What's this? An update less than 2 weeks after the previous one? Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. Thanks is due to Vana Tuivana for beta-ing this chapter!

Creed

Chapter 20

As soon as she entered the club, Buffy locked eyes with the one person she had so desperately wanted to see. Faith's dark eyes were filled with surprise, but then Buffy saw anger wash away the astonishment. Faith's lean, toned body inclined against the bar, her low-slung leather pants and black top showing a tanned midriff. Her dark brown hair hung in waves down her back and loose curls fell from behind her ear to cover one eye. Her eyes were shadowed in dark eyeliner, and her pouting lips were blood-red. Buffy's heart was pounding. How could she have ever resisted this amazing, beautiful woman?

Faith turned away, tossed down a shot and sauntered to the dance floor without sparing another glance at her. Buffy watched Faith dance, and found herself mesmerized by the alluring swing of Faith's hips and the sway of her lean torso. Her fingers were tangled in the curls on the top of her head, which lifted her top up even further and offered a view of the tautness of her stomach and fullness of her cleavage to all who cared to look. A guy snaked his arm around her waist,pulling her roughly back into his body. She played along, grinding herself into him, and Buffy felt an intense pang of jealousy and anger. How dare he touch her like that? It felt like betrayal, and yet Buffy knew she had no right to accuse Faith of disloyalty. She hated the feeling of annoyance that slithered into her chest and stomach, and she could not take her eyes of the solid, tanned arm that encircled Faith's waist.

Faith refused to look over at Buffy, ignoring her as though all her thoughts were on the pathetic guy behind her. He was clumsy and stilted, and she had to work harder to make it look like she was actually enjoying it. But she was willing to bear it, because she wanted to show Buffy that she was not going to mope over her rejection. She wanted Buffy to feel the sting of rejection, to know the pain that she had caused Faith. If what Spike said was true, then Faith was going to make Buffy insanely jealous, and afterwards... Well, she didn't want to get her hopes up. A vampire's word didn't have much reliability, especially Spike's, and although her mind was already buzzing with the possibilities, a part of her was still reluctant to embrace it. She had already had too many disappointments in her life to hold much hope. And considering thatthe thing she was hoping for was Buffy- the beautiful, strong woman she had always wanted to be and have... Well, there wasn't much enthusiasm behind the possibility.

It only took a few minutes before Faith decided that she couldn't stand it anymore and slid from her partner's grasp. He eyed her suggestively, and as Faith continued to dance by herself she had visions of him flying over the bar counter and crashing into the glass shelves. Instead of turning the idea intoreality, however, Faith glanced up to where Buffy had been standing to find her gone. Faith's movements faltered. Her heart began to race and her stomach plummeted as she realized that her actions had pushed Buffy away. She cursed herself. No matter what she did, it always ended up being wrong. It had always been like that.

She couldn't get anything right in school. Faith, how many times do I have to tell you that two negatives make a positive Nothing at home was ever right either. Shut up that racket, you stupid kid! Not even her Watcher thought she could do anything right. Stop dropping your shoulder! I've told you too many times

But Buffy did. Buffy believed in her. Buffy believed she could do something right.

You're doing something good, Faith.

And then Faith was roughly pulled from her thoughts as she collided with someone. She spun around angrily and came face to face with an equally angry blonde. Buffy's annoyed gaze softened when she saw her, and Faith felt the anger and frustration inside her rapidly dissipate. But the desire to touch Buffy didn't lessen, and so Faith grabbed her roughly around the waist, drawing Buffy's small body towards hers. Their bodies touched and a fire exploded in the bottom of Faith's stomach. Buffy's mouth formed a small o as Faith began to dance, moving provocatively to the suddenly sensual music. Buffy's arms snaked around her neck, and as she nervously met Faith's eyes she began to match her movements with equal fervour.

Faith had always been impulsive, and she could not help dropping her hand lower to the curve of the blonde's backside. Buffy leapt back, startled, and Faith regretted it instantly. She was so stupid! Now Buffy would slap her and leave, and she would go home and tell her precious Scoobies that the rogue Slayer actually had the nerve to touch her like she deserved to. Buffy's hand snaked out, and Faith waited for the sting of her palm across her cheek.

But Buffy did something neither of them expected.

She reached behind Faith's head and forcefully pulled her closer. Their lips and tongues joined in a fervent kissand Faith was too stunned to move. Buffy's tongue slipped into her mouth, and the sudden fire on Faith's tongue broke her from her frozen stupor. She grabbed Buffy's head and kept it there, battling Buffy's tongue with her own. They fought, neither willing to give the other the satisfaction of breaking the heated kiss first.

They both stepped back as one, shocked and exhilarated by the astonishing kiss. Buffy was breathing hard, her mind in turmoil over what she had just done. She had just kissed Faith. And even though she loved the brunette Slayer, the idea that this was wrong would not leave her alone. Her thoughts were moving in circles, and she did the only thing she could think of.She ran.

If Faith was anything, she was a fighter.And in being a fighter, she fought for what she wanted, and usually got it. And when it was something she really wanted, she made sure she got it. Now Buffy was that thing, and Faith was ready to destroy everything that stood between them to get her. Even if that was Buffy herself. So when Buffy ran, Faith followed.

She shoved her way through the throng of people, never taking her eyes off of the blonde head bobbing its way toward the entrance. The door opened and Buffy disappeared through it. Faith slammed the door open again and caught up to her, reaching out and grasping her arm. Buffy twirled around and Faith saw her panicked expression.

"B..."

"I've got to go-"

"I love you," she exclaimed, and Buffy froze.

"W-what?" Buffy whispered. Disbelief, desire and confusion clouded her ability to coherently form any words.

Faith froze as she realized what she had done. She couldn't take it back; she couldn't pretend nothing had happened. She couldn't go back. There was only Buffy's reaction, and the uncertainty of it all terrified her. It was a rare occurrence that made her turn to fear, but in that instant between her admission and Buffy's reaction, she was more afraid than she'd ever felt before. Because she knew that if Buffy turned her away, she would know for certain that she wasn't good enough. That she could never be good enough. It was this belief that she had clutched to, a belief that she was good enough for Buffy's love.

Buffy heard the three word's slip from Faiths lips, but they replayed in her mind like a dream and she could not decide whether they were real. She was convinced that her feelings were unrequited, that the other girl had ceased to love her, if in fact she ever had. When Faith suggested that she would return to her old self, Buffy had wanted nothing other than to believe in Faith, to believe that Faith was right. She had wanted to find Faith and apologise so many times during the week after she made Faith leave, but she was terrified of discovering that Faith was wrong. That she'd never be the Slayer again, and the tiny fragment of hope Faith's words left inside her would be crushed. There had also been a small fear of finding Faith and seeing uncaring, malevolent browns eyes staring back- a sure sign that Faith was too disgusted withher to ever feel love for her.

"I love you," Faith repeated, suddenly weary of the game. She was tired of pretending, and she was tired of hiding. Buffy was the only reason Faith still lived in this world, and if the blonde couldn't love her Faith did not know what would happen. She waited.

Buffy lifted her green eyes, finally locking them with the weary brown ones that usually sparked with so much life.Ever since she could remember Buffy had done what everyone believed was right. She had said things she didn't believe in, but were right to say. She had given away so much of her life to do what was right in this world that she had forgotten who she was. She had forgotten how to live how she wanted to live.

Buffy stepped forward, lightly tracing Faith's cheek with her finger, and gently placed a kiss on her lips.

"I love you too, Faith," Buffy murmured with a shy smile.

"You do?" Faith asked in a surprisingly vulnerable, childlike voice. Buffy nodded.

Faith grinned, her eyes dancing. "Spike owes me a drink, then."

Buffy laughed. "I dont want to know-"

She was suddenly cut off as Faith pulled her into a frenzied kiss. An unexpected warmth filled her stomach, and Buffy recognised a feeling she hadn't felt since before her leap. Buffy felt content; and not only that, she felt excited, nervous and girlish all at once. Faith gently pulled back, kissing the tip of Buffy's nose. Their arms were wrapped tightly around each other, too afraid that this was a dream to let go.

"Do you believe I love you?" Faith asked, her gaze piercing into Buffy's eyes, searching her for the answer.

"Of course I do!" Buffy exclaimed, still slightly dizzy from Faiths closeness.

"Do you believe I'd die protecting you?"

"God, Faith! Let's not plan our deaths just yet, okay?"

"Do you believe I'd never lie to you?" Faith asked, ignoring her comment.

"Yes," Buffy replied, turning serious. "I do."

"Do you believe me when I say you're still the Slayer?"

Buffy hesitated, searching Faith's eyes for a reason to believe her. She saw absolute conviction, a wild determination reflecting through the brown depths. Buffy wanted nothing more than to believe Faith. She had hoped and dreamed that Faith would show the others wrong, that Faith would help bring back a part of her that had gone missing. Yet despite this, Buffy felt the old threads of reality grasping at her.

Buffy's shoulders dropped and she sighed. "I don't-"

"Listen to me!" Faith demanded, grabbing Buffy roughly by the waist. "You are still the Slayer. You are. And I know this because I felt it. And not only that, but I know it. I know it and you know it. Nothing can take the Slayer away from you, because the Slayer is you. Without one the other would be dead, and you seem pretty much alive to me, so the Slayer inside you is too."

"But I'm so weak..."

"Hit me," Faith said, and Buffy's head snapped up in surprise.

"W-what?" she whispered, shaking her head.

"Hit me!"

"No. I won't hit you!"

Faith pushed Buffy from her and backed away, eyes flashing angrily. "You are pathetic, B. I must've been wrong. You are weak. There's no way you could possibly be the Slayer, because the Slayer I used to know wasn't some pansy-assed girl who would let her friends wrap her in cotton balls and keep her away from saving people. The Slayer I used to know, the girl that you used to be, Buffy, was strong. Fierce. Beautiful. A freaking hero. All I see in front of me is a fragile little girl afraid of accepting what she is. Its sickening. I love the old you, B, not this pathetic excuse-"

Faith was cut off as a powerful fist slammed into her jaw and sent her sailing into the same wire fence Buffy had struck after being hit by the vampire. Faith rubbed her jaw tenderly, groaning as she struggled back to her feet. When she pushed her hair away from her face, she saw Buffy standing on her toes, fists ready for action, her muscles tensed and her green eyes flashing with anger. Faith grinned, and Buffy's glare faltered, and then disappeared completely as realization set in.

Faith's heart soared. She knew her girl could do it.

"See, B? This is what Slayers do. Forget the past; it doesn't matter. Screw the future; it doesnt matter, either. This is what we do, and we do it now. Slayers do everything they can with the time they've got, because one day they won't be there anymore. We fight and we struggle and we wage war, but we don't give up. We never go out without a fight. We never lay our weapons down until we suck in our last breath. We never stop. You and me, B, that's what we do. And we won't go out without a fight. Cause that's the freakin creed of the Slayer."

To Be Continued…

I still thrive off reviews and with less than three (maybe two?) chapters to go I need the motivation...