Author's Note- Another CharityxVanessa fic. I love these two.

Here's my little one-shot, enjoy!

As always, I own nothing, all rights go to their respective owners.

LOVE HER LIKE WE DO

Everyone knew Charity. There wasn't anyone in the village that didn't. Most of them didn't have very many nice things to say about her but then that never really bothered her, but what did bother her was when herself and Vanessa went public and she started getting warnings from the people she'd known for years.

It started one morning when she went into the coffee shop to get herself and Vanessa a cup of coffee.

She'd left Vanessa in bed to sleep. She'd been working a lot recently and Charity thought she deserved a well earned lie in.

"So, you and Vanessa then?" Bob asked with something akin to a wince.

Charity frowned a little at him as he placed the coffees on the counter.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Oh nothing, it's just...Vanessa's a nice girl."

"Yeah I know that." Charity snapped.

She hated it when people meddled in her life, especially when they didn't have much control over their own.

"All I'm saying- and I know you wouldn't- but just don't...don't do something you might regret-"

"You what?" Charity barked, straightening a little and her frown deepening even more.

"Well in the past, your relationships haven't always gone smoothly, have they?"

"And since when has that been any of your business?"

"It hasn't but we all like Vanessa round here and we don't want her...leaving."

Charity tossed the money on the counter, grabbed the coffees and headed back to the pub with Bob's words lingering in the back of her mind.

She didn't make it very far when she ran into Rhona.

"Ah, Charity! How are you?"

The blonde knew this was a forced conversation. Rhona wouldn't normally give her the time of day.

"I'm good thanks."

Charity went to move around her when Rhona blocked her path.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Charity asked, giving her a sharp smile that warned her not to ask for any favors.

"So...you and Vanessa...you're really a-a thing now, eh?"

"Yeah I guess we are."

"You're not normally her type, you know."

Charity grinned.

"Good looking, sexy and smart?" She pushed, raising an eyebrow in the way she would when she was flirting which she did a lot. Maybe not so much now that her Vanessa were dating.

"Trouble." Rhona corrected her.

Charity looked a little taken aback by this statement.

"Well ok, I'm no saint but-"

"Vanessa is good for you but I just hope that you... are good enough for her."

"I would say that's up to Vanessa, isn't it?" Charity said, taking a step forward and making Rhona shrink back.

Everyone knew that if you challenged Charity, you'd better follow it through or back down while you had the chance.

It appeared that Rhona was taking the second option.

"Yes but sometimes Vanessa doesn't know what's good for her and what is just a...passing fancy."

"Passing fancy? Is that all you think I am?"

Rhona looked like she wished she hadn't even said anything but she was in too deep now.

"What if Vanessa get's bored or you...you-"

"Or I what?" Charity snapped, becoming increasingly angry.

Rhona stared her out as she said the words that everyone wanted to say to Charity but never could.

"What if you hurt her?"

Charity sighed and licked her lips.

"I've already spoken to Ness about this. We both agreed that we wouldn't make any promises not to hurt each other."

Rhona smirked.

"As if she could hurt you."

Charity suddenly saw herself through everyone else's eyes and it shocked her.

They didn't care about Charity being hurt, they didn't think she could be, at least not easily. They only cared about Vanessa. Not that she could blame them, Vanessa was a kind and caring woman and Charity was...well, not so much, unless the situation really called for it or her family needed her.

Charity looked at Rhona and decided to play her part.

The part they all knew she played so well. The bitch.

"Well if I end up hurting her, I'm sure you'll be the first to know. Now if you'll excuse me. I have a girlfriend to get back to." Charity said, gesturing to the coffees she held.

"She really likes you Charity." Rhona called as she walked away.

"Although God knows why." She muttered, thinking Charity hadn't heard her but she had and it had cut a little deeper than she wanted to acknowledge.

Vanessa was just pulling on her boots when Charity came in with the coffees.

"Oh hi, I was just coming to find you." Vanessa said as she stood and moved towards the taller blonde.

Charity set the coffees down on the beside table and said nothing.

Vanessa frowned.

"Charity?"

Charity stood back and looked at Vanessa, her eyes dark and serious.

"Ness, do you think I'm good for you?"

"What? Where's this coming from?"

"Just answer the question." Charity said tiredly.

"Well yeah, course you are. I wouldn't be with you if I didn't fancy you."

"It's not a question of fancying me, Ness. Am I good for you? Yes or no?"

Vanessa looked at her and smiled nervously.

"Well. you're not what I would normally go for but-"

"And what would you normally go for?"

"I-erm, maybe someone a little more responsible, sensible- but none of that matters because I'm with you and I only want you." Vanessa added quickly, grabbing Charity's hands in hers and forcing her to look into Vanessa's eyes.

"Yeah well that's not what the whole village seems to think." Charity muttered unhappily.

Vanessa frowned.

"Who's been saying that?"

"Just Bob and...Rhona."

"Rhona?"

"They all love you, Ness and they think I'm going to hurt you and drive you away."

"That's none of their business."

"That's what I said but..."

"But what?" Vanessa asked carefully and partly fearing the answer.

"What if they're right? What if I do end up hurting you?"

Vanessa took her girlfriend's face in her hands.

"Charity, we've been through this and I'm ok with it. You didn't make me any promises and I accept that. As I said, I'm ok with it."

Charity lowered Vanessa's hands from her face.

"Maybe you shouldn't be. Maybe you should be with someone who won't hurt you and can be sensible and whatever else it was that you said."

"I don't want all of that. I want you." Vanessa tried to tell her but she could see that Charity still wasn't convinced.

"Look, they all love you round 'ere and I haven't got many fans, no scratch that- I haven't got any and you being with me...well it'll just...it won't do you any favors, alright?"

Vanessa watched as Charity walked away from her and went over to the window, folding her arms and standing there, just staring outside.

"Why are you doing this?" Vanessa asked.

Charity confused her at the best of times but this was another level.

Charity pinched the bridge of her nose as she got more and more irritated. Not with Vanessa, just the whole situation.

"I mean, I thought you don't care what people think."

"I don't."

"Then why are you pushing me away?"

"I don't want to, alright?" Charity muttered as she blinked a few times and pretended to be interested in looking at whatever was outside.

"But that's what you're doing. If you cared about me, you wouldn't do this!"

"It's because I care about you that I am doing this!" Charity shouted, finally snapping, her green eyes widening as she spun around to face Vanessa.

"Well I decide what's good for me, no one else!"

"Rhona said you don't know what's good for you!"

"She doesn't know what I want!" Vanessa barked, shocked that her best friend would get involved in her private life like this.

"Maybe you don't either!"

Vanessa glared at the taller blonde.

"I know what you're trying to do, Charity. I'm not an idiot and I know when someone is trying to distance themselves from me. I've seen it done before."

"Well can't you just take the hint and back off then?"

"No! Because I don't think this is what you really want!"

"It's not!"

"Then why?! I don't understand!"

"It's because I love you, you daft cow!"

Both women stood there in complete silence and shock at the realization of what Charity had just confessed.

In truth, Vanessa never believed that Charity would stick around for long, so she was grateful for the amount of time they got spend together. She allowed herself to like Charity more than she originally thought and now it appeared that Charity had done the same.

"You-you love me?"

Charity licked her lips and put her hands on her hips.

"Well I said it, didn't I?"

Vanessa moved forward so that she was face to face with the taller blonde.

"Say it again." She demanded softly and with a small smile.

Charity rolled her eyes and bit back a grin.

"I love you."

Vanessa smiled more and it lit up her whole face.

"One more time."

Charity groaned.

"Babe, come on, you know I don't-"

"Charity, please." Vanessa said, pouting slightly, which she knew would make Charity give in.

"Fine. I love you." Charity said with a sigh.

Vanessa lent forward and kissed her.

"Listen to me, I don't care what people round 'ere say. You are good for me, just as I'm good for you. Who cares what people think of us?"

Charity shrugged, feeling a bit more content.

"You got no argument from me babe."

"Good because...I love you too." Vanessa said, almost shyly.

Charity kissed Vanessa back, secretly pleased that she had said it too.

Green eyes met blue and Charity grinned.

"Then that's all that matters."