Author's Note: Hey! How are things? Well, I hope things are going well for everyone. If not, maybe this chapter will help. I can't tell you how happy I was seeing all those reviews in my inbox. I'm glad I've gotten people interested :)

Thanks to those of you who read it and added it to your favorites. A huge thank you to my reviewers: linalove, thelovelyflorencelovett, Katurz, ElleWillBite, Sweeeeny, Malfoygirl18, and music is life 99 xxx. You are awesome! I honestly have my plot bunny, Charlie Plotterby to thank for this story. His soft, warm, and furry cuteness helped produce this! :3

Ahem...uh...shall we get on with the story? Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd, the movie or the character. They belong to the collective genius of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, and Stephen Sondheim. I only own my DVD copy and the soundtrack (which I am listening to at this moment XD). So, I bow to skills far greater than my own.

Chapter Two

For the next two days, Madeline got settled in. She helped Mrs. Lovett in the shop by cleaning and making pies that no one would eat. She went to the market with her to buy what vegetables they could afford to put in the pies. Whenever she was done with the chores for the day, she headed for her room and laid on her bed, strumming on her guitar. The one person she didn't encounter in the past two days was Sweeney Todd.

As Madeline sat strumming her guitar, she couldn't help but think about the barber. Something was definitely off about him. He had a cold demeanor and he never left his flat. In a way, she was glad. But there was something about him that was...familiar. She couldn't put her finger on it where she had seen him before.

What could it be? she wondered. What is it about him that's so familiar?

Madeline continued to strum, a soft melody emanating from the instrument. It was usually at this time of the day that she would play and think back on her life, on all the things she had to be thankful for. She could say she was thankful for her family for giving her everything she needed before they died, for the gypsies who had taken her in as their own. She could now say that she was thankful to Mrs. Lovett for allowing her to stay. But the one person she was really be thankful for was her one friend, the one person she could count on. Her friend that she left behind when she left London in the first place.

Benjamin Barker.

To say that Madeline felt bad was an understatement. She felt absolutely horrible for not at least saying goodbye to him before she left. But she knew she couldn't, not if she had wanted to live.

She at least owed it to Benjamin to find him and explain to him why she left all of a sudden. Hopefully, he would understand and would forgive her. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't.

But is he's even still around? she wondered. Would he even want to see me if I did find him?

The guilt was eating at her, to say the least, and so was her curiosity. So she did what she had to do. Madeline set down her guitar and grabbed her coat and hat. She was about to leave, but remembered how dangerous London could be at night, so she walked over to her nightstand and opened the top drawer where she kept the knife Leo had given her when she was younger. She sheathed it in the belt she always wore and then kept the coat over it to hide it. When she was ready, she opened the door and headed downstairs.

Before she headed down Fleet Street, she went into the pie shop.

"Oh, Maddy, dear," Mrs. Lovett said with her hand on her chest. "Ya gave me a bit of a fright."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lovett," the young woman said. "I'm heading out and was wondering if you needed anything."

"Nah, love, I'm fine." Looking outside, she added, "Are ya sure ya want to go wonderin' around London at this time o' night?"

"I'm sure. I'm just going out for a small walk, and then I'll be back."

"Alright, but hurry back. An' be careful."

Madeline smiled at the baker. "I will." And with that, she headed out onto the near deserted streets of London.

She headed down the south side of the street with quick, fluid movements. She had learned to become quite stealthy in her years with the caravan, and it helped to get her out of many a situation. She just wished she had that stealth when she was thirteen.

Madeline was true to her word when she told Mrs. Lovett that it would be a small walk. Well, for her now anyway. It wasn't long before she was standing in front of a small, grey brick building. What hope she had that the inhabitants were still around dwindled quickly. The windows were boarded up, and there was a bolt on the door.

"No," she whispered.

Madeline walked up the steps and to the door. She couldn't believe it. The one person she trusted with her most precious secrets was gone, as well as his family. This was the house that she was raised in as much as she was raised in her own. The once illuminated windows only further brought on the cold feeling she had. All of a sudden, she felt alone again. Benjamin, her best and only friend, wasn't here.

She put her hand on the faded green door, and looked the building up and down. She had so many memories here. Madeline felt her cheeks suddenly become cold, and realized that it was due to the tears she had been holding back.

"Ben," she whispered. "Where are you? I want to find you. I want to tell you how sorry I am."

Little did she know, that he heard her whispered apology, in the form of another who had followed her. The same man who followed the young woman back to the shop, both of them with heavy hearts.

xxx

Madeline practically ran down the stairs the next morning. She had woken up late, and was cursing herself for it. She frantically opened the door to the pie shop and grabbed an apron right away. She was greeted by one of Mrs. Lovett's famously contagious smiles.

"Mornin' dearie," she said.

"Good morning," Madeline said, smiling back. "I'm so sorry I'm late getting down here. I slept in."

"Ah, don't worry 'bout it, love," the baker said, waving it off. "Could ya do me a favor and take this up to Mr. T? He 'asn't eaten much in the past few days, so he's prob'ly hungry."

Madeline gave the baker a small nod. "Of course." She took the tray from the woman and slowly made her way upstairs.

When she arrived at the barbershop door, she knocked on it timidly, awaiting to be allowed entrance. Then she heard it.

"Come in," a gruff voice said.

Madeline opened the door while managing to balance the tray while she closed the door as well. When she turned back around, she noticed that the barber was standing in front of a large window with his back to her.

"I brought you some breakfast, Mr. Todd," she said.

Since he was turned away from her, Madeline never got to see his eyes widen at the sound of her voice. But she did notice his shoulders tense. "Put it on the table," he said in a low voice.

She did as she was told and put the tray on the table where he kept his barber supplies. She then turned around and got a good look at the room. It was bare, with the exception of the table, a bed, a broken mirror, a chest next to the door, and the stove. Other than that, the room was as cold as its occupant.

She sighed when the barber didn't say anything else. No thank you? she wondered.

"Will you be needing anything else, sir?" she asked.

The barber merely shook his head. "No."

Madeline nodded. "Well, if there's nothing else, then I'll just—"

Sweeney looked at the young woman. "Stay."

"Beg pardon?"

"I said I want you to stay."

Madeline was shocked to say the least. "O-okay."

Sweeney Todd turned around to fully face her and slowly walked up to her. He kept his dark eyes glued to her as he reached the table. He noticed how her dark raven hair contrasted with her pale skin, how her eyes resembled melted chocolate.

Just like her, he thought.

Madeline felt a shiver run down her spine. She felt as if she were being judged in every way possible by those piercing black orbs. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't look away from them. She could get herself to look away from this pale-skinned man with matching dark hair and eyes, adding in the white lock he had in his hair.

Why does he look so familiar? she wondered. It was beginning to drive her round the bend.

Sweeney was the first to look away, as he looked down to pour himself something to drink. He was also the first to speak in their moment of silence.

"So," he began. "What brings you to London, Miss Hayes?"

Madeline couldn't help but hesitate. When she didn't answer, he became impatient.

"Are you deaf?" he growled. "I know you're mute."

She couldn't help but feel her anger beginning to rise. "I was born and raised here in London, sir," she said. "I left when I was thirteen."

"Any family?"

"No," she replied sadly.

Mr. Todd quirked an eyebrow. "None at all?"

"I did at one point, but not anymore."

To say he wasn't curious would be a lie. "What happened to them?" he asked, taking a sip of gin.

Madeline looked up at the barber and then to the floor. She was beyond herself at his sudden curiosity about her life. "They were murdered."

Sweeney stopped mid-sip. "How?"

"Poisoned," she said, her voice beginning to crack. "Arsenic. Someone had slipped it into their evening meal." She huffed. "Thankfully, I was with a friend when it happened or they would have pinned it on me."

Sweeney couldn't help but scoff at the idea of the law pinning a murder on her. He knew very well that it wasn't beyond them to do that.

"Did they find out who did it?"

Madeline felt her anger rise. "No, but I do," she said, clenching her fists at the memory.

This did not go unnoticed by the barber. "Who?"

"Him," she whispered. Looking up at Sweeney, she clarified. "Judge Turpin."

Sweeney nearly dropped his glass. "He did it?"

Madeline nodded, fighting back the hot tears that were threatening to escape.

Sweeney stared at her for a moment. Here was someone who understood what he was going through. Someone who knew what it felt like to have everything taken away from you so suddenly. There was something that was nagging him in the back of his mind. A memory from the past that made its way back to the present. One of a young boy worried over the sudden disappearance of a friend.

Not being able to stand his gaze much longer, Madeline asked the question that had been nagging her. "Why are you so interested in my life, Mr. Todd?" As far as she was concerned, he hadn't shown any interest in her since she arrived.

"The more important question, Miss Hayes," Sweeney said. "Is why were you there last night?"

"I'm sorry?" Madeline asked, confused by his question.

"Why were you at my house last night?" he growled.

At that question, her anger rose. "You followed me?" she asked incredulously.

"Answer the question, Madeline."

"I didn't go to your house," she said. "I went to my friend's old house."

"And your friend's name?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"It matters plenty," he said, his voice rising in volume. "Answer me."

"Fine!" she exclaimed. "His name is Benjamin. Benjamin Barker."

All of a sudden, Sweeney forgot his anger. Forgot all of his anger towards the young woman who went walking around his former property. A house condemned after his parents' deaths. "Maddy?" he asked, not believing it was actually his long lost friend.

Madeline looked at him, quite confused. She stared at him, his brow knotted with worry and disbelief. But the more she stared at him, the more she came to realize just who this mysterious man was, why he seemed so familiar to her. "Ben?"

Sweeney barely nodded.

That's when Madeline released her tears. She walked up to him and put her arms around him. "Oh my God, Ben," she managed to say through her sobs. "I can't believe that it's you."

Sweeney debated whether or not to reciprocate the hug. He wanted to, but couldn't really bring himself to do it. Not when he wasn't Benjamin Barker anymore.

He shook his head. "Not Benjamin, Maddy," he said. "It's Sweeney Todd now."

Madeline looked up at him with a tear streaked face. "What? What do you mean? I don't understand."

Sweeney scoffed. "No, you wouldn't, would you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, withdrawing from him.

"You left, Madeline. You wouldn't understand because you weren't here."

She shook her head. "I left for a reason."

"And what reason is that? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw you out right now?"

"Because Turpin would have gotten me if I hadn't left!" she shouted.

Sweeney's dark eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"One of the gypsies who took me in overheard Turpin and the Beadle talking about how since my parents were gone now, that they would have no problem getting me for themselves. He found me and told me that it was the Judge who had killed my parents, and that I had to go with their caravan before he could get a hold of me."

If there was any way his hatred towards the man…no…towards the monster could burn anymore, Sweeney would have surely burst into flames. "He wanted…to…" he growled.

"Yes. I wanted to go say goodbye to you, but Leo insisted that we leave then."

The barber's anger towards his friend subsided. "You did?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes," Madeline said, more tears streaming down her face. "I wanted to so badly, so that you wouldn't be worried about me. So you wouldn't think that I was just leaving you like that. And I know I did, and…and I'm sorry. I really am, Mr. Todd."

Sweeney's gaze softened at her apology, at the tears she shed for not only for her family, as he knew, but for him as well. He walked closer to her and slowly, but surely, he pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on her head. He heard her crying, felt her body shake with each sob. Sweeney looked down at her, and then whispered in her ear a subtle "I forgive you, Maddy."

Madeline let out another sob. She never thought she would hear those words. She took deep breaths, allowing herself to calm down so that she could actually talk with her friend. She pulled herself out of the embrace and dried her eyes.

"Wh-what made you change your name?" she asked. "Why hide who you really are?"

"For the same reason you ran away. The same reason your parents died."

"The Judge?" she asked. "He wanted…"

"My wife."

"Your wife? You're married?"

That's when he told her about life after she left. He told her about his marriage to Lucy, the birth of their daughter, and his incarceration. Transported for life without hope of seeing his family. He told her of his escape from Botany Bay and how he found out from Mrs. Lovett that the Judge had raped his wife, leading her to commit suicide by poisoning herself with arsenic, and took his child. At this knowledge, Madeline curled her fists, her chocolate brown eyes burning with a fierce hatred toward the man that had ruined both their families, both of their lives. She knew hers turned out better than his did, but she couldn't help but feel that had she stayed behind, she'd be more broken then than she was now.

"He needs to pay for what he has done," she said through gritted teeth. "How could he get away Scott-free?"

"That's the way of the world, pet," he said in a low voice. He put a hand on her shoulder, hoping that would calm her down a bit. "Don't fret. We will have our revenge."

Madeline looked at him, a smirk playing at her lips. "And I want to be there when it happens."

Sweeney smirked back at her, and nodded. "Indeed, you shall."

A/N: Well, there you go. The end of chapter two. So, I'm apologizing right now if Sweeney seems a bit OOC. I really was trying, I swear. But honestly, if you were Sweeney, wouldn't you soften up your cold demeanor if you found out that not only is your best friend alive and well, but that the possibility of Turpin doing horrible things to her was what caused her to leave in the first place? I know I would, but that's just me.

Anywho...I would definitely love some feedback on this. I wish to know your thoughts. I really do. They make me a happy writer, and they make me write even more. ^-^

Those of you who don't know already, I have a Facebook set up so you can easily get updates, see some pictures that either I create or the awesomely amazing linlove create, or just random things. I even have a picture of Charlie Plotterby the Plot Bunny on there, too. The link to the FB page is on my profile, so come and join the madness...uh...I mean the fun. Come and join the fun XD

~Xanthe :3