I do not own Sweeney Todd. PS the version of Little Priest in this chapter is the one from the Stage Musical instead of the movie as I am using the Musical script.

"Mr. Todd?" The judge asked, gazing at the man who walked into the shop with a cheery air, "At your service. An honor to receive your patronage m'lord."

"You know me sir?" The judge inquired as both father and daughter gave him a kind, yet predatory in the right light, smile. "Who in this whole wide world, does not know the great Judge Turpin?" Sweeney bowed politely.

Sweeney glanced at Ellie who seemed in a daze, "Well don't just stand there waiting for the dust to carpet the floor girl." This snapped Ellie out of her reverie, "Back to work with you." The woman nodded and resumed her sweeping.

"A firm yet gentle hand." The judge noted with approval, he looked around the shabby shop with slight skepticism, "These premises are hardly prepossessing yet the Beadle, and your daughter for that matter tells me you are the most accomplished of all the barbers in the city"

"That is most gracious of him sir." Sweeney gestured to the chair in the middle of the room, "What may we do for you today sir? A stylish trimming of the hair, or a soothing skin massage. Sit sir, sit."

Ellie took the man's coat as he strode toward her father, "You see sir and man infatuated with love, Her ardent and eager slave." He sang quickly, "so fetch the pomade and pumice stone, and lend me a more seductive tone. A sprinkling perhaps of French Cologne, but first sir I think a shave."

'It'll take more than all of that to help your seductive skills you sick bastard.' Ellie thought harshly as Sweeney replied, "The closest I ever gave."

Sweeney whistled gaily as Ellie seemed to sweep in tune with them. "You're in a merry mood today, Mr. Todd." The judge commented.

"Tis your delight sir catching fire from one man to the next." Sweeney wrapped the white sheet around him with a flourish and Ellie grinned smally, a sign taken by the judge as either flirting or a good mood.

"Tis true love can still inspire the blood to pound and heart leap higher,"

"What more, what more could man require?"

"But love sir?"

"More than love sir." Sweeney disagreed, "What sir?"

"Women." Sweeney stated, grabbing a razor and beckons Ellie to sharpen it as he lathered the Judge with cream. The cold hard metal fit in her hand perfectly as she pushed and pulled the blade up and down the leather strip.

"Now then My friend" Sweeny whispered to her and the razor low enough the judge could not hear. "Now to your purpose."

"Patience," Ellie sang, running her finger down the back of the handle as of to pet the tool, "Enjoy it."

"Revenge can't be taken in haste…" they sang in harmony before being cut off by the judge, "Make haste, and you shall be commended sir…"

"My lord." Sweeney soothed him. Ellie distracted the Judge be feigning an innocent interest, "And you may I ask is your intended sir?" she sang sweetly.

"My ward." This shook both Sweeny and Ellie to their core, only Ellie did not dare show it, covering her distress with a mask of naivety. "And pretty as a rose bud."

"Pretty as her mother?" Sweeney whispered, and Ellie discretely elbowed his ribs to warn him of his mistake. "What was that?" the judge asked, mildly bewildered.

"Nothing sir." Ellie assure him, taking back up her broom and sweeping in time to their melody. She watched as Sweeney slowly reached around the judge. She braced herself for the moment of glory, the final blow, one pull of the arm and he would be gone.

Instead of ending the awful man then and there, Sweeney began to shave the judge expertly. Confusion hit Ellie until she realized her father wanted to savor the moment. "Pretty Women, Fascinating, sipping coffee, dancing."

Ellie walked around the room making herself useful as he sang, "Pretty women are a wonder, pretty women. Sitting in the window or standing on the stair. Something in them Cheers the Air. Pretty women."

"Silhouetted" The Judge joined, gazing at Ellie's back she swept around the trunk and furniture.

"Stay within you" Todd sang, "Glancing." The judge harmonized.

"Stay forever"

"Breathing lightly"

"Pretty Women."

Ellie felt increasingly uncomfortable, why didn't he just kill the bastard already?

"Pretty Women" they dueted, "Blowing out the candles or combing out their hair."

Their song grew faster and Ellie could see the time coming, the look on her father's face was a mask of insane delight and Ellie didn't trust her else not to looked exactly the same. Raising his razor in a high arc, Sweeney prepared to deal the killing blow and Ellie took in a sharp breath, breath heavy, blood pounding, and eyes wide and ready.

Before they could make a move the door flung open and Anthony rushed into the room, "Mr. Todd! I've seen Johanna! She said she'll run away with me tonight and…"

Ellie froze, breath stuck in her throat. "You!" the Judge roared and stood from the chair, "There is indeed a high power to warn me thus in time." He bellowed and Anthony stumbled back in fear, with good reason since at the moment every person in the room wanted to kill him.

"Johanna! Elope with you?! I shall lock her way where you, nor any vile creature shall lay eyes on her again!" The Irate judge wiped the remaining cream from his face and grabbed his coat in a fury, "And you, Barber!"

He turned on Sweeney with venom, "It is all too well the company you keep, serve them well and keep their customs for you shall have none of mine!"

The judge stormed out, leaving Ellie and Sweeney Mad with fury and Anthony desperate, "Mr. Todd Please you have to help me!"

"Get out." Ellie ordered in a dangerously low manner. "What?" Anthony turned to her and Ellie armed herself with the broom, brandishing the wooden handle at him like a sword, "Out! Out Damn you!" She cursed and sent him flying down the stairs like a kicked dog.

Sweeney faced the door with a blank face, his eyes awhirl with madness. Mrs. Lovett rushed up the stairs as Ellie dropped the broom which hit the ground with a thump. "All this running and shouting about! What's happened?"

"We had him" Ellie whispered hollowly. "Yes I now I saw the Sailor go up and then they both went barrelin' down the street and I said."

"I Had Him!" Sweeney roared violently, "His through was bare beneath my hand."

Nellie saw the flash of insanity in his eyes and slowed, "There there dear, calm down."

"No, We had him!" Ellie cut in, "His throat was bare, now he'll never come again!"

"Easy no, Hush loves Hush," Nellie cooed, "I keep telling you."

"When?!" Sweeney spat.

"What's your rush?" Nellie whimpered in fear,

"Why did I wait?! You told me to wait, now he'll never come again!"

Ellie stood by the large window, glaring down at the street and at the people who rushed by. "There's a whole In the world like a great black pit, and it's filled with people who are full of shit and the vermin of the world inhabit it."

"But not for long." Sweeney joined her, "They all deserve to die." His face broke out in to a mad smile, "tell you why Mrs. Lovett, Tell you why."

"Because in all of the whole human race Mrs. Lovett, there are two kinds of men and only two." Ellie stated. "There's the one staying put in his proper place,"

"And the one with his foot in the other one's face." Sweeney added, "look at me Mrs. Lovett, Look at you!"

"No we all deserve to die" Ellie sang, "Even you Mrs. Lovett, even I"

"Because the Live of the wicked should be made brief!" Ellie reasoned, "And for the rest of us death will be relief." Sweeney finished, "No we all deserve to die."

"And I'll never see Johanna." Sweeney slowed, releasing the Baker, "No I'll never hug my girl to me."

"Finished!"

Ellie ad Her father's minds snapped, hurling them into the street. "Alright! You sir!" Sweeney pointed to man who looked forward, without any knowledge they might be there. "How about a shave?"

"Come and Visit, Your goof friend Sweeney." Ellie grinned, "You, sir, too, sir, Welcome to the grave!"

"I will have vengeance! I will have Salvation!" they appeared in another street, "Who sir? You sir?! No one's in the chair come on, come on."

Sweeny stormed down the streets, Ellie no longer with him, instead she had been returned to the land of the sane by a sharp slap to the face from Nellie who shook her.

"Hey, Look at me." The baker urged her. "Can you hear me?" she asked

Ellie's brown eyes lost their milky, far off look. She nodded her head and looked around, she was still in the shop, Her father was pacing and stalking about like a mad man, then again she had been to just a moment ago.

"I thought I lost you for a second luv." Nellie sighed. "Are you alright?" Ellie nodded silently, unable to will herself into forming words. "Alright, just calm down, we'll let your father calm himself a bit before helping."

Sweeney finally finished his dramatic lament on his knees, looking up, facing the window. Ellie had returned to her usual self and wait patiently for him to return to them. "Well that's all very well then." She said, "But what are we going to do about the." She tapped the side of her foot on the trunk on which she reclined, "The Dearly departed?"

He didn't respond, he didn't do anything. "Hello?" Nellie knelt before him, "Can you hear me?"

Nellie sighed and rolled her eyes and slapped both his cheeks gently, getting not reaction. "Oh, come on you great useless thing." She muttered, "Ellie, be a lamb and get the door"

Together they hauled Sweeney down the stairs and into the pie shop. "Now where is that boy?" Nellie looked around with her hands on her hips, she finally found Toby pasted out in front of the fire. She sighed and snatched up the half gone bottle of Gin and poured two tumblers of it, setting one in front of each of them.

"Alright." She sighed, "Now we've got a body molderin away up stairs." She sighed and Sweeney downed the drink and turned the glass over and over in his hand. "Later on when It's dark, we'll take it to some secret place and bury it."

"Course we could do that." Nellie nodded, standing behind the counter, "Not like he's got any relatives gonna come poking around looking for him." Nellie perked up slightly with a sly grin on her face, "You know me." She simpered, "Bright Ideas just pop into me head and I been thinkin."

"Seems a down right shame." She sang, "Shame?" Sweeney didn't bother looking up. "Seems an awful waste." She hinted.

"Such a nice plump frame, what's 'is has, had? Has! Nor it can't be traced." She drummed her fingers on the table top as she swung around it. "Business needs a lift, debts to be erased." Ellie's brained slow caught on to what the baker was implying. "Think of it as thrift, as a gift." Nellie glanced at them, "If you catch my drift?"

"Nellie Are you…?" Ellie couldn't finish. "Seems an awful waste." The baker cut her off, "I mean, with the price of meat what it is, when you get it…." She glanced at Sweeney, Whose face lit up with realization

"Good you got it."

"Take for instance Mrs. Moony and her pies shop." Ellie joined in, "Business never better using only pussy cats and toast."

"Now a Pussy's good for six of seven at the most." Nellie estimated, "And I'm sure they can't compare as far as taste."

"Mrs. Lovett." Sweeney sang, "What a charming notion."

"Well it does seem a waste."

"Eminently Practical, yet appropriate as always"

The joined hands and began to waltz around the room.

"Mrs. Lovett, how I've lived without you all these years I'll never know!"

"Think about, Lots of other gentleman will be coming for a shave, won't they? Think of all them pies."

"Oh, Whats the sound of the world out there?" Ellie cut in, "What little girl, what little girl, what is that sound?" Nellie swung her into the dance. "Those crunching noises pervading the air?" Sweeney asked.

"Yes, Mr. Todd, Yes Mr. Todd, Yes all around." Ellie nodded.

"It's man devouring man, My dears."

"And who are we to deny it in here?" they sang together.

"These are desperate times Mrs. Lovett, and Desperate measures are called for." Sweeney glanced out the window. As the Baker plopped a pie on a dusty plate and presented it to them. "What is that?" Ellie asked.

"It's Priest." Ellie sang, "Have a little priest."

"Is it really good?" Sweeney Asked, "Sir it's too good at least."

"Then again they don't commit sin of the flesh, so it's pretty fresh." Ellie sang. "Awful lot of fat." Sweeney noted, "Only where it sat." Ellie shrugged.

"Haven't you got poet or something like that?"

"No you see the trouble with poet it how do you know it's deceased, Try the priest." Nellie finished. Ellie pretended to take a bite of it. "Heavenly." She smiled, "Not as hearty as bishop perhaps, but not as bland as Curate either."

"And good for business." Nellie pointed out, "Always leaves you wanting more, problem is we can only get it on Sundays."

"Lawyers rather nice." Ellie shrugged, "If it's for a price." Sweeney retorted, "Order something else though to follow since no one should swallow it twice." Nellie pointed out.

"Anything that's lean?"

"Well then if you're British and loyal you might enjoy Royal Marine. Anyway it's clean, though of course it tastes of where ever it's been" Nellie scrunched up her face.

"Is that squire on the fire?" Sweeney asked, "Mercy no sir, look closer, you'll notice its grocer." Nellie shook her head.

"Looks thicker, more like Vicar." Sweeney noted. "No, It has to be grocer." Ellie leaned in, "It's green."

"The History of the world my Love." Sweeney swept Ellie up into a waltz, "Save a lot of graves do a lot of relatives favors."

"Is those below serving those up above."

"Everybody shave so there should be plenty of favors."

"How gratifying for once to know,"

"That those above will serve those down below." The finished together.

"Well since Marine doesn't interest you, how about Rear Admiral?" Ellie offered. "No, too salty, I prefer General." Sweeney stated. "With or without his privates?" Nellie asked cheekily.

They remained silent until Ellie added with a laugh, "With is extra."

They all laugh until Mrs. Lovett pulls out another pie, and began to fiddle with her thick curls. "What is that?" Sweeney asked.

"It's Fop." She cooed, "Finest in the Shop, Or we have some shepherd's pie peppered with actual shepherd on top, and I've begun, Here the Politician so oily, it's served with a doily, have one."

"Put it on a bun" Ellie smirked, "Well you never know if it's going to run."

'Try the friar." She offered, "Fried it's drier"

"No, the clergy is really too course and too mealy."

"Than Actor, it's compacter." Ellie insisted "Ah, but always arrives over done." Sweeney armed himself with a large butcher knife and lays it to Nellie's throat. "I'll come again when you have judge on the menu."

"Wait" Ellie stopped, "True we don't have judge yet, but will you settle for the next best thing?"

"And whats that?" Sweeney asked, causing Ellie to brandish a long narrow knife of her own, "Executioner" she chirped.

"Have charity toward the world My pet." Sweeney sang.

"Yes, yes, I know my love."

"We'll take the customers that we can get."

"High born and low my love."

"We'll not discriminate great from small, no we'll serve any one."

"Meaning any one." Ellie joined

"And to any one." Nellie finished,

"At all!"

They all finished in joyous moods, the plan had been set. The previous failure had been forgotten as Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett set to grinding up Pirelli's body, with which Nellie would produce her new meat pies.

Ellie Made new plans for the restaurant, it was to be bigger, cleaner, and more welcoming than before. And eager joy filled her being as she dreamt up a picturesque scene, an outdoor area for eaters on a nice day, or if the store gets too full. In the midst of her dream the day turned to evening and the sun began to set, casting long shadows everywhere.

"Things are looking up for me." She sang softly, "My life is about to start."

"Each day had been a tragedy, another broken heart."

She looked out the window at the few passing strangers, "I told myself I must be strong, to never fall apart."

"But now there is warmth on my skin, and joy is in my grasp." She smiled "For now the past, will stay the past. And tomorrow will be kinder."

"Tomorrow will be kinder. It's true I've seen it before." She looked around the miserable room and smiled, "A brighter day is coming my way, and tomorrow will be kinder."

"Yes a Brighter day is coming my way, and tomorrow will be kinder."

The sound of a jingling bell called her attention and she looked to the side door to see a young man of maybe thirteen in an ill-fitting suit and a small bowler hat.

"A message for Eileen Todd?" he asked her politely, "I am Eileen Todd." She nodded. The young man handed her a small white envelope and she looked down at it in confusion, who would be writing her.

"Eh hem." The boy coughed and held out his hand, "That'll be three pence if you don't mind." She nodded and pulled out her change purse and handed the boy three coins.

"Have a fine evening Ma'am" he tipped his head and rushed out the door.

Ellie snatched the thin knife from before and broke the red wax seal, on the front of the note in thin, barely legible handwriting her name looped across the page.

She pulled a single sheet of paper made of fine pressed paper, the kind one would find in the offices of high officials, or on important notifications or declarations, with a half a page of writing down it out of the paper envelope which she set aside and began to read.

Dear Miss Todd,

I am writing you personally to apologize for my storming out of your father's establishment earlier today. Urgent which required my immediate attention called me away.

As for my behavior in that situation, I fear I may have acted in a way that is improper in the presence of a fine young lady such as yourself. Please believe me when I say that when I told your father that I wanted nothing more to do with him or his shop, such a declaration did not extend to you personally.

In order to mend the damaged affiliation between us, I would be honored if you were to join me for tea in my office at the court house tomorrow at four thirty in the afternoon.

Please send your reply buy tomorrow morning, though I will understand if you deny my invitation of refuse to rely due to my beastly behavior before to.

Sincerely yours.

Judge Turpin.

Time itself seemed to stop as she read and re-read the note over and over until she was convinced she was not dreaming. The sound of footsteps were ignored by here as Sweeney and Nellie ascended the stairs and entered the shop, the baker chattering on while the barber half listened and grunt when she asked a question.

"So I told Mrs. Mooney to… Why Ellie, you look fit to faint." Nellie cut off her story and walked over to the shaken girl. "What's the matter love?" Ellie didn't reply, She couldn't. Sweeney plucked up the empty envelope suspiciously.

The baker pressed her cold hand to the girl's forehead and the back of her neck, "she's not feverish. What's gottin into you lass?"

Ellie set the note on the table, allowing the Baber and the Baker to pick it up and read. "The nerve of that pompous, high hatted…." Nellie began, "If he thinks that he can just…." The rest of the rant was un-heard as Sweeney's blood boiled, how dare he? Telling him out right that he was courting his ward, and then having the nerve to invite his other daughter to tea the next day.

"I think I should do it." Ellie said quietly. "You're mad!" Nellie gasped, "You've really done it! You've gone loopy you have!" the baker turned to her accomplice, "Mr. T would ya listen to your daughter?!"

"I won't allow it." Sweeney shook his head, "I've lost two of the women I love to that man and I will be lose you to."

"Father, you need to find a way to get back on the Judge's good side. If it go to his office tomorrow and come up with some explanation for Anthony being there, he may forgive you and next thing you know, we have Johanna back and we'll have our revenge." Ellie reasoned.

"It's the only way."

"Are you quite sure you can do this?" Nellie said after five minutes of tense silence. "Positive, I spent twelve years of my life with him, I'm sure I can handle tea." Ellie nodded.

"Alright, Mr. T?" they both looked at the brooding man who slouched in his chair, with his mouth pressed to his clenched fists.

"Fine we'll do it, but be careful, if he tries anything, anything at all, I want you out of there, scream, run, do whatever you have to." Sweeney finally concede.

Ellie nodded solemnly and wrote a reply to the Judge.

Honorable Judge Turpin.

I thank you for your apology, however unnecessary it was, and will gladly join you tomorrow for tea. I look forward to seeing you once more.

Until then

Eileen Lorelai Todd.

She hailed a messenger and told him to take the note to Judge Turpin, giving him five pence extra if he promised to run as fast as he could.

She let out a tired, shaky sigh and walked up the stairs, wanting nothing more than the sweet escape of Sleep.

Long. Ass. Chapter. But a very important one! The song Ellie sings alone is a rendition of "Tomorrow will be kinder" by The Secret Sisters.