Spike shanshus & sort of becomes William; he forgets his whole unlife, including Buffy

...and becomes William, more or less. The shanshu made him forget his whole unlife, including Buffy. It's almost like William had been transported to the future from just before he was bitten by Drusilla. As far as I remeber, he then somehow ends up in the UK, at the new Slayer school or Watcher's Council or whatever. With time, he slowly regains his memory, Spuffy ending. I'm not completely sure, but I think he actually kept some of his fighting and healing abilities, and that he was "found" because he helped out two Slayerettes, but I might be confusing this with another fic. Does any of this ring any bells?

Eurydice wrote a story similar to that called A Stone's Throw from Yesterday that you can track on EF here:

http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewuser.php?uid=58

I can vaguely recall another one that happened in Sunnydale and Spike was only human for a short period of time, but for the life of me I can't remember the name of it.

I'm pretty sure that not the one, though it's a great story and I also read it a long time ago, so thank you kamw30 for reminding me of it.

I think the one I'm trying to find is much more focused on Spike and how he is slowly discovering things about himself, not so much about other people finding him/finding out about him (Buffy being the exception.)

sylaine

What about Distance by Herself.... not quite a 'shanshu' but close.

http://www.echonyc.com/~stax/Buffy/herself/distance.html

There is a long story about Buffy making a wish with the amulet and getting Spike back but he's really Williamlike not the old Spike, and she doesn't really like him all that much now that he's not a big bad Spikevamp. This happens at the slayer's academy in England or Scotland in a huge estate, and the others really work to help the newly resurrected Spike/William adapt to his new life in spite of Buffy's lack of enthusiasm for him. Is this the story you are looking for? If it is I am struggling to remember its title or author, but I read it sometime in the last three years or so and I know I have it somewhere...

I have a feeling that the story you're looking for is an amazing series by spikealicious. It starts out with One Normal Day and continues with One Normal Life/Two Extraordinary Lives where Spike returns after burning up in the hellmouth and doesn't remember who he is. It does end up eventually with him being in the UK staying with Giles and being involved with the slayer school. It was never quite completed but the last chap was #215 so it is a wonderful long read. One of my favourites. I hope it's the one you're looking for. It's at spikealicious.com.

SMac, I think that's the one. It does sound familiar. Now if you could only remeber the author and title...

The other ones mentioned also sound great, so I'll have a look at them too. Thank you all.

Found it!

Lingering by gabrielleabelle

http://spikeluver.com/SpuffyRealm/viewstory.php?sid=33017

Summary: Three months after Chosen, Buffy is still mourning the loss of Spike. When the amulet he wore is retrieved from the wreckage at Sunnydale, Buffy inadvertently wishes for William Pratt. Buffy struggles with her grief while William learns to adjust to the modern world and finds out about who he would have become in this time.

And unfortunately, that's still not it. Because in the fic I'm looking for it was Spike who became William after NFA and not the actual William from before he was turned.
I vaguely rememeber a scene were he is at the new Slayer/Watcher organisation and someone, don't remeber who, had the idea to let him listen to some of Spike's favourite music in order to make him try remember anything about his unlife. Didn't work though.

HA! Found it! Coincidentally someone was looking for William-brought-to-the-future fics in the Fic-Rec section, and there it was. It's Life, Resumed by speakr2customrs, if anyone's interested.

And a big thanks to all of you who tried to help me find it!