The Return To Fleets Street

A healing heart

Her eyes felt so heavy. Opening them seemed like such a hard task especially as her head was hurting a little too. she could hear voices from afar but couldn't work out who's. It was when she felt the weight of someone small move beside her that she realised she wasn't alone.

Cracking open one eye Mrs Lovett frowned seeing the surroundings weren't so familiar. She noticed she was in some kind of bedroom laying on what undoubtably was the comfiest mattress she had ever slept on in her life.

Her frown deepened as she began to open both eyes slowly looking around a little more. The room was small yet rather posh looking for that matter. Oil lamps were flickering each side of the room letting in a little light. The walls were a dark brown with matching furnishings, it looked rather expensive and for that Mrs Lovett was beginning to wonder just who's bed she had been sleeping in.

"Mummy..."

Widening her eyes Mrs Lovett turned to the small voice coming from beside her.

"Mae..." she whispered in surprise as her daughter snuggled up closer to her in the bed. She could still hear voices sounding from outside of the room and wondered just where they were.

"What happened darlin?" She whispered to Mae stroking her hair out of her face and looking at her little girl in the eyes.

"You fainted mummy, Doctor says you're not well and need lots of rest" she explained innocently before the door to the bedroom opened and in walked said doctor and Sweeney.

SWEENEY! Her eyes nearly popped out of her head! What was he doing here? She met his eyes and sighed in defeat. This was his home wasn't it.....

He looked tired and rather scruffy as if he had been awake all night. His white shirt was hanging half out of his buckled trousers and his hair was messy like he had been running his hands through it in stress. Even his eyes looked heavy.

"How are you feeling?" Sweeney asked her in his dark voice while the doctor greeted Mrs Lovett and took her temperature. She simply gulped and shrugged her shoulders, she felt horrible if she were honest. She had a banging headache, she felt as if she might throw up and knew full well she was ill.

"Fine" she muttered.

Sweeney shook his head in annoyance, she was far from fine they both knew that. It was always so typical for her to lie. The doctor said she had been starving herself from food, which he imagined was because she was giving her money to pay for Mae. She had lost a lot of weight and was suffering from a high temperature. She needed rest and lots of food. Her bones were weak and her insides were craving the food she had deprived herself from.

Nellie watched as Sweeney spoke to the doctor. He seemed very concerned about her and was asking the doctor lots of questions about what he needed to do to look after her. It was the first time she saw him truly worried and for that she couldn't help but feel some kind of warmth in her heart. Maybe he did care after all...

Shaking her head from her stupid thoughts Nellie turned to Mae cuddled up close beside her and smiled sadly before kissing her forehead.

"Daddy carried you here, you were heating up mummy you didn't look well" Mae began to cry and Nellie was quick to hug her in her arms to soothe her.

"I promise you I'll be alright, I'm just a little under the weather love but I'll make it through" she forced a smile before turning to see the doctor shaking Sweeney's hand before leaving. The doctor then tipped his hat to Mrs Lovett and left the room.

"You're to stay here" Sweeney muttered running a worried hand through his hair and looking around to find some blankets in the cupboards. He looked almost scatty which was so out of character for him.

"I can't" Nellie said stubbornly watching as he pulled out a stack of soft blankets and placed them at the end of the bed before meeting her eyes.

"It's not you're decision anymore Eleanore, I've told the doctor I'm to look after you and you are certainly not going back...." he paused glancing at Mae's innocent face before gulping.

"You know where..." he added before his eyes met hers again. "Mae would you mind giving me and your mother a moment...." Sweeney asked his daughter kindly to which she nodded and crawled out of the bed before running out of the room.

Now alone Sweeney closed the door too before he headed over to Nellie. Her heart raced as he pulled up a chair and took her hand in his own to which she didn't move it but simply stayed still. He looked deadly serious and very concerned and for that she wondered why he was so worried....

"I want this to be your room, where you and Mae can stay and be safe.... I'll sleep in the living room. I have food, good food that you'll need to eat..." he began almost nervously his eyes wandered all over the place. His hand was warm and almost clammy in her cold one.

"I know you hate me, I hate me too after seeing the life you've had to lead after I left....I don't expect your forgiveness but what I do want is to make it right....if you want to leave after you're better so be it, but know that I shall pay for you and Mae to keep you both safe and sheltered no matter what" for the first time ever Mrs Lovett was almost speechless. She never knew this side to him and it took her by surprise. His words hit her hand as if she had been waiting her whole life to hear him tell her all this...

"Now get some rest, I'll have dinner ready later" he said letting go of her hand gently and standing up straight.

Mrs Lovett gulped watching him heading towards the bedroom door. She needed to thank him, wanted to...

"Sweeney" she called softly her voice breaking ever so slightly.

Turning round he looked at her as she bucked up the courage to speak.

"Thank you"

He inwardly smiled giving a small nod in her direction before leaving the room completely. Maybe, just maybe they could start speaking to each other again. Maybe they might both be able to be good parents to Mae without bickering all the time. He hoped Mrs Lovett would let him be the father he's always wanted to be to Mae. He adored her so much already. But what mattered to him most was to help Mrs Lovett get better.

A/N: hi guys! Hope you all had a great Christmas! Sorry this chapter is a little short but I haven't had much time to write! Hope you all like where this is going❤️ Thanks for reading!