The pair gasped as Kagome threw the door open. She stared at the pair a moment, her eyes wide with curiosity. Sweeney and Nellie stared back in surprise, eyes wide and breathing slightly heavy. There was a pause in which the atmosphere in the room staled into awkwardness, neither people knowing what to say. Kagome swallowed and dropped her gaze to the floor, wrapping a loose strand of raven hair around her small finger.

"Um...s-sorry to interrupt," she said shyly, eyes still trained on the drying wood. "B-but there's a boy downstairs for you, Mr. Todd, sir," Sweeney sent the girl a quick glare and stared into Nellie's eyes almost apologetically and strode out the door.

Nellie could do little but stand there breathless, staring into the space where the barber's eyes had pierced her heart, said organ racing wildly.

That...really just happened...

Yes, you nearly betrayed the man that gave you his heart. CONGRATULATIONS, LOVE!

Oh, hush! T'weren't like we were-

Oh, but you were the one to bring it on, and that's what matters.

Will you just shut up! The point is nothin' did happen.

You're too far in this twisted game for close calls, Stewart.

She shook the voice from her mind and hurried past Kagome down the stairs, leaving the girl to stare confusedly as she trailed behind her.

Her hand gripping the banister tightly as her legs seemed to be made of gelatin, Nellie reached the bottom of the stair case to see Sweeney nodding as Anthony sputtered fearfully. When his eyes met the baker's she shot him a nasty look. His brow furrowed and watched her curiously as she slipped into the pie shop, the girl quickly shooting him an apologetic look and followed. Sweeney didn't turn to watch them.

James' head shot up when his wife swiftly entered the room. He had been doing some book keeping for his drugstore around the corner and was rather stumped; his wife had always been the better out of the two of them when it came to such business matters, a truth that hurt the apothecary's more than he'd care to admit and one which he vowed to keep from the dark man that lived above them.

"Love," he asked sheepishly as he started to raise from the booth he sat at. The irritated frown and crease of her brow made him stop. "Wot is it?" Nellie growled as stepped behind the counter and began making fresh dough.

James swallowed and stuttered shakily, "N-Nothing, love, j-just wondered w-where ya went this m-mornin'."

"Would ya jus' spit i' out!" the baker barked angrily as she grabbed the nearest rolling pin and started abusing the dough. He looked to Kagome for any help, but the girl just stood there frowning and shrugged.

"Well, I was hopin' you migh' help me with the book keepin'-", "Urgh, that tiresome work!" she sighed loudly. James raised his hands defensively, very aware of her tantrums she is capable of, and slowly went to sit back down. "No, really it's fine, I'll just-", "No no, we both know 'ow utterly helpless you are when it comes to such simple tasks!"

He stared at her, his face falling with the weight and hurt of her words. Kagome stood still at the door, eyes wide and nervous as she watched him swallow hard and drop his pained gaze to the floor.

"I...I'm so sorry tha'...I've u-upset you," James muttered and strode out of the room. Nellie watched in faint surprise before looking regretful and, cursing under her breath, hurried after him.

Kagome watched her go. She meant to finish the dough the baker had begun but heard Mr. Todd yell for her. Glancing worriedly down the hallway the pair had left, she hurried out and up the stair case.

"James, wait," she called as she followed him down the narrow hallway. He didn't stop, his boots sounding lightly on the wood as he trudged onward toward the bakehouse. Nellie grabbed his shoulder from behind and twirled him around to face her. he instantly dropped his eyes to the ground, his face hard as stone.

She sight, "James, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-," he raised a hand to silence her and made to turn around but she threw herself at him, her thin yet strong arms wrapping around his waist tightly. "I love you." Nellie whispered softly as she nuzzled her pale face into his cream shirt.

"Do you?"

She stiffened and held him tighter. "Of course I do," she reassured breathlessly and smiled a warm smile that didn't fully reach her eyes. "You know I do, James..." James gently took her by the shoulders and slowly pulled her away from him. He refused to look in her eyes.

"I'm not too sure if I know anything anymore." he sighed. "Nellie, I... I don't think I can do this anymore..." She gaped at him and made to say something, but he turned away. Slowly and gently, he shut the door to the bakehouse.

She stood there for what felt like years. It was only seconds before she could hear his shaky sobs through the wood and metal door.

Sighing heavily, Nellie blinked away the tears that tugged at the corners of her eyes and stiffly trudged to the parlor, hoping to lose her mind in a good book and to be whisked away to a life easier than this.

Hours later, she roused from her place on the settee and rubbed her tired eyes; she hadn't known she had fallen asleep. Groaning, Nellie pulled herself up and lazily trudged to the shop.

She couldn't help but stop in the doorway and watch, completely dumbfounded, at Kagome, who was checking the various crinkled papers laid out before her and muttering under her breath. The girl was so concentrated on her work she didn't fully notice the baker's presence until the heat of her wide eyes on her finally caught her attention.

"Oh, Mrs. Stewart!" she chirped cheerfully. She grabbed a random paper- the water bill- and waved it frantically and grinning madly. "Look, Mum, I've done the book keeping!"

Nellie could only nod and stare wide eyed at her. She slowly took a seat beside the girl, the piles of bills and papers made her eyes whirl in their sockets. "'Ow are ya able to do all this?" she asked, still somewhat shocked.

"Oh, its nothing, really; Pirelli made me do this kind of thing all the time when he made business." she checked off some papers and went on to the others. "And it doesn't really bother me to do them," she said warily. "I mean, at least now you and Mr. Stewart don't have to fight over who's to do them..."

Nellie's face softened and she wrapped an arm around the girl. "Oh, love that weren't nothin', I was jus'...upset."

Kagome glanced up at her. "Because I barged in on you when Mr. Todd was gonna kiss you?" she asked innocently. The baker went bright red in the face. "W-Wot are ya-, ", "I know ya fancy him, Mum," she said gravely, her face blank. "And so does your husband. I know it's not any of my business, but he really loves you." Kagome slowly put down her quill and stared up at Nellie, her eyes far beyond her years.

"And though I won't say a word of anything you and Mr. Todd might get up to to him, I really don't think you should be fooling with his heart."

Nellie was at a complete loss for a words; part of her wanted to be angry with her for judging her and her love for the barber. Anther part wanted to cry because of the fact that even a child could see right through her to her sick heart.

They stared down at each for several moments before there was a loud knock on the door.

A/N; We're almost done! one more chapter should cover it! Hurry and send in your shipping pairs now or forever hold your peace! Jamett or Sweenett!