What if when Dawn tells Buffy that Spike loves her, it gets her thinking in a completely different way?

Start the fic at the time Buffy picks up Dawn from Spike's crypt in Crush and Dawn tells her:

Dawn Summers : I like hanging out with him is all... And even if I did have a crush, he wouldn't notice in a million years. Not with you around.

Buffy Summers : What does that mean?

Dawn Summers : Spike's totally into you... Oh, come on. You didn't notice? Buffy, Spike's completely in love with you.

Instead of getting mad or upset, Buffy starts to think about her feelings toward Spike and begins to realize they are of the warm and fuzzy variety. You can make her simply curious, or full on in love with Spike at this point.

An episode re-write, a Season 5 rewrite or even take it all the way through the whole series to the end of Season 7 or further. If you do take it through Season 6, avoid the using each other type relationship Spuffy has.

Must have a happy Spuffy ending.