You Found Hope, You Found Faith

It had been strange at first, another slayer, and one so out there. Unorthodox and actually got off on what she did. She was good though, Buffy had, had to admit that, as had Giles. Even if he had been a bit put off by Faith's not even barely concealed appreciation of his physique, Giles had to admit she was good, and had the ability to bring out the best in Buffy when it was needed. Only it wasn't just that. Buffy had spent time just her and Faith, and something had awoken within her. When Buffy was with Faith she felt free. It was all very ordered her life. The sessions with Giles, school, home life, slaying, homework, going out with her friends, she felt like she was constantly on a schedule, her life divided into sections she had to keep to. With Faith it was different, Faith didn't have school or home life to fit into her busy life. She was all action, all systems go. If she wasn't slaying she was either training or partying. Buffy doubted that Faith slept much if at all, she was rarely alone in her small motel room at night, except after a slaying session when she actually did want to get some rest.

Before Faith had come into the picture Buffy had felt like her life meant very little really. Nothing was hers, not even her life. Her life was slaying and protecting the world from demons. She had to keep to her watcher's schedule and soon enough she would die and a new slayer would be called, that was that. With Faith, life held some kind of meaning. Life was to be enjoyed and as it was so short, even more so for a slayer, you had to make the most of it while you could. Anything could happen in the life of a slayer. Rules were made to be broken, vampires were made to be slain and prophecy was made to be dis-proven. With Faith, Buffy found hope.

In a way, it seemed better that there were two slayers rather than just the one. Faith and Buffy fought back to back on patrol and side by side on the street. If it had only been Buffy, chances are that a few experienced vampires would have got the better of her. With Faith watching her back and vice versa, they were a lot closer to invincible. It was almost as if Faith and Buffy lengthened each others life expectancy just by being together. In a way it was like neither could survive with out the other, it was meant to be, like soul-mates. They were both slayers and therefore both chosen ones, and female and destined to be outlived by their watchers, family and friends, if they had any. It was really a perfect match, their souls were almost one and the same due to their destiny.

It was only three months before Buffy realised what she was doing every time someone said her name and she didn't hear them until they repeated it. She was daydreaming about Faith. She had always daydreamed so no one noticed anything different but it was the nature of her dreams that shocked her. First of all, her daydreams had always been about Angel, except for the brief moments she daydreamed about Russell Crowe. Also her dreams weren't particularly erotic, considering what happened with Angel that wasn't surprising, and daydreaming about Russell Crowe usually swayed towards the celebrity parties rather than his reputation. Now not only were her dreams becoming worryingly steamy, they were about Faith. Buffy was having graphic lesbian fantasies about the girl who was legendary for her sexual exploits involving men. That was not good, apart from the fact Buffy knew she wasn't a lesbian, to be imagining doing it with Faith was just plain wrong. For one they were friends and for two it just wasn't possible. Faith was all about men, and for a quick fling one night. Even if Buffy had been gay, she had relationships for keeps, not a couple of hours to tide her over. The only time that had happened was with Parker, and that had been his decision rather than hers. Even so she couldn't help daydreaming about Faith, no matter how hard she tried. She once tried to daydream about Russel Crowe which ended up being him and Faith fighting over Buffy, which Buffy found completely arousing which worried her even further. Steamy fantasies about Faith were one thing, getting turned on by it was another, especially as it was a fight that turned her on. She was starting to wonder if maybe she was acting too much like Faith. Getting off on a fight, an fictional one at that.

"Buffy? What are you thinking?" Buffy gave a start and looked up at Giles.

"Um...nothing...school stuff."

"School makes you smile now?"

"Well...um...you know me watcher, very complex girl, you know. Slayer and all very...versatile."

"Never heard such a jumble of words B." Buffy's stomached flipped as she turned to watch Faith walk in, a grin on her face. "You weren't fantasising about Giles here throwing you down on the training mat and having his wicked way with you were you?" Giles flushed and quickly started to polish his glasses.

"Thank you Faith you do bring joy to our lives." Faith held up her hands in mock defence.

"Don't mind me, seriously. Hey B, are you okay you look a little...dazed." Buffy swallowed hard and pushed away the rather graphic image that had come to mind of Faith throwing her down on a mat and having her wicked way.

"I'm fine Faith, just a little...out of it today." Faith instinctively gave Buffy a quick hug.

"S'ok B you'll always have me to buck you up. Just give me a sec to get my gear on and we'll train. You'll be fine in no time." Buffy nodded mutely as Faith strode into Giles' office to change. That hug had left her slightly breathless.

"Are you sure you're all right Buffy?" Giles placed a hand on her shoulder. Buffy mentally shook herself and forced a smile before looking up at Giles.

"I'm fine Giles. Like I said, just a little out of it. Faith's right I'll be back on track after some training." Giles walked away and Buffy swallowed hard again. Things were getting way too out of hand. If a simple hug from Faith was enough to leave her breathless how on earth was she going to cope with training and patrols? If she wasn't completely focused it could mean real trouble.

"Hey B, I'm all set, you ready for me?" Buffy turned to look at Faith, all she heard was "B are you.." before she blacked out.

A/N So guys, how a I doing? Too fast?