I was going to post this in the comments of truecrystal's LJ, but she doesn't allow anonymous (read: non-member; that's another thing I hate about LJ, how they don't allow for a distinction between truly anonymous posters and non-member guests) comments, so I'll respond here.

The smoochies are a-comin', oh yes they are. A lot of the same folks who say the chemistry is gone and all they see is a friendshippy vibe are the same ones who've consistently denied ever seeing chemistry between Buffy and Spike, and, well, they're wrong, because it's there. God, is it ever there. In that basement, it crackled between them even when they were clear across the room from each other. And as Buffy closed the gap between them, a lot of very significant and important stuff happened. You could see her making a decision, facing her doubts and fears and casting them aside as she approached him. She doesn't only go from hard and closed off to soft and open, she goes from being wary, flinching every time he rattles his chains, and distant to trusting, unflinching and in his face with her newfound confidence in him. And as she does she makes it clear that she doesn't hate him, doesn't hate herself, isn't in it for the pain. That's not what their relationship is about anymore. She is the one with the insight for a change, and here she knows him better than he knows himself, and she sees a man worth saving. I think something very crucial happened here -- that she made a conscience decision to put the attempted rape and everything else that happened between them behind her, to wipe the slate clean and start over, moving forward.

Yes, there was a clear offering of friendship, but the intimacy of that scene brought the hope of something more. I'm happy to see them building a strong friendship base before they become romantically involved again. But so far this season they've shown that Spike has more loyalty and commitment than any other man on the show, which is something Buffy with her abandonment issues needs desperately. They've shown that he respects her, and have made him into someone she respects. They've pretty much tailored Spike into the perfect man for her, and have brought her to a place where she's dealing with her emotional scars and is healing enough to open up and allow herself to be vulnerable again. Logically, and realistically, there's just no way that they've done all this and brought both characters to this point so that they can just be good friends. Plus, two people who are that hot onscreen together aren't going to remain platonic for very long. Especially not in the last season when there's nothing to lose by getting them together.

In other news, this fic idea has taken over my brain and won't let me focus on anything else, so at this point I think I have to write it. But it's not going to go where y'all expect. For some reason my brain likes to place Spike in the oddest situations.