Sweeney Todd watched the incident from his perch on the balcony outside his shop. He watched the crowd of customers grow more rowdy and impatient. When Kagome tripped and spilled the ale over the Scotsmen Sweeney mentally warned the girl to run. He had met plenty of Scots in his time in prison and had learned fast that not too many of them knew how to keep their tempers.
He took a brazen step forward when the man grabbed her, his hand shooting to the razor he kept at his side at all times. Taking two steps at a time , he rushed down the stairs. Sweeney froze when he reached the bottom, however, when he caught sight of Nellie racing over to them, barely a blur of a dark dress and bright Auburn curls. He watched in awe as she bashed the bloke's head in with the metal tray she gripped tightly in her hands. The herd of people rushing to get out the door were so strong Sweeney backed quickly back up the stairs to avoid being trampled.
When the two lay in a heap on the floor, the baker sobbing into the girl's dark hair and she holding onto the woman reassuringly, he almost went down to comfort them. He knew it'd help his plans and that both women would need comforting. However the barber could not bring himself to do so.
He didn't think he was ready to act anything remotely like a friend to Nellie and he knew he wasn't anywhere near ready to be a father figure to the girl. Surely Stewart can fill that role in, Sweeney thought almost hopefully. With one last worried look at the pair, he silently climbed the rest of the stairs and into his shop.
The next day, Nellie paced in the bedroom nervously, her heels clicking loudly behind her as she nibbled on her bottom lip."C'mon, Nells," she whispered feverishly as her petite finger fidgeted with her Auburn curls. "It'd do everyone good." If you get everyone to agree, a voice nagged at her.
The baker let out a sigh of frustration and smacked the wall with her forehead. James, who had been passing by, peeked into the room and slowly walked to his wife's side, careful not to raise her anger. He had known her enough years to know what she was perfectly capable of when provoked.
"Something wrong, love?" he asked tentatively as he rested his hand lightly on her shoulder. Nellie sighed again and turned to walk past him. "Just thinking of what we could all do for a vacation is all." she huffed as she fiddled with the knickknacks on her dresser. He smiled at her and shook her shoulders gently. "That's a wonderful idea, my pet!"
Nellie resisted the urge to wince; she had gotten used to only Sweeney calling her 'pet'.
"Where's Kagome?" she inquired only somewhat interested; she decided to close shop for a few days to give her and the girl a break. James had also chose to take a few days vacation to be with the girls. "Stuffing her little face with Toffees in the parlor," he replied with a light laugh. Nellie smiled and placed a soft hand on his cheek. James felt himself grin like an idiot as he leaned into her soft and loving touch. Oh, how he'd missed her touch recently.
"Where do ya think we should go for a break?" the baker asked, placing a chaste kiss on his nose. He looked at her with a smirk. "You're kiddin' right?" he chuckled. "I know you've always wanted to go to the sea, Nellie."
She shrugged. "Just cause I wanna go don't mean everyone else wants to and I won' make 'em." James clucked his tongue and wrapped an arm around her waist. "'M sure Kagome'd love the sea." he smiled reassuringly. Now it was Nellie's turn to smirk.
"An' wot abou' you? I know 'ow you feel bout them waters, James." she tutted. It was true; when he had taken her to the sea to propose he'd loathed the sea. It wasn't that he was afraid that she would drown, let e had led her to believe; he knew more than anyone she was more than capable to care of herself.
It was all the people at the sea that bothered him. Particularly the rich, strong, and admittedly attractive men that roamed that side of the seas side town.
James waved her off. "oh, don' worry bout my poor old nerves," he reassured her with a gentle smile. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled against her neck and whispered in her ear, "Nothing would make me happier than seeing you happy."
Nellie instantly felt her stomach churn and squirm, bubbling and boiling with hidden guilt: here was the perfect husband, the man she'd always imagine as her prince worried about nothing more than her own happiness and doing everything in his power to make her so. She'd noticed the extra hours he was taking at the shop. She was aware that he felt rather neglected, but she just couldn't find the time to reassure him of her love for him, what with taking care of Kagome, managing the shop, and watching over Mr. T. Well, then you should just wipe him off you're to do list and make time, the voice in her head chided her.
She gave his torso a tight squeeze and kissed his cheek, trying to quiet that voice in her head and put a lid on the bubbling guilt in her stomach. The door swung open and Kagome stood in the doorway, beaming at the pair with a huge, toothy smile, chocolate eyes sparkling.
"Are we really going to the sea?!" she shrieked happily, hands clenched into fists in front of her as she trembled with excitement. Nellie looked surprised at the girl. "Kagome! Were ya ease droppin' on us?"
The girl looked bashful, face flushing, and dropped her eyes to the floor, hands clasped behind her back and switching her weight from one foot to the other awkwardly. "W-Well, I followed James down the hall to use the loo when he popped in hear and when he shut the door I," she cleared her throat loudly. "I guess I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry." she hung her head, Black hair falling in long pig tails to frame her small face.
"Oh, it's all fine, love," Nellie said as she gestured the girl over. She rushed into the baker's arms and Nellie picked her up to hold her to her chest. "But we are going to the sea for...vacation," Kagome said hesitantly, sure that she had ruined a special surprise. "Aren't we?"
James looked thoughtful, scratching his chin. "Hmm...I don' know," he spoke as if considering the already decided notion, making his wife grin at him. "Ease droppin' ain't somethin' a lady like you is supposed to be doin'-", "Oh, hush James!" the baker scoffed and playfully punched him in the arm while still holding Kagome against her. "S'not like you're proper bloke or me a righ' classy lady!" she chided, giggling playfully.
He laughed at her happily. "O' course we're goin' to the sea." he smiled warmly as he patted the girl's back and stroked her hair. She looked to Nellie expectantly. "All of us?"
The baker knew what she was on about. "I'll ask 'im, love." she replied hesitantly as she placed her back on the floor. "But don' expect me to do any miracles." Kagome waved her off. "Of course you can get him to come! I'm sure if YOU asked him to come he'd be packing his bags in a snap!" she scoffed playfully.
Nellie felt her face heat up and redden like a ripe tomato under James' suspicious glare. "Yes, well, I'll be the one to ask him." he announced firmly. Both women looked at him warily. "James..." his wife started warningly.
He walked past her toward the door. "No, no, I shall do it while you ladies pack your bags." and before either could get another word in, he had shut the door behind him.
Sweeney was busy polishing his razors, as he had been doing all day. When Nellie had told him she would be working for a couple of days, the barber also couldn't his own shop for he knew he wouldn't be able to resist the blood lust-filled urge to slice the throats of any man who sat in his death trap. The baker must have known this change in him when he came back for she never let her husband or the girl sit in the barber's chair, not once.
So without the distraction of cold blooded murder, Sweeney was left to rot in his boredom. He dared not take a walk for fear of the memories that would come flooding back at all the places he and Lucy used to visit. This fear left him feeling like a prisoner in his own quarters.
Today was a not a day Sweeney Todd wanted to see anyone, which made the image of Stewart standing in his shop's doorway just that much more infuriating.
"what the bloody hell do you want?" he sneered at the apothecary, keeping his onyx eyes trained on the glistening razor.
James wrestled with himself internally, trying to gain his composure. He was aware of the bastard's attempts to ensnare his Nellie, he had stayed around long enough to see the act he put on everyday after he left for work. Yes, his wife's response to the demon's charms startled him greatly, but as time wore on he tried his damned hardest to convince himself that she was just being kind and polite. James would not let the notion of Nellie's fancy for Benjamin Barker seep into a fancy for this Sweeney Todd.
He sucked in a deep breath and stared past the barber's head. "Nellie and I are planning to take a small vacation away from this hell hole." he tried to keep the venom out of his voice as he steadied his breathing. He abandoned his accent for the moment, as if the barber would take him more serious this way.
Sweeney growled, disinterested. "To where, the Opium houses?" he scoffed. James closed his eyes and clenched his fists, forcing the nearly unbearable urge to lunge at the barber. He felt his blood heat up and burn like acid in his skin. "We're taking the girl to the sea side." the apothecary forced out between clenched teeth. "Of course, can't forget the urchin." was the dark man's snarling reply.
He had his hands gripped tight around the barber's throat before either of them realized that he had taken the first step. Teeth bared like an animal, James spat at him, "I am getting real fucking sick of your bullshit, Todd."
Clawing at the thin yet strong hands on his neck, Sweeney let out a loud growl and reached for the razor in his holster. His eyes widened when he realized that was the razor he was polishing and had lost his grip on it wen James quickly lunged at him.
"What are you going to do?" he growled. "In case you've forgotten, the last time you lost your precious temper Nellie had sided with me and you were sent away with your tail between your legs." Sweeney smirked as he saw James stiffen at the baker's name.
"First off," he snarled, bringing his face inches within the barber's. "You are to never speak her name in my presence. Second," his grip tightened on Sweeney's throat. "I only came up here to try to drag your lazy ass with us!" Sweeney grinned wickedly at the apothecary. "And why would you, if you loathe me so much?" he asked in mock curiosity.
James closed his eyes and let out a sigh of frustration and replied, "You know why, you conniving bastard." to which the barber chuckled darkly. He threw the man off him and towered over him. James looked into his lead eyes defiantly; he wasn't about to show the slightest hint of weakness in front of this hard ass, even if he was a cold blooded murder.
Sweeney strode over to the fallen razor and picked it up, ever breaking eye contact. The two were locked in a heated staring contest a few more moments before the barber bent over to grab the rag he'd been using and continued to polish the silver as if nothing had happened.
"Tell the woman I'll come." he spoke in a calm voice, free of any animosity the apothecary had been expecting. He lay on his back and stared at the barber, dumbfounded.
Feeling the man's Emerald eyes burning holes in him, Sweeney glared at the man on the floor and spat at him viciously, "Well? GET YOUR SCRAWNY ASS OUT OF HERE!" still shocked at his acceptance to come, James scrambled to his feet and few out the door.
A/N: I'M BACK! Sorry for that terribly long hiatus break! I had such a hard time of writer's block I just stopped thinking I could writer altogether! But I went back to reread this story and saw all your lovely reviews so it thanks to all of you who reviewed that I'm back in the game!