Demon sighed for the first time since he could remember tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He knew that he had to give me to Boba but he didn't want to do this. "Catherine, Sweetheart, come here. I need to talk to you." He called out to me sadly.

"Wes daddy?" I asked excusing myself from the other kids.

"Sweetheart, I have some bad news..." Demon began I looked up at him puzzled.

"Daddy, why is you sad?" I asked worriedly.

Demon sighed once more "I don't have anything of value to give Boba for the money I owe him. Boba isn't a patient man, he demands that I pay him what I owe him now." Demo replied.

I looked at Demon puzzled "How you pose to do dat?" I asked not wanting to know the answer.

"He demands that I give him something as collateral until such time as the payment is made." Demon replied.

"What's dat?" I asked.

"It means that I have to give him something in exchange for more time to pay my debt. He will keep said collateral until the debt is paid." Demon replied.

"I thought You said that you didn't have anything of vabue to give him.."

"I don't. The payment he demands Catherine is you." Demon replied.

I sniffled and took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled as I did I closed my eyes to keep the tears from falling. "You giving him me to pay you debt?" I sniffled once more before glaring angrily at him. "You can't. You gave me you wowd that you'd neba get wid of me." I growled.

"I have no choice. Believe me, I would do anything to not have to do this."  Demon replied placing his hand on my shoulder.

I angrily shrugged it off. "Fowget it.
It doesn't mattea. Me shouwd habe known dat you'd neva keep you wowd. You neba keep you wowd to anyone. Why shouws me be any diffewent?" I replied bitterly.

"Catherine don't be that way. Believe me, I don't want to do this but I have no choice. I must give him something. I'm sorry, I never meant for this to happen."

"It doesn't mattea. You said fwom day one dat me a swabe and dats all me eba be. Dathan wawned me dat dis day wouwd come but me didn't want to beweibe him."

"Catherine it does matter. Your not just property. You mean more to me then you realize. I promise, I will do everything in my power to get you back. My word is my bond." Demon replied.

"Yeah you junk bond, we mustn't keep me new Mastea waiting. As you said, he's not a patient man." I replied.

"Is she already to go?" Boba asked turning to Demon who nodded. "Good. Then come along we have a long journey ahead of us." Boba replied.

"Yes masta." I replied lowering my eyes so not to meet his cold gaze. You see Boba wore a dark green helmet so it was hard to make out his features.

"I want you to understand something child, I am not happy about this deal.'Id have preferred the money but we must make do with what we are given. I am not good with children but I will do my best to do right by you. I am now your official guardian. As for Demon, He will get what he deserves eventually." Boba replied.

"Your not going to huwt him is you, Mista Boba Fett?" I asked  and Boba laughed.

"I wouldn't dream of hurting him child. A deal is as deal. Can I ask you a question?" Boba asked as we headed towards his ship the Slave1.

"Wes of couwse masta." I replied.

Upon hearing my reply Boba stopped walking momentarily and turning towards me he said sternly "don't do that."

"Do what?" I asked confused still trying to fight the tears that threatened to fall unable to do so.

"Please don't cry Catherine." Boba replied keeling down before me to wipe away my tears. "Demon doesn't deserve your tears. He doesn't deserve you. As for your question, I don't want you to call me sir or master you are not my slave." Boba replied.

"Den what am me?" I asked confused.

"You are my charge, it is my duty to take care of you and to raise you properly." Boba replied.

"Does that mean that we is a family?" I asked confused.

Boba chuckled "I guess it does. I am not good with children. I never have been the best role model or the best with families. Even my own daughter wants me dead. Perhaps I can make up for the mistakes of my past by caring for you as if you were my own." Boba replied. "That is what I intend to do. You have my word as a
Mandalorien that I will take care of you and protect you until you are old enough to do so on your own." Boba replied.

"How long might that be?"

"Until the age of  18 maybe even until your 21. We shall see." Boba replied.

"Excuse me, but what do you want me call you?"

"Boba will be fine. However, you can call me daddy if you feel comfortable doing so." Boba replied.

"Weawwy?" I asked my eyes brightening at the thought.

"Yes. I am after all, your official guardian and in a way, it kind of makes me your father." Boba replied.

"What if my Mastea gets you the money he owes you?"

"He is no longer your master and he doesn't deserve you. I saw how he treated you. If you don't mind my asking how often did he punish you and how?"

"It would depend on his moods. He usually spanked me and sometimes used his belt on my back, sometimes He'd  fowce me to go without a meal. Even when he did allow me to eat he always kept the food wations small." I replied my belly beginning to rumble.

"You must be starved. Let's go get you something to eat." Boba replied.

"You don't have to do that." I replied hesitantly. "Me be otay. Me use to not eating a lot."

"Don't be ridiculous child. You need to eat to keep your strength up. I am not going to allow you to go hungry. I told you, I am going to take care you. That means providing all your needs including food. You mustn't ever be afraid to ask me for something. I'll be more then happy to get you whatever you might need." Boba replied.

It turned out that I didn't have to worry about Demon wanting me back. Several weeks and then months passed with out hearing a word from him. "So much for his pwomise dat he'd do anything to get me back." I thought bitterly but I didn't care I didn't need him. I now had a loving father and no one not even Demon was going to take me away from him.