"Know the feeling," Katchoo said briefly. "Well, except for Francine."

There had been her father, but after he'd died her mother had been too drunk most of the time to pay her much mind, and when she wasn't drunk she was yelling. Then there was Ace, and she hadn't been lying when she'd told Mr. Durden she'd fight him if she could. Terminally.

True, she'd been treated well by Darcy, but Katchoo harbored no illusions that Darcy Parker was anything but ruthless and calculating.

And then there had been Emma -- and once her time ran out Francine really would be the only one she had left.