Buffy Anne Summers, in all her twenty three years of life, never thought that being unconnected could feel so… good.

The peace… the freedom... for once Buffy didn't feel trapped. She didn't feel the need to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Hearing the whistle of the wind, knowing how safe and sound she had come to be, it rendered her, surprisingly, happy. Not a care in the world to tend too.

She often found herself comparing her new life too her old one. She shuddered at what it used to be.

She couldn't do anything. There was always a monster… a force of darkness awaiting her. It left no room for thought.

But now, she could sleep and know tomorrow could be altered to her liking. Now, she could walk outside, not walk in graveyards in the dead of night.

It wrought relaxation. It wrought… a feeling of relief.

No more being chosen she would think. No more having to save the world, hell, she's done it enough times.

Of course, amidst her calm state, there were still nights where she would cry. But she knew that later, she'd be okay.

Isolating herself from her friends… from the world… has taught Buffy that being secluded, being in such a serene environment… is good for the soul.

Being in Alaska for nearly three months now has been nothing more than amazing. A new life. A fresh start.

She had seized the opportunity to start over, and she took it with open arms. Living in this cabin… this remote lodge near the barren (and frozen over) Lake Amara in Alaska has, according to Buffy, has been her best idea yet.

Of course, she never knew she'd end up here. After Sunnydale's inevitable downfall, Buffy, Willow, and Xander, along with the rest, moved to a town, Linx, not too far from their hometown. There they made a home.

Then, Buffy took Dawn along for a patrol. It was there the vampire stabbed Dawnie… through the heart…

Buffy isn't too keen on leaving this place. Its taught her to forget. And that's what she wants… to forget.

Tell Giles… tell Giles I figured it out. And… and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong, Dawn. The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.