Not While I'm Around

Toby stood outside the  bedroom, a head full of thoughts. he had been living with her and Mr. Todd for a while now, but some things just seemed a little... out of you ordinary. Why did Mr. Todd always stay in his workshop? Atop those rickety stairs? And why was he always so quiet? Sweeney was hiding something and Toby knew it. he just didn't know what. Mrs. Lovett was the only one that he really trusted. surely she wouldn't lie to him.

He opened the door with a creek. A cool gust of wind entered the room as he opened the door. it was an old house and not much insulation in the hallways. "Where have you been lad? We had quite the rush at dinner time. me bones is ready to drop." Nellie said with a tired but yet still sweet voice. She was laying on a fainting couch in the center of the room.

"Mr. Todd sent me on an errand. And on the way back, I stopped my the workhouse, just to take a look. And I was thinking, but if not for you, I'd be there now... Or someplace worse" Toby shuttered at the thought of that horrible workhouse. He had spent a good majority of his life there, and it was anything but a good experience. "Seems like the good lord sent you for me." Toby said with a slight blush.

"Oh, love, I feel quite the same way." Mrs. Lovett replied, almost half asleep.

"Listen to me please,” Toby pleaded. “you know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Say, if there was someone around. someone bad. Only you didn't know it."

"What is this? What are you talking about?" Nellie questioned him becoming concerned

as Toby Began to sing.

"Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around. Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir, not while I'm around."

"What do you mean someone bad?" Nellie asked getting slightly worried that Toby might know something about the murders. But Toby didn't answer. leading into his next verse.

"Demons are prowling everywhere now a days. I'll send them howling, I don't care. I got ways."

"Hush darling, there's no need for this." Nellie told him trying to get Toby to stop. But Toby continued.

"No one's gonna hurt you, no one's gonna dare. Others can desert you. Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there. Demons will charm you with a smile, for a while, but in time. Nothing can harm you, not while I'm around." He finishes singing and Nellie stares at him

"That's nice dear.” She said as she stood up and walked over to the mirror to fix her hair. “Now what's with all this foolishness? What are you talking about?" She asked Toby trying to play play dumb.

"Little thing's that I've been thinking... about Mr. Todd." He said, Then he began to sing again. "Not to worry, not to worry. I may not be smart, but I ain't dumb. I can do it, put me to it. Show me something I can overcome... Not to worry mom...” Nellie was caught off guard by this. Had he just called her ‘mom’? That poor sweet little boy. All those years in that workhouse, without an ounce of motherly affection. It  just broke her heart. He actually called her mom. Bless his heart.

"Being close and being clever, ain't like being true,” Toby continues, “I don't need to. I would never, hide a thing from you... Like some..." Toby sings motioning his head up towards. Mr. Todd's barber shop. Nellie notices this and gets frightened, it was true, the boy knew too much.

"Now Toby, dear, haven't we had enough of this foolish chatter," Mrs. Lovett reached into her bodice and pulled out a the Violet and gold pouch that she took from the french man's corpse, and took out a coin. "Here, how about I give you a nice shiny new penny, and you go get us some toffees?" She suggested trying to change the subject. Toby gasped, the  violet pouch in her hand, having caught his eye

"That's Senor Pirelli's purse!" he shouted

"No it's not! It's just something Mr. T gave me for my birthday." Mrs. Lovett exclaimed.

"Then that proves it! We gotta go mom! We got to go mom! We gotta find the beadle and get the law in here!" Toby yelled, already been halfway out the door. But Mrs. Lovett quickly pulled him back in panic, and had him sit down next to her.

"Toby. Hush, lad, you're not going anywhere. You just sit here, nice and quiet, next to me. That's right, right... How could you think such a thing of Mr. Todd? he's been so good to us..." She was so confused. If Toby told anyone, they would surely arrest Sweeney. The man that she loved with all her heart. (weather or not he loved her back). And if Sweeney found out that Toby knew. Toby would be as good as dead. But yet at the same time she felt that she couldn't lie to Toby. Like he said before. She was a mom to him in his eyes. What would he think of her if he found out that she was behind the murders too? Mrs. Lovett sighed and held Toby tightly with loving arms. And began to sing as a tear ran down her cheek; "Nothing's gonna harm you. Not while I'm around.” She began to sing to him “Nothing's gonna harm you, darling. Not while I'm around...”

"Demons will charm you with a smile." Toby joined. "For a while, but in time. Nothing's gonna harm you. Not while I'm around..."