Much thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, especially Spygrrl, Alixtii, Whispers, Ellen and PhoenixMoon 13. Keep 'em coming. And a big shout out to my wonderful beta, Rylee. Hope you enjoy the chapter...

Creed

Chapter 5

"Hmmm," Faith murmured with satisfaction, licking her lips. "That hit my itch."

Buffy smiled weakly as her eyes swept over the empty cartons and packets scattered on the bed. In the space of thirty minutes Faith had consumed more food than Buffy had eaten over the past few months. Ever since she had discovered Dawn's identity as the Key and Glory's purpose, food had been pushed to the bottom of her essential list. However, now that she had watched Faith devour the feast, her mouth was beginning to water and her stomach rumble. She eyed the last chocolate bar and Faith chuckled.

"Go ahead," she said. "I've had my share."

Buffy grabbed the bar, ripped it open and took a bite, relishing in the sweet taste of chocolate. Whimpering with pleasure, she took another bite, a small smile coming to her lips. Faith watched her with amusement, and then noticed her tiny frame.

"Shit, B. You do remember food, don't 'ya? When was the last time you ate?"

Buffy lowered her head and played with the wrapper. "I had breakfast yesterday," she mumbled, feeling the chocolate settle uncomfortably in her stomach.

"Hell," Faith breathed, rolling her eyes. "It's lucky you haven't passed out yet."

The chocolate decided that it didn't like its new home in her stomach, and Buffy launched off the bed and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Faith followed her slowly, not wanting to intrude, and heard the sound of retching coming from inside. Pushing the door open, Faith walked over to where Buffy had her head stuck in the toilet and gently pulled the blonde hair away from her face. She knelt beside Buffy, awkwardly patting her on the back. She wasn't used to this comforting crap, having never tried it herself, and found it slightly disturbing that she enjoyed it. As Buffy was sick again Faith kept stroking her back and cleaning her face with a damp towel.

"It's okay, B," she murmured. "Go on, get it all out."

Buffy lurched violently and gagged into the toilet. Faith, having no idea what to do, began to get worried. Thinking frantically for something to do, she did the only thing she knew helped. She talked.

"You know what I thought when I first saw you, B?" she asked, and receiving no answer but Buffy's relaxing shoulders, continued. "I thought, 'that girl is going to be amazing'. And I was right, 'ya know. You are amazing. When I first saw you fight against a vamp, you damn near made me speechless. And that's hard to do."

Faith saw Buffy's body ease and continued to talk. "The fire you had, that was fine. I never thought anyone or anything would put it out. You loved life, 'ya know. You loved the thrill of the kill." Realizing her mistake, Faith quickly added, "I mean slay, slay. You loved it, and I saw it. You had power, and you had a god-damned lot of it. I was jealous, I'll admit it. You were freaking awesome. And you had your friends..." she trailed off, and seeing Buffy jerk forward and empty her stomach again, continued.

"Those days when we'd patrol together, they were great. Being able to slay by your side, Slayer-sisters- that's what we were-made me feel wanted, 'ya know. Like I was actually making a difference in this screwed up place. But then I...did that, and you began to drift back to your friends and I was left in the dust. I had no other choice, B, so I gave up. It was never you that made me make that choice. It was you leaving me."

She drew circles in the small of Buffy's back with the tip of her finger, reminiscing on her past mistakes.

"I didn't want anything to happen to you, but it was either lose you or lose you and him."

Buffy didn't have to ask who 'him' was. The Mayor had been the bane of her last year at high school, and although she couldn't understand why Faith had grown so attached to him, Buffy knew well enough to leave the past buried.

"I didn't mean...I didn't want..." She took a deep breath and pulled the stray bits of blonde locks from Buffy's face. "Then you stabbed me." Buffy twitched sharply but Faith's grip made her stay facing the toilet. "I'll tell you the truth, B. The knife in my stomach didn't hurt. What hurt was that you had put it there. I never thought you had it in you, B. That's what I took for granted, that's what I loved. You were innocent. And I...I took it from you."

"When I switched bodies with you I loved it. I was you! I was Buffy and I was someone. I had something. But I took it from you, a-and it was wrong. That was your life and as much fun as I had that day, it wasn't mine. I realized that when I saw you in the church. I saw me, my body, but it wasn't me. I hated it. Kinda' ironic, huh? I was the one who switched our bodies, but in the end I hated it. All I wanted was to be me again." She began to caress Buffy's hair.

"After I left you, I was a mess, B. Tried to kill Angel, and then begged him to kill me. But out of everything that's happened, jail was what broke me. I was locked away from the world, a mere spectator looking through bars as my life slipped past me. I'm a Slayer, B. I'm a primeval, don't-give-a-shit fighter. How the hell did I last this long? Another thing, I was more alone than I'd ever been in my life. And it nearly killed me."

"Faith..." Buffy whispered hoarsely, her voice husky from the acid stinging her throat.

"Nah, let me finish," Faith interrupted with a smirk. "I'm on a roll here." Faith gathered the blonde in her arms and rested against the cold wall, Buffy's head lying in her lap.

"But the worst thing I ever did in my screwed-up life was betray you. When you looked at me the day you found me out in Angel's mansion, your eyes were cold. They were cold, B, and I knew I'd screwed up everything."

She lowered her head and locked eyes with Buffy, who was gazing at her with a curious intensity, and hope flared up inside of the brunette Slayer.

"I-I don't know how to say this...I'm not very good at this kind of stuff," she continued uncertainly. "But-but...Buffy, I'm sorry."

Buffy's eyes widened in shock. Faith was apologizing? This was certainly new.

"Faith," she began and Faith bit her lip nervously. "I forgave you the day I slid that knife in your stomach."

Faith stared at her in shock and Buffy laughed gently. "A wound for a wound, a knife for a knife. You stuck a knife in my back the day you changed sides, and I stuck a knife in your stomach the day you tried to kill Angel. We were even a long time ago."

"B," she said. "I-I-I...Why?"

"Because you admitted to your mistakes and you're making up for them. You're doing something good, Faith."

Faith opened her mouth to reply, but she didn't know what to say. There was nothing she could say.

"What?" Buffy said with an amused glint in her eyes, "The famous I-got-a-say-in-everything-Faith is speechless?"

"Only you could do that, B," Faith replied with a wondrous expression on her face. "Only you."

To Be Continued…

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