Vision in the basement?

[Gum Gnome33]

Toward the beginning of "Selfless" when Spike is still in the basement, he imagines that Buffy is sitting in front of him, as he tries to explain to her that he's been seeing things and that he's in trouble. She's, (the vision), is patient and kind, and when she offers him help, Spike declines and says that he can't expect her to take care of him, not after what he's done to her. This is the scene, for reference:

Buffy's wearing a white shirt and an open, non-judgmental face.
BUFFY (compassionate and patient) Spike.
SPIKE I'm in trouble, Buffy.
BUFFY I can help you.
SPIKE I could never ask. Not after...
BUFFY It's different. You're different.
SPIKE I could never ask.
BUFFY Spike, it's me. It's you and it's me, and we'll get through this.
SPIKE Never...
BUFFY We'll get through this.

Seconds later we see the real Buffy appear and she's harsh, demanding that he leave the basement as it's making him crazy.

At the time, we know Spike has been having lots of visits from the First who as appeared as Buffy among others. Though there is evidence of the First visiting people as loved ones and attempting to create pleasant encounters in order to manipulate them, the purpose is clearly to get them to give in/give up. When Joyce appears to Buffy in the form of the First, this is the case.

Personally, I don't think it's likely that it was the First that came to Spike in this particular encounter. What would be the purpose of reassuring him and making him think he is going to be taken care of? It might just be Spike "going crazy" but in every other instance of that, it's the First who is behind it. Even in Amends when Angel is being visited by the spirits of the people he's killed and wronged, it was always the First, with the purpose of getting him to take himself out of the game.

This is different. Any theories as to what Spike is seeing? If it's really just his imagination, I believe this would be the only time anyone in the show has completely imagined an entire encounter without any supernatural involvement, (or dreaming).

Another interesting thing to consider: a very similar encounter actually does take place a few episodes later, in "Never Leave Me," when they are in Buffy's basement and she tells him that she believes in him and she won't kill him, though he's begging her to on account of all the horrible things he's done in his life.

So, could it be that Spike actually had some sort of premonition back in "Selfless?" Or am I reading too much into it; was it simply that his desires came true? Or was it The First, somehow attempting to manipulate Spike in a completely unusual way? If so, what do you think its plan was?

 

[Astral]

I think it is just his imagination from the reasons you stated. Also Spike was very calm and relaxed while talking to the imaginary Buffy when he would usually be a total wreck yelling randomly and be very unpredictable when The First interacted with him. I think it was just something he wished would happened so he imagined it.

 

[dj651]

I always thought it was his imagination also. It's also a more emotional scene when viewed that way, in my opinion. It shows that he needed her so desperately that he was able to create and entire conversation of what he wished she would say to him. If it was the First, it kind of takes away from the conversation since it wasn't Spike who was inventing what "Buffy" was saying.

 

[Skytteflickan88]

Considering it was the first as buffy appearing in sleeper, making spike bite that woman, I imagine it was the first in selfless as well, manipulation him into trusting him. Maybe it intended to make spike trust it, make it think it was buffy, so he'd do evil things?

 

[Gum Gnome33]

I always thought it was his imagination also. It's also a more emotional scene when viewed that way, in my opinion. It shows that he needed her so desperately that he was able to create and entire conversation of what he wished she would say to him. If it was the First, it kind of takes away from the conversation since it wasn't Spike who was inventing what "Buffy" was saying.

This is the way I've always looked at it, too. I also think it's really interesting to note that we never see any other characters imagine entire interactions and that makes it even more significant, to me. On the other hand:

Considering it was the first as buffy appearing in sleeper, making spike bite that woman, I imagine it was the first in selfless as well, manipulation him into trusting him. Maybe it intended to make spike trust it, make it think it was buffy, so he'd do evil things?

This is a really interesting theory. Maybe this is how the First got Spike to start listening to it; that it was part of the process of making him a sleeper agent.

Since love is the most important thing to Spike, (he's a fool for love after all), the First relied on the love and guilt he felt toward both his mother and Buffy to create his trigger, (Early One Morning). He'd loved both women so much and hurt them both in spite of his intentions and of all the guilt he was experiencing over his years of killings, this is what plagued him the most, and the First took advantage of that.

Could be!