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When we arrived at Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shoppe, the woman herself was sweeping up the dining area. It was a quiet day. Without even looking at the merchant captain beside me, I could tell he was transfixed. I glanced over. Yup. Bluebeard was staring at Mrs. Lovett with eyes big as dinner plates. I smelled blood and saw a bit of red in his beard. The man had bitten his lip. Maybe his breeches were too tight. I chuckled and called out to the object of Bluebeard's attention.
"H'lo, Mrs. Lovett!"
Her head snapped up, and a smile graced her lips. "Oh, how are you, Mrs. Sparrow?" she asked.
"I'm fine. May I introduce you to my First and Second Mate, Scarlette Ebon and Sakura Edokawa? Ye've already met my bosun Vasharl Phoenix."
"Ah, yes. Your husband, right hon?"
"Aye."
"And who's this?" She turned her smile on Bluebeard.
"Arthur Bluebeard at your service, ma'am," the merchant said, taking her hand and kissing it. "Actually," he said, clearing his throat, "Bluebeard's a nickname of sorts. Schwartzengruber's my true name, but a lovely lady like you is more than welcome to simply call me Arthur."
I stifled the urge to laugh, and, looking at my three companions, I could see they were struggling to do the same. Mrs. Lovett slid her hand from his and wiped it clean on her apron with a clearly uncomfortable air.
"That's nice," she said.
"Good job, Mrs. Lovett," I chuckled. "Don' let 'im charm ya with that line. It's near the same 'un he used on me fifteen years ago!"
"'Tis true!" Vash and Scarlette chorused. Sakura wouldn't have known if it was true or not, but she grinned and laughed anyway.
Ignnoring the "Bloody hell, b***h!" look Schwartzengruber--'scuse me, Bluebeard--shot me, I swept an exaggerated bow in Mrs. Lovett's direction, gesturing toward the shop. "Mrs. Lovett, would you mind bringing us a platter of your delicious meat pies?"
"Why of course, love," the shopkeep smiled, "Be right along with those in a mo'."
"So, Arthur--" I started as we sat at a table near the window.
"Shove the smalltalk, Sparrow," Bluebeard growled, cutting me off. "I came to London in order to unload merchandise and hear whatever ridiculous idea you've come up with to aid in my escaping from Davy Jones."
"Unload yer merchandise, eh?" I muttered, smirking. "Sounds ta me like ye've got more ta do 'ere than jus' unload yer ship's cargo." Vash, beside me, chuckled into my hair, and Sakura and Scarlette stifled their own laughter once again. "Just an eentsy-weensy question first 'fore I tell ya," I said, biting into a meat pie from the platter Mrs. Lovett set on the table. "D'ya have some'un ya care fer, Arty? Some'un waitin' fer ya? Say, a wife? Or a daughter?" A little of my bitterness at the current situation slipped into my tone. "Izzat why yer acceptin' my help?"
Bluebeard seemed taken aback by the question. I waited patiently while he thought of how to answer.
"Truth is, Sparrow," he finally said, sighing and meeting my gaze, "My wife lives up in Liverpool. I haven't returned there for a year."
"Ah." I had expected him to have a spouse, but not the measure of emotion I heard in his voice. Damn. Now I was gonna feel sorry for the poor woman waiting for him. After all, the dame wasn't gonna ever see her husband again.

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All right, that's it for now. The next chapter will be up as soon as I get some COMMENTS! Keep following, my dears. The story's going to keep going as full of action as ever.