My entire body screamed at me to run, to get out of there as quickly as possible. No, faster than humanly possible, but my legs would not move. I heard Todd’s footsteps growing nearer and all I could do was crouch there, cowering in fear.

I was going to die. This was the end. This was how I was going to die, hiding in a dirty alley at the mercy of a murderous barber.

I heard the footsteps halt.

I saw his feet right in front of me and his tall shadow looming over me. The shadow’s arm moved upwards into the air and started to come down towards me. I shut my eyes and braced myself for the pain that was sure to come. Then I felt something on my shoulder. I flinched as it came in contact with me but there was no pain. Why was there no pain?

Was I already dead?

I opened an eye, expecting to see my shoulder covered in blood or something equally nasty. Instead I saw a hand. Mustering up my courage, I opened my other eye and looked up at Mr. Todd. He was staring down at the ground. Something about him seemed . . . sad.

Not that I could tell, as I still had my arms over my head and his eyes weren’t meeting mine. But his shoulders were slumped, and the dim light entering the alley showed enough of his face that it seemed like his eyes were depressed rather than vicious.

"M-Mr. Todd," I stuttered, still quivering. His head lifted up and he looked me in the eyes. They seemed distant, like he was remembering a bad dream.

"My wife." His voice was barely audible. I furrowed my eyebrows, confused.

“What?”

"My wife," he repeated, this time more loudly. "She poisoned herself. She killed herself because of him."

"Who?" I asked. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I had a feeling that this was important. Besides, it was keeping me from having my blood spattered across the wall, so I felt that it was in my best interests to keep him talking.

"Judge Turpin," he growled, his grip tightening on my shoulder. "That ignorant bastard raped my wife."

My eyes widened and I started to stutter. "I . . . I . . . I’m sorry."

Mr. Todd didn’t reply; he just continued staring out at the street.

"Mr. Todd, are you all right?" I asked, leaning towards him.

He gave me a hard glare, then sighed. "Fifteen years ago I had a wife and daughter." His words had an edge to them, as though he wanted to stop each word he spoke from escaping his lips, but couldn’t. “One day, we went out into town, looking for some flowers Lucy wanted —”

I assumed Lucy was his wife, but didn’t want to ask. He was so lost in his own world that I was afraid if I said anything, he’d slit my throat before even realizing who I was.

“Judge Turpin . . . sent me away, so to speak, and took my wife and Johanna.” A vein was throbbing in his forehead, and his hands tightened painfully on my shoulders.

After a few minutes, I had to say something. "Mr. Todd," I asked gingerly, “what happened to Joanna?”

"She’s his ward. I haven’t seen her since. . . . I haven’t seen her.”

I thought about what was just revealed. So that's why that guy was killed? Was it all just for revenge? At first I thought it sounded crazy. Clearly he was insane. He killed someone!

. . . However, I didneed a place to stay, and Mrs. Lovett would protect me. I had a feeling that the only reason Mr. Todd was out here talking to me was because Mrs. Lovett told him to.

Come to think of it, she had to know what was going on. She must help. Which meant that she was crazy, too.

I imagined falling in love, getting married and having a child. I imagined spending blissful years go by with a beautiful family. Then I pictured losing all that and being sent away to Heaven knows where to face all sorts of horrors. My mind snapped, focusing solely on revenge. Hoping and praying that my family was alive and safe, then returning home to realize that they weren’t.

And I began thinking that I could see where Mr. Todd was coming from.

There were ways I could help them. I could go where Mrs. Lovettand Mr. Todd couldn’t, because they were too busy tending to their shop. I could go to my old friends scattered around Londonand find information. I could assist Mrs. Lovett with the cooking and cleaning. I could . . .

"Mr. Todd, I'll help you get your revenge."

His head snapped up, his eyes wide with surprise. Clearly that was not what he’d expected me to say. It wasn’t what I’d expected me to say, either, but I didn’t regret it.

Maybe I was crazy. Maybe this was the stupidest thing I’d ever done. But it was a roof over my head and food in my stomach, so it was the best solution I could come to.

Once he’d overcome his surprise, his eyes narrowed. He looked like he was considering it. Either he was going to let me stay and help, or he would kill me for being a liability. Judging by the expression on his face, I thought he was leaning toward the second option.

He scowled, and his gaze became unfocused. I realized that that was the expression I wore whenever my mother had lectured me. I imagined him listening to Mrs. Lovett’s reaction if he killed me, and a giggle fought its way past my fear and up my throat. It took all that I had to keep it down.

“Fine.” He stuck out his hand, and I took it, sealing the deal in a quick handshake. He turned and strode down the street without so much as a glance back at me. I gathered my skirts and trotted after him, feeling the giggle well up in me again. I let it out, laughing loud enough to startle the birds resting nearby.

Mr. Todd turned around, looking wary. I grinned blithely at him, skipping ahead. I could see the shop, my new home, and Mrs. Lovett standing in the door. I wanted to wave at her, but felt that Mr. Todd’s patience was waning, and he might chop off my hand if I did. So instead I winked, smiling broadly.

Mrs. Lovett turned, and disappeared inside. I hesitated before entering the shop; had I made her angry somehow?

Suddenly she appeared at my side, slapping a meat pie into my hand. “Eat — you look like death,” she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

I knew then that I was officially a part of this strange family. I looked over at Mr. Todd, who was glaring out the window, and then at Mrs. Lovett, who was bustling around the room. My eyes dropped to the pie, and I wondered vaguely who was inside it. I shrugged, and took a bite. It was as delicious as before, and I wasn’t even bothered by what it really was. That definitely made me at least as nuts as the other two. I laughed, taking another bite.

Nellie, Sweeney, and Alice — Lunatics Extraordinaire.

It had a nice ring to it.

OK first off, I feel I need to apologise for that slight delay, I've been trying to get these out in about every two days but, i have a little problem with procrastination.

Secondly, I'd like you to all take a moment and praise my editor greatly, she is a freaking goddess of an editor! I love you forestwater! She is the person who made my ending the way I pictured it to be but, I couldn't put it into words which is a little problem when you're writing. So love her for the ending... but don't send her creepy messages, I think she wouldn't like that...

Horay for the longest chapter so far!