Overnight(DIKY sequel)

Old fears (Chapter 8)

A/N I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY I'VE ABANDONED THIS FANFIC FOR SO LONG!!

I have explained I think or either my wall or my last update that I'm losing muse for Sweenett and stuff however I will not leave this series unfinished because I know many of you like it so I am continuing and will finish it so as long as it takes for me to finish it it will be finished I promise :)

Anyhow enough with the apologies, let's get on with the much awaited chapter!

A week later and the baker, barber and Daniel were loading their bags into a carriage, about to make their way to the port to go and visit Johanna and Anthony in Paris.

Nellie had tactfully not told Daniel the details about why they were going to Paris, deciding to leave that up to Mr Todd to decide if he wanted to share that with him or not. She knew they were getting along rather well now but she didn't want to spoil it if she told the boy more than Sweeney wanted him to know.

"I'm so excited mum, I've never been to another country before!" Daniel said excitedly,bouncing up and down on his heels as the barber loaded in the last bags; Nellie really was the sort of not wanting to be unprepared and they had more bags than necessary.

"Me neither love, it is rather exciting. Right Mr Todd?" she smiled at Sweeney who had been quite quiet all morning which she assumed was because he was still feeling a bit overwhelmed at the fact that he was about to see his daughter again but this time it would be a proper,formal meeting rather than a rushed rescue in a dark barber shop.

Sweeney just gave a nod and put his hands behind his back as he finished loading the bags and waited for the two to get inside the carriage before he did.

Daniel quickly scrambled into it and took the seat on the far right, Nellie sitting in the middle and finally the barber took the last seat beside the baker.

Now he wasn't hurrying about loading bags into the carriage Nellie could notice the expression on Sweeney's face which clearly held worry and a slight bit of fear.

Sweeney was sat up straight with one hand resting on the door of the carriage and the other on his knee, staring straight ahead until he suddenly felt a warmth on his cold hand and he looked down,seeing Nellie's pink, warm hand holding reassuringly onto his thin, pale one.

He appreciated the small gesture and his shoulders noticeably relaxed a little as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze of thanks,making the baker smile, glad that she could help somewhat in easing his worry.

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The ride was around 15 minutes long however it felt like an age to Sweeney who's anxious dark eyes kept flicking to the window every five seconds to see if they were there yet. Daniel's excited blue eyes did the same however for a different reason.

"Are we there yet?" he asked every two minutes

Every time the question was asked Sweeney felt his nerves peak again and in response that started to stir the old anger in him,making him want to shout at the boy for the incessant badgering but thankfully for everyone in the carriage they had arrived by the time the barber was ready to lose his temper and instead of shouting the man just quickly got out of the carriage and started pacing about the port to calm himself down.

There were some old habits he just couldn't shake.

Whilst Sweeney was calming down Nellie payed the driver,thanked him and then unloaded the bags with the help of Daniel who like Sweeney only had one bag, unlike Nellie who had three.

"I'm going to be meeting your daughter for the first time love, I need to make sure I look nice." was her reasoning when Sweeney asked why she was packing so much. He hadn't argued and just let her bring as much as she wanted, deciding that his and Daniel's lack of bags made it a reasonable number in total.