Caught Somewhere in Time

Midnight confessions

Everything was eerily quiet when Sweeney Todd returned. Not more than two hours ago had he fled his abode to go for a walk in an attempt to calm his overthinking mind and his heavy heart, eaten by guilt at Eleanor's screams of agony and the impotence of knowing he couldn't really do anything if he wanted the dream of his perfect life with Lucy and Johanna to become a reality. But as he got closer to the familiar building and noticed the peaceful calm surrounding it, his anxiety returned in full force. Despite Albert's earlier warnings, he needed to know Eleanor was ok. The butcher's shop was open and he didn't see his landlord behind the counter when he looked through the window, so he decided to enter.

Sir!" he heard an unfamiliar voice calling him. He turned round and spotted a middle aged woman walking towards him waving a paper. "Looking for a pie, sir? I'm afraid I've heard Mrs. Lovett has run out of them and is not baking more today. Between you and me, they say it's because she's been fornicating with her husband all afternoon, the whole street has heard! But I won't engage in petty gossip, no sir" she smiled, flashing him her decaying teeth. "Now, if you want to grab a bite of a truly delicious meat pie in a respectable establishment, I recommend you visiting my shop in Bouverie Street" she handed him the flyer, advertising the new meat pies at Mrs. Mooney's bakery. He couldn't help but smirk, so this was Eleanor's infamous rival and she was every bit as irritating as his landlady had described her. She clearly misinterpreted his smirk because she grabbed his arm and excitedly began pulling him towards the corner with Bouverie. "You won't regret it, sir. My pies are truly the best ones in London, much better than that slag's, I can assure you!"

"Leave me alone" was all he said. He pried her hands off his arm and promptly entered the Lovett's shop. Thankfully Mrs. Mooney did not follow and through the window he spied her accosting another clueless passer-by, trying to lure him into her establishment. He just hoped she hadn't started on the cats yet.

Upon hearing the bells, a smiling Eleanor came out of the parlour, a tray full of freshly baked pies on her hands, and he breathed a sigh of relief. It smelled heavenly and she looked rather alluring, straight out of a dream. In fact, he wouldn't mind this being a continuation of the one he had a few weeks ago. He could not deny that he quite missed her body, even in dream form. Her smile however faded and turned into a scowl when he saw who her visitor was and he was awoken from his fantasies with a start.

She looked fine, he knew she'd done her best to look fine, more than presentable. Her dress was in perfect condition, but it was not lost on him that it was different to the one she wore this morning. Black, a colour she so favoured in her original timeline but now that he was used to her wearing other shades, made her look as if she were mourning. Perhaps she was. Her hair had been brushed and pined up neatly, so different from its usual state of endearing wildness; and her makeup perfectly enhanced her features while concealing the reddening marks on her chest that would escape everyone but the trained eye. She wasn't fine, Albert hurt her and he let it happen. It wasn't a dream, but more like a nightmare, what her life had become.

"What do you want Mr. Barker? Came here to pay your rent in advance? Do you perhaps wish to purchase one of my disgusting meat pies? Because if not, you can piss off!" she barked. She was angry, she had every reason to be angry. He felt the desperate need to try and make it up to her but did not know how.

"How are you?" he managed to ask.

"Oh, I'm feeling peachy, can't you see? Like a brand new lass after my husband called me a whore and took me like one! Should I make it my profession? Everyone thinks I'd be good at it." Her smirk was full of sarcasm and undisguised pain. He gulped.

"You're not. He shouldn't have said those things, he shouldn't treat you like that" he began somewhat awkwardly but she cut him off.

"I'm sorry, dear, was I hallucinating you too calling me a whore just yesterday? Are you the only one allowed to call me that? The only one allowed to treat me like dirt?" He was taken aback by the venom in her voice and was once again at loss for words. She took a deep breath before speaking again. "Look, if you came here to make sure I'm absolutely miserable you can go back to your bloody shop and never come back. Arthur is being transported to Australia for a crime he never committed and a life with the bastard I had the stupid idea of marrying is all I'm ever going to get, and I know I deserve it! But I'm not going to let you rejoice in my misery. Not you who so enjoy causing it. Stay away from me Mr. Barker or I'll bloody go back to the Old Bailey and tell that judge about you being the brain behind Arthur's plan to steal Albert's money!"