A/N: Hey, thanks for all your support and reviews but, sadly, this story is over. Last chappie… I know, it's short, but hey… it's longer than the one-shot I had initially planned it to be! )

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Spoiler: Happy endings! – Bold italics are songs

Ch. 3

That insignificant name again! She paled a bit and her breath quickened. No, no, Please no. She tried to regain her composure and feign ignorance.

"Where'd you find that, I wonder." She said, her voice, surprisingly, unwavering.

"That beggar woman who keeps coming by here had it. She… dropped it. Says she's always had it. Now why is that, Mrs. Lovett?"

"My guess is s'good as yours, Mr. T."

"My Lucy wouldn't have taken it off. She would have died with it, you know that. Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Not that I know of, Mr. T…"

Without warning, he took out his razor, grabbed her by the neck, and held her in place with his free arm, nearly choking her.

"Are you sure, Mrs. Lovett? Because I think you lied to me, my dear. I think… you have something very important to tell me, Mrs. Lovett. This is your last chance."

"Mr. T, please. Let me explain…"

"So she is alive! When did you plan on telling me?" he shouted, holding her neck tighter, the blade just hairs away from piercing her neck

But he held his hand steady. At least, he would. Until he found out where his Lucy was.

"She's not the same anymore. The arsenic made her go crazy, it did. She doesn't remember 'er own name, much less you, who's been gone for so long. She won't even recognize you!"

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"I'll take ye to 'er. Jus'… let me go, first."

"Oh no, you don't. Tell me where she is, or I kill you where you stand."

"I thought ye cared about me." She whispered.

"Not anymore. You lied to me about my wife. There is no forgiveness for that." He spit at her, venom dripping from his husky voice.

"She's that woman what's been hanging around 'ere lately."

"That's just a filthy beggar. Tell the truth, Mrs. Lovett!"

"I am! Your Lucy died a long time ago, Mr. Todd. Along with Benjamin, she did. I did it to protect ye. Didn't want you to see how she's become a poor beggar in the streets, 

sellin' 'er virtue for measly alms. She doesn't know you. Ye can go see for yourself. Though the years 'ave changed 'er quite a bit…"

"Quiet." He ordered.

He dragged her by the arm into the kitchen, shoved her inside, and locked the door telling her that he'd be back to deal with her later.

Swiftly, he left the shop and went to look for the beggar woman who was conveniently just down the corner. He walked up to her and she twirled her yellow hair. Like Lucy's, he remembered. She smiled.

"Changed yer mind, did ye, Sir? Lookin' for some fun?"

"Lucy? Is that you, my love?"

"Who are you?"

He didn't answer. He simply took off her bonnet and looked into her eyes and saw that Mrs. Lovett wasn't lying. She may have, at one point, been his Lucy but now, she was just a street-dweller. Oblivious as to who he was and what they once had. Ironic, because that had been the only thing that never left his mind. He stroked her cheek, lovingly.

"You'll need to pay up."

"Lucy… don't you know me?"
"No, but I could…. If ye pay up." She said through gritted teeth.

"Lucy…"

"Why are ye callin' me Lucy? How do ye know me?"

"It's me, Lucy. It's Benjamin."

"Well, Benjamin. Benny… what can I do for ye?"

"You don't remember me…"

"I've never met ye. S'different. Can't remember someone ye ain't met before, right?"

"You're not my Lucy…"

"I could be…"

"Lucy is dead."

With that, he turned around and went back to the pie shop and opened the door to the kitchen only to see Mrs. Lovett with tears down her face, fear evident in her eyes.

"If you're goin' to do it, at least don't let the boy see. Poor thing's been through quite enough."

"Mrs. Lovett…" he began.

"Oh, and find 'im a good home. Perhaps with ye, 'er, and Johanna. I think he'd like to have a big sister."

"Mrs. Lovett…" he tried again, but this time with no murderous look in his eyes, no hate.

"And please don't put me in me own pies. That's just cruel. 'Sides, I doubt I'd taste good. And… before ye do it, if ye've got any of ol' Benjamin in you, tell me ye forgive me. I did it 'cause I love you, Mr. T. I always 'ave. Even when you were Benjamin Barker. And I tried to 'elp her, Mr. T, I did. I showed 'er pictures, told 'er stories. But nothin' 

worked, you see. She was just barkin' mad. Nothin' I could do to stop it. Even offered 'er a place to stay, but she said no. So, no. I'm not sorry I did it. I did it to protect ye, Mr. T. And I don't regret it, I don't."

"Mrs. Lovett…"

"And one more thing…"

"If you keep interrupting me, Nellie, I may very well kill you for that and that alone."

That shut her up good.

"Go on." She said, hopefully.

"I'm not going to hurt you Mrs. Lovett."

"You're not." She said, skeptically.

"No. I saw her. You were right… She's changed. She might as well be dead. Didn't even recognize me. Was only interested in money."

"I see… I'm sorry you 'ad to find out like this, Love. I never meant for ye to find out at all. Ye'd kill the judge and everything would be back to normal again. And, like I said, we could 'ave had a life. We'd have gotten by."

"I… forgive you, Mrs. Lovett."

"Really, Mr. T?"

"Yes." He said, while pulling her close to him.

"Yes." He whispered before giving her a passionate, fiery kiss that sent chills down her spine. Reluctantly, she pulled away, and looked at him strangely.

"What about… 'er?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Her? Lucy? Well, my pet… Benjamin Barker loved a woman named Lu-cy. Then he went to prison, where it was hot and smelly. He came back changed, that's the truth, you-see. Now Sweeney Todd loves a woman named Nellie. He didn't want to say it. He thought he would betray it. But now he's free. To live with her… by the sea."

"Oh, do ye mean it, Mr. T?"

"Yes, Darling. I mean it, Nellie."

"Oh, I love you, Mr. T."

"I love you too, Nellie." He said, smiling for the first time in 15 years.

He hugged her close and gave her another kiss. And it felt wonderful. Not at all like he remembered, though.

And he realized that it really wasn't like he remembered.

It was better.