"Everybody always says they're not going anywhere," Atton said irritably. "You keep firing off these cliché one-liners at me like I'm supposed to believe them coming from you when all the people I've cared about who have ever said that to me went off, and left me behind, or died. Or both! Actually, usually, both. So save me the karking speeches."

He ran a frazzled hand through his hair. "You know how many times Sparkle told me he wasn't going anywhere in the months leading to him up and vanishing on me? A lot. You know how long I've been living with the guy and he didn't go anywhere? A lot of years."

He turned to face her. "And where is he now? Huh? Where's Meetra? Where's Mira? Karking hells, where's Revan? Where's all the friends I had when I was a kid? Not here."