Thorns And Roses

Chapter Twenty Two

A/N: Omg you guys I'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter, I have just been so unbelievably busy and I just could not find the time to write. To everyone whos still invested in this story thank you so much! I will not take this long to do another chapter again it's just been a mental month for me. Anyways, I hope the wait was worth it, more to come soon...

~•O•~

When Eleanore awoke in the morning she was pleasantly surprised to see Sweeney with her. Not next to her, simply present - alseep in the chair in the corner of the room like a guardian angel. She rarely saw him sleep, and when she did she couldn't help but smile a little. He looked very content and at peace while he slept, the happiest she had ever seen him.

Her smile faded a little as she moved her wrist and felt the dull ache of pain. A whimper escaped her lips as she remembered the terrifying encounter with the Judge the other night. At the sound of her cry, Sweeney's eyes snapped open and he tensed up, like he was ready to pounce. When he realised that everything was fine however, he relaxed but still sat forward in concern.

"Are you alright?" He asked before he could help himself. She looked so innocent and vulnerable on the bed holding her wrist. She was like a lost child and he felt the urge to ensure she was not hurt badly from last night.

Eleanore swallowed and nodded, rubbing her wrist tenderly. Sweeney's eyes filled with something like distress and she stared at him in confusion as he parted his lips and asked fearfully "Eleanore, did he...he didn't- he didn't...violate you?"

"No mista Todd." She shook her head "Ya got there in time, 'e jus' bruised me up a bit."

Sweeney heaved a sigh of relief that spoke a thousand words to her. He slouched back against the chair and closed his eyes. Eleanore watched his throat bob as he swallowed and his eyes reopened, this time they glazed with something like grief, then they blazed with growing anger and she could see his chest heave with repressed rage.

She slid her legs out from under the duvet and stood, approaching him cautiously. He did not look at her and seemed to be lost in his thoughts of Turpin. When she stood in front of him she reached down to touch his hand, only then did he snap out of his gaze and turn to look at her.

"Thank you." She said, with all the meaning and gratitude she could possibly muster. Her eyes welled "Thank you for savin' me, Sweeney."

Sweeney tilted his head and observed her stood before him. He took in her big doe eyes and full red lips, his eyes ran down her swan-like neck to just above her collar bone where a bruise had already formed from Turpin's mouth and teeth. Fresh rage tightened his chest but her hand on his made him feel a little at ease. The thought of Turpin actually hurting her, doing to her what he had done to Lucy horrified him. He hadn't realised how much it would have an effect on him, walking in on such an act.

Eleanore was the driving force behind his will to live these days, he didn't want to loose her. Just the thought of her actually being gone hit him full force and made him feel sick to his stomach. Losing Lucy had been unbelievably painful, but the idea of loosing her was unbearable.

His other hand moved to slide around her waist and pull her a little closer. Eleanore raised her hands to cup his face and pull him against her body in an embrace. When he didn't pull back or resist she rested her chin on his head and wrapped her arms around him and shut her eyes in bliss. Sweeney relished in the feel of her warm embrace and let out a breath he had held in for fifteen years.

~•O•~

Later in the afternoon, Eleanore stood with Toby in the shop by the counter, mixing another batch of cake for Beth's birthday meal tomorrow. The lad had agreed to help her of course, and in the space of a few hours, they'd made all the meals and were now onto the desserts; pastries, brownies and all sorts of delicious treats that were enough to make anyone's mouth water with delight.