Title: Kiss Me: The Missing Movie Scene

Description: A more detailed look on the song 'Kiss Me' from the stage version of Sweeney Todd. This is how I think the scene would've fitted into the context of movie character's personalities. Because the movie duo of Anthony and Johanna are quite different from their stage counterparts in my opinion.

This fic contains references to both the film, and stage versions.

The birds sung sweetly through the bars of the iron birdcage, fluttering their frail wings in jubilation despite the circumstances.

Johanna sighed, leaned back into the dark velvet cushions of the chaise lounge, letting the make-shift music wash over her.

"Oh sweet birds, how do you sing so beautifully on a day such as this?" She asked to her only companions, referring to the gloomy, grey skies outside her window.

She looked down at her hands in contempt, just hours earlier, the Judge had asked her to marry him. That vile man had asked her to marry him!

She leaned back, gazed at the ceiling of her bedroom, a cage more like, she thought bitterly as her blue eyes traced the cracked lines that had started to form in the ceiling's aged structure.

Her many years of being locked away in this room had resorted her to consider that this was the highlight. To stare blankly into space and let her imagination run wild and free, something that she herself would never be able to do literally.

Occasionally she would think up outrageous stories such as being carried away by a night in shining armour, riding away into the sunset and never being locked away again… Oh but such a thing was never likely to come true now. Not when her wedding was mere days away…

The sound of her door handle turning took Johanna from her thoughts, she sat up, staring wide-eyed at the door.

The Judge and the Beadle had left just over an hour ago to go to court. Surely they wouldn't be back so soon…

"Who is there?" She called to hard wood of the door, standing up.

The door handle halted, there was silence for a minute before a soft, masculine voice broke the silence. "Miss, please forgive this intrusion, but it's me, the man you threw the key to the other day…"

Johanna paused, looked steadily at the door before speaking. "Just a moment please."

She smoothed the wrinkles of her creme gown, made sure her long, blonde curls were still neat, then opened the door to reveal the man.

For a moment they just stared at each other, taking in every detail. The man wore a worn old sailor's jacket over the top of an equally worn uniform. He had wavy, dirty blonde hair also, falling loosely over a pair of kind, blue eyes.

Johanna broke the awed silence, "Please, sir, do come in."

With a nod, he walked into the room, a small blush flashing over his boyish features.

"Sir I must admit it is nice to finally meet you at last." She said, sitting him down on the lounge.

"I feel the same, Johanna." He said, looking at her with an emotion she couldn't quite name. She looked at him, a little startled by his familiarity.

As in sudden realisation, he looked down in embarrassment, his hair falling over his eyes. "Please forgive me miss, I didn't mean to be so bold…" He trailed into silence, looking down at his hands in embarrassment.

Johanna looked at him, eyes searching him. She really didn't care for such formalities of those which existed in her social class. She found it rather stupid to be so formal all the time. "It's quite alright sir, you can call me Johanna." She urged, looking at him softly.

He smiled slightly, raising his head up to look at her. "Thank you, Johanna…"

He looked over her in such a happy way, she felt almost caught off guard by the way she caused him so much joy by doing something so simple, it made her smile at the pure innocence. So much that it caused her to claim his hand and clasp it between hers, she almost gasped at the simple joy of feeling his hand in hers.

He gazed wide-eyed at their joined hands. For a moment, she thought he was just shocked at her forwardness, but his eyes never left her hand, she looked down at it, confused.

It turned out the man was staring at the engagement ring that the Judge had forced her to wear. The small diamond pressing hard into the man's hand.

She looked up at him and met his gaze, he spoke first, "Why, Johanna, are you engaged?"

He was clasping her hand hard now, squeezing her hand tightly like a possessive child at a toy.

She looked up to meet his gaze, her eyes flooding with shame, "Yes, yes I am…" She started, "To the Judge…"

The man's eyes darkened, but didn't say anything. She continued, "He means to marry me on Monday Evening, sir." She looked up at him, his eyes were staring at her intently now.

"And do you want to marry him, Johanna?" He asked her, looking at her as though he already knew the answer.

She looked horrified at the question, "No of course not! He is such a vile, repulsive man, why would I possibly want to marry him?"

He looked at her, understanding, but then looked quite nervous at what he was about to say, "You know, Johanna, if you really don't want to marry him, I have a plan…"

Johanna looked at him desperately, "Please, I'm willing to do anything to avoid marrying him, anything!"

He looked at her, a little more sure now, "I could sneak you out of here… tonight perhaps…"

She nodded eagerly, her thick curls bouncing as she did so, "Yes, yes of course… That sounds so utterly perfect! Oh sir, I just could just kiss you right now…"

The man looked at her wide-eyed for a moment, and Johanna cursed her forwardness for a moment, but then he looked just a little willing, he leaned forward, and Johanna couldn't even comprehend what was happening before he met her lips with his.

The feeling was amazing… and Johanna found herself enjoying it before he pulled away, him looking little red faced at the action. He looked embarrassedly down at his hands.

Johanna examined him for a moment, "I never asked for your name," She said, breaking the awkward tension.

He looked up at her, surprised, "It's Anthony, Anthony Hope." He said, nervously bowing to her in his seat, and she couldn't help a giggle at his formalness.

She raised hand, suddenly emboldened, stroked his cheek, he looked up at her, startled. "I would very much like to leave with you, Anthony." She said, slowly.

Then she pulled his lips to hers again, clutching his shoulders as she kissed him fully.

She knew that this was all going a bit fast… even for both of them. But she didn't care. How could she possibly care when she felt every inch of her skin? Felt no longer alone as he wrapped his arms around her middle, deepening their kiss? The feeling was so new an foreign to her. And it felt so amazing…

When Anthony finally left, she began packing immediately, she looked out the window and smiled slightly when she gazed at the late afternoon sky.

Soon… She decided slipping her bag under her bed, perhaps her fairytale-like ending could possibly come true now… Perhaps there was hope for a happier future was in store for her…

She went over and sat on the lounge, smiling as she felt the warm place where Anthony had sat just minutes before.

All she had to do now was wait…