I'm sorry to say I can only remember this fic vaguely.

Before season 6 or 7, though I'm not sure how much earlier. Buffy becomes able to look into people's hearts or read minds. Something she sees or hears in Angel freaks her out and she runs off, and later comes across Spike. Of course he's always a surprise for her, and Spike/Buffy starts developing.

Any ideas would be really helpful! Thanks a lot.

Sabershadowkat wrote a re-do of Earshot. Here's the link

http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewstory.php?sid=1024&warning=NC-17

Niamh
What's the title of the fic?? please

If You Could Only Hear by sabershadowkat

There's also a very similar scene in 'Paradox' by jackofspikes, a wonderful time travel fic that takes season 6 Buffy & Spike back to season 2.

It's archived here on SR.

http://spikeluver.com/SpuffyRealm/viewstory.php?sid=26328&warning=NC-17

It's not either of those, thanks. I am a fan of jackofspike's fics, too.

Now I'm wondering if it was Angel who freaked Buffy out or another male friend or boyfriend--I don't think Giles... I've read too many fics and sometime the details get mixed up. But the main thing was that something happened to Buffy that changed what she saw or felt and forced her to face up to what someone is really like inside, though some of it was fun, like with Spike's behavior or coarse words not matching whatever she sees.

Okay, does it have a sceen where she looks at Anya, and really sees her as Aud?

That sounds very familiar, Nec. Do you know the title of that fic?

I have a terrible memory and don't remember the name, but I know I read it on fanfiction. net Sorry!!!

Lead while searching though older treads, the Anya as Aud comment stuck out. So might the story be
Unscathed by randie