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Fallen Angel	By : Linalove1988 Category: S through Z > Sweeney Todd (Movie Only) > Sweeney Todd (Movie Only) Views: 1526 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd. No profit is made out of this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd.

Chapter 5

“Excuse me, ma’am?” a gentle voice spoke from behind the counter and Anna looked up from her work, cleaning cloth in hand.
“Hello. Oh, you’re Anthony, aren’t you? Anthony Hope. Tom’s friend.” Anna smiled and the young man nodded.
“Yes, ma’am. How are you?” he asked politely as he put down his bag and rubbed his hands together to warm them.
“I’m fine. Here,” she said as she took the teapot and poured him some tea in a mug, “It’ll warm you right up.” She smiled as she pushed the cup towards him. He reached for it gratefully and took a sip.
“So, what can I do for you? I think it’s too early for a drink.” She said with a small smile and he nodded.
“I am in need of a room, miss. Tom told me that you have rooms, is that correct?” he asked hopefully and Anna pursed her lips.
“We do. Let me just check if there are any available ones.” She said as she reached into a small drawer and took out a book. She checked the list and smiled at him.
“Here we are. Room four.” She said as she grabbed a key and handed it to him, “The rent is cheap but don’t expect any luxuries.” She said as he took the key from her hand and nodded.
“Thank you. I need no luxuries. I was staying at an inn near the market but the price was too high and I could no longer afford it.”
“I see. Well, I don’t usually take the morning shift but when I’m here you can ask me for whatever you want. Usually a girl named Rosie is here in the morning to tend to the customers. So, she should be able to help you.” Anna said as Anthony sipped the rest of his tea.
“Alright.” He smiled as he looked around the quiet pub.
“Do you have any acquaintances here in London then?” she asked and he nodded.
“Yes. There is this man I know from the ship. He has a barbershop in Fleet Street.” The young man said quietly and Anna blinked.
“You mean the barber that lives above Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop?” she asked and he nodded.
“Yes. He’s the only friend I have here.”
“Um…I know him. I mean I’ve seen him here.”
“He is a bit quiet but he had a difficult life.” Anthony said with a small frown.
“Do you know why he was at the sea when you found him? Did he…say anything?” Anna asked and the young man shook his head.
“The only thing he said is that he was coming back from Australia. From the colonies.”
“The colonies?” Anna gaped at him.
“Yes, ma’am. It appears that he has no family here but he used to have a friend. He told me this story about a man who was shipped away from his family on false charge. It was quite awful really. That’s all I know.” Anthony shrugged and Anna blinked.
“Do you know who his friend was?” Anna asked but Anthony shook his head.
“No. Mr. Todd doesn’t talk much.” He chuckled and Anna smirked.
“I know.”
“Well…I better go upstairs and settle in. Thank you again.” He grinned at her.
“You’re welcome.” She called before she turned back to her work, wondering what kind of friends Mr. Todd could ever have if anyone judged by his character.

******************************
“Anna? Is that you, love?”
Anna closed her eyes in dread. She had hoped that no one would see her passing by the pie shop but Mrs. Lovett of course did. Slowly, she paused and turned towards the baker who was standing by the yard, sweeping.
“Good morning.” She greeted and the older woman grinned.
“Morning to you too, dear. Want to sit?” the baker invited her inside the yard where Toby, the young boy, was cleaning the tables.
“Um…I have to go somewhere.” Anna said with a forced smile.
“Nonsense! Come in and tell me,” the baker took her hand and pulled her further inside the yard, “What did your think of me pies?” she smiled and Anna had to stop the immediate response of disgust that bubbled up in her mouth.
“Oh. They were great.” The baker didn’t have to know that she didn’t try any. But Kate did and she was still standing.
“Glad you liked them then! So, is there anyone in your life now?” the baker winked and Anna shook her head.
“No.”
“That’s so bad, love. Do you work?”
“Yes.”
“Anywhere I know?”
“At a pub by the port.” Anna couldn’t wait to get out of there. Her eagerness to leave increased when she heard the squeaking of a door being opened from upstairs, along with the sound of a doorbell. Light footsteps echoed in the air and Anna knew that someone was at the balcony upstairs, watching them.
“I see.” The baker said as she looked at Anna carefully, “Well, I’ll be waiting for you to come to me shop again.”
“I’ll try.” Anna forced a small smile on her face.
“Where are you heading then?” Mrs. Lovett asked as Anna tried hard not to look up.
“I was going to get my hair cut.” As soon as the words left he mouth she regretted them. The baker’s face lit up and she chuckled.
“Well, love, it appears you’ve passed by the right place. Mr. Todd will do it for you.” Mrs. Lovett exclaimed as she looked up and spotted the barber.
“Won’t you, Mr. T?”
Anna finally looked up and met the curious but calculating eyes of Mr. Todd looking down at her. She gave a small, awkward wave but he simply sneered at Mrs. Lovett.
“Won’t I what, woman?” he almost growled and Anna winced inwardly.
“Well, Anna needs her hair cut. She could use your professional expertise.” The baker grinned up at him and winked. Something passed between the two but Anna couldn’t tell what it was for Todd’s eyes were suddenly trained on her, staring at her intently. His black gaze moved over her form slowly before his eyes came to rest on her face and then her hair.
“I suppose I could help.” He replied at last, his voice gruff and emotionless.
“See? I’ll be waiting so we can chat some more. I’ll have tea ready.” The baker winked at her before she pushed her lightly towards the stairs that led to the barbershop.
“I-…”
“He won’t bite, love. Off you go.” The baker cut her off with a laugh before she went into her own shop, closing the door behind her.
Anna looked around and Toby gave her a small smiled, which she reluctantly returned out of fondness for the boy, before she slowly walked up the stairs. When she was at the top of the stairs she realized that Todd had left the door ajar, waiting for her. She took a deep breath and came to stand in front of the door. She bit her lip but jumped when she heard him speaking from inside.
“Are you getting in or what?...Miss Anna?” he called and she narrowed her eyes before she walked inside, leaving the door open.
“You called me by first name.” she stated and he turned to her, a cup of steaming tea in his hand.
“I do not know your last name.”
“It’s Smith.” She replied tersely as she took a look around the room. It was almost empty. There was only a desk with a mirror, a bed, a barber chair and a large cracked mirror at the far corner of the room. A large chest was situated by the door but other than that it was bare. There were no curtains for the windows and the air was cold.
“Come in and close the door then.” He said briskly as he put down his cup and walked towards his chair. Anna looked at him and then at the door, hesitating.
“Are you afraid of me, Miss? I assure you I have no tendency of biting my customers.” He said with a single raised eyebrow.
Anna cleared her throat and shut the door before she took a few steps towards him. At her approach he smirked and turned to his desk where his razors were resting inside a velvet box. They looked expensive. Her eyes swept over the other things that were there and she noticed a pair of scissors and a few bottles of what she guessed were colognes.
“Have a seat.” He said quietly as he reached for the pair of scissors.
Anna moved over to the chair and sat down stiffly.
“Are you going to remove your coat or not?” he asked and if it wasn’t for his impatient glare she would say that he was amused.
Anna quickly removed the coat and let him wrap the white sheet around her neck. His fingers were ice cold when he secured the sheet around her throat and she shuddered involuntarily.
“Lean back.” He commanded and she did as he gathered her hair back.
“How much should I cut?” he asked and she felt his breath on the side of her face as he leaned down to examine her hair.
“Just a trimming.” She said quietly and his fingers passed over her skin again in order to remove some hair from her ear and neck.
“Hmm.” He acknowledged before he started working on her hair.
“So, how do you know Mrs. Lovett?” Anna asked just to break the tension.
“I didn’t know her. I met her here. When I came to rent the place.” He said hollowly and she nodded.
“Hmm…she seems very fond of you.”
“Where did you get that from?” she couldn’t see him but she could tell he was scowling.
“She’s calling you by a nickname. She always does that when she’s fond of someone.” Anna chuckled before she continued, “I think she used to call one of her previous tenants something similar…Now let me remember…” she trailed off as Mr. Todd came to stand beside her so he could work on a different part of her hair.
“Now what was his name…” she trailed off as she looked around and then made eye contact with him. He wasn’t looking at her but when he felt her eyes on him he turned his gaze towards her. Anna paused and narrowed her eyes at having his face so close to her.
Now where do I know those eyes from…
“Well? What was the name?” he asked but she could tell that he was more bored than anything else.
“It was…”
Barker. The name was Barker. Mr. B.
She opened her mouth to speak but she froze when she looked at the barber again. Her eyes widened a friction and she stared, really stared, at the man’s pale face. Then everything clicked into place. The eyes, the dark hair and the voice. That voice! How could she forget that voice?
Her name’s Johanna and I think you’re beautiful as well, Miss. The words came back to her as if from a dream but she knew that it wasn’t a dream. It was a memory and it was the kindest words anyone had even spoken to her.
“Hello?” by this point the barber was looking at her strangely with a raised eyebrow. Anna blinked and he rolled his eyes before he stepped behind her again.
“Um…I don’t remember.” She finally said and the barber snorted behind her.
“Lean back.” He commanded again and she obliged with her eyes wide at her own discovery. But if he was Benjamin Barker why was living under another name? And how did he get back from his forced exile…?
He appeared by her left side again and she dared to look at him again. What if it wasn’t him? What if she was mistaken? He didn’t look like him. He looked…different but at the same time he resembled him. The quietness and the distance were almost the same. But how could a man like him be Mr. Barker? Mr. Barker was good and polite and warm. This man was cold, angry and broody.
But he did save me from the drunken customer.
And then he insulted me. She scowled at her own thoughts. Perhaps she was going insane.
“All done.” He announced as he placed the scissors on the desk and leaned down to remove the sheet from around her neck, “Come and look.” He said as he folded the sheet and placed it on the desk as well. Anna slowly stood and turned to him. She watched his profile as he put away the scissors and took a few steps closer.
“Satisfied?’ he asked in the same gruff tone and she tore her eyes away from his visage in order to examine herself in the mirror.
“Yes. Thank you.” She replied quickly because he had started looking at her oddly.
“Is there something you’d like to say, Miss?” he asked as he took a step closer and regarded her carefully.
Anna quickly shook her head before she extended her hand with some money, “No. And it’s Anna. Is this enough?” she asked and his hand opened, palm up to accept the coins.
“It is.” He replied, his lips barely moving as he looked at her, “Anna.” He spoke her name as if tasting it on his tongue.
“Right. Thank you again.” She said before she reached for her coat but he grabbed it before she had the chance to do so first. He unfolded it and held it open for her. She hesitated before she slid her arms through the sleeves. His hands brushed her hair as he took his hands away and she tensed. She stepped out of his reach and buttoned it before she gave him a tentative smile.
“Good day.” She wished him softly before she walked towards the door. She heard the jingle of the money as he put them in his pocket and his footsteps before she closed the door behind her. She paused there for a few moments before she moved.
“Anna? Come down for the tea!” Mrs. Lovett’s voice carried her downstairs.
Unbeknownst to her, the barber’s eyes watched her all the way down to the stairs from his barbershop door, his almost black gaze narrowed, as if deep in thought.

End of chapter 5

Author’s note: Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. If you did, then please drop me a note.

Xxx Lina :)
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Fallen Angel