COMPLETED Nellie Lovett (The Virgin Widow of Fleet Street) #Wattys2016 Sweenett

"Stay with me...Nellie...!"

Chapter VII

Few days later...
Night time, Sweeney can hear the dripping water from Mrs. Lovett's washroom upstairs but her soft cries empowered any sound one could ever hear from her room. The house is haunted by her sobs and cries and he knows he can't do anything about that as technically, he is one of the reasons why she is crying. He still can't go near her, it was a good thing Mrs. Park has always been beside Nellie in the past days and did not suspect why Nellie would also tremble in fear in his presence.
"Might be the trauma Beadle had cause her, dear. I've seen other victims of rape in the past..." The old woman looked at Nellie who was sleeping at that time. "They succumb to fear in men in general, as for our dear Nellie, it was the same... The need to wash and bathe themselves frequently to erase the disgusting memories... Our dear Nellie is in that phase now... Be patient Mr. Todd." The old woman looked at him with understanding in her eyes.
It is just bad Mrs. Park can't be beside Nellie in the next few days because of the storm, she has grandchildren to look after. Now it's just him who can be beside her.

The skunk Beadle is now being sent to the jail at the far flung forest of England. He so much wanted to kill the man but if he did, he knew he'd only go back to the jail himself and Mrs. Lovett will be left alone in that house, with no one...

He had to control himself for this woman he ruined the life of. He shook his head with the thoughts of her. The strong typhoon conquering London that night is just as furious as his angst towards the world, towards all these events. Yet again, the heavy drops of rain from outside is nothing compared to the sobs Mrs. Lovett was making upstairs.

He so much wanted to go beside her but he knows that his presence would only make it much worse for Mrs. Lovett. He knows she can never trust him again after his attempt to kill her.
He stayed in her living room, he layed down to rest on her couch just beside the piano but he can't get himself to sleep.

It has been a couple of hours since he heard the faucet turned off and heard her footsteps going back to her room, she's probably asleep now, he told himself when there was no more noise coming from her room. A loud rage of thunderstorm vibrated through the house and he stood up, he remembered young Nellie was afraid of thunderstorms.
In an instant he was already there, in front of the door of Mrs. Lovett, another blinding thunderstorm helped him see her. She was there, curled up in the middle of the bed. He went closer, his brows frowning. That was only then he realized she was still sobbing, and she was shaking too much.

"Mrs. Lovett..." he called her as he sat down on the edge of the bed and reached for her arm. She's abnormally shaking while sobbing.
"Mrs..." he reached for her cheeks and felt as if his hand was burned. Another thunderstorm illuminated through the room and his eyes caught her lips shaking as well.

He grabbed her, expecting her to open her eyes but she didn't, she just continued shaking, again he felt the burning temperature of her body.
"Mrs. Lovett!" panic ran through his veins. He stood up quickly and set fire in the room's fire place but even when the fire has already provided light and enough warmth to the room, she remained the same. She remained shaking abnormally.

He pulled off the blanket covering her body and went in to add warmth to her. He can feel her burning skin through the fabric of her night gown. She's convulsing with very high fever.

"Nellie!!!" for the first time, since he came back, he called her by her nickname out of panic and worry for her state.

"Wake up, Nellie!!!" he shook her. That was only then he noticed how bruised she still was. On her left cheek remained the mark of beadle's palm, her lips also has a cut on the side.
"God... Nellie!!!" he held her face and shook her again hoping to see her open her eyes.

She must be dreaming, she can hear a man's voice calling out her name. Is she dead? Is it Albert calling her? She forced to open her eyes but all she can see was a pair of black eyes looking at her.
Is it Albert? She wanted to smile at him for finally coming back for her, but her lips just shook as she gasped, her hand gripped the fabric in front of her and unconsciously pulled her 'husband' closer.

"Nellie!!! Don't close your eyes Nellie!!!" he knows very well that she is already in a great danger. He used to sail before he went back to London after serving his time in jail and it had been a couple of times when some sailors died in the middle of the sea because of too much coldness. He can't let that happen to Nellie.

Not knowing exactly what to do and because of fear starting to run in his veins for Nellie, he embraced her tightly.
"Stay with me Nellie..." he didn't know what pushed him to say that, he just did.
He found himself taking off his own clothes and embracing her again but she was still trembling, her night gown is soaking with sweat now but she still seemed like freezing by the way she is shaking. He immediately pushed her so that her whole back is resting on the bed and unbottoned her night gown. He cursed in his mind out of frustration and just ripped the dress into two when he can't unbotton it quickly.
He raised her from the bed so he can take the gown off of her body and layed her flat again.

He cursed in his mind once more. He had no choice but to do this or she'll be in a really great danger. His throat dried as his eyes landed on her half naked body; appreciating the masterpiece underneath him and for a moment, he was jealous of Albert for once having this paradise he can only see now.

"Nellie wake up!!!" he tapped her cheeks.
Nellie managed to open her eyes again, there goes the same dark pair of eyes looking down on her.
"That's right Mrs. Lovett... Stay with me!" he snapped at her.
Is she just dreaming or was it really him? Again soreness pulled her to unconsciousness.
Sweeney cursed loudly.
"Nellie...! Stay with me!!! Nellie!!!" his fingers lost inside her soft red curls and he pulled her head towards his face as his lips crushed on hers in a very savage way and she groaned.
"That's right!" he said and looked at her for a moment then claimed her lips in a painful way again, hoping she would stay awake and give her attention to the pain his lips is inflicting on hers. Hoping that she can open her eyes and wake up to fight and stop him because otherwise, he would be obliged to give her more than a kiss.

(How's my writing? I will try to write as much update as possible but I really do hope I can hear from you soon too.)