**

CHAPTER SEVEN

Giles shut the door behind Riley as he exited, and turned to the pair, now positioned in the sitting room. Their hands entwined, and they stared at him resolutely, as if they thought a fight would ensue.

Buffy grasped her Angel's hand tightly, her countenance quickly morphing into one of worry. Angel echoed her feelings, comforting her- at least she wasn't alone in this.

Liam glanced at Giles worriedly. As a boy, he'd witnessed and been on the receiving end of many a serious lecture, and Giles' face was looking extremely similar to those situations. Angel's fear rose a notch.

Giles sighed and cleaned his glasses, a fear tactic in his arsenal. The longer he stayed silent, the more worried they would get. Giles chuckled slightly to himself, careful not to let a smile crack through his stern carapace. The entire situation would be a waste if he cracked now.

"Liam, Princess," he acknowledged the pair, "It seems we have a bit of a problem on our hands."

Liam feigned confusion, "We do?"

Giles sighed exasperatedly. "Don't test me, Liam. Yes, we do," he repeated, "and it involves the relationship you two have!"

"What about it?" Elizabeth asked innocently.

Giles sighed again, "You both know very well 'what about it'! It's improper! You," he said, pointing to Elizabeth, "are the Princess of Buffonia!"

Elizabeth just stared at him, "So?" she asked defiantly.

Giles struggled to keep his temper in check. Going off on the royal Princess wouldn't be a good thing, even if he was a good friend of the Queen.

"He," Giles continued, pointing to Liam as he spoke, "is a former slave! A lowly peasant! He may have been the Prince of his country, but in Buffonia, he is lower than dirt!" he yelled.

Giles watched as Liam's face fell at his comment. Seeing this, he softened, sympathetic to his fears. Giles knew what it was like to feel you were not worthy of a woman; he had felt the very same thing with Jenny. She was nothing short of a goddess, why would she want a shy student? He felt for Liam.

"Look," he said plainly, "This isn't my choice. If it was up to me, you guys could be together all you want. But it isn't up to me," he told them honestly. Giles hated being the bearer of bad news, but it must be done, he reminded himself. The relationship had to be stopped, at all cost. If Liam and his Slayer were angry with him for a while, it was better in the long run.

"We know it's wrong, Giles," Liam told him, his hand still clasped with Elizabeth, "Don't you think we know that? It goes against...everything! I'm am 'lower than dirt!'' he yelled, quoting Giles.

"Now, Liam, you know I didn't mean that," Giles told him, but Liam just waved a hand.

"Her father killed my father, Giles! You may have forgotten that, but I haven't! I remember everyday! He destroyed my life and my home! But when I look at her, I forget about that. It doesn't matter that her father killed my family and gave me to her as a slave. All that goes away and I'm left with just her, just Buffy, and I've never been happier. I know it goes against every rule of law and nature, but you know what? I don't care," he finished, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

Buffy squeezed his hand, a gesture of support. She was deeply moved by his heartfelt speech. She knew that their blossoming relationship had problems; she was feeling guilty for her father's actions, he felt like he was unworthy of her. Although each of them tried to soothe their partner's fears, both couldn't help but believe what their feelings were telling them.

Giles looked at his charge in shock. Obviously the feelings ran deeper than he thought. Now he really wasn't enjoying this job.

"That maybe so…" he continued lamely, "But…" he sighed and gave up his attempt at an argument. Looking at their faces, he was brought back to a time twenty or so years ago, when a young Rupert Giles and Jana Calderash were begging for his father's approval. Jana was a lowly gypsy, scum to the likes of Giles and his father, but Jana was special. Giles remembered his father's harsh word and stern face as he sent the couple out of his house. Jana gave up the old nomadic ways of the gypsies, changed her name to Jenny, and moved far, far away from Lord William Giles. Disowned by his father, and almost by the Watcher's Council, Rupert Giles knew about forbidden love.

"You'll never be able to be together, you know that, right?" he asked them, a last ditch attempt to get his mission completed. It as weak, he knew, but he found he didn't have the strength to argue. Every time he looked at the pair his thoughts went straight to Jenny. Maybe the relationship wasn't doomed. He and Jenny had pulled it off…right?

Another part of Giles brain was screaming loudly against him, and it was the only thing that was keeping Giles from cracking. You and Jenny were different, the little voice told him, and you weren't a member of the Royal Family! Think of the Slayer! The Slayer's duty! The voice was screaming now, reason returning to him. She was the Princess, and even if she didn't know it yet, the Slayer. It had to be stopped.

A wave of resolve passed through him, and he prepared once again to resume the position of interrogator/lecturer. He took a deep breath and stood resolutely, ready to face the pair.

Buffy and her Angel watched as a war raged inside Giles. They could see his indecision his want to believe and give in. Angel's words had their desired affect. Liam meant everything he had said to Giles, and it felt good to have put his feelings out there.

"It has to be stopped," he said flatly, trying not to show the emotion he was feeling. He really wished they could be together, hell, there was nothing that would make him happier. He saw himself mirrored in their faces, and it scared him that he was the figure playing Lord William Giles.

Buffy and her Angel stared at each other, knowing it was pointless to argue anymore. Of course they wouldn't stop seeing each other, but both realizing nothing would be gained by more argument.

They just nodded and Giles stared at them with disbelief. He knew they paid no heed to his word, would not follow his mandates. At least he warned them, was Giles final thought. They've been warned.

Liam stood, "I'm covering guard duty for Gunn, his sister's sick. I have to go," he told Giles. The pair moved to leave, but Giles stopped them.

"Princess?" he questioned, gaining her attention, "a word?" he asked. She nodded, exchanging a worried look with Liam. "Of course," she said flatly.

Liam left, glancing behind him as the boy's maser shut the door to his cottage. He would be late for guard duty, but he desperately wanted to know what Buffy and Giles were talking about. He turned the corner of the house, settling beneath an open window. From his spot, he could hear the exchange between Buffy and Giles, and could peer into the sitting area.

Giles walked over to where the princess sat; the grave and serious look covering his face scared Buffy.

He spoke the words he had memorized as a child, each letter and sound deeply ingrained in his mind.

"In every generation, there is a Chosen One."

A look of deep confusion crossed her face,

"Huh?"

**

END CHAPTER SEVEN

A/N- I think we know the drill by now. This is the part where I beg for reviews. *Beg, Beg* :) Sundevil009@yahoo.com

Sneak Preview of Chapter 8-

////"I don't have a destiny," she told him, wondering about his mental health. She'd always thought him to be a little eccentric, but she didn't think he was crazy. Until now, that is.////

Love, d