Prolog

The dust was still in the air. Buffy felt free. So free like she never did before. During the last few months her whole world had been a terrible fight. Nobody understood her, except Spike. But their, relationship" was too complicated. She had always known that he was loving her, but she wasn't sure about her feelings. Her friends had turned away from her and even Giles had been against her. But now all the pain had really been dissolved to dust. Sunnydale was destroyed.

Buffy looked back at the big hole, where one time had been the city where she had lived for 7 years.

Giles went to the school bus in which already most of the potentials and the rest of the Scooby Gang had returned. When Buffy turned around, entered the bus and sat herself in the back, Dawn followed her, but Buffy looked away. Dawn decided it would be best if she leaves her sister alone for a moment and went to the front, so she wasn't able to see the tears in Buffy's eyes.

Faith was at Wood's side and touched wounds softly in order to not to hurt him.

Giles followed the road in the direction of L.A., without missing the tears, which rolled over Buffy's cheek…