The Crow + Sweeney Todd

His Second Demise

The bake house was silent.
Two dead bodies lied lifeless on the cold pavement, while the avenger threw his gun to the ground.
It skidded across the pavement and it's sound echoed lightly.
It was done. He avenged his wife and it's now time to return to the grave; where he belongs.
Before returning to the cemetery, he wanted to just relax and relish in the movement that his work his done.
He lowered himself to the ground and lied on his back on the cold ground. He stared up at the dark ceiling and smiled to himself.
"They're dead," he whispered and glanced at the lifeless Judge Turpin. "Finally put in their places," he added and turned his head to look at the dead Beadle.
He lied for a good half an hour before standing back up and starting for the door. He opened the large metal door; it creaked loudly that he was sure Mrs. Lovett would hear. He began up the stairs; shivering in the cold air. He made it up to ground level where the cellar doors were already wide open and waiting for him.
A dead policeman on the ground was the first to greet Ben. His lifeless eyes staring up at him. Ben glared at the man then carried on his way; stepping over the corpse.
He first peeked his head in the parlor to find it vacant. He then looked to his right; into the bakery.
There he found Mrs. Lovett and his little daughter Johanna sitting at a booth. Johanna had her back to him so she wouldn't see the dead man on the ground just meters away.
The baker's eyes looked up at Ben and she smiled. She told Johanna to stay put while she got up and walked towards the man.
"Did you do it?" She asked and looked past Ben to see the lifeless policeman still where he was before.
Ben nodded.
"I should probably clean up, huh?" He softly chuckled and looked back at the dead man. "You have four dead bodies in your house."
"Four?"
"There's one in your room," he laughed.
"Well you're a bit messy," she laughed along. "But no, I can clean up. Discard the bodies in the furnace and it all goes to ashes."
"You say that like you've done it before," he cackled.
"Or I'm just a quick problem solver," she replied. "...So... where are you going now?"
"I'm not sure where," he shrugged his shoulders and looked over Mrs. Lovett's shoulder to see Johanna playing with her doll. "I feel the cemetery is best. That's where I belong after all. I'm dead," he said with a half smile. The right end of his lips curling up.
The baker looked down in despair. For once in her boring life, something thrilling occurred and not its over.
"And I have a favor to ask of you," he quickly said when seeing her gloomy expression. "It's a rather big favor, but it'd mean the world to me."
"And what's that?" She questioned.
Ben looked over at Johanna; her long yellow curls just bouncing about as she played.
"Could you take care of Johanna? You're really the only one I can trust. You don't mind that, do you?" He asked in a desperate, dreary tone. His mournful facial expression was all the reason to say yes.
"That shouldn't even be a question," she beamed. "I'd love to take care of her. She reminds me a lot about you."
Benjamin's heart was atlas fully content. Everything was perfect. Everything set the way it needs to be.
The baker was just expecting a "thank you", but instead received a tight hug. She was caught off guard by this, but quickly greeted him back with one. He reeked off death and a musky scent, but she didn't mind it. He had every valid excuse to reek the way he did.
The hug soon ended and Ben walked towards the booth where Johanna was sitting. He took a seat in front of his own flesh and blood and lost himself in her crystal blue eyes.
She was a spitting image of her mother and it almost shattered his heart.
"On a scale of one to ten, how much do you like Mrs. Lovett?"
"An eleven!" She squealed. "She's so much fun. You're not gonna take me away from her are you?"
Ben shook his head. "Heaven's no!"
"You can stay with her for as long as you desire"
Her face lit up and it made Ben's do the same.
"You're gonna stay with Mrs. Lovett and I, right?" Johanna asked; hoping the answer was yes. She saw the way he protected her and the baker and she found a fondness towards him.
Benjamin's eyes glanced up at Mrs. Lovett with a bit of sorrow. He wanted to be with his daughter, but it wouldn't be right. No matter what, he'd always be dead and living among the world wouldn't be right.
His Lucy will always be dead and so will he. He can avenge all that he can, but that can never bring his family back.
He needed to return to the dead, where he belonged.
He then locked eyes with Johanna and sighed.
"Afraid I can't," he exhaled. "I have other places to be although I would like staying here."
Johanna's content expression was then tarnished and she frowned.
"Where do you have to go?" She asked; hoping he could still make visits.
"Somewhere... really far," he answered. He then got up from his seat and glanced at Mrs. Lovett who was just as glum as Johanna.
"Goodbye hug?" Johanna suggested; a forced smile forming on her face.
Benjamin nodded with a smile as well. A smile similar to his daughter's.
Johanna jumped from her seat and flung her arms around Ben. Ben then scooped her up in his arms and squeezed her tight. He was on the verge of crying, but kept his tears bottled up.
There in his arms was his daughter. The daughter he thought he'd never see again let alone hold. He ran a hair through her long, luscious hair before setting her back down to her feet.
"I'll miss you," she stated and wiped away a faint tear.
"I'll miss you two," Ben replied again with a forced smile.
He then turned to the baker.
"I guess I'll be going. My work is done and everything feels like it's in its place," he said before the crow had swooped in from nowhere and sat on his shoulder.
"Hell, my pet'll keep you two company," he joked; knowing the baker hated birds.
She laughed with him before watching him slowly starting for the front door. He then stuck a hand in his pocket and pulled out two straight razors. He held them out for the baker to take.
"Take these and the other five and sell em. They'll get ya lot of money and you deserve it," he said with an assuring nod.
She hesitantly took them; her hands growing cold by their metallic touch.
And with that, he was gone. Within a second he was out the door and out of sight.
Benjamin Barker walked down the streets of London in the soft rain. As he walked down the bricked roads and intentionally stepped in puddles, he shed his jacket which dumped out all the extra ammunition. All he could hear was the rain the sound of the bullets falling on pavement.

By the time he had returned to London's cemetery, his pants were ripped and muddy; his shirt was a mess and riddled with bullet holes and blood not his own. His hair was a ratted mess clustered with mud and grease. He walked with a limp due to the bullet wound that had permanently injured him. But he returned to the cemetery all in one piece.

The crow was flying above the entire time he walked there and quickly flew to Lucy's grave to sit upon it. He released his loud cawing sound and watched Benjamin stagger over to the grave.
His boots stomped down on every mud puddle possible; splattering the liquid dirt.
Benjamin atlas came upon her grave and he collapsed before it. He was tired of walking and gave up right in front of his wife's grave. He crawled up closer to it and leaned against it; finally able to find peace and rest.
As he lied there with eyes closed, a warm, angelic hand brushed a strain of hair out of his face. His eyes immediately fluttered open to find a glowing Lucy Barker in a long, sparkling white dress. Though she stepped in the mud and her dress dragged along it, it didn't get stained and remained pure white.
She slowly bent down to Benjamin's level where they stayed staring at each other for a moment.
They could finally be in peace. Peace for eternity.
The two didn't say anything for their eyes said all that they needed. They then leaned forward; their lips crashing.
It's been years since Benjamin was able to see his wife, let alone kiss her.
Lucy then helped Benjamin up to his feet; a smile on both their faces. With hand in hand, they walked side by side. He finally reached contentment and would be able to spend eternity with his wife.
And the crow cawed once more before flying away.