Decorating

Hello all, my name is Burtonized Lady HellRat (obviously), but you may call me Helena if you would like seeing as that is my actual name. This is my first fanfic here and I hope that I can please anyone who sets their eyes on it. This will be a Christmas story, starting shortly before and ending on Christmas Day. Things will start out the same but will the festive season cause an unfamiliar feeling of kindness in the barber? Well, you clearly have to read on to find out the answer. I do hope that you enjoy my story. As other have mentioned that I have seen, I have no ownership over Sweeney Todd or any other characters in relation to him or the musical overall.

Nellie Lovett and Toby struggled to bring their new Christmas tree through the door of the pie shop. As she had expected, the barber that resided in the apartment space above her had rejected her invitation to join the pair. She had been a bit upset at first, but after a while she and Toby were having such a great time picking out the perfect tree, that she had completely forgotten about the brooding barber.

The two of them balanced the tree and after some work the tree was perfectly situated at one of the far corners of her parlour. The baker smiled broadly before asking Toby if he wanted to help her with all of the decorations. He nodded his head excitedly and followed her to the space where she kept her holiday boxes. "I've been collecting these since I was a girl, plenty of lovely memories in these boxes." She pulled out a small cupcake decoration with a Christmas fairy on the top and turned it over in her hand smiling gently. "This was the first tree decoration that I can actually remember getting. I used to love baking sweets with me mum, I especially loved her cupcakes."

Toby smiled and shook his head. "I've never 'ad one, are they any good mum?"

Mrs. Lovett looked at him with a shocked expression that quickly turned into a smile and a small chuckle. "Oh I am so sorry, would you like to make some for Christmas dear? We can decorate 'em and everything." Suddenly a large grin appeared on Toby's face and he nodded his head excitedly. "Great, I think that I still have me mum's old recipe. She always made the fluffiest and sweetest cupcakes; I could 'ave eaten them all if I had been allowed. Let's just finish the tree first."

Mrs. Lovett watched as Toby looked at each decoration with admiration, she smiled as an idea suddenly came to her mind. She could only keep thinking about her plan as they continued to decorate the tree. She did not even notice when Toby was trying to get the star on the top. "Here love, let me 'elp you out there." She bent down and lifted the boy up so that he could put the star on the very top of the large tree. After everything was done they stepped back and admired their work. "It really is a beautiful tree once it's all finished ain't it dearie?" Toby smiled and his eyes grew as he took in the sight of the tree. He had never really had the chance to have a Christmas tree; no one he had ever known had cared enough to really celebrate. He was so glad to have Mrs. Lovett, even if she wasn't really his mother; she was the best that he could ask for.

Toby noticed that there were still a few full boxes. "Mum, are we going to use these too?" Mrs. Lovett nodded and put her hand on his head. Nellie grabbed the small wreath with the dark red bows around it and carefully placed it above the fireplace. She grabbed her stocking and placed it on the fireplace. Toby looked at the red stocking with black lace and ribbons and turned to face her, "What is this mum?"

Nellie smiled "Why it's a stocking love. You put it on the fireplace and on Christmas morning it's filled with small gifts. She winked at the boy and told him to stay where he was. She ran into her room and came out a few seconds later with a small bag. She took out a stocking and hung it on the fireplace, "I got this one for Mr. Todd, now close your eyes love." Toby obeyed and when she told him to open his eyes again he gasped in shock.

There was a beautiful red stocking with white swirls on it right in front of his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her tightly excitedly. "Oh thank you mum, I love it. Thank you so much!" She chuckled and gave him a small kiss on his forehead. He went over to another box and pulled out more decorations. "Come on mum, let's get the rest up!" Nellie smiled at his enthusiasm and joined him. Before long there was beautiful garland everyone in the lower part of the apartment. Nellie brought the small table which she usually kept at her bedside into the center of the parlour. She carefully laid her homemade doily on the tabletop and placed the poinsettia on top of it.

She took a quick glace up at her ceiling and smiled. "Do you think that Mr. Todd will mind if I put a little something on the staircase love?" Toby shrugged but then quickly shook his head. The man was unpredictable and he could never tell how the barber would take anything, even if it was something as simple and innocent as decorating the outdoor staircase. She shook her head and ruffled his hair. Almost as if she could read his thoughts she said "Oh don't worry love, it'll be just fine. I just want there to be a bit more 'oliday cheer on the outside." She grabbed a long garland with red flowers wrapped around it. She grabbed her red winter coat, her fingerless gloves and ran outside excitedly. She began to wrap the garland around the railing from the bottom step going up, but just as she had reached the middle Sweeney came out and gave her a hard glare. She smiled up at him trying to ignore his expression, "Did you need something Mr. T?"

Sweeney raised an eyebrow at the oblivious joy in her voice. This would be his first actual Christmas without his wife and baby girl, and she didn't seem to care at all. He always did anything that he could to make sure that if he couldn't be happy, she certainly couldn't. He had to admit it to himself. Besides the Judge, she was the only other person that offered him a special extra amount of entertainment when she was miserable. He smirked at this thought but as soon as he saw her smile, his smirk turned once more into an annoyed frown. "What do you think you are doing Mrs. Lovett?"

Nellie moved her arm to show off her progress, "I'm just winding some garland around the railing love, just trying to spread some 'oliday cheer out here. Are you going to decorate your shop at all?" His scoffing laugh gave her his answer instantly. She rolled her eyes and looked at him with a pleading look. "Come on love, it's almost Christmas. Don't have such a rotten attitude about it all; can't you change for even just one day?" He gave her a glowering expression and let out a low, angry growl. She put up her hands in defeat; it wasn't worth starting a fight if this was how he was going to be. "Fine then, would you allow me to finish the garland though? I want it to look at least a bit festive out 'ere." He rolled his eyes but finally just nodded his head and made his way back into his shop. She shook her head in annoyance; sometimes that man could be so stubborn. No, she was wrong, he was always being stubborn. He never listened to anything that she had to say. That is unless it had to do with his victims, her meat pies, the Judge or Lucy. Most of the time when she brought up Lucy though, he automatically stopped her and in some form told her that she was not worthy of bringing up his silly nit of a late wife. She finished winding the garland and stomped downstairs, still in an annoyed huff.

Toby knew that something was wrong the moment that she walked into the shop, he walked up to her and with a concerned look on his face asked "What's wrong mum? What did Mr. Todd do this time?" She shook her head and told him not to worry about it. "Stop it mum, I know you really care for 'im, but you can't always be making excuses for him. Now 'e's gone and made you really upset, when are you going to stop doing this to yourself?" Nellie was going to say something but he spoke up again. "You're too good for 'im mum, he doesn't treat you right and he doesn't deserve any of the kindness you give him."

Nellie looked down at him and smiled sweetly. "That's sweet dearie, thank you so much for worrying about me. There's no need to though hun, I'll be just fine." She pulled him into a comforting hug and he held onto her tightly. She didn't want to admit it because she felt such strong feelings for him. Toby did have a point though, she seemed to do a lot for him and he never seemed to give a damn either way. She knew that she would always give him the benefit of the doubt though; her love for him was too strong. He let go and pointed at one of the windows by the shop's entrance. On the ledge there stood a tall red candle, ready to be lit that evening. "It's beautiful dear; did you put them near all of the windows?" Toby nodded and quickly ran off to look at the festive tree again.

She smiled and walked over to the candle. Picking it up she couldn't help but remember the last time that they had been lit, it hadn't been since Benjamin's last Christmas. In fact, she hadn't celebrated Christmas once since then. She remembered herself and Ben working together to put up the tree decorations while Lucy sat on Nellie's settee with Johanna in her lap. She was pointing at all of the decorations while Johanna clapped her small hands excitedly at all of the different colors. She smiled at the memory of grabbing one of the bells for the tree and bringing it over to the infant. Johanna wouldn't stop giggling every time Nellie shook it and the bell jingled. She ended up giving up and said "'Ere, I can't take it away now, you keep it sweet girl." Ben smiled and Nellie made "aww"ing sounds at the baby's excitement over the small bauble. She could recall her and Benjamin rushing all around to light the candles in the windows at night. She had almost lost the set of curtains at the exact window she was standing by because of that in fact. Suddenly a deep voice broke her out of her daydreaming. Sweeney was staring at her with a confused look on his face. "Huh, what was that dear?"

Sweeney rolled his eyes at the slightly abstracted baker. As always, the bloody woman was not paying attention to him. "I said that I saw you bring the tree in. This is for you to put on it." He shoved a wrapped object into her hand and walked outside once more before she could utter a word. She unwrapped the small decoration and gasped slightly at it. It was the decoration that she had made for him on his and Lucy's first Christmas there, a small ball with a green velvet exterior and "Happy Christmas" spelt out in red sequins. Did he really remember that she had made and given it to him, or did he just think that it was something from his precious late wife Lucy? She did not care much, she was just glad that he wanted her to put it up on the tree now. Just maybe, there could be some hope yet for the self-proclaimed demon barber of Fleet Street.

She walked into the parlour and hung the small ornament neatly on the tree. Toby hopped up and down slightly in excitement. "So mum, can we make the cupcakes now?" He clasped his hands together and grinned excitedly.

Nellie mentally gave herself a small slap. "Ahh, you know love. With all of the decoratin', I forgot about them. Go get your coat on; we can get the ingredients now if we're quick about it. I need to get a couple of others things as well anyway." Toby ran enthusiastically in the direction of his bedroom while Mrs. Lovett backed away to admire the tree a bit. It really was a beautiful tree; she found that she was getting back into a festive mood again. Soon she found herself making her way into her room, humming a cheerful tune along the way. Maybe, with a bit of extra work, this could be a happy Christmas for everyone on 186 Fleet Street.

I hope that you enjoyed my first chapter; if you did not then I do apologize for that and I will end it all now if you prefer. This is my first so I can only hope that I will progress and become good enough in time. If you did like it then I will be so incredibly happy. I swear, I will grin like the Cheshire Cat at anyone who enjoys this chapter. Anyway, reviews will receive an early delicious Nellie Lovett Christmas cupcake! Just let me know if you want red or green frosting on yours and I'll put in your orders. Please do not take this as a bribe; I just want you all to have some nummy cupcakes. =:3 )~