Chapter XX
Darkness filled the room, the only light she could see was the light coming from the moon outside. Her vision is still spinning.
"Elle?" A barritone yet gentle voice was calling her. Nellie moved her head, trying to locate where the voice was coming from. She felt so light headed, she felt as if she was floating in that dark room.
A warm hand lifted her hand and she held onto him.
"It's ok Elle. You'll be ok." He said as he kissed her palm.
She tried hard to open her eyes but she was still so sleepy and tired, all she has seen was the white streak on his dark hair as he kissed her hand.
"Go back to sleep Elle." She tried hard to open her eyes again. A pair of grey eyes she knew very well as a little girl were set on hers, he was looking at her so gently.
"Be...n?" She whispered so softly before her eyes automatically closed and she fell asleep again.
Sweeney touched Nellie's face. She still looked so much in pain in her sleep. Her lips are parted a little, showing her buck teeth and a slight frown is fixed on her forehead.
"Sleep for now Elle... Everything will be alright." He gently touched his lips on her forehead hoping she'll recover from the wound there very soon.
Morning came, Sweeney woke up early to prepare breakfast. Nellie was still sleeping when he went back to her room to check her wound and change its dressing. She has developed a red and purple bruise on her forehead now. He just hope the pain will subside as soon as possible.
He sat down beside her just in time Toby went in with a tray in his hands.
"Thank you, Toby." He said simply as the young boy put the tray of Nellie's breakfast on the sidetable along with a few stems of roses.
Toby cleared his throat after he arranged the roses in the vase and made Sweeney look at him.
"I just want to apologize Mr. T... About yesterday." He said shyly.
Sweeney reached for Toby's head and rubbed his hair with his palms as he smiled at him.
"I owe you a lot, boy. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known what happened to her." He looked at Nellie. If it weren't for Toby, he would have went away and he'll never know that Nellie is carrying their child.
"Thank you, for taking care of Nellie." Sweeney smiled at Toby.
"I think I should be the one thanking you Mr. Todd. If it weren't for your good judgement, mum would have been in a real danger..."
"You and I, we want only the best for her, Toby. Don't mention it." He tapped his head again and smiled. That was when Nellie started twisting in pain as she held her head.
"Mum!!!"
"Elle!" They chorused. Sweeney grabbed her wrist and tried to calm her, Nellie has a slight fever and it frightened him right away, knowing her condition right now.
"Nellie...hush...don't move, love." He held her shoulders and pinned her on the bed.
"Hand me the medicine, Toby." He immediately diluted the powder to a glass of water.
"Nellie..." Finally she opened her eyes, her hands reached for her head again.
"What exactly do you feel, Elle?" He asked and she just stared at him.
"Take this." He handed her the concoction and assisted her to sit while Toby put pillows against the headboard of her bed. Sweeney gently pushed her back to the pillow, making sure she was comfortable.
"For the headache and dizziness." He added as he raised the glass again, she just stared at him but automatically, took the glass and drink the concoction.
"Finish it Elle, that would help." She hated the drink, it had a very minty, tangy and at the same time bitter taste but she hated the pain and dizziness more so she just decided to finish it as he said.
Is he really here? Did he not say goodbye to her already? What happened to her? Why is she in so much headache, she asked.
"W-what happened to me?" She whispered.
"You fainted and injured your head." Said Sweeney, trying to take her hand out of her head.
"W-when?" She asked again.
"Yesterday..." He anwered simply. "Avoid touching it Elle, the wound isn't fully healed yet."
"It hurts..." She suddenly put her hand on her mouth. She felt like throwing up at any moment. What the hell is wrong with her? She fainted yesterday...? Is he for real?
She felt like throwing up again and she quickly sat straight and heavens! She felt worse. Her world is spinning with every move she makes.
Just when she was about to jump off the bed, Sweeney carried her to the bathroom and put her down in front of the sink not leaving her side as she throws up.
"Oh Elle..." She didn't realize how close he was to her, his left arm was wrapped around her waist while the other one was rubbing her back. Nothing is coming out, she just continued throwing up until she felt her limbs shaking.
It was the same feeling she had yesterday, gradually she can remember now. Sweeney reached for the face towel and wet it with cold water before he started dabbing it on Nellie's face.
"Leave me now." She said coldly when she regained her mind and balance.
"You can't move on your own Elle." He said patiently.
"I'm fine." She leaned on the sink and looked at her reflection.
"God...!" She peeled off the dressing on her wounded forehead.
What on Earth happened to her?!
"Elle, you have to rest." Said the devil beside her. His arms are still around her and oddly, she wasn't trembling in fright with his presence.
"Leave me alone..." She pushed his hands away and she swayed, again his arms were wrapped around her.
"Get your hands off me!" She shouted.
"Toby, go out for now." Sweeney turned to Toby, the boy just nodded and went out of the room.
"What is the matter with you?!" She shouted at him angrily.
"You have to do what I say starting from now Eleonor!" He replied in a demanding tone using her full name purposely to deliver his authority to her.
"Make me!" She hissed and pushed him.
"Just because you saved my damn life again doesn't mean I owe it to you now! Nothing will change Mr. Todd!" She suddenly exploded like a bomb. Who does he think he is?
"You have no choice but to rely on me now! You can't take care of yourself!" He snapped.
"Would it make anything better to be taken cared of by the devil himself?!" Her eyes were so furious looking at him. Sweeney breathed hard trying to control himself to be patient with this stubborn woman in front of him. God! She has changed dramatically in a day!
"Please relax Elle..." There goes his soft voice again, calling her in a way only Benjamin had done before. But no, he can't mock her. Never again...
"It isn't good for you to be stressed like this." He was almost begging.
"And whose fault is that?! Just... Leave me alone!" She pushed his hands trying to reach for hers.
"I can't... Elle, we need to talk, we have to settle things straight. Please relax."
He held her shoulders and looked her in the eye.
"There is nothing for us to talk about! Just leave me alone! You've already done too much damage! There is nothing to be settled!" She pushed him away and went out of the bathroom.
"We're having a baby." He said softly that made her stop.
Had he gone mad? She asked herself and almost laughed, but oddly, she began trembling with what he said...and there he was in front of her again.
Nellie just stared at him for what seemed like forever, her mouth opened but no words came out.
Sweeney swallowed the lump in his throat, it's now or never. Eventually she would know. He guided her back to the bed, she didn't refuse when he held her and walked with her until he gently pushed her to sit on the bed. She was lost, he can see that in her eyes.
"You're pregnant Elle... The physician confirmed it yesterday." He finally broke the silence as well as her gaze.
Nellie felt suffocated, this isn't happening. This is just a dream... But she feels the world spinning again, as well as the throbbing pain on her forehead then her tears fell. She is awake and she can feel the signs in her body stating that he isn't lying. She's always dizzy in the mornings, she'd always throw up even in anything unpleasant to her smell, her menstrual period didn't come for almost two months now. How can she realize these signs just now?!
She. Is. Pregnant.
With. The. Demon's. Child.
Nellie began sobbing, not knowing how to react and what to feel about the news. Sweeney held her in his arms.
(A/N Hi there, Helenaists and Deppheads! I just hope that you're enjoying this fan fiction? I'm pretty excited writing and finishing it as soon as possible, cause I already have another plot playing in my head. I just hope to hear from you too, of course I'd like to know if you find it worth reading, cause otherwise I may not begin with the next story I have in my mind now.
If you like it, please let me know, so I can start writing new stories to share with all of you! Thanks!)