Habits

Giving Up

The house was silent.  Johanna was is her room reading, Nellie was sitting at a booth drinking, Toby was still alone in the bakehouse and Sweeney was upstairs.  Every once and a while Nellie would hear something shatter in his shop but at this moment it was deadly quiet.  He said he loved her, but it wasn't true.  He'd never cared about her, there was no point in trying to love him anymore, it was over for them now.

Sweeney for once wasn't drinking away his pain, instead he'd thrown empty bottles on the ground and at the walls.  Glass was covering the floor and his hands were cut and bleeding.  He was in pain but he didn't care.  He needed Nellie, he hadnt realized it before because he's never felt alone, he always had Nell to rely on.  He grabbed a bottle of gin and threw it against the wall.  It shattered and the contents of the bottle splashed onto Sweeneys already soaked shirt.

His life wasn't worth living without the baker.  He opened the door to his shop and ran inside to see Nellie staring at him with a glass of gin in her hands.

"Go away Swee..."

He interrupted her words with a small kiss that was over as quickly as it started.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I needed to do that before I'm turned in."

Nellie looked at him confused as he walked away.  He was headed towards the bakehouse...  Sweeney walked down the steps and pulled open the door revealing the orange glow of the furnace and a young boy sobbing in the corner of the room.  Toby looked up at the barber before pushing himself further into the dark.

"Get up lad," Sweeney said calmly, "get out of here, go to the law, turn me in, no one deserves my presence..."

Toby stood and hesitantly made his way to the door.  The barber didn't move, he stayed still but just before Toby left he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Just one thing son,"

"Y-yes sir?"

"Don't drag Nell into this, she deserves a good life, give her my profits, she can run a shop properly, no death no pain."

Toby nodded before running out the door, finally free of the barber.

——————————————————

Sweeney laid down the pen next to the small jar of ink.  The law would be there soon, he wasn't scared.  He had feared being caught ever since his first kill, but now he as he laid the money he'd made on top of his note to Nellie he finally felt calm.  He knew he'd be hung but it didn't matter.  He knew his Nellie was safe and that was all he needed.

He walked over too his chair, glass crunching under his shoes, and fell back into his chair.  As he waited his mind wandered back to memories he had long ago abandoned.

"'Ello love," Nellie said as Benjamin walked into the room holding Johanna.

"Oh! Hi Nellie! I came to talk to Albert about the trip."

"I thought so, he's in the livin' room."

Benjamin walked over to the settee where Albert sat staring into the fire, a glass of gin resting next to him.  He looked up to see the young man holding his daughter.

"Ah! Mr. Barker, I'm looking forward to our trip!" Albert grinned standing up. "I do hate to say, Eleanore won't be able to come, she's busy with the shop."

Ben frowned hearing this, he liked the bakers company and was looking forward to a week in France with her, Lucy, and Albert.

"But I'm sure since you and Lucy are looking for some... fun... on this trip she can look after Johanna for a week."

Ben's eyes widened at what Albert was proposing.  He and Lucy hsdnt been very romantic with each other since Lucy had gotten pregnant.

"Of course, Nellie's always seemed to love Johanna."

The loud sound of someone banging on his door pulled Sweeney from his thoughts.  This was it, it was finally over.  Standing he walked over to the door where the officers stood.  As he opened the door his wrists were grabbed harshly.

"Sweeney Todd, your under arrest for murder and forced cannibalism."

As he was dragged away, Sweeney didn't put up a fight, he didn't struggle.  He just looked at Nellie as she watched him get carried away.  She ran out after him, not able to see him leave without saying goodbye.

"Officers!" She called out.

The men looked up at her and paused.

"Can a have a little time to say goodbye?"

One of the officers sighed, "You have one minute," he said shoving Todd onto the cold pavement.

Nellie bent down to where Sweeney was now on his knees.

"I'm so sorry..." She whispered.

He shook his head and looked up at her, "No, don't apologize.  It's all my fault.  I love you, just know that."

Nellie held back her tears and pressed her lips to his.

"Times up," the officer called out as Todd was dragged back again and shoved into the carriage waiting.

"I love you too..." Nellie cried softly as the doors slammed shut, removing Sweeney from her life for good.

People who had been watching walked back inside their houses, all except two people.  Nellie and Johanna.

"What did they do to father?" She breathed.

Nellie stood wiping the tears from her face...

"They didn't do anything yet, and I'm going to keep it that way."

A/N: Sorry I got this chapter out so late.  My dad was so hectic and annoying, anyway hope you liked this.  Its sad Sweeney gave up but things will heat up quickly... trust me.