"And then Liz was just like, whatever!"Jessica said into the phone as she struggled to cradle the phone against her ear and keep her nail polish from spilling on her bedspread.."Jessica, I have to get online for homework."a voice called behind her. She turned around to see Dawn."Oh Tee, I have to go, Dawn needs the phonline, ok Bye Tia.", She clicked off the phone and laid it on it's cradle. Dawn gave her a blank look. The one of many Dawn had been giving her for the last week. Ever since Buffy's death she had seemed appalled and kept things to herself. "Dawnie, do you want to talk?"she said gently."I don't want to think about, talk about, nothing about it."she said through her teeth."Look, I know your aggravated Dawn, but somehow you have to talk about it." Dawn just scowled at her."You sound like some grief counselor at school."she remarked with a tight frown."Dawn, I just wanted to know how you were doing since Buffy.."'Died"Dawn finshed for her."You need help Dawn, talk to someone, me or Will please." " All the people, my only really close family in this world are gone and it's my fault. Just because I was or am the key."she said as she sat beside Jessica and burst into tears. Jessica leaned over and hugged her sobbing cousin."Don't worry Dawnie, everything will be just alright, trust me on this, I know it, Im going to bring Buffy back someway." Dawn met Jessica's gaze."You promise?". Jessica gave her a small smile."I promise Dawn, I promise. Now don't you have some surfin' to do on the web?"
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Jessica entered the magic shop and plopped down on a burgundy chair. She faced Giles and gave him a serious look."Did you find anything or did they say anything?"she said hesitantly. Giles took of his glasses and wiped them with a cloth. Jessica tensed that something was wrong. Giles always had done that gesture when he was nervous or had bad news." Um the council was quite interested in Buffy's death and they had been talking about it and figuring out alot, and finally the came up with the clarification that the next slayer called is you." Jessica, you are the next slayer called."
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Jessica drank her fourth coke at the Bronze and slumped further into the booth accompanied with Willow and Tara."Um Jess, I think those are enough cokes for tonight." Willow said gently as she took the bottle from Jessica's hand. Jessica just gazed and gave her a blank stare."Will, I didn't ask for this, I swear I just wanted Buffy back, not being called as the next slayer."she replied wearily. All day she had been taking her anger at the punching bag and dissolving her anger into cokes. "I don't care what Giles says, I am not gonna do any slaying until Buffy comes back."Jessica finished by expressing a pout."Jessica, I know you don't want this but you have to learn how to accept your fate." Jessica's narrow went sharp."Being the slayer, the chosen one is not my fate! To me it's like having some kind of burden on me or being cursed." Willow just gawked at her."Jess, being the slayer is not a curse, it's um k-kinda like having a blessing."."From hell" Jessica muttered under her breath."Giles can't force you to do this-" But Jessica interrupted her."Damn Right Giles can't force me to do this, even if he signs me on as with the council, all Im going to do is just quit." Willow sighed and propped her elbows on the table."You know Giles is not going to like that comment." Jessica rolled here eyes."Wether Giles likes it or not, Im not going to be the next slayer until Buffy comes back." she remarked and with that got up and left. In fury, she walked briskly out of the Bronze and into the graveyard. Jessica was about to take the path home when she caught sight of a vampire rising out of a fresh grave. She quietly snuck behind a tree and snuck a wooden stake out of her pocket and crept behind the creature. She grabbed the vampire from it's collar and pinned him furiously to the ground."I though the slayer was gone."the vampire asked with a sheer smirk. She gave him fierce kick in response."Don't you ever talk about my cousin like that!". Jessica kicked him harder this time, sending him rolling on the floor."What you think it's easy being the slayer?" (kick, punch)"Doing mindless task for many people, you think is a easy job?" She placed her stake in the air and plunged it into the vampire's heart. It exploded into dust into seconds. Jessica took a step back and brushed off dust from her jacket.She tried to steady herself before she let her knees drop to the ground. She leaned against a headstone and buried her face into her hands. Warm tears feel from her cheeks. She brushed a strand of hair from her face and looked at the grave. She weakened even more. It was Buffy's grave. Jessica sat down and gazed at the carved words."She saved the world alot." Jessica let out a bitter laugh."You just didn't save the world Buff, you saved me."she said softly."And everyone here still needs you, Giles told me the other day that I was the next one to be called according to the council. I don't believe that Buffy, I want you back, Being the slayer without the one that keeps you going is not the slayer."she scuffed some dirt from her shoe and and plucked a rose from the rosebush and laid infront of the graveYou did save the world alot."she added before turning back and heading home in the dark night. She opened the door and closed it quietly behind her. She silently went upstairs to peek into Dawn's room. She was fast asleep. She knelt beside her and pulled the covers around Dawn's body. She took a step back and gazed at her cousin. Her long brown hair was knitted in a braid and she she seemed to sleep peacefully for the first time in weeks. It had nearly been four weeks since Buffy's death, and Dawn seemed to be like zombie. She comforted her many times. Jessica knew it was her turn now to protect Dawn, and she was ready to accept that fate, but not for being the next slayer