A/N Two weeks later and I finally update.. I am such a lazy bum. Feel free to poke me with sharp sticks and words in your review... though seeing as I'm going away for a week I might not be able to read them. Well, everyone needs something to look forward too. 'Fraid this is another one of this filler-type chapters... though hopefully it leaves you wondering.
39
Feeling desperate to distract herself from the gloomy atmosphere in the parlor, Johanna was almost thrilled when she caught sight of something silver on the floor. Toby didn't even notice when she stood to fetch it. His eyes remained fixed on the judge and the beadle, as if glaring at them would make Mrs. Lovett come back. The two men had been tied up with only a slight groan on their part, and the boy had become a sentinel just a moment after securing the last knot.
Johanna twirled the silver in her hands, for a moment forgetting the glum child. It was a razor, beautiful crafted and as the shine and color told her, silver.
It was that barber's… her father's.
She didn't recall him dropping it, but she didn't really remember him having it in the first place. Biting her lip, she decided it was time to face the music. After all, talking with her long-lost father, who appeared to be dead and reborn as someone else, was probably better than struggling through another conversation with Toby.
"I'm… going to see how they're doing."
He nodded his head slightly as she slipped out of the room, not even registering her words.
Despite his limited acquaintance with the man, James had high doubts he cried regularly. In fact, there was something slightly unnatural about seeing tears streaking down his cheeks. Though that may have been because of the snarl on his face. The apothecary found he could only stare. Had he done this? Had he made the man cry? At the very least what he said had to have been the cause.
"You had no idea, did you?" The words were out of James's mouth before he registered that he was the one speaking.
Sweeney didn't reply, and more tears pooled in his eyes.
Starting to feel a little unnerved James was glad of the sudden knock on his door. Not caring to think on who would even bother with knocking, he practically ran towards it in his haste to get the crying barber out of his line of sight.
"Johanna?" He gawped, she looked back at him with a great deal less surprise on her face.
"Yes sir." She muttered.
They stared at each other a moment longer before James realized he was blocking the door and stepped aside. After doing so he came to the conclusion it was in fact a very stupid idea to let her in the room, Sweeney would most definitely be difficult to handle if he saw her.
"Johanna, could you-"
But it was too late, she was already next to the table and staring down at the barber. James froze, waiting for some type of explosion on the man's part. Instead, silence filled the room, fueling the apothecary's uneasy mood.
Johanna had something clutched in her hand, and as she began to raise it up, James noticed it was a razor. For some unexplainable reason he thought Johanna was about to kill her father, but instead she laid it next to his head.
"You dropped this." Her voice was soft, but the silence in the room made stand out.
"Yes," Sweeney answered, voice sounding hoarse. "I see I did."
The girl shifted uncomfortably for a moment before continuing. "Mrs. Lovett is doing quite the brave thing."
James tried to keep his jaw from falling open. Small talk. She was trying small talk with the barber. He gave a mental snort, wondering how she would actually get out of him. The fact he had replied to calmly in the first place had been a bit of surprise.
"I suppose it is." His voice was about as soft spoken as his daughter's.
"Are you worried?" Johanna queried, addressing the remnants of tears she saw. "Toby is too. He tired to make her stay."
"Sounds like something the boy would do."
She bit her lip, pausing briefly. "I don't think he likes you."
Another silence filled the room, the type which should have been filled with a laugh or a contemptible snort.
"He only puts up with me because of Mrs. Lovett." Sweeney answered curtly.
Johanna decided their was humor in the situation anyway, and a tiny smile appeared on her face. "And I suppose the same goes for you?"
The barber pulled a face, and didn't reply.
Deciding the man wasn't half bad when he wasn't trying to kill people, she continued talking. "I don't really know why Toby dislikes you so much… well, he told me why and I suppose I understand… Maybe it's just because I haven't known you that long?" Johanna looked down at her hands, no longer wanting to see his expression as she spoke. "She told me about you… Mrs. Lovett. That-"
"And?" Sweeney cut her off, voice going sharp.
The girl jumped slightly at the harsher tone in his voice. "And?" She mumbled.
"What do you make of it?" His tone held a twinge of contempt. "Are you sick to know the truth?"
Johanna frowned at the question. "You're rather harsh, aren't you?"
Well, past formalities, the child was rather blunt. But most children are in any situation. Once their conversation had picked up James had rested his back against the door and watched. He confessed to himself it was rather entertaining, though in a very cheap way,
"I guess I am." The man snapped.
"You were fine a moment ago." The child muttered. "Or is that you hate yourself so much that you want me to as well?"
The sun had fallen away and left the sky to darkness, but Eleanor was still seeing the world with the dieing light. The smoke from the fire, or fires, as it had spread, had turned everything red; making the world appear to be swathed in blood. She had found the sight unnerving, but was forced to push the feeling to the back of her mind. What she was doing required her full focus. Her shaky hands wiped soot and sweat onto her skirts before they dove back into the rumble.
A groan from the burnt wood caused a spasm in her already fluttering heart. She had to work faster.
