It made sense what William said about Edina wanting the house to herself. If she had in fact grew up in that house, if her family before her worked there, then she probably felt that she was owed that house. She most likely felt that since she put blood, sweat and tears in that place, then it was rightfully hers. And damn anyone that tried to swoop in and take it from her in any way.
So now the questions were swirling around in her mind. What had her relationship been like with Dru? Why was she now causing trouble? Did she see an opening after Dru had passed? Was she an obstacle Edina just had to get through and then the house would be hers? Who was next in line? Surely the house would go to the next descendant in Dru's husband's family. Or would it by default stay with Buffy for her to make the ultimate decision? And last but not least…was it really Edina or just an angry ghost?
Sighing, Buffy got up. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep. She needed to do something. Padding down the hall, she entered William's study, hoping that maybe the file that contained the answers she had to some of her questions at least. It passed through her mind that perhaps this was a bit of trespassing, but this did have to do with her house, so she let that though pass right on through.
She nearly let out a whoop of joy when she found the file laying smack dab in the middle of William's desk. Opening the file, she began her study.
William woke suddenly, jarred out of a dream, a pleasant dream too. He and Buffy had been taking a trip, touring Italy. He'd woken just when Buffy had accepted his marriage proposal while gliding along in a Gondola.
Rolling over and reaching for her, he realized then what was missing: Buffy. She was no longer in bed with him. Now where had she gone off too? Feeling slight panic rush through him, William bounded up out of bed and called for her. When he was met with silence, his panic jumped a notch. Had she decided to go back to the house and didn't want to wake him to let him know? Was she in pain? Had that thing visited her here?
"Buffy!" he shouted down the hall.
"In here, William!" her melodic voice replied.
He spied a light shining from his study. Ah, so that's where she'd gotten off to. What the hell was she doing in there at three in the morning?
Pushing the door open, he found her with a file on the desk, opened, and documents pushed up and over the fastener that held them together in the center of the file. He had to assume it was "her" file.
"Luv, what are you doing?"
"Trying to get some information on why Edina thinks that house is hers."
"And what have you come up with?"
"Don't you know?"
"Some of it, not all. I admit, I hadn't read everything in there about it. My main concern was what was going to happen to the house now, rather than what had happened to it before. What did you find?" he asked, perching himself on the desk before Buffy.
She looked up, "Well, I think your theory definitely has merit."
"Oh?"
"That house is mine.Dru's husband has a handful of relatives that could take the house, but according to some letters in here, do not want it."
"They could have changed their mind by now."
"However, say I was frightened enough out of that house, then they would most definitely still not want it. A couple of the letters in here do cite 'paranormal activity' as part of the reason they do not want it."
"And if Edina could buy you out..." he sighed. "That's a large 'if' though."
"Not if she'd been squirreling money away. Not if she was betting on driving me out so that I'd give her whatever she wanted just to get away from that house out of fear."
"What a bitch."
"My sentiments exactly." Settling back in the chair, Buffy grimaced. "Owww..." she moaned.
"Come back to bed, luv. We'll be able to think clearer tomorrow and come up with a plan better after a good nights rest." Holding out his hand and standing, he urged Buffy to her feet and kissed her quickly. "My Nancy Drew," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.
She giggled, "You could be one of the Hardy Boys that corrupt innocent Nancy."
He growled into her neck. "When you're feeling better."
"Yes, sir."
He grinned, "Never had I had the urge to swat your bum more than I do now."
Laughing, Buffy followed William back to bed, feeling that sleep was now imminent.
Munching on toast the next morning, Buffy thoughtfully tilted her head to the side. “Dru saw none of this?”
William shook his head, sipping his tea. “Not a lick of it. And I have to tell you, while I’ve been adding it up as you so kindly told me to, I have not seen her at all. That’s why I was calling for her that night you found out.”
Buffy took a deep breath. “What would you guys talk about anyway? I mean, was it just me?”
“Yes, all you.” He reached across the table and took her hands in his. “Buffy, she played Emma and not just because of what she saw for you, but because she really thought we’d be good together. Don’t you think she was right?”
“Yes, but…why didn’t she come and see me?”
“She tried. You blocked her out.”
“I wanted to talk with her after she died…I thought she’d come…” her eyes welled up in tears and she fought in vain to blink them away. “I feel so sorry that I didn’t get the chance to talk with her.”
“Buffy, maybe this isn’t the best time to bring it up, but do you think that since I haven’t seen Dru, and you haven’t felt your ghosts at the house, the two are directly related?”
“You mean that if Edina managed to get rid of my ghosts, she got rid of Dru too?”
“Right. Dru had been hanging out at the house with you…”
Buffy narrowed her eyes and pulled her hands free. “Oh, she’s really going down now!”
“Before you go in there with fists blazing Muhammad Ali, we have to come up with a plan. If it is Edina, we can’t let her know.”
“Right…God, I just wish I could find Tara! I know that she has some—“
The doorbell rang, interrupting Buffy’s tirade. William motioned for her to wait a minute and went to the door to answer it. Buffy began to pace, trying to come up with a way to get into Edina’s quarters and gather information without letting the woman know.
“Buffy, I believe we found what we were looking for.”
Turning, Buffy gasped when she found William leading a worried Tara into his kitchen.
Upon looking at her, Buffy demanded, “Where the hell have you been?”