It had been 10 years since the distruction of Sunnydale, and Buffy was alone. Not just alone in her house, but alone in her world. No one was left by hear side, everyone had gone their separate ways. One by one.
Dawn was the first one to leave. She had had enough. Her life had constantly been in danger and she didn't like it, so she just up and left. Not that Buffy didn't agree, but she wished her littlesister called more often. Last she had heard from here, Dawn was in New York under the name Georgina Sparks and had her fun with some other kids. She had also gotten married and had a kid, who she had promised to take for a visit soon, but Buffy was still waiting.
The second one to leave was Faith. She and Wood took off to London to work with Giles and Andrew taking care of the new slayers. Buffy offered to help, but they insisted that they had it under control and she deserved to retire from the life of slaying, so she let them leave.
Soon after, Xander left as well. He had no reason to stay in Cleveland, not without Anya. He packed his bags, hugged them goodbye and left to travel the world. Willow considered joining him, but she ended up staying, but not for long.
Willow and Kennedy fought before they broke up, and Kennedy left. Willow needed to clear her head and start over, so she decided to finish college in New York at an art program. Buffy offered to come with her, but Willow insisted that she had to do it on her own. She did call regularly to catch up though, but less constant than before. Apperantly, Willow had gotten engaged to a man, Marshall, from college, after discovering she was bisexual, and gotten her own new little friendgroup.
Buffy hadn't heard from Angel since the day of the final battle for Sunnydale, but she had heard rumours that he had found a cure or something to turn him human again. She did expect him to come to her if something like that happened to him, but he didn't. No matter how long she had waited. Giles had told her that he had changed his name to Seeley Booth and become a FBI agent. Helping people, as he had always done since his soul had returned.
Spike who had risen from the dead had apperantly gotten the same cure, but had disappeared a while ago, and Buffy had no hope for him left.
Buffy was now all alone in the world, well almost. Her friends...her once upon a time family, had abandoned her. She didn't blame them for leaving, not for a second. Buffy knew how much they wanted a normal life, but she never thought they would stop being a family. Even though they had left, she had stayed put in Cleveland, met a sweet man and they had a son together. A part of Buffy will always be calling out for her old life in Sunnydale, but she had also gotten what she desired most. A life beyond the shadows.