It was late afternoon and Nellie had been working up a sweat chopping up the six bodied Sweeney had so graciously left her. Now as she finally left the bake house feeling a little worse for wear considering the amount of work she was left this morning, Nellie was looking forward to pouring herself a nice glass of gin. Wiping her brow with the back of her laced hand once she reached the top of the stairs she let out a long sigh before turning to close the trap doors.
Mrs Lovett had not slept, nor had she been able to think of anything following last nights events. Sweeney had kissed her. Not only that but had kissed her with intention of it going further, which she herself was going to allow. She was furious at herself for allowing all her hard work of letting go of the barber only to come and slap her in the face. She had given into her needs, given into her desperate desires to spend one night of pure heaven in the barber's arms. As soon as Edward had interrupted them everything came crashing back down to earth with a massive thud. Nellie realised just how awful this was for Edward, she cared for him deeply and then this is how she was repaying him. She felt disgusted with herself for ever allowing it to get this far.
She felt truly ashamed of her and her longing for the barber. Her eyes were finally open and she was determined to put things right. Sweeney couldn't love her, she knew that, it had been drummed into her months ago that he was a cold hearted individual. The fact she even for one moment thought that it could work was such a pathetic thought, such a silly idea that she felt ashamed she allowed her poor heart to even hope. Sweeney Todd was a selfish man only out for himself and she should have realised sooner that he must have been using her for his own disgusting needs as a man. She was trash to him deep down, or at least that's what she kept telling herself.
Walking into the pie shop she plastered on a smile spotting Toby icing some cakes he had made earlier this morning. It was Edward's birthday tomorrow and so she had left Toby in change of baking cakes and cookies while she dealt with the bakehouse. The party they were holding tomorrow was going to be quite a big one, at least enough to fill the shop. Mrs Lovett had invited everyone, everyone except the barber that is. Deep down she didn't want Sweeney there, he was an awful distraction and she certainly wanted all her focus to be on Edward all evening and not him.
"Miss Gale from the market gave me a loaf for half the price mum, told her we were avin' a small party tomorrow night an' she happily gave me this so I could make sandwiches" Toby exclaimed holding up the loaf like he had won a trophy. Laughing at this Mrs Lovett joined him at the counter.
"Well that was nice of her dear, she's fond of you she is"
"She's ever so kind mum, do ya think we should invite her too?" Toby asked looking up at his mum as she pondered on that thought for a while.
"Sure, why not" Miss Gale was quite the talk of the town. Everyone knew of her even if they hadn't met her. She was beautiful and generous and helped so many people in so many ways. She was once married but like Mrs Lovett she lost her husband at a young age and never re-married. Most of the single men around fleets street tried courting her but she never showed any intrested. Mrs Lovett just assumed that she was still grieving her late husband...oh what it must be like to be in love...
'I'll go ask her now mum, she should still be at the market" Toby chirped up while he grabbed his coat and swung it around his shoulders "See ya in a bit" with that he rushed off quickly making Nellie chuckle silently to herself before finally looking down at all the food on the counter. He certainly had done pretty well with organising all the nibbles. Nellie was glad he had taken an intrest in cooking. However every time he asked to go down to the bakehouse to have a look, it just killed her to say no to him. He only wants to learn more about what she does only Nellie knew that the recipe that she uses for her pies would always be secret. She would have to take it to her grave and not let anyone know the truth, even those she loved and cared for.
Tutting to herself she looked down to her dirty dress. Thankfully the dried blood didn't show as the dress was so dark. But she could see the blood cracking through her cuticles on her nails which immediately made her turn her nose up. Looking down at her nails she realised just how dirty they were, she really needed to clean herself up....
Jumping suddenly out of her skin as a strong arm wrapped around her waist Nellie yelped in surprise as a man's body pressed against her from behind, his hot breath tickling her ear. "So jumpy today Mrs Lovett" he cooed, lips pressed against her ear as his arm held her tight in place. Gritting her teeth at Sweeney's voice she sighed more to her relief then anything but then was it a relief...
"Jesus! Mista T, you tryin' to give me a fright!" she hissed tilting her head back to glare at him.
Chuckling darkly against her ear he moved his other arm around her front to really lock her in his hold. He was holding her against him so tight she was surprised he didn't cut off her circulation. "you just didn't hear me come in pet...." he whispered to hear ear slowly only making her tremble in his mean hold which caused him to smirk.
"What do you want?" she finally said losing her patients with him now.
Grinning by her ear Sweeney slowly loosened his grip around her and slid his hands down to rest on her hips. "To finish off what we started last night..." his dark voice made her gulp and she squeezed her eyes closed when he then took her earlobe between his lips and began sucking at the sensitive skin. oh it felt so gooooodddd....
"No!" Nellie snapped quickly out of her daze and out of his hold at the same time.
She quickly made her way around her counter top not trusting herself to stay in his arms a moment longer. He frowned at her and hardened his eyes on her flushed face.
The bell above the pie shop suddenly sounded, causing them both to look to see just who was there.
"Edward!" Nellie beamed a smile despite the embarrassment she felt within.
Edward smiled at her as he closed the door behind him "Hello darling, I can't stop just came to pick up a pie for my lunch...oh Hello there Mr Todd" he suddenly added spotting Sweeney standing behind the counter that was filled with different nibbles and snacks for his birthday tomorrow.
"Goodness you have been busy" he chuckled looking at all the food before turning to Nellie.
"Oh that was all Toby dear, he wanted to get to work on the food so I let e'm while I was workin' downstairs" Mrs Lovett rambled nervously glancing between Sweeney and Edward as if she was hiding a massive secret behind her eyes one in which Sweeney noticed but only seemed to brush over Edward. This had never been so awkward....
"Well that's very sweet of him, I hope you haven't gone to mad with all this, I told you I was happy celebrating with just you" Edward smiled that devilishly handsome smile of his as he placed his hands gently on her shoulders. She braved a small smile before shaking her head. "It's no trouble, I want to make it special for you"
Sweeney grimaced at the pair of them and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Oh your pie!" Nellie remembered rushing round the counter to get to her oven.
"Here, there's some already made, these are particularly nice" Sweeney said lifting one of the tray's at the end of the counter top. Mrs Lovett's eyes widened and she quickly batted it off.
"It's not a problem"
"Nellie I'll just take this one, its no bother" Edward said about to take the pie that Sweeney offered him.
"No!" she cut in snatching the tray of human meat pies from Sweeney's grip.
Realising how mad and protective she must look over a bunch of pie's made her fake a laugh awkwardly "Surly you'd like a nice hot one, won't take a second to warm up" she smiled through her annoyance that Sweeney was trying to feed her lover human meat. He really was a bastard that man.
Edward laughed and walked over to her "You're a crazy woman I'll give you that" he chuckled wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pressing a kiss to her temple as she placed the tray down. She smiled back at him and pecked him on the lips before rushing back over to the small oven and pulling out a warm meat pie that she knew was safe for him to eat.
Packing it up in a brown paper bag she walked back over to him and handed him the pie. "Pay up sir" she smirked not caring at all that Sweeney was also present in the room. Rolling his eyes playfully he leaned in and kissed her sweetly on the lips much to Sweeney's utter frustration and discomfort. "I love you" Edward whispered slowly breaking away. Her eyes widened and she placed her hand quickly over her chest from the shock.
"You knew that" he laughed at her reaction. "But you've never actually said it Edward" she gleamed happily looking at him and so desperately wanting to say it back only something was stopping her...
"Well I'm saying it now" he pushed searching her eyes to see if she would also say it back. Sweeney watched the pair of them and couldn't help but feel a little more relaxed when she seemed to wobble on her answer. "I..Urm..well I.."
"I'm back!" Toby cheered as he came shooting in through the parlour. Hiding the relief from her face that Toby interrupted Nellie turned her attention to her son and smiled. "Did Miss Gale except?" Thank god she could now change the subject...she thought to herself as she watched Toby remove his coat. "Yes! she was very excited and thanked us for the invite" he smiled only now really noticing Edward.
"I thought you were working" Toby beamed happily running over and hugging the layer as if he was greeting his father.
Laughing at the boys reaction Edward hugged him back "Just popped in for one of your mums lovely pies" he chuckled looking up at Nellie with a loving smile plastered across his handsome features. This broke her heart. She felt like sobbing, why couldn't she tell him that she loved him? why the hell did she hesitate?
She looked over at Sweeney exchanging a quick glance before Edward piped up again. "I must go, I'll see you later" he told Toby before breaking away from the boy to press a quick kiss to Nellie's lips. He turned back to Sweeney and gave a quick nod in his direction as farewell and then left.
You could cut the awkward atmosphere with a knife, however Toby was completely oblivious. "I'm going to prepare some decorations for tomorrow" he announced merrily as he rushed towards his bedroom leaving the awkwardness lingering between the barber and baker.
As soon as his door closed Nellie let out a small sigh and grabbed the gin bottle and a glass. Sweeney watched silently as she slung herself down in one of the booths and began filling up her glass to it's brim. "Don't. say. anything." she murmured warningly not bothering to give him a glance as she necked back the gin in two gulps. He could see she was upset, could spot the irritation she was feeling right about now and therefore chose his words carefully.
Pouring her next glass she finally looked over to him standing in the same place she had left him in. "Why are you down here anyway?" she asked forgetting she had just told him not to speak. This alone amused him a little.
"I came down to help you with the bodies"
"Shhh!" she hissed at him jumping up to see if Toby was still in his room. "It's like you want us to be caught" she added bitterly necking back another shot before slamming the bottle in front of him.
"Do you want my help or not Mrs Lovett" his eyes hardened as he spoke, his voice seemed irritated and angered by her. Pouring another glass she shook her head to herself "I've already cleared up ya dirty work" the bitterness to her voice was amusing him. She was so attractive to him when worked up...
Moving around the counter he watched her throwing back another shot and then pouring yet another glass. "You've had enough"
"whatever..."
Suddenly slamming her hand to the counter with a bang caused the glass of gin to break with a satisfying smash against the work top. His grip around her wrist was so tight that she could feel it going numb already. "You idiot!" she yelled raising her other hand to slap him only he was far to quick and was able to grab her other wrist leaving her to struggle against him. "let go you bastard!" she growled swinging her leg up so harshly that it hit winded him within an instant making him to wince in pain.
Freeing herself now he was clutching onto his stomach he glared at her as she backed away and calmed down her rapid breathing. "God I hate you!"
"Hate me! ha! I believe your words last night Mrs Lovett were 'God I want you'..." He spat still clutching his stomach in pain from her blow. Gritting her teeth she turned on her heels and left the parlour only slamming her bedroom door shut. "You're hiding from the truth!" he yelled after her still wincing in pain.
She felt so angry at him. Fuming, as if she wanted to hit him some more, that or kiss him to death either way she was irritated by the man. Sweeney Todd would not break her heart this time, it belonged to another. A man she knew far to well would never hurt her. She would learn to leave her old feeling for Sweeney behind, she wanted only one man to own her and love her and that was... Edward.
A/N: Nellie is finally focusing on Edward....hmmm....wonder how long that will last! haha! Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts, I'm really enjoying writing this and I hope you are enjoying reading it too! thanks for all the support already on this story! love you guys!