Buffy Summers. Initial reaction to the name? Valley girl? Airhead?

Couple years ago, you might have been right. She was your typical teenage girl. A popular one at that. Dated all the time, wore the latest fashion, friends with a select group, and not prepared at all for life.

She would go home, and try to avoid hearing her parents' fights. Her problem-free exterior had a few cracks it in it, apparently. Maybe that's why she clung to the popular crowd. To forget her family problems. It wasn't the most ideal situation, but it could've been worse.

Unfortunately, it did become worse. And she wasn't expecting it at all. Turns out she was the Slayer. The newest in a long line of generations worth that were born with the strength and skill to destroy vampires and the forces of darkness.

Gone were the bright clothes, the dates, and the cheerleading. Slowly, her life as she knew it and her once friends, were slipping away. She started getting in trouble for fighting at school, and her parents' arguments increased.

Finally it all came to a head, when she had to burn down her school gym to stop a massive vampire attack. As a result, she was expelled, her parents divorced, and she moved with her mom to Sunnydale. She was looking forward to putting the whole Slayer thing behind her, and starting over. But she couldn't.

Sunnydale was even more dangerous than LA, and her reputation for a troublemaker followed her. Forced back into slaying, she could do nothing but deal with it. She was strong, a leader, and untouchable on the outside, but inside she was a wreck. But fortunately, she didn't have to do it alone. She finally found real friends: Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris.

As much as she enjoyed Xander's friendship, as guys tended to do, his hormonal aspects took over. Willow was the one she really connected with. She quickly realized that Willow had qualities of a true friend, and qualities she wished she had. But since she didn't, Willow was the one she turned to, relied on. It was the first time she had a real female friend who took the time to get to know her, and who she was, despite the risks.

And there were plenty of risks. Willow was there through her whole relationship with Angel, and his transformation back into Angelus. Through all her doubts, fears, and everyday gripes. She risked life for her. Gave Angel back his soul after coming out of a coma. She was more than Buffy believed she deserved.

Whereas as everyone else would question her actions or blame her for something Willow was always supportive and understanding. Which made it so hard for her to leave town after sending Angel to Hell. She thought she was keeping Willow and her friends safer that way.

It ended up hurting her, and Willow, more by leaving. She came back however, the damage done was little, and quickly repaired. Their friendship slowly moved onto to solid ground again, and became strong, possibly even stronger than before, once again.