28
Wherever he was, he wasn't where he last remembered. Though all he recounted was strangling the life out of Toby. How many time had he done that today? He pushed the amusing thought away, trying to recall where he was. Sweeney then remembered a great deal of pain, which was an annoying trend that day. Toby had also been the cause of his last blackout. He didn't feel like moving, and after everything that had happened he began to doubt he could if he wanted to.
After everything he went through a part of him told him to stop, and accept his injuries. That, or he was dead.
Actually, he couldn't be dead, he was moving.
Why was he moving?
Sweeney then became aware of two pairs of hands holding onto him. They were moving him. Where to and why? He could have remained on the floor until he got better. Well, as better as someone with severe injuries could on their own.
Conversation finally reached his groggy brain, and the barber decided to keep feigning unconsciousness and listen.
"I can't believe you did that James!"
"He was trying to kill that boy!"
"Ya didn' 'ave ta punch 'im." Mrs. Lovett grumbled.
"I don't think calmly telling him to stop would work, Eleanor."
Why did he do that? Sweeney wondered. Hearing Mrs. Lovett's first name was strange enough, but to hear it come from the man's mouth in such a familiar way… He couldn't quite place his feelings on the matter.
The baker sighed. "'Ow much farther to your bloody lab?"
"He is remarkably heavy for someone so thin."
"I didn' mean it like tha'!" She snapped.
"Why are you so mad at me? I have more of a right to be angry than you."
"'Ow dare ya bring that into this."
Sweeney was intrigued now.
"How dare I?" James ground out. "You, who seems so content to be a murderer's assistant!"
"Oh, I know that isn't wot's botherin' ya." A very nasty quality had entered Mrs. Lovett's voice.
"Do tell me what is." He replied, sarcasm oozing from his words.
The group stopped suddenly and Sweeney uneasily felt himself tilt towards the ground at the sound of a door opening. He was quickly pulled back up and he had to hold back a relieved breath.
"Your mad tha' wot you did disgusted me, but wot 'e does isn'." Apparently carrying the barber was taking its toll, and her breath started to come out in puffs.
"What I did wasn't sick! What you do is!"
"Your acts were far from perfect! And 'ow is creating a man eating plague not sick?"
"They weren't supposed to eat people!"
Sweeney felt himself being very unceremoniously put upon a cold wooden table.
James continued his annoyed rant. "I am putting it up to what you did with those men's bodies and them being consumed by other people down to that!"
"Why the bloody hell would tha' make 'em eat each other?"
"My guess would be an obedience drug and eating human flesh simply don't mix!"
"Well, whose fault is that?"
"You can't blame me for everything Eleanor!"
"I'm not putting everything on your shoulders, jus' wot belongs there James! Tha' includes both of their poisonings and this mess!"
Who? Sweeney resisted the urge to crack open one of his eyes. The conversation was far too interesting to risk them stopping and noticing him being awake.
"I accepted Albert's murder, you know I do. In fact, I recall you not particularly caring on the matter."
"You can't possibly-"
"I can! Part of Lucy's insanity is your fault! And you know what? I can blame this plague on you too! If you hadn't been so scared you would have married me and none of this would have ever happened!"
"Are you.. alright?" Johanna asked softly.
Toby continued scowling at the floor. The girl decided to let the boy brood a while longer, and turned her attention to where the beadle and judge were on the floor. They had been quickly dragged to the side of room by Mrs. Lovett who had plastered a smile on her face and told Johanna and Toby to keep an eye on the men. She had been completely unsure of how to react around Mrs. Lovett since the barber's sudden appearance, and the revelation of her sick secrets; Toby seemed to be having a difficult time too.
"Did he…deserve it?"
Johanna looked over at Toby quickly. "Who?"
Toby pointed at the judge.
"Yes." She said quickly.
"Wot did 'e do?" The boy asked flatly.
"He's very cruel-"
"No. To Mr. Todd."
"Oh. I have no idea."
"'E hates 'im."
Johanna stared at the judge for a moment longer before deciding she didn't hate him. She certainly didn't like him, but did that constitute hate? The man would haunt her life forever, but she couldn't bring herself to hate him.
"Maybe he sentenced someone from his family to hang." The girl offered, a little wary of discussing the topic with such a young boy.
"I never thought about Mr. Todd having a family before."
"Everyone has a family."
"No. I don't."
"What do you mean? Aren't Mrs. Lovett and Mr. Todd-"
"They took care of me, but they aren't my family. I don't have one." He said firmly.
"I was taken away from my family when I was very little; by the judge." She stared down into her lap, where her hands were folded. "I always dreamed of escaping here and finding my own family. When I got Mrs. Lovett.. It really seemed like a blessing. It was a bit of an accident too."
"An accident?"
"I asked for.. something and got her."
Toby frowned at her, not completely understanding. "Me old master jus' left me at 'er shop. She took me in."
"So then why isn't she your mother?"
"She bakes people into pies!"
"Yes…that is a bit strange."
"A bit!? It's crazy! Ya know, I used to worry abou' 'er. Y'see.." a very bitter tone entered the boy's voice. "She's in love with Mr. Todd, an' 'e jus' used her. I thought 'e was jus' taking advantage of her, making her do it. But now…"
"She must just love him a lot. Love can be.. very crazy." She smiled softly at the thought of Anthony.
Toby shook his head, returning his gaze to the floor. "Their love ain't crazy. It's sick."
A/N I didn't mean for James to be such a prat, honest. I love him anyway though.. Also, the reason Toby asks Johanna about what the judge did to Sweeney is because he thinks she knows more about him. The whole 'Anthony connection' and all. Hope this chapter was fun :)
