Landing

Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd or the associated characters.

Third and last part of a three short story series. Flying, Falling, and Landing.

Only a few days later and the baby arrived. The event went by as perfect as having a baby in the Victorian ages could be. Nellie was alive and so was the baby… A little girl with red hair just like her mum- like they'd wanted together. There was a certain pain in Sweeney's chest seeing his wife hold the baby, knowing that this was the baby that should have been his- their dreams, and that the last time she held an infant it was their son who had never even taken a look at the lights outside the womb. By look on her face she was thinking of this too.

Seven years later…

"Oy, where do you think you're going, little missy?"

"To the water… Please, mum?"

Nellie smiled at her daughter and patted her back encouragingly.

"Only if your dad will agree to go with you." Nellie said cheerily, knowing fully well that he would say yes.

The seven year old girl ran across the beach to her father, a giant grin on her face.

"Daddy, can you please take me down to the water?"

Sweeney looked up from the newspaper he was reading, his eyes meeting the little girl's hazel ones. She truly did have him wrapped around her little finger.

"Alright. Did you ask your mother?"

"She told me to ask you to go with me."

He rolled his eyes, seeing that she sent their daughter over here to ask him because he would say yes. That meant Nellie didn't have to go. He picked the girl up and carried her in his arms. Nellie waved at them from the blanket she was sitting on.

"You two be careful out there! Be good for your dad, Monica!" She shouted so they could hear her.

"Okay!" They both replied in unison. Sweeney marched down to the shore and let Monica down, Sweeney deciding to step into the water, which was only up to his knees in height where he was standing. He was just getting used to the water when Monica splashed him, making him look up from staring at his feet. She sure was Nellie's daughter- always looking for trouble wherever she could find it. Monica was what seemed like a miniature version of her mother.

Nellie watched the two playing and sighed peacefully as she laid down next to another little girl, who grabbed at her mother's red locks, pulling them rather hard. Mrs. Todd gently removed her hand and pulled her daughter to lay on her her mother's stomach while she stroked her dark hair and looked into her even darker eyes.

"My little Vivian." She cooed.

Vivian gurgled in reply, a sudden smile spreading across her face. Vivian rested her head on Nellie's chest and chewed on her hand, yawning, obviously tired from her long day on the sand. As her daughter fell asleep, Nellie looked up at the sky.

"Your daddy has changed so much… He's so brave to do this…"

She looked back down from the darkening a sky to find her daughter sleeping.

"Long day for a little one like you, huh?"

Nellie could see red hair glinting in the setting sun down the hill and gestured for it to step back up to the blanket. Before long, Monica ran to her mother, Sweeney appearing soon after.

"Time to go home now, dears. Come along."

Nellie gently picked up Vivian while Sweeney grabbed and folded the blanket. Nellie started to walk back to the house, Monica and Mr. Todd in tow.

His wife was very glad, now that Sweeney was past the phase where he'd feel angry. He was finally at peace. Not only was Monica his daughter, she could bend his will to do almost anything she wanted. Just like her mother and Viv.

Soon enough, they got home to their beach house and settled in for the night. They bought the house to be used in the late spring and most of summer. From there, Nellie ran a shop which sold only sweet pastries- only being open when they lived in the house. She ran the meat pie emporium the rest of the year and Sweeney continued his shaving there as well as at the waterfront when they went.

Mrs. Todd went to go tuck in the girls later that night, but as she pushed open the door, she found Sweeney was already there, telling them a story. Vivian was fast asleep and Monica was slowly drifting off.

"The princess loved her prince so much she waited for him the whole time he was on an adventure." He noticed she was stepping into the dream world. "We'll finish this tomorrow so you don't miss it, okay?"

She nodded silently.

"Daddy?" She asked.

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too. Now, close your eyes and I see you in the morning." He said softly, kissing her cheek.

She nodded, making him smile as he got up and left, only to be met by Nellie in the hallway.

"I'm afraid you've gone soft, Mr. T." She said playfully.

"Would you rather I go back to staring out the window plotting your untimely death?" He teased.

"Did you really-"

"Once or twice." He added, "Or more."

That earned him an annoyed slap from his wife, who was pouting like a child as he walked past her.

"Don't you walk away from me, mister!" She whispered warningly as she followed him, Sweeney leading his way toward the bedroom. Suddenly he stopped in front of her, making her run into his back.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Nothing. Just being myself... Let's go to bed now, Nell."

He picked her up, bridal style and carried her through the door, closing it behind them and setting her on the bed.

"Sweeney?"

"Yes?"

"I was looking today after we got home from the beach…"

"Mhm…" He said, listening as he moved to sit behind her, untie her corset and massage her back.

"I think… I think…"

"Tell me."

"I think I'm pregnant again."

He stopped and pulled her shoulders around so she was facing him.

"You think so? Are you sure? It hasn't been that long since Viv, has it?"

"Sweeney, she's almost two. Yes I'm nearly positive."

"You're forty-two?" He asked.

"You're forty-six?" She mocked. He gave her a 'really?' Look.

"You know how old I am, love. And it hasn't happened- not yet. So it's very possible."

"I see…"

"Is that… Bad?" She asked, feeling self-conscious.

"Not at all."

She smiled up at him as he leaned down to kiss her, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss until they couldn't breathe and pulled away.

"I love you, Sweeney. You changed for us so much… Thank you."

"I love you too, Mrs. Todd. I changed for my girls. All three of you. And never will I regret my decision to marry you. Never will I regret Monica or Vivian or this new baby that is coming. I'm never going back."

They looked deeply into each other's eyes, feeling each emotion radiating off the other.

"Never." They said together.

Author's Note:

The conclusion chapter! Thanks everyone for reading! If you enjoyed, feel free to review/ favorite! The original series is now over, but I'm feeling a sequel rising in my brain. Tell me if you'd like me to continue this, probably in their later years. Hope you enjoyed, and thanks to everyone who reviewed/ will review in the future.

(I'm proud of myself because for once I finished a real chapter story. Hooray!)

-HTL