

"You girl, how long have you been working here?"

"Not long, about a week," I sort-of lied.

Sweeney nodded to me, as if saying thank you. After all, I couldn't sound like a random girl he found at the market, which I wasn't anyway.

"What may I do for you today sir?"

"You see a man in front of you who is deeply in love. So first sir, I think a shave, to smarten up my appearance."

"Of course sir. Miss Perkins, please fetch me my things," asked Sweeney, politely for once.

I picked up a bowl of shaving cream and a brush while he sharpened his razor. He nodded his thanks to me.

He brushed the cream on, while listening to the big-headed Judge talk about how love could brighten up your life, Sweeney grunting in response, as expected. Butterflies were fluttering madly in my stomach. I wasn't sure how I'd react to another graphic death today. Slowly Sweeney was sharpening his 'friend', when the Judge interrupted both of our thoughts.

"Make haste barber, for if we wed you shall be commended."

"Yes, my Lord. And who is your intended sir?"

"My ward, pretty as a rosebud."

"Pretty as her mother?" I tried to give him a warning look but he himself realised what he had said.

"What was that?"

"Nothing sir, nothing. May we proceed?"

To my great surprise Mr Todd began to shave the man, not slit his throat.

They began talking about women, yet I could see loathing in every action Sweeney performed as he talked.

I braced myself, closing my eyes as Sweeney wrapped his arm around the Judge's neck…

Only to be interrupted by the bell over the shop door ringing. All three of us looked up in surprise, for there stood the last person Sweeney wanted to see.

"Mr Todd, I just saw Johanna and she said she'd run away with me toni-"

Anthony stopped when he realised who was in the chair.

Turpin stood up furiously, wiping the remaining shaving cream off with the sheet.

"Johanna, run away with you? I shall see to it that no man will ever lay eyes on her again! And as for you barber, it is all to clear what company you seek. Service them well and hold their customs, for you shall have none of mine!"

With those words the seething man strode out the door, only stopping to pick up his coat.

"Mr Todd, you have to help me."

"Anthony, I think you should leave," I warned him, seeing the look on Mr Todd's face.

"Mr Todd please-"

"Out."

"Mr Todd!"

"OUT!" he yelled.

Anthony looked at us desperately before running out of the door. Sweeney looked devastated. He'd lost his chance.

Mrs Lovett walked in.

"All this shouting and running about, what's happened?"

"I had him," was his simple response.

"The sailor busted in I know, then I saw them both running down the stairs."

"I had him!" he shouted.

He showed even more anger than when he was hitting Pirelli.

"There, there dear, calm down," soothed Mrs Lovett nervously.

"No! I had him! His throat was right there!"

"Mr Todd, remember what I told you," I attempted.

"What? You told me to wait, and now he'll never come again!" He turned on me now,

"What's the rush?" I asked, terrified.

He turned towards the skylight and began to pace up and down.

"We all deserve to die," he whispered. "All of us. Everyone…"

Then it began - Mr Todd's brief slip into madness. He paced up and down shouting wildly about how everyone deserved to die. Even me, even Nelly, even him. Then he said that he would get the Judge, and he would practice on everyone else while he waited. Then it was how he'd never see Johanna and that Lucy lay in ashes, but the work was waiting and he was full of joy. Obviously.

He acted as though Nelly and I weren't there, ending on his knees, razor in hand.

"That's all very well," said Mrs Lovett, looking towards the trunk that still contained a body. "But what are we going to do about him?"

Author's notes: I hope you enjoyed it, please review and tell me what you think - also, was the Epiphany bit alright? I didn't quite know how to write it x