Thorns And Roses

Chapter One

A/N: So this is my first story and one I've been working on for a while now. Just a heads-up for some pretty GRAPHIC VIOLENCE in this chapter. Also, this story is kind of AU where Lucy did die when she poisoned herself. Lucy is in the way of my favourite pairing so I like to kill her off so she can't come between them 😂. Anyways, on with the story...

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Mrs Lovett's Pie Shop

Eleanore Lovett let out a sigh of relief as the last customer exited the shop for the night. Tonight had been one of the most tiring and gruelling shifts she had ever done. Two young sailors had to be thrown out after they drunkenly started throwing pies at some friends at another table and a small boy had run into young Toby, causing him to drop a whole jug of ale and four freshly baked pies. The poor lad had gone flying and landed hard on his backside too, causing the whole restaurant to laugh like crazy. Toby's cheeks had flushed and he'd scampered off with tears in his eyes before she had even got the chance to reach him. Eleanor hadn't seen him since then, and that had been around two hours ago. She hoped he had gotten over his little tantrum and hadn't wandered too far. She could have really used his help today and she didn't appreciate him running off leaving her to tend to the customers alone.

Groaning at the ache in her knees, she threw down the wet rag on the table she was cleaning. "Well...I suppose that'll 'ave to do." She placed her hands on her hips and stretched, enjoying the satisfying crack in her back. The sound of footsteps brought her out of her thoughts when Mr Todd stomped down from his barbershop, seemingly searching for her.

"Ello Mr Todd." She smiled "You lookin' for something, love?"

"Where's my dinner?" He asked in his usual dreary tone.

Eleanore tried not to show her disappointment. Of course, he wasn't looking for her, what a stupid thought. At the word 'dinner' she gasped, she had completely forgotten!

"Oh Mr T! I'm so sorry love, it jus' got real busy with the dinner rush and... I'll go grab you something now." She fluttered around the tables and made her way into the shop where one spare pie lay in the oven which she placed on a plate. "You want some gin too dear?"

He only grunted in response, clearly annoyed that she had been neglecting him for the past few hours. He watched her with a scowl as she poured him a small glass of gin and handed it over with the plate "Here ya are."

Sweeney snatched the plate from her hand but completely ignored the glass as he took the whole bottle off the counter instead and walked back up to his shop without another word. Eleanore watched him go with the glass still in her hand. It didn't matter how much she went out of her way to make him happy, he would still never show her an ounce of gratitude.

She placed the glass back on the counter and blinked back her tears. This day had been an absolute nightmare. Could it get any worse?

The sound of the door slamming made her jump out of her skin. "Ello?"

"Mum?" Came the voice of Toby.

Eleanore felt herself relax before her expression suddenly became angry. "Where the bloody 'ell 'ave you been?" She walked towards an abashed-looking Toby and placed her hands on her hips. "I 'ave spent the last two hours serving people all by myself while you wandered off ta god knows where!"

"I'm really sorry, mum. I didn't mean to run out like that." He looked up at her with his big dark eyes "But they was all laughin' at me mum, laughin' at me like I wos some clown all because that boy knocked me over!"

Mrs Lovett's eyes softened somewhat "I know wot 'appened, but you didn't even give me a chance to see if you were okay. Ya just walked right off past me and outta the shop! I would 'ave worried myself sick if ya hadn't come back! Think of all the crooks and dangerous folk that could've 'urt ya - it's dangerous out there Toby! Ya think just because ya got yer pride 'urt that you should do somethin' as rash as running off?"