A/N: Hello and welcome! I am sorry for not posting the last chapter sooner but I got caught up with my other fics. I am ashamed actually but…Here it is now. I hope you like it.
A huge thank you to: TinaG646, Jeaniverre, Fallen Snow Princess, AlexisHuang101, PrinceEmbree, clarali, sullsinger, NikkiBee, livicullen01, skycord1990, ItsSoFluffieex, Leishla Gisel, Makrciana, AdaYuki, TinkerbellxO and Dionne dance.
Thank you for your support.
Now on with the final chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd.
Chapter 24
Anna stirred when she felt Sweeney's chest brush up against her back. She frowned when she felt his arm slip around her waist but calmed down when he only brought her closer to him on the narrow bed. She rubbed her feet against his cold ones and he hissed.
"Damn." He murmured into her hair and he entangled his feet with hers in order to get warm.
Anna snickered and snuggled deeper into his arms as he leaned down and pressed his nose into her hair.
"It's early." She murmured.
"I told you I don't sleep much." He husked and slowly her eyes opened.
"Can I help you?" she asked him quietly and he froze. He didn't speak for a while and she wondered if she had said wrong. He surprised her when he spoke up a moment later.
"You are." He murmured and frowned.
"Yes, right." She scoffed and he snorted.
"Are you looking for compliments, pet?" he asked as he squeezed her in his embrace.
Anna smiled and shrugged, "I know with you they are hard to come by." She said and he rubbed his foot against her calf as he pressed a kiss to her hair.
"You look beautiful." He murmured and she flushed.
"Liar."
His deep chuckle made her heart soar, "Am I? Perhaps I have something to do with it." He whispered as he trailed his hand down to her hip.
Anna wiggled in his arms at that and laughed as he quickly brought his hand up and tickled her stomach.
"I know I shouldn't have told you that I am ticklish there!" she exclaimed as his dexterous fingers kept poking her just on the right place.
"You shouldn't." she felt his grin against her cheek and grabbed his hand to stop his movements.
"Please, don't." she said as she arched her back in order to escape his teasing hand, "I'm sore!" she exclaimed in a last attempt to halt his movements. It worked and he paused. His hand settled down around her waist again and she breathed a sigh of relief, which didn't last long.
"I like you sore." He breathed against her ear and she blushed to the roots of her hair.
"Ben!" she exclaimed and her eyes widened at her slip. He went completely still behind her. She thought he even stopped breathing for a while.
"I'm sorry." She whispered as she turned her head to look at him, "I won't say it again." She murmured and he looked down at her.
"No…It's…" he shook his head to clear it.
"I am sorry." She repeated again as she turned in his arms and cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing his pale skin.
"No one's ever called me that in a long time." He said in a low voice as a crease appeared between his eyebrows.
"You…don't like it?" she asked tentatively and he blinked.
"I don't know." He said as he reached up and pulled her hand from his cheek. Her face almost fell at the action but when he only laced their fingers together and brought to rest on his chest right above his heart her eyes lit up.
"I have to go to work." He said as he gazed down at her.
"Okay." She nodded and her eyes widened when he leaned down and captured her lips with his own. Her eyes drifted shut and she gave a small moan when his teeth pulled her lower lip between them and tugged gently.
"Come live with me." She breathed against his lips and once again she managed to make him freeze.
"What?"
Her eyes snapped open and she gazed up into his almost black eyes, "You don't have to pay for this room. My house is big enough. Two bedrooms and all…" she trailed off but he still gazed down at her as if he was confused.
"You want me back there?" he asked almost in disbelief and she paused.
"Yes?"
At her answer he scoffed and slipped his hand down between them so he could nudge her thighs apart. Anna gasped at the action and relished in the feeling of him pressed so tightly to her.
"Are you sure?" he tilted his head to the side as his hand trailed up her leg to her hip.
"Of course." She swallowed hard as her skin prickled and burned at his touch.
"I am grumpy." He murmured but she could see the rare glimmer of humor in his dark eyes.
"I know. And moody and broody." She nodded her head.
"And angry." He added and she pursed her lips.
"I think I can tolerate all that under one condition." She told him and he leaned down to kiss her neck.
"Name it." He breathed against her skin and she shivered.
"Don't leave when tough times come. Like last time." She said softly and he sighed against her neck.
"Alright." He agreed gruffly as he pulled his head away from her neck and looked down at her.
"Okay." She blinked up at him before she leaned up to kiss him again.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
A few weeks later…
"I can't stand that woman." Sweeney's voice came from behind her and Anna jumped.
"Kate?" she asked as she shut the door and leaned down to stroke Vincent's head. He whimpered happily at the attention.
"Who else?" he grumbled as he turned and stalked towards the parlor.
Anna rolled her eyes and followed him, Vincent in toe, "Why? Most people like her." She said lightly as she sat down in an armchair and watched him as he paced up and down the room, in front of the fireplace.
At her words he paused and turned to her with a snarl on his face, "She looks at me funnily."
"Nonsense." Anna waved her had at him and rubbed her stomach with a small wince.
"Nonsense? I swear she just stares at me like I have two heads sometimes." He snapped and she sighed, trying to keep down the feeling of nausea that was slowly building up inside her.
"That's because you always disappear when she is here." She told him as she raised a hand and placed it over her mouth.
Vincent cocked his head up at her when he noticed. She reached down and patted his head and he calmed down. He plopped down next to her and proceeded to lick her foot. Anna smiled but the smile faded when she noticed the death glare Sweeney was sending towards her precious dog.
"Hey, stop looking at him like that! He'll drop dead." She told him and he sneered.
"That's disgusting." He motioned towards her foot and she rolled her eyes.
"Thank Heavens he's doing it to me and not you then, right?" she said and then placed her hand over her mouth again.
Not this again! She thought wildly as she sat up slightly and swallowed the bitter taste that was slowly rising up her throat.
"I can't believe you let him lick your feet, Anna." Sweeney said as he stopped pacing and looked at Vincent with a grimace.
The poor dog noticed and stopped his actions immediately. He even whimpered.
Sweeney smirked in satisfaction and nodded, "Good boy." He turned his eyes to Anna who was quickly sitting up, "Anna?" his brow furrowed but she was already fleeing the room. He followed her to the bathroom but she shut the door to his face.
"Anna? Open the door!" he knocked on the door. He weakly heard her blowing her nose and after some time she opened the door.
"What the hell was that?" he asked her as he looked at her up and down.
"Nothing." She shook her head and he reached over to tuck some hair behind her ear. Her face was covered in a thin layer of sweat.
"Nothing? Are you sick?" he murmured as he quickly pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped at her face.
"It must have been something I ate. Come on, let's go to bed." She smiled at him and took his hand.
"Are you sure?" he frowned as she took hold of his hand and tugged him towards the bedroom.
"Yes." She nodded and Sweeney paused by the door. Vincent was already there, waiting for them.
"You're staying here. Understand?" he pointed down at the dog with a grimace and Vincent cowered away from him.
"Seriously, what do you have against my puppy?" Anna asked him with a sigh and Sweeney looked at her.
"Puppy? He is no longer a puppy, Anna. He weighs more than you."
"Oh, for God's sake! Leave him alone. I'm going to bed." She mumbled as she entered the room, "Come on, Vince." She called and the mutinous dog quickly complied, leaving the former barber practically seething by the door.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
A few months later….
Anna fell breathless against the pillow after her futile attempt to get up. She placed her hands on her stomach and grimaced. She cocked her head to the right and then to the left, trying to see if he was anywhere close but he wasn't.
Again.
"Good God." She murmured as she bit her lip.
He always seemed to disappear on her these days. Anna closed her eyes and tried to clam down, trying to forget that she had to use the bathroom. She heard a noise and she opened her eyes again. He was standing by the door, gazing at her.
"Oh." She breathed a sigh of relief, "You're here." She murmured as she struggled to sit up. In a flash he was next to her, grasping her hands to lift her up. She stood up with a groan and he tightened his hold on as her swollen belly brushed up against his stomach.
"Of course. I was just sitting in the parlor. Your dog thought it wise to chew my shoe while I was resting." He said as he gazed down at his sock clad feet.
"Oh. Is he still alive?" she asked with wide eyes.
His mouth twitched at her question, "Unfortunately, yes." He said as released one of her hands and pulled her softly towards the bathroom.
"I couldn't get up." She informed him and he turned his head and shot her a smirk she flushed.
"I noticed." He said as he pushed the bathroom door open and led her in.
"Can you turn?" she asked as she came to stand by the chamber pot. He raised an eyebrow but he did as he was told.
"Are you okay?" she asked as soon as she was finished and was in the process of washing her hands.
He turned to her slowly, "Of course."
"You seem distant…Do you regret it?" she asked timidly and he frowned.
"Regret what?" he asked as he walked over to her and handed her a towel.
"This." She motioned to her stomach, "Us." She shrugged and he took a deep breath.
"No." he shook his head as they headed out of the bathroom.
"Then why are you so far away?" she asked and he suddenly stopped and whirled around to face her.
"You do realize that people will talk." He said to her almost angrily.
"I don't care."
"Are you sure?"
"My baby is going to have a father." She told him as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yes, but you won't have a husband." He told her as he tilted his head and regarded her cautiously.
"That's fine." She said as she looked away.
"Is it?" he murmured and she turned to look at him with irritation.
"What do you want, Sweeney?" she asked him exaggeration.
"I want to give this child my name." he said casually and she paused.
"You have to marry me for that." She said tentatively.
"Do I?" he quirked an eyebrow, "I had no idea." His damn lips twitched again.
"So, you want to?" she asked and he slowly nodded, "Okay…When?" she asked almost breathlessly as her heart soared.
"As soon as possible." He murmured as he slid closer to her and placed a hand on her stomach.
"Okay."
"You repeat yourself, Anna."
"Okay-…I mean, yes." She blinked rapidly and he smirked.
"Pregnancy suits you, Anna." He told her as he leaned down and kissed her lips as his hand caressed her large stomach.
"Oh…Okay." She murmured dazedly and then frowned, "Are you okay?" she asked as she raised a hand and touched his forehead.
He slapped her hand away, "I am not sick, woman!" he snapped and she shrugged.
"I just thought that I should check. You're being nice." She said and he cocked his head to the side.
"Don't get too used to it." He muttered and with a last kiss he pulled her towards the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
A moment later he cursed and opened the door again as Vincent came and started pawing at the door.
"Yes, yes, you insufferable mutt." He muttered as Vincent slipped inside and made himself comfortable on the rug.
The barber rolled his eyes and firmly shut the door again. Anna's laughter followed suit and it brought a small smile on Sweeney Todd's face.
The End.
Author's note: Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it and I hope I didn't disappoint you…much. Thank you all for sticking with me! You're all gems!
Review and tell me your thoughts, please!
Xxx Lina :)