Epilogue

"Well wot do ya think?" Nellie smiled, waving her arms at the little house, "Isn't it just lovely Mr. T?" She turned from the perfect house from her child hood summer memories to stare at the two following after her. Little Violet smiled at her, one hand in Sweeny's, the other clutching a large sea shell.

"You like the house Vi?"

She nodded eagerly, letting go of her father's hand to hold both her arms out to her mom. Nellie scooped her up as they stepped in to the house. "Wow, look at al the junk in here!" Her eyes flew over her Aunt Netta's knickknacks, papers, books, and more than a few cats.

"Kitty!" Violet squirmed out of the maroon haired woman's hands, chasing after a monstrously huge orange one.

"Nice of the old bag to leave this to us." Sweeney commented.

"Be nice." Nellie chided, not that it mattered. "Me and Toby can get the luggage in, why don't you take Vi out to see the shore?"

"I'll take her out if you'd rather go see the shed Mister Todd." Joannah offered, a smile on her face.

He nodded, allowing the cheerful blond to whisk the child out the door. "She'll make a lovely mum one day." Nellie commented cheerily. Sweeney shot her a glare but she just chuckled. "It's bound t' happen one day, wot with the wedding only two months away. Antony might be a bit of a ditz but you can't say 'e wont make 'er 'appy." She smiled.

"'Sides, Joanna seams quite the responsible one now a days. I don't know wot I woulda done if I 'ad t' rush up 'ere febuary when poor Netta was fell ill. I think her cares wot got 'er t; 'old on for almost two months as it was."

He nodded, looking around. "She dose seem to know how to keep house." His eyes fell on one of the twenty some odd cats. "Are we keeping them?"

"Well a few wouldn't hurt but this many is ridiculous. I'm sure Toby and Violet can find them good homes in town, right?"

Toby nodded, looking up from the trunk he was carrying in. "Of course ma'am." His eyes moved over to Sweeneys pale face. "Where do you want this sir?"

"Let me take that." He lifted his luggage from the boy. "I was headdin' out to my new work space anyways."

Mrs. Lovett smiled, watching the love of her life head out the door. A content sigh escaped her lips as she thought back over the way her life had went the past few years. She was still lost in thoughts as she grabbed luggage from the buggy. This would be perfect.

In a few days she'd have the house in tiptop shape. There was enough space for Toby to have the attic, violet to have her own room and if she and Sweeney shared a room there'd be two extra rooms to rent out to guest. A seaside inn, just like her fondest fantasies. And what's even better her Todd could still be a barber, right now he was getting things set up in large shed.

Of course he would be just a barber, he hadn't killed anyone since that daring assignation almost a year and a half ago. She frowned, unwillingly drifting back to that night she had come so close to losing her beloved barber.

Sonly days after the Violet incident Sweeney had broken into Turpin's house, killing both him and the Beadle in cold blood, barley escaping the pursuing assortment of maids, butlers and the rallied law men. He had stayed hidden for two long, excruciating days before making his way back to the shop. She had feared the worst those long hours.

Of course he had worn a mask but he just couldn't chance it. Not even a week later Antony had burst in and said he discovered the whereabouts of Johanna and now that Turpin was dead, she had no legal guardian. Mrs.' Lovett had promptly went to the asylum and after a considerable sum of money Johanna was now in her custody and life was getting better by the minute.

"Wot you thinkin 'bout mum?"

"Just 'ow lucky I am Toby." She smiled, ruffling her adoptive sons hair.

"I'm luckey t' 'ave you." He said with a smile.

"As am I." She pulled him into a hug, pulling away as she heard a knock at the door. Toby rushed to get the door.

"Hi." A nervous looking girl was at the door, basket in her hands. She opened her mouth to say something else but closed it, shyly looking down at her bare feet.

"Hi." Toby echoed, same shy expression on his face.

"Hello love. Can I help you?" Mrs. Lovett asked.

"My mum sent you some fresh bread." She told the wooden floor. "She says welcome t' the neighborhood."

"Well tell her she has my thanks." Mrs. Lovett took the offered baskey. "I'll return this soon." She promised. The girl nodded, to busy focusing on tracing patterns in the sand on the porch to notice much. "Wanna go play treasure hunt?" She asked, still not willing to look up. "We can find shells and sea glass or-"

"That sounds great." Toby looked expectantly at his mother and she shooed him out with a smile.

The carriage emptied she said good bye to the driver and stepped into the she'd to check up on Sweeney. "How you feelin' love?" The aforementioned barber was sitting in his chair, lost in thought. She smiled sadly, sitting on the arm of the chair and pulling him into a loose hug. He didn't respond but he didn't push her away.

She was used to this and she was willing to be patient and understanding.

She'd never tell him to move on, to forget it and she was sure that was one of the reasons he still stuck by her. After all, she had spent fifteen years dreaming of someone she had never had any reason to believe was coming backs return. So she held him close, wishing to say something to away his pain but knowing it was silence he needed.

"Missus Lovett?" It was almost a half an hour before he moved, before he spoke.

She smiled down lovingly at him. He looked up at her, cool lips catching hers.

Though she had him now she knew part of his hart and part of his thoughtswould always belong to the flaxen haired goddess that was his Lucy and she was ok with that because the real, flesh and blood Sweeney was hers now.

The end~

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