Habits

Secrets That Can't Be Told

A/N: This was a great chapter to write.  Its really sad, just a quick warning but Im really happy with how it turned out.  Anyway, enjoy!

Sweeney lunged forward grabbing his brothers shirt and dragging him onto the ground.  He was helpless as Sweeney clasped his hand to Cornelius' throat.  His brother tried to shove Sweeney off but failed as he lost his breath quickly.

"Sweeney stop!" Nellie screamed.

Todd looked up and released his brothers throat.  Cornelius gulped in air as he began to regain his breath.  He stood next to Sweeney who stared at Nellie angrily.

"Get out of here," Nellie hissed coldly.

"No Nell, he's a bastard, I won't let him touch you."

"I said get out of here Sweeney."

"And I said no, he's using you Nellie!" Sweeney began to raise his voice.

"No Sweeney, that's what you did, you used me.  Cornelius told me everything, everything you did to that poor girl Angelica." Nellie yelled back.

"What did you tell her?" Sweeney growled, turning to look at his brother.

"The truth," Cornelius smirked.

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Eight days.  Eight days Sweeney had to suffer through.  Eight days Sweeney had to suffer through seeing Cornelius make his way to Nellie's room every night.  Eight days he put up with it.

Nellie had been sleeping with Cornelius, unknowing he was just trying to piss off Sweeney.  It was the morning of the ninth day and Sweeney sat in the kitchen, a bottle of gin in his hand.  He wasn't drunk yet which was why he growled as Cornelius passed him, his hair a mess from the... events from the night before.

"Oh hey Sweeney, you seem tired, did we keep you up last night?"

Sweeney just grunted.  Cornelius grinned and sat next to his brother trying to calm his hair down.  That was it.  He stood up making his way down the hall to Nellie's room.  As he walked in she turned, she had just finished putting on a dress and had started tying the back.

"I'm not here to yell, I just need to talk. So please try to listen." Sweeney sighed, sitting down at the foot of her bed, "I don't know what Cornelius told you about Angelica but I can tell you the truth, whether or not you believe me.  Cornelius was always jealous of me and when I started dating Angelica he took her from me.  Set me up to argue with her so he could win her over.  He used her to piss me off.  And when I left for London he left her.  I don't want him to trick you like he tricked Angelica.  I love you Nellie, more than I've loved anyone in my life.  I know what he's doing with you right now seems real, but once he finds out that I'm hurting it'll all end.  I know that's hard to hear but you need to hear it."

Nellie sat next to him holding back tears.

"I'm sorry Sweeney, I thought I could trust him," she cried softly.

Sweeney wrapped his arms around her and she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Shhh..." He whispered, holding her tightly.

She looked up into his eyes.  He lifted his hand and wiped her cheek, drying her tears.  It was then she kissed him.  A soft kiss at first but it slowly gained heat.  He fell backwards, lying down on the bed while she climbed above him.  He broke the kiss quickly.

"Are you sure your okay with this?"

She nodded, leaning down again to kiss him.  He felt her hands run down his chest and begin unbuttoning his shirt.  He helped her take it off before asking again.